Travel Diary - South East Asia 1996

23rd November 1996 - Brisbane to Singapore

After a year in Australia I'm heading home. Will I ever come back? Who knows? Lovely place and I've had fun but it's a long way away and there's a lot of world out there. Time for my next adventure, my first trip into Asia. The flight from Brisbane flies right across Australia before turning up to Singapore. 3 or 4 hours of red. It's amazing how big and how red Australia is. It just goes on and on and on. From the air you can see the rippling of the dunes and the odd very straight track running off into the distance.

We flew into Singapore at sunset and what an amazing sunset over the islands, ships crisscrossing the between them. Real picture postcard stuff. Taxi into town and checked into the hotel in the Little India area. And is it Indian? No cultural mix, just Indians everywhere. I took a wander around, had a decent curry and hit the hotel for an early night to prepare for the trip ahead.

24th November 1996 - Singapore

A full day exploring Singapore. Not quite what I'd expected from an Asian city. It's so clean and easy to get around using the underground and buses. The harbour looks great and along with Libby and Susanna, Jurgen and Jo who were also due to do the Intrepid Trip up through Malaysia we took the Skyrail, a cable car up over the harbour.

The evening in Little India was amazing. Sunday night is obviously the night off for all the Indians so they were all out on the streets in their Sunday best. All the blokes standing around in groups with their smart trousers and tank-tops. We met up with Evi who's from the North Pole or somewhere very close, had a great curry, and the headed over to the station for the sleeper train into Malaysia.

25th November 1996 - Kuala Kangsar

This is where the adventure proper starts. We changed trains and it was another 4 hours up to Kuala Kangsar. From there we headed out to Suka to Asiah and Aziz's homestay on an island in the middle of a large lake in very rural Malaysia. In the afternoon we climbed up a riverbed to a waterfall. Real Indiana Jones stuff climbing up the river, not easy but really fun. The waterfall was nice but the fun was in the trek.

The Island Hideaway of Kuala Kangsar is situated in the midst of a large lake in rural Malaysia. Our hosts, Intrepid's long-time friends Asiah and Aziz, offer travellers a fascinating insight into Malaysian life. They introduce groups to traditional food, local eating customs, and even dress everyone in traditional sarongs for the occasion. The environment around their home-stay is also beautiful so free time is granted in order to appreciate the local forest and waterfall. Along the way we saw some small villages with wooden houses and wide-eyed kids. There were monkeys jumping around in the trees. The other most notable wildlife were the leeches that you have to keep removing from your legs.

In the evening a thunderstorm came in so we had a lovely spicy meal and sat around chatting. Evi's life is amazing. Where she lives they have 10 weeks darkness a year and 14 weeks when the sun never truly sets at all. She goes kayaking with seals and when out of town they always carry guns because of the polar bears. Whoa.

26th November 1996 - Kuala Kangsar

What a day! Woken up at 5am by 2 water buffalo grazing outside the window of our A-frame hut. After breakfast of curry and roti I we headed out around the islands in kayaks. When we got back Aziz told us that we'd all been invited to a Malay wedding in a local village. We all got dressed up and headed out. When we arrived I'm not sure which held the greatest attraction them for us or us for them. It was obvious a lot of the people there had never been that close to Westerners before. We took photos, they took photos. We were guests of honour. We were sat down on a prominent table and had a great meal of curry and rice, we had our photos taken with the bride and groom at their request and were given eggs which are a fertility symbol. Aziz told us that the bigger the wedding the more status it carries and honour it brings on the family, having Westerners at the wedding lifted the status to a whole new level.

We enjoyed the whole thing so much. It was so good to be a part of something like this. This was a real one off we were so lucky to be in the right place at the right time. And we were made to feel so welcome they couldn't do enough for us, the language / culture gap was no problem at all, with lots of hand gestures and lots of smiles you can get by. The kids were amazing, all dressed it their best closed wanting to play with us. They are shy but curious. Before we left they insisted on showing us the wedding bed. The most important thing to them was the pure white sheets on the bed, they would be examined again in the morning to prove she was a virgin!

It was all over too soon and we headed off into Kuala Kangsar for the afternoon. We saw the Ubadiah Mosque and the Istana Iskandariah, the palace of the Sultan. Aziz gave us an insight into the history and the culture of the area. In the evening we headed out on the boat in the dark and in the rain to a Malay House for dinner. The power cut added to the authenticity of the whole evening. Wearing sarongs and sitting cross legged on the floor we had a fantastic meal. Dishes of various meats and veggies in colourful spicy sauces. A great end to a great day.

