vietnam take two... now with added bonus cambodia!

Well here it is folks... the itinerary for my upcoming trip to Vietnam and Cambodia for work. I can't wait to see how the region has changed in the six years since I was there last but also, how I have changed. When I first travelled to Vietnam, I had never been overseas. Suffice to say, I've done a lot of growing up in the years since and learned many things.

My pursuits will most likely be more historical this time too and I'm excited to gain more understanding of the tourism industry as a whole in these too fantastic countries. Of course, I wll be updating as we go. Exciting!

03-Mar-14 (Monday)	Arrival in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) :SQ 186 :18:45 Transfer Overnight in Saigon
04-Mar-14 (Tuesday)	Breakfast     Excursion to Cu Chi Tunnels Never discovered by American forces, the CU CHI TUNNELS were an important Vietcong base during the American War. Stretching over 200 km, this incredible underground network, dug by hand out of hard laterite, connected command posts, hospitals, shelter and weapon factories. Today, you can walk through the area and learn about the day-to-day life of the VC, see the cleverly disguised entrances and elaborate booby-traps, and even venture inside the tunnels, some of which have been modified to accommodate tourists. Sightseeing in Saigon A vibrant metropolis, SAIGON teems with energy, activity and motion. Everywhere you look, you see the meeting of traditional and modern life. The emerging modern skyline stands cheek by jowl with colonial buildings and traditional temples. Outside on the streets, young professionals zip by on motorbikes, chatting on cellphones; inside the quiet temple courtyards, worshippers pray amidst clouds of incense. Begin your tour into modern history with a tour of the REUNIFICATION PALACE. Formerly the Independence Palace of the South Vietnamese president, this 60s style building was famously stormed by tanks on April 30, 1975 signifying the fall of South Vietnam. It has been preserved in its original state, and the original tanks remain on display near the entrance gates. Afterwards driving to the historic center to visit EMPEROR OF JADE PAGODA, one of Saigon's most interesting pagoda. Proceed to pay a quick visit to the neo-Romanesque NOTRE DAME CATHEDRAL and the CENTRAL POST OFFICE. Pass by the classic European-style landmarks such as the ornate CITY HALL (HOTEL DE VILLE), the old OPERA HOUSE (both may only be viewed from the outside). Finally, end up at the central BEN THANH MARKET, where vendors display a vast array of goods and handicrafts, appealing to every taste. Overnight in Saigon
05-Mar-14 (Wednesday)	Breakfast      By vehicle from Saigon (city) to Ben Tre with excursion by boat trip on Mekong River Journey to the Mekong Delta to Ben Luc and Tan An. Take a boat trip on Mekong River to TAN THACH (BEN TRE) where local handicrafts and sweets from coconut are produced. Enjoy fresh seasonal fruits, a performance of traditional songs, and observe the local life. Take a short ride on a horse carriage to a typical local house to taste some homemade honey-tea. Proceed by small sampan boats through the small canals and observe daily life along the riverbanks, stopping for a leisurely stroll. By vehicle from Ben Tre to Can Tho     Arrival in Can Tho     Overnight in Can Tho
06-Mar-14 (Thursday)	Breakfast    Excursion by boat to Cai Rang Floating Market In the early morning, set out by boat to explore CAI RANG FLOATING MARKET, the biggest and most bustling of the Mekong Delta markets, which attracts fruit and vegetable vendors from all over the region. Buyers on smaller boats weave between the large barges selling wholesale produce. Each vendor advertises fresh samples of their wares on long poles that tower overhead above the colorful boats. Sail through the market, watching people haggle and trade, and possibly sample some of the fruit yourself. By 9 am, the activity has died down and it is time to return to the pier, after exploring some of the backwaters and canals. By vehicle from Can Tho to Chau Doc Sightseeing in Chau Doc with boat trip Embark on a boat to explore the bustling river life around Chau Doc, visiting the FLOATING VILLAGES, whose inhabitants live and work all their lives on the river. Stop at one of the typical houses, and see how they raise fish in nets directly under the house itself. Continue to the distinctive CHAM VILLAGE, on the other side of the river, with its thriving Muslim community. After returning to the town, continue by vehicle to SAM MOUNTAIN, which rises sharply from the surrounding rice paddies. Considered one of the most important pilgrimage sites in Vietnam, the mountain is dotted with pagodes and temples, many of them inside caves. Visit LADY CHUA XU PAGODA at the base and continue up shallow stairways along the mountain, visiting other pagodes as you ascend: Tay An is an ancient pagoda with a mixture of Vietnamese and Asian architectural styles, the main temple has more than 100 statues each representing the power of Buddhism include Phat Thay Tay An (in the 19th century), who has been voted to be a member of the An Giang Buddhism Association. The solemnity and holiness of Tay An has become an invisible power, attracting a great number of monks and pilgrims. Visit Lady Chua Xu Pagoda LADY CHUA XU: this early 19th century pagoda sits at the base of Sam Mountain, and is famous for the legend of Lady Chau Xu's statue. Story has it that the statue originally stood at the mountain peak. When Siamese soldiers attemped to steal the statue, it grew heavier and heavier until they were unable to carry it further - at that point, the pagoda was built. Overnight in Chau Doc
