Happy New Year

Well the last two days have been uneventful. we spent close to 5 hours on a boat travelling from Kuching to Sibu. We had 2 James Bond movies to keep us occupied! Are in a hotel which is far below the Hilton standard but that's the way it goes in the 'back waters'!

We celebrated NZ & Australia's New Years with an Aussie red in the room. Decided that we weren't going to celebrate midnight in Malaysia - wrong! Hundreds of fireworks were let off in front of our hotel so we stood at the window & watched!

Today we went for a walk & found a place to have a facial so started the New Year off in the way we should continue! Now sitting in lobby waiting for taxi to airport for 55 minute flight to Miri - north Sarawak.

Picture is of Valda & I with Head Hunters!

survived the headhunters!

Trip to Longhouse also had a side trip to try to see the Orangutans in their natural habitat so we arrived for the 9am feeding. We were in the forest & guides were telling us that we had to be very quiet while they tried to call the Orangutans down & to remember that they were wild animals so we may not see any as they were able to rely on the fruits in the forest. After about 20 minutes we suddenly saw trees moving and swaying so we were hopeful

 of seeing an Orangutan – all we wanted was to see one! The moments were magical as 6 Orangutans came down to feed – one was a baby. I cannot describe how it felt to see them in the wild! One took a coconut and proceeded to ‘bash’ it against a tree until it was open. The use both hands, feet and mouth to move in the trees and carry the fruit at the same time. It was a magical.

Another 3 hours and a lunch stop later we arrived at the river where we were to pick up a long boat which was to take us to the long house. By now the monsoon weather had returned & we had to ‘don’ our plastic ponchos & life jackets before getting into the boat. It was rather surreal as we didn’t know where we were or where we were going but we were headed down the river & you’ve heard the tale of the ‘wild men of Borneo’!

We did survive the ordeal even after seeing skulls of possible previous tourists, joining in with the dancing, partaking of rice wine and rice whisky (to ward off evil spirits), stumbling down the notched tree trunk steps to ground level, partaking of a bottle of Aussie red under our mosquito net boudoir ( yes Valda & I had to share the double mattress hence a large intake of alcohol!), and to round it off we tried to slaughter a papaya with a metre long blow pipe – both of us scoring a bullseye to the joy of the entire tribe – thus we still have our heads! A walk through the jungle and a return trip in the longboat means that we are now Iban tribeswomen. Yet we are now enjoying a G & T in the Hilton Hotel!

borneo gay 2

Set off at 8.30 for the drive to the river before getting a boat over to Bako National Park. Arrived at the river where we were told that we had to wait for the boatmen to decide whether it was safe for us to travel to Bako. We hadn’t realized that it meant a trip on the ocean. Most boatmen were sitting around waiting to hear about the condition of the sea but some took tourists out. The word came back that there was a 3 metre swell!! After waiting for some time & knowing that the boatmen were refusing to go out we pulled the plug on the whole excursion! It would have been great to see the wildlife but not in a tiny boat (as shown in picture).

We came back to Kuching and were refunded our money so we had a massage, swim and relaxed around the pool. Hope we will have better luck with the ‘head hunters’ tomorrow!

Borneo day 2

Set off at 8.30 for the drive to the river before getting a boat over to Bako National Park. Arrived at the river where we were told that we had to wait for the boatmen to decide whether it was safe for us to travel to Bako. We hadn’t realized that it meant a trip on the ocean. Most boatmen were sitting around waiting to hear about the condition of the sea but some took tourists out. The word came back that there was a 3 metre swell!! After waiting for some time & knowing that the boatmen were refusing to go out we pulled the plug on the whole excursion! It would have been great to see the wildlife but not in a tiny boat (as shown in picture).

We came back to Kuching and were refunded our money so we had a massage, swim and relaxed around the pool. Hope we will have better luck with the ‘head hunters’ tomorrow!

Arrived Borneo

It's hot and sticky here but we arrived after good flights. Have wandered around the town & booked a few trips.
Tonght we are on a sunset cruise.
Tomorrow Bako National Park - bus and boat trip. We will be guided around the area & spotting wildlife.
29/12 Orangutans & a sleepover with the Head Hunters!

Picture, if I can attached it, was taken today when needing refreshments after a monsoonal downpour!

Love Les x
Love

Final days

Yesterday wa sspent on the Mekong ( photo). It was a long day with just over 2 hour bus trip before getting on to the water. Visited a number of little family concerns before a good lunch at a very old house. we had the usual storm while we were on the boat - thankgoodness for the plastic poncho!

