Cambodia: Siem Reap

Sublime Khmer temple, Angkor Wat

Friday 31 January: My visa run, this time, is to Cambodia and to one of my favourite locations in all the world, Siem Reap, the dormitory town for Angkor Wat. I'll relax here in the Mandalay Inn for a few days before visiting the sites.
Wednesday 5 February: For three days I cycle around the outer sites stopping at Bayon and Angkor Wat.
Saturday 8: Today Angkor National Museum is a delight. Not much to see but many displays and information.
Wednesday 12: This morning I visit the interior of Angkor Wat with it's fabulous reliefs, statues and vistas and in the afternoon Bayon with it's giant Buddha faces. Early evening there are dusk views of Angkor Wat across the lily pond, sublime.
Slideshow of Angkor Wat area this time.
Slideshow of in and around Siem Reap in March 2012 and more slideshows from July 2010:
Siem Reap
Angkor's Grand Tour
Angkor's Petit Tour
Angkor Thom
Bayon
Angkor Wat
Banteay Srei and beyond

Kanchanaburi

Kwai River bridge, Kanchanaburi

Saturday 25 January: I've been here before but this time I want to use Kanchanaburi, the site of the famous Kwai Bridge, to visit places nearby.
Tuesday 28: Today I take the bus northwards to visit Hellfire Pass where, during World War II, gangs of allied prisoners were forced to excavate a pass for the infamous 'Death Railway' which was used to resupply Japanese troops in their bid to overrun British forces in Burma and India. It's an atmospheric experience.
Thursday 30: Train back to Bangkok.
Saturday 15 February: Returning to Kanchanaburi and this time there's space at the comfortable Chitanun Guesthouse.
Wednesday 19: The rarely visited war cemetery out of town at Chong Kai, so I hire a bicycle and pedal out there. Sad and atmospheric.
Slideshow in and around Kanchanaburi.

Bangkok and Nakhon Pathom

Erewan shrine in the city centre

Tuesday 14 January: I've returned to Bangkok primarily to get an Indian visa but I'm disappointed to learn that it will take six working days, so I'm here for a week or so.
Wednesday 15: It's a whopping 4,485 Bhat (£85) for the visa plus 250 Bhat for photos and photocopying, ouch.
Saturday 18: I move from Penpark Place to my hotel of choice in Bangkok, the bright and breezy, Bella Bella Riverview.
Sunday 19: I fill some of my time shopping for bug spray, toothpaste, soap and silk boxer shorts which at 90 Bhat are great value.
Tuesday 21: To escape the hustle-bustle of the city I take a day-trip to Nakhon Pathom an hour and a half by train from Bangkok's little Thon Buri station, just over the river from my hotel. The tallest Buddhist monument in the world, Wat Phra Pathom's great golden stupa is a delight to behold.
Friday 24: Finally I pick up my visa and am glad to leave the political turmoil of the city for Hua Lamphong station and destinations new.
Slideshow of Bangkok.
Slideshow of Nakhon Pathom. 

Thailand: Prachup Khiri Khan

Temple topped Mirror Mountain

Friday 10 January: After a couple of days in Hua Hin I head to the Yuttichai Hotel in the laid-back hill-top temple resort of Prachup Khiri Khan (PKK).
Saturday 11: To intensify the flavour the previous nights catch of Cotton Fish dry in the sun ready to be served-up in Ma Prow's in the evening, delicious.
Monday 13: Sleeper to Bangkok.
Slideshow of Prachup Khiri Khan.

