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Halfway around the world in 1 year
Welcome to Sotje62 ! My blog intends to make the world a smaller place. Automatically and real-time, the blog traces Beatriz and myself's whereabouts, it might just tell you a thing or 2 that interests me - therefore not you, that's the privilege of having a blog - but read new blogs on the top and click on the pictures in the side bar to see older blogs, the blog,and Beatriz and I hope you grow a good 'travel' appetite. Sotje62 travel blog is in Vlaams (donker gekleurd) and in English (light coloured). So read what you understand and again what you like.
18-11-2009
Photo album - Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Ayuthaya, Bangkok
Today we leave Bangkok so it is time to show you the pictures of ...
Thailand !!!
In 14 days of Thailand, Beatriz and me have been in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Ayuthaya. Miles ahead of the others, Bangkok is the place we like the most. It is where the action
is, nowhere near Phnom Penh (Cambodia) or Ho Chi Minh's (Vietnam)
action, but these place are incomparable with Bangkok.
Chiang Mai, in the north of Thailand, is popular for trekking. However, it is very similar to the South of
China or the north of Laos. We didn't bother and relaxed (for as much that is not the case when you are traveling), went to the
dentist, and saw many temples. There are a lot of temples or 'wats' in Chiang Mai. Before going back to Bangkok, we
made a stop in Ayuthaya, not for long because it is very small. We were
very happy to be back in Bangkok.
Tomorrow we arrive in the Philippines. We can stay there for 21 days on
a free visa. After one night in Manila we go south to Puerta Galera.
And at some stage in the Philippines, I will get my PADI and be with
the fishes!
Talk soon in Manila, many hugs and kisses from Beatriz and me.
Vandaag vertrekken we en is het tijd om de foto's te zien van ...
Thailand !!!
In 14 dagen Thailand hebben Beatriz en ik Bangkok gezien, Chiang Mai en Ayuthaya. Met meters voorsprong is Bangkok onze favoriet. Het is de waar de actie is, veel meer actie dan in Phnom Penh (Cambodja) of Ho Chi Minh (Vietnam). Die plaatsen hebben een andere charme.
Chiang Mai, in het noorden van Thailand, is populair voor trektochten. Het ligt in de jungle, net zoals Zuid-China en Noord-Laos in de jungle ligt, dus trektochten hebben we niet gedaan. We hebben het kalmptjes aan gedaan (voor zover het niet kalm is op reis), naar de tandarts geweest, en de tempels van Chiang Mai gezien. Er zijn er alleszins genoeg. Voor terug te gaan naar Bangkok, stopten we in Ayuthaya. Niet voor lang want Ayuthaya is klein. We waren blij om terug in Bangkok te zijn.
Morgen arriveren we in de Filippijnen. We kunnen blijven op een gratis visa van 21 dagen. Na 1 nacht in Manila gaan we richting de Visayas, startend met Puerta Galera. Op een gegeven moment in de Filippijnen, zal het tijd zijn om mijn PADI te halen en mijn schubben uit te testen.
Tot in de Filipijnen, veel kussen en groeten van Beatriz en ik. Klaas.
Centralworld near Siam square, Bangkok
Siam square, Bangkok
Beatriz at Centralworld, Bangkok
A buddhist service in front of a shopping mall. Sales are on in Burberry.
A 'soi' or small street in Bangkok.
Bea in Banglamphu, the touristic area of Bangkok
Me with the laundry.
Khao San road, Bangkok
Extreme thai makeovers are possible.
Khao San road, Bangkok.
The nighttrain to Chiang Mai. We had a big laugh with girl in the back. She still sucks her thumb :-)
In the morning on the train.
Near Chiang Mai
Me and my curly hair in Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai. Another part of it without any temples. In this place there are many bars with pool playing ladyboys.
Boxing ring in Chiang Mai.
The bars where it all happens. Many guys pick up a Thai girl here.
Night market, Chiang Mai
Massages in all colours are possible.
Night market
Beautiful mirrors we want to buy but don't.
Wonderful handcrafted elephants.
Beatriz found wonderful bags that she wants to buy but doesn't, Chiang Mai.
16.09.09. Half-Round the world in 1 year / Kick off. 9th of April 2009, Mumbai, India’s biggest city, is our best destination to take the train south to Goa, Kerala and Bangalore. From there we go 4,000 km by train back to north India, see Karnataka, Rajasthan, the Taj Mahal, Varanasi and Nepal. In Nepal we do small treks in the Himalayas and visit Kathmandu. Over de friendship highway, the route goes from Kathmandu to Lhasa by jeep, maximum altitude 5250m and we get to see the Mount Everest. In Lhasa we take the train through China, see the Terracotta warriors in Xi'an, and go 3,500m north to enter Mongolia and arrive in Ulan Bator. In Mongolia we camp in the Khovsgol area near the Russian Siberia, and renew the Chinese Visa to go back south. The clock says 4 months when we trained through China and see Yunnan, South China with its wonderful terraced rice fields. We enter the tropics and after 6 months travels we are in Vietnam. 2 months after that, we should have seen Angkor, the beaches in Thailand & Maleysia ...<e.d. 25.10.09. There is a change of plan after Angkor: we fly from Bangkok to Manila, we go to the Philippines!!> and on a ferry to Indonesia. From either Kuala Lumpur or Bangkok, we find our way to Sydney and work for 3 months. We will have traveled for 1 year when we are in Oz and ... and ... and ... that is how far we planned. But we were supposed to come back in 1 year but we are only half around the world. Beatriz and myself love Asia!! So much for planning ahead and scheduling. Let's just see how we get on and the more exciting our trip will be. Wish us good luck on the trip!!
