Arrival: 07/08/2009
Departure: 07/10/2009
Sight Seeing: Sacared Hindu Lake (Dried)
People: Decent
Food: Poor tourist crap
Accommodations: Hotel Narayan Palace ($4 per night)
Pictures: Pictures of India
Summary: Same situation as Udaipur. India is still very hot and dry and our bodies are still weak from heat exhaustion. We did have the opportunity to be blessed in the holy lake and to say a prayer. You remove your shoes and are then escorted to the "lake" which is more like a swimming pool on the side of the dried out lake. Your escort gives you flowers and says a prayer that you repeat with them. After throwing the flower in the lake, you wet your eye brows, and ears and the escort puts a dot of dried red dye on your forehead. Surprisingly it was a very emotional experience. The rest of our stay in Udaipur was spent in the room trying to say as cool as possible. As we were leaving town to catch a 13 hour over night bus to Agra, the long awaited monsoon decided to poor rain on us until we were completely soaking wet. Yeah, it was good times on that bus ride.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Udaipur, India
Arrival: 07/04/2009
Departure: 07/08/2009
Sight Seeing: Lake Palace, City Palace, City Temple, Cooking Class
People: Nice
Food: Decent
Accommodations: Pushkar Palace ($9 per night)
Pictures: Pictures of India
Summary: It's hot! The main attraction, lake palace, was dried up so Udaipur wasn't our favorite spot. I got sick. Adam got sick. At this point, India was really taking a toll on us physically and emotionally.
Departure: 07/08/2009
Sight Seeing: Lake Palace, City Palace, City Temple, Cooking Class
People: Nice
Food: Decent
Accommodations: Pushkar Palace ($9 per night)
Pictures: Pictures of India
Summary: It's hot! The main attraction, lake palace, was dried up so Udaipur wasn't our favorite spot. I got sick. Adam got sick. At this point, India was really taking a toll on us physically and emotionally.
Mumbai (formerly Bombay), India
Arrival: 07/01/2009
Departure: 07/03/2009
Sight Seeing: Beach, Fort Area
People: Nice
Food: Delicious
Accommodations: J.W. Marriott
Pictures: Pictures of India
Summary: Stayed in the hotel most of the time. Not much to say.
Departure: 07/03/2009
Sight Seeing: Beach, Fort Area
People: Nice
Food: Delicious
Accommodations: J.W. Marriott
Pictures: Pictures of India
Summary: Stayed in the hotel most of the time. Not much to say.
Panjim (Goa), India
Arrival: 06/27/2009
Departure: 06/30/2009
Sight Seeing: Miramar Beach, Old Goa
People: Nice
Food: Delicious
Accommodations: Poor
Pictures: Pictures of India
Summary: Renowned for India's beautiful beaches, Adam and I saw a different picture during the monsoon season.
Details: Adam and I walked to Miramar beach one day where the water was rough and not swimable. It was nice just sitting on the beach listening to the waves though. We bought a couple bottles of vodka and hung out at the hotel room. The following day we went to Old Goa to explore countless Catholic Cathedrals. Absolutely breathtaking.
Departure: 06/30/2009
Sight Seeing: Miramar Beach, Old Goa
People: Nice
Food: Delicious
Accommodations: Poor
Pictures: Pictures of India
Summary: Renowned for India's beautiful beaches, Adam and I saw a different picture during the monsoon season.
Details: Adam and I walked to Miramar beach one day where the water was rough and not swimable. It was nice just sitting on the beach listening to the waves though. We bought a couple bottles of vodka and hung out at the hotel room. The following day we went to Old Goa to explore countless Catholic Cathedrals. Absolutely breathtaking.
Hampi, India
Arrival: 06/24/2009
Departure: 06/27/2009
Sight Seeing: Red-Orange Boulder Landscape, Temples, River, Bike Rides, Elephant Bath
People: Friendly
Food: Delicious, if you find the right place
Accommodations: Suresh Guest House ($6 per night)
Pictures: Pictures of India
Summary: Highly recommended by another traveler, Adam and I decided to visit Hampi for it's unique red-orange boulder cover landscape that is interlaced with luscious green palm trees and ancient temples. Throw a river in there and you have one of the most picturesque cities we've seen on the trip. Gorgeous!
Details: After a long and very bumpy overnight bus ride we arrived in Hospet early the next morning. A rigshaw took us about 15 kilometers to Hampi where we immediately found a guest house and crashed out. Later that day we took a short walk around the area studying local temples and ancient ruins. The following day, we rented a couple of bikes and checked out more ruins. The ride was very nice, but really hot.
A short walk from our guest house is a beautiful river where people wash their clothes and take a dip. There's not too much swimming because it's quite dangerous. One of the major highlights of the trip thus far was watching a man guide his elephant down to the river for a bath. Definitely not something you see everyday. The elephant lied down while the man scrubbed him clean like it was his car.
Departure: 06/27/2009
Sight Seeing: Red-Orange Boulder Landscape, Temples, River, Bike Rides, Elephant Bath
People: Friendly
Food: Delicious, if you find the right place
Accommodations: Suresh Guest House ($6 per night)
Pictures: Pictures of India
Summary: Highly recommended by another traveler, Adam and I decided to visit Hampi for it's unique red-orange boulder cover landscape that is interlaced with luscious green palm trees and ancient temples. Throw a river in there and you have one of the most picturesque cities we've seen on the trip. Gorgeous!
Details: After a long and very bumpy overnight bus ride we arrived in Hospet early the next morning. A rigshaw took us about 15 kilometers to Hampi where we immediately found a guest house and crashed out. Later that day we took a short walk around the area studying local temples and ancient ruins. The following day, we rented a couple of bikes and checked out more ruins. The ride was very nice, but really hot.
A short walk from our guest house is a beautiful river where people wash their clothes and take a dip. There's not too much swimming because it's quite dangerous. One of the major highlights of the trip thus far was watching a man guide his elephant down to the river for a bath. Definitely not something you see everyday. The elephant lied down while the man scrubbed him clean like it was his car.
Mysore, India
Arrival: 06/18/2009
Departure: 06/23/2009
Sight Seeing: Jaganmohan Palace (Art Gallery), Zoo, Chamundi Hill and Temple, Maharaja's Palace, St. Philomina's Church, Ranganatha Swamy Temple, Illuminated Garden and Dam
People: Very friendly and curious
Food: Delicious
Accommodations: Adhi Manor ($18 per night)
Pictures: Pictures of India
Summary: Having no expectations for this small 1.2 million population city, Adam and I were pleasantly surprised by it's charm. There are endless activities and sight seeing.
Details: When in Mysore, Adam and I opted to due our first organized bus tour of our entire trip. It costs about $10 per person and took us to to a ton of cool sights around the area. Visiting the zoo was an extra special treat because it was the first zoo Adam and I have ever been to outside the U.S. and we both agreed it was by far the best. We saw tigers, elephants, bears, monkeys, lions, hippos, rhinos, and all the standard zoo animals. Another favorite sight was the Maharaja's Palace. During the day the palace is extravagant, but by night 40,000 lights illuminate the palace making it look like Christmas lover's dream. We also met a very nice family on the trip who we took pictures with and exchanged emails.
Departure: 06/23/2009
Sight Seeing: Jaganmohan Palace (Art Gallery), Zoo, Chamundi Hill and Temple, Maharaja's Palace, St. Philomina's Church, Ranganatha Swamy Temple, Illuminated Garden and Dam
People: Very friendly and curious
Food: Delicious
Accommodations: Adhi Manor ($18 per night)
Pictures: Pictures of India
Summary: Having no expectations for this small 1.2 million population city, Adam and I were pleasantly surprised by it's charm. There are endless activities and sight seeing.
Details: When in Mysore, Adam and I opted to due our first organized bus tour of our entire trip. It costs about $10 per person and took us to to a ton of cool sights around the area. Visiting the zoo was an extra special treat because it was the first zoo Adam and I have ever been to outside the U.S. and we both agreed it was by far the best. We saw tigers, elephants, bears, monkeys, lions, hippos, rhinos, and all the standard zoo animals. Another favorite sight was the Maharaja's Palace. During the day the palace is extravagant, but by night 40,000 lights illuminate the palace making it look like Christmas lover's dream. We also met a very nice family on the trip who we took pictures with and exchanged emails.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Ooty (Udhagamandalam), India
Arrival: 06/15/2009
Departure: 06/18/2009
Sight Seeing: Botanical Gardens, Lake, Horse Races, Bazaar
People: Very friendly and curious
Food: Delicious
Accommodations: YMCA ($12 per night)
Pictures: Pictures of India
Summary: Situated at a cool 3,500 ft above sea level, this small town was a great introduction to India. It's the perfect place to observe the Indian lifestyle from up close and afar.
Details: After a long overnight bus to Ooty, we found a room and slept. Later that day we walked around the small town which was spread around a race horse track. The following day we walked to and around the Botanical Gardens. They were beautiful and the people watching was incredible. Although, we weren't the only ones watching. We were approached by a large Indian family who just wanted to talk to us, shake our hands, and have their little girl give me a kiss on the cheek (so cute!). They laughed, we laughed, and then parted ways. Their curiosity and friendliness is a welcomed change from the reserved South East Asian mentality. We almost felt like celebrities.
The next day, we watched a horse race and walked to the "lake" which was more of a dump with water sprinkled around. Next, we found ourselves mazing through the tarp covered bazaar to see wonderful vegetables and spices. If only we had a kitchen! Everything looked so delicious. The food has been incredible and we can honestly say, it's been the best on the trip.
The following morning we made our way the bus station for a beautiful drive to Mysore.
