London to Australia 2008!!!

We made it and what a journey it has been with a fantastic group of people. So many lasting friendships have been made, incredible experiences shared, and of course some good food and a couple of drinks as well, plus here and there the odd bit of hardship. Any trans continental journey has these, but with the right bunch of people these only contribute to an amazing journey.

I would like to say a big thanks to everybody who joined the expedition this year as well as to Tim and Cheryl my fellow crew who added so much to this trip. Have tried to find one picture which sums this journey up but is impossible.

So if you are reading this blog and considering joining us, do yourself a favour and go well back through posts as you will then have a true idea of what these expeditions are really about. Then if it sounds like your kind of thing get hold of us or possibly attend an informal talk and presentation on upcoming expeditions. Contact us at info@odysseyoverland.co.uk for venues and dates or with any questions you may have.

Safe travels!!!

Pete Deverson

Darwin here we come!

We made it, the journey of a lifetime!

Leaving Melaka we headed for the Malaysian Singapore border. We had slowly been arriving at more organised borders as we travelled down towards Australia. This massive construction with air-conditioning and escalators was a world away from the tin shack filled with edgy men and guns we had grown accustomed to, only a few months before. After waiting in orderly lines, and passing your passport to a person who knew exactly what to do with it, we were all soon in Singapore.
We were staying in Little India, right near the heart of things to see and do in Singapore. Our accommodation was a very nicely appointed lodge offering large aircon rooms and a great breakfast.

As it is an expensive city, the cheapest way to eat is in the food halls, similar to the ones we had enjoyed in Malaysia, but indoors, and a lot more organised. Filled with locals it got the stamp of approval from the group, with many eating both lunch and dinner there. After the stiff drink prices of Malaysia, the good value beer and great service provided by the Tiger Beer Lady, proved too hard to refuse for some, with the evening ending in a local jazz bar. Other more wizened travellers headed off early so as not to waste a moment in the city the following day.

Wondering what to see and do in town is a no brainer, simply walk up to the brochure stand and take your pick; a world class zoo, the world’s largest Ferris wheel, a formula one track, free outdoor music and theatre and even the fountain of wealth, where all you need do is poke your hand in it and your financial worries are over. With an extensive underground rail system, whizzing around Singapore is a piece of cake, and a pleasant experience. There is so much on offer it’s hard to know where to make a start.

Raffles is a famous chain of luxury hotels and no visit to Singapore would be complete without the wallet taxing signature drink of the city, a Singapore Sling. Some folks even went so far as to enjoy an afternoon tea at this prestigious venue, gulging themselves on finger food and cakes to die for. After so many months of travel, others found it the perfect excuse to spend the afternoon in the shopping malls of Orchard Street, trying on some insanely high heels and purchasing a small black dress before all meeting up at the Raffles Long Bar, for a cocktail or two. After cracking open peanuts and tossing the shells on the floor, having enjoyed the novelty of the bar, we headed to a world class eatery across the road, set in a sunken courtyard, shadowed by a church lit up under the clear night sky. It was great night only marred by the thought of even more farewell’s in the morning.

The next day there were sad goodbyes to be had. Simon would be staying on in Singapore before flying back to the UK, Ann, who was off on overland adventure part two, a trip across South America, was due to leave from Singapore in a few days too, Mike H and Maura (could there be some something there ?) were flying to Perth to find a job in the sun. C was heading back up to Kuala Lumpur, before heading off to the States to visit her sister; Chris was off home to the UK too. This only left Mike T, Edel, Andrew, Cheryl and me to do the final leg to Darwin. As to the rest they are still exploring exotic Borneo!


Odyssey Overland chooses Darwin as their endpoint, as it provides the perfect staging platform for an Australian adventure. We caught the late flight to Darwin that evening, arriving at Frogs Hollow Backpackers in the wee hours of the morning. Backpackers mostly offer dorm accommodation, but private rooms are available, and the swimming pool and BBQ area made us feel right at home.

Darwin is a great base from which to explore the northern territory. Mike, Edel, Andrew, and another Irish friend they had met along the way, were heading off at the crack of dawn to explore Kakadu National Park. They chose to rent a car to explore the park, but they could just as easily have joined a guided 4x4 tour, offering one to four nights camping under the Ozzy stars.
That is the great thing about Darwin, the amount of information that is readily available makes taking a trip to explore the Aboriginal culture and amazing scenery easy, whether individually or with new found friends. Many excursions are on offer, or if you wish to take it overland alone, car and campervan hire is also abundant, and over more than a few days is very competitively priced. Darwin and Australia offers something for everybody in an easily accessible package.

Three cheers to a great adventure!

Borneo optional 3 weeks, AMAZING!!!

Sarawak Province, Borneo
Borneo, or in our case, Malaysian Borneo always has been one of those mystical destinations with stories of great adventures in tropical jungles, with amazing tribes, cultures and wildlife to experience and explore. I think everybody who decided to head off on this exploratory section of our adventure has been blown away to date. Full details and costs of this add on will be releases on my return in November for people interested in doing this on the 2009 expedition.

