R and M Asia 2010

We're Home

2010-03-07T14:45:00.000-08:00

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

Shanghai

2010-03-07T13:22:00.000-08:00

Shanghai is a very exciting city where capitalism appears alive and well. The people were lovely (once you get past the spitting), and were very patient with our lack of Chinese language skills. They have gained many improvements in lifestyle over the last 20 years. This post is so late because there are no Internet cafes; I guess everybody has a computer.

Upon arrival we rode the MagLev speed train from the airport into town. It goes 430 km/h and felt like a ride at Disney. Our first dinner was an expensive, frightening, and generally disappointing ordeal at a place that served meat and seafood swimming in big bowls of duck blood. We were at a fancy mall and did not have time to make a better selection because it was getting late and we needed to buy coats. Subsequent meals were very tasty, particularly the General Tso's chicken at a Hunanese joint that played a lot of Peter Cetera and his cheesy brethren.

Our first full day was spent with Mira, a private guide our folks used during their visit to Shanghai several weeks prior to ours. She walked us through the Bund, Old Town (including Yu Garden and tea tasting), and the Shanghai history museum, and then showed us to Taikang Road, a network of small alleys in the French Concession filled with great shopping. She was awesome, and just about the only English speaker we encountered during our 5 days there. Other notable sites included the galleries of 50 Moganshan Road (met another bird), the Dong Tai Road Antique Market, and a huge model of the city at the Urban Planning Museum. We also went to a 3D IMAX theater to watch Avatar (with Chinese subtitles). Finally in a fit of "I-cant-go-home-like-this", R braved a hair salon. It had 60 chairs (59 of them working on Asian hair) and no one spoke English so she just pointed to a picture of Kimora Lee Simmons and actually got a decent cut. They shampoo you in your chair with a whole cup of shampoo and a few squirts of water, only rinsing at the sink. High marks for Shanghai.
Melinda

Kuala Lumpur Bird Park

2010-03-01T05:11:00.000-08:00

We had to make an overnight stop in Kuala Lumpur in our journey from Penang to Shanghai so we went to the KL Bird Park, the largest walk-in aviary in the world--basically a birds-only zoo (ok they threw in a few monkeys) with a huge net over it. The pictures say it all. Big fun for critter-lovers.
Rosemary

Penang

2010-02-25T19:17:00.000-08:00

The "Pearl of the Orient" is not quite as charming as the travel magazines suggested but we have managed to find some bright spots. We have seen many of the mosques and temples in historic Georgetown and took a tour of the lovely Blue Mansion, home of a Chinese businessman in the late 1800s. Today we took a bus outside the city to the Kek Lok Si Temple, the largest Buddhist temple in SE Asia. We have accomplished most of our sightseeing on foot, which has been treacherous due to the lack of sidewalks, ample traffic, and open storm drains. These 20-inch troughs on each side of most streets invite both public urination and broken bones.

Despite the range of food on offer here, Western lapses have been frequent and included tacos (accompanied by a couple of Chinese guys doing Elton John), burgers (in the pub at the Eastern & Oriental hotel), and pizza (in Chinatown). Shopping has also ramped up, as we are nearing the end of our journey and will not have to carry purchases much longer. During my consumer wanderings yesterday I was introduced to a new concept I will call "motorbegging." As I staggered along the street with sweat in my eyes (mid-90s here), a guy swoops up next to me on his motorbike and asks for 20 bucks. I might have given him something if he had offered me a freakin' ride!

Street food for dinner tonight. Back to Kuala Lumpur tomorrow for our connection to Shanghai the next day.
Melinda

Cameron Highlands, Malaysia

2010-02-22T21:48:00.000-08:00

Malaysia continues to get high marks for it's beautiful landscapes, diversity of activities, great food and high number of English speakers. We arrived in Cameron Highlands on Sunday. When the Brits were in charge, they came here to get out of the heat and so have we. Beautiful place, famous for tea production. We went to the Boh Tea Factory and Museum this morning for breakfast. We were up early because the mosque next door broadcasts the 5x a day prayer sessions over the loudspeakers in town so we can't forget to whip out our mats at sunrise.
Though this is definitely a top-3 stop on our trip, yesterday's "interpretive trail walk" gets worst tour. Apparently no one had taken this tour for quite a while and the guide didn't know the trail had washed out in a landslide. He helped build that trail 12 years ago and his sentimentality for it led to some pretty poor judgement as he led us through very rugged terrain until we all ended up ankle-deep in mud. At home this would not be a problem but given that these were the only real shoes we brought on the trip, it was definitely an issue. The best part was while we were cleaning up at the hotel I noticed a leech was snacking on my ankle. We carefully peeled him off, named him Leopold and played with him for the rest of the rainy afternoon before releasing him into the dense shrubbery around the parking lot.
On to Penang tomorrow, which promises more tasty Asian fusion cuisine. Oink.
Rosemary

