Epilogue

When we last joined our hero, he was enjoying Berlin getting ready to leave Germany for home, and finish his Langan Adventure once and for all!

Well, it's all over, I guess. I'm back in england now, and everything's a little like a weird dream, A place I sort of remember...and love! It's really good to be back home, I've been dieing to get back for a bit. I've been home about 4 days now.
Looking back at the whole trip...It really was the best thing I've ever done. I couldn't recommend it more, the whole experience of saving, planning and then going (and also coming back!) is such an experience, you really can't get it anywhere else. repeat. you can't get it anywhere else!
I didn't go for as long as some people, I didn't come back especially changed. So it's not like I'm enlightened or anything. But its just so worthwhile living a life where you jump from exciting amazing place at will, money in your pocket doing what you want, where you want. I mean, it really is the whole world at your feet and if you have enough of the green, you can do whatever, whenever. And that's an exciting concept. If you have the sand you can stick with it and save and get out there. I definitely have the bug now, there are so many places I want to go, south america, the middle east, the united states, europe...
I guess I really feel traveling is more of a way of life than anything else...once you get settled into something like that it just IS a way of life! You meet so many great people, do so many great things...I mean, it's not all good. Mostly it's mixed, you know, loving some things and hating others, just like the people you meet!
So now I'm settling down, doing bits and pieces, unpacking, seeing friends. Getting ready for uni, that's the next big thing. and learning how to drive! I hope I see anyone reading this soon, I've missed a lot of people.
Anyhoo, Its been great, and these blogs have been a real statue in my travels, a place I can record thoughts and feelings. So I hope you've enjoyed reading them, and I hope people who've been reading them maybe have thought about going traveling themselves, lifes too short NOT to do something like this.
So thankyou all for joining me on my Langan Adventure, it's been real.

Laurence Langan

14th May 08

Berlin, Loving Europe and missing home (or am I?)

When we last joined our hero, he was in Prague leaving for Berlin, and but a week away from the end of his magnificent Langan Adventure...

First off, I think I love Berlin as much if not more than Prague. We're staying in this fun and convinent little hostel in the east, right outside the tube. Graffitti ranging from gang tags to gigantic muriels adorn the streets, and the more you get into Berlin the more you see how varied it is. Some places are a concrete urban nightmare, others gothic masterpieces, others plastic and glass buisness goliaths and others brutal reminders of a deeply disturbing history...
Plenty to do as a tourist. We saw bits of the Wall, the reichstag, checkpoint charlie, museums, galleries, climbed a huge tower...its really interesting to see up high which used to be east and which used to be west. Its clear thanks to the concrete blocks juttinmg out of the eastern landscape.
The city feels cultured like prague just deeper. More complex. The tube is larger, but just as easy to get round, plenty of places to shop too! Methinks joe would like this arty city.
Me and sam found on our second night the best bar ever, part 70's shiek part leftovers of east berlin, th eplace is warm and friendly serving lots of beer and absinthe. Great city.
Dad got in yesterday! I feel I'm settling back into family life (and british life) already! Tonight we went to the Opera! The Magic Flute, no less!
Europe is a wonderful place, its cemented in my 'places I want to come back to' list. Apart from the fact we've been eating out of lidyl till dad got here, its been great!
It's just now...well tommorow I'm coming home. Back in India I couldn't wait later on in Europe I could have waited longer, and now I just don't know. Do I want to get back to the comforts of home? But I love this life so much! But its full of stres, and those comforts get dull and old real quick...but its normal and theres money and stability, not to mention comic books...and GTA4!
Tonight I feel like its a little bit of lose-lose, win-win. I'm tired. Sigh. But I also feel like I've fulfilled all the places I want to go travelling for now...obviously theres still hundreds of places Iw ant to go, but for now I'm ready to settle...or am I? I heard a couple of times that coming home was the hardest part, but not in the way I expected!
I think I just want to get it over with, whatever. Let tommorow rush past, and be home in time for breakfast. and my own bed. Which has got a fair amount fo use from cath and her friends, I hope all have vacated by the time I get back. (Hint hint, cath cath, clean clean, my room room)
Tommorow is relaxing by a lake just outside of Berlin. Our flights in the evening, we'll be beack super early in the morning and the next day...perhaps my final blog!
Oh and for those less clever than me, or those to busy playing GTA4 (or medal of honour apparentley, Joe you have a funny way for compensating for a lack of next gen...) there IS a NEW DARK KNIGHT TRAILER online, you would be fools to miss it. Not to mention an awesome incredible hulk second trailer too! (the first one also kicks ass). I'll be seeing you all very soon!!!!!

Partying, accomadation shrinkage and a new langan

When we last joined our hero, he was in Prague, getting ready to sample it's famous nightlife...

Well...they weren't far off about the nightlife! Prague really has something for every party hound. In the nights I've been here I've had some fun, albeit expensive, nights. Pub Crawls are essential, the great thing about a pub crawl is its an automatic group of friends to all go out and party with! Especially since there always offering you free beer and free shots and free absinth...slight headache this morning. Wonder why. Anyhoo, the clubs are a lot of fun too, if your into that sort of thing, I visited a heavy dancehall club, which was a fun experience, ad a club with 5 (yes 5!) floors, with music ranging from trance to r and b and of course the inevitable cheese room (doing a conga lineto Kiss by prince was a highlight). I'd love to come back to prague someday, just as long as I know I won't come back with any money, since that's how Its starting to look like over this end! Europe is very expensive, but money is there to be spent. Just not on presents for anyone at home...
I've had culture to, though! the visit to the dali/mucha museum was great, exactly what I came to europe for! Museums too, the national one and the torture museum and er...the sex machines museum. They'll be getting my therapy bills...just don't ask me about the ever changing fetish slideshow.
I saw as well the awesome film, Iron Man. it was at something called a 'cine party' which meant afterwards you had robotic dancers and a competition to build the best iron man suit out of cardboard and dressing up materials in one minute. not to mention free KFC and beer.
Accomadation has gotten a little crazy, when we got here places right in the centre were completley free and easy, we werehaving no problems. Now out of nowhere, its not just Prague that's completley booked up, it's thewhole of europe! which is unfrotanate because we've decided to go on to Berlin which could prove to be slightly more costly...
But that's not too important, because a great plus of going to Berlin is we're going to meet up with our dad for the last couple of days of our trip! yay! so tonight it's off to germany, and eactly one week today we'll be off to Britain! Tally Ho!

Goodbye to the east, Hello Europe and a hole in my pocket

When we last joined our hero, he was getting ready to leave the east once and for all, and about to welcome in a more european city break...