The Borneo Crew

Our flight across from mainland Malaysia from Johor Bahru to Kuching, the capital of Sarawak Province, went smoothly with a nice new plane carrying us across to our new adventure. The modern airport when we arrived was also a surprise. We had booked into small B&B for the night and having discussed it, the group had said that due to this being an exploratory trip they would be happy with dorm style accommodation. Borneo B&B is a funky spot but the dorms (with no aircon and very squeaky bunks) instantly converted everyone to the option that our normal style of shared twin rooms is the way to go, so after a night in dorms we all moved into twins with aircon the next day.

Kuching or cat city

With a day to explore everybody soon ventured out to explore the town, walk the river front promenade, explore the Chinese temples and a stroll around the old court house. Having done this we headed out to the Semenggoh Orang-utan Wildlife centre, this is a conservation area where 24 orang-utans have been relocated due to encroachment on their natural area or being formerly kept as pets. They all live wild in the +600 hectare area. We arrived at the daily feeding time where local fruits are put out on two raised platforms and then hopefully some orang-utans will come in for a snack.

We were lucky enough to have 7 show up including a mother with a 3 month old baby, it was great to just stand quietly and watch them interact with each other. There is something very special about the experience. Definitely a must do if you come to this part of the world.
After another night in Kuching we started early as we headed for the first of the national parks we will visit while in Borneo, Bako National Park, the oldest national park in Borneo. To get out to the park involves a bus ride to a river port and then a ride of about 25 minutes in a speed boat to get to the park. Jen our water-phobic is getting quite relaxed now as think she has spent more time boating out to islands and national parks on this holiday than in her entire life.

Bako National Park!

Our boat off-loaded us on a stunning beach boxed in on either side by limestone cliffs covered by palms and lush jungle. As we wandered up towards reception all around us was just amazing scenery. After a warm welcome and a quick lunch in the restaurant we dumped our bags and set off on our first walk through the jungle. I have spent quite a bit of time in the Amazon and was expecting something similar in Borneo. Definitely the plant and animals were here as well, but the great thing was that everything was not trying to bite; this is really friendly jungle to explore. Our first walk took us along a trail where there is a good chance to see the Proboscis monkey one of the must sees while in Bako. On the walk we had no luck with the monkeys but was still a great walk with so much to see. The walk finally brought us out on another almost deserted beach only spoilt by a troop of lesser spotted Dutch folk. After exploring the beach a boat arrived and after a quick chat we had negotiated a boat ride back to the lodge. Jen though said she would rather walk if there was the option so she Michael and Alexa walked back.
On our arrival back we soon got ourselves comfortable only to be told that the Proboscis monkeys where just down the way, so off we dashed to go and see these strange monkeys with their massive red noses. We managed to get really close with a huge male walking right under our feet we stood on the raised walkway above the mangrove swamp. Then it was down to catch the sunset off the beach, possibly the most stunning of the trip to date. On arrival back at the lodge we got everything ready for the night walk which headed off at eight. It’s amazing to see what the jungle has to offer as far as wildlife goes both during the day and at night, and finding an emerald pit viper and getting some great shots was the definite highlight of the night walk.

Night walkersGreen pit viper
The next morning a couple of us headed of early on a 2 hour walk through some stunning jungle and open ground to one of the most stunning beaches I have seen to date. Imagine chilling on a deserted beach something like you would visualise “The Beach”. It’s a tough life and yet again we managed to get a boat to take us back to the lodge, this all via some stunning limestone rock formations. Sadly all too soon we had to hope on our boat back to the real world, Bako National Park was amazing. Just amazing!!! Private beach
On arrival back in Kuching we had the afternoon to prepare ourselves for our next adventure. The next section sees us jump on river boats and head up the Batang Rejang River which is the highway through the jungle to the interior. Our first day took us from Kuching via Sibu to Kapit, a journey of almost 300km along the river all done at some amazing speeds in the river ferries. We departed Kuching at 8.30 am and finally landed in Kapit at about 6.00pm so a long day, but the ferries are comfortable, air-conditioned and even showed DVDs (including WWF wrestling and karaoke music – a useful insight into Malaysian culture!). As we got closer to Kapit all along the river we could see long houses, though these are bit too close to civilization and so we plan to head further up the river to hopefully find a long house not too spoilt by the modern world.
Kapit is just a stop off point for us as we travel further into the interior to hopefully experience some longhouse hospitality about 150km above the Pelagus Rapids.
Early the next morning we headed back down to the ferry landing to head up through the rapids to Belaga from where we would do our longhouse stays and jungle treks. We had read about the rapids that we would be going through and must say had not taken them too seriously, but on arrival at the ferry point the boats all had spare propellers strapped to the top of the coach house and looked a bit more battered and worse for wear. The next 2 hours were fantastic as we headed up the rapids, for those who stayed inside must have seemed a bit bumpy and must have interrupted the DVD from time to time, but sitting up on top of the roof flying up the rapids in a zig zag course was like white water rafting upstream in a power boat. The skill of the skipper and his knowledge of the river were impressive and definitely got the adrenalin glands pumping. Once through the rapids the river narrowed quite a lot with lots of islands and was stunning as we cruised up the river with regular longhouses scattered along the jungle clad river banks.
On our arrival in Belaga it had a real frontier town feel, with friendly locals pointing the way and we soon had moved into the Belaga Hotel which even had aircon. After a quick lunch we headed off to setup a guide and porters for our coming adventures into the jungle. The great thing about Belaga is it still has the feel of the old days where tourism is not that big and a jungle trip is still like arranging an expedition into unchartered territory. After meeting a couple of guides we finally settled on Mr Ham and his merry band to take us on a two day jungle trek and overnight camp.
We set off at 10am the next morning, first in a long boat for a quick ride up to the rapids and then the trek started. Worth mentioning that this is no well cut tourist path through the jungle, this is a track that the local fishermen and hunters use. On our travels we had met up with Marc, an American and personal friend of Brad and Angelina (yep, that’s Pitt/Jolie). Was he in for a surprise for over the next couple of days as we undertook a true jungle trek, with no paved walkways or hand rails in sight! Over the months the group have become accustomed to third world travel and even to us the jungle trek was challenging but when you come to Borneo you expect it to be fairly rough and ready.
A great quote sums up our next two days “An adventure is not an adventure when it is happening. Adventure is physical and emotional discomfort, recollected in tranquillity.” (Tim Cahill)