Kuala Lumpur and Taman Negara

2010-02-19T22:04:00.000-08:00

We arrived KL on a late flight Wednesday and settled into a 5-star room we got for a bargain on the internet. It had so many bells and whistles that a maintenance man had to come and remove the bulbs from several lights we couldn't (and he couldn't) find switches for so we could go to sleep.

Malaysia appears to lack the hookers, hawkers, and scam artists we regularly encountered in Thailand. The place is a blend of Malay, Chinese, and Indian folks, so the Asian fusion cuisine in KL was delicious. The Malay are Muslim so most women cover their heads. Many people speak English (yay!).

KL has a reputation for great shopping. The Pavilion KL has just about every luxury brand you can think of, but what really excited us was the Gap. You see, Rosie has needed new shorts for the last month, but it is difficult to find sizing that accommodates the Western bootie. (The ladies at the markets try to lure us into their stalls with "I have big size for you." Not big enough.)

Friday we travelled from KL to Taman Negara National Park. The trip required a 4-hour bus ride followed by 3 hours on the floor of a wooden longboat. Uncomfortable for sure, but the scenery was lovely. That night we went on a 4WD tour of the jungle to see nocturnal critters. Spottings included a couple of owls, wild boar, a tailor bird, and several lemurs and a wild cat in the distance. Yesterday we walked the Canopy Walkway in the park. Cool structure but disappointing because we did not see any wildlife, which I perceived as the whole point. The most impressive thing about this stop was the probably the sounds of the crickets. Just imagine the reverse warning on a garbage truck (beep-beep-beep) at full volume... all night.

Today we travelled all day by bus to Cameron Highlands, which smells of the tea leaves that grow here and has cooler temperatures.
Melinda

Phuket, part 2

2010-02-16T22:30:00.000-08:00

You would never know the tsunami hit this place, except for the new evacuation route signage. Mickey Ds, BK, and Subway sure seem to like their chances and the locals say the wave made the whole world want to come here. We can't argue given the crowds, and the Chinese New Year doesn't help. We have enjoyed some good off shore adventures though. Brushed up our scuba skills on Monday with 3 10meter dives at Raja Noi and Raja Yai. Usual reef fish but the trip-maker was a 4.5meter Manta ray! We tried to get out of here sooner, but due to the flight restrictions on scuba divers and a lot of sold out flights, we're still here. We did move farther down the island to the less crazy Kata Beach (only a handful of Starbucks here), where we are hanging out til our flight to Kuala Lumpur, the Malaysian capital, later tonight.
Rosemary

Phuket

2010-02-12T06:59:00.000-08:00

Phuket greeted us with extreme heat, which I feel a little guilty admitting considering the conditions at home. (Congrats to Philly for smashing the record for seasonal snowfall.) We nearly roasted on a late-afternoon visit to Surin beach, but the water was a nice temperature for 3 Floridians. We had some of the best food of the trip at Tatonka, an outdoor fusion restaurant a few km from the hotel. Yesterday we joined an all-day sea kayak adventure involving lots of caves and lagoons where we watched mudskippers (what an odd little critter!), macaques, birds, bats, and huge lizards. We enjoyed a fabulous lunch and dinner on the boat, and after sunset, made offerings to the Goddess of Water. These were craft projects made from banana leaves, flowers, incense, and candles, that our guides helped us to create and float on the water. The caves at night are a little spooky but good places to see bioluminesc-ing sea life. Today we hired a long-tailed boat for some snorkeling 30minutes off shore. Decent reef with the usual suspects. Dhaval leaves us tomorrow (sniff), and Rosemary and I will take a lodging demotion to some little hole in Patong (sniff). Monday is the day it becomes painfully obvious how much of our PADI training we have forgotten.
Melinda

