Hong Kong/Macau

PredsFan77 · Post #51 by **PredsFan77** » Mon Sep 18, 2017 6:11 am

Also open containers are legal here. Went on a walking tour this afternoon

PredsFan77 · Post #52 by **PredsFan77** » Mon Sep 18, 2017 11:37 am

PredsFan77 · Post #53 by **PredsFan77** » Mon Sep 18, 2017 11:52 pm

The museum and cable car are closed. Half past pub time chaps.

PredsFan77 · Post #54 by **PredsFan77** » Mon Sep 18, 2017 11:52 pm

They beer got cask ales here

PredsFan77 · Post #55 by **PredsFan77** » Tue Sep 19, 2017 5:38 am

Ordered dim sum while arguing with aresenal and wigan fans. They weren't ready for my brutal soccer analysis

AD · Post #56 by AD » Tue Sep 19, 2017 6:36 am

Soccer is never as well analysed as when it is critiqued by a drunk southerner american traveller.

MP · Post #57 by MP » Tue Sep 19, 2017 8:57 am

Dog wrote:What's your beef with Arsenal, you wanker??!

Nothing, they are after all the 2nd best team from North London.

PredsFan77 · Post #58 by **PredsFan77** » Tue Sep 19, 2017 6:50 pm

Dog wrote:What's your beef with Arsenal, you wanker??!

WENGER OUT

PredsFan77 · Post #59 by **PredsFan77** » Tue Sep 19, 2017 11:29 pm

For those following at home: made it to Ha Noi. You'll be surprised to hear it's quite hot

PredsFan77 · Post #60 by **PredsFan77** » Wed Sep 20, 2017 12:57 am

The sun I believe

PredsFan77 · Post #61 by **PredsFan77** » Wed Sep 20, 2017 1:21 am

AD wrote:Soccer is never as well analysed as when it is critiqued by a drunk southerner american traveller.

Lets be fair. EPL comes on in the middle of the night here. These chaps weren't really fans. They're fans the way y'all are of NFL team.

vonbonds · Post #62 by **vonbonds** » Wed Sep 20, 2017 10:31 am

So you’re calling those Asians Canadians now?

PredsFan77 · Post #63 by **PredsFan77** » Wed Sep 20, 2017 8:56 pm

Well technically they were expats

PredsFan77 · Post #64 by **PredsFan77** » Thu Sep 21, 2017 3:14 am

Not sure if it's the commie influence but the closest I can get to reminding me to Vietnam is Russia. Traffic laws don't exist what-so-ever. Organized chaos. Think I made it about 5 minutes today before I started to sweat. Might be a new record.

PredsFan77 · Post #65 by **PredsFan77** » Fri Sep 22, 2017 12:53 am

Lads I'm about to go on a four hour eating/sightseeing motorbike ride across Hanoi. Please pray/sacrifice to your deity of choice for my safe return.

PredsFan77 · Post #66 by **PredsFan77** » Fri Sep 22, 2017 11:57 am

Praise be to allah I made it back with only my foot getting hit by a parked bike.

MP · Post #67 by MP » Fri Sep 22, 2017 12:06 pm

What dog really wants to know is if you'd recommend taking an over inquisitive 8 year old girl with glasses there for a couple week vacation?

Boring Choice #2 · Post #68 by **Boring Choice #2** » Fri Sep 22, 2017 12:08 pm

why take one there when there are thousands there for the having?

Boring Choice #2 · Post #69 by **Boring Choice #2** » Fri Sep 22, 2017 12:09 pm

... that is, if you are an internet banana or some such similar thing.

AD · Post #70 by AD » Fri Sep 22, 2017 12:23 pm

Is it wrong that when I first read MPs post.. I hadn't realised he was talking about..

Uhm..

Nevermind.

PredsFan77 · Post #71 by **PredsFan77** » Fri Sep 22, 2017 6:18 pm

Dog wrote:Enjoying Hanoi overall?

Yeah if you can stand the insufferable heat and humidity (locals said this is actually enjoyable weather for them compared to it being in the 40s in June/July, explains their lack of AC in the buildings) along with the constant offer of taxis and trinkets from people on the sidewalk it's nice. Ridiculously cheap. $21 for hotel in the old quarter with breakfast included. $2 uber rights across town. $9 uber rides to the airport, which is 40 minutes away. My lunch today was 2 bahn mi's and 2 freshly squeezed juices for $4 (100,000 dong).

