Well! I haven't written for about 3 weeks...mostly because about 3weeks ago, I decided to apply for teachers college in the fall, andapplications were due on the 30th, so i spent my time on the computerapplying.Anyways, back to fun stuff. I think I left off in Bangkok. We stayedwith Jamie and Sarah for 5 days, and loved being there. We relaxed,watched movies, the full 3rd Season of the Office...can't wait to gethome and catch up with the 4th season! We ordered a Tuk Tuk for a dayand went to temples and sights around the city. It's hard to describea crazy city like Bangkok. The traffic is unbelievable, anytime ofday. We all think Toronto is bad, but it is NOTHING compared to thechaotic-ness (word?) of Bangkok. But it's also beautiful in places.The best part about Bangkok (besides the couches, popcorn and theoffice) were the markets...especially the weekend market! Julie and Iwent a little crazy with christmas shopping. we bargained our way tofull arms of gifts. The market is amazing, 6000 shopping stalls, withanything from clothes, pottery, scarves, bags, dogs, birds andbananas. After many hours of shopping and lazing around, we took asleeper train to Chiang Mai. We left at 7pm and arrived in Chiang Mai(Northern Thailand) at 9am. The train was so much nicer andcomfortable than the overnight buses we've been taking, we actuallyhad a good nights sleep.Chiang Mai was beautiful. It is Thailands second biggest city,although it seemed worlds away from Bangkok. It's city centre issurrounded by a moat which was pretty impressive. The people werevery friendly and laid back, and there was so much to do in the 4 dayswe spent there. The first night, we went to a cultural dinner anddance show. We sat on the carpet with a full meal set up in front ofus, as we watched the Thai girls dance, a fire show and the musiciansplay their traditional drums. I was dissappointed when the Thai girlsasked a few people to come up on stage and learn the dance...but, ithink they could tell...because the next time they asked me!hilarious! After the dinner show, we went outside to watch moretraditional dances done by children and some elderly people, in theirbright coloured outfits. That night, we went out and suffered the nextday in our Thai Cooking Course! I really wanted to learn to make someThai food, and dragged Julie along with me. It was a very rewardingand fattening day. We chose our menu (6 different courses) and wentto the market with our instructor to get our ingredients. We saw howto make coconut shavings and milk, but more impressively the 'butcher'shop. Much different than we have back home...basically with any partof any animal you can think of, including chicken feet, chicken anus,and a huge pigs head (which a lady jokingly lit a cigar in it'smouth). We then made our way to the outdoor kitchen and prepared ourmeals. I made Hot and Sour Soup, Pad Thai, Spring Rolls, Green CurryPaste and Green Curry dish and Pappaya Salad. We made two dishes andthen ate them, then made two more and ate them and so on. I was sofull by the end of it, my stomach was rock hard. I didn't eat againuntil the following evening. Julie did well, she only got in troubletwice. No, she was fine, but the instructor caught her stirring hersauce with one hand, talking to me and not holding onto her pan...sohe yelled at her...and then caught her doing the same thign a fewhours later!That same night, we went to see Thai Boxing Matches. This was super fun and interesting. Each Match is 5 rounds (or knockout), and eachround is faught to music, played by a band on the side of thering...adds to the intensity! I will say right off the bat that Julesand I bet on each match and I won 5 out of 6! Ok, so the matches depended on weight categories. Most were Thai Men vs. Thai Men, therewere a few International Boxers (Scotland, Sweden) and also Thai teensvs. Thai teens- these were my fav. they were chubby kids, and the onealways had his bottom lip pertruding, and danced/swayed to the music.(I bet he would win...and he did!)The next day, we walked around town, got a massage and i worked on myapplications. We went to a night market, but were distracted by thebeer stand, and ended up drinking instead of shopping. We went out,and again suffered the next day...well, Julie suffered more than me.I decided to spend the day working on my applications, and julie wenton a trek. We woke up by the tour guide banging on our door , out of breath (from climbing 6 flights of stairs) and asking if Julie was doing the trek or no. We were both so confused and hungover, and trying to rush to get her ready to go. Apparently whenshe got downstairs and into the bus, she realized her shorts wereinside out, and didn't have a chance to change them until lunch! While julie saw baby elephants and did bamboo rafting, I sat in front of the computer...not too fun. However, I really enjoyed Chiang Mai, it still held a lot of the tradition that other places in Thailand were lacking.
Onto Laos!
Laos, in 3 words: Laidback, Laidback, Laidback...oh, and beautiful!
The long trip from Chiang Mai to Laos consisted of a minivan for 6 hours, spent the night in a tiny town, with not much else to do but walk along the Mekong and catch up in our journals. We were up early to start our 7 hour Long Boat Ride down the Mekong towards Luang Prebang...but it was quite a process even just to get on the boat. I describe it as 'Organized Mayhem'. People yelling, waving passports and visas, telling you to walk and sit or sign. We didn't end up getting on the boat until noon, and within 2 minutes, we knew it was going to be a long 2 days. The bench seats were just that. a slab of wood to sit on, and another at a 90 degree angle for a back rest. Absolutely NO leg room, I couldn't imagine being taller than 5.1 (thanks mom!). It was completely packed, with people sitting on the ground in the front, back and aisles...anywhere to strech their legs. We arrived in another tiny town, catered soley towards tourists on their way to Luang Prebang. The guesthouses ran on generators, so at 10pm, the town was dark and quiet. Julie and I were up early, determined to get a spot at the front of the boat, to stretch our legs. We succeeded! Today's boat ride was 9 hours... so long, but definitely beautiful. The boat stopped at several villages along the river, where children or women would come onto the boat to try and sell anything from bottles of water, to scarves, to pringles, to jewlery. The funniest part of the day was when we were stopped at a village to pick up 8 huge sacks of rice. An Irish guy beside me tried to help move and stack the bags, but ended up tearing it and dumping rice ALL over the floor...everyone just stared and laughed, while we helped to scoop up the rice with books and magazines. For the most part, I read, took pictures, daydreamed and listened to music...I think I listened to my MP3 player 3 times through in the past 3 days.
Finally we arrived! Luang Prebang is Beautiful! A very clean city with so many beautiful buildings and old architecture...a French Colonial feel. We ended up lucking in, finding a relatively cheap guest house right away, while others couldn't find places to stay because most guesthouses were full or really expensive. We stayed in Luang Prebang for 4 days. Mostly just walked around the beautiful city, went to the day and night markets, enjoyed delicious food and delicious beer. Beer Lao is amazing, def. my favourite on this trip...hence the weight gain.
Luang Prebang is a fairly big city, but with little traffic and everything was in walking distance. While there, we spent a day touring around the temples, the highlight being the temple at the top of the hill in the centre of town, 369 stairs up. It gave a beautiful view of the city and the river. We were also lucky enough to be in the city when a festival was being celebrated. From what we could gather, the people were there to give thanks and gifts to the monks. Women wore all white, and one street was set up with spindles of make cotton, which we later learned that in Laos Tradition, when someone ties cotton strings around your wrists, they are wishing you happiness, health and luck. We also visited a water fall, about an hour outside of the city. It was beautiful, with 6 separate smaller falls and pools to swim in. Julie and I climbed to the top of the falls...it was surprisingly quiet and peaceful, before the water fell over the edge. We also went to a show at the childrens centre. It is a centre for any child to learn the arts, music, traditional dance and more, during the day (if they don't go to school), after school and on weekends. It was really well done, with a puppet show and then a dozen traditional dances done by the kids. There was a little boy, probably 2or 3 in the front row that looked like he'd seen the show 100 times. He was up dancing the whole time, moving his arms and head to the music. He was so cute...stole the show!
