Good Morning Vietnam


Happy New Years, kids, I hope you've had a good one!

It's going to be a bit quiet on the blog front this month, I'm afraid, my fellow blogger and I are ditching this scene for an elephant ride and a tailored pinstripe suit. Yes, we're heading to 'Nam. And Cambodia. Vietbodia, as we have taken - hopefully endearingly - to calling it.

We (and another dear friend) are lucky enough to be spending the next three weeks running around South East Asia. We're hoping to see - and eat - an awful lot, so I'm sure we'll have plenty of posts in store for you when we get back. To prepare for the trip I've been spending hours googling pictures of SEA and hitting up Travel Wiki for advice...


We'll be visiting the stunning Angkor Wat

And perhaps Dam Sen Water Park: "this water park" says Travel Wiki, "offers some truly unique water slide experiences (including the amazing "Space Bowl")! The slides have been badly designed and it's a common sight to see someone clutching their head when leaving them. Restaurant, health services, and animatronic dinosaurs are on the premises. Admission is height based." If not for the head injuries, then certainly for the animatronic dinosaurs.

We're hoping to survive crossing the street. Travel Wiki says, "To cross safely, judge gaps in the traffic and proceed with care - give oncoming vehicles ample time to see and avoid you, or try to cross with the brightly coloured and revered monks."

We'll definitely be hitting up some markets. Although TW warns us that, "Beware that DVDs and CDs you buy in Phnom Penh have a minimum 33% failure rate; with sunglasses bought from roaming street vendors it is 100%. Watches also approach 100%, including those bought in the Central Market."

Beaches and boat rides. TW recommends snorkeling, fishing, boat rides, hot-springs, and much more. Perhaps the most appealing option is this: "Get a group together and rent out a captain for about US$40 for a best sailing experience."

Colour and light - that's what I'm dreaming of. I also wouldn't mind eating here, "Butterflies Garden Restaurant, in Siem Reap. A small garden enclosure filled with butterflies and excellent fare. The restaurant employs local disadvantaged youth to catch butterflies, which are released at 11AM Mon-Thu into the garden."

And I fully intend to come back with my elephant license.

xoxo