Beans On Tour

New blogs

2006-11-07T02:41:00.000+07:00

So here's me travels documented for the most part.
But www.beandolan.blogspot.com is where you'll find me ramblings
And www.beanspics.blogspot.com is where you'll find me pictures.

Otherwise feel free ta peruse the archives here.

Home again

2006-08-10T20:37:00.000+07:00

Do I feel different?
Yes.

I've spent the last few days, adjusting, then mucking it all up!

I've spent most of my time with a pint of Guinness in my hand, so it's been great as you can tell.

It's great to see everyone again, even people who I hadn't been in contact with before I left have suddenly waltzed back into my life, the more the merrier I say.

Plans?
Music.

Music. Music. Music.

Also, in a way I've become addicted to doing this diary of everyday life.
So I've decided to set up another one:
www.beandolan.blogspot.com

Actually now there is another one too!
This one is for photos (No rambling!)
www.beanspics.blogspot.com

Now!

I love most of you, and would love to hear from everyone.
Gimme news, email addresses, phone numbers and whatever else you can spare.

Bye bye beansontour.

Fans are a lifesaver

2006-08-06T12:38:00.000+07:00

At some point in the excessive humidity of yesterday evening, I found myself the better part of naked in my hostel room to catch as much moving fan-air as my skin possibly could.
During this time the mirror I passed revealed to me that I had a mossie bite on my chest. I proceeded to scratch it even though it wasn't itchy, and then I realised I wasn't getting any histamines running through my veins; that ol' familiar I-know-it's-bad-but-it-feels-so-good-feel of scratching a mossie bite.

"Why?" - you ask

Because it was my God damn nipple.

I mean how much heat does your brain require before you start thinking your body parts are foreign to your body.

It's too hot, I went to bed at 1.00Am and got up at 4.00AM.
My eyes are tired, but that's about it.
You never feel "Full of life" in this heat anyway, so sleep is optional sometimes.

"Quit your whinging Bean and get a room with A/C"
NO.
I've still got this head cold from the last A/C in Vietnam.
A/C bad.
Fan good.

I took my sleeping bag, travel pillow(Thank you Qantas) and full bottle of factor 25 sunscreen to the street vendors with the "We buy everything" signs.
The sleeping bag wasn't as compact as the the average one, so that didn't fly.
I didn't even try sell the other two, I just gave the bag of stuff to her.
She seemed very grateful, so that's good.
I'm going around the hostel asking people if they want all sorts of things:
Clothes, Organic Aloe Vera gel, Deet/Insect repellant. Even unused throatsprays and some half-used bottles of shower gel etc.
It's good craic, people are very glad to get anything for free, it's like a mini xmas.

It just dawned on me that I remember saying to myself a month or two ago - "I should shtick the highlights and lowlights of the last year on the blog... "
I might just go have a beer and make a wee list...
Yes that's exactly what I'll do.
Stay tuned......

It will appear here in a few hours:

Here it is!
Well I didn't spend taht long at it, just the stuff that came to mind in five minutes before my food came. Here goes(In no particular order I might add)....
I'll get the lows out of the way first, so we can end on a high:

LOWS:

Getting robbed of my Aussie dollars going through Asia last year.
Hearing of Henrietta being robbed off the Scots.
Phonecalls from Ireland - a strange one you may think, but almost all calls(except for most of Mams!) were news of people passing away.
The silly chain of events in NZ regarding the car, those bastards.
Running out of travel insurance!

That's about it for lows, onto the highs!

HIGHS:

Crossing the Nullabor.
Learning to surf.
Surfing with Dolphins.
Becoming a Rescue Diver.
Terrence.
Red Bluff.
Learning to juggle.
Night surf on our last full moon down under.
Dawn and dusk surfing too, magic!
Learning to play the didjeridoo.
Singing and playing in Melbourne and Agnes.
Doing a Thai Massage course, albeit very short!
Laos in general!
Talking to monks.
Going down a 70kph water slide - a very big thing for me!
Seeing certain animals in the wild like: Sharks, Whales, Crocs, Snakes, Walabies, Kangaroos, Wombats, Goannas, Lionfish...the list goes on and on!
"Teaching" kids in Laos .
Seeing the biggest Spider I've ever seen in real life or magazines/TV.
Little Creatures and Little Creatures Brewery, Fremantle, Western Australia.
Halong Bay - Vietnam, gorgeous.
Finding hot springs in NZ
Getting a custom made surfboard!