Then onto Vang Vieng....THE most relaxed place I've ever been in my life. We went for 4 days, and stayed for 7. It is a small small town, with guesthouses, restaurants and few stores all catered towards tourists. The people are so friendly, helpful and laidback. I loved it here, the weather was beautiful, the river was unbelievable, the mountains surrounding the town reminded me of Banff (without the snow). The biggest attraction in Vang Vieng is the Tubing down the river. It is a stem off of the Mekong, and you choose whether you want to Tube for 10KM, 8Km or 5Km. We chose 8Km, were dropped off 8KM upstream and got into our Big Black Inner Tubes. What a day! There couldn't be a better way to relax then to slowly sail down the river, stopping at Riverside Bars for a beer, some food, or a swing off a platform into the water (julie did it...my fear of heights got the best of me!). At several points along the river there are quite intense rapids that soak you and spin you around. The water was chilly, but nice because it was about 28 degrees, sunny and blue skies.
It was in Vang Vieng that we met our new travel buddies- 4 guys from Argentinia and 1 from Bask Country. We partied and chilled with them for the 2nd half of our stay in Vang Vieng. They are great guys, and fit in well in the relaxed nature of Laos. We continued onto Vietnam with them.
I have to say that for the first time on the trip I was a hit a few times with an overwhelming sense of guilt of being a 'tourist'. I had really negative feelings about the Westerners coming in and acting as the 'rich, spoiled tourists, taking over the town'. It was only 9 years ago that Laos started to let foreigners and tourists enter the coutry, and now, it seemed that culture was being totally lost to cater to OUR needs...like the pubs and bars, pizza places, the restaurants with all day showings of FRIENDS or the Simpons....the tubing down the river and swing bars. I loved it...don't get me wrong...but my perspective of backpacking around in different countries has definitely changed. We're so fortunate to be in a position to be able to travel, and it's sad that we would rather experience our Own Culture in countries like Laos, then to experience Laos Culture.
We left Vang Vieng, fatter and relaxed as ever! Off to spend a night in the capital Vientienne (we heard there was not much to do or see here) and then onto Vietnam. We took a 4 hour bus ride to Vientienne and walked around the city. There is a Long Street with a replica of the Champs D'Elise. Apparently it was made out of concrete given to the Capital from the USA for their Airport.. But instead, the government turned it into this...and it is now called "The Vertical Runway". For dinner we had a big meal and tried some of the Laos Favourites (and more beer!) and headed to bed early. The next day, we walked for a bit, and then headed to the airport for our flight to Hanoi, Vietnam.
This is all for now! I am currently in Hoi An Vietnam. I will right more soon, but my eyes are strained from looking at the computer for so long! I hope everyone is doing well! Miss you all!
Sunday, December 9, 2007
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Beaches and Beer
What a tough life I have. Julie and I decided that we needed a 'break', and took a two week 'vacation' to the islands! What a life: Soft white sand beaches, crystal turquoise waters, snorkeling with thousands of fish, BBQ'd fresh fish, $0.30 beers (which of course lead to many story filled nights!), massages for $7 and hour, views that would take your breath away...and all outside of our guesthouses! Jealous? Me too, I want to go back!!
We're in Bangkok right now, visiting our friends Jamie and Sarah who are on a 2 year teaching contract. It's been nice to stay with them, and take advantage of a living room, TV, computer and being with old friends!! Julie and i have seemingly both gained a few pounds these past few weeks, living it up in the islands and indulging in the wondrous McDonald's Delivery in Bangkok!
After Sipidan (snorkeling with Sea Turtles!), Julie and took a 12 hour overnight bus back to Kota Kinabalu. The bus ride was interesting, with the stares and giggles of the teenage boys in front of us was, the cramped seats (our knees were aching after only 1 hour) and the flat bus tire. With no sleep, we tried to kill time (12 hours) walking around KK in the rain, calling our parents and boyfriends and sitting at Burger King writing in our journals for 4 hours....finally, it was time to head to the airport. Our flight to Kuala Lumpur was quick, only 2 hours. It was the additional 8 hour wait for our NEXT flight that killed us. By the 34th hour of travel, we were delirious, laughing uncontrollably, people watching and nicknaming, and trying to name all of the countries of the world. 197 countries, we got 141....not too bad! We both fell asleep at 4am (on top of our luggage) only to be woken up by a bustling airport...with many locals staring at these two white girls passed out!
Finally, we arrived on Langkowi Island (North West Malaysia) at 10am. We surprised our German brothers, and then i spent the day in and out of the most glorious "nap" outside, listening to the ocean and dreaming I was actually partaking in the beach activities around me! By 6pm, I was good to go! We stayed on Langkowi for 4 days, enjoying the sun, reading our books and fighting to stay above water with the massive waves. Julie and I took advantage of the Duty Free Island, and enjoyed our share of TIGER Beers! On our second to last day (Halloween), our German Brothers and us rented scooters for the day to tour the island. Julie took the first stab at our scooter while I rode with Bill. She was a little stressed, so I took over...and had an interesting day. (We won't tell my mom that I may or may not have spun out of control.) It was a lot of fun, but would have been much more so if the boys didn't want to speed the entire time! Eventually I gave up on trying to keep up with them, and just enjoyed myself. We visited 2 beautiful beaches...absolutely breathtaking. And finished the day off at a night with too many food stalls to choose from!! (this would be about the day that i started gaining weight). That night, to our dismay, the island was quiet with no parties. Julie and I sulked in our beers, it being the first Halloween in 23 years that we didn't celebrate!
Saying goodbye to our German Brothers, we left Malaysia and crossed the Southern Border into Thailand. Our first stop was Krabi. We didn't' arrive until 1am, but were up early to do a Sea Kayak and Elephant Trek!! The Sea Kayaking was a lot of fun...and obviously the first thing that comes out of our mouths is "Do you think we can take them?" in reference to a Swedish Couple in our tour group....the Phys Ed competitiveness never dies! We paddled through incredible Mangroves. Narrow canals, surrounded by huge foliage cliffs. We were followed the whole time by monkeys, who were looking for food....and jumped on our Kayaks (to my terror and julies laughs) to see what we had to offer. The mangroves snakes around through a maze of beauty...I paddled and Jules took pictures and played with the monkeys! We paddled back to the pier for lunch, and enjoyed delicious Thai Food!
After lunch we drove for an hour to the Elephant Farm. These elephants were taken from the city into rehabilitation. They were free to roam and bathe and eat whatever they could. What beautiful animals. They were Massive, but had the most darling features- big brown sad eyes, flapping ears and huge trunks. Julie and i rode together on a wooden seat on the back of a 45 year old female (the 'wise' one of the group), along with our elephants keeper who rode on her neck. We enjoyed the plantation at a slow and steady pace. Their ears flapped the whole time, (like Dumbo!) but really because of the mosquito's. After a little while, our guide used the elephants trunk as a stepping stone, and got off telling me to take his place on her neck. It was amazing! Her skin was so rough with thick hair and her ears were in a continuous flap against my legs!! Jules and I switched spots, and Julie lead our Elephant back. After our walk, we fed her banana's which she graciously accepted either with her mouth or trunk. We then walked her over to the river where she bathed. They are such graceful animals...i want one!!!