Departure: 06/18/2009
Sight Seeing: Botanical Gardens, Lake, Horse Races, Bazaar
People: Very friendly and curious
Food: Delicious
Accommodations: YMCA ($12 per night)
Pictures: Pictures of India
Summary: Situated at a cool 3,500 ft above sea level, this small town was a great introduction to India. It's the perfect place to observe the Indian lifestyle from up close and afar.
Details: After a long overnight bus to Ooty, we found a room and slept. Later that day we walked around the small town which was spread around a race horse track. The following day we walked to and around the Botanical Gardens. They were beautiful and the people watching was incredible. Although, we weren't the only ones watching. We were approached by a large Indian family who just wanted to talk to us, shake our hands, and have their little girl give me a kiss on the cheek (so cute!). They laughed, we laughed, and then parted ways. Their curiosity and friendliness is a welcomed change from the reserved South East Asian mentality. We almost felt like celebrities.
The next day, we watched a horse race and walked to the "lake" which was more of a dump with water sprinkled around. Next, we found ourselves mazing through the tarp covered bazaar to see wonderful vegetables and spices. If only we had a kitchen! Everything looked so delicious. The food has been incredible and we can honestly say, it's been the best on the trip.
The following morning we made our way the bus station for a beautiful drive to Mysore.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Pondicherry, India
Arrival: 06/11/2009
Departure: 06/14/2009
Sight Seeing: The beach
People: Confusing
Food: Good
Accommodations: Good
Pictures: Pictures of India - Coming soon.
Summary: We've heard the first place you stay in India you will hate and I completely agree. Nothing against Pondicherry, but the culture shock was a lot to handle.
Details: Getting to India was a task in itself (1 hour taxi to India Embassy, 1 hour wait to pick up our India Visa, 1 hour taxi to airport, 3 hour wait for flight, 3 hour flight to Singapore, 8 hours overnight in the Singapore airport, 4 hour flight to India, 4 hour bus to Pondicherry). And to top it off our fun travel adventure, our backpack was wet and smelled like piss when we picked it up from baggage claim. Welcome to India! By the time we arrived in Pondicherry, we crashed out. The following day we took a local bus to the beach which looked more like the local dump. The remainder of the time we walked around the town watching people's hygiene habits - peeing in the street, throwing up standing (how does one do that?), blowing snot rockets into their hands, all that good stuff.
Departure: 06/14/2009
Sight Seeing: The beach
People: Confusing
Food: Good
Accommodations: Good
Pictures: Pictures of India - Coming soon.
Summary: We've heard the first place you stay in India you will hate and I completely agree. Nothing against Pondicherry, but the culture shock was a lot to handle.
Details: Getting to India was a task in itself (1 hour taxi to India Embassy, 1 hour wait to pick up our India Visa, 1 hour taxi to airport, 3 hour wait for flight, 3 hour flight to Singapore, 8 hours overnight in the Singapore airport, 4 hour flight to India, 4 hour bus to Pondicherry). And to top it off our fun travel adventure, our backpack was wet and smelled like piss when we picked it up from baggage claim. Welcome to India! By the time we arrived in Pondicherry, we crashed out. The following day we took a local bus to the beach which looked more like the local dump. The remainder of the time we walked around the town watching people's hygiene habits - peeing in the street, throwing up standing (how does one do that?), blowing snot rockets into their hands, all that good stuff.
Jakarta -Java, Indonesia
Arrival: 06/03/2009
Departure: 06/10/2009
Sight Seeing: Freedom Park, India Embassy
People: Indifferent
Food: Delicious, lots of noodles!
Accommodations: Djody ($15 per night)
Pictures: Pictures of Indonesia
Summary: The only thing decent about Jakarta is the food. It's a hug city with over priced everything (except food). It's the LA of Indonesia.
Details: The only reason Adam and I went to Jakarta for an entire week was to get our India Visa. Luckily we found a room with AC, Indonesian TV, and internet, otherwise we wouldn't have lasted long. We walked around the city every morning when it was still relatively cool outside and didn't find much worth mentioning. The food stalls were delicious offering Mei Goreng, a fried noodle dish, and chicken noodle soup. That's all folks.
Departure: 06/10/2009
Sight Seeing: Freedom Park, India Embassy
People: Indifferent
Food: Delicious, lots of noodles!
Accommodations: Djody ($15 per night)
Pictures: Pictures of Indonesia
Summary: The only thing decent about Jakarta is the food. It's a hug city with over priced everything (except food). It's the LA of Indonesia.
Details: The only reason Adam and I went to Jakarta for an entire week was to get our India Visa. Luckily we found a room with AC, Indonesian TV, and internet, otherwise we wouldn't have lasted long. We walked around the city every morning when it was still relatively cool outside and didn't find much worth mentioning. The food stalls were delicious offering Mei Goreng, a fried noodle dish, and chicken noodle soup. That's all folks.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Surabaya - Java, Indonesia
Arrival: 06/01/2009
Departure: 06/03/2009
Sight Seeing: Chinatown
People: ???
Food: Good
Accommodations: Decent, minus the cockroaches ($12 per night)
Pictures: Pictures of Indonesia
Summary: Not much going on in this city for tourists. No one speaks English so that was interesting. I had a head cold so it was a good place to be sick and do nothing.
Departure: 06/03/2009
Sight Seeing: Chinatown
People: ???
Food: Good
Accommodations: Decent, minus the cockroaches ($12 per night)
Pictures: Pictures of Indonesia
Summary: Not much going on in this city for tourists. No one speaks English so that was interesting. I had a head cold so it was a good place to be sick and do nothing.
Cemoro Lawang - Java, Indonesia (countless jokes about the town name)
Arrival: 05/31/2009
Departure: 06/01/2009
Sight Seeing: Gunung Bromo (active volcano)
People: Decent
Food: Poor
Accommodations: Horrible... worse than a scary movie set.
Pictures: Pictures of Indonesia
Summary: Getting to the top of Gunung Bromo was quite a journey - from overnight buses, to hiking the 2329m volcano - but the views at the top were amazing.
Details: An overnight bus dropped us off in Probolinggo at 2am right in front of a tourist company. They proceeded to try and rip us off with volcano tour packages. After analyzing our options, we opted to be taken to the city where you start your hike up the volcano called Cemoro Lawang. The journey was not too bad considering we had almost a full bottle of Arak (a locally coconut fermented alcohol). By the time we arrived in Cemoro Lawang, the party continued until about 5am when we finally decided to catch some Z's. The next morning we talked around the local villages admiring their agriculture sometimes a little too close where we were walking through their fields trying to navigate back to the main road. I'm just glad firearms are illegal in Indonesia. The next morning we decided to start our hike at 4:15am to the top of Gunung Bromo to see the volcano at sunrise. Actually hiking the volcano was pretty easy, getting to the start of the trail was the hard part. Getting to the trail head consisted of us walking through clouds of fog across a foreign moon like field of black sand and lava rocks. Pretty trippy. But like I said, when you get to the top, it's all worth it. Luckily for us, the fog decided to part just long enough for us to enjoy the views and snap some pictures.
Departure: 06/01/2009
Sight Seeing: Gunung Bromo (active volcano)
People: Decent
Food: Poor
Accommodations: Horrible... worse than a scary movie set.
Pictures: Pictures of Indonesia
Summary: Getting to the top of Gunung Bromo was quite a journey - from overnight buses, to hiking the 2329m volcano - but the views at the top were amazing.
Details: An overnight bus dropped us off in Probolinggo at 2am right in front of a tourist company. They proceeded to try and rip us off with volcano tour packages. After analyzing our options, we opted to be taken to the city where you start your hike up the volcano called Cemoro Lawang. The journey was not too bad considering we had almost a full bottle of Arak (a locally coconut fermented alcohol). By the time we arrived in Cemoro Lawang, the party continued until about 5am when we finally decided to catch some Z's. The next morning we talked around the local villages admiring their agriculture sometimes a little too close where we were walking through their fields trying to navigate back to the main road. I'm just glad firearms are illegal in Indonesia. The next morning we decided to start our hike at 4:15am to the top of Gunung Bromo to see the volcano at sunrise. Actually hiking the volcano was pretty easy, getting to the start of the trail was the hard part. Getting to the trail head consisted of us walking through clouds of fog across a foreign moon like field of black sand and lava rocks. Pretty trippy. But like I said, when you get to the top, it's all worth it. Luckily for us, the fog decided to part just long enough for us to enjoy the views and snap some pictures.
Lovina - Bali, Indonesia
Arrival: 05/28/2009
Departure: 05/30/2009
Sight Seeing: Beach
People: Money Hungry
Food: Good
Accommodations: Decent ($6.5 per night)
Pictures: Pictures of Indonesia
Summary: Lovina has a short strip of a black sand beach, but the local continually harass you to buy transportation, jewelry, sarongs, etc. Does it look like I need transportation on the beach? NO! It left a sour taste in my mouth.
Departure: 05/30/2009
Sight Seeing: Beach
People: Money Hungry
Food: Good
Accommodations: Decent ($6.5 per night)
Pictures: Pictures of Indonesia
Summary: Lovina has a short strip of a black sand beach, but the local continually harass you to buy transportation, jewelry, sarongs, etc. Does it look like I need transportation on the beach? NO! It left a sour taste in my mouth.
Munduk - Bali, Indonesia
Arrival: 05/27/2009
Departure: 05/28/2009
Sight Seeing: Mountains
People: Indifferent
Food: Decent
Accommodations: Poor
Pictures: Pictures of Indonesia
Summary: Don't go here. There are a ton of stray dogs that look like they have rabies.
Departure: 05/28/2009
Sight Seeing: Mountains
People: Indifferent
Food: Decent
Accommodations: Poor
Pictures: Pictures of Indonesia
Summary: Don't go here. There are a ton of stray dogs that look like they have rabies.
