Still more Lanka Pics

Thought we would share our first authentic Sri Lankan Rice and Curry dish with you all. Served on banana leaf, and eaten with our hands as they do in Lanka. Lots of fun.

Sunset at the Galle Face Hotel dedicated to Mum and Dad Zanoni. They sat in this exact place all those years ago and maybe saw the sunset as spectacular as we did.

More Lanka Pics

Week 5- Sri Lanka

Where do we start.... what an amazing place.

The people are the most beautiful and friendly people we have come across so far. I thought i would just blend into the crowd but i am getting many many stares not sure if its because my clothes don't fit the picture or the company i'm in (People yell out to tim "hey Shane Warne" often) it's really funny. So many people stop us to ask where we are from and with a puzzled look say "are you lankan" and "why no Sinhala" once i explain the story of my birth and adoption they are all interested and happy with the response. Tim thought it was funny to keep asking me "do you remember yet" the joke is wearing very thin :) He has forgotten about his nickname "Thunder" and has re-christened himself " THE CHAMELEON" because he blends in so well to his new surroundings (he, he, he)

We went to the beautiful Galle Face Hotel on the remcommendation of my Mum and Dad as it held very fond memories for them of the time when they were here about to start their family. We saw the most amazing sunset we have ever seen, it was spectacular. We decided to stay there for dinner at the Sea spray restaurant which was a huge buffet of seafood galore and every type of food and desert you could think of. We felf ashamed as we left after consuming way too much food but it is now number one on our best meal ever list.

We set off on our first litle journey and bussed from Colombo to Anuradhapura. Divanka arranged 2 nights accommodation at the Bastian Pilgrams Rest which is a buddhist dormatory that we shared with 150 or more other srilankans who have started making their pilgramage to these sacred buddhist sites. It's quite busy at the moment as school holidays have just started. It has been very interesting and has led to many questions about buddhism and many late night conversations between tim and myself. To be truthful Christianity has never seemed more clear!

We then made our way to Polonnaruwa where we saw many more ancient ruins. We have both agreed that we are officially "ruined-out". We spent 2 nights in Dambulla where we climbed Sigiriya in the pouring rain and visited the rock temples. We then spent 2nights in Kandy, went to a traditional Kandy dancing show at the cultural arts centre and visited the 'Temple of the Tooth'. The food has been a real highlight everywhere we go. Chilli hoppers for breakfast and curry and rice for lunch and dinner everyday is increasing our heat tolerance... and frequency to the toilet :)

We are now back in Colombo to rest for a few days before tackling the hill country through the centre. Can't wait to share more news.

Week 4- Bangkok Thailand

We are cheating and catching up on some old posts!

We said goodbye to our tour group upon reaching Bangkok from Cambodia and then spent the next 4 days on our own resting up. Bangkok was very much like other major cities. We spent a small amount of time riding the Sky Train and browsing through the mega malls, which were our first reminder of the Christmas season, with all the decorations, glitz and glamour.
We spent a day wandering around the Chatachak markets which was unbelievable. Hard to describe just how big and crowded they were. Thankfully Tiana's already sore backpacking shoulders kept her from going too crazy with the buying. The highlight of Bangkok however was visiting ECB (Evangleical Church of Bangkok) for their Sunday morning service. The congregation is made up of people from more than 40 different nationalities, all coming together as one family under God. It was very encouraging. The service was more of a Christmas concert with lots of singing, dancing and drama. It was great fun.
We were both very ready to leave Bangkok after 4 days, partly because of the excitement of finally going to Sri Lanka.

