tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20587007494225620992024-08-31T11:33:56.238-07:00This is my contribution to the travel writing world. I have visited many places and seen many things over the years but this is no travel diary. Based on true events this is a story of discovery, growth and love.....with some fantastic people and places thrown in.Nick Turnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15789967998190636904noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2058700749422562099.post-64872833060620705432012-03-08T05:05:00.000-08:002012-03-08T05:05:58.869-08:00

There she was! The most beautiful girl I had ever seen was checking in. The flow of her curly black hair and the glow of her tanned olive skin made her look so radiant and gorgeous. The world appeared to stand still for a moment as I took everything in, but snapped straight back to life as she looked up at me. I hadn't realised how long I'd been stood there but it was obviously too long, going

Nick Turnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15789967998190636904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2058700749422562099.post-69327149956424384332012-02-23T04:30:00.000-08:002012-02-23T04:43:54.869-08:00

I felt ready to head back to the hotel but decide to have a look around the city for a while. It was coming up to midday and the sun was blazing high in the cloudless blue sky. I was loving it and definitely didn't envy the poor people back in the UK in the middle of November. Ho Chi Minh City is not the prettiest city but it does have a huge amount of backpackers passing through it everyday so

Nick Turnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15789967998190636904noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2058700749422562099.post-20402050996342500282012-02-20T03:50:00.000-08:002012-02-20T04:20:05.239-08:00

Ho Chi Minh City Airport was a world apart from anywhere I had landed before, it was used by the South Vietnamese and US forces in the Vietnam War. Taxiing to the stand it felt like we were landing in a working military airbase. Walking through arrivals however you could have been in any other airport anywhere in the world. The flight in had been smooth and comfortable but the best part had

Nick Turnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15789967998190636904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2058700749422562099.post-85959387590487777102012-02-18T06:29:00.000-08:002012-02-18T06:35:08.752-08:00

I really do like a challenge but right then all I wanted to do was be at home. I couldnt believe the day that had unfolded: I had been lost and chased and was almost broke. Totally exhausted and emotionally drained I collapsed on the bed and drifted off to sleep. When I woke at 4:30am I was absolutely starving, I realised then that I hadn't eaten anything since breakfast the day before. Just

Nick Turnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15789967998190636904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2058700749422562099.post-9019216721860427302012-02-16T06:58:00.001-08:002012-02-18T06:36:15.131-08:00

I sprinted across the road without a care for the cars and bikes coming at me. Getting through the parked vehicles outside the station and running through the doors I took a left straight into the crowds of passengers waiting to board. The driver was still there and searching for me so I bolted out of a side entrance near the ticket office which opened onto the taxi rank. I got some very

Nick Turnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15789967998190636904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2058700749422562099.post-68706518035486992012012-02-14T05:48:00.000-08:002012-02-14T09:08:31.798-08:00

What was I going to do now? Shuffling back down Wireless Road with my head sunk and with no ideas I felt drained and depressed. Luck hadn't been on my side so far in this trip and I was desperately hoping that this wasn't a sign of things to come. Back at Cozy I sat slumped against the wall of my room and sobbed myself to sleep. Waking an hour later I still had no real clue about how to solve

Nick Turnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15789967998190636904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2058700749422562099.post-76116607222833198862012-02-13T04:01:00.000-08:002012-02-14T09:06:04.881-08:00

I began the next day in peace after watching the serene, synchronised movements of Tai Chi in Lumphini park against the backdrop of the rising sun. Each group brought their own fascinating style from the graceful flow of silk scarves to the precise efficiency of swords, I knew I would come back the next day to relax away from the manic streets that were beyond its walls. I sat on the metro for

Nick Turnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15789967998190636904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2058700749422562099.post-31038368539898091192012-02-10T07:12:00.000-08:002012-02-13T04:05:42.170-08:00

I couldn't believe it, I had come all this way and now had no money. Not knowing what to do I headed back to the guesthouse to try and think and relax. I suddenly remembered what my fantastic parents had given me just before I got on the train. It wasn't something I would have ever thought of but I was now so grateful that they had. One hundred pounds worth of travellers cheques would at least

Nick Turnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15789967998190636904noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2058700749422562099.post-87135451853369247252012-02-08T04:52:00.000-08:002012-02-14T05:52:33.538-08:00

Cozy Bangkok Guesthouse was a few minutes walk from Hualampong train station where the Taxi had dropped me off and charged me five hundred Baht for the journey. I was hesitant to argue but had read that it should be three hundred. After a slightly lacklustre complaint I handed it over and jumped out. Walking into Cozy I was greeted by two golden retrievers, one old and charming and the other a

Nick Turnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15789967998190636904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2058700749422562099.post-50683101720550388462012-02-07T06:13:00.000-08:002012-02-14T05:52:25.715-08:00

The landing of the Boeing 777 was so smooth I couldn't tell whether we had landed or not. I only realised when the pilot engaged the reverse thrust that we were on the ground. As soon as we had stopped at the gate hundreds of flustered and tired passengers unclipped there seatbelts and rushed for their overhead bags. I couldn't understand why on every flight I have ever been on people did

Nick Turnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15789967998190636904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2058700749422562099.post-26180055265403038512012-02-06T07:50:00.000-08:002012-02-13T06:04:50.586-08:00

The announcement I had been waiting for came, my flight had been called and the flock of passengers had assembled at the gate. I was leaving the UK not to return until the summer. My emotions were in a whirlwind I didn't know whether I was happy or sad, I just felt in limbo. Pulling myself together and remembering what I had promised myself I smiled handed over my boarding card and stepped

Nick Turnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15789967998190636904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2058700749422562099.post-24410854654065841962012-02-03T05:26:00.001-08:002012-02-14T05:52:10.067-08:00

Ever since I was a kid I had always loved airports, whether it was the start of a trip to a new and exciting place with your beach shorts and sunglasses or returning home slightly sunburnt with tacky souvenirs for your family. At an airport you are always going somewhere, you are not stuck in a rut or standing still, the world is there and ready to explore. I had never flown from Heathrow

Nick Turnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15789967998190636904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2058700749422562099.post-43498972244529877692012-02-02T08:24:00.000-08:002012-02-05T11:19:15.956-08:00

The blistering cold at the lonely old train station in my sleepy home town of Coleford, Gloucestershire was biting at me whilst I sat on the hard metal chair just in cargo shorts and a shirt. I had chosen not to bring any warm clothes for the journey to Heathrow because I couldn't spare any room in the rucksack. I knew I would miss that tiny town I knew so well, it held so many memories from my

Nick Turnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15789967998190636904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2058700749422562099.post-19021743316755719132012-02-01T05:31:00.000-08:002012-02-05T11:16:25.484-08:00

Staring down at my brand new, pristine, rucksack going through the list I had already ticked off three times before, I suddenly felt a creeping chill go up my spine bringing panic with it. I began dreading the trip and had no wish or will to leave. I was twenty, just out of college and this being the first time I would leave the comfort and ease of my parents house I felt bolted to the floor.

Nick Turnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15789967998190636904noreply@blogger.com0