So, my time in the east is at an end. Just not in the way I'd originally planned...If you look at my prolouge I was not even thinking about coming to europe. In fact I was going to avoid it on purpose, been to it, seen it, need something new and dangerous...
India is the real location that should keep on giving. It's so cheap it makes it the perfect beach resort and its so bohemian it's great for the budding hippy in all of us. There's also so much to see, the country will always give you something new and exciting. But I guess I'm tired of what the east has for backpackers. This is my first time! I want to do some more stuff in the time I have left and europe just seemed to offer it. The buildings, the nightlife, the art, the culture. And so me and Sam set off to Prague, where I am now. And so far its been one of the highlights of the entire trip.
We set off on the 30 hour mega airport fest late on the 23rd and arrived early on the 25th. I can keep a straight face completleÿ when I say it was completley hassle free and even enjoyable. I can't see why anyone gets stressed at airports, I just have a good time at them. Especailly heathrow. Being back in England was wonderful, there were chesseburgers and xbox magazines and cups of tea and recognisabel signs and pavement that matched the sky...sniff! it was all I could do to go home right then! but no I came to Prague. And even the taxi ride was really nice. we couldn't find our beds in the dorm at first, but we muddled through and are now real hostel people.
And Prague is just so beautiful. The museums and the buildings and the bridges are all so...european! two and a half months of asia and its so good to be somewhere with a different style. Its got a mix of gothic and baroque...stuff I don§t really understand but like I said its very european. It feels warm and inviting, but a challenge at the same time.
I love this city. Tommorow I try the famous nightlife, the best in europe we've heard. Tonight I catch up on sleep, and try to avoid spending! I'm eager to come back with a bit of money, and the aforemetioned hole in my pocket is the fact you can no longer get rooms for 75p and meals for 1:50!
on a more final note, I can now see and end in sight to my travels. Mid India I was looking forward to getting back to my beloved Britian. And since the end of varkala more and more I want to keep travelling...sigh, such is life! I suppose I´ll be back within the next 2 weeks, maybe a bit more. me and sam are trying to reach the 3 month mark (7th May), but we should see you all just after then! (those that are in norfolk, anyway)
In superhero news, It is essential I try and see Iron Man when its released, one of the cinemas seems to be having a launch party. repulsor rays on!

PS
you have no idea how hard it is typing on a chzech keyboard. Joe woul dhave smashed the damn thing by now!

Violence, getting out, and back in the city

When we last joined our hero, he was in the beach resort of Varkala, starting to make his way out of India...

Well, trying to leave this country has been a stress and a strain, but tomorrow thats exactly what I'm doing. STA truly are useless, despite telling us that they were a free and easy, youthful ticket service that could change your ticket when needs be this turned out to be a half truth. Sure, they can change the date, and if your really lucky change the destination on domestic flights, but as to international flights, like changing the things that would be of ANY USE TO TRAVELERS then, no, they can't.
Trying to get to europe has taught me something about backpacking: don't use STA. STA and other travel agents are OK...its just that I didn't know of the existence of E-Tickets. You can book online a few days before the flight, bring a printout and a passport and, boom, your on. No commission, No hiked prices, nothing.
Sigh, but never mind. Our last few days in Varkala were interesting, as soon as I left the internet cafe, writing on this very blog that there wasn't anything to update you on, we go down to the local hot spot, the funky art cafe and theres some argument between the waiters and some other Indian bloke. He's yelling about "It's your mistake!" the owner and waiters are trying to calm everything down, but a punch or two is thrown and they have to get this guy out. Problem is, he's brought friends. With sticks. Next thing we know, the waiter is running from two shirtless men with said bludgeons, unfortunetly he falls and starts begging them to not hurt him. They're not listening. They knock him and his friend around a couple of times, they scarper inside again. Except guess which two westerners are sitting on the outside right next to where the stick men are attacking? Thats right, dear reader, Me and my bro. We, are understandably a little worried and just keep out of it, I left my bat-suit in the cave. This is clearly going to go from bad to worse. It does. More people turn up, they smash a bottle, go to stab someone in the kitchen, a light get smashed, someone starts doing in the walls and before you know it, the aggressive gang is smashing up the place, breaking in the lights, the bottles, the food, the amps, the instruments, even the tables. The westerners all get out and head for the bar down the road. All this is awful for the owner, because not only is his place getting smashed up, this is the most packed his bar has been in weeks, because it's low season, and he just lost out on everyone paying for their food. A more violence inclined westerner tries to get involved with a plastic chair, his friends drag him off.
It's a pretty major event, and is on my mind for the next few days because it all seemed a little too planned...not just some drunken brawl. I'm not one for conspiracy theories, and I never did find out exactly what was going on, and it probably was just some random drunk thing, but guys don't usually bring bats with them to a bar, and god knows something like that doesn't happen because someone gave someone the wrong change. It also wouldn't surprise me if there was a protection racket or something...other westerners seemed to think so too. One girl I met had a more believable spin on the drunk thing, she was planning on leasing a guest house there, so she knew a lot of people around. "These people work 15 hours a day, seven days a week, they sleep in the restaurant for 3-4 hours if they're lucky, and they do all this for the high season of about 6 months. In the low season, there's not enough tourists coming in, not enough money to go round so tensions are understandably high."
She was very interesting girl, big, blonde and american, came over for a few months and had decided to stay a few years. She'd manage to organise the only party we ever saw in Varkala, so she was a great person to know. It seemed horrible the idea of working like that, I worked 8-10 hours day 5 days a wekk for 5 months. That was unpleasant. And despite it seeming believable there could be something more sinister going on...I just can't quite sell myself on it, looking back.
Varkala was wonderful, met a few interesting people in the 2 weeks we were there, unfortunetley we only met them in the last couple of days. At night you can see a horizon of fishing boats and their lights, it's got to be one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen.
But we needed to leave. We're a bit tired of the east, I like its prices, I love the experience and I hope to come back here soon...but I need rolling hills, castles, museums, clubs, bars, good food! Prague has some of the best nightlife in europe so we here, its also a stunning city almost built for backpackers and stag nighters, so that was our aim. To get to Prague. But to get to Prague, we need to get our ticket changed and to get our ticket changed we needed to go north to Enarkulam. Which is where I am now.
At first it was a nightmare getting the ticket changed, we'd settled in changing the date and then getting a flight from London to Prague. At first we were told we couldn't get one till May 2nd. Ouch. We hadn't planned on two more weeks in India...we could have managed it and had fun but our heart was now set on Europe. Then we couldn't change the ticket till Monday. Damn. Then when we did go back on Monday a whole load of earlier flights has opened up and we could get out of India as early as we liked, so our journey starts tommorow, we'll be in Prague early morning on the 25th. Like really early morning. Like 1AM in the morning. Try finding a cheap way into the city then after long flights and hours waiting in airports for a connecting flights. Fun is not a word I would use. Still, we're couch surfing to make it cheap as chips (and a bit more complicated. Yay!)
Enarkulam is great, by the way, we found a cheap hotel with a TV and theres plenty of ways to shop and wait around for the travel agents to open. Not least the Subway down the road. We had sunday buffet the other day in the swankiest hotel in town, where we got some hilarious characatures made of us, I'll try scanning them on at some point. Why they drew me driving a car and Sam playing guitar, I'll never know.
All this means, by the way, I'll have a few hours in merry old england! I have time to nip into london, grab some fish and chips, and get back (kidding). It will be interesting to feel the weather. When I am safe in Prague, I hope to be writing an upbeat blog to tell all my journey was stress free. Oh, and this does mean, since Europe you have to survive on slightly more than 5 pounds a day, that the money will be running out faster, and so will my time backpacking. But hey, me and Sam are nearly ready to come home, after one more continent under our belt, we should be back early May, a week or two before we originally planned to return. Wish me luck!

