I'll update the blog soon with all of my pictures and some more funy stories, because I'm flying back to Germany in one week...why that, well see the pictures...
Shit happens. Big time.
Where did it happen? In Laos, Vang Vieng at the end of the tubing action.
But nothing to regret!
Friday, July 18, 2008
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Lovely Laos!
Arrived safely in Laos, which I liked immediately! Veeeeeery nice here and people are much friendlier than in Vietnam (Vietnam in the North started to get a bit more "rude")!
And of course Beer Lao tastes GREAT. Big Time.
I'm a bit behind with my pictures...
Here's a bit of Hanoi, Ha long Bay will hopefully be done by tomorrow.
And of course Beer Lao tastes GREAT. Big Time.
I'm a bit behind with my pictures...
Here's a bit of Hanoi, Ha long Bay will hopefully be done by tomorrow.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
18h sleeping bus to Hanoi...sucks
Finally arrived in Hanoi after a 18h trip in a sleeping bus (4h delay caused by rain and flooded streets). Sleeping bus? I didn't sleep...
So far: City is not that nice, but I'm only 2 hours here. Now the sun is shining, finally!
Yesterday we (2 Portuguese siblings and I) left the beautiful Hoi An and went to Hue. We did the "eXtreme 3.5h touri crash explorer" on a moto. It was really great, because it also included a lot of Vietnam countryside! So far I really can say that Vietnam is a very beautiful, nice and peaceful country!
Tomorrow we go to a 2 day excursion trip to Ha Long Bay (one of Vietnam's candidates for the new natural 7 world wonders). Looking foward to see the amazing scenery...
So far: City is not that nice, but I'm only 2 hours here. Now the sun is shining, finally!
Yesterday we (2 Portuguese siblings and I) left the beautiful Hoi An and went to Hue. We did the "eXtreme 3.5h touri crash explorer" on a moto. It was really great, because it also included a lot of Vietnam countryside! So far I really can say that Vietnam is a very beautiful, nice and peaceful country!
Tomorrow we go to a 2 day excursion trip to Ha Long Bay (one of Vietnam's candidates for the new natural 7 world wonders). Looking foward to see the amazing scenery...
Saturday, July 5, 2008
Vietnam War and Hoi An
Had a great 2nd day trip in Saigon (Cu Chi Tunnels, rubber plantage, very local food plus snake liquor...) and at night a serious (but great) discussion with an Ex-Marine Vietnam Veteran. He was 61 years old but his handshake was the strongest I've ever experienced. His hand did nearly had the double size of mine...
He roughly killed over 31 people and he wished nobody the experience he had durring the war (and after). Also he mentioned he never wants to return to the US plus he thought, that Iraq and Afghanistan were the stuppiest things the US did the last time. Smart guy ;-)
Catched the early flight to Da Nang and took a Taxi to Hoi An (Sascha that was no smart move, because it was way to expensive...)
Anyway, next time I'll be smarter. Hoi An is really great and looking forward to do tomorrow some city exploring (UNESCO World Heritage) plus a cooking course.
They have here roughly 200 cloth stores where you can get tailored stuff (e.g. 10 US for trowers!), but I try to be strong...
Here are the first pictures - enjoy:
He roughly killed over 31 people and he wished nobody the experience he had durring the war (and after). Also he mentioned he never wants to return to the US plus he thought, that Iraq and Afghanistan were the stuppiest things the US did the last time. Smart guy ;-)
Catched the early flight to Da Nang and took a Taxi to Hoi An (Sascha that was no smart move, because it was way to expensive...)
Anyway, next time I'll be smarter. Hoi An is really great and looking forward to do tomorrow some city exploring (UNESCO World Heritage) plus a cooking course.
They have here roughly 200 cloth stores where you can get tailored stuff (e.g. 10 US for trowers!), but I try to be strong...
Here are the first pictures - enjoy:
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Good morning Vietnam...!
Safely arrived in Vietnam, better in Ho Chi Minh City/Saigon, a country (and city) with a very sad history.
First impression: People are again very nice and open minded and I did not feel that someone ripped me off when I was making a deal.
