Photos Galore!

I realize it's been awhile since I last posted on my blog. I've been busy trying to get the most out of my summer before it's all over. As it's finally coming to a close, I thought it was time to cross a few things off my list that have been there for awhile. The first: posting photos from the remainder of my Asian Adventure on Facebook and on my blog. Enjoy! (Click on the album below to see it in full screen mode)

Cambodia


Southern Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh City, Hoi An)


Northern Vietnam (Hanoi, Halong Bay, Sapa)


Guilin & Xi'an, China


Beijing, The Great Wall and Home

Good Morning Vietnam!

After so many night trains I've had several opportunities to see Vietnam in the early morning.  The last few we were in Sapa, which is up in the mountains of Northern Vietnam (near the Chinese border).  The rice fields and mountains were amazing.  The first morning we arrived it was very foggy and unfortunately it didn't clear much as the day went on.  However, it didn't detract from the scenery, in fact it may have actually added to it's magical feel.  We weren't here in time for the rice planting or harvesting but the fields were filled with water in preparation.  Next month the fields will be planted with their only crop of rice for the year.  The families will depend on it to survive over the next 12 months.

It was incredible to see how the communities lived and interacted with the tourists that were everywhere.  This is the first area we've visited where the communities and culture still seemed to be similar to the way it's always been, with the exception of the little tribal ladies that doubled the size of our trekking group.  They followed us on our 10km walk so that they could offer us their wares at the end.  It was difficult to say "no" after you have bonded with them all day.  (Well, hard to say no if you aren't a cold-hearted person without any money like me).

Mom and "Black Shadow" with the gift

On the train ride back from Sapa we were in a berth with two men from China (one was from an area near Tibet and the other was Mongolian).  They were both in Sapa as part of a Unicef program for minority Chinese.  They were lovely people and the man from the Tibetan area was apparently known for a few movies as well as for his calligraphy and art.  After a short discussion he offered us a gift of a book on himself and his work as well as a piece of his artwork.  It's so nice when the simplest gifts are the ones that mean the most at the end of the trip.  It also made the snoring that night from the Mongolian man a bit easier to take (it was so loud that I could still hear it through my earplugs and over the sound of the train - I slept very little).

We are in Hanoi today and then we take another night train into China tonight.  I'm hoping we have quieter companions this time.  As we prepare for the trip I'm starting to realize all of the changes that I will have to adjust to when we leave Vietnam.  For instance, I don't expect to be able to access my google account or Facebook and I'm not sure if I will have access to my blog or Skype either.  It could be an interesting visit.

A Taste of the High Life

I've just finished a 2 night/3 day cruise on Halong Bay and between this and Hoi An, I'm getting a bit spoiled in Asia (of course there are always things to bring me back to reality).

Enjoying China Beach, Hoi An, Vietnam

Hoi An, Vietnam sits just south of the DMZ in Vietnam and near Danang.  The small French influenced city has become quite the tourist spot particularly for their tailors.  Each street in the village center is lined with tailors and shoe shops galore, in fact it was harder to find a place to eat than find a place to have clothes or shoes custom made.

With only two nights planned for Hoi An, and full backpacks, we weren't going to have anything made...or at least that was the plan.  But the shops are just too tempting and the fabrics and designs just too alluring. I've never had anything made for me personally and I've always found it nearly impossible to find dresses.  The seeds started sprouting in my mind.  My mom decided to have "just a look" at some of the options in their catalogue.  Pretty soon we were shopping at every tailor for the right combination of price, fabric and design capabilities.  For two people that hadn't planned on getting anything done we were failing miserably.

Mom getting measured

And once we found a place we liked (we walked all over and then settled on the one in our own hotel), my mom's order kept expanding.  Even as she was getting measured she was debating a pair of pants (which became two when she tried on the finished product the following day).  In the end my mom had two pairs of pants, two skirts, two blouses and a pair of shoes made for her.  I had three dresses made for me.  It was so much fun it's probably best that we didn't plan more time in Hoi An.

