Travel Page - The Rest of the World

Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana

and coming soon - updates for Thailand (bugger, about 4 of them..) and Japan (yeah, enough for a whole new section), as well as Hong Kong, Macau and Bali(Indonesia)

~.~

This is the travel stuff - part 2, thus leaving the other page as the European page. So once again, just a few thoughts and some input, which may come in handy for travellers, or just for interest's sake. I've added more photos to this one as well...so as usual, pretty general, but any other questions, etc, just email me at the spot below...cheers and enjoy!

Japan (日本)

Well, how suiting, the first stop in the Asia, and for the entire trip be Japan - I knew I had to get here sometime! For those who know my surname can guess why. Anyway, expensive - agreed!

First suggestion would be to get a foreigner's railpass if you plan to see a lot of the country, as train travel within the country can do in anyone's budget - for example, the 6 hour ride from Tokyo to Fukuoka/Hakata runs about $200 US, one way. ouch! I bought a 7-day, unlimited travel pass for about $400 Canadian, and definitely got my money's worth. Other formalities....My ability to play charades and point at food models in restaurants increased dramatically during my time in Japan - I did not find English to be spoken all that often - in places like the tourist office, yes - the Hakata train station, no, not-a, then you get a crash course in numbers and cities written in Japanese if you have a train connection to make. However, some relief; on the main Shinkansen lines, English is spoken on the announcements and shown on the signs. As far as accomodations go, for those of you who are anti-regiment, be careful with the hostels, as many of them have set schedules for eating, bathing, and the like - the Kyoto one apparently shuts at 21.30. No thanks! So I splurged the extra 2,000 yen(about $20 US) for a hotel near the station called Kyoto Dai-san tower. I booked through the tourist office, so the rate was lower than it would have been had I gone direct. And now for the more interesting bits....

Out of all the places I saw in Japan(Tokyo(Shinjuku, Asakusa, Yokohama, Kamakura), Kyoto, Himeji, Hiroshima and Saga), Kyoto was my favorite - this is the old capital, and it is a very beautiful city(with the nicest train station I might add...). Sights, sights - Himeji-jo castle is an hour by the shinkansen from Kyoto, an easy daytrip(and where that railpass comes in handy). Higashi-Hongani temple, near the train station was nice, as was the imperial palace grounds further up the road. As for food and whatnot, there is a huge range - everything from the little hole in the wall shop to pick up an O-bento(boxed lunch) for around 550 yen(about $5.50 USD), up to places where it is possible to drop 10,000 yen on one meal. For those needing some western relief, there is a gaijin pub near the river called the 'Pig and Whistle'. Friendly enough place, with both gaijin and Japanese customers...drank a few more pints of kilkenny here than I care to mention..

After this, I headed to Hiroshima - much different than Kyoto, a lot more of an industrial feel to it - the peace park near the A-bomb dome was very nice though. They also have a castle there with grounds surrounding it, although after Himeji-jo, this one was not nearly as impressive. Stayed at 'Minshuku Ikedaya', which was simple but reasonable for Japan.

Saga, which is on Kyushu Island, was somewhere different, off the usual tourist route, and a very nice place. While I was here I was hosted by Shuhei & family, who has a site linked to my cyberbuddy page, and they were excellent hosts. Everything from hiking Mt. Kuzyu with Mr. Taga and Ishimoto (click here for Mr. Taga's journal of this trip), and trying 'chankanobe' on the ship at a local restaraunt to Daizafu-shrine. Definitely a recommended stop.

and of course, Tokyo. Once again, one of these massive places that you could never have enough time to cover in its entirety...or enough money in the case of this one. Got to see the Great Buddha at Kamakura, Asakusa and Senso-ji temple(traditional area), and floating Sushi bars in Shinjuku(modern area). Once again, I was priveleged to have some great hosts here, both Haruka and her family in Yokohama were very accomodating(even after making the mistake of forgetting to remove my shoes upon arrival at Haruka's flat(!).