As you can see, the highs are way higher! And that's all I can think of in five minutes, I'd hate to see the length of an hour high and low list!

I bumped into a guy we met in Agnes Waters' Workmans beach campsite - small world, also on that corner I've met everyone else. Speaking of which Claire, whom I left in Chiang Mai, found me on that corner. It's a magnet for meetings.

So long, and thanks for all the fish.

Gecko Story

2006-08-05T18:30:00.000+07:00

I have to say, they are one of my favourite living creatures in the world.
I recently found out some recent discovery about them(Thanks Smeels)
That they they don't have suction pads, or "Sticky feet", but that they've tiny hairs so thin that the actually slip in around atoms, and by modern sciences standards, the connecting hairs on the feet technically becomes part of what ever it is they're on.
An unbelievable story, that upon telling it to whomever I regale it too, they instantly think I'm bullshitting.

Well from now on, I'm just gonna give them the blog address, and tell them to look up this post and click either one of these:

Shorter one

Longer one

...score one: Bean

Almost there

2006-08-05T17:34:00.000+07:00

I'm back in Bangkok, after getting the train - which was fifteen hours in a seat instead of a bed - I was pleasantly surprised at how energetic I was when I got here.
Back in the same room, in the same guesthouse from before leaving for Chiang Mai, have my airport bus booked, have taken most of the junk out of my bag and have enough money for four more meals and ten more beers.
Perfect!

Chiang Mai, I like it there, it was like a retreat in the end.
I met some cool people:
Claire, who is flying around the same time tomorrow night to London, so we're meeting for one last beer in the airport before our flights - ahhh the last Singha supper...
Steve, who is a middle-aged, quiet wanderer of the world from the edge of the countryside near Brisbane. He says he's off to San Francisco sometime soon, I wouldn't be surprised if I met him there some year, playing chess with the bums and living the beat life.
What a character...

Well I best go think of a decent last day travelling post for tomorrow, as all the posts for the last two months or so have been of low grade quality, due to me being lazy, and not caring as much for it!

Here's a few photos:

2006-08-05T17:27:00.000+07:00

Myself and Claire, having our last beer in Chiang Mai

2006-08-05T17:26:00.001+07:00

The winner

2006-08-05T17:26:00.000+07:00

As you can see from the inbetween-carraige-section, safety on the trains is not an issue, altough that's untrue: as there are several armed guards on the trains. It'd be hilarious to see the ticket inspector on the train to Galway with a 9MM at his side!

2006-08-05T17:24:00.000+07:00

Taken from hanging outside the train (They don't go too fast here, about 50k)

2006-08-05T17:23:00.000+07:00

Saying goodbye to my favourite hoodie. I've had to leave a load of stuff and I'm still over the limit. Surfboard taking up most of it, leaves me with an 8kg limit for my bags!

I hear that train a-comin'

2006-08-04T16:28:00.000+07:00

The trains are back running!
I'm getting out of this town.
Wahoo!
Only thing is, there are no beds on the train left so its 15hours in a seat back, but it's still better than a bus.
I've got a few baht left, almost enough to last until I leave, so I'm gonna budget like a jinit until I get on my flight.
Kim is collecting me at the airport, although I can't get in contact with her! But still, Dit is also meeting me there, so I won't be stuck...

Bangkok tomorrow, I've nothing to do before I leave Sunday night, so if anyone is online over the weekend drop me a mail or something as I'll be bored as hell!
I've mentally gone home a few days ago.
I guess I'm just tired, I need a bed that isn't lumpy or infested with bed bugs.
I need a Guinness.

Massage anyone?

2006-08-03T17:40:00.000+07:00

I still suck at it, but I am qualified!
It wasn't a four year course either, but I've got notes...

Tim, Smeels and Macleod after much effort, finally got into Burma/Myanmar today.
I wish them nothing but the best of luck with not dying in there.
Macleod might be OK, at least there is a British embassy (Although I'm sure he'll only go to the British embassy if he really really needs too)
Poor guy.

