Brunei & The Borneo Jungle

Our last night in dry Brunei, we hired a couple of the local water taxis to whizz us around the stilted villages. Being such a small country they use every available space, water or not, schools, hospitals and shops balance precariously on wooden and concrete legs as densely populated as any housing estate. The taxis all boast wooden construction with beefy outboards, a great improvement on the normality of the London Taxi as you bounce across the wakes from the other boats as the public transport systems swarms around. A few minutes downstream we caught an amazing view of the Sultan’s Palace. As the sun went down the light on the South East Asia’s biggest mosque dazzled the skyline, looking bizarre amongst all the wooden shanty houses.

From our brief stop in Brunei we bussed to KK (Kota Kinabalu for the longwinded tongues) it was a journey in itself. Check out of Brunei, check into Malaysia, drive for a bit, check out of Malaysia, check into Brunei, check out of Brunei, check into Malaysia, check into Saba Province...... two less pages in our passports we arrived in KK.

KK was a welcome change and a stunning sunset over the water set the scene for a wild night on the rather exclusive waterfront complex the tourists in this town call home. The next day was a bit of a blur for some who only squinted at the sunlight before returning to their darkened rooms. For those now poorer from the night before, a great seafood market is set up on the waterfront every evening serving some of the most reasonable and tasty fish we have found, tuna steaks for less than a dollar kept everybody happy.

But Borneo is largely about the jungle and the animals, and so after two nights in KK we headed back to the jungle and another orang-utan sanctuary in the little town of Sepilok. We caught the early morning flight from KK to Sandakan to catch the 10 am feeding. Our tickets granted us two feeding times with most folks coming back in the afternoon to watch these amazing human like primates.

Sepilok is also the jumping off point for one of the highlights of the trip to Borneo, a two night stay in a Jungle Camp deep within the Kinabatangan Jungle.

Arriving at the jungle camp was a bit of a shock to the system, definitely no WIFI here we suspected as we checked into our rough and ready accommodation. Mattresses on the floor, up to 6 people in a hut with a mosquito net for each, no door, no windows, chicken mesh for ventilation. We headed down to the evening briefing and after being served coffee and crumpets began to think that maybe this would be OK.

The briefing was great as a well spoken guide explained our program for the next 3 days and 2 nights. He also did a great job of explaining what we could expect to see and different times which may have raised the bar a bit but gave us all something to look forward to. Splitting into 2 teams, Scorpions and Tarantulas (sounds a bit like school camp) we headed off on our first night safari after a very tasty dinner.

Piling into boats we took off in opposite directions and into the jungle. 2 guides per boat, one armed with a spot light, did an amazing job of finding all manner of wildlife. Sleeping birds, water monitor lizards and some were even lucky enough to spot a Python eating a rodent.

With our appetites whetted there were no complaints about the early morning call to go for another longer trip down the river, steaming coffee and tea with bread and jam made the 6 o’clock start to the day even bearable.

Again the two teams headed in different directions and with sightings on both side closely matched it was only the fantastic glimpse of the Unicorn by team Tarantula that put them in the lead by one....

This area just seems to teem with nature and with the local guide’s uncanny ability not only to spot the birds and beasts but rattle off the Latin names was amazing making for an interesting ride again. The photos will do it all justice.

Then a cooked breakfast and a bit of a break and chill time before heading once more into the jungle by boat and then by foot. Wearing rubber boots we trudged through the undergrowth with our guide explaining all kinds of interesting plants and bugs, some folks even got to handle a scorpion and we got to do a bit of scratch and sniff nature, a small millipede that when provoked smells just like marzipan! Christmas in the jungle anyone?

     

 

 

We had a total of 7 jungle adventures at Uncle Tan’s as well as many very tasty meals, the guides were young but very knowledgeable, helpful and fun. On our last day after another boat safari where we managed to spot a wild orang-utan, we came back for a last breakfast of fried tasty stuff. Leaving the camp by boat with the staff playing the guitar and singing a not half bad rendition of James Blunt’s “Goodbye my friend” we were sorry to leave the jungle and crazy camp behind us.

From there we would be heading to the city of Sandakan.

Borneo - Sarawak

Some folks just can’t get enough and so together with 8 of the expedition members we headed back into Malaysia to set off on a 3-week optional add-on to Malaysian Borneo and Brunei.  We arrived in Johor Bahru mid Deepavali (Festival of Lights to you and me) and this border town in peninsular Malaysia was in full swing!  We were staying in a budget hotel right near the middle of town; of questionable integrity the taxi driver informed us with a nod and a wink, this was the local knocking shop.  Nice.  But apart from booming music out in the street it was fine enough.