07-Mar-14 (Friday)	Breakfast        Transfer  On board the Tu Trang Speedboat from Chau Doc to Phnom Arrival in Phnom PenhTransfer from pier          Sightseeing in Phnom Penh Explore PHNOM PENH, a chaotic, energetic and always fascinating city. Graceful tree-lined boulevards and riverfront promenades are reminders of bygone eras; today they teem with life and activity, as motorcycles weave in and out of traffic, vendor hawk their wares, and pedestrians go about their business. Start your tour with an insight into Cambodia's cultural heritage with a visit to the ROYAL PALACE, still the official residence of King Norodom Sihamoni and the adjacent SILVER PAGODA, also known as the Pagoda of the Emerald Buddha. Continue to the elegant NATIONAL MUSEUM, which contains a comprehensive collection of Khmer Art. Finally, explore the modern-day city, visiting one of Phnom Penh's two great markets, the CENTRAL MARKET, located in a distinctive domed Art Deco building, OR the sprawling RUSSIAN MARKET, a labyrinth of stalls selling everything from CDs and DVDs to silks, crafts, jewelry and more. Visit the Russian Market (Tuol Tompong) The sprawling RUSSIAN MARKET is a labyrinth of stalls selling everything from CDs and DVDs to silks, crafts, antiques, foodstuffs and more. An ideal place for browsing and bargain-hunting. Overnight in Phnom Penh
08-Mar-14 (Saturday)	Breakfast         Excursion to the Killing Fields Just outside Phnom Penh, in a peaceful rural setting, the KILLING FIELDS OF CHOEUNG EK provide a stark reminder of the atrocities under the Pol Pot regime. Thousands of people were killed here between the years of 1975 and 1978 and buried in mass graves. Afternoon at leisure         Overnight in Phnom Penh
09-Mar-14 (Sunday)	Breakfast    Transfer    Flight from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap.    Arrival in Siem Reap   Transfer     Sightseeing in Angkor     Visit Angkor Thom The fortified city of ANGKOR THOM covers an area of 10 square km. Enclosed by a wall and wide moats, the city includes many of Angkor's most popular sights. Enter by the monumental SOUTH GATE over a causeway lined on either side by statues of demons and gods, each carrying a giant naga. Continue to the TERRACE OF THE ELEPHANTS and the TERRACE OF THE LEPER KINGS, former spaces for public cermonies, both adorned with dramatic bas reliefs. Visit the ruined BAPHUON, ROYAL ENCLOSURE and PHIMEANAKAS before continuing to the mysterious BAYON TEMPLE. In this temple, one of the most popular and compelling in Angkor, explore the galleries of beautifully preserved bas reliefs and ascend narrow stairs to reach the central sanctuary, where you will find giant stone faces smiling enigmatically down at you from every angle. Visit Ta Prohm TA PROHM: one of the most popular attractions of Angkor as much of the jungle has not been cleared and it looks very much as most of the Angkor monuments would have appeared when European explorers first stumbled across them. Visit a temple for sunset Watch the sun set over the Cambodian countryside from the upper terraces of an ancient Angkorian temple.    Overnight in Siem Reap
10-Mar-14 (Monday)	Breakfast     Sightseeing in Angkor    Visit Banteay Srei Temple Seemingly miniature in comparison to the other Angkor temples, BANTEAY SREI is considered to be the jewel of classical Khmer art. Built in pink sandstone, the walls are covered in exquisitely preserved carvings of unusual delicacy. Because of its small size, fairy-like atmosphere and extraordinary examples of Khmer sculpture, this temple is often a favorite with visitors. Visit Banteay Samre BANTEAY SAMRE is a mid-12th century temple dedicated to the god Vishnu. Visit Pre Rup Temple PRE RUP: built by Rajendravarman II (ruled 944 to 968), it consists of a pyramid shaped temple with the upper-most of the three tiers carrying five square shrines arranged as a quincunx. The name means turning the body and refers to the traditional method of cremation. Visit Angkor Wat The crowning jewel of Khmer architecture, ANGKOR WAT is the national symbol and the highlight of any visit to Cambodia. The largest, best preserved, and most religiously significant of the Angkor temples, Angkor impresses visitors both by its sheer scale and beautifully proportioned layout, as well as the delicate artistry of its carvings. To approach the temple, first cross the vast moat, continuing along a broad causeway lined with naga balustrades. As you enter the main building, ascend through a series of galleries and courtyard before reaching the central sanctuary, which offers beautiful views back over the causeway and across the surrounding countryside. On the way, stop to enjoy the intricate stonecarvings that adorn nearly every surface, with some 1,700 Apsaras, or celestial dancers, sculpted into the walls. Along the outer gallery walls run the longest continuous bas-relief in the world, which narrates stories from Hindu mythology, including the famous Churning of the Ocean of Milk. Angkor Wat is stunning at any time of the day, but sunrise and sunset are especially beautiful times to watch the play of light on the stones. Overnight in Siem Reap
11-Mar-14 (Tuesday)	Breakfast     Excursion to Tonle Sap Lake with boat trip at Me Chrey Explore Me Chrey villages, located on Tonle Sap lake, an extraordinary lake swells up to seven times its original size during the monsoon season. Its ecosystem is one of the richest and most diverse in the region. This boat trip will explore the floating fishing villages and houses that live at the edges of the lake, passing submerged forests and fishing farms. Note : Houses there are all floating houses, about 300 houses, from Jul to Feb, villagers living around the pagoda and from Mar to Jun, houses move out to the lake. School buildings at Me Chrey supported by a Mission of Mercy; NGO supports building the school at Mechrey Transfer to Airport for your departure flight - MI 636 :18:25

