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Hello Perth

March 24, 2020 by Fran Leave a Comment

Life is what happens whilst you are making plans - quote from John Lennon

“Life is what happens whilst you are making plans”, is a quote attributed to numerous people, amongst them, John Lennon of Beatles fame. Never has this aphorism been more true than in recent days.

Over a year in the planning, yesterday should have been the day we were filled with nervous excitement. Wondering what the next 12 months would hold as we embarked on the trip of a lifetime. A round the world travel adventure, sipping cocktails on deserted Filipino beaches. Swimming in the tropical shores of Thailand. Exploring the best of Europe in a campervan, and checking out the best of the vineyards. On to Canada to explore the Rockies, before brushing up my Spanish in a language school in Central America.

Well, you know the rest. Like all of you, our lives have been disrupted by events that are impacting the whole world. Humanity is being tested like never before. Lives are being changed irrevocably. New phrases are entering the lexicon. “Social distancing”. “Self isolation”. Lockdown has become a part of everyday life.

When you are going through hell, keep going - Winston Churchill

As society slowly learns to adapt to a time where we can’t see our loved ones for fear of making them ill. And jobs are lost in their thousands as social distancing means a loss of our social lives, and with it many people’s incomes. I suppose we still have a lot to be thankful for. Rather than setting off with the whole world being our oyster, we are learning to adapt ourselves.

At the end of our travels we had made the life changing decision to uproot our fabulous life in Sydney, and transport it to beautiful Western Australia. Specifically to Perth. A place we have visited a number of times and love. A place where the sun seems to constantly shine. That Margaret River, one of my favourite places in the world (in part due to the wonderful wineries and beautiful beaches) is on the doorstep of Perth, may have something to do with our choice.

Fast forward to Sunday, and with the announcement that Western Australia would be closing its borders on Tuesday afternoon, we quickly jumped on to the Qantas website and booked ourselves on a flight out. The next day. And here we are. After a flight of just under 5 hours, and a time difference of minus 3 hours from Sydney, we are safely at an AirBnB in Perth.

This is day 1. What day 2, and subsequent days hold, we don’t know. We have a week booked in our accommodation. And we need to sort out what to do after that. We don’t yet know if we will all be in full lockdown as the UK now is. We do know that across Australia all pubs, restaurants have had to close, with cafes only allowed to do a takeaway service. Importantly, the bottle shops are currently excluded from the closures so are able to stay sane through drinking copious amounts of wine. And more importantly, there is a bottle shop conveniently located a short walk from where we are staying. If a wider, New Zealand style lockdown is put in place, we will just have to find somewhere we can stay a little longer, and head out for a large supply of food and the elusive toilet roll.

Whilst this is a terrible time for everyone, the fact that a relatively “normal” life is returning in China does give me some hope. A glint of light at the end of a very dark tunnel. Until that light gets brighter, please adhere to the official advice that your respective government is giving you. It is very important. The less people we are in contact with, the less opportunity we give this virus chance to spread amongst us.

Beautiful sunshine on Beaufort Street in Perth — Day 1 coffee spot – Mt Lawley

Let’s all work together to keep everyone safe. Once the darks clouds have passed, everyone is invited to the virus “going away” party!

Bangkok – The City of Angels

June 30, 2018 by Fran 4 Comments

He wasn’t sure what caused him to look up. A noise perhaps. A light. It wasn’t the evening symphony of cicadas. Or the regular chorus of the boats coming into, and out of, the nearby jetty. “Oriental pier…Oriental pier. This stop, Oriental pier”. He had become immune to these noises by now. As unobtrusive as having The Archers on the radio in the background. No, this was something different.

He screwed the lid of his pen back on, and gently laid it down on the desk. He walked slowly, barefoot, on to the balcony. There was the unmistakable whiff of citronella in the still night air. A smell as associated with Thailand as lemongrass. The citronella being part of the futile attempt to ward off the army of mosquitoes that descend when the sun goes down. He looked out across the Chao Phraya river. Watched the boats put putting up and down. It was too dark to see, but he knew from the smell that they were pumping out diesel fumes.

Bangkok Mandarin Oriental — The Mandarin Oriental

This is how I imagined Graham Greene, or maybe Somerset Maugham would spend their evenings, on the deck of the Mandarin Oriental. Midway through their latest creation. Using the solitude to help shape their stories. A haven of calm, in the fast and frenetic city of Bangkok, The Mandarin Oriental has long since had an association with writers, even having its own “Authors Wing”. Since 1876, the hotel has graced the shores of the dark brown river that snakes through Bangkok, the Chao Phraya.

Banyan Tree - Bangkok — Cocktails in the sky – Vertigo and Moon Bar

I was last in Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, in 1999, some 5 years after my first ever visit. With each visit the city skyline gets ever more dramatic. The hotels vie for the title of the highest, and most vertiginous rooftop bar. We had cocktails at the aptly named Vertigo, at the Banyan Tree hotel. 61 floors up, and totally exposed to the outside world, Vertigo claims a place amongst the highest outdoor bars in the world. I had to remain firmly seated, and only tentatively glance over the edge. The edge that was only protected by a waist-high barrier. You know that feeling when you are at the edge of something very high, such as on top of a 61 floor hotel, or in a hot air balloon over the vineyards of the Hunter Valley, when, inextricably, your only thought is throwing yourself over the edge? Yeah, I was getting these thoughts again. That I was sat on flight QF23, 21.10 from Singapore to Sydney, at the time of writing is proof that I resisted this self-destructive urge. And also proof that we survived a tuk tuk ride through the scary Bangkok traffic. Going at breakneck speed, for a tuk tuk, we had to ensure we made our dinner reservation at the excellent Scarlett Restaurant (where I had the BEST. APPLE. PIE. EVER), in the Hotel Pullman G. For the uninitiated, a tuk tuk is a converted scooter, with a seat behind the driver, that zips in and out of traffic. The most fun you can have for a few dollars.