Me in my Yukata, Kyoto

Himeji-jo Castle, Himeji

Carp on Himeji-jo Castle

A-bomb dome, Hiroshima

At the Great Buddha, Kamakura

Me praying for safe Travels, Kamakura

Asakusa area of Tokyo

View of Mt. Aso, Kyushu

The summit of Mt. Kuzyu, Kyushu(el. 1787m)

Haruka and her parents, Yokohama

Shuhei's family, Saga

Me at the floating Sushi bar, Shinjuku area of Tokyo

Thailand

Definitely my favorite spot of the whole trip! With the exception of some minor details(ie, I entered with my camera and left without), things here were excellent..*some small updates from the 4 subsequent trips I have made to this place...

and my favourite within this place was the first stop - Koh Phi Phi. Got sorted with a bungalow at Phi Phi Cabana(the only place on the island with hot showers), learned to dive with White and Blue Fish club, and met some cool people in the process. The village is small, but functional, and the sand streets are streets with no name. There are a lot of outdoor activities, including short hikes, snorkelling and sea kayak trips(that will take you to the more famous location 'Leonardo's beach).

as for accomodations, there are many places with more modest bungalows than Phi Phi, but it was still worth the 1,200 Baht(split 2 ways) for the shower, breakfast and location. In terms of eating, of course, many places for Thai and seafood. Good alternatives were Lou Cigalou's and Ciao Bella's by the beach. Don't leave without trying the 'Banana Pancakes' or 'Thai massage', both which you will hear many touts for. And of course, how could I forget good old reggae bar and tintin's...beware the buckets!!

Also hit Koh Samui on the gulf side, which was more touristy than Phi Phi - there are actual roads and vehicles. One word of advice - do not try to outride the storms on a moped! You'll only end up soaked. Else than that, Lamai had a nice beach, and of course, everything is on offer in the town...including some traffic! Stayed at the Samui Marina, on the south-eastern side of the island. great if you are looking for some peace and quiet. also the case for Bo Phut, which is a smaller village on the north end of the island. boats for Haad Rin East on Koh Pha-ngan go from here.

Koh Pha-Ngan - is the soi-disant less touristed alternative to Koh Samui, and although unlike Samui, there is no airport, thus deterring the package tourists, development is taking off faster than Fred Flintstone at the sound of the day end horn. So this is the place to party...apart from the well known full moon parties, there are all manner of other moon parties, like half moon, black moon, moon set, rising moon..and who knows, next time maybe even things like 3/8 moon, reverse moon (shining a light back up into the sky), anti-moon, etc. but like you need an excuse there, There is generally something happening on Haad Rin beach every night. Haad Rin has become very much a self sufficient town with all manner of services, easily rivalling Thong Sala, the main ferry port town where the majority of the locals reside. For those who wish for something with stagnated development, the North of the island moves at a slightly slower pace. Haad Gruad has some more rustic huts with a private beach, as well as the neighboring high life...best sunsets on the island can be seen from their sunset deck. moving to either side, Haad Salad is still a nice controlled little settlement, as is Mae Haad. I stayed at Mae Haad Bayview..i think it was called that?! very nice little place, run by a great family who called me by name and always gave service with a smile.

as far as cities go, Bangkok is really as huge and polluted as everyone says. The proof is on the Thanon Rama IV. And the tuk tuks and gem scams are there, knowing full well of this took one out of interest's sake and to kill time...ya...Khaosan area is good for backpackers, some pretty good market shopping(get ready to bargain), cheap internet, accommodation...for the cheaper stuff head off the Khao-san into the soi's behind it, or cross the main roads at either end..and if you want to be away from it, keep going towards the river. I've never stayed there but had reports of rooms which were much cheaper..if with slightly unstable docks going out on the water... but if you are willing to spend a bit more and get a lot more, D & D Inn is right on the main road and has a rooftop pool. good for those days its too hot to be arsed doing anything else! The only other place I know of with this facility is the buddy lodge, but their rooms are even more upmarket and triple to quadruple the price of D & D. Also head off the main road to some of the food stalls hidden in the smaller streets for some nice cheap thai food..and hey, although we love it, i thikn we've all been in that place where you get those western food cravings from time to time, and western food is much more readily available in Bangkok than some other parts of South-East Asia (save Singapore). The Grand Palace is very nice, as are the many Wats throughout the city. Wat Arun is reachable from this area by use of the small water taxi for 3 baht, but for as nice as it is, many tourist traps await. However, the river taxis are a good way of getting around or just doing some sightseeing on your own along the Chao Phraya. Good shopping includes Silom road(with some rather modern centres), Siam square and nearby Mahboonkrong centre.

