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4 kids world tour year
  • Ezyian
  • Flo M
  • Ezyian
  • Flo M

4 kids world tour year

With mum and dad, we visit 36 countries on a world tour in 365 days. We visit schools, homes, and hospitals to experience the lives of other children Read more
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  • 4 kids world tour year

    Middle Nation - 中国 – zhōng guó)

    May 22, 2023 in China ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    After a false start two days ago, we made it into Tianamen Square and around the Forbidden City (not inside the palace). It's a strange mix of two bygone eras. The Imperial Era and the People's Republic before Deng Xaoping. Mao blends effortlessly into the palace entrance, and he will look down forever on the square.

    Inside the complex is huge, and we are pleasantly surprised by how tranquil it is. At least today, when the inside is closed. Lots of trees, lots of pavilions, and at the back ponds and a canal.

    We ended the day the same way as each of the previous nights at a local restaurant with the same menu ( see photos and translation). Then, to prepare for tomorrow's journey we went shopping in a Chinese supermarket . Quite an experience, really fun.

    The headline: China means literally "Middle Nation" - 中国 – zhōng guó)    Read more

  • 4 kids world tour year

    1148km at 350km an hour...but

    May 23, 2023 in China ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    Today we travel to the city of XiAn by high speed train. In this case, high speed really is to be taken literally. In 4 hours and 11 minutes, we cover 1148 km even with stops. Most of the time, we are moving at 350km/h.

    That kind of speed, for such a distance, is unimaginable almost anywhere else, but here in China, it's not even exceptional. There are 40,000 km of high-speed track, and there are real plans to expand that to 70,000km.

    It's an example of just how modern China is and how it follows a clear strategy . Some in Europe may complain that this cost nearly $900bn, but it's a huge asset. It's environmentally friendly and it has a good safety record. Its punctuality matches the Swiss. All in all, it's simply stunning.

    Add to that a super metro in Beijing that has 16 lines, runs every 2 or 3 minutes, and costs 50c a ticket, and you have a fully integrated modern transport system. Same in Xi An.

    Finally, for the last kilometres, there are on demand bicycles , or you can have your own (in Beijing electric only) scooter. The electric scooters and cars mean the city is quieter and the air is cleaner.

    ... but the housing for citizens has not kept up. Most live in rather faceless towers with little or no landscaping.    Read more

  • 4 kids world tour year

    I wasn't a fan of terra cotta till today

    May 24, 2023 in China ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    Because today I saw that you can use it to do much more interesting things than plant pots and roof tiles.

    The terracotta army at Xi An dates to 200 BC, and President of Chirac of France once called it the 8th wonder of the world. He may have been angling for some big contracts, and hence, he said things to please, but he was certainly not exaggerating too much.

    First, the army is massive, 8000 soldiers all about 20% taller than life size, of which 1800 are currently on display at thier iriginal location.

    Secondly, the sculptures are refined. Each one is unique, and the level of detail, right down to the soles of the shoes having intricate treads, is quite astonishing.

    The motivation for the army, as guards for the emperor in the afterlife, is similar to that of the ancient Egyptians our guide Mary tells us. She also explains that the craftsmen who made the terracotta soldiers were maybe motivated to do a very good job because the penalty for poor work was death.

    Unfortunately for even the good ones their work often ended in a horrendous death because the emperor wanted to keep the whole thing secret, so when he dies a lot of craftsmen were entombed alive and poised with mercury.

    So now, when I think of terra cotta, I have a whole new perspective.

    It's really special, goes on my list of highly recommended.    Read more

  • 4 kids world tour year

    I usually detest musicals...

    May 25, 2023 in China ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

    ... but today I enjoyed the strangely titled "The camels and the bell." It's a romantic and tragic story of two men who leave China to travel the silk road to Europe to sell silk and bring back other things. There is lots of drama en route: floods, volcanoes, sand storms, and worst of all, an attack by wolves. The wolves kill one of the two men. His friends offer of steamed bread couldn't save him. (At least that's what the subtitles said). The other returns home to a grand wedding.

    The whole thing is an extraordinary experience. The theatre is huge with about 3000 seats. The entire seating rotates to show 6 different stages. Actors fly in and out. Video and laser effects, and then real water for a big waterfall. Of course, the camels and wolves are real. The cast is 100 or more.

