Farewell For Now

Unfortunately this is out last post from Southeast Asia. We're spending a final night in Bangkok and then hopping on an 18 hour flight back to LA. We're so thankful that we've had such safe travels and been fortunate enough to take this trip. It's been a real whirlwind of an adventure and we've enjoyed every minute of it. We can't wait to share more photos and stories from the trip and will try to do so in the coming weeks. Plus we'll track our progress in getting out to Michigan, Go Blue!

Ode to the Spa

Yes, we have eaten here for every meal since we discovered it 4 days ago. Everything is so fresh and delicious, we just keep coming back for more. Kris' favorite is Toi's tacos and mine is he Spa rice served in a pineapple. We have one more dinner left here tonight, then tomorrow we are off to Bangkok, for the final two nights of the trip.

All Aboard!

Transportation modes in India, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia all share a common theme, All Aboard! Despite the number of seats, or seeming amount of people that you could fit on a bike, boat, car, tractor, scooter or anything else, there is always room for one more. I guess as the saying goes, the more the merrier.

The Big Catch

When we were in Vietnam we visited a small fishing and pottery village just outside of Hoi An with a nice gentleman, Mr. Truong, who was our waiter the evening before. He told us all about the town, daily life, the food, the culture, religion, etc. We also got to try our hand at the pottery wheel, which was completely manual. One lady throws the clay and shapes the pot, while another kicks the wheel with her foot while folding the air out of clay with her hands. It was an amazing sight.

After that we went fishing on a stream with our guide, and two of his neighbors, Tai, who is 21 and studying English to work in tourism, and Ba, an eight year old kiddo who had endless energy and was constantly getting into trouble. Tai practiced his English with us and asked us a lot of questions. He and Ba just squatted next to Kris and enjoed his company. After about an hour in the blazing sun Kris got a tug on his line. He swiftly pulled in his line on his bamboo fishing pole and reeled in his catch, a 3'' minno! Quite the fisherman. Unfortunately we had to throw it back, but it was better than what I caught, nothing!

Thankfully after that we got to have lunch at Mr.Truong's house where his wife cooked up plates full of noodles, spring rolls and a fish cooked in a banana leaf (4 times the size of Kris' catch). Everything was delisious and we took a photo with his family before we headed back to town on our motor bike. It was a nice glimpse into everyday life in a Vietnam village, just off the beaten tourist path.

Hello Paradise and Sticker Shock

We arrived in Thailand a few days ago and are really living it up at the Marriott Renaissance on the island of Ko Samui. I don't think either one of us imagined how nice it would be and it has really been a treat. Our room is amazing, a third floor corner room with a balcony, outdoor tub, and huge room with a couch and a desk. The room is full of dark wood furniture with bright cushions, so beautiful. We can see a sliver of ocean through the palm trees on the balcony and there are two nice chairs that we can sit on to escape the heat. The pool is gorgeous and right next to the sand, with dark blue tile, some fountains, a large tree in a planter in the middle and plenty of lounge chairs and umbrellas. The hotel seems to be pretty empty, except for a few families and couples, so it has been pretty quiet.

The first night we arrived we went down to the tapas bar for a light dinner and were completely floored by the prices. I guess if you are used to eating for $2 most things will be expensive. We thought, hey let's not worry about it, we've been very thrifty for most of the trip and can treat ourselves tonight and tomorrow we'll figure out where we can eat cheaper. So we ordered a platter of appetizers to share and had a drink. Our bill came out to $75 and we were still starving! Needless to say the next day we found a mini mart and filled our room with cup of noodles, nuts, crackers, drinking water, yogurt, etc. We're determined not to let them get one more cent from us. I think they may be a little frustrated, because every time they see us they try to offer us a handful of tour brochures. I don't think they are used to having backpackers as guests. We're just getting into practice for our budget in Michigan.

