Asia 05 Blog

Savouring every last moment in KTM

2005-06-23T10:54:00.000+07:00

There's been a distinct lack of posts recently, but that's just because time has been filled as I slowly realise that the 0815 flight from KTM on Friday is the one I'll be on!

In the last few days, experiences have included the Soaltee Hotel Casino (where I turned 0 rupees into 1000 rupees), a rain-drenched hike up Swayambunath with some of the children from Hopeful Home and their German volunteer Katarina, and numerous farewell dinners for my host family who are going on a 3 week trip to the UK! It's been a real privilege to have been included in these feasts, with loads of food (and that the more you eat, the more polite it is - I like that kind of hospitality!).

Better be off. Loads of things to do and see before tomorrow... sorry the stories have been a bit lacking of late!

Namaste!

Back to old ways

2005-06-19T19:52:00.000+07:00

Routine is a funny thing, and despite it being a year since I was here, I've very quickly got back into the pattern of daily life that I was used to in 2004.

Yesterday was Saturday, meaning the day off (the working week here is Sunday to Friday). After loads of chopping and changing plans, I headed out to the Hopeful Home again for a day out. However, it was so hot that even a trip up Swayambunath was beyond thinking about, so we spent most of the time indoors doing balloons, reading stories, telling jokes and the kids playing around with my digital camera... it's so good for taking loads of photos for absolutely no cost!

Jemma, a medical student from Liverpool, flew in yesterday at 4pm so I went up to the airport to meet her. It was great to show her some of Kathmandu, and especially ensure that she didn't get fleeced for taxi charges like I have a habit of doing! We met later for mango dalquiris (same place as last time, in Maya's Bar - 2 for 1 offer till 10pm!) then went for some great stone-baked pizzas in the Roadhouse Cafe, also in Thamel.

Today was my first back in the hospital, and it was amazing that quite a few of the doctors recalled me from last year. It's strange coming back now that I'm qualified. Even though I'm not really a fully graduated, working doctor, the fact that I'm qualified does result in some (embarrassingly) elevated status within Nepali culture.

So I caught up with how Kanti Hospital has changed, and had a look around too. I'm hoping to get some good photos - including of typical "patient journeys" - for use back in the UK, though I'm still thinking through how important it is to get permission from everyone involved. UK standards can be quite nauseating, but then there is no reason why those standards should be any lower in Nepal. That said, the relevance of a piece of paper and a signature is also dubious as there is such a status aspect here that I don't think any parents would disagree. Hmmm.

In the afternoon I headed over to Hopeful Home again. Yesterday one of the kids was explaining that their football was really flat and decrepit. And yet footballs are so important so I swung by the ultra-hectic New Road stores to get one, complete with pump. I hope that by next year there will be some Beckhams, Peles and Ronaldos, and this afternoon - during the inaugural Match With The New Football - they were discussing forming a HH team for inclusion in one of the Kathmandu youth tournaments. Good on them.

And now I'm knackered, having spent a good hour chasing a ball and, as expected, not really doing anything too constructive with it. Perfect for a cold shower (great in this heat), half-an-hour with a book and then some of Rama's dahl baat.

Routine is ramro cha (very good) indeed.

Namaste!

Peaceful in Pokhara

2005-06-16T19:58:00.000+07:00

So Pokhara has been chilled. It's been very very hot too, so frustratingly I've had to eat lots of ice cream and drink lots of lager.

This morning I left Sacred Valley at 8am with Hari (or Harry) who is one of the local trekking guides associated with Sacred Valley Inn. I guess this was my own introduction to Nepali trekking as I haven't really done much before. We started the trail up to Sarangkot, which offers great mountain views from the top, and before long we were amongst the more rural areas of Pokhara, even though there was plenty Sprite and jewellery available for the tourists.