    There are 4 or 5 shows a day, sold out, and about 80,000 per week. Truly Chinese scale.

    It's all a bit weird, but a genuine experience of modern China. Not bad at all. Do it if you can, you won't forget it. The music is cheesy, and the story is basic, but it's not about that.

    FYI, the last musical I enjoyed was "The King and I," which I saw in London as a schoolboy in 1973. The film of that is not bad either.    Read more

  • 4 kids world tour year

    Food glorious food

    May 25, 2023 in China ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    I have been to China 3 times before on business and once very briefly for a day during our honeymoon. Of course, I had lunches and dinners, and I think they were quite good, but really, they were nowhere near as good as what we have experienced in China so far on this trip.

    Time after time we have delicious food, and what's more it's fun. Whether that's in a normal restaurant, a worker's restaurant, or street food, what is striking is the range and quality of food. Vegetables and meat are perfectly cooked, beer for mum and dad (x2), all for $60 or less. In six days so far, only one meal that disappointed. We hope the trend continues.    Read more

  • 4 kids world tour year

    Higher, Faster

    May 28, 2023 in China ⋅ ☀️ 32 °C

    Shanghai is the business capital of China. It has the world's 2nd highest building and its fastest train, amongst other things. And today, precisely those two things interested the kids, so off we went to the Shanghai Tower (650m) and the Maglev railway ( 430 km/h).

    China loves construction, and it loves infrastructure, and it sure makes a difference to quality of life in terms of journey times, and in terms of air quality. Just 10 years ago, the air here would attack your throat. No more of that. Indeed, China leads the way with electric scooters, cars, and avoiding car use by providing trains. It's just so impressive. It makes the US look like a 3rd world country and Europe a 2nd rate player. The idea that we can somehow tame the tiger is wishful thinking. This place has built a solid, future ready platform.

    Getting back to today, the techy parts were a particular joy for Lennox, and the girls and Oscar loved it, too. The girls not knowing the plan wore their Chinese clothes. Looked great.

    We stay this time for the 1st time in China in a homestay. The owner and managers are a lady and her mother who live in the apartment. A new experience how little space they have, and this is a pretty upmarket neighbourhood. The two ladies are extremely helpful. You need a bank... let me take you. You need clothes repaired... let me take you... you want clothes washed? Just give them to us.    Read more

  • 4 kids world tour year

    Shanghai by night

    May 29, 2023 in China ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    Today, the kids did home schooling till about 1500, and then we slowly made our way downtown.

    We wandered slowly long the main shopping street ( Nanjing Road), which is full of empty big brand shops and occasionally fake brands. The street itself is ham packed with Chinese headed to or coming back from where we are headed.

    Our primary target was to have a Chinese fondue. Nothing by that name here, but something vaguely similar is "hot pot." That went down a treat.

    The second target was to go to the river after sunset to see the light shows on the big skyscrapers. That really is something spectacular and pretty unique. We all loved it.

    The videos may give a better impression of what it's like than photos on this occasion .    Read more

  • 4 kids world tour year

    45s late

    May 31, 2023 in China ⋅ 🌙 30 °C

    Today, we continued our criss-crossing of China. This time, we went from Shanghai to Yangshou in the South. About 1600km. The find penguins software thinks we flew, but of course, we took the high-speed train. This time, it went at a modest 300km/h. En route, there were about 10 stops in cities people in the west have never heard of, but they are all huge cities. Nanching ( 6 million), Pingxiang ( 1.8 million), Zhucheng (1.1 million),Hengyangdong (6.6 million), and so on. It's not surprising that the names are less well known since China has over 100 cities of more than a million.

    This is a bit clichéd, but most of these big cities look the same, namely endless sets of towers. The one big positive is that wherever possible, the chinese plant trees, shrubs, and plants, so despite the faceless towers, the streets are green and pleasant.

    Small panic today at the train entry gate since my ticket didn't work ( one number in my passport was wrong). I was expecting serious problems, but the inspector said just go to the train. At the exit, it also didn't work, but after trying a couple of times to scan my passport, the lady gave up. I'm not sure what to make of the strict controls, but there is no follow-up.

    The 1st photo is the viw from the room.

    The next few days, we plan to slow down and enjoy the beautiful countryside . Let's see if that works.