After a long nap, we enjoyed a night out! We ordered our first 'Bucket', a famous way of drinking in Thailand. Basically a sand pail with a mickey of vodka, Red Bull and Juice or Pop...and 2 straws! We had a lot of fun, meeting an Irish guy and another guy from Bask Country. In the morning, feeling HORRIBLE, we took a ferry to Ko Phi Phi. It was a busy, tourist filled islands with a Spring Break Feel. Cobblestone walkways full of hundreds of Dive Shops, Clothes and Jewelry Boutiques, Massage parlours, Internet Cafes, Restaurants and Bars...not bad! The beach was beautiful, with shallow waters and soft white sand. We spent the day in the warm warm water, army crawling our way out and in. And, Bridget Breck (worked with her at the Gate in Banff) and I ran into each other! It was so good to see her and run into someone randomly!
That night, we went our for a delicious BBQ'd meal. The next day, were were up early for a island hopping tour. We took a big speed boat with about 20 others around to 4 different beaches and islands and snorkeling spots. The most amazing thing we saw that day was Maya Beach, the beach where they filmed the movie "The Beach" on. It looked exactly the same, intense rock cliffs, enclosing the turquoise waters and small white sand beach. Unfortunately, it was busy with tourists...I guess that's what Hollywood does though. For the rest of the day, we stopped off at other great beaches and snorkeled around the waters. I've become a bit of a snorkel snob...and expect to see sea turtles or sharks...and am not satisfied with millions of gorgeous and different fish that nibble your body as your swim! Our last stop was Monkey Beach, a very small beach with aggressive monkeys that steal your stuff...i stayed in the kayak!
That night was probably my drunkest night on the trip so far (I say that because of the dozens of pictures Julie has of me dancing, with a bucket in my hand and a hat on my head, that I can't remember!) Oh well, I seemed to be having fun!! We woke up the next day, and relaxed on the beach. We pampered ourselves with Massages that night, pizza and beer for dinner and many more beers again! We went to a Musical Festival, where I danced in the sand all night until they stopped playing....loved it! The night didn't end that well though, well, not for Julie anyways. She walked me home to bed, and then went back to the beach festival (where we had met some people). I brushed my teeth, made sure the door was unlocked (b/c i forgot to give her the key, and didn't want to pass out and lock her out) and got into bed. Apparently though, I didn't actually unlock the door. When Julie got home, she POUNDED on the door and screamed my name...and I didn't wake up. She only stopped when a guy came out of his room yelling at her to shut-up. They had a screaming match and julie ended up sleeping on the balcony outside our door...on my damp towel with her purse as a pillow. At 7am, i still wouldn't wake up, so the Hostel Manager had to let her in. When i finally woke up at 10, she told me...I felt sooo bad! I almost had my best friend beaten up! She was really good about it...but I'm still not 100% forgiven (i receive a +1% when i do something really nice or make her laugh or something....i think I might be at 45% right now!)
Anyways, we spent the day similar to our previous days, and then caught a ferry to Raleigh Beach, about an hour away. This Beach (main land, but only accessible by water) was much more low key, and if possible, even more beautiful than any of the other beaches we'd been too!!! We decided to Treat ourselves to 2 nights at a Resort, for $12 per night. It was beautiful with a pool and beautiful foliage. The next 2 days, we relaxed, swam, drank, ate amazing food, had a manicure (yes...I have nails!), had a Beach Beer drinking Day (starting at 12, ending for a nap at 5), and continuing on into the evening!
So all in all, we've had the best 2 weeks, relaxing from our ever so tough lives! We're now in Bangkok with Sarah and Jamie where we've just had a wonderful 4 days hanging out shopping, touring the temples and watching an entire season of The Office! Saturday, we went to see where Jamie and Sarah work, as their school was throwing the BIGGEST school Fair I've ever been too. It was unlike any fair we get back home. Beer Tents, dozens of food tents, stage performances....and our favourite, watching Jamie and Sarah in the Dunk Tank! On Sunday, we went to the weekend market, which is basically a hot, busy, cluttered and confusing Maze...but with a mixture of Thai Culture and Western Knock-offs. My bargaining is getting better....although I still find it easier (and less heart wrenching) to give them their asking price...lucky for me, Julie is always around and helps me out! We visited the Night Market Monday night, which was much smaller, but still intimidatingly crowded. So for the Non-Shopper...i did good and actually enjoyed myself quite a bit!
We went to a Pub Quiz last night which was tons of fun with amazing Beer, Huge Burgers and fries...that was our last night of our binge drinking and unhealthy (but delicious!) food....well, we'll see.
Today we're off to Chang Mai, Northern Thailand. We catch our overnight Train (with sleeping cabins!) at 730pm and will arrive at 930am. Today is exactly one month away from the end of my South East Asia adventures...and still so much to see and do. I hope everyone is doing well and keeping out of trouble!
We're in Bangkok right now, visiting our friends Jamie and Sarah who are on a 2 year teaching contract. It's been nice to stay with them, and take advantage of a living room, TV, computer and being with old friends!! Julie and i have seemingly both gained a few pounds these past few weeks, living it up in the islands and indulging in the wondrous McDonald's Delivery in Bangkok!
After Sipidan (snorkeling with Sea Turtles!), Julie and took a 12 hour overnight bus back to Kota Kinabalu. The bus ride was interesting, with the stares and giggles of the teenage boys in front of us was, the cramped seats (our knees were aching after only 1 hour) and the flat bus tire. With no sleep, we tried to kill time (12 hours) walking around KK in the rain, calling our parents and boyfriends and sitting at Burger King writing in our journals for 4 hours....finally, it was time to head to the airport. Our flight to Kuala Lumpur was quick, only 2 hours. It was the additional 8 hour wait for our NEXT flight that killed us. By the 34th hour of travel, we were delirious, laughing uncontrollably, people watching and nicknaming, and trying to name all of the countries of the world. 197 countries, we got 141....not too bad! We both fell asleep at 4am (on top of our luggage) only to be woken up by a bustling airport...with many locals staring at these two white girls passed out!
Finally, we arrived on Langkowi Island (North West Malaysia) at 10am. We surprised our German brothers, and then i spent the day in and out of the most glorious "nap" outside, listening to the ocean and dreaming I was actually partaking in the beach activities around me! By 6pm, I was good to go! We stayed on Langkowi for 4 days, enjoying the sun, reading our books and fighting to stay above water with the massive waves. Julie and I took advantage of the Duty Free Island, and enjoyed our share of TIGER Beers! On our second to last day (Halloween), our German Brothers and us rented scooters for the day to tour the island. Julie took the first stab at our scooter while I rode with Bill. She was a little stressed, so I took over...and had an interesting day. (We won't tell my mom that I may or may not have spun out of control.) It was a lot of fun, but would have been much more so if the boys didn't want to speed the entire time! Eventually I gave up on trying to keep up with them, and just enjoyed myself. We visited 2 beautiful beaches...absolutely breathtaking. And finished the day off at a night with too many food stalls to choose from!! (this would be about the day that i started gaining weight). That night, to our dismay, the island was quiet with no parties. Julie and I sulked in our beers, it being the first Halloween in 23 years that we didn't celebrate!