PS I found a place selling half price comic books (so now it was 10p a comic instead of 20p!). I went a bit bezerk. My bag is now a lot heavier.

Books, Chilling out and a possible change of plans

When we last joined our hero, he was on Varkala beach, South India , taking some well needed R+R...

I am pleased to say that I'm having a much better time in the south of India than the North. The beach life was really what me and Sam have needed, we're in complete hedonistic mode, getting up late, breakfast, beach, dinner, internet, sleep, repeat. Its a hard job but someones got to do it. SO I suppose there's not much to update you all on...I've been continuing my enjoyment of the prose novel, pausing on The Amber Spyglass to read some other brilliant books. (I won't do the major ego trip of writing page long reviews of each one, but since theres not much to update you on and these books have been a great experience, I'll give you brief summaries of my experience with each one)
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas I picked up first, I wasn't going to bother because I knew it would be very alike to the film, but reading that first line, I was hooked (We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the drugs began to take hold). Hunter S Thomspon is a genius, he's hilarious, inspiring and outrageous with a deep resentment/confusion with the United States. His point of view I'll find invaluable, I think, when it comes to studying the country during the next four years.
Catcher in the Rye is one of Joe's bits of media found immensly brilliant and inspiring (along with Six Feet Under and the West Wing), and that he desperately wants to convert me to! Although I didn't enjoy it nearly as much as he, and millions of people across the world, the book is interesting and (as it is famous for) deeply relatable. Almost creepily relatable, how a book from the 40's can still, I believe, represent much of the youth of today. Lots of remants of Joe Burnham/Sam Cooper/Amy Soyka. A brilliant vision of alienated youth and New York. Its best to read it when your 13-17, though as it clicks more with that age range. I'd recommend it to Parents and Teachers most of all, I believe that's where the book can do the most good!
Around the world in 80 days has been a secret love of mine for a while, however I've only ever read it in a very faithful graphic novel adaption in my childhood. Having read it in the original prose form was a wonderful experience for me (this edition had Wallace and Gromit on the front cover too!) its a really witty, enthralling and entrancing adventure, especially for a backpacker. It's filled with some wonderful characters and moving moments. I now love it even more knowing that it really is as accessible as any graphic novel adaption despite being written over a hundred years ago!
I'm now trying to find something in Science Fiction or a Thriller, but time grows short here in Varkala. Well, not short, I like it here (apart from the food, maybe) but me and Sam are craving something else, something maybe a little less eastern perhaps...I don't want to cement anything yet, but I guess our plans have changed a little. Europe is beckoning towards us...well, once I've actually got something settled in a week or so, I could provide more concrete plans then.
Anyhoo, there probably won't be much more to update you all on till we get to Kochi, but I'll see about another blog maybe when I find another book!

Varanasi, Harder Times and Australians

When we last joined our hero, he was travelling up from Kolkata to the holy city of Varanasi...

India is treating me a little roughly. Which is unfair, because I really want to enjoy this country...especailly after having such a good time in Kolkata! still its got much better, but I can't help feeling a little homesick after trying to get to varanasi...

First of all, 14 hours on an Indian train is rubbish. Well...I guess that was pretty obvious. I got pretty sick in the north of being stared at like a godamn zoo animal. No atchully, I'd like to be treated like a zoo animal, zoo animals get smiled at, zoo animals get respect. White people get the look of 'what the hell are you doing here, you unholy abomination'. the place was cramped and we were the only ones on the train that didn't get sheets. It was a sleeper carriage, thank god.

Still can't argue with the price, cheap as chips, and we also disovered from a student on the last 2 hours of our trip that it was the worst train on the whole varanasi line. So, hopefully the others won't be so bad.

We get there, and the student is good enough to show us the tourist office, and thats where the trouble started. You see, valued reader, Varanasi is part of the nasty commision scheme in India. You see, if a tuk tuk takes us to a hotel, they get a hefty 'finders fee' called a commision. However the 3 oldest places to stay in Varanasi don't do this, because they're well priced (you know your in a good place when your breakfast costs more than your room!) and respectful, not 2 bit scam artists. So what do the drivers do? they tell you these places have burned down or flodded, they destroy the signs to these places but the most common thing to happen is that hotels simply change they're names to almost be exactly the same as the decent hotels but with extra additions to the name. so instead of the yogi lodge its 'the new yogi guesthouse' or 'the real yogi inn'. Problem is, different name, same big prices.

Anyway, outside the tourist office As per usual, someones offering us a taxi/tuk tuk, the usual respectful 'no' treatment was what we gave him. He followed us still, in some vain attempt to charm us, into the telephone office where we we're gonna call our hotel to come get us. We call them, they're on our way.

We now realise CAPTAIN CON ARTIST went to his mate round the corner a few minutes later and RELAYED EVERYTHING WE SAID ON THE PHONE to him and wrote 'Langan' on a piece of paper and came round to get us into his tuk tuk.

Guy comes in we say 'aren't you supposed to be wearing a yogi lodge shirt?'

'yeah, thats my brother, hes at the tuk tuk!'

Get to the tuk tuk. No brother. 'We aren't getting in.'

After a brief discussion with the various tuk tuk drivers around us (including CAPTAIN CON ARTIST) the driver swore on his and our yogi guide's honour (a serious thing in India) that he worked for the lodge. We wanted to get to the lodge and at this point we didn't know any better. Its only as we start to realise everything he told us he could have just heard on the phone we really start to get worried.