    I nearly forgot to mention that we arrived here 45s late. That's Swiss punctuality for 5 times the distance.    Read more

  • 4 kids world tour year

    Yangshuo - a true natural wonder

    June 1, 2023 in China ⋅ ☁️ 30 °C

    After the big cities, we are now in Yangshou for 5 days. In terms of natural beauty, the place is in the top 10 globally. It's simply stunning.

    It's also hot and humid ( so humid most people drip sweat after 10 minutes), so for the 1st day, we are taking it easy. That doesn't mean do nothing since that is not in our genes, but it does mean we limit ourselves to a 2 hour walk in town for essentials like flop flops, sunscreen, and pain relief .

    Shopping is always a bit of an adventure. Today, we see they sell single slices of flavoured toast, and we saw the largest ever selection of pot noodles.    Read more

  • 4 kids world tour year

    Sweaty, beautiful walk

    June 2, 2023 in China ⋅ ☁️ 29 °C

    Today, we went for a walk along the Li River. The strange mountains on either side, covered with thick giant bamboo and trees, are simply stunning.
    In typical Asian style, the 1st 2 or 3km was busy with tourists on boats, scooters, and golf carts. The boats have noisy 2-stroke engines. So the first area is beautiful but busy and rather noisy.
    Then, at one point, the masses dissappear , the boats become infrequent, and the scooters are no more. So then we had the beauty of this place and the peace ( except for occasional arguments between the kids 🤔 ).

    The walk is flat, so we could, in theory, walk all day, except for the fact that the humidity means we all sweat like pigs and need to stop frequently for breaks and refreshments.    Read more

  • 4 kids world tour year

    The last will and testament of Ian

    June 3, 2023 in China ⋅ ☀️ 32 °C

    Luckily, my idea to urgently renew my testament turned out to be unnecessary. I am one of those people with a bad fear of heights. So, as the toughest cognitive therapy ever, we went to peak Ruyi. This has several parts, anyone of which can cause panic.

    1. The 3 stage cable car made by the French 🤣. It crosses no less 3 very deep ravines. Scary rating 8 out of 10.

    2. Rope and wooden walkway 400m above the valley. Complete with gaps between the planks and a side rope to hold on made for midgets. Scary rating 9 out of 10

    3. Peak viewing area. Floor made of wood with gaps. Scary rating 7 out of 10

    4. Glass walkways about 50m up. Scary rating 9 out if 10

    5. Glass walkway along a cliff face for 200m. Scary rating 10 out of 10.

    To my great surprise, as the song goes. "I did it all, I did it my way." My way involved walking in ways that Flo and the kids laughed their heads off at. Oh well, I don't care, I get an A+ from my non existant therapist.

    Footnote: I think my modest improvement may be due to taking beta blockers. These drugs block and limit adrenaline. I've noticed that they also reduce anxiety in other situations. So if you suffer, it's worth considering. But beta blockers can have other significant side effects.    Read more

  • 4 kids world tour year

    As far as we know, no dog...

    June 6, 2023 in China ⋅ 🌧 26 °C

    but we have had literally whole duck ( head and bill included), whole chicken, with a plate of extra feet, pole [dancing?] chicken, and all sorts of skin and other bits. With minor exceptions, the food has been excellent, and moreover, the main areas with restaurants are lively and fun. Lots of bright lights, street stalls, music, singing the occasional giant panda, frog, peacock, and of course throngs of people.

    These areas do feel a bit kitchy at times, but there is no doubt the chinese passion for food and fun. It's a very memorable experience .

    I will come back later to politics , but from what we have seen, considering the immense challenges in such a populous nation, many aspects of life are good. People seem content and happy. They are certainly overwhelmingly friendly and helpful. I think those looking for a way to "deal" with China need to come here and understand that, actually, the government probably has massive support from the people on many things. This isn't a fragile society. It's a safe place, I know that has a price, but one young chinrse told us he loved Europe but that he was robbed three times in 18 months there. Lennox went to the hospital yesterday, was seen by a Dr, samples taken, test results, and diagnosis within an hour. Hospital largely empty, plenty staff. The cost of all that care is $5. So, some things here work like a dream. It's not perfect, and I wouldn't want to live here, but it needs to be understood and its considerable achievements respected. Nixon got one thing right. To get results in China, go see them and engage them.    Read more

  • 4 kids world tour year

    Bye Bye China

    June 7, 2023 in China ⋅ ☁️ 27 °C

    After 20 days, we are saying goodbye to China. This is one of the places that exceeded my expectations, and I think it exceeded the expectations of the others, too.

