What is this......

What is this blog about....... I travel, I read the guidebooks, I talk to people, I search the web to find out which are the best places to go and where should I just avoid at all costs..... And sometimes I find amazing places. Sometimes I find something that seems to completely different to what I expected. Sometimes I find the scams or the tastiest local eatery ever. And I wanted to share these things with whoever may just so happen to be looking. But I wanted to go deeper than the guidebook. If I loved a place - exactly why. If I was disappointed, was it due to bad luck with a dodgy guide, or because, while often beautiful in their own right - it is hard to impress me with a waterfall because I grew up next to hundreds of amazing and pristine riverways and waterfalls (but, if you didn't, you will probably be blown away by waterfall x.) Who am I? I am a 24 year old (25 in Vietnamese counting!) Aussie. I am living in Vietnam for 9 months to volunteer with children with disabilities. If you want to know more about that..... go here: http://physio-overboard.blogspot.com/ I grew up in Far North Queensland in the country, swimming in rivers, exploring rainforests, and generally being spoilt by amazing countryside. I have no real interest in coming to Vietnam to get drunk and hang around with other westerners. I can do that at home if I really want. So if you want to drink cheap alcohol (please be safe - some of the cheap spirits do cause blindness!!!!) you probably want to find some other travel advice!! If you want to meet locals, get into traditional villages, and get off the tourist track -> Read on my friend! I am also mostly travelling solo - A lot of people ask if this is safe, and aren't I scared or lonely. Honestly, no. I am not stupid - I don't wander around dark streets late at night by myself (but I also wouldn't do that most cities in Australia!) the main problem is the inconvenience of travel. Lots of tours have 2 people minimums, Or I have to hire whole hotel rooms instead of splitting the bill, or if I have to get a taxi I can't share. So a big part of this blog focuses on how to get around by yourself, the cheapest way possible! How does this work? I spend most of my time in and around Danang city (in central Vietnam). On weekends I try to travel to close by location, and occasionally I take time to go further a field. From now on.... I will be posting about the towns I visit where did I eat (was it any good), average prices, hotels, any scams that seem particularly obvious in retrospect, but that it is also very easy to get got if you haven't been here a long time. lastly: Enjoy, I hope this is useful to some people. Feel free to comment with questions, comments, maybe your own experiences of having to travelled to the same places. Maybe I hated a place and you loved it.... maybe you have your own advice re: the scams that people may just find in a particular city! So - comment away!!!