Very sad to be leaving Phuket and all the dogs in B4 run especially Strawberry but looking forward to exploring Laos and our new adventure. Our flight to Luang Prabang was uneventful apart from a big storm once we had landed, thank God. It's visa on arrival in Laos and for $35 you get a 30 day tourist visa and it's very quick. Grabbed a tuktuk to our accommodation which was very central and only a short walk to the night market. Our room was meant to have a fridge but it didn't so after a long chat with owner they supplied us with one and then the shower was only running cold but they soon sorted it. Once the rain had stopped we went for a walk to the night market and it's a great market with nice street food, cheap too. The next morning after breakfast we walked over the Bamboo Bridge that gets washed away every year with the rain so you pay 50p to cross it and that way it helps with the rebuild the following year. The river is very fast flowing and very dark in color, not sure I would want to swim in it like some local kids were. We booked ourselves onto a tour out to the Kuang Si Waterfall and Bear rescue Center which left at 11am and took about an hour.
The waterfall was beautiful and one of the best I have seen in a long time, we climbed up the right hand side of the falls to the top. It was a hard climb but worth it once at the top and looking down at the falls but coming down the other side was a different story. The way down was slippery and yes of course I fell but a guy grabbed me to stop me falling any further down, my camera and elbow took a knocking but all ok. Back at the bottom you are able to swim but as my elbow was bleeding I decided not too but Sally was brave and went in.
The bear rescue center was a really good place where the Bears are cared for that have been rescued from the zoos and food traders. One bear had an arm missing but it didn't seem to have any effect on him and was playing with the other bears just fine. That night we went to the night market and ate a lovely bbq chicken and rice and no funny tummy the next day. This place is also famous for the monk ceremony, this is where they walk the streets and locals give them food to eat, Sally was up at 5am to watch this while I stayed in bed.
So now we are on a mini van for 8hrs to Phonsavanh, it's a funny little place but a must see as that's where you find the Plain of Jars on three different sites. Our accommodation was basic again but central to the town centre for eating and booking our next bus. Across the road was the UXO office which is where the people of Laos who have been affected by the millions of unexploded bombs dropped by the Americans in the Vietnam war 1964 to 1973 get assistance. It was called the Dirty/Hidden war as the world was unaware that America was dumping its excess bombs on Laos, also they were hoping to destroy the supply route into Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh trail. The MAG office is next door and this is the office for the program to trace and destroy the unexploded bombs so that the people can farm and use their land safely. Even today people are finding these bombs and salvaging them for scrap but unfortunately many explode killing or maiming before they even get out the ground. We wanted to visit the Plain of Jars which are scattered everywhere but only 3 sites are cleared of UXO's by the MAG teams. We paid for a driver to take us to the sites as its low season and lots of tours are not operating yet. While at the sites there are markers on the ground and you are advised to walk between the markers as this area has been cleared. The jars are unknown and they have lots of ideas what they were used for but I'm with the idea that they were funeral jars. The bodies are placed inside a jar and once they have decayed the bones are then buried. At site one is a large cave where the locals used to hide when the bombing raids were being carried out. Sites 2 and 3 are in much better condition and they are larger but site 1 is the biggest site with one of the biggest jars ever found.
So Phonsavanh done and time for another 7hr bus ride to Vang Vieng the party capital of Laos. One hour into the trip our mini bus broke down and we had a stop of an hour while the local garage put it back together. Our guesthouse was a dump, the worst we had stayed in so far but for two nights we would make do. We were just outside town but it was still only 10 minute walk, so off we go into town to see what's up. Lots of bars and companies offering kayaking and tubing down the Mekong, we found a nice bar on the rivers edge and watched the sun go down behind the mountains. Today is very hot but we wanted to do a hill walk that has amazing views but we needed to cross the river and no bridge. We saw a guy coming across in his boat so I asked him how much to take us across, £1 a bargain so we jumped in this very narrow boat that swayed a lot.
Once across the river and after a long walk around the paddy fields a local lady informed us the the hill was closed due to the rainy season. So after a drink and something to eat we headed for the Namsong toll bridge which was meant to lead us to a local cave but after walking around for an hour and no cave we gave up. That night was a huge thunder and lighting storm and we had to take shelter in a ladies shop until it eased up. We had decided that we were fed up with all this crap accommodation so we booked a 4* hotel for our next place, Vientiane the capital of Laos.
Still raining the next morning while we waited for our bus for our last bus ride to Vientiane which took 4 hours. The bus stops in the city centre where there are tuktuk's waiting to take you where ever you wish, we negotiated a fare for them to take us to our hotel and in 5 minutes we were there. By western standards the hotel is not a 4* but it's very nice and great having the 2 pools to choose from. As we were staying for 4 nights we actually unpacked and made ourselves at home, once sorted we headed out for a walk and something to eat as we hadn't eaten much. Once back at the hotel we headed for the pools and a cool off, very nice.
So we have 3 days of sight seeing and there is a lot to do and see. First stop was a short walk to the Patuxai which was built by the French and resembles the Arc de Triumph. Just across the road was a temple that's not on any tourist map and it should be. It was the Phat Tich Temple which was like a pergola and stunning in rich colors. A guy came out and said we could go to the top up some winding stairs, it was really high but the city view was amazing and we were the only ones there. We made a small donation at the top and lit a candle like I so often do at these holy places.
The next stop was the Pha That Luang, the most famous and visited land mark in Vientiane. This took 40 minutes to walk to on a very hot day so after the visit we had a drink at a local cafe to cool down a bit. The heavens opened up while at the cafe so we took a tuktuk back to the hotel and jumped into the pool. Vientiane has a huge night market along side the Mekong River so as it had stopped raining we headed there that evening. It's strange standing on the edge of the Mekong and you can clearly see Thailand on the opposite bank. On our evening walk we found That Dam a very old cone like structure now used as a round about, such a shame. Overlooking the Mekong is the Cho Anouvong statue, as if his surveying his land and looking out for attacks from the river bank. So after a nice cold beer and a meal we headed back to the hotel to relax and plan our day tomorrow. There is a place called Buddha Park which is 26km outside the city which we wanted to get too but needed to catch a local bus from the bus station. Like most bus stations they are crazy unless you know the system of getting the right bus, but we found our bus and told driver where we wanted to get off which happened to be the last stop anyway. The bus also goes to the Friendship Bridge which is the border crossing between Laos and Thailand, very busy border. Buddha Park is a collection of Buddhas of different sizes and meanings. It only takes half hour to walk around and was a bit of fun. After flagging the bus down to get back into town we wanted to get off early so we could visit the COPE center. The COPE center is a hospital for the victims of all the unexploded bombs around Laos, they also help people who have been in accidents or were born with a deformities. They supply the artificial limbs and wheelchairs and set up support groups for patients and their families. Once we had finished at the center we found a new shopping mall and headed in for a huge ice cream. Back at the hotel for a swim and a chill before heading out for some dinner. My evening meal wasn't that good so I saved the meat to give to the local street dog outside the hotel but he wasn't there but we did see a dog who must of recently had pups as she was in a right state so I gave her the meat as she needed it more than the other dog. Such a shame here as there is no help for these street dogs, no sterilization program so they just keep having pups.
After breakfast we hit the tourist trail again with the Presidential Palace then a walk to Vat Sisaket Temple followed by the Hor Phakeo Temple. All of these temples are different in size and structure but they are all used to worship Buddha. After stopping for a coffee we headed back to our hotel as we are flying out tomorrow and need to get packed. After breakfast we chilled for a bit until the hotel driver was ready to take us to the airport for our flight to Luang Prabang. Strange airport where there is no belts to take your luggage just a guy with a trolley to take them to the plane.
After 45 minutes we had landed and then waited for our small prop plane to fly us to Chiang Mai.
Saturday, 6 August 2016
Thursday, 21 July 2016
Thailand - Phuket
After leaving Cambodia we took a flight to Singapore and then onto Phuket. On arrival in Phuket it was total mayhem at the arrivals building so we quickly jumped into a cab and headed to our accommodation at Pen Siri House. We arrived at 10.20pm and the cab driver had to call the lady to come and check us in, not sure she was too happy about it but I had told her of our late arrival. We have a large room with a sofa which is nice as we are going to be there for nearly 4 weeks. It was quite late by the time we had sorted ourselves out and then being up early to catch the van that picks everyone up and takes them to Soi Dogs.
The van picks everyone up around 8.30 and brings you back around 4.30 or you can be dropped off on route if you want the shops or local market.
We were met by Rachel who I think is the organiser of the volunteers and she told us we were going to care for the dogs in B4 as the girl in there now was leaving and returning back to the UK.
After a tour and introduction of the site we were put into B4 with 19 street dogs, everyone of them at different social levels. Some of the dogs you can't get near and don't get walked to others who are very friendly. A little pup was put in the run today and he had not long had his back leg amputated but I don't know his history. Fallen in love with him but he keeps being attacked by the bully in the run called "Brick". I have reported them and hopefully they will remove him from the run until he is a bit stronger and can defend himself. So our first day is finished and looking forward to the weekend on the beach and seeing what's around this area.
