So much Asia, So little time

My recent travels: Working my way from the north to central Thailand, then Bangkok and then finallyyyy beaches in the south. Here's where I've been--

Sukhothai: ancient capital, old city with temples, day of exploring said temples in approximately 106 degree heat. Melted. Ate 60cent pad thai for dinner and felt rejuvenated.

Kamphaeng Phet: small little town, stayed in an adorable and super quirky guesthouse set around a lovely garden where I relaxed a lot to beat the heat. Spent a day with a retired Canadian guy who invited me to come along on his bike to see a waterfall about 60k away. (Anything in or near water is always a good idea when it's this hot). We never ended up finding the waterfall we set out for but we did end up (we think) at the correct national park and spent the afternoon by a river. Very much off the tourist map, just lots of thai families spending the day. It was really nice!

Lopburi: another city with old temples; I saw some from the outside for a few minutes and decided I was over it a little. Too hot. Didn't go in. Don't regret it. (The main temple sites here are Sukhothai and Ayuthaya, so I got my fill. Don't need to see them all). The city is mainly known for its monkeys, which are everywhere. They run all over the place and, while cute, are evil and mischievous little shits. Fun to watch them though, from a safe distance...

Ayuthaya: Temples. Are we sensing a theme here? I really love the temples and really, they do each have their own distinct charm and features. But I'm starting to get a bit templed out, they're all starting to blend together. 

I accidentally and so deliciously found a hostel with a little pool, so I spent most of my time there. Don't judge. 

My first night in Ayuthaya I did an evening boat ride that went to 3 temples-much better than walking! Fantastic plan. The next day I went to see 2 or 3 of the main temples with a guy from New Zealand, then we spent the rest of the afternoon in the pool. So not all that much sight seeing, but I couldn't have been happier. Are you sensing how bloody hot it is out here?

Bangkok: Whew. What a city, such a blur of colors and sights and sounds and smells. I like it here, but don't really feel like I know the city yet. You'd need a lot of time to get settled and acclimated. I kept myself occupied with busy nightlife, the Grand Palace and really impressive Wats, walking Chinatown for a bit, visiting a massive weekend market (largest market in Thailand and the worlds largest weekend market, per Wikipedia), and just walking around. 

Esteban, who I traveled with up north, met me in Bangkok, and we then spent a few days on Koh Samet. Yes ladies and gents, I know you've all been concerned so you can rest easy now--I finally made it to a thai island. I even ate pad thai on a thai beach, so cross that off the bucket list. 

Samet is in the east side, pretty close to Bangkok (4 hours bus, 1 hour ferry), and not known to be one of the nicer beaches. (The southern peninsula gets all the hype/postcard pictures). Well, color me impressed. It was gorgeous--white sand, turquoise water, beach bungalows...our balcony was overlooking the sea. No better place to start the day with a cup of coffee. We stayed pretty far away from everything, it was really quiet and peaceful--a great intro to thai beaches!! I worked on my tan quite a bit.

Now I'm back in Bangkok, where ill be for a while to celebrate the Thai new year. 

I'm starting to feel like I'm running out of time! There is still so much left on my wish list, and even my realistic plans are feeling a bit rushed. I know, I know, cry me a river, I may only get to go to some of the beaches I wanted to go to, and I have less time for Malaysia/Indonesia than I wanted. Not such bad problems to have, but still things to plan and think about and decide.

Speaking of...by my next blog post I should have a flight back to New York booked. Eeek! Time is flying!

Northern Loop

Just a quick update, all good here!

After finishing my time in Pai, I continued heading north to do a loop that would ultimately end in Chiang Mai, the only feasible way to then go South. I had met 4 British girls (Frankie, Rosie, Rosie, Lucy) and an Argntine guy (Esteban) in Chiang Mai, we all somehow reunited in Pai, and then I spent the next week traveling with Esteban. We took the very local bus 4 hours to Mae Hong Son. It was an old rickety bus with no seats left for us, so I sat on someone's backpack and Esteban stood in the open doorframe. Note that this road is known for how curvy and windy it is. It actually wasn't as bad as it sounds, but it was an experience!
I was excited for northern Thailand for the spectacular views and dense nature, and while I've had a great time, it's been a little disappointing. Every year at this time, all of the crops/fields are burned (to replenish; works for the short term, really bad for long term sustainability). But this means that everything is super smokey, the sky is grey, and you can't really see any views. So while there have been a lot of "oh wow, look at that view" moments, they are more likely "that view would be amazing if we could see it! I think there's a mountain there. Is that a river?" And it started to make my throat hurt after a few days, so much smoke! Sooooo between the smoke and the sweltering heat, I think I might make my way south faster than expected. Get this girl to a beach!

