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Thailand & Vietnam - 2016
  • Rachael King

Thailand & Vietnam - 2016

A 17-day adventure by Rachael Read more
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  • Trip start
    April 10, 2016
  • Rachael KingThailand & Vietnam - 2016Rachael King

    Arrived!

    April 11, 2016 in Thailand ⋅ ⛅ 36 °C

    2 smooth flights and I'm knackered! I met Nat and Jack and the airport and her cousin outside. We got a taxi to our apartment, when we got here there was another couple who had been staying here due to translation issues so after a tactful argument Nat saved the day with her language skills!

    Lovely apartment with lovely views!    Read more

  • Rachael KingThailand & Vietnam - 2016Rachael King

    Ladyboys!

    April 11, 2016 in Thailand ⋅ 🌙 31 °C

    We ventured out and caught a boat to Asia Tique where we had some tea... I had the hottest thai green curry ever! We all shared the meals :-) then wandered round, taking in the sites :-)
    We bumped into Toni and Danny which was really nice to see them, didn't have long enough with them but we are meeting up later in the trip!
    Enjoyed some cocktails before heading to Patpong.. that were fun! Getting stopped every 2 minutes to see a 'pingpong' show... Ladyboys loved jack! It were crazy the amount of young girls working as prostitues sat in rows waiting for men, and the girls dancing in the bars were really young too
    Finishing the day with a tuktuk ride home! This is a motorbike with seats behind lol    Read more

  • Rachael KingThailand & Vietnam - 2016Rachael King

    Temples

    April 12, 2016 in Thailand ⋅ ☀️ 38 °C

    Today we visited the temples in Bangkok, of course white people have to pay and thai don't! They're really big building, really calming and relaxing atmosphere. We received a blessing of luck from a monk, along with a lucky bracelet :-)
    I then placed roses and lit candles and insense sticks to the god of love... so ill find love now surely haha!
    After the temples we went shopping :-) stuff is really cheap!    Read more

  • Rachael KingThailand & Vietnam - 2016Rachael King

    Happy new year!

    April 13, 2016 in Thailand ⋅ ⛅ 33 °C

    I spent the morning sunbathing and relaxing by the pool. I was laughing as the cleaner was out watering the plants and shocked that I was sunbathing; thai people want to keep their skin as white as possible and find it strange that I want to tan lol

    Thai new year lasts 3 days... They close off the streets and have massive water fights! Soo much fun!

    Nats friends from Hong Kong came and joined us and we went out for tea after a quick apartment stop for a shower :-)    Read more

  • Rachael KingThailand & Vietnam - 2016Rachael King

    Chiang Mai

    April 14, 2016 in Thailand ⋅ ☀️ 40 °C

    Feeling a little delicate we flew up north to Chiang Mai. Nats dad picked us up from the airport, he has a minibus so it seated all 6 of us plus her 3 brothers. We arrived at the apartment... its lovely! Nicer than the last one with a massive pool - no city view though haha

    We got changed really to celebrate new year again. Nats dad has a pickup tuck so we all got in the back with 2 barrels of water and water pistels (we went and got blocks of ice too) ready to drive through the town centre. It was heaving and had the biggest most fun water fight ever!    Read more

  • Rachael KingThailand & Vietnam - 2016Rachael King

    Party time!

    April 14, 2016 in Thailand ⋅ 🌙 37 °C

    Returning from the water fight we were freezing cold.. despite it being 40°!

    Had a dip in the pool and relaxing time, then got showered and ready for nats dad and brothers to pick us up. We went to a lovely restaurant.. In Thailand everyone shares all their meals so everyone gets to try all meals. For 10 people the total bill came to £80.. not bad eh?!
    The fish is served with the heads still on.. I thought is was odd!

    After the meal we headed out to a night club. Jack and I forgot to take our ID so initially they wouldn't let us in however Nats brother sorted this for us. Had a really good night apart from some silly lads had a fight and smashed all the glasses on the table, which I moved out the way but glass went in my sandals so I cut my feet open! First aider cleaned me up and I got a free cocktail haha and my feet okay!    Read more

  • Rachael KingThailand & Vietnam - 2016Rachael King

    ... and relax!