We tried to catch a bus to head into Phuket town but after waiting 30 minutes decided to head to the beach instead for a swim. That afternoon they were releasing quite a few turtles back into the sea and this was great to watch. The turtles are reared from eggs until they are big enough to take care of themselves back in the wild. The sea is nice and warm but not clear at all but still nice. There are lots of places to eat here but they all do the same food at these me prices so don't really a lot of choice, but I do have my favourites.
So the start of a new week at Soi and all the dogs are excited as they don't get walks at the weekend. It was a relief to see that my little dog that had been bullied had been moved to the small dog run and we went and visited him everyday. We have 19 dogs in B4 run but one is going to Canada this Thursday and 3 others are waiting for flights. All our dogs get at least one walk a day around the pond but a few of them are just glad to be outside the run. After lunch we sit with the dogs as it's just too hot for walking them so we go and play with the puppies and the small dogs. On Wednesday we had a massive storm and the dogs don't get walked when it rains so we all went and helped with the cleaning in the new hospital. We were pulling the plastic of the stainless steel and then cleaning them with spirit. The next day it rained again but only for the morning so we were able to walk our dogs that afternoon. In the storm one of the local fishing boats was wrecked in the surf and then later broke up and was washed up onto the beach.
The town has a market that sells everything from clothes to meat and vegetables and it's on every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday so we have been going to buy fruit as its so much cheaper.
The weekend has arrived again and we were going to hire a car and explore the island but the weather wasn't brilliant so we stayed local just lazing around. Lots of volunteers left the center on Friday and looking forward to meeting the new ones that are arriving on Monday.
So another week at Soi and the dogs were all happy to see us. The weather wasn't very good this week so on some days we never got all the dogs out which I hate. Strawberry was attacked by Cadillac quite badly and I got very upset by this as I carried her to the clinic as she was losing a lot of blood. She was lucky as it was only her paws that were damaged and all the blood came from her paws. A few of the volunteers were leaving this week so we all went out for a meal to say goodbye and also to welcome in the new volunteers to Soi. While it was raining some of us did some cleaning in the new hospital while others folded bandages that are made from old bed sheets. I took the opportunity to go and sit with the small dogs and play with the puppies.
It's the weekend and we jumped on the local bus to Phuket town and a walk around the shopping mall. The local bus took about an hour to get there but it was OK as the journey was interesting. It was nice to get out of Naiyang and see some more of Phuket. We caught the the airport bus back to Naiyang and then had a long walk on the beach as the tide was along way out. On Sunday we again took the local bus to the outlet center which is not far outside Phuket town. It was nice to walk around and have some lunch but we didn't buy anything.
So the start of a new week at Soi and all our dogs in B4 are glad to see us on Monday morning and I'm happy to see my little Strawberry. So the daily routine starts with the alpha more dominant dogs going on their walks first and then the slower more shy ones later in the day. Biggy is trusting me more and more to put her lead on and then remove it. I have her walking to the edge of the pond now and she has allowed me to stroke her head, so proud of her. Sally has been helping Cadillac get over his fears of being outside the run also and she is now walking to the end of the pond and back. It's great to see so much improvement in so many of the dogs but it also makes it harder to leave them. We had two big fights in our run this week, one with Strawberry and the big dogs and the other little black dog with only 3 legs Hayyal also got caught up in a brawl.
A lot of the longer volunteers left that weekend and Monday morning we had some new ones but it seems strange with so many new faces and also they are all only staying one week. It rained at some point during everyday there this week so a couple of days we never got all the dogs out which I hate. The week ended with sunshine and looking forward to the weekend but sad also as I know that we leave next Wednesday after 4 weeks of caring for our dogs in B4.
We caught the airport bus into Phuket town and then got a taxi up to the big Buddha which is high up on a hill with amazing views of the coast line and islands that are dotted around. It was nice to see some of the island and this appears to be the biggest attraction in Phuket. We got our driver to drop us off at the old part of town where the houses have a Portuguese influence, very colourful. After a walk around the old quarter we stopped for some lunch and headed back to the bus station to catch the bus back to Pensiri.
So my final few days with all my dogs that I have come very close to especially Strawberry who I hope to adopt. I need to step back and think about her while I'm not witnessing her being attacked by the other dogs and her cowering in fear. Very sad day at the Center and I know I will be back and I'm sure I will see a lot of familiar faces still in B4 run.
It's custom for everyone to eat together on people's last night and also to welcome in the new volunteers just starting. So there is about 20 of us heading to Penns restaurant for our final sad farewell.
Saturday, 25 June 2016
Cambodia
After an hour of driving around picking people up we were finally on our way to Cambodia on our luxury coach, yeah right. The coach was quite tatty but we did have lots of leg room and the seats did recline. After 2 hours we were at the bolder and it took an hour to do the paper work just to leave Vietnam and then an hour for paperwork to enter into Cambodia. Another 3 hours and we were at the bus station being hassled by tuktuk drivers but our hotel wasn't far so we decided to walk. So far we have noticed that the roads have a lot more cars than bikes and much more dirty than Vietnam was and they stop for you to cross.
We got in touch with Steve who was at another hotel and we met up for some dinner, was great to see him again. We had a lazy start to the day starting with a swim and then off to a bakery for some breakfast. So now for a walk around the city starting with Wat Phnom, a huge Buddhist temple dating back to 1373. As we were near the bus station we went to enquire about the bus to Siem Reap which is our next destination. The Mekong River runs through Phnom Penh so we walked back to the hotel this way as we discovered that the Royal Palace was closed and reopened at 2pm. After a short break and change of clothes we headed for the palace which was about a mile away. Within the palace walls are lots of small buildings and temples, very colourful and brightly coloured. It had been very hot today and I'm feeling a bit drained now but as like clock work the wind picks up and the storm clouds roll in. We made it back to the hotel just in time as a massive storm erupted.
Up nice and early for the walk to Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum or commonly known as S-21. The place was a school before Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge took it over in 1975. It consists of 4 main buildings which were used as cells and torture chambers. In the centre is a monument to the 12,000 - 20,000 people that were imprisoned here. Only 12 are known to survive this prison.
From here we took a tuktuk to the killing fields at Choeung Ek Genocidal Centre as they are 15km outside Phnom Penh.
This is a very moving place to walk around, it's pretty much been untouched. All the mass graves have been preserved and the remains have been removed and are now on show in a central memorial stupa. Even today when there is heavy rain bones and clothing surface from the area as it's just too big an area to completely clear. One sad place was the killing tree where babies and young children are held by their feet and smashed until dead.
We got back to the hotel that afternoon and spent the rest of the day around the pool and then out for some dinner. It was so funny we were looking for a place to eat and walked into a bar that was full of "ladies" dressed in red dresses hovering over men, we politely said thank you but no thank you. We realised we were walking in the red light area as all the bars had "ladies" outside saying hello to us. We found a laundry and brought our bus tickets to get to Siem Reap on Monday, admin and chores all done. We have now in the past three days seen everything so our last day we just went for a walk and had a late breakfast. Back at the hotel we had a swim and then the heavens opened so time for a beer.
We are booked on the bus that will take us to Siem Reap which is where Angkor Wat temples are. Once again it's a 6 hour journey on a standard coach. We had booked a hotel that was very close to where the bus drops you off and with 10 minutes we were checking in. The hotel was ok nothing special but it did have a pool. So 3 days to explore this busy city and compared to Phnom Penh it's much busier and a lot more tourists around. We booked our tuktuk for the whole day for $15 and he takes you around the whole complex of temples and waits while you walk around them. It was a hot sticky overcast day but the rain held off and I really enjoyed the day. The temples are a mix of all sizes and in different states of renovation, my favourite was the tree temple as they have allowed the trees to grow around the temple giving it a magical feel. You end the day at the river and sunset but as we were quite tired so we didn't wait around and asked to be taken back. We went back into town for dinner that night and a few beers as very cheap here 50c. That night we booked our flights to Phuket via Singapore and our accommodation for the 3 weeks we are volunteering at Soi Dogs.
Today we headed into town to soak up some atmosphere and wander around the markets. We walked along the river that runs through the town and stopped for a coffee. The markets are amazing with the things they sell and how they sell and prepare the meat and fruit, also lots of bugs you could try. The afternoon we spent back at the hotel beside the pool which was nice as we were the only ones there. So all packed and ready to leave but then there was a mad storm in the morning and the roads were all flooded within minutes but luckily our flight was in the afternoon so we just hung around the hotel. Finally it stopped raining and we headed out for a coffee before our tuktuk takes us to the airport.
We got in touch with Steve who was at another hotel and we met up for some dinner, was great to see him again. We had a lazy start to the day starting with a swim and then off to a bakery for some breakfast. So now for a walk around the city starting with Wat Phnom, a huge Buddhist temple dating back to 1373. As we were near the bus station we went to enquire about the bus to Siem Reap which is our next destination. The Mekong River runs through Phnom Penh so we walked back to the hotel this way as we discovered that the Royal Palace was closed and reopened at 2pm. After a short break and change of clothes we headed for the palace which was about a mile away. Within the palace walls are lots of small buildings and temples, very colourful and brightly coloured. It had been very hot today and I'm feeling a bit drained now but as like clock work the wind picks up and the storm clouds roll in. We made it back to the hotel just in time as a massive storm erupted.