Mae Hong Son was nice, we met up with a Swiss girl, an English girl, and a French guy, and spent 2ish days together. There's a really pretty lake, some temples, and another temple on top of
a hill that we walked to. As I explained, it was nice but we could barely see the view. Ah well, its the company that counts!

Next stop was Mae Sariang, also known for nature and beautiful surroundings. Esteban and I spent the afternoon we arrived wandering the small town, then the next day we rented a bike and rode about 20k to a waterfall in a really pretty park area. Lots of green and prettiness, I was happy!

Then it was back to Chiang Mai for 2 nights. More temples, great food, and wandering. We also played pool a lot, and I'm starting to get a liiiittle bit better. Plus I got to practice my Spanish, which was very needed with all of these Asian languages floating around in my head. It was a really nice week.

Now I'm farther South, more towards the center of the country. I may melt, and I find it nearly impossible to believe that its practically April, but otherwise I'm happy!!

Finally, finally: Thailand

The day after my jungle trek was all about travel. But when your final destination is Thailand, who can complain? The outline of my day: bus to tuk tuk to the border, crossed easily (and began day 1 of my 60 day visa), shuttle bus to tuk tuk to bus. Phew. I was on the same bus as a lovely French girl I had already met, so it was nice having a friendly face to journey with. We arrived in Chiang Rai, up in northern Thailand, in the late afternoon, and I spent 2 days in this city.
I'm definitely not in Laos/Cambodia any more. My oh my, Thailand is SO much more developed. This means too that it's much more touristy. I anticipate many future blog posts mentioning that I "really liked x location, but it was super touristy." Oh well, i'll get over it. But it was a little disappointing to see my first McDonalds and Starbucks out here.
After 2 days of wandering, temples, a cool night market (where at long last I had pad thai in Thailand, major life goal achieved), and getting back clean laundry (so exciting), I planned to go farther up north. I learned though that to get to all of the northern destinations I had in mind, I first needed to go through Chiang Mai, farther south. A bit of a pain, but no big deal--so off to Chiang Mai I went.
I spent 4 nights in this lovely city, and it's easy to see why so many people get stuck here. It was more wandering and temples, huge and dizzying night markets, desperately looking for AC and sucking down fruit shakes in 100+ degree heat, and meeting some really great people. I took a thai cooking class  and made some really yummy food: red curry, pad thai, chicken soup in coconut broth, and sticky rice with mangoes. So now I've done some cooking in each country I've been to (Singapore not included, unless you count the peanut butter banana Nutella sandwich I made), and I'm pretty committed to coming home, buying the obscure ingredients, and cooking more Asian food. So delish. 

Speaking of food. I'm in heaven here in Thailand. I think the real reason I booked this entire trip was so I could eat thai food in Thailand. Only sort of kidding. (Ok, and the Thai beaches. I'll get there soon enough). I plan to eat my way through the country, with pad thai, curry, noodles, and soups galore. Pretty much everywhere has local markets and street food, so for a dollar or two I will be eating some of the best food ever.
Nommmm

I also got a desperately needed haircut in Chiang Mai, courtesy of the owner of my hostel who used to work as a stylist in San Francisco. I was a bit nervous about a free rooftop haircut in Thailand with a pair of old scissors, but it all worked out for the best. Although in this heat, I almost told him to shave my head like the monks. They know what's up.
I spent an afternoon with a guy from my hometown who is volunteering at an elephant project about an hour from CM. (Thanks Leslie for the contact!) He met me for lunch in the city then drove me out to the project, and I got to hang with the elephants. And there was a baaaaaby elephant and I got to play with her and it was amazing and I want one. Mom and dad, it's either a puppy or an elephant. Your move. (A piglet would be acceptable too).