    China is politically controversial, but I think that Nixon got it right, that despite differences, despite very different politics and values related to individual freedom, you almost have no choice but to engage to make mutual progress.

    China is far, far too big, and now far too advanced to ignore, to pretend that the West can contain it ( whatever that means). Indeed, progress can be made if we acknowledge the incredible successes of China in improving living standards, improving the environment ( something I thought impossible when I last visited in 2012) , and building very impressive infrastructure all across the country.

    What wasn't clear to me before this visit were four things. First, just how helpful and friendly the Chinese are. I don't think there was anything we asked that wasn't helped at or beyond our expectations. Indeed, we were offered help at our homestay without asking. Second, although most towns' architecture is endless towers, the streets are pleasantly lined with trees and plants. Third, the countryside is often pretty. Indeed, in many areas, the landscapes are stunning. Overall, the impression is of a very green and pleasant land. Fourth, Chinese know how to have fun and eat wonderful food. The streets are bright, the crowds are cheerful, and the restaurants offer endless possibilities.

    In summary it's a great place to visit, and if you want to understand it, you have no other option than to come here like we did.    Read more

  • 4 kids world tour year

    Good Morning Vietnam

    June 8, 2023 in Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 31 °C

    … is a great film, as is Apocalypse Now, but if you want to know the real story of this country I can only recommend the brilliant documentary by Burns, simply titled “The Vietnam War”. I don’t know of any other documentary that brilliantly explains the 20th century history of a country, and in doing so, it explains very well the cultural and political changes in France and the USA.
    The children know a little bit about the Vietnam war, because we encountered its long term effects in Laos when we visited the medical rehabilitation centre for the victims of cluster bombs that still go off to this day, but I am going to let them watch at least the 1st episode of Ken Burns work, so that they see the terrible mistakes the French and the Americans made here.
    Florence and I were here on our honeymoon (9 weeks though much of Asia) in 2007, so we know a little of this country already and we are keen to see how much its changed in recent years.
    We arrived in Vietnam after a rather bizarre journey to leave China. We were in Nanning which is the closest city to Vietnam in China, and we had originally planned to take the train from there to Hanoi, but when I applied for the Chinese visas, the service was still suspended due to Covid (April 2023!), so I was forced to buy flight tickets, since I needed proof of how we would leave China. So we had flight tickets Nanning to Shenzhen, and then Shenzhen to Hanoi, because curiously there are no flights from Nanning to Hanoi. Just for fun, the airline cancelled the connecting flight from Nanning to Shenzhen and booked us two days earlier, which, of course, was impossible because we had not even arrived in Nanning two days earlier I spent the best part of a day trying to find another way out at a reasonable cost. (If money is no problem, there is always a solution) So we ended up taking the train to Shenzhen, which meant a 5 hour train journey, plus an hour at either end on the metro. I forgot to say that now the train to Hanoi has resumed, but we lacked clarity on whether we could cross the border visa free, as this seems to only be allowed at major airports. There is an e-visa, but this is only usable at a limited number of (air)ports. So the aeroplane it was, and for good measure, the only flight leaves China at midnight and arrives in Hanoi at 1am. Just for fun, the Vietnamese have the slowest passport control we have experienced to date, so we eventually got to the hotel and bed around 3am. First time we slept so long that we missed breakfast.    Read more

  • 4 kids world tour year

    Ninh Binh - wonderful but brutally hot

    June 10, 2023 in Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 31 °C

    Not as well known as Halong Bay, or Yangshuo, but every bit as beautiful is Ninh Binh. It has the added charm of being far less busy than both. Add to that on the main river and ponds the shallow boats are propelled by silent oars and not noisy 2 stroke motors.

    We were rowed for a full three hours on the river, though long caves, with a few stops at idyllic and isolated temples.

    The boat comes with a rower. A local lady whose age is very difficult to guess in her 40s, 50s, and 60s? She quietly did her job, only raising her voice when a cave was so low that we could have bumped our heads.

    After a late lunch, we walked around the temples that had briefly been the capital around the year AD 1000.