Up nice and early for the walk to Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum or commonly known as S-21. The place was a school before Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge took it over in 1975. It consists of 4 main buildings which were used as cells and torture chambers. In the centre is a monument to the 12,000 - 20,000 people that were imprisoned here. Only 12 are known to survive this prison.
From here we took a tuktuk to the killing fields at Choeung Ek Genocidal Centre as they are 15km outside Phnom Penh.
This is a very moving place to walk around, it's pretty much been untouched. All the mass graves have been preserved and the remains have been removed and are now on show in a central memorial stupa. Even today when there is heavy rain bones and clothing surface from the area as it's just too big an area to completely clear. One sad place was the killing tree where babies and young children are held by their feet and smashed until dead.
We got back to the hotel that afternoon and spent the rest of the day around the pool and then out for some dinner. It was so funny we were looking for a place to eat and walked into a bar that was full of "ladies" dressed in red dresses hovering over men, we politely said thank you but no thank you. We realised we were walking in the red light area as all the bars had "ladies" outside saying hello to us. We found a laundry and brought our bus tickets to get to Siem Reap on Monday, admin and chores all done. We have now in the past three days seen everything so our last day we just went for a walk and had a late breakfast. Back at the hotel we had a swim and then the heavens opened so time for a beer.
We are booked on the bus that will take us to Siem Reap which is where Angkor Wat temples are. Once again it's a 6 hour journey on a standard coach. We had booked a hotel that was very close to where the bus drops you off and with 10 minutes we were checking in. The hotel was ok nothing special but it did have a pool. So 3 days to explore this busy city and compared to Phnom Penh it's much busier and a lot more tourists around. We booked our tuktuk for the whole day for $15 and he takes you around the whole complex of temples and waits while you walk around them. It was a hot sticky overcast day but the rain held off and I really enjoyed the day. The temples are a mix of all sizes and in different states of renovation, my favourite was the tree temple as they have allowed the trees to grow around the temple giving it a magical feel. You end the day at the river and sunset but as we were quite tired so we didn't wait around and asked to be taken back. We went back into town for dinner that night and a few beers as very cheap here 50c. That night we booked our flights to Phuket via Singapore and our accommodation for the 3 weeks we are volunteering at Soi Dogs.
Today we headed into town to soak up some atmosphere and wander around the markets. We walked along the river that runs through the town and stopped for a coffee. The markets are amazing with the things they sell and how they sell and prepare the meat and fruit, also lots of bugs you could try. The afternoon we spent back at the hotel beside the pool which was nice as we were the only ones there. So all packed and ready to leave but then there was a mad storm in the morning and the roads were all flooded within minutes but luckily our flight was in the afternoon so we just hung around the hotel. Finally it stopped raining and we headed out for a coffee before our tuktuk takes us to the airport.
Vietnam - South
We are back on a bus to Hoi An, this was a really nice ride in a small mini bus which made some nice stops on route. The road takes us over the mountains where the north and south Vietnam border was and where the Americans had a base during the war. We also stopped for lunch at Da Nang where the town is dominated by Marble mountain. We choose to go to the top and explore the caves up there, it was so hot this day and after the walk and climb I felt exhausted and glad to be back on the bus.
Our hotel was a great place with a pool which was so welcoming on such a hot day. Hoi An is a small place with an old part of town along side the river. In the evening it's mayhem with lots of traders hassling you to buy their stuff but the atmosphere is great. The next day we are back on a small mini bus for a tour of My Son Holy Land, 4th century Hindu temples. Once again a lot have been destroyed by different conflicts over time. The ruins are magical and the guide was very knowledgable and I really enjoyed the tour. After lunch we are on another boat ride along the Thu Bon River where we are taken for a walk around Kim Bong village.
Back at the hotel for a swim and a well earned beer. We met Steve on this tour, a young guy from Dublin who was also on the same tour as us and we all hit it off straight away.
Once back at the hotel we had a beer by the pool before heading into the old part of town for some dinner. We walked over the Japanese covered bridge and then around the night market but they all sell the same stuff and it does get a bit boring after awhile.
Today is a free day before we leave Hoi An so we grabbed a couple of bikes and cycled to the local beach which was a couple of km's away. At the beach you have to pay to park your bike and then for your bed or you get it for free if you eat at their restaurant. We stayed most of the day at the beach as it was really nice but the sea had quite a lot of large jelly fish but they didn't seem to string. Late afternoon a huge storm hit town so we didn't go into the old town for dinner and went to a local place as it was raining very heavy.
We had an early pick up for our flight to Ho Chi Minh or Saigon, this was the original name but it was changed in the 70's after the war. We had another really nice hotel and our new friend Steve had been on a earlier flight so was already there. We unpacked and headed out for a walk as we were based central to most things which is good. We found the night market but nothing new in this market that we hadn't seen before. In the Center of the city is the Walking Street with City Hall at the end, it's the hub of the city.
So now we are on a tour up the Mekong river where we stop at little villages and a place for lunch, this was one of the worst tours of the whole trip of Vietnam.
Now the tour I'm really looking forward to the Cu Chi tunnels, to get to them we first have a 2hr bus ride. These tunnels are in the jungle in an area where there was some fierce fighting. The tunnels have been made wider here so westerners can fit into them. We are allowed to crawl through 150m of them and I tell you it was hard and extremely hot. There is a display of some of the traps that were laid for the Americans and they are wicked. It was a great tour but could of spent some more time there as a bit rushed, on route back we stopped for lunch before walking back to our hotel. This was our last night of our tour but we had booked another night at the hotel to chill and see a bit more of the city. We had a meal with Steve as he was leaving for Cambodia the next day and wasn't sure if we would see him again.
So our free day after breakfast we headed for the Bitexco Tower which stands at 262 metres and you get a 360* view of the city. Amazing view of Saigon but we could in the distance see a storm coming straight for us, time to keep moving. Next stop is Norte Dame Cathedral but we only had 15 minutes there but it wasn't that large, I lit a pink candle for my love ones.
While walking to the War Remnants Museum it started to rain so we took shelter in a bus stop and then a coffee stop as we didn't realise that the Museum was closed from 11 to 1pm.
So finally in the museum and what a wake up call to the horrific actions of the Vietnam war. It's well worth a visit but be prepared to view and read some terrible photos and stories.
So now it's time to book our bus out of Vietnam to Phnom Penh in Cambodia, it's a 6 hour trip in a standard coach.
Have really enjoyed Vietnam and it was everything I thought it would be, cheap, busy and food I won't eat.
Our hotel was a great place with a pool which was so welcoming on such a hot day. Hoi An is a small place with an old part of town along side the river. In the evening it's mayhem with lots of traders hassling you to buy their stuff but the atmosphere is great. The next day we are back on a small mini bus for a tour of My Son Holy Land, 4th century Hindu temples. Once again a lot have been destroyed by different conflicts over time. The ruins are magical and the guide was very knowledgable and I really enjoyed the tour. After lunch we are on another boat ride along the Thu Bon River where we are taken for a walk around Kim Bong village.
Back at the hotel for a swim and a well earned beer. We met Steve on this tour, a young guy from Dublin who was also on the same tour as us and we all hit it off straight away.
Once back at the hotel we had a beer by the pool before heading into the old part of town for some dinner. We walked over the Japanese covered bridge and then around the night market but they all sell the same stuff and it does get a bit boring after awhile.
Today is a free day before we leave Hoi An so we grabbed a couple of bikes and cycled to the local beach which was a couple of km's away. At the beach you have to pay to park your bike and then for your bed or you get it for free if you eat at their restaurant. We stayed most of the day at the beach as it was really nice but the sea had quite a lot of large jelly fish but they didn't seem to string. Late afternoon a huge storm hit town so we didn't go into the old town for dinner and went to a local place as it was raining very heavy.
We had an early pick up for our flight to Ho Chi Minh or Saigon, this was the original name but it was changed in the 70's after the war. We had another really nice hotel and our new friend Steve had been on a earlier flight so was already there. We unpacked and headed out for a walk as we were based central to most things which is good. We found the night market but nothing new in this market that we hadn't seen before. In the Center of the city is the Walking Street with City Hall at the end, it's the hub of the city.
So now we are on a tour up the Mekong river where we stop at little villages and a place for lunch, this was one of the worst tours of the whole trip of Vietnam.
Now the tour I'm really looking forward to the Cu Chi tunnels, to get to them we first have a 2hr bus ride. These tunnels are in the jungle in an area where there was some fierce fighting. The tunnels have been made wider here so westerners can fit into them. We are allowed to crawl through 150m of them and I tell you it was hard and extremely hot. There is a display of some of the traps that were laid for the Americans and they are wicked. It was a great tour but could of spent some more time there as a bit rushed, on route back we stopped for lunch before walking back to our hotel. This was our last night of our tour but we had booked another night at the hotel to chill and see a bit more of the city. We had a meal with Steve as he was leaving for Cambodia the next day and wasn't sure if we would see him again.