Ubud - Bali, Indonesia
Arrival: 05/24/2009
Departure: 05/27/2009
Sight Seeing: Arts community, temple, white water rafting
People: Nice
Food: We finally ate burritos and they were excellent!
Accommodations: ???
Pictures: Pictures of Indonesia
Summary: Nestled inland and in between rice paddies, Ubud is a community of artists and art lovers. There's a ton of art galleries, tourist shops and restaurants giving Ubud a unique feel. Denise, Ryan, Adam, and I went white water rafting one day.
Departure: 05/27/2009
Sight Seeing: Arts community, temple, white water rafting
People: Nice
Food: We finally ate burritos and they were excellent!
Accommodations: ???
Pictures: Pictures of Indonesia
Summary: Nestled inland and in between rice paddies, Ubud is a community of artists and art lovers. There's a ton of art galleries, tourist shops and restaurants giving Ubud a unique feel. Denise, Ryan, Adam, and I went white water rafting one day.
Tulamben - Bali, Indonesia
Arrival: 05/16/2009, 05/23/2009
Departure: 05/19/2009, 05/24/2009
Sight Seeing: Snorkeling and diving
People: Friendly
Food: Decent
Accommodations: Coral ($8 per night)
Pictures: Pictures of Indonesia
Summary: Tulamben is another costal town. The black rocks that lead into the calm waters give it an eerie feel, but once you go into the water it's another story. Just 30 meter off the shore lays the remains of the U.S. Liberty which sank in 1963 from the eruption of a near by volcano. You can explore the ship, surround coral, and marine life by snorkeling or scuba diving. Adam and I did four scuba dives over two days and both agree it was one of the most amazing dives we've ever done. We saw barracuda, schools of jack fish, and tons of other tropical fish like Nemo and Dori. The diving was definitely a highlight of the trip.
Departure: 05/19/2009, 05/24/2009
Sight Seeing: Snorkeling and diving
People: Friendly
Food: Decent
Accommodations: Coral ($8 per night)
Pictures: Pictures of Indonesia
Summary: Tulamben is another costal town. The black rocks that lead into the calm waters give it an eerie feel, but once you go into the water it's another story. Just 30 meter off the shore lays the remains of the U.S. Liberty which sank in 1963 from the eruption of a near by volcano. You can explore the ship, surround coral, and marine life by snorkeling or scuba diving. Adam and I did four scuba dives over two days and both agree it was one of the most amazing dives we've ever done. We saw barracuda, schools of jack fish, and tons of other tropical fish like Nemo and Dori. The diving was definitely a highlight of the trip.
Candidasa - Bali, Indonesia
Arrival: 05/13/2009, 05/19/2009
Departure: 05/16/2009, 05/23/2009
Sight Seeing: The Beach
People: Friendly and Helpful
Food: Good
Accommodations: Kelappa Mas (The Golden Coconut)
Pictures: Pictures of Indonesia
Summary: Candidasa is a beautiful costal town. There used to be a coral reef off shore, but it was destroyed by dynamite fishing back in the day. Huge cylinder blocks of concrete are now placed where the coral once stood and break the waves of their continually pattern displaying a spectacular water. There are a number of restaurants and accommodations right on the water which makes Candidasa a very relaxing town.
Denise and Ryan joined us in Candidasa during our second trip and accompanied us for the following two weeks. Words can't describe how nice it was to see their familiar faces! We enjoyed their company and conversation. Love you guys!
Departure: 05/16/2009, 05/23/2009
Sight Seeing: The Beach
People: Friendly and Helpful
Food: Good
Accommodations: Kelappa Mas (The Golden Coconut)
Pictures: Pictures of Indonesia
Summary: Candidasa is a beautiful costal town. There used to be a coral reef off shore, but it was destroyed by dynamite fishing back in the day. Huge cylinder blocks of concrete are now placed where the coral once stood and break the waves of their continually pattern displaying a spectacular water. There are a number of restaurants and accommodations right on the water which makes Candidasa a very relaxing town.
Denise and Ryan joined us in Candidasa during our second trip and accompanied us for the following two weeks. Words can't describe how nice it was to see their familiar faces! We enjoyed their company and conversation. Love you guys!
Kuta - Bali, Indonesia
Arrival: 05/11/2009
Departure: 05/13/2009
Sight Seeing: Surfing Beach
People: Friendly, but sales focused
Food: Good
Accommodations: ???
Pictures: Pictures of Indonesia
Summary: Kuta is a dirty backpacker town just a short drive from the airport. Having no idea what to expect, we went there first. There is a long stretch of beach where surfers and too many people hangout.
Departure: 05/13/2009
Sight Seeing: Surfing Beach
People: Friendly, but sales focused
Food: Good
Accommodations: ???
Pictures: Pictures of Indonesia
Summary: Kuta is a dirty backpacker town just a short drive from the airport. Having no idea what to expect, we went there first. There is a long stretch of beach where surfers and too many people hangout.
Singapore, Singapore
Arrival: 05/08/2009
Departure: 05/11/2009
Sight Seeing: Orchard Road, Little India, Botanical Gardens, City Center
People: Friendly and Educated
Food: Excellent
Accommodations: Singapore Marriott
Pictures: Pictures of Singapore
Summary: Darcie found her new home in the Marriott.
Details: Adam and I booked a hotel in Singapore in advance so we wouldn't have to find accommodations in such a large and expensive city. We stayed at the Marriott and got hooked up with a beautiful room on the top floor. The view was incredible and really gave a good picture of how advanced Singapore is, with towering skyscrapers and jungle gardens intertwined. During check in we opted to pay a little extra for the executive package which included breakfast and happy hour. After we dropped our bags off, we walked around the city a little. Everything in Singapore is large. The buildings, the city blocks, the sidewalks, the trees. It's extremely clean and orderly. There are people everywhere and of all different races. Needless to say, it's a very entertaining city with excellent people watching. We ended up getting some sushi and heading back to the room to relax in our clean and comfortable accommodations. Later that night we were first in line for happy hour. We were expecting beer and peanuts, but what we got was far better than either of us could imagine. There all kinds of foods that we've been craving but haven't seen since the start of our trip. Not to mention a full bar with wine, beer, and spirits (no champagne though). Adam and I loaded up on everything multiple times through out the night. It was awesome!!! The rest of our time in Singapore involved walking, eating/drinking, and just relaxing in our nice room.
Departure: 05/11/2009
Sight Seeing: Orchard Road, Little India, Botanical Gardens, City Center
People: Friendly and Educated
Food: Excellent
Accommodations: Singapore Marriott
Pictures: Pictures of Singapore
Summary: Darcie found her new home in the Marriott.
Details: Adam and I booked a hotel in Singapore in advance so we wouldn't have to find accommodations in such a large and expensive city. We stayed at the Marriott and got hooked up with a beautiful room on the top floor. The view was incredible and really gave a good picture of how advanced Singapore is, with towering skyscrapers and jungle gardens intertwined. During check in we opted to pay a little extra for the executive package which included breakfast and happy hour. After we dropped our bags off, we walked around the city a little. Everything in Singapore is large. The buildings, the city blocks, the sidewalks, the trees. It's extremely clean and orderly. There are people everywhere and of all different races. Needless to say, it's a very entertaining city with excellent people watching. We ended up getting some sushi and heading back to the room to relax in our clean and comfortable accommodations. Later that night we were first in line for happy hour. We were expecting beer and peanuts, but what we got was far better than either of us could imagine. There all kinds of foods that we've been craving but haven't seen since the start of our trip. Not to mention a full bar with wine, beer, and spirits (no champagne though). Adam and I loaded up on everything multiple times through out the night. It was awesome!!! The rest of our time in Singapore involved walking, eating/drinking, and just relaxing in our nice room.
Monday, May 4, 2009
Melacca, Malaysia
Arrival: 05/03/09 at 12:00pm
Departure: 05/08/09 at 8:00am
Sight Seeing: Town
People: Friendly
Food: Delicious
Accommodations: Traveler's Lodge ($10)
Pictures: Pictures of Malaysia
Summary: Melacca, the underdog of South East Asia, has an amusement park list of things to do for just about any crowd. From bowling to museums by day, or Chinese street food stalls to lamp lite river walks at night, this town is by far the most fun and photogenic town we've seen.
Details: From the Lonely Planet travel book review, Adam and I almost skipped Melacca. It's a port town that has a similar characteristics to Georgetown, but with a much wider variety of things to do. Adam and I found ourselves strolling around the air conditioned mall where we watched the new movie Wolverine, ate McDonalds, and bowled four games until our arms were sore. Most of you know Adam and I pretty well and would be shocked to picture us hanging out at a mall, but it was quite enjoyable and all the activities were super cheap. Makes you wonder what you're paying for back home?
We also did several walking tours of the city mostly by night in the cool air, where we enjoyed the Portuguese architecture and the lamp lite river cobblestone walks. In Chinese town we enjoyed traditional Chinese tea and ate street food. The town was amazing as you'll see in the pictures. This was by far one of our favorite cities on the trip thus far.
Departure: 05/08/09 at 8:00am
Sight Seeing: Town
People: Friendly
Food: Delicious
Accommodations: Traveler's Lodge ($10)
Pictures: Pictures of Malaysia
Summary: Melacca, the underdog of South East Asia, has an amusement park list of things to do for just about any crowd. From bowling to museums by day, or Chinese street food stalls to lamp lite river walks at night, this town is by far the most fun and photogenic town we've seen.