Chiang Mai

2010-02-09T02:17:00.000-08:00

On Saturday, Melinda's friend Dhaval fom Philly joined us in Bangkok. We stayed in Silom this time and found the city more to our liking. We hit the Palace, Chatuchak Market and the Jim Thompson house, which was lovely. Sunday we headed north to Chiang Mai and have been impressed by the food and fancy cocktails.
Yesterday we hit the Patara Elephant Farm for our much anticipated "Elephant Owner for a Day" outing. We started out with a lesson on how elephants have contributed to Thailand's history and the mission of the farm, which is to increase their population in the wild. After signing our lives away and donning our "mahout" outfits, we were each assigned our own elephant and trainer. Mine, Nui, which means "Chubby," was 10 years old and pregnant, a former circus elephant. Melinda's was Maeboitong, a gentle giant at 35. Dhaval's was also a circus alum, an 11-yr-old named Ploy, which means "precious gem". We fed our elephants a huge basket of bananas and bamboo for breakfast. Then we learned how to check the elephant's health via examinations of skin, sweat, and...yes, poop. Next it was bathtime. We started by sweeping the big pieces off with a handful of brush. We learned how to tell him to sit down so we could get to his head and back. Then we went to the river to douse them with water and scrub them down with bathtub brushes. After their baths, the circus girls led the others in spraying water all over us for the ultimate photo opp. Then we mounted up for a ride to a waterfall for a lovely picnic lunch. After lunch the fun really started when Ploy ran Dhaval into the woods and started madly twirling around, scratching her up in the dense brush. Ploy did not listen to the trainer, but he managed to get Dhaval down. At one point he got his head stuck in between Ploy and a tree, and his clothes were all torn up by the time the beast calmed down. We quickly decided we were happy just being bunny and cat owners and were taken back to the hotel and given a large discount. In retrospect, we are grateful it didn't end worse and we got good pictures. However, I think we are forced to make a new entry on our "stupidest things I've ever done" lists.
Thai cooking school tonight then on to the Phuket tomorrow.
Rosemary

Kanchanaburi

2010-02-05T04:18:00.001-08:00

Upon our arrival to Kanchanaburi the evening of Red Vest Day, we learned that the boutique raft hotel we booked (and pre-paid for) was 60 km outside of town. It would take an hour to get there, cost 30 bucks one-way, and take us away from anything we wanted to do during our visit there. The decision was made to sleep in a 12-dollar hut in town while paying for a 70-dollar room elsewhere. I think our days of pre-paying for hotels are over. We also learned that wandering around at 11PM trying to make a decision on lodging and tripping over a curb with a 33-pound pack on is also to be avoided. I can now add a skinned knee to the list of typical childhood ailments I have become reacquainted with on this trip (ear infection, poison ivy, random puke-athon... Bring it on, pink eye!)

Kanchanaburi is notable for 2 things:
1) Bridge over the River Kwai. The bridge looks a lot like any railroad bridge. In fact, the locals had no idea what I was talking about when I drew a picture of a bridge and asked which way it was. However, the Thailand-Burma Railway Centre is the curent favorite for our coveted Best Museum award. We also visited the War Cemetery, where many Allied POWs who worked on the bridge are buried.
2) "Sex-pats." For those new to the term, these are skeevy white dudes who fly half-way around the world to get a date. They are everywhere. Example below.

Back in Bangkok today after our first train ride of the trip (3rd class, baby). Dhaval joins us tomorrow!
Melinda

Khao Yai National Park (Thailand)

2010-02-03T20:08:00.000-08:00

After flying from Hanoi to Bangkok, we set out by hot, crowded bus to Pak Chong, the town base for Khao Yai National Park. We settled into the EcoValley Lodge, which had a pool, great Thai food, and a couple of friendly Jack Russell terriers. Our bungalow there came with a resident gecko, who hid behide picture frames and whose cackle we first mistook for bird or monkey. We took a bike trip to the nearby "Magic Cave," which we declared best cave and have officially sworn off visiting additional caves. The following day we took a 12-hour tour of the park. Despite being 9 hours too long and including a 2.5-hour death march through the muggy jungle, there were some good animal sightings. Samba deer, barking deer (we barked at them but they wouldn't bark back), water monitors (like a cross between gator and lizard), great hornbill (awesome!), pig-tailed macaques, white-handed gibbons, and finally, a lone male elephant. Highlights were 1) befriending Lauren and David from California (Americans are few and far between over here); 2) the elephant, who blew his horn and did some stomping when our driver got too close; 3) the sweet, sticky-rice concoction they gave us at lunch; 4) adult activities between macaques. My travelling companion forbade me to post video of the last item but I can tell you it was hilarious to all nationalities and the footage is available for rental. Pics have been added to Halong Bay and Saigon posts.
Melinda

