Introduction
I have written this as a story so that I can remember how it unfolded and the hiccups that occurred through the trip. But for those that hate reading, I have extracted key information so that u can skim over the story and find the key points e.g. tips, places to see, interest, how to get there and other travel friend information.
The Story – Before the Trip Planning
Where do I start…
Mercury in Tuna you might say. There are numerous articles on the web that talk about Mercury in large fishes e.g. Tuna. From my basic understanding it works on who is higher in the food chain. Each link in the food chain that eats each other gains a higher mercury content due to the their dietary intake. E.g. Tuna eats lots of small fish that eat even smaller which hence the % Mercury slowly increases. This also applies to Dolphin meat and Shark.
Article 1: There's More Mercury In Sushi Restaurant Tuna Than Canned Tuna >>>
Article 2: Mercury and Fish >>>
I highly recommend reading about the Minamata Disease in Japan how many people died due to the high concentration of Mercury in the water thereby poisoning the sea life and in turn the locals… >>>
My English is very bad, so excuse my poor English…but I hope to convey my experiences as best as possible.
My Goal
My goal is simple I want to enlighten readers about by Asian travels…I have just finished my studies and now work full time, I hope to travel various part of Asia once a year…
I have always been fascinated about Asia I think its because of the vast culture that differs in every way from the western world…the food, clothing, people, spices, chilli ^_^ the aromas that you experience walking through the market of Cambodia to the crazy fashion of Harajuku, Japan (to be visited)…the crazy traffic that you can’t imagine how it works but it does…the friendly locals and different ways of life…the cheap alcohol that I can buy anywhere in Vietnam as I walk down the streets …oh and I save the best to last the GIRLS, my friends would say I suffer from yellow fever @_@ and others might say that is an understatement. This love started when I found Ayumi Hamasaki back in the year 2000. But I leave that story for another day…back to the trip
Ayumi Hamasaki is the Madonna of Asian pop culture. She had the biggest influence across Asia with her music and her unique style. I see singers like BoA and Jolin which in my eyes have stolen what Ayumi brought to Asian pop. Most will call her the Queen of Jpop. She has been singing for over 10 years. She started as a model. I could talk all day about her but I leave that for you readers to find. I have lost touch with her current news and only once in a blue moon I will check up on what she is producing.
Article 1: My favourite Ayumi site, that is still up to date now >>>
One of her very old images from her first album or single i forgot
I have always had Vietnamese friends since high school…After high school I worked with four Vietnamese men for over 4 years!!!! In an electronics assembly plant…Year after year I would hear the stories they told me…but I was one poor student, working on minimum wage, I think I started on $7.15 an hr in the year 2004…it’s a joke…just because I am younger I get used and abused, fucking government…done the same job as 6 other blokes on a 1/3 of the wage…now I know how those sweat shop workers must feel.
Finally after completing my degree and working a year full time I had the chance to go to Vietnam, my ex-co-worker told me he was going…do I want to go…and I couldn’t have been my excited!! Booked my ticket via JetStar for about $800AUD (return) leaving mid December. I booked it back in June that year (2009).
If you want to save every dollar possibly fly the cheaper airlines. There is nothing wrong with them. If you don’t mind having no TV. Most people have their MP3 player now…just bring that and a spare battery.
My favourite is Jetstar then AirAsia, I heard bad things about Tiger (from my big ozzi friends, they said it way to small).
When in Vietnam try an airline called Vietnam Airways !!! amazing…pay $100US a ticket from Hanoi to Saigon and got food and a beer and the seats are so spacious.
All my friends talk about going travels, but that’s all they do just talk! I couldn’t wait for anyone otherwise I would never do anything. I am happy I booked that ticket without waiting for anyone. No regrets!!!
About three months later my friend said he would come, I was like fuck yeh!!! We are both amateur photographers…We both hope to make something out of it one day but couldn’t wait to get out of the shit hole we call work to go experience a whole new world…The adventure was starting to unfold…counting down the days till we leave Perth!!
Vietnam is not like some tourist country like Phuket and Bali…you can really get outback and not see a single white person for days!!! That’s what I wanted…no other white people in site (no offense). I remember my Viet friend saying he would take us to his village. At the entrance to his village it had a sign no white people!!! How cool is that… Getting out into the wild, kinda felt like Indiana Jones exploring the unknowns.
The Story – The Planning before the Flight
First thing that we needed to sort out for Vietnam was the Visa. I usually have lots of bad luck so I wasn’t planning to do my Visa on the spot in a Vietnam airport. Or bribe an official like I have heard in many of my friends stories (hand your passport over with $20 cash in it). So I completed my Visa before I left. I got the multi entry Visa because I was planning to jump across into Cambodia/Laos and back into Vietnam for my return flight home.
You can get a single entry or multi entry visa. I did this through a dodgy Asian tour agent. He is working in a travel agency in Perth, Northbridge. He sent off the passport and I got a yellow posit as a receipt. I was worried I might never get a call back after giving him my $150. I know it is expensive but it was for peace of mind I hope to accomplish by parting with my money.