Saying goodbye to our German Brothers, we left Malaysia and crossed the Southern Border into Thailand. Our first stop was Krabi. We didn't' arrive until 1am, but were up early to do a Sea Kayak and Elephant Trek!! The Sea Kayaking was a lot of fun...and obviously the first thing that comes out of our mouths is "Do you think we can take them?" in reference to a Swedish Couple in our tour group....the Phys Ed competitiveness never dies! We paddled through incredible Mangroves. Narrow canals, surrounded by huge foliage cliffs. We were followed the whole time by monkeys, who were looking for food....and jumped on our Kayaks (to my terror and julies laughs) to see what we had to offer. The mangroves snakes around through a maze of beauty...I paddled and Jules took pictures and played with the monkeys! We paddled back to the pier for lunch, and enjoyed delicious Thai Food!
After lunch we drove for an hour to the Elephant Farm. These elephants were taken from the city into rehabilitation. They were free to roam and bathe and eat whatever they could. What beautiful animals. They were Massive, but had the most darling features- big brown sad eyes, flapping ears and huge trunks. Julie and i rode together on a wooden seat on the back of a 45 year old female (the 'wise' one of the group), along with our elephants keeper who rode on her neck. We enjoyed the plantation at a slow and steady pace. Their ears flapped the whole time, (like Dumbo!) but really because of the mosquito's. After a little while, our guide used the elephants trunk as a stepping stone, and got off telling me to take his place on her neck. It was amazing! Her skin was so rough with thick hair and her ears were in a continuous flap against my legs!! Jules and I switched spots, and Julie lead our Elephant back. After our walk, we fed her banana's which she graciously accepted either with her mouth or trunk. We then walked her over to the river where she bathed. They are such graceful animals...i want one!!!
After a long nap, we enjoyed a night out! We ordered our first 'Bucket', a famous way of drinking in Thailand. Basically a sand pail with a mickey of vodka, Red Bull and Juice or Pop...and 2 straws! We had a lot of fun, meeting an Irish guy and another guy from Bask Country. In the morning, feeling HORRIBLE, we took a ferry to Ko Phi Phi. It was a busy, tourist filled islands with a Spring Break Feel. Cobblestone walkways full of hundreds of Dive Shops, Clothes and Jewelry Boutiques, Massage parlours, Internet Cafes, Restaurants and Bars...not bad! The beach was beautiful, with shallow waters and soft white sand. We spent the day in the warm warm water, army crawling our way out and in. And, Bridget Breck (worked with her at the Gate in Banff) and I ran into each other! It was so good to see her and run into someone randomly!
That night, we went our for a delicious BBQ'd meal. The next day, were were up early for a island hopping tour. We took a big speed boat with about 20 others around to 4 different beaches and islands and snorkeling spots. The most amazing thing we saw that day was Maya Beach, the beach where they filmed the movie "The Beach" on. It looked exactly the same, intense rock cliffs, enclosing the turquoise waters and small white sand beach. Unfortunately, it was busy with tourists...I guess that's what Hollywood does though. For the rest of the day, we stopped off at other great beaches and snorkeled around the waters. I've become a bit of a snorkel snob...and expect to see sea turtles or sharks...and am not satisfied with millions of gorgeous and different fish that nibble your body as your swim! Our last stop was Monkey Beach, a very small beach with aggressive monkeys that steal your stuff...i stayed in the kayak!
That night was probably my drunkest night on the trip so far (I say that because of the dozens of pictures Julie has of me dancing, with a bucket in my hand and a hat on my head, that I can't remember!) Oh well, I seemed to be having fun!! We woke up the next day, and relaxed on the beach. We pampered ourselves with Massages that night, pizza and beer for dinner and many more beers again! We went to a Musical Festival, where I danced in the sand all night until they stopped playing....loved it! The night didn't end that well though, well, not for Julie anyways. She walked me home to bed, and then went back to the beach festival (where we had met some people). I brushed my teeth, made sure the door was unlocked (b/c i forgot to give her the key, and didn't want to pass out and lock her out) and got into bed. Apparently though, I didn't actually unlock the door. When Julie got home, she POUNDED on the door and screamed my name...and I didn't wake up. She only stopped when a guy came out of his room yelling at her to shut-up. They had a screaming match and julie ended up sleeping on the balcony outside our door...on my damp towel with her purse as a pillow. At 7am, i still wouldn't wake up, so the Hostel Manager had to let her in. When i finally woke up at 10, she told me...I felt sooo bad! I almost had my best friend beaten up! She was really good about it...but I'm still not 100% forgiven (i receive a +1% when i do something really nice or make her laugh or something....i think I might be at 45% right now!)
Anyways, we spent the day similar to our previous days, and then caught a ferry to Raleigh Beach, about an hour away. This Beach (main land, but only accessible by water) was much more low key, and if possible, even more beautiful than any of the other beaches we'd been too!!! We decided to Treat ourselves to 2 nights at a Resort, for $12 per night. It was beautiful with a pool and beautiful foliage. The next 2 days, we relaxed, swam, drank, ate amazing food, had a manicure (yes...I have nails!), had a Beach Beer drinking Day (starting at 12, ending for a nap at 5), and continuing on into the evening!
So all in all, we've had the best 2 weeks, relaxing from our ever so tough lives! We're now in Bangkok with Sarah and Jamie where we've just had a wonderful 4 days hanging out shopping, touring the temples and watching an entire season of The Office! Saturday, we went to see where Jamie and Sarah work, as their school was throwing the BIGGEST school Fair I've ever been too. It was unlike any fair we get back home. Beer Tents, dozens of food tents, stage performances....and our favourite, watching Jamie and Sarah in the Dunk Tank! On Sunday, we went to the weekend market, which is basically a hot, busy, cluttered and confusing Maze...but with a mixture of Thai Culture and Western Knock-offs. My bargaining is getting better....although I still find it easier (and less heart wrenching) to give them their asking price...lucky for me, Julie is always around and helps me out! We visited the Night Market Monday night, which was much smaller, but still intimidatingly crowded. So for the Non-Shopper...i did good and actually enjoyed myself quite a bit!
We went to a Pub Quiz last night which was tons of fun with amazing Beer, Huge Burgers and fries...that was our last night of our binge drinking and unhealthy (but delicious!) food....well, we'll see.
Today we're off to Chang Mai, Northern Thailand. We catch our overnight Train (with sleeping cabins!) at 730pm and will arrive at 930am. Today is exactly one month away from the end of my South East Asia adventures...and still so much to see and do. I hope everyone is doing well and keeping out of trouble!
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Mountains, Orangutangs, Sea Turtles and Sharks!
Mount Kinabalu Hello All!
Julie and I have loved Malaysia so much, that we've overstayed our "planned'' date, by 3 weeks! It's been amazing and exhausting!
