Puerto Princessa, Philippines

Palawan is a big island but only has two main roads; one going north and one going south - I like this simplicity! The capital, Puerto, is in the middle and is a fairly big city, but nothing on the scale of Manila. I stayed in a place called the Badjao Inn - recommended on wikitravel. There were, however, no other western tourists here - as soon as they land in Palawan they're whisked off in minivans to the beaches. I'd decided to spend a few days here - how bad can it be? Any westerner here seems to have a young Filippino girl on his arm - I looked particularly out of place not having one. I went to a busy restaurant hoping to meet some people. It was an odd place, staffed by hundreds of people with a projection TV showing the comedy show "Just for laughs" - everybody was staring at it while eating. They had a DJ supplying the (very loud) sounds. While eating my pork adobo my ears were treated to the song that goes "my neck, my back, lick my pu... and my cr..." - no-one in the restaurant batted an eyelid. At 8pm a band came on containing 3 Filippino dudes and their instruments and 4 Filippino girls dressed in pretty much nothing. They were bad, and I left as soon as they'd finished the first song!

I wanted to go to Sabang, and the UNESCO underground river. If you don't do it in a tour you have to go to the office in Puerto and get a permit. Then I hired a motorbike for the fantastic 70km trip. The roads are winding up, down, in and out of hills, through smiling villages and along mangrove beaches - truly beautiful - I have about 10 minutes of great video! Once there you're assigned a slot (they limit visitor numbers) - mine was 9:30am the next morning. I found a cheap beach hut and threw my bag in, then the rains came - HEAVY! There's nothing to do when it's raining in Sabang (there's not much to do when it's not raining!), so I read, and played sudoku. Eventually they stopped and I had another lonely dinner on the seafront - most people just come here for the day in groups, then go back to Puerto.

I was woken at 1am by a cockroach walking on my face! Oddly this is the first time this has ever happened to me, in all of my travels - or at least the first time I've woken up. I'm not sure how it got in, as I was under a mosquito net! I brushed it off and away - I actually don't mind cockroaches, anything that doesn't bite me is fine by me. I killed two mosquitoes who were also inside the net (wtf) and went back to sleep.

Next morning I went to the registration place and showed my permit. I paid the 400 Pesos fee and the 40 Pesos tax - then had to pay 200 Pesos as I wasn't in a group - they then bolted me onto a group of Filipinos. Getting on the first boat is crazy! Imagine 20 boats, all with outriggers, trying to get to one little badly made concrete dock, while rough sea waves are battering the dock! Tip: wear flip-flops - you get very wet just trying to get in the boat. I was wearing my walking boots as I was on the motorbike and they were socked through in seconds (they're still wet now). One on the boat it's a rough ride around the coast to a secluded beach, when you walk a little through the jungle, then get on another boat (more feet wetting) that takes you into the cave.

The cave is a monster - you can go 1.8km on the boat (it goes 8km in total). I sat at the front so had to hold the torch with the camp Filippino man shouting where to point it, in not-very-understandable English. Thankfully the Filippino girl behind me could see I was struggling to hear and translated. I wanted to point the torch at what I wanted to look at (cute hanging bats mostly) - but was told to move it, and point it a the rock that looks like "Sharon Stone" or the one that looks like "Jesus" or the one that looks like "Mary" or "the last supper" - seriously - can we have some useful information? Does anyone care that that rock looks like a carrot?? Tour over, my feet got a little wetter and I got on the bike and made the lovely rolling journey back to Puerto.

On my last day in Puerto I still didn't meet anyone. Traditional Filippino food is ok but just essentially just seafood or meat, in a sauce with rice. Vegetarians would have a nightmare - on one menu, under the "vegetables" section there was "vegetables with pork". Unfortunately American style diners selling burgers, fried chicken, hot-dogs, shakes, pizza and all that jazz are taking over, and it's not even good junk. I ordered some fried chicken and chip from a major Filippino chain, and got a tiny piece of dry chicken with five (count 'em!) undercooked chips!

I'm going to sound like a moaning tourist git now (and I probably am, especially as I'm a little travel weary at the moment). The people are friendly, the diving and snorkelling is world-class and the beaches are amazing - but I just don't get a spark from this country like I have with others, something's missing for me - that cultural high that gets inside you and makes you feel fuzzy and excited about a place - it's just not there for me - however there are another 6998 islands to explore :)

I'm now in the airport, drinking an Americano from "Seattle's finest", while the latest news and basketball from the US is on the TV. I await my plane to Borneo.

