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27th June 2009
Got back from Hua Hin yesterday after spending a few days there. Hua Hin is about 230 kilometres Southwest of Bangkok (roughly opposite Pattaya across the Bay of Bangkok).
The trip is supposed to be part of the fun but my trip to and from Hua Hin was not the best. I had planned to go down by train but there was a strike on so I caught the bus which was slow, uncomfortable and took four hours. On my return journey to Bangkok I caught the "Special Express" train which was also uncomfortable, slow, non air conditioned, double the price of the bus and took five hours!
Hua Hin itself is a very nice place. It is on the coast and has a very long beach with clean white sand. There was not many tourists around despite the fact that there are several large hotels/resorts along the beach. The beach is much quieter than Pattaya. The town is also much more peaceful with a slower pace - Pattaya would have 1,000 plus bars whereas Hua Hin probably has less that ten (I saw three small ones).
For some unknown reason the cost of living in Hua Hin seems to be 20-30% higher than Bangkok or Pattaya.
More Photos of Hua Hin, Thailand
---------
19th June 2009
The weather here has cooled a couple of degrees during the past week (still over 30 each day) with a steady onshore breeze making conditions quite pleasant.
I am going to Hua Hin, Thailand, for a few days next week to check it out.
---------
10th June 2009
Got back to Jomtien/Pattaya, Thailand, last night after a week in Vietnam. I had a really good trip and I will probably visit Vietnam again in the future.
I first flew to Hanoi (The capital of Vietnam) from Bangkok, spent two days in Hanoi, then caught the overnight sleeper train (The Reunification Express) to Hue (The ancient capital of Vietnam). After a day/night in Hue I flew to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) where I spent two days.
Hanoi is considerably less developed than Saigon and it is a bit like stepping back in time. It seems fairly small and is mainly centred around Ho Hoan Kiem (Lake of the Restored Sword).
The train trip to Hue was quite an adventure. I shared a four berth compartment with three women and four children (active, noisy children). The layout of four permanent bunks (two upper, two lower) is not as good as the layout on the overnight train from Bangkok to Chiang Mai you have a two seats that convert into the lower bed and then an upper bed that folds down. Eventually the kids went to sleep but then at 2am we were woken and told that the track had been washed away and we had to catch a bus around the problem and then onto another train. All this meant that the train was two hours late getting to Hue.
Hue is not that big but is on the "Tourist Trail" and is quite well serviced with many hotels. My hotel was great and only cost $20 (Which included taxi pick up from the station, large A/C room, cable TV, mini bar, wireless internet and breakfast). I visited the Hue Imperial Palace which is the main attraction in town.
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) is quite modern (by South East Asian standards) and there is a lot of work still in progress (footpaths, roads etc). It is said to be the motorbike capital of the world but I would think there must be one or more Chinese cities with more motorbikes.
I spent the first day walking around, I went to Ben Than Market, Notre Dame Cathedral, The Central Post Office, Hanoi Opera House and the War Remnants Museum.
On the second day I caught a Moto (motorbike taxi) to the Cu Chi Tunnels. The trip took about five hours which included almost four hours an the back of the motorbike. I am a bit "Saddle Sore" but it was a good trip. The Cu Chi Tunnels were definitely worth the trip.
The Vietnamese people are friendly and helpful although not many of them speak much English. The ones that speak English can tend to be the ones that want to sell you something but they are polite.
I will be visiting Penang (Malaysia) next month for a few days to renew my Thai visa. I have never been to Malaysia but I expect it to be quite different to Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam mainly because it is a Muslim country.
Photos of Hanoi, Capital of Vietnam
Photos of Hue, The Ancient Capital of Vietnam
Photos of Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Photos of The Cu Chi Tunnels
---------
1st June 2009
I go to Vietnam on 3rd June, for a week, Flying Bangkok to Hanoi, two nights in Hanoi, then overnight train to Hue. I will spend one day/night in Hue before flying on to Saigon for two nights before flying back to Bangkok.
I will be visiting Penang, Malaysia for four days early in July.
I have also booked a trip to Phuket for four days later in July.
---------
29th May 2009
I am just about finished with the "Refresh" of the City Directory sites.
I have also produced a website for Sue Saunders (my ex wife) - it can be seen at Australian English Genealogy
---------
15th May 2009
I have been working hard (really!) updating and refreshing the City Directory sites (mostly unseen items).
I have also done a bit of updating of this site by adding links to other relevant pages (& photos) within the site (eg. on the "Countries Visited" pages I have added links to either more information or photograph pages). I also added the Google search function to this site (I am not sure yet if it is working fully/correctly).
After all this work I decided I needed a small trip so I have booked a trip to Vietnam - I am travelling alone and have not booked everything yet. I am only going for a week - flying Bangkok to Hanoi (2 nights in Hanoi) then travel South (probably by train) eventually getting to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) where I will stay for 2 nights.
I have also booked a trip to Penang (Malaysia) for four days - this trip is to renew my Thailand visa.
---------
4th May 2009
Back home in Jomtien, Thailand, resting after my Cambodia trip.
I have spent some time today updating and uploading the photos from the Cambodia Basix trip. See the "Index of Photos" to see the listing of all photo pages.