Malaysia: Kuala Lumpur

Colonial architecture KL style

Monday 9 November 2013: Following a short stay in Phuket, with my laptop (sort of) repaired, I take a bus to the busy border town of Hat Yai and overnight at Cathay Guesthouse, a backpacker favourite, to arrange onward transport to Malaysia.
Thursday 12: My comfortable sleeper train arrives in Kuala Lumpur where it's great to meet up with Damian, another one of my old muckers from Portsmouth university, and his wife Julie. I'm astonished to discover that they live, together with their pouch Harry, in a rather bizarrely misplaced five-bedroom English Edwardian-style townhouse with private gardens and pool - we are in Southeast Asia!.
Friday 13: Shopping with Julie I buy a reconditioned laptop and in the evening we all hit the nearby Brussels Beer Cafe, another bizarre but enjoyable experience. Usually I try to experience tastes and culture unique to the country I'm in, so this is quite different.
Saturday 14: Wine and oysters for lunch at the M&S style local supermarket and in the evening Damian prepares a barbecue on the terrace just before the skies open, yes it's still rainy season here.
Sunday 15: An Indian Kingfisher beer with Damian and Harry in their local Bulldog Bar, one of the few bars that allow dogs access. Muslim sensibilities treat pigs and dogs as unclean.
Thursday 19: I've agreed to look after Harry over the holiday period while Damian & Julie are back in blighty - it will give me a chance to rest and recuperate and also improve Harry's lot rather than him being incarcerated at the airport kennels.
Thursday 26: Once again I embark on my annual 10-day detox diet. I have the use of a large modern kitchen so this is the ideal place and time to do it.
Sunday 29: The reconditioned laptop I bought is so slow that, even though it won't be covered in my pre-arranged travel insurance, I treat myself to a brand new top of the range Acer Aspire laptop. I then spend the following week or so transferring files and customising it to my preferred format.
Sunday 5 January 2014: Damian returns bearing gifts. Oops, I'd forgotten all about Christmas - it all seems so overly commercial and far away - not really my cup of tea anymore.
Monday 6: Sleeper over the border to Cathay Guesthouse in Hat Yai.
Tuesday 7: Sleeper north to Hui Hin on Thailand's Gulf coast.
Slideshow of Kuala Lumpur.

Thailand: Krabi

Krabi's mangrove and Karst estuary

Tuesday 19 November 2013: Following a surprisingly comfortable Qatar Air flight via Doha I stay in Bangkok's Penpark Place just long enough to visit my dentist (a filling and teeth polished for 1,700 Bhat, about £30) and have several Thai traditional massages to soothe those aching muscles (200 Bhat an hour, about £4). It's good to be back in Asia even if it is pouring down, I've just caught the end of the rainy season.
Friday 22: My laptop packs-up on arrival so I get it repaired but the keyboard still won't work without a mouse, bloody annoying.
Saturday 23: From Bangkok's Hua Lumpong station I board my sleeper train berth to Surat Thani - I'm on my way to Krabi.
Sunday 24: I wake for breakfast to find that we are still north of Chumphon. The track further south is under six feet of water but the sun is shining and the water levels are dropping. Pessimistic taxi drivers tell us that the railway embankment is washed away and the bus routes are also flooded, would we like to take a taxi to Surat Thani by back roads? Most decide to wait at Chumphon station as the train may 'leave soon'. As darkness falls I book into Chumphon's Suriwong Hotel and call it a day.
Monday 25: The morning train delivers me to Surat Thani's Phun Phun station and the orange railway shuttle bus takes me to into town for the the 'big' bus to Krabi. It's been a long two days, my laptop's packed up again and my blog is so out of date.
Tuesday 26: A long-tail boat down Krabi (pronounced Rabbee) estuary to Railey beach is expensive (300 Bhat, about £6, return) but the trip and beach are great.
Friday 29: I take a pick-up to Than Bok National Park. I've been here before and the waterfalls are fairy-tale fantastic.
Saturday 30: Wat Kaew in Krabi town centre is also a delight with golden dragons guarding the stairway up to the elegant grey hill-top temple.
Monday 2 December: I'm staying in Green Tea Guesthouse, an all time favourite, where the owner (who I'm uncomfortable calling 'Mama' - she's younger than I am) books a super-value (400 Bhat) four-island boat trip, including lunch, for me. The 'Karst' limestone scenery, warm emerald-green waters, soft sand and lovely Muslim women dishing-up snacks from their floating kitchens make it a great day out.
Tuesday 3: Today I take a pick-up to the mountain-top Tiger Cave Temple where I climb the 1,237 steps to the summit. On a clear day the views would be stunning, it's misty. Krabi's night market is renowned for it's good value food and flaming woks churn out delicious meals to order. The big Chang beer is keenly priced too and I eat here every night. I'll have to head to Phuket tomorrow to try and get my laptop repaired, I really need to get this blog up-to-date.
Slideshow of Krabi.