Our guides soon proved themselves well adapted to the jungle and they immediately dived into the bushes to cut us each our personal traditional walking stick which we soon really appreciated as the path and the slippery clay ground made the sticks essential. We followed the river bank for most of the next 4 hours with stunning jungle vegetation and all sorts of animals rustling in the bushes around us. Our walk finally brought us to a bay in the river with a nice sandy area where the guides had erected a simple shelter for us for the night. We would be sleeping out with just sleeping bag liners and mozzie nets to keep us safe for the night, unthinkable in somewhere like the Amazon but no problem in these jungles. Once we had all settled in some decided to take a quick dip in the river after confirming that there would not be any great chance of crocodiles, and others just relaxed and enjoyed the amazing surroundings. It is really special being deep in the jungle with nothing else but the little we had carried in with us. Heading for the jungle trek Not easy going and one of the big trees
Soon our guides set off to set fishing nets and a couple of lines to try and get some fish for dinner to add to the chicken and other basic supplies that they had brought along. Food proved to be very simple but filled the gap, but definitely for next year we will be doing the food ourselves as good food makes adventures like these.
All too soon it was dark, some gathered around the fires for a bit, but fairly early everybody had turned in for a good night’s sleep, though not before Marc had managed to nick his finger with his pen knife and so the drama began. Jungle beds and ready for day two jungle treks Elaine on Mushrooms

Early the next morning (well not really, it was about nine by the time everyone was up and about) we all got up for a bit to eat before packing up and heading off for our next jungle trek. The day’s trek would take us across the hills to another river for a visit to a longhouse from where we would return to Belaga. Challenging to say the least, but in retrospect everybody thought it was great, though at times as we scrambled along the path it was fairly challenging. Eventually we arrived at the longhouse and were offered green coconuts, and it was great to sip on the refreshing juice before eating the tender inner meat of the coconuts. Traditional Long House
By now everybody was fairly manky (dirty, sweaty and covered in jungle mud), so was decided instead of staying to explore the longhouse we would return to the hotel have a shower and a late lunch and then return to explore the longhouse with suitable gifts.
A short boat ride took us back to the hotel and soon a refreshed group appeared ready to head back to the longhouse. Our presents of balloons and rice wine went down a treat and we had a good chance to wander through and get a feel for longhouse life.
After a night in comfortable beds the next morning we headed for Niah National Park in hired jeeps along the logging tracks. Niah was another great park with fantastic accommodation and “American friendly” jungle trekking, nice paths with handrails. The big attraction here is the caves and I will let the pictures explain (COMING SOON). The other great thing was we were able to barbeque again and a feast was had both nights making everybody think back to many of the nights we had cooked and enjoyed great food while we travelled with Penelope our faithful truck.
Miri was our next stop en-route to Brunei and provided us with the chance to celebrate our 6-month anniversary of being on the road!

Brunei
The trip from Miri in Borneo to Brunei is fairly convoluted, and so after 6 buses, 2 taxis and a ferry, we arrived into Bandar Seri Begawan (or BSB as the locals refer to it), the capital of Brunei. Exploring the floating villages a major contrast to the rest of town
Fuelled by oil and petro dollars, the ruling monarchy is the longest hereditary monarchy still ruling in the world and the oil money has been spent well with great roads, nice housing and apparently a fairly high standard of living. The present Sultan was the richest man in the world before Mr Gates and company made fortunes out of the computer generation. A couple of hours wandering the Royal Regalia Museum gave a small idea of the wealth of this country (and also a useful insight into how imaginative or otherwise world leaders are when they visit bearing gifts). The sultan is said to have more than 2,000 luxury cars stored in one of his palaces, together with a couple of Black Hawk helicopters and some planes and boats – must be a tough life!
From here we head off on a ferry heading back to Malaysian Borneo, this time the Sabah Province, for more jungle adventure.

