Mathew

I have spent hours, possibly days trying to find a way to describe China, however words fail me. Short of stunning and amazing I lack the words that are suitable.
So rather than trying to describe Shanghai, Xian and Beijing. I am going to roll all of China into my final thoughts of the Asian Adventure.

India

Starting in September we flew to New Delihi, India where we booked a 10 day trip around the central core of India.
New Delhi was a crazy of crazed driving (but set the standard for the trip ahead), where we in a small Tuc Tuc, wizzed about the streets visiting sights, before moving to more remote places in India, such as Pushkar, an exciting camel stay, Jodhpur, Jaipur including the Taj Mahal (The 1st of the four sights of the anchient world we see on this trip)
A previous post described the indian driving as "sitting in a bathtub hurtling down a wet grassy hill with a spoon as your only way to steer" and I still maintain this to be an accurate description.

The high points of India include: The food, The Taj Mahal and the red fort of Jodhpur.
The low points of India include: The greasy crooked tour guides, the hotels that didnt clean anything, the hassle of 'The white man has money we must take it from him'

Singapore

Flying into Singapore, life became such a contrast, clean drinking water, english, a railway system that didnt require you to climb on the roof to get a seat. It was F1 race weekend, Singapore hosted the worlds 1st night race that weekend and the city was alive and buzzing with excitement. What stood out for me was the shear amazingness of the city. Singapore is quite literially a mega city, a country on a small island, housing millions and alive and riding the wave of western and easten fusion in design, technology and of course food!

Singapore's highlights include: a GIGANTIC 8 foot by 6 foot Panasonic LCD TV (that was 3mm thick, and 1080p) costing $38,000 Singapore dollers, Singapore noodles served with duck and the F1 atmosphere.
The low points included the tropical thunderstorm we were hit by, the cost of a F1 ticket and the smell of durian fruit that lingered in the air around fruit shops.

Malayasia

Catching a train overland from Singapore we entered Malayasia, arriving in the city of Kuala Lumpur. Malayasia once a colony of England speaks english, uses english electrical plugs and most importantly sells BLACKCURRENT JUICE! Taking a bus up to the highlands of Malayasia we visted a strawberry & tea plantation before going on a trek to see a tribal village where I bought a 'native present'. In Ipoh we took a white water rafting adventure and ended Malayasia in Pernang.

Highlights of Malayasia include: Drinking water from a bamboo plant, the petronas towers and a tropical thunderstorm that flooded a street in 8 minutes.
The low points of Malayasia included: Siobhan getting sick, the lack of internet in the cameron highlands and BBQ'ed pig intestin on a stick...

Thailand

Catching a train overland from Malayasia into Bangkok, Thailand. The city of Bangkok was busstling with hawer stands selling everything from spring rolls to Thai pancakes with chocolate sauce (truely delicious!) Travelling north to Chang Mai Thailand became a more wondeful and amazing place, visiting a tiger petting zoo, learning how to cook jungle survival style, learning the art of Thai massarge and participating in a Thai cooking class further boosted the positive feelings of Chang Mai and Thailand in general.

Highlights of Thailand include: Thai chocolate pancakes, zip wires around the jungle, visiting an actual biogas project in the sticks of Thailand, learning how to make hot and sour soup and home made spring rolls.
The low points of Thailand included: The sad lack of Thai cultural heritage that has been lost to tourism in Bangkok.

Lao

Flying directly into Luang Prabang, Lao. A few days were spent exploring the town cycling round the more rural areas of town and visiting a waterfall and elephant park. Moving down to the capital of Vientiane where we visited an aid center focused on helping those injured in the Vietnam (/ American) war.

Highlights of Lao include: Eating a waterbuffulo burger, 3am bowling and cycling & kyacking to a waterfall and playing with an elephant.
The low points of Lao included: Looking at the history of the destruction of Lao by American bombs, the 12 hour bus journey and a fake Arc De Triomphe.

Cambodia

Flying into Siem Reap, Cambodia. Visiting the 2nd wonder of the world the Ankor Wat Temples, walking where once a great civilisation had decided to make incredibly complex temples of stone to honar their gods, the sights, the design and the views were all breath taking. Moving down to Phnom Penh to see the genocidal killing fields of the Khmer Rouge including a field where hundreds of innocent people were executed and the S-21 torture prison.

The highlights of Cambodia included: The great temples of Ankor Wat, the interesting kamar food and lovely cycle around the town.
The low points of Lao included: learning about the genocide of a country, getting sunstroke & almost suffering organ failure and the thunderstorm that flooded the hotel...

Vietnam

Taking an overland bus into Vietnam we arrived in Siagon and met up with Siobhans dad, discovered the culunarly delights such as Pho, the joys of a vietnamise massarge (Thank you Alistar), how to make rice paper (rice noodles too), met Uncle Ho himself and learned how to make cloth from hemp (and how to dye it aswell).

The highlights of Vietnam included: The food, the custom made clothes and the beach in Howlong Bay.
The low points of Vietnam included: The rain, The cold rain and the cold wet rain.

Hong Kong

Flying in to Hong Kong is a spectular sight, our plane was fortunate enough to have to do a circle around the island before landing so a fantastic view of the island followed by the 'almost water' landing that Hong Kong so proudly boasts with its new airport. The wedding of Riba (Siobhans sister) and Pabalo (the man she married) Stevens was our reason for being here. Exploring the city of HK itself visting the peak and central as well as helping the crossroads project.

The highlights of Hong Kong included: The wedding, the surpurb view of Hong Kong from the peak, Steamed pork BBQ buns and the fact that they sold SQUASH!.
The low points of Hong Kong included: The fact we couldnt find a place to eat duck.

 

China

Flying in to Shanghai, we visited the 'bund' and the other associated sights, went to a circus show (featuring motorbikes!) and ate Roasted Duck! (including the duck brain) before travelling up to Xian. Where we visited the Terracotta Army and saw the beginning of the silk road, catching a train to the final stop on the trip Beijing. Trekking the great wall for 10KM, visiting the forbidden palace and then tiananmen square our final adventure ends tomorrow where we will try to visit the tomb of Chairman Mao the leader of the communist movement in China.

The highlights of China included: The Terracotta Army, the great wall and the food.
The low points of China included: The cold, the lack of ability to speak chineese to communicate with and the fact that chineese food is different given what part you are in and that steamed pork buns in one part of the country are totally different to another part of the country.

Its been a fantastic 3 months adventure, Never before have i embarked on such an adventure and im sure that the future will hold more treats.
I have christened 2009 the 'year of work' because it officially begins my life working on whatever career I decide to persue...