    It was hot, very hot, and max humidity, too, so we were all wilting in the heat. As a result, when all the others visited a 3rd site, I decided to sit it out and chill in the shade. That worked for a while, but then came Helen and her brother. A local 9 year old, determined to practice her English. Her English is already remarkablely good. Her brother, too, but he was a bit shy. So we talked for over an hour till Flo and the kids came back, and we took some photos of all the kids.

    It must have been really hot as even Helen complained about the heat, even at 6pm.    Read more

  • 4 kids world tour year

    Nice scenery & gigantic goat testicles

    June 11, 2023 in Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 31 °C

    Day 2 of our travels by boat through the lovely river and caves on Ninh Binh. The pictures speak for themselves. Again, a boat rowed by a lady, but this time she uses her feet to row, as do all the others on this river.

    In the evening we went back to the same restaurant as yesterday. Great spring rolls, both raw and fried, and in addition, wraps we make ourselves with rice paper, goat meat, pineapple, and rice.

    There are many restaurants here, but curiously, more than half have the same advert for goat and fried rice that features a goat with very large testicles. See 1st photo. I'm not sure what these bollocks are supposed to tell us. This picture is shown 20 times or more in different restaurants.    Read more

  • 4 kids world tour year

    Halong Bay - strangely quiet

    June 13, 2023 in Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 32 °C

    Halong Bay is probably the best-known spot in Vietnam, and as a result, it almost certainly has the most visitors. Last time Flo and I were here, there were more boats than in the Spanish Armada. They all left Halong at midday in a typically chaotic fashion.

    This time, none of that today. I'm not sure why, but there were only a few tourists . So much so that there were only 10 on our boat. Us 6, an older couple from Brazil, and a young couple from Canada.

    The trick was probably to use a boat from Cat Ba Island and not Halong Bay town, and to start at 0830, not midday.

    We were out all day, cruising, then kayaking, then swimming. Nice buffet lunch on the boat, more swimming and cruising, and then finally a visit to a fish farm, that bore no resemblance whatever to European fish farms. It was a small family business with very few fish. So few we could almost count them.

    I had asked before we arrived what Flo thought they were farming , and I ventured it might be shrimp, crab, or lobster. I couldn't have been more wrong. They farmed big fish, really big fish that weigh 80 kg each. Sharks, Groupers, and tiger fish. The sharks take 15 years to grow and sell for about $800 each.

    We walked along the wooden, slippery planks that separated the tanks. No health and safety officers here. Of course, the kids loved it, and the adults found it fascinating, too.    Read more

  • 4 kids world tour year

    Happy Buddha & the Viet Cong

    June 17, 2023 in Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 32 °C

    If you are my age and you lived through the last years of the Vietnam war with regular broadcasts from the BBC, then it's difficult to be in Vietnam and think about anything else than that war. I made it even more difficult by rewatching Ken Burns' incredible documentary of the war, whilst we have been here.

    A few days ago, we were in Hanoi, and then later, we were in Halong Bay/Hai Phong, which are two places where far more bombs were dropped than on London, Dresden or Tokyo. They are so normal now, but what were they like in the late 60s and early 70s?

    I wanted to ask our hosts multiple times. Did your parents fight in the war? But I didn’t do it. I didn’t even pose the question today as we went through Vietcong tunnels with a guide near Saigon. It just felt wrong to ask.

    Visiting the tunnels brought to life the scenes I had seen from the war, The sheer scale of the tunnels is incredible, as is the fact that they were less than 50km from Saigon. I was totally astonished when the guide said the underground town here housed 18,000 people, mostly Viet Cong guerrillas. All living below ground to stay out of sight of spotter planes and bombers.

    I crawled through some of the tunnels on my knees, and I didn’t go through the narrowest ones. “Kept narrow to keep out fat American soldiers”. The guide said that nowadays they were less narrow than in the past , and so you happy Buddha ( he meant me with my belly), can get through. Hmm, I was not so sure for some tunnels.

    The site also has many old bomb casings and bomb craters, but it also has somewhat perversely a shooting range where you can use an AK47 or an M71. Bullets for sale at a mere $2 each. I demurred.

