Day 351-360: San Francisco; New favourite City

Sorry perfectly preened Singapore, apologies gloriously grungy Wellington; you have been beaten, ousted, you have been pipped at almost the very last post by San Francisco; three six five's official new favourite city.

We only had a few days in San Francisco and with so much to see and do we knew it was going to be pretty hectic. What we didn't know was that this would mean a sort of a get-fit-quick retreat to a beautiful city that perches perilously on no less than seven hills. As soon as we arrived we hit the streets, San Francisco is compact enough to walk around most of it – as long as you are wearing comfortable shoes and you are ready to layer up and layer down in accordance with it's ever changing micro-climates and the gradient of the hill you need to navigate through. And you will be passing hills; some so steep that the pavements are actually steps and some so high that the freezing gale force winds you experience at the top are nothing like the sunny little side street you were standing in below.

Our first excursion was to begin the strenuous trend; we decided to view the city from the top of a relatively small Coit Tower which sits on top of the deceivingly high Telegraph Hill. But the views from the top were well worth it. This would be our first glimpse of the Golden Gate Bridge, glowing red in the distance over blue waters. From here we could see the city undulating out before us, every winding street, tiny secluded Alcatraz and all the piers that punctuate the coast-line. It is simply beautiful.

San Francisco, we knew, was a city full of artists and you don't have to go far to find a gallery, exhibition or even just some poetry taped to the pavement; passing the latter was a clear sign that we had made it to North Beach; former hang-out of Jack Kerouac and spiritual home of the Beat generation. Now I wouldn't really class myself as a fan of the beat movement (in fact, quite the opposite, but that's another discussion...) but it was pretty exciting for a bit of a lit-geek like me to go to the City Lights Book Store and have a drink in Vesuvio just as they were doing 60-odd years ago.

Further wanderings took us through China Town, Japan Town and to the Haight, where The grateful Dead once lived and the only thing stronger than the prevailing sense of the 60's hippy movement is the sweet smell of joints being smoked at every opportunity. There is even a clock on the corner of Haight and Ashbury that famously always reads four twenty; which will be either a deeply cool or very confusing statement to you, depending on your association with these cult numbers. The streets of Haight are lined with coffee shops, record stores, vintage clothes shops and – no surprises here – some incredible street art. Here the tattoo:person ratio soars and everyone seems intent on keeping the spirit of peace and free love alive. Yeah, I really really like the Haight.

Keen to take in as much of the city as we could, and with the soles of our shoes already notably thinner, we switched pavement for pedal and hired bicycles for a day. Our route took us through the beautiful Botanical Gardens and – not without a fair bit of huffing and puffing – over the Golden Gate Bridge itself. Unfortunately, this being San Francisco, the day had clouded over a bit by the time we made it to the big red bridge but to see it was still simply spectacular. Yes it may have all but killed the shipping trade in the area with its completion but who cares? It looks great – and as it turns out the then-defunct ferry house has now become a hub of culinary greatness.

We cycled along the coast back to our hostel and were more than happy to stop for a wander around the eateries and to admire the skaters and BMXers that strut their stuff aside a huge angular sculpture and below the huge clock tower that actually tells the real time, all the time.

Yes it had been a busy few days but it wasn't over just yet – we had one last thing on our must-do list; prominent in the prohibition era, there are still a few Speak Easy's to speak of. Under a 'Anti-Saloon League' sign, after a knock and uttering of a secret password, we were taken through a bookcase (seriously) to a tiny bar called 'The Library' that served incredible cocktails just like they did when it was illegal. It was the perfect way to end our short but sensational stint in this beautiful, vibrant and historic city.

San Francisco; we love you.

Day 307-308: Some like it hot (happy birthday Rob)

It's safe to say that after a days excursion at Tongariro we were ready for some R&R. Luckily we were just around the corner from Taupo...and Rob's birthday.

When we arrived, Taupo town was sitting pretty in the sunlight on the north-eastern bank of the largest lake in New Zealand that it shares it's name with. We parked up and wandered around the small grid of roads that make up the town centre, stumbling across some fantastic local artists and a great array of eateries.

Just outside of town we decided to follow signs to the Huka Falls – this is partly because it would no doubt be free and because, I have learnt in the last 10 months (10 months! Christ!), that Rob has something of a fascination with waterfalls. He loves them. Likes the sound especially. Even pathetic little ones that sound more like a broken toilet than a force of nature, which this one was not, but I digress...Whatever the reason – the falls that we rounded the corner and climbed up onto the viewing platform to see were absolutely amazing. About 15m wide and of the kind of clear water that I've only seen in NZ, huge amounts crashed over the falls into a white cauldron of turbulence that was so powerful it actually looked a bit like the river was boiling.

And we were to be spending the night just down stream from here, in a wonderful (magic word) FREE campsite where the current was not so strong and some Germans had made a rope swing that could deposit any willing participant into the surprisingly temperate flow with a thoroughly satisfying splash. I resisted...if tubing in Laos taught me nothing else I came away knowing that my arms are not for supporting the rest of me over bodies of water.

