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Historical Hue

Hue- imperial citadel, perfume river. Riding on cyclo, stopping at hochimin house. Next day motorbike ride through village and stops at tomb and citadel. Lively town but very quiet compared to Hanoi. Delighted to see lots of locals at night enjoying themselves in the bars and restaurants, as opposed to drunk white tourists (which we did also see. Sadly, there is no escaping)

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Halong bay - overnight boat stay and beautiful art

As we approached Halong bay in our air-conditioned but slightly cramped minibus, I could make out the silhouettes of dozens of mysterious islands, their darks shapes contrasting the light blue sky. Palm trees nearby emphasised the gracious views with several colourful junk boats in the distance. We boarded a mini speed boat to get to our junk boat, which was apparently basic in nature as warned by our tour guide. Our junk boat seemed to be the newest of the lot and I was pleasantly surprised when we boarded it. Brand new wooden floorboards and ceilings, lovely little ornaments and subtle decorations throughout, as well as a generous dining area, dotted with carefully set cutlery. A group of 6 waiters stood in a line behind the captain to welcome us whilst serving chilled orange juice. We were given keys to our room, which was a true delight! The bed was made perfectly with little blue pillows, a blue lamp and a gorgeous en suite shower room which looked untouched.

Our room had a large window so that we could lay down and appreciate the stunning turquoise waters. Above the deck we stood still to take it all in. Islands small in size draped in luscious greenery, amidst a turquoise blue sparkle. I was very excited to take photos and try to capture the stunning, serene surroundings. After an hour or so, we were called to lunch and served a four course menu, carefully and elegantly served by the waiters. We stopped at a nearby island to explore some ancient caves. Inside I was reminded of Indiana Jones, the caves were epic, large, historic. Brown and grey, we walked through the cool and dimly lit paths. It was a real contrast to the heat and bright colours surrounding it. After the cave trip, we boarded the boat once more. From the deck we were amazed to see a middle aged lady, rowing a boat filled with western snacks comprising of fizzy drinks, Oreos and Pringles. At massively inflated prices, the woman was desperate to sell the items, even approaching individual bedroom windows.  What a strange experience!

There was an option to go kayaking so us being the adventurers that we are (yes, including Kamran) we decided to jump at the opportunity. Unfortunately I did not actually find it that great- the memories of the fun and joy we had with Gung in Laos were still fresh and this excursion just wasn't as good. Kamran and I hit some rocks a couple of times and found it quite difficult to get our boat moving again, a situation which our instructor didn't really assist with, much to my frustration. Still, we were able to appreciate the scenery and inhale the mysterious and serene sight that is Halong Bay. 

What Kamran and I both realised was the fact that we were able to go jet skiing in the Langkawi islands and visit such similar and stunning scenery just a couple of weeks before, meant that our appreciation for Halong Bay was slightly diminished. We were getting used to seeing natural beauty after natural beauty so in a weird way were becoming less overwhelmed with each new sight. Which is kind of a pity. I'm sure if we had booked a single trip to Halong Bay without having been anywhere else, that we would have been absolutely stunned and immortally lost in the surroundings. That is not to say however, that we did not appreciate the prettiness of it all- we certainly did and had a really lovely time. Especially because the boat was just so awesome!!

Sunset of course was no less than stunning, the bright red sun slowly descending between the islands. The sky turned pink and to my amusement, the waiters started playing an instrumental version of 'my heart will go on.' Not only were we spoiled by the outstanding natural beauty, the islands still and noble amongst the shimmering waves, but we were also lucky to be in such a beautiful boat. Halong bay is a much discussed travel destination, and there is no denying its breathtaking charm.

On the coach journey back , we stopped at a large shop which seemed to be selling art. But upon further inspection we were delighted and touched to find that it was a centre for the “mentally handicapped” and each piece of art was actually created by a disabled person. The beauty of this shop was that it was also a workshop, with people sewing the art pieces live in front of you. When I refer to sewing I am actually referring to carefully and extremely beautifully woven tapestry, depicting the most stunning scenes of natural beauty. Bright colours, soft and still scenarios. There was an enormous range of pieces to choose from and Kamran and I spent ages browsing in amazement and appreciation at all of the wondrous landscapes.

