Our ten day trip through northern Laos began with a two day slow boat trip down the Mekong River. Each day was about 6-8 hours on the boat with one overnight stop. The boat was long and flat with relocated car seats for the lucky passengers, and hard wooden benches with occasional cushions for the late arriving ones. Not much can be said for the boat, but the scenery was nothing short of amazing. Both days the boat moved at a decent speed with the stong current of the Mekong and occasionally stopped at tiny villages along the way to pick up sacks of rice and produce or villagers. Aside from these tiny villages, we passed no development, just pristine jungle and beautiful limestone mountains. We stopped for the first night in a town called Pak Beng, filled with guesthouses, restaurants, and takeaway sandwich stands...basically a town set up for one-night visitors from the slow boat. It was a nice stopover – we had a delicious dinner and nice guesthouse, and in the morning we picked up sandwiches for the boat ride. The second day was much like the first, but we had a different boat and we found it was possible to be even less comfortable: no car seats, and no cushions! My back was very angry with me when the day was done, but once again, the scenery made up for it. We reached our final destination in the evening at a town called Louang Prabang, and we settled in to stay for a few days.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Thailand Part 2
After Cambodia, we went back to Bangkok to eventually head towards Northern Thailand. A couple days in Bangkok allowed us to see some sights and visit a tailor for custom suits, and then we were on a train north to Chiang Mai. The train was 16 hours overnight, and we had a 2nd class sleeper. It wasn't the fastest or the most comfortable way to travel, but we arrived safely and saw some beautiful scenery along the way. Chiang Mai is a quaint artsy town and it was nice to take it slow, just walking around seeing the Buddhist temples and eating delicious northern Thai cuisine. We enjoyed traditional Thai massages for the bargain price of $5. There were great deals to be had on souvenirs and gifts at the famous night bazaar and the Sunday strolling market. The highlight was when we went on a day trip with “Flight of the Gibbon” to zipline in the rainforest jungles. It was our first ziplining experience and we loved every minute of it, but eventually, it was time to move on and embark on the next adventure....Laos!
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Cambodia & the Temples of Angkor
The 2nd day in Cambodia we were revived and ready to do some exploring. We met a tuk tuk driver named David and we hired him to be our guide for the area. The first day we visited a floating village on Tonle Sap, SE Asia's largest lake. We brought pencils to the floating school and even though they try to market it to tourists, it was interesting seeing all the homes, schools, basketball courts, and restaurants all floating near the banks of the lake. The people in their homes were cooking, doing laundry, or watching TV! The kids rowed aound on what looked like those “saucers” we used to use for sledding.
The next day was devoted to temples temples temples! We visited Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, Preah Kahn, Ta Som, & Ta Phrom, to name a few. This took all day - the temples are huge, some as big as towns, some are actually walled cities. They are awe inspiring, and it is amazing that they are still standing after the Khmer Rouge destroyed so many religious structures. The Temples at Angkor are a sight not to miss in SE Asia.
Cambodia was an eye-opener for us. The people of Cambodia have been through things we couldn't even imagine in our nightmares, yet they are so friendly and happy. We feel very lucky to be in our situation and were more than happy to spend our tourist dollars in this poor country.
The next day was devoted to temples temples temples! We visited Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, Preah Kahn, Ta Som, & Ta Phrom, to name a few. This took all day - the temples are huge, some as big as towns, some are actually walled cities. They are awe inspiring, and it is amazing that they are still standing after the Khmer Rouge destroyed so many religious structures. The Temples at Angkor are a sight not to miss in SE Asia.
Cambodia was an eye-opener for us. The people of Cambodia have been through things we couldn't even imagine in our nightmares, yet they are so friendly and happy. We feel very lucky to be in our situation and were more than happy to spend our tourist dollars in this poor country.
Monday, October 11, 2010
Island Fever & Thailand Part I
Southeast Asia has some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. We saw amazing islands of Indonesia, but we wanted more! On the west coast of Malaysia, the Perhentian Islands (Pulau Perhentian) were stunning. The white sand and turquise waters were incredible, but our favorite thing was the seafood barbecues for dinner. They had the day's catch laid out to choose, and we feasted on whole snappers, stingray filets, and marlin filets that week...and then we had southern Thailand's beaches to look forward to!
When we started to plan our trip to Southeast Asia, the political riots in Thailand were making us wonder if we would even be able to visit the country, but as it turned out, things had settled down quite a bit by the time we were on our way to Thailand. We entered the contry from Penang, Malaysia, overland. The visa-on-arrival we received was only for 15 days, so we had to get moving. Krabi (gra-BEE) is a small town on the southwest coast (the Andaman coast), which was our first stop. We spent time in the town and met a friend, Pang, who gave us our own private cooking lesson on her famous Pad Thai! She has a restaurant called Sweet 'n' Sour with the best coffee around, so that is where we could be found every morning. Rai Ley Beach was a day trip from there, and looked like a postcard version of paradise. Turquise water, sugary white sand, surrounded by huge limestone cliffs. We had great weather and it was smiles all around.