JB, as the locals call it, does have one redeeming feature and that is the amazing seafood. Heading down to the waterfront that evening we ate an incredible meal of fresh seafood, Debbie devoured two crabs which looked fantastic as did the rest of the food fresh and being well-priced it was a winner of a meal.


The next afternoon we shook off our strictly overland roots and caught a jet plane from JB to Kuching, the only city the world to boast a museum dedicated exclusively to cats. It is a quaint and quirky place and a great introduction to Borneo. Checking into our backpackers we met up for drinks and a chat in the restaurant next door, very cosmopolitan it all felt a bit out of place but was another great evening before heading into the rainforest we came here to see.

The next morning we piled into a minivan that would take us to the boat terminal as Bako National Park can only be accessed by speed boat. A great park and one of the few places in the world you can spot Proboscis monkeys in their natural habitat.

We had all been warned about the ever present Macaque Monkeys that call the park their home but the little critters were more than a handful. Ruling the roost by flashing their teeth they think nothing of stealing an unguarded drink as Jen found out to her horror as one stole her beer and downed it! Chips, chocolate or anything that even looked like food would be snatched from the unwary hand. The entertainment value was high too as they groomed and played around the hostels amongst the shouts of panic from the new arrivals not yet used to the antics of the local thieves. One actually jumped on Denis to grab his can of Seven Up; the shysters had no fear!

That evening we had a BBQ , roast lamb, veg, potatoes and salad as we watched the light disappear over the limestone cast and sea while keeping a wary eye out for the little robbing hands of the monkeys.

The jungle changes its face at night and we headed off on a guided night walk. Our guide was excellent first taking us to a tree and showing us a baby pit viper and then all manner of bugs, scorpions and other creatures only apparent to the well trained eye but easy to see once pointed out. An hour and a half later we returned to our accommodation, fed, watered and entertained.

All the parks in Borneo that we visit have very well developed walking trails, well mapped and marked, its easy if not sweaty to get around. One group took the “easy option” choosing a trail that promised to bring you out a secluded beach. At only 800 metres how hard could it be? The bit they failed to read is the expected time to the beach was an hour of hard slog. Proving a challenge the shortest walk available was likened to near death experience by some. More trekking, some of us did the round route over 5km while others took the easier options to explore the park. We were all very lucky to at some point see the famed proboscis monkey. Watching their human like ways can keep you entertained for hours as they swing around the trees, squabble and squawk, it’s a great thing to see.

Back on the boats we head back to Kuching, a longhouse visit is on the cards as an optional activity but we had no takers instead choosing to head off to the Semenggoh Orangutan Sanctuary for the first of several encounters with these majestic creatures that we are hoping to have during our time in Borneo.  We were in luck, with the alpha male turning up for a feed, and also mothers and babies.  Watching their human-like interactions is a great way to spend a morning or afternoon!

Kuching also provided a great opportunity to catch up on emails while exploring the town and enjoying the great food available, and a couple of folks even found time to go to the cinema and relax before the next adventure.

A full day of travel to Bintulu was an adventure in itself and early start we were dropped off at the ferry terminal pilling into the first class airconditioned upper deck we were treated to an hour of pop videos and then a thrilling episode of GI JOE, while skimming over the South China Sea.  We soon found ourselves back into the estuaries again and the boat began to roll a little bit less.  But more adventure awaited us as the boat's engines came to a stop mid river.  A smaller vessel resembling something out of the Jetsons pulled up alongside of us as we were instructed to swap boats.  Hair-raising to say the least, we managed the change in transport without incident.

Then onto a public bus for the last 3 hours and we arrived in Bintulu, then taxis to the hotel and we checked in and headed to the night market across the way for a yummy meal.
 

At 10am the next day we piled into taxis to head for the Similajau National Park for a bit of a walk.  Cher and I had been shopping the day before for a picnic.  Maybe choosing the 13km round trip was a bit ambitious but a gruelling 7-hour walk through the jungle punctuated by a rather lovely lunch on an isolated beach saw us all huffing and puffing as we waited on the taxi back to Bintulu.  A good warm up for other jungle treks to come.

Back in our minivan heading for Niah National Park we were in a for a bit of treat booking into private chalets with aircon and all we had another bbq on the first night, fish and sticky chicken wings went down a treat, topped of with a few duty free vodkas around the fire it was another enjoyable night.