Bangkok is a very large, sprawling city, dissected by the Chao Phraya river. The very brown, and very murky looking river that carries locals and tourists up and down its length all day long. Serviced by a number of boats, with their distinctive ragged flags flying behind them in the wind, denoting which boat service is which. A flash of blue, or orange catches the eye as they go past. And then there is the “tourist boat”, of the hop-on, hop-off variety, easily identified by having no locals aboard. Just a mix of holiday makers and travellers. Themselves easily identified by what they carry and wear. Those with money had their big cameras. Those without, in their “Beer Chang” vests, recently bought close by on Khao San Road. A long time favourite haunt of backpackers.

Hop on Hop off boat on Chao Phraya — All aboard

Chao Phraya river boat stops — All the stops

The boats are the easiest, and most convenient way to get to all the must see sights in Bangkok. Jumping on and off the boats, at the pier that is closest to where you need to be, a day is easily filled with visits to places such as The Grand Temple and Wat Arun. Across the water to Wat Pho, a cheap 4 baht (17 cents) ferry, with hordes of overheating tourists, the Reclining Buddha has to be seen to be believed. 15 metres high, and 46 metres long, it is one of the largest Buddha statues in Thailand.

Back on the river, waiting for the next boat, watching the pigeons perched atop the piers. Piers that creak and crack in the water like the legs of an old man getting out of bed in the morning. The detritus of this mornings flower market, that started at 2am, swirling around, back and forth in the foamy wash from the boats. Large fish, dancing in the water, putting on a show for the tourists who delight in throwing them bread.

Grand Palace - Bangkok — Guarding the Grand Palace

A sensory overload, Bangkok continually assaults all of them. At times all at once. The smells are unavoidable. And can be ranked in the order that you would prefer to have to endure them. All you can hope for is to have a day when you get more of the sizzling satays from the street stalls, than the fetid fish laid out to dry in the oppressive Bangkok sun. When it is not food, it is the pungent cigarettes everyone in Asia seems to smoke. Even that is better than the ineffectual drains that cause you to get a very unpleasant whiff of the sewerage from deep below you as you negotiate the crowded sidewalks. Such as the sidewalks in Chinatown that are barely wide enough for pedestrians, let alone the many stalls crowded onto every available inch of pathway, causing unending bottlenecks with the continuous foot traffic. On the street, with the hundreds of scooters and tuk tuks, your ears are continually besieged with a constant cacophony of honking horns. And on the river, with boats of all shapes and sizes, you can’t escape the smell of petrol and diesel. It permeates everything, and clings to you until you wash it all away with your evening shower.

Walking is something you will do a lot of in Bangkok. We were walking off a lunch we had just eaten at a restaurant in Chinatown. Not really sure what we were getting, but deducing from the pictures we pointed to that we were getting the best of what liked a very dodgy offering. That definitely looks like rice. And that looked like duck. I wasn’t sure what was covering the duck, but hey, I was hungry.

As we walked, the afternoon heat dissipated slowly. The sun was long since gone, now hidden behind a curtain of clouds. This gives Bangkok the colour that paints the city in the late afternoon. Between the bright morning sun, and the neon lit nights, everything turns a dull beige. Like a thin blanket that mutes everything. Making all your photographs look aged. Slightly sepia tinged.

Bangkok SkyTrain — The SkyTrain at Phrom Phong

Sights having been seen, we made our way to the Skytrain. Another development since my last visit. Rising above the clogged city traffic, like the monorail of my childhood at Butlins theme parks, the Skytrain is the easiest way of crossing the vast expanse of the city. There is even a link to the airport, if your budget won’t stretch to a taxi. Several lines intersect, and like an above ground London tube, you just need to work out where to change stations. Having a station at the end of the road where we were staying was very convenient. I said it earlier, but it is worth emphasising, Bangkok is a big city. And it takes time to get anywhere across city. But when you do, it is worth it.

Making the trip home on the Skytrain, and taking a slight detour on foot back to the hotel, we innocuously found ourselves on a street that, at first, looked like a row of restaurants and bars. Upon closer inspection there are few restaurants. There are no bars. What there is are many massage parlours. Walking past a few of them, (well, it was on the WAY home, don’t judge me) what I could see through the window was lines of girls parading before a prospective customer. I suspected exactly what kind of massage was on offer. The last time I had a massage the masseuse wasn’t in her best underwear and 8 inch heels. Honest.

City lights of Bangkok — Bangkok by night

At night Bangkok feels a different place again. Transformed. Leaving behind the chaos of the daytime. When the sun goes down, the chilled music starts. And the rooftop bars open. Sat up there, feeling as high as the planes in the sky, you look across the city, and it is as though there is a sea of red lights dancing. The top of every building appears to be blinking red, warning anybody that flies too close, that a city lies below. A city waking from the slumber of the late afternoon, ready to party long into the night. Happy hours everywhere offering great deals on cocktails and beer. A few pina coladas in and you feel like everything has slowed down, and the pace of life is exactly where you want it to be.

Bangkok is a great city. The only disappointment was that we didn’t have longer. But now it was time to slow things down. It was time for the island of Koh Phangan. First we had to get to the airport in Bangkok. Alive. Our taxi driver had either a personal best to achieve, or the hotel had told him we were in a rush. I suspected the latter, even though we had plenty of time. The supposed 45 minute journey was done in little over 30 minutes. Most of it with my heart in my mouth. Sat in the back, with no seatbelt fitted on my side of the car, we lane swapped at great speed. We tailgated in a way that I have only ever seen in Formula 1. And all this whilst the roads seemed to be patrolled by lots of police.