Although it took a while, I finally found the one piece which I knew I would love forever. It depicted a golden sunset in a place which reminded me of Halong Bay, with a pretty little boat in the background. It was a brightly coloured piece with yellows, oranges and bronze and I love the warmth it gave off. As we went to the till I enquired whether the person who had woven the beautiful image was actually working at the shop and to my delight we were led what looked like a twenty something old female, my height with curious eyes. She could not speak, she was able to understand what we were telling her - that we were buying her work which was beautiful and that we thought she was very talented. I made the most of this heartwarming situation and got a photo with her, holding the piece. What a precious and memorable moment.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/Z0tRwmTvTMhHPsFy1

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Touchdown in Hanoi

Hanoi welcomed us with a much cooler climate than Laos. As I walked through the airport and came across the Vietnamese for the first time, there was only one thing on my mind: the faces of the people seemed familiar, the unique Vietnamese features, the wide faces and beautiful eyes, slightly narrowed at the end. The wrinkled foreheads and pretty little girls with pig tails: What was I being reminded of? Then I remembered. In every Vietnamese person I was coming across, I saw Kim. Kim is the little girl made famous from the iconic and brutally honest photo depicting the My Lai Massacre during the Vietnamese war. An incident in which the Americans dropped a bomb on a civilian village, murdering hundreds. Once you have seen the photo, it will stay with you. It's of a small girl, named Kim, naked, face screaming in agony and running away from a massive explosion behind her.

We studied this photo With the excellent Mr. Wright during our GCSE History lessons, answering the question 'why weren't the American soldiers successful in winning the hearts and minds of the Vietnamese?' 8 marks . It was this particular photo that caused a turning point with American support at home, Americans being horrified by the death and destruction caused by the war. I remember the catchy slogan chanted to President Lyndon Johnson by protesters, 'LBJ,  LBJ, how many kids have you killed today?' In the past few years Blair, Bush, Isis and Obama have been responsible for so many more Kim's, the only difference is that there isn't a powerful photograph perfectly capturing each and every heartbreaking story. All these poisonous criminals need to do is stare at Kim; imagine their daughter, sister or mother in a similar situation and refrain from repeating History's most shameful and disastrous mistakes. As if.

Back at the airport I felt tinged with sadness. The Vietnamese had a harrowing history, the effects of which can still be seen today. The birth defects from the nuclear weapons, the chemicals still penetrated in the once fertile soil. The nation may have recovered, but the loss and tragedy will always remain. I then saw some communist flags hung in some of the airport shops. What ridiculous irony. The Vietnamese war having been fought completely in vain. Today Vietnam is a communist nation, and flourishing.

I then thought deeply about the overall concept of war. The innocent victims murdered in Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan. How curious the world is, valuing money, politics or land more than the sound of a human heartbeat. How have we not learnt from history? How are there still hundreds of human souls being stolen from us due to war ?

 As I walked out of the airport and set sights on the Vietnamese greenery, I thought about what I'd be seeing and experiencing during the upcoming days. It's unmistakable that Vietnam is home to uniquely  delicious street food, breathtaking views and patriotic locals . I've planned a visit to the Cu Chi tunnels which were used by the VC during guerilla warfare. Heavens knows how I will react to that...

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Vientiane and goodbye to our original group

Vientiene, relaxed afternoon. Final group dinner at Makphet, pretty special and heartwarming as the restaurant is run by marginalised youth. Sad to lose some of our group in the morning. Flight to Hanoi. poignant cope visit

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Vang Vieng - Laos..Kayaking, Tubing and Hot Air Balooning

 At first I thought that tubing would be an inactive and rather tedious activity. But when I experienced it I finally understood what the hype was about. The tubes are inflatable donuts that you sit to float on the water in a slow, relaxed manner unless you are using a rope to guide yourself, or floating a little more quickly with the current. Our excursion included tubing down caves which were pitch black. We wore torches around our heads and set off in a group of 6 with a very excited and slightly crazed tour guide. As we approached the caves and the darkness hit us we could see many others in small groups through their torch beams. At times tugging the rope became challenging due to the fact that so many of us were using the same rope. It especially became challenging when there was oncoming traffic! At one point it felt like a busy nightclub minus the alcohol and music; a bunch of individuals having the time of their lives amidst darkness and flashing lights, the sound of laughter accompanied by the movement of pulling on the rope as opposed to dancing. Looking up with the beam of my torch I could see the beauty of the limestone caves, white , cream and rusty. Some bits of the cave were hanging down sharply and others surfaces were almost shimmering in the torchlight.