Details: From the Lonely Planet travel book review, Adam and I almost skipped Melacca. It's a port town that has a similar characteristics to Georgetown, but with a much wider variety of things to do. Adam and I found ourselves strolling around the air conditioned mall where we watched the new movie Wolverine, ate McDonalds, and bowled four games until our arms were sore. Most of you know Adam and I pretty well and would be shocked to picture us hanging out at a mall, but it was quite enjoyable and all the activities were super cheap. Makes you wonder what you're paying for back home?
We also did several walking tours of the city mostly by night in the cool air, where we enjoyed the Portuguese architecture and the lamp lite river cobblestone walks. In Chinese town we enjoyed traditional Chinese tea and ate street food. The town was amazing as you'll see in the pictures. This was by far one of our favorite cities on the trip thus far.
Gemas, Malaysia
Arrival: 05/02/09 at 4:00pm
Departure: 05/03/09 at 9:00am
Sight Seeing: Small town
People: Extremely Friendly
Food: Delicious
Accommodations: Bee Hoa ($10)
Pictures: Pictures of Malaysia
Summary:Gemas is a small town with not much to do. We stopped there to break up the trip from Taman Negara National Park to Malacca. We’re sure glad we did…
Details: Getting to Gemas was quite a nice trip. We took a bus from Taman Negara to the train station in Tampin. From Tampin we took an express jungle train to Gemas. It was very comfortable, beautiful, and fast.
Our first order of duty was to find accommodations. The town was small so there were only about three options. We went with the cheapest.
The next order of duty was to get Adam a hair cut. An Indian man cut Adam’s hair and followed most of his instructions. He buzzed Adam’s hair to a short length and trimmed his beard. What he failed to do (or thought would look better) was trim Adam’s moustache, leaving Adam with the familiar Indian man mustache. LOL. The funnier thing is Adam didn’t notice his new Indian inspired look because after the hair cut, the barber/chiropractor adjusted Adam’s neck and cracked his ears. Adam rocked the mustache for the rest of the day and a few thereafter.
The final order of duty was to grab a beer. They don’t serve beer or alcohol in Taman Negara so we were a little thirsty. We walked around and saw a diverse group of older gentlemen sitting outside enjoying a few beers on a warm Saturday afternoon. We thought it looked like a good spot so plopped down at a table. A few beers later and we were chatting with them as best we could. Only one of them spoke English well. We did learn how to say cheers… sounds like “me-nom”. They were great company and we enjoyed ourselves immensely. I think Adam’s new look inspired them so much that they ended up picking up the entire tab. They were a great group of guys who really left a good impression of Malaysia and its small town charm.
Departure: 05/03/09 at 9:00am
Sight Seeing: Small town
People: Extremely Friendly
Food: Delicious
Accommodations: Bee Hoa ($10)
Pictures: Pictures of Malaysia
Summary:Gemas is a small town with not much to do. We stopped there to break up the trip from Taman Negara National Park to Malacca. We’re sure glad we did…
Details: Getting to Gemas was quite a nice trip. We took a bus from Taman Negara to the train station in Tampin. From Tampin we took an express jungle train to Gemas. It was very comfortable, beautiful, and fast.
Our first order of duty was to find accommodations. The town was small so there were only about three options. We went with the cheapest.
The next order of duty was to get Adam a hair cut. An Indian man cut Adam’s hair and followed most of his instructions. He buzzed Adam’s hair to a short length and trimmed his beard. What he failed to do (or thought would look better) was trim Adam’s moustache, leaving Adam with the familiar Indian man mustache. LOL. The funnier thing is Adam didn’t notice his new Indian inspired look because after the hair cut, the barber/chiropractor adjusted Adam’s neck and cracked his ears. Adam rocked the mustache for the rest of the day and a few thereafter.
The final order of duty was to grab a beer. They don’t serve beer or alcohol in Taman Negara so we were a little thirsty. We walked around and saw a diverse group of older gentlemen sitting outside enjoying a few beers on a warm Saturday afternoon. We thought it looked like a good spot so plopped down at a table. A few beers later and we were chatting with them as best we could. Only one of them spoke English well. We did learn how to say cheers… sounds like “me-nom”. They were great company and we enjoyed ourselves immensely. I think Adam’s new look inspired them so much that they ended up picking up the entire tab. They were a great group of guys who really left a good impression of Malaysia and its small town charm.
Taman Negara, Malaysia
Arrival: 04/29/09 at 5:00pm
Departure: 05/02/09 at 10:00am
Sight Seeing: Taman Negara National Park, Hiking, Canopy Walk
People: ???
Food: Have low expectations
Accommodations: Aki Challet ($15), Dorm ($5)
Pictures: Pictures of Malaysia
Summary: Taman Negara National Park is the jungle. It's hot, humid, and everything is big. The trees are big. The bugs are big. There are big animals, though we didn't see any (rinos, leopards, tigers, etc). It was an amazing experience.
Details: Adam and I did two hikes through the jungle. The first hike was beautiful. We walked along the water, reading signs about the local plant life. Then we walked the longest and tallest a canopy walk in the world. There was a series of about 10 rickety canopies that stretched from one giant tree to the next each ranging from about 10 to 60 meters in height. It was a lot of fun and a great way to see the jungle. No monkeys though. After the canopy, we hiked up to a peak to get a view of the jungle which stretched further than the eye could see.
The second hike started out very nice and similar. It had rained the night before and the particular trail we were on was a wet and a little muddy. We were headed to a hide – an large area where they put salt to attract local animals for people to see – which was on the other side of the river from the trail we were on. The trail indicated we needed to cross the river, but there was no bridge. After talking it over, we decided to proceed through the river to see how deep it was. If it was too deep we would head back. Adam and I were standing on some small rocks in river and Adam starting to take his shoes off. With a very direct calmness, Adam said “I don’t think we should cross.” At that point, I knew exactly what he was talking about. Leaches!!! Don’t read any further if you get grossed out by this stuff.
I panic and immediately and lifted my pant legs to inspect my boots and socks. Sure enough, my once very white sock was now very soaked with blood. First thought, GROSSSS!!! Second though, get away from the water to solid ground. Hopping, like a professional ballerina, a from rock to rock, I reached higher ground and took my shoe and sock off. Luckily, I didn’t find anything and thought the leach had fallen off somewhere but my foot was leaking blood very badly. Apparently leach bites make it harder for your blood to clot. Adam got his fair share of bites as well because his shoes were almost completely off when he noticed the leaches. After that, the hike was over for me. I high tailed it back to the part entrance where I could get as far away from leaches as possible and get cleaned up. On the way back, I got another leach (perhaps the missing one from before) that Adam helped me pull off. SO GROSS!!! I’m doing the heebie-geebie dance right now. I can handle most things in life, but blood sucking leaches is not one of them. We’re both okay now, at least physically. I think I’m scared mentally.
Departure: 05/02/09 at 10:00am
Sight Seeing: Taman Negara National Park, Hiking, Canopy Walk
People: ???
Food: Have low expectations
Accommodations: Aki Challet ($15), Dorm ($5)
Pictures: Pictures of Malaysia
Summary: Taman Negara National Park is the jungle. It's hot, humid, and everything is big. The trees are big. The bugs are big. There are big animals, though we didn't see any (rinos, leopards, tigers, etc). It was an amazing experience.
Details: Adam and I did two hikes through the jungle. The first hike was beautiful. We walked along the water, reading signs about the local plant life. Then we walked the longest and tallest a canopy walk in the world. There was a series of about 10 rickety canopies that stretched from one giant tree to the next each ranging from about 10 to 60 meters in height. It was a lot of fun and a great way to see the jungle. No monkeys though. After the canopy, we hiked up to a peak to get a view of the jungle which stretched further than the eye could see.
The second hike started out very nice and similar. It had rained the night before and the particular trail we were on was a wet and a little muddy. We were headed to a hide – an large area where they put salt to attract local animals for people to see – which was on the other side of the river from the trail we were on. The trail indicated we needed to cross the river, but there was no bridge. After talking it over, we decided to proceed through the river to see how deep it was. If it was too deep we would head back. Adam and I were standing on some small rocks in river and Adam starting to take his shoes off. With a very direct calmness, Adam said “I don’t think we should cross.” At that point, I knew exactly what he was talking about. Leaches!!! Don’t read any further if you get grossed out by this stuff.
I panic and immediately and lifted my pant legs to inspect my boots and socks. Sure enough, my once very white sock was now very soaked with blood. First thought, GROSSSS!!! Second though, get away from the water to solid ground. Hopping, like a professional ballerina, a from rock to rock, I reached higher ground and took my shoe and sock off. Luckily, I didn’t find anything and thought the leach had fallen off somewhere but my foot was leaking blood very badly. Apparently leach bites make it harder for your blood to clot. Adam got his fair share of bites as well because his shoes were almost completely off when he noticed the leaches. After that, the hike was over for me. I high tailed it back to the part entrance where I could get as far away from leaches as possible and get cleaned up. On the way back, I got another leach (perhaps the missing one from before) that Adam helped me pull off. SO GROSS!!! I’m doing the heebie-geebie dance right now. I can handle most things in life, but blood sucking leaches is not one of them. We’re both okay now, at least physically. I think I’m scared mentally.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Cameron Highlands, Malaysia
Arrival: 04/07/09 at 10:00am
Departure: 04/29/09 at 10:00am
Sight Seeing: Hiking, Tea Plantations
People: Friendly
Food: Same, same
Accommodations: Hillview Inn ($15)
Pictures: Pictures of Malaysia
Summary: Well Adam and I got intentionally stuck again. However, this time it wasn’t on the boiling beaches of paradise, rather the tropical jungles at a cool altitude of 6,000 ft. Known for the agriculture and tea plantations, the Cameron Highlands were a nice change of pace. The town was small and not really mentionable, but the jungle hikes, scenic views, and tea were very memorable. We hiked just about all of the trails on the map and met some cool people along the way.