I'm trying to get out on the train, but I think the tracks won't be fixed before my flight, so I'll just have to take a silly bus journey down, I'll leave tomorrow night more than likely...

My birthday was gas, after hours of massage lessons, I was treated to the "Worlds fastest Indian" - which was possibly, no definitely the best Indian I've had, by Macleod. I also got some pressies from Tim and Smeels.
Aren't they as good.

Here's some stupid photos....

2006-08-03T17:32:00.000+07:00

That's right, a qualified Thai massage Bean

2006-08-03T17:31:00.001+07:00

What an american lookin' bloody arsh

2006-08-03T17:31:00.000+07:00

You gotta love this dog, it's eating Smeels hands

2006-08-03T17:30:00.000+07:00

What!??!?!?

2006-08-03T17:29:00.000+07:00

Ahhhhhh....aren' they cute. Lets hope they make it out alive from Myanmar.

2006-08-03T17:28:00.000+07:00

Me and me bday pressies yesterday, and a cup of masala tea!

Rain

2006-08-01T16:33:00.000+07:00

I forgot to say that all this rain has caused severe flooding.
Anymore rain over the next few days and the river will break the auld banks.
Unlucky for us, rain is forecast for the next week.
Some parts of the city are under a metre of water, low lying roads and tunnels are under two metres!
But worse than that, well worse for me, is the fact that the flooding has destroyed a section of the Bangkok-Chiang Mai train track i.e. I can't get back for my flight, unless I fly.
But usually the airstrip is also flooded, so this could be entertaining...
It's ironic: The flooding is due to tree felling to make way for some tourist place.

Now!

Cold feet about a wet week.

2006-08-01T16:22:00.000+07:00

So it rained, and it rained.
It wet my clothes on the line, and the clothes on my back.
I decided it was time to go home.
I phoned the airport, the airline in Australia, Bangkok and Ireland, trailfinders and I didn't get anywhere.
Oh well.
It's amazing how bad weather made me realise I've nothing major left to see or do here.
Of course there are many things I could do, or could have done, but they aren't on the agenda.
So I tried to get an earlier flight home.
To no avail.

Well today I made sure - justin timbercase they were wrong yesterday!
They were not.

I enrolled in a Thai massage course around the corner, starting tomorrow.
Wahoo!

Now I thank the rain for making me do something constructive.
Hopefully we'll actually go to this Thai boxing match tonight too, and not get too lazy like the countless nights before.

It's all good in the hood.

Chat ya'll soon

Informative post

2006-07-31T15:43:00.000+07:00

Macleod....what a bloody arsh

Sad news

2006-07-30T18:15:00.000+07:00

My friend Rob O'Rourkes Dad passed away last week.
My thoughts are with him.

Bebo and Brise lookin weird

2006-07-30T18:11:00.000+07:00

http://beandolan.bebo.com is my bebo page, if anyone has it, and is looking for me, so maybe you just look for beandolan, who knows? Let me know how you find it...

here's some photos anyway:

2006-07-30T18:01:00.001+07:00

We had some good craic with our rope dragons at dinner an hour ago.

2006-07-30T18:01:00.000+07:00

Standing up and all

2006-07-30T18:00:00.001+07:00

What is going on with his face?

2006-07-30T18:00:00.000+07:00

Smeels and her new camera, yes Nellie, she did indeed get a haircut!

2006-07-30T17:59:00.001+07:00

Beautiful

2006-07-30T17:59:00.000+07:00

Our new room, Macleod feels worse than I do after the burgers...

2006-07-30T17:58:00.000+07:00

At least they are honest. Well its one of the few things they're honest about!

2006-07-29T19:43:00.000+07:00

Here's the new hair, it calmed down a bit afterwards. I started getting dreads in Oz, so I just speeded up the process and made sure they came out OK. I'm starting to look like a red head in photos for some reason...

Chiang Mai

2006-07-29T19:42:00.000+07:00

We're here!
This is where I plan to spend the rest of my time pretty much.
The others are leaving during the week for Burma (Lucky ducks)

Well I'm tired after putting up the photos to follow, so this'll be short.
Also the dodgy burger yesterday isn't helping...damn these western food cravings....