Just to note Perth travel agents are shit…I must have left my details at 3 travel agents for a call back regarding my trip planning. Did any call me back NO!!! I gave travel agents one more shot when I went to Taiwan. NO CALL back as well. Now I know better, never will I waste my time on travel agent.
Cambodia Visa can be granted on arrival. But it can be only granted on certain spots along the Vietnam/Cambodia border. I choose by river ;) You can take a boat up Meekong River departing from Chau Doc.
It is a long trip by boat but so cheap! It takes about 7 hours. It also feels very dodgy like you are an illegal immigrant. If you have the balls to rough it out and feel the heat of taking a steam boat up the river for 7 hours then I highly recommend it.
However if you want to go via speed boat Victoria Hotel can do this for you, it costs approximately $100USD I believe.
Victoria Hotel – Chau Doc >>>
Some information from the Victoria website
Fixed Boat Departures:
* Daily departure from Chau Doc to Phnom Penh: 7:00 AM
* Daily departure from Phnom Penh to Chau Doc: 1:30 PM
Speedboat rates:
* 95 US$ + per person, per way, with minimum 4 persons per boat trip - Valid from 01 October 2009 to 30 September 2010.
Being my first chance to do a real trip through the outback of Asia, I needed to account for everything. I done little planning on what I might face so I guessed what I should take. I needed some hardware.
First was a suitable backpack, mild first aid, pocket knife, money, carry on bag, suitable clothes, torch, camera gear, power adapter, money belt and security devices.
I went with Tatonka bags >>>
I chose the 75lt Yukon Tatonka.
Why? I was impressed with the waist harness. it felt very sturdy and diverted a lot of weight off my back. Had all the pockets I needed as well as a removable partition in the middle of the bag and raincoat. I didn’t want a removable smaller pack because I already had a carry on. I also opted to spend a little extra hoping that the quality will last me in lots of my next travels.
My fellow travellers went with a Caribee Dakar backpack 65lt I believe. I was very impressed as this backpack was value for money. I think my bag was about $240 shipped. Theirs was 140ish I believe?
They have a removable smaller back (day pack) and what I loved was the harness cover for convenient travel/storage (i.e. airplanes bag check).
I didn’t look into these to much I went straight for Leatherman as I knew it was a name I could trust and I didn’t like the Victorinox Swiss Army setup. I like having a pair of pliers hence the Leatherman.
And my Leatherman was a >>> Skeletool CX
You be surprised how handy and versatile a knife is. I think that is why in NCIS one of the important rules is always carry a knife.
I didn’t care for all the gimmicks e.g. a nail file, or wood saw or whatever they now include into the Leatherman. I wanted the simple stuff screw driver, knife and pliers (also with wire cutters).
Oh and a bottle top opener extremely handy in Vietnam since you always need to pop open those beers.
Boy is the Skeletool CX one crazy knife, it would do some serious damage to whatever needs slashing/cutting etc.
I always recommend those money belts that go under the shirt. I don’t want to loose a wallet with lots of money. Money belt is a safe place to store that extra coin for the big purchases.
I bought a small first aid kit don’t ask me what is in it. Never opened it. My favourite first aid tool is medical tape…I use that on everything, no need for band aids.
I made a plan to buy some Po Chai pills in Sg for the upset stomach I knew I was bound to encounter. I also planned to get some tiger balm.
Instead of buying a country power adapter I recommend a universal one. Also a double adapter just encase you have two devices. E.g. mobile phone and camera battery.
The Story – The Flight
Most anticipated moment for a long long time. Who would have thought this day would have finally come.
According to JetStar his seat was removed from the system (it was purchased with his frequent flyer points).
Had my bad luck spread to my friend!! Just ready to start our adventure and maybe one of us wouldn’t even be able to get out of Perth.
My friend and I went on first, it was gate call.
We had 6 hours before our next flight to Vietnam. That left us just over 3 hours to go have a walk around Sing at around 6am and find breakfast. First thing was to get rid of our bags, we dumped it in the holding room in Sing airport. I hate Taxi, I like chilling on public transport hence the MRT. Bought the MRT card for $10Sing. And left the airport from the underground platform. More to come soon!! must complete my diary
My first stop when leaving the Sing airport was Outram street.
Got off the MRT and explored the streets to find breakfast. Too early to get Hainan Chicken Rice :(
But not too early for some fresh Shumai and Mi Goreng!
After our little re-fresher we walked some more...Extremely HOT! and HUMID! Well worth the adventure where we found ourselves in some temple/monastery. Also spotted a R35 GTR!
Most noted thing was the wall of 10,000 Buddha..I need to upload more photos! I have them all at home.
Lazy me over 1 year and still haven't sorted all my photos...i stuffed up because i uploaded as i went and i have folders everywhere...different uploaded ones...
After walking the early streets of Sing and checking out some herbal shops and temples we hit some drinks up. Then hopped back on to the wonderful MRT. Best aircon!
So much easier than transferring through KL. Can't go anywhere if you go KL stuck in the airport for 6 hours @_@
At least Sing you can hop on the train hit up Raffles or food and head back to the airport!