My Lucky Day

2010-02-03T19:25:00.000-08:00

Wednesday started with a routine 3 hour bus ride back to Bangkok, where we planned to catch another bus to Kanchanaburi, home of the Bridge over the River Kwai, about 2 hours west of the city. The plan came together, but with a little more drama than we'd hoped. Once at the terminal in Bangkok we bought tickets to Kanchanaburi, boarded the bus and settled in. As we rolled out of the station, the stewardess tried to sell Melinda a ticket, which was fishy because we had tickets. She didn't speak English, but shooing people off a bus can be achieved in any language. Grateful we had not made it farther to the wrong destination, we grabbed our stuff and bailed off. That's when the real fun started. We headed back to the station to find the correct bus and then it hit me: In my haste to comply with the shooing, I left Superman's vest under the seat--I'd stashed it there to cool off for a minute. Now you know the red vest has strong sentimental value... However, it also carries my money, credit cards, passport and camera (including all the pictures I've taken so far and evidence that Melinda even went on this trip.) I freaked at the high probability that my identity, money, memories (and dignity) were headed down the Mekong, never to return. Instead of unleashing a murderous rage, M was very level-headed, and over the course of the next hour we talked to anyone who would listen about our plight, combing through the station staff for those who spoke any English. I would write info on my hand hoping what couldn't audibly be understood could be read. An official-looking dude in a glass box got on the case and called around on his walkie talkie but could not do much without Wrong Bus's number. Meanwhile, M was gesticulating wildly with a roving secuirty guard whose give-a-damn was a lot better than his English. With information from him and a stewardess on the next Wrong Bus to leave the terminal, M figured out we had boarded at slot 11, not slot 10. Slot 11's bus was #996 and Superman's vest was on it's way to buy street meat at the floating market. They radioed some more. A Thai passenger who spoke pretty good English then noticed our panicked faces and stopped by to see if he could help. He was able to talk Thai with the stewardess and security guard and finally said to me, "They found it. You ride this bus and stay with this stewardess". M shoved some baht in my pocket and away I went. M stayed at the station to check any buses that came back to slot 11. I rode about 1.5 hours then the bus stopped. A stewardess bearing a red vest got on. I threw my arms around her, which I'm sure she did not appreciate given my level of body odor at this point. I then checked the contents. Nothing was touched, it was all there. We all had a good laugh and I made them each take a thousand-baht note. After all, I couldn't keep this lucky day all for myself. About five minutes after I was reunited with my vest, the bus stopped abruptly and the stewardesses jumped off and started yelling to a bus across a traffic circle. It stopped and they pushed me toward it saying "to Bangkok". I ran over and jumped on and after another 1.5 hours, I was back in Bangkok and found M sitting in the same chair I left her in. We celebrated with the folks who'd helped us, forced a few baht on them, and pounded a few donuts. We found the right bus and got to Kanchanaburi about 8:30pm.
Rosemary

Halong Bay Cruise

2010-01-30T04:04:00.001-08:00

Halong Bay was every bit as cool as the pictures...that I hope to get uploaded soon. We explored it aboard the Bhaya, a Chinese "junk" boat we shared with about 20 others from all corners of the world. It had great food, and due to a little snafu, we scored the two big staterooms on the front with the private terraces. The first day we toured a floating fishing village via rowboat. Yesterday we did some hiking and biking on Cat Ba Island, whose main attraction is a cave that hid Vietnamese soldiers during the war. Despite its historical significance, it is better known as the ultimate hook-up spot among the locals. Last night we were star-gazing/drinking on the boat when I heard a faint but familiar beat in the distance. I went closer and was able to confirm that my one true love, John Bonjovi, had followed me all the way to a secluded harbor off the coast of Vietnam. (Shortly thereafter we were also blessed by the sounds of Beyonce.) We rode back to Hanoi today and said goodbye to our Ma and Pa, who are headed on to Angkor Wat. We fly back to Thailand tomorrow and are spending the night in the Hanoi airport hotel, which has one amenity--the airport. Hence we are currently in our 5th hour as "jetsitters": people who loiter among the cafes, internet rooms, and foot massage parlors of the international terminal with no plane to catch.
Rosemary