So our free day after breakfast we headed for the Bitexco Tower which stands at 262 metres and you get a 360* view of the city. Amazing view of Saigon but we could in the distance see a storm coming straight for us, time to keep moving. Next stop is Norte Dame Cathedral but we only had 15 minutes there but it wasn't that large, I lit a pink candle for my love ones.
While walking to the War Remnants Museum it started to rain so we took shelter in a bus stop and then a coffee stop as we didn't realise that the Museum was closed from 11 to 1pm.
So finally in the museum and what a wake up call to the horrific actions of the Vietnam war. It's well worth a visit but be prepared to view and read some terrible photos and stories.
So now it's time to book our bus out of Vietnam to Phnom Penh in Cambodia, it's a 6 hour trip in a standard coach.
Have really enjoyed Vietnam and it was everything I thought it would be, cheap, busy and food I won't eat.
Wednesday, 22 June 2016
Vietnam - North
So the day has arrived and we are leaving Australia for the last time. The flight to Kuala Lumpur was a strange one due to the fact it was empty and we all had a row of seats each. We had a good flight until we came to land and then the trouble started. There was a storm at the airport and after two attempts to land the Captain announced that we were now going to land in Singapore. I was really sick by now and felt awful, I just wanted to land. So we land at Singapore half an hour later and the plane had to refuel and then it took of again as the storm had passed. By the time we landed I was ill and never wanted to get back on a plane but a couple of hours later I was back on a plane to Hanoi. This flight was just over 3hrs and was a calm flight but I'm still hating flying at the moment.
We were met by our driver who drove us to our hotel. We were hot, tired and hungry by now but glad that when we arrived we found a lovely hotel waiting for us. The hotel is right in the hub of things with street markets all around. Plenty of cafes and shops to choose from also. We ventured out that night after a short nap just to buy some water and get something to eat. I'm sure Sally would eat from the street venders but I won't, so pizza it was for me.
We are just a short walk from Hoan Kien Lake also called Lake of the Restored Sword. Within the lake is the Temple of the Jade Mountain, you walk over a picturesque red bridge to get to the island. Up the far end of the lake is the Turtle Tower, Vietnamese people have 4 holy beasts which are the Dragon, Unicorn, Tortoise and the Phoenix. So in all the temples and monuments are reminders of their scared animals.
It is very hot today so we continuously stopped for drinks and a short rest as the heat is very draining. Next stop is Hoa Lo Prison or Hanoi Hilton as named by the US pilots that were imprisoned there during the war. Originally built by the French for political prisoners so the conditions were very harsh for them with many dying while there.
The Temple of Literature is thought to be the first university in the world, built by the King to educate his scholars.
The day of our Halong Bay trip and the coach picks us up at 8.30 and the journey takes 3 1/2hrs to get to the boat. The bay is beautiful and is now one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The V'Spirit boat is a traditional Vietnamese wooden boat with its two sails. We sail out into the bay for about an hour and then take the small tender to the island that has the huge Sung Sot Cave. The cave has 3 chambers and the last one is huge, one of the nicest caves I've been in. The crew had organised a sunset party on the deck and then after dinner we tried our hand at fishing for squid, but no luck.
Up early to watch the sunrise and they have a Tai Chi class on deck which I didn't do, I just sat and watched. After breakfast the tender takes us to a floating home where we use the kayaks for an hour. After kayaking we went for a swim, the water was very warm and I'm sure not clean enough to swim in but it has to be done. The floating home has one family that live there and never leave, they have a net in the water full of fish and a puppy dog that is not a pet. Seeing it a lot now in Vietnam, puppies for sale and have been told that 85% of Vietnamese eat dog meat.
Once back onboard we shower and then lunch is served while we head back to the port where our bus is waiting to take us back to Hanoi.
Once back in Hanoi we recheck in the the same hotel and sort our kit out before heading out for some dinner. Being Friday night a lot of the streets were closed to traffic while street artist perform and market traders sell their fake gear.
Up early for our coach pick up at 6.30am as we have a 5 1/2hr trip to the northern city of Sapa. Our coach was a normal size but had seats that lay flat into beds, very comfortable. We have wifi but not that good so just played games and read for the whole time, I tried to sleep but no joy. The mountain city is very poor with lots of village people that walk miles everyday to come into the city to hassle the tourists. We arrived around 1pm to a very busy place and straight away the mountain people zone into us as fresh meat to sell to. After lunch we put our boots on and head down into the valley to the village of Lao Chai. We are followed by some ladies from that village who chat away to us but also help us get down the muddy slopes. The walk was one of the best I've done, walking through paddy and corn fields. After walking for 4hrs we get to Lao Chai where we rest awhile and have a drink. We buy some brackets from the village ladies to say thanks for the help down. We walk through the town where our mini bus is waiting to take us back to Sapa. A well earned shower and a short rest before we have dinner and then a walk into the centre. I opted for for a 30 minute foot massage which only cost £3 and my legs and feet felt so much better after. Woke early as there is a lot of building work around the hotel and as we weren't being picked up until 9.45 we had breakfast and went for a walk. Our itinerary stated that we were going to be driven to CatCat village so I wore flip flops but our guide said we were walking for 7km which in the rain I cannot do in that foot wear. I ended up staying at the hotel while the rain fell heavily outside, it gave me the opportunity to catch up on my blog and photos. Later that afternoon we were back on the bus for the long journey back to Hanoi.
The next morning we headed to the Woman's Museum which was basically the history of Vietnamese woman and what they endured. We also went to Ho Chi Minh mausoleum, we were unable to enter but the outside is a magnificent building with a huge area in front where the military do their parades. It rained very heavy today and we got soaked but due to it being so hot it was quite nice. This was our last day in Hanoi and was sad to leave as I really enjoyed myself here.
Our next stop is Hue and a 13 hour train journey in a 4 bed carriage. We started the journey with a gran mother and her two grand children but when I woke in the morning we were sharing our carriage with a father and his son. The train got into Hue at 9am and we were met by our driver who took us to the hotel but as it was so early we couldn't check in. We left our bags and went for a walk for some breakfast. It's quite a small place on the Perfume River but just as lively and crazy as Hanoi. I have now been unwell for 5 days now and with a rough night on the train I stayed in the hotel room for the rest of the day. Ventured out that night for something to eat but just had a bowl of soup with some bread but still no better.
We had an early pick up that morning as we have a long day of visiting some tombs and a dragon boat river trip.
The first tomb we arrive at was Minh Mang who was a much loved King, his tomb was in a huge area and very magnificent. Khai Dinh tomb was kinda small as he was not a respected King due to the fact his people believed him to be gay. His tomb does suggest this as it was very colourful and decorated with gems and pottery from around the world. Tu Duc was another disliked King and his tomb was a bit of a dump compared the the others but it's the only one actually confirmed his body is in the tomb.
From there we were taken to a martial arts display and a village where they made incense sticks and hats. Now for another buffet lunch where I sat and ate water melon, I hate this food.
We are then taken to the Citadel where royal family lived but much of it was destroyed by the Americans in the war. Thien Mu Pagoda is a huge pagoda on the river bank where lots of Buddhist monks are trained and live. After along day we are finally on a dragon boat cruising up the Perfume River back to our hotel. Another exhausting day with the tour group, will be glad when tour is over and we decide what we visit and in what time span.
We were met by our driver who drove us to our hotel. We were hot, tired and hungry by now but glad that when we arrived we found a lovely hotel waiting for us. The hotel is right in the hub of things with street markets all around. Plenty of cafes and shops to choose from also. We ventured out that night after a short nap just to buy some water and get something to eat. I'm sure Sally would eat from the street venders but I won't, so pizza it was for me.
We are just a short walk from Hoan Kien Lake also called Lake of the Restored Sword. Within the lake is the Temple of the Jade Mountain, you walk over a picturesque red bridge to get to the island. Up the far end of the lake is the Turtle Tower, Vietnamese people have 4 holy beasts which are the Dragon, Unicorn, Tortoise and the Phoenix. So in all the temples and monuments are reminders of their scared animals.
It is very hot today so we continuously stopped for drinks and a short rest as the heat is very draining. Next stop is Hoa Lo Prison or Hanoi Hilton as named by the US pilots that were imprisoned there during the war. Originally built by the French for political prisoners so the conditions were very harsh for them with many dying while there.
The Temple of Literature is thought to be the first university in the world, built by the King to educate his scholars.
The day of our Halong Bay trip and the coach picks us up at 8.30 and the journey takes 3 1/2hrs to get to the boat. The bay is beautiful and is now one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The V'Spirit boat is a traditional Vietnamese wooden boat with its two sails. We sail out into the bay for about an hour and then take the small tender to the island that has the huge Sung Sot Cave. The cave has 3 chambers and the last one is huge, one of the nicest caves I've been in. The crew had organised a sunset party on the deck and then after dinner we tried our hand at fishing for squid, but no luck.
Up early to watch the sunrise and they have a Tai Chi class on deck which I didn't do, I just sat and watched. After breakfast the tender takes us to a floating home where we use the kayaks for an hour. After kayaking we went for a swim, the water was very warm and I'm sure not clean enough to swim in but it has to be done. The floating home has one family that live there and never leave, they have a net in the water full of fish and a puppy dog that is not a pet. Seeing it a lot now in Vietnam, puppies for sale and have been told that 85% of Vietnamese eat dog meat.