Night fell and the morning brought Rob's coming of age – now I never know if that expression is just for specific landmark ages or any old age – either way, the age Rob came of was 24 and we celebrated with a morning wash in the river. “That's never happened before on my birthday” Well, that's what this trip is all about.

What was to follow was a day of pure indulgence. We stopped for bowls of coffee (sooo much caffeine) and fancy drinks, lunch by the marina, we strolled around the lake as the sun was setting and made our way to the best Indian restaurant we'd found in town for a “Vegetarian Banquet for Two” - and a banquet it was!

Honestly, I was full after our starters – a plater of Samosas, Onion Bajis and Pakora that came piled up and sizzling to our outdoor table with a great spicy dip. But there was plenty more to come, and we'd asked for them 'hot' (ooh we're seasoned traveller-types aren't we?) - four dishes that were as flavoursome and delicious as they look with rice and naan on the side. We were full and the birthday boy was happy...but we had one more thing left to do in Taupo.

In fact, as we sat satisfied at the Indian Affair restaurant, we didn't even know about it, but back at the campsite we were told about the Hot Springs just upstream where underground geothermal activity gifts an incredibly hot waterfall to the otherwise cool waters. Suddenly the forgiving water we'd been washing in was less surprising. We had to see for ourselves, so in the morning we took ourselves down for a genuinely hotter-than-you-average-bath dip in the very same river. It's really very strange to see steam rising up from behind green hills and then be able to say that the river was “too hot” the closer you got to the waterfall.

Ahh Taupo, you are full of surprises, wonderful surprises...

Day 241-245:Paradise Islands

Good afternoon all! Hope you had a fantastic white Christmas. Well with the festive feasting over (apart from the turkey sandwiches that'll be good 'til they become the turkey curry around Wednesday) and the return to normal working life imminent, thoughts will no doubt stray to 'getting away from it all soon' so I thought I'd get in there with a quick post about the Gili Islands.

They got a little shout-out on our Chrsitmas-day post but, to be honest, they're so so bloody amazing I think they deserve some more cyberspace.

We took the short boat ride from Lombok to Gili Air, the nearest of the 3 Gili Islands, and took up residence in a small hut on the beach on the "quieter" Western side of the Island. 'Quiet' is a relative term here since the island only has a total population of 1,800 and there are NO vehicles. At all. No engines. No car-horns. No motorbikes. The favoured modes of transport are walking, cycling or the Gili Ferrari which is, when it comes down to it, a horse and cart.

We were told that you could walk around the entire island in under 2 hours; whoever was conducting this experiment had not hired a snorkel and fins for the day. We spent the best part of a day burning our shoulder blades and that bit you always miss behind your knees in various spots around the island and seeing all sorts of beautiful fish and coral but, unfortunately, none of the turtles that were rumoured to be "over populated" in the general Gili area.

After a couple of days of pure relaxation and some fantastic food we jumped on the Island Hopper boat over to Gili "the party island" Trawangan. No doubt avid Ibiza-lovers or even, closer to home, Bali-fans, may turn their beach-party noses up at this suggestion, but Gili 'T (see? it even has a cool abbreviation) is definitely the busiest of the Gili Islands.

Here the water is crystal clear ("I can actually see better through the water than I can though the air here", thanks Rob) and the beaches a made of the purest white sands. There is everything from the most luxurious of resorts and restaurants to the cheapest of food shacks that opened their wagons and set out their plastic chairs for dinner every evening. And every night one of the bars is the bar to go to tonight. There's always something going on.

We met up again with Brian, of Lombok bike-day fame, and invested in some more snorkelling which resulted in out first spot of the thus-far elusive hawksbill turtle (hurrah!) and some more incredible fishes that I couldn't even begin to describe.

Diving is big business on the island, and we did indulge in our Christmas-Day-dive, but snorkellers are by no means unable to really enjoy the marine life that surrounds the island. Even those that prefer to just lie on the beach have been known to catch a glimpse of a turtle surfacing for air.

Despite big plans to do so, we didn't make it to Gili Meno, the middle and most rural of the three islands, for a day of - you've guessed it - snorkelling off beautiful beaches. We hear it's incredible and, given its two neighbours, I can certainly believe it.

The Gili Islands really are a perfect holiday destination and I would strongly recommend it to anyone with a couple of weeks that wants to relax, eat well, drink too much, see some turtles and/or be in some of the most spectacular scenery on this side of the globe.

Day 244: Merry Chrsitmas!

Massive hellos and lots of festive love from the Gili Islands!

Though no-one can accuse Team 365 of having a traditional Christmas, we are certainly having a very special one indeed...I'll keep this short because there is Bintang to drink and Nasi Goreng to eat and you probably have presents to unwrap and a turkey to baste.
This morning we started the day with a scuba dive through gorgeous coral and even swam with - not one but two - turtles, I even stroked one. I don't think any Christmas will ever be the same again.

We're thinking of you all and as our Christmas day come to a close and we know back in England it's just getting started, so have a wonderful day and a mince pie for us xx

Day 222: Hurrah! 365 hearts Indonesia again

Team 365 is happy to report that since escaping Jakarta on a very cold train, Indonesia has been kind enough to gift us a beautiful town to call temporary-home.