Na Trang, Vietnam

Na Trang is the costa del sol of Vietnam. The seafront is littered with huge non-descript international hotels, bars and disco's. We arrive off the night bus at the office of Cuc Tung at 6am and have a nice Banh Mi (baguette) and Ca Phe from a street seller while waiting for the office to open.

On the night bus

It opens at 7am and a miserable man rudely tells us that we should have booked the ticket the day before. We complained that we'd tried yesterday but he shrugs and tells us we'll now have to go tomorrow, then rides off on his moped. Er OK, we'll just stay in Na Trang then shall we! Out of pure annoyance I'd just like to post this link to someone having a mega-moan about Cuc Tung.

Cuc Tung - they don't want to help you

We book the ticket for same time next morning and check into a nice little guest house (Cam Tien - $10 for an a/c double) and proceeded to be bored by Na Trang. The beach itself wasn't too bad though and I sat and watched the kite surfers for quite a while. I also liked the lit Eiffel tower cable supports over to Pearl island, or whatever it's called. This really could be any generic beach resort in the world if it wasn't for the communist reminders dotted amongst the capitalist backdrop. I feel like I've written too much about this place already.

Don't forget, will you?

The most interesting thing in Na Trang?

Hue, Vietnam

After the mission getting to Phong Nha we wondered how to get out. Luckily there was a pre-booked minibus direct to Hue, from the farmstay. At 6am a swish mini-minibus dropped us to the decrepid main minibus. We were the only westerners on this loaded bus and had to bounce around at the back while the bus growled down the bumpy road, all windows open, melodic horn to blaring! I like these journeys as they're a lot more memorable than easy, comfortable ones. Talitha over-hydrated before embarking and half way through the journey desperately needed the toilet. We stop at a garage and the driver refuses to let her go, as it's a quick fuel stop. He informs her that we'll stop in five minutes time, to the sympathies of the other passengers. Fifteen minutes later we stop and Talitha bolts!
An hour later and we're at the Hue bus depot just out of towm. We ignore the motorbike taxis and hop on a crowded local bus, bags and all, prompting some discussion and pointing from other passengers. We squeeze off and sweat our way across the bridge to Hue backpackers; our home for the next few days.

The bus - once the crowds departed

Hue backpackers (they also have a branch in Hanoi) has everything the discerning MC Hammer-trouser-westerner could want: beer, grungy (grungie?) guitar music, burger and beer (beerger) nights, fish & chips nights, curry nights, drinking games, many flavoured vodka shots (one called arse), pretty barmaids and silly t-shirts for sale. We settle into the comfortable dorm, meet our new roomie, Ozzzie David, then scoot off down the road in search of food.

HQ

Our first culture stop was the citadel. Now pretty much flattened from the French then Americans it's not much to look at but has a fascinating history and some amazing carp in the entrance pond. Out the back entrance we carry on the walk around the city walls, grab a sweet coffee and stroll through the markets before heading back to western headquarters.

Work it... yea, more hips... MORE HIPS

David tells us that it's his birthday today so we have a burger and wash it down with a few Huda and festival beers (it is beerger night after all). We inform the staff and they very kindly sort a delicious cake and sing happy birthday as only the Vietnamese could. The cake gets munched by everyone in the bar and we continue with the drinking, buying David a shot of arse (vodka and fish oil) to really send him on his way! Hic.

I've been left partuicularly numb in the religion region since leaving India. Apparently only 20% of Vietnamese are active Buddhists but Hue is touted as the spiritual capital of Vietnam so i'm expecting to see something. We hire bicycles and head off in the specific direction of a temple & pagoda, to a complete fail (some issues with the Lonely Planet map guv!). But this is not an issue. My favourite days in cities have always been to go with no plan. In this case we found some hyper-local backstreets, giant Catholic graveyards, a huge warrior statue and a vegetarian restaurant that gave us some pork!

"vegetarian" restaurant (the food was delicious)

Waiting for the train...

When I pop my clogs I would like a statue of me - this size.

Where's Hoochie-Minh?