27th November 1996 - To Penang

Another early morning and another great Malay breakfast Pineapple Curry and roti. Then an no real hurry which seems to be the way of life around here we headed off in the boat back to the shore and over to the station and onto the train up to Penang.

Penang is a mixed up place. British influence but dominated by the Chinese. So strange seeing Chinese characters everywhere it makes me think that that every shop is a restaurant. The place is busy after the peace and quiet of KK. The roads full of motorbikes and rickshaws. The buildings look worn, as if they haven't seen a coat of paint in decades. We are staying at the Hotel Cathey a hang over from the Colonial period, a huge entrance hall and stairs up to the balcony. Rated in the expensive category in Lonely Planet, can't be bad.

28th November 1996 - Penang

1/2 day hill and temple trip around the island. Went up Penang Hill on the railway, great view but being on a tour we were hurried, wish we could've had more time but we're here for a good time not a long time. On the way done we saw a group of monkeys playing with the rubbish left by tourists. Next a Buddhist Temple, huge, beautifully decorated and so ornate. Another couple of temples and we were back to the hotel. Wish we'd hired a taxi between us so that we'd have had more time to see everything.

Spent the afternoon wandering around the town, fascinating seeing how the Chinese community live. In the evening we all went out for an Indian. Food was very much as you'd expect in an Indian Restaurant back home. Talking to the group about where they're from and where they've been is great. Evi from Spitsbergen, couple of guys from Germany and Stan and Kathy from Canada. The disappointing thing about the group is their lack of adventure. This is born out in their choices of food with the majority searching out Western food where ever possible so tonight most of them had the Chicken Tikka Masala ;-)

29th November 1996 - Into Thailand

Up at 4 and into a minibus to take us to Thailand. A stop at Hat Yai for a bite to eat and change buses before heading on to Krabi. Initially Thailand looks very much like Malaysia but with funny writing. Old wooden houses on stilts, mopeds and Utes, but it does seem cleaner. After 12 hours of travel we arrive at The Dawn of Happiness an eco-friendly resort set right on the beach and what a beach which beautiful warm clear water.

30th November 1996 - Krabi

Up early for a walk on the beach watching the fishermen both wading in the water and on long-tail boats then back for some banana pancakes. This is the life. We then went out with the guys from DofH for a day island hoping in a long-tail boat. The most amazing scenery that I've ever seen. Beaches, limestone cliffs and pillars some big enough to be called islands and rainforest right down to the water. We stopped a few times at beaches to walk, swim and snorkel. The snorkelling was great right off the beach with some coral and loads of fish. Sung from DofH turned the whole day into a party, he's real star hopefully we'll have more of the same tomorrow.

1st December 1996 - Krabi

Sea kayaking today. 2km down a knackered track in the back of a Ute, mud, water, huge potholes, the journey was an experience in itself. We finally arrived a small and very Muslim fishing village. We jumped into kayaks and set off. I promptly fell out making myself look a prat and ruining my camera. From then on I managed to stay in my kayak but I never felt totally safe. We spent the day kayaking around the estuary, up the coast, around the limestone cliffs and pillars, through the rainforest and mangroves. Birds and monkeys in the trees, fish in the clear waters. Stopped for a fried rice lunch on an isolated beach and more paddling. Ended with a long paddle out to the sand bar at the mouth of the river, amazing as if walking on water with the water just washing over the bar. If only I hadn't knackered my camera I'd have some great photos ;-)

2nd December 1996 - Krabi

We're all loving it here so much we decided to stay an extra night. Went over to Ao Nang then Krabi, at one stage we had 32 in a songthaew. Krabi's busy, was fun watching the hustle an bustle of Asian life, I love it, busy but with a worries, simple, cheerful, looking on the bright side attitude. They don't seem worried about things they don't have, their lives aren't ruled by envy, they just get on with it an enjoy what they have. Ao Nang was full of Germans which spoilt the place, didn't hang around there long. In the evening we sat around on the beach drinking local rum, Dawn of Happiness is the most beautiful place in the world.

3rd December 1996 - Khao Sok National Park

2 hour bum-numbing songthaew ride to Khao Sok National Park and Art's Jungle Lodge. Another rustic place. No electric, water from a barrel, but a proper sit-down toilet and large room with mossie net over the bed. The lodge is right on the edge of the jungle which looks very dense. 3 of the girls have decided they hate it already and don't plan to leave the room until we set off for Bangkok. What a waste.

4th December 1996 - Khao Sok National Park

Banana pancakes again for breakfast something I'll never tire of. Then we headed out along a trail through the rainforest (the oldest evergreen rainforest in the world) in the rain. Walk took us and the leeches that kept latching onto us down to a river and along to a waterfall. The rainforest is impressive but we never saw any wildlife. I guess it sees and hears us first and scarpers. The major action of the day was Jurgen slipping whilst pratting around on the rocks by the waterfall, it was an accident waiting to happen. Anyway that was him out of action for the day being taken to hospital for stitches.