Sabah of the two provinces is the more developed for tourism, but offers some amazing attractions. The highlight was the expedition into a jungle camp down one of the many rivers. Uncle Tans Jungle camp is by no means a luxury option but the wildlife and great guides make it a really special experience. Due to conditions a camera just does not do justice to what we saw. We even found a massive python on one of the night boat trips. Have left the picturs to tell the story bellow Chilling jungle style

Early morning boat cruise heads out looking for wildlife, baots proved the best way to find animals on the many waterways.

Night boat cruise
Wild urangatans just outside the camp.

Jungle bugs come bigHeading for turtle island to watch nesting on the beach and the release of the hatchlings

Amazing sunset Borneo has given us some amazing ones
A good time was had by all!!!

Singpore slings when we got to Sinapore in Raffles Bar

Malaysia - Penang, Perhentian Islands, Kuala Lumpar, Melaka

We arrived in Penang, Malaysia, at around eight in the evening. Once everybody had checked in we headed down to China Town. It was the first true Chinese market we had found. A ball dancing floor was cordend off in the centre, with a good couple of oldies strutting their stuff, to what we decided must have been last week’s Karaoke winner, wailing at a microphone. The stage and dance floor were surrounded by a hundred tables and all this engulfed by a hundred food kiosks. Night market food

Each kiosk sold its own speciality from a Balti curry to Chicken foot Wontons. Tables all had a number and minutes after ordering from your chosen chef, a plate of steaming food was placed in front of you, easily washed down by the endless supply of cold drinks and beer.

It was a great evening, with only a couple of dishes deemed too ethnically interesting to eat.

The next morning those ready for a bit more culture headed off on a self guided walking tour, enjoying the sights and history of this mixing pot that is Penang. Others milled around the hotel taking advantage of the free wi fi and aircon.


Next morning we headed for Kuala Besut, literally a stop off point, before we found our way to more island time on the beautiful Perhentian Islands. When we arrived, it appeared that the town had been closed down due to lack of interest, and our hungry tummies were all a bit distraught. Eventually though, we found a lonely merchant who was selling some fine grub, and the entire group took over his tiny premises. With not much to do but wait for the ferry out to the islands the next morning, folks went for strolls down the beaches or wondered around the harbour, until we all met up for dinner, which proved to be excellent for such a sleepy little hollow.

Those who had thought the thumping heart of adventure had begun to flutter with all these quite towns, were soon to have a re awakening. ” Fast Ferry to Island” was what the resort promised and they definitely did not disappoint. Two massive 200 horse power outboards, pushing along 10 people per boat, soon saw manic smiles and shrieking cries trying to pierce the sound of the roaring engines, even the less nautically enthused had to admit it was a great way to travel.

Upon arrival at the island, being low tide, we had to transfer to smaller boats to run up the beach. This did not please the lesser boaty types, but with life jackets and all, we were soon safe and sound on a beautiful tropical island.

Picture palm trees hanging low, swaying in a gentle breeze, their shadows dancing on the beach .We were all staying in small bungalows, hidden in shade, a stone’s throw from the crystalline water.

The beach front restraurant served up all kinds of local and western tasty treats. Being in a Malay area, the change in flavours was welcome, with some amazing curries on offer. The BBQ seafood was also incredible. A couple of hours watching the fishing boats drop off their catch for the day, soon tipped you off to what would be the tastiest option that evening. A popular favourite for breakfast was a roti canai, a thick pancake served with sweet curry sauce, followed by a platter of assorted fresh fruits.

It's tuff on the islands, but someone's gotta do it.

Sunset from the resort restaurant

Tim and Cher Odyssey crew beach time

But enough of the food, the main reason for coming to the Perhentian islands is the sea life. Whether you are an avid diver or not, there is something for everyone here.

A lot of people had a taste of diving when we were in Nha Trang, and decided to do their open water diving course on the islands. The lodge we stay at has a PADI dive school attached, run by Pete and Anke, who do an excellent job. Karcher and Rich chose to enrol, turning their island break into a serious studying affair, but they did not complain. With a few hours a day spent in the class room and the afternoons spent diving amongst the coral reefs, this sounded to be a truly amazing experience.

The next best option to get up close and personal with the marine life is snorkelling. For 6 dollars a day you can hire fins and snorkel. Many folks had done a fair bit of snorkelling before, and at first there were only a few takers, but by the following day, anyone who could swim, and there was only one who couldn’t, was out, ass in the air, paddling amongst the coral. The island is really geared for this type of activity and large snorkelling areas are marked off on the surface, to keep any nasty boating accidents at bay. In terms of what you get to see, the stunning bright colours of the tropical fish are only the start, giant turtles grazing on grass only a few meters away, and black tipped reef sharks zooming around, add a little bit of racing pulse to the days swim. The coral is incredible, with huge sea urchins and giant clams. Memos hiding in sea anemone‘s and sea slugs squelching along the bottom. Somebody should have been keeping score cards, as the lists of have and have not seen were shouted out over dinner.

If it’s not diving or snorkelling you are after, the island is dotted with resorts along the coast, and the interior a great jungle for exploring.

This is unchartered territory, walking paths have been made, but the maps aren’t great. With most the light blocked out by the jungle canopy, one can easily lose your bearings, as Shinnik soon figured out. Luckily with the whole island only being a few kilometres coast to coast he soon found his way out.