Arriving with very sweaty palms, and shaking legs, I have never been so happy to see an airport terminal. And the bar!

Loving Laos, finally

February 28, 2023 by Fran 2 Comments

Laos, the missing jigsaw piece

I first visited Southeast Asia way back in 1994. I can scarcely believe this is now almost 30 years ago. How young and naive I must have been. Over the years, hopefully a little bit wiser, and definitely older, I have been back numerous times.

And yet, there was always a piece of the jigsaw missing. A piece that I could never seem to find no matter how hard I tried. With this in mind, as we embarked on our big travel sabbatical, I knew that this was my opportunity to complete my Southeast Asian jigsaw. This time I was going to Laos.

The Peoples Democratic Republic of Laos

The Peoples Democratic Republic of Laos is the only landlocked country in Southeast Asia. Bordered by Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam. I had travelled fairly extensively through all these neighbouring countries and never once ventured into Laos. How remiss of me.

As our small propeller plane from Bangkok had wheels down in Vientiane there was a slight sense of relief and a smile on my face. I was finally in Laos and in the 49th country that I have travelled to in my wanderlust years.

The capital, Vientiane, is described as sleepy. I would say this is an understatement. Walking from our hotel, that first morning, and into town I could count the number of travellers on one hand. Where is everyone, I thought. And why are the streets so quiet. Possibly the quietest capital city I have ever been to. I had expected a buzz. Busy cafes. Street side tour operators selling you bus and flight tickets, much like you see almost everywhere in Southeast Asia.

Yet, there was none of this. We strolled to the river front, taking in the views of nearby Thailand across the river. Ambling along the river it felt as though the town was deserted. What were we going to do for the next couple of days?

Finding excellent craft beer in Vientiane

When you travel you find that life finds its rhythm. Wherever you are you adapt. And so it was in Vientiane. We slowed down and mirrored the pace of life. We did find an excellent brewery. Incongruously situated quite a long walk from the centre of town, on a main road, and amongst a strip of run down shops. Following the blue dot on Google Maps I did think there must be a mistake, but eventually, set back from the road, we found it.

Core Beer, Vientiane, Laos — How I have missed a good NEIPA

Core Beer is a very new, very modern building that houses a brewery. A brewery much like the excellent ones we are blessed with in Western Australia. A cavernous place, and yet we were the only customers. Ordering two, excellent pale ales, I mused at how the young man working there filled his day. Much like everyone else in Southeast Asia, it turned out. Glued to his mobile phone. The beer was excellent and priced accordingly. Much more expensive than our new local drink, BeerLao, which cost about 11,000 kip each. Which equates to approx 97 cents, or 54 pence.

Our days in Vientiane were brightened up by food. We afforded ourselves a well earned break from the monotony of rice every day. Whilst in Vientiane, our dinners were an excellent pizza, from an Italian chef, and on the second night a tasty Indian curry, that cost us pennies. Finding good food for dinner becomes a mission after you have experienced the hotel breakfasts in Asia. Some are a lot worse than others and the one at S2 Modern Hotel in Vientiane left a lot to be desired.

Not tubing in Vang Vieng

Moving on from Vientiane we headed to Vang Vieng by minibus. On a trip that used to take many hours, the new Laos-China expressway reduces this considerably. Less than two hours after leaving the capital we had arrived and were trundling our bags to Jasmine hotel. When you are travelling on a budget, the Jasmine hotel is the sort of hotel you end up at.

On the way to the hotel my spirits immediately lifted. Vang Vieng had the vibe that was missing in Vientiane. Lots of travellers wandering about. Cafes full of digital nomads on their laptops, and first time travellers updating their travel journals. It did appear that the demographic was about 30 years younger than me. If you can’t beat them, join them. Due to a scheduling issue, which I’ll touch on later, we were only here for two nights but would have happily extended. The Jasmine hotel was friendly, and if we look past the free breakfast, the balcony that provided us with amazing sunset views would have been enough to keep us in town.

Cycling in Vang Vieng — Exploring the countryside in Vang Vieng

Vang Vieng gained notoriety for the “tubing” activities that backpackers flocked here for. After a few deaths, and many near misses, the government clamped down heavily on this in 2012. Plying young people with alcohol and sending them down a fast flowing river on an inner tube suddenly seemed like a very bad idea.

Diversification followed and now Vang Vieng is a hub for many activities such as hot air ballooning. Cycling. Rock climbing. Kayaking. And still a bit of tubing, of the more sober variety. The tourist numbers that dwindled after the 2012 tubing clampdown have started climbing again and once more there are new hotels being built to accommodate them.

A Thai German serving schnitzels in Laos

There are some great food options in Vang Vieng and over the two nights we had a good Thai meal, and a schnitzel. A very good schnitzel I might add. From a Thai gentleman who had spent time in Germany and brought the schnitzel to Laos. His “restaurant” was simply his front garden, and his “kitchen” was a simple outside stove, but the schnitzel and potatoes he cooked up were delicious. If you do find yourself in Vang Vieng be sure to look up Viman, the Thai German.

Luang Prabang

After Vang Vieng we were off to Luang Prabang. By bus. Or so we thought. When the young man on reception at the Jasmine told us the road was unsealed and it could take up to 7 hours to get there, we agreed with him that the train would be a much better option.

The Chinese had recently finished building a train line from Laos to China and we were going to be one of the first to try it out. I had hoped to be on the bullet train that I saw advertised everywhere. Alas, we weren’t. However, the train was still very new, very busy, and fast. We were in Luang Prabang in under 2 hours. Met outside the oversize train station (as part of the train line the Chinese had built brand new, enormous train stations) by dozens of white minivans, to transport us all the 20 minutes into Luang Prabang town.