Hanoi

2010-01-27T02:00:00.000-08:00

Just wrapping up an awesome few days in Hanoi with our dear Ma and Pa. It has been quite a reunion, complete with fantastic meals (steaks!) and upscale digs. Our first morning together was spent at the Hoa Lo prison (aka Hanoi Hilton), where pictures of captured American soldiers are limited to those showing them decorating for Xmas, playing basketball and chess, and enjoying craft projects. McCain's flight suit is there, too. Yesterday we visited the Ho Chi Minh mausoleum, Hanoi's premier attraction. There are rules one must follow for a glimpse of Uncle Ho: no hands in pockets, talking, or pictures (sorry). We have also been to the Temple of Literature, the Museum of Fine Art, and the Army Museum. This afternoon we saw a performance at the Water Puppet Theatre. It's a little bit of a hokey tourist trap but there is definitely some talent involved and good traditional music performed live. (An attempt to upload our first-ever video clip of this ancient craft failed. Will try again later.) The four of us head to Halong Bay for a 2-night cruise tomorrow.
Melinda

Hoi An

2010-01-23T06:01:00.000-08:00

Hoi An is a lovely French-inspired town on the central coast of Vietnam. We have enjoyed better food here than at our past couple of stops and were definitely bitten by the tailor-made clothes bug. There are over 500 tailor shops here and they make up about 75% of the storefronts. We both had several garments and a pair of shoes constructed in record time but were a little run ragged by all the fittings. On Friday we rented bikes to explore town, the neighboring villages and the markets. Today we went to a great cooking class on the river, where we made rice pancakes, spring rolls and an eggplant dish. We also learned to carve flowers out of tomatoes and cucumbers. I know this will greatly impress my friends in VietNashville. Melinda visited an orphanage in town with pictures and a letter from her neighbor's family, who adopted a little girl from there a few years ago. They were a big hit with the staff. I know you are all on the edge of your seats, but the rewash of this week's laundry was successful--the first round smelled worse clean than it did dirty. Note to twins: it's ok to pay 70,000 dong ($3.50) for a legit washer and dryer. On to Hanoi tomorrow to meet our folks, who are real champs for schlepping to the other side of the earth to visit their wayward little rugrats. We anxiously await a few days of sport-eating, mosquito-free accomodation, and hanging out with our beloved Ma and Pa!
Rosemary

Phu Quoc Island (Belated Post)

2010-01-21T22:46:00.000-08:00

Phu Quoc was a good stop. We stayed in a bungalow at the Sea Star Resort, a great place right on the beach. We enjoyed some great weather (not too hot) and made a few new friends. The beach was lovely, with fine sand and no shells, and their were some great sunsets. We plowed through some books, too. Negatives included the town (picture a duststorm and add the smell of rotten sea life) and the difficulty in finding a decent meal. On the second night we shelled out 1.1 million Dong (OK, so that's only 60 bucks) for dinner at a 5-star resort down the beach and found it only passable. On the last night we had pizzas delivered straight to our hotel restaurant. Sounds a little harsh, I know, but we did buy the beer from them. Figured the dogs we'd seen helping with the dishes would have as little impact as possible that way.

As we prepared to leave for Hoi An yesterday morning, we both received emails from the National Bone Marrow Registry informing us that we are preliminary matches for a teenager in need, and asking us to submit to additional testing. Crazy stuff considering both of us joined the registry 15 years ago and haven't heard a peep from them since! We contacted them by phone last night and offered to change our plans if need be. They said not to, and that if a donor wasn't found by March 1 they would contact us again. Phew. As Rosie put it, "an adventure needs a little drama."
Melinda

