Thailand III, Had Yai

Back on mainland, I was put in a mini bus to Had Yai. The journey to Had Yai was one of the worst I had to endure. It lasted only five hours, but I had to fight with an unfamiliar disease (perspiration attacks, nausea, cough). In addition, someone had the bright idea to squeeze sixteen seats into a minibus. So I couldn't move my legs during the ride. The third aspect that made the trip so bad was that my ear was just an inch away from the speakers. I could not escape the thaipop.
At around 10 pm I arrived in Had Yai. I found a cheap guest house for the night. The next morning I wondered briefly whether I should see a doctor, but then I decided to go to Malaysia. My stay in Hat Yai can be summarized by sleeping and having noodle soup for breakfast.

Thailand II, Koh Phangan

On the bus to Koh Phangan, I had a good talk with Jonathan from Israel. He was one of the few who were headed for Koh Phangan not to attend Full Moon Party, but to join a Muay Thai Training Camp. The bus ride was followed by a bottle of Sang Song for breakfast and then a ride on the ferry to Koh Phangan.
The first thing I did on Koh Phangan, was renting a motorcycle for my five day stay. The Honda Wave, which I was rented was reliable, efficient and all the switches worked, however it was not a Minsk. With my regained freedom, I was able to ride to Haad Rin (the place of the full moon party) and find an affordable bungalow.
In the evening of the same day I was a spectator at a Muay Thai fight. It was a very good experience. There were five fights that evening. Ranging from newcomers in the ring over Europeans, who both lost their fights, to a battle of two experienced Bangkok Muay Thai fighters. Unfortunately I could not take any photos, because I went to a pool party after the fight.
The Full Moon Party is held every full moon night on the beach of Haad Rin. From a small party it grow to be one of Asia's biggest party. The beach is lined with small stalls selling buckets of alcoholic drinks. The resorts, bars and clubs pumping out music to their0 sections of the beach and offer other activities as well, a slide and burning skipping ropes are just two of those. Neon-colored clothing and bodypaint are the predominant style of party-goers. Since my blog is public I will not go into the details of my evening. It was a good party.
After I recovered the day after the party, I took the ferry back to the mainland on Wednesday.

My Full Moon Outfit (Neon body paint was applied later)

Haad Rin beach

Buckets of alcoholic drinks on sale

Thailand I, Bangkok

The trip from Battambang to Bangkok should have taken five hours. After five hours I was on the Thai side of the border and waited for a minibus to Bangkok. Another four hours later I arrived at Bangkok's Khao San Road. Khao San Road is the epicenter of budget travelers in Southeast Asia. Opinions on Khao San Road are divided, either you love it or hate it. I belong to the second category. However, I decided for covienience to spend the night there. Together with a Brazilian, I found an inexpensive room.
I had to do some things in the evening, so I didn't go along with the Brazilians to meet one of his friends. This should prove to be a mistake. The next morning he told me that his friend is a Brazilian model and she had brought a friend (also a Brazilian model).
In the course of the day I bought an overpriced ticket for bus and ferry to Koh Phangan for the evening. I therefore had only one day in Bangkok. Instead of wasting the little time I had with sightseeing, I went to Pratumam. Pratumam is the textile district of Bangkok. In a huge market and countless shopping malls textiles are sold, mainly to traders from all over the world. Individuals are also welcomed as customers. I bought an outfit for the Full Moon Party on Koh Phangan (next post). After the shopping, I went to a hairdresser and had my beard shaved down to a moustache.
In the evening I boarded the bus to Koh Phangan. My stay in Thailand's capital was short and uneventful.

