Vietnam and Cambodia trip

Finally getting ready for the upcoming trip...two countries I have never been to so far: Vietnam and Cambodia.

So far it already required quite a lot of preparation: multiple entry visa for China, multiple entry visa for Vietnam and a single entry visa for Cambodia. Actually not too sure what is the whole point of having to apply a visa...besides a good way for them to make some money... (china 400HK$, vietnam 500HK$, cambodia 200HK$ + new passport size pics and several copies...) Besides the costs it requires quite some patience, there is a lot of waiting involved. Wouldn't it be a lot easier to just let me pay at the customs??

Anyway that part has been dealt with, so now it will be time for the more interesting fun part to begin: the actual trip :D.

Almost forgot, got one more thing done for the preparation, picked up a new compact camera a Ricoh GX200. The previous compact camera I had was quite disapointing when it comes to quality (Nikon Coolpix ...forgot the model name). Would be pretty tragic when having a great trip and then to come home and find out most of your pictures are not worth looking at due to the quality. So now we will be armed with a Canon EOS 350D (used by my girlfriend) and I will be using the Ricoh GX200.

So now about the trip:

Will be starting the coming Friday. First take the bus to Sheung Shui from there a short ride on the train to Lo Wu there cross the border with mainland and arrive in Shenzhen. From Shenzhen will be getting on the train to Guangzhou. From Guangzhou the "real" travelling will begin, departure at 16.52 and after approximately a 13 hour train ride arrive in Nanning (see the map above).

In Nanning we will try to get same day tickets for the train bringing us to Hanoi (approx. 13 hours by train again). If we can't get tickets for the same day we will be spending one night in Nanning, but hopefully this will not be needed...

Then we will spend several days in Hanoi for sightseeing. Not really sure yet what to expect, see or visit....don't really like to be too prepared when travelling, think it is nicer to be surprised or find things out during the actual trip... (or is it just a bad excuse for being lazy to study guide books ;)

From Hanoi once again a long train ride...the longest one during this trip (my personal longest train ride: Chengdu -> Lhasa 48 hours): approx. 30 hours to Ho Chi Minh City (see map)

Once again time for sightseeing :D Details will follow after the trip ;).

Then next we will take bus for a change: approx. 6 hours from Ho Chi Minh City to Phnom Penh. Sightseeing time...and then another bus ride heading to Siem Reap (about 6 hours). And then we will be taking the same route backwards heading back home -> Hong Kong....

As I said before, not really certain about what I will see yet, will probably do most of the guide book reading during the long train journeys. But expect to at least:

- Have Vietnamese Spring Roll

- See the Killing Fields, Cambodia

- See the Angkor Wat, Cambodia

- See Pradal Serey (Cambodian style kickboxing)

Further not much expectation...just hope it will be another great experience :D