a short but passionate love affair

Air Mauritius, we need to talk. About us. I think we need to take some time apart. It's not you, it's me... Actually, who am I kidding? It's you.

You reeled me in so easily. You seduced me with your cheap fares, glamorous destinations, sweet-talking cabin crew, French champagne and fine dining. I was in love. The kind of love you shout from the rooftops and post all over Facebook and Twitter. Then you left me stranded for three days and you broke my heart (and make me look like a fool).

You promised so much but as our relationship went on, you stopped caring. You made promises you never planned to keep, took advantage of me financially and when I tried to fix things you gave me the cold shoulder. All the while you kept giving me just enough hope to keep believing in you.

The sad thing is that even now, when I'm sitting here thinking about you, writing you a letter trying to recoup the thousands of dollars I'm out of pocket because you gave up on me when I needed you most - I'm still a fool for you and I would probably do it all again. Sigh.

Business Class on the Air Mauritius A340 from Perth... beore the cyclone, the four day delay, and the re-route via Hong Kong. A happier time.

"don't drink the water!"

The first time I ever went overseas (to Vietnam) everyone was so eager to give me advice. It frustrated me that everyone thought they were a bloody expert when the only slice of wisdom they ever gave me was “don’t drink the water!” It wore thin pretty fast.

…Until now.

I can now say that, however inadvertently, I drank the water and MY GOD I have never been that sick in my life.

Off we went on our glorious honeymoon. It was meant to be three weeks of romantic newlywed bliss, just the two of us. Just us - no intestinal parasites invited, thank you very much.