Cambodia III, Battambang

The only reason for me to go to Battambang was, that I had read the boat trip from Siem Reap to Battambang was spectacular. My information was correct. The ride went through flooded forests and floating villages. Now and then one of my fellow passengers got hit in the neck by a branch when the boat went too close to the trees and shrubs.
In Battambang tuk tuk and minibus drivers were already waiting to get us to one of the hotels. I shared a double room with an American, his name is Shaun. After we had recovered sufficiently from the boat ride, we decided to have a look at the bamboo train. In the foyer tuk tuk driver were waiting and after spoting us, they eagerly tried to sell a tour to us. We decided against the tour (the tour included sunset over the bamboo train) and only went for a tuk tuk ride to the bamboo train.
Once there we found that the bamboo train is less impressive, but much more expensive than we thought. We were lucky, eight more passengers of the boat arrived in a crowded tuk tuk. With our improved negotiating position we were able to get a decent price. The ride on the bamboo train was better than I expected. It was a bit like a roller coaster ride on a flat surface.
At the end of the tracks, we were drenched in a rain shower but warmly received. The kids of the little village showed us their games and wanted to be whirled wildly through the air. One boy took picture with all the digital cameras. Just in time for sunset, we drove back to the bamboo train station. Later we went to eat together and later had a drink in a bar.
Early the next morning I went to Bangkok. The five days in Cambodia were eventful but had the feeling that I had to leave too soon.

Bamboo train

If to "trains" face each other, one train has to be disintegrated.

Sunset over the bamboo train.

This picture was taken by an eight year old boy.

Things you shouldn't do in Cambodia.

Cambodia II, Siem Reap

The bus trip from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap was depressing. The roads were in a bad condition flooded and large parts of the country were flooded. While in Vietnam, the sight of countless motorbikes was a sign of a growing middle class, in Cambodia the poverty is visible. The country is still struggling with the consequences of the murder of academics and monks thirty years ago.
Siem Reap is very far away from the problems of the rest of Cambodia. The city is the basis to explore the biggest tourist attraction in the country, Angkor Wat. Siem Reap is thus a place of hotels, guesthouses and souvenir shops.
On the evening of my arrival, I booked my tour for the following two days. I wanted to have guide showing me the multitude of temples, so that I could aprreciate the temples.
The first day I took my guide and me took a tuk tuk to see some of the outer temples. This was a good introduction. My guide Lon Vong (tel. 092 848 704) was excellent. He made me aware of, both the ancient Khmer culture and the culture of nowadays Cambodia, as well as the recent history of Cambodia.
On the second day, I was going to see the highlights. Together with an Indonesian couple and our guide / driver, I visited some temples includina Angkor Wat and Angkor Tom. I think the pictures speak for themselves and I try not to reproduce the history of each temple. The only thing worthy of mentioning is the fact that the existence of the huge temple complex (several hundred temples) had been forgotten. Nature had reclaimed the temples until they were rediscovered by a Frenchman.

Tourgroup on day 2

Cliche tourist picture

Many men are responsible for the polished surface.

