Early morning bus to HCMC, Vietnam. Will meet Jake there, do some laundry, chill out. Hopefully end of illness. Then maybe Mui Ne, meet Brigitte. Then north.
Left the hostel at 6am, place reeking of hash again! I suppose it masks the rubbish in the alley outside. Ended up in a Cambodian guesthouse after a mix-up with our reservations at the hostel. $6 a night for a/c and a private room is okay though. Very chilled atmosphere here. Cambodia seems to have that effect on people. Rosy's was the same.
We've stayed in some stuffy spots - Royal Asia, Sant Asar, Jin Jiang Inn. Unfailingly, the staff have always been helpful and personable. The only places they weren't was at Godzilla's and in Listvyanka. And Sant Asar after we broke the mirror (then everyone chipped in to pay for it!), and the Fenghe Xi'an "IYH" for the bed pollution.
The ger camp was the most fun environment, but there'll always be a special place in my heart for the Apple hostel, and Cloudland. Such nice places. Rosy's too, but that was more upmarket.
Hostels often act as a Western enclave - insulating the traveller from the local food and people. Definitely met more Chinese people on the train than anywhere else. Any Russians were guides or from Apple. Since Bangkok it's nearly all been ex-pats.
I think I need to get away from S&N. Not that they're not good company, I just don't have much opportunity for spontaneity, nor for getting out and about with others. Haven't met any lovely girls yet, which disappoints me. Still, 4.5 months to go.
Random memory #1: the Milky Way stretched across the sky in Mongolia. So many stars that familiar constellations were unrecognisable.
#2: Andy being mistaken as our guide/interpreter in China, and being spoken to in rapid-fire Chinese on the bus.
Arrived in HCMC a little after one, walked to the hostel without much hassle. Bus was alright - ferry crossing, lunch stop in Bravet. Thor on the telly, conductor managing the border crossing. Rather pleasant!
HCMC isn't hotter than anywhere else (at least, not especially so), but it's infinitely more humid, and sweatier. Sitting down is a sweaty activity. Walking induces small rivers of sweat. Anything beyond that... well I haven't tried yet.
Pottered around the Reunification Palace, getting my Khmer and Vietnamese histories mixed up. Impressive place, lots of marble and stately furniture. Now is showering time, and recharge before dinner and beers.
A note on religion: most people in Asia seem to be Buddhists, though Paean described himself as Hindu-Buddhist. Perhaps he was identifying with Angkor Wat. Originally, the Khmer of pre-medieval times adopted the Hindu gods of Indian traders. Shiva (the destroyer), Vishnu (the protector), Ganesh. The temples of Angkor Wat and Thom were originally built to worship these. It was only from 1181 that Buddhism began to replace it. Thus the architecture and sculpture of the original buildings are all relating to Hindu legends. Later, statues of Buddha were inserted.
Hinduism and Buddhism (and Taoism and Confucianism) do not seem to be mutually exclusive at all, and aspects of each are probably observed in Cambodia today.
Across SE Asia, special treatment is still give to monks, and natives are reverent even at the most touristy of shrines and temples. Mongolia too is Buddhist, but Dawa said it's in decline there.
Lashing rain again now. Doesn't bother natives for the most part. most of life happens outside - shops are mostly stalls, garages and workshops are open to the street. No a/c for the majority, just grin and get on with it. very social, very... enduring? Hardy maybe. Come what may, life goes on, they'll find a way to get by.
Left the hostel at 6am, place reeking of hash again! I suppose it masks the rubbish in the alley outside. Ended up in a Cambodian guesthouse after a mix-up with our reservations at the hostel. $6 a night for a/c and a private room is okay though. Very chilled atmosphere here. Cambodia seems to have that effect on people. Rosy's was the same.
We've stayed in some stuffy spots - Royal Asia, Sant Asar, Jin Jiang Inn. Unfailingly, the staff have always been helpful and personable. The only places they weren't was at Godzilla's and in Listvyanka. And Sant Asar after we broke the mirror (then everyone chipped in to pay for it!), and the Fenghe Xi'an "IYH" for the bed pollution.
The ger camp was the most fun environment, but there'll always be a special place in my heart for the Apple hostel, and Cloudland. Such nice places. Rosy's too, but that was more upmarket.
Hostels often act as a Western enclave - insulating the traveller from the local food and people. Definitely met more Chinese people on the train than anywhere else. Any Russians were guides or from Apple. Since Bangkok it's nearly all been ex-pats.
I think I need to get away from S&N. Not that they're not good company, I just don't have much opportunity for spontaneity, nor for getting out and about with others. Haven't met any lovely girls yet, which disappoints me. Still, 4.5 months to go.
***
Random memory #1: the Milky Way stretched across the sky in Mongolia. So many stars that familiar constellations were unrecognisable.
#2: Andy being mistaken as our guide/interpreter in China, and being spoken to in rapid-fire Chinese on the bus.
***
Arrived in HCMC a little after one, walked to the hostel without much hassle. Bus was alright - ferry crossing, lunch stop in Bravet. Thor on the telly, conductor managing the border crossing. Rather pleasant!
HCMC isn't hotter than anywhere else (at least, not especially so), but it's infinitely more humid, and sweatier. Sitting down is a sweaty activity. Walking induces small rivers of sweat. Anything beyond that... well I haven't tried yet.
Pottered around the Reunification Palace, getting my Khmer and Vietnamese histories mixed up. Impressive place, lots of marble and stately furniture. Now is showering time, and recharge before dinner and beers.
 |
| Reunification Palace |
 |
| Bust of Ho Chi Minh himself |
 |
| After some initial scepticism, Seb decided to be a plane too! |
***
A note on religion: most people in Asia seem to be Buddhists, though Paean described himself as Hindu-Buddhist. Perhaps he was identifying with Angkor Wat. Originally, the Khmer of pre-medieval times adopted the Hindu gods of Indian traders. Shiva (the destroyer), Vishnu (the protector), Ganesh. The temples of Angkor Wat and Thom were originally built to worship these. It was only from 1181 that Buddhism began to replace it. Thus the architecture and sculpture of the original buildings are all relating to Hindu legends. Later, statues of Buddha were inserted.
Hinduism and Buddhism (and Taoism and Confucianism) do not seem to be mutually exclusive at all, and aspects of each are probably observed in Cambodia today.
Across SE Asia, special treatment is still give to monks, and natives are reverent even at the most touristy of shrines and temples. Mongolia too is Buddhist, but Dawa said it's in decline there.
***
Lashing rain again now. Doesn't bother natives for the most part. most of life happens outside - shops are mostly stalls, garages and workshops are open to the street. No a/c for the majority, just grin and get on with it. very social, very... enduring? Hardy maybe. Come what may, life goes on, they'll find a way to get by.
 |
| Foot-volleyball in the park |
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| So many mopeds! |
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