Tuesday, 30 September 2008
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Chennai favourites...
- Dinner on the rooftop terrace at Residency Towers..
- Oh...the boutique deserts at minimalistic Ecstasy..
- Another great shopping find...Anochi
- Combine shopping with tea in the beautifully lit garden at Amethyst
- Check out the Moroccan themed cafe called Mocha..
Incredible Cambodia
- FCC is a great place to eat and chill..in the Visaya Spa
- They were invaded by the Vietnamese and Thai
- Cambodia was under the French for 100 years
- Angkor Wat was the centre of the Khmer Empire in the 12th century
- You can hire cars, tuk tuks and bicycles to see the temples
- The People are known as Khmer
- The Language is Khmer
- You need a visa on arrival $20 ( need a photo) and departure tax costs $25
- The Pol Pot regime was a time of genocide and suffering for the Khmer
- The Pol Pot Regime 1970-1975
- The capital city is Phnom Penh
- ATMs galore to withdraw US dollars
- Everyone uses the US dollar
- The currency is Riels..5000 to the pound
In Vietnam.. a touch of history
- Vietnam reunited in 1976 following the war
- The Vietnam war started to prevent the spread of Communism from North Vietnam
- President Ho Chi Minh declared independence from the French in 1945
- Ho Chi Minh city was changed from Saigon in 1975
- The largest city is Saigon/ Ho Chi Minh City
- The Capital city is Hanoi
- Vietnam War lasted 17 years and ended in 1975
Bali itinery
- Indulged in food and pampering..
- Borobudur and Prambhanan temple, Jogjakarta
- Glass bottom ride to see the Coral,Uluwatu, monkey temple, Kecak dance and dinner on the beach
- Barong Dance, souvenir, Rice fields of Ubud, Lt and lake Batur, World's most expensive coffee
In Bali..
- Definitely fly to Jogjakarta to see the world's largest Buddhist temple..just an hour away..
- Try the world's most expensive coffee..Kopi Lembuk
- Don't forget the dances, temples, mountains and lakes..
- Bring Sarongs to visit the temples
- It's best to see the island by hiring a car and driver ( 400,000 rupiah for the day)
- The currency is Rupiah 16000 to the pound
Step by Step Guide to Wellington
- 1. Raid Tourist Information Centre
- 2. Own walking/discovery tour..as you walk aimlessly around
- 3. Bump into kind Wellingtonian from Taihape BBQ
- 3. Walking tour with local Wellingtonians to get a taste of the culture and history
- 5.Join morning joggers along the harbour front
- 4. Meet new friend and discover Botanical Gardens with great views of the city!
- 6. Hire bikes for coastal bike ride
- 7. Meet old friend for a true taste of the cafe and bar culture...
Itinery for New Zealand
- Dec 26th - Jan 8th ..Wellington
- Dec 21st-26th ..Hamilton
- Dec 19 - 21st.. Taupo
- Dec 15th - 18th..Auckland
Did you know...in Peru
- Keep $30 for International departure tax..and $6 for every local flight!
- Main Religion is Roman Catholic
- Population include 45% Amerindian, 37% mestizo ( mixed with spanish), 15% white, 3% Japanese, Chinese and Black
- Main languages include Spanish, Quechua , Aymara and many minor Amazonian languages
- Their main exports include copper, gold, zinc, petroleum and coffee
- The country is diverse from beaches in the west, mountain ranges to jungles in the east..
- There is a wave of animosity towards the Spanish for their so called discoveries...but a huge sense of pride for being indigenous descendants..
- The indigenous people include Quechua..do not call them Indians!
- There is a huge Japanese immigrant population along its shores
- They have had a Japanese President. Alberto Fujimori in 1990 till 2000.
- The population is close to 28 million
- The currency is nuevo sol
- $1 = 3 sols
Tips for the Inca Trail
- Essentials...head lamp, poncho, 2 walking sticks, woolly hat, thick socks,gloves
- Patience..tolerance...
- A great sense of humour...
- cleansing wipes to feel as though you have washed
- Ibuprofen for achy joints
- Mosquito repellant, Sun block, Sun hat
- Cocoa sweets or leaves
- Drink plenty of water and eat regularly
- Go Slow to acclimatise
Peru Itinery
- Dec 12th.. Left Lima for Santiago, Chile
- Dec 10th .. Lima
- Dec 6th .. Arequipa
- Dec 3rd .. Puerto Maldonado.. The Jungle
- Dec 2nd.. Pisac Markets..Sacred Valley
- Dec 1st..Cusco
- Nov 30th .. travelled back to Cusco through Sacred Valley
- Nov 26th - 29th .. Inca Trail to Machu Picchu
- Nov 24th - 26th ...Cusco
- Nov 22nd - 23rd ..Lima
Travelling life savers...
- Teva walking sandals....lived in them...
- A pair of cotton trousers...lived in them!!!
- Walking trousers..
- itouch instead of a diary or notebook..
- Skype...to save on phone calls!!
- Micro waterproof bag for extras..
- A travelling pharmacy for GI ailments..
- Rain jacket..
- Space saving bags for their sheer organisational value rather than space..
In Antigua, Guatemala...
- Don´t trust the reasonable Bus rides to the airport...they may not arrive on time..and you end up taking a taxi in a panic!!!
- Hence keep spare cash for that emergency taxi to the airport!
- Take the city guided tour as soon as you arrive!
