travels with an ageing punkrocker/publisher
China is a magnificent, ancient, land of culture. I am, if nothing else, maybe slightly above the average base grade western barbarian tourist. I don’t speak the local lingo, save for a handful of words (thank you, hello, pork dumplings, fire water/Chinese ‘Whisky’) and can read nothing in Chinese script. So I’m obviously prepared. The good news is that L […]
Read moreThis trip takes L and I behind the great firewall of China, and then across the alleged land of the free, the USA. Kind of in Nixon’s footsteps, so to speak, especially given the final stop of my itinerary is the World Fantasy Convention in Washington D.C., and I figure if anyone had world fantasies in D.C., ol’ Dickie Milhous […]
Read moreQantas lounge, Perth Airport. Next stop, London, to start the Ticonderoga takes on the British Isles tour. First stop is Loncon 3, the World Science Fiction Convention, where we’ll wheel and deal. Then it’s a few days down time in Plymouth with L’s aunt, before Dublin and Shamrokon to wheel and deal some more. L is already on the road, […]
Read moreToday was our last full day in HCMC, my last proper day of holidays (at least for now). L feeling a whole lot better, not 100% though, so after a pretty good hotel breakfast (pho, and lots of other little bites — and unlike the last hotel, no baconfail) we headed out for a wander and last shop. L got […]
Read moreFull day in HCMC/Saigon (actually no one calls it Ho Chi Minh City, it gets used for official things, but everyone still calls it Saigon). I’ve lost count of what day we’re up to on this trip, but it was Thursday (I think). Had breakfast with the few remaining members of our tour, same wretched hotel breakfast made palatable by […]
Read moreWoke up in the heat of the Mekong Delta for the last day of the Intrepid Food Adventures tour of Vietnam (though I’m probably going to do a summary tour post in a day or so once I’ve had some reflection time). Had a fabulous final breakfast of omlette and fresh baguettes, home made jam, coffee, and fruit (I think). […]
Read moreHotel breakfast as covered previously, pho the only saving grace but even then probably the winner of the worst meal of the trip – Hoi An hotel takeaway at least had the excuse of it having to be packable. Then it’s on the bus to the Mekong delta, minus a quick delay while the police shook down the bus driver […]
Read moreI’ve been avoiding talking about the American/Vietnam war mostly, as I’m here for food not politics. Heading south, it’s harder to avoid, there are still scars and remnants and today’s tour was war heavy. Probably a good think L wasn’t 100% so took a rest day in the rather poor quality hotel room. Up early in Hoi An to bus […]
Read moreFood: There was much good food in Hoi An, but I’m going to give the award to the 30000 VND ($1.50) pho and tea two doors down from the hotel/resort we were staying at. Lovely fresh flavours, lots of fabulous chilli paste, and very unpretentious – the owners’ small child was running around (at least we thought it was the […]
Read moreCondensing all the days in Hoi An into one post, as a way of catching up and also for continuity reasons. Hue to Hoi An by bus, a fairly long but pretty drive, three mountain passes and at the top of the tallest one remnants of French bunkers and an even older gate. Lunch stop was at a bakery along […]
Read moreHue. Pronounced Hway. As in the sound a sleep deprived traveller makes when stepping off a train into bright light, holding a backpack, trying to balance. Hue. Hue’s schtick is that it’s an old and cultural city, the capital from 1803-1945 or thereabouts, home to 3 loved kings, 1 hated one, and 9 others who generally seem to have been […]
Read moreIt’s good to be writing this from a mostly comfy hotel bed (I probably haven’t mentioned they like hard beds over here) in airconditioned comfort, as this day was a killer. Woke up in time for breakfast on the boat in Halong Bay, followed by a short demonstration on vegetable carving. The chef does an impressive trick making a fish […]
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