Running and Rock Climbing!

I've been feeling like a total sloth lately, so last night I promised myself I'd get up and go running. So at 6:30am when I woke up under the 12 inches comforting warmth the blankets provided, the last thing I wanted to do was brave the cold. Keep in mind that I didn't bring any running clothes of shoes with me, so running in China means Capri yoga pants, tank top, long sleeved shirt, and Chaco sandals. Despite how difficult it was to get out the door, I did. My ears ached in the cold, my lungs burned, and my toes were popsicles, but I felt so much better afterwards. In China thus far, the staples in my diet have consisted of rice noodle soup, dumplings, and sweet bread...not a whole lot in terms of veggies. I try to go to the market everyday to buy carrots, mandarins, and bananas so that I feel a little bit better about what I'm eating, but still, I miss the abundance of greens that were available in Vietnam.

This afternoon Sam and I went rock climbing at a nearby Karst formation called Wine Bottle. We had so much fun!! I have to brag a little though. Of the 3 other people that we climbed with, I was the only one to make it up all 4 courses! This was my first time climbing outdoors and it was so exhilarating. Dingo, the climbing shop owner and our guide for the day, was so impressed with me that he's invited me to climb again with him for free!

After a few hours of climbing we were all exhausted and Sam and I agreed that the only way to conclude such a fun day was over a few beers. We treated Dingo and his assistant to some local beer, and they provided the peanuts and sunflower seeds. How perfect is that?!? By dinner time we were all starving and headed next door to a restaurant that specializes in the local favorite, Beer Fish. I have to say I am very impressed with Chinese food. We really get the short end of the stick with American Chinese food.

Despite the language barrier, Dingo and I managed to have a lively conversation and a very memorable few hours!

Yangshuo, China

After just one day in Guilin, I decided to head for Yangshuo, a pretty if very touristy town about 1 hour south of Guilin. Yangshuo is set amongst hundreds of Karst formations, innumerable lakes, and two rivers. The streets of the town are all cobblestone and store fronts are lined with traditional red lights which adds to its charm, especially in the evening. Sam and I met up here a few hours ago for dinner and to check out what this town has to offer. Getting a tip from a local, we feasted on tianluoniang, a local delicacy of stuffed field snails. They were phenomenal. If you ever come to China, make sure to try them. Enough said.

Guilin, China

I arrived in Guilin yesterday afternoon and was once again surprised at the modernity of the city. I guess I had this notion of China as a huge, massive country with its major metropolises being Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Macau. But the rest of the country I assumed was still relatively undeveloped. I guess I was wrong, way wrong. Guilin is home to a mere 600,000 people, a tiny fraction of the country's enormous population, but it is a city of shopping centers, restaurants, beautiful parks, neon lights, and friendly people, all set amongst beautiful scenery. It's cold here though. Last night I met Sam, a fellow dorm-dweller at the Guilin Backstreet Hostel, and much to my surprise he speaks Chinese! It's pretty intriguing to watch a 6'6" blond kid from Tampa Florida speak Chinese with amazing ease and fluidity. He took me to this great noodle spot for dinner, then helped me buy a sweatshirt at the local market for what seems a fair price. We walked through the gaudy night market, tasted local rice wine, and got caught in a downpour while snacking on BBQ squid and fried seafood balls. It was a fun night. Back at the hostel, I exchanged travel stories with a girl from Israel and enjoyed a bottle of red wine with a couple from San Diego.

Today its cold and raining, and my poor toes are freezing! It's still early, so I'm enjoying a cup of coffee in a McDonalds overlooking central Guilin waiting for the shops to open. Shoes, gloves, and a hat are on my must buy list today!

Consumerism and China

There are literally McDonald's on every corner, with mini-McDonalds kiosks selling burgers, fries, and ice cream scattered half-way down every block. The WalMart Super Center was so big, a huge illuminated map of the 2 story megaplex was necessary at the entrance and on every floor. Despite my opposition to both walMart and McDonalds, I supported both this morning--McDonalds for a cup of coffee and WalMart for the hairspray I've been so desperately needing. All you out there with curly hair know what I mean! It saddens me that the Chinese have taken so easily to the Western way of living, and I hope that they are able to maintain their own identity and cultural values without sacrificing too much. Fast food has inundated this city, KFC, Pizza Hut, McDonalds, and of course a few of the Chinese variety. Street stalls and grocery stores are packed with fried, processed foods, alongside more green tea and herbal medicine that I have ever seen. The youth sport the latest fashions, edgy hairstyles, and red seems to be the hair color of choice among the under-25 crowd. The majority of people walking down the streets are toting bag after bag full of their latest purchases. Who can blame them for wanting what the West has had for years? But what price are they paying for all of this? Obesity? A debt-ridden society? Depression? Hopefully they will be able to balance their need for consumerism better than we have been able to.

I was pleasantly surprise to hear last night that the Chinese government has imposed emission standards on all buses, trucks, and cars that rival the strict standards of Europe. Starting January 1, any vehicle that doesn't meet these standards will be removed from he roads. The government has also put environmental policies in place to clean-up its act and reduce the major impact the country is having on global warming and environmental deterioration. I just hope these are more than fluffy, feel-good promises, and that they have the infrastructure to make a lasting impact. China is at a point in its development where it has the potential to do a lot of good for its people and for the earth. It will be a fascinating country to watch over the next decade.

I've made it to China!

I've made it to China. The 8-hour bus ride was uneventful, however we were offered lots of free water and snacks along the way which was a much welcomed surprise. Upon arrival in Naning, I immediately felt as though I'd been thrown 100 years into the future. Coming from Vietnam, where life moves slowly and tractors are still a common form of transportation, China is by all accounts in the 21st century. During the 15-minute taxi ride from the bus station to my hotel, I counted 22 high rises under construction, 5 KFC's, 12 McDonalds, 2 WalMart Super Centers, and only a handful of cars that looked like they should be condemned. Nanning's metropolis rivals that of Los Angeles, massive urban-sprawl, a bustling city center that glistens with shiny new 30 story buildings, billboards promising the luxuries of million-dollar condos, expensive cars, and all the latest in electronic gadgetry. The streets are line with shopping centers, department stores, and restaurants, all attracting consumers with neon lights, loud music, and promises of deep discounts. Chinese consumerism has arrived.

I experienced my first tast of how idfficult communication is likely to be here in China when ordering dinner. Walking into a nearby restaurant that was bustling with locals (I figured that was a sure sign it was good!), I plunked myself down and asked for a menu. Not one word in English. All very foreign, Chinese characters. Instead of blindly choosing something, I pulled out a 10 yuan note and somehow communicated this is what I've got to spend, please bring me something edible. A few minutes later, I was presented with dumplings filled with some sort of mystery meat. The waitress proceeded to combine soy sauce, vinegar, minced garlic, and hot pepper in a small dish, mixed it all up, and showed me that I was supposed to dunk my dumplings in it. Yum, this looked great! The table next to me thought all of this was hilarious and started taking pictures of me with their cell phones, laughing histaricly, and giving me repeated thumbs up. The dumplings were great and only cost me 6 yuan. I was just happy to have a filling meal and to not have been ripped off!