There were loads of people asking questions on the way up and down, but I suppose the most interesting tale of the day was when a boy called from the track "medicine"! It took a few seconds to realise he wasn't asking for money or sweets, as loads of other kids had done the same. I asked Harry to translate, and it transpired that he'd been slashed over the heel with a scythe the previous morning. A look at the wound revealed a incision no deeper than the subcut fat, but with loads of debris and grit packed into it. So we stopped and 6 antiseptic wipes, 3 complimentary steri-strips, a large dollop of noxious TCP and a bandage for effect later he was "fixed", with strict instructions to parents to keep it clean and get rapid medical help if a fever developed.

The rest of the day was spent consuming loads of fluids (I reckon 4-5 litres between leaving at 8am and arriving back at 1pm) as the sweat just keeps flowing here! On another medical observational note, it's interesting that UK-sticky-sweat turns into near-water after a few weeks in hot climates... and it's very effective too!

Anyways, tomorrow will probably be a lazy one before I fly back to KTM at lunchtime. Perhaps the pilot will leave his door open again, something I've never seen before, which allows you to watch how he controls the aircraft. On Wednesday it was mostly fine and calm, except for the landing. I didn't realise that as soon as the plane touches down, the engines are immediately cut until more power is needed to taxi... that was a bit disconcerting. Here's a photo of the cockpit... and you might be able to make out the very British and typical-pilot moustache that the big yin pilot sported with a back-to-front baseball cap.

Tis all for now. I'm going for dinner.

Namaste!

It feels like home

2005-06-15T18:21:00.000+07:00

Okay, I don't mean to start all sentimental and stuff... but when the plane touched the ground of Tribhuvan Aiport in Kathmandu, I felt so content, excited and happy to be back.

The overnight stay in Bangkok Airport was boring as anything, and most of my time was walking round looking at overpriced "duty free" goods. My body clock was knocked out of kilter as hunger at 3am led to a bowl of noodles being had. Breakfast was a highly nutritious packet of M&Ms and so you can see the 12 hours was highly stimulating stuff.

Kathmandu hasn't changed much, despite all the stories in the media. For sure, the political situation has changed dramatically and there is some evidence of this in the capital. However, for the vast majority of tourist living here, things haven't been altered. I realise that my own ultra-enthusiasm for Nepal - probably with a dose of travelling naivety - will blind me from some of the big issues that certainly exist in Nepal's political climate. But to me it is very similar, and that was very reassuring.

And so things have been amazing. I didn't mean to go into Duracell-Bunny mode quite so rapidly, but after an emotional welcome by the Joshi family (with whom I stayed last year) I set about a plate of delicious dahl baht - for which the taste I have been waiting for nearly 11 months! - and caught up with the family. Toni, one of the current premed students at Kanti, joined me to visit the orphanage - a quick hello before dusk when the path becomes dangerous - and then stopping by in Thamel for mango dalquiris in Maya Bar... a favourite when we were here last year.

The orphanage remains an amazing place, with 39 kids being homed there. They are all very healthy, some of them gaining much-needed weight in the last year and all very happy. We spent a few hours doing circle games and me trying, unsuccessfully as ever, to remember their names. It was great fun, and they gave me a tikka and flower chain before I left. "Humbled" doesn't cover it.

Now I'm in Pokhara. We took the 8 hour 200 Rupee (around 1.50 UKP or 3 USD... I'm getting used to this!) trip here last time by bus. But as time is limited I splashed out on taking the 25 minute 50 USD flight. The reason for coming here - mainly because I wanted to see Pokhara again. I have so many great memories of our time here last year, but also I knew I could expect great hospitality from Ailsa, Ganga and Bishnu at the Sacred Valley Inn. You can read more about the Inn by going to Nepal --> Things to do on this website.

The place is chilled out, and I'm about to head for a drink at the Monsoon Bar which has great views up the lake towards the Annapurna Range. Of course, it's different being here on my own instead of 5 other students, but this is set to be the relaxing part of my Nepal leg before catching up with folk and doing as much as possible at Kanti/Hopeful Home during my short stay back in KTM.

It's so good to be back.

Namaste!

