This is a small, cosy guesthouse located 15 minutes walk from the JR Asahikawa train station. 

There details are below:

Website: http://www.guesthouseasahikawa.jp/dish.html

Address:

〒070-0036
北海道旭川市６条通7丁目
３１－１０
日昇ビル２F

Email Address: [email protected]

Telephone: 0166 73 8269

We arrived at Cebu Airport and then took a metered taxi from the entrance of the building. The total fare does vary because there are lots of traffic jams in Manila. We hadn’t really experience any in Manila but we were thinking how great it was to get a metered taxi and not having to barter with the fare and getting ripped off. However we were so wrong. The sat in a traffic jam all the way from the airport into the city. At one point it was 45 minute and all you can do is hope that the cars start moving. There was a lot of road works at the time but mainly because there were too many cars. The total fare amounted to 350 Pesos when actually it would have been a lot less as it was only 20 minutes away.

The hostel is nice with tables at the front to socialise and relax with. There is also a pool table and a free beer or soft drink for staying the night. There are a lot of dorm rooms here and we stayed in a what seemed to be a recently refurbished room. However the second time we stayed in the room next to the reception and it was terrible – noisy and smelly as it was attached next to the bathroom and you could smell the sewage. We did get use to the smell and it was only for one night so try to get the dorms away from the reception.

The dorm beds are nice, basic and clean. Not all of them have power sockets that were working. There was a big cabinet to store our belongings and also lockers near the bathroom to lock away valuables. Note that the lockers are very small. The aircon worked really well too. The bathroom was basically 3 showers and 3 toilets all lined up next to each other in a big room. Sinks are available on the other side. The one problem was the flushing situation as Cebu was experiencing a draught you could only flush the toilet using a bucket and pail, which was really annoying because a trickle of water would come out to refill the bucket and many people did not flush the toilet properly. I don’t think the staff cleaning the toilets would have been happy.

Other things to note:

• The wifi is okay (although to be fair it is slow anywhere in the Philippines!). You can only access it in the reception or outside seating area.
• There is 2 ATMs nearby – BDO, which charges a 200 Peso fee for a withdrawal and the Metrobank further down the road, which doesn’t charge.
• Sometimes the electricity goes out (again, common throughout Philippines).
• The lockers are small and they have a key provided already.
• They do cooked food and cold drinks and a free water dispenser. You can use the kitchen area but it is self service only.
• There are also food shops nearby and a fruit shop right outside.
• Taxis cost roughly 70 Pesos to the bus terminal if you are catching a bus to Boljoon.

Overall for the price of 450 Pesos it was a good nights sleep and we learnt a lot of places and things to visit by talking to other people, who also stayed there.

Noordzee Hostel is situated in Boljoon, which is in the south of Cebu city. This hostel is a very popular stopover for backpackers who have come to visit the whale sharks in Oslob. Another reason is because there are no other hostels in the area like many other places in the Philippines!

As we got into Vietnam and spoke to people that had recently been on the trip we started getting slightly different views, tales of bad boat companies, cramped conditions and rats.  

We decided that this was not a time to penny pinch on the experience, and to actually weigh the options before us to make a choice that is frugal but not to the extent where we sour the experience.

Costs

You can get a Ha Long Bay tour for as little as $40 or as much as $200 per person, with a whole range in between. Having heard the tales of rats and bad food from people at the lower end of that range we decided to go up just a little from the bottom and paid $87 each for the experience. This included one night and two days on Ha Long Bay, food for the time we were there, as well as transport there and back.  It also included some limited activities while we were there, such as kayaking.

Activities

For our tour everything was prearranged with very little “free time.”

We were picked up first thing in the morning and driven the three hours to Hanoi to Ha Long Bay – half way we stopped at a rest point for 30 minutes.  One of those typical places where bus companies are paid to drop customers for a while.  Overly expensive food and drinks, and plenty of tourist tat for you to buy, should you wish.

When we arrived on the boat we were given the keys to our room straight away, it was rather nice, even had an en-suite.  Very small, but didn’t feel cramped – and to be honest it’s a boat cabin, you can’t expect any more for that money.

We were sailed out into Ha Long Bay itself to enjoy the thousands of islands that dot this area of Vietnam.  We were not alone, there were hundreds of other boats around us.  Our guide said that there are 300 overnight boats in Ha Long Bay at any one time.  We spent some time just looking out at the islands and enjoying the peace and quiet.

We were unfortunate that there was lots of rain as we were moving into Ha Long Bay, a thunderstorm in fact.  Once it hit we sheltered in the boat and were fed a good lunch while the rain cleared.  There was some talk that if the rain didn’t clear we wouldn’t get to kayak, but thankfully it did and we moved to the kayaking station.

In a little mini bay you could kayak a two person boat around to your heart’s content, but if you wanted to go into the little cove with monkeys and interesting plants you had to pay 50,000 VND each – we opted for this.  It was a little short, 30 minutes, but it was interesting and I enjoyed the combination of drifting lazily and some speed.

