Monthly Archives: September 2015

Kuala Lumpur to Vietnam

Kuala Lumpur was a surprising city with lots to see and do, an amazing skyline of towers, domes and skyscrapers.

We had a lovely evening with Chris and Julia and even showed them our accommodation, not surprisingly they did not want to swap for the night – they had a junior suite in the Majestic whereas we had a box room in China Town see the pictures.

We’re now in North Vietnam, we spent a couple of days in chaotic Hanoi, lots of traffic and noise.

Back on our bikes and really enjoying the freedom and peace and quiet. The views are stunning, the temperature is really hot it is like cycling into a freshly opened oven door but worth it, it is like stepping back in time.

The people are a little reserved but happy to smile and say hello if we make the first move.

Our diet continues to be noodles or rice but now it is served in a soup or broth no wonder we’re losing weight, it is really hard to take on calories, the most calorific thing we eat or drink is beer and fortunately for us it is cheaper than tea and available everywhere a real contrast to Java.

We only have a 15 day visa for Vietnam, so we are slowly making our way to the Laos border.

Hope everyone is well

Take care until our next up date

Love Gary and Ginette

: House on stilts Mai Chau

: workers crossing the field

: view of Mau Chau valley

: our German and Austrian friends

: Gary cycling up a mountain

: Ginette taking a rest at 49 degree c

: view on the way up 2700ft climb

: Gary cooling down in a polluted waterfall

: beautiful view

: market at one of the bends on a long climb

: view back to the mountain

: smiley Net with her little lumps

: Gary doing chinese belly

: Oh Dam

: beer o’clock

: down in one – I don’t think so

: Gary’s carnivore feast – with claws yuk

: boat people

: two Gary’s sharing a beer in Hanoi

: Ok be honest which would you order?

: low down bum in a roadside cafe – check out the small stools

: views of rural Vietnam

: lot of houses like this on route to Hoa Binh

: lost??

: inside Hanoi prison – Hilton Hanoi as the imprisoned American Pilots called it

: Hanoi

: Hanoi street food sellers

: Hanoi

: Hanoi

: Colonial French influence – Hanoi

: wiring over the streets of Hanoi

: big load

: lovely evening with Julia and Chris

: Buta Caves

: Hindu God – Buta Caves

: Twin Towers Hanoi

: butterfly in the gardens in Hanoi

: Gary with the Dragon dancers

: Hindu temple Kuala Lumpur

: can you read the caption – so apt

: backdrop KL tower

: Kuala Lumpur museum

: our room in KL

: our room in KL

Good bye Bali Hello Kuala Lumpur

Good bye Bali hello Kuala Lumpur

Bali has been a restful and interesting island. We have seen lots and lots of lovely Hindu temples and you never seem to be far away from a religious festival, these are great to cycle through as there are lots of banners and people dressed in traditional clothing.

Bali is a holiday island full of Australians, bars and restaurants. We’ve been to some great surfing beaches, climbed a volcano and stayed in some interesting accommodation but we’re ready to hit the road and have some new experiences in Vietnam

Before we set off we are planning on meeting up with Julia and Chris (newly married paddlers on their honeymoon), which means we will be in Kuala Lumpur for 3 more days, we’re on a budget but we’re open to suggestions re things to see in the area.
hope all is well with everyone

take care
Gary and Ginette

: Gary on his way up Mt Batur

: one of the many statutes we have cycled passed

: windswept look

: Gary respecting local traditions and covering his hair

: one of the many chickens caught by the locals

: religious offerings to the sea

: religious ceremony

: salt processed by the sea

: locals taking an opportunity to sell Ginette some goodies

: Sea water being carried at the sea salt farm

: a rare glass of wine – happy Netty

: Gary’s tattoo win

: Gary’s tattoo twin

: in training for around the world kayak trip – anyone want to join me???

: sun set in Candidasa

: One of the many stops by the sea

: coffee grinding

: coffee poo

: he eats the coffee beans and shits them out and the locals then sell it as a speciality Kopi Luwak coffee

: cute baby monkey on the top of the volcano

: Butur Volcano at sunrise

: Mount Batur

: volcanic hair

: strike the pose

: sunset on Batur

: two tired love birds at the top of the volcano

: just before sunrise at Mount Batur

Bali

Another holiday from our holiday, a week of rest and relaxation we have only cycled 100 miles this week.

Bali has some beautiful coastal villages with hardly any tourists on the west coast in contrast Kuta in the south of the island is the Costa Del Sol for Australians but not quite as tacky.

We’ve spoilt ourselves with some really luxury accommodation as we celebrated our 28th wedding anniversary this week. We’ve been body boarding, played in the sea, sunbathed and witnessed hundreds of baby turtles released into the sea. We’ve even managed to dine on some food other than rice and noodles.

We have another week on this holiday island where we intend do explore the cultural side of Bali and climb a volcano before heading to Kuala Lumper to pass a little more time before the wet season leaves Vietnam.

Hope all is well at home

love Ginette and Gary

: Anniversary morning – couch outside our room

: Net in hew new dress

: Gary modelling his new swim wear

: Gary chilling by the pool in Umalas

: 50p to fix a broken spoke on Gary’s bike

: sun set on Kuta beach

: look the sun shines out of Gary’s arse

: he made it – hooray

: he’s on his way – very cute

: baby turtles released to the sea

: pint in a jug – James Tonkin

: bumpy road ahead

: laundry day

: locals enjoying the Hindu festivities

: just been for a bath and laundry in a stream

: Hindu festival – full moon

: another Hindu temple

: Balian Bay – beach to ourselves

: Waves too big for swimming but would have been good for an outrigger

: Gary on the coast road to Denesper

: another view from our hotel room at Balian Beach

: View from our room – Balian Beach

: The lizard shot that nearly killed Ginette

: dragon’s head

: Rambut Siwi Temple

: sexy beast

: man line fishing – no rod

: temple in Bali

Indonesia – Java Part 3

Java didn’t do it for us, we tried cycling small roads, mountain roads, and town roads but although it is pretty in its own way it didn’t thrill us in the same way that other areas that we’ve cycled in have. As a result we took a train to the ferry port so that we could have more time playing in Bali and some of the other Indonesian Islands.

On the stats front we’ve now cycled 4,000 miles, we’ve lost count of the number of punctures, maximum speed has been 40 miles an hour, we’ve burnt more calories than we’ve put in. It’s hard to believe we’re 5 months into the trip, the time has flown by we’ve already banked memories that will last us a life time and are looking forward to the next 7 months.