The Ho Chi Minh mausoleum building is pretty cool. Looks exactly like Lenin's tomb in MOCKBA. Architecture is pretty interesting with noticeable french and soviet influence

MP · Post #72 by MP » Fri Sep 22, 2017 8:33 pm

100,000 dong... :ernie:

PredsFan77 · Post #73 by **PredsFan77** » Sat Sep 23, 2017 4:44 am

Ya boy in da first class Cathay pacific lounge in HKG gettin day drunk on Barons de Rothschild Brut. Holla

PredsFan77 · Post #74 by **PredsFan77** » Sat Sep 23, 2017 4:45 am

Haven't shaved in like two weeks. Looks like I just got out of the Southeast Asia jungle. Everyone else in suits. Susf

PredsFan77 · Post #75 by **PredsFan77** » Sat Sep 23, 2017 4:49 am

MP wrote:100,000 dong...

Oh come on that's too easy.

PredsFan77 · Post #76 by **PredsFan77** » Sat Sep 23, 2017 7:08 am

Can't stop won't stop

PredsFan77 · Post #77 by **PredsFan77** » Sun Sep 24, 2017 1:25 am

Hey I made it to Frankfurt. I think I drank an entire bottle of Krug on the plane.

PredsFan77 · Post #78 by **PredsFan77** » Sun Sep 24, 2017 12:50 pm

And I am home. Thanks for following along. Gotta get my ear pierced for traveling around the world.

vonbonds · Post #79 by **vonbonds** » Sun Sep 24, 2017 2:47 pm

He meant shot off in a Nashville church

PredsFan77 · Post #80 by **PredsFan77** » Sun Sep 24, 2017 3:04 pm

Dog wrote:Your ear pierced?

Among sailors, a pierced earlobe was a symbol that the wearer had sailed around the world or had crossed the equator.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earring

MP · Post #81 by MP » Sun Sep 24, 2017 3:35 pm

I thought it just meant they were gay?

PredsFan77 · Post #82 by **PredsFan77** » Sun Sep 24, 2017 3:49 pm

well now you know

Boring Choice #2 · Post #83 by **Boring Choice #2** » Sun Sep 24, 2017 4:12 pm

MP wrote:I thought it just meant they were gay?

I think that is implied just by them being sailors.

PredsFan77 · Post #84 by **PredsFan77** » Thu Feb 08, 2018 6:03 pm

ok so might end up here again in a week or so, where's another good side trip for 3-4 days? Thailand sketchy?

habfan4 · Post #85 by **habfan4** » Fri Feb 09, 2018 12:05 pm

PredsFan77 wrote:ok so might end up here again in a week or so, where's another good side trip for 3-4 days? Thailand sketchy?

Where in Thailand? Bangkok? Chiang Mai? Koh Samui? Phuket?

If you're looking for other suggestions - Siem Reap, Cambodia. Which assumes you have some interest in Khmer temples.

habfan4 · Post #86 by **habfan4** » Fri Feb 09, 2018 3:18 pm

Dog wrote:Have you been to Siem Reap, 4? That’s on my bucket list, it just seems so remote from everything though.

Was there in July of 2012, combined with a trip to Thailand. At that time it was a pain to get to Siem Reap you had to fly from Bangkok or Hoi Chi Minh (couldn't even fly from Phnom Penh). There appear to many more options now.

It's a remarkable place. We went to Angkor Wat, the Angkor Tom complex (Elephant terrace, Bayon), Preah Khan, Banteay Srei (which is further out). As well as to Kbal Spean - where the river bed has carvings of linga/yoni & shiva etc. Didn't get to the Tongle Sap (fresh water lake & floating village).

We hired a driver/guide which is pretty much a requirement. We gave our guide a list of places we wanted to visit and let him sort out the order. He basically knew the schedule of the all the massive bus tours so we avoided them. We'd get up early hit the temples and then head back to the hotel between 12 - 2 for lunch when it was too hot to be out and about.

PredsFan77 · Post #87 by **PredsFan77** » Fri Feb 09, 2018 5:06 pm

been advised by others that Chiang Mai and Siem Reap are both quality choices. Might have trouble with flights to those two places tho. Was looking at Ho Chi/Saigon as plan C. Anywhere else I'm missing? Looks like the Bali volcano has subsided too.

habfan4 · Post #88 by **habfan4** » Sat Feb 10, 2018 11:11 am

PredsFan77 wrote:been advised by others that Chiang Mai and Siem Reap are both quality choices. Might have trouble with flights to those two places tho. Was looking at Ho Chi/Saigon as plan C. Anywhere else I'm missing? Looks like the Bali volcano has subsided too.