From there, we ferried to Ko Phi Phi (go p. p., yes, have a laugh), where we took a day trip to see where The Beach was filmed. The weather was not great that day, the seas treacherous, but we made a fun day out of it anyway, between the prayers while crossing through swells twice and big as our tiny longtail boat.
Then it was a bus to the east coast (the Gulf of Thailand) where we visited Ko Samui (go sa-MOO-ee) and Ko Phangan (go pan-yan). Samui has amazing beaches as well, so no need to explain how we spent our days. Phangan is famous for its wild Full Moon Parties, but fortunately or unfortunately, we were not in the full moon, so we had the place to ourselves. By this time, our 15-day visa was almost expired, and at the risk of being fined, we had to get our butts out of the country.
Here came the epic journey: overland from Ko Phangan to Siem Reap, Cambodia. It was 2 ferries to get to the mainland of Thailand, then an eight hour bus ride to Bangkok. Taxi to the bus stop at 1am, catch the 3am bus to the Thailand/Cambodia border...the border was an adventure in itself. We obtained our visas and had a final two hour taxi ride to Siem Reap, where the taxi driver made us take a tuk tuk the last few kilometers to our hotel. It took 24 hours in all, with almost no sleep. We took a day to recover, but then it was time to explore Cambodia!
When we started to plan our trip to Southeast Asia, the political riots in Thailand were making us wonder if we would even be able to visit the country, but as it turned out, things had settled down quite a bit by the time we were on our way to Thailand. We entered the contry from Penang, Malaysia, overland. The visa-on-arrival we received was only for 15 days, so we had to get moving. Krabi (gra-BEE) is a small town on the southwest coast (the Andaman coast), which was our first stop. We spent time in the town and met a friend, Pang, who gave us our own private cooking lesson on her famous Pad Thai! She has a restaurant called Sweet 'n' Sour with the best coffee around, so that is where we could be found every morning. Rai Ley Beach was a day trip from there, and looked like a postcard version of paradise. Turquise water, sugary white sand, surrounded by huge limestone cliffs. We had great weather and it was smiles all around.
From there, we ferried to Ko Phi Phi (go p. p., yes, have a laugh), where we took a day trip to see where The Beach was filmed. The weather was not great that day, the seas treacherous, but we made a fun day out of it anyway, between the prayers while crossing through swells twice and big as our tiny longtail boat.
Then it was a bus to the east coast (the Gulf of Thailand) where we visited Ko Samui (go sa-MOO-ee) and Ko Phangan (go pan-yan). Samui has amazing beaches as well, so no need to explain how we spent our days. Phangan is famous for its wild Full Moon Parties, but fortunately or unfortunately, we were not in the full moon, so we had the place to ourselves. By this time, our 15-day visa was almost expired, and at the risk of being fined, we had to get our butts out of the country.
Here came the epic journey: overland from Ko Phangan to Siem Reap, Cambodia. It was 2 ferries to get to the mainland of Thailand, then an eight hour bus ride to Bangkok. Taxi to the bus stop at 1am, catch the 3am bus to the Thailand/Cambodia border...the border was an adventure in itself. We obtained our visas and had a final two hour taxi ride to Siem Reap, where the taxi driver made us take a tuk tuk the last few kilometers to our hotel. It took 24 hours in all, with almost no sleep. We took a day to recover, but then it was time to explore Cambodia!
Thursday, August 19, 2010
A Double Dose of Chinatown
We left Singapore behind and headed back into the chaos. Several buses got us to Melaka (Malacca), a laid-back "world heritage" town on the west coast with Chinese, Portuguese, and Dutch influence. The main attraction here is the unique and delicious Chinese-Malay food. The town is very charming and we spent most of the time just walking around exploring in between meals. Did I mention the food is spectacular? The culture of Melaka is that of the Peranakan people - the descendants of Chinese immigrants from the 16th century, throughout the Dutch and British occupation - also called Baba Nonya. The "nonya" food was just amazing, and we ate all the local favorites: cendol, laksa, popiah, satay celup, and pineapple tarts.
When we decided to move on, it was more buses to get to Kuala Lumpur (KL). Malaysia has a great bus system, easy and affordable. The long-distance buses have air-con (luxurious!!). KL was very exciting to explore. There is so much going on, something for everyone. In Chinatown, the Petaling markets sell everything under the sun - souveniers, knock off designer items, jewelry, pirated DVDs, and tons of great local food and drinks. We spent our evenings wandering the stalls and trying wierd food & drinks. I never thought I would hear Kent say, "I love this soy milk drink!" One day we took a trip just outside the city to Batu Caves, which are Hindu temples and huge caves in limestone hills. We also visited the Petronas Twin Towers, with a visit up to the 41st floor Sky Deck connecting the 2 towers, which was so cool. Malaysia is definitely turning out to be a great country to travel - cheap, easy to get around, and great sights to see.