Once back onboard we shower and then lunch is served while we head back to the port where our bus is waiting to take us back to Hanoi.
Once back in Hanoi we recheck in the the same hotel and sort our kit out before heading out for some dinner. Being Friday night a lot of the streets were closed to traffic while street artist perform and market traders sell their fake gear.
Up early for our coach pick up at 6.30am as we have a 5 1/2hr trip to the northern city of Sapa. Our coach was a normal size but had seats that lay flat into beds, very comfortable. We have wifi but not that good so just played games and read for the whole time, I tried to sleep but no joy. The mountain city is very poor with lots of village people that walk miles everyday to come into the city to hassle the tourists. We arrived around 1pm to a very busy place and straight away the mountain people zone into us as fresh meat to sell to. After lunch we put our boots on and head down into the valley to the village of Lao Chai. We are followed by some ladies from that village who chat away to us but also help us get down the muddy slopes. The walk was one of the best I've done, walking through paddy and corn fields. After walking for 4hrs we get to Lao Chai where we rest awhile and have a drink. We buy some brackets from the village ladies to say thanks for the help down. We walk through the town where our mini bus is waiting to take us back to Sapa. A well earned shower and a short rest before we have dinner and then a walk into the centre. I opted for for a 30 minute foot massage which only cost £3 and my legs and feet felt so much better after. Woke early as there is a lot of building work around the hotel and as we weren't being picked up until 9.45 we had breakfast and went for a walk. Our itinerary stated that we were going to be driven to CatCat village so I wore flip flops but our guide said we were walking for 7km which in the rain I cannot do in that foot wear. I ended up staying at the hotel while the rain fell heavily outside, it gave me the opportunity to catch up on my blog and photos. Later that afternoon we were back on the bus for the long journey back to Hanoi.
The next morning we headed to the Woman's Museum which was basically the history of Vietnamese woman and what they endured. We also went to Ho Chi Minh mausoleum, we were unable to enter but the outside is a magnificent building with a huge area in front where the military do their parades. It rained very heavy today and we got soaked but due to it being so hot it was quite nice. This was our last day in Hanoi and was sad to leave as I really enjoyed myself here.
Our next stop is Hue and a 13 hour train journey in a 4 bed carriage. We started the journey with a gran mother and her two grand children but when I woke in the morning we were sharing our carriage with a father and his son. The train got into Hue at 9am and we were met by our driver who took us to the hotel but as it was so early we couldn't check in. We left our bags and went for a walk for some breakfast. It's quite a small place on the Perfume River but just as lively and crazy as Hanoi. I have now been unwell for 5 days now and with a rough night on the train I stayed in the hotel room for the rest of the day. Ventured out that night for something to eat but just had a bowl of soup with some bread but still no better.
We had an early pick up that morning as we have a long day of visiting some tombs and a dragon boat river trip.
The first tomb we arrive at was Minh Mang who was a much loved King, his tomb was in a huge area and very magnificent. Khai Dinh tomb was kinda small as he was not a respected King due to the fact his people believed him to be gay. His tomb does suggest this as it was very colourful and decorated with gems and pottery from around the world. Tu Duc was another disliked King and his tomb was a bit of a dump compared the the others but it's the only one actually confirmed his body is in the tomb.
From there we were taken to a martial arts display and a village where they made incense sticks and hats. Now for another buffet lunch where I sat and ate water melon, I hate this food.
We are then taken to the Citadel where royal family lived but much of it was destroyed by the Americans in the war. Thien Mu Pagoda is a huge pagoda on the river bank where lots of Buddhist monks are trained and live. After along day we are finally on a dragon boat cruising up the Perfume River back to our hotel. Another exhausting day with the tour group, will be glad when tour is over and we decide what we visit and in what time span.
Sunday, 5 June 2016
Final Leg Back to Sydney part 2
I happened to notice a house sit just for the weekend on route so I emailed the family and we were accepted to care for their 3 pets while they went to Melbourne for the weekend. As we were not staying at the house on Thursday night we went to the camp site at Lane Cove National Park. The home was in Thornleigh, a Sydney suburb and we were caring for a little Kelpie called Milly and two cats called Princess and Sammy. Sammy was an outdoors cat so didn't see her much, only at feeding time, Princess like her name was one and only stayed indoors. Milly was a lovely kelpie who didn't need much care but I did get a cuddle from her. Thursday night we drove to Thornleigh to meet the family and their pets, Ian advised us of their routine and then we left to allow them to get on with their packing. We arrived at the home Friday morning and made friends with the pets and stayed and played with Milly awhile before we went out for a couple of hours. We were told of a really nice place called Berowra Waters and Galston Gorge, nice drive out and a short ferry crossing to get to the gorge.
As we were that close to Sydney we jumped on the train for the 50 minute journey, like when we were here 7 months ago it was raining. Luckily we were only going to visit the Museum of Contemporary Art where there was a exhibition from the British artist Grayson Perry. An unusual display of pottery and tapestries by the artist, I believe they portray his outlook on life.
Didn't do much on Sunday but we walked Milly for an hour, tidied the house and done some washing. We left the home at 5.30pm and headed back to the Lane Cove camp site for the night.
Monday was a really nice day so we walked through the park along the river for a couple of hours then headed for the Royal Park. We got to the park but as it was ANZAC day it was still busy and we couldn't find a camp site so we got back in the van and headed south. Our final destination is Batemans Bay so we are heading there now and will visit the park on our way back to Sydney before we sell the van back to Travel Wheels.
That night we stayed in a large site on the beach called Corrimal, a pretty coastal town with a few shops and a gorgeous beach. Finally arrived at Batemans Bay to find the camp sites expensive so we drove 6km on to Sunshine Bay and booked into Caseys Beach for 3 nights. This site had a great kitchen and TV room which nobody used so it was like having our own little lounge for 3 nights. This area has some great bays and lots of islands off shore so we headed a bit further south to Mossy Point and Broulee. Broulee Beach has an island which you can walk around and if the tide is right sit and watch the blow hole. From here we then drove down to a place called Moruya to an ice cream parlour for some heavenly ice cream.
Batemans Bay has a bat colony which has taken over a park area which the local residents are complaining about the noise and the smell. There is now 250,000 bats but they are protected so the council cannot touch them. We sat and watched them for awhile as I find bats fascinating.
Had a walk around the harbour while eating liquorice flavoured ice cream. So after 3 restful days here we started the drive back towards Sydney and the National Park. On the route out we had one last look at the bats and against the blue sky they looked even more amazing.
We took a slight detour to the Boorderee National Park, the park charges but you can camp and entry fee all for $21 which is great value. The park is along the coast line and the camp was a bush camp with showers but still a nice place to stay. We had wallabies run through our camp, parrots on the roof of the car but also leaches to watch out for. While out on a walk right across our pathway was a Red Bellied Black Snake, we managed to get a photo before it slid off into the bush. Also a black frog with yellow strips was spotted but don't know what it was and Google never found it either. We did some nice walking around the park and yet again the rugged coastline made for a great unexpected 2 days.
Back on the road we stopped at Kiama to watch the sea at its best and the towns famous blowhole. Australia has some amazing lighthouses and Kiama was no exception but I think this one had just been painted as it was blinding in the sunlight.
Berry is another one drive through cowboy street with shops along the sides which I imagine in their day were everyday household shops but now they are coffee and ice cream shops.
Before we got to the park we drove over the Sea Cliff Bridge which is about 1km long over the sea, a nice walk over and back on quite a windy day.
Finally make it back to Royal National Park, second oldest park in the world, the first being Yellowstone in the States. We parked just outside the park to avoid paying the entry fee of $12, every little saving helps. We wanted to walk to the figure of eight rock formation on the coast line that you can sit in and the waves come up over you. In the past people have been sweep away by some huge waves so they advise you not to go there. We did the 12km walk but maybe fortunately we couldn't fine the path down to the coast. It was a great walk through some really thick bush and the views were great of a large pod of dolphins we spotted. We drove back over the sea cliff bridge to the camp site on the beach at Coledale and watched an amazing sunset.
After leaving Coledale and our beautiful beach setting we headed back through the park and back to Sydney and as Lane Cove is really the only camp site in Sydney we booked into there for 4 nights.
I found a new house sit in Ryde another Sydney suburb, this is only for 3 nights and it's to care for another rescue dog called Tilley. The family wanted to meet us so after a lovely swim in the Sydney 2000 Olympic pool we went and met them. Once back at Lane Cove we had some dinner and stayed in the TV room and watched Netflix on our iPads.
We spent the day in Sydney and had a nice meal at Circluar Quay, it was a very warm day and was lovely just to sit and people watch. The house sit we are doing in Sydney said it was ok to leave a bag with them while we were in Fiji as half the kit we had was not needed there. We had agreed to take the van back to Travel Wheels in Botany Bay on Friday as we were flying out early Saturday morning. We agreed a buy back figure so just waiting for the money transfer to take place. Due to the time of our flight to Melbourne we stayed at the airport Friday night in some armchairs but didn't get much sleep.
