Vicar's Homepage

The long and somewhat alarming trip home!

We managed to negotiate another couple of hours of paradise at Tongsai and finally check out at 2PM, being accompanied to the airport by the manager and another member of staff who checked us all in and said farewell. Koh Samui airport is quite odd and rather delightful. Its all outdoors with a series of shops on a main street leading down to the gate. Once at the gate it is all deck chairs, cushions and sofas with complimentary soft drinks and snacks for all. (BAA eat your heart out.) You literally sit in a deckchair by the side of the runway. Even the toilet has a large tropical fishtank inside.

Bangkok Air back to Bangkok itself and fortunately a jet plane rather than the turbo props they use sometime. It turned out to be more than fortunate. As we approached Bangkok International we hit a major storm which buffeted the plane severely as we cam in to land, with the plane clearly struggling to make the runway in the crosswind. As we landed the plane came close to flipping over, inside the cabin absolute silence, which remained as we came to safe halt. The guy behind me crossed himself and winked. Had we had the turbo prop we could have had a major problem. We then had the curious departure from the plane with the stewardesses leading the passengers two by two off the plane with an umbrella, and ensuring everyone got to the bus dry. It took an age but was cute to watch.

Bangkok Suvarnabhumi the new international airport is excellent. Nice cheap places to eat, plenty of useful shopping, TV and toilets at the gate. It has been loudly criticised but we found it user friendly, though immigration could have been faster.

Onbound to Dubai with the worst Emirates flight I have known. No drinks trolley until after the meal. Well done, though not as if any of it was edible. Our stewardess was AOWL and I had to crib water and drinks from the other aisle. A huge amount of attitude from the Dubai locals, enhanced when we had a medical emergency. When the medics were boarding the plane to assist a cardiac patient they could not get through as the locali refused to stay in their seats and were trying to push them to get to the front of the plane in preparation for departure. Some were standing as we were taxiing just after landing. Add to that a number of screaming children, at full volume for the whole flight leaving their nannies clueless. (The parents were of course up the front.)

Dubai airport at 3am is not a pretty site either. Clearly in desperate need of a make over. Two coffee bars, One pub, and a small food court for the whole airport. Very little seating most of which was taken up by people slumped across seats fast asleep.

The final sector back into London was a better effort, and I managed to catch some sleep.

Posted by albionvicar on 21/08/2008.
login or register to post comments

A Fond Farewell

A final meal at The Shack, a New York owned Steak and Burger joint on the front helped us celebrate our last night on Samui and thus a return to Bo Phut for the evening. It also gave us a shameful meeting with some very loud and aggressive Brits a few tables away. An all male group (mid thirties) from London shouting and screaming, while staring around the restaurant desperately seeking eye contact with anyone who might object. The owner found his night all of a sudden very busy trying to keep the group in check. We left before things became to excited.

A fond farewell to Giab at the bar behind the Plaza. She seems unable to attract any more passing trade and I can see the bar moving on quickly, a shame.

Finally we set off some Fire Lanterns from the beach as a farewell to Thailand, one for each of us.

Posted by albionvicar on 17/08/2008.
login or register to post comments

Tongsai

As a treat to the family our last couple of nights were in a Villa at the very high end Tongsai Bay. This beautiful hotel complex is more Amazonian lodge than Samui. The original rainforest has been maintained with a series of villas and rooms built in the grounds. Our Villa consisted of two large rooms and bathrooms separated by a very large balcony on which lay a full bathtub, a gazebo with day bed and a couple of loungers. A dining area and fridge were also outside. It was a lot of space. as befits nature a couple of loud birds visited during the day, usually after turndown service seeking titbits. If there were none there then would fly around the patio shrieking loudly in protest.

A notice asked us to be aware of other invaders including snakes after rain. The only other intruders we did get was a large millepede and an ants nest by the toilet. Some would freak but its just back to nature. The food at the restaurants was surprisingly reasonable, and a little coffee and cake shop a bargain. We just lounged by the pool for a couple of days, served by the water boy who came around hourly with bottled water and ice. Pure bliss. There was also a fruit bar at breakfast with a lady (looking suspiciously like the Pam Anne Singapore girl) slicing the fruit fresh to the plate. If it didn't look good it was straight in the bin. Mango and Mangosteen being my favourites.