China, here I come!

I'm sitting on a really nice, modern Chinese bus awaiting my departure for Nanning. I've tried to read, but the excitement running through me has made concentration an impossible feat. Instead I sit, staring at the drizzling rain, the fury of early morning traffic whizzing by, my thoughts running wild to the infectious beat of Chinese pop, my head inadvertently bobbing to the music. The low grumble of the engine interjects my thoughts with its announcement that the time has arrived. China, here I come!

Becoming Me Again

We were growing apart, I could feel it and see it, but I wanted nothing to do wiht it. I love him more than I loved myself and in my desperate attempts to keep us together, I lost little pieces of me. Pieces of my personality that made me, me-- hoping that by being the person I thought was best for us, would actually be best for us. I lost my quirkiness, that goofy side of me that I cherished as a child. I conformed to be the perfect partner, making his life so easy that he couldn't live without me. But in the end, what he really wanted wasto do things for himself, to live life for himself, to prove to himself that he could be self-sufficient, independent. I've learned a valuable lesson--never lose yourself, always stay true to yourself as that's the one thing in life that you are guaranteed to succeed at. It's time to be the best Dona that I can be, as I am the only person capable of perfecting that role. I'm determined to bring back that quirky, goofy kid that I used to be, the Dona that I loved and the me that really is me.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas! Today is my last day in Vietnam, I catch the bus at 9am tomorrow morning for Nanning, China! I never did make it to Sapa, after many confusing, pointless conversations with locals in Son La, I found my way back to the bus station, where I was told the next bus to Sapa was on December 26. And being that my visa expires on the 28, I simply didn't have enough time to make it up there. So, I backtracked all the way back to Hanoi yesterday. I'm bummed that I'm not getting the opportunity to see Sapa, but that just leaves me an excuse to come back at some point!

I spent today getting ready for tomorrow--buying a Lonely Planet guide for China, changing money to US dollars, and searching high and low for the cheapest bus ticket. I talked to Jen, Irene, and my family this morning which was awesome! I miss them so much. This afternoon was primarily occupied by getting totally lost in the whindy, confusing streets of Hanoi. After 3 hours of aimless wandering, I stumbled upon a great pita stand and enjoy my Christmas dinner! I eventually found my way back home and am now enjoying what I promised myself I would treat myself to for Christmas, red wine and chocolate! And to make it that much better, Harry Potter is on HBO! Well, this will be my last post from Vietnam, see you guys in China!

Pictures from Northern Vietnam

Enjoy!!

I hate this town!

I hate this town! I took the bus this morning from Mai Chau to SOn La, under the premise that Son La was comperable in size to Mai Chau, small. I was droppd at the bus station after a gut-jolting 4 hour bus ride. Typically there is at least one motorbike driver who offers you a ride, if not an entire swarm of them. But here, not a single person ofered me a lift. That was my first clue that this place was different. I headed out of the station and began walking down the main road. The only foreigner around and not a single Hello!, not even from the kids. I was baffled. Everyone just stared, not in a discreet way, but bug eyed, mouth hanging open, gawking. People were taking photos of me with their cell phones. Where am I? I screamed in my head. I found a handful of hotels, each repeating the same behavior as the last. I'd walk in, they'd stare at me in silence. Room? I'd inquire. A puzzled look would cross their face, as they'd cal out to that token English speaker at the establishment. Room? I'd ask again, this time using hand motions to indicate that I was looking for a place to sleep. A big grin spreads across their faces, as they'd begin to laugh, no, no, no. This process went on for 2 hours. 2 hours of wandering aimlessly through the streets looking for anything that looked remotely like a guest house or hotel. Finally I found a place with rooms at a decent price, but because my passport is in Hanoi being processed with the Chinese embassy, I spent 15 minutes trying to explain why I couldn't show it to him. And God help you if you don't have your passport when trying to check-in to a hotel. He eventually settled for my California drivers license and my Vietnam exit car, but not before getting within 2 inches of my face and repeatedly saying, me, me, me. I shot him a confused look and half a smile.

Desperate for a beer, I dropped my things in the room and go out in search of a restaurant or roadside stand selling the infamous and widely available, Beer Hanoi. Figuring I'd find one almost instantly, I walked down the road I'd just come from in a rather chipper, good mood. But of course, nothing. There were shops selling any and everything, just not a beer. It was starting to get dark, so I turned around to ind my way back towards the hotel, hoping maybe they could point me in the right direction. Just before I got to the hotel, I saw just the sign I was looking for 'Pho, Com, Bia'--Noodles, Rice, Beer. Perfect!! The woman of course spoke no English, and through my mangled Vietnamese, I said Com Ga--rice and chicken--until I was blue in the face. Through a combination of hand gestures, English and Vietnamese, she finally figured out that I wanted to eat. Within minutes I had rice, chicken, greens, and cabbage soup, and that beer I was dying for. The food wasn't even good, but it would have to do, and the beer hit the spot. As I was getting up to pay, she comes over and holds up six fingers. Now the typical dinner in Vietnam shouldn't cost more than 30,000 dong, just shy of $2, so the six figures confused me. 6,000 dong would be much too cheap, and 60,000 dong, now that's out of the question. But she insisted, 60,000 dong! I've never spent so much on food. Until tonight, the most I'd ever spent on dinner for 40,000 dong and that was the fresh seafood special in Halong Bay, a justifiable splurge. I can't believe I was just suckered into spending my entire days food budget on one lousy meal. But what was I supposed to do? Now I have to figure out how to explain to the hotel manager that I want to go to Sapa tomorrow, ugh. This isn't going to be pretty.

What a year it has been!

This has definitely been a year to remember. I turned 25, a pivotal year which somehow measures the crossing into full-fledged adulthood. I thought I had everything in order, perfectly lined up for the perfect life. I had the love of my life, two wonderful pets, and big dreams. But my destiny had different plans, ones that took me completely by surprise.

This year I ran my first and second half marathons, I lost my beloved uncle Kaare, I climbed every last inch of Half Dome, I broke up with the person I planned to spend the rest of my life with, and I embarked on a journey of a lifetime. So much for my perfectly ordered plans.