After the kayaking we went to a pearl farm.  Not much to see really, a very basic introduction room with examples and very little description of what was going on.  There was a room where you could see them implanting the “seeds” into the oysters that, hopefully, became the pearls later.  It seemed very clinical and quick, they opened the oysters and were done in a matter of seconds.  Depending on the type of oyster they are then left for a number of years to grow a pearl, then they are cracked open and the pearls, if there are any, are removed.  The oyster itself is used for meat.  I did feel a little educated but I feel they could do with some more descriptions of what is going on.

Then it was back to the boat again to be taken to the “Surprising Cave”.  This is a series of chambers, each bigger than the last, full of interesting rock formations.  Having seen many caves in the past I expected to be bored, but there were things there that I didn’t expect.  The ceiling of the cave was pock marked, like a golf ball – I have no idea how that could have formed.  The last chamber was massive and we spent about 15 minutes just walking through it.

Our last stop of the tour was a beach island.  You could choose to either relax on the beach, or climb the steps to view point at the top of the hill.  We opted for the latter and set off up the hill.  Very tiring, by the time I got to the top I was breathing hard and needed a rest, but it was worth it.  The view was incredible.  Hundreds of islands stretching in all directions with boats and floating platforms dotted in between.   I’ve never seen anything like it before and I think it’s my favourite memory of the whole time in Ha Long Bay.

Back to the boat again and we enjoyed a very good, and varied, evening meal.  It even involved a demonstration on how to make Vietnamese spring rolls, which we even got to eat!

The morning after there was just time for a quick breakfast before we got back on the boat to go back to Hanoi.

I think Ha Long Bay was the highlight of our trip to Hanoi.  The city itself is busy and crowded, it was good to get away from it to somewhere that’s calm and serene.  It’s quite expensive on a backpackers’ budget but I think it’s definitely worth the money, just don’t go for the cheapest price!

Where next?

After Ha Long Bay we are flying to our next country, the Philippines.  We will spend a few days in the capital city of Manilla.  It’s home to an ancient Spanish fort built when it was a colony, as well as quite a few old churches and a cathedral, all built in a western style.  I can’t wait to walk the old walls and try to see what’s different from back home.

This was a bit of a treat for us in Chiang Mai but we thought it was worth it because:

a) we were in the middle of an elephant camp (yes elephants walking past our windows every morning)

b) the location is high up in the mountains and you’re surrounded by fruit trees, forests and nature!

c) the profits go to provide educational and paid vocational training opportunities to at-risk girls, young mothers and the local people

Most of all this is an unique experience for the both of us, living in a hut all built entirely out of bamboo right by the elephants.

The location is about an 1 hours ride from the centre of Chiang Mai backpackers central and the cost for the two of us was 700 Baht.

You have to cross a bridge to get over to Chai Lai and it’s a bit scary when it is completely dark when we arrived there and not knowing we were so high up.

The place is fab and the girls are really friendly. The atmosphere is great there’s so much adventure to do here – ride, feed, play with the elephants, go bamboo rafting, hiking in the mountains, visit a waterfall or local hilltribe, partake in a homestay, or do some kayaking.  They have an endless list that includes some of the Chiang Mai attractions such as temple hopping and Tiger Kingdom.

The bungalow is super cute and cosy. It’s really good fun staying in one of these. They are quite cool at night (they have a duvet for you) and we had both windows open. There is one fan that accommodates the whole room, one fridge and a bathroom. Towels, shampoo, conditioner and bodywash are provided. Everything is pristine clean and a mosquito net protects you from the mosquitos. The bed is super comfy and we had a great sleep before embarking on some crazy activities. You can read what we got upto here.

Breakfast is included in the price, which was fab. There was a huge selection to choose from: fried rice, soup, cereal, a selection of fruits, yoghurt, bread, jam, tea and coffee.

The chill out zone is really cool as you are overlooking the bridge and river below. Meals were a bit out of our budget but nonetheless if you are not a backpacker this is the perfect resort to be in.

Their website: http://chailaiorchid.com/

Price per night – £24

Can be booked on Airbnb and/or Tripadvisor or reserve directly with them.

We intended to stay at a different hostel when we arrived in Tanah Rata in Cameron Highlands: CH Travellers Inn http://chtravellersinn.com/. They do dorms for 25 RM per person and were one of the recommended ones on Hostelworld. However, the dorm room was fully booked and so was there private double room (60RM per night). This was the second hostel we had asked that was fully booked and April is their low season so we were getting slightly worried. The owner was lovely and he said don’t worry, his sister had recently opened a hostels a few doors down so he took us around Orchid Lodge to have a look at the dorm rooms, which were 25RM and perfect for our budget.

