Udomxai to Luang Prabang

           Today, I rose at a leisurely 6.00am and consumed breakfast hard rations in my room at my rather down, hard scrabble hotel , but at $8 US who is complaining, confident that I would be able to find the 'new' south bus station on the south side of Udomxai (pop. 37,000). Yesterday, after early

arrival at about 2.00pm I sought to address a couple of travel logistical issues in fast order, so that I could relax knowing that I was in good stead for further travel. #1 find a bank and purchase a handful of Laotian kip  (8000 to the $US), noting that the young bank teller, male, is I judge the sole English speaker in Udomxai & where I found the obtaining of quality travel guidance to be a real challenge. #2. Find tuk tuk driver to take me to said bus station in order to purchase a ticket in advance and reconf. departure time. Tuk tuk driver and all his driver mates had never heard of another bus station and refused to have anything to with this older man in blue cap and Tilley shorts! A form of Laotian cold shoulder! Idea------ Return to bank and request agreeable young teller to write in Lao,

instructions exactly as to how to find the 'lost' bus terminal. My countermeasures worked well and this morning I arrived at 'lost' bus station, perfectly rested, one  our before published departure time. I am learning that in SE Asia that bus time tables are inexact documents---OK if you are on the right side of the departure time, but could be mighty frustrating to see your bus blasting off in a cloud of black smoke 15 minutes before published departure time---just because the driver felt like it!
                  Scenery during the 5 hour drive in a very comfortable VIP bus (no one could explain to me what VIP meant) was dramatic as we dipped down to the rice field valleys and back up above the clouds numerous times twisting and turning our way southwards towards Luang Prabang, LP to the cognoscenti in these parts. Interesting to note that roads in this part of Laos are considerable better than in Vietnam where the routes were frequently almost obliterated by tree and mud as hill

Hill tribes village...

sides collapse/erode. Also noted, was the high level of rural electrification in northern Laos, the jungle clad mountain sides continually pierced by pylons carrying sets of high voltage wires across the country. Population in northern Laos seems to be heavily hill tribes people who by any standard, live in third world poverty, mostly accommodated in wooden shacks on raised stilts, roofs of corrugated iron or of thatched banana leaves. Life for the tribal folk appeared to this bus passenger to be very slow and lethargic in the road side communities, although it was interesting to note just how many held communication devices in hand & were incessantly texting. First world meets third!   

A day in Dien Bien Phu....

                         Dien Bien Phu (DBP), population 77,000, is described in Lonely Planet, perhaps the most authoritative of travel guides, as being a newly laid out, planned and growing provincial centre. The  two main streets are wide and straight and mostly devoid of private cars, this means of transport having not yet generally reached the mass population. I thought it however well worth a day to see up

Hauling the guns up the mountains.

close the site of the famous 1954 battle in which the French colonial army was destroyed---50,000 French soldiers marched off  into captivity. The first time an entire European army  was forced into surrendering to an Asian army. As a result of this victory at DBP, Ho Chi Minh was able to declare an independent & sovereign Vietnamese republic.
                         The French colonial army (supplied & supported by the USA from the side lines) decided that it would build a massive fortified base at DBP lying in a bowl of flat low land that is surrounded by high hills in the hope that they could draw the Viet Minh fighters into a  set piece battle and through massive fire superiority and control of airspace, completely annihilate the insurgents.

Frieze showing surrender of the French army.

While the French were prepared for an attack on their base in the bowl, they were not prepared for the massive bombardment they were subjected to from heavy guns atop the hills surrounding DBP.  Effectively any escape route for the French were blocked. Against all odds, the Vietnamese, under General Giap, had built roads up the mountains and hauled by human  muscle power alone, heavy guns and ammunition to high altitudes. The defeat of the French army was complete at DBP, and precipitated the complete withdrawal of France from its colonies in Indo China.
                       A major museum about a kilometre from the town centre of DBP, details the battle and it was to this location, plus a stroll through the military cemetery, that I ambled to in scorching hot sun and high humidity. With the purchase of a bus ticket for onward travel tomorrow to Laos the days task are completed. I will venture out again after 5pm, when hopefully it is a little cooler.