I hurt me foot like a bloody arsh:

The foot incident

2006-07-29T19:34:00.000+07:00

The phone rings in the room.
I turn off the shower and proceed to the bathroom door in my towel.
Having trouble opening the lock, due to the door being warped and causing tension on the lock, I try lean my shoulder against it.
I slip across the door. Shoulder's too wet.
Phone still ringing.
"Grab the lock and kick with your foot while holding the towel Bean" - I said to myself.
*Kick*
The phone stops ringing.
Someones talking on the phone....Tim.
Tim has answered it.
Good man Tim.
Then it hits.
An intense pain in the foot.
After a muffled curse and some moaning I go out into the room, the plot to open the door was successful.
I take the phone, it's Mam.
I'm slipping on something....
Blood.

As it turns out, there was the flat head of a nail(Shtuck out about 5mm) keeping the bottom of the warped door in place.
"Mam can you ring me back in three minutes?"

What a bloody arsh eh?!

Well it's not brilliant I can tell you.
It puts a dampener on the things I came to Chiang Mai for: A hill trek, perusing markets, foot massage and the biggest rock climbing in south east asia.
Foiled.

Well that's what I get.

Here's some photos of it all better after the blood stopped:

2006-07-29T19:33:00.001+07:00

Pressure on the wound!

2006-07-29T19:33:00.000+07:00

If only I had pulled straight off the nail, and not down an inch first...

2006-07-29T19:32:00.000+07:00

All better, using some toilet paper and the elastic of Tims Simpsons boxers, which had definitely seen a better day! Hehe

Pics

2006-07-29T19:30:00.002+07:00

Some more pics:

2006-07-29T19:30:00.001+07:00

The routine of packing and unpacking never stops, I think I'll find it very hard to stop lving out of a bag, I'll probably keep mine half packed for a good while.

2006-07-29T19:30:00.000+07:00

Recarving the jade Buddha, and giving it a quick rinse so we can photograph it

2006-07-29T19:29:00.001+07:00

The jade Buddha

2006-07-29T19:29:00.000+07:00

These guys are damn good with a pencil or two

2006-07-29T19:28:00.000+07:00

Tim doing 'The Face" whilst wearing a shortsleave with a tissue in the pocket - in short - not brilliant.

2006-07-29T19:27:00.000+07:00

Check it out! I found the shop from last year where I got myselfa cool wee painting in the markets, I was true to my word, well not really, I didn't get any more...

2006-07-29T19:26:00.000+07:00

Some scaffolding in Thailand, 101 uses of Bamboo, when theyaren't building with it, they're fighting with it, eating it, making music with it, writing on it, leaning on it, making transportation out of it and pretty much anything you can think of...

2006-07-29T19:23:00.002+07:00

A wee offering temple, with a rat taking a drink.

2006-07-29T19:23:00.001+07:00

This was entertaining!

2006-07-29T19:23:00.000+07:00

We ended up believing that Chinatown likes roadkill, as all the food seems to be squished

2006-07-29T19:22:00.001+07:00

More roadkill...

2006-07-29T19:22:00.000+07:00

Chinatown!

2006-07-29T19:21:00.000+07:00

Four of us having a cosy ride in a tuk-tuk

2006-07-29T19:20:00.001+07:00

What a bloody arsh.

2006-07-29T19:20:00.000+07:00

Myself and Macleod guarding the gates

2006-07-29T19:19:00.001+07:00

A wee fruit stall, check out the sign on the left...

2006-07-29T19:19:00.000+07:00

This kid started speaking in Irish! We know it's because he sells crap to tourists all the time, but it's still cool!

2006-07-29T19:18:00.000+07:00

A wee Thai boxing training ring in Bangkok, we need to see a fight while we're here, but always forget about it...

Oh the plans, they are a changin'

2006-07-26T21:57:00.000+07:00

Well not really.

I had a felling the others were on there way up the road outside last night so I went out to meet them...
I was right.
Amn't I great?

So we booked the jungle train for tomorrow night, giving the others time to get their Burma visas and time to see Bangkok before they head on.
Train leaves at 10.ooPM and gets in12.00PM next day, so you drink in the food carraige until your tired then go sleep in your dorm bed, and you wake to find yourself in the jungle, an hour away from your destination.
Magic.

I bumped into Marisa, who I went to Koh Tao with today.
Again, small world.