Pagoda in Bangkok

My bungalow on Phi Phi

My first dive site, Phi Phi

View of Phi Phi Don from the dive boat

Me with Jean(dive instructor)

Malaysia

Short and sweet describes my time in Malaysia, as I spenttoo much time in Thailand (as you do when you are having fun:)

so the few things I did get to see...Kuala Lumpur was merely a transitory stop; saw the airport quite a few times, and it is definitely one of the better ones to have a layover in. And of course, the Petronas towers. As they are the world's tallest, chances are if you come anywhere near the city you will see them. And not nearly as crowded or polluted as it's Thai counterpart(Bangkok). Penang was another transitory spot. After 16 hours of overland travel, the few added 'guests' at the Eng Aun Hotel were not a deterrent to myself and the cool brits I hooked up with. However, if you plan a stay longer than 5 hours, you may want to seek something sans cockroaches...for the 3 of us, a short walk up Jalan Chelia would have had us in something much more upmarket for an extra RM10 each. Or stay in the pub until it closes. roaches are easier to deal with after a few pints.

The place that I actually did spend some time in was Tanah Rata, in the Cameron Highlands. Beautiful spot, very lush. Tea drinkers heaven. As well, the treks are the thing to do here, and there are 12 of them ranging in difficulty. Did the descent of Gunung Brinchang, the highest peak. As for food options - with the exception of the English-influenced 'Ye old smokehouse', it's Chinese or Indian.

As far as Accomodations go, I stayed at a nice, clean guesthouse about 100 metres out of the center called 'The Cameronian'. One stop shopping here, with food service, laundry, internet, tours, travel bookings and nightly videos.

Now, getting out of here was another story altogether. The bus schedule at the main station is just for show. And so what if my 8 hour trip to Singapore turned into a 2 day one? Asian time...

Christer(Sweden) and me after our drenching descent from Gunung Brinchang

Some things never change, regardless of where in the world I am...

Sam Poh Temple, near Brinchang

Picking tea at the Boh tea plantation

Singapore

Shorter and sweeter than Malaysia...see transportation delay in that section. Nonetheless, after being ditched by the Malaysian taxi driver at some MRT station in the wee hours of the night, managed to find another cab driver. Only to find out he did not know where Beach Road was, so off on my own two feet (sans my Lonely Planet!) to find Lee's Traveller's club, which had been recommended to me. Finally found it, looked like a decent enough place, but with only dorm rooms left...well, after all this it was not on. so back to the pavement, and booked into a proper hotel. D��j��-vu of Amsterdam. And booked a flight back to Kuala Lumpur. Sorted! Now to see Singapore in less than 48 hours...

Which may have been a good thing, so I did not go through chewing gum withdrawal. yes, this law is real(along with many others), including a S$1,000 fine for importing it! anyhow, that said, with the time I had, did not do too bad. Got out to the Jurong Birdpark on one far end of the MRT. Definitely worth at least an afternoon. Also saw Sentosa Island - can we say touristy? The island itself charges admission! S$12 for both the admission and cable car to get over there. some nice views of Singapore city, and further off islands of Indonesia. And for those looking to laze on the beach for a bit, this is a good spot. Got in some shopping(naturally!) at Orchard road, where I replaced my camera. For those familiar, this would be Singapore's version of Oxford St. in London, but far cleaner. Did my own 'Singapore by night' tour, including paying S$10 for a 1/2 hour boat trip around Clarke Quay and Boat Quay. But after Sentosa, I was on a roll! Also stopped by the fountain of weath - which, appropriately, was down for repair. And of course, one last major outflow of cash: The Singapore Sling at the Long Bar in Raffles' Hotel. S$17 for the best cocktail you'll have!

