The Last Post

Back home and all caught up. Bags unpacked to reveal that we had brought oversize containers of sun block and bug spray in our hand luggage through two sets of airport security checks - Siem Reap and Ha Noi. By all accounts we have missed some wintry weather but not much else.

We've had time to reflect on our trip and how it compared with the others. First up we have concluded that guided tours are not really for us. Nothing against the people we travelled with who were generally good company for three weeks. We were less keen on the force feeding. Two banquets a day is not only bad for the waistline but eats up quite a lot of time. Having already paid it is a bit of a wrench for a Yorkshireman to pass up a meal. One of the chefs on the Mekong cruise asked why so much sea bass had come back to the kitchen at dinner one night. We had to explain that after a huge lunch the portions were just too big.

Some of the best bits of the trip were the days we explored in Hoi Ann and Saigon, eating at the local markets. We found that we really liked Vietnamese food with the possible exception of breakfast soup. It was a bit disappointing that whoever arranged the menus kept throwing in French Fried. The two cruises were good with the Mekong one just heading the list because we got lucky and had a suite. If we had been travelling independently there is not a chance that we would have shelled out the $979 per head that is listed on the Mekong Eyes website. Nor would we have stayed in quite so smart hotels. 

The local people we met were unfailingly helpful and friendly, even when we were explaining that we didn't have room in our luggage for whatever it was they were trying to sell. We didn't experience any nuisance vendors or hard sell touts. Even the haggling in the markets in Saigon and Siem Reap was a fairly amicable process. The exceptions were some of the railway staff who refused to smile and made us close the droplight windows in the train corridor. Vietnamese trains were OK and hold no terrors for anyone who has done an Indian overnight train trip. The good natured but exuberant celebrations in Saigon after the football match would be hard to imagine anywhere else we have been.

A big let down was the fact that the bits of Vietnam that we saw are almost entirely devoid of bird life. Cambodia was a little better but we missed the the numbers and variety of species that we have got used to seeing in India. Dragon fruit might look spectacular but it just doesn't taste of anything at all. In fact we came across a few different fruits that we couldn't name that were about as tasty as raw turnip. We did tire of some of the history lectures that were recited by our guides. We could not help but wonder whether the regime insisted on tourists hearing these. Crossing roads in urban Vietnam is not for the faint hearted, mainly due to the unpredictable behaviour of a large number of two wheeler drivers. 

For a Communist country the health of capitalism is quite remarkable. We saw dealers for Rolls Royce, Maserati, Ferrari and all sorts of high end consumer brands. There was no evidence of destitution or crippling poverty that we saw. We did like not having to deal with pockets full of coins of minimal value. Banknotes in both Vietnam and Cambodia don't seem to degenerate into the ragged and smelly condition of many 10 and 20 rupee notes. English is quite widely spoken in tourist areas and we had no difficulty getting a SIM card, shopping, dining or buying beers. Vietnamese beer is inoffensive but needs to be chilled. Of the ones that we tried LaRue was our preference, possibly because it arrived in slightly bigger bottles than the rest. Schweppes tonic water is widely available.

Would we go back? The jury is out. If we do it will be as independent travellers rather than with a tour. Will there be a Radinja9?  If we are spared - yes.

It is traditional for the last post of our blog to include a few shots of signs that have amused us. This year is no exception but there will also be a shot of D's homemade spring rolls that were a big hit with our offspring today.

1st February - Back to Reality

Our flight is only a few minutes late into Ha Noi and after queuing yet again for security we have time to pick up the essential duty free. The carrier bags provided do not inspire confidence but luckily R has her trusty packaway shopping bag handy. One has to assume that this is Kevin the Carrot's debut appearance in the Lotus Lounge at Ha Noi Airport. They do a jolly decent glass of a top end Vietnamese red wine here. We decide against having another meal but D does get tempted by the packet snacks offered on the bar. They are sweet and do nothing to enhance the wine.

At about 00.30 a very efficient young lady comes to tell us that our flight is ready for boarding. The westbound flight is scheduled to take 13.5 hours as opposed to 11 hours on the out bound. We settle into our pods in the half empty forward cabin. As a welcome drink we get offered a choice of apple juice, orange juice or champagne. Even at this time of the morning it's a no brainer. We take off on time and, once in the cruise, dinner is served, our third of the evening. Mr Unknown will be pleased to hear that there were Vietnamese options on the menu. It is difficult to do justice to a full meal but the accompanying Crozes Hermitage makes a decent nightcap.

The lights go down at around 2 a.m local and we actually get some sleep. We wake up with about five hours of flight left so it is around 09.30 in Vietnam and 02.30 in the UK. This could become a very long day indeed. Breakfast comes round a couple of hours later. D contemplates the pho option but realises that this shirt has to last another thirteen or fourteen hours minimum. Too risky.

