The bus terminal in Pakse is just a few minutes walk from the FoRest Hotel where I stayed. The bus leaves for Vientiane at 8.30 pm. This will be a 10 hours of night ride with sleeper bed. Vientiane is the Capital of Laos. I only stayed in Vientiane for one night as I found that there was nothing much to see.
The road to Luang Prabang was not that smooth. The driver stopped twice during the 6 hours journey. Eventually we reached the Northern bus station at about 4.15 am feeling pleasantly drowsy. We walked around the station trying to find a tuk tuk driver to take us to the city, at the same time trying to fight against the urge to sleep. I shared the tuk tuk ride with the 2 young Taiwanese girls, a European couple with each paying S$3.67.
I reached the Villa (a home that was converted into a hotel) at 4.55 am but the gate was locked. Though there were lights from the moon and stars, but the road was quiet and I couldn’t see anybody within the vicinity after the tuk tuk left. I got a bit uneasy and pressed the gate bell repeatedly for a few minutes. I also made noises at the gate. Out of nowhere a fat man appeared quietly from my behind and told me not to make so much noise. He spoke with a slow and low voice saying that the people in the house were sleeping.
Got to know that this fat helpful young housekeeper of the Villa. I could have woke him up (from he sleep in the small house opposite the Villa. He opened the gate and gave me the key to a room. I jumped into the king size bed and slept throughout till 10 am.
I took a bus from Battambang to Siem Reap and stayed in a hotel that is next to the Art Center night market. The hotel is only about 10 minutes walk to the busy and noisy Pub Street. I paid S$21 for a single room a night with nice breakfast. The young lady at the reception counter speak perfect English. She helped me to arrange a 2-day tour to Angkok Wat and a one-way mini bus ride to the border of Laos. It was a pleasure stay in this Angkor Orchid Central Hotel.
I took a 6 hours bus ride from Phnom Penh to Battambang. When the bus reached the so called “bus terminal”, tuk tuk drivers rushed toward the alighting passengers trying to sell their services to take the passengers to the city, which is about 20 minutes ride. I was shown with pictures of many hotels and finally I decided on a hotel that has a roof top bar and a Jacuzzi. I had a room by myself for 2 nights for S$42.
I made an appointment with the young driver to show me around the next day for S$17. I tried the bamboo train in the morning and visited the killing bats caves in the afternoon. The famous Cambodia Circles is in Battambang but it was closed during the New Year season.
Killing Bats Caves
The Bamboo Train
Battambang is a small place but worth a day visit if you are travelling from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap. The bamboo train is an eye opener for US$5 a person. The killing bat caves are a must to visit.
I took the 2 days one night tour of the Mekong Delta.
酒神喝醉了, 海神去航海.
雷神放暑假, 我该怎么办?
闪电在睡着, 风神又不来.
太阳管天下, 我快要疯掉!
到达雅典, 天气仍然如土耳其那样炎热
听说古希腊神话的十二主神能够帮助人们解决问题
雖然如此, 在不同的時代人类不斷為了適應其文化演化而變化
现在我们已经變成了神通广大
求神不如求己
无论天气有多热, 被晒到有多黑
我仍然在雅典逗留了六天
I joined the free walking tour on the next day when I reached Athens. For the next few days, I revisited those places that the guide had showed us.
I got confused with the Parthenon and the Acropolis till I asked my friend Mr. G and got to know that the Parthenon is an ancient religious temple the Athenians built for the Greek goddess Athena. The Acropolis is the high hill that the Parthenon was built on. In short, the Parthenon is a temple and the Acropolis is the hill the Parthenon is located.
When you are in Greece, you should visit some of the islands. There are travel agents who will customize island hopping according to your needs but I found these packages are not within my travel budget. Instead, I took the train to the harbor and take pictures of people onboarding the ships.
I tried to strike up a conversation with the young butcher in the local market but didn’t have much luck as I do not speak Greece. Somehow he understood my body and sign languages and posted for me to take pictures. What a wonderful encounter for the trip!
I booked the backpacker that comes with breakfast. I took 2 hard boiled eggs from the mini buffet table and filled up the water bottle when I left the breakfast room. I just need to have another late lunch or earlier dinner for the day, which cost less than S$20. This is the way I control my budget.
Here is the other side of midnight in Greece. Do you consider this an graffiti art or vandalism?
The whispers in the morning
Woke me up
Of me sleeping light
I helplessly sigh
Even though I have time
I quickly walked up
Of seeing the hot air balloons
On the mountain side
Sound of my heart beat
Travelled thr morning light
Of me leading myself
Finding for a good site
The sun unwillingly woke up
And birds flying up high
Of hundreds balloons floating
What a beautiful sight
I was a cave man in Cappadocia because I stayed in a cave. Most of the hotels here are built in or near to caves. In fact, the whole city is surrounded by caves.
I shared the cave with a few people. There is no fan, no air-con and no window but the place is cooling.
I got out of the cave and started to explore the place for a few hours.
I took the Green Tour and visited the underground city and other places.
The guide took us to a restaurant (pay for your own drink and food). The tour ended up with a soak of our feet into the water.
I took the midnight bus from Cappadocia to Ankara. I though I could save the cost of the hotel stay and sleep in the bus. However, I just couldn’t get a good sleep in the bus. When I reached Ankara at 7am, the hotel was kind enough to let me check-in early. Till then I managed to sleep for a few hours.
Breakfast is included in the room rate. For dinner, I went to the nearby food store and had some Turkish food.
The hotel that I stayed is a bit off the city. When I asked the hotel staff for the nearby places of interest, he pointed me to Anitkabir which is about 20 minutes of walk from the hotel.
This is the colonnaded tomb for the former president, Kemal Ataturk, with a marble hall, turrets & museum.
There was a change of guard when I was there.
I took the bus and went to visit the ancient castle. The place is built on a rocky hilltop, offering panoramic views of the city in all directions.
I continued with my journey and saw many interesting buildings.
