30/06/13
I got up at 09.00 and after a shower I went downstairs for my free breakfast which consisted of a baguette with jam. I finished packing and checked out just before 11 and then spent the next 2 hours watching 'Friends' on my laptop. Just before 13.00 I was taken on the back of a motorbike to a waiting minibus. The minibus was crammed full of people all wanting to go to the airport. After an hour we were dropped off and those of us going to Bangkok/Heathrow had to wait about an hour before check-in opened. Straight from check-in I went through passport control and just like when entering Vietnam they took ages to check my passport, scanning and rechecking it a number of times, finally I was allowed through to departures. In the departures lounge I walked round looking for somewhere to charge my laptop but there were no sockets anywhere so I read after it ran out of juice. I also walked round looking for George and Rob but I only saw them in the departure line. They had had some trouble getting here from Bangkok and we actually got on the plane they had vacated less than 30 minutes previously. For he whole journey to Doha I didn't have anybody sitting next to me (I was centre of a triple). I spent the time watching films or sleeping. At Doha we had to wait 4 hours so we bought a drink and chatted to spend the time. The journey to Heathrow went very much the same as the previous flight although we were sitting together. When we arrived in Heathrow we didn't have to wait long to pick up our bags once we had gone through passport control and we were greeted in arrivals by George's mum. We went for a drink at Costa whilst we waited for Rob's parents. They had got the wrong time so we all travelled back together. When I arrived back there was nobody home, although mum did turn up within 10 minutes. It's good to be back.
Wednesday, 3 July 2013
Day 117 Right as Rain
29/06/13
It was a good job it was sunny this morning as we were dropped off on the edge of the tourist district, just after 06.00. By 06.25 I was in the lobby of a hostel with a $5 dorm bed promised. I was told to wait half an hour for someone to check out who was going on a tour later. Nearly an hour later I was shown to a single room.. another 10 minutes until I was shown the dorm. I can't stand people who lie, he knew exactly what time the guy was checking out as the tour had been booked through him!! It grinds my gears! I found a cafe for breakfast where I wrote up a couple of days worth of blogs. I then walked halfway across the city to the botanical gardens that I went to last time I was here. It took up a surprisingly long amount of time and it was 3 by the time I got back. After a shower and change and a check of fb it was 17.00 and time for free beer. The nect two and a half hours were spent chatting with other travellers. I got on really well with 2 English guys, Matt and Ben. The 3 of us went to a water puppet show. We were told that they were sold out but after I mentioned that it was my last night in the city thy said they could squeeze us in. Matt and I found the whole thing hilarious, many because one guy was horrifically out of time during the whole thing, I don't think many other people found it quite so funny. Afterwards we went to a street restaurant and had some fried chicken and a couple of beers. It was a good evening to end the trip on.
It was a good job it was sunny this morning as we were dropped off on the edge of the tourist district, just after 06.00. By 06.25 I was in the lobby of a hostel with a $5 dorm bed promised. I was told to wait half an hour for someone to check out who was going on a tour later. Nearly an hour later I was shown to a single room.. another 10 minutes until I was shown the dorm. I can't stand people who lie, he knew exactly what time the guy was checking out as the tour had been booked through him!! It grinds my gears! I found a cafe for breakfast where I wrote up a couple of days worth of blogs. I then walked halfway across the city to the botanical gardens that I went to last time I was here. It took up a surprisingly long amount of time and it was 3 by the time I got back. After a shower and change and a check of fb it was 17.00 and time for free beer. The nect two and a half hours were spent chatting with other travellers. I got on really well with 2 English guys, Matt and Ben. The 3 of us went to a water puppet show. We were told that they were sold out but after I mentioned that it was my last night in the city thy said they could squeeze us in. Matt and I found the whole thing hilarious, many because one guy was horrifically out of time during the whole thing, I don't think many other people found it quite so funny. Afterwards we went to a street restaurant and had some fried chicken and a couple of beers. It was a good evening to end the trip on.
Day 116 Deluge
28/06/13
It took a while to persuade myself to go and get breakfast in the rain so it ended up being more of a brunch. My meal was huge, I ordered the set breakfast of coffee, mango juice and an omelette. The omelette came with 6 pieces of bread, overkill if I have ever seen it. I actually wanted to see some of the countryside around Sapa so when it stopped raining , even though the clouds were still low, I set off towards a nearby tribal village. Not 500m down the road and it started to rain again, I decided to wait a couple of minutes to see what direction the rain would take, unfortunately it got heavier so I turned back. I spent the next couple of hours looking out of my window, hoping it would stop but no joy. Just after 16.00 I checked out and got some linner (lunch/dinner) then I made my way to the bus station for 17.30, although it was nearer 19.00 by the time we set off. As per usual the bed was uncomfortable (mine didn't even recline properly) so I didn't get any sleep.
It took a while to persuade myself to go and get breakfast in the rain so it ended up being more of a brunch. My meal was huge, I ordered the set breakfast of coffee, mango juice and an omelette. The omelette came with 6 pieces of bread, overkill if I have ever seen it. I actually wanted to see some of the countryside around Sapa so when it stopped raining , even though the clouds were still low, I set off towards a nearby tribal village. Not 500m down the road and it started to rain again, I decided to wait a couple of minutes to see what direction the rain would take, unfortunately it got heavier so I turned back. I spent the next couple of hours looking out of my window, hoping it would stop but no joy. Just after 16.00 I checked out and got some linner (lunch/dinner) then I made my way to the bus station for 17.30, although it was nearer 19.00 by the time we set off. As per usual the bed was uncomfortable (mine didn't even recline properly) so I didn't get any sleep.
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