The next day saw a lazy morning with breakfast from the canteen in the park and then leftovers from the BBQ for lunch. At 3 most of us met up to explore the incredible cave system that makes this park famous. The second largest cave mouth in the world, it leaves you lost for words as you enter its abyss. Famous for swiftlet nest harvesting, long poles hang from the ceilings of the the gigantic caverns, a good network of stairs allows you to explore nearly the entire cave, rather trying, although most of us were there until after dark when the swiftlets return and the bats depart in a flurry of activity.

The next morning we left for Miri to ready ourselves for the trip to Brunei, which we do tomorrow. So that’s all for now.

The end of an epic journey!

We head for the border of Singapore in a 40-seater coach, with more than 2 seats each we roll along as a group for the final time. So much has happened in the last 6 months there is just no way to put it all into perspective. This blog and all the others put together could never catch the magic that happens on a long journey like this. It’s not always a rabbit that pops out of the hat, sometimes we find ourselves in for a spot of bother; a storm mid way through a BBQ, or getting the truck stuck down to the front /back/both axles, being caught on a public bus with no tickets mid eastern Europe... This is an expedition with so many days in different crazy places, you would be a fool to think it would run just as planned. But, all said and done, this has been a very successful trip, with only one detour around the pesky Turkmenistan (closed due to swine flue, the only country in the world to do so). The forced change to our route brought us to the incredible Aral Sea, and the opportunity to see Karakalpakstan, for most onboard a major highlight of the trip! Exploration and adventure is what we do, and it’s been one epic journey. To bring it all back we planned one final night.



Meeting up in the hotel “conference” room we had our final round of Odyssey Blue’s, cost price liquor from the restaurant we would be visiting later made this all possible (Singapore taxes alcohol like boxing taxes brain cells).

Not quite cocktail glasses, our plastic cups had umbrellas, cherries and straws to give the clunk of cheers a bit of a rev, mixed with all the skill mustered by two overland drivers, in the heart of the Colonial district these were going to be cheap drinks with a punch. Soon the sorry goodbyes became lively chat, not far off the first day in the back of the truck when we all first met, now nearly 6 months ago. Strangers then, friends now.


Walking down the jostling streets, Singapore has so much to offer. We had been limiting ourselves to the food halls which serve up a vast array of dishes at affordable prices, those heading home soon watching their spends nearly as much as those who plan to travel on further. But tonight we were going a bit more upmarket. Eventually we arrived at the infamous Raffles Hotel, no front door entry for us, we scampered around the back to the Long Bar to enjoy a 20 US dollar Singapore sling, this is a must do if you can do drink. Arriving in our shorts and flip flops (though the boys had their best shirts and the girls definitely didn’t look like they had been free camping for a week), I’m sure the staff were nowhere near surprised when a peanut fight broke out.

From there we headed across the street to a restaurant. Sitting down to our final meal together pawing over the menu, a photo appeared on the projector screen dated 12th April 2009. Who were these pasty looking people? Bumbling about this big blue truck not yet called home. On the photos went, experience after experience. If you hadn’t been on board the random photos drew little attention from the other diners, apart from the odd breathtaking view over mountain peaks and grass lands there was little that outsiders could relate to, but each photo bought back a memory now, maybe forgotten because of the others stacked on top.


It’s been a great trip, not everybody made it to the end, some folks just aren’t cut out for this type of expedition. But one and all this trip has changed all our lives forever, seeing things in oneself and others and the crazy world around us. It has been a trip of a lifetime. The faces of Odyssey 2009 below, now part of a rather exclusive club. London to Australia. Done properly. Odyssey Style.

This has been a great trip for Cher and I, we would like to thank all the guys in the back for their help and support along the road, we could not have done it without you.

We are currently running the 3 week Borneo add-on for 8 of the guys and will start posting the blog any day now, so far we have had a close encounter with a 120kg Orang-utan and boat hopped mid-river, so it is bound to be another good trip!

Malaysia

Another great easy border and we were rubber stamped back into the Muslim World. Malaysia is a well organised and clean country with friendly people and the most expensive booze on the planet, well not quite, but pricey after all the cheap countries we have been through. We start by heading for the mixing pot of George Town. Pulau Penang is a small island linked to the main land by a 13km bridge. Having been inhabited by the French, English, Chinese, Portuguese and of course Malay culture for hundreds of years it’s a fascinating town to wander. Crumbling colonial architecture suffers the back drop of sky scrapers and apartment blocks. We always seem to find ourselves here over Ramadan and the streets are littered with people and fire crackers.


