Jan 2007

VG: Ca y est ! Vous allez enfin pouvoir nous voir dans la grisaille et la pluie ! Dans le Nord du Vietnam il fait frais et c'est couvert. L'arrivee a Hanoi, ca a ete un peu le choc ! Ville surpeuplee ou tout le monde circule en scooter dans tous les sens et en klaxonant tout le temps ! Impossible de marcher sur les trottoirs a cause des scooters gares et des gens qui cuisinent par terre ! Il faut le voir (et l'entendre) pour le croire: c'est pour ca qu'on innove avec un petit film. Nous avons pris le train du Nord au Sud pour voir Hue (citadelle avec l'ancienne cite interdite et tombeaux imperiaux) puis Hoi An ou on s'est fait faire des vetements sur mesure. C'est genial: on arrive, on choisit un modele, un tissu, ils prennent nos mesures et quelques heures plus tard, c'est pret a porter !!! Evidemment on mange tres tres bien et on adore rencontrer les Vietnamiens en dehors des sites touristiques (voir les photos des enfants en particulier!). La ou il y a beaucoup de touristes, les gens sont beaucoup moins sympas... Snif !
AC: Vietnam! We arrived into a cloudy and cold Hanoi and made our way south along the coast through the cities of Hue and Hoi An. Instead of writing just which towns we visited (you can see them in the photos), this time I'll try and paint you a picture of the life here. The streets of the big cities are just a dis-organised chaos of motorbikes, scooters and buses. To cross the road, you just simply begin walking, don't look left or right, just walk and the scooters magically dodge you (sometimes only by inches) as you get to the other side of the street! The old saying 'He who hesitates is lost' holds very true here in Vietnam. The trains are a good experience too - especially the sleeper cabins, with 6 beds in each - you become quite aware of all the noises some people make when they sleep!! The people are fantastic - especially the kids in the smaller towns - they just love to have their picture taken and then check it out on the digital camera. They smile constantly and even more so when you give them a couple of sweets (check out the photo of V being swamped by the kids in Hoi An). We have had tailored-suits done (that is an experience in itself!), eaten fantastic foods, met some friendly other travelers (thanks to Severine for the photos!) and been amazed by the countryside and scenery. A word of advice (reference to the first photo of me in Hanoi) - in the big cities, have very small change ready to 'pay' for photos, even when you didn't ask to have the fruit seller put her equipment on your shoulders!!! Next stops - Nha Trang, Saigon and the Mekong Delta.
:: View the photos from Hanoi
:: View the photos from Hue
:: View the photos from Hoi An

View & listen to a short video-clip of Hanoi traffic
[NB. It's probably quicker to "right click" on the link, and choose 'save as' to download to your PC to view] - (Filesize 19Mb, please be patient!! )

VG: On a pris l'avion de Brisbane a Melbourne ou on a passe 2 jours avec des amis. Cette ville a ete envahie par les Italiens et les Grecs (entre autres) apres 1945, du coup y'a des pizzerias partout! Et des photos de la coupe du monde de foot aussi. Moi je prefere le cricket ! Nous sommes ensuite partis sur la Great Ocean Road pour voir les fameux "12 apostles", ces formations rocheuses erodees depuis des millions d'annees par le vent et la mer - il n'en reste plus que 5 en fait! On a decouvert sur place que c'etait aussi la saison des mouches, ca bourdonnait constamment autour de nos oreilles. A Philip island on a attendu 1h30 sur la plage pour enfin voir debarquer au crepuscule les plus petits pingouins du monde ! Ils retournent dans leur nid la nuit venue. Juste avant d'arriver a Sydney on a visite le Parc National des Blue Mountains. Elles sont recouvertes d'eucalyptus qui degagent de fines goutelettes d'huile diffractant la lumiere, ce qui les rendraient bleuatres en fin de journee; bon, sur les photos c'est plutot vert qu'autre chose! Une fois arrives en bas, nous avons pris un petit train qui roule sur les rails de l'epoque des mineurs...on est remontes en moins d'une minute quasiment a la verticale! Fin du voyage a Sydney, tres belle et agreable ville (surtout quand on n'y travaille pas!). J'ai ete etonnee par l'Opera House qui en fait est composee de 3 batiments et recouverte de carrelage !
AC: The Aussie adventure continued starting with a visit to a very warm Melbourne. Had a great time with Jodie and Tony (thanks!) and enjoyed some superb food in this funky city. Check out Pireaus Blues if you like to eat Greek! We stopped by St Kilda beach in the sunshine, Luna Park and Lygon Street and Fitztroy. Next stop was the Great Ocean Road drive in our campette van! Fantastic scenery except for the hundreds and I mean hundreds of flies that seem to be invading the Victorian coast this summer! Each stop we made they would swarm all over your head! If it wasn't for the stunning views of the 12 Apostles (rock formations) to distract me from the flies, I would have gone crazy! We drove down to Philip Island to see the 'Little Penguins' parade up the beach from the ocean. It's one of the only places in the world where you get to see them arrive in their ever-so-cute little groups with their ever-so-cute little waddle, walk up form the sea onto the beach and up into the sand dunes to retire for the night. They were amazing to watch. We also checked out some very scenic national parks at Wilson's Promontory and Cape Conran. After the dry landscapes of Victoria (bushfires and droughts!) we drove up the New South Wales coast stopping for some nice relaxing swimming on the beaches, visiting the Blow Hole at Kiama (where waves crash against the coastline and push the seaspray high up through the rocks like a whale's blowhole!) and stopping at the Blue Mountains before heading to Sydney. The Blue Mountains are really something special. Fabulous views of the eucalyptus forests mixed with the rainforests from the Echo Point lookout. We trecked around the walking tracks for hours and took a rather frightening (as I do not like heights!!) trip on the scenic railway that slides up the mountain at 58 degrees, ie. very steep! The light at dusk gives everything a stunning wash of orange-colour across the rocks too. Lastly we stopped in Sydney for a few days to check out the famous Harbour complete with Opera House and the bridge. Thanks to Billy for driving us around all weekend too! So, now...it's 2nd half of the adventure - Asia is next!
:: View the photos from Melbourne & Victoria ::
:: View the photos from Sydney & New South Wales ::

AC: My cousins, Bill and Michael (you both are legends!) graciously offered to take me & V plus Agnes & Julien to Fraser Island for a few days to see in 2007! We were in good hands as the boys know their 4x4 stuff. We had a superb time (after the initial very windy and wet weather) driving up the beaches, & in through the inland tracks to all parts of this fantastic island. We met some local dingoes, swam in the pristine Lake McKenzie & Wabby, enjoyed lots of steaks and beers and lots of laughs! Had a lot of fun in the Champagne Pools in the north as we battled the waves that soared over the edge of the rock pools where we swam! We partied into 2007 at the "Dingo Bar" with my cousins and a swarm of backpackers! It was fun to meet up with Hoops and Anne-Laure too (thanks for the roquefort & foie gras!!). Special thanks to my cousins Kathy & Gina (and Jason) who let us share their resort room for free!
VG: Les cousins d'Alessandro nous ont organise un tour a Fraser island avec 4x4 et tout et tout ! Agnes et Julien (2 amis de Toulouse) sont aussi venus avec nous. On s'est baignes dans des lacs (McKenzie & Wabby) dont le fond est simplement du sable, donc pas de vase! Ballades sur les plages, le long des rivieres, dans la foret tropicale etc... bref un cadre paradisiaque pour le reveillon ! Hoops et Anne Laure etaient aussi de la partie, grace a eux on a eu du foie gras le 31 !!!
:: View the photos from Fraser Island here ::