We arrived in Hanoi the following day (after another night train), and immediately booked our trips in the area.  A 3 day/2 night trip to Halong Bay, a 3 night/2 day trip to Sapa in the mountains, and our overnight train to China.  We've just returned from the first trip to Halong Bay and our spoiling continued.  The scenery was gorgeous and it only rained a bit while we were kayaking into lagoons and wet anyway so the weather was just about right. 

Marguerite, our Junk Boat

The junk boat that we were put on was on it's maiden voyage so we could still smell the lacquer on the wood.  Everything was beautiful.  There were 8 of us on a boat that slept 15, which meant we had lots of space too.  The only downside came when we had to switch boats after the first night so our boat could go back and get licensed.  It meant spending the day with four of us cramped onto a small boat with some semblance of a sundeck (but the motor had to be cranked by hand to start it).  Our tour guide was great and very knowledgeable about the area and Vietnam customs and beliefs.  We booked with ODC Travel and I would definitely recommend them to anyone else interested in going.  It was a wonderful way to spend a few relaxing nights in Vietnam.

Looking into our room

View of Halong Bay at sunset

Only a few weeks left now before I return home.  If I'm honest, I'm as apprehensive as excited about it ending.  I spent most of my time on the boat desperately trying to work out how I'm going to spend the next few months (of course I was also determining just what food I want most when I get back).

Another Successful Border Crossing

Well, we made it to Vietnam and although the begging and harassing has eased slightly the heat is still stifling.  We crossed the border today and waited in a building that was out of the sun but cooled by only fans in the 91 degree heat.  We stood in a line attempting to stay cool while we waited to hear our name from the customs officer after he successfully stamped our passport.  As I stood with my 20 kg (44 lbs) backpack on my back and my 8 kg (17 lbs) backpack on my front I could feel the sweat dripping down my face, back and even my legs.  It was very uncomfortable and constricted by my own belongings I couldn't do much about it.

Crossing the border into Vietnam

I probably waited a total of 30 minutes but it felt like much longer.  When I finally reached the air conditioning on the bus (and my belongings were once again stowed underneath) I was so overheated that I couldn't even talk (I'm not a fan of the heat).

This evening, as I sat in my air conditioned hotel room talking to my dad about where he was stationed here.  I mentioned that we were heading north as soon as possible to get out of the heat.  He reminded me that he was very familiar with the heat in Vietnam.  I foolishly realized that I actually had it quite easy today.  I wasn't trying to do drills in full camo with heavy packs on my back in the direct sun day after day.  It could have been much worse.

But I guess that's the good thing about time moving forward...after all, if it didn't I might be taking a trip across the hot Kansas plains in a Conestoga wagon instead of in somewhat modern vehicles in Southeast Asia.

Next up:

• Walking tour of Ho Chi Minh City including the History museum, Botanical Gardens, War Remnants Museum and other sites
• Tour of the Cu Chi Tunnels which were used during the Vietnam war
• Overnight train ride north to Quy Nhon Beach where we spend just a day before hopping on another night train and heading farther north to Danag and Hoi An

Things to be thankful for:
- My bug bites are no longer itching
- Making it safely into yet another country on my list.  Just one more border crossing left into a new country for me before returning home

Don't let the bed bugs bite!

There is actually a bug that has two tubes to pierce it's prey with.  One is for eating and the other injects an anti-coagulant (preventing blood from clotting) and an anesthetic (preventing the prey from feeling the bug feed). Nature is amazing...until you are the prey.

These bugs are cimicidae, more commonly called bed bugs.  After hearing reports of recent outbreaks in the States I was well aware of the risks in Southeast Asia, in fact, it was one of my fears.  There's nothing worse then when a fear becomes a reality.

In Luang Prabang, Laos we stayed at a guesthouse with a large group of people we had met on our boat ride down the Mekong.  Of the nine of us there, I was the only one that seemed to have problems.  Mom slept in a bed next to me and only received three bites.  I served as breakfast, lunch and dinner for four nights in a row (our entire stay in the city) before showing symptoms. Now I am absolutely covered from head to toe - which gives me the scary appearance of someone that is walking around with chicken pox.  (Of course it doesn't help that I also have a constant scowl and glazed over eyes as I try to ignore the itching sensation.)  On one arm alone I have about 50 spots that range from eraser size to the size of a dime.