Colonial Georgetown:

But a definite Chinese influence:

And French?  Or is it Portuguese?

The bridge from the mainland:

Georgetown skyline:

Our period style hotel hinted at the former grandeur of this once strategically important town. Just across the street is the best Chinese market we have seen on this trip and having spent over a month in China that says a lot. Most folks chose to eat here the first night as we had arrived in the early evening. The karaoke was in full swing and the food came with the full night market ambience. The next day Cheryl had copied some walking tour maps for everybody to explore the city and old fort. Most folks set off early to avoid the midday sun, choosing to catch up on movies and internet in the cool of the air-con rooms over the hottest time of the day. Nasi Lemak is a favourite local breakfast, dried anchovies fried with peanuts served with rice and curry, and it sets you up for day of exploring the Malay way, or from little India you could have a Roti Canai, flat breads with curry dipping sauce, not quite Kelloggs and milk but local and tasty. The mixture of food, as one would expect, is as vibrant as the mix in culture and architecture.

A lazy day and we were off again, this time driving down to a sleepy hollow called Kuala Besut, from here we catch the ferry to the Perhentian Islands. The moment you step onboard the ferry the fun starts. The 16-seater ferries with 400 horse power two-stroke motors on the back can get a corpse’s heart pounding as we blasted our way over to the crystal clear diving and swimming heaven of Pulau Besar. If diving is not your thing then try a snorkel over some of the most beautiful coral around, teeming with fish, no swim is ever the same, white sandy beaches are only a short walk away with a great array of restaurants to choose from.

The thriving metropolis of Kuala Besut... 

Speed boats to the Perhentian Islands: 

Beautiful beaches, and a great place to chill:

David and Alex who are keen divers, and Corrie who had recently completed her open water diving qualifications were booking dives left right and centre. Amy, Debbie, Denis, Louise and Robin all chose to have a taster dive and then truly hooked, advanced to the full open water qualifications, so their island break was a little more stressful than the others given the course work involved, but two dives every day made for great fun, if a little tiring.

Other folks pottered about snorkelling and sunbathing, walking the numerous treks on the island and eating in the different restaurants. Four nights saw us back on the boat zooming across the water and heading for Kuantan.


Camping on the coast again we were beginning to push the beach envelope a bit though it was nice to sit around a fire and chat after all the hotel hopping and nights out. With not many more nights of camping left on this trip we took the chance to prepare roast chickens in the magic pot, with spuds and veg drowned in gravy it was a winner of a meal.


Our last two nights of camping take us to the incredible Taman Negara Rainforest. They say Taman Negara is one of the oldest rainforests in the world as it was never affected by the ice age, up for debate and all that it, is a sight to behold. Swelteringly hot we headed across the river and into the park for a morning jungle trek. Much hype about blood thirsty leeches had everybody well prepared in hiking boots and woolly socks that did nothing to help with the stuffy heat but once we entered the jungle canopy we were lost in the world of giants.

Information boards en route make for interesting reading but our purpose was to get to the jungle canopy walk. Tiny rope bridges give you a bird’s eye view of the forest, slightly nerve wracking (especially when you have Denis behind you who had mistaken this all for a very elaborate bouncing castle), we wobbled from tree to tree. There were definitely a few sighs of relief as we made it to the end of the 300 metre canopy walk.

Everybody dripping in sweat, most of us chose to take the boat home while Tee and Le headed for another trek further into the jungle and Jen chose to have a wander back to get a few more photos.


For our last camp dinner we made a traditional South African chicken Potjie with rice, filling and honest it went down a treat. The next morning we had baked omelette and that was the end of the big black pot that fed us so well for so long. Packing up the camp for the last time we jumped in the truck and headed for Kuala Lumpur.

Farewell camping and truck food, and thanks for the memories...
 

Kuala Lumpur or KL as it known is a big crazy city, after spending time in rural Malaysia this is a breath of not so fresh air, here you can by all the big name brands from Gucci to Burberry, sitting in the stand-still traffic we were caught amongst massive designer shops, as Monica’s eyes began to glass over David wondered where to hide the credit cards, this is another town you can shop till you drop in or just wonder the vibrant streets. The Petronas Towers which dazzle the sky line (best viewed from the top of the KL Tower) put scope to this sprawling metropolis.

Shopping!