Posted by albionvicar on 14/08/2008.
login or register to post comments

Around the Island

Samui is under major development, with new hotels and flats springing up everywhere. It is not going to remain very Thai for much longer. The Island itself is circumnavigated in a couple of hours on its only major road. There are sights to be seen, amongst them a large 'Big Buddha' by the airport which is worth a visit. We hired a car for the day and went to the Buddha, a number of temples, Grandmother and Grandfather rocks, (a number of phallic shaped rocks, with a rather nice little beach bar situated in the middle.) the Samui Aquarium and the waterfalls on the other side of the Island.

There are of course snorkeling and diving trips, elephant riding, canoeing, and a curious combination of football and golf where you kick the ball into the holes. Plenty to do, but that feeling of being in Thailand has already to be sort out. Ryan and I did a cookery course, which involved a trip to the local market and gave us some secrets into Thai cuisine.

A sad sight was the seven eleven in Bangkak, just down the road, a car drove into it the other night with the impact bringing down electrical lines onto a van and causing a huge explosion leading to some serious injuries. The site looked as if a bomb had hit it.

Posted by albionvicar on 14/08/2008.
login or register to post comments

Street of Candles

As stated on my last posting Bophut has a mixed nightlife. Some nights a bar is packed and sound system jumping, the next night it is closed, but there is one thing in common, all the bars are European themed and you wont find any Thai people anywhere near them. Ryan and I searched high and low for a bit of local colour, but found nothing which resembled the chance of a bit more of a mix with ethnic life.

Second night out however we found a bar tucked away down the back of Bophut Plaza, a small shopping Soi near the pier. Very basic with a few farang and some local people, now this was more like it. However we soon found ourselves on our own as the evening progressed. The bar needed some more custom, so Ryan and I set to work with some tea lights and soon we had a street of light leading from the main street, through the plaza to the bar. Despite Ryans' best efforts at bar hustler we could not entice any more people down the alley to get things going. The locals were having fun keeping the lights going everytime the flames blew out, and were taking great amusement from the spectacle, but still no more trade.

We liked it and intend to be giving Giab some more trade over the next few days.

Posted by albionvicar on 14/08/2008.
login or register to post comments

Bo Phut

Onwards then to Ko Samui and the Waterfront Hotel in Bo Phut, which just as it says is Ocean front with beautiful views of the surrounding Islands. We have a family cottage on the beach, it is simple but all we need. The hotel is very friendly and is British owned, and thus most of the guests are British. A friendly lot but it does feel a Brit enclave amoungst the French, who are also here in numbers.

Bo Phut is a very nice little town full of fine restaurants and bars, each with a theme. Aussie (odd as there are none of them here, according to their governments advisory Thailand is too dangerious to visit????) ,French, Irish etc. There are note no girlee bars, they are firmly banned, if you want that sort of bar you go 10 minutes down the road to Chaweng, whose Soy Reggae is a full on strip. (It also has an Ice Bar, which the boys loved as a real get away from the heat.) Imagine Southport v Blackpool in the entertainment stakes.

The Waterfront though is number one on trip advisor for Koh Samui, and makes an excellent base, with a poolside bar which seems to serve usually to 2am. Bit pricey on the cocktail front, but that would be my only critisicm. Very good value otherwise.

Posted by albionvicar on 14/08/2008.
login or register to post comments

Frog on a Stick

For our final night in the Hotel De La Paix we decided to eat in the hotel, very well known for its traditional food. Remind me never to let Ros loose on a tasting menu again. By the time the rest of us had had two very fine courses, Ros had despatched a snake salad, several species of fish, before the encore of a frog, on a stick. I am told it tasted of chicken. yeah OK!

I managed to recover my nerves in the very lovely bar afterwards. The central areas seating is basically four very large beds, perfect for a chill out. However bear in mind the walls of the bar are currently exhibiting some paintings of the pictures of the victims of the civil war. Cambodia leaves its mark.

We now leave and head back to Thailand and the more tourist friendly resort of Koh Samui.

Therapy Khmer Style

Posted by albionvicar on 12/08/2008.
login or register to post comments

A Nation of Orphans

Any knock off Nigel would have fun here. All the local interest books and of course every edition of Lonely Planet have been photocopied and rebound and put in a sealed cover to ensure you don't see the quality before you buy. We got a nice edition of the Cambodia guide, and a history on the nation for all of $10. Perfectly useable. You don't actually have a choice, all the bookshops here sell knocked off copies as well, so you might as well buy off a street peddler. They are quiet happy to give you a leaflet advising how they have been set up in their own business, (knocking off copies of books) and please buy from them to help them feed their families. Photocopy repair men must be making a fortune in this nation.

