Off to Thailand and Viet Nam

Judy · Last edited by Judy on Thu Dec 23, 2004 2:09 pm; edited 1 time in total

Greg and I are taking our 2 sons, Sam and Tom, to Thailand for 4 weeks just after Christmas. We're hoping to visit Hanoi and get up to Sapa in the North West of Viet Nam. We don't really have any fixed itinerary, which is our usual travelling style - we just decide to do what sounds good when we get somewhere. We do have 4 nights booked in Bangkok when we arrive, and when we arrive we will organise our trip to Viet Nam and whatever we decide to do in Thailand.

We have been to both places before and loved them so much we're taking the boys with us this time. We were in Viet Nam 3 years ago with a tandem bike, intending to ride to Sapa but never got there. This time we're taking a sleeper train. We did some kayaking in Thailand earlier this year, around Koh Chang and other islands South East of Bkk, in the Gulf of Thailand fairly close to the Thai/Cambodia border. We want to get back to Koh Wai for some sand and sun. Other thoughts include getting a sleeper train up to Chang Mai, then a bus further north to the Thai Burma border, and visiting the River Kwai.

If anyone has any suggestions for us - places to visit, places to eat, foods to try, please share them with us. I have found Pim's blog - Chez Pim - very helpful

Greg has just set up a blog

www.catchusifyoucan.info

There's not much there yet, apart from a map of South East Asia.

Thanks in advance.

Erin · Posted: Thu Dec 23, 2004 2:02 pm Post subject:

Unfortunately except for food my knowledge of Thailand and Vietnam is rather limited. Let me know if you go to Singapore, there I could be some help.
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melinda · Joined: 01 Oct 2004 Posts: 256 Location: Richmond, VA, usa

Judy.....I hope you have not already gone on your trip??? r u still at home???? The earthquake & aftermath are horrendous

Judy · Posted: Mon Dec 27, 2004 9:09 pm Post subject:

No not yet, Melinda. We fly out on Thursday.

We weren't going anywhere near where the damage was done in Thailand as it's in the same region as where the Muslim separatists have been protesting and we thought Phuket could be a target for them. We're also staying away from 5-star hotels in Bangkok for the same reason.

It's a terrible event for so many countries which can ill-afford it.

Barbara · Posted: Mon Dec 27, 2004 10:15 pm Post subject:

Judy - maybe you could take a bag of unwanted clothes to leave with a charity in BKK for distribution to the affected areas. Friends of ours always take a bundle of clothes to Vietnam and give them to the church for distribution. The first time they went they gave the clothes to the hotel receptionist and next morning the entire staff were dressed in the donated clothes. Bon voyage. I'm looking forward to reading your reports.
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suki · Joined: 12 Dec 2004 Posts: 6 Location: RUSSIA

that is a good idea and people who are flying out to ANY of the affected areas might want to find out if they can take any essentials which will be of use...

Judy · Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2004 2:16 am Post subject:

We have done that on previous trips to Asia, so will of course do it this time also. Whenever we travel I take a comprehensive first aid and medicine kit which we also leave with an aid organisation.

Last time we were in Viet Nam we found out about an amazing organisation in Hanoi that teaches street kids hospitality skills. They run a small restaurant near the beautiful Temple of Literature. We went and gave them clothes and the first aid kit we had taken when we were cycling, so it was very well-stocked in anticipation of any mishaps. I hope we get back to visit them this trip ...

http://www.streetvoices.com.au/kotoRest.htm

Erin · Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2004 5:39 am Post subject:

Judy please be so careful on your trip! I just spent the last 24hrs searching for word of friends that spent Christmas on Phuket. None of us want one of our favorite C&Zers to be hurt! Take care!!
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"It's watery....and yet there's a smack of ham."

"It's hot ham water."

madameshawshank · Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2004 7:35 am Post subject: Judy...

sweet one ~ spread your spirit around...life teaches us to live with gloom and glee...that's the wondrous strangeness of it all..hugs from me to you..
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spots · Joined: 28 Dec 2004 Posts: 1

Hi Judy & Greg, my husband & I jus came back from 11 days in Thailand and we absolutely loved it. For tips, pl visit our website at:

http://www.bimandruth.com/travel/thailand

We went to Bangkok, Chiangmai & Chiangdao.

Cheers!

Judy · Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2004 11:40 pm Post subject:

Thanks for your kind wishes, my friends.

Spots, I had a look at your website - seems like you had a great time while you were there. I noticed you ate at Cabbages and Condoms. We love that place - ate there a couple of times last time we were in BKK,as it's close to where we stay, and also went to the C&C restaurant in Chiang Rai which has an excellent Hill Tribe museum.

http://www.sli.unimelb.edu.au/pda/ccrest.htm

Judy · Posted: Sat Feb 05, 2005 12:28 am Post subject:

We're back from our trip. Got back a week ago, but life has been a bit busy with my son starting high school and I have had to visit doctors as I ... ahem ... broke my arm while we were away. Embarassed

I can't believe it - on previous trips overseas I have been cycling and kayaking and nothing happened. This time we were walking into a dark cinema and I tripped over an unlit step and broke my arm! That happened just a few days before we came home, so it didn't interfere with the holiday too much. We did everything we planned to do, but missed going to the River Kwai. We'll have to do that next time.

It's not a bad break, but I can't work or drive at the moment, and I'm supposed to wear a sling. I do when I remember to, and it's not at all painful now.

So unfortunately cooking has had to take a back seat for a while. I'll write some more about what we saw and ate soon.

It's great to see the forum has so many more members and lots of interesting topics and posts that I'm slowly catching up on reading.

Best wishes to everyone.

David · Posted: Sat Feb 05, 2005 4:51 pm Post subject:

Welcome back Judy! Sorry to hear about your arm, but I suspect you kept a stiff upper and soldiered on. Any highlights you would like to share with us?
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Judy · Posted: Mon Feb 07, 2005 11:23 pm Post subject:

Thanks David. I'm thinking of a smart one-liner to sum up 'Meet the Fockers' .....

something along the lines of "I sat through this movie right after I broke my arm, and laughed!"

We went out to dinner after the movie, then I finally decided to get it x-rayed. I must confess that during the movie I kept holding both wrists up to the movie screen to see if my left one looked any different - I thought I might have had a Colles' fracture, but it turned out to be up near my elbow.

Highlights of the trip - street food, Mae Sai - the Thai town on the border of Burma, I love that place! The lovely happy, friendly Thai people, French crepes at Crepes & Co in Bangkok. Travelling with our kids - they were fantastic travel companions. I know that we only have a few years left before they will stop wanting to travel with us, so we're making the most of it.

melinda · Joined: 01 Oct 2004 Posts: 256 Location: Richmond, VA, usa

Judy...so sorry to hear of your injury.....u could make up a good story, like u were doing some extreme sport or bungee jumping or something.....so now others have to cook for u.....older kids don't mind travelling with parents (esp if the parents r paying!) I enjoyed travelling with my Mom throughout her life
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