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Showing posts from 2018

Getting inked in Ho Chi Minh by Shiiworks

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On our recent travels to Ho Chi Minh City my partner and I decided to get a tattoos. Getting inked (credit: Flikr ) Why we decided to get them We both had tattoos done this year at  Family Business  in London by  Jonathan Mckenzie  who is a very precise and fine detailed artist – it was actually my first ever tattoo. I didn't really think tattoos would be addictive, but here I am, getting my second one in the space of 4 months – in Vietnam! We were a bit dubious about getting tattoos in a different country, as you have to think: Is it hygienic? Safe? Will I regret it? It's really important to do your research on a tattooist and know what the standards are in the country you're getting it in. Obviously, if you're going for a bamboo tattoo in Thailand then there's a risk, but most tattooist now play by the hygiene rules – but check before you book. You should read reviews, look on social media and TripAdvisor, or better still talk to someone who got a tat

Thailand to Malaysia by train (and a couple of ferries)

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If you’re in Thailand and want to go to Malaysia without getting a long bus or a plane, than you’ll be pleased to know it is possible by train(s) and a few ferries. The beautiful Koh Samui  Our itinerary My partner and I recently travelled from Koh Samui, Thailand all the way to Georgetown, Penang and it went surprisingly smooth. Here's how we did it: 1. Lomprayah ferry  and bus (joint ticket):  Na Thon Koh Samui to Surat Thani Train Station  ( duration: 3 hours and 5 mins, cost: 700 baht) -  booked with 12goAsia 2. Thai sleeper train (special express): Surat Thani, Thailand to Padang Besar, Malaysia (duration: approx. 7 hours, cost: 722 baht) - booked with Thai Railway Ticket My train ticket from Surat Thani to Padang Besar 3. KTM Komuter: Padang Besar to Butterworth (duration: 1 hr 30 mins, cost: 115 baht) - can’t pre-book, got the ticket at the station 4. Butterworth ferry to Georgetown (duration: approx. 20 mins, cost: 1.20 ringgit) - got th

Coffee tasting and finding Utopia in Luang Prabang, Laos

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We didn't have many expectations for Luang Prabang, but when we left we were gutted we didn't spend more time there. This post includes: How to get to Luang Prabang What the atmosphere was like Kuang Si Falls The Alms Giving Ceremony  Coffee tasting The Utopia bar How much we spent The beautiful Mekong River at sunset Atmosphere Classed as a world heritage site in 1995, Lurang Prabang is the ancient capital of Laos. The town is full of charm and quaintness with its beautiful French-indochinese architecture with hints of modern influences. It feels like it's a place that doesn't know what to do with all the attention it gets, but doesn't care at the same time. Comparing it to other places we’ve been so far, I’d say it’s got the chill vibes of Pai mixed with a bit of Chiang Mai, but not as busy. To get around town I'd highly recommend hiring a bicycle. It's not too busy on the roads, unlike it's neighbouring countries Thailand and Vie

What travelling can do for you (and good books to read along the way)

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We've been on the road for about 2 months now so I thought I'd stop and reflect on what made us start travelling in the first place. Being on the open road (Marble Mountains, Da Nang) When you stop and think about it travelling is a bit odd – you leave behind family, stuff you’ve worked for and the comfort of your home to go to an unfamiliar place where you don’t understand the language and you deliberate over every piece of food you put in your mouth. But believe it or not travelling isn’t a revolutionary thing – if no one did it then most of the world wouldn’t know each other, and worst of all we’d probably have really bad coffee. For me I see it as a means of educating and enriching myself in my own way. Learning that's not taught in some classroom, or read on the news, but mine. Why we decided to travel For us (my partner and I) deciding to travel wasn't based on one reason as such, it was more of a collection of things and a shared understanding

5 veggie places to get your teeth into in Hanoi, Vietnam

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Finding a veggie place to eat in Hanoi can be rather daunting - but lucky for you, we found some! All of these places you'll find in the Old Quarter of Hanoi, where you'll find all the trendy restaurants, bars, cool coffee spots and historical buildings. 1) Noodle and Roll Where it is: 39C Ly Quoc Su, Hang Trong, Hoan Kiem, Ha Noi Good for: veggie alternatives to Vietnamese classic dishes at street market prices Price range : 35,000 to 70,000 dong We went here 5 times in a week - says it all really! Veggie bun cha Price: 45,000 dong This dish is usually made with meat, such as grilled pork, but this one comes with spring rolls as an alternative. You get rice noodles with fresh herbs such as mint and coriander together with 10 or so crunchy spring rolls that are filled with vermicelli noodles, a mixture of vegetables and spices. This is all served with a classic bun cha dressing. I'd recommend putting a douse of soya sauce on your noodles to give the

Cruising through Laos down the mighty Mekong River

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If you're thinking of travelling to Laos from Thailand or visa versa, then I'd strongly suggest taking the slow boat down the Mekong River. It's a beautiful way to see rural Laos whilst chilling on a boat for 2 days. This post includes: how we got to the border town, Chiang Khong how we chose our cruise what the boat was like what we did over the 2 days overall impressions Docked at Pak Ou Caves Getting to the border town, Chiang Khong We took a massive mini bus trip from Pai to Chiang Khong, a town on the border between Thailand and Laos, where we stayed the night before our cruise. The bus trip took about 9 hours and we didn't feel totally safe or comfortable during it. The driver was on his phone constantly, overtaking people and was generally rude. When we reached Chiang Mai we changed mini bus and unfortunately I got the middle seat at the front, which had no seatbelt. Anyway, despite this they did stop a few times, which included a short st

You don't have to be a hippy to enjoy Pai, Thailand

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Loads of our friends told us that we must go to Pai, so we did - and it turned out to be the most relaxing time we've had since starting our journey. A colourful welcome to Pai This post includes: how we got to Pai from Chiang Mai where we stayed what the atmosphere was like where we ate and drank things to do and see how much we spent overall impressions Getting there From Chiang Mai we took a mini bus that we booked via our hotel. It seemed liked the most convenient option because they pick you up directly from where you’re staying so you don't have to faff about in the heat carrying your bags. This cost us 403 baht (£9.48) for 2 people. Mini buses seem to be the most popular option to get to Pai as it's not on the train route. You can fly as well, but I think the planes are those flimsy little ones, which scare me. The mini bus takes about 2 hours and travels up the winding roads though the mountains where Pai sits on the other side. If you'