Leaving Ho Chi Minh

2005-06-13T15:25:00.000+07:00

Tonight I fly out of Ho Chi Minh after 3 days here. As expected it's been a relaxed interlude between the fast-paced travelling in Cambodia and the expected intensive time up in Nepal. I think I resigned myself fairly early on that it would be impossible to get a good look at Vietnam with such a short stay in such a Westernised city. And so instead we've enjoyed the comfort that this offers... and I think we feel we deserve it after 2 weeks of hot and dusty travelling in a bus!

But the main sites have been done. From the accusative War Remnants Museum (the Americans in our group felt very intimidated and isolated) which includes very graphic photos of the effects of napalm and the horrific massacres that took place during the war... to deformed babies in a jar to show the longer-term consequences of the chemical warfare. As I mentioned before, I now realise how ignorant I've been about both the America/Vietnam War and the Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia.

Visits have also been made to the Reunification Palace - of massive historical importance and with impressive basement operations rooms from where the war could be commanded in the event of the palace coming under attack... and also the Museum of Ho Chi Minh City, with loads of relics from past revolutions.

As for leisure, we've gone to town by enjoying the excellent exchange rate... meaning that drinking in top hotels The Majestic and The Sheraton (from their horizon-view bars with excellent table service) costs little more than a typical UK/US pub. Our hotel - Huong Sen - has also been a great base with constant hot showers and comfortable rooms... we've really been spoilt.

But now things are ready to move on. I'm really excited about getting to Nepal... so many things to see and do, so many people to catch up with. I'm hoping to make a quick trip up to Pokhara to stay in the fantastic Sacred Valley Inn again - which is owned by Ailsa from Scotland and her Nepali husband Bishnu. If you're going to Nepal yourself, a stay here is highly recommended. Things have worked out that it makes sense for me to go to Pokhara early on in the trip (and this time I will be flying instead of bussing - safer and quicker) so activities for KTM such as Kanti Hospital and Hopeful Home will really kick off next week I think.

For now, all I have to do is get on the bus and make it to Ho Chi Minh airport by 1900hrs tonight. In the meantime I think I have time for at least another boulevard-side coffee... it's a hard life!

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

2005-06-11T11:08:00.000+07:00

We arrived in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam yesterday. Time has flown by and to think we've just spent 2 weeks in Cambodia is crazy.

We've seen so many sides to the country in such a short duration. So many of my assumptions about Cambodia have been radically challenged, and I've also discovered how ignorant I've been about both the Khmer Rouge and America/Vietnam Wars.

Thankfully, we were extremely lucky in getting a fantastic tour guide - Vireak - who is Cambodian. Sometimes the Intrepid tours are led by Westerners, others by locals. That we had 24 hour access to a human encyclopaedia of knowledge, with the personal experience to match, was well above our expectations of the trip. The "Basix" nature of the tour meant that our accommodation and travel would be sorted, leaving us flexible to do and see what we wanted. However, because the group got on so well, and because Vireak is so enthusiastic about showing visitors round his country, we benefited from a much more insightful visit.

From the ultra-touristy Siem Reap (which also brought comforts such as sit-down toilets and air conditioning) to the hospitality of our homestay, when we were fed, watered and entertained by a "real, live" Khmer family, there have been so many experiences to remember. And I've added fried crickets to the list of culinary delights.

The next few days promise to be more relaxing. We don't have any early bus journeys, cramped between seats for hours on end (but enjoying it all, really). Half the group are continuing with Intrepid up to Hanoi, whereas others are flying home or onto new countries. I'm looking forward to doing the must-see sights of Reunification Palace and War Remnant Museum, but I won't feel guilty about taking a couple of hours out for well-brewed coffee stops amidst the French colonial buildings.

Some photos from recent days, showing traditional Khmer dress, and a balloon session at the homestay evening...

I'd like to say a few words...

2005-06-09T18:34:00.000+07:00

I'm alive. Reports have been short as we've either been on the road or seeing places... not long to stop in internet cafes and ponder. More stories soon, perhaps when I have a whole night in Bangkok International Airport on Monday.

Thanks for the comments!

Tasty Spiders!

2005-06-05T11:41:00.000+07:00

Okay this is a quick post from Kratie for two reasons... 1 - I was in bed for most of yesterday with a seriously-dehydrating bout of food poisoning which most of the group have been through now... though things are now recovering fast, and 2 - I have 10 minutes before the group meets up again for lunch.

