Böcker av Oldest On the Bus

Cambodia and Vietnam, or Asia in general awakens your physical senses, the constant noise of traffic and street sellers peddling their wares, the incredible colour of temples and the smell of incense sticks and spices. Your tongue and taste buds are in culinary heaven, divine food fusions from across the continent have been merged into regional specialities. Shoes are on and off, cold tiled floors on bare feet are one of life's simple pleasures in the heat of the day. Asia makes you wonder if you have been living numb in your day-to-day life, four months away and all our senses have been jolted and kick-started back to life.This will be the second time that we have travelled extensively around Southeast Asia, on the first occasion we visited Chiang Mai in northern Thailand, before spending a month each in both Cambodia and Vietnam. We had both been made redundant when our employer entered administration, the chance to travel was too good an opportunity to pass up. Rather than satisfying that craving we wanted more, and after working another two years in jobs that we had found unfulfilling, we gave in our notices to go backpacking once again.This time our Thailand experience will be minimal, a few nights in Bangkok following our flight before heading onto Cambodia and Siem Reap. Our plan for the rest of the Cambodian leg is to follow the same route that we covered last time, a relaxing, confidence building start as we retrace our steps around some familiar sights. On a southerly path from Siem Reap, home to the incredible Angkor Wat, a stay in Battambang splits the long trek to Phnom Penh in half. After the hectic mayhem of the Cambodian capital we will take in the riverside town of Kampot followed by the small beach resort of Kep.The last time we were in Vietnam we took the bus from Ho Chi Minh City to Cần Thơ on the Mekong Delta and then flew from there to the central region, visited Hội An and then flew out again to Hanoi. This time we are looking to take in the places that we leapfrogged over! If everything goes to plan, we should get our first ever taste of the Central Highland city of Dalat, before heading back towards the coast. Nha Trang and Quy Nhon promise two completely different beach experiences, one modern and bustling with foreign tourists and the other a more traditional low-key fishing harbour. On top of these new locations another visit to our old favourite Hội An, a well-preserved ancient town, famous for fantastic food and within cycling distance of nearby beaches and islands. On route from central Vietnam to Hanoi we intend to spend a weekend in Danang and witness the fire-breathing Dragon Bridge in full flow. The Imperial city of Huế is somewhere that we regrettably overlooked last time, travelling there by a short railway journey along the scenic coastline has been highly recommended. Ninh Binh, or Tam Cốc - we are not sure which yet - both look stunning, limestone karsts with green paddy fields and river deltas passing through. From Hanoi we plan a second visit to the hill station of Sapa set amongst stunning terraced mountains. A visit to the eastern coast will also be on the agenda - maybe a Halong Bay cruise or even a stay on one of the islands. A trip to Cao Bằng and the Bản Giốc waterfalls that straddle the border between the north of Vietnam and China should also be possible. Unfortunately, we don't ride scooters, never mind motorbikes but the mountainous scenery in that area is supposed to be breathtakingly beautiful.By the time that we return home from Hanoi we expect to have covered just over 2,800 miles, mainly by bus but with the odd rail journey thrown in for good measure. Our excitement and anticipation are interspersed with dread - flashbacks of the countless hours of blaring Cambodian karaoke shows on never-ending bus journeys that are still firmly etched in the memory from four years ago...