Cambodia I, Phnom Penh

During the bus ride from Saigon to Phnom Penh, I thought: "How much better riding my Minsk would be, instead of this bus." I had left the Minsk behind for a good reason, so I tried to concentrate on the new impressions in Cambodia instead.
I spent less than 24 hours in Cambodia's capital. The stay was characterized by the fact that a gang of scammers had chosen me to be their victim. My report about Phnom Penh is therefore focused on this event.
After I had found a cheaper room, I intented to spent the early evening getting an impression about the city. I walked along the river, until a middle aged man approached me. He said that he was from Malaysia and had married a woman from Cambodia. We talked for a while, then I announced that I would travel to Malaysia in two weeks time. He invited me to his home, where he wanted to show me some brochures about Malaysia. I thought he was probably glad to speak some English. So I accepted his invitation in good faith.
Shortly afterwards we were sitting in a tuk tuk. There he revealed to me, that his sister is a model and has to go to Germany to work, soon. I should tell her what life in Germany is like. During the trip we had a nice talk, and he took advantage of the information I told him. When I told him that my father was an engineer, he had a son who was working as an engineer in Malaysia.
We arrived at his apartment. There proclaimed his other sister that the model had to take her mother to the hospital. I got a coffee and a couple of brochures from various regions of Malaysia were shown to me. Then he revealed to me that he was working as a headcroupier in an international casino chain. His job was to be the dealer in the VIP rooms of casinos in Australia and Asia. In this capacity, he travels regularly from casino to casino. At this point I realized that they would try to scam me. Rather than leave the house at this point, I stayed there and enjoyed the show.
Next he told me that we could cheat as a team in a card game called Pontong Poker 21 and make good sum of money that way. I agreed reluctantly to see what would happen next. He explained the game and how we can cheat to me. The game is played against one opponent. It is essentially like blackjack but with betting rounds like in poker. Using hand signals, he let me know about the cards of my opponent and with a quick move he showed me the card on top of the stack. After I understood the system, he told me that he was working as a dealer in a private game the day before. A businessman from Brunei, who had held that game paid him only a fraction of the agreed wage.
By "chance" the businessman showed up. I had to prove my ability to rip off the casinos in a cash game against the business man. The croupier payed my stake in the game.
Acting performances of the participants were not like to be worthy of getting an Oscar. I won game after game. Then the croupier signaled me that I should announce to have an appointment and therefore only be able to play one more round. I did as I was signaled.
In the last game I had the winning hand, but the businessman from Brunei but $ 30,000 in cash on the table. I went along. Unlike before, the businessman wanted to see a cover of my stake. The dealer came up with $ 10,000 in cash, but there was still $ 7,500 missing to cover up the wage.
At this point the discussion on how much money I could come up with started. It last more than 45 minutes, I blocked every single proposal how to get money the dealer came up with. I told him that I had already maxed out my credit card for the day, but on the following day I could get some money. We sealed the cards and postponed the game by one day. The next morning I was supposed to meet them again.
Instead of going to the meeting the next day, I did a little research on the internet. The result was, that I almost became the victim of a Filipino scammergang. Unfortunatly I had not found a way to get rich quickly, but watched an excellent free show and learned a new card game.

Elephant strolling on Phnom Penh's streets

Asian leg of the journey V - Thailand, Malaysia & Singapore

The last part of my route. I already went to the places in Thailand. At the time when I post this, I am in Georgetown, Malaysia.


View Asien V - Thailand, Malaysia & Singapur in a larger map

Vietnam VIX, Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City)

I went to Saigon in the morning with the intention to sell my motorcycle. But after the "repairs" on the previous day, my chances of this declined enormously. I worked my way through traffic and found a hostel in the backpacker area of ​​Saigon. "Maybe there is some budget traveler, who has a heart for a Russian diva", I thought. My attempts to sell it were extensive - flyers, internet ads, direct contact and the counter-offer to buy my bike to all the streets vendors I met. Ultimately, everything failed. The only option left was to sell it to a shop. The first shop owner, whom I called had recently acquired four cheap Minsks and therefore wasn't interested. The second complained about the bad market in Saigon at the time, but I was offered $ 100. Since I only had little time left in Saigon, I decided to accept the $ 100 offer. Upon closer examination of the registration and the motorcycle the shop owner noted that the engine number does not match that in the papers. Another failure. On my last afternoon in Saigon, I had a loud motorcycle with false papers in my possession. Annoyed, I tried to call my dealer in Hanoi. He explained to me that the engine has been replaced. A very unsatisfying answer. Since I was more than 1000 kilometers from Hanoi, I had no other choice than to accept this. I drove one last round through Saigon, then I put the Minsk into a supermarket parking lot. I probably give the keys to someone who travels to Saigon.
Apart from the bad experience trying to sell my bike, I had a good time in Saigon. In the evening there was beer for $ 0.5 sold in street cafes and I met some nice and interesting people. The coincidence would have it, that I ran into Scott, whom I had met two weeks earlier in Hoi An.
An interesting but very depressing experience was the Museum of War Remnants in Saigon. This museum focuses at the war crimes during the Vietnam War, by the U.S. and its allies. Unfortunately, the atrocities of the Viet Cong are not shown. The images of napalm, phosphorus and Agent Orange victims are profoundly depressing.
After four days in Saigon I took the bus to Phnom Penh. The only thing I had left of my motorcycle trip through Vietnam, were a motorcycle helmet and the memories of this great time.