Now I'm in Pai, a few hours farther north. It's a super tiny, really chilled out town. Hmm wow ill do it already: I really like it here but it's suuuuuper touristy. It's just a few streets with cafes, restaurants, tour companies, and bars. It's filled with backpackers and old white expats who have dreads and bandanas and play guitar. Its a very relaxed scene here with a rasta/reggae vibe. Every day the electricity goes out at some point, but at night its actually really nice--everything is dotted with candles, the streets get quieter, the stars are gorgeous--just really peaceful! 

The surrounding countryside is beautiful, but you need a bike to explore. Luckily I met a cool girl from Switzerland at my hostel, so we spent a day cruising around the area, relaxing at a nearby waterfall/swimming hole to beat the heat, and checking out a temple/big buddah statue on a hill overlooking the city. Some folks I met in CM are also here now, so it's been nice hanging with them some more. I keep extending my stay here! I expect to leave tomorrow though.

So, about one week down here in Thailand. The country is huge and I'm not exactly sure what ill be doing or where ill be going, but ill be making my way down south. There are so many opportunities here, I've looked into wwoofing (organic farming), volunteering, and some meditation retreats/courses. Not sure yet what will pan out, but I'm enjoying myself so far!! Anyone who secretly dreams of coming to join me for a little while: do it now!

Jungle Trekking (Or, for mom, "There's no wifi in the jungle")

 I ended my time in Laos with a 3 day jungle trek, based in Luang Nam Tha, up in the northwest. I was with a French guy who I had previously met in Cambodia and then ran into in like 3 or 4 different places. We were in the same bus from Luang Prabang to nam tha. It was quite the long, windy, bumpy bus ride--about 6 of the 8 hours of it on unpaved road, for extra fun. On the ride, I also met a Russian couple and their 9 month old son. They have been backpacking with him for the past seven months. Yeah, you did the math right on that one. Can you even imagine?! I think this couple is inspiring and crazy and amazing and masochistic. Also, Karin and Doug, you've now got one less excuse to come meet me in Thailand with the nugget. Justsayyyin. 

The trek itself was fun--tiring and at times very difficult. When you do treks for more than a day, obviously you go much farther info the jungle. This means it's more dense and..well, jungle-y. During parts of our walk I felt like I was going to fall off the side of the mountain. And some of it was really slippery, mainly due to some really steep climbs up and straight down. Dad, I kept hearing your voice in my head from when you were teaching me to drive (and every subsequent Fall of my life, come to think of it) warning me about how slippery leaves are. But slow and steady, we had a nice trek. It was myself, the French guy, and another French couple. And the guides. We slept one night in a wooden hut and another night in tents, ate sticky rice with all seven meals, and ate bamboo, rattan, and various other ingredients straight from the jungle. Also went to bathe in a river and discovered little baby leeches on my feet, so shower didn't happen. Eek. 

We came back smelly and exhausted and sore; I may be a little trekked out for a while/the rest of my trip. 

Now I'm in hothothot Thailand; next post will be on my first week here! 

Northern Laos

I enjoyed the rest of my time in the capital, escaping the blazing sun in cafes and wandering. I even splurged and got a nice $4 western lunch--a panini with mozzarella, pesto, and roasted peppers. Amazing. I don't know how ill ever go back to paying US prices for things!! I walked to the top of an arc de triumph (Terry, thought of you!) and, shockingly, saw some temples. I got my 60 day thai visa as well, which is exciting!

I also visited the COPE center, and left very moved and with a heavy heart. The COPE center is an organization that primary works to fund medical care for Lao folks who have lost limbs, mainly due to unexploded ordinances (UXOs). Did you know that Laos is, per capita, the most heavily bombed country in the world? Most people don't know the history of this country, I sure didn't, but it's really heartbreaking. Laos was heavily caught in the crossfire of the Vietnam war. Not only did the famed Ho Chi Minh Trail run through Laos as well, but if bomb targets were missed, the bombs were often just dropped in designated areas in Laos. Awful. And worse, approximately 30% of these bombs didn't detonate properly---and they are quite literally ticking time bombs, still as dangerous as they were the day they were dropped. Today, and since the 70s, people have been regularly killed when coming across these UXOs. They are mainly in rural areas, and Lao people are heavily reliant on the land for their survival. So in one of the poorest countries in the world, the poorest of the poor must decide every day--work in the fields and risk an explosion--or starve? For most, the choice is easy, but can be fatal.