But here's the prized picture (and yes this was the same day I was trying to recover from said poisoning!). We passed through Skuon, a town whose specialty is fried spiders. Zoom in as much as you want, I can assure you it's 100% the real thing!

Getting to know potholes

2005-06-03T17:48:00.000+07:00

We're now in Kompong Thom, a small town on the main road between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap. Yesterday, our last in Siem Reap, we went to a floating village called Chong Kneas. It's located in the largest lake in Cambodia, and its size changes considerably between the dry and wet seasons. Being the end of the dry season just now, we were able to drive through fields that are normally covered by deep water!

The village itself is an impressive achievement. It's not a simple tourist attraction by any means... the inhabitants of the 100+ floating houses have lived and worked from their floating businesses for a good long time. Everything that you'd expect to find in a typical community has been modified to float amongst the rest of the settlement, including a petrol station, school, boat mechanic, police station and fish farms. We took a boat out to tour round the village and then went out further to see the village from a distance.

This was all very peaceful until we noticed a canadian-style canoe approaching us fast. Some of the local children were paddling out to see us, and in well-practised manoeuvres they dropped out the main boat into little steel bowls in which they then expertly paddled up to our boat. Their smiles were numerous but it was all a very rehearsed scene as they knew that we would soon be snapping away with all our cameras. Of course soon the situation became more difficult with requests for money... and they were choosey too, turning away to sweets and Riel (the local currency), making it clear that they would only take dollars. It was a crazy situation where from one minute they were all smiles, to the next when they were like business-people stating their rates. As a result most left empty handed.

The afternoon was free for the group to catch up with email, and have some flexibility in choosing other local activities. Siem Reap is extremely touristy, so consequently it wasn't difficult to fill this time. There was a market to explore, and some of us headed up to the local children's hospital which was set up and is still run by an Austrian or German doctor called Beat Richner. He also had the bright idea of encouraging visiting tourists to donate blood during their stay, and so some of the group did that too.

The evening was had at a great local restaurant which for a fairly hefty 10 USD offered an "eat all you can" buffet with a live performance of traditional Khmer dancing. It turned out to be incredibly good value and the dancing was made even more interesting by Mr Wee's explanations of the dances!

This morning we headed down the road by public bus (3 hours) and again the afternoon was free to explore for ourselves. A group of us headed out to the oldest temple complex in Cambodia, and it turned out to be a fascinating glimpse into early pre-Ankorian history punctuated by craters around the temples left by American B52 bombs. Thankfully all the landmines have now been cleared from this area.

There's now torrential rain outside... good to clear the air but the streets are awash with rainwater. I had a quick look at the BBC News website and see that South China have had big problems recently with flooding so I'm wondering if there is anything related. However, hopefully our plans will remain and tomorrow we are due to head further down the road to Kompong Cham.

It's still extremely hot and humid, but it's also been good to see more parts of Cambodia, especially the areas that have not been overrun by tourists.

Days 3-4

2005-06-01T18:29:00.000+07:00

Apologies for the tiredness within this posting - we've all just arrived back after a very long day starting with sunrise at 5am at Angkor Wat, and the heat fair takes it out of you too! However, I thought I'd post something as an update as it may be a while till I get to a computer again...

The group met up on Monday evening, and after going through formalities of passport/visa checks and paying our monies, we all headed out for a Thai meal. The group is diverse, including a chef, molecular biologist, students in various shapes and forms and a marketing manager from New Zealand, Australia, Canada and England.

Much was said in the itinerary about the long journey ahead of us on Tuesday, with major bumps, non-airconditioned climate and standing-room only all the way. However, it turned out to be much more pleasant, due in some part to our guide "Mr Wee" having arranged alternative transport due to the horrendousness of previous trips! Thus we travelled to the border town of Poipet by mini-van and relatively comfortable all the way. At the border we were met with chaotic scenes, and the tension was furthered by us being warned to be wary about pickpockets, drug dealers (who insert drugs into your backpack without you knowing, for collection by another dealer over the border) and the need for us to have all obtained the correct visas. Thankfully we crossed successfully without problem, and after sitting down for a quick refreshment, even our 30degC+ surroundings were changed by a massive rain shower that literally flooded us out of the cafe!