Breaking from the random cycle routing I could see a temple from a hill, so decided that would be our next destination. An hour later, and a bike race with some local kids, we find a deserted back-street leading to what seems like an extremely Buddhist area containing a Thai Monastery, a temple, some large Buddha statues, an incredibly lifelike waxwork of "Hoa Thuong Ho Nhan" (I hope I have that correct) and some plastic wild animals. I cannot find any information about it on the web. Maybe someone reading this might know?

Writing above the Monastery entrance

Hoa Thuong Ho Nhan & me. Same Same!

Many mini-Stupa'

Vietnamese kiss: day 3

Ha Long bay, Vietnam

The bus pulls up outside the May de Ville hostel in Hanoi. On the side of the bus it boldly says "HA LONG PARTY CRUISE. No fun no pay". What have I got myself into? I've never been into forced group partying. I've never been on an 18-30. I've never really been on a lads holiday! I skulk low in my seat so all these strangers I'll never ever see again can't see me.

Don't make me do this... please!

A three hour bus journey east from Hanoi (via some compulsory gift shop stops) brings you to Ha Long bay, featuring the famous limestone islands forming this stunning part of the coastline. On arrival we ask some tired looking depart-ees how good the trip was to very positive replies but more importantly our stomachs learn that we shall be eating as soon as we get on the boat. woo-hoo!

PARTY PARTY PARTY

Our party guide is called Lucky, and he likes to party. The boat is called HaLong party and it also likes to party with its large karaoke machine and flashing disco floor. The staff love to party and wether we like it or not, we're going to party! By this point. We sit down to a delicious lunch of everyhing you could imagine and get to know our new party friends. Two of these are young English lads, who'd partied a little too hard last night and were in a hair-of-the-dog scenario. Also there were three Canadian guys, six Argentinian girls, an English girl and a French couple; I think that's everyone. After lunch we're shown to our cabins to unpack and unwind. We somehow had a free upgrade to a nice spacious top deck cabin with a bally window!

Room 2 - with a fantastic view

Before dinner we jump on a small boat to visit the .... caves. The ... cave system... etc... The ammount of boats here is ridiculous. Literally squeezing into the dock we file off the boat and join one billion other people on a conveyor belt through the beautiful caves, then out the other side and back to the small boat. On the way back we notice some latecomers on the deck: three more Canadians. This puts the Canadians joint first with Argentina, followed by the English then the French. On further thought I seem to remember one of the Argentinian girls was was actually Spanish, so the Canadians win. I should research these kind of facts before writing maybe.

cave, cheesy lighting and hoards of people

Back on the party boat it ups anchor and we chug off. Everyone potters about for an hour until we reach the next destination: a small island with a beach, and a steep path to the summit. The view from the summit reveals seemingly infinite islands fading into the distance, and also infinite boats anchored everywhere. The weather is incredibly non-descript: grey skies and no wind or rain. It remains like this for our time there. Back down the hill to the beach and some people chilled, some played football and the Argentinian girls stripped to tiny bikini's and splashed about in the shallows... erm, yes. Also on the beach they were apparently filming the latest episode of Vietnam's most famous soap opera.

Back on the party boat again Lucky says we can jump off the boat a few times before we set sail. Of course we head straight for the 10m top-deck and do some group jumps, men flinging themselves off with the girls being a little more cautious. One Argentinian girl took a lot of persuading and hand-holding, but eventually jumped, landing in a seating position. I have a video if this, and will upload when I get a chance. She later had to take pain killers with her wine, and had trouble sitting! Me and one of the gnarly Canadian dudes has a "who's got the biggest penis" battle by prompting each other to dive from the 5m middle balcony. Neither of us had issues with this and we both performed a high eight, though my entry was a little cleaner ;)

How to get a sore arse jumping off a boat (video clip extract)

Up anchor at a grey sunset, a quick snooze, a shower then a delicious dinner. Lucky does his best party speech and we toast with a welcome drink of some very nice Vietnamese red wine. The tables are cleared, the music volume is set to eleven and the flashing dance floor is open, prompting everyone to leave and stand on the open front deck, where we pretty much stayed all night! Apart from people switching their ipods in and out of the stereo (I daren't scare people with my music) and me having a breif tango lesson from one of the Argentinians the dance floor was mostly deserted and the karaoke machine didn't get touched.

