Just returned to Hanoi from Halong Bay and Cat Ba Island and it’s a different city entirely now that Tet is over. All the stores are open: the lights are on, the city brighter. Bustling. We’ll be back but in a few hours we hop a train to Sapa, up in the hills, for a few days of trekking.
Halong was very nice. We did some kayaking and karaoke and got to know some other travelers, including Edvar and Danielle from Holland, who are probably reading this right now. Edvar is (was — they’re on a world trip too) a website designer and I promised to steal liberally from his blog. And I meant it. So we may be doing a little on-the-fly re-design ’round these parts. Thanks in advance, Edvar.
More later. We still have lots to write about Thailand and Laos, and now Vietnam, especially the Halong and Sapa sagas — including an amusing anecdote about the ladies who rowed behind our junk hawking Pringles and vodka … and a rundown of the circumstances that led to stirring renditions of “Dancing Queen” and “Le Freak” by a rice wine-besodden barful of tourists.
Yes, we’re getting a little behind here. Also photos: we have lots of photos to upload. As soon as we have time to breathe again we’ll get down to some serious bloggin’. I’m getting excited just thinking about it.
February 23, 2007 at 3:32 pm
Dear Marc and Lisa,
As promissed the highlights we wrote down from India and Nepal, maybe they can be of use to you. Sorry for the errors that might have been caused by the quick translation. We could not find your email adresses on your website so we are sending the information as a comment to your last message about Halong Bay. Again it was lovely meeting the two of you and we love to play poker again someday (but then of course we will have a little bit more practice 😉 first). If your ever are in Holland please let us know you are welcome to come and visit us anytime.
Kind regards,
Edvar and Danielle
India:
Delhi ===> Connaught Palace, Bazaar Chandni Chowk, Red Fort = Baby Taj, Old city with Jama Mashid mosque
Shekhavati-region ===> Palace of Maharadja, Fort Mukundgarh
Rajasthan part of the state, Jaipur, forts and palaces Rajputs (warriors)
Bikaner ==> Karna Mata sacrity, Junagarh-fort
Deshnoke, Karni Mata temple = rattemple
Thar-desert, safari camel
Jodphur blue city, Mehrangarh fort, Sadarbazaar
Luni, Chanwa fort
Jaisalmer, red fort = midevil fort, Jaintemples
Ranakpur, Jaintemple
Udaipur, Pichola-lake City Palace
Bassi, Bassi fort
Lake Palace hotel
Bharatpur: Keoladeo natural reserve (birds), Fatephur Sikri ===> Ghosttown ===> Akbar the Great
Jaipur ===> pink city, amber fort, Tiger fort, palace of the Winds, Bollywood, museum Maharadja
Pushkar ===> Holy city
Roop, lustpalace
Taj Mahal (free entrance on Friday)===> Agra ===> Tomb Sjah Jahan
70 km from Agra Chambal reserve
Khajuraho, temples Chandelladynasty ===> Erotic sculptures
Jantar Mantar ===> Star observation centre
Boat tour on the Ganges
Varanasi Rewa ===> steps of the Ghats, steps to the Ganges, location for pelgrims
Tigers Ranthanbuore National Park
Tigers: Sariska N.P.; Bandhavgarh N.P. (near Umaria, highest number of tigers)
Wild Ass in Dhrangadra, Gujarat, Northwest of Mumbai
Asian Lion in Gir N.P., Junagadh district, Gujarat.
– Possible route: Mumbai, Jaipur, Agra, Khajuraho, Varanasi, Nepal
– Consider “Indrail” pass (trains)
– National parks of India: http://www.indianwildlife.com
Ladakh = little Tibet
Amritsar, Golden temple
Dharamsala, Dalai Lama
Kullu Vallei
Manali
Rohtang pass
Keylong, Khardu monestry
Leh
Himachal Pradesh
Ladakh
Sarchu, Palace of the royal family Ladakh
Trekking (4 days)
Alchi, monestry
Lamayuru, monestry
Spitok, Stok monestry
River the Indus
Leh, monestry: Thikse and Shey
Nepal:
Kathmandu: Durbar Square, Palace Hanuman Dhoka, Kasthamandap temple, Pashupatinath, Kumari, the living goddess
Bodhnath: great Bodhnath-stupa
Nagarkot ===> Thamel, Changu Narayan temple
Walking from Panauti to Dhulikhel
Ghurka
Pokhara ===> Boat Phewa lake
Annapurna mountains, Annapurna Conservation Area, Naya Pul ===> 6 days Trekking, Machhapuchhare, bird of prey (Naya Pul, Tikedungha, Ghorapani, Poon Hill, rivercanyon, Tadapani, Chhomrong (mountain Machupuchare), Ghandruk, Naya Pul)
Elephant breeding centre
Massage
Pashupatinath
Monkey temple
Swayambunath ===> Great view over the city
Patan
Bhaktapur (city) ===> Nyatapoala
The last resort ===> biking
Sauhara, Chitwan national park ===> elephants, rhino’s (400), deer, monkeys, gavials, bengal tigers (80), crocodiles, birds
Safari ===> by elephant or jeep or canoe
Rafting
Tharu stam
Lowland Terai
Koshi Tappu Wildlife reserve (birds)
February 24, 2007 at 1:49 am
Wow thanks guys! Hope to see you again and enjoy the rest of your trip … safe travels! Marc and Lisa
February 24, 2007 at 7:12 pm
Hey Kids,
i’m taking off on Wednesday for Costa Rica. So I’ll stop by your storage place and drop off the three episodes of Lost that you haven’t seen yet.
safe travels. and keep in touch about what’s next cuz who knows, maybe I’ll come and meet you in India!
Pat
February 25, 2007 at 9:15 pm
Hey guys, I’m really enjoying the blog. Except for the part where I get done reading and have to go back to work. Like right now. But I wanted to let you know that Robyn and I are thinking about you and glad to hear that the travels are living up to your expectations. All is well back in DC. February has been especially wintry and we have a few new sloppy inches of snow falling off the trees. I admired it through the window while watching the Pistons-Bulls game. It was weird seeing Ben back at the Palace but was a good contest and a great finish as Webber put pack Chauncey’s miss with a couple seconds remaining. Should be an interesting play off run.
I’m not sure what you’re summer plans include but we’ll be in Tureky from May 12 through the 24th. It’d be great to catch up with you there.
All our best,
Mike and Robyn