Marriage, travel, kids. That's what I wanted, more than anything, and still those are the 3 things I want most in life. To live out my days with the person who can compliment me perfectly and be my equal, to travel the world enjoying all of the unknown wonders that it has to offer, and to be a mother. I know I will eventually have all of those, but the order has been switched on me, and my path to attaining them is no longer the straight line I once was walking down. I've taken the fork in the road, the path less traveled, a path that's a little more exciting, filled with plenty of unknown and adventure. I'm starting to really like this new path my life has chosen, but there's another part of me that misses my old life. The certainty of what lie ahead, the comfort of the known. There was a moment or me a few months ago when I first realized how different things were going to be. Isom an I had broken up a few days earlier, and in those first few days, I didn't let myself belive it was true. We were too perfect together, I'd tell myself over and over again. But then like a ton of bricks it hit me. I needed to get away, breakout of my skin, my happy-go-lucky smile that was holding me hostage. I needed to cry. And for the first time since that awful day, I sat in my car, in the middle of a field typical of the Davis landscape, and I cried. Gut wrenching, hysterical sobs. I had lost my footing, my path, my certainty. The one person that I had based the last 6 years on, my future on, was gone. Isom and Dona, the perfect couple, was no more. I wasn't ready to face that reality, but knew that I had to. My life played out in front of me like an old, scratchy movie. Recounting all of the wonderfully blissful and happy times, all of the laughter. It had been a great chapter in story of my life, but one that we had both grown out of. And for the first time, I let myself believe that it was ok. The despite the heartache, the tears, and the snot blubbering out of my nose, the next chapter needed to start. I had to allow myself to move on. Isom and I grew up together, but had reached a point where we both needed different things--he to deal with family obligations and the struggle to see his piloting dreams come to fruition, and me to spread my wings and break out of the mold of normalcy. It was in that field, in my car, that I took the first steps to accepting the fact that the life I had built for myself, was not what destiny had in store for me.

New Foods

I vowed when visiting South East Asia that I would try some of the more bizarre foods that are commonly consumed here--crickets, worms, tarantulas, etc. Well, I haven't had the opportunity to try any of those yet, but yesterday I stepped way outside of my comfort zone. Masa, the Japanese guy staying here, is obsessed with the regional specialty of duck fetus. The nearly fully developed duck is dumped into a bowl, sprinkled with a bit of ginger, salt, and parsley, and furiously consumed in just a few big bites. Masa eats this everyday, claiming that people get addicted to it and that he has never met anyone who didn't love it. I don't think he's ever been in the presence of a Westerner trying it for the first time. The sight of the little duck was more harrowing than anything, slimy yellows, blacks, and browns, little bits of feather, and its beady black eyes sticking off the side of its head like raisins. I took a small bite, hoping not to bite into anything crunchy, like a bone or beak, and then like biting into a picnic lunch on the beach where sand always seems to sneak into your food, I had found its wing. The taste wasn't bad, especially considering it was masked by a hearty portion of ginger, but the texture made me want to spue. Needless to say, I let Masa finish the little duck off for me!

Dinner that night was heaping platters of vegetables, meats, and egg rolls, all cooked perfectly in the Vietnamese tradition. After having loaded my bowl full of the offerings, a small plate of grayish-white, rubbery strips were brought out. You want to try one? Masa inquires. Great another of his weird foods. Hesitantly I agree. Why I agreed without first asking what it was is beyond me, but with my chopsticks I courageously reached for a piece of the rubbery substance and lowered it into my bowl for further inspection. I tried to take a bite, not wanting to stick the entire thing in my mouth before knowing it wasn't going to make me gag. I tugged and pulled with my canines. You have to eat the whole thing, Masa chimes in. No way, I say to myself, giving him a look of uncertainty. I picked it up with my fingers, held it solidly with my teeth, and worked it until a piece finally broke off. And then I chewed, and chewed, and chewed. What did I just eat? I hesitantly inquired after swallowing. Pig stomach.

Peanut Butter

I can't believe how much peanut butter I eat! I've already gone through 3 big jars of the stuff--lathering it on bread and crackers, bananas, and even carrots! I just ran out of my final few spoonfuls and its probably good that I take a break for a while...I don't want to get sick of it. It's a great protein that keeps the hunger at bay inbetween meals. I'm not sure why I am always so hungry here, but no meal seems to fill me up for long. Maybe its the empty carbs of rice and noddles that have become the staple in my diet, or maybe its a tapeworm...who knows?!?

Mai Chau Part II

There are 4 other people staying at the guesthouse, a couple from Hanoi, and two guys, one from France and the other from Japan. It's a really fun group and I am now really looking forward to spending the next few days here. Tomorrow a wedding is taking place, starting at 10am and guaranteed to go well into the night. 700 people are expected to attend, and its all happening just steps from the guesthouse. We have already been invited to attend the ceremony and take part in the festivities, so it should be a fun day.

The guesthouse is basic--a traditional stilt house, with mats on the floor for beds, and shared toilets and showers. But everyone has been so welcoming and generous, it makes it a memorable experience. I have been overly blessed with good fortune, and for the I am extremely grateful!

Mai Chau

The peace and quiet in Mai Chau is blissful. Snuggled into a lush, green valley, the small village is a much welcomed surprise after less than 24 hours in Hanoi. The hectic, conjested, and filthy city was much too stressful for me, and after just one night I decided to leave. While in Hanoi, I applied for a Chinese visa, ans was shocked to find out that it was going to set me back over $100! And that's only because I'm American. For everyone else, the visa fee is only $30. After all of the additional fees, I ended up forking over $121--just to visit one small part of China for a few weeks. Ugh. But, I figure money is no excuse to miss this opportunity. The visa however takes 4 working days to process, so it won't be ready until Christmas Day! Instead of being in Sapa for Christmas as I had planned, I'll be in Hanoi. At least it will be easy for me to find a place to call home!

I've spent the afternoon wandering through the valley, through rice paddies, across dams, and through villages. I haven't seen a single other tourist and it has been so nice. That lonely solitude that was caving in on me just a few days ago seems to be lifting and transforming itself into a welcoming silent abyss. In an effort to abolish the loneliness, I found myself sitting in restaurants, drinking beers, surrounded by other Westerners, and more unhappy than before. Doing this I realized that I had lost what was true to me and what made me happy in an attempt to find temporary happiness. But being away from all of that is really what makes me happy. I feel so alive out here, surrounded by the mountains, the foreign jabbering of locals, the clucking of the chickens, and the rustling of the trees. And that loneliness, its not really loneliness, just the adjustment of finding my center.

Great Day!

