mikes midlife round the world in 96 days

Another late arrival in a new city so for convienience booked hotel for one night through airport reservations,price was the cheapest but still over my budget.Next day i moved over to Itaewon,thinking it would be ok to be around westerners,but the whole place is too sleazy,expensive and mainly full of army personnel spending their money in the many hostess bars and clubs..
Second day i floated about on the subway from area to area,then arranged the dmz tour for the following day.Most guidebooks recommend this but i found the whole expierince to be expensive,a waste of a day and not as good as made out to be.Evening i spent in internet cafe .
Following night i met up with a korean i met in alice springs.He brought some friends and we had a traditional korean meal at restuaraunt,then some beers afterwards in bar.Unfortunately they wanted to show me more sights of seoul but i have flight the following day so....
So thats my short adventure of Korea over,i maybe will return some time if i am over this direction again...

Another arrival at another strange and new country and luckily i find another traveller in bus queue who has returned to Beijing,so we join forces to explore the chinese culture.
First day was off to the Forbidden City and Tianiman Square.The Forbidden city must stretch to a mile long and half mile wide enclosing many temples,gardens and other Ming buildings.While Tianiman Square the scene of unrest and killings in 1989 is patrolled by many secret police and not so secret police.
Next day was off to the Great Wall of China for a 11km trek,which was pretty hard going as some sections have eroded away and the steps are more like rubble.Weather was a bit overcast which made some pics not so good,however it was a great expierience just to be walking on it and looking around in amazement.
Spent a few days at xi'an basically to go and see the terracotta army,and a few other attractions.I was a bit let down with the army,but still glad i went even though its a struggle to get through the masses of tour groups.
Back now in Beijing for 5 days to chill out and catch other attractions.Most of the atractions were the alcohol establishnents,however it did have its good views especially of catching celtic win the scottish cup ...
Last day here and ive been to the summer plalace with a local friend to show me round the last 3 days,handy having your own interpreter for food and directions..and other fun

Arrived by bus but outside centre center and had to conviently use taxi waiting for us (another scam by tour operator to extort more money and for us to look at there hotel).I was not impressed with quality so the usual touts hanging about outside i viewed one of these places and it was ok.However after booking the Halong bay tour with them,on arrival back i found they never kept my room as promised and the search again for more accomodation begins.
Halong Bay was not what i expected and the 2 day/1 night was not financially($57) worthwhile.Half day to get there,afternoon visiting cafe and kayaking,second morning waiting for people transfering to 3day trip,second afternoon on bus and back by 4pm.
That night after a few beers and wine i was hustled by local lady.Although telling her over and over i didnt want company she still walks closely with me for over 10 mins with a moto tout following behind us.Suddenly when i realise shes not next to me my hand go's directly to my pocket to find out shes off with around $100,i quickly turn round ,give chase and haul her off the back off the motobike throwing her to ground pinning her down and shouting at her to give my money back,with all the locals looking in ammazement.She throws it around on ground i quickly pick most up and i keep on her shouting and threatening her.I get up and give chase to her moto accomplice but hes too quick.So back to find the locals handing me the rest of my money and off to my hotel.
Another bad expeirence here and im now off to get out of this country quickly if possible.
I have decided to go to China as it is so close,the chaos at the embassy to get visa is rediculous.first time i arrived about 8.30 to find what resembled a queue stretching over 20 metrs in lenght,asking a few other tourists i realise u have to be early so i decided to go next day,however being friday that meant a wait until monday.
After a boring weekend i arrived around 7.45 to find another long queue,however i knew i had to wait.More arriving locals just enter queue in front of myself and others and after more of this happeninmg i decided to play them at their own came and i walked up to the front and joined.A few protests i ignored and after more locals getting priviledged enrty by gurad i managed to get in and hand over my application and recievd my visa that afternoon.

Arrived in Hue to miserable rain a few nights ago and weather has still been the same.I decided to book a tour rather than do the dmz myself although i felt each stop was as bit rushed and again the usual stop offs at specific cafes for brekkie and lunch to which the quality was poor.
Certain places of interest were not visited,the ones we did there was not much evidence left of the war,and the vinh doc tunnels was a rush.Our tour was scheduled round pick up and drop ffs for travellers connecting to other buses to Laos,so beware when booking.
Again the many cyclo and moto touts driving up and persisting on buisness at every street and corner,although i tend not to accept but was getting lost on too many occasions being it dark and had no bearings or directions to where i wanted to end up,the cost so minimal to get around i gladly accepted on 4 occasions.
I'm off to Hanoi on another long and tiring journey and hope the bus is not overcrowded so i can get 2 seats to myself however on past journeys unscheduled stops to pick up locals i doubt my journey will be pleasant.
An Phu travel with whom i have booked i would not recommend due to the lateness off buses and the unscheduled stops.i know that on asking if i travelled to other towns indepentantly, the bus would not pick me up as it was not on the ticket list,however if i was to pay again for ticket they might.

Shoppers paradise plus also has a great beach,clear water and not over run by locals.I arrived at 7 in morning and after brekkie of to the tailors for a suit and some shirts.With so much choice its hard to make decision,but went ahead at one boutique.the price was ok for myself,but when looking in other shops cheaper was available,but then cheap is not always best and the difference was minimal. Ended up buying a few items for my daughter as the female designs are unique and different to back home.
Again i'm drawn in to more boutiques and end up buying another suit and 3 shirts for myself.Also more again for my daughter,but ended up being ripped off only on one occassion so it pays to shop around more throughly as all designs and fabrics are available in every shop and the bigger boutiques charging more dont offer any better service and quality of fabric and work.
With all i have bought i had to buy a cheap small backpack to carry it all around in until i get up to Hanoi and post it back home,probably along with more stuff i buy on the way.