Departure: 04/29/09 at 10:00am
Sight Seeing: Hiking, Tea Plantations
People: Friendly
Food: Same, same
Accommodations: Hillview Inn ($15)
Pictures: Pictures of Malaysia
Summary: Well Adam and I got intentionally stuck again. However, this time it wasn’t on the boiling beaches of paradise, rather the tropical jungles at a cool altitude of 6,000 ft. Known for the agriculture and tea plantations, the Cameron Highlands were a nice change of pace. The town was small and not really mentionable, but the jungle hikes, scenic views, and tea were very memorable. We hiked just about all of the trails on the map and met some cool people along the way.
Details: During our first hike it was raining cats and dogs (not even close to anything you would see in the Bay Area) and we couldn’t find the trail head to save our lives. Finally after we were soaked to the bone, we started the trails which lead us down a path following a water fall. The trail literally dumped us out in someone’s field where we walked about 6 km up a paved road to the Boh Tea Plantation. The walk was breathtaking. The top of the bushy tea plants are cut flat at about three feet for easy picking. Put thousands of these plants tight together, you get a rich green pattern that covers the hill sides. Now add a little mist, fog, and a stream for effect and you get about the most beautiful thing in the world. Definitely top ten thus far. While we were relaxing our legs and enjoying a cup of tea at the plantation, we asked a German couple if we could hitch a ride with them back to town. They obliged and we were off. Half way there, we realized they were headed to a different town so they dropped us off at a main road where we proceeded to walk with our thumbs out in the breeze. Within a few cars, we found ourselves sitting in the bed of a covered truck heading through the windy roads into town. It was an awesome day!
A couple of days later, we did a strenuous hike to a local mountain peak where the trail was held together by massive tree roots. Most of the trail was pretty steep where your feet had to step up higher than your knees literally each step. After I had a heart attack and a mental breakdown, we made it to the top where we met a very nice Irish couple and chit chatted for about 30 minutes. Then it was time to head back down. The roots holding the trail together were wet and slippery from rain fall and made the hike down challenging. Adam slipped and fell into some mud, which was pretty hilarious. Then I fell and hit the side of my butt on a root which gave me a bruise the size of a football. It was a memorable hike to say the least.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Georgetown - Penang, Malaysia
Arrival: 04/01/09 9:00pm
Departure: 04/07/09 at 6:30am
Sight Seeing: Town
People: Friendly
Food: Amazing! One of the best meals I've ever had!
Accommodations: Stardust ($10)
Pictures: Pictures of Malaysia
Summary: Penang is an island located off the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia with beautiful architecture and mouth watering food. Known as the food capital of Malaysia, you can all guess that Adam and I had a wonderful time there.
Over staying our Thailand visa by one day, getting to Penang was a little nerve racking. We ended up paying a pretty penny for our miscalculation at the border, but the rest of our journey was smooth sailing. Immediately after entering Malaysia, we noticed the beautiful scenery and the smooth roads. A nice change from the places we've previously traveled. We ended up staying in a loft with a shared bathroom, as it's almost impossible to get a room with a private bath. Our daily routine consisted of rising early to go on a walk around the town, eating a ridiculous Indian lunch (usually butter tika masala), and working or reading the rest of the day. It was hot and humid most and in the afternoon it would raid buckets (literally) with thunder and lightning. Adam and I got stuck walking in a torrential downpour of rain one day and we got completely soaked from head to toe. It was a lot of fun. We've never seen rain like that!
Departure: 04/07/09 at 6:30am
Sight Seeing: Town
People: Friendly
Food: Amazing! One of the best meals I've ever had!
Accommodations: Stardust ($10)
Pictures: Pictures of Malaysia
Summary: Penang is an island located off the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia with beautiful architecture and mouth watering food. Known as the food capital of Malaysia, you can all guess that Adam and I had a wonderful time there.
Over staying our Thailand visa by one day, getting to Penang was a little nerve racking. We ended up paying a pretty penny for our miscalculation at the border, but the rest of our journey was smooth sailing. Immediately after entering Malaysia, we noticed the beautiful scenery and the smooth roads. A nice change from the places we've previously traveled. We ended up staying in a loft with a shared bathroom, as it's almost impossible to get a room with a private bath. Our daily routine consisted of rising early to go on a walk around the town, eating a ridiculous Indian lunch (usually butter tika masala), and working or reading the rest of the day. It was hot and humid most and in the afternoon it would raid buckets (literally) with thunder and lightning. Adam and I got stuck walking in a torrential downpour of rain one day and we got completely soaked from head to toe. It was a lot of fun. We've never seen rain like that!
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Koh Lanta, Thailand
Arrival: 03/06/09 10:00am
Departure: 04/01/09 at 8:00am
Sight Seeing: Beach
People: Friendly
Food: Delicious
Accommodations: Lanta Sunny House ($15)
Pictures: Pictures of Thailand
Summary: We'll what can I say. Adam and I got stuck on a beautiful tropical island for almost a month. Can you blame us? Garth and Janelle visited us for almost two weeks and we had a ton of fun! We went scuba diving around Koh Ha and saw a bunch of colorful fish I don't know the names of. We took a Thai cooking class and got to wear ridiculous chef hats and learned what turmeric root looks like. We rented motor bikes and took them off roading in the islands National Park where we saw a bat cave and dripping "waterfall". We lived it up in Garth and Janelle's swanky villa with their own private pool over looking the ocean. Yeah, it's the life.
Departure: 04/01/09 at 8:00am
Sight Seeing: Beach
People: Friendly
Food: Delicious
Accommodations: Lanta Sunny House ($15)
Pictures: Pictures of Thailand
Summary: We'll what can I say. Adam and I got stuck on a beautiful tropical island for almost a month. Can you blame us? Garth and Janelle visited us for almost two weeks and we had a ton of fun! We went scuba diving around Koh Ha and saw a bunch of colorful fish I don't know the names of. We took a Thai cooking class and got to wear ridiculous chef hats and learned what turmeric root looks like. We rented motor bikes and took them off roading in the islands National Park where we saw a bat cave and dripping "waterfall". We lived it up in Garth and Janelle's swanky villa with their own private pool over looking the ocean. Yeah, it's the life.
Friday, March 13, 2009
Koh Phi Phi (sounds like pee pee), Thailand
Arrival: 03/04/09 10:00am
Departure: 03/06/09 at 12:00pm
Sight Seeing: Beach
People: Friendly
Food: Delicious
Accommodations: US Guesthouse ($20, it's expensive)
Pictures: Pictures of Thailand
Summary: Koh Phi Phi is aptly named for all the young beautiful drunks taking in the nightlife. The only way to get around the island is by boat as there are no roads. The main pier where Adam and I were dropped off is where most visitors stay and enjoy the beach, shopping, and food and drink of course. Face one direction and you'll see the pier and it's dark blue waters, do a 180 and you'll see the other side of the island and a shallow turquoise bay. A small stretch of land literally connects the islands. To take it all in, check out the breathtaking view point, a well worth 75 flights of stairs straight up, that will give you views of both sides of the water. The 2004 Tsunami almost completely wiped out Koh Phi Phi, but things are back to business now. There's not much to do but lay out in the sun or watch fellow sun burned travelers apply sunscreen. Not a bad life eh?
Departure: 03/06/09 at 12:00pm
Sight Seeing: Beach
People: Friendly
Food: Delicious
Accommodations: US Guesthouse ($20, it's expensive)
Pictures: Pictures of Thailand
Summary: Koh Phi Phi is aptly named for all the young beautiful drunks taking in the nightlife. The only way to get around the island is by boat as there are no roads. The main pier where Adam and I were dropped off is where most visitors stay and enjoy the beach, shopping, and food and drink of course. Face one direction and you'll see the pier and it's dark blue waters, do a 180 and you'll see the other side of the island and a shallow turquoise bay. A small stretch of land literally connects the islands. To take it all in, check out the breathtaking view point, a well worth 75 flights of stairs straight up, that will give you views of both sides of the water. The 2004 Tsunami almost completely wiped out Koh Phi Phi, but things are back to business now. There's not much to do but lay out in the sun or watch fellow sun burned travelers apply sunscreen. Not a bad life eh?
Phuket, Thailand
Arrival: 03/03/09 3:00am
Departure: 03/04/09 at 8:00pm
Sight Seeing: Phuket Town, Market
People: Friendly
Food: So happy to have Thai food again. Delicious!!!
Accommodations: On On Guesthouse (where they filmed part of The Beach)
Pictures: Pictures of Thailand
Summary: Adam and I were only in Phuket Town for less than a day. We didn't make it to the beach where I assume most people were. We got caught in a crazy thunder storm in our hotel where we watched the lightning and rain with other fellow onlookers.
Departure: 03/04/09 at 8:00pm
Sight Seeing: Phuket Town, Market
People: Friendly
Food: So happy to have Thai food again. Delicious!!!
Accommodations: On On Guesthouse (where they filmed part of The Beach)
Pictures: Pictures of Thailand
Summary: Adam and I were only in Phuket Town for less than a day. We didn't make it to the beach where I assume most people were. We got caught in a crazy thunder storm in our hotel where we watched the lightning and rain with other fellow onlookers.
Halong Bay, Vietnam
Arrival: 02/21/09 1:00am
Departure: 02/23/09 at 9:00pm
Sight Seeing: Halong Bay, Cat Ba
People: Friendly
Food: The food was complementary with our tour and was repetitive. You can only have so much rice, boiled cabbage, and squid in one weekend.