Six days in, a lovely Giardia infection changed all that. In case you’re not familiar with it, Giardia is a protozoan parasite that infects the small intestine and, without getting too gory, can make you really ill. For me personally, it was the secondary symptoms that were the worst – the violent shaking, the sensation of chinese burns all over my skin and the stomach twisting cramps made the other obvious symptoms look like a cakewalk.

I fell ill on 21^st December and it’s now the 18^th January; after some heavy duty meds, I can finally say I’m feeling much better, although I still have to take the medication for a while longer. I had to go back to work this week and let’s face it, I really could have used a stiff drink each day when I got home but alas, my liver is shot and I’m not allowed to drink.

The moral of my story is this: when travelling frequently, it’s easy to become complacent. It’s easy to dismiss advice because we are now the experts. Even though I was careful, this has been a big wake-up call for me – I might be reasonably well travelled but when it comes to world domination, the bugs win hands down.

Be careful folks. When people tell you not to drink the damn water, they really just have your best interests at heart.

resolution shmesholution

Ugh, it’s resolutions time. I have some I would like to make, but I also have some bigger ideas that I thought were worth sharing too. Maybe rather than make specific resolutions I probably won’t keep, I should make broader observations about how I can improve my life and focus on them instead. For example, last year I told myself I was a hard person to be friends with and that I should make attempts to be more social and it worked! As opposed to the one where I was meant to cook one new meal per week… yeah, that definitely didn’t happen. Nor did I stop biting my nails or cease online shopping.

1.       Make a plan for my life… and stick to it.

It doesn’t have to be concrete but it does have to be a vague idea of what I want, where I’m heading and how I’m going to get there. I’m good at the detailed “five-year plan” but I’m not good at sticking to it as I have a short attention span.

2.       Understand that life doesn’t go according to plan, and learn to adapt accordingly.

As above, I need to be more driven and not throw in the towel at the first sign of difficulty. Which leads to…

3.       Have more GRIT.

I was watching a TED Talk by Angela Lee Duckworth about students’ learning styles and how measures of IQ, backgrounds etc don’t have that much bearing on a kids success, but rather their stamina and attitude determines whether or not they graduate. I realised this is true, and can be applied to everyone, not just youngsters. I am guilty of wasting intelligence and talent because I don’t see things through and I don’t seem to have the stamina to follow something to completion when the goal is too long-term.

4.       Stop burying my head in the sand.

This is a gradual one; I see improvement has been made but I’d like to step it up a notch. I’m notorious for ignoring bad things, hoping they’ll go away… Newsflash: they don’t. They get worse.

5.       Exercise my brain… Not just at work.

Work exhausts me because I’m constantly problem-solving and having to practice my ‘lateral thinking’. It’s a great challenge, but sometimes we need other challenges to ward off the otherwise inevitable insanity that comes with such jobs. So, I’m considering taking up French again, or maybe some other class once or twice a week. Which brings me to…

6.       Exercise in general.

I know, boring. But this year I’m not going to get all funny about my weight and fitness. This year, I’d like to embrace some activities that are fun bit that just happen to get me moving. Sticking with volleyball will be good but also perhaps adding ballet or another form of dance… Just a new outlet that will keep me occupied and be a nice stress release.

the funniest thing I have ever seen while travelling

Here’s a little tale of roadside assistance, Malagasy-style. It’s hard for a non-mechanically-minded person such as myself to describe so bear with me. It doesn’t help that every time I think about it I dissolve into fits of giggles either.

We were about halfway back to Antananarivo from Andasibe when we pulled up behind a white truck on the right side of the road that had pulled over. We held back as there was a cart carrying building materials being pulled by two zebu coming towards us up the hill and we had to give way. A red truck had also been travelling in front of us and, once the zebu were out of the way, started to make its way round the white truck. 

Just as the red truck was right alongside the white truck, it slowed right down and a guy threw what looked (to me) like a small log under the wheel... at which point the front trailer keeled over to the left and I honestly thought the truck was going to roll down the embankment to the side. We (much, much) later found out that, at that moment, the red truck’s brakes failed just as it was preparing to stop to jumpstart the white truck.