England: London

Leonard Cohen live, Greenwich O2

Sunday 8 September 2013: My tenants are moving out of my Wimbledon apartment so now I have a base in London, fantastic. I'll take this opportunity to refurbish the flat, visit friends and family, and take in some of the capital's culture. Two months should be enough - well that's what I think!
Wednesday 11: I meet my chum Andy and we survey the flat - looks like a bomb hit it.
Thursday 12: I take time off to see Geordie boy Alan Price, formerly of The Animals, at a local venue, The Half Moon in Putney, my first decent ale for a while, sorely missed.
Sunday 15: Leonard Cohen plays a great two-hour set at Greenwich O2, for a man of 79 he's fantastic.
Monday 16: Andy comes over and we start on the overgrown garden. At dusk it's fenced, laid to pea gravel and slabs. I'm knackered.
Wednesday 2 October: Two weeks of working sixteen-hour days and I've cleaned all internal surfaces with sugar soap, all holes and cracks have been filled, ceilings painted, light-fittings replaced, double-glazing and central heating have now been installed, I've chosen the colour schemes and bought the paint so now it's time to start in earnest.
Wednesday 16: Two more weeks painting, the new bathroom suite is delivered and installed. More bloody copper pipes to prime, undercoat and finish, aagh. Gas safety certificate is issued.
Friday 18: The new carpets arrive and all are laid in a day despite slightly tacky skirting boards.
Tuesday 22: Andy returns with ladders to paint the external fascias. By now I've planned and refitted the internal doors to fit the new carpets, redecorated all but the kitchen and bathroom - there's light at the end of the tunnel.
Friday 1 November: More sixteen-hour days and I've retiled the bathroom walls and the bathroom and kitchen floors. Ross Electrical arrive and issue safety certificate.
Tuesday 12: External painting complete: fascias, back stairs, balcony and front door. New bed, mattresses, bedding, cutlery, crockery and fire blanket in place. Now it's time to relax, visit friends, take in some culture and, perhaps, see the inside of an English pub. Bugger, I've only got three days left.
Wednesday 13: Trip to Hampshire to visit cousins John & Joe. A good pub meal and an entertaining evening, it's always good to touch base.
Thursday 14: Trip to Hertfordshire to see old friends Stef & Dudley. Another good entertaining meal and more lashings of red nectar.
Friday 15: Trip to Oxfordshire to see friends Rob & Debbie and more of the same.
Sunday 17: Long-haul flight out of London Heathrow to escape the British winter.
Slideshow of England: London (mostly of my refurbished apartment).