Two highlights of today:
1) Boarder crossing Cambodia to Vietnam. Worked very well for me (but the bloody guy in Cambodia charged me the full price for a 30 day visa, I recognized yesterday that I got only a 15 day visa...anyway, should work out with my travel plans in Vietnam).
Unfortunately one of the 2 UK girls (fun fact: They where from Reading, which is very close where I worked the last 19 month in the UK) had a visa starting only the day after tomorrow...so what happened to her? Our bus driver did make a special arrangement with the boarder guys, so she did get in, but payed 40 US Dollar as backhander!
Well with money the world is working (and even better in poor countries). Basically 40 US means more than an average of a monthly salary! Lucky boarder guy.
2) When I wanted to explore the city by foot, I met this moto driver (for the records: SAIGON is FULL of motos, check the pics! And everybody is wearing a moth/face masks to reduce breathing polluted traffic air) "Nghia".
He is really different compared to the other drivers. His English is very good and also he's keeping a booklet with references (!!!) of his customers in their mother tongue. And you thought Amazon did invent the "feedback/reference" feature!
I had a 3 hour trip today with him on his moto and we explored the inner city. Tomorrow I'll do a day trip with him overland and to the Cu Chi tunnels. It's a 30 US full day trip, but I think he as a guide and the distance, etc. is it worth. He told me "you get what you pay for", so let's check that out tomorrow!
Stay tuned.
Hen gap lai (See you)
First impression: People are again very nice and open minded and I did not feel that someone ripped me off when I was making a deal.
Two highlights of today:
1) Boarder crossing Cambodia to Vietnam. Worked very well for me (but the bloody guy in Cambodia charged me the full price for a 30 day visa, I recognized yesterday that I got only a 15 day visa...anyway, should work out with my travel plans in Vietnam).
Unfortunately one of the 2 UK girls (fun fact: They where from Reading, which is very close where I worked the last 19 month in the UK) had a visa starting only the day after tomorrow...so what happened to her? Our bus driver did make a special arrangement with the boarder guys, so she did get in, but payed 40 US Dollar as backhander!
Well with money the world is working (and even better in poor countries). Basically 40 US means more than an average of a monthly salary! Lucky boarder guy.
2) When I wanted to explore the city by foot, I met this moto driver (for the records: SAIGON is FULL of motos, check the pics! And everybody is wearing a moth/face masks to reduce breathing polluted traffic air) "Nghia".
He is really different compared to the other drivers. His English is very good and also he's keeping a booklet with references (!!!) of his customers in their mother tongue. And you thought Amazon did invent the "feedback/reference" feature!
I had a 3 hour trip today with him on his moto and we explored the inner city. Tomorrow I'll do a day trip with him overland and to the Cu Chi tunnels. It's a 30 US full day trip, but I think he as a guide and the distance, etc. is it worth. He told me "you get what you pay for", so let's check that out tomorrow!
Stay tuned.
Hen gap lai (See you)
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Very very very HAPPY PIZZA in Phnom Phen
From Siem Rehab I took the bus to Phnom Phen, where I met 2 other Germans from Hongkong, also traveling to the Cambodian capital.
Was a very funny bus ride, with karaoke all the time... iPod saved my life during that 6h bus ride...
Compared to Siem Reab, Phnom Phen is noisy, dirty, sticky and it has basically no real "worth seeing sights" (except of the Killing Fields outside of the city). So the city is a sight for itself.
Two things I can recommend (or not...): Martini Bar (when you take a Tuk-Tuk, don't be too afraid of the strange location of the bar, the area looks a bit doggy and spooky)
And to eat a happy pizza. So what's a happy pizza...well a regular pizza, but with some grass on top. Unfortunatley the other German guy ordered not a happy pizza, but a very very very happy pizza. He had four slices, I two and his mate as well 2.
To keep the story short: He and his mate was already "done" the evening and they had a nice "night trip". They get up the next day at 14.00pm...
I only felt bad during the night (strange kind of feeling very dizzy, high heart rate, etc.) and felt totally exhausted the next morning till noon. But I think my very very spicy chili sauce did cut the effect down (Remember: To be on the save side always eat very spicy, that kills everything!)