And the mighty Petronas Towers, once the tallest buildings in the world: 

Reading a brochure we discovered the Theme Park in the Time Square building, all adults of course we don’t normally find ourselves heading to that type of attraction...but what caught our eye was the Super Sonic Odyssey. Surely this is a sign that we must partake in these shenanigans?


Dubbed the longest indoor rollercoaster in South East Asia which left us wondering exactly how many indoor rollercoasters there were in South East Asia exactly, we purchased our adult pass all rides tickets and scrambled the four floors to the top of the main attraction. The Supersonic Odyssey (painted blue and all!) did not disappoint, screams from start to finish and maddened grins we ran from ride to ride until our churning stomachs could take no more.

Supersonic Odyssey:

KL has great night markets for a cheaper eat or world class restaurants so finding food is no fuss with the massive selection on offer. Sitting on the corner of a street with the hustle and bustle about you eating with the locals is part of the experience. For a meal with a view you can follow Robin and Alex’s example and dine at the very top of the KL TV tower stunning views surround the all-you-can-eat buffet which had Alex going for second’s third and fourth helpings.


The Muslim history is also worth a visit, Dave and Monica spent many hours wandering about. The night life is rampant if not a bit pricey but a few hangovers in the morning proved not every body had spent their travel budgets just yet. We were lucky enough to be in town for the Chinese Closing of the Gates of Hell Ceremony ( I hope they remembered to lock it once closed), dragon dancers in the streets with massive bands of drummers topped off with a spectacular fireworks display it was a lucky night to be in town. Three nights here and most folk’s pockets were getting a bit empty so we drove down to Melaka.


This would be our last drive in the truck as from Melaka we use private buses to get us to our final stop in Singapore. A sad day indeed as we say good bye to our faithful transport that never seriously let us down once.


Melaka is a large sprawling town, but we stay in the funky Chinatown bit, looking more Chinese than some parts of China, it’s a great place to explore… And do those last little bits of shopping before heading to Singapore.

Thailand

From Siem Reap we head for the border with Thailand, a walk-through border which is always a pleasure, we were done in hour and on our way to Bangkok. The change as you hit Thailand is immediate, four lane highways with road signs and everything. Arriving in Bangkok in the late afternoon we checked into our little hotel in Banglamphu only a short walk to the famous Khao San Road and transport routes we were set to explore this city.

There is a lot of history and culture about as well as shopping from markets or super centres. The sex trade that once the city was most famous for is still around but not as in your face as times gone by. Jen who had visited the city years ago and was not able to walk the streets for gawkers and whistlers was pleased to be able to roam freely in this now multicultural and very accepting city, so accepting you have to give every girl a double take, check those feet sizes and adams apples lads, this is lady boy country.

The first day five folks headed off to the tiger sanctuary, run by monks it gives you the chance to get up close and personal with the mammoth beast, the photos do it all justice.

For others, just roaming the jostling streets with food stalls and clothes and every manner of which what available at a bargain price. In Thailand they say: other countries have copy right, we have right to copy, and it is only to true with amazing prices on genuine Ray bans, Gucci, Levis and every other big brand name you choose. A mad computer shopping frenzy evolved with great deals and a massive range we have now effectively doubled the number of note books in any wifi spot on route.

The food is great here to with all the western options but the Thai food is to die for, my pet nit noy, if you don’t like it spicy is bound to get a laugh from your waiter but after a the food en route most of us can handle a good handful of chilli with only breaking a little sweat.

We did have one slight problem with the truck, a young hoodlum decided to tag the side with a bit of paint, which made a great start to the morning, but luckily our hotel who was watching the truck had somebody come and remove the offending matter, but as good often pops out of bad, while lending a hand with said removal a TV crew approached, wanting to interview the crew, I quickly made my excuses and volunteered our four most appropriate representatives (the four I thought were least likely to hang draw and quarter me) and the Odyssey Overland TV premiere was all set up, meeting at seven the following evening a pretty professional looking crew arrived and it was all lights camera action with some tough questions being answered at peoples favourite spots around the truck, it was a random experience really, with a couple gins to start it turned out to be good fun. Jen, Paul, Robin, Elaine and Abby did a sterling job.

Our last night in Bangkok and still no Ping Pong, its strange how nearly everybody just cant resist witnessing this, Cher and I went last year with the group and swore blind never again, but there we found ourselves with this years group arguing the door price of the show at the same seedy little spot. They water down your vodka and serve beer by the tiny glass at ten times the price assuming everybody who comes must be stupid, and truth be told we probably all are. But worth a quick laugh you will just have to go see the goings on for yourself.


