Vang Vieng

Have heard alot of hype about Vang Vieng, many people going around Asia with 'tubing in the Vang Vieng river' t-shirts. So we thought we'd see what all the fuss is about. We planned to stay 2 nights meaning we'd get to go tubing once. Tubing is basically where you go along the river in a rubber ring and stop at the make shift bars along the way. Which I thought would be fun for a day but surely it couldn't be that amazing ... but I was wrong, we have loved it here and have ended up staying 5 nights + have 1 more to go (woops) so will have a couple less nights in Vietnam.

The Laos people are really nice here, they hassle you far less than people in Thailand and it's just a really relaxed place. The crowd are so fun, everyone here looks so happy all the time and the mountaneous view by the river is great! We've spent the last few days with 3 english guys, who are at Exeter uni and the managed to persuade us to stay a little longer. Our accomodation is lush too! Brand new bungalow by the river, wake up every morning to the view of mountains by a river for the bargain price of 4pound each.

You hear alot of horror stories about tubing and I can understand why, it's wet season now and the river is pretty fast, but aslong as you don't drink too much and stay in a group then everyone looks out for eachother!

Last day of tubing today and then on to Vietnam on a 24 hour sleeper bus from here to Hanoi (eurrrghh). Looking forward to Vietnam now but can't believe we have less than 2 weeks left now! We'll be in Hanoi for 2 nights and then will do a Halong Bay boat trip.

A few pictures from the last five days: 

Vientiane

Managed to have a full day of sightseeing in Bangkok, as our journey to Laos wasn't until 8pm. First we went to a temple and had a wander down the river. Then we got a tuk tuk to China town and had lunch there and lastly we went to Siam Square, which is a nice area of Bangkok with cute boutiques and a park.

A couple of photos of our day in Bangkok: 

Next we got a train to Loas, which was 1,000,000 times better than the bus! We each had space to sleep and had a pretty good nights sleep so will definately use trains in the future, when we are able to but seeing as Laos has no trains that won't be for a little while.

The train:

We've been in Vientiane for two nights, it's very chilled here, feels more like a peaceful town than a capital city. The traffic seems sooooo much slower and less crazy than Thailand. We looked around some of the shops yesterday and I got a few cheap dvds and a couple of paintings for my wall next year. Then today we went to Buddha park, which is a park full of Buddhist and Hindu sculptures.

Tomorrow we are of to Vang Vieng for two nights, should take about 3 hours to get there. Below is a picture of a very busy shopfront and a picture from Buddha park! 

Koh Phi Phi

Koh Phi Phi ..... wow definitely one of my fave places!! (Along with Koh Tao) ... beautiful.

We got a cute little bungalow, for 300 baht between us, which is about 3pound50 each a night! Although I did pay the price for this with millions of mosquito bites. Was 1 minute from the beach and right in the centre of all the restaraunts etc. We planned to stay 2 nights but decided to stay 3.

First day was spent on the beach, where we happened to bump in to some German girls we met in Koh Phangan and that night we went out with them. Good bars all along the beach. Next night we had an early night as we got up early for a boat trip, costing around 8pound for the whole day. We went to many different bays (including maya bay where the film the beach was filmed) and got to snorkel in lots of different places.

Unfortunately when uplaoding some photos in an internet cafe I lost all my pictures from the last few days (so of Koh Phi Phi) but luckily Michelle took some, and it could be alot worse, could have lost them all! Is quite upsetting though as had some really good ones from the boat of the aqua blue waters and sunset from the boat.

Last night we got a bus back to Bangkok, which was long and uncomfortable! We're in Bangkok for one night and then hopefully travelling to Laos tomorrow (not looking forward to another bus journey) but is quite cool to be back in Bangkok as we both like it here! Also excited to be going to Laos tomorrow! A whole new country to explore!

Our bungalow in Koh Phi Phi and a photo of the CLEAR blue waters:

KohPhangan / Phuket

On our last day in Koh Phangan we went to a nicer beach on the other side of the island and out for dinner with the two girls in our dorm that we went to full moon with. It was a nice day and nice to chat to go out for the day in a group. Our journey to Phuket was pretty hot but it was fine. Wasn't sure how much I would like Phuket as a few people have said it's not much to write home about, but I've actually really enjoyed it. We've done alot of beaching recently so decided to stay in Phuket town, rather than the beach. Phuket is huge so hardly feels like an island. Last night there was some some sort of celebration and market going on outside our hostel, and very few tourists around, so that was interesting to see. Today we went on a '6 in 1' safari. I was really excited about the elephant trek before we went but honestly I probably wouldn't do it again. It was fun to see and feed the elephants but I just felt the whole thing was a bit cruel. After than we went to canoeing, to a waterfall and to a gibbon sanctuary, so the second half of the day was really good. Have got lots of nice pictures from today. Off out for dinner now! We leave for Koh Phi Phi tomorrow morning at 10am, and it should only take a few hours.

