Friendly Hai Phong

Going to a city to live for a few months is always an interesting exercise as you ponder questions such as what will the food be like? Before you arrive you have no real idea of what to expect and so we all stocked up on a few basics in Hanoi! After all, I reasoned to myself as I carried overloaded supermarket bags back to my Hanoi Hotel, "I'm not sure if I'll be able to get muesli there"!

However, we (I'd roped the other two teachers into my supermarket frenzy) had no need to worry at all because Hai Phong has several excellent supermarkets selling local

goods. There is also a limited supply of western food so all is well!

Most of the teachers here stay at the one hotel - even those who are on one year contracts. It's a great life as I go to work and when I come back (home?), my bed has been made and I have fresh towels hanging on the bathroom rail. What more could a gal ask for?

The longer standing teachers have also given us many tips of where to eat which has been really great and I now have a few "favs". One restaurant is on the 12th floor of a bank building. You would never know its there as there is no sign outside and even when you get into the lift there is nothing to indicate which floor. It has a marvellous view of Hai Phong and excellent food - Western and Vietnamese.

Here are a few photos taken from my hotel balcony. It's an ever changing and most interesting view. I spend hours watching the street scene unfold before me. Notice my wonderful world map coffee mug (bought in Singapore) sitting on the rail.

I've also posted a couple of articles on

HubPages. This first one is on Vietnamese food.

http://hubpages.com/hub/Vietnam-Travel-Vietnamese-Food-Ideas-for-Travelers

The second one is a favourite of mine - The Old Quarter in Hanoi where the 1000 year old streets still have some of the ancient trades doing business there. Its a really fascinating wander through this area. I hope you enjoy it.

http://hubpages.com/hub/Old-Quarter-Hanoi

Frenetic Hanoi

Here's the latest wanderings from Hanoi. I'd quite forgotten just how frenetic the traffic is here in Hanoi. Going out onto the street, one is assailed by the "sounds" of this city - horns honking, motor scooters revving and construction!

The city seems to be in a rebuilding phase with workers crawling over building sites all over the city. Even the Old Quarter has been spruced up since my last visit here. I'll write about the Old Quarter in a separate article.

The scooters continue to amaze me. There are so many and they are often overloaded with people, and goods being delivered. Heck, I even saw a massive flat screen television being transported on the back of a scooter and it wasn't tied on. How they manage to weave through the congested traffic to safely deliver it is completely beyond me.

I'm loving......the vibrant city.

I'm missing....morning breakfast television. Oh and of course good coffee. It was excellent in Singapore but here I haven't found a really good one yet.

I'm reading....nothing at the moment. I'm too busy sightseeing!

It's Vietnam Time!

My last message said that I was on the move again and heading for Malaysia. Yet just two months after that - I am on the move yet again!

I had planned a one year stay in Malaysia but that wasn't to be. As I write this, I am in Singapore but I leave here for Vietnam tomorrow.

The experience in Malaysia was good but not what was promised so that's why I'm on the road again.

I have a three month contract to teach in Haiphong which is 100kms north of Hanoi. I haven't been to this city before but its on the doorstep of amazing Halong Bay which I visited last time I was in Vietnam. During the next month I'll try to secure a one year contract somewhere.

Kuala Lumpur was an interesting mix. In the area where I stayed, the locals used the street as one big rubbish tip. It was disgusting. I used to walk on the road because the footpath was littered with dropped rubbish or plastic bags of rubbish piled up. The photo of the rubbish is taken just outside of the condo. It didn't look any different any day of the week.

I stayed in a lovely condo with a really nice pool (photo) and I swam every day, sometimes twice. It was lovely to cool off in the evening before I went to bed.

The shopping malls were amazing and there are many of them. The Suria Mall, just below the Petronas Towers is glitzy and nice for browsing and shopping.

I'm missing...........coffee. I just couldn't find any good coffee aside from Starbucks and Gloria Jeans and you all know my snobbish reaction to these chains. However, I frequented them when I could!

I'm loving...........being in Singapore at the moment. This is one cool city!

I'm reading.........A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry. Actually I read it a few years ago. I love the detail and descriptive narrative. A fine work - excuse the pun.

I've enjoyed.......the swimming pool at my condo. I also enjoyed the Wednesday night markets. Its reputed to be the longest market in Malaysia. Great food and bargains to be had - but you take your chances!

Next time.....I'll write from Vietnam

On the Road Again

On the Road Again

I’m "on the road again"! This time a new career and a new country beckon this kiwi traveller.

I left Sydney in early February. My red suitcase had expanded quite a lot during my 18 months there and so it was time to cull my possessions. I always find culling quite difficult as I only buy the things I like but airline allowances are pitifully small when one wants to pack a yellow leather couch! However, this is one of those things I have to live with while I’m choosing to live this kind of transient lifestyle.