It is just getting light as we cross the Essex Coast and D commandeers a vacant window seat to watch the lights of London as we fly over the city. There is only a little bit of patchy cloud and it easy to pick out the bumper to bumper crawl round the M25. The pilot announces that we have been placed in a holding pattern due to heavy traffic. We circle London a couple of times and other planes are clearly visible through the window. Hopefully Air Traffic Control are on the ball today.

We land about 15 minutes late but then have to wait until there is a gap in traffic to cross one of the runways to get to our terminal. There is no queue at Passport Control and our bags are amongst the first dozen on the carousel. The train to Paddington doesn't break down which means that we have rather a lot of time on our hands before our train to Scotland. Over coffee and almond croissants we ponder what to do and decide that we could walk the three miles across London to Kings Cross station. This should help counter having had three dinners last night.

It is a bright, sunny day and allegedly 5°C although a biting east wind makes it feel much colder. We make it in just under an hour despite having all of our luggage to tote. At Kings Cross Virgin Lounge we are down to earth with a bump. It is packed and we struggle to find seats until a few people move on. There are no free G&Ts, wine or beer and the tea is absolutely disgusting. Nor does the WiFi work but at least we are out of the wind.  Our train comes up for boarding on the screen and we hot foot it to Platform 4. We get there just in time to get our big bags into the luggage area of our coach. The train looks to be busy but we have a table of 4 to ourselves. D adopts his best trainspotter pose in order to keep it that way.

Our train is an Intercity 225 electric, capable of doing 225 kph but restricted to 200 kph because of the signalling on the East Coast Main Line. Our schedule for the trip to Edinburgh requires an average speed of 150kph including stops so we should be in for some fast running. The trains are nearly 30 years old but were refurbished a couple of years ago and have comfortable seats and good size tables in First Class. The catering is a bit of a comedown after the delights of Vietnam with a menu featuring egg sandwiches, macaroni cheese and sausage rolls. The vin rouge is a bit ordinaire as well. 

As we head northwards we see a lot of fields with standing water in them. Have they started growing rice in Lincolnshire? The weather forecast for home is a bit miserable. A high of 3°C today with rain. This is why we have avoided February in Scotland for the last seven years. It is dark by the time that we arrive in Edinburgh,  12 minutes late due to faulty lineside safety equipment at Doncaster. Do they mean signals? We just have time to catch the Glasgow shuttle which stops at Linlithgow where our lovely neighbour Mary collects us and saves us a walk up the hill.

There will be at least one more post over the next couple of days. Thanks for reading and commenting.

31st January - The Last Spring Roll. For now.

Today reminds us of what we like about independent travel. We wake up at a time to suit us, have breakfast at leisure, check out the pool and ancillary facilities and get the packing done by 10 a.m.  We pack a day bag and secure it in a locker at the pool, check the hold luggage with the porter, hand in our key and we are free. A day to do what we like until 5 p.m. Luxury. R has a couple of things on her purchase list so when the remorque driver at the end of the drive hails us we do a deal. 

It is overcast and there are a few spots of rain as we enjoy our five minute ride to the Old Market. This has a few stalls selling tee shirts and tourist tat but is mainly the real deal. We browse and chat to some of the stallholders. There is no really heavy sell going on. R gets the things on her list and we retire across the street to the Cafe Central for light refreshment. This has a very French feel with high ceilings, lazy fans and off hand service.

One of the recommendations in the book is a place that sells bags made from recycled fishing nets and plastic bags. The prices cause sharp intakes of breath but they do have some luggage tags that can be purchased without taking out a second mortgage. R treats herself to a tag for her cabin bag that has been anonymous for the last two weeks. We explore this street a bit further and find a shop offering silk Cambodian fancy pants. These seem very popular with the locals and are a sort of cross between trousers and a skirt. The young lady does a decent job of selling and takes time to teach R how to put this garment on as well as how to avoid a catastrophe while using the loo when wearing it.

After D walks away from a lady who tries to tell us that $32 for three tee shirts is a bargain we decide it is time for lunch. There are deals and promos everywhere. We settle on a place doing spring rolls and two dollar pitchers of beer. The spring rolls are good and the dipping sauce excellent. R asks the waiter about what it contains. He goes to the kitchen to ask and returns to tell us that it is peanuts and mojito. We express our doubts about this and eventually he returns to tell us that it is fish sauce which sounds more like it.