The water was very cool and the darkness of the cave was a warm welcome compared to the sticky heat outside. After we reached one end of the cave we sat on our donuts and relaxed in the pitch black, with some members of the group imitating very realistic animal sounds. It was so much fun, although at some points I struggled with tugging on the rope to move myself along, but luckily I had Kamran next to me and so let him do the work!

After the tubing , we were welcomed by a lunch of egg fried rice and vegetable skewers. Once we finished our food we embarked on our next adventure: kayaking! Vang Vieng itself is rather confusing. It's set in an area of outstanding beauty, with hills, luscious greenery and the mighty Mekong. It is however, absolutely designed for tourists. Every other shop is a backpacker hostel or a tour centre. Stalls selling swimsuits and sunglasses are rife. Even the restaurants advertise ' we sell beer and pizza.' To me, despite its beauty , Vang Vieng lacked authenticity. I imagine it was previously a quiet town but as more and more tourists arrived, the town transformed to suit them. I did find interesting to be shown an airstrip that the USA used during the Vietnam war.

 Kamran and I decided to go on a hot air balloon, which was quite an experience. Once in the balloon, it is hard to stand straight because of the heat! The views however, were of course stunning and I sighed a breath of relief as from the air its easy to imagine Vang Vieng as a lovely town filled with happy locals. Hills, mountains, greenery, all shrinking as we rose higher and higher. Though very pleasant, we did feel that the trip was rather long and would have preferred 30 mins as opposed to an hour. Still at a killer price, we were grateful for the experience and had another box to tick off. I finished off my evening with a rather bizarre massage, which did leave me feeling more relaxed, so I won't complain. We went together. Kim, Lyndsey and myself. There were three teenage girls who immediately attended to us and lay us down next to each other in an open room. As my massage started I was welcomed with the sweaty hands and knees of my masseuse who clambered on top of me.  She kept pausing and I managed to figure out why. Every so often she looked at her phone for further instructions, and the other girls followed. I found it kind of funny and accepted the complete lack of professionalism because to be completely honest I was lucky to have a 60 minute treatment for only £4. We had an action packed day filled with kayaking, tubing and going on a hot air balloon. Vang Vieng is great for activities I guess, but definitely not for culture or history.

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Laos - the delights of Luang Prabang & our memorable trip to Kung Si waterfalls

Luang Prabang is a UNESCO world heritage sight and there is no denying its delights with its French colonial architecture set amongst the backdrop of the temple topped mountain and Mekong and khan rivers. The town was in complete contrast to the modest and traditional village on Pak Beng. The streets pretty and clean with frangipani bushes covering every corner, wooden balconies and palm trees lining the street. I was surprised by the number of teenage girls, gracefully riding motorcycles with perfect postures and relaxed facial expressions. I don't know how the Laotian women manage to look so elegant and classy on motorbikes.

We came to a junction which was decorated in small multi coloured lights and an assortment of triangular flags. The sun shone on the trees and glinted of the wide and softly flowing river. in the distance, high above we could see a temple on the mountain, the mountain is named Mount Phusi and is much like the grand centrepiece of the town.

At night when we went for an orientation walk we came across various restaurants and bars, some set in gardens with delightful lanterns. The pretty little lights shone on the greenery and the white and brown French colonial style balconies added to the beauty.

The night market was filled with the usual arts, crafts and tourist accessories. I drank my fifth fruitshake, which was an icy relief during the sticky evening. Although very pretty, as I walked there were far more tourists than locals. Many of the bars were Western style and boasted 'We sell western food' on their outer window. I understood the need to cater to tourists, but as I came across more and more of the same sort of shops and cafes , I thought it was a bit of a pity as the town seems to be struggling between preservation of its colonial heritage and accommodation of its heavy influx of tourists. 

Kung Si Waterfalls was by far, one of my highlights of this trip. We took a one hour mini bus ride from Luang Prabang to see the black bears and the waterfalls, which we were all very excited to swim in, given the heat. The journey was filled with windy roads, rice fields and occasionally, basic shops.  Once we arrived, we entered a tropical jungle filled with beautiful and vibrant butterflies. Stop one were the curious black bears, rescued and cared for from cruel captive conditions by the charity ‘free the bears.’ Dark, large and fluffy, we saw about four bears; 3 were laying resting, and one was actually chilling in a pond!