    April 15, 2016 in Thailand ⋅ ☀️ 37 °C

    Today Nat and Jack have gone to see Nats grandparents with the family so I said I would stay and relax by the pool today.

    Not going to lie, lying in bed hearing Nat and Jack leave at 7am after getting in at 3 was a good feeling hahaa. Amm also stayed with me at the apartment. Amm and I ventured to the local shopping mall for some lunch... There was a little indoor food market there with some amazing things that I hadn't got a clue what they were! Glad Amm was with me to order my chicken and rice lol

    We got back and had lunch followed by me sunbathing and swimming and Amm going to the gym!

    We went out for another lovely meal for tea!

    Such a chilled lovely day!    Read more

  • Rachael KingThailand & Vietnam - 2016Rachael King

    Mountain float

    April 16, 2016 in Thailand ⋅ 🌙 32 °C

    Today we got picked at 10am by Nat's dad and brothers, two other couples also joined us. We drove to a Thai market on the way to get ourselves food and alcohol. We also went to a Thai 'grand kanyon' (I thought it looked more like a quarry!)

    When we arrived it's 4 lovely bungalows on water, enough beds to sleep everyone in the same house :-)
    We had fun on the water activities, drinks and karaoke (Thai karaoke wasn't really my thing!lol) but had a good night all the same!

    All in all a lovely day!    Read more

  • Rachael KingThailand & Vietnam - 2016Rachael King

    Fun day!

    April 17, 2016 in Thailand ⋅ 🌙 31 °C

    We woke up at the mountain float... There was some sore heads that didn't make it to breakfast! Lol we had another play on the kanoes, sunbathed etc before heading back. Nats dad dropped 2 of the couples off at the market for them to get a taxi to their next destinations.

    We headed to the tiger farm... me and Jack went in and of course I wanted to go in with the large tiger... its safe to say we were both shitting it haha Jack actually hid behind a table lol. I didn't like the tiger farm as I felt it was such big animals in little cages :-(

    After the tigers we visited the 'long neck karen' village where the women stretch their necks to enhance their appearance... They showed us some of their scares underneath... looks painful!

    We then headed to the elephant sanctuary and when we arrived it had just closed! Gutted was only 2.45pm too!

    We went out for tea afterwards as nats dad's treat which was lovely. Followed by a night at a local accommodation, we got ourselves the most painful massage in the world! This was accompanied with the worst night sleep on a rock hard bed ready for a 5am start... great! Lol    Read more

  • Rachael KingThailand & Vietnam - 2016Rachael King

    Arrived :-)

    April 18, 2016 in Thailand ⋅ ⛅ 33 °C

    So I hardly slept at all last night as the bed was like sleeping on the floor! My back also wrecking after my ridiculously painful massage :-(

    We arrived in Krabi at the hotel, seems to be really nice! At last a beach!! Was only 9am when we arrived so we decided to check out the local area. We found a tourist excursion place and booked on an excursion for today and tomorrow. The one today leaving almost immediately, so we got our stuff together, grabbed some food and was picked up.

    We went to the 'Emerald pool' which is supposed to be really famous good place to go. When we arrived we had to trek for ages and was crammed! Looked like water surrounded by mud and shit loads of tourists to me haha!

    We then went to the 'hot spring waterfall' which was bloody hot! So nice on my back though after that massage!

    Followed by a bit of souvenir shopping and the elephant sanctuary... This was unbelievable, the elephants were so friendly and the guides great too.. even letting us sit of the elephants neck and feed them at the end :-) what a amazing experience!

    Towards the end of the day I began feeling really ill, having no energy, head ache, stomach ache and the shits! Really started to worry that this might last days... I fell asleep at 7pm and woke up for breakfast feeling much better. Missed out on a night out though!    Read more

  • Rachael KingThailand & Vietnam - 2016Rachael King

    The Beach!

