In 1978 I was studying Spanish at university in London, and that meant that I had to spend time at a university in Spain. I went to Cordoba and had the good fortune to travel around Andalusia
Almost fifty years later I decided to retrace my steps and commenced my meticulous planning and preparations
Two old men in an even older USA Army jeep. What could possible go wrong ?
We decided to tour this island paradise in an old jeep which dated back to the beginning of the Vietnam war. No handbrake, no 4WD, barely a dashboard, no seatbelts and questionable brakes. A bit like a Top Gear Special.
We drove from the North West to the South East and Back.
Interesting couple of days on the road. Hot and hard work but fruitful.
On my way to the UK I decided to stop off at Abu Dhabi. Convenient for flights and I had a few adventures in mind.
First was the journey itself, followed by a trip to the Louvre, a spin around the Yas Marina F1 Circuit, and a desert adventure in a 4×4 Landcruiser.
If you are ever travelling to Hua Hin, Cha am or beyond, the Maeklong Railway Market is worth a stop. Close to the expressway and also the floating markets at Amphawa and Damnoen Saduak, a visit to the Railway Market is am impressive experience.
Health and Safety Executives in many parts of the world would be horrified by a market which is literally on an operating railway line. When a train passes by (on my visit it arrived at 11.10am), the market traders clear everything and the trains pass through. Very impressive.
The Fairmont the Norfolk was a touch of luxury and old colonial stuyle.
Uneventful Journey to the Airport Which was Packed When I Arrived
Not sure if there is a Pilgrimage or something but the ace was teeming with Indonesians or similar.
Found the Iounge and then a weird walk to the airplane. The gate was deserted and I think they had rounded up all if the economy passengers and shunted them off first.
I was fortunate to have a window seat, and an empty seat next to me. All looked good for an overnight flight to Addis Ababa. For the trip to work without jetlag it was essential that I slept on this opening flight.
Pleasant Layover at Addis Ababa
The lounge was spectacular
Impressive MRO facility and Ethiopian Airlines seem to have got their act together
Addis Ababa to Nairobi
What a dump Nairobi is. Airport a shambles, roads unfinished and people milling around everywhere. Just what I expected. Dusty. No traffic lights !
Watched the F1 and slept for close on 12 hours which overcame any jetlag.
This Blog has only recently been created (march 2023) and is based on my journal entries at the time that I made the trip.
Sad to say I was not impressed by Nairobi, but it was only ever a staging post for the journey to the Maasai Mara.
With pandemic restrictions easing again it was good to hit the road and return to Kanchanaburi. In addition to the spectacular scenery there is always something new to discover on each visit.
After a day walking railway tracks and filming big cats, a time to relax at a hot springs resort. The Home Putoey Resort has a hot spring pool, and the water is very hot, overlooking a tranquil and spectacular lake. There is also a WWII War museum, where the original drawings of Jack Chalker, an English POW and acomplished artist, are on display. Jack Chalker died at the age of 96 in 2014.
A short travelogue about my visit to Thee Lor Su waterfall in Tak Province. The falls are deep in the jungle, close to the border with Myanmar, and were unknown to the outside world up until 1985
A journey of 2,392 km with new discoveries in 11 of the provinces that I visited. These ranged from fabulous temples in mountain caves, through living history to spectacular scenery. More to follow in separate posts.