Landed back at Sydney Airport at 9pm and had a short train journey to central where we are booked into the Railway Square YHA. We were sharing a train carriage with two young girls who were the messiest people I have ever seen. Climbed into our top bunk about 1am only to be woken up at 3am with one of the girls coming into the room. Then at 5am I could hear all the station announcements so no more sleep for me so headed for the shower. Spent the day in Sydney as we could leave our bags at the hostel and also we didn't need to be in Gerringong until 6pm
Bonny and Clyde are brother and sister and are a cross Maltese/Shin Zu. They are the cutest pups I've ever known, all they wanted is human company and cuddles. The house is right in the center of Gerringong and we had lovely walks to the beach and the cliff tops. The next town heading north is Kiama and there is a costal walk path to there, although it said it was 6km we ended up walking 17km that day including the dog walks. The town has a town hall where you can pick up free wifi so we managed to get our flights, tours and accommodation all booked for Vietnam. Prior to getting this house sit we had booked up a whale watching tour back in Sydney but I was a bit worried about leaving the dogs all day. We headed back to Sydney for our trip and we had an amazing time, a female hump back and her two calfs spent about two hours along side our boat. We had great views of them all as they came so close to the boat and it was their choice to do so, the skipper did not hassle them in anyway. Got back to the pups and they were very happy to see us and they were fine being on their own all day.
We jumped on the train and went to another town south of Gerringong called Berry where we had a lovely afternoon tea and a walk around the the town. Back at the house we started to sort our stuff out getting ready for the off and back to Sydney. It was sad to leave our little pups but their mummy is coming home and we have a train to catch.
We have booked into a serviced studio apartment for the week in Brookvale just north of Sydney. Our little studio is brilliant, has everything that you need and its opposite one of NSW's biggest shopping mall. We had 5 good busy days here, we did a lot of research on Vietnam as we had unlimited wifi. Jumped on a bus and went into Manly for the day and on another day we went into Sydney for the Great Explorers exhibition at the Australian Museum. While at the museum they had a David Attenborough 360* show, this was based on his recent visit to the Great Barrier Reef.
We are now at our final house sit, caring for Tilly in Ryde which is a Sydney suburb. She is another rescue dog but again so loveable. We are only here for 3 days and then we fly to Vietnam so wanted to make the most of our last few days here. I booked for us to have a Elegant High Tea at one of Sydney's oldest hotel, Sir Stamford overlooking Circular Quay. Really nice snacks, cakes tea and a glass of champagne to wash it all down. That night at 6pm Sydney stated its Vivid light show, this is where they have light shows on famous land marks. We stayed and watched some of it but felt we needed to get back to Tilly. Our friends we met up at Cairns who live in Newcastle came down to spend the day with us before we leave Australia. Went out for a really nice meal and drive to Palm Beach, hopefully we will all see each other again. Our family arrive home and Tilly was very happy to see them. After a chat and a drink they took us to the airport which took about an hour so was very nice of them to do that.
As we were that close to Sydney we jumped on the train for the 50 minute journey, like when we were here 7 months ago it was raining. Luckily we were only going to visit the Museum of Contemporary Art where there was a exhibition from the British artist Grayson Perry. An unusual display of pottery and tapestries by the artist, I believe they portray his outlook on life.
Didn't do much on Sunday but we walked Milly for an hour, tidied the house and done some washing. We left the home at 5.30pm and headed back to the Lane Cove camp site for the night.
Monday was a really nice day so we walked through the park along the river for a couple of hours then headed for the Royal Park. We got to the park but as it was ANZAC day it was still busy and we couldn't find a camp site so we got back in the van and headed south. Our final destination is Batemans Bay so we are heading there now and will visit the park on our way back to Sydney before we sell the van back to Travel Wheels.
That night we stayed in a large site on the beach called Corrimal, a pretty coastal town with a few shops and a gorgeous beach. Finally arrived at Batemans Bay to find the camp sites expensive so we drove 6km on to Sunshine Bay and booked into Caseys Beach for 3 nights. This site had a great kitchen and TV room which nobody used so it was like having our own little lounge for 3 nights. This area has some great bays and lots of islands off shore so we headed a bit further south to Mossy Point and Broulee. Broulee Beach has an island which you can walk around and if the tide is right sit and watch the blow hole. From here we then drove down to a place called Moruya to an ice cream parlour for some heavenly ice cream.
Batemans Bay has a bat colony which has taken over a park area which the local residents are complaining about the noise and the smell. There is now 250,000 bats but they are protected so the council cannot touch them. We sat and watched them for awhile as I find bats fascinating.
Had a walk around the harbour while eating liquorice flavoured ice cream. So after 3 restful days here we started the drive back towards Sydney and the National Park. On the route out we had one last look at the bats and against the blue sky they looked even more amazing.
We took a slight detour to the Boorderee National Park, the park charges but you can camp and entry fee all for $21 which is great value. The park is along the coast line and the camp was a bush camp with showers but still a nice place to stay. We had wallabies run through our camp, parrots on the roof of the car but also leaches to watch out for. While out on a walk right across our pathway was a Red Bellied Black Snake, we managed to get a photo before it slid off into the bush. Also a black frog with yellow strips was spotted but don't know what it was and Google never found it either. We did some nice walking around the park and yet again the rugged coastline made for a great unexpected 2 days.
Back on the road we stopped at Kiama to watch the sea at its best and the towns famous blowhole. Australia has some amazing lighthouses and Kiama was no exception but I think this one had just been painted as it was blinding in the sunlight.
Berry is another one drive through cowboy street with shops along the sides which I imagine in their day were everyday household shops but now they are coffee and ice cream shops.
Before we got to the park we drove over the Sea Cliff Bridge which is about 1km long over the sea, a nice walk over and back on quite a windy day.
Finally make it back to Royal National Park, second oldest park in the world, the first being Yellowstone in the States. We parked just outside the park to avoid paying the entry fee of $12, every little saving helps. We wanted to walk to the figure of eight rock formation on the coast line that you can sit in and the waves come up over you. In the past people have been sweep away by some huge waves so they advise you not to go there. We did the 12km walk but maybe fortunately we couldn't fine the path down to the coast. It was a great walk through some really thick bush and the views were great of a large pod of dolphins we spotted. We drove back over the sea cliff bridge to the camp site on the beach at Coledale and watched an amazing sunset.
After leaving Coledale and our beautiful beach setting we headed back through the park and back to Sydney and as Lane Cove is really the only camp site in Sydney we booked into there for 4 nights.
I found a new house sit in Ryde another Sydney suburb, this is only for 3 nights and it's to care for another rescue dog called Tilley. The family wanted to meet us so after a lovely swim in the Sydney 2000 Olympic pool we went and met them. Once back at Lane Cove we had some dinner and stayed in the TV room and watched Netflix on our iPads.
We spent the day in Sydney and had a nice meal at Circluar Quay, it was a very warm day and was lovely just to sit and people watch. The house sit we are doing in Sydney said it was ok to leave a bag with them while we were in Fiji as half the kit we had was not needed there. We had agreed to take the van back to Travel Wheels in Botany Bay on Friday as we were flying out early Saturday morning. We agreed a buy back figure so just waiting for the money transfer to take place. Due to the time of our flight to Melbourne we stayed at the airport Friday night in some armchairs but didn't get much sleep.
Landed back at Sydney Airport at 9pm and had a short train journey to central where we are booked into the Railway Square YHA. We were sharing a train carriage with two young girls who were the messiest people I have ever seen. Climbed into our top bunk about 1am only to be woken up at 3am with one of the girls coming into the room. Then at 5am I could hear all the station announcements so no more sleep for me so headed for the shower. Spent the day in Sydney as we could leave our bags at the hostel and also we didn't need to be in Gerringong until 6pm
Bonny and Clyde are brother and sister and are a cross Maltese/Shin Zu. They are the cutest pups I've ever known, all they wanted is human company and cuddles. The house is right in the center of Gerringong and we had lovely walks to the beach and the cliff tops. The next town heading north is Kiama and there is a costal walk path to there, although it said it was 6km we ended up walking 17km that day including the dog walks. The town has a town hall where you can pick up free wifi so we managed to get our flights, tours and accommodation all booked for Vietnam. Prior to getting this house sit we had booked up a whale watching tour back in Sydney but I was a bit worried about leaving the dogs all day. We headed back to Sydney for our trip and we had an amazing time, a female hump back and her two calfs spent about two hours along side our boat. We had great views of them all as they came so close to the boat and it was their choice to do so, the skipper did not hassle them in anyway. Got back to the pups and they were very happy to see us and they were fine being on their own all day.
We jumped on the train and went to another town south of Gerringong called Berry where we had a lovely afternoon tea and a walk around the the town. Back at the house we started to sort our stuff out getting ready for the off and back to Sydney. It was sad to leave our little pups but their mummy is coming home and we have a train to catch.