Me & Karl the Canadian (note flashing dance floor)

With the boat now anchored again everything is incredibly still, with distant lights from other boats faintly outlining the islands. The water is black, apart from the odd flash of green when disturbed. Phosphorous plankton is possibly one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen. Pouring water overboard causes the most beautiful bright green ripples. This, coupled with now quite drunk people, prompts a midnight swim by four of us: me, the hurty-bottom girl, another Argentinian girl and the gnarlier Canadian from earler. Jumping into the blackness is odd, the fall always takes longer than you expect. Then suddenly all around you is glowing green. Any arm or leg movement creates phycedelic swirls. I tried to get Talitha to video it but it didn't come out. Our party leader, Lucky, wasn't so party party about this, and wanted us out of the water. In the sober light of day I can understand!

The peace was about to be shattered

Next morning we wakey-wakey with some eggs and bacey then we're seperated. Me and Talitha booked a two night tour while everyone else opted for just one. Saying goodbye to our new party friends we get on a different smaller boat containing a nice French couple. There's a lot of confusion about what's actually happening today, this is because different guides over-explained everything. This sounds odd I know but it leaves me confused to this day. If they'd just said "Ok, today we kayak, then lunch, then pearl farm, then one hour back to the same main party boat to join
a new set of people" this would've been great. I'm not knocking them, I'm just offering a small tip that could save them (and us) a headache!

Kayaking was awesome. I hate using that word but it was! With the two day trip you get deeper into Ha Long and touch onto the ...... national park. Silently gliding into huge limestone caverns and mirror flat lakes is incredible and (apart from the distant monkeys) so serene. There is one big issue though: the water cleanliness. It's pretty much filthy everywhere. Diesel slicks, plastic bottles, full sacks of rubbish floating about. Our guide tells us that it's all from the fishing villages and that the tourist boats account for minimal ammounts. I find this a little hard to beleive until I see a slick of rubbish coming from a floating fishing village later on. Disgusting in places and as this is now a UNESCO ......... world heritage site tighter measures need to be put in place with the tourist boats and better enviromental education for the floating villages. After a nice lunch and a visit to the pearl farm we chugged back to the main boat, catching some Z's on the way.

Pollution

Back at the party boat it's dinner time again. There's a completely new, bright-eyed, set of party people; but these are clearly nothing like last nights rabble. The evening is just a nice dinner occasion featuring a nice Australian couple and their two teenagers, two Indian men (who I spend most of the night chatting with), some very young Swedish girls and an English and Ozzie chap. There is no loud music, no top-deck jumping and definitely no midnight swim as I'm in sleepyland ready for the journey back for part two of Hanoi tomorrow morning.

Hanoi, Vietnam

(We're in Hanoi three times, using it as a base to go to Ha Long bay then Sapa then to the south. I'll put all three times in this post to keep it together)

1st time (14th April 2012)

New country! The third country on my trip (not counting the brief scout into Bangkok). The only option from the airport to Hanoi old quarter seems to be a taxi. Very nicely they tell us that another (Australian) couple are also going that way and we should share a cab with them. We will see this couple at many random intervals in Vietnam! The cab journey was extremely serene. The driver was very cautious. I thought it was just because my last reference was India, where nothing's serene, but the Australians thought to too. On arrival at the Hanoi old quarter we split from the Australians and walk about the main street looking for some cheap accommodation. Things are a lot easier here, everything feels a lot more western. Language is a bigger barrier here; English is not as widely spoken as in India, but it's extremely easy to pick up and recognise certain words. The main street in the French old quarter is bustling with people chatting, eating and drinking on tiny little bright blue or red plastic chairs. Motorbikes buzz about constantly with two, three, four and five people (and sometimes animals) on-board. We come across a hotel called the Queen palace. It's $15 a night for a twin room. Nothing special, just functional. As it's late and we're shattered from travelling for what seems like an eternity we take it and, after a quick local beer, pass out.

Next day we grab the free breakfast of baguette, fried egg and a cheese triangle then head out. The roads are infinitely busier now but still no-where near as crazy as India. The coffee here is extremely surprising at first. It tastes strong, almost like liquorish, and is very sweet when mixed with condensed milk. I assumed I would gain a kick from the caffeine but there was almost nothing. Is this because of my new mountain dew addiction? (which you can't get in Vietnam). What happened to the caffeine? Vietnam is the number two coffee exporter in the world (after Brazil), exporting double the amount of Colombia, so maybe they sell all the good stuff elsewhere, like Sri Lanka does with tea. I was a little disappointed, but still love the unique flavour.