Three days after we left Luang Prabang, and after a stopover in Siem Reap, we arrived in Phonm Penh and had to leave our hotel at 11pm (only three hours after checking in) because I noticed them again.  At least this time we recognized the problem before spending the night.  We have now washed all of our clothes, sprayed our backpacks with bug killer and visually checked every nook and cranny to make sure none of the horrible little creatures are in our things.

Today after spending a day making futile attempts not to scratch, wrapping my wounds in a cool towel, rubbing on hydrocortisone cream until I'm white, and taking antihistamines I feel like I might see the light at the end of the tunnel.  Fortunately, we are in a place where it's easy to do that without the fear of more bedbugs.

Despite this setback, there have been some amazing highlights since my last post (and I've posted more pictures for your enjoyment from Chiang Mai and Laos here or visit my Photo Albums):

• A river cruise down the Mekong River from Thailand into Laos.  We met some fun people and tried to make the best of the slow boat that could seat 80 but held 95 people.  It was a bit crowded but definitely a fun part of the trip.
• Luang Prabang, a fun little French town in Laos.  We checked out a beautiful waterfall nearby and saw a cultural performance/dance.
• Siem Reap and the Angkor Wat/Angkor Thom ruins.  Absolutely incredible.  We hired a tuk tuk driver to take us around for the day and although the ruins started to look similar it didn't detract from the impressive structures.
• A 7 hour bus ride into Phnom Penh it's fun to get a taste of the local culture.  One of the places we stopped sold spiders and crickets to eat.  A nice couple in front of us decided to partake.  Mom and I did not.

The next few days I'm hoping to see a break in my condition so that I can see the sites in Phnom Penh before we head to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.  For now, good night!  Don't let the bed bugs bite.

Goodbye Thailand

Tomorrow we drive to Chiang Rai (in Northeast Thailand) and then we'll be heading out of the country on a slow boat down the Mekong into Laos.  I've done a lot over the last few weeks, here are some of the more memorable moments.

1.  Boating, canoeing and swimming around the karsts near Phuket.  Truly magnificent and quintessential Thailand.

2. Riding the ferry to Koh Tao.  It was a very rough day (we were fortunate that the ferry wasn't cancelled) but it meant that about 100 people were either green or hanging over trashcans and the side of the boat.  Unfortunately for them that meant that they were also drenched from the rain and sea spray.  Malena and I were 2 of about 20 that weren't sick.  I was having a great time (as soon as I went onto the back deck where I wasn't afraid of drowning if the boat capsized).

3. Trying to find our way to Jim Johnson's house in Bangkok only to be trapped inside the post office during a torrential rain storm.  When we left (it was still raining) we started hopping between the awnings to move down the street and found ourselves among what must have been all of the mechanic shops in Bangkok.  They were highly amused by our antics.

4. Lost again trying to find the bus station on the north side of Bangkok.  This time we got directions from a guard (all but two words "museum" and "car park" were given in Thai and with A LOT of pointing).  Along the way we wandered through the gates of a garden where we asked directions again from a different guard.  He pointed us in the right direction and we went off.  At the first split in the path we started down the wrong way...only to discover this as another guard came running after us...apparently the guards had been talking on the radio so we were essentiallly handed off through the park by little Thai security guards with radios. It wasn't a normal botanical garden experience.

5. Avoiding the tuk tuk drivers and trying to find the wats in Bangkok.  Although frustrating at the time, it really is funny to think about.

6. Wandering through one of the biggest night markets I've been in so far in Chiang Mai.  Originally on the Silk Road it's history is a long one and the market takes up about four city blocks.

