Fashion statement Viet style.

It is no use having the latest Vespa, Honda GT or Zooma unless you have the best hat.
Take a look at these to enlarge double clik.

Anyone want one?

Vietnam: Where have all the Cyclos gone?

We were in Vietnam in 1997. In 12 years it has changed dramatically.

The saddest thing for me is the ladies they no longer wear the traditional 'ao dai' the traditional long shirt split to the waist with trousers. They now sport western blue jeans and t-shirts with western slogans.

The bicycles have gone off the streets. In their place there are 3,000,000 motor cycles [Saigon only] and Mr Honda has the market share.

For me the much loved cylclo have gone replaced with "moto suicide squads"

You can hire one of these guys for VND30,000 an hour [AUD$2] beats walking and you can terrorise the tourists in turn.

The photo [two cyclos and me, the last of the cyclos). These fellows are my age and remember the war years with the Yanks and Aussies. They spoke good English and told me the tale. The cyclos were too slow for the traffic and the government stopped issuing licenses. The only ones issued were to the older ones of 40 years +. These cyclos specialise in tourists around the market areas and first class hotels. These existing cylo-carriages are flash, usually polished aluminium with stereo speakers in the side pouches.[not sure if for the benefit of the passenger or to keep the old cyclo legs pumping]

I found this one of a cyclo converted to a moto [photo] which I thought ingenious. In the event of a fuel crisis. Just unhook the bike and 'voila!' original cylco.

The other big changes are moto bike riders wear safety hats, the cars have seat belts and the drivers wear them, and the motor cycles no longer trundle around with their huge loads of whatever on them. They only seem to carry passengers. This takes a lot of fun out of Vietnam for us. The bartering is still in force. Everything they quote me is double or treble price. Pam is exasperated with me arguing with them but the price always seems too high. We rode a Moto for 3 hours yesterday and at the end we near had "fisties". They said "the price negotiated was only for one bike not both". I had the negotiation written down. They did not realise that and with whistle in hand they backed off.

Gotta Love Vietnam.

Greetings from SaPa Northwest of Hanoi

Decided to spend a few days in the mountains away from the heat of Hanoi. SaPa is about 360kms northwest of Hanoii, an overnight train journey. Malcolm was not feeling well so R & R was prescribed. Staying in a lovely restored French mountain resort hotel. Have been here 4 days and will return to Hanoi by train tonight. We have found ourselves in this part of the world on the eve of the Chinese National Holiday from 1st to about 7th October so with all the Chinese on the move it is impossible to get hotel and train reservations. So once we return to Hanoi we will get our Mongolian visas and take a 3 day cruise on Halong Bay, and set off for China on or about 6 October. We are behind schedule on our itinerary but there is really no hurry. Malcolm's health is top priority. One photograh shows the lake and the other shows our hotel (the white one at the top of the picture)

Scammed at the Thai Cambodian Border.

The goal was to cross the Thai Border south of Trat on the coast and catch a fast boat to Sihanoukville in Cambodia. The boat left at 8.00am and the border opened at 7.00am. The bus left from Trat at 6.00am.
Met touts (lots of em) surrounded us. Bags got ripped off us. Pam got upset and from there it was all down hill. Health 20bhrt. visa 1200bht bags 100bht and the boat was not running what to do?
Along comes a friendly taxi driver among the touts. Taxi to the bus which leaves at 8.00am. It is now 7.50am the bus is god knows where. The fare 300bhrt, negotiated back to 250bhrt still a rip but it is raining shit loads and the place is a god-forsaken border post in the south of Cambodia not a good place for a self respecting real estate agent & his wife to be sitting waiting for a bus. The cabbie says he will call ahead to fix the bus seat. So of we go in a clapped out toyota with the windows stuck on down and the wipers not working in the pouring rain. The driver takes several detours and the time is now 8.30am. The police appear and we go off the road real quick. stop at the money changer OHH yeah you guessed it another con. Arrived at the bus station Bus gone and the minibus negotiations begin. the mini bus seats 18 the cost is OK. By the time we go the bus has 27 persons on board and half a ton of cargo. The whole thing from start to finish was coordinated and the touts copped a payoff for the lot. Yeah man we are now supporting two families in Cambodia. Never mind orphanages or the blind. Pam does not agree.All part of the territory ! On the road again.

Hello all from Cambodia

Hi we are in Phnom Penh after a hairy ride from Trat (Thai Border). The rain did come down and our plans changed from a seaside holiday to'lets get on with it' and get to the city and see some more History. Killing Fields, Royal Palace and a few other gruesome spots to visit in remembrance of Pol Pot, then pack our bag and hit the river for Saigon. (Ho Chi Minh City) Thailand was all good as always. Honestly they can cook on the streets with just about nothing. Pam and I ate street eats for most meals. OK. Hope the bugs do not get in again Thanks for all the patience folks. Thanks Kellie for fixing the SPAM.

Safe in Bangkok and all shopped out

Hi folks, the travellers are safe in Bangkok after 3 nations in 2 days on 3 trains.

Singapore to Gua Masang in Malaysia, then 3 class Gua Masang-Pasir Mas.

Then car to Thai border. Then sleeper train Songai-Kolok Thai border to Bangkok.

Temperature 30+ and humidity 90%+ Rains at 5.00.PM

Tomorrow. Bus to Trat, sleepover. Then Cambodia on the fast boat to South Cambodia.

Photos did not load as the computer cafe is a bit rocky.

Thanks, on the road again, just can't wait to get on the road again.

Malcolm & Pam

Sorry if you got the Spam those bloody Canadians selling potions.

Hello a bit of hacking and the site was in Thai couldn't read the screen here so could not get to it but I hope that we have solved the problem. Thanks to Kellie and robert we have it beat. Please stay subscribed.