Today was a great, great day. I spent the day on Halong Bay--kayaking, swimming, and enjoying the scenery. There were 4 other people booked on the tour, Laura and her mother, Margo, and Laure and Matthew, a young French couple. It's amazing how much Laura and I had in comon. We both lived in Ghana durinmg the same time and only a few miles from each other, recently broke up with Kenyan boyfriends, want to do international health work in Africa, and we are both on our way to Kenya! Amazing. Laura and her mom were fascinating people who I learned so much from and am so fortunate to have spent the day wih them. Laure and MAtthew just finished spending time in China, and were so eager to share thier stories with me and give me travel tips. I can't tell you how excited I am now about China! They couldn't say enough good things about Yunnam and claim its the most emorable place either of them have ever been. So, tomorrow I head to Hanoi to apply for my CHinese visa, check out Old Hanoi, an then make my way up to Sapa! Ask and you shall recieve, I feel so much better today! :)

Traveling Alone

One of the hardest parts of traveling on my own has been not having anyone to shre all of these remarkable experiences with. The blog has been great, as it has allowed me to share stories and pictures on a regular basis, but of course, its not the same. I've realized fo the first time what it truely means and feels liketo be alone. Having been with and lived with Isom nearly my entire adult life, I always had someone to talk to, a shoulder to lean on, a person to just be with. I've never just been on my own and its a hard transition. Isom was the center of my life and now I am making me the center, its a scarier and sometimes lonelier place than I had imagined. But I think its all part of the growth process, and in the end, I will be more whole and complete a person because of it.

I've Made it to the North!

I arrived in Ninh Binh this morning at 6am. I took one of the extra comfy sleeper buses so as to not recreate my last experience on an overnight bus. Although nothing like having a nice, solid bed to sleep in, I did catch a few hours of good, dream producing sleep. Having no plan for once I arrived, I thanked my lucky stars that the bus was running late, as I can't imagine trying to find a hotel at 4 in the morning. I was dropped at a nice little guest house that offers great rooms (aka hot water, TV, and a clean bed) and after pounding on the locked door for a few minutes, the owner managed to stumble down the stairs to let me in. Oops, sorry for waking you up. A hot shower, coffee, and a fantastic breakfast later, I was ready to see what Ninh Binh had to offer. I decided to visit two of the most popular local attractions, Tam Coc and Hoa Lu, two places of ancient historical significance for Vietnam.

Tam Coc means three caves; and the highlight of this excursion was the boat ride up the little Ngo Dong River through the eponymous three caves. This area is known as the Halong Bay of the Interior, as its limestone towers are similar to those found in the picturesque Halong Bay. Being that its the middle of winter, the weather was foggy and drizzly which added a sense of mystery and illusion to the great landscape. The 2 hour journey on the Ngo Dong river was peaceful, relaxing, and riddled with fantastic panoramas, however the persistence of my guide in trying to sell me a table cloth was annoying!

Next stop was Hoa Lu, the capital of Vietnam from 968 to 1010 AD. Much of this former capital has been destroyed, however there are a series of courtyards, gates, and buildings which are interesting to explore. Children seemed to pop out of dark corners and from behind bushes in a valiant attempt to sell you postcards of Vietnam. Away from the main attraction I saw a set a stairs leading up one of the limestone mountains. In search of a great view, I headed up. A little boy was quickly on my heels, asking in broken English the same questions everyone seems to ask around here. Where you from? What your name? You have baby? He proceeded to point out where the best photos could be taken, introduced me to his grandmother praying at the temple half way up the small mountain, and to his baby sister. She hungry, she hungry. His puppy dog eyes begging up at me. Money, money. Here we go.

Despite my lack of contribution to the feed the baby fund, the little boy continued to urge me higher and higher. As we got towards the top, the landscape changed dramatically and the soft dirt path turned into razor sharp rock which looked capable of slicing any body unfortunate enough to come into direct contact with it. The little boy bounded up the rocks hopping precociously over the ankle breaking terrain. I followed, not wanting to be out done by a 10 year old. I started getting more and more nervous, no scared is more accurate, as we got higher. How in the world am I going to get down this? What have I gotten myself into? But I kept going, lifting my head up from time to time to take in the specularity of it all. I hope it comes through in the photos I took. It was like nothing I've ever seen. It was the first time in Asia that I really felt like I was someplace special, someplace extraordinary.

Well, I'm pleased to say that I made it down that daunting hill, mountain, whatever you want to call it. No twisted ankles or torn pants, but funny red marks dot my palms where I held onto the sharp rocks for balance. A little consolation prize I suppose. Tomorrow I'm headed to Halong Bay...keep your fingers crossed for good weather!

Pictures!

Finally, here are all of my pictures from the past two weeks in Vietnam! Enjoy.

On a quest to find Monkey Mountain...

I've heard that the train from Danang to Hue is magnificent, promising spectacular views the entire way. So, I took a bus this morning from Hoi An to Danang, where I have spent the day, before catching the train to Hue tomorrow morning. Danang isn't a great city by any means, one this is simply a thru-point for most travelers. There are a few points of interest that I took the time to check out today, Danang's only museum, the Museum of Champa Sculpture, and Danang's only mountain, Monkey Mountain. The Champa Museum was interesting, providing you can appreciate ancient sculptures and artifacts without any clue what you are looking at. Once again, the language barrier. All of the explanations and historical facts were in French and Vietnamese, which obviously did me no good. Nevertheless, I was able to decipher that the Champa people lived in this area during the 9th-15th centuries, and the artifacts in the museum were excavated from the holy site, My Son, the Vietnamese version of Angkor Wat. After the museum, I stopped by the market to pick up some lunch to take with me to Monkey Mountain. The choice of the day?? A Vietnamese sandwich, a custard apple, and 1/2 kilo of dragon's eye fruit. Yum!

The hotel owner promised me that Monkey Mountain was only 3-4km away and easily ascended on a bike. Well, I don't know if its that language barrier rearing its ugly head again, but I can tell you that after an hour of pedaling, I was only just barely at the base of the mountain. Last time I checked, it doesn't take an hour to ride 3km. Sweaty and already tired, I'm practically walking my up the hill, but in the distance I see a big sign and a nice looking building. That must be the visitors center...just make it that far. Well that's easier said than done when your mode of transport is a WWII era bike sporting a rusty chain and practically flat front tire! Turns out the sign I saw in the distance was just a billboard for Saigon Beer and the building, well, that was a police outpost. I eventually made it to a little restaurant called the Buddha Restaurant and Fish Market. Perfect, I thought. I'll stop in, enjoy a Coke, and ask for directions. Now I'm not sure if this place is brand new and still under construction or if it has recently been devastated by the rains that everyone keeps talking about. But there were people in the restaurant's uniform everywhere, but nobody was doing anything. As I walked into the open air restaurant and market, nobody paid much attention to me, didn't offer me a table, say hello, nothing. Wierd. I continued to walk down towards the ocean thinking I could at least sit down and enjoy the view. No tables or chairs. So I head off the grounds to claim my spot on the empty beach. After realizing its too hot to simply sit on the beach and read, I continue down the beach towards a small fishing village. Nothing exciting, just a few fisherman sitting on the beach waiting for the tide to come is so that they can go out.

Heading back to the restaurant, I notice a man standing on the bluff watching me. As I get closer, he starts yelling and waving his arms. I'm in trouble. The yelling gets louder, the arm motions more frantic. I look at him puzzled and confused, he in turn just gets louder. I catch a glimpse of the man's t-shirt, SECURITY, is plastered across the back of his crisp, black shirt. Great! I'm getting kicked out of a place that doesn't even appear to be functioning. After the yelling subsides, I figure out that he was saying something about rocks, my feet, and a prickly bush. Maybe he was concerned for the safety of my feet.