- Visit Hotel Santo Domingo for its museum and abundant art work
- Catholicism is the main religion
- It´s famous for its Jade which it exports to China
- Coffee is the main Export
- Do not miss Lake Atitlan, Tikal, Climbing Volcan Pacaya
- Lots of mosquito repellent in Tikal !!
- bring something warm for the early morning starts
- Casa Ovalle..beautifully decorated..in the heart of the city..reasonable..great hostesses..opposite an Internet Cafe and bakery!
- keep $3 spare for their airport tax..
- Be patient...transport will arrive...
- Also, most places do not accept Mastercard and only Visa!!
- Dollars are accepted in all shops
- However, you can only withdraw quetzals from ATM ( max 2000) per day
- $1 = 8 quetzals
Did you know..in Costa Rica
- Most inhabitants are of mixed Spanish and indigenous blood. 1% indigenous groups, <3 % Blacks who are concentrated on the Carribean Coast and 1% Chinese. Both groups originally arrived in the 19th century to work on the railroads that transported Coffee to the coast from the highlands.
- The population is approximately 5 million with 3 million living in San Jose, the capital city.
- However, now there's a huge immigrant population of retired North Americans, buying up land and properties in sort after areas such as Escazu, Atenas and the Coast.
- Christopher Columbus named Costa Rica which means The Rich Coast having received gold and jade as gifts upon his arrival
- Catholicism is the state religion
- Abortion is illegal
- There is a severe lack of Sex Education and hence a high teenage pregnancy rate
- Has one of the best health systems in Latin America and a life expectancy of 77yrs in 1999
- Have 95% literacy rate, highest among Latin America
- However, libraries are not user friendly. The librarian will retrieve the book of choice for you to read...for a couple of hours. You are unable to browse or remove it from the premises.
- Don't be surprised to see long names as all take their maternal and paternal surnames eg Ernesto Tomas Alvarez Rodriguez
- The roads are notorious for its pot holes so don't be surprised to swerve across the roads in the city!
- You need special skills to drive in CR ..and more to cross their roads!
- The No.1 export is microchips from Intel to India
- Also exports banana, pineapple , flowers, medical equipment and wood ( teak)
- 2nd largest exporter of coffee after Ecuador
- Costa Rica is one of the few countries without an Army
- Mother´s Day is a National Holiday
- Average cost of a meal in a restaurant is 5000 colones ( approx 5 pounds )
- In the rainy season , it rains like clockwork in the afternoon and 30 degrees of sunshine in the morning. You can time your watch to the weather!
- The airport tax costs $26..keep spare cash!
- There are no street names or house numbers
- Everyone has Post Office boxes as addresses do not exist
- The address is in relation to another building or object
- eg..500metros south and 20 metros west to the fig tree!!!
- $1 = 550 colones
- The currency ..colones is named after Christopher Columbus
- Alcohol units do not exist in CR!!
- Has the only Indian restaurant in Central America; Taj Mahal
Tips for Costa Rica....how to stay safe
- Always wear your money belt and carry enough money for the day
- Always take a taxi after dark.Do not even think about walking the streets of San Jose!
- Always take the orange coloured taxis and not the blue lit taxis!
- Always carry a copy of your passport with you!
- Become a Skype member for free phone calls!!
- Bring a Spanish Phrase Book!
- Do not wear any jewellery to bring attention to yourself
- Bring an umbrella and waterproof jacket!
- Shops only accept $20 US maximum.
- Hence its best to just withdraw colones from the ATM
- Change the US dollars at the bank without commision
Tico Food Guide
- Tres leches - popular sweet and soggy cake steeped in boiled milk and sugar
- tamales - steamed maize dough wrapped in corn or banana leaf with meat in the middle
- Arroz con frijoles - light dish in the evening of ...you guessed it beans and rice
- Casado - mmm beans and rice ( separate ) served at lunchtime with chicken, fish and fried plantain
- Gallo Pinto - fried beans and rice served at breakfast with sour cream and eggs
Things to do in San Jose
- Check out the Nacion ( newspaper) on Thursdays to get the weekly events list
- Check out Escazu ..Beverly Hills of Costa Rica
- Castros for Salsa, Meringue and Reggaethon
- Visit the Handicraft markets
- Visit the museums, Nacional, Oro,Jade for $4
- Watch a film for $2
- Show in Teatro Nacional ( Mini Albert Hall) for $8
Shami´s Top Ten Cities of the World
- 1. Cape Town, South Africa
- 2. Antigua, Guatemala
- 3. Cusco, Peru
- 4. Buenos Aires, Argentina
- 5. Sydney, Australia
- 6. Madrid, Spain
- 7. Wellington, New Zealand
- 8. London, England
- 9. Florence, Italy
- 10. Quebec City, Canada
Airline Tickets
- Jet Airways- Bali to Ho Chi Minh
- Lastminute - South east Asia
- Panama - copa airlines
- STA- Round the World
- Taca Airlines - Lima- Cuzco
VISA SECTION
- Australia- Electronic- £20
- India
- Vietnam - £38
- Indonesia- on arrival $10
- Cambodia- on arrival $20
Vaccinations
- DTP
- Hep A and B
- Malaria Prophylaxis
- Polio
- Typhoid
- Yellow fever ( Panama )
Travel Tips
- Avon Skin so Soft for mosquitoes!
- Skype - free calls
- Credit card- 0% commission
- Travel Money Cards
- Money pouch
My faith in Humanity has been restored when...
- I met completely selfless people in Mision Consuela...
- Families welcome you with open arms to complete strangers..
- The cashier says pay tomorrow when you did not have enough change..
- The bus driver waits for you as you run to the stop...
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