Luang Prabang turned out to be one of my favourite places in Southeast Asia. Small. Friendly. And full of Buddhist temples. There is a peace and serenity to the town that holds a stillness. It helped that we were in a beautiful hotel. After the S2 in Vientiane and the Jasmine in Vang Vieng we slightly increased the travel budget got a whole lot more quality.

Parasol Blanc hotel in Luang Prabang

Parasol Blanc was welcoming. And stylish. Set in large leafy grounds with a swimming pool and a breakfast area located in the middle of a UNESCO protected lotus pond. Talking of the breakfast, it was excellent. We even had a menu of options to choose from, all freshly prepared by the Indian chef who popped out each morning to have a chat.

Breakfast at the Parasol Blanc, Luang Prabang — Breakfast at the Parasol Blanc

In Luang Prabang we strolled along the Mekong River, having a lazy lunch whilst watching the longtail boats sail past. We visited many of the beautiful Buddhist temples. One day we hired an electric scooter, my first time riding one, and visited the Kuang Si waterfalls, having a refreshing swim in the gorgeous pools. Kuang Si waterfalls are a must visit, it is such a beautiful area. On the way back to Luang Prabang, fretting slightly over the remaining battery life of the scooter (it turns out “range anxiety” is real), we stopped for lunch at a stunning location. Set amongst rice paddie fields, and very reminiscent of Bali, we had a simple and delicious lunch.

Kuang Si falls, Luang Prabang — Swimming at Kuang Si falls

The River cafe, Luang Prabang — The River Cafe, Luang Prabang

Importantly, after a lot of travel, we had some down time. Lazing around the hotel pool and having a cool dip. Being the only ones around the pool it felt like we were in our own private villa. We swam. Read. And I took the opportunity to catch up on the travel blog.

Trekking with elephants at MandaLao Elephant Conservation Park

However, the highlight of our stay in Luang Prabang, and quite possibly of the whole trip through Southeast Asia was the day we spent at MandaLao Elephant Conservation park. Reading about this a few weeks ago we knew we had to visit. And when we booked, the only day that was available to us meant we would have to cut short an earlier part of the trip by a day. Hence the two days only in Vang Vieng.

To say it was worth the sacrifice would be an understatement. We had a full day trekking with two beautiful elephants. MandaLao work to provide elephant friendly interactions and their elephants, they have 10, have been rescued from terrible conditions. Either from logging factories or from the very outdated, and very harmful elephant camps that still allow the practice of riding the elephants.

As we now know, this causes irreversible damage to the spines of the elephants, not to mention the emotional trauma they are surely being put through. There is no riding at MandaLao. No chains. Just freedom to roam, and hundreds of bananas. The team work hard to educate the other elephant camps in Laos but elephants are so ingrained in the culture of this small Southeast Asian country that it will take a generation or two to change the mindest.

I was sad to leave Luang Prabang and sad to be leaving Laos. The country is truly beautiful. It feels a lot more rustic than its neighbours. And even though there are a lot of travellers, the numbers are a lot lower than other places we have visited. This is good. This helps retain a little of its “undiscovered” charm. Long may Laos remain this way.

Whilst tinged with sadness at leaving Laos, we were both very excited to get back to a country we have visited previously. The Land of Smiles. And fabulous food. Thailand would soon be country 21 of our world trip.

Moving south and into Malaysia

April 2, 2023 by Fran 1 Comment

Entering Malaysia by boat

This was the second time on the world trip that we had arrived in a new country by boat. The first time being when we disembarked from the Norwegian Epic, after 9 days at sea, in a cold, wet New York City . Today, we were entering Malaysia through immigration at the port on Langkawi Island. This was after a two hour boat ride since clearing customs in Thailand.

Although I have previously travelled through Malaysia, Langkawi was a new destination for both of us. I wasn’t sure what to expect and there is always a sense of excitement when crossing the borders of neighbouring countries. How similar will they be? How hard will it be to adapt to (another) new currency? And, perhaps most importantly, what will the local beer be like*

Languid Langkawi

What we did find in those early days in Langkawi was that many of the restaurants did not serve alcohol. For the first time in as long as we could remember, we had dinners without an alcoholic drink. Never have we drunk so much Sprite. Due to sharia law in Malaysia, muslims are not allowed to consume alcohol. It follows that alcohol is a little harder to come by. We even saw mini marts, usually our go to for cheap beer, with signs in the window pointing out the fact that they don’t sell beer.

Langkawi had the feel of a place that needed some love and attention. Possibly as a result of the pandemic, and a lack of tourists, many places looked abandoned, or run down. The beach was a wide expanse of sand, with lots of potential. Yet, there were few sun loungers or parasols to encourage lingering. We did what most people seemed to be doing, spending days around our hotel pool, wandering back out for dinner in the evening.

We did do a trip whilst on Langkawi. To the mangrove forests of the Kilim Geoforest Park. An enjoyable day out on the river, exploring the natural beauty of Langkawi, with nearby Thailand in the distance. Cruising through the mangroves, sharing the forest with some very inquisitive monkeys. Monkeys that had the temerity to jump on board our boat and steal bottles of water. On this trip we are meeting some monkeys that are not endearing me to the species.

Pressing on to Penang

Our plan was to jump on a boat from Langkawi, heading south. Yet, the effects of COVID linger in these parts of the world. The boat to Penang was out of service because of it. This left us having to jump on a plane for the 45 minute flight. If only all flights could be this short. On the island of Penang we were staying in Georgetown, the UNESCO listed heritage town.

Beautifully restored shophouse in Penang — Beautifully restored shophouses in Penang

The Citadines is a chain of hotels we first came across whilst in Brussels, all those months ago. In Penang the Citadines was brand new. In a gorgeous, renovated heritage building. So new you could still smell the paint. It was a great place to rest our heads for three nights. Francis Light established modern Penang in 1786. Following the second World War, Penang merged with Malaysia which itself gained independence from Britain in 1957.