Tribal lady preparing to pilot her motor bike...

Up, over the mountains to Dien Bien Phu...

               Hauled myself out of bed, packed my gear & roused the lady at the reception desk to settle the account and very importantly, reclaim my passport. Every Vietnamese hotel hold guests passports for the duration of their stay....can't say I like it, but them's the rules!
                 The scheduled minibus service for today's sector, rolled into the Sapa bus station half an

Sapa bus station ticket office....

hour late--the language barriers are very dense here, so no reason for the delay was offered. After several stops in Sapa environs, to pick up passengers, we headed up and up to the top of Indo China---literally. Apparently the highest mountain peak in is within 20 kms of Sapa. Fantastic panoramas of the mountains, the beautiful cloud formations and the dramatic topography of the region at every tun. Unfortunately, the Vietnamese inter city transport system does not cater for the photographic whims & requirements of its passengers, so the unbelievable scenes witnessed will go largely un-recorded by this intrepid traveler.
                The bus ticket office man in Sapa had assured me, and other westerners that the Sapa to Dien Bien Phu (DPB) journey was 12 hours and so

A view over the rail & down....

with the thought of this on VERY twisty roads, I had arranged to split the trip into two sectors, stopping over-night in Muong Lay and continuing onto DPB tomorrow. Progress on the trip was much quicker than we expected, so I opted to continue directly to DBP without the stop-over at Muong Lay. In total, the journey was 7 1/2 hours with a 30 min, lunch break. This Vietnamese characteristic of suggesting inflated travel times has occurred to my before and other travelers have reported similar.
                 The route today to DBP, is twisty and convoluted, rising and falling as it traverses the mountain ranges. The quality of the road surface was rough to begin with and seemed to deteriorate as the kilometres passed by. Cut into the sides of steep mountain sides it is in many places the victim of land/rock slides that close the route down to a single narrow lane. Rumour has it that not infrequently the route is totally blocked for periods until land slides are cleared. Cannot imagine what must happen if this happens---suspect it might mean a turn around and a quick search for a practical local airport travel alternative. Main road routing alternatives in the region do not exactly abound. Fortunately, the amount of traffic on the road was relatively light and seemed to get more sparse the further we progressed.
                      A major part of the population in this north west part of Vietnam are the ethnic hill tribes people. I have learned that there are about 10 different regional tribes and they can separately identified by the colour, pattern and style variation of the womens' traditional dresses. Visibly very poor, hill tribe families live in mean shacks, frequently dotted along the road side from where they offer minor trinkets, fruit and soft drinks to the passing traffic.

Cat Cat and the tribal people.....

                                    Awoke 7,00am and enjoyed Skype time with the family until the frustration of dropped lines called an end. Consumed my supermarket purchased repast and after some obligatory housekeeping chores, exited onto the streets of Sapa to locate the "Ben Xe"---yes, Vietnamese for bus

station. I am sure that Ben Xe will ring my ears many times over the next few weeks. Wanted to settle schedule & ticket price etc for the next leg of the journey, which is the stretch across the north of Vietnam  before turning south. The next 'large" town is Dien Bien Phu, fully 12 hours in a minibus, across whole mountain ranges---ie on very twisty roads, I settled for splitting the journey into an 8 hours leg as far as Muong Lay. Muong can't be a very big place as it does not even register in the hotel search sites---we shall see.
                 Onward bus travel taken care of & time to get up close & personal with the tribal people in the region. Was told that there is a

tribal village a few kilometres down in the valley that rejoices in the name of Cat Cat, After grabbing a quick lunch, hopped on the back of the ubiquitous motor scooter taxi and was shortly deposited in Cat Cat. A $3 toll paid and I had freedom to stroll and photograph the village pathways and alley ways strung out on the hillside. The tribal people survive on tourism it seems almost 100% and are skilled in extracting money almost for the air that tourist have to breath. It was fun and quaint but had the strong sensation that what I was seeing was rather stylised and theatre, it did however afford vantage points for seeing some magnificent views of the  valleys. The rice harvest is just coming in from the contoured fields and I saw worker groups flailing the rice plant to separate the rice from the chaff. Hard work, but probably bearable in the cooler temperature that prevail at these higher altitudes.
              A plaque in Sapa today that explained that the town enjoys four climates each day----foggy mornings, warm, sunny mid-days, rain in the late afternoon and chilly nights.

