Tag: PhD Celebration Travel

  • Good morning… Hanoi!

    Good morning… Hanoi!

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    Libbytes
    in ,

    The 26 hour journey from Vientiane to Hanoi was surprisingly fine! We were on a very local bus, with only myself, Sean and a Canadian couple; the rest Vietnamese. But everyone was very friendly and considerate, especially during one of the toilet stops where the only place for a lady to go was behind the…

  • Being lazy in Vientiane

    Being lazy in Vientiane

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    Libbytes
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    Sean and I left for Vientiane by a lovely comfortable bus! A luxury in Laos! We planned to arrive in Vientiane on Thursday afternoon and go straight to the Vietnam embassy to apply for next day visas. However, unknown to us, the embassy was closed for holidays Thursday-Sunday so we spent more time than we…

  • Fun in Vang Vieng

    Fun in Vang Vieng

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    Libbytes
    in , ,

    From Luang Prabang, myself, Sean, Janine, Heather and Lody who we met in the hostel, took a minibus down to Vang Vieng… a very winding route through the mountains and valleys. The journey was tough for me since my seat wasn’t properly secured to the ground and I left the floor every time we turned…

  • The journey to Luang Prabang

    The journey to Luang Prabang

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    Libbytes
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    Sean and I got up early on Tuesday morning to catch a mini bus to Chiang Khong; possibly the scariest road journey so far, as our driver carelessly selected songs to play over the speakers on YouTube as he raced dangerously in the middle of the road! In Chiang Khong we crossed the border into…

  • Hitch hiking in Tha Ton

    Hitch hiking in Tha Ton

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    Libbytes
    in ,

    The bus from Chiang Dao to Tha Ton was… interesting! The bus was a local one full of Thais, and of brown paper wrapped parcels. The bus was the size of a standard coach, and was definitely going too fast for the winding roads! We would stop every now and again (or at least slow…

  • The only farang in Chiang Dao

    The only farang in Chiang Dao

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    Libbytes
    in

    After an amazing time in Chiang mai, I decided to begin my journey into Laos and China. On my last day in Chiang mai I visited the Chinese embassy with a visa application form I had completed at home. I found the embassy easily and got my ticket for a queue position. Are an hour…

  • Songkran and Chiang Mai

    Songkran and Chiang Mai

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    Libbytes
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    From Sukhothai I caught a direct bus to chiang mai. Although this wasn’t quite as VIP at my one from bangkok, it was still a double decker coach with comfortable seats. On the way there I began to experience what songkran is; the world’s biggest water fight to celebrate the Thai (and Lao) New year.…

  • Thailand’s Golden Age History

    Thailand’s Golden Age History

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    Libbytes
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    After returning to Bangkok briefly from Kanchanaburi, Dan and I then headed out to Ayutthaya; one of Thailand’s ancient cities. We stayed at a place I booked from home, Baan Are Gong guesthouse. A house made purely from teak wood, styled like a boat we think, with cabin style rooms, it was beautiful. Ayutthaya is…

  • Kanchanaburi and Erawan Falls

    Kanchanaburi and Erawan Falls

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    by

    Libbytes
    in ,

    After waking at 6am, we got a taxi across town to Bangkok Thonburi train station. There was a huge food market here as well as a few food vendors and after a noodle soup breakfast we boarded a train to Kanchanaburi. Once there a minivan and bus took us to Erawan national park, where we…

  • Exploring Bangkok

    Exploring Bangkok

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    Libbytes
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    On Saturday Ben and I decided to visit the weekend market at Chatuchak park, about an hour’s bus away. The market was so vast, with most parts inside purpose built buildings. There were a range of shops mostly selling really cool clothes, homeware, accessories as well as food outlets and souvenir type shops. It was…