The Simple(r) Life

State Side

laina333 — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 22:45:00 GMT

I wanted to add one last post to my "Southeast Asia" journal. Many more adventures were had from the time of my last post in Nha Trang, Vietnam and my return home but my days seemed to be on warp speed with no chance to write. Busing through Vietnam was a dream. I mean it really doesn't get better than public transportation. I even lucked out on the over night but from Nha Trang to Hoi An getting a sleeper bed next to a old Vietnamese women who liked to cuddle (I didn't mind). We crossed the border between the north and south parts of the country known as the Vietnamese Demilitarized Zone. Northern Vietnam seemed more colonial in architecture and also had amazing food! Including but not limited to White Roses and Pho, the first of which is only made in the city of Hoi An. The capitol of Hanoi was gorgeous. I spent time walking around the Old Quarter with its food stalls, guesthouses, shops, shops and shops. Here I booked a two day one night tour to Halong Bay, and I'm glad I did considering the complete chaos at the docks when we arrived. All the boats on the bay are junks, wooden ships that look like they came from the vikings or something. It was spectacular and, being the odd lone traveler out, I got my own room with a window that opened up right out into this world heritage site. This is getting long so I'll speed up. BUt i simply can't leave out my bus ride from Hanoi to Vientiane, the Laos capitol. I had heard MANY horor stories anout this journey, most people I met flew to Laos. But being that I had no money, and that all the best adventures happen in route, I decided to chance it and bought my $22 ticket. It was worth every penny. From rice bags and boxes stacked on the floor, on the roof, on people, and under our feet, to the interesting music selection, to the hike up a hill because the bus couldn't make it, to the border crossing in Laos, everything was absolute madness. 24 hours, no aircon, and no food. FInally in Laos, only spent about four days here but it was BEAUTIFUL. I will return to explore more of this country. I simply did not have time to back track up to the north and then back to Northern Thailand before heading to BKK. Again got a local bus from Vientiane to Udon Thani and then from Udon Thani to Chang Mai (the capitol of the north). Doing it this way, piecing my own trip together) was soooo much cheaper than getting a tour bus from the Vientiane to Chang Mai. I spent less than $10 on my own and would have spe3nt over $30 to take a VIP bus. Pretty rediculous huh. Everything can be done cheaper if you get off the tourist trail obviously. I was only in Chang Mai for about 8 hours. After I learned about a family emergency I took a night bus back to BKK where I hung out for three days until my flight home. This was perhaps my favorite trip to Bangkok (this was my fourth stay in the city). I began to really enjoy it, to feel like it was my home away from home. I could get around easily on the sky train now knowing where good spots were and the weeked market near Mochit was to die for! I mean ANYTHING you could possibly think of was here. Animals, nurseries, restuarants, clothes, art galleries even a baby elephant. Street performers, school girls singing in uniform, jewelery stores, shoes stalls.

This has been an unimaginable, eye-opening, self assuring, independent, beautiful and unforegttable time in my life. I have found that this is my passion and that travelling alone is one of my ultimate highs. I have begun to think in a new way, not like I had a revelation, but I simply find my self appraoching situations in my head and in the world differently. I have also found that people are the world are very much same same but different. Beautiful.

....like a rolling stone

laina333 — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 07:19:00 GMT

Vietnam is amazingly beautiful. diverse. sad and joyful at the same time. I've had a wonderful time here so far. making my way from saigon to the capitol of hanoi which is where I write now. it is very different landscape from the tropics of cambodia and thailand and the mountains really made me feel at home! I visited the war museum in saigon which nearly brought me to tears looking at the pictures but also a strange sense of hope because of the people here, they are so kind. if people can be kind after a tragedy like the war, then I think there really is reason to hope. I am heading to Halong bay and the northern provence of Sapa hopefully and then a bus to Laos and then northern thailand to eand my journey before i fly. it has gone so fast but i've seem so much, it al seems very unreal. Hope all is well and much love!

How does it feel
To be on your own
With no direction home
Like a complete unknown
Like a rolling stone?

Contradictions in Cambodia

laina333 — Tue, 1 Jul 2008 10:16:00 GMT

What an interesting country, and so different from the month spent in Thailand! It has been incredible to be here and simply observe all of the culture spin around you like an ever-moving stream of dust and color. When I first crossed the border it was an great sense of overwhelming excitement. This is what I wanted, dirt roads, rural communties, water buffalo, but I could probably do without the constant haggling. It alright though, like I said, a smile will get you through politely and uneventfully. Spent four days in Siem Reap which was fantastic...the market in itself was a blast. Walking around all the vendors with their local fare, meat, vegetable, silk, even grasshoppers (which were very tasty). The town is relatively small, located just south of the ancient Khmer city of Angkor. I wish I could have included tons more pictures because the place was so incredible! I met some friends in the morning while sharing a tuk tuk and we explored for most of the day. each temple is so very different that its hard for me even to compare their beautiful and mysterious aspects. You really felt you were somewhere that had been extremely significant and magnificent. The bus from Siem Reap to Phnom Pehn was, shall i say, a bit of a _____ show. While the road itself was great, our bus broke down in the middle of Cambodia. A drag but something that happens, and we got into town ok, just late, after another bus came to get us. Today we visited S-21 and The Killing Fields. Some heavy stuff, but important for understanding Cambodian life and history. these people seem so happy day to day and its a wonder how they do, it was so recent that the khmer rouge and the famine hit her as a whole. It seems the only citizens here who didn't experience these atrocities first hand are the children. I am leaving for saigon tomorrow. I wish I could stay much much longer here, but time seems to be running very fast, and I am really excited to spend some quality time in vietnam. I'll be moving up the coast by bus from Saigon to Hanoi, so many more stories to come:)

Happenings in route

laina333 — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 06:35:00 GMT

Well, it has been quite a while since I updated this thing. Partly because I've been moving around so much. I also am sad to report that my memory card in my camera "corrupted" what ever that means, and I cannot access my pictures from the trip thus far. I have another card, so I will start taking pictures and posting them again soon (when I get out of bangkok and see some sites) and hopefully I can save my pictures when i get home...i really hope so. Anyway, besides these little bumps in the road I am still having an amazing time. It is so funny they call it the "land of smiles" because it is so true. you can accomplish pretty much anything here if you just smile when you do it, and poeple always seem to have a genuine grin on their face.

