Laos

Kouang Si waterfall near Louang Phabang, Laos
Originally uploaded by rivvles.

As soon as we arrived in Laos it became clear we were in a very different country to Thailand. The first thing we did was change 200 dollars at the border crossing to be given so much currency we couldn't fit it in our pockets.

From what we have seen here, two Indochina wars and a communist dictatorship have left the country with little infrastructure - hospitals and roads are in disrepair. But while museums still talk about the 'American imperialists' and villify the West, since Laos opened up for tourism several years ago the atmosphere is nothing but welcoming and even grateful to the only industry which seems to be helping the country get back on its feet.

Things move at a snail's pace here, and so have we, choosing not to stray off the tourist trail in favour of spending more time wandering around villages, languishing in beautiful waterfalls and floating down the river taking in the stunning views.

Chiang Mai

Trekking through northern Thailand
Originally uploaded by rivvles.

In our first three days in Thailand we stayed in a luxury hotel, a youth hostel and a rainforest hilltribe's bamboo hut. From being entertained by cable TV and Tony Blair's election victory (note from Carrie - Red Rivlin's words, not mine) we found ourselves fighting off swarms of bees, flying termites and mosquitoes.

The jungle trek was beautiful though and despite arriving back significally more sodden, bruised and bitten than when we started, Ed thought it was well worth it. Carrie is still too traumatised by all the insects.

When we got back to Chiang Mai we did a day's Thai cookery course - next time you want an average pad thai or an overly spiced Thai green curry, head our way.

Chinese food

Eating lunch
Originally uploaded by Carrie & Eddie.

Imagine the scene. Your non-English-speaking guide takes you through a dirty kitchen to an even dirtier yard where there is an even dirtier tank of fish. He gestures for you to choose one. You point uncertainly. A fish is scooped from the murky waters, battered over the head, scaled and gutted on the dirty floor, then turns up 20 minutes later in your soup. This was typical of our approach to Chinese food in that we would walk into a restaurant, point dumbfoundedly at what we hoped wouldn't kill us and pray for the best. So far so good, although we have one more meal to go - fingers crossed. There has been a depressing lack of duck on the menus, but amid the oily, greasy dishes we have managed to find a few gems of Chinese cuisine.

Lijiang and Dali

Black Dragon Pool, Lijiang
Originally uploaded by Carrie & Eddie.

Our first stop was Lijiang, on the Tibetan border. The old town is made up of narrow cobbled streets, canals, wooden buildings and old market squares, all with snow-capped mountains as a backdrop. One of our highlights was a day's trek through Tiger Leaping Gorge along the Yangtze river, where we were surrounded on all sides by canyons reaching 3900m above us. We started at a guesthouse where someone who speaks no English handed us a map which bears no relation to where you are or where you are going. Still, three hours later and having trekked through someone's farmland and livelihood, we made it to the other side rewarded by stunning views. In Dali we stayed in a fantastic hotel owned by a part-Tibetan guy who had had a fascinating life - born in a labour camp and lived there for 18 years, all because his father wanted to teach real history and not the party line. In both places we met really friendly interesting people, saw some incredible scenery and learnt a lot about a rapidly changing China.

First impressions of China

Confucious maps in China
Originally uploaded by Carrie & Eddie.

Arriving at Kunming airport where there is no written or spoken English and with people immediately descending on us offering taxis and hotels (we think) was more than a little unnerving. On top of that, we had a sudden introduction to the Chinese custom of spitting. All the time. Everywhere. We couldn't walk down the street without hearing someone behind us gathering their saliva together ready for a good sprog. They have a tendency to 'relieve themselves' (1 and 2) in public too. We also had to contend with toilets beyond our wildest fears. Directions, maps and travel arrangements were baffling, and the traumas associated with the first time we tried to catch a bus probably knocked a few years off our lives.
However, now that we are over the culture shock, China has really grown on us. The people are so friendly and have gone out of their way to help us, the countryside is beautiful and we have had some great food. We never thought we'd say it but we're going to be sorry to leave.

Melbourne and Singapore

Speaks for itself
Originally uploaded by Carrie & Eddie.

After leaving New Zealand we had a lovely few days chez Adam and Gen in Melbourne. They showed us the city, made us a good old Aussie barbie, and took us to the last night of Melbourne's comedy festival. We were then joined by three Rosses (and a brief hello from Rick Shaw) before the Melbourne casino made their fastest money all year. We then jetted off to Singapore, a nice gentle introduction to Asia. On our first night, in Chinatown, our enthusiasm for Chinese food took a turn for the worse, with chicken bowels and pig stomach on offer. As 'rich' Westerners we wanted to enjoy the colonial lifestyle so we headed to Raffles, but as cheapskate backpackers we could only afford the Singapore Slings with a 50% off voucher from the airline. And they were terrible. We also went to the night zoo, a WWII POW camp and a Singaporean Seder night - not sure which was more scary.