I'm writing from Yogyakarta (pronounced Jogjakarta) that boasts a daily market that goes on and on. And on. Even better, at around the stroke of 10pm it transforms into a food market that goes well, not so far, but further than any other straw-mat-and-low-table-street-stalls-serving-nasi I've ever seen before. It really is a fun place, you can't go far - and you certainly can't eat a meal - without a guy and his guitar serenading you with what I imagine is Indonesian hits or cheesy ballads from the 90's.

The town is also home to the Palace of the Sultan of Java; the grounds are a sprawling mini-city and the Sultan himself still employs around 25,000 people who live in the grounds and work for him, tax free. We met a few of the traditional puppet-makers and enjoyed a wander round the streets, which were indecipherable from the main town really, but beautiful in a small, meandering graffiti-splattered kind of way.

Now, Team 365 has not always had the greatest of track-records with volcanic eruptions and little did we know that as we made our way on a selection of buses to a particular beautiful temple, that we were within days of the whole thing being closed to us thanks to the another volcano. I'll explain, when Merapi erupted in November it caked the whole monument in volcanic ash and a specialist team in protective clothing (not monks praying, as I excitedly observed from a distance) were there to clear it up.
Unfortunately this meant that we couldn't climb up the structure but we had more access than those who'd come before us, and it was still stunning. Often compared to Angkor Wat in Cambodia, it was , for me, a much smaller more intimate experience. The stone carvings are similar but Borobudur, built around a hill in beautiful lush green lands is spectacular in its own way.

We spent a gloriously sunny afternoon exploring the temple and the strange selection of Museums the Indonesians deemed worthy of inclusion (a magic museum with walls of photos of bizarre world record holders such as lady with the longest tongue/a 2-headed horse/child that could bounce balls...why??)

It has been great here and tomorrow we embark upon a long journey to the edge of an active volcano. Brave or stupid? You decide...and I'll confirm back with you in a day or so :)

Day 203-209: Sarah in Malaysia

Some people would have been forgiven for thinking that two people who packed their backpacks and said goodbye for a year didn't want to see their nearest and dearest for a good while. Well, if the wonderful liaison with friends wasn't enough to dispel these rumours, Team 365 is way overexcited to announce the arrival of Sarah, my best friend and big sis.

We spent our first days together exploring Kuala Lumpur, a city that is as beautiful and modern in parts as it is derelict and crowded in others. We were staying in China Town, where the largest and cheapest vegetarian buffet (look! it goes further than the camera can see!) kept us going between wanders through the park, ventures into Bangkok-style huge malls and speeding around town on the 'Rapid KL' sky-train (more transport geeking. Apologies.)

But Sarah had come from the big smoke and the weather hadn't really improved too much since our 'Samui days so we headed to, well, yes, a rain forest actually. But not just any old rainforest! A very old rain forest - 130 million years old to be precise. Taman Negara, which we travelled to by bus and a stunning 3-hour boat ride, has remained unchanged by ice ages or tectonic activity and we were going to trek through it...at night.


It was only a short night trek that we did but it was brilliant; by torchlight we saw snakes, huge spiders (pictured), moths and even 'fished' for scorpions which basically involves enticing them out of trees just long enough to blind them with a thousand camera flashes before they return to the safety of darkness.

We also undertook some less scary but definitely more strenuous walks, which lead us to some beautiful vistas and some murky waters. It was brilliant, but with the only 2 weeks to spend in Malaysia with Sarah we were keen to head on.

And onwards we headed to where strawberries, scones and tea are the order of the day, the weather was cool and the hills rolled in glorious shades of green; no, not England. I am writing from the Cameron Highlands (not to be mistaken for the Cameroon Islands...Sarah)

Here we have been happy to indulge in some cream teas (who needs Wimbledon to be on? So good!) and a great tour of a local tea plantation, strawberry farm, honey farm and a butterfly farm that also offered the opportunity to get close to some over-sized and very well camouflaged insects.
It has been so good having Sarah with us and, scarily, we are already half way through her holiday - but rest assured that there is plenty more fun to be had and we'll be telling you all about it.

Day 193-200: Friends reunited

This was a week we were very excited about...in a relatively last minute decision and at great Koh Samui vs. Koh Phi Phi debate two of Team 365's very best friends were coming to visit.

Eventually, after much staring at every passing taxi, Miri and Will arrived at our hostel in Koh Samui, a larger island south of Koh Tao. It was amazing to see them; after 6 months of only Skyping when Will was meant to be working, to actually be with them in person was incredible. There were hugs all round before we were told they'd brought us a gift and then Gunit (uni housemate, best friend and favourite favourite) stepped out from behind the waiting cab. Safe to say this trumped the pathetic pack of sweets that had "lets party" written on them which we had bought for the occasion.

Once we had recovered from the surprise (we still haven't really recovered from the joy) of all being together again we got down to the serious business of catching up. I shan't bore you with the details but I must say a massive thank you to those that sent cards, letters, gifts & teabags - I promise to reply soon.

Samui is a much bigger island than Koh Tao and so we were able to move from district-to-district and thus recreate the notion of travelling without having to waste precious days actually getting to another island/province. First we were in Chaweng, which was scarily touristy in parts but offered the best beach and (little did we know), weather-wise, also our best beaching opportunity.

