Okay people - I've had a couple of requests to update my blog so here goes.
Apart getting really bad sunburn, which i m still bemused about as its been cloudy most of the time I have done absolutely nothing! This has been my day
Wake up - catch up on news on BBC World News
Shower
Go to Breakfast - cereal with dried fruit, omlette (how the hell do you spell it - I don't know !) and bacon
Check e-mails, facebook, twitter
Lounge by the pool
Lunch - 1 Chang beer and a Thai dish (salad mainly)
Lounge by the pool
Drink at the pool bar (2 Chang beers - well it is 2-4-1 happy hour from 4-7)
Shower for evening meal
Evening meal - 1 Chang beer, either buffet or a la carte depending upon the night, 1 coffee
Bed
I haven't been outside the complex yet and I don't intend to - this was my chill time after spending 2 weeks living out of a suitcase and getting up a stoooopid o'clock to go to ruins (whereas most people on holiday get in a stoooopid o'clock ruined)
I'm going to the pool now for a bit as its my last day - again looking sad in a tshirt on the sun lounger due to sunburn - my head is now starting to peel as well :-(
Leave tomorrow at 12 before getting a flight to Bangkok, then to Abu Dhabi and then on to Manchester!
I may update at Bangkok (seeing as I have 5 hours to kill you can be sure of me being on-line at some point!)
TTFN
Matt
Friday, 20 November 2009
Tuesday, 17 November 2009
Phuket
Arrived in Phuket - its raining! Absolutely tipping it down - we even flew through a thunderstorm (yes Martin I do have pictures of it!)
Got to my hotel - lovely - but no upgrade! Shown to my room - the irony being I am literally the door next to the gym! But I am on the ground floor with perfect access to the pool! Which is where I'm going now.
I'll probably next update when I have the time as I'm gonna top up my tan!
See you all soon
Matt
Got to my hotel - lovely - but no upgrade! Shown to my room - the irony being I am literally the door next to the gym! But I am on the ground floor with perfect access to the pool! Which is where I'm going now.
I'll probably next update when I have the time as I'm gonna top up my tan!
See you all soon
Matt
A few hours in Bangkok
Woke up this morning and I couldn't be ar$ed going to breakfast - I had seen a Starbucks on the corner as the taxi brought me to the hotel last night - venti triple shot iced caramel mac for me!! (with a skinny peach and raspberry muffin)
Walking down the road I was accosted by taxi drivers - GO AWAY!! One insisted on walking with me asking me where I'd been, where I'm going (both now and when I left) - I said I was going to Starbucks but I was flying to Phuket in the afternoon. He then told me he'd driven to Phuket the previous week - what did he want - a medal. So I'm gonna NOT get on a flight just so he can drive me down - plus he lied - he said it took an hour. It takes the bloody plane an hour so unless he's driving Bluebird III then he's got no chance!
Starbucks how I've missed you ;-) You could be the next Mrs Blandford. You're sweet, you're tall, you can be chilled when required and very hot as well. You can change depending upon my mood, you dont cost much and most of all you wouldnt nag me because at the slightest bit of agro I can drink you!
Anyway, back to the room and then on to the Airport for the final stop on my journey - Phuket!
Walking down the road I was accosted by taxi drivers - GO AWAY!! One insisted on walking with me asking me where I'd been, where I'm going (both now and when I left) - I said I was going to Starbucks but I was flying to Phuket in the afternoon. He then told me he'd driven to Phuket the previous week - what did he want - a medal. So I'm gonna NOT get on a flight just so he can drive me down - plus he lied - he said it took an hour. It takes the bloody plane an hour so unless he's driving Bluebird III then he's got no chance!
Starbucks how I've missed you ;-) You could be the next Mrs Blandford. You're sweet, you're tall, you can be chilled when required and very hot as well. You can change depending upon my mood, you dont cost much and most of all you wouldnt nag me because at the slightest bit of agro I can drink you!
Anyway, back to the room and then on to the Airport for the final stop on my journey - Phuket!
One Night in Bangkok - Starring Bobby Moss
Bobby got out of his business class seat and grabbed his bag before flashing his dazzling white smile at the air hostess before disembarking - the flight was a little early for a change. He strode up the ramp towards immigration where he was directed to the VIP queue to pass through. He pushed his sun bleached hair out of his eyes, cheekily winking at the immigration officer, who blushed at such a handsome man.
Passing through immigration was easy and he quickly picked up his bag, which, seeming as though the gods were with him, had come off first. Through to the arrivals hall, Bobby could feel the eyes of all the woman looking at him, wishing they were going home with him that night. His car was waiting for him. His driver opened the car door before drving quickly and smoothly into night, heading for Bangkok.