Accommodations: First night on the Boat (sweet), second night somewhere on Cat Ba.
Pictures: Pictures of Vietnam
Summary: An absolute must see! With over 3,000 islands towering in the turquoise water, you get the eerie feeling that they really once were dragons.
Details: After a five hour bus ride to the Halong Bay, we boarded our boat properly named, Imperial Junk. Surprisingly, it was quite nice and we even had a private room with toiled and shower! We cruised around the bay, impressed by the countless islands that were slowly revealed through the fog and rain. Cave exploring was the first stop on the agenda. Now, Adam and I are no strangers to caves and what a tourist trap they can be (Side note: we biked an additional 10 miles up hill in Ireland to see the amazing Aleway Caves, which turned a bigger crowd for their potato bar than the unimpressive caves). However, the caves in Halong Bay were very impressive, minus the neon lights used to illuminate the stalagmites and stalagtights Next stop, kayaking. The calm waters made kayaking around the islands fun and relaxing (I can say that because Adam was doing all the work). That night we enjoyed dinner on the boat amongst our other tour group members followed by karaoke that we listened to from the comfort of our cabin. That night, we were rocked fast asleep by the calm waves of the bay. The next day we stayed on Cat Ba which had a beautiful walkway along the limestone mountain with staggering views of the beach and other islands. The next day we were ready to head back and ditch the tour food.
Departure: 02/23/09 at 9:00pm
Sight Seeing: Halong Bay, Cat Ba
People: Friendly
Food: The food was complementary with our tour and was repetitive. You can only have so much rice, boiled cabbage, and squid in one weekend.
Accommodations: First night on the Boat (sweet), second night somewhere on Cat Ba.
Pictures: Pictures of Vietnam
Summary: An absolute must see! With over 3,000 islands towering in the turquoise water, you get the eerie feeling that they really once were dragons.
Details: After a five hour bus ride to the Halong Bay, we boarded our boat properly named, Imperial Junk. Surprisingly, it was quite nice and we even had a private room with toiled and shower! We cruised around the bay, impressed by the countless islands that were slowly revealed through the fog and rain. Cave exploring was the first stop on the agenda. Now, Adam and I are no strangers to caves and what a tourist trap they can be (Side note: we biked an additional 10 miles up hill in Ireland to see the amazing Aleway Caves, which turned a bigger crowd for their potato bar than the unimpressive caves). However, the caves in Halong Bay were very impressive, minus the neon lights used to illuminate the stalagmites and stalagtights Next stop, kayaking. The calm waters made kayaking around the islands fun and relaxing (I can say that because Adam was doing all the work). That night we enjoyed dinner on the boat amongst our other tour group members followed by karaoke that we listened to from the comfort of our cabin. That night, we were rocked fast asleep by the calm waves of the bay. The next day we stayed on Cat Ba which had a beautiful walkway along the limestone mountain with staggering views of the beach and other islands. The next day we were ready to head back and ditch the tour food.
Hanoi, Vietnam
Arrival: 02/19/09 6:00am
Departure: 3/3/09 at 1:30pm
Sight Seeing: Old Town, Vietnamese Water Puppet Show, Ho Chi Minh Monument, Halong Bay (see other blog posting)
People: Friendly for the most part
Food: Everything but Pho is fried. Delicious but tiring after a few meals.
Accommodations: Hanoi Guest House ($10 per night)
Pictures: Pictures of Vietnam
Summary: At first experience, Hanoi is an intimidating city with obstacle courses for sidewalks and motorbikes eager to honk for no apparent reason. After about 15 minutes of walking around, you're gut reaction will be to crawl into a hole and hide. However, if you linger in the city long enough, you might discover some of its surprising charm.
Details: For humor more than anything, Adam and I checked out a Vietnamese water puppet show. Once started in a small Vietnamese village to entertain the children, the puppet show has now become more of a tourist attraction. There are musicians, narrators, and people standing in water waist deep that control the dancing wooden puppets, which are strikingly similar to the puppets used in Team America. I have to admit it was pretty entertaining, but if the show were to go on any longer than the 30 minutes, I probably wouldn't have enjoyed it as much.
"Asian Driver" - After years of cursing the "Asian Driver", I can honestly say that I have a better understanding to their method of madness. In Vietnam, it appears that there are absolutely no rules of the road. However, there is an unexplainable understanding and flow of traffic. Cars and motorbikes will... drive down the wrong side of the road as long as it's not for long, only slow down in an intersection if there is something bigger in the way (unlike the US, anything bigger than you has the right of way so pedestrians and bicycles are screwed), merge to the far left lane of the wrong side of the road to make a left turn before entering the intersection so they don't have to stop, and honk for no apparent reason literally just holding down the horn. My experience has given me a greater appreciation and understanding of the Asian Driver.
Departure: 3/3/09 at 1:30pm
Sight Seeing: Old Town, Vietnamese Water Puppet Show, Ho Chi Minh Monument, Halong Bay (see other blog posting)
People: Friendly for the most part
Food: Everything but Pho is fried. Delicious but tiring after a few meals.
Accommodations: Hanoi Guest House ($10 per night)
Pictures: Pictures of Vietnam
Summary: At first experience, Hanoi is an intimidating city with obstacle courses for sidewalks and motorbikes eager to honk for no apparent reason. After about 15 minutes of walking around, you're gut reaction will be to crawl into a hole and hide. However, if you linger in the city long enough, you might discover some of its surprising charm.
Details: For humor more than anything, Adam and I checked out a Vietnamese water puppet show. Once started in a small Vietnamese village to entertain the children, the puppet show has now become more of a tourist attraction. There are musicians, narrators, and people standing in water waist deep that control the dancing wooden puppets, which are strikingly similar to the puppets used in Team America. I have to admit it was pretty entertaining, but if the show were to go on any longer than the 30 minutes, I probably wouldn't have enjoyed it as much.
"Asian Driver" - After years of cursing the "Asian Driver", I can honestly say that I have a better understanding to their method of madness. In Vietnam, it appears that there are absolutely no rules of the road. However, there is an unexplainable understanding and flow of traffic. Cars and motorbikes will... drive down the wrong side of the road as long as it's not for long, only slow down in an intersection if there is something bigger in the way (unlike the US, anything bigger than you has the right of way so pedestrians and bicycles are screwed), merge to the far left lane of the wrong side of the road to make a left turn before entering the intersection so they don't have to stop, and honk for no apparent reason literally just holding down the horn. My experience has given me a greater appreciation and understanding of the Asian Driver.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Hoi An, Vietnam
Arrival: 02/15/09 7:00am
Departure: 2/18/09 at 1:30pm
Sight Seeing: Beach, Market, My Son,
People: Friendly
Food: Delicious, great seafood
Accommodations: Grassland Hotel ($10 per night)
Pictures: Pictures of Vietnam
Summary: Hoi An is a fusion of Asian and European culture in a quaint, cobble stone covered, village by a river that flows to the South China Ocean. You can chill out on the beach, grab a bite to eat by the river, or show off your new custom made outfit or shoes around the town. It is by far one of our favorite cities offering a variety of things to see and do.
Details: I've decided not to bore you with the daily activities of our trip but to focus on the highlights, cultural information, and lessons learned.
Hello Moto: After cursing the countless motorbikes, Adam and I finally broke down and decided to rent one for half a day. We found an eager man willing to rent one to us for $8 and after some haggling we ended up getting it for only $5. Living up to his word, he met us at our hotel the following morning at 7am with a relatively new, automatic motorbike and two helmets. Adam was the first to give it a test drive. I opted to watch from the sidelines as he got more comfortable with maneuvering it. With all his experience on a bicycle, Adam picked it up in no time. I was next. With my helmet strapped to my head so tight that it was giving me a wicked double chin, I hopped on the bike and gave it a little gas. My shaky arms made it challenging at first but I got the hang of it too. I turned the bike back over to Adam and hopped on the back and we were off to see some more ancient ruins in My Son, meaning beautiful mountain in Vietnamese. The hour ride led us through picturesque rice paddy fields and windy roads through small villages. After getting off the bike, our ears were ringing from the wind. It was great! We explore the ruins, which were beautiful, but couldn't hold a candle to Angkor Wat. I guess we're a little spoiled now. I drove most of the way back "home". We had a wonderful time and are already considering getting a bike when we get back home.
Vietnamese Cuisine: As most of you know, Adam and I are big fans of cooking and even bigger fans of food. In Hoi An we took a cooking class where we had our own personal instructor that taught us how to make three Vietnamese dishes, including fish in a banana leaf, sweet and sour pork, and fried shrimp cake. The class took about an hour and a half and we got to eat our tasty meal at the end. It was a ton of fun and we're very excited to cook it for everyone when we return home. 
Bigfoot: Hoi An is a maze of cobblestone streets and old yellow buildings, now converted into hundreds of shops, from clothing stores with personal seamstresses to art galleries. You can get just about anything for a great deal. I opted to have a pair of sandals custom made to fit my big feet. I've never had someone measure my feet in three places and take down a custom design of my choice. After a day and $7 dollars later, I was sporting my new sandals with a smile.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Nha Trang, Vietnam
Arrival: 02/11/09 7:00pm
Departure: 02/14/09 7:00pm
Sight Seeing: Beach, market
People: Friendly
Food: Delicious, great seafood
Accommodations: Song Linh Hotel ($10 per night)
Pictures: Pictures of Vietnam
Summary: Nha Trang is a wonderful combination of city and beach without that many tourists. You can layout on the beach, grub on some super cheap seafood, or shop around the city. There are also a ton of islands to check out.