So, we now had two big trucks side by side in front of us meaning we were stuck. I was busting for the loo (sod’s law) and we were about 40 minutes from Tana as it was. Many men just stood on the side of the road and did their business but being a lady I was not about to do that so it was in to the thorny scrub for me. Of course as soon as I’d found a suitable spot it looked like we were about to get moving.

But oh, no. We weren’t. We were there for at least another hour while all manner of madness occurred. But rather than bore you with words, I will again let some pictures tell the rest of the story.

End note: As we were leaving, I asked our driver Tahina if this happened often; he just smiled and said “oh yes of course”.

Traffic must stop for this first, before actual traffic jam may occur.

Biker sits there for 20 minutes wondering what to do before realising he can just drive through the middle

Truck (b) nearly tips over because...

I thought this was "How to jack up a truck 101" but I have been informed they didn't even mean to have it sitting off the ground!  Apparently, this is the PARK BRAKE.

What to do, what to do... Six mechanics, 10 truck drivers and 200 onlookers, laughing but offering no solutions, until...

A boy band arrives on the scene

4WDs (and don't forget gutless AWDs!) get impatient, decide to mount compost heap to get round trucks

Inspired by 4WDs, Lowrider 90s Citroen tries...

...gets bogged in compost.

Needs a push, or ten.

The queue behind us (constantly honking, very helpful)

This is the third truck, trying to get past the other two

A close shave

We're on our way!

The locals stopped to watch (and laugh)

chillaxing with lemurs

Well here we are folks, the moment we've been waiting for...

We're hanging out with lemurs in Andasibe (and we have been told the proper way to say this is "an-DAS-ee-beh"), about a three hour drive + traffic east of Tana.

We're staying at the lovely Vakona Forest Lodge which is great; the lodge encompasses several walking tours as well as the very cool Lemur Island, which is a refuge for many different species of lemur.

Nearby is Analamazoatra Reserve, the part of Andasibe-Mantadia NP that is home to the indri-indri, Madagascar's largest lemur. Here you can see lemurs in the wild.

The National Park itself is a haven for lemurs, which have suffered due to land clearing. The National Park is now a protected area where the lemurs can hopefully thrive again. There are 10 different species in the Analamazoatra Reserve (four diurnal and six nocturnal) and each species lives in groups/families, but they live in harmony with each other as they have slightly different diets and are active at different times.

I think the most amazing part for us, both in Analamazoatra Reserve and over on Lemur Island, was hearing the lemurs call to each other. The indri-indri have an incredible call (similar to a Siamang I guess, if you've ever heard one) and the ring-tail lemurs have several, easily distinguishable calls for different situations. Their "alarm" call is amazing: high-pitched from air danger, e.g a hawk, and low-pitched for ground danger, such as a snake. They stand up on their hind legs to make the call and we were blown away by how loud it is for such a small animal!

Just a note: All lemurs we saw are are endemic to Andasibe, with the exception of the ring-tail lemurs, which are endemic to the South of Madagasar only. We were luckily enough to see them because there is a large family on Lemur Island, which is home to Lemurs that have been rescued from various fates.

Ring-tail Lemur

indri-indri

Baby lemurs hitch a ride on mum's back

Ruffed lemur having a snooze

Bamboo lemur, one of the smallest diurnal lemurs

Tana, you're under our skin

Finally, we've found a place that suits us.

Antananarivo is busy, loud and gritty and it both challenges and invites us to learn more. It's beautiful yet run-down, regal yet dilapidated and it throws a million different thoughts in our faces as we travel through it.

Crazy traffic. 'Markets' lining the roadside for miles selling nothing but big, fat sausages or even bigger, fatter ducks. Two guys wheeling a cart full of church pews through the crowd. Minivans with 25+ people in them, some hanging out the back door.

Our hotel is a beautiful converted mansion on top of a hill, right next to the old Queen's castle and overlooking the whole city. We watched the sunset from our balcony and finally felt the romance that's been missing from our honeymoon - Tana is definitely not where we expected to find it and yet, here it is.

We're buzzing. We've literally been here for four hours and we are absolutely bursting with ideas and questions - but these are taking a backseat as we're so over-excited to tell everyone else about it!

As usual, "a picture tells a thousand words" so have a look for yourself...