Unfortunately I had to stay in this "not so pretty city" for 3 nights (reduces my nights in Saigon by one...), but my Vietnam Visa wasn't ready this noon.
CU and hear you in Vietnam!
BTW: This blog was written in 2 different places in the city, because we had a nice power outage in my area...(and no generators...)
Was a very funny bus ride, with karaoke all the time... iPod saved my life during that 6h bus ride...
Compared to Siem Reab, Phnom Phen is noisy, dirty, sticky and it has basically no real "worth seeing sights" (except of the Killing Fields outside of the city). So the city is a sight for itself.
Two things I can recommend (or not...): Martini Bar (when you take a Tuk-Tuk, don't be too afraid of the strange location of the bar, the area looks a bit doggy and spooky)
And to eat a happy pizza. So what's a happy pizza...well a regular pizza, but with some grass on top. Unfortunatley the other German guy ordered not a happy pizza, but a very very very happy pizza. He had four slices, I two and his mate as well 2.
To keep the story short: He and his mate was already "done" the evening and they had a nice "night trip". They get up the next day at 14.00pm...
I only felt bad during the night (strange kind of feeling very dizzy, high heart rate, etc.) and felt totally exhausted the next morning till noon. But I think my very very spicy chili sauce did cut the effect down (Remember: To be on the save side always eat very spicy, that kills everything!)
Unfortunately I had to stay in this "not so pretty city" for 3 nights (reduces my nights in Saigon by one...), but my Vietnam Visa wasn't ready this noon.
CU and hear you in Vietnam!
BTW: This blog was written in 2 different places in the city, because we had a nice power outage in my area...(and no generators...)
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Schmunk-Tuk, "One Dolla" & DJ Schatzi...
So, safely arrived in Cambodia (AND NO LANDMINES :-))
Cambodian people are very nice and friendly people and the countryside is really great! We (Nick & Nadine from the Netherlands, I) visited today and yesterday the Temples of Angkor! Amazing stuff and a lot to see, I really can recommend to spend two days here! Great is to take a Tuk-Tuk (day = 15 Us Dollar) or as Nadine said, a Schmunk-Tuk...
Only take care of the kids around the temples, the only "one dolla" offer of any kind of products drives you after 5 hours mad... :-)
But I can confirm that they are ALWAYS very friendly and go away when u tell them (which is not the case in Bangkok!)
Anyway, was really great so far and I'm heading tomorrow to the capital Phnom Penh.
NOT TO FORGET: Of course I'll watch the Germans tonight playing! GOOOOOOO SCHLAAAAAAND!
DJ Schatzi? Well, that a funny story, I had with the Dutch guy. We recognized that Dutch and German is really very similar and I decided to learn Dutch. During a conversation with him, where we compared vocabularies, he mentioned that we have in Germany that "DJ Schatzi", but well he meant DJ Oetzi...
Talk to u soon.
Cambodian people are very nice and friendly people and the countryside is really great! We (Nick & Nadine from the Netherlands, I) visited today and yesterday the Temples of Angkor! Amazing stuff and a lot to see, I really can recommend to spend two days here! Great is to take a Tuk-Tuk (day = 15 Us Dollar) or as Nadine said, a Schmunk-Tuk...
Only take care of the kids around the temples, the only "one dolla" offer of any kind of products drives you after 5 hours mad... :-)
But I can confirm that they are ALWAYS very friendly and go away when u tell them (which is not the case in Bangkok!)
Anyway, was really great so far and I'm heading tomorrow to the capital Phnom Penh.
NOT TO FORGET: Of course I'll watch the Germans tonight playing! GOOOOOOO SCHLAAAAAAND!
DJ Schatzi? Well, that a funny story, I had with the Dutch guy. We recognized that Dutch and German is really very similar and I decided to learn Dutch. During a conversation with him, where we compared vocabularies, he mentioned that we have in Germany that "DJ Schatzi", but well he meant DJ Oetzi...
Talk to u soon.
Saturday, June 28, 2008
5 Star Hotel Upgrade and 5000 Baht in cash...
Hopefully this is the last blog I write from Thailand before going to Cambodia. Plan was actually to go there yesterday night, but they did overbook the flight...