Oh ya....excellent airport! Although maybe because I got to play "Miss Luxurious" and spend my time in Malaysia Airline's first class lounge...

The Fountain of Wealth at Suntec City - down for repair. To re-open 10th December (I flew out the night of the 9th!)

Macaus at the Jurong Birdpark

My Cheesy grin from the boat near Clarke Quay

Proud Peacock, Jurong Birdpark

South Africa (Suid Afrika)

Even shorter and sweeter than...just joking! This was definitely the anti-short portion of the trip, but still a lot of fun nonetheless. Once again, a whole lot of excellent hosts, too numerous to mention here...but all listed on the 'Travelogue' credits.

As such, a great deal of time here was social visits. But my intro to the country was the Gauteng area, as it would most likely be if you are flying in on an international flight. Met up with some old London flatmates in Pretoria. And despite spending a good amount of time there, did nothing touristy. But, quel surprise, I enjoyed shopping at Brooklyn and in Hatfield! Speaking of Hatfield, a good area for restaraunts as well. Those in need of travel arrangements will also find branches of STA and USIT. And if you are in the market for some body piercing or tattoos, check out Rudy's Tattoo parlour in Sunnyside. As well, this is where you will find the foreign Embassies and High Commissions. Those who are looking to do the tourist thing will find many monuments and museums here, including the "Voortrekker" monument...which I did see, albeit from the road...

JoBurg, same story. Some more shopping, at Sandton Shopping Center and the Randburg Waterfront(where I stocked up on my winter goodies for France), as well as Hyde Park..but if you are travelling on a budget similar to mine,window shopping only. As for accomodations,spent one night at the Backpackers Ritz in this area, which was everything a youth hostel should be here, including the gates and security(!). In Pretoria, Sugar and Spice is on a quiet street in a good area, and still close enough to everything, including amenities at a nearby shopping center. Guesthouses are a good bet; as I found out the easy way, some of the major hotels are not in the greatest areas.

My 'vacation from my vacation' was the 2.5 weeks I had down in the Cape area, starting at Port Elizabeth and Port Alfred, for the New Year's celebrations - and a pre-new year celebration called an 'oxbraai'...I think the translation on that is 'ouch'. Or at least that is how you feel the next day! The latter is rather rural, but a nice beach out here all the same. in PE, some good beaches as well, and of course, some nearby bars. One of which you can see the dolphin show if you sit on the deck(can't recall the name though...damn bars...)

New Years at the Buck and Hunter, Port Alfred..plan B after the Neptune Beach Party was rained out!

Stuart sucking back, wee first hours of 2000

Springbok shots...2 of many...

However, I do recall the name of a good one in Knysna - the tin roof. Knysna is probably my favorite spot in S. Africa; if you're an outdoor/adventure junkie, this is the area(called the 'Garden Route'including nearby Plettenberg Bay). Of what was on offer, I did some hiking and abseiling. the two chances I had to take to the water in a Sea Kayak did not materialise due to bad water conditions. As well, the world's highest bungee resides in this area; alas, it was not water conditions this time, but bad financial ones. Nonetheless, the town itself is pretty nice; the people at the info centre are brilliant, very helpful with any info...albeit bad news for budget travellers if you want to hire a car on your own. I stayed at Overlanders backpacking accomodation. The dorms are 18 bed co-ed, but like you spend a lot of time there..and for R55, including free dinner every night, not a bad deal. Resident bar, kitchen, internet, billiards, etc. and good location. For those wanting to splurge a little more, as I did on my last night, Knysna Manor B&B is the old mayor's house..R150 pp including a brilliant breakfast and friendly service. Restaraunts run the variety; my favorite was Peddlars on the Quay, which overlooks the water.

