wolf

wolf, originally uploaded by dehealey.

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Catching butterflies

This is our 6th day in Tam Dao, studying butterflies for earthwatch (www.earthwatch.org). There are 6 of us: Stephanie and Monica from the US; Ivy from China but living in New York; Lil and Joanna from the Philipines; and me. So far we've wandered the roads around the town (3 times), walked the 6 miles of new road 3 times (once for butterflies, once to get to the bamboo forest and once, today, to get to the mountain), climbed the hill hosting the TV tower, trekked thru the bamboo forest and spent a day climbing and descending one of the 3 peaks that give the region it's name. We've also been pummelled by masseurs and seen the waterfall. We've eaten many strange meats and vegetables for lunch and tea. But what we can't do without is the internet. There is an internet cafe in Tam Dao, where we spend our free time (when Monica isn't trying to order the special Mela sweet soup). It's been down for 2 days, and we've had to amuse ourselves - not pretty. But we do know our cameras' instruction manuals word for word.

Dien Bien Phu

After a day in Hanoi, I flew out to Dien Bien Phu, site of the last battle in the French Indo-china war in 1954. Well, it's different to Hanoi. For a start, it's hot and sunny. There are no organised tour companies in each hotel, and the traffic is light. They still drive mopeds through the market for no reason though.
The main sites are all laid out, so you just have to find a taxi driver who speaks English. Oh, and there are plenty of Thit Cho restaurants (that's dog to you). What's it taste like? Well certainly not chicken!

Arrived in Hanoi

It's 9am here, 5 hours ahead of the UK. The trip from the airport would have involved 15 major pile-ups back home, but the Vietnamese seem miraculously to find spaces between vehicles that aren't really there. I'm off to bed.

Paris CDG Airport

Oh my God! This place is the nightmare offspring from Gerry Anderson and the Milton Keynes town planners! "Time to spare, go by air" was written especially for CDG.
Don't get me wrong, with a 5 hour stopover, an appreciation for airports and architecture, and especially my pre-booked space in one of the VIP lounges (free alcoholic beverages!), I think it's a fascinating place. Just don't try a transfer of less than, say, 3 hours! One of my fellow passengers on the shuttle bus between terminals couldn't believe "even the French could design something so incompetent". But then he probably had a flight to catch!
Terminal 2B (and A, C, D, E and F I expect) is like a small, thin railway station with some duty-free shops and a cafe at each end. And long queues for the few toilets.
Terminal 1 is the other side of Paris (according to a German traveller on the buss over there). It is so precious, they don't even allow the aircraft near. They have to park out at "satellites". You access the terminal proper via moving walkways that wend their way up and down through small, pebble-dashed corridors. I'm sure I've seen this as a set in "Moon Zero Two" (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0064691/). Still no signs of seats or toilets. Oh well, show me to the (free) bar (http://www.loungepass.com/). Plus, of course, you can catch up on your blogging from the free internet terminals.

Rj145.jpg

Rj145.jpg, originally uploaded by dehealey.

Well, my journey's started. Dawn flight to Paris CDG (Charles de Gaulle). Only another 24 hours to Hanoi.

Travelling light

Travelling light, originally uploaded by dehealey.

All you need, anywhere in the world

In the begining

I wanted to start this so I could post photos from my trip to Vietnam.