Onto the waterfalls, as we climbed to higher ground. And then we saw it. I was honestly unprepared for its beauty. A deep and cream aqua lake lay ahead of me, and in the distance, a higher level with another spectacular pool. As we walked on we came across two smaller waterfalls. I was captivated and had fallen deeply in love with their seductive sights.

It was time to get wet and I was anxious to be one with the water. But as I approached the shallower parts of the pool, I could see many mini fish. It’s ok, I told myself, after all so had allowed myself to have my very first and incredibly frightening fish pedicure a week before. As usual, Kamran was reluctant to take the lead, so I mustered the courage to be one with the fish. And floating ant flies. I noticed that as the water got deeper there were no fish or insects, so I quickly swam further into the lake. The perfectly cool temperature and spectacular sights made my eerie encounter with any fish or bugs well worth it. The best part of all this was the kindness of strangers, as members of my group caringly encouraged me and congratulated me for combatting my fears.

We then sat in one of the lakes, some of us swimming, some of us sitting by the edge, feeling the pressure from the gushing water, on our backs. I remember just laughing and screaming, and having an enthralling time. For some reason Kamran would not join me in the middle of the pool and I felt achingly disappointed. Why did he always have to be like this? Thankfully, the cheerful and spirited company of other group members quickly helped to dissipate my sadness. I somehow managed to co Vince Kamran to bring g his camera phone and attempt to take photos in and near the water. Sadly, this led to the demise of his phone.

Above the pool that we were all sat in was a lake with a great and glorious waterfall. Just in front of the waterfall was Melo (one of the lovely 50 something Irish social workers) perched on a massive rock with her feet dipped in the water. ‘Come on in up here, it’s beautiful!’ she yelled with heaps of enthusiasm. I was told that the water on the way to the waterfall was extremely deep. I was quite scared, but Sheila (the other Irish social worker) reassured me that they were all around and would therefore assist me if needed. I gulped and gestured to Kamran (who was now rather curiously sat on a bench) to join me. Once again, that tinge of sadness, as he refused and left me to my own devices. Remember that extremely iconic photo of princess Diana solitarily sat in front of the Taj MahaI? That was how I felt, and it slowly became a regular feature of what was meant to be a trip that brought us together. Anyway, back to the waterfall, I composed myself, and jumped in, ready for the depths and incentivised by the stunning pouring water that appeared in the distance. After my courageous swim, I will meet the waterfall I told myself. Two minutes and fifty strokes later, I made it to the rock with Melo kindly lending a hand to help me sit. 'You did it! You are such a brave girl!’ She told me . Together, we swam to the waterfall which was only 5 meters away. Joined by Mika and Hans, we sat under the gushing waters, which felt like a super energised aqua massage. All I could hear was the gurgling and rushing of water, and all I could feel was a soothing icy pressure. We all laughed, whooped and screamed, and in that moment I felt incredibly alive. In those few minutes I felt so much happiness, that I will always carry with me. The sadness of being unable to share such experiences with Kamran juxtaposed with the care and love from newfound friends who were strangers only days before, created emotions that are hard to describe. What I can say for sure, is that those few hours were the best part of my trip. I challenged myself, connected with beautiful souls and was awakened. And how tragic, that those incredibly precious memories were without the company of my seemingly cautious and conservative husband.

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Sailing into Laos on a sleepy Boat On The Mekong River and staying at the local village pak Beng

Mekong river journey - 2 days, very hot and relaxed. Stunning views. Stop at Pak bang, traditional small village. Poverty , basic.

 Our boat was thin and long, with plenty of seating space, as well as a spot to lie down and soak in the views. It was very hot and sticky, but once I set sight on the Mekong river and the beautiful river banks, the burning heat seems less of a problem. We passed hills on each side, covered in luscious greenery. Every now and then we would see some cows or goats of some sort as well as dark rock formations. The journey was rather long but assisted with various refreshments and at noon we were presented with a very delicious lunch, prepared by the captain's wife, consisting of fresh stir fried vegetables, fried fish and rice. Every so often I was able to treasure the sight of little Laotian boys taking a dip in the river, excited waving at us in the boat as we passed.