Video Postcards - Travel Archives - My Lifetime of Travel - Photo Index
27th June 2009
Got back from Hua Hin yesterday after spending a few days there. Hua Hin is about 230 kilometres Southwest of Bangkok (roughly opposite Pattaya across the Bay of Bangkok).
The trip is supposed to be part of the fun but my trip to and from Hua Hin was not the best. I had planned to go down by train but there was a strike on so I caught the bus which was slow, uncomfortable and took four hours. On my return journey to Bangkok I caught the "Special Express" train which was also uncomfortable, slow, non air conditioned, double the price of the bus and took five hours!
Hua Hin itself is a very nice place. It is on the coast and has a very long beach with clean white sand. There was not many tourists around despite the fact that there are several large hotels/resorts along the beach. The beach is much quieter than Pattaya. The town is also much more peaceful with a slower pace - Pattaya would have 1,000 plus bars whereas Hua Hin probably has less that ten (I saw three small ones).
For some unknown reason the cost of living in Hua Hin seems to be 20-30% higher than Bangkok or Pattaya.
More Photos of Hua Hin, Thailand
---------
19th June 2009
The weather here has cooled a couple of degrees during the past week (still over 30 each day) with a steady onshore breeze making conditions quite pleasant.
I am going to Hua Hin, Thailand, for a few days next week to check it out.
---------
10th June 2009
Got back to Jomtien/Pattaya, Thailand, last night after a week in Vietnam. I had a really good trip and I will probably visit Vietnam again in the future.
I first flew to Hanoi (The capital of Vietnam) from Bangkok, spent two days in Hanoi, then caught the overnight sleeper train (The Reunification Express) to Hue (The ancient capital of Vietnam). After a day/night in Hue I flew to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) where I spent two days.
Hanoi is considerably less developed than Saigon and it is a bit like stepping back in time. It seems fairly small and is mainly centred around Ho Hoan Kiem (Lake of the Restored Sword).
The train trip to Hue was quite an adventure. I shared a four berth compartment with three women and four children (active, noisy children). The layout of four permanent bunks (two upper, two lower) is not as good as the layout on the overnight train from Bangkok to Chiang Mai you have a two seats that convert into the lower bed and then an upper bed that folds down. Eventually the kids went to sleep but then at 2am we were woken and told that the track had been washed away and we had to catch a bus around the problem and then onto another train. All this meant that the train was two hours late getting to Hue.
Hue is not that big but is on the "Tourist Trail" and is quite well serviced with many hotels. My hotel was great and only cost $20 (Which included taxi pick up from the station, large A/C room, cable TV, mini bar, wireless internet and breakfast). I visited the Hue Imperial Palace which is the main attraction in town.
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) is quite modern (by South East Asian standards) and there is a lot of work still in progress (footpaths, roads etc). It is said to be the motorbike capital of the world but I would think there must be one or more Chinese cities with more motorbikes.
I spent the first day walking around, I went to Ben Than Market, Notre Dame Cathedral, The Central Post Office, Hanoi Opera House and the War Remnants Museum.
On the second day I caught a Moto (motorbike taxi) to the Cu Chi Tunnels. The trip took about five hours which included almost four hours an the back of the motorbike. I am a bit "Saddle Sore" but it was a good trip. The Cu Chi Tunnels were definitely worth the trip.
The Vietnamese people are friendly and helpful although not many of them speak much English. The ones that speak English can tend to be the ones that want to sell you something but they are polite.
I will be visiting Penang (Malaysia) next month for a few days to renew my Thai visa. I have never been to Malaysia but I expect it to be quite different to Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam mainly because it is a Muslim country.
Photos of Hanoi, Capital of Vietnam
Photos of Hue, The Ancient Capital of Vietnam
Photos of Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Photos of The Cu Chi Tunnels
---------
1st June 2009
I go to Vietnam on 3rd June, for a week, Flying Bangkok to Hanoi, two nights in Hanoi, then overnight train to Hue. I will spend one day/night in Hue before flying on to Saigon for two nights before flying back to Bangkok.
I will be visiting Penang, Malaysia for four days early in July.
I have also booked a trip to Phuket for four days later in July.
---------
29th May 2009
I am just about finished with the "Refresh" of the City Directory sites.
I have also produced a website for Sue Saunders (my ex wife) - it can be seen at Australian English Genealogy
---------
15th May 2009
I have been working hard (really!) updating and refreshing the City Directory sites (mostly unseen items).
I have also done a bit of updating of this site by adding links to other relevant pages (& photos) within the site (eg. on the "Countries Visited" pages I have added links to either more information or photograph pages). I also added the Google search function to this site (I am not sure yet if it is working fully/correctly).
After all this work I decided I needed a small trip so I have booked a trip to Vietnam - I am travelling alone and have not booked everything yet. I am only going for a week - flying Bangkok to Hanoi (2 nights in Hanoi) then travel South (probably by train) eventually getting to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) where I will stay for 2 nights.
I have also booked a trip to Penang (Malaysia) for four days - this trip is to renew my Thailand visa.
---------
4th May 2009
Back home in Jomtien, Thailand, resting after my Cambodia trip.
I have spent some time today updating and uploading the photos from the Cambodia Basix trip. See the "Index of Photos" to see the listing of all photo pages.
Video Postcards - Travel Archives - My Lifetime of Travel - Photo Index