But all go, go, go is not what we are about. Five minutes’ walk away finds you on a beautiful beach, sandy and perfect in every way, the water lapping at the soft white sand.

Four days disappeared too soon, and only the thought of blasting our way back to the mainland on the speed boats, bought a few cheers from a rather happy, if not worn out group.

Waiting on the beach for our return fast ferry



Kuala Lumpur
Causing chaos on the railways was becoming quite a regular affair for the Odyssey Group; catching an aircon overnight train is a great way to travel. The trains are spacious and clean, each person gets their own bunk, which becomes a little cocoon once the curtain is drawn. As there are twenty of us we easily book out most the carriage. So from the islands we hopped onto an overnight train to Kuala Lumpur (KL). Arriving early the next morning gave everybody an extra day to explore.

The monorail - transport from the train station into the city

The City


People soon said that KL was one of the first big cities they would like to live in, the atmosphere and good natured people almost contradicts a city stuffed with sky scrapers and honking taxis.
KL is also home to the Petronas Towers, these were the tallest buildings in the world till 2004, a truly spectacular sight, best viewed from the amazing vantage point more than two hundred meters up, from the fourth largest broadcasting tower in the world.

A reflection

The Tower

The View

The Petronas Towers

A fantastic wall, a recycling effort made from old fizzy drinks cans


Jo had been looking forward to KL for quite some time, as she would be reuniting with an old friend from the UK. They had agreed to meet up when she arrived and, he, being well connected, was to take her out on the razz ma tazz. The complication was that it was also Carolyn’s last night with the group, and in Odyssey style everybody is expected to attend sad goodbyes. So Jo phoned her unsuspecting chum, and asked if she could bring a few friends, he intern said no problem, would they all fit in his car. Well, with all twenty of us heading out, the answer was a very firm NO, and Odysseys’ new local guide for KL was born.

He didn’t disappoint either, first we strolled down to a Chinese market, dodging all the tourist stalls, we ducked and dived down a couple of alleys. Right at the end of the road was a small place under a tin roof. A couple of instructions from our new guide and tables were being rammed together to seat the lot of us. It was decided that, rather than each person ordering their own food, we would order a mix of platters to keep the waiting time down to the minimum. Soon there was food fit for a king scattered all over the table, and the silence of the group was testament to the quality.

So tummy’s full, we were not letting Carolyn get away without the customary Odyssey Blue. Our guide said he had heard that a Japanese Reggae Infusion Band was playing at one of his local haunts, and so off we went. A great night was had by all.

The next morning was set aside for exploring, some folks explored the amazing shopping centres, and others the incredible architecture. Rich managed to lose himself for hours, after finding an entire shopping arcade dedicated to computers and technology, with some incredible deals to be had.

That evening a bunch of folks headed for the local cinema they had found, movies, popcorn and all, while others decided on an easy night in, with takeaways delivered to the front door from all your usual fast food suspects.

Kuala Lumpur was a great city.

Melaka

Arriving in Melaka, after a short journey in a couple of mini vans, gave us the afternoon to explore the town. Originally a Portuguese trading port, the mixture of architecture and food is interesting to say the least. The local specialty is a curry based on both Portuguese and Malay cooking, and although fiery hot, is very tasty.

The town has plenty of charms too, with its old churches, something we hadn’t seen for quite a while, and mosques, adorning the town square.

The Square

The Square at night

The local Cyclo-drivers take great pride in their bikes, decorating them with flowers, lights and sound systems that churn out the local love song of the week.
Once over the bridge and into the small cobbled streets, you enter the shopping area. Melaka is one of the top holiday destinations for Malay people, and so the streets are jammed with restaurants and shops selling all kinds of clothes and tat. It’s also always nice to know all the market stores aren’t aimed at western tourists, and the locals get touted too. It was a great place to wonder for the afternoon.

The happy riders

That evening was a big affair. It was the “Fungi”, Mike H’s Birthday, and also the last night before the Borneo separatists were heading off in their own direction.

(For those folks who are not aware, as an extra add on, another three weeks of travel is available into Borneo. This is a mixture of cheap short flights, private mini vans, and public transport. It is the first time any body at Odyssey is doing the trip, and so is completely exploratory. It sounds like they are having a blast and a blog will be posted shortly.)

We headed down to a local restaurant called the Geographer, a great place with a good mix of western and local food; taking over the entire top floor we soon had the establishment in chaos, as twenty orders for food and drink were asked of the already busy staff.

Great Festivities

A happy party goer

The Birthday Boy

The Band

Once the customary happy birthday had been sung, and the live band from downstairs had joined in, it was time for our last round of Odyssey blue as a Group. The mood was high and everybody was excited, the tears would come later.

Our famous Odyssey Blue

The party went on till the small hours of the morning with Mike T. wowing the crowd with the old Irish Favourite ” My lovely truck, driving through the hills”, which after several encores may well be on its way to number one in Japan.

The following morning we met up for a lot of sad goodbyes, Pete (Tour Guide), Richard, Karcher, Jen, Elaine, Mike S., Alexa and Jo were off to Borneo. The rest of us were heading to Singapore the following day. After six months of travelling together, goodbyes don’t come easy. Everybody on the trip had had their highs and lows, and the rest of the group were always there to help where they could, that’s what group travel is all about.