Then the party moved onto Bo Phut, in the north of the island, which was lovely. The waves that we had frolicked in at Chaweng Beach now completely consumed the sand at Bo Phut so we hired motorbikes and after a few false starts (Team 365's first flat tyre!) we explored the whole of the island finding cool waterfalls, crowded markets and plenty of opportunities to try the local cuisine.

Finally we changed location again to Lamai; when we arrived it was raining and it basically proceeded to do so for the entirety of our intended 2 day stay and the unintentional 3rd day that we remained slightly marooned on the island.

We passed our days without electricity or water, which quickly changed from romantic to inconvenient, without knowledge of the full extent of the flooding in Thailand, eating lots and playing cards by candle light. Then we found that all the ferry's (Rob and I were booked to travel to Malaysia) had been canceled and flights (Will Miri & Gunit intended to fly to Bangkok) were not leaving either. In fact, W M & G had to go all the way through flooded roads to Samui airport to buy a ticket for the following day...we didn't mind; the rains had just bought us another evening with three of our favourite people.

Finally we did depart on our separate paths; W M & G made it to Bangkok (we hope) and we booked a flight to Kuala Lumpur (we didn't see them at the airport so we guess they made it.) Despite the slightly shoddy weather and the absolute lack of tanning (especially disappointing for Miri) we had a marvelous time. After 6 months away it's amazing that when your with such good friends it can really feel like no time at all; it was so good to see you guys, love love xx

Day 183-185: Bangkok in a day (almost)

Team 365 arrived in Bangkok at just before 6 in the morning and after waking and gathering ourselves we made it to a taxi and, slightly worried about the unsocial hour and the likelihood of hostels being open, we were deposited on Koh San Road where bars where blaring music, street venders were selling pad thai and people where everywhere. We could have started a night out if we had been so inclined. Perhaps unsurprisingly, we weren't.

We had, however, managed to arrive on a Sunday which meant that we were just in time for the famous Chatuchak Weekend Market; our guidebook advised early arrival (that suited us) and promised sweat, tears, extreme claustrophobia and more bargains on more items than anyone could ever hope for. Since our hostel room was not available to us until midday we decided to check it out.
What we found was a pleasant out-of-town market that was just getting into the swing of things, friendly vendors, a systematic (if vast) expanse of stalls and a little rain. We were happy, but we were also desperate to sleep - so we headed back. The rest of the day was spent snoozing and investing in the afore-mentioned pad thais...tomorrow it would be all action.

Bangkok is full, and I mean full, of wonderful things - alot of things are not exactly as they seem (more on that later), some of them are exactly as they seem, and some of them are even better than they seem. The sky-train falls firmly into the last of these crudely-constructed pigeonholes. A trip across town that once upon a time took over 4 hours thanks to legendary traffic congestion can now be completed in beautifully air-conditioned carriages in 15 minutes, for 35 Baht (not even 1GBP)

We took this glorious mode of transport to China Town, of course, because yes we did come all the way to Thailand to get a better taste of China. The tiny alleys packed with market stalls were an absolute pleasure to get completely lost in.
After a bit of searching we did manage to locate Old Siam Plaza; home to a vast array of confectionery that falls into the 'wonderful things that are not as they seem' category. Here we ate shiny sweets that tasted sweet,were made from savory corn (we think), that were made to look like spicy chilis...it was bizarre. It was wonderful. It was Bangkok all over.

Our next mode of transport was a boat - actually two boats because the first time we got it in the wrong direction and, much like a normal bus service, we had to get off at the next stop and go the other way. At the risk of sounding like a total transport geek (if the sheer joy on my face in the pic above wasn't enough) - what a ridiculously enjoyable way to travel around a city notorious for awful transit! There was plenty of whistling and crew leaping on and off that every stop (see below). It was quick and it was cheap. It bore close resemblance to what we'd heard about other services available in Bangkok.

Then we enjoyed a good session of intense window-shopping in one of the uber-super-massive-everything-all-in-one-place malls; the one we were in had 5 floors of shops, restaurants, massage parlous, a marine park (bored of spending? fancy swimming with sharks?) and a hotel - and this is just what we saw before we eventually found the exit. Anything and everything is available to you in these malls - for the right price. They are like (not-so) mini versions of Bangkok as a whole.

That evening we had arranged to meet up with our good friend Steve (of previous 365 fame) and a Pai-acquired friend, Ryan, who was studying in Bangkok and recommended a bar on Koh San Road. Brick Bar, Ryan told us, usually had an awesome ska band playing. When we entered Brick Bar we were hit by a wave of funking fantastic tunes - the band were incredible. The place was packed with locals (not usually the case on the Koh San) and everyone was getting on down. Thailand was turning into quite the live-music connoisseur.

But the musical fun could not go on forever and we had one more Bangkok-based cliche to complete; that's right readers, after much popping sounds from tuk tuk drivers we made our way to a Ping Pong show. It was exactly as it seems; various items were lit, extinguished and removed from bored-looking Thai girls genitalia and Rob is now the proud owner of a vagina-written 'nice to see Rob' note. It had to be done. It was 5 in the morning and we had reached the epitome of Bangkok.

