The Best Day Ever – Laos, Vang Vien – Part 1 – Nice Big Cave

After travelling to Vang Vieng from Luang Probang with the best group of people, Will one of the lads from Bristol had told us about some caves where you could explore without a guide and where the water would come up to your chest. This sounded both scary and exciting so we all agreed.

Will tried to barter with a Tuk Tuk driver who didn’t speak any English. Asking the man to take us to a cave which he couldn’t pronounce using his The Rough Guide to Southeast Asia on a Budget. 

He was thrust a mobile phone and had to speak to the Tuk Tuk driver via the “interpreter” over the phone. This was a brilliant sight. Will is a very well mannered English gentlemen, who pronounces words very well and also uses far too many of them in a situation like this.

Although after about 5-10 minutes of painful conversation, he had done it! We all piled into the Tuk Tuk. Both Will and the driver seemed happy.

The Rough Guide highlighted that we should have a map for the caves and that they were available from the book shop in town. However Will seemed to think that we could probably also purchase one from the “gas station” we stopped at.

“Excuse me, we would like to know whether we could possibly purchase of copy of a map for the caves please?”

One of the old guys sat around playing cards laughing at us said “Toilet” and pointed to the loo.

“No, no I don’t need the toilet thank you. I need a map for the caves. Do you sell them here? Can I buy one please?”

Another reply came

“Toilet” again with a firm point.

Hilarious. It was reminiscent of the scene from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade:

Indiana Jones: The hell you will. He's got a two day head start on you, which is more than he needs. Brody's got friends in every town and village from here to the Sudan, he speaks a dozen languages, knows every local custom, he'll blend in, disappear, you'll never see him again. With any luck, he's got the grail already. 

[Cut to middle of fair in the Middle East, Marcus Brody wearing bright suit and white hat, sticking out like sore thumb] 

Marcus Brody: Uhhh, does anyone here speak English? 

Street Vendor: Water? 

Marcus Brody: No thank you, sir, no. Fish make love in it. 

We headed off to the caves. The cave that no-one could pronounce with no map in the wet season. Hurrah.

After veering around several cows taking a nap in the middle of the road we turned down a very bumpy road signposted to the caves that we could pronounce and not the ones we were looking for. But even Will had admitted defeat by that point.

At the end of the road we came to a bridge, also very reminiscent of something from an Indiana Jones film or other popular 80s action movies. We were like “are you frik’n serious?! Are the nine of us and this tuk tuk going to make it across?”

Slowly we drove across and you could see through the bridge to the river below. The bridge rattled so loudly. I’m not sure what was older, the tuk tuk or the bridge.

We made it alive. Wow. At the end we came to a sign post. One sign pointed left and read “AMAZING cave”. The other pointing right read “nice big cave.”

Oh nice big cave it is then, thanks drive. Don’t worry it’s not like the other one’s amazing, oh no wait, it is.  After driving along rice fields we finally arrived at a cave. It wasn’t the one we wanted but hey! We were all handed a torch and headed on in.

It was amazing and so dark. Stalactites and stalagmites were everywhere and water down in one section of the cave.

“Down here, it's our time. It's our time down here. “Yes Leah had got it. We felt like the Goonies. It was a real 80’s moving kinda day! We all turned our torches off at one point and realise dhow dark it actually was. And then of course we finished the visit of by trying to get Will to climb into a really small hole that he couldn’t fit in, which he tried of course.

Bangkok - Pat Pong Market

Oh dear. We went out last night. We went to get food in this great little bar called Smiths near to the Koh San road – they do really great food. They also have really cute little puppies running around – I lasted all of 5 minutes before I stroked one, even though Dave had warned me about rabies! We continued on to Koh San road and located ourselves outside the hippie bus… Samsung and thai red ball buckets and apple and mint shishas – oh dear!





Felt so ill today.


We finally got up at 4.20 and headed to Maccy D’s or should I say Mc Thai! Sorry but it had to be done.


After our Big Mac fix we headed to Pat Pong market. A really weird place – a massive night market, lined with strip bars. If you walked too close to the outside you got accosted by people trying to get you to come to a ping pong show or banana show. All the stalls were filled with knock off goods – it was good fun bartering and getting a few things but it was mostly just crap!