We took a brief stop at one of the local villages, which is home to a local hill tribe. As we arrived two small girls approached us with a wad of tourist type bright coloured bracelets labelled 'Laos.' There was a makeshift stall with bags, scarves and more bracelets and upon it was perched a very old lady, wrinkled yellow skin, straggly grey hair. We bought a bright green bracelet and the little girl took our money and ran to her grandmother in delight. As we walked through the village, I observed the poverty. The houses were extremely basic straw huts with corrugated iron roofs. Hens and roosters were scattered around amidst groups of small children happily running around, dirty faced and in mismatched clothing. I saw an extremely cute four year old girl who was carrying her one year old brother on her back. As I approached, the baby boy started to cry and she protectively comforted him, with the reassurance of a thirty something mother. It was surprising and heartwarming to see.

An old woman walked passed carrying heavy containers and balancing them with a stick on their shoulders. I wondered where all the men of the village were but then I realised that they were out working on the farm. The village was very small and after a ten minute walk we arrived to the place we started. As I thought about the level of poverty in the village I wondered one thing. Perhaps these people were happy living in such a simple manner. Perhaps they have never been exposed to modern technologies and the conveniences of the western world. Who is to say they are unhappy? 

That night we stayed at a small village called Pak Beng. Our guest house was very basic, but actually surprisingly nice considering the simplicity of the village. As we walked through a small local market, I noted that Laotian women are extremely beautiful, with very pretty features . A wide face with a slim nose and almond shaped eyes, usually with the hair tied back neatly in the form of a bun. No make up needed. Back to the market, I walked passed what looked like a pair of dried rats. We were informed that these in fact were squirrels, and a local delicacy. There were also frogs for sale! I think I will pass on that, thanks! We walked a bit further and approached a temple with a great view of the rest of the village. Andrew asked a monk for water and our tour leader Goong, stopped him and sternly told him to purchase water at a local shop. It was all rather amusing. As we walked back to the guest house I passed a bush of lemongrass as well as a tree with Kaffir lime leaves which

 I rubbed onto my wrists. Such a wonderful zingy and uplifting fragrance. That evening, we enjoyed a group dinner and I ate a traditional dish of Lao laap. Laap consists of minced meat (or fish in my case) steamed and marinated in lime juice, chilli, coriander and mint leaves. It was light and perfectly suited to the sweltering heat.

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Cooking Class

Chiang Mai - Temple and 1000 steps

Once we arrived to Chiang Mai, I could instantly see a massive difference to Bangkok, the roads were cleaner, prettier and less congested. It was very bright and hot outside and I’d say we still hadn’t acclimatised to the 40degree heat.  

After settling in , we attended our marvellous cooking class ) which was definitely a highlight . When it was a bit cooler in the afternoon we ventured off as a group to visit the Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, a landmark in Chiang Mai. We were warned that there were a lot of stairs, but I welcomed the challenge. The base was beautifully decorated in trees and flags which excited me for what was to come at the top of the hill. We started climbing the stairs and I very quickly became out of breath, literally panting. I surprised myself this trip with how out of breath I got with stairs, I use the cross trainer and regulatory do 5k back at home! Anyway, five minutes and three hundred steps later we reached the top.

The main temple was very beautiful with a massive golden pyramid . This golden pyramid is made of cement, but painted with gold leaf . It is one of the few temples which contain a Buddha relic inside. I’m not too sure what the relic is, but I’m guessing it may be a small portion of his ash. The sights at the top of the hill were phenomenal with a panoramic view of the entire city, which was much bigger than I actually thought. We of course posed for photos to try and capture the scenery.

It was sunset and we had actually come in time to observe a special monk ceremony. We heard the sound of a gong and then dozens of novices (teenage boys training to be monks) appeared and sat in front of a Buddah shrine, chanting. Out of respect, we too sat on the ground and witnessed the peaceful event. Gung told some of us to be quiet as we were talking too loudly. I was surprised to learn that monks cannot eat after midday! Wow, I thought to myself . Gung also talked us through Buddhist values, which are similar if not identical to that of all the major faiths. Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not drink alcohol, Do not lie etc. We also talked about the Buddhist concept of the afterlife and reincarnation, which is similar to that of Hinduism, only Buddah’s aim to get to Nirvana as opposed to Mosha, where they are one with God.

Visiting the Wat Phra That Doi Suthep is a must if you are in Chiang Mai, and the stairs are well worth the sights!

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Chiang Rai- Quick visit

Chang rai. Delicious cashew nut farm. Bizarre white temple mix of modern art and traditional Buddhism. Hands and skulls of hell reaching for you. George Bush and Bin Laden

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Chang Kong, A view of Laos in the distance and the Chilli incident

We arrived to a quiet town called Chang Kong (northern Thailand) which sits on the Mekong.

