Don't Get Attached to the Local Food

This is Puppydog and she followed me for around 10miles through the villages surrounding Sapa. Stray dogs are pretty common in Vietnam but most of them pretend to look like they belong somewhere. Puppydog didn't seem to belong anywhere. 

Dog meat is really popular in Vietnam, normally eaten at the end of the month to bring good luck and fortune. Being a vegetarian myself for moral and ethical reasons, you'd maybe think I'd see all animals the same in that respect but truthfully, I found this much more difficult to come to terms with. She took a particular shining to me, maybe she could sense the crazy-animal-lady in me. She didn't look at me nor did I pet her but she kept very close and often brushed up against my leg if a larger dog was close-by. Then she watched as we drove away and it took every ounce of strength in me to not smuggle her wee skinny body away. 

Descending Dragon Bay- Halong Bay

I'm looking through my photos and I can't actually believe I've just been in Halong Bay, woooft! The trip wooshed by, beautiful friends made along the way. I went with a junk-boat cruise called Halong Dragon Cruise for a 2night/3day trip. After a hot and humid day kayaking and squid fishing, we drank the hours away on the deck in the floating city of boats.
 A struggle getting up for breakfast the next morning and then across to Monkey Island to see the monkeys and get our tan on. We made our way to Cat Ba island, the largest of the islands in Halong Bay, and cycled the 5km through the limestone mountains to our bungalow for the night which was in-credible! All the wildlife. David Attenborough eat your heart out. It was a pretty remote village and I wish we'd been able to stay longer. I mean b-jeezus look at those photos.
I'm off to the north-west next to a place called Sapa.
Lazing about Hanoi waiting for the lightening storms to end there. Crossing so many things of dat list!

24 Hours in Hanoi

I took photos all morning today before I sat to look through them to have my camera tell me there was no card in it. I don't know whyyyy it wasn't in there. What a bloomin idiot. I also got spectacularly lost which was especially upsetting because I've always prided myself on my inner map of the world. Something of a quiet talent. Hanoi, you beat me. 

I found a secret cafe, a little hidden treasure that looks out onto Hoan Kiem Lake and it was perfect timing as the sun was setting and I'd just un-lost myself. You have to navigate through a silk shop, a set of regular steps and then 2 floors of a steel spiral staircase. Traumatic for those of you with vertigo. Ahem. 

Louise 1-1 Hanoi. 

Then it was eating time. My mum reckons I need to be told to eat to keep my strength up. I don't know who she thinks she's talking to! I found a Vietnamese vegetarian restaurant called Cai Mam and made a friend in the waiter who told me that Scotland were "bad to vote no" and that I should eat more (kindred spirits I think!). 

I'm off to Halong Bay tomorrow morning on a junk-boat cruise. It's been top of my bucket list for a very very long time so here's hoping it lives up to my expectations! 

Happy Monday, folks!

And some more from Bangkok...

24 Hours in Bangkok

So I survived the 21 hours it took to get here with a little finesse and dignity, can you believe it!

Round of applause, please.

I'm only in Bangkok for a day but will probably return at some point on my way home and I slept the morning and some of the afternoon away. I had every intention of going straight out once I'd dropped my bags at the hotel but you know how appealing beds can be at the best of times and it just had that king size come-hither look.

I did venture out eventually though and I swear on. my. cat's. life I didn't think I was going to make it back in the heat. I didn't know a single person could sweat that much. After finding refuge in an ice cream cafe, I made my way to the Grand Palace to be told I couldn't enter. From what I gathered from the hundreds of police, Buddhist monks, uniforms, blacked-out windows and people lining the streets, there must have been someone important in there. I googled it with no luck so I'll just have to live with never knowing. A man with a badge told me I couldn't move, sit down, or use my camera so I was stood there looking like a very confused tourist and visibly burning every second longer I was made to stand and watch. 

I'm safe and sound, back at the hotel with only a mozzie bite on my bottom and a couple of pink shoulders. 

HOW TO SPEND 2 DAYS IN LONDON

Flying on a Friday, after work, sucks. But hey, that's the kind of sacrifice I'm willing to make for my friends. Graham flew in from Barcelona, Amy from Aberdeen and I from Edinburgh to see our Eils who is currently living in London, for our annual meet. Last year Barcelona, this year London, where to next?! All the feels!!

I've maintained for years that I hate London after a school trip when I was 13 but I was pleasantly surprised this time around. No uninspiring tours of the BBC studios or overpriced ride on the London Eye. Just some great food, theatre, walks and friends. 

I arrived pretty late on Friday evening and naturally I was hungry (always) so we went for burgers at Byron Burger and took a walk around Covent Garden before heading to our home for a nice little snooze.

We had a super lazy morning the next day and headed out for coffee on our way to see CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY!!! at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane. woooooooow. It was incredible. You can't even imagine. We strolled around...Piccadilly Circus, Downing St., Leicester Square, Horse Guards Parade, Westminster, Big Ben, Tottenham Court Road (Harry Potter anyone!!) and then back home for warmth and some yummy Nepalese grub. We stayed in because it's good to be lazy sometimes, right? 

Notting Hill for lunch, the burrito of all burritos at Whole Foods, on Sunday and a walk through Kensington Gardens before we said our goodbyes and we headed off to the airport. Big sad face. 

I'M BACK!

Oh hi! Long time no see. Well first thing's first...I know this page has been a tad bare but it's been all work and (hardly any) play recently. I've taken a few trips over the last two years and I will post about them soon.

However, I'M BACK! Yay!

My life has been going through some changes, some sad and some liberating, and in the midst of it all I booked a one way ticket Vietnam. Alone. No it's OK, I'm fine, Really I am. So if you have any recommendations, I'd love to hear them! 

Here are some photos from my weekend break to Amsterdam in 2014 for you all to pine over on this miserable Sunday night...

Barcelona Round 2

{squad goals}

{Above is the beautiful beach at Sitges, which is roughly 30 minutes on the train from Barcelona}

It pays to have great friends in great places I tell ya! If I could sum up this second trip to Barcelona in one word it would definitely be Sweaty. Walking around in 28 degress, imagine the chafing! We had the best time though! If you're heading there, the Olympic pool, Kiosko Burger and a trip to Sitges are well worth your time. Let me know what your top 3 recommendations are!