Bobby couldnt be bothered to check in yet to his hotel, so asked the driver to drop him off at a little bar he knew and the driver could check him in.
Bobby walked into the bar and sat at a seat. Immediately he was surrounded by beautiful women. Bobby was in his element.
Many hours later, Bobby left the bar with Orchid (or was it Ting Tong) - he didn't care. He was going back to the hotel with a beautiful woman and that was all he cared about.
WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED
Matt stood up from his seat and banged his head on the overhead locker. He then waited for ages with the other plebs to be let off the flight which was 30 minutes late.
Matt stood in line waiting for immigration - as usual he has picked the wrong line and waited for ages. Eventually he saw the immigration officer who stamped his passport (literally, not metaphorically) before waving him through.
As was normal, Matts bag was last. It eventually came and he went through to arrivals to meet his driver - who wasn't there! 10 minutes on the phone to the hotel and he found out they had forgotten to send one! They were very helpful though - they advised him to get a public taxi!!! Matt found out that Thai receptionists dont understand sarchasm (my spelling is sh1te).
Matt eventually got to his hotel later than expected. It took 2 people 15 minutes to check him in before getting to his room! Matt turned out the light and went to bed!
Passing through immigration was easy and he quickly picked up his bag, which, seeming as though the gods were with him, had come off first. Through to the arrivals hall, Bobby could feel the eyes of all the woman looking at him, wishing they were going home with him that night. His car was waiting for him. His driver opened the car door before drving quickly and smoothly into night, heading for Bangkok.
Bobby couldnt be bothered to check in yet to his hotel, so asked the driver to drop him off at a little bar he knew and the driver could check him in.
Bobby walked into the bar and sat at a seat. Immediately he was surrounded by beautiful women. Bobby was in his element.
Many hours later, Bobby left the bar with Orchid (or was it Ting Tong) - he didn't care. He was going back to the hotel with a beautiful woman and that was all he cared about.
WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED
Matt stood up from his seat and banged his head on the overhead locker. He then waited for ages with the other plebs to be let off the flight which was 30 minutes late.
Matt stood in line waiting for immigration - as usual he has picked the wrong line and waited for ages. Eventually he saw the immigration officer who stamped his passport (literally, not metaphorically) before waving him through.
As was normal, Matts bag was last. It eventually came and he went through to arrivals to meet his driver - who wasn't there! 10 minutes on the phone to the hotel and he found out they had forgotten to send one! They were very helpful though - they advised him to get a public taxi!!! Matt found out that Thai receptionists dont understand sarchasm (my spelling is sh1te).
Matt eventually got to his hotel later than expected. It took 2 people 15 minutes to check him in before getting to his room! Matt turned out the light and went to bed!
Monday, 16 November 2009
Finally from Vietnam
Well I'm at the airport now waiting to go to Bangkok. So my thoughts therefore on Vietnam.
Have I enjoyed it? Yes yes yes!! It's a wonderful country full of great sights, sounds and smells. It's steeped in history both old and new making it a mixture that is profoundly appealing.
Would I come back? Already working out when! There is so much more I want to see that I haven't that coming back is a definate!
Would I do anything different? Yes - travel with someone. Travelling alone is very exhilerating having to be totally responsible for yourself but you see some amazing sights that no matter how many pictures you take or how many times you try and explain the sounds, the smells, the wonderment - at the end of the day ....
YOU DON'T KNOW MAN, YOU WEREN'T THERE!!
Have I enjoyed it? Yes yes yes!! It's a wonderful country full of great sights, sounds and smells. It's steeped in history both old and new making it a mixture that is profoundly appealing.
Would I come back? Already working out when! There is so much more I want to see that I haven't that coming back is a definate!
Would I do anything different? Yes - travel with someone. Travelling alone is very exhilerating having to be totally responsible for yourself but you see some amazing sights that no matter how many pictures you take or how many times you try and explain the sounds, the smells, the wonderment - at the end of the day ....
YOU DON'T KNOW MAN, YOU WEREN'T THERE!!
Saigon!
Saigon (or Ho Chi Minh City - never know which to use) has been kind of weird! It is like any western city - wide roads, 'proper' shops, traffic that for the most part obeys the rules of the road and tall buildings ... And I don't like it!
I wanted my last couple of days to be fun, drinking cheap beer at the local bars and eating street food. Maybe I was in the wrong place but they were all proper bars (with doors and proper seats) and there's even a Pho 24 chain a bit like a Vietnamese maccy d's!
I've wandered round the city a bit to go and see the museums but apart from being able to cross roads better ... It wasn't as friendly as the other places!
Apart from the bl00dy cyclo taxi people - as a single person walking the city ... OMG!! Bu€€er off!! This one guy followed me for 3 blocks! What is so wrong with walking!
Anyway a couple of days was more than enough for me - in fact I wish I had had more time in Hanoi, Hue or Hoi An instead!
I wanted my last couple of days to be fun, drinking cheap beer at the local bars and eating street food. Maybe I was in the wrong place but they were all proper bars (with doors and proper seats) and there's even a Pho 24 chain a bit like a Vietnamese maccy d's!
I've wandered round the city a bit to go and see the museums but apart from being able to cross roads better ... It wasn't as friendly as the other places!
Apart from the bl00dy cyclo taxi people - as a single person walking the city ... OMG!! Bu€€er off!! This one guy followed me for 3 blocks! What is so wrong with walking!
Anyway a couple of days was more than enough for me - in fact I wish I had had more time in Hanoi, Hue or Hoi An instead!
Friday, 13 November 2009
One full day in Hoi An
Thought it was going to be a cr@p day - it was overcast early in the morning but I got up, had breakfast and then went by the pool untill about 11:30 - the sun did come out so had to nip off to the pharmacy to get some sun tan lotion!
About midday I wandered into town to get something to eat - again picked well at a cafe where I got a seat overlooking the river - very western today though - beef sandwich on rye with chips ;-)
Got talking to a girl from Blackburn who had been backpacking for 8 months. As her friend was leaving that day but she wasnt we arranged to meet up in the evening to get something to eat and a few drinks!
After lunch I went to do some more shopping for bits and bobs and then picked up my shirts from the previous day - fitted brilliantly! Quick drink by the pool and then got dressed to go out.
Met Lisa back in town and she'd picked up another lonely backpacker called Sophie on her travels in the afternoon so the 3 of us had something to eat in this little restaurant over the river - brilliant food - basically 3 drinks, 3 starters and 3 mains ...£10 ! And the food was great - although my main was bl00dy hot with chillies and lemongrass!
Walked back into town and went to a bar which seems to be the hang out for all the young tourists (and therefore mainly backpackers) - I keep out of the conversations as they were talking about not have AirCon and where the cheapest places were and about $10 a night ... when you're staying in a 5* hotel and paying $10 for a couple of drinks - well you kind of shut up!
As I was looking around the bar - who should I see but Steve, my mate from Beijing - he'd got to Hoi An the day before. He'd spent more time around Hanoi and then did a 3 day tour of Halong Bay before flying down to Hoi An. Had a bit of a natter but then he was going to a beach party with some people he'd got to know and I had to come back to get to bed to fly out the next morning so we parted company again!
The three of us left the bar and then went our separate ways having swapped contact details! And that was Hoi An. Next stop - Ho Chi Minh City!
About midday I wandered into town to get something to eat - again picked well at a cafe where I got a seat overlooking the river - very western today though - beef sandwich on rye with chips ;-)
Got talking to a girl from Blackburn who had been backpacking for 8 months. As her friend was leaving that day but she wasnt we arranged to meet up in the evening to get something to eat and a few drinks!
After lunch I went to do some more shopping for bits and bobs and then picked up my shirts from the previous day - fitted brilliantly! Quick drink by the pool and then got dressed to go out.
Met Lisa back in town and she'd picked up another lonely backpacker called Sophie on her travels in the afternoon so the 3 of us had something to eat in this little restaurant over the river - brilliant food - basically 3 drinks, 3 starters and 3 mains ...£10 ! And the food was great - although my main was bl00dy hot with chillies and lemongrass!
Walked back into town and went to a bar which seems to be the hang out for all the young tourists (and therefore mainly backpackers) - I keep out of the conversations as they were talking about not have AirCon and where the cheapest places were and about $10 a night ... when you're staying in a 5* hotel and paying $10 for a couple of drinks - well you kind of shut up!
As I was looking around the bar - who should I see but Steve, my mate from Beijing - he'd got to Hoi An the day before. He'd spent more time around Hanoi and then did a 3 day tour of Halong Bay before flying down to Hoi An. Had a bit of a natter but then he was going to a beach party with some people he'd got to know and I had to come back to get to bed to fly out the next morning so we parted company again!
The three of us left the bar and then went our separate ways having swapped contact details! And that was Hoi An. Next stop - Ho Chi Minh City!
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