We have booked into a serviced studio apartment for the week in Brookvale just north of Sydney. Our little studio is brilliant, has everything that you need and its opposite one of NSW's biggest shopping mall. We had 5 good busy days here, we did a lot of research on Vietnam as we had unlimited wifi. Jumped on a bus and went into Manly for the day and on another day we went into Sydney for the Great Explorers exhibition at the Australian Museum. While at the museum they had a David Attenborough 360* show, this was based on his recent visit to the Great Barrier Reef.
We are now at our final house sit, caring for Tilly in Ryde which is a Sydney suburb. She is another rescue dog but again so loveable. We are only here for 3 days and then we fly to Vietnam so wanted to make the most of our last few days here. I booked for us to have a Elegant High Tea at one of Sydney's oldest hotel, Sir Stamford overlooking Circular Quay. Really nice snacks, cakes tea and a glass of champagne to wash it all down. That night at 6pm Sydney stated its Vivid light show, this is where they have light shows on famous land marks. We stayed and watched some of it but felt we needed to get back to Tilly. Our friends we met up at Cairns who live in Newcastle came down to spend the day with us before we leave Australia. Went out for a really nice meal and drive to Palm Beach, hopefully we will all see each other again. Our family arrive home and Tilly was very happy to see them. After a chat and a drink they took us to the airport which took about an hour so was very nice of them to do that.
Final Leg Back to Sydney part 1
Very sad to leave Ralphy and Minnie and their lovely home but it was time to move on with our journey around Australia. We had wanted to go to the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary which was south of Brisbane so that's where we were going to spend our last day in the Brisbane area.
The sanctuary was a small place where koala live out their days due to illness or accidents and they cannot survive back in the wild. I still hate to see animals in cages or pens but at least these animals were safe and being cared for. Due to us now heading for the Gold Coast we found that camp sites were getting really expensive and it was school holidays for Queenslanders. We found a really nice free camp in Beenleigh about 20km outside Southport, the start of the Gold Coast. The coast line is beautiful along here but very touristy and over priced. We got parked just back from the beach so we didn't have to pay and by now I'm used to walking everywhere. We spent 2 days at Surfers Paradise but one of the days it rained, really nice atmosphere on the street due to it having a street performing acts competition. We headed out of town to park up for the night, in a side street close to a McDonalds for the toilet and a morning coffee off course. Southport had a really nice aqua center so we headed there for a swim and our morning shower as no matter where or how we sleep we always manage to find a shower the next day. This day wasn't so good as it rained again so we spent some time in an outlet shopping center before we headed out of town and into the national parks. We stayed in a small camp site in Advancedtown as now away from the coast the sites were back to normal prices. We drove to Mount Tamborine NP where the town is perched on its plateau and hand gliders fly from its mountain side. Within the park is a pretty little street called Gallery Walk where you find your cafes, fudge and ice creameries and off course souvenir shops. We did the Curtis Falls and Cedar Creek walks which were quite hard on the legs. That night we stayed at Canungra show ground before heading back to the coast and Broadbeach to continue further down the Gold Coast. The next night we stayed at Burleigh Heads right on the beach front which was great, we sat and watched the sun set over the coast line of high raised hotels along the Gold Coast. That night we chatted with a Dutch couple who were just starting out on there trip around Australia so it was nice to help them with lots of advice and places to visit and stay.
As the sun was out the next day we spent it at the beach but mainly in the shade and only popping out for a dip or an ice cream. In the camp site someone recommend that we visit Mount Cougar NP as it had lovely rock pools to swim in. Currumbin rock pools were large but the water didn't look very inviting so we just sat and watched others.
Our next inland place we drove to was Natural Bridge, there we stayed in a church owned camp site so the usual rules apply, no drugs, alcohol, smoking or pets. Great place as wallabies were out and about and in the camp kitchen were skink lizards. That night we went to the natural bridge to see the glow worms in the cave, very dark walk down to the cave and water fall. On the 5 minute drive there was a carpet Python moving across the road so I stopped for a photo of this huge snake.
The next morning while we waited for our washing to dry we headed down the track to another rock pool and this one was inviting but we didn't carry our kit with us to swim. We now headed back to the Natural Bridge to see it in daylight and what an amazing place. It's a cave full of bats and glow worms with a waterfall that cascades through a huge hole in the cave roof which forms a natural bridge. We are now only a few kilometers from the border back into NSW but we were not going to cross just yet as we wanted to visit Springbrook Mountain. This mountain range again is on a plateau and on route are lots of look outs and walks. We walked the 10km to the Twin Falls which takes you through the rain forest and on route are lots of little falls and amazing rock formations. That night we stayed at Austinville, another small town inland so cheaper than the coastal sites. Now we are on the last stretch of road down the Gold Coast and the NSW border, the border town is Coolangatta and a really nice place. We spent a couple of hours messing about on the beach as the sun was shining today. That afternoon we drove to a small town called Billinudgel where they have a pub that allows you to camp in their garden for free. Great idea but very busy with campers but we managed to find a small patch to pitch our tent, we got a shower as well for $5 There was a great atmosphere in this pub, the building itself was lopsided and it made me feel funny walking around upstairs where the $5 shower was.
The first place we go to in NSW is Byron Bay, everybody we met all raved about it and it's hippy culture. It is a great place but expensive to park but we still had two great days there, even hired a surfboard for half a day to mess around with and no still can't stand up on the bloody thing. We stayed a little bit outside the town in a show ground site and the town had yet another great pool. That night we just managed to cook dinner when our gas bottle run out so no morning cuppa for me.
After leaving Byron Bay we headed for a place called Yamba where the camp site was based at a lovely river setting. After a quick visit around the small town we did a small coastal walk to keep my steps up, not that I'm losing any weight but I do feel fitter. Still moving south down the east coast of Australia we stayed at a beautiful camp site at Moonee Beach. Once again we were the only campers among the trees but we had a great view of the estuary and with the tide out it was so picturesque. The area had a headland walk which we did the next morning and as the tide was out we walked back along the shore line. To avoid an incoming wave I jumped onto a rock and of course I slipped, badly bruised leg and cut to the elbow but I'm sure I will survive. We left shortly after and drove to Coffs Harbour and did a nice walk around the harbour where there is a hill top walk which has a large rookery. From the top we got an amazing view of the coast line which stretched for miles.
Back in land again to another national park called Dorrigo where we stayed in a farmers field which backed onto Dangar Falls. Quite a steep walk down to the falls but they were worth it just a shame it's now too cold for a swim. Due to being quite high up the night was very cold in our tent and the sun was up early to warm our chilled bones. After breakfast we drove to the rain forest center which has a sky walk and a 6.8km walk to the Tristania and Crystal Shower Falls. Both were lovely waterfalls and a well deserved coffee when we got back to the center. Both Dorrigo and Bellingen remind me of old western towns and at any moment there could be a gun fight. At Bellingen we had a nice picnic by the river side before heading back to the Pacific Highway and onto Urunga.
The small coastal town of South West Rocks had a vintage caravan rally which were being towed by cars just as old as the caravans. The coast line is very rocky and we went for a walk to the famous lighthouse and Captain Cooks lookout hill. From there we watched two pods of dolphins moving along the shallows, I think they were feeding.
On route to Port Macquarie we stopped at Kempsey, a large town but of no interest but worthy of a walk around. At Port Macquarie we went to the koala hospital, this is where koalas involved in car accidents or are found. They are cared for and hopefully returned to the wild once fit enough to care for themselves. In the same estate is Roto House, one of the oldest houses in the area which belonged to a family that helped build the town up.
We got to Bonny Hills camp site on a very windy afternoon so a walk along the beach was out the question. We were told about the V Wall that is at the beach and it's where you can paint what ever you like, most people use it as a memory to lost love ones. We have just be booked for another house sit in Newcastle for a week looking after 2 Labradors (Max and Ben) and Koda the Dachshund. Before we arrived into Newcastle we drove to Tuncurry and Port Stephens for a quick look and to see if it was worth going back later on in the week.
Now heading to Charlestown, a suburb of Newcastle where our next house sit is. We are met by 3 very excitable dogs who are also very loving when they calmed down. The family take us out for a meal that night before they leave for their holiday to the Gold Coast. The next morning they leave early and we are left in charge of the house and dogs for a week. It proved impossible to walk all 3 dogs together so we walked Koda two laps around the block and then together we would walk a lab one at a time. Max proved the hardest as he managed to escape his harass but we managed to catch him and get him home, thank God. We booked a surf lesson down at Nobby's Beach as they said it was excellent for beginners but that day the surf was really bad and we both took some bad tumbles in the surf until the instructor said it had become too rough for us.
We were invited for a bbq with some ladies we had met up at Cairns on a dive boot. We had a lovely evening with them and we arranged to meet up later in the week. Newcastle is a coal mining city and one side of the town has big super tankers coming in and the other side has been renovated to stylist apartments along the foreshore. Along with restaurants and cafes is an observation tower which we had too climb for the view but got a bit dizzy climbing the stairs.
One day we went to Nelson Bay and had a walk around the marina and went and had a go on the toboggan run that's there. Also down that way is Anna Beach where at Birubi Point we did sand boarding on the largest mobile sand dunes in the Southern Hemisphere. The dunes measure 35km and move inland by 5 meters every year. Had a brilliant time in the dunes and was completely knackered after a couple of hours, didn't managed to stand on the board through.