A relaxed start in the morning saw us heading for the beaches and Thailand’s white sandy miles. Karri kip kaan is about half way to the Thai islands and a quaint little tourist town aimed more at the local market which made a nice change. Our hotel on the beach had air-con, a pool and even a Jacuzzi sort of thing, if all that was not enough a walk up monkey mountain or a trek to the Buddha caves kept most amused for our short stay. We cooked off the truck one night for a bit of a change, mussels in their shells, kilos of prawns on the bbq and fish in foil silenced any grumbling tummies and conversation until the lot was gone.

From there to Surat Thani, a bit of a dive of a place but our stopping point to jump on the ferry, this is also a chance to fend for yourselves as what you do for the next 6 nights is up to you as we headed off to explore the Thai islands.


Dave, Monica, Denis, Louise and Richard headed to the opposite coast and the beaches of Krabi. Paul, Alex, Robin, Elaine and Abby headed for a posh resort up north on Ko Samui, Corrie went to join some friends out from the UK on Ko Tao and do her diving course, while Jen headed for the quiet beaches of Ko Pha Ngan and Debbie headed back to Vietnam. I’ll ask each group to write a few lines and select a photo or two and I’ll post when I can. Cher and I took the chance to play catch up with all the admin while sitting on a white beach sipping ice cold drinks, could be worse I guess!

Alex's Experience
What follows goes to anyone who's lucky enough to be booked on the London to Oz trip next year or those considering a stay on the fabulous Island of Koh Samui.

The choice of the resort was very important to me, as I wanted to relax primarily but at the same time have a good time. So if, like me, you are looking for a stunning sea view from the balcony of your bungalow in the morning, have access to a very nice swimming pool with jacuzzi and waterfall, a buffet breakfast (included) in the morning, a beautiful beach with jet-skies available (1700cc) and nice restaurants, smoothies, massages in the relaxing area of Lamai then Orchid Suites resort should definitely be considered.  See pictures for a little flavour of the area of Lamai and the resort itself...

Corrie's little piece of paradise

Jen's quiet beach haven

David & Monica visit Railay

The Penis (and Fanta) shrine on the beach at Phra Nang, on Railay...fishermen (Buddhist and Muslim alike) leave offerings to the spirit of a drowned Indian princess

Sunset on the West Beach at Railay...just gorgeous

The Odyssey Overland Thailand "Office"

Cher and I headed back early to Surat Thani and we collected the group early the next morning. We had a bit of a mix up with visas, Cher and I having been here numerous times before, and Thailand being such a major tourist destination, who would have thought that they would go and change their visas stays for land borders, instead of getting the expected 30 days we ended up with 15 despite our best protests, meaning we had to leave Thailand a day early. Not wanting to cut the “Thai Island Time” short, we collected the group from the morning ferry and ran for the border. A bit of drama but what can you do, one out of 23 can’t be all that bad.

From Thailand it was into Malaysia…

Cambodia

Having been away from the truck for the duration of our travels in Vietnam everybody was looking forward to reuniting with their home for the last 5 months. It was a nice change to be using trains and air-conditioned buses for a while but home is where the mess is, and the fruit somebody forgot to throw out two weeks ago... which strangely to this date nobody has owned up to. But after a spring clean for the back of the truck, everybody was settled in once more.

We spend only 6 nights in Cambodia and will be looking into extending our itinerary for next year as it is a country with so much to offer. One of the most advanced civilisations on the planet a couple of thousand years ago, Pol Pot and his merry men dragged the entire country down kicking and screaming in only 2 years and 8 months. Taking the country back to year 0, ridding the people of pesky ideas such as science or technology, medical doctors and even machinery were just some of his initiatives. They removed all the tyres from all the cars (except of course for his) and made them into shoes so the peasants could work the fields, as was true and right, for only the uneducated were pure and absolutely no threat to Pol Pot’s political regime. Well that’s my take on it, read the books they will amaze and horrify you and all this was going on only 30-odd years ago while the world politely looked the other way.


We had 3 nights in Phnom Penh, the capital city on the edge of the Tonle Sap River.