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

2010-01-17T06:37:00.000-08:00

After a tough travel day from Luang Prabang to Saigon on the 15th, these two middle-agers lamely decided that we would celebrate our bday on the 16th, as it would be our real bday in the US. So last night we had an over-priced and under-sweetened piece of cake atop a hotel with a nice view of the Moped City. Apparently there are 3 million mopeds here and as usual you can break the few rules that exist as long as you blow your horn a bunch while you do it. Our favorite moped cargo so far: refrigerator, 6 bird cages, 3 propane tanks (for the guy who either thinks he's Buddha or totally disposable). Yesterday we went to the War Remnants Museum, which is a must-do for the place the Vietnam War ended but, um, a little biased. Today we went about 50km out to the Cu Chi Tunnels, a sort of city underground dug by the Viet Cong as they closed in on Saigon. Though most of them were bombed out, what remained was pretty impressive. Everykind of booby trap you can imagine and M is quite the bat magnet. Though the tunnels have been widened 50% for tourist access, it was a tight squeeze and I still managed to scratch my arms and tear a couple small holes in my Superman vest because I was a little too wide (and it was a little too dark). No picture card readers here but we'll catch up when we find one.

A side note: if you are wondering why I'm always wearing the red vest, here is my marketing mojo. It has special compartments designated for travel books/maps, sunglasses, passport, ipod, a clip for a hat, a chain for keys, a sleeve for water bottle and several other pockets which I fill with bug repellant, barf bags, ear plugs and other essentials. All this on the inside so the pickpockets have little chance. It also has zip-on sleeves to become a jacket. I am a LITTLE sick of wearing it but tried a day without it and was lonely for it so I guess M will just have to chisel it off me at the end of the trip. On to Phu Quoc Island in the Mekong Delta tomorrow, our first beach stop.

A congratulatory shout-out for our Pa for his lifetime achievement award from the Society for Technology in Anesthesia, which he accepted in West Palm Beach yesterday.
Rosemary

Luang Prabang

2010-01-13T23:44:00.000-08:00

The Gap group moved on without us this morning. We decided we wanted another day here in Luang Prabang and were not real excited about the last 2 nights on the Gap itenerary (or the bus rides required to get to them). Still, we enjoyed the group adventure and felt fortunate to have the leader and group we got. Everyone offered free lodging in their respective homes so we're all set for the next sabbatical in New Zealand!

Luang Prabang, the land of the Buddhist monk, has been very relaxing and a needed change of pace. A few days ago (I have no idea what day it is), we took a longboat ride up the Mekong to the Pak Ou caves where people deposit their unwanted buddhas. Yesterday we went to Kuang Si waterfalls, a series of green pools and falls nestled between trees and limestone. A highlight for sure but too chilly to swim. Nearby there was sanctuary for the endangered Asiatic black bear. We got to see them eating oranges while we ate deep fried bananas that should really be illegal. Last night we had our last dinner with the group and a visit to LaoLao garden, an outdoor bar with a bonfire. Today we discovered a lovely outdoor cafe (appropriately named Utopia) on the Nam Khan River. We decided they should operate a homestay instead. I read trash and Rosie did some drawing. She's still there (asleep). To Ho Chi Minh City tomorrow.
Melinda

Si Phon Don, Laos

2010-01-10T23:46:00.000-08:00

Another small town stop, this time in the Land of 4,000 Islands here in southern Laos. Town of Don Phong is pretty sleepy but we took a good bike ride along the Mekong to stretch our legs after another day on the bus. A little chump of a Lao kid jumped out in front of me with a stick and tried to stick it in my front wheel. My bike did not have brakes so I just screamed as loud as I could and scared him to a safer distance. The countryside is full of teak trees here and, as you can see, the guesthouses look pretty fancy...on the outside.

Next day...Bus...ferry...sweat...bus...ferry...sweat. Stopped at lovely waterfall for lunch and then Wat Phou. I keep saying "this is my last Wat" but inevitably end up hiking up another pile of ruins. The view from the top of this one was almost worth the climb, but that candy bar I left for Buddha did not yield me the burger and fries I requested. Instead we arrived really hot and dirty at Don Deng Island for our token "homestay". Um, we "slept" on a Lao family's deck under a mosquito net with two ornery American senior citizens and the incessant cries of roosters. Positives included: cute pig next door, little boy kissing his pet chicken, and learning to use a squat toilet in the dark. Given that we never even met the family we "stayed with", we will thoroughly investigate future "cultural immersion experiences".