Mitchell's took us boggy boarding on Redhead Beach one morning and I had a great time in the surf but Sally didn't go in as I think our previous surf lesson had put her off going into the sea.
Our family returned late Sunday night so we stayed that night and made ready to leave Monday morning. Bron took us for a lovely breakfast in a place called 3 Monkeys, very nice pancakes.
After leaving the house we had called home for a week we headed to Redhead to stay with Michelle and Pam for a few days. On Tuesday we spent the day at Hunter Valley which is another wine region and the oldest but not the best but it was still a nice day out.
Said farewell to Michelle on Thursday morning to start our journey down to Sydney and a house sit in Gerringong for a week.
The sanctuary was a small place where koala live out their days due to illness or accidents and they cannot survive back in the wild. I still hate to see animals in cages or pens but at least these animals were safe and being cared for. Due to us now heading for the Gold Coast we found that camp sites were getting really expensive and it was school holidays for Queenslanders. We found a really nice free camp in Beenleigh about 20km outside Southport, the start of the Gold Coast. The coast line is beautiful along here but very touristy and over priced. We got parked just back from the beach so we didn't have to pay and by now I'm used to walking everywhere. We spent 2 days at Surfers Paradise but one of the days it rained, really nice atmosphere on the street due to it having a street performing acts competition. We headed out of town to park up for the night, in a side street close to a McDonalds for the toilet and a morning coffee off course. Southport had a really nice aqua center so we headed there for a swim and our morning shower as no matter where or how we sleep we always manage to find a shower the next day. This day wasn't so good as it rained again so we spent some time in an outlet shopping center before we headed out of town and into the national parks. We stayed in a small camp site in Advancedtown as now away from the coast the sites were back to normal prices. We drove to Mount Tamborine NP where the town is perched on its plateau and hand gliders fly from its mountain side. Within the park is a pretty little street called Gallery Walk where you find your cafes, fudge and ice creameries and off course souvenir shops. We did the Curtis Falls and Cedar Creek walks which were quite hard on the legs. That night we stayed at Canungra show ground before heading back to the coast and Broadbeach to continue further down the Gold Coast. The next night we stayed at Burleigh Heads right on the beach front which was great, we sat and watched the sun set over the coast line of high raised hotels along the Gold Coast. That night we chatted with a Dutch couple who were just starting out on there trip around Australia so it was nice to help them with lots of advice and places to visit and stay.
As the sun was out the next day we spent it at the beach but mainly in the shade and only popping out for a dip or an ice cream. In the camp site someone recommend that we visit Mount Cougar NP as it had lovely rock pools to swim in. Currumbin rock pools were large but the water didn't look very inviting so we just sat and watched others.
Our next inland place we drove to was Natural Bridge, there we stayed in a church owned camp site so the usual rules apply, no drugs, alcohol, smoking or pets. Great place as wallabies were out and about and in the camp kitchen were skink lizards. That night we went to the natural bridge to see the glow worms in the cave, very dark walk down to the cave and water fall. On the 5 minute drive there was a carpet Python moving across the road so I stopped for a photo of this huge snake.
The next morning while we waited for our washing to dry we headed down the track to another rock pool and this one was inviting but we didn't carry our kit with us to swim. We now headed back to the Natural Bridge to see it in daylight and what an amazing place. It's a cave full of bats and glow worms with a waterfall that cascades through a huge hole in the cave roof which forms a natural bridge. We are now only a few kilometers from the border back into NSW but we were not going to cross just yet as we wanted to visit Springbrook Mountain. This mountain range again is on a plateau and on route are lots of look outs and walks. We walked the 10km to the Twin Falls which takes you through the rain forest and on route are lots of little falls and amazing rock formations. That night we stayed at Austinville, another small town inland so cheaper than the coastal sites. Now we are on the last stretch of road down the Gold Coast and the NSW border, the border town is Coolangatta and a really nice place. We spent a couple of hours messing about on the beach as the sun was shining today. That afternoon we drove to a small town called Billinudgel where they have a pub that allows you to camp in their garden for free. Great idea but very busy with campers but we managed to find a small patch to pitch our tent, we got a shower as well for $5 There was a great atmosphere in this pub, the building itself was lopsided and it made me feel funny walking around upstairs where the $5 shower was.
The first place we go to in NSW is Byron Bay, everybody we met all raved about it and it's hippy culture. It is a great place but expensive to park but we still had two great days there, even hired a surfboard for half a day to mess around with and no still can't stand up on the bloody thing. We stayed a little bit outside the town in a show ground site and the town had yet another great pool. That night we just managed to cook dinner when our gas bottle run out so no morning cuppa for me.
After leaving Byron Bay we headed for a place called Yamba where the camp site was based at a lovely river setting. After a quick visit around the small town we did a small coastal walk to keep my steps up, not that I'm losing any weight but I do feel fitter. Still moving south down the east coast of Australia we stayed at a beautiful camp site at Moonee Beach. Once again we were the only campers among the trees but we had a great view of the estuary and with the tide out it was so picturesque. The area had a headland walk which we did the next morning and as the tide was out we walked back along the shore line. To avoid an incoming wave I jumped onto a rock and of course I slipped, badly bruised leg and cut to the elbow but I'm sure I will survive. We left shortly after and drove to Coffs Harbour and did a nice walk around the harbour where there is a hill top walk which has a large rookery. From the top we got an amazing view of the coast line which stretched for miles.
Back in land again to another national park called Dorrigo where we stayed in a farmers field which backed onto Dangar Falls. Quite a steep walk down to the falls but they were worth it just a shame it's now too cold for a swim. Due to being quite high up the night was very cold in our tent and the sun was up early to warm our chilled bones. After breakfast we drove to the rain forest center which has a sky walk and a 6.8km walk to the Tristania and Crystal Shower Falls. Both were lovely waterfalls and a well deserved coffee when we got back to the center. Both Dorrigo and Bellingen remind me of old western towns and at any moment there could be a gun fight. At Bellingen we had a nice picnic by the river side before heading back to the Pacific Highway and onto Urunga.
The small coastal town of South West Rocks had a vintage caravan rally which were being towed by cars just as old as the caravans. The coast line is very rocky and we went for a walk to the famous lighthouse and Captain Cooks lookout hill. From there we watched two pods of dolphins moving along the shallows, I think they were feeding.
On route to Port Macquarie we stopped at Kempsey, a large town but of no interest but worthy of a walk around. At Port Macquarie we went to the koala hospital, this is where koalas involved in car accidents or are found. They are cared for and hopefully returned to the wild once fit enough to care for themselves. In the same estate is Roto House, one of the oldest houses in the area which belonged to a family that helped build the town up.
We got to Bonny Hills camp site on a very windy afternoon so a walk along the beach was out the question. We were told about the V Wall that is at the beach and it's where you can paint what ever you like, most people use it as a memory to lost love ones. We have just be booked for another house sit in Newcastle for a week looking after 2 Labradors (Max and Ben) and Koda the Dachshund. Before we arrived into Newcastle we drove to Tuncurry and Port Stephens for a quick look and to see if it was worth going back later on in the week.
Now heading to Charlestown, a suburb of Newcastle where our next house sit is. We are met by 3 very excitable dogs who are also very loving when they calmed down. The family take us out for a meal that night before they leave for their holiday to the Gold Coast. The next morning they leave early and we are left in charge of the house and dogs for a week. It proved impossible to walk all 3 dogs together so we walked Koda two laps around the block and then together we would walk a lab one at a time. Max proved the hardest as he managed to escape his harass but we managed to catch him and get him home, thank God. We booked a surf lesson down at Nobby's Beach as they said it was excellent for beginners but that day the surf was really bad and we both took some bad tumbles in the surf until the instructor said it had become too rough for us.
We were invited for a bbq with some ladies we had met up at Cairns on a dive boot. We had a lovely evening with them and we arranged to meet up later in the week. Newcastle is a coal mining city and one side of the town has big super tankers coming in and the other side has been renovated to stylist apartments along the foreshore. Along with restaurants and cafes is an observation tower which we had too climb for the view but got a bit dizzy climbing the stairs.
One day we went to Nelson Bay and had a walk around the marina and went and had a go on the toboggan run that's there. Also down that way is Anna Beach where at Birubi Point we did sand boarding on the largest mobile sand dunes in the Southern Hemisphere. The dunes measure 35km and move inland by 5 meters every year. Had a brilliant time in the dunes and was completely knackered after a couple of hours, didn't managed to stand on the board through.
Mitchell's took us boggy boarding on Redhead Beach one morning and I had a great time in the surf but Sally didn't go in as I think our previous surf lesson had put her off going into the sea.
Our family returned late Sunday night so we stayed that night and made ready to leave Monday morning. Bron took us for a lovely breakfast in a place called 3 Monkeys, very nice pancakes.
After leaving the house we had called home for a week we headed to Redhead to stay with Michelle and Pam for a few days. On Tuesday we spent the day at Hunter Valley which is another wine region and the oldest but not the best but it was still a nice day out.
Said farewell to Michelle on Thursday morning to start our journey down to Sydney and a house sit in Gerringong for a week.
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