Photos in the war remnants museum

Independence Day celebrations

Vietnam XIII, Vung Tau

I was driving on a coastal road from Mui Ne to Vung Tau. Fishing villages and hotel resorts divided the stretch of beach amongst each other. I was pleased with my bike until about forty kilometers off Vung Tau. At this point, I heard a clicking sound. Twenty kilometers still to go, there was a loud bang from inside the Minsk, the drive chain had broken. As always in such cases, I pushed the bike to the next workshop. There the mechanic started to work, immediately. But instead fixing the chain, he worked at the clutch. After ten minutes, during which he had badly adjusted my clutch, he followed my suggestion and opened the right panel. Then he had his lunch break, not too bad, so I could eat at a restaurant, as well. About forty minutes after the end of my lunch break, the mechanics showed up with a new chain. The process of replacing the chain took forever and during it, my kick-start was heavily damaged. In addition, the chain was a bit too long, so from that point on there was a loud clicking sound when my bike was running.
The bike was working again but the repair was not satisfactory at all. The new chain was too long, my clutch screwed and the kick-start only working to a limited degree. My position on the repair didn't suit the mechanic. He was convinced, that he had repaired the bike. There was a tense atmosphere. The mechanic asked for more than a fair amount of money for his work. This brought me to the brink of physical assault. But instead of throwing punches, I threw the money in his direction and left.
In the early evening I arrived in Vung Tau. The people of Vung Tau must have heard my bike from miles away. The experience in the workshop had ruined my day. I limited myself to the basics (shelter, food, beer) and was glad, that my built-up aggression did not unloaded itself at some street vendor.

No chance of getting tanned at the time I arrived at the beach.

Vietnam XII, Mui Ne

The way to Mui Ne followed highway 28. Any relationship to the word highway is in this road out of place. It is in places only wide enough for one car and steep switchbacks guaranteeing low truck traffic. Good conditions for motorcycle riders, if they do not have to deal with a gearlever coming loose, again. Somehow, I managed to drive 40 km in third gear. Then I got lever welded back in position.
Saturday afternoon I arrived at the beach resort of Mui Ne and found a guest house. My sleeping place cost me $5, including a balcony with sea view. The restaurant area of the guesthouse was attractively designed and food and drinks were cheap. While I was there, I chatted with the guesthouse owner and her son, who had come to visit.
A walk along the beach and a swim in the sea, where I was hit by the full force of the surf more than once followed the talk. In the evening I went into one of the open-air seafood restaurants across the street from my guest house to get dinner. Good food, cold beer and the view over the waves, dimly lit by the moonlight - it could have been worse.
On the second day I went to the sand dunes in the wider Mui Ne area. First I wanted to go to the farthest dune. But my spark plug went loose more than once, leading to some unintentional stops. Eventually I started to get bored, the idea to test my Minsk on a sand track popped up in my mind. Downhill, I could keep the bike on the slopes well, but in a flat part it stopped running. I had to bear the consequences and push a heavy white Russian motorcycle up a sand road under the merciless sun. After this experience, I turned around and stopped at the first dunes. A cold beverage, an action movie roll in the sand and a few photos later, I drove back towards Mui Ne. On the way to Mui Ne, I stopped twice. The first stop was to satisfy my spontaneous curiosity. I saw a row of small fish sauce factories, and wanted to know what exactly went on in there. With a little gesticulation I could explain what I wanted and was allowed to take pictures in the factory. The second stop was in Mui Ne; there you can follow up a river to a waterfall. Once all the children, that market themselves as guides, left behind the place stands up to its name (fairy spring). The river is not more than forty centimeters deep, and flows through a valley of dunes, sand stone and lush growth of plants.
In the afternoon I was again talking at length with the owner of my guest house. Eventually we went from my current job status to her son. He had the best qualifications to compete for a job at a bank in Saigon, but only got the job after a sum of $3,000 went to the director of the bank. His mother's savings were gone.
Before I left the next morning, the guesthouse owner read the future from my palm lines. It does not look bad for me, after all.

Fish sauce factory I

Fish sauce factory II