Before leaving Sydney I trained in the CELTA method of teaching English as a second language. This qualification will allow me to work in many countries otherwise unaccessible to me. It was hard, we had to work long hours and although very stressful the course was generally excellent and I learnt a lot. During the course we used the information our trainers crammed into our exhausted brains in the morning and then had to put it into practice in front of 20 willing students in the afternoon!

Before I'd completed the month long course, I had interviews with people from a few countries and opted for a contract with a University in Malaysia. I leave for Malaysia at the end of March and begin work a week later teaching adults which is my preference.

In the meantime, I’ve been enjoying relaxation in NZ and the wonderfully long hot summer which has been truly glorious. The photos of Taupo were taken last winter.

It’s incredibly exciting to be on the road again, living and working in a new country. I will keep you posted from Kuala Lumpur. Do drop me a line.

I'm loving......being back in New Zealand amongst family and friends. I'm also loving this fantastic weather.

I'm reading........I've just finished a Rohinton Mistry book called Family Matters. It's a really great yarn about daily life of an Indian family as they deal with illness, old age, family rifts and growing children. It is beautifully crafted and I recommend it.

I'm looking forward to........a new adventure - new country and new career.

I'm surprised.......by how dry the country is. As I've driven around the North Island of NZ I've been surprised by how brown the countryside is. We badly need rain.

Anniversaries

Hello All

I know that I've been in Sydney for awhile when the anniversaries come around again.

I have just been to see the Sculpture By the Sea exhibition along the walkway from Bondi Beach to Bronte. Once again it is stunning and quite different to the sculptures of last year. I love the way the artists are able to display their art by the sea in such a unique environment.

I have written an article on the hubpages so if you would like to see some more great photos and information go here: http://hubpages.com/_2ray4pba8aldg/hub/art-by-the-sea.

Of course Christmas is not that far away and all the decorations are up in the shops and malls. It's particularly exciting to see the massive tree in the Queen Victoria Building in the city centre.

I've been reading.....Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts. It's a massive book so great for a holiday read. Although it sags badly in the middle, it is well worth the effort. Thanks to my friends who recommended it to me.

I've been writing......a lot! I've been writing on Hubpages. Check me out there. Its really easy to leave comments if you are off a mind too http://hubpages.com/profile/travelespresso.

I've been loving.....recent visits from several friends. Over about a six week period, I've had visits from about eight friends! I feel blessed to be able to catch up with them.

I'm looking forward to.......a visit to Brisbane in a few days time to catch up with my sailing friends and then a visit back to NZ for Christmas.

November 09 Update

Hello all
A quick update on what's happening. I am still living in Sydney. I've been doing some sightseeing and lots of writing which I'm publishing on http://hubpages.com/profile/travelespresso.

You can see some of the articles I've published by clicking on the links below:

Best Sydney Beaches http://hubpages.com/_2ray4pba8aldg/hub/best-sydney-beaches

Intriguing Boat trips in Ninh Binh: http://hubpages.com/_2ray4pba8aldg/hub/Surprising-Ninh-Binh-Vietnam-and-Three-Intriguing-Boat-Trips

Best Sydney Markets http://hubpages.com/hub/Sydneys-Best-Flea-Markets


Learning to Weave with the locals in Vientiane: http://hubpages.com/_2ray4pba8aldg/hub/Weaving-Learning-to-Weave-in-Laos

Shopping at 5 Top Asian Markets: http://hubpages.com/_2ray4pba8aldg/hub/Gift-Shopping-at-5-Top-Markets-in-Asia

And more......

Take a look and if you like what you see (or not), leave me a comment.

Kiama - where the sea makes a noise

Kiama - where the sea makes a noise

Since arriving to live in Sydney, one year ago last month, I've wanted to visit Kiama. The name Kiama means "where the sea makes a noise".

With another friend in town time to explore and a gorgeous sunny 30 degree day promised we set off, in the excited fashion of kids on an day excursion.

The train from Central Station heads south through Sydney suburbs, chugs slowly uphill through quiet native bush and wends its way past idyllic looking seaside communities. Two hours later we reach the pretty harbour town of Kiama hugging a volcanic coastline; its lighthouse gleaming on the hilltop.

Having left early, we were rather hungry so our first stop was to find a cafe with lovely views over the road to the harbour. Lads in this town love their vintage cars and bikes so we were treated to a steady stream of carefully restored vehicles cruising by while we munched on breakfast.

One of the key attractions here are the two blow holes where water is pushed into an underground cave through an opening in the black rocks high up into the sky. There are two blow hole vents; one small and one large and the spurt of water reminds me of the Rotorua geysers.

Kiama also has a couple of those iconic Australian swimming pools beside the open sea which are filled with sea water. I continue to be captivated by them and spent some time trying to photograph them.

It's also famous for its pelican and has made a statue of one although this photo was not taken there.

The day delivered the promised temperature but the sea breeze kept its cooling vigil so it was a very pleasant day for tourists.

Sadly, we didn't see the blow holes playing so I will have to return another time to ensure its not a myth. I will also time my next visit so I can see one of the regular markets.