Checked ITA Matrix - https://matrix.itasoftware.com/ and it looks like there are direct flights from Hong Kong to Siem Reap and Chiang Mai available via Hong Kong Express.

Spent 4 nights in Chiang Mai and its definitely worth a visit. There are a number of Wats in the old town, easily walkable depending on where you're staying. The temple on the top of Doi Suthep is a must seen. Doi Inthanon National Park is nearby. There's also the "famous" night market - basically a massive flea market - but apparently that appeals to some.

We had our hotel arrange transportation for a couple of days. The trip to Doi Inthanon was a group trip but still worth, waterfalls, a pair of temples (one dedicated to the Queen the other the King - a little tacky) then a visit to the highest point in Thailand - full day trip. The next day we asked the hotel to arrange a car, which turned out to be a Mercedes van with a flat screen TV - all for the princely sum of 2000 baht (approx. - $60 bucks Canadian). We gave the driver a list of sites we wanted to visit (Doi Suthep & the botanical gardens) and off we went.

I wouldn't count out Bangkok. It's not an aesthetically pleasing city and its certainly seedy in certain spots (Soi Nana, Soi Cowboy etc...) But there's still plenty worth while to see. Temple of Dawn (Wat Arun), the Grand Palace, Temple of the reclining Buddha (Wat Pho). Fuck load of great restaurants.

PredsFan77 · Post #89 by **PredsFan77** » Sat Feb 10, 2018 3:38 pm

yeah problem is I need to fly Cathay tho $100 isnt bad on HK EX

WTF · Post #90 by **WTF** » Sun Feb 11, 2018 12:43 am

I've got family in Hong Kong and Macau so I made the trip a few years back and took an extended vacation to spend a bit more time in Asia.

Siem Reap was fun (I also toured the temple grounds) but hot as hell, even in November. Hiring a tour guide with a nice air-conditioned vehicle (and those nice, cold eucalyptus-scented towels) made it a lot more tolerable. Still, be prepared to do a lot of walking and climbing up and down stairs. Also, be prepared to get up very early to watch a sunrise at Angkor Wat (around 5 AM?). The people I met there were very polite and helpful. The toughest part if there's even a shred of compassion in any of you who may visit there is not handing out at least some money to kids who may be begging (when you go to get your visa, it's one of the things the government there tells you not to do as they want to encourage the children there to further their education rather than turning to pan-handling). If they're selling things like postcards or books in order to make money for school, that's apparently fine though.

Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam was interesting too and very inexpensive. I'm normally not the biggest seafood fan but it was good and it was very affordable (about the equivalent of $80 USD to feed a table of ten people with a good variety of fresh seafood) The tough part was keeping track of the denominations and performing currency conversions in my head. I just know it worked out to the equivalent of a little over $1 USD (it was around $1.50 CAD at the time) for a great banh mi and a bottle of water. Fresh coconut water was around 20 cents.

Also, pro-tip for anyone visiting Hong Kong: buy or bring your own packets of paper napkins as many restaurants do not provide them. Many restaurants will also bring out a large basin of hot water before your meals or a large bowl and a kettle of hot water. It's there for diners to sterilize their utensils and cups, bowls, and plates.

PredsFan77 · Post #91 by **PredsFan77** » Mon Feb 12, 2018 8:45 pm

sadly, i've been outvoted over Saigon. Going to Bangkok.

habfan4 · Post #92 by **habfan4** » Fri Feb 16, 2018 12:12 pm

PredsFan77 wrote:sadly, i've been outvoted over Saigon. Going to Bangkok.

There are worse fates. Check into the Peninsula or the Mandarin Oriental on the river. It’ll be less than a third of the cost of those same hotels in Hong Kong.

PredsFan77 · Post #93 by **PredsFan77** » Wed Feb 21, 2018 3:10 am

Holy cow it's hot here

vonbonds · Post #94 by **vonbonds** » Wed Feb 21, 2018 11:41 am

PredsFan77 wrote:Holy Cao it's hot here

PredsFan77 · Post #95 by **PredsFan77** » Thu Feb 22, 2018 10:27 am

Bangkok isn't bad. Similar, yet different vibe from Vietnam. Think still partial to Ha Noi. Even though I was amazed the small amount of hawkers trying to sell me stuff here versus every single person in Vietnam

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