Over lunch the sun has broken through and it has become rather warm. We decide that we have done enough to boost the Cambodian economy and find a remorque to take us back to the hotel. The pool looks inviting so we don swimmers and do a few lengths until a couple of loungers become available under a shady canopy. We lie back, read and enjoy the warmth until it is time for R to go for the foot massage she has booked in the hotel spa. When she returns it is time to retrieve the big bags and do some repacking. It all fits and we sit back to await the arrival of Veebol and the coach. He was last seen swaying slightly and trying to lead off a karaoke on the coach home after dinner last night. When it gets to half an hour after he said he would be there we start to think about plan B.

At 5.31 he appears, bright as a button, and we board the last coach of the holiday, heading for the airport. We actually see a red setting sun and have fun trying to get a picture in the gaps between the buildings. The Business Lounge is at the opposite end of the terminal to our gate but there is plenty of time to settle in and enjoy a couple of drinks and a plate of spring rolls. We keep an eye on the departure screens and see our flight go into a sort of limbo with just a blank space where it should say Wait or Boarding. 

D gets twitchy and we take a walk to the far end where the rest of the group are congregated. R uses some initiative and asks the man at the gate what is happening. 'Flight late' is the response we return to the lounge and are readmitted. As we settle down with a beverage the screen suddenly shows 'Boarding' at the gate nearest to us. The plane is loaded with the minimum of fuss and we are off. It is quite a short flight so we only have time for a plate of dim sum and a glass of wine. 

30th January - Angkor Wat

There are those who will tell you that sunrise over the temples at Angkor Wat is one of the greatest sights on earth. We are not among them as it is a dull , cloudy morning with the threat of rain in the air. At 5 am it is already warm enough to cause perspiration just standing around. Half a dozen slackers in the group have opted out of this early morning visit. The rest of us climb on board the bus in the darkness.

A five minute ride takes us to the ticket office and we are all asked to debus and follow Veebol inside. There is a huge concourse reminiscent of a budget airline check in hall. Certain counters deal with groups and we are directed to join the queue at one of them. Nothing seems to happen for a while then each of us in turn has to step forward and have our picture taken by a digital camera on the counter. After another hiatus we are led back on to the bus where individual tickets are handed out. These cost $37 each but are part of our tour package and we are given strict instructions to keep them with us at all times. The pictures are as bad as you would expect at this time of the morning.

The coach drops us off as near to the Angkor Wat entrance as it is allowed to go. We disembark in darkness and follow our leader along a road closed to traffic. We then have to negotiate a wooden ramp down to a very odd floating bridge. This wobbles a bit and makes gurgling noises with every step. Apparently the Canadians have provided it while the one built in the 11th century across the moat is being restored. 

It is just starting to get light when we enter the main temple complex through the King's Gate which is the western entrance. We are not alone. The temple towers are just visible as the sky lightens in the east. There are a couple of lily ponds in front of the temple buildings and a large crowd sit, squat or stand gazing eastwards and hoping for a truly magic photo. They, and we, are thwarted by the weather. Some of them are singing and chanting, a bit much at this time of day. Veebol lets us loose to take pictures for a while then leads us into the temple building. There are lots of photo opportunities but most include a lanky Japanese youth all in black or a lady with an umbrella.

Our guide takes up a couple of flights of stairs and tells us to join the queue for access to the top level of the temple. This has a limit on numbers admitted at any one time. There are Disneyland style time boards and as we shuffle forward the first one we reach is marked 45 minutes. It doesn't quite take that long to reach the foot of the vertiginous stair leading up. As we begin the climb a gentle rain begins to fall. At the top we can largely stay dry by negotiating corridors around the perimeter of the tower. There are some splendid views including the one of the latecomers in the queue getting rained on.

By now the rain has stopped but it is approaching 8 am. and we need to be heading back to the gate. This is accomplished with only a few alarms and false turns. Back at the hotel we feel like we have earned our breakfast. D goes to town and indulges in Orange Spreadable (see photo). Our break is soon over and we are back on the bus heading for Angkor Thom, a ruined Buddhist temple featuring 216 enormous sculpted faces of Buddha. On the way we see elephants exiting the temple perimeter via the Elephant Gate.

Another couple of ruins make up our morning quota and then it is time for lunch at the KKK Restaurant. The staff do not wear white sheets and pointed hoods but they do serve up the Cambodian equivalent of a thali, six different dishes in lidded pots. The food is good but it is too soon after breakfast to do justice to it.

In the afternoon we visit another temple, made famous when it appeared in the film 'Tomb Raider'. Here the buildings look as though they have been through an earthquake but in fact the damage has been done by tree roots. There is an Indian team from the Archaeological Survey of India undertaking repair and restoration work. How far to go with this will be a tricky balance. 