You want buy hat?

Over the next two days we mostly say no thank you to people trying to sell you everything and anything. The variety of things to buy is mind-boggling. Wanting to ditch the stained, sweaty t-shirts I've been wearing for the last two months, and with Talitha threatening not to travel any further with me, I searched high and low for something with NO logo on it (to no avail). I don't need a t-shirt with Vietnamese beer logos and I definitely do not want one with "iPHO" emblazoned on the front. Just a nice, plain t-shirt would be lovely.

The food is just delicious. PHO (noodles) and COM (rice) with either GA (chicken) or BO (beef), and a side order of spring rolls and washed down with a BIA or CA PHE (I'll let you work those two out). The food is most delicious from the tiniest little street cafe's, where they might also serve BIA HOI: home-brewed, un-licenced, super-cheap and refreshing beer (quality does vary mind!) I learned last night, from a Dutch / Vietnamese girl, that the little accents that look like question marks mean you pronounce the word like a question, with an upwards inflection - even though it might not be a question.

For the second night we find a dorm in a hostel called May de Ville. It's $6 a night so not particularly cheap but it was amazing in every way. They booked our open bus ticket, booked the Ha Long and booked the Sapa tour, all with phone support if we needed it (thanks to ......). They had a free breakfast on the lovely rooftop cafe, the beds were big and comfortable and the shower was amazing. The only issue was the wi-fi in the rooms. It was shockingly bad to non-existent, despite the constant badgering (from everyone) of the technical guy. It was fine in reception though. For your information May de Ville also have a hotel in Hanoi, which I assume is severely more expensive! Next stop Ha Long bay

2nd time (18th April 2012)

The second time in Hanoi we literally arrive back from Ha Long bay in the afternoon. We go back to the May de Ville hostel who very kindly let us rest and use the internet until our bus arrived. We're recommended some pho by the doorman at the hostel. The cafe is tiny (maybe 8 seats) and is tucked down a back alley. This turns out to be the best pho I'll have in Vietnam. Cue the night bus to Sapa!

3rd time (23rd April 2012)

Arriving at 6am from Sapa on a night bus. Broken sleep and the after-effects of Nytol are never good for your head together. Swamped by people wanting to take us to the old quarter we jump in a taxi. After all this time on the bus and now in a taxi I desperately need to walk, so jump out as soon as we reach the town.

The sleeper bus. Complete with FREEZING A/C.

We only have a day here and May de Ville very kindly let us have a private room for a shower and a sleep for a few hours, with free breakfast! (I cannot recommend this hostel enough). In the afternoon I go for a walk around the lake and meet a Vietnamese student lawyer who wishes to better his English. I spend two hours with him. His English was good, but pronunciation bad, except when he sang, when it was amazing! Sitting by a lake with a Vietnamese student singing Beatles songs to you is a surreal experience. Once done with the lake I find a Korean restaurant and grab some food. I have a new found love of Korean food.

Yummmmm

 

India to Vietnam

My flight is due to leave Kolkata airport at 01:30. At the airport I developed severe stomach cramps and spent most of my time in the toilets. What on earth caused this? I was feeling a little ill earlier in the day but it had cleared. I'd eaten quite normal food for the last couple of days. By the time I was on the plane I was feeling a little better, but avoided my in-flight meal, which seemed to baffle the air stewardess, who kept asking me if I would like the food yet.

The flight was over quick and I landed in Bangkok at 05:30. One I was finished (literally) fighting hoards of Chinese people to get through immigration I exit into the main area. I have twelve hours to kill - my flight is at 19:05. My bag is going to stay in the airport system, so all I have is my camera and laptop (with no charger and a flat battery!) - I would kill to clean my teeth and apply deodorant. Bangkok airport is a jaw-dropping place, possibly definitely one of the nicest airports I've ever been to. Huge, clean, cool and bright with everything laid out beautifully and logically. There's even a huge garden at the side, but I couldn't find a way into it so I suspect it's staff only.