Koh Samui / Koh Phangan

On our second day in Koh Samui we went to see the Big Buddha, which was pretty impressive in size! Then we got our ferry to Koh Phangan. We're here for four nights, staying a little away from where all the partying goes on, our hostel is nice and clean. We went out the first night and then we went out again last night for the full moon party. I have to say the first night was probably better than the full moon itself. Koh Phangan is a fun place to be around the full moon but the actual party has a few too many people for my liking and the music wasn't brilliant, but it was still an experience! When else would you go to a beach party with 1OOO's of people, so I'm still glad we went! The company was good too, we went with two english girls and two german girls, so it was fun to chat to them. Today I think we're just going to head to the beach as haven't woken up too early! But hopefully will do a bit more with our day tomorrow.

Big Budha in Koh Samui:

Full moon party:

Final night in Koh Tao, followed by a night in Koh Samui

We managed to find a cheap dorm room to stay in a lively part of Koh Tao, so was good that we got to see more than one area in the end. We went to some bars and shell played beer pong. Very touristy but fun anyway!
Now we are in Koh Samui for one night, just had a thai green curry for lunch and am now heading to the beach. Will go and see the Big Buddha tomorrow morning and then we have a ferry booked for 3pm tomorrow to Koh Phangan.

Koh Tao

Journey from Bankok to Koh Tao was not fun .. long bus journey, followed by a four hour wait between 3am and 7am at a boat port and then a boat. But it was worth it in the end!! We decided to stay in a quiet part of the island (Tanoa bay) as we felt like a rest after the hustle and bustle of Bangkok. We got a taxi part of the way, had to sit on the back of a four wheel drive and hold on for my life while I was driven up and down bumpy roads. Then we had to trek for about half an hour through a forest, down steep hills.... remembered quite quickly why I never signed up duke of edinborough or world challenge!! But then we arrived .......
It was a beautiful forest area, with a beach at the bottom, with a couple of restaraunts and 2 bars. The cheapest accomodation we could find was a bungalow for 700 baht, about 15pound for both of us a night, slightly over budget, but for a bungalow in a secluded area its not bad! The first day I was exhausted so mainly slept and then went for dinner, where I had a nice thai coconut vegetable soup. Then yesterday we spent the day on the beach and went snorkelling. Koh Tao is famous for snorkelling and diving, we are both to chicken to dive but snorkelling was amaze! There were so many different types of brightly coloured fish! Then we went for dinner, followed by a cocktail on the beach.
Today we had been planning to go to Koh Samui, but have just arrived at the port and the ferry is booked for this afternoon! So we have booked it for tomorrow morning at 10am. Now off we go to find some accomodation for one more night in Koh Tao ..........

Photos from Koh Tao:

Bangkok!

It's our last day in Bangkok (for now anyway) and we are off to Koh Tao tonight. Getting a bus and then an express boat. Leaving at 6pm and get to Koh Tao at about 10.30am tomorrow morning. Hoping to do some snorkelling there! Have enjoyed Bangkok alot more than I thought I would. Yesterday we jumped in a tuk tuk and went to the Grand Palace, arrived too late to go inside, but was pretty impressive from the outside anyway! Then we wandered around a market and I got a tarot card reading (apparently I'm going to make lots of money when I'm older). There were lots of celebrations going on for the queens birthday, which is on the 12th. We got hair braids (like I used to get when I was about 10) and big baggy, bright trousers, so we look like proper travellers now - ha. Shell is thinking of getting her hair braided later today. Night life is good here too, spent last night chatting to some American guys, went to a roof top bar and a reggae bar. Will try to update again soon!

One of our first tuk tuk rides:

Leaving today !!!

Today has finally arrived, it has come round quicker than expected! Our flight leaves at 11.15pm ..... such a mix of emotions! Have pre-booked our accomodation for the first two nights in Bangkok! (At £3.79 a night I hope its ok!) We'll be staying right in the backpacker district, just off the famous Khao san road. Only really have one full day and then another half day in Bangkok so won't get to see too much of it, but will be there again at the end of the trip too. Will probably just spend our time getting used to the culture, and wondering around a few shops! If we have time to go then the Golden Palace looks good. Bye for now, next time I update on here who knows where I could be! Will try to update whenever I manage to get on the internet.

Me and Michelle at the airport: