I don't like cricket... I love it!

We got back to Perth and the cricket began.  We had tickets for the 3rd and 4th day but Tim couldn't wait that long so he got a ticket to day 2 aswell.  I had a lovely day relaxing in Kings Park, the most beautiful park I have every been in.  We went to the cricket together the next couple of days and well, I think everybody knows we lost.  It was good fun though, we sat near the barmy army and chanted along.  I was disappointed Broad wasn't playing as he is very attractive! Here's some photos because they explain better than I can!

On the way to the WACA




Day two, all over at 11.30!




Some cricket on day 1



More cricketting around

On the west bank at the WACA

Jimmy! Legend. 



Western Australia

Free BBQ's are everywhere!

We have been in Australia for 10 days now and have covered about 2500km!  We arrived in Perth and stayed there for 3 nights, did a little bit of shopping, went on a student night out (a reminder of the good old days!) and walked around the city.  The best part was Kings Park which is on a hill over-looking the city so the view is great.  We are now having to cook and shop for ourselves which is a shock after 3 months of eating out, especially as everything is twice the price it is in England- except steak.  Our first meal was steak and packet pasta- very tasty! 

We hired a car on the 3^rd day and headed south towards Margaret River, via Bunbury and Bussleton.  The drive was brilliant, amazing views and it was great to have our own car – even if it wasn’t a fiesta.  We stopped when we wanted and visited a few different places ad beaches.  A highlight was visiting Bunbury Dolphin centre.  It was 10 minutes before closing, and they were undergoing a refurbishment so the lady let us in free.  There are wild dolphins there that you can interact with on the beach- but we were told they only come in the mornings.  However, when we went out to the beach there was a dolphin!  It was only there for a few seconds then disappeared but it was still impressive!  There are free gas BBQ's everywhere so we had a great BBQ in Bussleton by the beach.

Wineries for Timmy's birthday

The Friday was Tim’s birthday, we went for a walk near a lighthouse where the views were amazing, then went to a few wineries for some tastings in the afternoon.  You just rock up try the wine then leave- it’s great!  We went out in the evening for a few beers with the guys from the hostel too, a good day all round.  From Margaret River we went on to Augusta to another lighthouse and more amazing views – the photos just don’t do it justice, this is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen.  

Jetty at Busstleton

We drove on to Albany that night then in the morning explored a bit more coast.  There is a natural bridge in the rock which is spectacular and little beach was my favourite beach.  

View from the top of the Diamond tree, fire lookout.  

You can just about make out Tim on the Natural bridge!

We Stayed in Walpole on the way to Esperance, Tim climbed a fire tree which are used as lookouts for forest fires.  It was 52m high, I bottled it at about 10m and had to come down!  Tim got to the top though and you can see just how high it is from the photo- can you make me out on the ground?!   

  

From Walpole we visited the Valley of the Giants which is a tree top walk 40m in the air on a suspension bridge.  I managed to do this one but it took a lot of courage!  The bridge moves in the wind to replicate the swaying of the canopy- not good, but once again the views were worth it.  We had a guided tour around the forest floor afterwards and saw trees that had been burnt out by forest fires but were still regenerating and alive.  Some of the trees were over 300 years old.  

At the top of the Valley of the Giants.

300 year old tree burnt by a forest fire, but still living.  

From there we went on to Esperance which is really remote, we had to sleep in the car because we couldn’t find anywhere open to stay!  We spent the next day on the beach, then headed back via wave rock- a huge rock that looks like a wave.  After another night in the car (hot showers in the public toilets make it doable), we headed back towards Perth via Fremantle which is a port town nearby.  We had an amazing time driving around, Western Australia is just stunning and having a little t’banger has been brilliant.             

Tim surfing Wave rock!

Little beach- my favourite.  We were the only ones on it for the afternoon after these snorkellers had gone. They were fishing with spears!

On the road, amazing straight roads and views that go on forever! 

Kuala Lumpar, Singapore to Australia (all in a week)

Petronas Towers from the bottom.  

 From Penang, we caught the bus down to Kuala Lumpar (KL as everyone calls it) on a really plush bus.  We found a place to stay but were finding you get less for your money the further south down Asia you go and capital cities are always more expensive so this place was a bit grotty.  We stayed in china town which was really busy and bustling but filthy!  The food was great though. 

View from the petronas towers sky bridge on the 41st floor

On the first day we went for a walk around the city, it isn’t too big so you can walk it all.  The city is really beautiful and the greenest city I have ever seen.  There are trees everywhere.  The architecture is great and there is a mix of old, colonial buildings and brand new skyscrapers which makes it interesting.  We got caught in a huge thunderstorm in the afternoon and had to shelter in the entrance of a five star hotel.  The thunder and lightning was just overhead and went off simultaneously.  It was so loud, I have never been in a thunderstorm like it.  As we sat there an ex-policeman came over to talk to us and told us he was escorting the Malaysian prime minister to a meeting, then a police escort arrived and the prime minister got out and went into the hotel.  It was quite surreal as they were lots of people trying to shake his hand and say hello, then me and Tim loitering about!

With the 2 Rachels in Singapore

 The next morning we got up early to queue for Petronas Tower tickets.  They are given out on a first come first served basis and only a certain number of people can go up each day.  After a couple of hours of waiting we got to the sky bridge and the view was really spectacular.  You can really see how green the city is from there.  In the afternoon we went to look at the KL tower and for a walk in the park surrounding it, it was nice but we got ravished by mosquitos!  We got really lost trying to get back to the hotel and caught in another thunderstorm, then told there were no train tickets to Singapore so we would have to get the more expensive and less convenient bus.  Not the best afternoon we have had!  We decided to go to Singapore the next day. 

Sky bridge in Singapore

So we packed our bags again and in the morning set out to go to the bus station.  We were told that we could get the bus from the stop just outside our hotel, great we thought, we don’t have to carry our bags far or change buses.  The bus came and took us straight to the bus station we were going to anyway then stopped there for 2 hours.  At 12 we set off again and everything was going well, we had to change buses at the service station but that was ok.  When we got to the border crossing we got off the bus with our bags but not my book or Tim’s neck pillow and proceeded through the crossing picking up passport stamps on the way.  All this took about 10minutes, so we went outside and waited for our bus to pick us up again… and waited, and waited.  We couldn’t see anyone from our bus and after asking security it became apparent that our bus had gone without us.  We were told we would have to pay to get the local bus into Singapore city centre, which we did whilst lamenting over how this would never happen in England!  The bus took an hour and a half to go 20km and we arrived in Singapore very tired and cross and found a hostel; Singapore is really expensive so we had to get dorm beds for the first time. 

Singapore at night and the F1 track from the skybridge
However, it was all ok because we met up with Rachel and Rachel, who we went on the elephant trek with in Chang Mai and had a really good catch up over a couple of beers at the quay.  It was great to see them and compare travelling stories!  The next morning we saw the girls off then went for a walk (in the rain) around Singapore.  It is the cleanest city and everywhere looks really new.  We went to Orchard road, which is a really posh shopping road, and had a great time people watching.  Some peoples outfits were amazing!  Then as the rain cleared up in the afternoon we went to the Marina Bay Sands sky bridge, which has no roof so is open to the elements!  We watched the sun go down and all the lights come on in the city which was pretty spectacular.  We could see the F1 racetrack from there too, which impressed Tim. 

'Sleeping' in the airport- not the best idea we've ever had!

The next day we waited around in the hostel for the day and met a couple from Rochdale and Burnley (a Burnley fan but ok!) and after talking for a while we discovered the lads little brother went to my old primary school and had been taught by my mum! Very scary just how small the world is sometimes!  We set off to the airport at night and got a couple of hours sleep there before flying to Australia in the morning.  We are now in Perth and going to get a car to explore the south west coast over the next week before heading back for the cricket.  

Thai Islands to Malaysia

Sleeping boat- our beds were 13 and 14.

From Koh Tao we went to Koh Phi Phi on a ridiculously cramped night boat.  It had tiny little mattresses right next to each other and next to me was a garlicky Spaniard - not pleasant!  Thankfully the boat wasn't full so we moved away and had a bit more space once we were moving.  Koh Phi Phi was lovely, really beautiful and picturesque so we did nothing but lounge around on the beaches for a few days.  The diving had brought on an ear infection for Tim so we didn't do much whilst he was on antibiotics, but there is no better place for recovering than a tropical island!  

Tim on the beach at Koh Phi Phi

Koh Phi Phi was quite touristy and expensive though, we stayed in our worst room yet with just a double bed and a cold shower, which we affectionately called the dungeon.  When we woke up one morning I noticed what looked like a leaf on Tim's back so I started to pick it off then realised it wasn't a leaf, it was a lizard tail! I frantically looked around for the rest of the lizard, was it on the ceiling or perhaps the wall? But no lizard.  Then wondering what all the commotion was, Tim woke up and rolled over.  There it was, the rest of the lizard, squashed flat and stuck to his other shoulder, eyes bulging and one little foot reaching out as if to say 'save me'! Hilarious, Tim didn’t laugh as much as me though.  

Sunset on Koh Phi Phi

It was the full moon festival whilst we were on Koh Phi Phi and all the local people make lotus flower floats with a candle and joss sticks on them which they send out in the bay to float away the sins of the last year and bring good luck for the incoming year.  Some of the floats were beautiful but unfortunately it started to rain just as they were sent out in the bay so not many stayed lit.  

Our view from the resort at Koh lanta

So, after a few days of sunbathing we decided to go to Koh Lanta, another Thai island.  Koh Lanta is a bit further south and is a lot bigger but not as busy as Koh Phi Phi.  There isn’t much there except a beach.  We had a few days there doing nothing much but lounging by the pool and strolling from one restaurant to the next, along the beach.  

Really good seafood on Koh Lanta

From Koh Lanta we came straight to Penang, an island off the west coast of Malaysia, by a combination of minivans and boats.  We let the side down a bit by having a McDonalds as our last meal in Thailand, but I assure you a big Mac has never tasted so good, Tim’s double Big Mac (ridiculously big) went down just as well! 

At the top of Penang hill

Penang is a lovely town, we have spent the last few days wandering around, exploring and generally soaking up the atmosphere.  The people are really 

friendly and the food is amazing.  We went for a walk in the botanical gardens on Sunday which were beautiful, and decided to walk to the top of Penang Hill.  It started off ok, just lots of steps and a good thigh workout, then about halfway up we got lost and ended up at a house with some nasty looking traps set for monkeys- we hoped- and 2 very unfriendly dogs.  I was starting to get worried as we only had a packet of tic-tacs to sustain us.  We had to find our way to the road and slogged up to the top, sweaty but triumphant only to be told the funicular train was being fixed and we would have to walk back down.  As we got to the top the daily thunderstorm set in as well so the beautiful view was covered in cloud and mist and we got soaked.  Typical.  We did make it home though and had a fantastic curry in the evening so everything was ok again.  

Diving

We went in the sea the next day which was really scary but amazing fun.  We did 2 dives that afternoon and on the second one we saw a turtle.  It was just happily munching on the coral then swam up and over us, so cool!  We saw loads of different fish lots from nemo including a clownfish.  The next day we did the exam which we both passed then went for 2 more dives in the afternoon.  A cameraman cam with us and we had a lot of fun playing around underwater.  We watched the film the next day after it had been edited and set to music, it was really good and now we have a copy of our own.  

All of the group with the instructor Dan and assistant Gaz

 By this time we had both got the bug and decided to do the advanced diver course which means we can swim down to 30m.  That started the next day and was all diving, we did 5 more dives including a night dive which was amazing as there are loads of luminescent plankton in the water at night which light up and sparkle when you touch them or swim past.  It looked like we were covered in fairy dust and was like playing with sparklers underwater!  

After the night dive

The other dives were a buoyancy practice where you use your lungs to help you sit higher or lower in the water and we had to swim through hoops and do loop the loops which was a lot of fun except I kept hitting my head on the hoops.  More practice needed!

We also had a go a navigating underwater using computers and compasses which was a lot of fun.  Then we did a cave dive using a different mix of oxygen and nitrogen in our tanks and a deep dive down to 30m. And now we are qualified advanced divers :0)  

All the gang with our equipment

In the water with Gaz

Back to Thailand...Koh Tao

On Tuesday 9th November we flew from Hanoi into Bangkok with no clear idea of where we were going or what to do when we got there.  It was a relief to fly and so easy, we covered 2000km in 2 hours in comfort!  When we arrived in Bangkok we decided to go straight to Koh Tao, I'm not keen on the hustle and bustle of Bangkok and we didn't feel like there was anything else there for us to see.  So, we caught a bus then a sleeping boat over to Koh Tao -which means turtle island in Thai- and got there 6am on Wednesday.  Hardcore travelling 24 hours straight!

When we arrived it was- you guessed it- raining! We spent a miserable, tired couple of hours in the rain looking for somewhere cheap enough to stay and soon realised we were going to have to give up some luxuries like air con and hot water!  But we eventually found a hut which was cute.  After that we went for an explore of the island and found an AMAZING pasty shop, not quite as good as Marsden's of Chorley, but close.  We signed up for a diving course to do our open water qualification which, happily included accommodation in a swanky hotel.  From hut to wifi, hot water, air con, balcony and cable telly -one happy Timmy!  The island had their worst rain for 4 years that day and the roads were flooded and turned into rivers- recurring theme for us.  

We started the course on the Wednesday night, did some theory and then had homework to do which was a shock.  On Thursday we did theory in the morning then donned the equipment and went in the swimming pool. It was really scary as you spend the whole time fighting your instinct to swim to the top.  We practised 20 skills ready for the sea the next day.  

Hanoi and Halong bay

Halong Bay

We arrived in Hanoi after the worst sleeping bus journey ever! But thankfully the last we have to do for a while. It's a really pretty city but really busy and hard to navigate around- there are lots of little side streets and roads going off at strange angles.  Nightmare! We got lost more than a couple of times.  

Floating village- people live there all the time

We decided to go on a trip to Halong bay for 3 days and 2 nights.  We went on a boat and cruised around the bay for a few hours then visited 'surprising cave' which had lots of rock formations and stalactites.  It was huge and had 3 chambers.  The surprise was a rock formation in the 3rd chamber which looked like a finger pointing or a something more rude depending on your imagination! 


After the cave we kayaked around the bay for a while which was lovely and peaceful.  It is one of the most spectacular places I have ever been to.  We stayed on the boat that night, at night the bay was really beautiful with lots of boats lit up and huge islands in the background.  The Vietnamese are mad about karaoke and right across the bay you could hear singing from the different boats so good but lots of bad! There didn't seem to be a limit on the number of boats allowed on the bay at once so there were literally hundreds there.  Not good during the day but beautiful at night.  



The next day we got up at 5 to see the sunrise but realised it was getting light but there was no sun- it was directly behind a rock we were parked next to. 

Rickety viewpoint- worth the scary climb though.
Later we were dropped off at an island to visit the national park.  We climbed up to a viewpoint and to the top off a rickety tower- very scary!- to look at the view which was amazing.  

View from the top of the mountain
After that we checked into our hotel which promised a sauna and steam room but both were being refurbished when we got there- typical.  

Cheeky monkey!

It didn't matter though, in the afternoon we went to monkey island so called because of the group of monkeys that live there.  The guides feed the monkeys so they are vicious! One chased after me to try to get my shoelaces and pawed at my legs with its cold little hands. Another lady in our group got bitten by one- rabies shot needed!  We swam in the sea as the sun came out briefly, then watched the sunset on the way home.  It was lovely. 

Sunset from monkey island

The next morning we got the boat and a bus back to Hanoi which took all day.  In Hanoi we decided to buy a little lap top which is what I'm using now :0) so we can be in touch more often.  

Nha Trang to Hoi An

We stayed a couple of days in Nha Trang but there was only one day of decent weather when we were very english and sunbathed on the beach despite it being overcast and so windy we were constantly pelted with sand!  On the plus side we had silky smooth skin after the sand blasting!  On the day we left it poured with rain all day and the whole place flooded- we stayed in the hotel all day but Tim ventured out for food at one point and had to wade through water up to his thighs! There were abandoned cars on the road with water up to their bonnets!  We managed to catch the bus and then made slow progress out of the town because of closed roads and flood water.  We made it though and eventually got to Hoi An the next morning.  The sleeping buses have completely lost their novelty and have got progressively more uncomfortable, partly because of the bumpy roads and maniac drivers.  We were actually thrown up into the air at some points only to come crashing back down - not good for bad backs or sleeping!

When we arrived Tim's bag had been sat in the flood water for the whole night as the luggage compartment had been flooded.  Ever the gentleman, his bag had kept mine dry as my bag was stacked on top of his.  So we spent the next 2 days in Hoi An trying to dry out all his gear with a hairdryer we borrowed from reception!  We did get everything clean and dry in the end though. 

We spent a few days in Hoi An, which was really pretty and I had some new silver sandals made.  The speciallity there is tailored suits and dresses and made to measure shoes.  The shoes are lovely! Tim left me for a few hours to return to hairdryer duties so I shopped for a little bit and got a new bag, a bracelet, a couple of pressies and some shoes! all bargins of course. 

One evening we went for some food in a little place next to the river, which was lit by lanterns and was very romantic until a big rat appeared from the back of the restaurant, we had to eat the rest of our meal whilst stamping our feet to keep it away! It did reappear 2 more times though but I am now nearly de-sensitised and didn't even scream!  It took the edge off the romance though. 

We went from Hoi An up to Hue and stayed for one night.  We did a city tour and looked around the citadel which is ruins, and a couple of pagodas and tombs.  it finished with a boat ride down the river and he rain managed to hold off for the day which was good.

Photos I haven't been able to upload until now!

With our backpacks in Chang Rai Thailand

Tim in a Tuk Tuk in Chang Mai (after a few Changs- don't worry he didn't move!)Thailand

With the 'lads' in Luang Prapang on the way to the waterfall

Tubing in Vang Vieng

Kayaking from Vang Vieng to Vietianne Laos

Ryder Cup night! Tim's best night yet :0)  he was rough the next day!Vietianne Laos

Floods in Siam Reap- it didn't stop the motorbikes though!

A very tall temple at Angkor Wat Cambodia

Playing dress up at the National museum in Phnom Penh

One for you Jen - What is this???? I thought Lion and Tim went for Great Dane :0)

  All guesses welcome - It was Vietnam so could be anything!

A monkey at Angkor Wat - everybody loves a monkey!