In the afternoon we went tubing. Drifting down the river sat in an inner-tube, a blissful afternoon even if it was in the rain. On the way back we stopped off at a rubber plantation, trees tapped with rubber running out of them, a rubber press and rubber mats hung up to dry. The evening was pretty boring playing games to while away the evening. I spent my night reading and watching the geckos.

5th December 1996 - Khao Sok National Park

Cleared out of Art's Lodge and headed out to the reservoir for the day. Another long Ute ride, sore bums and moaning from the usual suspects. Pretty ordinary boat trip out to raft house and back. Would've been much better if the sun was out and we fancied going for a swim.

Then the journey up to Bangkok. Firstly an hour on a 'hippy' public bus, music blaring, 3 to a seat, decked out in red and gold with little Buddha things in the windows. Quick food stop at Surat Thani, then the sleeper to Bangkok. The trains are great and very over staffed. Our guard sat and drank with us for an hour or so which was great fun, then we crashed out and woke up in Bangkok.

6th December 1996 - Bangkok

Hit the Viengtai by 8:30. Nice. Grand place, big room, air-con, TV, shower, what luxury. We did the Grand Palace and Wat Po. But big and ornate but I'm getting templed out Only so many Buddhist Temples you can see without them becoming samey even if like Wat Po it does contain a huge Reclining Buddha. Spent the afternoon wandering Bangkok on my own. Nice to have a bit of space even if it is in busy, stuffy, crowded city.

In the evening we had our last meal together, a great Thai / Chinese restaurant, I had a whole Sweet and Sour Butterfish which was absolutely gorgeous. We ended up on Khao San Road for few drinks.

7th December 1996 - Bangkok

A day of leisure in Bangkok. I'm not getting a good feel for it here. Each way I turn I feel I'm getting ripped off. I hate bargaining for everything. Stuff may be cheap but you never feel you're getting the best deal.

8th December 1996 - Bangkok

Khoa San Road is fun but a bit too backpacker for my liking. The only Thais you see there are trying to sell you something, 'designer' tee-shirts and other clothes, 'Rolex' watches, CDs and computers games. Or there are the young girls wandering around with middle-aged Germans, we know what they're selling. The street is lined with bars all showing films in English and drunken backpackers knocking back cheap cocktails. Fun, but a total corruption of what Thailand should be.

9th December 1996 - To Sangkhlaburi

Had enough of Bangkok and not before time my second tour has started. Me and Jo from the original tour and we're joined by 4 others who have just finished the Northern Thailand tour. We hoped on another 'hippy' public bus and set-off to Kanchanaburi. Lunch and then a second bus on to Sangkhlaburi in Western Thailand. We checked into the P Guest House which was just a group of bamboo huts on the Vajiralongkorn Lake. They were OK but we've only got squat toilets, I feel constipation setting in already.

10th December 1996 - Sangkhlaburi (Elephant trekking)

Elephant trekking and bamboo rafting, a great day made all the better for having a 3 month old elephant accompanying us on the trek. It was so clumsy but having such fun, even I found it cute. Riding the elephants was fun, trekking through the forest and across rivers. It was quite rough but the elephants are amazing so deliberate in their actions and there gave us quite a smooth ride. The scenery was great but the baby was the highlight. At one point it was walking along a tree trunk and fell off, it got up and looked around as if to see if anyone had noticed and say 'I meant that'. Later when crossing a river the elephant was completely under water which just its trunk pointing up through the water like a periscope. When it got to the other bank it couldn't climb out. Our elephant came up behind it and helped it out with its trunk.

The rafting back down was good, I was on a raft with Jo so I was in charge of the bamboo pole to push us along. The rafts themselves weren't all that solid, just long bamboo poles loosely tied together, stand on the wrong pole and your foot goes straight through. Thankfully the river wasn't too deep so it wasn't too hair-raising just fun.

In the afternoon we took a songthaew ride to a few villages and temples. One of the temples was really magnificent and still being built, amazing that such grand temples are still being built today. Next a trip up to 3 Pagoda Pass, border to Burma which was worth a visit just for the Orwellian type propaganda on a huge board on the other side.

11th December 1996 - Kanchanaburi

Travelling back to Kanchanaburi. A speedy songthaew ride and then a 'Death Railway Scenic Ride' from Nam Tok to Kanchanaburi. The railway goes through some stunning scenery mostly following the river it's mostly cut into the rock. When it was built the railway ran from Bangkok all the way to 3 Pagoda Pass, 258 miles. 5 years work completed in 1 1/2 years, the complete opposite of most projects I've worked on! Oh and of the 230,000 workers forced to work on it about half died. Whatever the figures it's one hell of a feat of engineering.