I bumped into family friends from Dundalk last night too, Fiona Haliday, her sister Ruth, and Ruths boyfriend Colin.
Again, small world.

Then Smeels bumped intoa friend from college which she went drinking with.
Again, small world.

Put that with meeting my neighbour Laura the day before, and seeing the waiter from a local restaurant back home, and what do you have?
A small world.
Or an over popular tourist destination.

Was gonna shtick up photos, but I've been on too long.

Your mouths

Quick post

2006-07-25T15:11:00.000+07:00

I just bumped into a neighbour from home, Laura Fahey, isn't that mad?!
Generic comment: Small world etc.

Hopefully leaving for Chiang Mai tonight, I'm waiting out to hear from the others, but might just go ahead after this and book me train.

No more Malaria

2006-07-24T14:01:00.000+07:00

I've decided to stop taking malaria tablets.
I'm now not going to be in any high risk zones, so it should be all good!

I've pretty much got everything sorted for leaving Vietnam now, besides a $14 departing tax at the airport.
Which brings to mind the fact that a week ago, I took out 2million Dong = 100euro.
That means with a hundred euro I travelled on boats/bikes/buses/carts/treks, lived, ate and drank here for a week!
Cool!
I finally spend less than my budget.

Rumour has it most of Team Ring (i.e. Macleod,Tim and Smeels) will be in Bangkok around the same time as me tonight...so I'll probably be able to meet them there tomorrow and catch the jungle train to Chiang Mai together.
Woah....I'm very dizzy at the moment....
I feel like I'm about to faint....

Not brilliant.

I felt like this earlier in the market, and all I could think was "Don't faint, someone will mug you if you do" and considering I keep everything of value with me(As the hotel people have a habit of being in your room while your gone) it wouldn't be brilliant.

I think I'd better go out into the stale, humid choking air. It might make me feel better!
Hehe

I bid you adieu!

Ho Chi Minh is frozen!

2006-07-23T20:04:00.000+07:00

Ho Chi Minh isn't dead!
He's just frozen for the last thirty seven years. And every winter his frozen corpse and the frozen corpses of Mao and Lenin meet for touch ups. This is sad but true.

We went to see his frozen corpse, which is on display in a mausoleum beside the Ho Chi Minh museum. He's looking well for pushing 120!

Vietnamese are amazed by my beard.
I've had to pose for photos with people, south koreans too. Some have video cameras too, quite scary actually.
Some stare.
Some complement my beard.
Some have asked if I'm Bin laden, or his brother!

I bet now that I've written Bin Laden on my site, it will be put into some data bank for the CIA or some such to gawk at.
So I'll add these words too for them:
Bomb.
Terrorist.
Arab.
Nuclear.
Infidels.
and finally:
Joke.

Definitely getting on that data bank now!
Too soon?

I've come to the conclusion that Burma is not going to happen.
We're having awful trouble with getting a visa, and are going to have to pay again for one, if we can get one.
Also we're going to have to fly into the cities as no roads lead to the border crossings.
I've no time left to wait around.

Here's my plan:
Fly to Bangkok(I'm doomed to return to this place eternally) tomorrow night, get a night train the next night to Chiang Mai, and hopefully do a certified Thai massage course with the rest of my time, mingled with some excursions into the surrounding jungle.

Suggestions on a postcard.

Failing all, it's back down to Koh Tao, and Dive! Dive! Dive!

2006-07-23T20:02:00.000+07:00

Outside of Ho Chi Minhs Mausoleum, pity they don't let cameras in. Twas quite surreal!

2006-07-23T19:57:00.001+07:00

Me and Uncle Ho

2006-07-23T19:57:00.000+07:00

These people wanted a picture with us, so we wanted a picture with them, we put it down to my beard.

2006-07-23T19:56:00.000+07:00

This is the One Pillar Pagoda, famous because it's one thousand years old! The problem is though, as the French were leaving they decided to be arshes and destroy it pointlessly. The Vietnamese glued it back together. Fair play ta ye lads!

Mausoleums and the like

2006-07-23T19:55:00.000+07:00

Here's some photos of our morning around temples and the like.

Temple of Literature

2006-07-23T19:54:00.000+07:00

This gate is old, realllllly old.

