ASIAN ADVENTURE PART I

Hello fellow readers!

Sooooo .. I'm in Asia!

This month, I am going to be away exploring and touring some of the most beautiful and exciting sights across south east of Asia. And, this time round, I was keen to share my experience with you! (Since I failed to do so on my previous tour in April - Apologies!)

So I set off from Manchester on Tuesday, stopping off for a one day layover at Dubai before Arriving at my first destination - Saigon, Vietnam. 

Now it's Thursday, and my first full day here in Ho Chi Minh city. My current plan is to stay here for five days, experience all I can of the city lifestyle, and then spend three days traveling the Vietnamese Mekong Delta by boat. This side to Vietnam is much more rural and naturally beautiful, so I want to see as much as it as possible whilst touring the rivers. This includes stops and stays at My Tho, Ben Tre, Cai Be, Can Tho and Chau Doc.

From there, it's a hop over the border into Cambodia! Starting down south on the picturesque coast of Sihanouk for two days, enjoying some relaxation on the beach and in the sea. Afterwards, it's full steam ahead backpacking all the way up to the city of Phnom Penh, and staying there a further two days.

Next, it's a lovely 6 hour coach ride over to Siem Reap (the place I'm looking forward to possibly the most). Three days should be plenty of time to explore the ancient city of Angkor, the rice fields, fertility river and waterfall, religious monuments and ruins.

Following Cambodia, it's off to Thailand! I'm lucky to have already travelled several places in Thailand, but somehow never managed to explore the Northern Cities. So, a loooong coach ride takes me over the border and to Pattaya, where it's time to let my hair down and enjoy the wild reputation of the city. For Those who are not aware of Pattaya, renowned for its it's Walking Street, a veritable cornucopia of varying transsexuals, ladybodys, prostitutes, strippers, adult entertainment, you name it. I'm not going to lie, I'm a little nervous for that one! But it's going to be hilarious!

Following two days in Pattaya, it's a short trip over to Bangkok. The city carries an even stronger reputation for craziness (if you have ever seen The Hangover, you'll know what I mean). Coincidentally, I'm am also planning a night at the Hotel in which Hangover II was filmed, just for the experience. Four days are scheduled over in Bangkok, mainly because I intend to get some ink done by one of the most renowned tattoo artists in the world. Something representing my trip, maybe Asian themed, to summarise the thirst for adventure and how I feel at home most while traveling. But we shall only see!

Finally, it's a stop off in the United Arab Emirates and three days visiting friends in Dubai. It will be great to see a friendly face and have someone who knows the best places to visit, attractions that are not always on the beaten track. I'm looking forward to having somebody else take the lead!

I should really be at the point now of saying after Dubai it's off back home to England. But in all honesty, I don't know if that's the case. I've been travelling for just two now and I'm already in contact with home, trying to organise staying here a little longer. I'd love to have an extra week or two, just to circle back round and cover Laos, Northern Vietnam, and Hong Kong. I'm really hoping to change my flight, backpack from Bangkok to Hong Kong, take a short flight over to China, and then fly home from Shanghai in two weeks time! So who knows, fingers crossed ..

Anyway! this is day 2 out of 30 on Lauren's little tour of South East Asia. I'll try to post updates as much as I can, to avoid lecturing you with huge scrolls of single posts!

Hope all is well in England and the rest of the world ...

Thanks for reading, over and out.