Details: We arrived after dark so we immediately took a motorbike (yes, at one point I cursed these buzzing bikes, but they are so much fun and way too cheap to pass up) to our hotel. Shortly thereafter we found ourselves in a Vietnamese restaurant eating fried tofu and rice with a tasty cold beer. After the long bus ride and dinner we decided to call it an early night.
The following morning, I checked our the market, which was just as uneventful as all the previous markets we have visited. No more markets for me. Adam and I ended up getting a killer seafood dinner with prawns, red snapper, and veggies all for a reasonable price.
The next day Adam worked and I relaxed on the beach. That night we had more seafood in the form of a hot pot which is basically a where the server cooks your food on a burner they place on your table. It was better than I thought it would be. Traveler tip: always have low expectations and you're sure to be pleasantly surprised, most of the time that is. That was another early night.
After laying out on the beach and getting a mile sun burn, or a base coat depending on how you look at it, we checked out of our hotel and stood on the street corner contemplating how we were going to kill seven hours until our bus to Hoi An arrived. With perfect timing, our motorbike driver, Quy Nguyen, came strolling along. After several failed attempts at trying to get us to go somewhere, he finally convinced us to go have a beer with him. 
Now this was not just any beer. It's called Beer Hoi and just a few street vendors sell it for 7,000 dong ($0.50) for one liter. AWESOME!!! Adam and I kicked ourselves for not knowing about this beer earlier. Eight liters of beer later, Quy and his buddies were reading our palms, telling our future, and teaching us how to say Happy New Year in Vietnamese (Choc Mung Nam Moi). It turned out to be the perfect way to kill some time. We ended up going on a walk around the town later, where my sturdy flip flops gave out and I had to go back to the market for another pair of sandals (which turned out to be horrible). After grubbing on some so-called indian food we made it back to our hotel where the bus to Hoi An picked us up. We arrived in Hoi An eleven hours later. Whew!
Friday, February 13, 2009
Mui Ne, Vietnam
Arrival: 02/10/09 1:30pm
Departure: 02/11/09 1:30pm
Sight Seeing: Beach, Sand dunes
People: Friendly
Food: Delicious
Accommodations: Ngi Than ($10 per night)
Pictures: Pictures of Vietnam
Summary: Mui Ne was an old fishing town at one end of the beach and a wanna be high end beach resort town at the other end. I wouldn't recommend stopping unless you want to break up the 10 hour drive from Ho Chi Minh City to Nha Trang.
Details: After another five hour bus ride, Adam and I were happy to stretch our legs with a walk on Mui Ne beach. It was overcast and humid. On the northern end of the beach, there were hundreds of fishing boats in the harbor. We could see the unfortunate effects of the fishing industry after walking on the trash filled beach. I wouldn't recommend swimming in the water, but it was very beautiful to look at. We discovered the town had little to offer but a few restaurants and beach resorts where Adam ordered a watery coconut. It doesn't taste anything like you would imagine. The rest of the evening we laid low and relaxed in our cheap accommodations. The next morning we caught a cab to the famous sand dunes. There was a big miscommunication between us and the cab driver who wanted to take us to some other sand dunes that were lord knows how far away. It ended up costing us way more that we planned on spending but it happens. We we arrived at the closer sand dunes and they were anything but memorable. I guess that's what you get for living in the most beautiful place in the world, California. 
After lunch, we caught a 1:30 bus heading towards Nha Trang, another beach town.
Friday, February 6, 2009
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Arrival: 02/05/09 3:30pm
Departure: 02/10/09 8:00am
Sight Seeing: American/Vietnam War Remnants Museum, Fine Arts Museum, Markets
People: Friendly
Food: Delicious and cheap
Accommodations: Ms. Hai's House ($12 per night)
Pictures: Pictures of Vietnam
Summary: Ho Chi Minh City is a wonderful big city, but with a small town feel. The motorbikes hum through the clean streets like a swarm of bees, the markets are filled with every kind of produce imaginable and the latest Vietnamese gossip, and the tall buildings light the night sky with a rainbow of color. The people always seem to be happy showing a friendly smile.
Details: Immediately upon entering Vietnam, Adam and I could see a significant difference in terrain and economic status compared to Cambodia. Fields of green agriculture and palm trees swept the landscape giving it us a beautiful welcome. As we entered Ho Chi Minh City, we were excited to see a bustling and clean city. Our first order of business was to find accommodations. Being dropped off in the backpackers quarters there were plenty of options from hotels to guest houses. We were lead down a labyrinth of small alley ways where the casual Vietnamese families gossiped in the streets and sold food. A family owned guest house gladly welcomed us to stay in their home. The room was wonderful with a comfortable double bed, TV with cable, fan, balcony, "regular" toilet and shower, and internet!
We walked around the backpacker's area and found a restaurant where they only served one dish - Pho, a traditional Vietnamese soup with rice noodles. It was delicious! If you haven't tried it back home, give it a shot. The Vietnamese are know for combining the perfect amount of flavors and textures to their dishes.
The next day, Adam and I decided to follow a walking tour suggested in Lonely Planet. Our first stop was the indoor market. The market was quite similar to the one we visited in Siem Reap and they sold clothes, shoes, jewelry, produce, fish, meats, souvenirs, and toiletries. As we continued on our walk, we passed the Reunification Palace and stopped in at a small restaurant for a beer. Much to Adam's delight, they just fried up a fresh batch of chicken. Adam's eyes twinkled at the sight and he ordered one immediately. With a tasty treat in our belly's our next destination was the American War Remnants Museum. Walking through the museum left both Adam and me with mixed feelings. The Vietnamese told a brutal one-sided story of the war with gruesome pictures and some things that are to disturbing to mention in this blog. In either case, it appeared as through the 16 year long war affected numerous people and families from both parties and like most wars, was probably unnecessary. On the walk back we strolled through a shady park and enjoyed the dry warm breeze.
The rest of our stay in Ho Chi Minh City was a little less eventful. Adam got food poisoning from some fried frog he ate the day before so we laid low in our comfortable accommodations. He's back to normal and we're excited about heading north to the beach.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Phonm Penh, Cambodia
Arrival: 02/01/09 3:30pm
Departure: 02/05/09 6:45am
Sight Seeing: Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum
People: Sketchy
Food: Sketchy
Accommodations: Angkor Hotel - everything was broke but it was a great place to get catch up on sleep ($15 per night). PKD1 Guest House - clean, but a little noisy at night ($10 per night)
Pictures: Pictures of Cambodia
Summary: One of the dirties cities we've ever visited. It a good hub and the Genocide Museum was very interesting. There is no need to be here more than one day, unless you're like us, and are waiting for your visas.
Details: Our overall advice for Cambodia would be to fly into Siem Reap for a week or so before flying to, uh, anywhere that isn’t Cambodia. Hell, even Bakersfield would be an improvement.
If, however, you find yourself stuck in Cambodia’s capitol, Phnom Penh, it’s best to avoid the pungent smells of the city by staying indoors with a cold beer (or 24 in our case). Phnom Penh is without a doubt one of the worst places we have ever seen, though one must bear in mind the tragic events this country- and this city in particular- have undergone in recent history.
Imagine if, only 40 years ago, everyone was evacuated from Washington, D.C, not to return for four years. Now imagine that the capitol’s deserted schools were transformed into concentration camps responsible for torturing and murdering the so-called “traitors to the revolution” as well as their wives and children. Well, that’s basically what happened in Phnom Penh.
The Khmer Rouge Regime was a destructive communist party of Cambodia from 1975-1979. Most of their power was lost after a Vietnamese invasion in 1978, but it wasn’t until 1998 when they lost all power. The Khmer Rouge Regime executed, tortured, starved, and forced labor on innocent civilians of Cambodia killing an estimated 1.5 million people (1/5 of Cambodia’s population at the time). These horrifying acts of genocide are strikingly similar to Germany’s Nazi party.
Tuol Sleng, a genocide museum in Phonm Pehn, was a secondary school turned killing ground during the Khmer Rouge Regime. Where monkey bars became gruesome accomplices to torture and former class rooms where used as cells. Entering and exploring the museum is a heartbreaking and tear jerking experience to say the least. Viewing the prison cells, torture methods and devices, and photographs of all the victims helps you understand why Cambodia remains one of the poorest nations in the world. The massive extermination of 1.5 million innocent women, children, and men only occurred less than 40 years ago.
When the Khmer Rouge Regime was defeated by Vietnamese troops in 1979, survivors returned to Phnom Penh, hoping to rebuild their lives.
Friday, January 30, 2009
How We Did It...
As I was lying in bed a few minutes ago, still attempting to adjust to local times, it occurred to me that some of you might be curious as to how Adam and I made this trip possible. This past year (2008) has been a whirlwind for both of us. Let's recap:
Some of you might also be curious how we are funding this grand adventure and surprisingly it's not as impossible as you think. We chose South East Asia for a couple of reasons. First and foremost, it's absolutely beautiful and second, it's dirt cheap. Saving money monthly through out our careers has helped give us the opportunity to do this, but you really don't need all that much. A one-way plane ticket will cost you around $1,000. If you can travel with a buddy, then you will be cutting your costs significantly. For example, we're currently staying in a decent room with two beds, bath, and shower for $8 a day for the two of us. That's $4 per person. Not bad! Food will typically go for about the same as your accommodations, give or take a little depending on the location and your drinking habits. We're spending about $15 a day on food and beer. If you stay in one location for a long period of time, your money will go even further as you get to know the local deals and won't be paying transportation costs. Getting around and border crossings are other costs to consider. We've been traveling mainly by bus and taxi thus far and it's very accommodating and reasonable (e.g. we bought a bus ticket from Ko Chang Thailand to PoiPet for $5 each). Visas on the other hand can get costly. They can range anywhere from $20 to $50 per person. Also, keep in mind there will be additional costs associated with sight seeing or shopping. All in all, you major expense will be getting there so the longer you go, the more sense it makes.