Soon after, our Cambodia bus arrived, and we set off for the remaining six hour journey to Siem Reap. There was a stark contrast as soon as we left Poipet - the roads were in much poorer condition, and the villages that we passed through were primitive in comparison to the scenes we had all the way to the Thai border. In many ways the setting was more akin to those I saw in Nepal.

We arrived in Siem Reap with increasingly prosperous surroundings as we neared the hotel district. The town is very French in character, and has major tourist facilities mainly due to the nearby Angkor temple complex, one of the seven wonders of the world. However, it is remarkable that before 1998 there was nothing like the level of tourist activity as there is now, as the country was still gripped by civil war. Now there are five star hotels with incredulous luxury on offer! And again a stark contrast from the very poor villages existing less than a mile outside the town.

After a breather and a welcome shower at our hotel "Khmer Memory", we all headed out for a meal downtown at a true Khmer restaurant. By this time the group were gelling very very well and we were starting to understand each others' personalities... seeing how group dynamics evolve is always fascinating I think, and so far it's been so good.

This morning was an early one - rising at 4.30am for a 5am start so we could see the sunrise at Angkor Wat. This was amazing, and there isn't much more I can say to describe it other than look at the photos for an idea of the experience!

We returned to the hotel for breakfast, and then went back for a guided tour of the whole complex by our esteemed guide Mr Wee. Being from Cambodia, he is able to inject so much personal knowledge and passion about the country that simply wouldn't be available from a guide book. It was a long day - there was much to see and much to interest - but worth it, and all along the time was punctuated by amazing scenery, fascinating stories and funny anecdotes.

Before returnin to the hotel, we dropped into the Land Mine Museum, and took some sweets for the kids who are homed there - they have all been injured by land mines in their localities and many have been orphaned by their families. Contributions from visitors to the museum helps to pay for the children's home.

And now back to Siem Reap for some rest from very hot temperatures and very muggy humidity. But it's been an awesome day, and I hope I've done some of our travels justice by relating them amidst much tiredness!

I think tomorrow will be another good day too.

Day 2: Out and About

2005-05-30T17:09:00.000+07:00

Started the day with a confused and laboured phone call from reception at 8am. My room-mate Brian from Sydney had arrived and reception were wondering if I was up so he could dump his things in our room. Well I was awake now! It was good to see someone else who would be on the trip.

But a fairly lazy morning followed, partly because it's not worth dashing around in the muggy heat that was set to prevail today too. I had breakfast with another Intrepider from Texas and again got more confident that the travelling team would get on very very well. Afterwards I caught a riverboat - I love these journeys - across to the Museum of Forensic Medicine to see some grizzly exhibits including jarred siamese twins, skulls with gunshot wounds, and preserved bodies of murderers and rapists. Lovely.

The air conditioning of the building - within hospital grounds - was very welcome as I felt more woozy today... perhaps the Malarone, perhaps the heat, perhaps something else. But more ventilation was assured with another longer journey by riverboat to Tha Sathon where I could pick up the skytrain to look round the mega-shopping district of Siam. This was mainly for interest but also to pick up some items before heading to Cambodia tomorrow. There was some fun in trying to translate the labels, but most embarrassing was when I was looking for tissues, and picked up a packet (whilst studying the "ingredients list" and other clues) of Tampax. Easily done, easily done!

And I had a chance encounter with a man who's daughter was married and living in Aberdeen. It's sometimes surprising (sceptically so) the number of people who have a connection with Scotland as soon as you say that's where you're from... normally these conversations are then angled towards buying something or going with that person for "good view". But this was more genuine, and so we talked for a good while about travelling around Thailand and other such delights. All from a dialogue started when I looked lost and he approached me to see if he could help. Fantastic.