Now, I may seem like a charming, cool headed backpacker type. I am. However, the muscle of the operation (Sam) is not so forgiving. Especially when it comes to scam artists. So when we get to 'the lodge' the tuk tuk duo are waiting to be paid and we drop the bomb shell.

'We're looking at the hotel before we pay you'. They look worried. But we get there, and they breath a sigh of relief, one more commission in pocket...until I come up with the idea, of checking the phone number for yogi lodge against the hotels card. Ah. 'The old yogi lodge'.

Sam is seeing red. I've never been so proud of my brother. He knows we're getting scammed and he gives the tuk tuk guys a choice, take us to the temple near the yogi lodge and get paid, or take us back to the rail station free of charge. They chose the second option.















The tuk tuk driver looked annoyed (especially since he wa the one who tried the honour thing) but the guy that tried to scam us just seemed to break down, it was quite pathetic all apologetic and 'slow season' nonsense. We get back to the station, and get the real guy to take us to the yogi lodge.

I am, however pleased to say that after that unpleasant experience we managed to meet some great people in our hotel (which was 75p a night. deffinatley worth the hassel). The ozzies, Gin and her father Eric, Gin (short for virginia) had been travelling around India for the past 2 months, and was heading down to Kerala too, so we gained some travel buddies! both were really easy going and easy to talk too, and helped out a lot with organising our flights down.
We've decided to skip Rajahstan...me and Sam both need to be somewhere less rushed and hectic, and to be honest we've just lost interest in anything in the north. We need a beach!
Varanasi was a busy city but with the most gorgeous Ganges view I've ever seen. Sam said he could spend days by the riverside, I'd have to agree with him it was pretty spectacular.
We also met Beth, the hippy drum circler with plenty of Indian, and paticularly, Goan tales, which was very interesting.
Probably the most fascinating traveller we've met yet is a bloke called Dan though, who was the only other person staying in our Dorm! He'd driven, yes DRIVEN from London through europe, up into russia and all the old soviet countries like Kahzakstan and Uzhbekhistan, before going itno Iran Pakistan and India. He's been going for 11 months and is going to continue through India and Bali before heading back the way he came. He loves Pakistan and now I really want to travel there!
Travelling down to Varkala was OK, it was just the damned Taxi Drivers in Mumbai that made our lives hell, that and the hotel was awful.
Still, Now I'm down on the stunning beach in Varkala, I promise to upload some pics soon! Its so good to finnaly be down here in the south where everything is a lot more relaxed. The weather, however looks like it could be swinging to a bit more monsoony, though, so I'm trying to catch the breathtaking beach for as long as I can. We've found a hotel for 1.90 a night, (and yes, its not the most attractive room I've ever been in, but 95p each a night, I'm not complaining) so we're planning to get stuck here as long as the weather will allow. Delhi belly looms, however, and I must run quickly too my room. Farewell!

Calcutta, Holi and a Never Ending Story reference...

When we last joined our hero, he was just arriving in India, at the city of Calcutta/Kolkota...


Sigh, it was finally time to wave goodbye to the Mekong...but not before leaving one final mark at the airport...



Well, with that delightful pop culture reference out of the way we were on our way to india!


















...but not quite like that. It's funny, my images of india have always settled around people, cows, everything being covered in coloured paint or dust...a festival I now know is called Holi, something I was lucky enough to catch on our first day in Kolkota (previously called Calcutta):




















It was a really great city, we worked out the metro (Yes, dad, I know you're proud of us!) without any problems and made it from our hotel to the main backpacker area, Sudder Street. Adorned with cheap cafes and an internet cafe or tow, this is where we spent most of our time. We also travelled down Park Street, which was full of fine dining Indian restaurants (by british standards , still cheap as chips). It was nice to be treated like high society for a change. We shopped around a bit (I found a bookshop that sold superman and batman back issues) and are still on the lookout for the elusive American cinemas, which we hope to at least find today before we have to leave.
Leave? So soon? but yes, dear reader, I'm afraid a backpacker can never sit still. We're off this evening to the Holy city of Varanasi! Our first Indian train...a little nerve wracking, not at least because its 14 hours, and if Indian train stories are true then...well. Never mind.
So far India is brilliant, the food is amazing and the people are friendly, with as much or as little as you want to do. Poverty in Kolkota is quite extreme, but we've learnt to deal with beggars and street sellers before. To be honest, India so far is quite a confusing country, you have this poverty, beggar women and kids, makeshift houses in the middle of a decaying street, andthen you have music and dvd shops. You have sexualised women in the streets and in the papers, but you hear about mass female suicide thanks to the strict caste laws. More investigation is needed, but I expect it's where you go.
I shall post again just before I leave varanasi!