I decide to catch the swish super-fast monorail into Bangkok centre for a look around. I arrived into the centre and everything's closed. What I didn't realise is that it's Thai new year! I call Talitha as I was set to meet her sometime today, and catch the same flight to Vietnam later that evening, but she's exhausted from an overnight bus trip and needs to sleep. Wandering about the markets for a while more and more people start gathering on the streets, with water-guns. I ask a young chap with a particularly scary and colourful water gun and I'm told that it's part of the new year celebrations - you will get wet! With no sleep, an ever-twisting stomach and my DSLR in a non-waterproof bag I decide it's probably best to get back to the safety of the airport!

Back at the airport my stomach is really churning and I decide that eating something might settle it. I marvel at the array of western eateries, of which I'd seen none in the last three months. I opt for a plain veggie subway - just the bread and salad stuff (no chillies!). Munching this and a flat warm coca-cola seemed to agitate the stomach violently, and I again spend the next 45 minutes in the toilet. I hate this, as they're so quiet, in an acoustic sense, but also busy with people in and out of the cubicles next to you. I also noted that the floor is so shiny you can see the person next door, as if you were lying on the floor underneath them! Once feeling a break in the cramps I decide I need a shower. Where can I get a shower? I notice a sign for the Bangkok airport hotel and head there down the quietest, shiniest passageway I've ever seen.

Passageway from the airport to the airport hotel

 The hotel reception is enormous. Nothing here is small, or basic. Marble, trees, glass and brass covers everything with a huge silver lotus flower high up in the middle - a shower here is going to cost me. The reception being so big however give me an advantage, in that I can sneak, unnoticed, to the health suite. There is no-one about so I follow the signs to the the second floor and enter the male changing rooms - heaven! Big showers, towels, toilets, jacuzzi! I notice an expensive looking watch, shirt and shoes near the lockers, and hear someone in one of the nearest showers. I grab a towel from the jacuzzi and hit the furthest shower. So good. So so good. Incredible what a simple shower can do for you, I instantly felt better. On the way out of the shower I bump into a posh looking western man, say a quick hi then leave sharply, before any questions could be asked. He viewed my attire with surprise! What's wrong with my worn out shorts, sweat-stained t-shirt and holy vans?? I grab a quick shot of the reception from the 2nd floor balcony and ninja-exit the hotel. Job done.

Airport hotel reception

Back in the airport and feeling better I decide to attempt to sleep on one of those uncomfortable three person plastic benches, tucked away near the monorail station, out of the way of the masses. Not thinking I'd sleep at all I wake up startled, three hours later, in such an odd position, wrapped up in my camera bag strap which I'd attached to myself to prevent sticky fingers, and with my now dead left arm almost trapped between the seats. I blearily look at the time - It's now 2pm. Only 5 hours to go! Testing the stomach situation I buy what looks like the healthiest drink I've ever seen. It has pictures of at least twenty fruits and vegetables on it and is indeed delicious, but it immediately gnarls the stomach, and I soon find myself in the toilets again. Dammit :(

Around 5pm the check-in opens. I await the arrival of a good friend, Talitha, with an inkling that she will appear at the top of a particular escalator. Twenty-five minutes later that exact escalator delivers. It's been a long time since I've seen her and we hug it out, compare brown factors (I lost) then head to the Vietnam airlines desk ready for the quick hop to Hanoi! 

Map updated

View 2012 Travel in a larger map

Sri Lanka - Colombo to Mirissa

A quick half-full flight from Chennai and i'm in Sri Lanka. The guide books tell of pollution, noise, hassle and scams. This is of course relative as I've just been in India: Colombo is sleepy town! Walking off the plane the heat difference is noticable and as soon as I get out of the terminal sweat literally runs from every pore. I've already lost a few kg's in India. If i lose 12 in total it makes up for the weight of my backpack and i'm neutral! (jokes)

I'll try not to make too many comparisons with India for obvious reasons but i will say that it's a cleaner, friendlier, more accessible alternative. Colombo has a city centre banking district, the streets have pavements (bliss) and there's even western style supermarkets, of which India has none.
I stayed in a beach hostel south of Colombo called Adikram. Cute hostel, i would recommend. There are 3 mixed dormatory rooms (sleeping naked not an option) and the rest of the place is the owners house. A quick jump over the busy train tracks and you're on the stunning empty beach. All the tourist resorts are further towards Colombo.

