After a week lazing around in Luang Prabang and a relaxing day in Vientiane, we were all really looking forward to getting to Hanoi for a bit of excitement. We knew it would be manic and as hardened travellers we were confident of being up to the challenge. We were looking forward to the, Read More
Where to start with Laos? It’s crazy to think that we’ve been here a month, and this is the first time that I’ve found to write anything about the place. And it’s not like things have been mad-hectic busy either. We’ve properly relaxed into travelling, and have really only stayed in three places. But, Read More
Everyone says that you’ve got to spend some serious time in Luang Prabang. Everyone raves about the history, the atmosphere, the architecture, the scenery, the people, and above all, the food. It’s such a popular place with travelling types, that I was more than a little sceptical about what we’d find when we bounced, Read More
We’re two hours into a six hour minibus journey in the mountains of Northern Laos, on our way to Nong Kiaow, and I’m trying to take my mind off the smell of vomit by listing all the things I hate about backpacking. Evan, our slightly travel sick nine year old, has thrown up, Read More
Well, this adventure really started on Sunday as we got on a two hour bus ride from Luang Namtha to Ban Don Chai where we were dumped at the side of the road, opposite the petrol station with our bags right next door to Mr I Daeng’s house. Six days ago, we had been, Read More
Bagan is an 1100 year old temple complex that used to contain over 10,000 temples but now only has 2200. Most of the temples were destroyed by earthquakes, but some were by rebuilt by the military government in 1990 as a rush job to create a new tourist centre. The largest temple was built, Read More
Someone once said “Travel not for the destination but for the joy of the journey”. And I would agree. Travelling isn’t just about destinations. Some of the biggest adventures happen on the way there. Travel in Myanmar can definitely be described as an adventure!
The Kalaw to Inle Lake trek is a must-do experiences for travellers and backpackers in Myanmar. Instead of travelling straight from Bagan to Inle Lake by bus or plane, why not get off the bus at the sleepy town of Kalaw and spend three days trekking through the beautiful Myanmar countryside, visiting remote hill, Read More
Mandalay was very much a place we only visited as it sits between two places that we really wanted see. It’s a big place, which felt completely different from all of the other towns we’d seen in Myanmar. Way busier than even Yangon, massively bigger than Mawlamyine, and severely lacking in touristy stuff. Floss, Read More
The Lonely Planet book describes Mandalay as ‘hot, busy and not immediately beautiful’ and then goes on to mention the pagodas, churches, Indian temples and mosques, and the monasteries and craftwork shops “amid the central grid of lacklustre concrete-block ordinariness”. Personally, I think guide books sometimes miss the point.