Intermission

Asia. Hm. The word seems to change meanings so often for me that I'm never sure whats "asian today" and what's "asian tommorow". Meanings is the wrong word...definitions. Definitions for asia or asian have never seemed to be one thing or another. Originally asian was anyone oriental, now its anyone middle eastern. Is asia china and japan? Or India? or even vietnam...cambodia...Laos? Thailand? And where do all those Islands fit into this. The answer is theoretically just a wikipedia click away, but for me it will always be a little confused. Which sort of fits with this intermission: "what is/was asia to me?".
You see, Part 1 (see 'Prologue') is now over. I'm in an Indian internet cafe, trying to reflect on the first part of my trip. I guess if I think of asia now, I'll think of that trip. I'm going to remember...majestic temples, biking on bamboo bridges, boat trips down the mekong, tubing down a mountain stream, squeezing off a few rounds at the local gun course, dairylea cheese being the only cheese in existance (an it existed EVERYWHERE), rope swings into waterfalls, wrapping a snake around my neck and bus trip after bus trip after bus trip.
But and evaluation? gosh... The area I went too, the greater mekong, certainly had its ups and downs. But mostly ups. I loved the fact that it really is a place geared towards travellers, there are bars, and pizzas and treks and tours...it makes life a lot easier. But how much culture to get out of that? search me. Which is of course hwy its important to stretch out and find the things that make asia different, a tour does make this a lot easier (but more on the tour later) Certain parts certainly seemed to have a more dollar fixed attitude towards backpackers. Which was a pity, because 99 times out of a 100 they just weren't going to get a penny from us. And the more people that beg, the more people that harass, the more people that do up their kids and train them to be the cutest things they can (instead of going to school) the more the country is going to suffer. It doesn't help, of course in a country like thailand when the biggest extortion racket in town is run by the cops, and the government officials care more about the drug dealers pay off than the economy. I think the region has a while to go before some of its countries can start achieving and get out of the downward spiral. To tourists create this? or was it just the best way for a human being to make money? Laos and Vietnam seem to have it on more of the right track than Thailand and Cambodia, maybe it just depends where you look. It was in the cities of thof these countries where you could see the poverty in full hold.
But then was it really the bustling cities I got the most out of was it? It was the vast pastures, the quiet villages, the epic mountains, blue waters and white sandy beaches. These are the places you can get the most out of the mekong, touristy or not. I suppose that would be my advice. Search out the best places outside of a city and whether its touristy or not won't really matter. A tour is a mized bag, but can help (however I am REALLY enjoying being a free agent, it just takes a little building up too)
Being on a tour meant you were a little cut off from the reality of backpacking...but it was a good way to start travelling, a safe way and a fun way. However, this does bring me onto the sad fact that some members of the group you like, and some you don't. and some you want to throw into the nearest crocidile pool. Yeah, the group could certainly be frustration at times...but ce' la vie. Sam was always there, it is important that you take the right people/person travelling with you, adn me and sam have said on numerous occasions that our twin brother was the right choice. Bizzarely we've become more and more alike, or at least, our minds have become syncronized, which does remind of His Dark Materials.
And there's the link to the next paragraph: bits of the trip that aren't the trip. My books I'll come to later, HBO first. You'd be surprised how useful a TV and movie channel is to the backpacker, its not something I'd reccomend to often, but it certain is awelcome way to let an hour or two slip away without worry. Plus its free. Movies certainly seem to be the universal hobby, everyones got their favourites and least favourites, so its a great conversation starter too. And everyones got the same channels, so everyone watched XXX starring vin diesal at some point on their trip (just not everyone had to do it with 3rd degree sunburn, as if that movie wasn't painful enough).
Something elese everyone can connect on is Politics, and thats also been a running outside theme, since the american primaries have been going and going. You see a speech there, a result there, you form opinions, and of course a favourite. Almost surrealy you might be lucky enough to visit a remnant of one of the candidates, we were near the Hanoi Hilton, the place that almost destroyed John McCain through brutality and torture. I'm a staunch Obama supporter, though, I couldn't have hope for a much better next President, especially since he seems to go from strength to strength. He's had a tough fight, though, and its going to get dozens of times tougher if he has to run against McCain. Fingers crossed, if there was ever a point that I believed could turn American around for the first time in decades, it would be now.
The greatest joy I've had from outside things has not been the TV, nor my Ipod, but His Dark Materials. At the moment I'm almost at the end of book 2, the Subtle knife. Its really reawakened my passion for the fiction novel in my mind, something which although has never quite been subdued has really been severely lestened in recent years. The experience of a novel is such a personal one, I feel myself get connected to this world and it's people which I can escape into at any moment and become completly immersed. The books themselves I feel are suitable for a multitude of ages, its very well written, and their themes and issues are complex and deep, especially for anyone interested in religion. They're great fantasy novels as well, slowly getting more epic as they go along, hopefully building to a good climax. It would be a little annoying if it petered out at the end! Though for me, its more about the escapism, the connection I have with this world and characters that I get from a novel more than anything.
Also, for the well inclined, Yahtzee and his weekly dose of video game humour has keapt me entertained as well. He is a genius.
All in All...Laos and Vietnam are places I'm defiantley going to return too. The other too...perhaps not so much. It was in Laos and 'Nam I found the best experiences, the most unique sights. The Mekong is a place which definatley feels like the tourists are the best way of making money, the poverty and corruption is soemthing that is crippling these countries that are still recovering from centuries of bloodshed and instability. There certainly is a strenght, a unity that needs to be had, somewhere. Perhaps economically, perhaps socially...whatever the case as a Backpacker these places can be a great place to start, there is a reason so many of us go there. Its because its the epitamy of backpacking, a culture shock, cheap and magnificent full of dusty roads and dodgy booze, beaches and mountains and an experience above all.
Finally, Asia aside and backpacking come forward. It truly is the best experience of my life, for a deacde and a half in the begginings of my life its all mundanity and education, but backpacking is an escape and an adventure. The lifestyle of excitment and adventure, anticipation and culture shock. Just living it up with a bank balance and a road full of possibilities is something not to be missed. There really is something for everyone, so its worth finding out and saving up.
Jesus, I'm halfway and already I'm making grand sweeping statements as if I'm at the end! India awaits, and I have so much yet to come. So do take this post as a halfway there bit, by the end I hope to have a little more to add onto all this.
Asia to me now is my 40 days of fun and excitment, up and down the Mekong area, lets hope India can find a way to trump it!

Laos, a return and an end to asia

When we last joined our hero, he was entering into Laos, about to finish his 40 day journey into the greater Mekong....