I follow him back tot he restaurant, through the grounds, the seating area, and the kitchen, and eventually back to where I've parked my bike. There's another man sitting at a small table guarding the single van and my bike (this is customary in SE Asia. Instead of locking your bike, you pay a man to watch it for you). He pulls out an extra chair and motions for me to sit. From under the table, he whips out a huge bottle of what appears to be thick, brown, murky moonshine and offers me a swig. I graciously decline and decide its time to be on my way. What was that all about?!?

Well, I never did make it to the top of Monkey Mountain, but the ride back down was fun! I even stopped to take a few photos for everyone back at home.

Hoi An

I took an overnight bus from Nha Trang to Hoi An last night. I opted for one of the "Open Tour" buses that are used almost exclusively by tourists, thinking that it would b comfrotable and most importantly, that the bus wouldn't make stops along the way to let passengers on and off. Turns out I shouldn't have assumeda anything. Next time I'm paying extra for the sleeper bus! There were neon green and red lights illuminating the bus' interior and Vietnamese trance music pumping through the low-quality sound system...even at 3am!! We must have stopped at least a dozen times to pick up passengers along the way, each time adding another 10-15 minutes to the trip. Why it takes people so long to get onto the bus is beyond me. At least I had 2 seats to myself so that I could strech out a little.

Hoi An is a dusty and rather ordinaraya town that has been ale to maintain much of its historical charm. The entire town has been turned into a tourist trap, however its a trap that you don't really mind being in. In 1999, Hoi An's historical district was granted World Heritage Site status and anow is one of those "must see" spots on the Vietnamese checklist. This place is a shoppers paradise--tailor made clothes and shoes in the latest fashions and done within 24 hours, beautiful paintings and handicrafts, and custom silver jewlery made on the spot. It makes me wish I was going home a little sooner so that I could actually justify buying a few things!!

Nha Trang and Jungle Beach

The road from Buon Ma Thot to Nha Trang was long and winding, but interesting. The scenery went from lush to desert-like to salty before I ever saw the ocean. But once Idid, I was so grateful to be out of the mountains and back in the tropics... especially since the woman sitting next to me was sick for at least half the ride!

Nha Trang is a breath of fresh air coming from Vietnam's south. It's a major coastal town and has that bright, lofty, pastel air about it. In fact, the city reminds me a lot of Santa Monica, Calfornia, which is weird. It's not like I didn't try to get as far away as possible or anything.

Nha Trang's beach is slightly dirty and you'll never have it to yourself, but the water is warm and calm, you can rent a chair under a thatched roof for a couple bucks, and the fruit lady never wanders too far off. I was wondering how the whole beach culture vibe was going to work, given the obvious aversion Vietnamese people have to the sun. But it's all good, they just flock to the beach when the sun goes down.

Nha Trang is a relatively flat, condensed city, perfect for biking. I rented a bike and rode up to Nha Trang's Cham towers, visited a monastery, and worshipped at the giant Buddha. It turned out to be a pretty good day!

Quiet a few people have recommneded a little place about an hour north of Nha Trang called Jungle Beach Resort, promising a better coastline with less traffic. Already tired of the hustle and bustle of Nha Trang, I packed up, jumped on the back of a motorbike, and headed up to Jungle Beach.

Perfection achieved. Lay on the beach, read, rinse, repeat. It rocked.

Even though it's called a resort, Jungle Beach is more like a tropical campsite. Guests sleep in open-air bamboo huts without electricity and share bathrooms. The place has the potential to be a five-star joint, but there's an allure to its modesty. For $15 per person per night, you have your run of the place and three delicious meals prepared by the owners and their staff.

The owner, Sylvio, recently spotted a group (pack? tribe? gaggle?) of monkeys living in the mountains nearby, and now primate researchers from all over the world are coming to Jungle Beach to study them. Apparently there aren't monkeys like these monkeys anywhere else on Earth and experts are sort of freaking out about the discovery. Unfortunately no monkeys graced me with their presence.

Unfortunately, I had to say goodbye to Jungle Beach after just one day. My visa for Vietnam expires on December 29th and this is a very big country, that I have just barely started to explore. Tonight, I will be spending the evening on a 12 hour bus north of Hoi An. Wish me luck!

Final Day of Cycling

I don't know what else to do but laugh! After a hard day of riding, we finished at Yok Don National Park, where Heidi and Marcus will stay over tonight and visit the park in the morning. Not interested in seeming the park, I asked Kong, our cycling guide, to bring me to a guest house near the bus station in Buon Ma Thuot. From the outside you can't even tell its a guest house. It looks like every other storefront in Vietnam--crackers, soda, and candy among other odds and ends being sold to the passersby. I am shown to the back, down a dingy and poorly lit hallway where there are 3 single rooms. The walls don't go all the way to the ceiling, so the peace and quiet I was hoping for can only be found under the blare of the TV, the chatter of women gossiping over the day's laundry. the honking of trucks rumbling by on the busy street, and the shrill ringing of the telephone. The room itself is dirty and tiny, but it has a mosquito net! Hey, I can't complain, I'm only staying here one night and its costing me a whopping $3. Plus the ownwer invited me for coffee at 7.

The riding today was awesome. We started off by visiting two waterfalls, the two biggest in Vietnam, both of which pale in comparison to any note worthy falls in the US. The final 30 km of the ride were by far the best of the entire trip. There was a great tail wind pushing along the rolling hills at speeds that made me throw up my arms and laugh in pure exhileration.

I'm really doing it. All by myself, alone. It's unreal, exciting, and fascinating. The best time of my life. I wouldn't give this up for anything. What's next is anyone's guess. I am tougher, more resilient, and felxible that I even realized. It's already been 12 days on my own--I've crossed borders, meditated at a Pagoda, stayed with a complete stranger, eated coagulated blood, and cycled through 290km of beautiful countryside. All this in less than 2 weeks. It's hard to imagine what will unfold over the next few months. I can't wait to live every moment of it!

Dalat to Lak Lake

It's pitch black. There's no electricity. It's windy and cold like a hurricane's on the way. There's no hot water. The bathroom is covered in spiderwebs and creepy crawlies, and is a good 2 minute walk down the dirt road. My bed is a 2 inch thick peice of foam on the floor of a traditional long house. I've just ridden 75km to Lak Lake. I have arrived!

The bike ride from Dalat to Lak Lake was stunning. The Central Highlands are magnificent--coffee plantations cover the rolling hills in a vibrant green that only nature could possibly perfect. The blue sky is dotted with fluffy white clouds that momentarily mask the sun from the tanning of our skin and the warming of the copper earth. Riding through small towns and villages we are greeted by the shrills of exhilerated children chasing after us until there legs can carry them no further. I understand now why Vietnam is hailed as one of the world's greatest cycling destinations.

