29/Dec,2007
I joined 1 Day Mekhong Tour which I applied yesterday at TNK Tour.
They offered same tour with Japanese guide on extra 10 USD. One of my reason to trip abroad is to maintain my English so I didn't apply Japanese one. Of course saving money was also the reason.

What I was surprized was the number of Japanese ppl.

When I walked around the town yesterday, I saw tons of Caucasian ppl and few Asian tourists. But the sidewalk in front of travel agency was full of Japanese waiting for their tour bus.
Hmm, interesting.
I wonder where they were hiding...

The tour was very standard one. Taking us to the river, visiting factory or restaurant which provided local products, and of course souvenir shop.



On this tour, I talked with 1 Korean guy, 2 Japanese gil and 3 Singaporean girls. The girls from Singapore seemed young, early 20s maybe.
First I thought they were Taiwanese because of their appearance and language. I didn't know they spoke both Chinese and English. They were nice & friendly girls. Tried to understand my bad English and to enjoy conversation.

The tour ended around 17:30.It was good time to find something to eat.
Though I got worried about disease from unsanitary water or foods, but I couldn't miss the food of populas. I'm not interested in fancy cuisine. Yes, maybe sometimes. But I feel street food often taste better than fashionable restaurant.

I entered a Pho noodle shop.They didn't speak English, but no problem to order. I just pointed what I wanted to eat. Just watched other local customers and did same things.



What new was they put vegetable on the noodle without cook. Usually in Japan, we boil all ingredients exept condiment like a Negi. It's like a noodle with salad, not bad.

On my way to hotel, I met a Japanese girl who was on the tour bus.She was looking for buddy to drink with her so I hung out wiht her for beer. She said she was a teacher of elementary school.

She started to explain a lot about herself.Why she was here on the Christmas without her boyfriend. Why she loved travelling alone.What made her travelling abroad. It seemed she wanted to excuse about her life.

I don't brame you.I don't know you very much because we only shared 30 min.
I didn't say what I thought.She talked all what she wanted to tell me, and lleft with satisfaction.

I was tired.

Then went to hotel and slept...

Expense

Hotel: 11USD

Water: 6,000VD

Pho: 8,000VD

Coffee: 8,000VD

Beer&food: 50,000VD

(1USD=16,000VD)

Hotel

Red sun hotel

(Breakfast was good. I like Vietnam French bread. So crispy.)

Cambodia - Day 2

28/Dec, 2007

Leaving hostel at 6:00am, and I flew to Ho Chi Ming city.

There were lot of first experiences in this trip.

I've never travel abroad alone. (No buddy, no local friends)

I've never been to East South Asia.

Ususally Japanese tend to get ripped off in abroad, but I didn't want it, of course.

So I consulted my guide book very carefully, and checked proper price for taxi in Viet Nam.

The airport was clean and new, but the arrival terminal was little smallelr than I have imagined.

I stepped outside unexpectedly where many taxi drivers were waiting for their good customers.

In 1 second, 3 guys approched to me saying "Taxi?".

I was little bit panic.

I wasn't prepared for it.

They said it costed 15 USD to downtown.

What I saw on my guide book was 6 to 7 USD.

I tried.

I did my best.

I paid 10 USD to get downtown...

This was not the last disappointment in Ho Chi Minh city.

When I checked in the hotel, they said my name was not on their list.

How come!!

I booked it on web site, Hostel World.com.

I've never had a trouble with this site.

The young girl staff suggested me that they can prepare 1 single room which has no air conditioning for 10 USD, instead of my 12 USD air-con room.

It was busy season and I was not sure if I could find alternative hotel easily.

Then I accepted it.

The room I was taken to was not bad.

Not big but clean.

However, it definitly the one of hotel staff's' room.

I saw school stuffs, something like trophy or text book, on the shelf.

Also the room was located on basement, next to kitchen and living room.

Next morning I would meet hotel staffs cooking breakfast for their customers.

The bath room was shared with hotel staff family and the lock was broken.

On that evening someone would try to open the door during I was taking shower.

