Back in Thailand for Songkran, the Thai (Well, South East Asia) new year. How is it celebrated? By having a HUGE waterfight of course! In Chiang Mai and met up with the lads from Bangkok when I was STUCK there after loosing my ATM. From 7AM util about 9PM every, and I mean EVERY, man, woman, child, priest, monk, police officer, old decrepid lady and unborn feotus go out and drown each other for the three days. In fact, its the worlds biggest water fight according to the book of Irish Stout.

First day after an hour, the lads bottled it and went to the pub to get drowned there. Yea right was I going. Teamed up with my new pal “Ohm” see photo and formed our team. All day we just threw water at people and people did it to us. The photos cannot do it any justice.

We then went to the bar street where it was “Bar against Bar” warfare. Each bar, whichever you were drinking in, had its own team. Cannot even remember the name of the one we were in (It just wasn’t Juciy or Stairway). Arch enemies the “Pink hats” got a good going over. Threw talc over each other also as a sigh of “Respect and well wishes for the new year”

After a while, Juciy, the ladyboy bar got its customers in a HUGE fanfare. The ladyboy queen of the festival arrived with her/his drones and proceeded to march up and down the street while we drowned them. So funny. They really put it out there. After a few hours of fighting and buying ice to make our water coldest we subsided and everyone went to dry off and go to the New Year concert in Tae Pae gate. Cool show with lots of traditional Thai and modern Thai rock music and shows. Went out dancing to celebrate a day well spent.

Next day (Today), pretty much the same thing, waterfight! ALL day long. I wish I had more photos but I couldn’t bring my camera out because I got thrown in the river yesterday and wasnt risking carrying my camera today. The traditional “Washing of the Buddahs” started at 5 bells and we all threw water on teh Buddah statues to “Clean them”.

Right now, I’m sitting in the internet cafe while there is a thunder and lightning storm outside. BUT everyone is still out dancing on the streets and its amazing how much this is celebrated.Going to the second night of the concert in the rain (Actually the rain is not warm, its HOT rain) then going for a chill out night in teh THC rooftop bar. Might have an early night tonight because I have another LONG day tomorrow.

PS: I ahve updated some Vietnam pictures and some Cambodia pictures.

Seems like I’m leaving everywhere I go. In reality, I know, I am. Even though I am only here two days, I have learned so much and had a wonderful time. Just as I’m getting to know my way around and all.

First thing I will not miss is the incessant (Is it spelt correct? My spell checker is broken) hailing of moto and cyclos. EVERY 5 feet, someone asks ‘You want motorbike?” Or “You want Cyclo?”. They bark and make strange noises to get your attention and turning to them and saying ‘For fuck sake, if I want one, Ill ASK!” makes no difference. Also the beeping. No-one pays attention, not even me any more.

Anyway, apart from that, I had a lot of fun. Last night I went to the Water puppetry show. really unfortunate that it was all in Vietnamese and ruined a little by the Japanese coming in late. They all seem to travel in such big groups! Fortunately got sat beside an Australian girl who was travelling alone also. Read the full story

OK, I JUST got to Hanoi and had some Street Noodles (Vietnam breakfast) and am letting everyone know I got here safe (If anyone cares) What a F*%&ing journey!

Went for a romantic dinner with the lads and a few beers so they could see me off. That they did. Nicest meal since I’ve been travelling. Arrived at the train station and everything went off without a hitch. The lady who sold me the ticket was going to Na Trang so I shared the taxi and with her SCREAMING child. Realized quickly that we were opposite sides of the train so I was all alone again. (Thank Buddha!… I couldn’t handle a child like that for 35 hours)

Got to my “room” which is 4 beds, kinda like what you see in the movies. It was only me and ONE other person. A girl with the EXACT same birthday as me and studying computer science too. Downside? She spoke ABSOLUTELY NO ENGLISH and I mean NONE. Read the full story

Xin Chau all, Ong khoe khong! Its my last day in Saigon. God damn me for losing my bank card. I need to make it up to Hanoi for the 10th (Sunday I think) and I need to see that to before my visa expires. Should not have bought it in Hong Kong. Really sad to be leaving even though its only been a few days. So far, this has been the nicest city I have visited.

Been out quite a lot over here and have become a master at badminton (Again) hehehe and also Killer (Version of pol) and “Kicky”, A game we play in the park kicking a small ball with a feather attached to it to keep it up. Look at me al sporty and all!

Met up with lots of people over here. Met some guys from Siem Reap, Cambodia (Hello Donny mate! Good luck in Delat!) and a rake load more new friends. 3 Cork girls and 4 Irish lads as well as the group from my bus here. Its a MASSIVE group which is quite cool cos there’s always something to do.

Went to the Cu Ci tunnels yesterday which was pretty cool, but really touristy. Pretty interesting though. Went to see the Land Mind victims craft centre to. Really sad. Didnt take any photos of that obviously. Read the full story

Just a quick mention that I uploaded some more cambodia pictures/photos.