Having returned from Vietnam in May 2019 after four months away we soon had itchy feet again, where could we go after Christmas to avoid the cold of an English winter? The western side of Malaysia, Malaysian Borneo and a few nights in Singapore before travelling back to England in late March was the plan for this trip. . A combination of hot weather, delicious food and friendly locals coupled with colourful sights, stunning scenery and a different way of life. On our return hopefully the worst of winter would already be over and with the nights pulling out we could look forward to a summer at home... With our long-haul flight arriving in the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur it would make sense to spend a few days there, another Asian city for us to explore and get a feel for - as well as give us an opportunity to acclimatise and catch up on sleep before moving onwards. From Kuala Lumpur we would make our way north to Ipoh, an attractive town famed not only for its colonial architecture, tin mining history and delicious white coffee but also as being the gateway to the Cameron Highlands. After a few days in Tanah Rata and the cooler air of the highlands and tea plantations we would continue our journey north to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Georgetown on the small island of Penang. The paradise (and duty free) island of Langkawi would be the fifth stop, a chance to relax and feel the warm sand beneath our feet before we leave the Malay Peninsular and fly out to experience the incredible wildlife of Borneo. It was Borneo that really had us excited, the opportunity to see orangutans in the wild - if we were lucky. The world famous Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre would almost guarantee it, albeit in a sanctuary setting. Further afield is the renowned Kinabatangan River, home to the proboscis monkeys, wild orangutans and a whole host of supporting cast that are the regular stars of many a BBC wildlife documentary. Kuching, the city of cats that enjoys a stunning setting on the Sarawak River has the nearby Bako National Park, one last shot at spotting any wildlife that may have eluded us. Singapore has a long and interesting history; it had been much fought over for hundreds of years. Stamford Raffles 'took' it from the Dutch in the early 19th century and Singapore became another British colony. It was briefly returned to Malaysia for two years in the 1960s before becoming an independent nation. By the time we leave Singapore our trip would be reaching its conclusion; one last stop in Melaka before heading back to Kuala Lumpur for our flight home. As we all know by now a worldwide pandemic hit, Covid-19 brought an early end to our adventure, and it was winter 2023 before we would manage to complete our plans. Maybe the writing had been on the wall from the very first day, our bus broke down on route from Kuala Lumpur airport to Pudu Central in the heart of the city. The next few weeks had all gone fine, we were aware through the news that there was talk of a potential pandemic, yet in our little travel bubble everything was normal. Perhaps the first sign of the severity of what was to follow came in Penang whilst we were sat on the ferry waiting to depart for Langkawi. On a cruise ship that was towering over us we could see figures in hazmat suits taking the temperatures of guests, presumably as they were heading for breakfast. A week or two later an internal flight we took within Borneo barely had a dozen passengers on, and we had our temperatures taken for the first time as we arrived at the airport. Singapore closed her borders a few days before we were due to arrive... Suddenly things were going very awry.

India... where do you start?Diverse would be my first word after a long time of pondering that question. The reality is that it is a country the size of a continent; as such it has room for a mix of everything, from the snow-capped mountains of the Himalaya Mountain range in the north to sun-baked beaches with swaying palm trees around the coast. Its home to Varanasi, one of the oldest continually inhabited cities in the world but also the metropolis of Mumbai, as high-tech and modern as they come.Our book covers all the places that we have visited and explored across our years of travelling to India. The stories behind the places and people to help convey the history but hopefully all done with a light touch, enough to set the scene, learn a little but without feeling like a schooldays history lesson! We would like to think its sprinkled with a bit of humour, some from the characters that we have met along the way, the odd incident and our take on certain things... This is our travel story, our take - so it may be that others who have ventured around this incredible part of the world have a different view. In the north share in the joy of a partisan crowd at the Wagah Border closing ceremony, now that really is a spectacle as Indian and Pakistan border forces have their nightly march off. Take in the serenity and breath-taking beauty of the Golden Temple, learn about the Sikh way of life and view the world's biggest canteen.From the forts, palaces and temples of the old world of Rajasthan through to New Delhi, designed by an English architect at the time of colonial rule. Stories of wealth and power from Maharajas and Moghul Emperors of the past through to the love story behind the Taj Mahal. In the central region visit Hampi, an incredible story of a kingdom that was once the world's second-largest medieval-era city and marvel at some of the well-preserved remains. A little further south is Mysore, home of a palace that is illuminated every Sunday evening, spectacular to see. Continue your journey down to Kerala and witness the influence of the first European traders, the Portuguese first - swiftly followed by the Dutch; enjoy a lazy trip on a rice barge, discovering the backwaters of Alleppey before heading to the hills to explore the never-ending sights of tea plantations.At the southernmost point of Indian mainland is the pilgrimage town of Kanyakumari, the point where the three oceans the Bay of Bengal, Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean all meet. It is also famous as being where one of the urns containing the ashes of Mahatma Gandhi was immersed upon his assassination, a memorial is built on that exact spot for visitors to pay homage to one of the greatest sons of India.Goa provides the perfect place for rest and recuperation, more western in style than anywhere else in the country, a gentle introduction to the chaos, noise and colour that make India such an addictive place to visit. By day enjoy the sun-kissed beaches laid on a comfortable bed with an ice-cold beer by your side. Come evening the place comes alive, fantastic restaurants and bars to chat the night away.I think the word diverse does the country justice, there is really something here to suit everyone.