When we decided to move on, it was more buses to get to Kuala Lumpur (KL). Malaysia has a great bus system, easy and affordable. The long-distance buses have air-con (luxurious!!). KL was very exciting to explore. There is so much going on, something for everyone. In Chinatown, the Petaling markets sell everything under the sun - souveniers, knock off designer items, jewelry, pirated DVDs, and tons of great local food and drinks. We spent our evenings wandering the stalls and trying wierd food & drinks. I never thought I would hear Kent say, "I love this soy milk drink!" One day we took a trip just outside the city to Batu Caves, which are Hindu temples and huge caves in limestone hills. We also visited the Petronas Twin Towers, with a visit up to the 41st floor Sky Deck connecting the 2 towers, which was so cool. Malaysia is definitely turning out to be a great country to travel - cheap, easy to get around, and great sights to see.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
A Stopoff in Singapore
In Singapore, we found refuge from the madness of Southeast Asia. A friend from my high school swimming years, Gena, lives and works in Singapore and put us up in her amazing top-floor apartment with views into the downtown. We arrived just in time for National Day, and although tickets were needed to see the parade, we were able to see the fireworks from Gena's apartment!
While in Singapore, we ate at several different hawker centers for Indian, Chinese, and Malaysian foods. We had a walk around the beautiful botanic gardens and the upscale shopping of Orchard Road. We visited Little India and Arab Street (Philly really needs an Arab Street) and of course saw the famous Raffles Hotel and drank Singapore Slings along Boat Quay in the evening! It was a really fun and rejuvenating week.
While in Singapore, we ate at several different hawker centers for Indian, Chinese, and Malaysian foods. We had a walk around the beautiful botanic gardens and the upscale shopping of Orchard Road. We visited Little India and Arab Street (Philly really needs an Arab Street) and of course saw the famous Raffles Hotel and drank Singapore Slings along Boat Quay in the evening! It was a really fun and rejuvenating week.
Monday, August 9, 2010
Journey to the Gili Islands
After a 4 hour "slow boat" ride we arrived in Lembar Harbor on Lombok. We were squeezed in a shuttle van with 10 other travelers, bags overflowing, and made a hasty horn-blaring journey north to Senggigi, passing motorbikes and horse-drawn carts along the way. Senggigi brought us trouble finding accommodation in our price range, but we lucked out by meeting a family who rents out rooms in their house in the village during busy times. The 14 year old son even rented out his room to another couple so his parents would give him money to buy new string for his kite. That evening, we stopped by the beach to watch the locals' football (soccer) tournament and a great sunset before heading to a tent - literally - to eat some fresh local seafood for dinner, cooked in honey and oyster sauce. Delicious!!
After 2 nights in Senggigi, we said goodbye to our temporary family and journeyed to the Gili Islands via shuttle and boat. The boat barely looked seaworthy, but we crowded in with about 20 tourists and locals with produce and supplies, and set off to Gili Trawangan.
Gili T is one of three Gili Islands off the northwest coast of Lombok. The Gilis are a popular vacation spot and excellent for diving, snorkeling, and soaking up the sun. Gili T is also known for its great bars and restaurants. After taking the slow route here, we wanted to stay for awhile, so we pretended we were on vacation, although our budget couldn't tell the difference. We loved the snorkeling, and although a lot of the shallow coral is ruined from the anchoring boats, we saw lots of amazing fish and sea turtles. The culinary highlight was when we feasted on our choice of the fisherman's daily catch barbecued for us while sitting amongst tables on the beach. We took a different route back to Bali, the fast boat, but with the rough seas, it was one of the most terrifying experiences of my life. We spent 2 nights in Kuta before catching our early morning flight to Singapore.
After 2 nights in Senggigi, we said goodbye to our temporary family and journeyed to the Gili Islands via shuttle and boat. The boat barely looked seaworthy, but we crowded in with about 20 tourists and locals with produce and supplies, and set off to Gili Trawangan.
Gili T is one of three Gili Islands off the northwest coast of Lombok. The Gilis are a popular vacation spot and excellent for diving, snorkeling, and soaking up the sun. Gili T is also known for its great bars and restaurants. After taking the slow route here, we wanted to stay for awhile, so we pretended we were on vacation, although our budget couldn't tell the difference. We loved the snorkeling, and although a lot of the shallow coral is ruined from the anchoring boats, we saw lots of amazing fish and sea turtles. The culinary highlight was when we feasted on our choice of the fisherman's daily catch barbecued for us while sitting amongst tables on the beach. We took a different route back to Bali, the fast boat, but with the rough seas, it was one of the most terrifying experiences of my life. We spent 2 nights in Kuta before catching our early morning flight to Singapore.
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