new horizons

Well! it may be flowery but I had a mixed impression of Da Lat. Great night market and a nice place to stay, but I’m itching to get a good few days tripping the motorbike fantastic in the highlands towards Buon Ma thuot. I bite a bullet and decide to go with a guide –… Continue reading Da-Lat… city of flowers

A great market full of characters, lots of smiley faces and brilliant fishing port a few miles out, and the famous yellow walls of the old city kept me snapping away. I was so lucky with one boat unloading late, the day I arrived there – it’s normally 5am and too dark. Another early morning… Continue reading Anagram to Hoi An…

  Life – Full on……and mopeds!!

Not much waffle on this one, but just to explain – The lady in the green jacket – that was REAL magic going on! They were thronging around her all day for a sooth-say or a charm…… The rest are just a few of the colourful scenes and people, in this vibrant market. Quite a few… Continue reading Dong Van – Sunday Market

Well, the tour is over and sadly Mr Sparrows has gone back to Blighty. Seven days spent on two 150cc trials bikes in the amazing countryside between Ha Giang and Dong Van in the far north of Vietnam. Despite some spectacularly shitty weather in the first few days (4 degrees and cold rain) we ventured… Continue reading White-Knuckle Tours Presents – Ha Giang Province – Vietnam

Super-luck meant that I stumbled upon the Akha celebrating the ‘New Rice Festival’. Ladies especially dressed up in the full ceremonial costume were an amazing sight. Fabulous, spiritual, generous and great fun, they invited Chewchip and I to join them for a delicious lunch. I saw several of them over the next days and they all said… Continue reading The Akha and northern Thailand explorations

Meesh came out to join me in Chiang Mai which was brilliant. We were rushing about on a new trusty steed and here’s a selection from the week. The little tableau below of putting the ‘Krathongs’ into the river was a special moment, and summed up the feeling (So difficult to capture the mix of… Continue reading Chiang Mai and Loy Krathong

My last few days in northern Laos, saw me racing away from the middle-class white masses in Luang Prabang (I admit it, I panicked and ran!) and heading north by bus then boat up to Muang Ngor, via Nong Kiaw. Bliss, after the hoards in L.P. I have to confess though, at this stage, that when… Continue reading Luang to Muang via Nong or something.

  Armed with another 100cc Honda automatic motorbike, I set off from Thakhek on my 4-5 day loop. I spent hours rumbling along, scouring out the villages and caves to bring you the pick of the litter. My journey recording life in and along the mighty Mekong continues north……. These were Mahaxay village. An overnight with… Continue reading Looping the loop in Khammouane

Entering at night on a small fishing boat from Cambodia, into the 4000 islands region of the Mekong delta, really gave me a “where the fuck am I” feeling. No roads, lots of steamy jungle, no English and a completely different vibe with the locals. The mighty Mekong rushing along in flood is awe inspiring. Shit… Continue reading Suprises in Southern Laos