 Phuket, Thailand
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Hi all, we survived another winter solstice on December 22nd 2011 and the days are getting longer now so we can relax. We started the year in New Zealand on holiday and relocated the family mid year from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to Houston, Texas. Knowing that we were leaving Asia, we took quite a few trips in the region.
On New Year's eve entering 2011, we crossed the Cook Strait on the ferry from New Zealand's south Island to Wellington on the north Island, where we rented a cabin and rang in the new year with a German couple who found by pur our kids! We had a great three weeks in New Zealand driving from Christ Church south and around to the west coast and up to Marlborough for a few says on the Saint Clair vinyard before crossing the North Island to Rotorua, Coromandel and Auckland. We drove a Subaru wagon and found motels easily along the way, some of the best stays being at old ranches.
The south island is monstly find ranches on the east and south, while the west is wild and rugged. The native Maoui culture tends to be seen more on north island, especially around the geothermal springs of Rotorua. Human migration to the island is quite recent, in the past 1000 yrs. The Mauri are well built people and native artwork including face painting is quite impressive.
Thiapusam holiday was on January 20th 2011 and this year I took the whole family on the train to Batu Caves one evening to see the devotees procession up the 300 steps to the shrine in the cave.
Left: Thiapusam, Righ & Belowt: Vietnam. The first week of February 2011, over Chinese New Year holiday, I traveled to Hanoi, Vietnam, for a week motorcycling through North Vietnam countryside. Vietnamese call the holiday Tet (origin of the Tet Offensive during Vietnam war) and it was an amazing time to visit, as I witnessed the hustle in the city preparing for the holiday and also got the welcome in the country over the family time of the holiday itself. I rented a Honda Baja 250cc and did a self guided tour to Mai-Chau, Much-Chau, Son-La, but I avoided the highlands of Sapa, due to the cold and rain up there. Instead I circled back to the warm lowlands and toured the back trails, being welcomed into many homes and village celebrations of Tet. Definately a highlight of my time in Asia.
In February, over the birthday of Profit Mohamed holiday, I took the family for a week traveling in Laos, ariving in Vietienne, where we rented a Ford Diesel SUV for the trip. We drove north past the great Nam Ngum dam lake to Vang Viang, a backpacker's hangout set in a buautiful valley. On the next day through the tortous winding mountain roads to Phonsavan to see the Plain of Jars, a 2000 year old scatter of giant stone carved urns.
North again to Luang Prahbang on the Meekong, the ancient capital and historically difficult to access, which makes the town a wonder to visit, dominated by Buddhist tradition.
Annette went to Paris on the newly opened direct Air Asia flight in early March for a visit with her sister, Christine and my sister-in-law, Anne. That weekend I took the kids to Kuching, Sawarak, to stay at rainforest cabins on the coast. No airconditioning, but it was not needed under the shade of the forest and we swam every day.
crossing from Hello all. We were in Phuket, Thailand late December (see travel notes) and returned to Kuala Lumpur prior to the new year. We had dinner at Ali-Yaa, an excellent Sri Lankan restaurant, on New Year's eve and ended up at our local bar, Cheers to ring in the new year. Cheers looks no more like the popular 1980's TV show than the Boston bar named Cheers, from which the show got it's inspiration, however, it is the most local and friendly bar we know and they treat us well. There is a strong 1970's music theme to the bar, with pictures and album covers of Barry Manilo, the Bee Gees, etc., hanging on the walls. The clientele is mostly local Indian and Chinese Malay. A group of Tamil girls played that night and could give Tina Turner a good run for her money.
COPYRIGHT 2011 PATRICK McGILLYCUDDY. |
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