So anyway. The COPE center has really informative displays about prosthetic limbs and care being provided to victims, and really great documentaries about the country and its history in the war that "never really happened," since technically Laos wasn't involved. I heard stories of families affected by UXOs, as well as other services being provided--education to children and communities about what the bombs look like (so they don't pick them up/play with them), and most critically, teams that go out and safely find and detonate UXOs. It's mind boggling to me that small organizations are relying on donations to fund these removal efforts. There are millions of bombs left to be cleared. How the US government hasn't paid to safely rid the country of these bombs is literally beyond my comprehension. There is so much to be done here--education, bomb removal and training, medical and mental health care--remember when I said I could do social work in Phnom Penh? Add Laos to the list.
I could go on for ages, I find this (untold in the western world) history fascinating and heartbreaking and horrible and inspiring...I hope I'm explaining it clearly! It gave me a lot to think about. Also at one point, we chatted for a bit with a woman who worked there. My favorite bit of the conversation: "So, what do you do here?" "Oh, I'm the CEO." Oh, ok. Gotcha.

After 3 nights in Vientiane I kept making my way north, still with my British friend Catherine (we met our first day in the capital). We went to vang vieng, set among gorgeous mountains. The town has become completely set up for tourism, it's one of the very few places in laos with a party atmosphere, a bit trashy--but it's really pretty, activities abound, and food/accommodation are really cheap. I spent a day doing river tubing, the most popular activity with the backpacker crowd. It's a bit stupid but fun, and it was actually one of the first things I read about SEA months ago, and before I even knew for sure I was coming here, I said, "I'm going to go there and do that." And I did! You rent a tube for the day and are driven 4k up the river, and you make your way back slowly. There are bars along the water and you pull over and stop for a drink--good fun. And it was over 100 degrees the day I did it, so anything on the water is a nice respite.
The next day Catherine and I rented bikes and rode to an organic farm, where we enjoyed mulberry pancakes, bread, and goat cheese. Heaven! We then saw that the farm is involved with lots of nonprofit work, so we asked if we could volunteer or help out at all. We ended up cleaning bottles, to be used for the mulberry wine they sell, and we helped pick some mulberries. As a thank you, we got to sample the mulberry juice and wine--yum! So a very random but fun day.

Now I'm in Luang Prabang, a really charming city with a European feel. The old quarter is UNESCO protected, so it's clean and beautiful and restored. It's a few days here for colonial buildings, French cafes galore, a huge night market, a nearby waterfall, and--you guessed it--lots of temples. It really doesn't feel like Laos, it's a world away. But it's lovely, and I'm really enjoying my time here!

Update: I have officially eaten my body weight in pastries. I regret nothing.
(Although, a 3 day trek up north, my next stop, isn't such a bad idea...)

Update 2: I found a bagel with cream cheese in Laos. My little Jewish heart is so happy. If only they had lox...

I recognize that I'm talking about food a lot. Whatever. I do love Asian food, thank god, but after a few months its nice to have some western treats. Ill be back to noodles and rice in no time. 

Working My Way Through Laos

Hello from Vientiane, the capital of Laos. I've been making my way up the country, and am getting closer to the north now. The wifi in this country goes from nonexistent to painfully slow, so my apologies that I've been--and will continue to be--a little MIA this month. But I'm still doing great!

I've been stopping in small little towns and moving relatively quickly from place to place. It's been a lot of watching the countryside roll by though bus windows!

After I left Pakse I spent 2 nights in Tat Lo, a sleepy little village with beautiful scenery all around. I was staying with a French girl for most of the time and we spent our days walking a lot, seeing waterfalls and a small village, reading, relaxing, and enjoying the laid back atmosphere. We also spent a night cooking at a guesthouse and then eating a delicious meal with the family who runs it. Yum!

I stopped off in Champasak for a night on my way North, but there was really nothing to do in this small city so the next morning, after walking around for a while, I kept moving, up to Thakhek.