    April 19, 2016 in Thailand ⋅ ⛅ 32 °C

    Got up bright and early this morning feeling fresh luckily! Had breakfast before being picked up to go island hoping on the Phi Phi islands.

    Had soo much fun! Lovely to relax and take in the sun, got around on a speed boat which was cool. We visited Maya Bay where the film 'The Beach' was filmed with Leonardo Decaprio. The tour guide was calling Jack Leonardo which was funny! The bay was absolutely rammed full of tourist haha. We had dinner then went snorkeling.

    Had a fabulous day and I'm burnt to a crisp!

    Just got back to the hotel, had a swim and a shower and going to head out tonight!    Read more

  • Rachael KingThailand & Vietnam - 2016Rachael King

    Bye bye krabi!

    April 20, 2016 in Thailand ⋅ ⛅ 36 °C

    Our last night in Krabi was a really good night. We had a meal not the best meal but hey Ho, then had drinks in other bars.. One or which gave us a jenga to play (I lost both games lol). We then met an Australian couple from melborne and had a few drinks and walked back with them.

    Got up this morning around 10ish and checked out to fly to my last stop in Thailand; Ko Samui. We got on the smallest plane in the world for a half hour flight with plane food included lol.    Read more

  • Rachael KingThailand & Vietnam - 2016Rachael King

    Amazing apartment!

    April 21, 2016 in Thailand ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

    We flew into the Ko Samui airport which was the smallest cutest airport with fresh flowers and only one luggage belt. Nats dad arranged for us to be picked up as this would be cheaper than a taxi, we headed to the apartment which was really hard to find and up a really steep hill.

    Toni and Danny had already arrived, the views are amazing!

    Danny hired a motorbike and went around the island adventuring only to get himself lost with 2% phone battery for hours lol. When he returned we was ready to go out... minus Jack as he continued to be ill from last night :-/. We had the most chilled meal on the sea front, followed by watching a fire show on a big bed with cocktails on the beach... beautiful!    Read more

  • Rachael KingThailand & Vietnam - 2016Rachael King

    Full moon party!

    April 21, 2016 in Thailand ⋅ 🌙 30 °C

    Today we got up fresh and hired mopeds to explore the island. Danny didn't get a helmet when he hired his so got pulled over by the police and fined 400baht... my mum will be pleased to know I wore mine! We all went shopping and bought ourselves t-shirts for the full moon party later on.

    We headed back to the apartment with some drinks to relax and get ready for the night.

    We were picked up to go to the full moon party... It was a full moon of course! Went down to the boats and caught a speedboat across to Koh Phangan where the party is held. When we got there there was food, drinks (buckets of booze) and body painters everywhere. Everyone were dressed in bright clothes and in such a good mood! We walked across the island to the beach where the madness began! Walking down the beach there were people skipping and playing limbo with fire... The lads of course joined in getting themselves burnt! Got myself a bucket of gin and tonic, we found a quieter spot where we could dance and be in the group without being pushed left right and centre! It was so hot and sweaty so water was being thrown everywhere too lol

    So many people were smashed really quickly (you'll be pleased to know I paced myself!) Danny in our group had a few to many so we had to catch the speedboat back earlier than I wanted to.. but we left as a group! The queue for the speedboat was horrific, we was all crammed into this tunnel thing for around an hour.. then when we got back to our island the taxi wouldn't take us back so we had a mammoth trek up the steep hill our apartment is based on!

    All in all it was an amazing experience! !    Read more

  • Rachael KingThailand & Vietnam - 2016Rachael King

    Off to Vietnam!

    April 22, 2016 in Thailand ⋅ ⛅ 33 °C

    We got up this morning and packed up from that amazing apartment! We took our cases to Toni and Dannys next hotel and left them their whilst we went and got some dinner. I ordered a thai red curry with duck and pinapple and Danny ordered a beef thai red curry, we both got our meals mixed up... I was eating his thinking this is funny duck and he was eating mine thinking why is there fat on my beef and pinapple in his curry, neither of us mentioned anything until the end of the meal! It was safe to say we were feeling a bit shattered !

    My suitcase wheels have broke today too! Great!