Singapore was beautiful, I can't wait to return with a bit more money in my pocket! Last Friday, we flew to Kota Kinabalu, the Capital of Sabah (Borneo). We were up at 6am to catch a 2 hour taxi to Mount Kinabalu, where we met our "German Brothers" and prepared for the climb. Mount Kinabalu is the tallest Mountain in South East Asia, 4095 Meters high. We started our climb, with our guide Julius, at 11:30 AM. Although it is said that it is an "Easy mountain climb", it was definitely a challenge. The weather was beautiful for the first 3 KM, but then the sky opened up and it poured for the next 2 1/2 hours. The climb was a mixture of steep steps, rocks and slippery granite. We took a few much needed breaks during our 6KM climb. Our guide said that we were 'Very Fast Pace', and Julie had him convinced that I 'ran mountain marathons'....which he knew was a flat our lie after about 4 KM. With only 500 meters left, I really didn't think I had anything left in me. No Energy, my legs were shaky and I was really nauseous...but adrenaline kicks in and I pushed on. It took us 4hours, made it to the 'lodge' at 3:30.
We were all soaking wet and freezing cold, huddled together in our dorm room drinking Hot Chocolate and waiting for a hot shower. We were in bed by 7Pm, and I haven't slept so well in weeks! The alarm went off at 2:45am, and tiredly we all got out of bed and dressed in warm clothes (although most of them were still wet from the day before) for the rest of the climb (3KM). Most of the groups left between 2 am and 3 am. We were the last group to leave, at 3:40...and kept a really good (slow but steady!) pace to the summit. This climb was much more strenuous and relentless. We climbed the slippery and steep granite, in pitch black, using our head lamps to guide our way. There were ropes set up to help us up the 'tough' parts. It was so neat to look up and see a slow moving line of flash lights, snaking their way to the summit. Sunrise was at 6:30, and we were able to make it with a few minutes to spare. All of the pain, nausea and exhaustion disappeared. It was incredible, pictures just don't justify the beauty and feelings of pride and happiness to be sitting on this summit at that very moment. It was freezing, below zero, at the summit, and the Sunrise was all too quick... but it was worth it!
The next few hours were beautiful and relaxing. We let the 'crowd' of other climbers head down, while we took our time and watched the clouds roll in. We made it to the lodge to collect our things in a few hours, and Julie and I laid down and fell asleep instantly, for 1/2 hour before we continued to the bottom. Unfortunately it rained the entire 6 KM to the bottom of the mountain, but we carried on, all in high spirits!
We made our way back to Kota Kinabalu, had a much needed nap time. That night we celebrated the climb with some whiskey and beer. Saying goodbye to our German Brothers the next day, Julie and I woke up and did NOTHING. We could barely walk, so decided to have a relaxing day.
Tuesday, we took a 6 hour bus ride to Sipolok. Our bus driver stopped the bus in the middle of nowhere, pointed at us and said "There- 10 minutes"...what? So we got our bags and walked...and eventually found the "resort"....Basically a deserted 15 acre guesthouse...ghost town...with nothing to do, we went to bed early excited for the next day....
Orang Utans!! We went to the Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre, only 1 of 4 in world. The Sanctuary takes in orphaned Orang Utans (which means Man of the Forest) and teaches them to survive, climb trees, hunt ect...before letting them go back into the Rainforest. We stayed for the day, watching two feedings and Julie and I did an few hour hike through the jungle. They were the most adorable things with incredible strength and each with his/her own personality! Loved it! Julie would have given ANYTHING to be able to be one of the guys doing the feedings.
The next day we made our way to Simporna, where we would be diving/snorkeling at the nearby Sipidan Island. Snorkeling was Incredible! I have never experienced ANYTHING like it! I was swimming along side Sea Turtles (bigger than me...not joking). I saw at sharks (eek!!), Giant Clams, Barracuda's, and swam for hours with thousands and thousands of different fish, (Some were enormous, also bigger than me). It was unbelievable, and makes me really want to get my SCUBA certificate...one day...when I have a bit more money!
Well, that's that. The only 'downer' I can think of is that I was attacked by mosquito's the other night. My whole body is covered and swollen. I counted yesterday, and I have over 75 bites (that I can see). I'm incredibly itchy...but hell, if that's the worst of my problems, than life is OK!
I will try to upload more pictures later on, this computer is too slow to do it now.
Hope everyone is doing well! Email me and let me know how you're all doing!
-Muah!
Thursday, October 18, 2007
1 month in!
Well, Julie and I have been on quite an adventure! We left Cameron Highlands and made our way to Teman Negara, Malaysia's biggest and worlds oldest Rainforest. We signed up for a 3 day 2 night tour. Taking only our rain coats, change of t-shirt/shorts, water, sleeping bag/mat, dishes and bug spray we made our way into the jungle with our guide E (that's his name!) and 3 German guys, who have become our German Brothers. We took a 1.5 hour boat ride (in a perahu, or hollowed out tree trunk river boat) to our starting point.
As the perahu negotiated the murky waters of the Tembeling River, The jungle towered over me on either side and I found my self nervous and excited.
The first thing our guide said to us when we step off the boat and start into the jungle was "So, you're not too worried about leeches?"...all of us just stared down at our bare legs and low socks. I immediately changed out of my shorts and into pants...the others took the risk. Within seconds, we were all ripping the leeches off of our shoes. They were much smaller than I expected, but when they latched on...they weren't coming off without a fight. For the next 2 days, we were all on leech patrol. Julie lost the leech battle...Julie vs. Leeches: Julie 0 - Leeches 8.
The jungle hike was amazing. Sounds of birds, insects, monkeys...trekking through mud, over fallen trees, through creeks and flooded paths, in extreme heat. The thick forest canopy provided heavy shade for the lower vegetation, and protected us from the sun. The trekking wasn't too difficult, although at times I was completely out of breath. We trekked 8KM the first day, and made it to our sleeping destination...a Cave! The cave was unbelievable. It was 2-3 stories high and was so big with different sections, like rooms. We were guests to dozens of bats and rats. We ate dinner by a huge fire and told stories and played two truths and a lie to get to know our German brothers and our guide. I slept surprisingly well that night, although I made sure I was in the middle of the pack! Julie and I were desperately hoping to be woken up by elephants also hoping to sleep in the cave, but no such luck. We admired their footprints from previous nights in the morning and then continued on our way. We trekked another 8 KM on day two, very similar to the previous day...maybe hotter, if that was possible. We were disgusting, no point even bringing a change of clothing. For lunch, we stopped at a river, and had a beautiful swim. I was a nervous wreck the whole time. The water was too murky to see anything and I was sure a snake or something just as terrifying was swimming around my ankles, although E assured me everything was safe. Although we didn't see any large animals as we were hoping too, we could see evidence of their presence. We crossed many footprints and fresh poo. The jungle was so thick, that I couldn't help but feel they were all there, watching us...we just couldn't see them!
It started thundering later that afternoon, but luckily the rain held off until we were out of the jungle and back in the boat...because with rain brings more leeches! As the rain came down, I could only feel complete satisfaction looking into the jungle as we held on through the rapids of the river...The jungle seemed to tell me that it was hiding more secrets than we could discover in a lifetime.
It was wonderful!