So every morning we have been waking up, heading to the pool, then wandering down the beach to a great restaurant we have discovered called the Spa. Food is about $3-4 and fresh and tasty. Then we head back and wait out the heat of the afternoon, use the gym, then head back to the Spa for dinner. Its been very relaxing and we are very much enjoying ourselves.

Romantic Breakfast

While in Vietnam Kris and I stopped in a little coffee shop for breakfast. We were the only customers there and there was just one waiter. He took our order and then took off to prepare the food, I guess he doubles as the cook as well. Shortly after we ordered another worker arrived and started setting up for the day. Just as our food was delivered he hurried over to the computer and made a music selection. Suddenly music started blasting out of the speakers at an unimaginable volume, it was Akon and Snoop Dogg, their unedited song which they do not even play on the radio in the U.S. titled, "I want to F*ck you." Then the selector if the music smiled at us and hurried away, while the song blasted through our breakfast, not quite the peaceful meal we were looking for.

The Kids

There are little kids everywhere here trying to sell you stuff, and amazingly everything is "Only One Dollar." From T-shirts, to fans, to rain ponchos, to pineapple, and postcards, you name it, it's for sale and it's "Only One Dollar." Their English is amazing and they throw out the compliments, follow you around, say, "OK, you come back later, and you buy from me, I remember you. " I have not figured out if the "I remember you" is meant as a threat, it might very well be. They are adorable with big brown eyes and beautiful dark skin, much more indigenous looking than the Vietnamese.

Last night we finally gave into some of the street kids. After a number of 50 cent beers we walked out a restaurant in the downtown area with loads of tourists, restaurants and bars, when two little 6 year old girls ran up and grabbed each of our hands and started dancing with us to the music booming out of the clubs. Spinning themselves and skipping all while smiling up at us with their big eyes. Then they said, “you buy us food?” I just melted, they quickly ushered us to the corner store (like 7 Eleven) and ran and grabbed large cans of baby formula that were $10.50 each (a lot of money here). I just couldn't say no. We made our way to the counter and as soon as it was paid for they yelled thank you and ran off with their formula like a trophy. Probably to go grab some more people to make their hearts melt. It may have been a scam and they may re-sell the formula, but the moment just got a hold of us and there was no saying no. Anyway it will help their families none the less, so it was money well spent.

14 Hours on a Bus and Now Cambodia

We arrived in Siem Reap last night after all day on a bus. Unfortunately the bus for the second half of the journey was minerature and our knees and shoulders were just about crushed. But we survived, and it was our last big drive for the trip. Time has been flying and in 5 weeks we have seen 3 countries. We have two left and are enjoying every minute of it. We really feel like we could keep going, for a few more months, but I guess we'll have to do with the time that we do have. Plus we have more adventures to come, with our cross country journey and move to the wornderful midwest.

This morning we left our hotel and went to Angkor Wat, one of the 7 wonders of the World, by Tuk Tuk (a scooter with a cart attached). It was still dark when we arrived and we were hoping for a sunrise, but it was clouded over, which proved to be a very good thing as it cooled the weather a bit. In all we visited about 5 temples spread over 40 kilometers. They were all spectacular in their own right, with different styles, uses and states of deterioration. One of our favorites had not been restored as much as the others and it is as if it is one with the jungle, with tree trunk and temple walls mixed together. It's nearly impossible to imagine how structures like these were completed so long ago and without the use of modern technology.

In two days we leave for Thailand, to wrap our trip up on the island of Ko Samui. We are treating ourselves and using Kris' accumulated Marriott point and staying at their resort. Should be a nice treat after so long on the road. And hopefully we can get access to a computer that can download our pictures, so we can post some of our journeys. Hope this post finds you all happy and well.

Yes

Can you sharpen your cooking knife in the gutter of a busy street and then continue to serve customers?

Can you wear your pajamas to work/around town/restaurants?

Can you drive the wrong direction on any given street?

Is water more expensive than beer?

Is tofu the only safe meat?

Did we eat at a restaurant that had 565 different dishes on the menu?