And on the third day, 365 was pleased with what it had done and so it rested.

Bangkok was a whirlwind, a sensory overload. It was amazing. I'd recommend it to anyone.

Day 173: You make SUPER flame, na?

And so the culinary trail of 365 continues; we had entered a new country and therefore we just had to learn how to cook like a local.

On this occasion we opted for an evening lesson with the lovely Meow (yes, she had the Thai version of my name and it meant that we could say things like 'shall I put the chilis in now, meow?' etc. great fun)

The evening began with a trip to the market and then we got stuck in with our first of six dishes; the infamous Pad Thai...after conducting an almost-fast for the day we were ravenous and the stir-fried noodles with green veg topped with peanuts and lime went down a storm.

Then we made a dish that I really didn't think that I would like; a spicy soup called Tam Yam. Preparing it involves boiling various spices and chilis and herbs with mushrooms, tomatoes and tofu and then removing all the herbs and spices before serving with fresh lime. The result is a thin-looking soup that really packs a punch - it was delicious!

Our next dish was a Papaya Salad; which is a lovely light cold salad that involves tangy veg in, traditionally, a shrimp paste, but for us we went veggie...I was beginning to feel full but there was no time to spare and we cooked on!

Our next two dishes were a Thai Green Curry and a Chicken/tofu & Cashew Nut Fry; the first was spicy and fresh, served with steamed rice and the second allowed us to have a go at "the super flame" - check out Rob, and his apron (above)

For our final dish we made Mango Sticky Rice, which I already knew was my sisters' favourite Thai dish but I hadn't yet tried it. The sticky rice was fried with coconut cream and milk and served with a fresh ripe mango and then more coconut cream was warmed up and drizzled over the top. The end result was a sweet and incredibly scrummy desert and two very full Brits.

Meow gave us two recipe books and certificates confirming we were indeed "master chefs" of Thai cuisine...again, Team 365 would like to warn that friends and family may have recreations of these dishes forced upon them on our return.

Day 154: Cooking Laos, and lots thereof

So while Rob was off whispering to elephants (more to come on that, shorty) Jeff and I took ourselves off to a one-day food extravaganza of a cooking course. Laotion domestic goddesses we became - and very full ones at that!

The day began with a trip to the market with our two chefs, Leng and Phia - luckily we were the only ones on the course that day and so could fire all our cooking questions directly to our knowledgable hosts. After the market it was back to the kitchen to have a cup of tea - very important in the cooking process, don't you know?

Then we got stuck in with the first course! First we made a Luang Probang Salad (right) - basically lots of veg with a homemade (and very easy to make) mayonaise; prepare to see this again at every BBQ I attend in the future. You lucky things. Also a Feu Khua which involves frying noodles with egg and green asian veg in a delicous chili sauce. Then we ate!

Then Leng and Phia demonstrated 3 dishes and we were able to make 2 each - the best thing about this was that I got to try every dish in vegetarian, even dishes that I'd seen over and over again in restaurants but hadn't been able to order because they always came with meat.

Between Jeff and I we made a chicken and a tofu Larp - which is a traditional cold salad that come chopped up with all sorts of awesome herbs and spices, and a Kheua sen lon - which was all about throwing aubergine, soft, rubbery mushrooms (called woodear fungus) and noodles and lots of garlic into a wok.

Our last dish (for this round) was an Oh paedak - traditionally this is a soupy dish made with a particular fish sauce (paedak) that is made from fermenting the whole dead bodies of fish in an urn. For weeks. And then crushing it - bones and all - down with oil. The smell is pungent and even the Laos admit that you have to be Laos to really love it, we saw it in the market and honestly it looks like dead fish in a bucket of mud. Luckily nowadays most Laos use shrimp paste and thanks to my herbivorian tendancies we made ours with soy and mushroom oyster sauce. Yum!

You'd be forgiven for thinking that this was more than enough food to keep two travellers happy but the cooking did not stop there. Next up we made (Jeff's favourite dish) Khua maak kheua gap moo - it's as fun to say as it is to eat, an aubergine fry with tofu and a spicy oyster sauce. And our final dish was Geng phet, a creamy curry that was light relief from all the above frying.

I say final dish because even then there was more cooking to be done and we are now masters of sticky rice (which anyone who has been to Thailand will already know and love) and Jeowbong - a chili sauce that we served alongside ALL of the above and tucked in.

Just look at that happy face behind that mountain of food - what a glorious day!

Day 123 - 128: Sabaydee!

Sabaydee! - or hello! from Laos. So relaxed have we been since entering our fourth country on this trip - that it has taken 5 days to get round to this post, and I get the feeling there is plenty more chilling to come...

Our first stop in Laos was in Don Det - a pretty little island in the Mekong River that makes up just a tiny part of Si Phon Don or Four Thousand Islands. Aside from the occasional walk around the island, or over the bridge to the neighbouring island, it's safe to say that our first four days in Laos were spent sitting, eating, lying in our river-side hostel's hammocks and reading. It was bliss.
We made some lovely new friends and even found a bakery that sold cinnamon and banana doughnuts and cinnamon whirls buns that were to die for. Not overtly Laos, I'll give you that - but delicious all the same.
We've got stuck in with the local cuisine also and I am (perhaps prematurely) predicting an absolute stormer of a Food for Thought for Laos; coconut curry with vegetable? Finally! An Asian country with an appreciation for the humble potato! Hurray!

