S.E. Asia in a Nutshell, sorry it's been a while.

Hello folks. Sorry it has been a while. I have been in South East Asia seeing the sights and having an amazing time. It has been an eventful few months, with six countries (Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and Loas) many adventures and lots of new friends. I done far too much to write about it all here but if you bear with me, I shall try to sum up some of the highlights. They might not quite be in chronological order as I have been sampling quite a few of the local brews. So here goes.

A Singaporean pensioner recited his poetry to me and then showed me where to buy cheap(er) beer.

Learnt that Hydrocarbons are our friends at the Petrosains Museum. Alas I am not destined to be a formula one driver.

Got abandoned by my tuk-tuk driver at a temple in Bangkok, even though I hadn't paid resulting in a free tour of the city.

Tried not to giggle as I had to stand during the Thai national anthem at the cinema.

Explored Angkor Wat and was a bit unimpressed by the main temple complex. Enjoyed the rainy temple and the tomb raider temple.

I learnt that drinking alcohol is a lot more fun when it is served in Buckets.

Crashed a bike into a tree Cambodia. I'm not destined to be a cyclist either - no Tour for me.

Went to a Tuk-Tuk drivers home for tea (Dinner) which included tarantulas and tarantula whiskey.

Stayed in a farmers house in Cambodian countryside, where there was three (three people) tarantulas in the toilet.

Played in the Cu Chi tunnels (Viet Cong tunnels) where I got a bat stuck in my hair and played on a big tank. Miraculously we got there in one piece, even though our taxi driver kept on falling asleep.

Stayed at a homestay in the Mekong River Delta which was apparently only accessible by canoe type boat (hat included) even though it was only 20 minutes bike ride from a main road.

Played pass the pigs on a night train floor in 'Nam.

Drank copious amounts of rice wine, snake whiskey, rice vodka (with 3 old men on the side of the road in Hanoi), 12p beer and all the other local delicacies in alchol that people around here have come up with.

I've learnt that I am a heathen and cannot appreciate Vietnamese Water Puppetry or any of the local traditional musics. I do have a soft spot for Chinese MTV though.

Swam in the amazing Halong Bay.

I queued from 07.15 to see Ho Chi Minh, it wasn't really worth it , he didn't do much.

Managed not to spend to much money in the various markets I've visited. Luang Prabang and Siem Reap night markets were my favorites.

Been woken up by various local temples/mosque at very ungodly hours in the morning.

Seen about a million Buddha statues..... same same...but different.

Stood in the rain for an hour waiting for some monks to turn up.

Went bowling at one in the morning as it was the only place to by a drink open.

Tubed in the Viang Vieng and bought the obligatory t-shirt.

Played with, chased and run away from lots of baby creatures, including baby tigers and elephants (one of which was a few hours old).

Loas tour guides know all the words to 'My Heart Will Go On' and will sing them to you.

Spent two days on a boat floating up the Mekong river. Musical statues is quite hard on a boat.

Ridden elephants twice.

Trekked in the jungle and stayed with what seemed like decidedly fake hill tribes.

Travelled by Bamboo Raft (it sank, it would have been quicker and dryer to walk down the river) and white water rafted.

Seen Blind Muay Thai and a ping pong show.

Got a drunken bamboo tattoo at 3 in the morning on a beach in Thailand.


I could go on and on. I will probably babble on about things I've forgotten when I rember them at a later date. Anyhow my hands are going dead and the beach is calling me.

A big thanks to all the people who have made this part of my trip so enjoyable. My intrepid buddies, I'm still missing you guys. The trekking guys in Chiang Mai, if I ever see a dog sat in the fire or a scabby cat I'll think of you. My Kuala Lumpur partners in crime, Malaysia is a lot more boring a place without you guys, perhaps I should have stalked you up to Thailand.

I've still got a couple of weeks left in S.E Asia. I'm going to stay on the Perithian Islands for a bit longer, then head up to the Cameron Highlands. After that Oz here I come.

I will try to keep up to date with my blog again.