The last of us: Chris, Maura, Simon, Ann, Mike H., C, Mike T., Andrew, Edel, Cheryl and I, had another day to wonder the streets of Melaka. We all met up at about three in the afternoon and headed off to a Korean bar that was advertising Doctor Fish. All feeling a bit sad that the group had split, and the holiday that was so long it would never end was starting to wind down, we all agreed we could do with some kind of treatment.

Sitting in a cool courtyard with our feet in the water, calming fountains trickling nature’s tune, while tiny little fish nibble at your feet, may not have been everybody’s first choice, but after you learn to control the fits of giggles between the tickles, as a little doctor fish nibbles the gaps between your toes, it’s a great way to spend an hour or so.

Preparing feet for the fish

Nibble nibble!

That evening we met up for another local delight at a satay house. Basically it works the same as a French fondue, but instead of having cheese or oil, you have a bubbling pot of peanut satay sauce in the centre of the table. You then select a fist full of skewers and pop them in to cook. It makes for a really nice social evening, as you snack on this and that, while having a chat.

The skewers

The tasty satay sauce

Island Fever

We left Cambodia in a couple of private mini vans and headed for the border. It would prove to be an eventful drive, as most of it was amidst chaotic road works, the road surface a mud bath with the relentless afternoon monsoon rains. Skidding in every direction, our highly skilled driver manoeuvred us closer and closer to the Thai border.



As soon as we crossed no man’s land and entered Thai territory, the change was remarkable, big four lane highways, street signs and traffic signals that worked, we were back into civilisation.
We headed for Bangkok and Banglampu, the centre of the backpackers’ area.


On our first night it was Richards Birthday; a surprise party had been set up at his most favourite restaurant in the whole wide world, Mc Donald’s. No he was not turning six, but rather twenty four. Twenty four years of loving Ronald Mc Donald?

Rich was all smiles as the special party treats arrived, lucky packets all round, and everybody wolfed down their food.
Rich in heaven!!

Next we headed off to watch a Ping Pong Show and then to Khao San Road, the backpacker’s party district of Bangkok. A good night was had by all, though some of the faces the next day didn’t look quite as perky.

After two nights in Bangkok we headed down to the Islands off the east coast. Because everybody has such a different idea of what beach time is all about, we chose to give folks the option of heading off and doing their own thing. Some were really keen on going down to the full moon party, a festival on the beach with tens of thousands in attendance. Others were more about some “ME” time and booked themselves into an expensive beach lodge for the week. Transport on and between the islands is easy and fairly cheap, and this makes for a great time to explore.

Ferry trip to the islands

Odyssey Blue

We, Odyssey, based ourselves at a small lodge on the south east coast of Koh Pan Nang. Quite a few people decided to join us at this rustic set of bungalows, perched on the slopes of a small bay, offering breath taking views through the palm trees. The days were spent relaxing at the pool or strolling from one beach to another, exploring the coast. In the evenings, the stretch of the white sandy beach was dotted with restaurants, offering fresh fish as the speciality.

YMCA....... Isn't this great..

View from a bungalow

The beach

View from a restaurant
A tasty meal - squid fried rice - excellent

A very happy customer

More beach
An inland waterfall, its not all about the beach

Scenery

Fishing boat
Kiting

The best way to see and experience the islands is to hire a vehicle. A simple 100cc scooter can be hired for a couple of dollars a day, a 4x4 for a little bit more, and for those with very good travel insurance, high powered quad bikes can be taken into the central tropical island canopy.
After seven fun filled days, everybody regrouped to catch the ferry back to the mainland, with tales of beautiful white sandy beaches, rum cocktails, and sunburn. What more could you ask for from a beach holiday?

Full moon party madness!!!!

Almost instantly as we crossed the border from Vietnam into Cambodia we could see and feel the change. A little, grubbier, smellier, wilder, whether these were the result of pre conceived ideas with Cambodia’s very recent grisly history, I could not tell you. But we had definitely arrived in another country well worth exploring.

Phnom Penh, the Capital, is where we checked into a very friendly guest house in the centre of the tourist district. Everybody settled into their rooms and we headed down to the FCC or Foreign Correspondent Club, originally a bar, now a chain of restaurants, to house foreign journalists in times gone by , with its great food and breathtaking views we wined and dined the evening away while watching the shipping on the Tonle Sap River.

The next morning was set aside for a serious reality check. Anybody who has not read about Pol Pot and his merry men would struggle to believe that atrocities like this have happened within the last 30 years. A visit to the killing fields and Genocide museum, guided by a professional local guide, saw the entire group in shocked silence. It is such an important part of Cambodian history insofar as it is so real, that people fully involved in the carnage, are sharing the street, shop and bus with you. All subject to one man’s crazy ideals.

After lunch the group divided into two factions those wanting some quite time to reflect and those wanting to do a bit of venting.

The Reflectors headed off to see the Royal Palace and Central Pagoda. Its’ beautiful gardens all surrounded by a high wall, hides the milling city and provides a few moments of calm to reflect on the day’s events.