Today I am writing from a rather rainy Champasak, where we have visited the Wat Phu Champasak (think: beautiful ruins smaller than Angkor Wat but bigger than My Son) and, in the spirit of Laos, taken everything in a very, very, relaxed manner. [pics to follow when broadband speed catches up with us]

Tomorrow we head further upstream to Pakse where Team 365 will be joining forces with our good friend, Jeff, and together we will aim to bring you a wide and varied look at Laos.

Day 113-114: Boat trippin and Smokin' Pot

It's become something of a recurring theme on this trip that the unplanned things, the spur-of-the-moment decisions, the yeah - let's just go for it 's that provide some of the most magical times.

This was the case when we decided we'd been on enough buses for a while and opted to take the long way round from Siem Reap to Battambang; by boat.

On purchasing the tickets we'd received a number of different estimates regarding the trip time. Some came in at a speedy 4 hours while others pitched in at closer to 8; everyone agreed it depended on the season, no-one was able to confirm whether travelling the route in the rainy season (as we were) actually made it faster or slower.

None the less we set off early and made ourselves comfortable on the roof of the boat (as you do) with the luggage in the morning sun. We quickly met some fellow travelers and shortly after introductions we were all happily sweating profusely together as we sailed through whole communities floating on the banks of the river under the clearest blue sky we had seen since Vietnam.

Nine hours (and for 365's new best friend, Steve, a t-shirt tan to end all t-shirt tans) later with sore arms from waving to children on the bank and shouting 'hello!' we were still none the wiser as to whether that was faster or slower than it was meant to be. What we did know was that tomorrow our extended group of friends would be taking a cooking class together at the fantastically named Smokin' Pot restaurant.

The day began with a trip to the market to buy our supplies with our knowledgeable and super-chilled out host, Vannak. First we made the traditional Khmer dish, Amok; a creamy coconut and chili dish served with big chunks of veg and rice. Please note, how happy Rob (above, far right) looks at the consumption of this dish.

Then, when I was definitely too full to eat any more, we made the spicy beef [tofu for me] stir-fry with basil and chili. This was a simple 4-minute frying wonder of a dish that was based around the same paste we'd made for the Amok, but with a few added extras. Here Rob decided to "do it like to locals"and on ascertaining that Vannak would usually add 10 chilis to his, decided to follow suit. Please note how Rob looked after finishing this dish (below).

Definitely, definitely too full to possibly continue we moved onto the final dish of the day; a chicken [veg] soup. A simple soup with a fresh citrus flavour that, it's safe to say; finished us off.

Vannak gave us a great recipe booklet - so expect a re-run of the above events when we return home - and we slumped helplessly into afternoon naps.

Food for Thought

There are, of course, many ways in which Vietnam differed from India but none so much as the cuisine. Here we have a nation of meat-lovers and no animal is sacred. No land-dwelling, sea-dwelling or sky-dwelling creature is safe from the butchers' knife or a guest-appearance (often un-named) in a bowl, on a plate or on a skewer. But the French have left their mark too and (thank you French invasion!) freshly baked baguettes and delicious pastries are also readily available - if often stuffed with the afore mentioned mystery meat stuffs.

With restaurants, cafes and streeet stalls open on every inch of pavement it is impossible to go hungry in Vietnam, so here is our Vietnamese all-star menus.

Rob's Menu

BREAKFAST

Baguette with omlette & cheese (from Hoi An)

ELEVENSES

Dragon Fruit

LUNCH

Veg & egg fried rice with aubergine fry (from Ninh Binh & Hue)

AFTERNOON SNACK

Duck Skewer (from Ninh Binh)

DINNER

Cao Lau (pork with noodle and veg) with veg spring roll (from Hoi An & Cat Ba Island)

Dessert

Vitamilk frozen yoghurt

Drink

4000 dong Bia Hoi

Kat's Menu

BREAKFAST

Pho en chay (noodle soup with tofu, tomato, spinach topped with peanuts served with fresh lime and chilis - from Hoi An)

ELEVENSES

Ca Phe (Vietnamese-style super strong coffee filtered into super sweet condensed milk)

LUNCH

Fried tofu in tomato sauce, spinach, green salad (boat lunch in Halong Bay)

AFTERNOON SNACK

Blueberry & Almond pastry (from Saigon - better than any I've had in France)

DINNER

Veg fried noodle with roast pumpkin topped with peanuts
Dessert

Same yoghurt as Rob, because it tastes like a dutch dessert; fla
Drink

Saigon Green (Saigon's own Bia Hoi)

Day 95 & counting: A warning from Team 365

In the interests of health & safety Team 365 would like to warn all readers that staying for "a couple of nights" in Mui Ne may not be physically possible.

Extensive research in the field can confirm that one's feeling of health, safety, happiness and all-round relaxation will increase dramatically on arrival, especially in the area immediately surrounding Ly Ly Guesthouse.