We managed to squeeze in a visit to the Jeath (Japan, England, America, Australia, Thailand and Holland) War Museum. This tribute was established to show actual items that were connected with the construction of the Death Railway by POW's between 1942-1943. The first thing that strikes you when you visit the museum is the bamboo hut with a collection of photographs displayed. The hut is a replica of the conditions the POW's were forced to live in. The museum displays graphic images of the terrible conditions inflicted on the people that died and the many that survived to tell the story. It feels like a mini-Auschwitz.

12th December 1996 - Hua Hin

The trip to Hua Hin was a real step back in time passing through little stations with their little white picket fences and Station Masters in their uniforms with their red and green flags. Hua Hin is a mismatch of a place a traditional Thai fishing village which because of its beach became the summer retreat for the Thai royal family. Now it seems to cross the traditional with loads of German tourists. The rest of the group went off to the Railway Hotel for high tea, I decided to break away from the group for a while and went for a walk along the beach.

13th December 1996 - Hua Hin

The first free day in ages so I decided to spend most of it lying on the beach topping up the tan. In the evening we hit the night market. It was great stall after stall cooking food whilst you wait. Amazing sea food all freshly cooked, so tasty and so cheap. Prawn tempura cooked in a flash, whole fish barbequed. After I did some shopping. The markets here may be a little more expensive but I much prefer shopping here to Khao San Road, so much less pressured.

14th December 1996 - To the Teak House, Bangkok

Couple more hours on the beach and then off to Bangkok. Bit of a false start, Jackie cocked-up the bus booking so some more hanging around before the 4 hour trip up to the outskirts of Bangkok where we are staying in a Teak House.

15th December 1996 - Teak House, Bangkok

Up early and off to the market. We were shown around and told what everything is. Loads of weird and wonderful fruit and veg. Then we headed back to the house to watch our host cook up a fantastic meal from all the stuff we'd bought. We gave her an helping (or hindering) hand. We ground the spices with a mortar and pestle, chopped and diced. The food looked and tasted fantastic although she'd obviously kept the spice level down which was a pity. For the rest of the day we were full and contented so we lazed around and enjoyed the peace and quiet.

16th December 1996 - Bangkok

The end of the second part of the trip. We left the Teak House and took a long-tailed boat up the canals into Bangkok. Amazing to see the people living on the river. The river is their life, fishing, swimming, washing. Little floating shops and food stalls. Bamboo houses with little old ladies squatting down doing their washing in the river. Soon we were back in town and checked into our hotel. I got measured up for some suits, endured Khao San Road and had an early night.

17th December 1996 - Bangkok

A bit of a nothing day, I'm now ready to get on the plane. 13 months away from the UK without seeing my friends and family. Today dragged. More fittings for my suits, few more presents for home. I'm now all spent out. 200 Baht to last me a day and a half. No point changing an more money. Evening sat in a bar on Khao San Road nursing a drink watching the films. Saw Colin, he's been a lucky, lucky boy. He got taken in by the Gem Scam. Sheer stupidity to get involved. He wasted 2 days of his holiday sorting it out.

The Gems Scam

This is a by-the-numbers scam. Most people have the exact same experience. It usually goes something like this: 1. You are riding in a tuk-tuk. 2. The driver tells you that wherever you are going is closed for some reason. 3. The driver tells you he is specially trained to be helpful to tourists. 4. You are told the government has launched a promotion to sell gems to tourists. 5. In the course of riding around with the "friendly" tuk-tuk driver, you "accidentally" meet a well-dressed young man or an older, distinguished man. 6. The younger man claims he is a student. The older will claim he works for the government and shows you his government ID. (Thai IDs mean nothing. They are readily available for a small fee to anyone.) 7. The person you meet independently confirms the story the tuk-tuk driver told. (This is a nice touch.) 8. Eventually you ask to be taken to the "government" jewellery house and are told that you can make 100-150% profit by reselling the gems back home. It seems okay since the seller writes something like "if everything is not ok we will offer a full refund" and puts an official looking stamp on it. 9. You've now been cheated by one of the oldest and most openly practiced scams in Thailand.

18th December 1996 - Bangkok and home again

My last day away. I hung around the hotel pool for a few hours then popped out for lunch and watched The Rock. Wasting the whole day with no money isn't easy but 6pm eventually came. Picked up the suits and headed to he airport. It's all over and what an adventure. My first non-European holiday and definitely not my last...