I was sharing my dorm with one other. A 70 year old (next birthday) spritely lady from Finland. She had been travelling since her husband died, and had pretty much done the whole world looking at some stat's she kept. She SMS'd her daughter every day to tell her she's ok still.
I went for a drink and some food with her one evening and i then realised that she likes a drink! I had to duck out after 2 (large) Lion beers as my tolerance has gone right down from not drinking. She had 3 Lions then wanted to go to a nightclub! (which never happened). 70 is the new 20 apparently.

Spent a day in Colombo getting hassled most of the time. People who just want to practice their English, and then take you to a shop, or ceremony. Constant "Hello!" from tuk-tuk drivers and guides wanting to show you the real Colombo. A beautiful sunset on the city promenade, where EVERYONE had gathered and food stalls had popped up from nowhere. Spoke to lots of genuine people, families would come over and say hi, wanting to know where you're from. Had a tandoori with two locals lads who were out looking for girls, but with no luck! I wished them luck and headed home. Thought about a bus but it was such a nice evening i did a Forrest Gump and just carried on, walking all the way home.

Caught a bus from Colombo to Galle and got off, expecting to find accomodation. Turns out there was a music festival on so i had to re-think and head further out: 16km further out. The only place i found was somewhere called the Lace Rock Cabanas. Walked in and no-one about. An elderly Indian man asleep on the floor woke up and through broken English I ended up in a room. No passport taken, no money or anything. The Cabana was right on the beach, with booming crashing waves and palm trees it was lovely, but it was dead. I have no idea if anyone else were in any other rooms. I left and got the bus to Galle to check out the Dutch fort and old town: very beautiful. Got back to the Cabanas and still no-one about. Went to bed. Got up and still no-one about! Decided to (after finding someone) pay and leave then head further down the coast, this place was soul less. Don't go here!

Next stop Mirissa. Incredibly picturesque surfing beach with lovely restaurants dotted up and down the palm fringed shores. Found a room for a great price, in the back room of this lovely family home.
I wanted to surf but looking at the enormous break (about 0.5km offshore) i decided against it. The shore break was hectic itself, some waves looming over you and booming down onto the beach. I love it and spent most of the first day getting thrown at the beach by the waves then chilling with a curry under a palm tree.
There's not much social here. No dormatories and all couples or friends. Had fleeting conversations with people at the cafe's but people aren't interested in making friends when they already have their friends here!

Went whale spotting. This part of Sri Lanka is on the migration route and they come here to feed. Of course as soon as someone realised this multiple companies were created, fishing boats converted into whale spotters and tourists pay a bomb! That is unless you're staying in my room! The father could get great rates, almost half of what some people paid on the same boat and I was told not to tell the other tourists about this.
Me, a portly Italian chap and four mid-twenties French girls had the top "luxury" platform, with comfy mats on the floor and a better view. Down below were the people that paid a wedge. After a 1 hour ride out we spotted two blue whales in the distance and we raced over but their tails were in the air and they dived down. Twently minutes later up again for air then the HUGE tails in the air and down. Quite incredible creatures, the size is bewildering. To think animals so big are just cruising about down there gobbling plankton. After a few more viewings our driver heads back, much to the disgust of a Russian chap who starts raising his voice to stay longer, even pushing our driver. The other Sri Lankan men hanging about (there's always some hanging about) bunched up and the Russian man shut up.
I have a new favourite thing. On the way back we spotted flying fish. Wow, these guys can fly fast! Skimming the water and plopping back in. I'm maybe going to have some of these when i get a flat but i'm not sure on the logistics. Maybe two tanks, one either side of the room so they can fly between. I will need to think about this more.

One tuk-tuk journey i took the driver seemed nervous. He kept looking at me in his mirror. Eventually he asked me if i wanted to go for a beer. I said no, i want to get back. Silent for a few minutes he then said "sir, do not take this wrong. Do you want sex?" Assuming i misheard over the noisy tuk-tuk i said "sorry?" He repeated. I said "No. I don't like men in that way. I like women!". He seemed pretty embassased by asking and I told him it's fine, don't worry, there's nothing wrong with being gay, but of course it's not the done thing in Sri Lanka and he begins to tell me that he's married, his wife is 6 months pregnant and he does not get sex at the moment. A this point we arrived. Dumbstruck and unsure what to say I just thanked him for the ride!

Kodaikanal to Madurai

A beautifully scenic journey back down the mountain to the baking city. The bus has such gently bouncy suspension it rocked me into snoozeland for an hour before hitting the crazy Madurai bus terminal again.