Lak Lake to Trinh Nuh Waterfall

The scenery today was not nearly as stuning as it was yesterday, but fun, nevertheless. We started out riding along the eastern edge of Lak Lake in powerful head and side winds. Pedaling through vibrant green rice paddies at snails pace was a good precursor to the rest of the day. Marcus was unable to sleep last night and combinded with heat exhaustion from the day before, was forced to call it quits early on. Heidi and I plugged up the mountains, our lungs and legs burning, only to be rewarded by fast, steep downhills that made every pedal stroked of the uphill worth it. By 11am we had reached Elephant Rock, a gigantic granite mound in the middle of Daklak Valley. By 1pm, we had reached the city of Buon Ma Thuot, enjoyed a fantastic lunch of icy cold Cokes and Vietnamese spring rolls, and some of the best coffee in Vietnam. Another 20km and we had arrived at Trinh Nu Waterfall, our resting place for the night. I was utterly exhausted by the time we arrived.

On a Whim...

After spending 4 days in Dalat, I have found myself getting restless. Having heard that there was a company who orgainzes biking tours from Dalat to Nha Trang (the next big tourist stop), I thought I'd investigate. Walking through the backpacker part of town, I was shocked to see how many tour companies there were offering activities ranging from half day hikes to 8 day biking, rafting, and rockclimbing tours. Unsure where to really start, I walked into the store front of a company that had nice, new bikes sitting out front. With such nice bikes they had to be decent, right? I asked the guy at the desk about cycling trips from Dalat to Nha Trang, and he opened his catalog of offerings. A German couple was sitting next to me scoping out the options. They had their sights set on a 3 day tour of the Central Highlands and asked me if I was interested. I had only planned on doing a one-day trip due to the relatively high cost, but seeing that this is my year to live selfishly, I thought Why not? An early Christmas present to myself. So tomorrow morning I leave at 8am for 3 days and 290km of mountain biking!

How generous are we?

Staying with Susan has been such a blessing. She treats me just like one of her own daughters. We cook together, go on walks, joke together...she has not only opened her home to me, but her heart as well. What I love most about her is her sense of self and responsibility. She knows exactly who she is and what she can contribute to our world. Kids on the street get lessons in manners from her, drunk men on the sidewalk are gently scolded and told that they have more to offer than just an empty bottle. Susan infuses good into everything she does, and makes a point to improve someone's life everyday. Be it orphans living in a local temple with not enough food to eat, the local official who's lost his way to the corruption of the communists, or the neighbor's son who can't afford to go to school. Susan has shown me that doing small things is all it takes to change the owrld. This is a concept that we all know, and something that we all talk about, but how many of us actually do it? What do I do to make the world a better place? Not enough. I always seem to have an excuse--not enough money, not enough time, not needy enough. Enough with the excuses. I want generosity to flow naturally from me, and too often it doesn't. This is something I vow to work on, to practice everyday. It seems the more money we have, the more stingy we are. But the truth is, the more we have, the more we are responsible for those who don't.

The Generosity of Strangers

Vietnam has been very well developed for tourists. Multiple companies offer open bus tickets in whcih you can make your way throught the country at your leisure for one flat rate. The problem with this is that only westerners use this service and the buses only stop at the tourist destinations. I decided that I wanted to avoid this. I didn't come here to travel from town to town and from bar to bar with a bunch of people like me.

Having had enough of the big city, yesterday morning I hopped on a local bus heading for Dalat. Dalat is considered the "Santa Cruz of Vietnam," due to its climate and artsy culture. It rarely gets about 75 degrees here, the humidity is low to non-existant, and the green hills seem to go on forever, interupted only by the lush valleys which grow the nations produce and flowers.

I met a woman on the bus, Susan, who has lived in the US, primarily California and Hawaii for the past 40 years. She just recently returned to her Vietnam and her childhood home of Dalat, where she could retire into a comfortable life. We quickly got to talking and before long, she had invited me to stay in her home for as long as I like.

Last night, she took me around her town, showed me Ho Xuan Lake, downtown, the 5 star hotel, and the golf course that was designed by the man who started the shipping company DHL. We enjoyed tea together, Vietnamese sandwiches for dinnerm and popped open Heinekens while we played with her 4-month old puppies, Lula and Keemo. This morning I made us breakfast as she discussed her work with the local orphanage and univeristy. Susna leaves on December 15 to visit her kids in Califonria, but has offered her home to me while she is away. Her generosity is endless!

Ho Chi Minh City Part II

Brian and I finally connected this morning. After sitting at different Lotteria's yesterday, wedecided it would be best for me to make my way to his house via moto. So, with his address in tow, I hired a moto to help me find his apartment in District 4. (Ho Chi Minh City is divided into 8 Districts. The backpacker area is District 1.) Luckily finding his apartment was not too much trouble, although we did encounter the worst traffic jam I have ever seen in my life!

Brian took me first to this giant store call mEgaMart. It was a grocery store, home store, electornics, beauty supply. clothing store, and children's arcade all in one giant 3 story building. Apparently these are pretty common throughout Asia and have started popping up in every major city. You truly could get anything you could ever want ot need at this store, it was amazing. Oh yea, and there was a food court too! After wandering through the store for over an hour, Brian gave me the grand tour of his neighborhood--the local market, the temple, his favorite coffee spot, the park, and eventually back to his apartment. He lives in a great part of town where everything was within walking distance. Walking...right. That is NOT something that Vietnamese do. Everyone owns a moto (a moped) and even just going to a restaurant down the street, which would require a 2 minute walk, requires that you hop on your moto. I haven't figured out why they are so against walking and absolutely insistent on using their motos!

Brian practices a form of Hinduism and as such, we found ourselves discussing such interesting topics throughout the day as past lives, meditation, the power of the mind, and the basisc human desire that binds us all--happiness. Really that's all it comes down to. We all just want to be happy. Nothing more and nothing less. If we could each love ourselves enough to be fully and completely content with who we are as beings, imagine the kind of world we would live in.

After watching the sunset on the roof of his house, we went to the 6pm prayer at the Buddahist temple. I had no expectations for what the sevice would be, as I have walked through many many temples, but have never participated in a prayer service. But nevertheless, I vowed to myself that I would immerse as fully as possible. Sitting through the 90 minute prayer was a test to my ability to sit still for such a long time! I am typically very calm and have no trouble sitting still for prolonged periods...but sitting cross-legged, on hard tile for 90 minutes was a whole different ball game.