Wandering around Penang is a delight. Beautiful architecture. Hawkers selling local street food. And some of the best street art you will see. We happened across a couple and started reading about them. It turns out that Penang is a street art delight. One of the simple pleasures is going on a “treasure hunt” to find more. To see them all would take a lot longer than the 3 days we were in town. We will have to save the rest for the next time we are passing through.

From Penang to Kuala Lumpur

For now, we were back in the air. Another short flight. From Penang to the capital, Kuala Lumpur. Known locally as KL, this is a city that for me is so reminiscent of Singapore. Clean streets. Great hawker food. And some of the best shopping malls in the world. It is true that we weren’t here to shop, but after a long walk to see the Petronas Towers you can’t believe how welcome a bit of air conditioning is. A life saver. The Petronas Towers are the highest twin towers in the world but these are put in the shade by the new Merdeka 118 tower. The second highest building in the world after the Burj Khalifa in Dubai.

Much like Singapore, KL has very diverse neighbourhoods. It was whilst strolling through Chinatown that we discovered KL has its very own street art. Our treasure hunt was back on. But first, coffee. I may have mentioned coffee in previous blogs, and how the coffee shop experience across southeast asia is off the scale. In KL we found a self proclaimed “Melbourne coffee shop”. I am afraid to say that whilst it was a decent drop, it wasn’t the quality of Melbourne.

On the bus to Melaka

Leaving KL and heading south we were able to eschew the airport this time. Our taxi dropped us at the out of town bus terminal and despite a 30 minute delay we still arrived in Melaka (Malacca) in good time. Melaka is another port town, colonised in the past due to its strategic location, much like Penang. In fact, at one point in the past the British destroyed the fort at Melaka, trying to encourage people to relocate to either Singapore or Penang, ports they deemed to be of more importance.

Travelling in the way we have been doing for the last 10 months is an education in itself. We learn more than we ever could sat in a classroom. The colonial past of many countries is intertwined. With some countries, such as Britain, coming out looking less than favourabley. In building an empire, Britain subverted cultures, destroyed families, and imposed their will in places that were mostly not wanted. We look in horror at what Putin is doing to Ukraine. If we look in the mirror, what do we see?

Melaka is a very popular tourist town. And it is easy to see why. Weekend visits for nearby Singaporeans. European backpackers. And lots of Malaysian visitors. It is easy to see why the town is so popular. It is very easy on the eye with the many buildings painted in a vibrant red. And yes, it even has its own street art. With the town now protected by UNESCO I hope all the ugly high rise hotels I see on the outskirts of town don’t ever start encroaching on the lovely historical centre.

One day we took a river cruise. An activity that gets a lot of visitors. We joined a boat load of them and slowly cruised up the river, giving us a new perspective of the shophouses that line the river as it snakes its way north. En route there were a number of “ghost” stops that I imagine the boats stopping at in previous times. Like a lot of things we have encountered on our travels I wonder how much as been shaped by the pandemic, and how much will return to how it was.

Walking back along the river, later in the day, we got quite the shock. I have seen Komodo dragons in a zoo before. But never in real life. The size of these things give you a shock. I am sure, should they be inclined, they could drag me in the river and devour me. Thankfully, we survived, and I had to (absolutely had to) go for yet another coffee to calm my nerves.

Komodo dragons in Melaka. — Komodo dragons

A travel day like no other

It was time to leave Melaka, and Malaysia. We had somewhere to be. And it was going to take us a while to get there. Starting with a taxi to the bus station in Melaka. Then, a 3 hour bus ride across the border, clearing both Malaysian and Singaporean customs. A ride through Singapore. A taxi to Changi airport. Finally, a flight to Manila. Phew. I am tired just thinking about it and will save the next leg of the trip for the next blog.

*For those wondering, the “local” beer appeared to be Tiger. Despite being from across the border in Singapore, it was ubiquitous in Malaysia. And it only cost 92 cents a can (52p).

We push on, in to Portugal

October 1, 2022 by Fran 2 Comments

Up first, Lisbon

Reflecting on our Spanish adventure, it was a great few weeks. However, we needed to keep moving. Nomadic lifestyles don’t lend well to staying too long in one place.

And so, after a super stay in Seville, we were headed to country number nine of our travels. And, in big travel news, we were taking an aeroplane for the first time since leaving the UK. We would still be in the Schengen region, as for all our trip so far in mainland Europe, there will be no customs procedures to navigate. Just disembark, grab your bags, and wander off to explore. I had frequently learned of a quirk of the Schengen region. The 90/180 day rule, but more on that in a later blog.

The ease of travelling by rail and bus

There is a great ease, and pleasure in just rocking up to a train or bus station minutes before your departure, stowing your bag, and taking your seat. I wasn’t looking forward to the rigmarole of the airport. The early arrival for bag drop. The hassle of security. Do we still take shoes off? What about belts? Oh, I can leave my electronics in the bag? When did this change? And the interminable waiting around to board.

Seville airport at 6am was very civilised. A smooth and quick check in. A breeze through security. And an on time departure. Some one hour later, confusingly landing at the same time we took off, we had wheels down in Lisbon, Portugal. On the same time zone as the UK we had to turn our clocks back an hour.

Lisbon

With an estimated population of just over half a million, Lisbon is the largest city, and the capital of Portugal. Situated by the Tagus river, in the south of the country, it has a storied history. One of the oldest cities in the world, Lisbon is also the second oldest European capital. Athens holds first place.

We spent four nights exploring all of what Lisbon has to offer. Which is a lot. The centre naturally draws you down to the waterfront. The huge Praço do Comércio is entered through Arco da Rua Augusta. A triumphal archway leading you into the large city square on the edge of the water. From here you can glance right and see the “25th April” bridge, mirroring the Golden Gate bridge in San Francisco, even down to the exact same colour of paint it is covered in.