2006-07-23T19:53:00.001+07:00

Welcome to Asia!

2006-07-23T19:53:00.000+07:00

These are doctors graves from the 1400's, the tombstones are supported by one fo the four sacred creatures: the turtle. The other three being the dragon, phoenix and unicorn.

2006-07-23T19:52:00.000+07:00

Feels like China, funny enough Vietnam means people of the south - refering to south of China.

2006-07-23T19:51:00.001+07:00

Some dragons lighting the incense

2006-07-23T19:51:00.000+07:00

A praying pot, located in the back building, it looked like it was floating when I was walking towards it. Look at the legs...

2006-07-23T19:49:00.001+07:00

What a bloody arsh

2006-07-23T19:49:00.000+07:00

Here's an Angkor Wat style tree crushing one of the temple walls.

2006-07-23T19:48:00.000+07:00

Here's a model of the whole temple, it's one thousand years old! ....Not the model - the temple is.

2006-07-23T19:47:00.000+07:00

It was the biggest drum I've ever seen, so it had to be played. Only the guards didn't like us beating the holy drum. Was good craic though!

2006-07-23T19:46:00.000+07:00

We had to do the holy bell afterwards, and leave pretty smartly too...

2006-07-23T19:43:00.000+07:00

Check out point 8... I couldn't go in to this hotel as I've still got all my limbs and have no deodorant.

The Face Bra

2006-07-23T19:35:00.000+07:00

A strange phenomena occurs here in Vietnam, we have lovingly nicknamed it:
The face bra.
It's a device that supports the face in a sling like fashion.
The face bra comes in many different shapes and sizes:

Some are small, covering only the chin, mouth and nose. These are usually strung from the ears.

Some are a little bigger, tied around the back of the head for greater support and stability.

Then some are massive, covering the entire face and head up to the eyes. The massive face bra is usually complemented by a hat or additional bandana that comes down to meet the eyebrows, allowing only a very small slit for vision.

Here are some photos of the face bra in all its glory...

(PS The face bra is actually not for emissions of engines, as it is worn throughout the country side too. More than likely it's to do with tanning, as only toffs are pale, due to not having to work in the sun all the time, but who cares about that, it's funny!)

2006-07-23T19:30:00.001+07:00

I give you the face bra.

2006-07-23T19:30:00.000+07:00

I'd just like to say that these three photos were the only photos I took of face bras, and I'm very proud of how they came out considering it was moving traffic I was taking pictures of!

2006-07-23T19:29:00.000+07:00

And this blurred photo is the hardcore face bra. They pass like trains in the night...

The streets of Hanoi

2006-07-23T19:25:00.001+07:00

Here is a few pictures I took this evening of Hanoi life.
It's a funny city, alot of quirks.
Enjoy!

2006-07-23T19:25:00.000+07:00

Streets

2006-07-23T19:24:00.001+07:00

Markets

2006-07-23T19:24:00.000+07:00

Metalwork street, it's funny how every street has a certain business, and ninety percent of shops are selling the same thing. Eg: Motorbike exhaust street, kite street, lock street, teddy bear street and the list goes on...

2006-07-23T19:22:00.000+07:00

Although this looks like a Vietnamese soldier, it's not. Most vietnamese use old army helmets for driving around with.

2006-07-23T19:20:00.000+07:00

Yes that is two 12ft palm trees on a bicycle. I used to find it hard to balance two shopping bags on either handlebar.

2006-07-23T19:19:00.001+07:00

The standard way around, beside jumping on the back of a motorbike.

2006-07-23T19:19:00.000+07:00

Check it out! Celtic even has supporteres this far away!

2006-07-23T19:18:00.001+07:00

A local restaurant.

2006-07-23T19:18:00.000+07:00

I've hit on some hard times, so I've been doing some part time work here...

Ten Bits o' Trivia

2006-07-22T22:17:00.000+07:00

Some facts you maynot find interesting about SE Asia:

1. In Vietnam, Bia is the word for beer. Which incidently, is also the word for food in Irish.
As most Irish people tend to treat beer like food, this has got to mean the Irish came here many moons ago....well not really

2. You can kill a foreigner in Thailand and not get in trouble for it. That is, until you leave for home, you will be punished on your arrival home of course, but it's a crazy fact I hope most tourists don't learn.