After we knotted up the mosquito nets, we took a "1.5 hour flight" from Pakse to Luang Prabang on Lao Airlines. It is actually a 1.5 hr flight to Vientiene where you wait 4 hours for another plane. Anyhow, it is great to be here finally. Pretty French Colonial architecture, good food and drastically less pollution and garbage build-up than the other cities so far. We even found an internet cafe with enough bandwidth to upload some blog photos so we have updated the last few posts. I feel a vacation coming on!
Rosemary

Phnom Penh Part II, Kratie

2010-01-08T06:02:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was spent touring the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum in Phnom Penh, as well as one of killing fields outside the city. From 1975-1979, 3 million of Cambodia's 7 million citizens died at the hands of the Khmer Rouge. Many of the mass graves at the killing field we visited have been excavated and a tall, glass, temple-like structure holds the thousands of skulls found there. Each time it rains, more clothes and bones surface. I found some molars next to the footpath. Quite a wrenching but educational day. On a lighter note, we enjoyed a delicious dinner outdoors at a Western restaurant as well as the first ever Skype call involving all 4 members of our family.

Today we travelled about 6 hours by bus to Kratie, a small Cambodian town on the Mekong River. Kratie town is dominated by chickens, flies, and malnourished cats, and therefore scores low in the charm category. However, we took a long motorbike ride out to the Mekong where we boarded small boats and were able to spot Irrawaddy dolphins while watching a great sunset. We cross the border into Laos tomorrow.
Melinda

Phnom Penh

2010-01-06T20:01:00.000-08:00

We arrived in Phnom Penh, the Cambodian capital, yesterday after a long bus ride from Siem Reap. Took a Cyclo (a chair with a bike behind it) around town to see the Royal Palace, waterfront and soak up the city. Crossing the street here is a fine art as there are few traffic signs and they are largely ignored. The streets are a mosh pit of mopeds, tuk tuks, cars, cyclos and even an elephant was making the commute yesterday. Last night our group taught English to some local kids and ate dinner at a family's home. In Cambodia, when people get married they move into the wife's parents' house. This family had 5 daughters so there were 30 people living in 5 rooms. There is no furniture; we sat on the floor to eat, but it was the best food we've had here. Dessert was fried tarantulas, which few tried, but we had fun pulling pranks with them.
R

Temples of Angkor

2010-01-05T05:55:00.001-08:00

We met our Gap Adventures crew Sunday PM in Bangkok. The group is cool, with no obvious freaks. We are 4 Aussie, 2 Kiwi, 1 Londoner, 4 US, 1 Danish, 2 Canadian, and Bo, our Cambodian guide. Long day of land travel yesterday, complete with a very sweaty border crossing into Cambodia. Saw a (very early and not so great) sunrise over Angkor Wat this AM, toured Angkor Wat and Ta Prohm temples, then enjoyed a lazy afternoon and evening in Siem Reap. At the night market, we experienced the "fish massage." Simply put, this involves submerging one's tired dogs into a plastic pool where a bunch of little fish feast on dead skin. Eew.
Melinda

Wat Pho (Bangkok)

2010-01-02T22:49:00.000-08:00

Today we visited our first wat, Wat Pho, home of the ginormous reclining buddha. This wat has numerous little shrines and a renowned massage school, where we also experienced out first Thai massages. It was not as rough as we expected (although we did choose the SOFT option on the form). It is weird to have a little Thai lady climbing around on your back and contorting your body this way and that, but it got the knots out. Managed a decent picture of the typical Thai cat, which the feline fanciers might be interested to see has a shorter tail with a kink at the end. We hired a tuk-tuk, which was even more frightening than the cabs due to the lack of barrier between skin and road. Re-visited the backpacker ghetto to stock up on cheap t-shirts, which we have found to be particularly fast-drying. (Polyester blends are quite magical in the right setting.) Tonight we meet our Gap Adventures group and will set out for the Cambodian border and Siem Reap in the morning.
Melinda

Hot Day in Bangkok

2010-01-02T22:29:00.000-08:00

KaoSan Road, the backpacker ghetto, has proved invaluable for provisioning and we are starting to blend in with our grungy brethren. We even found our laundry lady and have decided that getting clean clothes is the new payday.

Discovered the hotel's huge breakfast buffet this morning. It's a motley spread but we resisted the fish heads and doubled down on french toast, definitely a repeater. Explored the Chao Phraya river and canals by longtail boat and visited the Floating Market--street meat with a nautical spin.