7. Our "adventure" day outside of Chiang Mai with a character for a guide who was playing little pranks on everyone as we went along.  He was originally from the jungle of North Thailand.  We saw a village of long-neck people, rode and played with elephants, hiked to a waterfall then went for a swim in the frigid water, and finished the day rafting down the river.  We had a good group of people (us and 6 others) and it was a full and exciting day.

Pictures will follow soon.  Next up:  Luang Prabang, Laos and then Siam Reap in Cambodia

What? The Wat is Closed?

A wat is a monastery temple and if you believed the people in Bangkok around the National Palace you'd think they were constantly closed for "special" ceremonies.  Well, at least until 1pm or is it 12:30? Or was it noon? No matter what the time, it's always the same, "They are closed and you shouldn't bother seeing them, so come with me instead and I'll bring you back when they are open!"  The problem is that even with the warnings you eventually start to think there might be something to this story.

On Thursday morning Malena headed home and my mom arrived.  Due to a delayed flight, Mom literally met us on the stairs as I was walking Malena out.  (She came through Tokyo and when her flight was delayed they sent her to a different airport by bus - her hair may have been glowing with the radioactivity when she arrived.)

After Malena left and Mom was settled, we hit up three wats and the grand palace.  We were warned by Malena, who had already seen these sites that people would try to tell us they were closed.  I was also warned by other travelers I've come across, by friends (some even commented on this blog), and it even warns tourists about it in our guidebook...so I thought we were prepared.  I was wrong.

They are so believable and friendly, one guy spent five minutes telling us about how to pray to the Buddha for good luck and fortune.  He showed us photos of his kids and his wife and told us how much he liked Chicago.  Then as my feet were itching to get away, he dropped the information about how all the buildings but one were closed in the Grand Palace until 1pm.  He was so convincing that it was hard to walk away...until he offered to tour us around in a tuk tuk.  RUN!!!  Unfortunately in our haste to get away, we missed the main entrance and walked the entire way around the complex before getting back to it...leaving us wide open and easy prey for other vultures. 

By the time we made it to within 50 meters of the actual entrance we had already had conversations with two people and waved off another three.  The final straw was when a guy who appeared to be unrelated to a company told us again that it was closed until 1p and that we should buy tickets at a different gate first.
Well, mom's will (who I can only assume was tired and less jaded) was starting to falter.  We had a small discussion about whether or not these facts were actually true.  After all, you don't want to go into a complex where you can only see one building and pay the same price.  Fortunately, I'm hardened and skeptical so we forged on...and amazingly found everything to be perfectly open.  (Of course, after we got into the gate people were asking us if we needed a tour guide - we just couldn't escape it).

After it was all said and done, we saw the Grand Palace, the Emerald Buddha, Wat Po (which is a HUGE reclining Buddha), and Wat Arun (the Temple of the Dawn).  It was a long day (particularly when you feel like you've been put through a spin cycle), but mom held out well considering she was working on very little sleep, and we eventually made it back to the hostel.

I write this as we travel north to Chiang Mai on another night train.  The last train offered very little sleep as I nervously laid rigid in my bed after seeing too many cockroaches running around when we got on the train.  Tonight, my bed is comfortable and seemingly visitor free so I have Double Stuf Oreos, and James Bond movies (all of which are on my computer) to look forward to.

The Grand Palace Complex

Wat Po, the reclining Buddha

Wat Arun, The Temple of the Dawn

Photos: KL and Thailand

I've put together some of my favorite photos from Kuala Lumpur and Southern Thailand.  Enjoy! (Click on the album slideshow to see the images in a larger slideshow format)

Kuala Lumpur



Southern Thailand

Culture Adjustment

When I left New Zealand I was sad to leave but also very nervous about the trip I had planned in Asia.  It was a very unknown place for me and with that came fears.  Once I landed in KL I quickly realized that I had very little to worry about.  However, it doesn't mean that there haven't been adjustments to the differences:

Snorkeling near Koh Tao

• The people really are more petite than every place else I've been.  I tower over many of them at 5'7".
• I've said it before, but the motorcycles really are everywhere!  They pile entire families on one motorcycle.  They have side cars with small mobile food carts attached or trailers to carry anythin from more family members to bags of food.
• My new qualification for a good bathroom is whether or not it has toilet paper.  The plumbing isn't made to handle toilet paper here so most places don't even have it available.  Instead they have small hoses you can use to wash off (sort of like a bidet).  Since we are not accustomed to this we've taken to carrying it with us.
• The showers are in the same room as the toilet (without a separate tub to stand in).  Most of the shower heads jut out of the wall just above or around the toilets.  Which means that the question is where to put your clothes and towel so they don't get drenched along with everything else (there aren't any shower curtains around it either - the bathroom door serves as the divider).  
• It's hot.  And when the sun is shining it's really hot...and humid.  I knew to expect it but even preparation doesn't help someone that isn't a fan of the heat.  I've managed to get a heat rash once already and I expect I'll get it at least one more time before the end of this trip. Apparently the Thai people aren't as affected by it though - I've seen at least a dozen wearing stocking caps.
• With the heat comes the bugs.  The mosquitos are relentless as soon as you step into an even slightly wooded area.  Fortunately they seem to be unable to penetrate the cloud of OFF that is constantly hovering around my body. 
• My world is constantly rocking.  I didn't really think about this as I planned the first two weeks out but most of my time so far has been spent on or around the water.  Nearly every day since arriving in Thailand I've spent time on a boat.  Fortunately I don't get seasick but there have been several times when the room is still rocking when I lay down at night.

Tonight I'm on my way by train to Bangkok (which means I'm still rocking) where we will stay for a few days before my mom flies in and Malena heads home.  I expect there will be even more to adjust to when I change travel partners but I'm hopeful the big adjustments have been made.

Things to be thankful for:
- Well, there's a lot right now but the first thing that comes to my mind is a nice shower

Sawat Dee (Hello) Thailand!

Where do I even begin. So far, Thailand is what I imagined and more. I've done so much in the last week since I left New Zealand it's hard for me to keep it all straight in my head, let alone try to put it all into a blog.

Phang Nga Nat'l Park

Kuala Lumpur: One of the things that struck me is how much the city focuses on the environment: Advertising recycling, recycling bins available everywhere, building sites touting their green-ness, carpooling and public transport encouraged and affordable. I was also surprised that their radio djs all had an American accent. There were times that I was listening to my iPod sitting on a bus when I could have been traveling through Chicago rather than half way around the world. The airport had free Wifi and reclining chairs. It was one of the nicer airports I've been in.

Phuket, Thailand: Unlike KL there is definitely a lack of concern for the environment, but for the most part its difficult to detract from the beauty of it all here in the green and tourquise water, the white sand beaches and the limestone cliffs (karsts) that drop right into the water. Most of Phuket has been rebuilt since the tsunami hit in 2004.  There are photos that show the destruction and now that I've visited here, I can't imagine the fear and panic that must have hit with the tsunami.

Highlights:

Attempting the fish tanks

• The food. It's delicious. I have completely converted to a fan of Thai Food.
• The doctor fish. They eat dead skin off your feet and legs essentially exfoliating them for you. The only problem is that it feels so bizarre, like little suckers all over your feet. All I can say is that I tried it. I didn't last more than 5 minutes total, most people have trouble at first but then enjoy it.
• The island tours are cheap and offer an awesome way to see the bays from the water. The guides are friendly and the views are amazing and they are a water-lover's dream: snorkeling, canoeing, swimming. Best money we've spent on this trip so far have been our two tours.
• The culture. It's different from what I expected. I still haven't worked out how the "lady boys" fit into it all either.
• The beaches and the water. I love it all. It really does look as beautiful in person as it does in the photos.
• The photos with Japanese tourists. Malena and I have been asked at least twice now to pose for photos with the Japanese. We agree and flash the peace sign with the best of them.

Our Japanese tourist friends

Tomorrow we wake up early and head to Koh Samui, an island off the east coast of Thailand, via flight from Phuket.  We'll spend the night there and then take a ferry to Koh Tao where we will spend some time diving in what is supposed to be one of the best places in the world.