Laos was amazing. I didn't quite know what to expect from it at all, but it was awesome. We started of in the capital, vien tien, though it doesn't look much like a capital, very small and silent, everything closes very early. We did discover that if you order 3 pitchers opf beer, most places will give you your own mobile beer tap to pull em yourself! amazing fun! It was here that I had my first encounter with the scandinavian bakey chain (I say chain, but there are two in Laos. But that is a chain in Laos apparently). Its like subway but better. enough said.
Laos is an incredibly scenic country, breathtaking monoliths and mountains rise up of the ground everywhere you look, the rivers are wide and gorgeous and the jungles come straight out of indiana jones. Its a beautiful country.
In our next destination Vien Vieng, I didn't quite realise the backpacker-fest that was about to occur. You see, it has this wonderful invention of tubing. You rent a big inner tire tube, and float down the most beautiful river you've ever seen with mountains and jungles all around you. However, there are also 20 or so backpacker bars with cheap alchohol and the biggest, baddest rope swings you've ever seen, launching you into the water!!! plus plenty of party people around to play volleyball and table tennis, etc. The town itself is also very party central, A place called the smile bar is full of the party spirit and plenty of fun and interesting (though completley intoxicated) people to chat to and have a good time with! Plus I bought a batman jumper of a street seller! The rest of the town is hangover central with most of the cafes showing endless friends and the office episodes, and serving pizzas and sunday roasts and full english's. The party spirit really captured us all. Plus I got to update my Ipod! (Dane Cook , O Brother Where art THou Soundtrack, Johnny Cash Greatest Hits, and of course GTA Vice City Flash FM and VRock!)
After that we hit Laung Prabang, another national heritage site. The quiet market town mixed bookshops and bakeries (including another scandinavian one). It was here Me sam and a few others embarked on a 3 hour trek through the Laotian jungle, to get to the gorgeous waterfalls where we swam and swung on rope swings, it was a really magical experience.
Afterwards we started our journey to Chiang Mai in Thailand, where my asian journey would come to an end. It was my very own apocalypse now as I journyed down the river towards the Thai border.
We stayed a night on one island where the electricity turned off at 1030. Mix that with a huge thunderstorm, wind blowing things around the street, plus several dozen horror movie cliches and It felt a little unnerving. But I survived what was going to be 'I can hazard a guess at what you did last summer' to travel on to chiang mai. The border crossing was very easy, we were in Thailand mid morning and in Chiang Mai by mid afternoon.
On the way there, I visited the white temple. Now, I've seen a lot of temples in asia, I'm sure you've all seen plenty of pictures and know what your basic asian temple is or is meant to look like. Not this one. Its modern, and made compelty our of some white stone that glares in the eyes thanks to the intense sunlight. There are IMMENSLLY detailed statues of ferocious demons about to attack, a lake of hands coming out of the ground, looking as if they're grabbing at life itself, but its when you get inside the temple things get freaky. A massive, horrific fresco painting of a very modern hell, the familiar massive demons and dragons, but the've got m16's and bio-missiles for fingers and tentacles, and the twin towers stand burning, oil flowing our of them to feed some demon heads, and then at the bottom, a pair of converse shoes. A huge demons left eye had george bush in it and the right osama bin laden, and just when you think this is an anti west thing...is that...Neo? Thats right, Neo, Keanu Reeves from the matrix stands on a demons finger ready for action, an alien sits one end of the painting, a predator on the other side, pod racers and jabba the hut float oddly amongst the hellish chaos...what the hell is going on? is this a predicition of hell, a vision of the future, an anti west painitng, a buddhist temple, or one big pop culture painting?
Whatever it is, its the best temple ever.
For those that do want to look into it further it's called Wat Rong Khun and it has a wikipedia page.
First day in Chiang Mai, and me, Sam and one other meber of the groupp went elephant riding which was AMAZING! so much fun, the elephant reminded me of Poppy Langan (disobidient lazy and ALWAYS demanding food). We had our last group dinner that evening as most of the group was leaving the next day (today). I wandered around the night market, buying some black raybans for Cath (do you want some red ones too? and which size did you want small medium or large?) and an awesome Tin Tin T-shirt (well I'll of bought it by tonight hopefully).
Today me and sam had a capitalist day, starbucks (iced mochas with whipped cream rule), subway and of course, mcDonalds (DOUBLE BIG MAC!)
We fly tommorow, late afternoon. This is the end of our asia trip, I'll do a summarizing blog in the next day or so. This is a real crossroads for me and sam, in my mind we're halfway through, and yet theres so much to come and so much to look back on. Its gone so quickly...but I'll try and think of some meaningful stuff to put down in the next blog. Most of my entries are very brief diary entries essentially chirpy what I've been doing segments, so I'll try and make the next one a bit more personal. By the by Photos ar ebecoming harde rand harder to put on these blogs, so although I have lots of good ones, its just starting to take up too much damn time! Sam is especially frustrated with his useless card reader and websites, but we shall show you some good ones soon, he certainly plans to spend a day in an internet cafe as hes eager to show you some of his great shots. thanks, chums.
Now, which way to the airport...?

There now follows an intermission...

Karaoke, Ha Long Bay and Hanoi

When we last joined our hero, he was in Hoi An, approaching the end of his time in Vietnam...

Leaving Hoi An meant leaving lots of good cake. This made me sad. Hoi An was also ther place that I saw the orphanage for children affected by agent orange, something I'll remember for a long time.

Ayhoo, we then travelled up to the place that was on the top of my itinery choices, Ha Long Bay! We travelled out by boat, and got treated to some gorgeous sights as we dined on local fish dishes. We visited some caves, with the fossilised spine fo a dragon in it. hm. But the highlight was jumping off the top of the boat into the waters when we were midway out. A long drop, but accompanied by me singing the superman film theme, I managed to pluck up the courage!

We made port in an island in the north of ha long bay, and stayed there a night, which is deffinatley one for the CV. Especially since I did an amazing rendition of 'Gangsters Paradise' in the local karaoke bar. followed by the Pokemon Theme. and Candle in the Wind. and Immigrant Song.

Sam also did 'don't look back in anger', which I've said I won't upload in video form, but will show to anyone willing when I return home!

After Ha long bay, we made ouyr way to Hanoi, our leaders hometown and said goodbye, the vietnam social was a disaster! nothing was open, adn we were given funny looks by everyone we went and saw. But no matter, we made up for it in Laos, where we've travelled to next, and where I'm writing from now! I'll tell all in my next blog. In closing here's Lt Laurence and Sniper Sam for your individual entertainment.

Enjoy. Oh, and following up from me drinking, snake wine, I have now also drunk wine made out of Goats Testes. Go me!

Cake, Tailors and BIG WAVES!

When we last joined our hero, he was continuing his jounrey up the coast of Vietnam...

Nha Trang continued to grow on me, as I frolicked at the beach with the BIGGEST waves I have seen in a long time. I'm seriously talking about 8-10ft monsters that knock you over and wash you into the shore it was SO much fun! Unfortunetly, the sunburn I got from the beach wasn't so much fun...but was worth the good time I had! So, I have been in a bit of pain the last few days...I'm almost cured, though.
After Nha Trang we travelled up to the best place I've been so far on the entire trip, which was Hoi An. Me and sam rented some bicycles and rode all around the old village there, which is a national heritage sight, and the place was just so peaceful it completly captured us. Plus they had bakeries offering the most mouthwatering cakes ever.
There were also plenty of cltohes shop offering tailored stuff, as you will find often in asia and india for a pretty reasonable price, but it was here we atchully had the fun of getting something! Its a lot of fun, piles of different cloth and material, and the tailors lay out all these magazines and you pick the bit of clothing you want in the material you want and then haggle for the price. The reason this was so much fun, though, was because one of our post-uni members came up with the idea of a Vietnam social. for the non-uni inclined, socials are like fancy dress clubbing sessions with a theme...this being army. So now 8 of us each have a completly different bit of tailored camo clothing, with 'US ARMY' on the front, and our name and rank on the back! awesome fun, especially for me, because with us all in our slightly personalised uniform, it's the closest I've ever felt to being in A SUPER TEAM!
Shopping in general is good in Hoi An, my sister and her friends would have a blast!
I shall upload pictures of my outfit when it's complete (aviator shades still to get). After a few days in Hoi An, we're making our way towards Hanoi (where the social will take place), taking scenic bus ride through the mountains and stopping off now in Hue, a fishing town. Everyone is preparing for the steadily building freezing cold weather, thanks to a monsoon coming down from the north, hopefully we won't be hitting tidal waves when we hit ha long bay.
No pictures this time, I'll upload a few next time to make up for it.
Oh and, I'm 'Lieutenant Laurence' and my brother is 'Sniper Sam Langan'. For those interested.