The place was great. The owner was really friendly and warming. You could ask her anything and she would try her best to help you out. She explained:

• the hostel and the facilities
• the local area and what attractions there were
• tours and if you were interested you could book them through her (she will call them up, book you onto the tour and get the car to pick you up right outside the hostel)
• a few local places to eat that were good

The dorm room:

had 3 bunk beds spaced evenly around the room. There was enough space to place your backpack and not feel packed in like sardines. The bed was comfy and everything was clean, we did not worry at all. As the Cameron Highlands has a lower average temperature than the rest of Malaysia, there was no fan or air-con. It was not needed anyways.

There is a bathroom attached to the room. Again it was quite large and spacious. The hot shower was good and everything was in working order.

There are also lockers in the room, quite small and each have their own key. The balcony outside was a nice touch, if you wanted to sit outside for a bit to read a book or people watch.

Overall for the price, this was a really good find!

Price

The price for the dorm was 25RM per person. 

Check-in: 1pm

Check-out: 11am

Facilities

• Hot showers
• Free tea and coffee making facilities
• Bread and jam for breakfast
• Small lockers
• TV in the lounge area
• Kitchen
• Wifi (although it was only available in the kitchen because it wasn’t working in the rooms)

Local Area

The hostel is part of a larger block of buildings. There are lots of places to go and eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner right on your doorstep. The famous Gossip Corner is located on the second floor – you can try their big burger challenge if you wanted it.

It’s 5 minutes away from the tourist information shop.

The bus terminal is 10 minutes away.

There is a laundry service nearby that washes and cleans your laundry for 5RM per kilo of clothes. It is a few doors away from the pharmacy. Note: it closes on a Tuesday.

It is a good location in Tanah Rata.

Location

82D, Persiaran  Camellia 4
39000 Tanah Rata, Cameron Highlands, Pahang
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 010-3951247

Their website is http://orchidlodge.cameronhighlands.com/ 

We had a lovely 2 nights stay here at Orchid Lodge.

Review of Women’s Teva Zirra Lite Walking Sandals

The reality is I’m going to be on my feet most of the time over the next 7 months of backpacking so I needed to invest in some good quality, comfortable, stylish walking sandals to get me through the rough terrain, rainforests, monsoons etc I will experience, plus the endless amounts of walking I will be doing.

I did a little research and came across these sandals by Teva: Zirra Lite. They looked simple and had been recommended by other backpackers/hikers. So I bought them from SportsShoes.com for £24.99 (50% off RRP) plus £5 P&P.

I can say that I am really pleased with them so far:

• They have a very simple design – a single strap that secures on via velcro so I can adjust it to my  size and it’s very easy to take it off and on.
• They are lightweight too, which is brilliant and good for packing in your my backpack with limited space.
• They feel very durable and comfortable – The sole is very flexible and it feels comfortable when I walk.
• The rubber sole is good quality which will provide me with lots of grip when I go trekking in the rainforests and also when it rains.
• The colour is good. The black straps will go with a lot of clothes and it looks stylish. You can get these in other colours though.
• There is also a flap at the back which allows you to hang the sandals up. This could be useful if I ever needed to dry them.

Other things I need to explore: what they feel like after a days walking in a hot and humid climate. Apparently they also have an anti-microbial treatment applied to it so I shall have to if that works too. I will be doing an update on how they fare whilst backpacking.

Since Andrew had already bought it, we are both going to use this for our backpacking trip. However we have made a few changes this to tailor it to our needs.

About Lifesystems – They do a variety of first aid kits that are weather and wear-resistant. ‘Uncompromised quality and performance are at the core of every Lifesystems product.

The Solo Traveller First Aid Kit has been designed with the adventurous, independent traveller in mind and is ideal for extended trips to remote locations by one person. This kit combines all the basics for treating minor and some more serious injuries with a full set of sterile medical equipment, including needles and syringes.’

Here are my thoughts:

• It’s made with good quality material and it has a grab handle – it’s made with hard wearing fabric and waterproof zips to provide extra protection.
• Lots of different compartments so you don’t have to rummage around to find something.
• Compartments are clearly named so you can retrieve things fast. At the back of each compartment there is a slot for extra storage.
• The back of the pack also has a zipped pocket so I will be placing a pen in there with our medical cards and what vaccinations we have had.
• Lots of items – 49 in total which covers everything I would need from tablets to scissors and a reusable temperature probe. However I will be putting some more paracetamol, my own aspirin and some antiseptic cream in there too.
• It also has sterile needles and I understand now why they are there – in some countries they re-use needles hence to be on the safe side you have these if you ever need them.

Lifesystems Solo Traveller First Aid Kit – Lowdown

Price: £35.99 at Lifesystems. (It’s cheaper here at GO Outdoors although you need their discount card – £24.27)

Weight: 505 g

Dimensions: 190 mm x 140 mm x 90 mm

Items: 49

A really good First Aid Kit. It has everything you need and I especially like the separate compartments. The kit is not cheap at £35.99 and you can play around with the compartments to include your own personal items.

I also bought a ton of other stuff at the same time. :S

Click for the review here → The North Face Trekker Convertible Pants

Where we are travelling to again? Click to see our  7 month backpacking here → Itinerary .