From the islands I headed back up north to bangkok where I had to apply for my vietnam visa. I didn't want to stay and wait for it here, so jumped a three hour bus west to Kanchanaburi which turned out to be a great idea. It was cheap, friendly, and we saw some awesome stuff. What the book calls "one of the worst tourist traps in history" was actually awesome anyway. We went to the tiger temple where monks have taken in orphaned tigers and you can go and actually touch them when they take them out for excercise midday. The pictures where great, really gonna try and save them. It was funny though, there was a cranky little monk there, yelling at everyone who did not follow temple protocol percisely. I thought it was funny.

The Bridge over the River Kwai and many war cemetaries are also in Kanchanaburi, so spent a day just exploring those and walking the bridge (also good photos, just gonna have to trust me). We hired a speed boat and got a cool perspective of the land from the water. There was a fun brother and sister duo that owned a bar in town we ended up befriending, spending most nights playing pool and hanging out with them. They took us to a disco/rock concert one night (we were definitley the only foreigners there) and while we were trying to get a cab home at the end of the night, the lead singers from the band picked us up and tok us back to the guesthouse, they were great! We did karaoke another night which was so fun, they put you in these private rooms with a couch, bathroom and TV and you just go to town, picking whatever songs you want. The thai songs are hard but pretty hilarious. Very fun. Leaving for cambodia tomorrow, pictures will definitley follow. I'm including one of out thai friends and the concert!

Of course i will get sick...

laina333 — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 07:12:00 GMT

before you freak out, it isn't that bad and i'm takin it easy in a 400baht a night "resort" on railay to pamper myself and get better. I think it is just a minor bug, but there were a few hot and cold sleepless nights. Anyway...the biggest bummer is that i didn't get to climb (and I piad for it) because no strength could be summoned. Oh well, still had a great time with tiff and karl who I saw off today. Need to figure out my next plans which i'm not sure of as of yet. Before I leave for cambodia i need to spend four days in bangkok waiting for my vietnam visa (apparently i takes that long) so definitley heading that way soon. The beaches are beautiful but have drained my funds more than expected and i'm ready for a change of scenery (for now). Going to leave tomorrow probably for Krabi to make further travel arrangements.

the thai people and this country still make me laugh (randomly) most days. So many unusual sights and smells and sounds. I'll write more when feeling better...love

no roads and clear water

laina333 — Fri, 6 Jun 2008 10:45:00 GMT

Yes!!! Three airplanes, four taxis, two buses, 1 train and a boat later and I am in tropical paradise. the epidemy of paradise. I have been relaxing all day...just soaking in the sun and getting a first sunburn that signals the start of summer. There are no roads in phi phi and most locals travel by bicyle. There are a ton of europeans here and (belieive it or not) itlaian resturantes (could this place be more my style?) I'm planning a magnificent dinner for later this evening. Rented a bungalow close to the beach and am planning on visiting beaches around the area in the coming days. Met some nice english girls last night...mellow people are of abundance here. enjoy the pictures...lets all move here! love to all!

The waiting game

laina333 — Mon, 2 Jun 2008 04:22:00 GMT

Still in Bangkok waiting to take the night bus to Phuket. From there I want to go to Kata, a small surfing town on the west side of the island. Stay for a few days with a friend I met at the hostel and then to Phi Phi island to the east of Phuket which is supposed to be awesome. From there, Railay, a small climbing community only accessible by long tail boat in the Krabi provence. Yeah beaches! I'm ready to get out of Bangkok and see the ocean:) Here's some pictures I posted while waiting (look at the "first days" photo gallery).

Tuk-Tuks, Boats, Buddhas and I need another shower:)

laina333 — Sat, 31 May 2008 08:17:00 GMT

I made it! Much waitressing, moving, studying and stressing and here I am. What an amazing feeling to be back in such a different place, everything is so loud and smelly and colorful. Today I woke up, took a much needed shower and ate a breakfast that consisted of two types of bread, an egg and tea. So, I knew I wanted to check out the city a little, but the minute I stepped outside I was off in a Tuk Tuk (for 20 bhat: less than a dollar). He took me to several temples one in which there was a ceremony for a newly accepted monk. In the temples you must wear pants, take off your shoes and never point your toes forward toward the statue (a sign of disrespect). He also took me to two tailor shops (not what I had in mind) but I guess that's what they always do. Probably no more tuk tuks for me. Then I got dropped off on the Chao Phyraya River where I headed back south on a boat. It was a neat ride with huge temples on either side an a nice australian math teacher (who talked my ear off). Then on to the skytrain for a short ride to my stop where I walked back to the hostel. It was nice to slow the pace down a bit and look in some shops. See, I already know my way around this city. Anyway, just wanted to start this blog before I got too carried away moving around. I booked an over night bus to Phuket on Monday so i will be staying at Lub d in Bangkok for two more nights. This is a great hostel too, aircon and a womens only section and bathroom. In Phuket I'll put where I'm staying and such. Probably only a day or two there, because its supposed to be really touristy, and then off to some islands...I'm thinking for a weekish. post pictures soon too! <3