So the airline offered me to stay overnight in a 5 star hotel @ the airport for free, plus free dinner and breakfast and 5000 Baht in cash...
So what do u think I did? Correct I insisted to take the flight ;) Of course not! Hotel and meal was really fantastic and I also did cannonball the great pool (pool did have a waterbar as well). So it was a great deal.
Time for boarding, see u in Cambodia, Seam Reap and Ankor Wat!
So the airline offered me to stay overnight in a 5 star hotel @ the airport for free, plus free dinner and breakfast and 5000 Baht in cash...
So what do u think I did? Correct I insisted to take the flight ;) Of course not! Hotel and meal was really fantastic and I also did cannonball the great pool (pool did have a waterbar as well). So it was a great deal.
Time for boarding, see u in Cambodia, Seam Reap and Ankor Wat!
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Tuk Tuk and Ping-Pong show...
Diesmal in Deutsch, naechster Blog ist dann wieder fuer die englischen Kollegen :-)
Also ich bin sicher gelandet und dank dt. Lufthansa Praezision auch nur 10 Min. zu spaet (ein Verlierer hat naemlich sein Gepaeck eingecheckt ist aber nicht in FRA erschienen, dadurch war der Abflug ne gute 3/4 Stunde spaeter...)
War mir eh Wurscht, hatte in der Senator Lounge naemlich mit ein paar Becks und Brez'n eh ausgesorgt gehabt...letztes mal dt. Produkte fuer die naechsten 8 Wochen...
Um es nun aber kurz zu machen: Bangkok ist CRAZY. Jungs (und Maedels) falls ihr mal aussteigen wollt, dann ist Bangkok auf jeden Fall ein MUST, bes. die krasse Khaosan Road! DA GEHT WAS. Und nicht nur Tuk-Tuk und Ping-Pong Shows ;-)
Gestern erst einmal ordentlich von 02:00am bis 04:00am die Deutschen ins Finale mit angefeuert und mitfiebert und so manchen UK Backpacker und Niederlaender ausgelacht (die hatten naemlich waehrend dem Spiel zu viel Oberwasser :-))
ABER: Es gibt nur ein Rudi Voeller und ein Joachim Loew!
Gruesse an alle,
Schmunky
PS: Deuschlandfahne auf der Backe und Deutschland Hulahula Kette kommt auch in Bangkok gut :-), bes. bei dt. Backpacker Maedels ;-)
SCHLAAAAAAAND!
Also ich bin sicher gelandet und dank dt. Lufthansa Praezision auch nur 10 Min. zu spaet (ein Verlierer hat naemlich sein Gepaeck eingecheckt ist aber nicht in FRA erschienen, dadurch war der Abflug ne gute 3/4 Stunde spaeter...)
War mir eh Wurscht, hatte in der Senator Lounge naemlich mit ein paar Becks und Brez'n eh ausgesorgt gehabt...letztes mal dt. Produkte fuer die naechsten 8 Wochen...
Um es nun aber kurz zu machen: Bangkok ist CRAZY. Jungs (und Maedels) falls ihr mal aussteigen wollt, dann ist Bangkok auf jeden Fall ein MUST, bes. die krasse Khaosan Road! DA GEHT WAS. Und nicht nur Tuk-Tuk und Ping-Pong Shows ;-)
Gestern erst einmal ordentlich von 02:00am bis 04:00am die Deutschen ins Finale mit angefeuert und mitfiebert und so manchen UK Backpacker und Niederlaender ausgelacht (die hatten naemlich waehrend dem Spiel zu viel Oberwasser :-))
ABER: Es gibt nur ein Rudi Voeller und ein Joachim Loew!
Gruesse an alle,
Schmunky
PS: Deuschlandfahne auf der Backe und Deutschland Hulahula Kette kommt auch in Bangkok gut :-), bes. bei dt. Backpacker Maedels ;-)
SCHLAAAAAAAND!
Monday, June 23, 2008
Good Bye Germany
Last Blog entry from good old Germay for the next 8 weeks.
Asia I'm comi'n ! :-)
Asia I'm comi'n ! :-)
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Thursday, June 19, 2008
Booked! Itinerary!