New leader, beauty treatment and becoming an action hero!

When we last joined our hero, he was in Ho Chi Minh City taking in the sights and sounds of Vietnam...

I feel like an action hero. We went to the Cu Chi tunnels, a set of underground tunnels which the Vietnamese used to navigate around in the war. But I think it's really an action hero training ground! for me! I am now master of many skills! firstly, I am master of the earth! one minute you'll see me, the next...




























































Flash! I am gone beneath the earth! It reminded me a lot of Robin Hood. Once underground, me
and Sam and a couple of other brave souls traversed through dark and perilous tunnels!






















There were pools of water, secret openings, and even the occasional dead frog. I am now also master of traps, as I observed many vicious ones around the area:















I am also eater of great and scary beasts! like crocodile. I seem to have lost the photo, but we had to barbecue it ourself. Sam had Kangaroo. Believe me there were a lot stranger things on the menu, eg Scorpion, Turtle and even Goat's penis!

And without further ado, I am also master of weapons. Most people who know me will know that I love action movies, comics and video games. People that play the latter will know that an M60 is a belt fed ballistic behemoth, made famous by the Vietnam war, it has high power, a high rate of fire and massive recoil. Used by Rambo, The Punisher and Arnie in 'commando', I present a new hero to use the lead breathing dragon: Me.



The AK47 is the most popular gun in the world, with hundreds of variations its cheap to build and use. It's effective too, and put too great use here by Sam:



Finally, the Colt.45, used by both of us. The basic design of this gun hasn't changed in over 100 years, its .45 caliber bullets produce quite a kick, and a nasty hole in whoever's on the wrong end of one:







Surprisingly, it didn't cost much, for all of that, each of us must have spent about 12-15 quid.

We're also no strangers to even larger firepower (even if it was blown up 40 years ago):



















Plus, I tried some 'Snake Wine' which is like a relly nice whiskey, but made from snake venom, The bottles have real (albeit, dead) snakes and scorpions in them. So, there we go. I am an action hero. I look forward to killing you soon!

We met our new tour leader, Lam, who is really great and fun loving. He's also started calling me James Bond now and again...bizzare. Still, must be because I'm an action hero.

We travelled on the Night Train (bottoms up) to get to another Beach resort, Nha Trang which is breathtaking, more amazing than the last beach, I'm spending a day soaking in some rays tomorrow so I'll take plenty of pictures then.

Today I had fun at a Spa (What!? action heroes need to look pretty too) I got Massaged, Mud Bathed, Sun Baked and generally prettified. So, My journey up the coast of Vietnam has begun, and I have now been traveling for over two weeks! I hope I continue to make you all really jealous.

Go on. Watch the gun videos again. I know you want too.

A new country, illness and a goodbye

When we last joined our hero, he was heading out of the beach resort of Sihanoukville and into the bustling city of Phnom Penh...



The keyword for this blog is DON'T WORRY MUM! No pictures this times, since my camera is getting fixed. DON'T WORRY MUM! Saying goodbye to the beach, we headed for the city of Phnom Penh, our last destination in Cambodia. We went clubbing on the first night, mainly in a club called 'heart of darkness'. The literary among you will understadn the clever reference the club makes (that means you George, since you know that book cover to cover!). Basically, the film Apocalypse Now! was based on the book 'Heart of Darkness'. I went home early and for the rest of the night and the rest of the next day, I was violentley ill. Yay. DON'T WORRY MUM! It mostly passed by the night time of the next day, but I soon discovered everyone was suffering from one symptom or another. Our seasoned traveller, Dan, explained that it was being in a different country with lots of different bugs everywhere and the water that you come into contact with one way or another means everyone gets ill. It's the same in India, he calls it 'Delhi Belly'. DON'T WORRY MUM!

Moving out of Cambodia and into the capital of Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City (where I write from now) was relatively painless, we made good time and I finished Northern Lights! I've now started the Subtle Knife.

Cambodia, overall was in retrospect a very poor country, its quite clear of that having come into Vietnam. No Tuk Tuk's, No Street Sellers, PLENTY of neon. It's partly a relief, not being bugged by beggers and street sellers, and being in a country that seems a lot more friendly, but partly I kind've got used to the sellers and the Tuk Tuk's...I sort of miss them! especially the Tuk Tuk's, dead cheap and as long as you're not in Bangkok they can take you anywhere, and it's always nice to haggle with them, it makes you feel less of a lost tourist!

The culture of a place cambodia and thailand too is very difficult to understand, since our skin colour means that we are an eternal target/victim for everyone to get every penny out of us. DON'T WORRY MUM! It has yet to be proved how many of the countries are like this, so far, Vietnam seems more civilised. An interesting thought is that this could be partly due to the political system. Vietnam is my first communist country.
I'm sure my Dad will say that all the countries I visit will be like thailand and cambodia...especially India. I expect that's right...tourism is important in any country. But in Cambodia, it seemed almost like it was the only thing that made any decent money. In Ho Chi Minh, there are big billboards for international companies, electronics shops that have Sony instead of 'Suny' and most importantly, KFC. And no, I haven't been there. Yet.
Under communism, perhaps its a lot easier to get people proper financial care...and proper jobs.
Still, it's only really my first day but it has been refreshing. The only thing I still can't get my head around in this country is the currency, you carry around hundreds of thousands of dong where ever you go, which is slightly confusing.

We said goodbye to our tour guide yesterday evening, he journeys back to Bangkok to start the WHOLE thing all over again. Yikes! He grew quite attached to our group, and us to him, so it was sad to see him go. We hope the next person is just as nice and friendly! We meet him tonight.

I am quite bored with TV now, as I do with my Ipod, I'm turning to Philip Pullman for my entertainment inbetween things.

By the way, I have been following the american primaries and may to a blog on them one of these days, but for now I'm looking forward to tommorow. It's a busy but enjoyable day, boat trips and caves etc. Will hopefully have pictures to upload next time, if I can get the camera fixed. Oh, and my watch broke too, which is a real catastrophe for me as many of you will know. I've got Sam's, he hates all watches with an almost zen like passion if that makes sense (If you have a watch, you're a slave to time, man...)

hope all is well in the UK, I think about a quarter of the way through the trip. maybe a fifth. cheerio!

Football, Bikes and Beaches + pictures!

When we last joined our hero, he was heading out towards the coast and countryside of Cambodia, continuing his journey through the Mekong...