And now I'm back in Banglumphu, ready to meet up with the group at 6pm for some drinks and whatever else we have to do - I'm hoping it's not going to be full of ice-breakers (as I think most of us should be pretty chilled out by now anyway) but it will be great to find out who else will be sharing the bumpy back-of-a-pickup-truck and fast-boat journeys in the next two weeks.

And with that I should be off. Photos are not too numerous just now, but I'm sure there will be many more as the travels become more exciting!

Day 1-ish: Edinburgh - London - Doha - Bangkok

2005-05-29T18:12:00.000+07:00

The journey sounds like the statement you read under fashion designer logos, the omission being Milan. However, in just under 24 hours my journey took me from Waverly Bridge in Edinburgh through numerous airport lounges, duties free and climates. Edinburgh was dreich, London was balmy, Doha was scorching and Bangkok still is muggy.

A good journey tends to be one where nothing much happens, and this was the case for me. No more than an hour was spent hanging around waiting for transfers, and it all went very well. Our arrival in Bangkok was accompanied by amazing thunder and lightning bolts which shot down to the city from above. The sky was dark and angry and so it was with some relief that we touched down successfully. I'm glad I read an article recently that explained why airplanes are no longer affected by lightning bolts!

And so welcome - sadeeki-cha - to Bangkok. The city "where anything goes except the traffic". I prefer the stop-moaning-and-get-on-with-it approach to jet lag, and so today I was up and about by 9am, champing at the bit to explore a city which has a real excitement to it, and I'm not just talking about the taxi ride last night to the hotel!

It's been impossible not to look like the typical tourist, and my first call of judgement was when I was stopped by a curiously randomly located guy on a road crossing. He looked semi-official and tried to give me advice about what to see. I listened, and let him doodle all over my Lonely Planet map. All sounded good, but I wanted head into the centre first. Hmmm, cue the curiously-randomly-timed tuktuk that then turned up to take me to the first port of call (all for 30 Baht, which seemed too good to be realistic). I declined. Perhaps later, once I'd met my imaginary friends in town (no, not a figment of my personality, just a ploy to get away!) and scarpered. Seemed genuine, seemed friendly, but it was just a bit suspicious. I remember the similar dilemmas in Nepal, where the people are also supposed to be friendly. As a person you can't doubt everything you see, but as a tourist you have to exercise a bit more caution.

Anyways, the rest of the day was spent hopping on and off the river boats - great fun and really cheap - to see a few of the riverbank sites. The Grand Palace and all the temples inside the complex were amazing. Very intricate architecture and art work, all against a clear blue sky and scorching sunlight. Perfect thirst-inducing stuff for the first I'm-a-tourist-so-please-overcharge-me experience. There were still more temples to do, and half-way through there is a very inviting van selling chilled drinks. 100 Baht per bottle? That's just under one pound fifty. Much cheaper than my arm and leg, which I was prepared to give. All seemed fine until the end of this path... where a more official restaurant sold the same thing for 20 Baht. Five times more! Because I'm worth it?! However, a quick glance across to see the prices we charge tourists back in sunny Scotland shows it's similar wherere you go.

Chugged across the river again to see a great wee temple complex - Wat Arun - and then back to get the sky-train through the city's skyscrapers up to the massive Chatuchak weekend market. 7000+ stalls in one place, selling everything from furniture to fruit. The experience is overwhelming, but I just spent the time browsing around, enjoying being out of the baking heat for a while. The variety of wares results in a constant embracement of different smells, from sweet coconut juice to stenching sewage from the drains below.

That was me up till late afternoon. I thought I could walk back from one of the other sky-train stations but gave up when I realised I'd misjudged the scale of things. Probably like saying walking from Blackford Hill to Edinburgh centre, or Partick to Glasgow centre - do-able but not fun when it's muggy, 30degC+ and after loads of walking around already. However I'm reassured that despite recent inactivity due to exams, I don't get intermittent claudication after 50 yards!

Better be off. Stomach's rumbling and I'm hopeful of a good Thai curry tonight, seeing as I'm in the right place for that. Today's been good and a big tour of a big city, but I am looking forward to joining with the rest of the group tomorrow!

David

(PS Some photos are up already)