The last part of the day is a return visit to Angkor Wat to see the sunset. The cloud has persisted all day and Veebol tells us that we would not see anything that we have not already seen. We return to the hotel, have a quick cuppa and set out on foot to find a local market. This is a rather longer walk than we anticipated and we finish up in the centre of the city just as the main Night Market is opening for business. We haggle hard for a couple of items before deciding that we need to get back.

We take the return trip on a remorque, a roomy four wheel passenger cart pulled by a motorcycle. Cambodia is the first place that we have seen these and the are much more common than normal autos, known here as Tuk-tuks. If you have a motorcycle in Cambodia you have the basic premises to set up a business. Today we have seen Juice bars, a brush and basket shop and a fully mobile kebab shop all built around motorbikes.

Of necessity tonight's cocktail hour gins are absolute stonkers as we need to empty the travelling drinks cabinet before tomorrow's flights. We are almost late for the 6.30 dinner parade. Tonight the bus takes us to a large restaurant with a stage. While we eat we are treated to a succession of dance performances, all very colourful and skillfully executed. By the time we get to the hotel we are quite tired but do feel the need to check out the place over the road from the hotel. This is described as a Container Night Market and Pub Street. It is garishly lit and has a noisy disco in one corner. There are plenty of empty containers but no evidence of any market traders, day or night. There are about a dozen small, mainly deserted bars/restaurants open and we choose the one furthest from the disco and sit down for a $0.50 draught beer. We have seen several of these container parks around Siem Reap. It is not clear how anybody makes money out of them.

29th January - In the Land of the Greenback

As far as we can tell we have not been poisoned by our visit to Fawlty Towers last night. Breakfast is good and we load up as there is no lunch provided today. The sky is lowering a bit as we watch the bags being loaded onto the coach. Our first visit today is the Royal Palace and on the way a gentle rain starts to fall. It is too warm and not quite wet enough for rain jackets as we get off the bus and head for the entrance. The Palace appears to be very popular and the crowds are concentrated by the viewing hours being very restricted.

The complex contains several spectacular gilded pagodas but is very crowded and there is jostling at some of the pinch points. The more interesting interiors are 'No Photography' and this is policed rigourously by men who look mean enough to have been henchmen of Pol Pot. The rain gets steadily heavier as our tour progresses.  Our visit lasts for about an hour and a half before we move on to the National Museum. En route Hong tells us that this has many Hindu and Buddhist statues on display. D opts out and delegates R to take pictures of the culture of necessary.

Having agreed an RV time with the guide D sets out for 45 minutes of being an independent traveller. As the rain is teeming down he heads straight for the nearest bar for draught beer and WiFi. Money is quite complicated in Cambodia. The local currency is the Riel but most things are priced in US dollars. If change is required for part of a dollar this is paid in Riels. D tried an ATM that offered a choice of Riels or Dollars but then wanted such enormous commission that the transaction was aborted. The bartender accepts D's proffered 10,000 Riel note and hands over a dollar change. After a while the rain eases off and the beer runs out. Round the corner is a street of backpacker type businesses and a place selling SIMs is quickly located. $4 gets 1.5 GB of data, plenty for the time that we have left. The girl in the shop fits the card and does the necessary to get it working. D is only a minute late back to the Museum gate.

We board our coach for the 310km trip to Siem Reap, where we will stay tonight. It is difficult to spot the difference between rush hour and other traffic levels here in Phnom Penh.  In a bit less than twenty  four hours we have seen a bit of the city but had no chance to explore. This tour is rated as medium paced by the company. We would not want to be on a fast paced one. On the outskirts of the city we stop at a bakery for supplies in lieu of lunch. The bakery seems clean enough but the forecourt is full of hawkers selling deep fried insects and other items that do not necessarily appeal to Western palates. We settle for sweet cheesy brioche with sweet corn and something reminiscent of luncheon meat. For pud we choose coconut tarts.

Once we clear the city we make good progress on well surfaced roads. The terrain is dead flat as far as the horizon. As we progress in a northerly direction the rain stops, the cloud clears and the sun comes out. There is a very distinctive style of house in these parts. Whether old or new nearly all of them are up on stilts. There are a few more birds for R to spot although speed of travel does not aid identification. As we get closer to Siem Reap the traffic gets heavier and our speed drops. The Tara Angkor Hotel looks very grand as we pull up outside.  Inside we meet our new guide , pronounced Veebol(?)

  and are soon unpacking in a nicely fitted twin room. The handy Minimart next door but one allows  us to refresh supplies.

We have time to take in a complimentary cocktail in the bar before boarding the coach for dinner. Early night tonight as tomorrow is a pre-dawn start.