Familiar Faces

Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Byron Bay, Caloudra, Noosa, Hervey Bay, Rockhampton, Airlie Beach, Townsville, Mission Beach, Port Douglas, AUSTRALIA: 1 - 27 August 2011.

After three months of backpacking solo in Asia, it was very nice to fly back into Melbourne - a familiar place with familiar faces. There I first met up with my friends Kate and Elaine, and then my sister Aileen and niece Nicole arrived from Ireland to start our month-long Australian adventure.

After five days in both Melbourne and Sydney,

we flew to Brisbane to start our road trip up the east coast.

Highlights included watching dolphins and whales from Byron Bay's lighthouse, meeting koalas in Steve Irwin's Australia Zoo, day trips to Fraser Island and around the Whitsundays, and spotting crocodiles near Daintree.Then to round off our trip, we celebrated my thirtieth birthday in Port Douglas. Nicole presented me with a green scarf that she knitted for me for the rugby world cup,

we had drinks and strawberries watching the sunset,

and the next day we went snorkeling at the Great Barrier Reef. I found turning thirty to be great - I'd recommend it.

Stone faces and blindfolded skulls

Siem Reap, Battanbang, Phnom Penh, CAMBODIA: 22 - 30 July 2011.

In terms of history, Cambodia has the full range, from glorious ancient temples to tragic modern graves.After hearing so many great things about Angkor Wat and the dozens of temples around the touristy but enjoyable town of Siem Reap, I bought a three-day pass and headed off (one day in a shared tuk-tuk, one riding a bicycle and one on the back of a motorbike) hoping not to be disappointed. And I wasn't. The temples really are very impressive.But the tragic side of Cambodia was ever-present. Groups of children spend their days trying to make sales to temple-visiting tourists and I spent my time in Cambodia reading about its brutal past, specifically the books "First They Killed my Father" and "The Killing Fields" (tourist spots in South-East Asia are full of people selling cheap, photocopied books, which is great for avid readers with limited backpack space like me). In Phnom Penh I visited the Killing Fields and S21 Genocide museums, which I found very moving. Unbelievably, there I saw a group of Asian tourists laughing while posing for group photos; I know lots of people comment on the annoying photo-taking habits of tourists from Asia, but that group really got to me because I had just been staring at a photograph of skulls that still had blindfolds on before seeing those tourists.

I had a lot of fun in Cambodia too, like at the fish massage in Siem Reap and riding the bamboo train in Battanbang, so I was glad that I made it there to round off my time in South-East Asia.

Suits you, sir

Hue, Hoi An, Mui Ne, Dalat, Ban Me Thout, Saigon, Can Tho, Chou Doc, VIETNAM: 5 - 21 July 2011.

Riding on the back of a motorbike became one my main modes of transport in central and southern Vietnam. As that was a new experience for me, it is one of the reasons that my time there will stand out in my memory.

After driving in and around the old imperial capital of Hue,

I hit south along the scenic coastal road to Hoi An. My driver stopped at all the places that tourists usually photograph and with a smile he would say to me "Take photos!". He was perplexed that I wasn't constantly snapping away. I tried to explain using hand gestures that I prefer trying to take in a view by looking at it rather than simply photograph it. But, as he was a nice guy, I took more photos than I normally would to make him happy. My time in Hoi An, the tailor-made clothes capital of South-East Asia, was spent getting suits fitted in between cycling to and from the beach. After the hard work of trying on suits in 30 degree heat, I really hope that the postal system works and that my package containing two suits, one shirt and two ties (which cost US$300) arrives safely in Ireland (and I hope that I will remember how to tie a tie by the time I get back!).
After more beach time in Mui Ne, where I was surrounded by speedo-wearing Russians, I headed inland to Dalat which was the starting point for a memorable two-day motorbike tour of the Central Highlands. Those two days were a highlight of my time in South-East Asia. It was a great way to see the countryside, although sitting on the back of a motorbike proved more tiring than I imagined. After three days in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), a fun city, I ended my time in Vietnam with three days in the Mekong Delta. Having spent two days on the Mekong a month earlier traveling from north Thailand to Laos, I was happy to see its impressive delta, complete with its floating markets. I had wanted to see Vietnam for years, and I wasn't disappointed. I can't quite put my finger on it, but Vietnam proved to be a perfect fit for me. I left Vietnam by boat, crossing into Cambodia, my final South-East Asian country.