Offering a mere 36km of beach and a plethora of swanky resorts, chilled out eateries, multicoloured sand dunes and a high number of bicycles and motor bikes to explore them all on - it is the leaving that is proving difficult.

Ly Ly Guesthouse, for example, is ran by a friendly German/Vietnamese couple and is the kind of place that leaves it's fridges and kitchen open. Guests are asked to mark on a sheet anything they take. A few bottles of spirits sit on the bar in the seating area at the front of the guesthouse, right on the one and only road that runs through Mui Ne, and have not been taken - or even visibly touched in the...3...no...4 days that we've been here. It's that kind of a place.

We've been basking in the slow pace of life here in a climate that switches from sunny to stormy without warning, leaving the untrained tourist soaking and sweating - but always smiling - in quick succession.

And so we feel it necessary to provide ample warning for those considering entering this unassuming town; enter at your own risk and leave...only if you can.

Day 85: Karsts and kayaks and other things

If we thought that leaving India meant waving goodbye to long journeys...and we definitely did think that we were waving goodbye to long journeys...we were sorely mistaken. And I use the word 'sorely' in the truest sense of the word.

Here Team 365 would like to impart a newly learned bit of travel advice; those of European proportions should not contemplate travelling in any sort of comfort in vehicles designed for tiny Vietnamese folk. Those of, say, Scandinavian proportions should consider a double leg amputation before contemplating fitting into a "sleeper" or "semi-sleeper" vessel.

Anyway. A leg-cramping 22 hours later we had arrived on Cat Ba Island; our chosen gateway to the beautiful 1,553 square kilometers of Karst islets that is Halong Bay.
We secured ourselves a lovely room with a stunning view of the harbour and then arranged ourselves onto a tour that meant we would spend the minimum amount of time in the afore mentioned room. That's how we roll.

As soon as we departed it was clear that this was going to be a very special day indeed. Our boat passed through Lan Ha Bay - a landscape that contrasted the greenest of seas with sheer rock faces that stood precariously balanced on eroded bases. Even above the boat engine the sounds of the many species of wildlife that live there were audible.


We sailed on. Past caves with gravity-defying stalactites and, after stopping for a delicious lunch, onto one of the many desserted white sand beaches dotted around. Apart from the other guests on our boat, we had the place to ourselves - a far cry from some of the nightmare tales we had heard about those who had taken backpacker-tours from hostels in Hanoi.

And so we threw ourselves (and eachother) overboard and explored the mollusc-coated coves until it was time to sail through more stunning scenery, past 'floating villages' and onto the dubiously-named kayak farm. They weren't exactly farming kayaks in the traditional sense of the word but they did let us have one until our arms were sore.

Somehow in and amongst all the sights and sounds a whole day had passed and we were soon back at our hotel; elated, exhausted and extremely satisfied with another wonderful day.

Day 78: How not to enter Vietnam (and other resolutions)

So here we are in pastures new and the first of our South East Asian resolutions is to leave behind the musical punns that were forming the title of our posts [*brief pause while you look back and realise that was what they were all about*] But - fear not - we won't be stooping to anything as helpful as using actual place names...

Our second resolution, after being refused entry into Vietnam, is to be more visa-efficient. I should explain; Vietnamese visas can be quickly and easily obtained on entry with possession of an 'approval letter' from the government which is, again, easily obtained in advance. The problem arose when we extended our stay in India by a month and subsequently arrived at the airport with an approval letter that allowed us entry up until the second of July...on the seventh of July.

After much pleading, smiling, dodgy translation and even some tears we were provided with a last-minute visa for $140...each; more than five times the price we'd already paid for our (now expired) approval letters in advance.

Needless to say we left the airport with spirits somewhat dampened. But - and this is one of the joys of backpacking - the bus we boarded into town was full of other travellers and we spent the rest of the day finding accomodation and getting our first taste of bia hoi (local beer) with some lovely folk.

Hanoi is an awesome city; we've been pounding the pavements, and the streets, since the pavements are usually full of parked mopeds and street cafes. The locals are a venerable mix of the super-stylish and weathered-workers; friendly folk with wide smiles and peaked hats.

We've seen some incredible architecture, some beautiful art galleries and some seriously fresh fish being sold; they're kept in bowls pumped with oxygen and they're still gasping for breath when they're cut and weighed and sold. It's quite something to behold. And all the more reason (for me) to keep it en chay (vegetarian).

Tonight we're leaving for the mountaneous north of the country, right up on the boarder with China, where we hope to trek through paddy fields, meet some of the Vietnamese hill tribes and, Heiniken in hand, watch Holland win the world cup.

Let the Vietnamese adventures begin!

Food for thought

As so begins what we're hoping will turn into something of a tradition.

When we leave a country we will run-down our all-star menu for a days fine dining. This is part self-indulgent confirmation of what local foodies we've become and part useful record of our tastes so that in a years time we can (try to) recreate these culinary delights for you fine folk.

