As there is no transport to Thailand in the evening I check into a hostel this Monday and decide to look around. The local cultural centre hosts free (Malay) muay-thai boxing matches in the evening. Sounds great! The building is dark, all the lights are out, the doors are barred. Not so great! And there, on a small sign to the right it reads "closed during the month of Ramadan". Great! The first of many encounters with Muslim culture... Kota Bharu is the...

It is five in the morning. This early there is no traffic in Hanoi. I don't think I have ever seen a city so empty. Like a post-nuclear apocalypse. Totally unlike Asia. Fifteen minutes later the roads are alive again with motos, cars. That's better. Ever since the 27th of August the weather has been so-so. Some days are better than others, but pretty much overcast. The same on the Monday we left for the airport. b*****. The three-hour flight goes by in a fla...

26th through the 28th of August. Halong Bay. Ever since I set my eyes upon that gorgeous pink hued photograph of this archipelago I've wanted to go here. The highlight of Vietnam! No, the highlight of all of Asia! A lot of time has passed since that fateful day in February, and I have seen a lot. Still, the expectations remained... These high expectations are probably the reason why I didn't like Halong Bay as much as it should deserve. That and the weather. A...

Before leaving for the Ho Chi Minh Trail we say our goodbyes to Michel. He's going back to Hong Kong earlier for his cousin's wedding. With my suit all packed in my shiny new suitcase we say farewell as well to battle-worn Lee, Tali, Ngoc, and grab the taxi to Đà Nẵng Airport. How different the area is now, all sunny, silent. One hour in the taxi, we check in. Another 30-40 minutes on the plane, we land in Hanoi, team up with two Norwegian girls and share t...

Tali shows up in the morning. Is she stalking us? She's nice to talk to though, but a chain-smoker. Horrible. As soon as she finishes one, the next cigarette lights up. Instantly. Only when she's busy do the puffs stop, so I ask her to accompany me for the second fitting of my suit on Tuesday morning. It's always good to have someone else's opinion. It also never hurts to be told how absolutely stunning you look all dressed up, especially by a lady! The suit lo...