    Nowadays, Saigon has tripled in size to 9 million people, and it feels like 9 million motor scooters, They are everywhere. They move in swarms like bees. The city is vibrant and fun, although the hot spots for nightlife do feel like they have the same offers as when the US soldiers were on rest and recreation. The children were both fascinated by the bustling streets and put off by the women whose role seemed difficult to place, but at best, it was dubious.

    To end on a positive note, we had a very positive experience here. The country is stunning, the people are very friendly and super helpful. They are freer than in China. It's well worth a visit even if you were born after 1975,but I say again there is no better historical documentary than Ken Burns “The Vietnam War”. OK, I admit a degree of obsession.    Read more

  • 4 kids world tour year

    New innovative transport to Cambodia

    June 18, 2023 in Cambodia ⋅ ☁️ 28 °C

    We have travelled by many modes of transport, but not up till now in a sleeper bus Cambodian style. I naively imagined buses like the ones in Chile, Peru, and Bolivia with big, comfy, reclining seats. To get a better view, I asked for the top level.

    My imagination clashed pretty harshly with reality. The bus is not a double decker. Instead, it squeezes in 3 rows of bunk beds! And we were on the top level, so I can't sit up stuck under the roof.

     Never mind, there wasn't that much to see, as the road from Ho Chi Minh to the border is an almost continuous line of shops. That said on the Cambodian side, it changes to lush green countryside with occasional views of the Mekong River.

    The journey in total is rather annoying as 220km takes over 8 hours, with unexplained long stops. The border added to the annoyance since they did not accept our e-visas, and we ended up paying $180 for sticky paper ones. Oh well :)

    It's dark as we arrive in Phnom Penh. The first impression is that it's very different from HCM (Saigon). Let's see what the reality is in the coming days.    Read more

  • 4 kids world tour year

    Phnom Penh - Genocide to modern city

    June 20, 2023 in Cambodia ⋅ ☁️ 32 °C

    In 1975, the Khmer Rouge emptied Phnom Penh in 3 days, sending all city dwellers to work in the countryside. Those who didn't go were killed or arrested. Then, for the next 3 years and 10 months, the killing never stopped. Across the country, 190 schools and temples were converted to prisons, and nearly 300 killing fields were set up. Their only purpose was to kill and bury out of sight. The victims were anyone with an education, anyone they perceived as a threat, and anyone who stepped out of line. Crazily, if one person fell into one of those categories, they would often kill the whole family.

    Today, we visited one prison and one killing field. The kids didn't get to see the most graphic photos of torture and killings, but they did hear the history of the prison from a guide whose mother was a survivor. We all met a man, now 52, who survived the prison.

    It was almost unbearable to listen to the 52 year old. The story of him as a 9 year old who lost his mother in the last months of the regime is totally heartbreaking. All genocide is mad, but what happened here was so extreme. 3 million out of 8 million dead in less than 4 years.

    Horrible, but I hope the children will learn from this tragedy.

    The city is now a bustling one of 3 million people. The barman tells me that Chinese like to buy apartments in the many high-rise condominiums that are springing up. We had fun yesterday touring the city in a touk touk, but our plans to dine on street food were washed away by a storm.    Read more

  • 4 kids world tour year

    Biggest city in the world...

    June 22, 2023 in Cambodia ⋅ ☀️ 34 °C

    ... around 1200 A.D. was the Khmer city of Angkor with about 1 million inhabitants. The city was the centre of the Khmer empire for much of its existence ( 800-1431). The empire covered Cambodia and large parts of Laos and Siam ( Thailand). For most of its existence, it was a Hindu state, but towards the end, it became Buddhist

    Like all empires, it fell apart, though historians are not sure why. The city and its temples were abandoned, and the jungle took over, and that, of course, is
    the unique attraction here. The mix of vast areas of quite well-preserved ruins is partially overgrown by huge jungle trees with gigantic overground roots.

    It's well known for scenes in the film Tomb Raiders, but not so many non Asian tourists come here as it's off the beaten track and requires a special effort to come here. That said, there are normally innumerable Chinese tourists, as we experienced already in 2007, but luckily, right now, there are next to none, since post Covid Chinese tourism is only just restarting.