The famous tram 28

Heading back into the main town we jumped on the, now famous, tram 28. Still a working tram, taking locals to work and back, it has turned into one of the “must do” items on every Lisbon travellers list. The tram rumbles up through Alfama, trundling up the surprisingly hilly Lisbon, before descending back through town, and up to the neighbourhood of Barrio Alto. It is easy to see why tourists jump on the 28 and sit there, taking in much of Lisbon.

We spent a day on the waterfront, exploring sights such as the Belem tower, the Monument to Discovery, and the Jeronimos Monastery. All before heading back to the very, very popular Time Out market.

Marketing the markets

Much like a lot of similar markets we have seen in Europe, this is another that has been refurbished with all eyes on the tourist Euro. Locals have been priced out of these markets, sadly, as prices for beer, wine, and food are hiked well above what you expect to pay elsewhere. The market is impressive, but I left with a feeling of sadness that most people were there because they thought they “had” to visit as they had read it in a guidebook. I may sound cynical, but, this is just me, and how I feel.

Dinner off the beaten track

I prefer to eat in places where the locals eat, and this is where we found ourselves, not too far from the hotel we were staying in. Up a hill, into a local neighbourhood, we found 21 Gallas craft beer pub. A rotating tap list of 10 beers allowed for plenty of choice as we had a couple of pre-dinner drinks.

Dinner itself was a little further up the hill, in a little pizza place we found. Located in a small square, next to a bar hosting a music night, we sat and had a fabulous pizza. I also spotted a dish going out that looked like halloumi. After enquiring what it was, we ordered a portion. Brazillian cheese, grilled. Delicious.

Beaches in Lisbon

What you may not know about Lisbon is that despite being a large city, there are some excellent beaches on its doorstep. Deciding we needed some downtime after traipsing the length and breadth of Lisbon, we gave ourselves a “beach day”, heading out to Carcavelos beach. Some 30 minutes by train from Lisbon, this is a very popular beach with the locals. We had a glorious day, our towels, and our books. With food and drink options nearby we spent a very enjoyable day soaking up the sun.

In all, we had some fabulous food in Lisbon. From the octopus stew in a cataplano on the first night, to the curry that we traditionally have, everywhere we go in the world. We have had some very good ones, and Victoria declared this one as the best she has ever had. Quite a bold statement from such a curry lover.

Sintra

Day four in Lisbon saw us back at the train station, this time Rossio, as we headed out to Sintra. Classified a UNESCO World Heritage site, Sintra has to be seen to be believed. Fairytale castles dot the hills surrounding the small town. Lord Byron described it as “glorious Eden”, being just one of many visitors over the centuries to be taken in by Sintra’s charms.

Archaeological finds date Sintra back to the 5th millennium BC, but the devastating Lisbon earthquake of 1755 resulted in much of Sintra being destroyed, and subsequently rebuilt. The earthquake is something that I knew nothing of and learned that it destroyed almost the whole of Lisbon. There are estimates of 30,000 to 40,000 lives lost.

Sintra bounced back and in modern times is a place that draws in thousands of tourists a year, drawn to the palaces and castles that adorn many a postcard. It is a place I would highly recommend that you spend a few hours exploring.

And we head to Porto

Our exploring of Lisbon was done and we jumped on the metro to Gare Oriente, for our 9.30am bus to Porto, in the north of the country. Porto has been on my travel wish list for some time and I was very happy, boarding the bus, knowing that within 3 hours I would be there. Porto would bring up bed number 34 since we left home in Perth.

Who knew bed 34 would be so difficult to get to? A cursory glance on Google maps showed us where our apartment was. From the metro station, it looked like a short walk. What Google does not show you is that the “short walk” was up some very steep hills. Why did nobody warn us how hilly Porto is? Imagine how happy I was when we finally made it, only to discover our apartment was up a flight of stairs! Good grief, we were a hot and sweaty mess as we met Pedro at the apartment to check in.

Time to explore

Bags dropped off, and cooled down a little, it was time to explore Porto. I could pretend that there were many sights I wanted to see, in no particular order, but who was I kidding? I was here for the port, and the many port cellars that proliferate around the Douro river. And it wasn’t long before I sat down, with my first tasting.

Porto, sitting on the Douro river, is known as the city of bridges, and a stroll along the water allows you to see why. The most impressive, in my opinion, is the Dom Luís I Bridge, designed by Teophile Seyrig, a former partner of Gustave Eiffel, of whom we all know. Should you be a bridge fanatic, I aren’t, you can do a river cruise, taking in all six of them.

What exactly is a Franceshina?

I was on the hunt for something else. Lunchtime was approaching and only the day before had I read of Porto’s most famous dish. A Franceshina. What exactly is a Franceshina? Well, I have now had one and still am not totally sure. It was invented by a Portuguese by the name of Daniel Silva, whilst he was living in France. Supposedly, inspired by the croque monsieur. Hmm. It is a sandwich of white loaf bread, beef, ham, sausage and cheese. It is topped off with an egg, and then it is all drenched, literally, in a strange sauce, of which it seems no one is really sure what it is.

Most menus describe it as a beer sauce, and it is supposedly made up of beer and tomatoes as a base. Where it gets interesting for me is that each chef maintains the “secret” of their sauce, and so, it is unique from place to place. Now I knew of this famous sandwich, I saw it everywhere, I just had to try it. And the verdict? Tasty. It filled me. But that sauce? I am just not sure I would want it every day.

Pastel de Nata

What we did have every day in Portugal, and sometimes twice, were the pastel de natas. Known outside Portugal as Portuguese tarts, these mini egg custards are addictive. Even more so when they are just out of the oven. Bite size pieces of heaven. I could probably fit a whole one in my mouth, but they are best savoured, with many mini bites.