The venter's headed to the shooting range. Cambodia has had its fair number of wars in the past and given its recent history, everybody has decided living a peaceful democratic life is the way forward. But what does one do with all the armourments left from the strife, well give it to this guy.....

Or this guy

But I would have kept it away from this guy

For a dollar a bullet you can shoot almost any kind of weapon you choose. I know it may seem wrong, but it’s better than leaving it all lying around until somebody gets the crazy notion of starting a war.

Off to Siem Reap, another Unesco World Heritage site, and another 45 seater luxury, private bus. We had tried hiring smaller coaches but the 26 seaters which were the next size down just didn’t have the luggage space. So we all piled into our private couch, two to a seat and headed off to some of the greatest ruins in the world.
On route we stopped for lunch, this happens most days and we have all become hardened to the fried rat and frog on a stick that is for sale at the road side stops. It took a few seconds to grasp what lovely morsels were on offer here, but the little girl with a giant spider slowly crawling up her shirt should have been a hint. Deep fried Tarantula, not a couple on a stick, but bowl after bowl of the fat hairy monsters. The shrieks were soul piercing, and that was from the men in the group. After a very diplomatic decision we all pilled back on the bus.

Siem Reap is not too much to shout about, as a small town surviving on tourism, it is well geared for the traveller, with all kinds of restaurants and bars punctuated with guest houses and hotels. The true magic of Siem Reap lies a few kilometres distant and we would be dedicating the whole of the next day to just scraping the surface.

Angkor Wat is definitely down on the list of things to see before you die, built in the 12thcentury, it is the largest of a cluster of Wats (Temples), that surround the Siem Reap area.

We booked onto a full day tour leaving our hotel on the river at silly o clock (05:00), in a swarm of buzzing Tuk-Tuks, to catch the first light of dawn splash colour over the magnificent Angkor Wat ruins.

Unfortunately we weren’t the only people who had this idea and the place was flooded with tourists.

We spent the rest of that day zooming from Wat to Wat in our Tuk-Tuks, breaking only for a light lunch next to a lake. The size of the site is remarkable.

Good Morning Vietnam

We rolled into our first Vietnamese town, after a non eventful border crossing, apart from mike having lost his passport or C having stolen it, depends which end of the story you hear. Heading for Hue, pronounced Wey by the locals, it’s a large city screaming with Moped and Cyclo drivers, touting for your business. A typical site, the pointed vietnamese hat


The hotel proved to be a winner with nice big aircon room’s right in the middle of it all. The next day folks decided to go and explore the DMZ (demilitarised zone) on one of the many tours on offer. Though it was a long haul tour (8 till 5, sounds too much like a working day for me), they all came back that evening, happy for the experience. Others decided to run around the Citadel, much of it has been bombed by the Americans, but with a bit of imagination you can really get a feel for the magnificent buildings that once stood here....

That night we all met up at the DMZ bar for a bit of western style food and drink, the infamous Odyssey blue (normally saved as a departure tax) reared its head, but with some refinement, I’m happy to add. The party went on till the early hours of the morning, with the grand finale being the whole group, and I do mean everybody, writing their names on the bar ceiling. We had another day to recover and explore and then we would be off to Hoi An.



Odyssey 2008 make their mark

The spectacular and legendary Odyssey Blue Cocktail

Cheers! to a great night out

To the beach I say!

We would not actually be staying on the beach front in Hoi An, but rather in the centre of town on the edge of the Tho Bon River amongst some truly great architecture, influenced by many different western and eastern cultures. The Hotel we were staying at was a bit of a letdown, as they seemed to have knocked down the main attraction, which was the bar restaurant area over hanging the river. But life goes on and soon everybody had spread out to explore the town.

Tailors line the streets, hug the corners and cram the alleys. You can choose how much or not you would like to spend and have a custom made suit or dress stitched up in no time. Most people chose to buy and then post there goody’s home which has proved amazingly reliable.

Tailors aside, Hoi An offers something for everybody, history with The My Son Temple ruins, or the beautiful beach only a quick taxi ride out of town. Great restaurants litter the streets with all budgets caterd for. We were glad to be spending three nights in this funky little town. Apart from the tours to temples or Wats, a group went off jet skiing, which proved a hit as we flew up the massive delta of the Tho Bon river amongst fishing nets, boats and people .Truly a memorable day on the water. Others chose to expand on their Asian cooking skills with another cooking course. For between five and ten dollars you can spend an afternoon cooking up a storm with a local chef and then in the evening enjoy all the foodies you have prepared.

My Son ruins

Jet skiers outon the ocean

Local fishing boats moored up a river canal

Fishermen bringing in their catch for day

Tasty local cuisine

Most evenings were spent on the white beach that seems to stretch for miles in either direction. Small beach umbrellas and lounges dotting one section of the beach gave you the comfort without the crowds and was a great way to see the evening light fade as we got ready for another great meal out in a local restaurant.

From the quiet lanes of Hoi An to the full on hustle bustle of Nha Trang. This is a big beach city with busy roads and honking horns, framed with crystal blue waters, white sandy beaches and swaying palms. We had booked into a hotel one road back from the beach and the accommodation did not disappoint. We had three nights here, with one of the big attractions being the diving.

