18 months of summer

This could be a very long post as we are spending a lazy night in the hotel this evening (in Dalat – central Vietnamese highlands). However, I would rather like to have at least a few things to say when I return, so ill just tell you how wonderful life is, that ok????better b mate!

Taiwan was ofcourse our first main destination, and the one that I may have been most excited about overall. I did not leave dissapointed. With a tour guide like Jasmine, nothing could go wrong, nothing was aloud to go wrong under her watch! we stayed in J’s amazing flat in Taipei for half of the week and spent the rest performing a trrestrial circumnavigation of the entire island, we were exhausted! saw some wonderful sites just about everywhere realy, its one hell of a postcard island. The people, whilst often not quite so photogenic, are equally as lovely, as was the food.

We were not free of troubles in the first week. Rach had quite severe food poisoning and I was overdosing on antimalarials which I am still recovering from (not so comforting when ive had several 10+hour bus journeys of late :S ) but im still laughing at my own idiocracy, u gotta!

One strange observation about the island, was how little it is being explored. We very rarely saw a white face or even a goof English speaker. This realy made us feel a long way from home, just the ticket 🙂 However, everywhere over there is primed up for visitors, and whilst I would not want it to turn into another Thailand or even Vietnam (ill get to that) I think this place needs to be explored in full, I will be returning abd recomending to all.

SO, a quick snooze and recovery over the South China sea brought us to Hanoi, Vietnam. Here we eventually deciphered our way to was obviously the place to be in the city, the backpackers hostel, my first proper dorm experience. I can see why people do this – we instantly fell into the arms of some other warm and inviting travellers, and after a few tipples were convinced to go on a little excursion to Halong bay (limestone cliffs and seawater activities) hooray! at last I had a swimm, and nearly broke my neck twice after deciding it wuld be easy to dive from 30 feet, twice! Before you ask, yes I do have a degree, and no it didnt require common sense. This ten turned into a bit of a booze cruise, with intertwined interludes of Kayaking beach fun and watersports. During this weekend, we quickly discovered what the rest of our time in Vietnam was to be, because almost every person going suth to north had done almost exactly the same thing. This is my big dissapointment. On the time that we have (only 9 days left in Asia) it is totally impossible to break off the beaten track and do any form of discovering. We are finally in the highlands now however, and I am loving it!

Tomorrow we are hopping on’t back of a couple of motorbikes (Im not driving mum!!) and seeing what Dalat has to offer – waterfalls, flowers, silk and surrealist architacture (yea i know). We have had to say ciao to the guys weve spent most of the last week with but could possibly be meeting them again soon.

Think we will be entering Cambodia in about 4-5 days, mainly to see Angkor Wat, search this, is big!but have had to give up on Laos, ofcourse due to lack of time.

Once in Oz on the 7th, it should be mighty easy to start skyping people, but so far there hav been numerous problems which have made it impossible.

Thats it so far kiddies, it has been immense. Photos going on facebook soon, cant be arsed with here right now, or possibly ever! I hope tgis isnt too confused, but I also cant be arsed to re-read.

Let me know how your all are, oh and I need to know the birthdays of family while im away, Sam this is for you, PM me.

cheers chaps. xxx