If you are going to do one thing in this town it is a visit to the Killing fields and S-21 Museum. During the Pol Pot regime anybody who was seen as a threat was taken to one of the many killing fields or prisons around the country, tortured, made to reveal anybody else who may be a threat and then killed. S-21 which was an old high school (before school was banned) was used as a detention centre for high profile prisoners, scientist or ex members of government and the like. Entire families were incarcerated, young and old and made to reveal friends and other family members before finally being sent to the killing fields. The killing fields, of which there are many around Cambodia, were a series of mass graves. It’s not a happy tour to do, but the grainy black and white photos that line the wall in their thousands take you to the other side of the human psyche, the place that is so dark we dare not glance around us, but hopefully if you have seen this little picture of true horror it would be harder for something like this to go unnoticed again. Our local guide helped us put in it all into perspective.


A local perspective - the guide at the S-21 museum:

Harrowing images:

The killing fields:

There are a lot of not-so-depressing sides to the city, promoting cafe culture is big on the list as Cambodia becomes more cosmopolitan, but the best place to catch the mood for this town is down on the river front at the FCC. The Foreign Correspondents Club has played a major part through nearly all the troubles and was a place journalist met to swap stories. Now a very trendy bar with great river views we all met up on the 3rd night for cocktails.  “Odyssey Blues” were shaken up as we announced the winners of the blog competition...

And the winners are...  Paul’s and Monica’s blog came first and last or last and first but either way were the only two up to date. Louise’s blog was close in the running with her humorous account of Bamberg now only 4 months and a couple of weeks back, while Amy tried to fool the judges with a snappy shot of Vietnam. Tee and Le have only just had their blog linked; we suspect foul play from the CIA. Paul and David will be enjoying a couple of dives in Malaysia on the Odyssey account while Monica will spend a day at the local beauty salon pampering herself back to perfection. Thanks for all your effort guys; a lot of people have been enjoying the read.

Another fun thing to do is go for a bit of a shoot up. The army offers up the opportunity to fire numerous guns all in the name of a good cause and at paper targets, good fun for a couple of minutes, I think Louise may be a natural...

So after the antics of the capital we head for Battambang, a sleepy little place slightly off the tourist track. The main reason we headed this way was to make another boat trip possible. These countries have had rivers for years and highways only recently and as such the rivers form a major part of the infrastructure and introduce us to a different way of life. The boat left early the next morning taking some 6 hours to get to Siem Reap, passing through floating villages and jungle. Everybody who went seemed to really enjoy the experience, with the floating pig sties being nearly as big on Denis’ list as the logistics of on-board pool table was on Paul’s.

Siem Reap has moved on leaps and bounds in the last little while, the gate way to the incredible Angkor Wat complex of temples it is rapidly becoming a tourist mecca. We were happily staying just outside of town at a rather posh lodge, only a five minute transfer from the centre but quite and idyllic as you floated around the pool or enjoyed drinks at the bar. With a restaurant serving up yummy food it was a hard push to leave but the bright lights lured most of us for a drink and a party or bit of an explore in the backpacker vibey centre.


A bit of rain... 

But Angkor Wat is what we came here for. Not the most popular decision ever made by the Odyssey crew, we sent the group off to see sunrise at the temples followed by a tour of the surrounding Wats. Rated as one of the best sunrises in the world I’m sure it would have been if it was not pouring with rain and only a dull grey glow slowly lighting up the still incredible ruins. Anyway, the group managed to bribe the tuk-tuk drivers to bring them back for the buffet breakfast. After filling up on eggs and ham they all headed back out to finish the tour which everybody who was still talking to me seemed to have enjoyed.

What Angkor Wat would look like if the sun had been shining...

Sunrise over a slightly soggy Angkor Wat: 

The incredible temples:

Three nights in Siem Reap gave the group a day for the temples and then another to explore the town. We also gave the truck the biggest clean since the start of the trip kindly helped by the friendly staff at our lodge. Everything was shiny and new once more and we were ready to hit the road.

Next to Thailand, Lady Boys, Ping Pong, Tigers, Graffiti and the Odysseyers finally getting their big TV break…

Vietnam

Cher arrived with the group in Hue, a big city on the edge of the Perfume River with loads of history to keep you entertained as it was the DMZ or demilitarized zone after much fighting during the Vietnam War. The war is not forgotten in this part of the world, and constant reminders pop up, whether it be a deformed person begging in the street or one of the many museums reflecting on the tough times this country endured.



My favourite take on the Vietnam war was offered up by our local guide in Cambodia, “When America fought with China in Vietnam”, which just leaves you with the feeling that the years of heart ache and trouble these people have lived through was a result of them being the pawns in a worldwide chess game that ended in stale mate. But the people who have seen hard times and still live with many consequences are happy; happy to be alive and happy to be free.