Spain: Camino de Santiago again

Pilgrims cut-out in iron, Alto del Perdon

Monday 29 July: From Bordeaux airport a convenient tram runs through town to Bordeaux St Jean station where I get the afternoon train to Bayonne for the little shuttle train to St Jean Pied de Port. So, once again, I'm at the popular starting point of the Camino Frances, the 500 mile (800km) pilgrim's walking route across the north of Spain to Europe's Atlantic coast.
Tuesday 30: (day 1): St Jean to Roscesvalles (16 miles, 25km) up and over the Pyrenees we go again from France into Spain, and down to Roscesvalles monastery's comfortable albergue.
Wednesday 31 (day 2): Roscesvalles to Zubiri (14 miles, 22km), Municipal Albergue in the former school house.
Thursday 1 August (day 3): Zubiri to Cizur Menor (17 miles, 26km), Albergue de Maibel marching straight through Pamplona.
Friday 2 (day 4): Cizur Menor to Lorca (20 miles, 32km), up to the iron cut-outs and wind turbines atop Alto del Perdon before dropping down to Puente la Reina and continuing through the pretty saucer-shaped village of Cirauqui to a single small room in Jose Ramon Albergue.
Saturday 3 (day 5): Lorca to Villamayor (13 miles, 20km), I couldn't resist stopping for a picnic lunch at the fuente de vino (wine fountain) west of Estella, private Albergue B&B.
Sunday 4 (day 6): Villamayor to Torres del Rio (13 miles, 19km), Albergue Casa Mariela.
Monday 5 (day 7): Torres del Rio to Logrono (14 miles, 21km), newly opened Check-In Albergue and an evening sampling from the town's famous tapas bars - black pudding topped with a fried quail egg, delicious.
Tuesday 6 (day 8): Lograno to Najera (19 miles, 30km), Puerto de Najera albergue over the bridge on the riverbank.
Wednesday 7 (day 9): Najera to St Domingo de la Calzada (13 miles, 21km), Cistercien nunnery with walled garden.
Thursday 8 (day 10): Calzada to Belorada (14 miles, 23km), Cuatro Cantones with indoor pool and good communal dinner.
Friday 9 July (day 11): Belorada to Ages (17 miles, 28km), El Pajar.
Saturday 10 (day 12): Ages to Burgos (22 miles, 14km), Santa Catalina.
Sunday 11 (day 13): Burgos to Hontanas (19 miles, 30km), hostal en-suite.
Monday 12 (day 14): Hontanas to Itero de la Vega (13 miles, 20km), bed in Albergue Mochila with good attempt at English breakfast.
Tuesday 13 (day 15): Itero to Carrion de las Condes (16 miles, 26km), Espiritu Santo nunnery with beds, good choice.
Wednesday 14 (day 16): Carrion to Terradillos (17 miles, 27km), Jacques de Molay bed and linen, good choice but sadly trouser pocket robbed at night, small money.
Thursday 15 (day 17): Terradillos to Calzadilla (16 miles, 26km), Municipal Albergue with solid four-compartment bunks.
Friday 16 (day 18): Calzadilla to Mansilla de las Mulas (15 miles, 24km), El Jardin del Camino with large front garden and bar.
Saturday 17 (day 19): Mansilla to Leon (12 miles, 19km), San Francisco Albergue en-suite double.
Sunday 18 (day 20): Leon to Puente Villarente (15 miles, 24km), El Delfin Verde with large outdoor pool. Had to backtrack to Mansilla (left my diary behind), as no buses on a Sunday, then back through Leon again (not the prettiest part of the Camino).
Monday 19 (day 21): Puento Villarente to La Virgin del Camino (13 miles, 21km), Municipal Albergue.
Tuesday 20 (day 22): La Virgin to Hospital de Orbiga to (18 miles, 28km), Albergue Verde, dinner B&B with afternoon yoga, great choice.
Wednesday 21 (day 23): Orbiga to Astorga (11 miles, 17km), San Javier Albergue and a fine meal opposite Gaudi's super Episcopal Palace, now a museum of religous art, yawn.
Thursday 22 (day 24): Astorga to Foncebadon (17 miles, 27km), Monte Irago Albergue where a local band offer us an entertaining evening of Spanish and Galician folk songs.
Friday 23 (day 25): Foncebadon to Molinseca (13 miles, 21km), up and through the pass of Irago, the highest point of the whole camino, Municipal Albergue bed in converted church.
Saturday 24 (day 26): Molinseca to Cacabelos (13 miles, 21km), Municipal Albergue.
Sunday 25 (day 27): Cacabelos to Vega de Valcares (18 miles, 28km), Albergue Sarracin.
Monday 26 (day 28): Valcares to Fonfria (15 miles, 24km), Reboleira Albergue.
Tuesday 27 (day 29): Fonfria to Sarria (17 miles, 28km), Don Alvaro Albergue.
Wednesday 28 (day 30): Sarria to Portmarin (14 miles, 22km), Santiago Albergue.
Thursday 29 (day 31): Portmarin to Palas de Rei (16 miles, 25km), Bar Central.
Friday 30 (day 32): Palas de Rei to Arzua (16 miles, 26km), Albergue Da Fonte.
Saturday 31 (day 33): Arzua to Arca (14 miles, 22km), Compass Pension
Sunday 1 September (day 34): Arca to Santiago de Compostella (13 miles, 20km) and the haven of an en-suite room in San Martin Pinario.
Tuesday 3: Bus from Santiago to the little port of Cee then a walk along the coast (8 miles, 13km) to Fisterra, a room in Pension Cabo.
Thursday 5: Fisterra to Litres (9 miles, 14km), As Eiras.
Friday 6: Litres to Muxia (9 miles, 15km) and a day exploring the port and lighthouse.
Saturday 7: Bus back to Santiago and St Martin's Pinario, tomorrow I fly to London Stansted, England.
Slideshow of the Camino de Santiago again.