Vietnam: First Contact

Hanoi, Sapa, Halong Bay, VIETNAM: 28 June - 5 July 2011

My first impression of Hanoi was of a city in chaotic perpetual motion. I loved the energy of the place. Guidebooks often describe places as being a city or country "on the move". After experiencing Hanoi's streets, both wide and narrow, buzzing with darting motorbikes, I finally understood that description. But I managed to find some respite from the madness. First at the banks of the city centre lake, where I had a nice chat with a young Vietnamese guy who approached me armed with his "First Contact" English notes looking to practice. And then outside the Temple of Literature, where I got my beard shaved off by an old man who had set up a makeshift barbershop by hanging a mirror off a nail on the temple wall.

From Hanoi I took the night train north to Sapa. There are two main reasons that bring tourists to Sapa: the first is something that I usually enjoy, i.e. trekking; the second is something that often makes me feel uncomfortable, i.e. visiting minority/indigenous/ethnic groups. On several occasions over the years I have been on tours where the itinerary includes something like "visit an indigenous village and see how traditional food is made". At best in these situations I feel like I'm stuck in a tourist trap where buying a multi-coloured bracelet appears to be the only way out. At worst I feel terrible as the local peoples' homes are invaded by us gawking tourists, taking photos like at animals in a zoo. Therefore, when I signed up for a two-day trek through the rice paddy fields of Vietnam's "hill tribes" where we would sleep and eat at a homestay, I was hoping it would work out well.

Alas, this hope appeared to be dashed upon first contact with some hill tribe people. As the minivan bringing us eight trekkers pulled up in Sapa, a group of ten women dressed in all the hill tribe regalia was waiting for us. They followed us to the trekking office and then to the restaurant, standing outside as we ate our breakfast. They proceeded to walk with us as we started out trek, continuing for four hours until lunch. At which point they demanded that the people whom they had helped down the muddy paths and across rivers buy various bags, belts and bracelets that the women had been carrying in baskets on their backs. Unlike everyone else in the group I had avoided needing such help, so I wasn't forced into buying things I didn't want. A different group of women came up to us later as we finished dinner, with more waiting next to our breakfast table the following morning. This type of interaction between the hill tribe women and us tourists took some of the enjoyment out of the experience for me. Still though, the homestay worked out well (it was with a nice family and it didn't feel fake or forced; it was like staying in a basic B&B) and the trek was through some beautiful and unique countryside, so overall I was glad that I visited this area.
From the homestay in Sapa I headed to Halong Bay, where there wasn't anything indigenous about my two-day boat cruise, as my boat was full of backpackers with the majority being Irish. It was a stunning place, best appreciated from a kayak at sunset.My first impression from my week in north Vietnam was very positive. There was a lot I liked about it, including: the chaos of motorbikes, which often are laden down with people, pigs and/or other random things, like an aquarium; the fact that the tasty street food could come wrapped in anything, like someone's maths homework; the markets where raw meat and underwear are sold at adjacent stalls; and the inexplicable way some restaurants are decorated.

Water water everywhere

Pak Beng, Luang Prabang, Vang Vieng, LAOS: 20 - 28 June 2011.

My first two days in Laos were spent cruising down the Mekong River to get from the Thai border to the beautiful city of Luang Prabang. While this "slow boat" option certainly was slow, it gave plenty of time to look at the river scenery and I met three people on it with whom I would spend the rest of my time in Laos. So overall it was a good introduction to my third South-East Asian country.Luang Prabang is a riverside city that I found perfect for drinking fruit shakes in the morning, cycling in the countryside during the day, then strolling through the night market before drinks in one of the bars overlooking the river. My afternoon relaxing in the multi-level natural pools that are at the base of a waterfall outside Luang Prabang was only topped by the day I spent at an elephant sanctuary. There are plenty of opportunities for elephant riding in Asia, but often the elephants seem to be kept in relatively poor conditions. Therefore I was happy to pay a bit extra at the sanctuary for a full day of riding, feeding and bathing the elephants. Sitting on an elephant's head as she fully submerged herself in a river was an unforgettable experience. Then it started to rain. And it didn't stop for three days. The typhoon that left scores dead in southern China caused the Mekong to rise rapidly washing away bridges and, to the grave disappointment of backpackers, the riverside bars in Vang Vieng. Like the full moon parties on Thai islands and Khao San Road in Bangkok, tubing down the river in Vang Vieng while drinking at the bars along the way is known by all backpackers travelling in this region as a place to party. For many it seems tubing is the only reason to come to Laos. Despite my mis-givings about some of the people that Vang Vieng attracts, I decided to go because I had heard so much about the tubing and, to be fair, it sounded fun.