Is the departure and arrival time of flights/buses/trains merely a suggestion?

Is there a "turbo" button on the keyboard I am using?

Help Me, I'm Melting

The other day Kris and I went for a motorbike tour in Hue, each with our own Vietnamese drive. The tour was awesome and we got to see some lovely pagodas, tombs and temples. Unfortunately it was about 95 degrees out and the tour ended around noon, when it was the hottest. We recovered in the cafe where we booked the tour, Cafe on Thu Wheels, the owner's name is Thu (pronounced two) and sits with each visitor to her cafe to offer travel advice. It was a welcome service in coming to a new city and not knowing what is what. So we were relaxing at the table trying to cool under the fan, when suddenly I began to melt, literally. With Kris sitting across the table from me I began to melt to the floor ever so slowly. Apparently my senses were a little off because I could do nothing but look at Kris in panic. And Kris could do nothing but stare at me in terror. When I landed on my butt about 5 seconds later in the middle of the cafe I proudly lifted myself and had a good laugh. I had been leaning forward on a plastic chair that gave out on me and looked like it had done it before. Just another reminder that South East Asia was not built for Kris and myself.

Expectations...same same, but different

The one thing I have learned while travelling in Southeast Asia is that your expectations, for everything, change dramatically. For instance the other night Lindy and some new friends of ours met for dinner at a relatively nice restaurant in Hue. Not more than 5 minutes after we ordered a six inch rat starts screaming as it saunters through the restaurant. Immediately the staff rush over and corner the small creature. Normally in the US my first instinct would be to immediatley leave the restaurant for its highly unsanitary conditions, but here all I could think was "I really hope they don't hurt the little fella".

Or there are the times Lindy and I have visited the street markets and I have sampled the local cuisine. Mainly, as I like to call them, "protein popsicles". Any number of given meats skewered and broiled to perfection. However when you are picking your popsicle it is common for flys and any other number of bugs to be taking a nibble as well. In my head I think, "well it is going back in the fire to be warmed so that probably kills anything that could harm me." Although I highly doubt that is the case....but hey that is why I got so many shots right?!?!?!

Your expectations don't just change in terms of food but travel as well. Hotels/buses/trains/boats all vary GREATLY from the pictures that are shown. For a society that is highly organized in so many aspects the amount of disorder and confusion is alarming. I understand that part of the chaos is on purpose, as it enables them to extract extra money from tourists, but a majority of the time it takes a large quorum (at least 2/3 of the country by my estimation) for anyone to decide on a course of action. The only weapon you have is the word "No". You either learn to wield that word with authority or be prepared to get ripped off and be extremely uncomfortable. Also sometimes there are just simply no words which will save you from your circumstances. Like when we found ourselves on a relatively pleasant overnight train only to be awoken at 6AM sharp by traditional Vietnamese music cranked to about 2,000,000 decibels. Though I can appreciate the music as an artform, even on a good day it is only slightly better than a swift kick to the head.

Vietnam Now

We arrived in Vietnam a few days ago and it is hot hot hot. We spent a night on boat in Halong Bay, a huge bay with thousands of limestone rocks jutting out of the water and covered in green vegitation. It was breathtaking and an experience to remember. We shared the boat with some really nice folks from all over the world and I got to use my spanish quite a bit with some Spainards. Now we are off on an overnight train to Hue. Write more once we land.

Overly-Ambitious

That pretty much sums up our 40 kilometer biking experience. Maybe add a dash of misery, sprinkle in some joy, fear and awe. Wish we could post the pictures, I'm sure we were quite the sight. Plastic rain coats, soaked head to toe with a nice mud trail along our backs. I'm positive though that the bike trip will be one that just keeps on giving, we each already have the lovely joy of a sore bum, and I'm sure the next few days the soreness will spread through out our bodies. Time to cash in on a cheap massage. And from this point forward in our trip we have decided that mopeds will be our preferred mode of transport.