Week 3- Cambodia

10 days in Cambodia was an experience of extreme contrasts. We felt the hustle of Phnom Pehn, the horror of 'The Killing Fields', the tranquility of village life in Chambok, the warm waters of Sihanoukville and the surreal splendor of the temples around Siem Reap. It is hard to identify a single experience because there were just too many, as 500+ photos will later testify.
The people of Cambodia are genuinely very friendly and have an amazing disposition given the horrendous nature of their recent history under the Khmer rouge. Some of our tour guides shared very personal stories of their experience during those days including the forced evacuation of their homes and the death of family members. It was very sobering to visit the S-21 detention/torture centre and the infamous 'Killing Fields'. They clearly showcased the very worst of human capabilities and reinforced the fact that men make crappy gods.
Adding another interesting dimension to our journey has been the opportunity to share a little of our faith with the people around us. Some members of our tour group have been particularly open, honest and willing to engage in conversations about God, spurred on by the fact that practically everywhere you look there is a shrine, a Buddha, a temple or some other religious talking point. As it turned out, our Cambodian guide is currently stuck somewhere between his traditional Buddhist beliefs and his brief conversion to Christianity while working as an interpreter at a Baptist church. It was interesting to listen to him describe his difficulty in dealing with his positive experiences of Christian prayer coupled with the pressure and expectation of his family, friends and heritage. God is certainly at work stirring the hearts of His people regardless of their current geographical location. It is awesome to watch! Keep praying!

Week 2: Nha Trang - Saigon

Nha Tang greeted us with a warm smile and blue sky :) We are down south enough now to say goodbye to the rain and its now HOT...

We ran into a shady looking couple at our hotel which happened to be Benny and Katrina Rope (the rendevous was actually pre-arranged) and spent the next 2 days together. We took a boat to an island/fishing village off the coast of Nha Trang Bay where we swam, snorkelled and lazed on a rocky beach, very hard to take! After a hectic day we all thought that a cheap $8 massage would be just the trick to top it off. It was definately an eyeopening experience with the 4 of us jammed into a sauna together, then lined up like sardines in one big room with 4 tiny (but cheeky) Vietnamese girls using their hands, elbows and knees in "traditional fashion". A relaxing massage became rather unnerving with the offer to the boys of a happy ending or "boom boom" as they liked to call it. The offer was bluntly declined and we were out of there!

We arrived in Saigon on Friday via overnight train and went straight to the Cu Chi Tunnels where we went down into the tunnels made by the viet cong during the war, it was fascinating! We took a walking tour of the war remnants museum which was very disturbing and gave a gaphic depiction of life during and after the war.

Today we arranged a last minute day trip to the Mekong Delta which was unfortunately dissapointing. It was a public tour with lots of travel time and a shifty tour guide. We were left with the feeling that it had more to offer than what we were shown.

We met our new tour guide tonight who will take us through Cambodia to Bangkok. Looking forward to a 6 hour bus trip across the border to Phenom Penh tomorrow with an early start.

Week 1 in Vietnam- Hanoi to Hoi An

What a week it's been. We have been unable until now to access our blog to update because the friendly folk at gmail shut us down due to 'suspicious activity'! But all's good now (thanks Andre!)

Hanoi was hectic. There were more motorbikes than you can imagine and absolutely no road rules. It was truly an adventure just to cross the street. The trick is to look one way only and keep a steady pace. The traffic will dodge you as long as you make your intentions clear!
Our 3 days in Hanoi included a cyclo trip around the 'old quarter', an introduction to street eating and an education in being hustled.

We then took a 3hr bus trip to beautiful halong bay and with a seafood lunch and boat cruise around the limestone pillars. We also visited some caves, did a mountain trek on Cat Ba Island and took a hydrofoil to the busy sea port of Haiphong.

After a 13 hr overnight train trip we arrived in Hue where it was raining and didn't stop for the next three days. We took a motorbike tour of the countryside which was the highlight of the trip so far. We are currenty in Hoi An where the shopping and food are amazing. Tiana had a dress tailored for $22.

We're off to Nha Trang on Tuesday where hopefully the weather will be more permitting for some snorkel action. We'll keep you posted!

We're Not In Kansas Anymore Timbo!

And so it begins....

Hi Everyone who is reading this. We are here in Vietnam safe and sound and are getting used to the VERY different sights and sounds(and smells). We've had a good look around Hanoi and got a kind education from a streetwise fruit seller on the finer points of being fleeced! But we're still smiling!
Today we are in Halong Bay and have enjoyed some lovely food and even more spectacular scenery. We head back to Hanoi tomorrow before beginning our journey south on an overnight train to Hue. 13 hours will be very interesting.
Sorry it's brief, but we will update further shortly hopefully with some photos.

T n T