In one such book shop I found a leaflet advertising for volunteer workers in a nearby Orphanage, this nation has a lot of orphans a dreadful amount. The twist here was he was looking for people with professional travel skills, I made a call. Within an hour I was talking to Nick who set up the project a couple of years ago, and needs a travel person to work with him advising on tactics to bring in new business and donations from the huge amount of new tourists arriving in the area. The kids also need training in essential skills to handle the incoming crowds. With the whole of the coastline set to be redeveloped for the Westen tourist market the potential is huge. I hope to be able to help and will liaese with him again on my return. With my employers encouraging its workers to get involved in voluntry projects in compant time I sense an oppertunity in the future.

It goes without saying I left the meeting excited that I could be getting involved and helping in this beautiful country in the future.

Posted by albionvicar on 10/08/2008.
login or register to post comments

Temples, Temples, Temples.

The Hotel are of course happy to provide a driver and car with air con for the day, so all four of us headed off to explore the legendary Angkor Wat series of temples just five miles outside the town. The effeciency soon comes to light again, and within 5 minutes of arrival have our day passes complete with photo id for the princly sum of $20 each.

In the morning we tackle the main series at Angkor, the one in all the photos. It is a huge site (the largest religious site in the world.) and very little is restricted access wise. The weather is kind and overcast so as to provide shade and a cooler day than expected. A lot of photos are taken and results will be posted on our return.

Onto Angkor Thom, notable for its huge faces carved into the temple rocks. The whole area is littered with temples, arches etc, and seems to go on forever. We are exhausted and take time over a traditional Cambodian lunch, Amok, a fruity, meaty concocotion served in a coconut. Khmer food is similar to Thai but without the chilli and perhaps a little sweeter.

Our final venue is Ta Prohm. This temple is largely unrecovered from nature, leaving a spectacular combination of trees and foliage with the ruins of the temple visable beneath. You are again allowed alomost unrestricted access to the site and thus we have wonderful photographic oppertunities.

We are greatful to return to the hotel, and its uber cool spaces and some well deserved pool time before another assault on bar street.

Posted by albionvicar on 10/08/2008.
login or register to post comments

Holiday in Cambodia

Once a song title and now a reality. How times change. We feel as if we have landed on an entirely different planet here. My first time in Indochina, and I am besotted. We are now in Siem Reap (thats Thais Out in Khmer by the way). Thais aren't liked much around here. There is in fact a military stand off on the border as I type. Keeps life interesting I guess.

Our arrival was painless, I expected utter confusion and in fact it was the most efficent border control I have come tp in a long time. They even have big widescreen Tvs showing football, behind the desks should you have to wait to long. We had evisas which despite being a nightmare to organise in advance did get us to the front of the queue, and as everyone else began visa on arrival procedures we were already on the way to our hotel, which not only sent a car to meet us we had a member of staff waiting as well to say hello.

The Hotel De La Paix is in the town centre, and is a very smart hotel, full of art deco urban chiq. Lots of cool places to while away your day, IPods playing selections from the Buddha Bar series in your room and all around the hotel, the smell of Jasmine floats in the air.

The town itself is rapidly expanding, it was quiet hip prior to the war, when it was all but destroyed along with its people, but the survivors have got back on their feet quickly in the ten years since it finished. New business are opening all the time with western style coffee bars and art galleries being added to the original indochinese mix. One thing that definantly isn't western are the prices, 40p for a beer. Full meals in good restaurants from two pounds. They are still learning though, last nights venue offered a peanut satay to Owen ten minutes after we asked the manager to ensure there were no peanuts anywhere near his food preparation. By which time the two cochroaches playing under our table had acquired nicknames. Won't be going back there again.

The old market has a collection of original souvenirs and clothing, and thus there is time for a lot of shopping. I sit watching the buses pulling out to Phnom Penh and thus connecting to Hanoi and Saigon to give them there proper names. We are a long way from home.

The delightfully named Bar Street is the gathering area, with a global food choice and a collection of international beers. I note it is sealed off by armed guards at both ends. Hmm! The boys are taking it there stride, Owen occasionally looses confidence and drops to a diet of Pizza and bread, but then tries for something more adventurious.

The one thing that gathers people here are of course the temples, the biggest collection of ruins in the world. We are spending the next couple of days exploring them before heading back into Thailand.