The second night of our tour wasn't as exciting. We were supposed to sleep in a village with native Orangi villagers, but when we arrived, we realized that we weren't really going to have a night 'with' the villagers...more like 'alongside' the villagers. Our hut was off on it's own, we made our own dinner, and felt very awkward to be there. We all agreed that we weren't comfortable staying, so our guide took us back to the town, unfortunately Julie and I ended up staying at a hostel with no running water. We were so stinky and gross, but exhausted so went to bed hoping the water would be fixed by morning. Nope! So instead of a traditional shower, we threw on our bathing suites, filled a bucket of water with a water hose, and bathed each other. Hilarious!
Our last day in Teman Negara, we ventured on a canopy walk through the jungle. At first I was terrified as I moved warily along the walkway, holding on to the ropes for dear life. It seemed every time I looked down that the height of the walkway was much more than the proclaimed 90 feet above ground. It felt incredible to be so high up in the rainforest canopy, with the tops of the world’s tallest rainforest trees, tualangs, still towering another 100 feet above me.
After our Jungle excursion, we travelled with our German brothers to Jeruntut, where we were catching a 2:30 am train to Kulahn, and then making our way to Palau Tioman island. We arrived in Jeruntut at 4:30pm and with 10 hours to kill, I thought we were doomed for a long and boring night...but i was proved wrong! We had great night of KFC (the only thing open for dinner!), Many beer, A Dice drinking game played on a bench on the side of the road, and a Karyoke Dance Party for 2 hours that left us running for our train! Julie and I were quite a mess getting off the train, but eventually made our way to Palau Tioman.
We took a 2 hour ferry across the North China Sea to the island, and i can honestly say I've never seen water so beautiful and clear. We spent the next 3 days enjoying beautiful weather on the beach, swimming alongside fish in 30 degree water (like a bath!), and eating fresh BBQ'd fish for dinners. Julie went diving one morning and saw Dolphins from the boat (so jealous!) and sea turtles in the water!!
We are currently in Singapore, and loving it. Although it is pretty expensive, similar to home, it is so beautiful. I can't wait to come back here one day with a few extra dollars in my pocket! We just enjoyed a Romantic meal at the Boat Quay, overlooking the water sipping Singapore Slings. I am in heaven...enjoying every second of my trip! I'll write again soon! I hope everyone is doing well, please email me with updates! Miss you all! -muah
As the perahu negotiated the murky waters of the Tembeling River, The jungle towered over me on either side and I found my self nervous and excited.
The first thing our guide said to us when we step off the boat and start into the jungle was "So, you're not too worried about leeches?"...all of us just stared down at our bare legs and low socks. I immediately changed out of my shorts and into pants...the others took the risk. Within seconds, we were all ripping the leeches off of our shoes. They were much smaller than I expected, but when they latched on...they weren't coming off without a fight. For the next 2 days, we were all on leech patrol. Julie lost the leech battle...Julie vs. Leeches: Julie 0 - Leeches 8.
The jungle hike was amazing. Sounds of birds, insects, monkeys...trekking through mud, over fallen trees, through creeks and flooded paths, in extreme heat. The thick forest canopy provided heavy shade for the lower vegetation, and protected us from the sun. The trekking wasn't too difficult, although at times I was completely out of breath. We trekked 8KM the first day, and made it to our sleeping destination...a Cave! The cave was unbelievable. It was 2-3 stories high and was so big with different sections, like rooms. We were guests to dozens of bats and rats. We ate dinner by a huge fire and told stories and played two truths and a lie to get to know our German brothers and our guide. I slept surprisingly well that night, although I made sure I was in the middle of the pack! Julie and I were desperately hoping to be woken up by elephants also hoping to sleep in the cave, but no such luck. We admired their footprints from previous nights in the morning and then continued on our way. We trekked another 8 KM on day two, very similar to the previous day...maybe hotter, if that was possible. We were disgusting, no point even bringing a change of clothing. For lunch, we stopped at a river, and had a beautiful swim. I was a nervous wreck the whole time. The water was too murky to see anything and I was sure a snake or something just as terrifying was swimming around my ankles, although E assured me everything was safe. Although we didn't see any large animals as we were hoping too, we could see evidence of their presence. We crossed many footprints and fresh poo. The jungle was so thick, that I couldn't help but feel they were all there, watching us...we just couldn't see them!
It started thundering later that afternoon, but luckily the rain held off until we were out of the jungle and back in the boat...because with rain brings more leeches! As the rain came down, I could only feel complete satisfaction looking into the jungle as we held on through the rapids of the river...The jungle seemed to tell me that it was hiding more secrets than we could discover in a lifetime.
It was wonderful!
The second night of our tour wasn't as exciting. We were supposed to sleep in a village with native Orangi villagers, but when we arrived, we realized that we weren't really going to have a night 'with' the villagers...more like 'alongside' the villagers. Our hut was off on it's own, we made our own dinner, and felt very awkward to be there. We all agreed that we weren't comfortable staying, so our guide took us back to the town, unfortunately Julie and I ended up staying at a hostel with no running water. We were so stinky and gross, but exhausted so went to bed hoping the water would be fixed by morning. Nope! So instead of a traditional shower, we threw on our bathing suites, filled a bucket of water with a water hose, and bathed each other. Hilarious!
Our last day in Teman Negara, we ventured on a canopy walk through the jungle. At first I was terrified as I moved warily along the walkway, holding on to the ropes for dear life. It seemed every time I looked down that the height of the walkway was much more than the proclaimed 90 feet above ground. It felt incredible to be so high up in the rainforest canopy, with the tops of the world’s tallest rainforest trees, tualangs, still towering another 100 feet above me.
After our Jungle excursion, we travelled with our German brothers to Jeruntut, where we were catching a 2:30 am train to Kulahn, and then making our way to Palau Tioman island. We arrived in Jeruntut at 4:30pm and with 10 hours to kill, I thought we were doomed for a long and boring night...but i was proved wrong! We had great night of KFC (the only thing open for dinner!), Many beer, A Dice drinking game played on a bench on the side of the road, and a Karyoke Dance Party for 2 hours that left us running for our train! Julie and I were quite a mess getting off the train, but eventually made our way to Palau Tioman.
We took a 2 hour ferry across the North China Sea to the island, and i can honestly say I've never seen water so beautiful and clear. We spent the next 3 days enjoying beautiful weather on the beach, swimming alongside fish in 30 degree water (like a bath!), and eating fresh BBQ'd fish for dinners. Julie went diving one morning and saw Dolphins from the boat (so jealous!) and sea turtles in the water!!
We are currently in Singapore, and loving it. Although it is pretty expensive, similar to home, it is so beautiful. I can't wait to come back here one day with a few extra dollars in my pocket! We just enjoyed a Romantic meal at the Boat Quay, overlooking the water sipping Singapore Slings. I am in heaven...enjoying every second of my trip! I'll write again soon! I hope everyone is doing well, please email me with updates! Miss you all! -muah
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
Some Pictures!
Me holding a Scorpion...obviously terrified. Julie says: best face ever!
Julie and I overlooking a Tea Platation in Cameron Highlands
Face to Face with a Face at the Ankgor Tomb Temple
Look at more pictures on mine and Julie's facebook!! Takes too long to post them on here.
Malaysia Truly Asiaaaaa!
Hello!! It's been a while...I have so much to tell you!