High places---- in Sapa....

            It all goes south from here! Literally. Having reached the most northerly point of my itinerary in Sapa, (elevation 5000ft, pop, 32,000), a five hour bus ride from Hanoi first over straight, fast arterial toll roads and then on a tortuous climb up into the mountains, climbing up and up for more

than two hours. As we rose to higher altitudes the air became cooler compared to the sauna bath that is the low lands,  noticeable even in our sealed air con bus and  fascinating to watch the mist/clouds whirl in the valleys far below. Flat agricultural land in this region is at a real premium (as in non-existent) given the precipitous hill sides. The local hill people have developed real skills at contour farming. Most picturesque.
                        This was my first bus sector in a "sleeper bus" and when they advertise sleeper they are not over stating. No seats---- just beds! One does the entire journey on one's back. Actually a little tiring and I would have preferred

comfortable seats that reclined. Anyway, apparently in Vietnam, sleeper buses are the norm for trips over 3-5 hours, so it looks like that I will have to get used to being slung round hairpin bends while lying prostrate....
                      As we rose higher    around the cork-screw bends, it was easy to see the local population becoming visibly poorer economically. The border area of China, Laos, Vietnam & Thailand is populated with tribal hill people, the Miaou and the Humong being two tribes in this region. Traditionally they have wandered across the national borders seeking trade and visiting family. Immediately, on arrival in Sapa our bus was swarmed with local tribes people in their distinctive costumes, offering various guiding services for the fair number of back-packers among the passengers who planned to go trekking in the mountains surrounding the town.
                           The centre of the Sapa town is dominated by a large lake, ringed by a railed

pedestrian walkway. Very picturesque and a 15 minute strolling circuit offers a view of the hotel lined lakefront from many different angles. Sapa lake is man-made, being held at such altitude by a large concrete dam. Beyond the immediate perimeters of the lake and it's hotels, the town itself can best described as being scruffy with large potholes and malformed pedestrian walkways. Large numbers of buildings appear to be semi-derelict or occupied by squatters----not exactly sure, but will get a better handle on the details tomorrow.
                      My hotel, 'The Lakeview' lives up to its name, being right opposite the water, although my third floor room hardly benefits --- the large window is just 2 feet away from a neighbours brick wall!
             

Last day in Hanoi.....

                   So glad I decided to give myself the extra day before going up north tomorrow to Sapa near the Chinese border.
                Woke to stormy grey skies, tropically hot with humidity pushing 99% . Sure enough, the heavens opened and for the most part maintained an on & off downpour till mid afternoon. With trusty gamp in hand, sallied forth using the Lenin Park, just south of the French quarter, as my

walking objective, routing through  a maze of small streets. Of interest in this highly technical age and perhaps as the last human being to NOT own a cell phone with built in GPS, I used my trust magnetic compass to give me general bearings and with the help several kind folk to point me along the way, I arrived at said Lenin Park. Narrow streets, jammed with people, motor bikes and  and all kind of commerce spilling out to block pedestrians, it was the street photographers dream come true. So much frenetic human interaction, I probably banged off a couple of hundred 'in your face' shots and have to say that there were only a couple of grimaces--mostly from ladies of a 'certain age' .A loud laugh and big smile mostly work wonders and photo refusals were far out numbered by folks actually demanding I take there picture and even posed carefully for me---not quite sure about the satisfaction they achieve by their pic being on MY camera!
             