It was a small, sleepy town with simple infrastructure. After we checked into the guesthouse, Kamran and I decided to have a little wander. We bumped into the rest of our group who had all jumped into the river, to take a swim with their clothes on. I was a bit sad that I missed it, but grateful that at least I didn’t have to deal with the botheration on sorting out wet clothes.

In the evening we had a group dinner in a lovely little restaurant by the river. In the distance we could see the dusty river banks o Laos. As a snack, Gung (our tour leader) circulated a plate with a leaf (similar to paan leaf) with separate pots that had a sweet shrimp paste, onions,garlic and chillies. We made individual wraps and sampled them together and to my delight, Kamran quite liked it. I loved it. Andrew was next to me so I told him that I would make his wrap. I asked him how hot he wanted his, and he replied I'll be adventurous!’ Now I knew that adventurous would mean one chilli, maybe two. But I saw this as a perfect opportunity to play a practical joke so I added three chillies. After Andrew had put it in his mouth he was really, really struggling. He jumped up and shouted ‘oooooh’ whilst Gung was in the middle of explaining something to us. She was annoyed at this reaction, but the annoyance turned to sympathy when he explained that his mouth was burning. The group was in stitches, and I found it hilarious. I was close to laughing tears. But then I felt very, very guilty! Was I responsible for his suffering? He did say adventurous, didn’t he? I offered Andrew two Eucalyptus chewing gums, ‘this will sort you out,’ I told him. What a funny and memorable evening.

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Chiang Mai - The Night market and the ladyboy cabaret

Both of our nights in Chiang Mai were very memorable...

On the first evening we walked to the night market which was a terrific experience. Chiang Mai is famous for its night markets, which are more extensive and livelier than one can imagine. On the way to the night market we passed a large lake and city walls, as Chiang Mai was previously a fortress, which actually surprised me, as I was reminded of the historic city walls in York, England. Gung then stopped us at a food cart and made us try these DELICIOUS coconut creations. They were basically small thing spherical pancakes filled with a delicious coconut cream (my guess is that it’s made out of coconut milk) with bits of sweet corn inside. We were told that it was a traditional Thai snack. Both Kamran and I really liked them and would later go on to buy ourselves our own bag of the beautiful sweet treats .  

We approached various food carts and the streets started to become very, very busy. There were many carts selling fruit shakes, skewered pork, rice noodle soup, and Pad Thai just to name a few. Kamran and I both got Pad Thais, only my one was made with yellow curry noodles which is apparently a Chang Mai speciality. They were both super cheap and super delicious and my kiwi-pineapple fruit shake which was blended in ice was just wonderful. After we finished our pad Thai, I noticed a kart selling halal chicken dinner kebab. We must do this, I told Kamran, halal food in Chang Mai! So we bought the kebab which was delicious and finished it with the coconut pancake thingy. It was a lot of food, but let’s be honest a) we were at a night market and you are supposed to stuff yourself with foreign wonders and B) I will never be surprised at our capacity to eat!

After we finished dinner we carried on to the night market, the path becoming more crowded and congested, a nice mix of locals and tourists. The stalls were selling various goods, from tourist souvenirs, to wooden carvings, paintings and several shoe stalls . In the middle of the crowded path were several busking acts; a group of blind men sitting and playing an instruments, an old lady with a cage of birds and most memorably a 12 year old girl singing Adele’s 'someone like you’re in order to raise money for a scholarship. It was a wonderfully busy environment which was a delight to all senses. There was a stall selling delicious home made coconut icecream, which was dairy free. It was subtly flavoured, sweet and icy.

Then, we took a left and the markets were a lot less busy. We were en route to the silver temple . When we reached the silver temple I was very impressed at the sight. The temple was lit up by colour changing lights and so the ornate and intricately engraved temple appeared as free, blue and red at differently intervals. It looked absolutely marvellous, and very calm and quiet which was a massive contrast to the hustle and bustle of the market which was just five minutes away. Women were not allowed into this particular temple as it apparently bought about bad luck, but it was ok, as I still got to witness the silver delight from the outside. The walk back home was a lot less crowded as it was slightly later, and as we passed all of the wondrous stalls, I knew that no night market experience would ever compare. I really missed mummy who would have spent ages at each individual stall, either appreciating handiwork or haggling prices and offending stall owners with ridiculous price suggestions, at a quarter of the original asking price.