After naptime we hit Siam Square and rode the Skytrain to Silom to check out beautiful Lumphini Park. Then we got hour-long foot massages. Life is rough.

NYE in Hong Kong

2010-01-01T04:00:00.000-08:00

New Year's Eve included a Chinese "street meat" dinner under the stars at the Temple Street Night Market and the purchase of a "copy bag" by Jimmy Choo. The journey to Bangkok this morning was going smoothly until our taxi driver made a K turn across 2 lanes of traffic and swiped the back of a motorcycle (no one injured). Tonight we visited Bangkok's Kao San Road, which we heard was the ultimate backpacker's ghetto. We were not disappointed... just a little scared. Holy freak show. We left our laundry in an alley and forgot to note the surroundings, so may have trouble claiming it tomorrow. Enjoyed beer, red curry, and pad thai for dinner at an outdoor cafe on Kao San. Hard to believe this is their cool season!
Melinda

Last Day in Hong Kong

2009-12-31T03:34:00.000-08:00

Sooner than expected, but today's breakfast left us saying, "I'm lovin' it". Then we hit the Bird Garden, flower market and Victoria Peak, the highest point in the city with great (foggy)views of the harbor. I almost earned an "I puked at the peak" t-shirt but M shoved some pizza down me. Hope to be better in Bangkok where it's warm and they have those fancy massages. Will ring in the New Year at the Night Market.
Rosemary

Exploring Hong Kong Island

2009-12-29T23:32:00.000-08:00

Last night we enjoyed a delicious Peking duck (perhaps as reward for a marathon nap that kept sightseeing brief), followed by a hazy look at the lights on Hong Kong Island, then laundry. Rode over to Hong Kong Island this AM and found it to have a much greater Western/Euro influence than Kowloon. Hopped on the huge escalator that many Hong Kong residents use for a 20-min commute up a hill to work. (Perhaps Mayor Nutter would consider installing one of these between Philly and Bucks County.) We then explored SoHo (Hollywood St antiques), Cat Street Market (lots of junk--at least it's transportable), Western Market (w/ a fancy lunch), and finally the Star Ferry back to Kowloon. These boats have been running since the 1800s--amazing. It is a little rainy but no longer cold. Rosemary is feeling a little punk so will let her rest up for Peak Tram and Temple St. Night Market tomorrow. New Year's plans TBD.
Melinda

We Made It!

2009-12-28T18:10:00.000-08:00

We arrived in Hong Kong about 3pm yesterday. Our trip over can be summarized as a 10 hour delay in Tampa, 3 hours sleep in Toronto, then 16 hours on the big bird (4 movies, 3 meals, 2 naps, and 1 Ambien). Our accommodations here are well located but chilly, with hard beds and a 2am fire drill. None of that stopped us from sleeping 12 hours, but tonight we are debating whether to ask for a heater or a Hilton. Rain today but we have learned our way around the subways and met these geese that gave us a chuckle.
Rosemary

Getting out before the REAL winter weather...?

2009-12-20T18:55:00.000-08:00

That was the plan, but Mother Nature laughed in my face and dropped 23 inches of snow on Philly just 5 days before we leave. On a positive note, the nasty weather forced me to stay inside and wrap up the loose ends that come with leaving adult life behind for 3 months. House/pet/car sitters are arranged, jobs are on hold, and all the documentation is in place. The backpack thing is still being figured out--so many straps and not much space.

The destination is SE Asia, starting in Hong Kong after Xmas in Tampa. Neither of us has been to Asia and we don't really know what to expect. The first 6 weeks are planned, but we will rely on recommendations from other travellers for the rest. Our folks will meet us for a week or two in Vietnam and our friend Dhaval will join us in Thailand for a little while. We also have 2 weeks of group travel lined up in the beginning so we don't get on each other's nerves (it'll happen, but delay strategies are in place). That's about all I can tell you. The idea is to have a real adventure, scary and exciting at once. Stay tuned.

Melinda

Provisioning--Boone

2009-08-23T19:42:00.000-07:00

This weekend we got started provisioning for the trip at the out-doorsy stores around Boone. Key finds include hand-washable undies, sunhats, overpriced socks, a pactowl for me, and shoes for Rosemary. 4 months to go.

Melinda