Today we have spent 3 hours in the market - will the girls ever stop shopping? It was stifling in there & you were constantly hassled to buy, buy, buy! The girls were finally dragged back to the hotel all excited about their purchases - I don't know how they will all get it into their suitcases but then that's not my worry! I went straight into the pool when we got back & then the storm came!

It was good to sleep in a little longer today & we will do the same tomorrow. We fly out at 9:15pm Vietnam time & get back at 9:15am on 6th.

Now in Saigon

Had great fun at the cooking class although the walk through the local Hoi An markets before the class had the girls horrified by what they saw, eg. chickens in baskets etc!


In the afternoon we went to My Son a temple complex which was bombed during the Vietnam war (see picture). We were there in torrential rain & unless you were wearing  plastic poncho you were soaked to the skin plus shoes were soaked from wading through water -and the guide kept talking!


Next day was mainly spent in Danang airport because of 2 + hours delay. We thought our party of 22 girls was large but a school from NZ had 48! Yes plenty of adults but that must be a nightmare getting them all at the right place at the right time.


Yesterday was a visit to the Cu Chi tunnels & then in the afternoon to the War Remnants museum - very confronting for the girls.


We (the teachers) are exhausted & looking forward to the last couple of days where there is no official itinerary so perhaps we can have breakfast later than 7am & can all (students) spent time at the pool. No doubt we'll be asked to take the girls to the markets to spend all their remaining Dong!

Hoi An

Now in Hoi An - picture shows view we had from the bus. Visited the ancient part of Hoi An & girls shopped until they dropped! Afternoon spent making lanterns then off to dinner.

Weather very hot & humid with tropical downpours.

Today off to cooking class then to temples - hopefully with a dip in the pool as well!

Tomorrow we fly down to Ho Chi Minh City.

All well with only problem being will girls get all shopping in luggage - luckily Vietnam air allow 30kg!!

Vietnam travels

Our travels are going well. Hanoi was a bit of a mixture of sightseeing & not able to go out because of tropical storm! Girls wanted to get out so like a mother duck with her little ducklings I got them across the road & the had to bargain for them in shoe & bag shops!!

We travelled to Halong Bay & got aboard a 5* or so it seemed Junk. Meals were silver service - don't know about the girls but we were in seventh heaven. We even managed a massage!  We swam, had dragonboat races & visited a grotto. Sunrise was spectacular!

It was then back to Hanoi to complete some of the activities we missed because of the rain. 7pm saw us on the overnight train (massive downgrade from the Junk! Unfortunately about 10 minutes out a motorbike rider tried to beat the train & came off second best - very traumatic for all as our carriage was right where the bike & person ended up. It appears that the rider was unconcious but his bike was fine - it was a real life lesson in consequence of actions! A couple were upset but we looked after them & eventually thye were ok.

This morning was all about what a terrible nights sleep they had - we just reminded them about the people who would not have had a soft sleep like they did! We are now in Hue & have visited the Citadel & other sights. Then it was in for a swim - it's very hot. I must say the hotels have all been miles better than I'm used to so am enjoying it. Girls are being great & are keeping the Vietnamese economy going!

Arrived Vietnam

Finally arrived in Hanoi at 10pm Viet time after leaving Oz at 10.30 am!
Girls have been great but they were all ready for bed when we arrived but the Hotel had put on a three course meal - we did our best but when our bodies knew it was really 2am it was difficult!


We will be touring around Hanoi today so more news on our travels later

Still testing!

Hopefully I will eventually get this blog to work for everyone! Am getting ready for the school trip to Vietnam - have to make sure girls understand this is a cultural trip & not a 'fashion parade'. The weather will still be in the 30s with high humidity so one day of make-up dripping off their faces maybe they will listen to us!


I have ordered a Kindle (electronic book - download books for a fraction of the paper price & tiny) so hope it arrives before I leave so that I don't have to carry an books.


Got to go am working at a Rotary BBQ!

What a week

Sorry but I am still testing this!
I day I was going on the school trip, next day I wasn't & guess what now I am! I won't go into details suffice to say some people try to use the 'power' that they haven't got to get there own way! No I am not talking about myself!

About to fly to Melbourne to catch up with Valda. We will be trying to organise our next trip. Borneo here we come!

The picture of the rice fields was one I took in China - so beautiful.

Blog test

I have thought about writing a blog when I travel so this is a test to see if it works!

Not sure what I do next but hope to work it out before going on my next trip which is with 24 students to Vietnam on September 24!