Chiang Mai, ladyboy cabaret.

Our second night in Chiang Mai started with a group dinner. We entered a large open air complex with markets and several outdoor restaurants. Kamran ordered grilled fish and I ordered a Tom Yum with spring rolls on the side. When the Tom Yum came we were surprised as it was massive (approximately enough food to feed 4) and presented in a large silver dish with a flame underneath. Kamran and I were rather embarrassed as we looked very greedy due to the fact that everyone else ordered small noodle dishes.  

We the spotted several overdressed women with ridiculous costumes wearing high heels and too much make up. Gung then informed us that these were the local ‘lady boys. ‘ The truth is, with some of them, it is very hard to tell whether they are dressed up women or ‘lady boys.’ Some of them were circling our table and trying to get the attention of certain group members. We were told that this is because they want to pose for photographs for which tipping would be required. Apparently the Chang Mai ladyboy cabaret is something worth seeing, a high standard performance which is family friendly and professional. The show started straight after dinner and I was intrigued.

Kamran did not want to come, so I sat with Sheila and Tara. The music was loud, and the air filled with smoke. Each lady boy had their own song to lip sync, dancing and miming in glittery costumes and 5 inch platforms. There were also some high energy group performances, with carefully choreographed moves led by designated performers. Then there was the Rhianna performance. One of the ladyboys had a striking resemblance to Rhianna, the eye make up was incredible and we were all so surprised. Some of us were certainly rather freaked out and as the hour long show ended and we walked home, we did not know quite what to say.

Whilst the lady boys were performing I was looking at them and felt sad. They must have gone through so much agony to go through with a gender change at the risk of losing their family or being rejected from the community. I imagine that performing professionally in the cabaret is the big dream, and could really see this through the smile on their faces . The cabaret was certainly an interesting and bizarre experience, with the highlight being the fact that Andrew had barricaded himself with chairs during the performance as he was very freaked out that he would be touched by one of the performers. Classic Andrew.

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Chiang Mai - Temple and 1000 steps

Once we arrived to Chiang Mai, I could instantly see a massive difference to Bangkok, the roads were cleaner, prettier and less congested. It was very bright and hot outside and I'd say we still hadn’t acclimatised to the 40degree heat.  

After settling in , we attended our marvellous cooking class ) which was definitely a highlight . When it was a bit cooler in the afternoon we ventured off as a group to visit the Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, a landmark in Chiang Mai. We were warned that there were a lot of stairs, but I welcomed the challenge. The base was beautifully decorated in trees and flags which excited me for what was to come at the top of the hill. We started climbing the stairs and I very quickly became out of breath, literally panting. I surprised myself this trip with how out of breath I got with stairs, I use the cross trainer and regulatory do 5k back at home! Anyway, five minutes and three hundred steps later we reached the top.

The main temple was very beautiful with a massive golden pyramid . This golden pyramid is made of cement, but painted with gold leaf . It is one of the few temples which contain a Buddha relic inside. I'm not too sure what the relic is, but I'm guessing it may be a small portion of his ash. The sights at the top of the hill were phenomenal with a panoramic view of the entire city, which was much bigger than I actually thought. We of course posed for photos to try and capture the scenery.

It was sunset and we had actually come in time to observe a special monk ceremony. We heard the sound of a gong and then dozens of novices (teenage boys training to be monks) appeared and sat in front of a Buddah shrine, chanting. Out of respect, we too sat on the ground and witnessed the peaceful event. Gung told some of us to be quiet as we were talking too loudly. I was surprised to learn that monks cannot eat after midday! Wow, I thought to myself . Gung also talked us through Buddhist values, which are similar if not identical to that of all the major faiths. Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not drink alcohol, Do not lie etc. We also talked about the Buddhist concept of the afterlife and reincarnation, which is similar to that of Hinduism, only Buddah's aim to get to Nirvana as opposed to Mosha, where they are one with God.

Visiting the Wat Phra That Doi Suthep is a must if you are in Chiang Mai, and the stairs are well worth the sights!

COOKING CLASS

[noblehippy89-blog]

World Travels - The beginning - Baking in Bangkok

Worried that we were ten minutes late, Kamran and I burst through the hotel doors to make our introductory  meeting with the rest of the tour group. We had landed at the airport and arrived in good time, but the Bangkok traffic was at a stand still. Looking at the 12 other members of our tour group, we both thought ‘ What the absolute heck?’