    Nat, Jack and I left to go to the airport to fly back to Bangkok. Got myself a cheeky lipstick with my left over baht! I'm now waiting for go to Hanoi now and have said goodbye to them all!

    Goodbye Thailand you beautiful place!!    Read more

  • Rachael KingThailand & Vietnam - 2016Rachael King

    Good morning Vietnam!

    April 23, 2016 in Vietnam ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

    I got a taxi from the airport to the hostel around 9pm last night. When I arrived at the hostel it seemed really nice, good atmosphere and friendly people. I were pretty tired from all the travelling so I got my head down early.

    I got up bright and early this morning, went down for breakfast and got chatting to an Canadian girl and we went on a free walking tour of Hanoi provided by the hostel.

    The traffic in Hanoi is crazy, just in one day I saw 4 accidents! It makes Thailand look tame! I also had no idea on the currency as it's 32,000dong to £1 so I got screwed over a few times!

    We walked by this lake and there were hundreds of just married couples having their pictures took... apparently it's good luck this lake. Walking though the markets was interesting... turtles to eat and flies on everything! There was even chickens with roses in which people buy for their wedding dinner! We also stopped at a coffee shop where people drink coffee with a raw egg cracked in, then on to a restaurant where a tried some good old chicken and rice from Vietnam lol

    Getting back to the hostel I joined in some drinking games and chatting to some more people. I booked on a Halong Bay tour for tomorrow. There is a pub crawl every evening from the hostel at 9pm so I went out on that however shortly after we set off I got a migraine which gutted me so I made my way back to the hostel ready for my early start tomorrow!    Read more

  • Rachael KingThailand & Vietnam - 2016Rachael King

    Ha Long Bay!

    April 24, 2016 in Vietnam ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

    I booked on a trip to the 'castaways island' which is a private island owned by the hostel company in Halong Bay.

    Most people booked onto the trip for 2 nights but unfortunately I did not have enough time to do the full trip so I booked on for one night. It was a 5 hour journey from Hanoi by bus, ferry, bus then boat! It was throwing it down in Hanoi in the morning so I was really grateful when we arrived and it was sunny! We had a whole island to ourselves (it was actually just the beach though!) Soo pretty!

    When we arrived I got chatting to other people on the trip, we spent time sunbathing then went tubing (being pulled behind a speed boat on a big inflatable) which was so much fun! Worst part was I broke a nail lol. Got myself showered and spent the evening partying!

    The food here is pretty shocking, same for lunch and tea... dry chicken and tofu. Wouldn't actually feed it my dog haha!    Read more

  • Rachael KingThailand & Vietnam - 2016Rachael King

    Last night!

    April 25, 2016 in Vietnam ⋅ 🌙 26 °C

    It was a long, hot journey back from halong bay! Boat, bus, ferry then bus...

    I was glad to get back to the hostel and showered. The hostel was much quieter than when I left so there was only one other girl in my room. It was her first night of her travels and my last so we got chatting and thought we would go get some food together. After tea we checked out the night markets where we both bought a few bits then headed to the other hostel for a few drinks to join the pub crawl!

    We didn't stay out too long though!

    (I'm getting really rubbish at taking pictures without Nat!!)    Read more

  • Rachael KingThailand & Vietnam - 2016Rachael King

    Amazing trip!

    April 26, 2016 in Vietnam ⋅ ⛅ 32 °C

    Got up this morning with my legs and feet absolutely covered in bites! I think they got me when walking around last night... I had done so well not getting them all trip too! (I uploaded you a photo of my minging foot mwaha!)

    I chilled out at the hostel through the morning chatting to other travellers hearing about their plans and experiences. I walked to a chemist to get some rubbish bite cream before catching a taxi to the airport!

    I'm currently sat at the airport, I arrived way to early so I'm now bored out my tree ready to head home!

    I asked them if they would upgrade me to business class which they refused boo!

    All in all that I've had one amazing trip!! A big thank you to Nat for the invite to Thailand and for all the hard work she put into planning!! 😚😚😚    Read more

    Trip end
    April 26, 2016
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