So last I wrote, were were in Siahnookville, the coast of Cambodia, in torrential downpours. The rain didn't stop the whole time we were there! On our last day there, we went to a not for profit organization called the Starfish Project, where we enjoyed the rain in a cafe type atmosphere, sipping tea, reading books and getting massages. It was very peaceful and the massage was amazing...a little rough (Thai Style massage, where they do a lot of stretching/pulling of your limbs), but relaxing.
On the 2nd, we returned to Phnom Pehn, where we said goodbye to Julie's friend Laura. We hung out in Phnom Pehn for a few days, basically trying to get out of the country. All of the airlines websites were down, and they don't do phone bookings. We ended up having to go to the airport and book our ticket...which was an adventure in itself...we decided to pass up a Tuk Tuk (motor bike attached to a buggy) for a Motto (motorbike)...so Our driver, Julie and I squished onto the bike and made the 8 KM hike to the airport.
We flew to Kuala Lumpur Malaysia on the 3rd. The city was far more developed than I was expecting....but I have really only seen Cambodia up until this point, which is the poorest country in South East Asia. Kuala Lumpur at night is beautiful, with many lights up and down the streets and on all of the buildings and skyscrapers. We stayed in ChinaTown for 3 nights, only a 10 minute sky train ride from downtown. In Kuala Lumpur we went to the Lake Gardens, and experienced the Bird Park and the huge Orchid Gardens. The Bird Park was amazing! So many different birds...like Ostriches, Pelicans, Toucans, Parrots, Flamingos, Owls...many endangered species.
We also spent a day walking around downtown Kuala Lumpur, seeing the Petrona towers (largest Skyscrapers in the world) but were unable to go up them, because the tours for the day were closed. We did go up the Menara Tower (4th tallest communication tower), where we could see all of the city and beyond.
Malaysia is a combination of Chinese, Indian and Muslim Cultures...so their is many choices for food! one night, Julie and I went to an Indian cuisine, and I ordered noodles (thinking it was a safe bet). I took my first bite and thought I was going to die...it was the spiciest food I've ever eaten...people were laughing at me in the restaurant, b/c they could tell I couldn't handle the spiciness....but, with a lot of water, I was able to eat about 1/4 of my meal!!!
We are now in Cameron Highlands, it is much cooler here than anywhere else we've been...set high in the Mountains, it is Tea Country, with thousands of Acres of tea Plantations. It is absolutely gorgeous...
Julie and I went on a few solo hikes through the thick forest/jungles...and had the best experience!! We saw a troop of Monkeys, jumping from tree to tree. There were probably 10 of them...they were quite big, grey, long tailed and black faces. So great!
Today (October 9th) we went on a country side tour to visit a tea plantation and tea factory, a huge rose/flower garden, honey bee farm, strawberry fields (where I had the most heavenly home made, fresh strawberry ice-cream!), and butterfly farm. The butterfly farm had unexpected surprises, like snakes, frogs, tarantulas, ginormous beetles and scorpions....and the guide (with Julie's help) MADE ME hold a scorpion...I almost peed my pants. The picture Julie took of me is hilarious...I am utterly terrified!
Tomorrow we are on our way to Malaysia's biggest National Park...Taman Negara. We are going to do a 3 day, 2 night Jungle Exploration....ahhhhh! I guess if I wasn't traveling with Julie, I probably wouldn't be experiencing the 'animal side' of South East Asia....I'm actually really excited!
I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving...Julie and I shared a large plate of French Fries...jealous?
Email me to let me know how your doing and what you're up to! meaghandodgson@gmail.com
Also, if you want to see Julie's blog, it is: www.juliesasianadventures.blogspot.com
So last I wrote, were were in Siahnookville, the coast of Cambodia, in torrential downpours. The rain didn't stop the whole time we were there! On our last day there, we went to a not for profit organization called the Starfish Project, where we enjoyed the rain in a cafe type atmosphere, sipping tea, reading books and getting massages. It was very peaceful and the massage was amazing...a little rough (Thai Style massage, where they do a lot of stretching/pulling of your limbs), but relaxing.
On the 2nd, we returned to Phnom Pehn, where we said goodbye to Julie's friend Laura. We hung out in Phnom Pehn for a few days, basically trying to get out of the country. All of the airlines websites were down, and they don't do phone bookings. We ended up having to go to the airport and book our ticket...which was an adventure in itself...we decided to pass up a Tuk Tuk (motor bike attached to a buggy) for a Motto (motorbike)...so Our driver, Julie and I squished onto the bike and made the 8 KM hike to the airport.
We flew to Kuala Lumpur Malaysia on the 3rd. The city was far more developed than I was expecting....but I have really only seen Cambodia up until this point, which is the poorest country in South East Asia. Kuala Lumpur at night is beautiful, with many lights up and down the streets and on all of the buildings and skyscrapers. We stayed in ChinaTown for 3 nights, only a 10 minute sky train ride from downtown. In Kuala Lumpur we went to the Lake Gardens, and experienced the Bird Park and the huge Orchid Gardens. The Bird Park was amazing! So many different birds...like Ostriches, Pelicans, Toucans, Parrots, Flamingos, Owls...many endangered species.
We also spent a day walking around downtown Kuala Lumpur, seeing the Petrona towers (largest Skyscrapers in the world) but were unable to go up them, because the tours for the day were closed. We did go up the Menara Tower (4th tallest communication tower), where we could see all of the city and beyond.
Malaysia is a combination of Chinese, Indian and Muslim Cultures...so their is many choices for food! one night, Julie and I went to an Indian cuisine, and I ordered noodles (thinking it was a safe bet). I took my first bite and thought I was going to die...it was the spiciest food I've ever eaten...people were laughing at me in the restaurant, b/c they could tell I couldn't handle the spiciness....but, with a lot of water, I was able to eat about 1/4 of my meal!!!
We are now in Cameron Highlands, it is much cooler here than anywhere else we've been...set high in the Mountains, it is Tea Country, with thousands of Acres of tea Plantations. It is absolutely gorgeous...
Julie and I went on a few solo hikes through the thick forest/jungles...and had the best experience!! We saw a troop of Monkeys, jumping from tree to tree. There were probably 10 of them...they were quite big, grey, long tailed and black faces. So great!
Today (October 9th) we went on a country side tour to visit a tea plantation and tea factory, a huge rose/flower garden, honey bee farm, strawberry fields (where I had the most heavenly home made, fresh strawberry ice-cream!), and butterfly farm. The butterfly farm had unexpected surprises, like snakes, frogs, tarantulas, ginormous beetles and scorpions....and the guide (with Julie's help) MADE ME hold a scorpion...I almost peed my pants. The picture Julie took of me is hilarious...I am utterly terrified!
Tomorrow we are on our way to Malaysia's biggest National Park...Taman Negara. We are going to do a 3 day, 2 night Jungle Exploration....ahhhhh! I guess if I wasn't traveling with Julie, I probably wouldn't be experiencing the 'animal side' of South East Asia....I'm actually really excited!
I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving...Julie and I shared a large plate of French Fries...jealous?
