Cambodia and Vietnam, or Asia in general awakens your physical senses, the constant noise of traffic and street sellers peddling their wares, the incredible colour of temples and the smell of incense sticks and spices. Your tongue and taste buds are in culinary heaven, divine food fusions from across the continent have been merged into regional specialities. Shoes are on and off, cold tiled floors on bare feet are one of life's simple pleasures in the heat of the day. Asia makes you wonder if you have been living numb in your day-to-day life, four months away and all our senses have been jolted and kick-started back to life.
This will be the second time that we have travelled extensively around Southeast Asia, on the first occasion we visited Chiang Mai in northern Thailand, before spending a month each in both Cambodia and Vietnam. We had both been made redundant when our employer entered administration, the chance to travel was too good an opportunity to pass up. Rather than satisfying that craving we wanted more, and after working another two years in jobs that we had found unfulfilling, we gave in our notices to go backpacking once again.
This time our Thailand experience will be minimal, a few nights in Bangkok following our flight before heading onto Cambodia and Siem Reap. Our plan for the rest of the Cambodian leg is to follow the same route that we covered last time, a relaxing, confidence building start as we retrace our steps around some familiar sights. On a southerly path from Siem Reap, home to the incredible Angkor Wat, a stay in Battambang splits the long trek to Phnom Penh in half. After the hectic mayhem of the Cambodian capital we will take in the riverside town of Kampot followed by the small beach resort of Kep.
The last time we were in Vietnam we took the bus from Ho Chi Minh City to Cần Thơ on the Mekong Delta and then flew from there to the central region, visited Hội An and then flew out again to Hanoi. This time we are looking to take in the places that we leapfrogged over! If everything goes to plan, we should get our first ever taste of the Central Highland city of Dalat, before heading back towards the coast. Nha Trang and Quy Nhon promise two completely different beach experiences, one modern and bustling with foreign tourists and the other a more traditional low-key fishing harbour. On top of these new locations another visit to our old favourite Hội An, a well-preserved ancient town, famous for fantastic food and within cycling distance of nearby beaches and islands.
On route from central Vietnam to Hanoi we intend to spend a weekend in Danang and witness the fire-breathing Dragon Bridge in full flow. The Imperial city of Huế is somewhere that we regrettably overlooked last time, travelling there by a short railway journey along the scenic coastline has been highly recommended. Ninh Binh, or Tam Cốc - we are not sure which yet - both look stunning, limestone karsts with green paddy fields and river deltas passing through. From Hanoi we plan a second visit to the hill station of Sapa set amongst stunning terraced mountains. A visit to the eastern coast will also be on the agenda - maybe a Halong Bay cruise or even a stay on one of the islands. A trip to Cao Bằng and the Bản Giốc waterfalls that straddle the border between the north of Vietnam and China should also be possible. Unfortunately, we don't ride scooters, never mind motorbikes but the mountainous scenery in that area is supposed to be breathtakingly beautiful.
By the time that we return home from Hanoi we expect to have covered just over 2,800 miles, mainly by bus but with the odd rail journey thrown in for good measure. Our excitement and anticipation are interspersed with dread - flashbacks of the countless hours of blaring Cambodian karaoke shows on never-ending bus journeys that are still firmly etched in the memory from four years ago...