Very popular in Porto is also the “Portuguese Experience”. I had seen these in Lisbon and just had to try one. A cod fishcake, made with local cheese, and a cold white port. Oh yes, I could get used to these. If only they weren’t so expensive.

With all this food it is a good job that we are keeping up with our exercise. Exploring cities is hard work, and we often go to bed having completed more than double the recommended step count. Walking around Porto gives you the added exercise of climbing hills, getting the heart rate pumping, and making that first glass of wine taste even better.

Where to after Porto?

Porto was to be our last stop in Portugal. We had somewhere to be that had been high on the “priority list” of places to visit whilst we were away. However, we couldn’t get there directly from Porto so we will be having a mini break, back in the country we had previously just left. The mandatory masks may provide a clue. Such is the travel life, always adapting.

Ciao, and hasta luego.

And we head into South East Asia, first stop, Vietnam

January 27, 2023 by Fran 1 Comment

VietJet to Vietnam

With the new year it was time to leave Tokyo and head into Vietnam. We started 2023 in SouthEast Asia. A place that our dwindling dollars will stretch a little bit further. If only we had some of those dollars on us for the flight from Japan. The VietJet flight. An international airline. And it was cash only. Yes, I haven’t got this the wrong way around. In recent times, as a result of the COVID pandemic, most flights have transitioned to card payments only. A welcome move away from pesky cash. But here, in the air, between countries, our cards were of no use. And we had no Vietnamese currency. Why would we? We always pick some up on arrival.

So, despite almost pleading with the stewards on the plane, we could get no food or drink for the next 6 hours. And, we had missed breakfast, thinking we would get it in the airport in Tokyo. That plan hadn’t worked out. Hitting the worst queue for check in I have ever experienced, once we had waited 2 and a half hours to check our bags in, we had to rush to the plane. So, if you are keeping count, this means that we had no food from last nights dinner, until we managed to get somewhere in Hanoi, Vietnam. A total of approximately, well, I was too tired to work it out.

Hungry in Hanoi

We arrived tired and very hungry, which resulted in overpaying for some street food. The smells of roast pork drifting up off the makeshift BBQ, we asked for two bahn mi. Vietnam’s finest sandwich. Walking away, devouring the sandwich, enjoying the heat of the chilli and the fragrance of the coriander, we didn’t pay too much attention to what we had paid.

The blue stools of Vietnam — The ubiquitous blue stools of Vietnam

We never saw the street vendor again after that night. I can only assume he retired and is living at the beach with what we paid him. We will never see that $11 again. Settling down on to a tiny blue plastic stool later in the evening, the $1.50 beers (86p) somewhat made up for it. I was reminded of a refrain I had heard previosuly from a traveller to her partner, “this is Asia, babe.”

Hanoi traffic and the art of crossing the road

Crossing the road in Hanoi is an art form. And it goes something like this. Whatever the situation with oncoming traffic, just start walking. And walk. And keep walking. For your safety, do not hesitate, or stop. It is like a form of magic. Drivers know what is ahead of them, which is you, and start adjusting accordingly. They anticipate your walking speed and drive around you. And it works. Trust me. There are even videos on YouTube explaining this. Crossing is a little easier when it is “only” a train that is due. Although we never did get to see one passing when we visited Train Street.

Train Street Hanoi — Beers on Train Street

Very busy road in hanoi, Vietnam — Crossing the road. Easy, right?

We were crossing the road to go and buy tissues. Victoria had a nose that seemingly refused to stop running. Tissues were required. The first pharmacy we entered, blissfully chilled from the air conditioning, came up trumps. A pack of 6. The price looked good and so we took them to the counter. However, we found out that the price was per individual pack, and so, for all 6 it would be 49000 Vietnamese Dong. We both sucked through our teeth, “ooh, I’m not sure about that”. And promptly walked out.

There was no way we could afford $3.05. Not when we needed that same $3 (£1.73) for two beers tonight. Victoria’s nose would just have to run.

Halong Bay

Hanoi is a great place to visit. It feels welcoming. And small, despite its size. Walking around the lake. Wandering the Old Quarter. Drinking egg coffee (yes, egg coffee. It was delicious. You will just have to trust me on this one). And strolling through the French quarter, marvelling at the original architecture. That said, there is more to northern Vietnam than just Hanoi, and so we took ourselves off on a few excursions.

One that should be on everyone’s list is an over night stay in Ha Long Bay. A UNESCO World Heritage site, every hotel in Hanoi offers tours here. We chose a 1 night stay which involved a bus pick up from our hotel in the city, a few hours drive to Ha Long, and then overnight on a boat, sailing amongst some of the most amazing scenery you will ever see. Of course, this is very popular, and you won’t be the only boat cruising the waters, yet, the experience remains tranquil.

That is until later in the evening. When the ubiquitous karaoke comes out. And if you have a mob of drunken Australian backpackers on your boat, as we did, sleep is not guaranteed. I was happy to see how hungover the young travellers were the next day, with all of them missing the 6am Tai Chi session on the top deck of the boat as the sun rose.

Nimh Binh

A little closer to Hanoi is Nimh Binh. Close enough for us to do a fabulous day trip there. A trip that did not invlove any karaoke. Just beautiful countryside and a river that winds through rice paddy fields that we got to take a boat trip on. I am not sure why we had to stay on the bus and have a separate boat trip to the rest of our fellow passengers, and I am sure they thought the same as we were driven off by ourselves, into the unknown.

After what felt like the shortest bike ride in the world, we were taken for our “included buffet lunch”. We had some experience of these infamous buffet lunches so were not surprised to see cold rice, spring rolls, and instant noodles. Augmented with plates of fruit, and a nod to Western tastes, (fries), you could quite easily lose weight if you did enough trips.