Rob's

BREAKFAST

Masala Omlette on toast

drink: Train Chai

ELEVENSES

Street roasted spicy nuts

LUNCH

Mutton Rice with Onion Raitha (school lunch) with naan

drink: Appy

AFTERNOON SNACK

Egg Puff

DINNER

Starter

Spring Roll (from Allepey)

Main Course

Egg wid Mushroom biryani [sic] with Chicken Hydrabadi & parotta

drink: "cooling water"

Dessert

Free Chocolate Milkshake (Crafters Cafe, Fort Kochin)

Kat's

BREAKFAST

Masala Dosa with Vada

drink: Train Chai

ELEVENSES

7 rupee slice of cake

LUNCH

"Backwater Thalli" Veg curry, pineapple chutney, spiced beetroot,

ladyfinger fry, green salad, chapatti & popadom

drink: Appy

AFTERNOON SNACK

Samosa (bus stand, Hampi)

DINNER

Starter

Papad & dips (from Bangalore)

Main Course

"Ashram Thursday Dinner" creamy chick-pea

& corriander curry, dry noodles & parotta

drink: Kingfisher beer

Dessert

Ooty Chocolate

NB: threesixfive would like to strongly recommend against attempting to eat all of the above on the same day... not for the lack of trying - there is certainly no way that we could do it anymore

Day 16: Spice up your life

When we rose early on Sunday 9 May, neither Rob or I had really known what to expect. What followed was a series of amazing events proving that we are not only the happiest 365ers in town - but also the luckiest.

We were going on a drunkely-arranged trip to Mass in Old Goa with Peggie and Jihan. That was all we knew.

The Church of Bom Jesus, as well as holding Mass every Sunday, also holds the glass coffin of St Francis Xavier - the patron saint of Goa - and, miraculously his in-tact corpse a mere 462 years after his death.
As a child, Peggie had visited this church at the annual festival of the Feast, in a time when the coffin laid open and had touched the saint. The coffin had remained open until, about 30 years ago, when an over-zealous believer had bitten the toe of the body and, apparently, the wound had bled. After attending Mass (unfortunatly all in Hindi but beautiful none the less) we saw the saints coffin and a lovely, if bizaarely surrealist, set of paintings depicting his life.

Our trip continued and we headed to a stunning temple which, embarrassingly, now neither Rob or I can remember the name of. But please let me assure you that it was indeed a thing of beauty.

We then headed to Sahakari Spice Farm; which did exactly what it said on the tin...and some. We were greeted by four girls performing a Goan dance, a garland of flowers, a cup of lemongrass and ginger tea and home-grown cashews. Our tour guide introduced herself and we headed off round the luscious green farm being shown all the spices and plants that were grown there. The tour ended with the 'traditional' cooling practice of ladelling cold water down everyones backs. Then the buffet lunches to end all buffet lunches began!

Well fed and feeling suitably knoweldgable we drove around to the other side of the farm which has, not spices, but elephants! Three beautiful elephants which we were lucky enough to be able to admire, feed, stroke and even kiss (photos to follow: there's some absolute winners). I think I have probably seen an elephant in a zoo before, but to be standing next to one, just after it had had a wash and to touch it's rough skin and look into it's tiny and peaceful eyes was really a magical experience.


And so we headed back to Baga, giddy with excitement and eternally thankful to the days wonderful hosts; Peggie and Jihan without whom none of these experiences would have been possible.

Day 13: Oh what a perfect day

There was a time in my life when I would have argued that a beach without sand was not a proper beach. Croatia changed this pebble prejudice.
Equally so, there would have been a time when I would have argued that the sea was enough water on a beach. Mandrem and Arambol have now changed this too.

After a few days of beautiful sunsets, amazing food (I found humus and Rob's bid at vegetarianism was well and truely demolished by the local speciality: sea food) and, disappointingly,"nights out" that were closed down and the music switched off at 10:30pm in Anjuna. Team 365 decided to hire a bike and explore further north in Goa. Yes, I said bike, one with a motor.

Now followers of 2005's Chronicles of Australia will know that those with two wheels and an engine have not always been a friend of mine, but this time I had brought my diver, sorry, I mean boyfriend.

So with Rob firmly at the reigns and a speedometer fixed firmly at zero (this didn't change throughout the day despite some definite acceleration) we headed off early on our scooter.

Mandrem beach, of the whitest sands and leaning palm trees, lies between the sea on one side and a gently flowing river on the other that we were lucky enough to have had almost to ourselves.

We paddled in the shallows - of the river and the sea - where one began and the other stopped was fantastically difficult to tell, before getting back on the scooter - this time with me driving - to further our adventure.

And, let us be honest, I was never going to come off a bike compleletely unscathed. But in a moment of small road meets large truck and the emergency stop that followed I feel pretty pleased with only having lost the skin from the top of my big toe.

Anyway. Onwards and upwards. Literally. Arambol was a much more lively town and we were advised to head round the cliffs to a "sweet water lake" - and sweet it was.
Who would have thought that a lake on a beach was a good idea? Certainly not us, but converted we are and so after a refreshing - and disctintly not salty dip - we paused for a moments reflection on what a beautiful place we were and how lucky we were to be on this trip.

Before the sun set we rode over hills and along rivers through winding roads home to Peace Lands, our lovely hotel, before realising we had lost our room key and a man had to literally saw off the padlock so we could enter. That's karma for you.

All in all - our best day yet. (quick check with Rob that it was fair to say....yes, "agreed")