I also included some of the Khmere wedding I was at but the ones I got dont really show the wedding itself much and I canot find the ones with the bride A Khmere bride gets 30 dresses and changes them ALL throughout the day. It was so confusing trying to figure where the bride was. My photo with the happy couple was also lost.

After my little ordeal in Phnom Penh I was finally on my way to Saigon. This is just an update to let everyone know that the journey and border crossing is very peasant and straight forward. I got here safe and so fr I really love it.

Met a group on the bus here who are really cool. Two English guys, the two French Canadians from PP and three Irish girls (From Tallagh!).

Had lots of Craic on the bus here and me and Manuel braved the out of the bus at the Mekong river crossing. HUNDREDS of children flocking around us trying to sell everything from bread to the “Unknown”. My bracelet and necklace were tugged and I was groped fiercely in an effort to get my money. Apart from that when the commotion died down, we had a lot of fun playing games with the children and buying some food. Read the full story

After my saddening departure from Siem Reap I got the local bus down to Phnom Penh with Chris. We got a “Hostel/Guesthouse” in the backpacker area (Down the back alley of nowhere on the lake) and my god, what an absolute shithole. There were monkeys everywhere nd many of them chained up in reception. The view from the common area was beautiful though. Late at night been offered EVERY drug under the sun with the police standing 5 feet away in not my idea of a nice area.

Met up with Tally from Sim Reap who was staying in a guessthouse two down and a new Chinocanadian (My new word) and two French Canadian guys. (Mark and Manuel).

Had lots of fun and visited the legendary Ginger Monkey (No stupid comments please) and “Heart of Darkness” the most famous club in Cambodia. Had fun and met lots of nice people. I even won a “connect 4/cyclorace/drinking” competition. Difficult to explain, the pictures will tell it all. (If I ever get to a country where I can upload them!)

Second day we went to S-21 and the killing fields. WOW. I have never wanted to cry so much in all my life. I was silent for the WHOLE thing. As was everyone else. It was one of the scariest, weirdest, heartbreaking, harrowing, disgusting and gruesome “Shiver givers” ever. They even took PHOTOS of the torture and killing of EACH AND EVERY PERSON that was held there. How sick is that? Watching the THOUSANDS of faces staring back at you is the most haunting experience I have ever had. If anyone wants to know more, please read up on the Khmer Rouge Genocide “incident” that so conveniently “Slipped” from the European and American history books!. The Americans, from what I see so far are the WORST reigime on the planet. The amount of peoples lives they have destroyed and the amount they have indirectly (And directly) triggered to cause suffering is mind blowing. Im getting angry typing this, so I’l move on. ;p

Same day, I visited the killing fields about 14 KM outside Phnom Penh and was equally disgusted. The Khmer Rouge regime of Genocide was shocking. The mass graves, the bones and blindflds STILL scattered around the mass grave sites was so chilling. So shocking that it is obvious NO tourists, even the most obnoxious, could take one as a souvenier. So creepy. Worst of all was visiting the tree where they piled up babies (Yes BABIES) to bash them against the tree and throw them in the mass graves. Even pictures of KR forces throwing LIVE babies in the air and catching them on swords like it was a sport. Creepiest thing is the fact that the bones and fingers and skulls are still scattered around the fields. Although most skulls are in a memorial building piled high now in the center of the complex by the river.

When it finished, I went to buy a drink. Took the LAST of my money out of my money belt to buy a drink. A little kid comes running up to me, grabbed the money and ran into the river! I was robbed! So now I had to borrow money off Michelle to get home even and pay my moto driver.

Anyway, moving quickly along, was starting to run out of money on Friday so we all went to the water park. Bit crap ealy, but nice to cool down. On the way back from the park, we were all in a tuk-tuk and what hapened? Chris had her bag robbed by a motor cycle thief, WHILE THE TUK-TUK was moving. SHe had just taken out $400 and she had her passport and MY ticket to Saigon in it! Needless to say she was pretty pissed. Luckily, she had two friends staying here that were tour guides from New Zealand and Scotland so they sorted out everything for her and lent her AND ME money to keep us going and for me to buy a new ticket. (Cheers Vince mate!) She had no passport, so she had to stay. Hate that. Phew, they even took us out to get sloshed that night. We both needed it. Went dancing that night with Roy and my new Cambodian friend Sros. Had a deadly night but had to stubble home at 5:30 AM to get my bag and run for my bus a 6:30. What happened? I fel asleep at the reception with the monkeys!

Got woken up with 15 mins till my bus left so just ran up and shoved everything I could see into my backpack and legged it to get a moto. Got there JUST in time. Only bad thing, I left my MP3 player there. no more music for me. Shit. Oh well, I’m learning detachment anyway, so its better that way.

Finally made the bus and finaly I can move on..