The delicious food of Vietnam

Whilst the Vietnamese buffet lunches really are a sight to behold, it would be grossly unfair to let this cloud your judgement of Vietnamese cuisine. There are some excellent dishes to be had. You know that the National dish is pho (pronounced “fur”), but did you know there are unlimited varieties of the famous noodle soup dish?

A bowl of pho, Vietnam — A national treasure, a beautiful bowl of pho

A lot of the food is regional. Such as Bun Cha in Hanoi. Pork with rice. In Hoi An they have Cao Lau, a pork noodle dish. And everywhere they have the delicious baguettes that I mentioned above, Bahn Mi. What we did find was that these were of varying quality. And our favourite ones were the ones bought off street vendors. Simple fillings of pork, cucumber, coriander and chillies. Yum. And now we know what these should cost.

I mentioned egg coffee earlier. And yes, I pulled a face too. Then I tried it. Oh my, it is delicious. Strong, bitter coffee slowly coming through the sweet, whipped egg yolk. My mouth is watering as I write. If egg coffee is not your thing, try coffee on its own. Vietnam is the world’s second largest exporter of coffee and the options blew me away. From the traditional Vietnamese coffee pot, to some of the best espresso based coffees I have had, and I have had a lot, living in Australia.

All the coffee, Vietnam — Egg coffee, bottom left

Happy in Hoi An

Leaving Hanoi we headed south. Opting to eschew spending 17 hours on an overnight bus with smelly backpackers, we flew. Call us decadent but a 1 hour flight suited us just fine, thank you very much.

Hoi An was really busy, and this doesn’t surprise me. The place, hugging the river, is beautiful. And so busy, which after 2 years of COVID must be a blessed relief for the locals. Much of their livelihood relies on tourism. Large numbers of tourists also leads to lots of easy going hassling from street vendors and tuk tuk drivers. If you have travelled in Asia you will be smiling now at the memory.

Hoi An architecture, Vietnam — Hoi An architecture

“Tuk tuk, sir?”, is a common refrain. Very common. A short walk to town can have you fending off dozens of over eager drivers. And if I see another fancy unfolding greeting card I may scream. Crawling spiderman? Flying bird? Over priced coconut? It does get a little tiresome. Do people actually buy these things?

Visiting Golden Bridge in the Ba Na Hills

Set by the riverside, with glorious old French houses lining the streets Hoi An is a delight. Great cafes and restaurants. And when you want to venture further afield take a day trip to the Ba Na hills near Da Nang. A short 1 hour drive from Hoi An is a strange theme park. On the top of a hill. There is a Mercure hotel and loads of amusements that seem incrogruous with the area. To get there you take the worlds longest cable car. In fact you take two of them. And they are very high.

Golden Bridge, Ba Na hills, Vietnam — Golden Bridge, Ba Na hills

At the top you get to see Golden Bridge. Which really is worth seeing. In fact, this was the sole reason we were on the trip. There are no options for a half day so we were in, boots and all, to the full day. Golden Bridge opened in June 2018 and I guess will already be one of the most Instagrammed spots on the planet. Go on. Check. Type “hand bridge” into Insta. I’ll wait.

Impressive isn’t it? And I’m sure it is even more impressive on a clear day. Being the time of year that we visited, we had fog and mist. Still. We managed to get a few shots to join the millions already on social media.

Ho Chi Minh

Our final stop in Vietnam was Ho Chi Minh city. Previously known as Saigon, it was renamed after the revered former leader of Vietnam in 1975. So revered in fact that the Vietnamese don’t want to say goodbye to him. So, the body of Ho Chi Minh now lies, fully embalmed, on open view in a mausoleum in Hanoi. That itself is worth a visit.

Back in the land of the living, HCM city is a vast urban sprawl. If we thought the traffic in Hanoi was bad, HCM was on steroids. There are approximately 7 million scooters and moter bikes. And don’t you know it. They drive both ways down one way streets. Zip in and out of cars without a thought. And, if the traffic lights are red, they mount the curb and just drive down the pavement, cutting the lights out altogether. You really need your wits about you just walking down the street.

Escaping the sprawling city for the day we had a trip down to the Mekong River. Visiting some small islands down there and meeting locals who live a much simpler life. Growing and exporting coconuts is big business down in the Mekong region and we got to try fresh coconuts and also the candy that they make from it.

Eating rat in the Mekong Delta

We also got to try other, more exotic foods. I had my first taste of rat. Very reminiscent of the guinea pig that I once had in Peru. Not something I would want to eat every day. Or, ever again. The rat, or the guinea pig. Victoria declined the offer of a rodent lunch and we both had a shot of “happy wine”. Very strong rice wine fermented with a whole menagerie of reptiles. Snakes and lizards galore in the bottle. The shot wasn’t that bad. I am just not sure why I have started growing scales on my body.

Snake wine, Vietnam — Yes, we drank this “happy wine”

In two weeks we had seen a lot of Vietnam. The cities. The countryside. And the very friendly, very smiley Vietnamese people. It is a country that is easy to travel around and somewhere you are always made to feel welcome. Considering the history of this country, and the terrors of the Vietnam/American War in the 1960s, it has rebounded in a very positive way. Walking through the War Remnants Museum in Ho Chi Minh is a very sobering experience. Reading of the atrocities caused by the USA through use of Agent Orange brings tears to the eyes. Generations have suffered, and continue to suffer. With a heavy heart we take a moment to be grateful for the lives we have been fortunate to have lived.

Cambodia beckons

Vietnam is a country we would have loved to have stayed longer. However, our visa had only one day left, there is a story there too, but for another day, and so we were booked on a bus out. We were leaving Vietnam, crossing the land border on our way to Phnom Penh, capital of Cambodia. Just a seven, which turned into nine, hour journey between us.