As the monks chanted, I crossed my legs, bowed my head, and lifted my hands in prayer, and tried my hardest to not let my mind wander. I had no concept of time, but I couldn't have lasted more than 5 minutes, before thoughts started racing...I'm getting hungry, umm..seafood sounds great. Should I go to Dalat tonight? Nah, tomorrow will be better. I wonder what Bauer and Kobie are doing right now? Probably chsing eachother around the house. My mind was in a constant chain of thoughts. Concentrate Dona, you can do this! Determined to reach a meditative state.

I let my body sway with the chants. Darkness and calm appeared. I felt myself drifting to another universe. Damn, my foot's asleep. I don't know how much longer I can sit like this. Just be still, I calmly told myself, envisioning the struggles of Elizabeth Gilbert at her Ashram in India. You can do anything for 90 minutes. 90 minutes, thats just a blink in time. I had to move my feet, I couldn't take it anymore. Adjusting myself, I was jolted out of the dark calm that I had entered and back to reality. Man, my back hurts. This tile is killing my ankles. And it continued like that for nearly the entire duration, into and out of that gently rocking, calm of dark nothingness. Towards the end, I was able to stay there just long enough to love it. I wish I could say that I had a great experience, but the truth is, it was really hard to just let myself be for such a prolonged period of time. I didn't have an epiphony, but got just a taste of meditation and the power that it holds. The power that we each hold within us to find complete love and acceptance of ourselves. I had no idea what I was doing or what was happening around me, but I really enjoyed the chllange and am looking forward to trying it again. To work through the pain of my feet falling asleep, my back aching, and my mind wandering to maybe, just maybe hold that meditation moment a bit longer. Who knows what will be on the other side? But I want to find out.

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Today has been one heck of a day! My alarm went off at 5:30am, I was to the bus station by 6, and we were on our way to Ho Chi Minh City by 6:30. An uneventful 6 hours later, we arrived in Vietnam's capital city. I was supposed to meet up with Brian, a Canadian and fellow couchsurfer who lives here, but after sitting outside Lotteria, an Italian fast-food franchise and our designated meeting spot, for over 2 hours, I gave up. I hitched a ride to the local backpacker area and found a nice, clean guest house for the night. The guest house is run by Hun and his wife. The first thing I noticed when I walked in, was a man laying on the floor. I was started at first, but quickly realized that the man was actually their son and quadrapalegic. With no wheelchair to sit in, he is confined to living out his life laying on the floor and at the mercy of his parents, trapped in his contorted and imobile body. I don't have a clue how old he is, but he doesn't look older than 15 or 16. I make a point to smile and wave everytime I pass him.

This guest house is so clean! I won't even have to use my sleep sheet tonight and it has hot water and a western toilet!! Oh yea, and they have 2 chiuwawas...which Hun's wife affectionately refers to as her Mexican Dogs.

Terrified

Last night may have very well been the scariest night of my life. Bea and I crawled into our sheisty little bed and tucked ourselves in (aka got inside our sleep sheets and covered ourselves with the hole-filled mosquito net. Moments later, we hear what sounds like rifle shots in the distance. Then, a creature scurries along the wall by our heads. Scared, Bea shines her headlamp along the wall, to find a huge spider. More rifle shots and more scurrying creatures. We both lay there, terrified of our surroundings. Finally drifting off to sleep sometime near dawn, the roosters began to sound their morning alarm and at that point, sleep was a lost dream.

Sihanoukville

We've been in Sihanoukville for two days now and I had so much fun! S-ville is a sleepy fishing village that has had a recent explosion in tourism. Guest houses and restaurants are popping upon top of eachother as locals clamor to take advantage of the new tourism market.

This past weekend was Cambodia's annual Water Festival, a national holiday that celebrates the reversal of the water flow on Lake Tonle Sap. All well-to-do Cambodian's flock to the coast for three days, which just happened to be the same weekend we were there. The beaches were absolutely packed--not with westerners, but with Cambodians. It was a pleasant surprise to see locals celebrating and enjoying themselves, taking a break from their everyday lives to spend time with their families.

We spent today exploring the islands off of Cambodia's coast. We snorkelled, hiked, and swam the day away--it was perfect. The snorkelling here isn't great by any standards, as the visibility is quite low, but being one with schools of fish is always exhilerating! Most of the day was spent on Bamboo island, which was stunning. The crystal clear waters lapped up to powder like sand. There were very few people, no children trying to sell us things, and no women offering panicures, pedicures, or massages. My favorite part of the day was diving off the side of our boat into the warm, turquoise-blue waters of the Gulf of Thailand. I could have done that forever!

Happy Thanksgiving!

We spent most of the day at an orphanage that the hostel we are staying at helps to sponsor. The orphanage is home to 25 AIDS orphans, the sight of which broke my heart. Every child was covered in skin lesions, their nails rought and cracking, and all far too small for their age. Most of the children have lived in the home sice they were infants, having been abandoned by their families because of their positive diagnosis. The children had remarkable spirits, life in their eyes, and laughter that could melt anyone's heart. There was one girl in particiular who was 14, but looked no older than 10 and was obviously far sicker than the other children. She looked so tired and worn down, almost like she was sick of fighting. She tried to engage in the activities with the other children, but felt too sick to participate for long. There was a sadness about her that the other children didn't exhibit, almost like she knew she was close to the end. I sat with her much of the time--her head resting on my shoulder as I rubbed her back. I wanted so badly to give her a bath, rub lotion on her flaking skin, cut her toenails, and to make her feel loved. I wanted to tell her that everything was going to be alright.

Khmer Rouge

Cambodia has lived through a turbulent, bruttle, and bloody history. The Khmer Rouge regime devestated this country in the 1970's under the command of Pol Pot. Trying to create a supreme Khmer race, 2 million Cambodians were systematically toutured and killed. Anyone who was from the city, who was educated, who had worked for the government, had been a monk, or had any connection with the Western world was brought to work camps where they were starved and literally worked to death. We visited the killing fields and torture camps located outside of Phnom Pehn which brought a real human element to the facts.

All that is required for evil to triumph is for good men and women to do nothing. Pol Pot got away without once suffering for the evils of his regime--the world owes it tohis victims to ensure that this never happens again. These cannot be just words, because it is happening...Zimbabwe, Myanmar, Sudan, and even modern Cambodia in which political freedom is by no means issued. We must pressure our governments and be activists for freedom.

Phnom Penh

We arrived in Phnom Penh this afternoon after a 6 hour bus ride from Siem Reap. "The bus is very comfortable and air conditioned!"they told us as we booked the tickets...unfortnately this wasn't the case. Sitting next to the engine and bathroom, the smell of diesel permeated every breath. Bea got sick from the fumes and the stuffy air in the rear of the bus feeling nauseated the entire ride. Although I wasn't super comfortable, the heat and smells didn't bother me as much as I got lost in the book I am currently reading "First They Killed My Father," a story of a young girl who survivied 3 years of Khmer Rouge rule.

