We're Home

The journey home was easy and our pets are happy to see us. (Brutus obviously did some emotional eating...) The trip was a fabulous experience so we thought a good way to wrap this up would be to recall the highlights (and a few low points as well).

Top 5 destinations were:
1) Luang Prabang (Laos)
2) Shanghai
3) Cameron Highlands (Malaysia)
4) Halong Bay (Vietnam)
5) Phu Quoc Island (Vietnam)

Top 10 sights/activities (couldn't rank these): Kuala Lumpur Bird Park, Cu Chi Tunnels (Saigon), Boh Tea Plantion (Cameron Highlands), Halong Bay cruise, Elephant-Owner-for-a-Day (Patara Elephant Farm; Chiang Mai), Red Bridge Cooking School (Hoi An), Killing Fields (Phnom Penh), Afternoon Tea at the Metropole Hanoi, Taikang Road shopping (Shanghai).

Best Hotel: Metropole Hanoi
Best restaurant: Tatonka (Phuket)
Other good ones: Peking(Hong Kong), The House (Chiang Mai), Red Piano (Siem Reap), Di Shui Dong (Shanghai), Utopia (Luang Prabang), Mango Rooms (Hoi An), Eco Valley Lodge (Pak Chong/Khao Yai)

Biggest Disappointment: Homestay experience on an island in the Mekong (Southern Laos). Nothing against the family--we never met them! Jungle trekking (aka Khao Yai Death March), Penang Island, and the Grand Palace (Bangkok) are other skip-ables for those planning a romp through SE Asia. In the interest of full disclosure, I will emphasize that heat was a major factor in all of these not-so-fun experiences.

Thanks for following us and giving us a good reason to document our adventure.
Rosemary and Melinda