Tour to the waterfalls

What a wonderful place, these waterfalls in Luang Prabang. The villge itself is unbelievable. Never seen so many individual tourists on such a small place. I ask anybody who on hell told them to go there and get different answers. Was told that last year everything was looking different. This year they had days when all of the (guess) 100 guesthouses were booked out. Odd place indeed! But nice temples and it's a pity that I do not have enough time for a more than 1 day trip.

Me at the hairdresser

What an experience! Got a new hair cut for 4$. Like everywhere in this area i was only allowed to enter the shop barefoot. 1st strange thing: 1st the haircut then the hair wash. latter was a very strange exercise: I had to lay down at a bed. My head was scratched for hours, I got a massage everywhere on my head and I really wondered if my head bone may stand the pressure. At the end it went well and I can think clearer than ever before!

Lluang Prabang

Jut 3 words: it's a shame! Travelling the whole day by bus through wonderful peaceful villages and jungle and now this. This village is worse than Disneyland. All I see is pubs with the English Premier league on TV, everywhere I hear Swiss German and I miss the Americans and Aussies - the coolest tourists. One boutique after the other like St. Moritz. Couldn't find a Rolex shop but I am still looking. Man, I paid almost 1$ for a mango that I could nearly pick by myself at the next tree! I saw a Mercedes SL600 worth 2kEUR. Hopefully tomorrow I find out why this odd place is called a UNESCO world heritage.

Ventianne

This is kind of the cities like "places where there is nothing to see or to do". Nevertheless I meet a lot of backpackers, a French girl cycling through Laos by here own and so on. Getting a bus ticket to the North was challenging as the service at the hotel was a desaster. Maybe Mafia family. No idea how they can effort their BMW and SUV in front of the door.The supposed highlight is this temple but it is (in my mind) just "kitsch".

Flight to Laos

Ever had a plane for yourself and 2 other guests? Here is the prove. (The plane is a French propellar machine from ... very old). We asked the flight attendant to take a picture.

Angkor

This place is just amazing. 10*10km full of temples in the jungle. Renting a bicycle (for 2$ a day:-) and going there before sunset!

And it's nice after the "guesthouse" logging experience to have a stay in the wonderful Le Meridien with swimmingpool and all the other nice facilities.

Saigon City Tour

Well Saigon has not much to offer. The (organized) city tour was a little bit annoying but at least I could buy some stuff for my trip like the unvincible Ho Chi Min sandals or a troop hat.

Wanted to buy some candies at the Chinese Market, too but the saleswoman was sleeping so deep that I didn't dare to wake her up. Did I do a favor to her?

Trip to the Mekong Delta

Being tourist in Vietnam is so f.. easy! Booked a 8$tour in the hotel. Services included:

• Pick-up at the hotel
• 2 hours bus ride to the Mekong Delta
• - Boat trip
• - Lunch
• - Fruit tasting
• - English speaking guide
• - Transfer back to the hotel.

The Mekong delta is amazing. Just the villages are a little strange to me. Always question marks if the people there are just actors for the sake of tourists or if they really are here for living (or both)? By the way: the visit to the craft work is mandatory, the coconut production center, too.

The problem of planning such a trip.

O what a pity! If I want to stick to my plan and already booked flights I have to leave Saigon in three days. The atmosphere here is just fantastic. All the life is outside, have good fresh food for 3-4$! Get your money changed at any corner. India is for me the benchmark for my Asia trip. Saigon looks very similar to a typical Indian city but:

• Compared to India it's clean like a Swiss tourist village.
• Compared to India people show unbelievably much discipline. They even turn on the lights of their cars and motorbikes if it's dark!
• Compared to India the service is just fantastic. Every big smile is followed by action.
  

Just a couple of words to my pics from the capital of motor cycles. In reality they don't look that great, colourful and sharp. I love my Nikon ;-)

Vietnam

No problems to get the preregistered visa at the airport. A french guy was not that lucky. The validity of his passport was running out. Finally he tried to offer some additional money to the office man. This worked fine. With a big smile the problem was solved.

Leaving Singapore

Compared to Hong Kong it seems to me that Singapore has not much to offer. A couple of short snapshots in the rain and then back to the airport to head to more interesting places ...

Jetlagged: A little night walk through the streets

Flying Singapore

For all friends of Open Source Technology:

The gadgets of Singapore Airlines are just amazing and the 11:30h flight is just too short to try out all the functions!

The Itinery (planned)

Start: Singapore


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