We found a food stall and just pointed at something – it was so good my favorite yet. Just a big bowl of noodle soup. Not really sure what was in it but it tasted amazing and only 40b.

Bangkok - First Day!

Breakfast in the hotel was better than expected, although I had three cups of coffee – whoops! We started walking river along the Klong and got stopped by guy who we soon worked out was trying to scam us!


You read a lot of things about scamming in Thailand and you always think it won’t happen to you, but they are so clever and must be able to spot someone that has just arrived! We new it was a scam when he told us everywhere was closed as everyone was going to pray at the palace. Another guy turned up who was a tuk tuk driver and he started to pretend argue with him making out he was bartering a good deal for us. We knew that was a load of crap so we were just strong and walked away.


We go to the river and stupidly bought a tourist ticket for 150b when we worked out afterwards that a single trip on the non tourist boat was only 14b!! Anyway at least we had learnt and it did mean we could get on any of the boats that came along. We jumped on the boat and it whizzed along, such great views of the city – it’s definitely a great way to travel around the city.


 


We arrived at Ratchawong Pier and headed to china town. It was everything I had expected it to be. Mental like the souks in Marrakech and every smell imaginable. From Jasmine incense to fish to urine. Stalls and food everywhere!














We also stopped and got some yum dim sum – the place was bustling and was just awesome. It was really hot, but we didn’t care. You can tell from the steam on the camera!





Back on the boat to Tha ten pier and got another ferry across to the other side of the river for 3b to visit Wat Arun.








It was awesome – very Gaudi-esk but more spectacular. Althought the stairs were so steep I only made it up one flight as I wasn’t sure I could get down again. Dave went all the way to the top though while I waited. The view was still amazing from where I was.


The view from the top (thanks Dave!)





We headed back over the river on the 3b ferry towards the reclining Buddha. It was amazing! There were a lot of people there, but it was still worth going and we managed to get some great shots as you can see!





We got our first tuk tuk back to the hotel – we think we got a bit ripped off but it was so much fun, we didn’t care!

Mumbai to Bangkok: 2nd June

We boarded our flight to Bangkok with ease, but had some weird guy who wouldn't stop getting up and going to the toilet... thankfully the flight wasn't full so he moved seats. I would really recommend Kingfisher Air - they were really great and the food, if you like curry that is, it also helps if you like the Kumars :)

We booked our air tickets direct with the airline on this website - http://www.kayak.com/ it worked out loads cheaper than going with the Flight Centre.

We arrived Bangkok safe and our bags we're nearly first off - so glad as that is my worst part of traveling. I had my bad not turn up once and it was horrible - but if you're going on a trip for months you need your stuff!!

We got a taxi direct to our hotel from the airport - great tip from my friend Helen that you go downstairs in Bangkok airport and they give you a ticket with the cost on it. We had read so much about being ripped off so were nervous that our first trip might be expensive. The first week of being in Thailand was both Dave and my Birthday, so we stayed in a slightly nicer place than we would have otherwise. The Lamphu Tree House which was in the old part of town near Khao San Road - but not too close which was great.you can read my review on Trip Advisor here - http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowUserReviews-g293916-d940156-r112859195-Lamphu_Tree_House-Bangkok.html

London to Mumbai: 1 - 2 June 2011

Sat in Mumbai airport surrounded by an aromatic air of spices waiting for our connecting flight to Bangkok. The last day has been a bit of a whirlwind and it hasn't sunk in yet that we have actually left indefinitely. I'm not sure it ever will?? Dave hit the nail on the head when we boarded the plane at Heathrow, normally when you go on holiday you have a time frame and lives to get back to, but we have left everything behind (including my wardrobe!!) I had this weird sense of calm and thankfully of of getting everything ready in time, but also filled with this overwhelming sense of excitement - that we have absolutely no idea what the next few months, years will hold and the adventures we are yet to have.

When we got in our seats of our Kingfisher flight to London to Bangkok we settled in our very red seats for our greatest adventure ahead of us.

The flight was brilliant - I couldn't fault it, the food was Indian but so good - the best plane food I have ever had. the movies weren't great but I watched Friends and they scrambled out the section where Joey and Rachel kiss - was really funny. But they didn't seem to do anything like that for the films - which was weird.

When we landed you could see the slums almost spilling over onto the runway! Bit of a shame we're not getting off here - but that will be for our next adventure...