For a long time now I've been looking forward to my time in Tha Khek. The city itself is nothing to write home about, but many travelers do "the loop," a 3-4 day moto ride through the countryside, stopping off to see the many caves in the area, enjoying the gorgeous mountains towering around you, and sleeping in small guesthouses in little villages. It's a way to get off the beaten path, you can interact more with locals, and it's just meant to be a really fun way to see more of central Laos. I don't drive a moto but its always easy to hop on the back of someones bike and tag along, which is what I planned to do.

No such luck. Apparently it's really difficult to do the loop without your own bike; lots of long bumpy roads, so along with your backpack (a small one, but still), its not really a trip meant for 2 people. And I wasn't with  anyone with a bike anyway, so it just wasn't working out. I thought about learning to ride a bike; i'm  sure it's really easy, and there are SO many times in Asia where everything wold be so much easier with your own wheels. Pretty much everyone traveling in Asia rents a bike at some point, tons of people use them throughout their whole trip. It gives you so much freedom, opportunity, an adventure. But alas, safety first for me, I just didn't feel comfortable doing it, so I gave up the idea of doing the loop. Ah well. I met up with others who weren't doing the loop , but instead organized a tuk tuk tour around the area. I joined up with them, and we basically did the first part of the loop. We stopped at 4 caves, and then ended the day at a lake. It was really nice, and a good compromise since I wasn't doing the full 4 day adventure. I felt satisfied. 

The same group (2 German girls, a German guy, and a French Canadian couple) all got up early the next morning to go to Kong Lo cave. It's a bit out of the way and a pain to get to, but really worth it! And the ride there is beautiful with more mountain scenery. The cave itself is massive, we rode through the 7.5kilometers (!) in little boats, headlamps at the ready since its super dark inside. At some places it's up to 100 meters high. Really impressive! 

The next morning 5 of the 6 of us caught an early bus to Vientiane, where I am now. (Like I said, lots of buses!) I arrived here yesterday afternoon, and will likely stay 3 nights. There's not much to do but wander and eat, but that's ok with me. I applied for a 60day Thai visa today (a few hours of bureaucratic inconvenience but not too bad), and I pick up my visa and passport tomorrow. This way, I can spend the full 2 months in Thailand without having to do a border run and/or leave the country. 
I also had lunch today with my friend Sheyla, who has been living here for about 2 years now. I know her through Yana and Chita, and haven't seen her since their wedding almost 2 years ago. (Wow, guys, 2 years!?!? Really?!) She is just the loveliest and warmest person ever, and it was such a treat to see her. It's always nice to see a friendly face while traveling. Ill hopefully see her again before I leave; it was a real spot of sunshine (not that I need more sun here...) seeing her smiling face.


So all is well. Time is absolutely flying  by, I cannot understand how it's almost March. Someone please slow down the clock!! I'm starting to think more clearly about the rest of my trip, it looks like ill be in Laos through mid March (1-2 more weeks), Thailand for about 2 months or so, then hopefully I can still squeeze in Indonesia and Malaysia before heading back to the US. Not sure if that's possible, but ill try! This can change at any time, but for now, that's the plan. It's hard to decide, once you're in this part of the world you want to see everything, since its so close! I hear incredible things about Myanmar, I've always wanted to go to India, China is just a bus ride away...and don't even get me started on Australia...and from there, of course New Zealand and Fiji...eeep. (This is all I do on long bus rides). But those are trips for another day, can't do it all now. Just have to enjoy the time I have here now! I'm a lucky girl :)

Laos Begins

I arrived safely in Laos a few days ago, with relatively easy transport and the requisite border overcharging and annoyances. At this particular border, they "charge" for each passport stamp--$2 to leave Cambodia, $3 to enter Laos. And I know that I paid way too much for my visa. But I didn't have the energy to fight it so I just paid and moved on. Oh, corruption.