3 rivers converge on the banks of Phnom Penh, the Tonle Sap, Tonle Bassac, and the Menkong. Bea and I took a private boat tour of the rivers with the stunning skyline of the city as a fantastic backdrop.

Upon arrival in Phnom Pehn one of the first things I noticed was the lack of structure on the streets. There are absolutely no rules of the road. Cars are imported from all over the world, and thus, half the cars have steering wheels on the left and half have steering wheels on the right side of the cars. Choosing which side of the street you drive on is completely at your own discression. The thousands of motos create utter chaos as they weave in and out of all of the cars and trucks. Despite the chaotic flow of vehicles on the roads here, it somehow all works in perfect harmony.

First Days in Cambodia

Cambodia so far is a hard place to love. Granted we have only seen Siem Reap and Poipet, but the begging by children and adults alike is incessant. Everywhere you turn a child is trying to sell you postcards and coconut shell bracelets, toddlers are begging for food, and women extend their hands with eyes of despair. It is hard to constantly say no without feeling utterly selfish.

Angkor Wat was beautiful, although after a few hours, many of the temples began to lose their uniqueness, each temple looking more and more like the last. The hordes of tourists was overwhelming. No where have I witnessed tourist attractions that overflow with tourists as I have in Thailand and Cambodia. Sometimes I feel there is no escaping the inappropriately dressed, photo snapping swarms of tourists.

Thailand to Cambodia

We just arrived in Siem Reap after 14 hours on the bus. The travel agent in Bangkok promised that we would arrive by 3pm, but we didn't end up getting here until nearly 10pm! The border crossing at Poipet was chaotic, confusing, and intense. On the Thai-side of the border, the streets were clean and orderly, on the Cambodian-side, the streets were dusty, grimey, and full of trash. Children ran through the streets half-naked, barefoot, and dirty, a site that was unheard of in Thailand. I somehow felt we were transported to Africa.

We switched buses twice once we walked across the border. The first took us to a shady, black market money exchange that cheated me out of nearly $30. With so much chaos, nobody speaking English, and being herded from one point to the next with no idea what is going on, it is no wonder they are able to get away with these scams. After the money scam, we were told to get onto another bus that would take us to Siem Reap.

With all of the passengers and baggage piled in and the windows wide open, the driver took off down the dirt road heading east. Barrelling down the pot hold infested road at white-knuckle speeds, we sat back, inhaled dust and exhaust, and tried to enjoy the constantly changing scenery. The monotony of a five hour bus ride was quickened with bouts of sleep. Nodding in and out of consciousness with the lurching rythym of the bus, I was suddenly jolted fully awake with the arrival of pavement. Out of nowhere, the road was smooth and there were lights everywhere. Reminding me of the Vegas strip, massive hotels lined the streets whose over the top elegance seemed starkly out of place in a country whose people struggle on less than $2 a day. We had arrived in Siem Reap.

Bangkok & Beyond

Because we only planned for two days in and around Bangkok, Bea and I opted for a guided tour of a few sights just north of the Capitol. Thailand is famous for its floating markets, which were started by the Chinese hundreds of years ago. Chinese immigrants settled in Kanchanaburi and dug over 220 canals by hand in an effort to simulate the canals in China. As a result, Kanchanburi is now famous for its floating markets, and as such, it was packed with tourists. But nevertheless, it was one of those quintessential images of Thailand that we both wanted to see.

After spending the morning wandering through the market, it was back on the bus for our next stop at the River Kwai Bridge. This bridge was made famous by the movie "The Bridge Over the River Kwai," which depicts its significance during World War II.

Our last stop of the day was at the Tiger Temple. From pamphlets and accounts by other tourists, both Beatriz and I expected something completely different. First, we show up unaware that you are not allowed to wear any hot colors (red, orange or pink), as these are the only colors that tigers can see, thus putting you at heightened risk of becoming a tiger feast. Completely unaware of this, I show up wearing an orange dress and am told that I cannot enter unless I can find something else to wear. I ended up having to buy pants and a t-shirt from the gift shop for 400 baht ($13)...way over my $10 a day budget! Second, we had expected the temple to be a serene, peaceful place where monks and tigers live side by side, but instead it was a tourist trap like I've never seen. We had to line up to take pictures with the tigers, the token monk walked around and posed in pictures, and if we wanted "special" photos with the tigers, it would be an extra 1000 baht ($30)! I am glad that I bit the bullet and bought the new outfit because it was really neat getting so close to such big cats.

Ko Samui

Just finished spending 4 wonderful days on the island of Ko Samui. The island is located in the gulf of Thailand about 500km south of Bangkok. I stayed in a beautiful house with 8 other girls which was a total blast. I spent the majority of my time in or near the water, usually with food and drink in hand! The food here has been spectacular and my favorite dish so far is Papaya salad. Ko Samui was very touristy and while it was fun, I was ready to leave.

Last night, Beatriz and I took an overnight train from Surat Thani in southern Thailand to Bangkok, and just arrived about an hour ago. After arriving at the train station, we jumped on a tuk tuk and headed for Ko San Road. Ko San Road is backpacker central and its reasonable to say that everyone who visits Thailand passes through Ko San Road at one time or another. We're staying at the Green House Hostel which has nice, basic accomodations and is close to everything. Today, Beatriz and I plan on exploring the city and visiting the Grand Palace and the huge open markets in central Bangkok. Tomorrow, we will be heading 3 hours north to spend the day at Tiger Temple (www.tigertemplethailand.com). I'll share some more pictures soon. Hugs to all!

I'm Here!

I've made it to Thailand! No bumps, no bruises, just easy sailin' the entire way....yes, all 24 hours of it! The Bangkok airport is impressive, although I can't say the same for the scenery I witnessed during our final descent. The air was smoggy, the roads congested, and the ocean was brown! But I guess you can't expect too much from an overdeveloped city in an underdeveloped country. My flight to Ko Samui leaves in an hour and I'm sure the views from the plane (yes, its a 15 seater!) will be stunning and more than make up for what I've seen thus far. Well, there's free food waiting here for me in the Bangkok Airline lounge and what budget traveler could possibly turn down an opportunity to gorge on free Thai food?!?

Holy Crap!

I can't believe it! I'm leaving for the airport in 10 minutes...there's no turning back now. Thanks to everyone for your heartfelt wishes and send offs. Catch you in Thailand!

Last big hoorah!

Thank you to my wonderful colleagues and friends for throwing me such a fun going away party! I'm going to miss you guys.

11 Days and Counting!

Less than two weeks to go and it still doesn't seem real! Just to make you guys the slightest bit jealous, this is where my grand adventure will be starting...on the picturesque island of Ko Samui in Southern Thailand. I'll be staying here for the first 4 days with my best friend from college and a few of her colleagues from the adventure travel company, Backroads. We've already got plans for thai cooking lessons, hill treks, and of course, enjoying all that the beach has to offer...you sure to don't want to come visit?!?