3. Traditionally in Thailand, mens underwear are hung on a higher line then womens when drying them!

4. Cambodia is 256th on the list of 280 countries for its corruptiveness. A shame really, when the country has so much to offer.

5. Asians love a good barterer, they admire people who can bring down their price! Points are given for eye contact, facial expression, smiling, first call of price and level of voice.

6. If you are caught courting a Lao woman, and have not declared the courtship to authorities, you can be fined up to $5,000 US dollars.

7. Halong Bay has its own "Loch Ness Monster" The Tarasque is it's name.

8. Ho Chi Minh, although he wanted to be cremated, was frozen in a glass case and is on display for all to see in a temple in Hanoi city. Vietnam loved its dictator.

9. Angkor Wat in Cambodia is the worlds largest religious structure, not bad for a 600 year old building!

10. You can't own more than 50% of something in SE Asia i.e. house, business, land etc. without an asian residient holding the greater portion.

Now!

Bays and Beers

2006-07-21T20:44:00.000+07:00

I love this place!

I'm glad I came, and will be sad to leave so soon, but it's all good!
I'll start back in Bangkok - and I'll keep it brief!
Well I met up with a Canadian girl - Desiree - on the bus back into Bangkok for the two days, after the visa incident.
We laughed, we cried. Twas good craic to have someone around when you're stuck in a city you thought you were getting out of.

After delays and delays, and gate change after gate change - sending me up and down the airport - I finally got my cheap ass flight to Hanoi, northern Vietnam.
Sitting beside a great Dutch fella, who turned out to be a tour guide, was very helpful, although the bus "Dropped me off around the corner" from the hostel Shane had got me (Which I knew was a balls before I walked the half hour with me shtuff to the hotel)

We met up there later, had dinner, met some Irish, and set up a trip to Halong Bay, northeast Vietnam.
I can't say enough about that place.
Amazing.
Beautiful.
Blah blah...
Check out some of the photos I shtuck up from it.

We had our every need tended too, from moist towels on entry to the boat, to a bowl of water to wash our feet in after the beach.
3 day tour on the boat, including a night staying on the boat and a night on an island in the bay, including all meals, kayaking and tourguides etc. - $47US.
On that note I'd like to add, this place is the cheapest I've been in yet:
3,000 dong for a pint of beer = 15cent euro
20,000 for steak with chips = 1 euro
Two hour bus journey 32,000dong = 1.60 euro
internet 10,000 an hour - 50 cent euro

- and so on.
Cheapo!

Well we did alot on the excursion to Halong Bay, most of which I'm to tired to talk about.
OK I've ta go here.
But here is alot of photos I hope you enjoy.

PS My phone doesn't work in Vietnam, so I can't get text's until Thailand on Tuesday.
BYe!

2006-07-21T20:39:00.000+07:00

So as it turns out, Ronnie is Buddhist

2006-07-21T20:38:00.000+07:00

Myself and Desiree, on our way to Wat Pho, for the most noble massage in Bangkok. Desiree where you at? Did the teacher thingy work out? Hope your well!

2006-07-21T20:37:00.000+07:00

I found this rather amusing. A monk taking a photo of the Buddha statue in a temple, on his mobile phone. Priceless.

2006-07-21T20:36:00.000+07:00

This homeless kid was diggin' the music I was playing on the street in Bangkok, so he indicated he wanted it. I had already seem him stand in the same position up the road earlier that day, for at least four hours, so I knew I was in for something different. He played a haunting melody, with a gag in his mouth he wailed and moaned. People heard noise and frowned, casting scornful eyes in his direction. I heard a bitter life on the streets.

2006-07-21T20:32:00.000+07:00

The bus had to have been the most uncomfortable yet. So I made "The headsling" - which is basically a hoodie tied around the headrest, allowing you to fall asleep upright. Why didn't I think of something like this for back in me school days,

2006-07-21T20:29:00.000+07:00

All the junk ships docked in Halong city, waiting to bring both foreigners and Vietnamese across to the islands

2006-07-21T20:27:00.001+07:00

Gigidy gigidy gigidy!

2006-07-21T20:27:00.000+07:00

The boat pulling out.