Nha Trang beachfront boulevard

Sunrise over Nha Trang ocean, for the brave few who got up early for a refreshing morning run on the beach

Over the duration of the trip various people often choose to write their own blog so folks back home can keep in touch, and to avoid those nasty group emails. This works as a plus for Odyssey Overland as it gives potential travellers the chance to have a little window on the odyssey world. As such, every year we offer a prize to the best blogger. The original idea was to give the winner an open water diving course but it was agreed that with so many good blogs running there was no clear choice. The next stage down from the open water is what they call the resort divers. This means you get to have a morning diving in a pool and then that afternoon go out for two open water dives with and instructor one on one.
So Rich, Karcher, C, and Ann were awarded their prizes, with many other folks choosing to join in. The diving was booked for the last day in Nha Trang.
Ann, who wasn’t quite as keen on the diving idea, was suitably catered for and swapped her day of water and sun, for an incense and massage treat at a local Spa.

The only thing that stood between diving heaven and us was a short cruise to celebrate a birthday party.
We had hired a small motor boat to chug us out one of the island lying not far off shore. We didn’t quite get what we bargained for but, we did have a great party and BBQ, with enough langoustines to feed a small army. The party carried on once we returned to port with many choosing to celebrate well into the night.

Setting out to the islands

Docked at the islands

The next morning everybody jumped up to go diving, there were a few folks running on low batteries after the night before, but the promise of blue water and brightly coloured fish seemed to work very well as a tonic. The double decked boat ferried everybody out to another island not far off the coast. The folks who were doing the resort divers started their training on route with the snorkelling fraternity relaxing on the top deck, enjoying the view and fresh sea air. Once the diving started everybody was truly ecstatic, Rich, repeatedly nearly drowning himself before he realised that smiling, while under water, was a bad idea. I’ll let the photos do the talking.


The dive boat



Plunging in

Some of the divers














Amazing sealife









So from Nha Trang we headed off to Dalat. Dalat is a city nestled in amongst rolling hills in the centre of Vietnam. Famous for it the cultivation of flowers and vegetables, it truly was a sight to behold. Row after row of green houses scarred the landscape, sprouting carnations, beans, cabbage, roses and every other thing that would grow in this fertile area.
Once we arrived and checked into our hotel, very flash this time as they hadn’t kept our original booking, people headed to explore the town. Many activities are available up in the mountains and some people took the cable car to see a Wat and lake, while other chose to have a romantic Swan around the lake....., or to see the crazy house.

Heading for Dalat

The Crazy house

Saigon was everything we expected and more. We were staying very central to the heart of the city and as such could walk almost every were. Thousands of bikes, a continual werrrrrr of two stroke engines only sectioned by the honking horns surrounds you day and night. Crossing the road is a testament to the constant vigil the drivers keep, in order not to taste the tar as they weave in and out of pedestrians just walking. In one local travel advice leaflet, when suggesting how to cross a road, it read: “find a small gap in the oncoming traffic. Walk slowly and steadily across the road. Don’t stop, and definatly don’t turn and try going back, as that is the last thing a scooter driver will expect. “, and it works very, very well.

Moped madness

The night life in Saigon is remarkable with electronic stores blaring music into the street to attract customers and neon signs lighting up the darkness. The whole town feels like it just wants to have a good time. There’s Tai Chi in the park, alongside groups of guys playing shuttle cock. The food is diverse, street markets have tanks with live fish, crabs and prawns for you to choose from, and in the same street you’ll find a restaurant way beyond the budget of the average traveller. Big city or not, the people are friendly and welcoming.

The first evening we had a group meal with everybody heading down to the Black Cat, rated as one of the ten places you have to eat in the world, we could all soon see why. Though only a humble burger joint, the food is great.

Various tours are on offer from Saigon and half the group had decided to go explore ......................... tunnels which had been dug during the Vietnamese war. With a network covering more than 260km, it is truly an amazing feet of engineering. That said, it was agreed that the designer did not have westerners in mind when making the access points, as the tunnels were tiny. This was a half day activity including a river cruise, bus ride and snack stop.

The tunnel explorers

Another lot had chosen to spend the first day shopping and then explore the Mekong Delta the following day. The Mekong spreads its water far and wide before it enters the sea, washing down tons and tons of prime top soil every year, making the islands that are the bread basket of Asia. A tour consisted of a full day, starting at seven thirty in the morning, jumping onto a bus and barging our way through the on flood of bikes and driving down into the delta itself. A couple of hours later you board a small boat and tour the island. Stopping for fruit and snacks along the way, the local guide explains all the bits and bobs one sees around.
Some of the highlights include being rowed down a narrow channel in amongst the palms and visiting the coconut sweat factory. At the end of the day we jumped on board a high powered speed boat and flew up the river past huge barges carrying all manner of produce and then finally right into Saigon centre, past all the riverside shanty towns. It was a great day out.

Paddling in a river boat down one of the canals

An overloaded cargo barge

Water coconut palms

An epic sunset over the Mekong

Back into suberbia, shanty town versus city life

Bright lights of a night market