    We asked the locals how they survived the 3 year tourist drought, and part of the answer was a massive infrastructure investment that the government moved forward. 38 new roads, a new airport for bigger planes, and more. The downside of this is that prices and land prices have dramatically increased, and so many new places are owned by Chinese. In 15 years, land went from $10 a square meter to $500! The price per night of the hotel we stayed in in 2007 is up 150% in real terms, so unaffordable for us now, but luckily we found a very nice place that is moderately priced. I'm not sure how long that kind of option will be available .

    It's a must-see place , so I recommend that if you don't have piles of spare cash, not to wait too long to come here.    Read more

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    Deja vu

    June 24, 2023 in Cambodia ⋅ ☁️ 31 °C

    This morning, we went for a 2nd time to Angkor to see our favourite part, the temple Ta Prohm with its magnificent trees, and we also visited Banteay Kdei temple.

    @ Gregor, I took photos of the kids next to the tree roots to give you an idea of their enormous size. There is also a picture of a tree base with a wall that was there long before going through it.

    The 2nd deja vu, is that I'm 2007 I took some pictures of a beautiful woman here. Amazingly, she was in the same spot today and looked just as good.    Read more

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    Feeding the crocodiles

    June 24, 2023 in Cambodia ⋅ ☁️ 34 °C

    After being "templed out," we went this afternoon to Sap Lake to see the riverbank houses on long, shaky looking stilts and the floating village at the end of the lake.

    Those are interesting to see, but if my memory is right, the number of dwellings has declined sharply. I suspect though its still much the same in Burma, as here it's almost certainly tourism that gives people enough money to have a more substantial home in Siem Reap. (We all want progress. After all, we almost all live in centrally heated houses, unlike our grandparents)

    At the floating village, they farm fish and crocodiles. A dream for the children and even more so as they can feed the crocs. That involves more than just tossing them a fish. Instead, we have a pole with me at the back as anchor man and the kids in front. The boatman repeatedly says, " Mind your fingers." We slowly lower the fish, and the crocs leap to try to catch it. We do this four times until the crocodiles finish off the fish. Kids were ecstatic.    Read more

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    Beautiful, messy and loud

    June 28, 2023 in Thailand ⋅ ☁️ 28 °C

    I have never been to the southern coasts and islands of Thailand. We had planned to go there last October, but because the weather forecast was terrible, we went to Laos instead.

    So here we are, finally. The weather forecast is again very bad, but so far, on day 3, we have had mostly good weather.

    We are staying on Phi Phi island, which is unarguably very beautiful, but unfortunately, it's been turned into a mess by tourism and/or poor management of the land.

    The town is densely packed with bars and restaurants. massage parlours(?) and multiple tattoo shops. It's the first place in Asia where English tourists are the majority, and the whole place is set up to cater for them.

    On the pretty beach behind the town, bars blast out music with heavy baselines, so loud it can be clearly heard 2km away. That goes on till 3am.

    We are rather lucky to be far from town, but not far enough to escape the baselines. It's also not that easy to get to our place as the coastal path is in poor shape. Beware of twisting ankles.

    The place itself has some charm, with huts on stilts in the jungle facing the beautiful bay, but the staff are often unfriendly and incapable of simple tasks. The manager is quite helpful, but she is not on site and is only reachable on chat. Very strange setup. It's cheap at $65 per day for all of us, but it's not for me, as you may have guessed already.    Read more

  • 4 kids world tour year

    Stormy Weather

    July 1, 2023 in Thailand ⋅ 🌧 28 °C

    Today, we left Phi Phi to head to Phuket before we fly to Bangkok tomorrow. It turned into a trial of endurance.

    1st, we have to get from the hotel ( or jungle camp) to the boat. Normally, it takes 30 minutes, but today, the receptionist said it might take an hour because the path is very slippy. That's because we have an ongoing tropical rainstorm. In Scotland, we scientifically call this " pissing it down."

    She was half right. It took 45 minutes. After a maximum of 10 minutes, we were all soaked .

    That was the easy part. Next came the 2 hour ferry. In the harbour, there was no real warning of what was about to hit us. Just out of the harbour, it started. The boat rolled from side to side and lept up and down. This went on for the entire journey. Some people became hysterical, many ( half?) , donated their breakfast to the fish. Luckily, we all kept our breakfasts. The same happened in Iceland on rough seas. Apparently, we are made of stronger stuff.

    As we got off the boat, both Flo and I had to think of warning the boarding passengers about their fate, but we didn't do it. Why should we spoil the fun.    Read more

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