 90% of vehicles on Hanoi streets are scooters & mo-peds--push bikes having almost completely disappeared. These bike pilots certainly understand how to wear colourful and effective rain-wear to keep somewhat dry in a  late monsoon downfall of warm rain. and I spent a delight full hour at various road intersections capturing the rain soaked street chaos and rainbow of styles that is the race track of Hanoi streets. Street photography is a never ending theatre of opportunity---miss one great shot (and I miss more than my fair share) and another one pops up almost immediately. It forces the photographer to look, not just see, the street drama unfolding before his lens and to keep his finger on that shutter button!
               Vietnam is a hard line communist country and the Party's control is evident every where. Unsmiling police presence is everywhere, as are heavily guarded official government buildings denoted with bright red banners and hammer & sickle motifs. I am careful to avoid pointing my camera at any one military, police or official building. This afternoon, by the central lake, got chatting to a sweet 18 year old university student (any westerner here is quickly set upon by young students

wanting to practice their English). Right in front of us a rather loud argument broke out between a couple of young women and a poor defenseless policeman--All sounded very serious, until it was explained to me that the girls were upset because the policeman did not know the location of the nearest ladies toillettes!

A full day in Halong Bay....

           Rose early to complete a couple of tasks for my friends at Mister Safety Shoes......followed by a rather nondescript hotel breakfast for one ---and I should say that I believe that I am the only guest at this property that may have 50 rooms. Walked back down the long hill into town to locate the street market...perhaps a full kilometre and did not  see a single tourist in this tourist town---not quite true, as I did have brief conversation with a French couple & their guide who confirmed to me that the tourists to this paradise have decided to stay home so far this season---economy issues in China, Brexit in the UK plus Euro problems and it could spell tough times for the good citizens of Halong

Bay.
                     After cruising around the central market looking for some candid photo opportunities, I returned to my hotel, "The Light" to await for my tour bus to pick me up at 12 noon and proceed out via a tour group in a tour boat for trip around a few of the over 3000 limestone cliffs that rear massively out of the green sea water of the South China see a couple of kilometres off shore. They are truly a geological wonder, a UNESCO designated site---- and I have to make it an early search project to discover how they were formed. The guide dished out the usual tales of monsters and ancient spirits living on specific rock towers which made for fun listening. Lime stone rock island beget limestone caves and we had the opportunity to walk through an amazing series of

massive caves containing ancient stalagmites and stalactites of many different hues. I am not a group tour kinda guy, but sometimes it is the only way to efficiently see hard to get to places in an economical time frame. In all, well worth the $20 fee with lots of fun to come in sorting through the many photos I banged off.
                         Almost a week in Vietnam and the initial discomfort of cultural shock is beginning to fade. These Vietnamese are tough people who have beaten the Chinese, French and US armies in the past 60 years. They are openly friendly with a quick smile. They do however consider (in my view) commerce as an extension of war by another name. Do business here, enjoy yourself, but do it with much care. There is so much trickery involved--a TOTAL, all in price might mean one thing to our Western minds, but to the Vietnamese it means a base price starting point as in

TOTAL + taxes+ extras, adjusted for short measure, adjusted for dodgy description and do count your change. I am sure you get the picture! Taken a few times in my first week in this fair country--- nothing too major, but irritating nonetheless so will be definitely reverting to super hard nosed Chris beginning tomorrow.
                       

Bus from Hanoi to Halong....