Further more, when I woke up for wash room in midnight I found someone sleeping in the living room.

If you are traveling in Ho Chi Minh city, I absolutely do not recomend Red Sun Hotel.

Not at all...

Anyway, I had to book my flight ticket to Siem Reap so I got off the hotel.

Viet nam is kind of easy country for traveler.

There were lots of travel agency and we can find tour or transportation ticket easily.

I visited Shinh Cafe which is the most famous agency in Viet Nam.

The flight on 29th was full so I changed my plan to leave for Siem Reap on 30th morning.

During my ticket was prepared, I walked around the town.

I didn't have much problem to comunicate people in English but the most difficult thing was directions.

The name of streets were too long and unfamiliar to find out on the map.

I am a person who has no sense of direction.

The street in Ho Chi Minh acrossing triangle or circle are big trap for me.

The heavy traffic also interupted me getting where I want to go.

The first time I cut acros the street in Ho Chi Minh city, it took me 5 min. to take the first step.

There were only few signals and rules.

Overcoming obstacles, I went to another travel agency to book 1 day trip for next day.

Then found better hostel and booked for when I come back from Siem Reap.

At the last, I visited Ben Thanh Market.

I love to look around the market of foreign contries.

It's good place to find local residens' life style.

The market is very tourism spot and shop staffs were busy for their sales.

Atracted with Viet Nam colorful products, I bought some sweets and fruits.

Expense

Shuttle bus: 125 NTD

Breakfast: 70 NTD

Taxi: 10USD

Air tickt: 314USD (round)

1 Day Tour: 7USD

Hotel Deposit: 5USD

Hotel: 10USD

Juice: 8,000VD

Fruit: 12,000VD

Dinner: 40,000VD

Foods: 30,000VD

(1USD=16,000VD)

Hotel

Red sun hotel

(Booked on Hostel world.com, but not booked...)

Cambodia - Day 1

To save my limited budget, I hopped on high way bus to Narita airport at 4:30am.

I did few things for my trip using 3 hours before boarding.
Changed JP yen to Taiwan new dollars and USD, then packed liquid stuffs into small plastic bag to bring my backpack on flight.
Before I arrived at the airport I was checking in my backpack, but to avoid waiting for my backpack from cargo and to kill time in boaring airport, I did it.

Anyway, without any problems I arrived at Taoyuan airport on time.

Because this was only to transit, I didn't contact with my friends living in Taipei.
I got a shuttle bus to downtown and found my hostel in front of Taipei station by myself.

The hostel was kind of messy but the front lady was nice and smily.

I threw my bag on my bed and went out for night market to fill up with Taiwnese yammy food.

After brawsing through narrow aisles, I bought a baked meat bun and a cup of bubble tea.

I ended up my first day of the trip early (around 8:00pm) because of less sleep last night and early departure next mornig.


Expense
Highway bus: 5,000 JPY
Shuttle bus: 125 NTD
Hostel: 500NTD
Meal: forget...

Hostel
Taipei Traveler Hostel
(Booked on Hostel world.com)

Cambodia - Prologue

Itinerary
27/Dec, 2007: Narita >> Taipei
28/Dec, 2007: Taipei >> Ho Chi Minh
30/Dec, 2007: Ho Chi Minh >> Siem Reap
03/Jan, 2008: Siem Reap >> Ho Chi Minh
04/Jan, 2008: Ho Chi Minh >> Taipei
05/Jan, 2008: Taipei >> Narita


Angkor Wat was one of the most attractive place to visit for me for long time.
The new year holiday of 2008 was a good chance to achive it because weekend comes after 6 consective holidays.
Then I took 2 paid holidays and made it 10 straight days off.


However, I couldn't get better air ticket due to late arrangement.

First of all, there were no vacancy to Seim Reap.
Second, the ticket I finally found was to Ho Chi Minh city need to transfer at Taipei.
Third, I needed to stay 1 night to transfer the plane for both ways.

Anyway, I just headed to Taipei with 32 litter back pack.

Before I start this blog...

I post this blog just to record my trip and to maintain my English.