Aesthetically speaking, there is no competition between Cape Town and JoBurg; Cape Town wins this, hands down. Which is one reason why I was much more of a tourist here. The V&A waterfront..naturally..there are a number of restaraunts and shops in this area, but a bit pricy. Did the bus tour thing(with my ever-patient indigenous host), signal hill and a driving tour of Cape Peninsula, including Muizenburg, Simonstown, and Cape Point(avec torrential downpour). Definitely beautiful areas, and Muizenburg has a beautiful beach, which has a small claim to fame - the water is 6 degrees warmer than the beaches the other side of the Peninsula. Simonstown for the Penguin colony, and some brill scenery and views at Cape Point..if the 'unseasonal' rains can hold out that long..in my case, they didn't!

One note on transport - other than hiring a vehicle, which can be expensive and risky(but at times almost necessary), the main option is buses...except for winners of 'Who wants to be a millionaire' that can take Rovos Rail and the Blue train. There is a Backpacker bus called the 'BazBus', which does a circuit of South Africa, as well as trips into Zimbabwe. This bus does pick-ups and drop-offs at backpackers(hostels) and is an intercity service. Now, the advantages of this bus are the convenience of being picked up at one hostel and dropped on the door of another, as well as meeting other travellers. The disadvantages are that it can be relatively expensive, and takes a lot longer than the mainline bus services. The trip from Port Elizabeth to Knysna is 250kms - which, on the bazbus, took 6 hours, at a charge of R235. Greyhound, however, from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth, a distance of about 700kms, took 11 hours at a charge of R175...but the areas in which you catch it were not always the greatest. Your choice. Of course, there is also flying..perhaps for Millionaire contestants who make it up to the $32,000 mark...if this is not you, I got a good deal booking on-line with a company called e-travel.

Look how far I've come...well, Vancouver, close enough!

Me at Cape Point

Pretoria...a different perspective

What have we done?? Andrea and Michelle(UK) get pierced, courtesy of Rudy's in Pretoria. No regrets...

The world's highest bungee at Bloukrans, Western Cape

Penguins at Simonstown, Cape Peninsula

John, the cool guide from the Zim/Zam/Bots trip..we survived! in Pretoria.

The Victoria and Alfred Waterfront, Cape Town

Gill(SA) and me at Signal Hill, Cape Town

View of Table Mountain (without me and Gill)

The beach at Muizenburg, Cape Peninsula

Victorian change houses, Muizenburg

Harkerville Hike near Plettenburg Bay, Western Cape

Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana

Done in true short safari style, this was the visa-stamp collecting time. And hence, why this is all written together - after crossing that many borders, it all blends a bit. With the exception of stops in Francistown(Botswana) and Victoria Falls(Zimbabwe, Zambia), it seems to be rather rural. And although you will find such chains as Nandos and Spar, the feel is still much different than that of South Africa. This trip was camping; everything from the more basic first site filled with Mopane worms and Christmas beetles to the final one filled with full-on resort facilities. However, you will still find typical backpacker accom in most of these places.

Victoria falls is very touristy - especially the Zim side. Almost everything is charged in US dollars..entertainment wise that is, being more adventure activities from rafting the mighty Zambezi(about $85 USD for a day) to skydiving (more than the rafting..since i chose this I will not say how much!). Entrance to the Victoria falls on the Zambia side is free...the Zim side will set you back $10 USD...unless you want to hang out at the entrance, wait for a tour group and sneak in with them. most go early in the day... But you can still go spend your Zim dollars carelessly at the Sun City-ish casino, or bargaining in the markets. looking for more than 10 seconds will usually get you a whole host of new friends..friends of the cash in your pocket, that is...

For those looking for heat - here you will find it during their summer(and most likely in their winter - seasons are reversed to those in the Northern Hemisphere). At night it is nearly as hot as in the day...if you head to S. Africa after you may even find it cold!!!

Oh, and one last note regarding visas for Zimbabwe: South Africans, British, Canadians...you're in for free. Yanks et. al. - $30 USD, even if just for a night. Canada - 1, USA - 0!