         The tourist bus arrived at Camel City Hotel, Hanoi exactly at 8.30am as arranged. Luckily I was just about last aboard and did not have to do a circuituous route to pick passengers. Often struck that when staying in the centre of large cities in order to be near the major sights, that one does not realize just how vast the total metropolis frequently is. Evidence this morning as we drove out of Hanoi, through the teeming streets and clogged arterial roads---probably over an hour till we fought free of the industrial suburbs. Hanoi is a city boasting a population of 6 million, about the same as Chicago. In all about 5 hours to cover the 150kms  between hotels in Hanoi and Halong Bay on the China Sea coast.
             My hotel in Halong is clean, spacious but unfortunately up a steepish road on the east side of the town---difficult to determine when one reserves books via the internet. I will have to read more attentively the user reviews. The pleasant point to ponder is that the single rate, room only, is just $23.40, 15% taxes included, total for TWO/TWO nights accommodation. I just don't understand the economics. Tomorrow will be my day to wander downtown and view the amazing limestone island formations just off the cast.
                  There are amazing signs of massive investment in tourist infrastructure in the area hotels, marinas etc etc. I can confidently predict that if I come back in 5 years time, I will be hardly able to recognize the place. The tourists do not seem to have arrived yet in the numbers that one could envisage, given the amazing natural attributes of the region. This could be a seasonal thing as the monsoons are supposed to be tapering off.
               I have noticed in Vietnam that there is an almost total exclusion of the big international names like McD., Sheraton, Hilton...although I have seen a single unit of both KFC and Starbucks. So perhaps the trickle is commencing as this Communist nation opens up to the world. It would be my comment that the Vietnamese need much assistance building up their tourist asset to international standards. Nice to have back packers and 'gappers', but these folk don't bring too much economic sizzle with them. Not sure the government here is prepared to go the casino route per Macau, not too far from here in China.
              From the bus windows I did note that we passed by massive textile factories, Canon and  Foxcon. The Canon operation in particular was massive, with road frontage that could have been perhaps nearly a kilometre. Vast storage area with thousands of employee motor cycles. This country has vaulted the bicycle era and most seem now to own a scooter or moped, yes, even electronic/battery models.

Military museum and the Old Quarter.....

                  Last night, sitting at my table located in front of the eating emporium, on a very crowded street near my 'Camel City' hotel  I was aware of strident martial music of the Soviet ilk, blaring over the roar of the omnipresent mopeds. First, I believed that I was to enjoy a military band march-past

Scrap yard of captured  enemy material... 

only to be somewhat let down to see the nightly refuse truck patrol rumble slowly past. Evidently, all the street traders know that with the approach of the martial fanfare, it is time to hurl their plastic sacks of garbage into said large & noisy refuse vehicle. A nice touch to remind a visitor that they are in fact in a country still run by a Communist government very much in control. The streets here in Hanoi, while being old and very cracked are generally quite clean and there does seem to be a citizen's consensus to pick up litter. The authorities here like to keep the people looking neat even in their moments of relaxation---walking through the park I watched as a policemen telling people not to lie down on the grass---only sitting positions are permitted!
                      Today my third full day in Hanoi it was my objective to see a couple of touristic highlights and routed my 5 kilometre walk to include------
           1.  The Vietnam Military Museum. It has seemed so far that Vietnam is true to it's recent raw & bloody history. The Museum is a collection of scrap guns, tanks and planes collected from foreign armies that have raged across the country these past 150 years or so. The exhibit notations that are included seem very political, but perhaps that is only a

Love is in the air......

measure of the suffering that the nation has suffered from foreign occupiers. Included as an integral part of the museum are multiple rooms devoted to the health damage to the Vietnamese people as a result of the thousands of tons of 'agent orange' defoliant that was poured on it by American aircraft 1968-1974. Apparently third generation deformed babies are still turning up as a result of grandparents having been sprayed or having had ingested food that was contaminated with AO. Not the most cheerful of places to visit, but well worth it for anyone keen to understand what makes this nation 'tick' in today's world.
           2. The French Quarter. The area around the French embassy. A mixture of swish high end imported goods boutiques befitting the diplomatic crowd and commercial streets notable for decaying colonial French architecture and tall shady trees in the French style. Almost certain that in just a few brief years all the colonial remnants will have been torn down and replaced by glass towers. One has a sense that this country is on the move.
                             

Of lakes and prisons.

             The day began early---that is. with hotel breakfast at 8.00am after clearing away some e-mail. Slept most of night except for 30 mins. awake at 3.00pm and time to plough through a couple of chapters of "The Chamber" (as in gas chamber), by John Grisham. Jet lag slowly yielding.