But alas the river was too dangerous. So I went there, spent a day playing cards looking at the the flood, and then my bus out was held up for nine hours in the middle of nowhere due to a landslide blocking the road. Oh well, at least I now have a typhoon and landslide story.
Given that I have so much time overall, I feel bad that I only spent eight days in Laos, all very much on the tourist trail. But I have just one month left before going back to Australia so I decided to spend most of it in my next stop: Vietnam.

Shop, breath, stretch

Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pai, THAILAND: 8 -19 June 2011

In contrast to Borneo (which I had never heard much about but wanted to go), I had never really been attracted to going to Bangkok even though (or maybe because) I have met so many people who have been there. This was in part out of a fear of being surrounded by younger backpackers who are mainly only interested in getting drunk. I was therefore pleasantly surprised by Bangkok. It is a fascinating mix of the old (scores of impressive Buddhist temples; a bustling Chinatown)

and the new (the open air Dome Sky Bar on the top of a skyscraper, as featured in The Hangover 2, is the bar with the best view that I've ever had a drink in).
This juxtaposition of old and new was most clearly evident when I got the traditional canal boat to an area full of modern shopping malls. Shopping, whether in the maze of stalls in Chinatown or those modern malls, is a big part of life in Bangkok.

While I enjoyed my time in Bangkok, it is an exhausting city. So after three days I was happy to hop on the sleeper train to head 13 hours north to the charming city of Chiang Mai for a complete change of pace.

I spent four days in Chang Mai, two of which were spent taking part in a meditation retreat run by one of the many Buddhist monasteries in the city. It involved a 5am start, being silent all day apart from some chanting, and a mix of sitting, walking and lying down meditation. It was a very worthwhile experience. The monk leading the retreat, a very peaceful and smiling man (like all Buddhist monks I've met or seen), said that "Our minds are like a monkey, constantly jumping around from one thing to another. But here in Thailand we can train monkeys, and you can train your mind too". While I found it difficult at times to clear my mind and just focus on breathing, I made some progress. I especially liked the silence rule. The first principle of ethical conduct in Buddhism is "Right Speech". This includes abstaining from lying but also abstaining from "idle chatter that lacks purpose or depth". I can't imagine this "talk only when necessary" rule working well in Ireland.Continuing with doing my mind and body some good, I went three hours further north to the town of Pai for two days of yoga. While realising that I've a long way to go in terms of improving my flexibility, I enjoyed doing yoga, although the head-stand was a bit painful and disorientating.I had thought that I needed to take a break from constantly travelling. But now that I'm in South-East Asia, there is so much to do and see that I want to keep moving to see as much as possible. So after doing the meditation and yoga, I've decided to head east from northern Thailand to Laos.

Where's Borneo?

Kuching, Mulu National Park, Semporna, Mabul, Sukau, Kota Kinabalu, MALAYSIAN BORNEO; 24 May - 8 June 2011

Borneo sounded exotic, so I decided to go. Although that decision was made in ignorance (I knew next to nothing about Borneo), it turned out to be an inspired one. After deciding to go, I then learnt a few things about Borneo: it is the world's third largest island; the largest chunk is part of Indonesia with the rest being the tiny, oil rich state of Brunei and two semi-autonomous Malaysian states - Sarawak and Sabah. I decided to stick with Malaysian Borneo, with a week in each state.

During my two weeks I saw an amazing range of animals: monkeys (long tail and proboscis), bats, snakes, dolphins, a wide variety of birds (including hornbills, kingfishers, eagles, oriental darters), crazy insects (including a hammerhead worm),

sharks, turtles, octopus (and so much more incredible marine life during two days of scuba diving around the world class islands of Mabul and Sipidan - a highlight of my entire travels to date), and Borneo's most famous wild residents - orang-utans. I failed to see the elusive Pygmy Elephant, but coming across its footprints in the wild on the banks of the Kinabatangan river was surprisingly exciting.

Apart from all the animals above, Borneo is also famous for its leeches. I found many of these bloodsuckers on my legs during a sweaty two day trek in Mulu National Park up to The Pinnacles. Giving some blood to the thirsty little feckers was a price worth paying to see the unique, jagged rock formations.

While most of my time in Borneo was spent in national parks and wildlife areas, I started and ended in its two main cities: the wonderful Kuching, which means "cat" and hence the city is full of cat statues;

and Kota Kinabalu, where I finished my trip with a great, cheap meal of fish and squid.

I loved my time in Borneo, with its cheap, tasty food (once you avoid the bizarrely omnipresent KFC outlets!), its friendly and not pushy locals and its natural beauty. Borneo will rank highly when I list my favourite places at the end of my travels.