Our group was made of mostly middle aged women, a Dutch couple in their 60’s, an elderly farmer from New Zealand and a pair of Irish female social workers, both in their 50’s. As we were going round in a circle introducing ourselves, Kamran and I felt quite alien. There were only two others (both Canadian nurses) in their twenties. We will never forget when Andrew ( the Kiwi farmer) introduced himself: ‘ I am a farmer, from New Zealand, and my wife ran away from me...’

As the great saying goes, ‘never judge a book by it’s cover,’ which couldn’t have proven to be more true. The other cliche ‘age is nothing but a number,’ is also extremely relevant here, as we both later discovered that it was the older members our group who had more adventurous and curious souls. Writing this in retrospect, I can now say that our group was truly wonderful, and after the first couple of days, we had become like a family. Our tour leader Gung, was a very serious looking Thai lady who talked us through the ground rules in a rather strict and dry manner. As the days passed however, Gung loosened up a little and all in all she was an absolutely incredible tour guide who took on a role as both mother and teacher; caring about all aspects of our health and happiness.

That evening, we went on a rather awkward first group dinner and all I can remember was the sweltering heat! After dinner we walked to the great Khao San Road, also known as backpacker heaven. It was 10pm and the wide road was buzzing with bars, clubs and markets. I’d say it was mostly filled with Western tourists, and we were surrounded by all too familiar British, American and Australian accents. Blaring music, the sight of shots and  massive crowds filled with privileged ‘gap year’ individuals . I was slightly relieved actually, as I had been warned that Bangkok is incredibly sleazy with it's rampant sex trade, but I had not yet come across any preposterous prostitutes or perverts. Instead, I was surrounded by fried scorpions on lollipop sticks and stalls selling hilarious, but very credible looking fake Ids. After a good stroll through the chaos, Kamran and I decided to call it a night. But not before I had a wondrous 1 hour Thai massage for £3!!!! My greatest regret was ignoring the promotional ‘we sell laughing gass' signs. I so wanted to see Kamran loosen up. Ah well, I guess I'll have to wait until the delivery room...

Our first proper day began nice and early with a long tail boat ride down the Chao Phraya River. It was only then that I realised how roaring hot the weather was (we later found out that it was 39degrees that day, but made to feel like 45degrees). I tried to ignore the fact that I was slightly dying, and enjoyed the breeze along the river. Our next stop was a group visit to the Wat Pho temple, which is one of the holiest sites in Thailand. There was an absolutely massive reclining Buddah (covered in gold leaf), so I thought that I would be funny by imitating the same pose, in front of the statue, for a photo. I then got gunned down by Gung our tour leader who told me that that was unacceptable behaviour as I ‘am not Buddah.’

As we walked around the temple I could no longer cope with the heat. I realised that I had made a massive mistake with my choice of packed clothing (all synthetic blouses which trap heat and therefore have a horrific sauna effect). The rest of the temple visit is a bit of a blur, as I tried to stay alive in baking Bangkok. What I do remember however, is the bus ride we took from the temple to get back to our hotel. It was a lovely, authentic experience, but a tragedy as I left Kamrans extremely rare foldable wayfarer Raybans on my seat :( . That’s the only item I lost on our travels, but a really important one.  

We were absolutely delighted to discover that halal food was quite widely available in Bangkok and one of our favourite meals on the trip was a modest halal beef noodle soup which was spicy and delicious. After our fantabulous lunch, my next mission was to purchase appropriate , breathable clothing from one of the markets. I was quite horrified when on the very first day of our tour I realised that every single item of clothing I had bought with me was unwearable in the absurdly hot weather and so the hijabi struggles began. Lucky Kamran in his shorts and t-shirts!!! The only full sleeved tops that were light and airy was an XXL vibrantly patterned cotton kaftan that one may find at a charity shop in Clapham, and an androgynous men’s tunic. Done. I bought them both, as well as the signature Thai elephant pantaloons that every other female tourist throughout the whole of South East Asia wears. These 3 life-saving items were my staples throughout the next month. I chose comfort over style and am so glad for doing so.

Nothing else notable occurred in the 24 hours that we stayed in Bangkok, though the real adventure, in the form of an overnight train to Chang Mai, was to begin that evening.