             My sightseeing target today was, I judged to be suitably aggressive given the sweltering heat of Hanoi in September. # 1. to walk around the Hoan Kiem  lake. In the heart of the city and bordered with high trees, shady pathways and dotted with small restaurants and  food stalls. Positioned in  the centre of the lake, connected to the bank with a scenic curved bridge, the spot is a favourite for wedding parties to use as a backdrop. The temple is heavily patronized by devout Buddhists ....... interesting in a rigidly controlled Communist country. (I learned upon arrival in Vietnam that the BBC, my favourite news source, is blocked).  While eating my sandwich lunch on a park bench I watched the local gendarmes aggressively use their whistles and shout- out litter droppers and wide boys who whipped along pedestrian pathways on their mopeds.
             The lake is purely decorative---the water being a shade of green. Did see a lady fishing & who told me that the fish were fed to her cat. Legend has it that the lake is the home of some massive tortoises---in fact there was an embalmed reptile in the temple--- perhaps a metre feet long. Might be the reason why the locals do not bath in the lake!
             Item #2 on the itinerary today was a visit to the Hoa Lo prison. Older readers may recall the "Hanoi Hilton" of Vietnam war fame. Senator John McCain was a 'hotel' guest for 7 years and it was the home for hundreds of US aircrew who were shot down during the war. The prison, now a museum, was built by the French and according to the exhibits was the site of intense savagery during colonial period when the French were continually fighting off coups and revolts from a

nascent Communist liberation movement. Interesting how the presentation of events was very heavily against France, but noticeably quite forgiving towards the US. In fact, the angle taken towards the prison's role during the war was how comfortable and enjoyable Vietnamese hospitality had been for the US airmen. Not mentioned was the fact that the US prisoners were deliberately incarcerated in the centre of a high population war zone, clearly as a strategy to deter American bombing of the city centre & in contravention to Geneva rules. John McCain's book reveals different memories of this period and the treatment handed out.
             Getting around Hanoi has to be by foot--a maze of narrow streets & chaotic traffic.
So much to see and an intense sensory experience. Life here is lived outside and on the street and tourism a pied is the only way to appreciate the sights sounds and people.

Streets of Hanoi.....

               First day on the streets of Hanoi completed. Very hot and humid with no let-up in the evening. The Old Quarter where tourist activity is concentrated, is the very centre of Hanoi and is composed of a maze of very narrow streets that are clogged with motor cycles and small delivery trucks of the pedicab and motorized varieties. Vietnam seems to be in the early stages of an economic explosion with most people seemingly enjoying access  to consu

mer goods previously unobtainable. Wires, internet, utility and whatever, are draped in a convoluted mass from poles at the roadside. There is basic sanitation (better than in India) but the whole environment in the central area awaits massive organization. I have not seen very much in the way of public transportation, with informal suppliers meeting demand.
                         Very clear to any visitor is just how friendly the locals are to tourists. Of course, there is frequently an ulterior motive by many just to practice their English----whatever, it is people interacting in a very human manner that can only foster understanding. As yet, I have not sensed any tourist safety concerns and the locals seems to be law abiding with a police presence on many street corners.
                        Walked a couple kilometres to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum -------paid my admission and promptly informed that the place was closing shortly (Sunday hours). Had to take the bums rush through the various rooms---I had been expecting to see Uncle Ho in residence and embalmed--instead had to make do with a large statue that seems popular with newlyweds as a photo back drop.
                       The walk back to the city core, led me  past a small lake in the centre of which, is embedded

Remains of a B52 bomber in central Hanoi.

 a large chunk of an American B52 bomber that was shot out of the sky in 1972. Patriotic plaques around the lake explain the significance of the wreckage as part of the struggle for national unity.
                      Seems that one has to be careful with the camera especially near military buildings, police stations etc., otherwise, on the street, locals seem at ease with the camera pointed in their direction.
                      The city is abundant with food---with eating spots running into the thousands. Quality seems good with the flavour range manageable even for the gastronomically less adventurous.

First day in the Orient.....