Having a budget will help keep things on track and possibly stretch the duration of the trip. Our primary funding is coming from our businesses, saved monies, and a few other areas (i.e. selling our furniture/stuff and renting the car).
If you have a passion for travel, it might not be as difficult as you thought. Take a look at your situation and see if it's possible. Happy travels!
- Starting a Business: In January, we started our partnership and launched our first online product. The entire process was extremely educational and proved to be quite fun so we moved forward with several other online products and strategies.
- Transitioning Jobs: In February, Darcie left her job to work on the business while Adam continued in his 40 hour a week position. About six months later, Darcie found the perfect part time job at a local community college. Just before the trip, both Darcie and Adam left their jobs permanently.
- Teaching a Class: In October, we found ourselves developing and teaching a short course at De Anza on Internet marketing and how to create an online business. It was an awesome experience and we definitely plan to do it again.
- Getting Married: After five years of dating, we were married on November 15th at Palmdale Estates in Fremont, California. Friends and family were there to celebrate.
- Planning for a Long-term Trip: It wasn't until after the wedding that we really started to plan for our trip.
Some of you might also be curious how we are funding this grand adventure and surprisingly it's not as impossible as you think. We chose South East Asia for a couple of reasons. First and foremost, it's absolutely beautiful and second, it's dirt cheap. Saving money monthly through out our careers has helped give us the opportunity to do this, but you really don't need all that much. A one-way plane ticket will cost you around $1,000. If you can travel with a buddy, then you will be cutting your costs significantly. For example, we're currently staying in a decent room with two beds, bath, and shower for $8 a day for the two of us. That's $4 per person. Not bad! Food will typically go for about the same as your accommodations, give or take a little depending on the location and your drinking habits. We're spending about $15 a day on food and beer. If you stay in one location for a long period of time, your money will go even further as you get to know the local deals and won't be paying transportation costs. Getting around and border crossings are other costs to consider. We've been traveling mainly by bus and taxi thus far and it's very accommodating and reasonable (e.g. we bought a bus ticket from Ko Chang Thailand to PoiPet for $5 each). Visas on the other hand can get costly. They can range anywhere from $20 to $50 per person. Also, keep in mind there will be additional costs associated with sight seeing or shopping. All in all, you major expense will be getting there so the longer you go, the more sense it makes.
Having a budget will help keep things on track and possibly stretch the duration of the trip. Our primary funding is coming from our businesses, saved monies, and a few other areas (i.e. selling our furniture/stuff and renting the car).
If you have a passion for travel, it might not be as difficult as you thought. Take a look at your situation and see if it's possible. Happy travels!
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Siem Reap, Cambodia
Arrival: 01/27/09 noon
Departure: 02/01/09 10:00am
Sight Seeing: Market, Angkor Wat, Pub Street
People: Awesome and friendly
Food: 50/50 depending on where you go
Accommodations: Green Town - comfortable, cheap, but noisy ($8 per night for the both of us)
Pictures: Pictures of Cambodia
Summary: Siem Reap and Angkor Wat should be on everyone’s life list of things to do. It is an amazing city, with beautiful sites, friendly people, and reasonable accommodations. It's basically a backpacker’s dream.
Details: After waiting at the taxi station for about 15 minutes, a young couple, Crystal (Aussie) and Quain (South African), showed up and we headed to Siem Reap. After a two hour taxi ride we arrived in Siem Reap where we promptly exchanged money, got accommodations, and checked out the town. Our first destination was a short walk down the river to the local market where they had everything from produce to shoes. I looked around for sandals and a skirt but didn’t get anything (it’s nearly impossible to find a woman’s size 10 in any Asian country). Adam tried some fried cricket which he said it was good and tasted like a chip. Tip: don't eat the tail.
I was in need of some food so we stayed in the market area and checked out a restaurant. It wasn’t all that great but the Anchor Beer was fabulous. We continued to another restaurant to relax with a pint and met a guy named Alex who came from Chicago. After chatting with him for a bit we headed back to the hotel where we met Dave (U.K.) and Yohanna (Denmark) a promptly had another beer followed by dinner which was exceptional.
The next morning we got up early and got a tuk tuk to give us a tour of Angkor Wat. Having no expectations, I was completely blown away.
Located a few miles north of Siem Reap, Angkor Wat is a stunning collection of ancient cities. The ruins are every bit as important and incredible as Machu Pichu. The Angkor civilization ruled much of SE Asia throughout the 9th and 13th centuries. The ancient structures and temples built between 800 and 1200 AD. It literally looks like the set of an Indiana Jones movie. Words can't describe how breathtaking this site is. The first day we looked at most of the further temples to take advantage of the tuk tuk. After an exhausting day of sight seeing we went back to our guest house.
On day two, we opted to rent bicycles to check out more of Angkor Wat. There and back we probably biked about 15 miles. It was definitely a highlight of the trip. Afterward, we cleaned up and treated ourselves with pizza and beer. Another highlight of the trip. The following days in Siem Reap, we basically bumed around and caught up on some writing. All in all, the town was wonderful.
Poipet, Thailand
Arrival: 01/26/09 midnight
Departure: 01/27/09 8:00am
Sight Seeing: N/A
People: N/A
Food: N/A
Accommodations: Comfortable and cheap
Pictures: Pictures of Thailand
Summary: Poipet is a border town. That’s all.
Details: We arrived late and slept deeply. The following morning, we got our Cambodia visas, a taxi, and headed to the border. Crossing through the Thailand and Cambodia border was expensive but necessary. After getting our visa’s stamped we took a bus to a taxi station where we were to wait for two more people heading to Siem Reap to share a taxi.
Ko Chang - Lonely Beach, Thailand
Arrival: 01/19/09 10:00pm
Departure: 01/26/09 noon
Sight Seeing: The beach, tourist shops, and a large number of 40+ year old white men with beautiful young Thai women on motorbikes (gross)
People: Snotty tourist, indifferent locals
Food: Awesome and cheap (Pai Thai and Fried Rice for $1.25!!!)
Accommodations: Paradise Cottage - uncomfortable accommodations, but a million dollar beach front view ($15 per night for the both of us)
Pictures: Pictures of Thailand
Summary: Ko Chang is a beautiful tourist island with a little something for everyone. Be careful about where you stay as the party scene can be a little overwhelming even if you aren't involved. The beaches and tourists are beautiful.
Details: After a sleepless first night, we upgraded our room to a beach front bungalow with a million dollar view. The view was great, but the rest of the bungalow didn't change much. The first day we walked around the small town which was divided by one road that goes around the entire island. The town consists of small restaurants/bars and beach shops. The town looks as though it was build with the local jungle resources so it's quaint but not Rodeo Drive. The restaurants have wooden plank flooring, straw hut roofs with large ceiling fans, hammocks for lounging, and Christmas lights to attract the tourists. The primary method of transportation is by motorbike which anyone who looks to be over five can rent. It was tempting, but considering the road was narrow and windy and most the other drivers were huge fans of Beer Chang, we opted to pass and continue with our trusty feet.
About 1/2 a mile through town is a short stretch of white sandy beach where most of the tourists spent the day. The water is a beautiful turquoise and is great for swimming/snorkeling. We found ourselves walking along the beach enjoying the strong sun and watching large and small boats off the shore. After returning to town we had dinner and called it an early night to avoid the mosquitoes which come out at dusk and dawn. The first day became our routine for the remainder of our stay as there was not much else to do but relax. We did do quite a bit of work in the afternoons at a few different local restaurants that offered free WiFi so long as you order a meal. After about a week we decided it was time to move on and head to Cambodia.
Bangkok, Thailand
Arrival: 01/17/09 midnight
Departure: 01/19/09 noon
Sight Seeing: Grand Palace, Tuk Tuk Ride
People: Sketchy
Food: Sketchy, but inexpensive
Accommodations: Marriott Courtyard - good, but expensive
Pictures: Pictures of Thailand
Summary: Bangkok is an excellent international hub. However, the thick smog, traffic, and sketchy people were a major turn off.
Details: After an 18 hour flight from San Francisco to Bangkok, with a three hour layover in Korea, Adam and I were in dire need of sleep. Luckily we booked accommodations in advance at the Marriot Courtyard where we immediately went after claiming our backpacks. The hotel was very nice, even though I thought the mattress was a little hard (compared to now, it was like sleeping on a cloud). We rose early the next morning to try and shake the jet lag. After a wonderful buffet breakfast, we proceeded to get some sun, smog, and exercise walking through the city. Six miles of attempting to navigate the maps, where the street signs seemed to magically change from map to sign, we opted to take a tuk tuk (think of a motorbike pulling a wheel barrow in which we were seated) to the Grand Palace where we saw the giant laying Buddha. After more failed attempts to navigate back to the hotel, we took a taxi. For dinner we ate some questionable meat, rice, and pineapple from a street vendor.
The next morning , we enjoyed the free buffet again and immediately headed for the bus station to get a ticket to Ko Chang which was decided about 15 minutes prior to leaving. The five hour bus ride, with no stops, was surprisingly quite enjoyable. It had aircon and hilarious Thai TV.
We were dropped off in the middle of some small town a where a tour company guided us into a taxi, which then took us to a ferry, which then took us to Ko Chang, which then took us to another taxi, which then took us to our bungalow. Arriving after dark gave me a skewed view of our accommodations. The bungalow was a small wooden shack, with 1/2 inch cracks between the floor boards, a mosquito net over a rock hard mat, and a personal squattie pottie and cold shower outside. Our first night didn't make for good sleep.
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