My first stop was Don Det island, part of 4000 islands (Si Phan Don). I spent 3 nights in a bungalow overlooking the Mekong with 2 lovely girls I met on the bus, and I easily could have spent more time there. One main dirt road runs parallel to the river, plus a few others run off of it, passing by only locals, pigs, chickens, buffalo, dogs, cats,  waving children, and of course, western travelers and guesthouses, bungalows, restaurants, and bars to cater to them. The main area is actually quite touristy, but in a sleepy, relaxed sort of way. I imagine i'll describe much of Laos as "sleepy." In fact, the country has an 11pm curfew, so everything pretty much shuts down around then or earlier anyway--usually until a rooster or fisherman wakes you up.

The official name of the country is Laos PDR--people's democratic republic. But the joke is that it stands for "please don't rush." I have a feeling that won't be a joke though...

After a few hours the first afternoon and night feeling really sick, throwing up in some bushes, and deciding that I had contracted dengue fever, I took some medicine, went to sleep I think around 8pm, and woke up the next morning feeling fine! Phew. I took it easy that day, walking around and lazing in a hammock. The next day I did a full day kayaking tour. We kayaked a ton, walked through a village to see a small waterfall, swam, saw dolphins, visited the largest waterfall in Southeast Asia (beautiful and very impressive!), and got back to Don Det as the sun was starting to set over the water. It was a somewhat unorganized tour but we had a good time. And my arms/neck/shoulders hurt so much after, it was quite a workout!

Also of note (to me at least), I finally

had my first Pad Thai in Asia. I was trying to hold out until Thailand, but I couldn't wait any more. And Laos has close ties to Thailand, so it's supposedly really similar. And I was not disappointed. Nommmm. I could live on Thai food...it's basically why I decided to do this whole trip: pad thai on a Thai beach. Ok kidding, sort of. But I was a happy happy girl. I already know I'm going to be that super annoying person who, upon eating at an Asian restaurant, shakes her head sadly after one bite and sighs "it's just not the same...when I was in ______...(insert name of country here). I already do it with hummus, and Mexican food...let's add spring rolls and pho and pad Thai and I guess all Asian food to the list. I'm sorry in advance. Please still eat meals with me. 

With my visa I have a month to spend here in Laos, which sounds like a lot of time but it really isn't! So I'm feeling a tiny bit rushed, as there's so many places I want to see here. I'm starting to make my way up north now.

 I spent my first night on the mainland in tiny Champasak, known for the beautiful (and UNESCO heritage site) Wat Phu Champasak, reminiscent of the Angkorian temples. (I wonder how many temples and wats I've seen on this trip?!) I met up with 3 Aussies and 2 Germans en route, and after arriving in town around 2pm we dumped our bags in a guesthouse and went right to Wat Phu. Lots of stairs in blazing hot sun, beautiful views of the Mekong valley, really peaceful and shady area at the top...nice place to check out. Sidenote, I know that back home winter is giving y'all a beating, and I'm thrilled to be missing it. But I believe that I'm entering the hottest time in SEA (March and April will be the worst, and it's starting now). I know you don't feel bad for me at the moment, you shouldn't, and I do love the heat, but eeeeesh. If you saw my hair you'd understand.

Now I'm in Pakse, a shit little city that I'm just in for a day to grab a connecting bus further north tomorrow morning. I'm going to Tat Lo next, part of the Bolaven Plateau. I don't know much about it, but it's known for coffee and waterfalls--and a slightly cooler climate--so it sounds like a place for me!!

I'm just trying to keep my head on straight with so many languages and currencies constantly changing. Just when I start to get the hang of things, it all changes on me! I think I've finally stopped saying "thank you" in Khmer instead of Lao, and I'm just starting to work out the math on Kip, the Lao currency. I was spoiled in Cambodia, did I ever mention that they use the US dollar? Their currency is the riel but its basically useless, so everyone works in dollars. The ATMs give out dollars, not riel, if that tells you anything. But they give you change in riel, you use it for small purchases, and you can use a combination of the 2 currencies, so effectively you're using both at once. Oy. I do miss the ease of south/central America, where almost every country speaks the same language. It also helps enormously  that I speak said language. But alas, I'm learning new things all the time out here! 

Keep on emailing me updates on your lives, I LOVE getting them. Ive been gone for 3 months now, I'm sure you have at least one story for me! And iPhone users (hey Cam, is that you yet?!??), remember that you can text and FaceTime me any time (just keeping in mind the time difference). When I have wifi ill get it!

Sending hugs and kisses to you all!