           Completed the major travel legs. Planes were on time and connection through Hong Kong went without a hitch. The new airport is massive---whole mountain tops were cleared to make room on a small island for long runways. Not quite as exciting as landing at the central city Kai Tak airport in the old days when 747 jumbos roared along the main shopping street as they settled down onto the single runway.   None of my Chinese seat companions en route spoke English so it was a quiet & reflective 20 hours. My first problem of the day upon arrival in Singapore was locating the subway (known as the MRT in Singapore) that operates out of the airport with a single transfer to the area where Google Maps indicated my hotel, The Bright Star, was located.  No one actually knew the street or the hotel name-----first this way, then another way--all very confusing, but typical of travel experiences in other strange cities when arriving after dark and the streets are dark.
                 Very hot and humid with rain threatening from grey skies when I arrived. The monsoons in these parts are supposed to abate mid/end of September, so let us hope for fairer weather on the horizon.
                      The first time that I have been in Singapore for about 20 years and at that time Changi Airport and the MRT had recently been constructed & looked all shiny new. Still seem to be

Hotel parrot Polly says 'Hello'...........

functioning well, but no longer look like state of the art and a little worn. Funny how the mind works, so that no one, or nowhere ages in the memory over the years. Suppose the moral is to never look  nostalgically in the rear view mirror of life, but always press forward onto fresh projects.
                  Do not plan on venturing too far today, just the commercial streets local to my hotel, as I work on 'de-jet- lagging' myself. The lady at the front desk informed me that the many hotels in the Geylang district are for local visitors, Malays and Indonesians who do not wish to pay the going rate of $300-400 per night in the international chain hotels in the central tourist district. Personally, I would rather experience the local colour,  but maybe not the bull frog porridge on offer at the pavement eatery just around the corner.
                  The internet in my room at the Bright Star is intermittent to say the least, so I am hurrying to complete this entry before the signal evaporates once more.

Update #2...

              Thought that I should lay down these words before the trip so as to be part of the total blog account of this journey. For the past 3 or 4 years I have become very interested in photography and am still struggling to better understand the intricacies of composition, presentation etc. A couple of years ago, in the course of selling some equipment, I met a young lady, a fourth year student of photography at the local university. She explained that at the commencement of year # 1 that she felt that she would know all there was to know about the art form by Christmas and recalls wondering how she would keep  herself occupied for the remaining 3 1/2 years of the programme. In her final year, she stated that she was under great pressure to complete the course in the full allotted 4 years!

He was quietly enjoying his expensive meal...

                 I have cast about for the past couple of years trying to determine my own path/style. Tried the landscapes, the flowers, the honey bees etc---all lots of fun and generated the knowledge base so as to be able to switch off the automatic camera setting and shoot in manual---thus opening up a whole world of creative possibilities. My preferences have evolved through the large powerful DSLRs, complete with powerful & heavy lenses to the 'pro-sumer' compact, light to carry and importantly, quite discrete  (earlier, with big camera/lens, experienced a couple of unpleasant incidents being at the receiving end of accusations (unfounded) of being an "old weirdo").
                In the past year I seem to have settled on street photography ---the black and white genre. Photos taken close-up, without lenses and hopefully without the subject being aware---my "hole in one" is to score direct eye contact before the subject has time to react. Funny, but they often look behind to see who else might I might have been photographing! A quick smile and nod and I am off on my way again. This is a 'Flickr' link to some of my recent work on the streets, for any reader who may have interest:          https://www.flickr.com/photos/chris66/sets/72157653664196939
               Must say now that I stop everywhere now just to look at shadows, people with interesting wrinkles etc, etc., often to the (slight) annoyance of my wife Jian, as I trail behind trying to work a good angle on some poor, unsuspecting target.
             This S.E. Asia junket---is not planned explicitly as a photo trip and I hope to see a lot more than just folk on the streets. If, there is one thing I have learned from photography, it is that as human beings, we are programmed to see everything, but look at nothing. Hopefully I am now better qualified at extracting even more value from what I will see.
                 I shall have my camera out at all times, three batteries and storage cards at the ready. We shall see if I am successful.