With only 2 nights in Hue, the biggest attraction is the citadel. Most the group had a wander around until the heat of the day had them peeling off back to the hotel to enjoy some aircon and ready themselves for the afternoon. Laos has good infrastructure but Vietnam is leaps and bounds ahead and the bright lights of the shops had nearly everybody parting with a bit of cash. Vietnam is also a country of tailors, custom made clothes are cheap as chips, and although we would be heading to Hoi An next which is the mother of all tailor towns, a few people could just not help but be measured up for that little black dress they had been missing since packing their backpack back in April.

The only way to travel!

A thumbs up from the locals:

After a bit of a wild night at the DMZ bar a slightly worse for wear group arrived at the idyllic sea side town of Hoi An. Hoi An is touristy but nice, a perfect beach stretches for miles just on the edge of town with sun loungers and parasols to relax on or jet skis to get the heart pounding all available on the beach. But first, back to the clothes. Every second shop in this town is a tailor, they make lovely clothes to your shape and size for pennies, as most people were down to a couple of well worn t- shirts and slightly grubby shorts this was the perfect place to stock up on a couple of skirts, tops or whatever you so fancy. To be fair, most of the lads still look like we dragged them through Central Asia behind the truck, but most of the girls are looking rather flash in their new attire.

From Hoi An we head for Nha Trang, but as we hadn’t had the greatest experiences there last year we decided to try something a little bit different. A private beach 60km north of the busy city is a place called Jungle Beach. Built by a crazy Canadian he has created his version of paradise. All construction is from bamboo and palm fronds, you check in to your idyllic beach hut, each one nestled in the jungle so as not to notice the other, they feed you three meals a day, which was an incredible selection seafood salad veg and meats. The beach is wide and sandy, the beach umbrellas are moved every so often by the staff to keep you and your belongings in just the right amount of shade, there are boats to paddle and li-los to float on, fresh fruit is served mid afternoon, they bring it to you. Moving from your hammock to the beach to the restaurant is pretty much all you have to worry about, and the entire place is wi-fi so you can keep up with the world that disappears into an “who cares” haze around you. Bloody brilliant. We had only 3 nights there but some folks have spent more than a month and you can see why.

Tim, catching up on some of the huge amount of admin and organisation that goes into an epic journey like this!

Beach huts:

Stunning beaches, blue skies and sun loungers...  just about perfect!

For those who find all this lazing about too much, you can follow the lead of Denis and Dave and just dig a really big hole in the beach and bury yourself or you can go trekking up into the hills and jungle behind to find the troops of monkeys swinging from tree to tree.

In the evenings the shallow water lends itself to an evening swim with the incredible phosphorescence illuminating your limbs as you move, the bonfire on the beach is the perfect place to relax and chat with fellow travellers as the stars appear above.


Leaving such a paradise is difficult, and on the morning of departure we had to force most people back onto the bus before heading for the complete other side of the coin, Ho Chi Minh City.


Saigon as it is called by nearly everybody is a crazy but cool place. Busy 24/7 you can but marvel at the throngs of scooters zooming around the town. To cross a road in this part of the world you just walk, there is no gap in the traffic, you maintain a steady pace and everybody just weaves around you, nerve-racking at first, but the little green man has been made nearly redundant in this city.

Motorcycle mahem in Saigon:

Having three nights here you have to plan your time, just wandering the streets you could take up an entire day, but here is so much to see and do.


One group of us headed off down to the Cu Chi tunnels, this was a strategic area during the Vietnam War and the Vietcong dug an incredible 200km of tunnels in a quite a small area. We had a half day trip with the opportunity to clamber down some of the bigger tunnels and see some of the ingenious if not hideous traps the locals used on the unfortunate GI’s. Our guide gave us a good run down of it all not leaving out any of the gory details. Then a boat trip up the Saigon River until we joined the mighty Mekong once more. Approaching a city as large as this from the water gives you a great new perspective.

Going:

Going:

Gone!

Remnants of the jungle warfare:

Onto the river:

It's not all about the war...

Bowling, Saigon-style!

The War Remnants Museum is another must see, depressing as it is, and told from the other side it brings home the realities of an ugly war. Most folks made the effort to go and take a look, not a happy experience but one well worth the effort.


Unfortunately must-see but not-so-happy experiences were to be a bit of a trend as we headed for Cambodia and its very recent grizzly history.