First thing's first, here are those pictures I couldn't upload last time:

One bus ride after leaving Siem Reap and we're in the region of Kompong Cham. The beauty and peace of the countryside really hit me during my stay here. The first day we took a bike ride along a giant bamboo bridge (!) into the farming region the pictures say it all:

Kids would constantly be greeting (in perfect english) and attempting to high five us. People were farming tobacco and corn, the fields stretched for miles. I was enjoying myself so much, I completley forgot it was valentines day (I later admitted it was probably the best one I'd ever had!). The next day we travelled to our homestay (stopping off at a mouth watering ice cream bar, some american chain called Sweensens or something the best ice cream ever!). The homestay was amazing. The whole place was so peaceful and relaxing, I really clicked with it. I hope to find places like it in India:

It was also one of our group's birthday:

And just for my mum:

The best bit of our time at the homestay was the epic England vs Cambodia football match between us and the locals, with the stipulation of 1000R from each player to be payed to the other team for every goal they score! Luckily it was 0-0 (debatable) but it was an awesome game, I will try and upload a picture of both teams soon, I can't now since it's on Sam's camera.

Today we travelled to the beach town, Sihanoukville and I sunbathed and swam. After embarrassing myself last time we went out drinking, I hope to regain some points by handling myself correctly when we go out tonight. Snorkoling off an island out to sea tommorow!

The group tour is so far demanding but fun, if anyones interested, me and Sam often look forward to time out with our beloved movie channel inbetween activities! speaking of witch, I've found a cinema in Sihanoukville which also has an Xbox/Wii section. Enough said.

New People, Snakes and Sunrises

When we last met our hero, he was in bangkok about to meet his tour group and start his journey around the Mekong...



I met the group on Sunday the 10th. Me and Sam were a little nervous not knowing who or what to expect. However I am pleased to report that our group is great, a mixture of about our age and middle aged.
Our Tour guide, Bouna, is great also. We all met on Saturday for a group chat and to go throught he plans, after which we went out for dinner (a repulsive fish for me, alcohol based liquid diet for the rest of the students). Quite happy to leave Bangkok now for something more peaceful, we started our long day to the border to get into cambodia in an awesome pimped out bus!
Unfortunetly after we got into Cambodia, we had a slightly less luxurious bus, with a bumpy road whih made trying to sleep an epic task, whichI couldn't achieve. At least I had a proper seat, though, one of the students, Charlie, got stuck with a red plastic chair.
On a similar theme, the poverty of the country is quite clear, everyone relying on the tourist industry. Children are constantly trying to sell you postcards and cans of coke. Our first day in Siem Reap we went to Angkor Wat, an ancient temple complex. We were there Sunrise till Sunset, seeing both in spectacular fashion.
We were guided round by a fun loving tour guide named 'Three Eye' who was always laughing at the lip rings, telling us about hindu mythology, or renacting his scene from 'Tomb Raider'which was partially filmed there.He also had a strange mix of a North London and Cambodian accent, much to our amusement. Angkor Wat was cool, but tiring. Few if any have strength or interest in a whole day of temple. But it was good to spend a whole day doing something, getting our moneys worth, and the temples really were awesome. or 'bloody orgasmic' as Three Eye would call them.
The next day we could lie in a bit, which was good because of the two early starts we had had the last two days. (and the night before, drinking) We did go to the breathtaking, but poverty strife floating village, with plenty of wooden shacks on stilts. Pirate like children were common, leaping onto our boat to try and sell us coke cans and beers. which had crocs and live catfish
The best bit was by far my encounter with a snake, which I wrapped around my neck. Awesome creatures.
Tommorow is another long travelling day, followed by a bike ride which should be cool. Despite the scenic countryside, we're all looking forward to getting to a white sandy beach soon!
Unfortunetly I can't show you any pictures because my camera just ran out of battery so I can't upload them! Also, the bike ride was yesterday because this is the first chance I've had to get to a cafe, since we've been in the countryside quite a lot, so I'll try and get to another cafe with lots of pictures and tell you about the bike ride soon.

Lent and the importance of King Kong and Beer

Lent started on Wednesday. Traditionally, people will give up chocolate, or anger or on rare occasions, angry chocolate. But for lent this year I'm giving up Britain. Sure, technically I failed on the first day, since I was still in Britain, but we're allowed weaknesses once!
anyway, I am now officially on my trip! this is my first update, I'm sitting in an internet cafe which charges a very reasonable 1 baa a minute.
Me and Sam have settled in successfully. The plane journey was tough, and getting here was even tougher, since we picked the dodgiest taxi driver in all of Bangkok. It was a nail biting 30 minutes, dear reader, since we weren't sure If he was going to ransom just our backpacks or us! Luckily he did neither, but did discover after setting out on our journey that the hotel was much farther than previous expected and thus would cost 3 times what he quoted us. We didn't care, it was peanuts to us, whatever he charged. So, culture shocked, we wandered around our area, since we couldn't check in for another 5 hours, saw our first temple, and learned the invaluable task of saying 'NO' (in capitals) to anyone that approached us or talked to us.
It was a generally uncomfatable and unpleasant first our to our trip...lost in translation, everyone attempting to mug us for every penny we had, and not to mention the insane traffic and lack of zebra crossings!
But fear not attentive reader! Behold the thing that propelled us into the expert bangkokians you see before you now, article one:














A bar showing the movie King Kong

and two:















The greatest beer I have ever tasted!
Yes sir, there's nothing like the movie channel and a beer when you're in a new city at temperature 21!
After King Kong, They showed 'The Witches' at which point we met Annie and Michael, two cool post uni Brits who have been around for several days. So having acquired several tips and hot spots, we went back to the hotel, falling promptly asleep. We were meant to meet our two new friends and go see some boxing, unfortunately they never showed (even worse we were subjected to the last two thirds of the movie 'Vacancy'') so we hit Khao San road instead.














Imagine Camden in London but with more bars. By this point we were having an awesome time, I was especially excited by the fact you could by knuckle dusters knives, shurikens, throwing knives, batons, swords and hand tazers in this street, however I've decided to buy a hat instead.
We saw an acoustic band, which we thought Dom would enjoy:














and then found an interestingly enlightened symbol of capitalist culture:



















After painting the the town red, we've had a lazy morning. We woke up early thanks to our sleep paterns not adjusting, and watched Walk the Line (awesome Reese Witherspoon) and Teen Wolf (awesome dance moves), followed by Ultimate Avengers 2 (awesome superheroes) with a break for a MASSIVE buffet breakfast in between. We shall later partake in the swimming pool and a massage (!)
Tomorrow we begin the tour and meet the group, which should be good. All in all we're having a great time and have really settled into the whole backpacking thing. I'll also definitely start budgeting tomorrow.