Email me to let me know how your doing and what you're up to! meaghandodgson@gmail.com
Also, if you want to see Julie's blog, it is: www.juliesasianadventures.blogspot.com
Sunday, September 30, 2007
ourselves in the marvels of the temples, we took a 5 hour boat trip down the Mekong River to Phnom Phen, the Capital of Cambodia. The boat ride was beautiful. We passed "Floating Villages"Another crazy city! Very busy, very polluted, very populated....but very beautiful. The water front was beautiful, with the asian style architecture, parks, restaurants...and ELEPHANTS walking down the sidewalks with their keepers. We stayed in the ''Lakeside'' region. Our guest house was directly on a lake, with a lakeside patio, with lounge chairs and a restaurant. As nice as the lakeside view was, we only stayed there one night...because our room was infested with Cockroaches (who came out only at night!). During our days in Phnom Phen, we went to a few markets. They are huge, with so much to buy (always bargaining...I hate haggling!). Unfortunately, there are also a lot of children, mothers with newborns and disabled people begging for money. This has definetly been the hardest part of my trip so far...seeing the extreme poverty, and not being able to help. You just cannot give to everyone. We've been told that it is ''better'' to give to children/disabled people that are selling things (like books or postcards) because then they don't become 'dependent' on begging for money. We've also given a few children some food..so I've been picking and choosing who to 'help' and feeling overwhelmingly guilty when I have to say "No thank you" or "I'm sorry'
We also visited the ROYAL PALACE and the Silver Pagoda...incredible buildings. All gold, and beautiful structures/budah's. The Silver Pagoda houses the Emerald Budha, definetly worth it!
Our last night in Phnom Phen, we had another "creature"problem. A mouse (well, size of a rat) running around our room....discusting!
We are now in Shinokville, the southern coast of Cambodia for some Beach Time! We've opted for a more expensive room...so hopefully NO CREATURES!! Unfortunately, it's been POURING RAIN all day. It hasn't let up AT ALL...not even a light drizzle....so hopefully we'll get to enjoy some sun (or at least NO RAIN)
Will write again soon!!
We also visited the ROYAL PALACE and the Silver Pagoda...incredible buildings. All gold, and beautiful structures/budah's. The Silver Pagoda houses the Emerald Budha, definetly worth it!
Our last night in Phnom Phen, we had another "creature"problem. A mouse (well, size of a rat) running around our room....discusting!
We are now in Shinokville, the southern coast of Cambodia for some Beach Time! We've opted for a more expensive room...so hopefully NO CREATURES!! Unfortunately, it's been POURING RAIN all day. It hasn't let up AT ALL...not even a light drizzle....so hopefully we'll get to enjoy some sun (or at least NO RAIN)
Will write again soon!!
Monday, September 24, 2007
Day 1-5
Hi!!
So much has happened since I arrived in Bangkok...after 34 hours of travelling. Julie and CP met me at the Bangkok airport, and we spent the night at Jamie and Sarah's (friends from school). Bangkok is a crazy city. It's massive, never quiet, quite polluted...but very beautiful. Skyscrapers and tall condo's stretch for miles, among the poverty. On Saturday, Julie, Cp and I went to the weekend market. It was unbelievable. we were only there for 3 hours, and probably didn't see 1/8 of the entire market. It's sort of like a Flea Market...but much busier, much nicer things, bargaining everywhere...We'll definitely be heading back at some point.
Sunday, we took a 13 hour bus to Siem Reap, Cambodia. The "road" to get to Cambodia and all the way through until the city, is potholed, dusty, rough and completely unpaved. The reason the road is so bad, is because Thai Airlines paid the Cambodian Government $ to NOT pave the road. That way, people are more inclined to fly to and from Cambodia, instead of the long bus trip.
The small villages alongside this main road were poverty stricken.very sad. once in Siem Reap, it's a whole new world. It's a beautiful city, mixed with poverty and riches. It has some 'french' feel, and the french have done a lot for the city and temples. It is way smaller than Bangkok, with no skyscrapers. The people so far are fantastic and very helpful. and the food...oh my god...amazing! Last night I had a Pumpkin and Coconut Soup with Chicken for 2.00, and it was to die for! The heat, however, is not to die for...we're all roasting...and don't care too much that our showers in the hostels are not hot water! We wouldn't use it anyway!
We've been staying at guest Houses or Hostels, for no more than $6 a night, split b/c the 3 of us. Yesterday and Today, we've been on a guided tour (a young man who has a private tour guide business) through the Angkor Wat Temple and other surrounding temples. I can only describe them as breathtaking. Overwhelmingly breathtaking. When I get a chance, I will upload some pictures. I'm thrilled to be starting my trip on such a high note (except for the bus ride!). The very sad part, is the children begging and pleading for money...or to sell any souvenir they can. They live within the Temple gates, in small villages...so at every gate entrance or exit, they're all over the place. They are adorable...and know just what to say to get you to buy anything from them. Apparently they only do half days at school, so the other half they are working for their parents. We're heading to Phnom Phen on Thursday, for a few days. Then South, to the coast for 4 or5 days.
I will write again soon!!
So much has happened since I arrived in Bangkok...after 34 hours of travelling. Julie and CP met me at the Bangkok airport, and we spent the night at Jamie and Sarah's (friends from school). Bangkok is a crazy city. It's massive, never quiet, quite polluted...but very beautiful. Skyscrapers and tall condo's stretch for miles, among the poverty. On Saturday, Julie, Cp and I went to the weekend market. It was unbelievable. we were only there for 3 hours, and probably didn't see 1/8 of the entire market. It's sort of like a Flea Market...but much busier, much nicer things, bargaining everywhere...We'll definitely be heading back at some point.
Sunday, we took a 13 hour bus to Siem Reap, Cambodia. The "road" to get to Cambodia and all the way through until the city, is potholed, dusty, rough and completely unpaved. The reason the road is so bad, is because Thai Airlines paid the Cambodian Government $ to NOT pave the road. That way, people are more inclined to fly to and from Cambodia, instead of the long bus trip.
The small villages alongside this main road were poverty stricken.very sad. once in Siem Reap, it's a whole new world. It's a beautiful city, mixed with poverty and riches. It has some 'french' feel, and the french have done a lot for the city and temples. It is way smaller than Bangkok, with no skyscrapers. The people so far are fantastic and very helpful. and the food...oh my god...amazing! Last night I had a Pumpkin and Coconut Soup with Chicken for 2.00, and it was to die for! The heat, however, is not to die for...we're all roasting...and don't care too much that our showers in the hostels are not hot water! We wouldn't use it anyway!
We've been staying at guest Houses or Hostels, for no more than $6 a night, split b/c the 3 of us. Yesterday and Today, we've been on a guided tour (a young man who has a private tour guide business) through the Angkor Wat Temple and other surrounding temples. I can only describe them as breathtaking. Overwhelmingly breathtaking. When I get a chance, I will upload some pictures. I'm thrilled to be starting my trip on such a high note (except for the bus ride!). The very sad part, is the children begging and pleading for money...or to sell any souvenir they can. They live within the Temple gates, in small villages...so at every gate entrance or exit, they're all over the place. They are adorable...and know just what to say to get you to buy anything from them. Apparently they only do half days at school, so the other half they are working for their parents. We're heading to Phnom Phen on Thursday, for a few days. Then South, to the coast for 4 or5 days.
I will write again soon!!
Friday, September 14, 2007
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