Category Archives: travel

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Is there a feeling quite like that when you click the button and buy tickets to another new destination? I’m leaving for St Petersburg on May 27, and return from Moscow on June 5.

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I’m back in London, and luckily the weather is lovely, and my friends lovelier still, making the post-holiday adjustment easier. I was really cold last night, but a few drinks helped. Funny how easy it is to get used to warm weather. I got to offend the patrons of a night bus with a drunken conversation about the concept of ‘jazz-hand fisting’.

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Hard to believe it’s over so quickly, I fly back to London tonight. It’s 39 degrees here but it really don’t feel that hot. Luckily the weather in London is going to be nice (about 19 degrees) so hopefully I won’t suffer too much.
It’s weird being in Bangkok. I’m refusing to do any touristy stuff as I’ve been here before, so my last day will be devoted to shopping, eating and getting massages. I’m not sure I can bothered with shopping, but it seems a shame not to.

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Cambodia has been pretty intense. I’ve been dreaming of land mines and ruined temples. Vietnam seems really rich and established compared to Cambodia.
Angkor Wat and the other temples and structures really are amazing.
We leave for Bangkok tomorrow, and I’m back in London early on Saturday.

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We’ve been in Nha Trang for two nights, after a long day on the train from Hoi An. We’re just about to go by motorbike to visit some Cham towers at sunset, then we’ll have time for a stroll along the beach and some dinner before we board the Reunification Express for Saigon.
I’m kinda dreading Saigon, it’s going to be hot and crowded and noisy, but we’re only there for a few days before we fly to Siem Reap. I think it’ll be strange meeting Dad there but meeting Mum in Hanoi was almost surreally normal so maybe it won’t be strange.
We went on another boat trip yesterday, some lovely snorkling and another on-board feast. I had a dress and some trousers made in Hoi An, but couldn’t really be bothered with the shopping/tailoring.
Vietnam celebrates 30 years of re-unification this year, and there are fabulous posters everywhere in the lead-up to the anniversary of the fall/liberation of Saigon in September.

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Time is flying by. We leave Hanoi for Hue tonight, travelling overnight on the Reunification Express. Halong Bay was beautiful, one of those places you’ve seen on the screen so many times it’s hard to believe you’re actually there.
Eaten lots of good food, fingers crossed we won’t get sick.

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I’m leaving for Heathrow in just over an hour. It should be a lovely 29 C in Hanoi tomorrow.
Send me an email with your address if you want a postcard from Hanoi, Halong Bay, Hue, Hoi An, Nha Trang, Ho Chi Minh City, Siem Reap, Angkor Wat or Bangkok, and I’ll do my best.

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March 10 Arrive in Hanoi.
March 13 Tour stars in Hanoi. Become immersed in a whirlwind of colour and activity in the Old Quarter of Vietnam’s capital.
March 14 Halong Bay. Step into the tranquility of Halong Bay and cruise amongst the incredible limestone peaks, explore the caves hidden amongst the karsts and dine on delicious local seafood.
March 15 – 16 Hanoi. Returning to Hanoi, visit the mausoleum and museum of Vietnam’s most honoured ancestor, Ho Chi Minh. Don’t miss a performance of the world famous water puppets.
March 17 – 18 Hue. The pace of life is slow and tranquil in the former imperial capital. Explore the tombs of the Nguyen Emperors, visit the bustling Dong Ba market, check out the fascinating Citadel and Hue Cathedral and sample Hue’s culinary specialities.
March 19 – 21 Hoi An. Head south through rice paddies and fishing villages, taking the scenic coastal route across the spectacular Hai Van Pass to Danang. Once a bustling river port, nearby Hoi An is the perfect place to relax among riverside cafes and indulge in some shopping.
March 22 – 24 Nha Trang. Board the Reunification Express heading for the beachside city of Nha Trang. A full day’s boat cruise, complete with seafood buffet, is a highlight for Intrepid travellers.
March 25 – 27 Ho Chi Minh City. Prepare for sensory overload while roaming the bustling streets of Ho Chi Minh City by cyclo. The Cu Chi Tunnels, a former Viet Cong hideout, provide a valuable insight into the tenacity and resourcefulness of the Vietnamese people.
March 27 Fly to Siem Reap
March 28 Tour starts. Siem Reap – Angkor Wat. Angkor Wat, with its soaring towers and extraordinary bas reliefs, is considered by many to be one of the most inspired and spectacular monuments ever built. Without doubt there is no other historical site in South East Asia to match its grandeur.
March 29 – 30 Siem Reap Visit Banteay Srei, where you find some of the most impressive sculptures in the region. Later on travel to Banteay Kdei and Ta Prohm, one of the temples deliberately left to the ravages of the jungle. Intricate sculptures, extraordinary bas-reliefs, giant statues and eloquent towers adorn these magnificent monuments. A boat trip on Day 3 takes you onto Lake Tonle Sap.
March 31 Siem Reap A day of leisure, with a chance to buy some special souvenirs or squeeze in some final sightseeing in the character-filled town of Siem Reap.
Fly to Bangkok.
April 1 Dinner, drinks, then head to airport to check in for my flight early on 2nd.
April 2 Arrive back in London