Did it! No way back, flights are booked, hotels of course not :-)
My planned itinerary:
GERMANY
Frankfurt
>> Flight
THAILAND
Bangkok
>> Flight
CAMBODIA
Siem Reap
>> Bus
Phnom Penh
>> Bus
VIETNAM
Ho Chi Minh City
>> Flight
Danang
>>Bus
Hoi An
>> Bus
Danang
>>Train
Hue
>> Bus
Hanoi
>> Flight
LAOS
Lua Prabang
>> Flight
THAILAND
Chinag Mai
>> Train
Bangkok
>> Flight
MALAYSIA
Kuala Lumpur
>> Bus
Tanah Rata
>> MiniBus
Kuala Tahan
>> Bus
Jerantut
>> Bus
Melaka
>> Bus
SINGAPORE
Singapore
>> Flight
INDONESIA
Jakarta
>> Train
Yogyakarta
>> Bus
Borobudur
>> Bus
Yogyakarta
>> Bus
Gunung Brom (Volcano Swim)
>> Bus
Surabaya
>> Flight
Denpasar (Bali)
>> Bus
Kutar (Bali)
>> Flight
SINGAPORE
Singapore
>> Flight
GERMANY
Munich
My planned itinerary:
GERMANY
Frankfurt
>> Flight
THAILAND
Bangkok
>> Flight
CAMBODIA
Siem Reap
>> Bus
Phnom Penh
>> Bus
VIETNAM
Ho Chi Minh City
>> Flight
Danang
>>Bus
Hoi An
>> Bus
Danang
>>Train
Hue
>> Bus
Hanoi
>> Flight
LAOS
Lua Prabang
>> Flight
THAILAND
Chinag Mai
>> Train
Bangkok
>> Flight
MALAYSIA
Kuala Lumpur
>> Bus
Tanah Rata
>> MiniBus
Kuala Tahan
>> Bus
Jerantut
>> Bus
Melaka
>> Bus
SINGAPORE
Singapore
>> Flight
INDONESIA
Jakarta
>> Train
Yogyakarta
>> Bus
Borobudur
>> Bus
Yogyakarta
>> Bus
Gunung Brom (Volcano Swim)
>> Bus
Surabaya
>> Flight
Denpasar (Bali)
>> Bus
Kutar (Bali)
>> Flight
SINGAPORE
Singapore
>> Flight
GERMANY
Munich
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Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Southeast Asia Trip 2008 - Update
Ok, the doctor confirmed that I'm cool, except for rabies... but because I don't have a chance to reach an immune status before I'll arrive, I've
to accept this risk.
So following the rule number one: Don't play with animals...
Finalized my route, now I only have to book the flights accordingly.
Visa can I get at arrival in each country except for Vietnam (again too less time to get it here), I'll get in Cambodia.
to accept this risk.
So following the rule number one: Don't play with animals...
Finalized my route, now I only have to book the flights accordingly.
Visa can I get at arrival in each country except for Vietnam (again too less time to get it here), I'll get in Cambodia.
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Monday, June 16, 2008
Southeast Asia Trip 2008
Plan stage
Caused by a phone call from Korbinian ;-), I'm currently trying to find out if an 8-9 weeks southeast asia trip is feasible.
Only "show stopper" could be the vaccinations, but tomorrow after the visit of my doctor I'll be smarter.
Thanks to Super Sallinger and Lonley Planet the route is also to 90% clear:
Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia.
Check out for details my southeast asia Google Map.
Gonna be tough but "difficult is worth doing"!
Stay tuned.
Caused by a phone call from Korbinian ;-), I'm currently trying to find out if an 8-9 weeks southeast asia trip is feasible.
Only "show stopper" could be the vaccinations, but tomorrow after the visit of my doctor I'll be smarter.
Thanks to Super Sallinger and Lonley Planet the route is also to 90% clear:
Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia.
Check out for details my southeast asia Google Map.
Gonna be tough but "difficult is worth doing"!
Stay tuned.
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Monday, May 12, 2008
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Flocker - the geeky browser :-)
Just tried out the WEB 2.0 browser Flock (based on Firefox technology) and what should I say: GREAT stuff, really great stuff...try it out or visit me later to see about any updates on the user experiece.
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