We flew from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap. When we arrived, it was immediately evident we were in a much more popular tourist destination. First class hotels surrounded the outskirts of Angkor Wat, and there was a lot more evidence of urban planning and a general cleaniness compared to where we had just been. There was still much evidence of poverty, but thanks to a very, very nice hotel the whole country just felt different. After getting our pictures taken at the gates of Angkor Wat, collected our 3 day passes (company that owns Angkor Wat = Vietnamese...the Vietnamese own a lot of Cambodia's assets, something the Cambodians resent), we settled into our very nice rooms and cooled down for a bit (soooo hot there). After some reading in the A/C, Jamie, Leia, Kelly and I walked into town (about a 20-25 min, seemed longer b/c it was so hot) with Jen a Red Cross director in Australia, to donate blood to a children's hospital. I wasn't hesistant about giving blood because Jen was there the whole time and while I trusted the hospital, it was comforting to know that she knew exactly what to look out for in terms of proper sanitary and safety precautions. After giving blood we treated ourselves to a very western lunch of Mexican. That night we had a group dinner at this place called Temple (lots of great restaurants in Siem Reap...note that you will not see a single local eating in them though), where there was traditional absara dancing while we ate. Normally, I do not like dinner entertainment, but I enjoyed the dancing a lot, and in all had a great night.
The next morning we were up at 4:30 am to watch the sunrise over Angkor Wat. Because it was the wet season when we were there, we didn't actually get to see the sun come up (a lot of clouds), but it was still great to be there in the early morning and enjoy the serenity. Also, the massive head start allowed us to see a lot before the heat became unbearable. Angkor Wat was built in the early 12th Century as a temple for King Suryavarma. The main temple, Angkor Wat, is the one on their national flag, and the one you see in most of the pictures. In the 40 miles surrouding this temple there are about 285 other temples, stunning and intricate in their own way. Because there are so many, and also because many are not open to the public, it was great to have a guide who led us to ones where we could get the most out of our time there. I had such a great time playing with my different camera settings capturing the beauty of the temples, and the legends and histories that I heard are something I'll never forget. I highly recommend a trip to Angkor Wat, not only for the beauty, but also the perspective you gain when you see and learn about how much effort went into to creating such a world wonder. And then also to see how much their civilization has drastically changed since that golden age.
We spent the morning of the next day visiting more temples, but since we started later in the morning we were so hot it was harder to enjoy them. So, to break up the heat a bit, we took a drive to the Landmine Museum, about 40 min away. The Landmine museum was interesting because I got to learn about how one man was making such a huge difference in his own country. It was also inspiring. This man had spent much of his teenage years laying these mines as a soldier in the Khmer Rouge. (A perfect example of what can happen when educating youth is not made a priority) Once he came to realize what the Khmer Rouge was about, and his role in it, he defected to the Vietnmese army that was invading Cambodia. After the Vientmese were run out, he began to work to improve his country by eradicating mines and now runs this center while supporting a number of children whose lives have been affected by landmines.
After experiencing one more temple we headed back to the hotel where I spent the after relaxing by the pool. That night we had a great final dinner at a nice restaurant, and then some of us headed out dancing. The next morning we were up early to head to Bangkok. We were supposed to be driving (which I was dreading) which would have taken the whole day on a horrible road, but a bridge had collapsed, so we ended up having to fly last minute. While this was an expensive alternative, it made the last day a bit better than having to spend the whole time in a van going over a bumpy and partially paved road.
Monday, May 26, 2008
S21 & The Killing Fields
This entry is pretty hard to write, since I'm not really able to put my emotions into words that properly do them justice. So this will be brief. In the morning we met our guide, a Cambodian man, probably in his 40s, who worked in a work camp for kids during the 70s at the height of Khmer Rouge's power. He lost a number of family members to the Khmer Rouge's regime, and so having him as a guide and getting his first hand impressions was invaluable. Our first stop of the day was a former high school in the middle of the city that was used as a torture prison for prisoners of the Khmer Rouge. The place was left in basically the same form that the Vietnamese found it in when they came into the city in 1979. There were some terribly sickening pictures on the walls above the metal "beds." The prisoners = anyone a threat to the Khmer Rouge...so basically anyone that was educated, or looked educated, or could know something slightly relevant to their needs. Those that tortured the prisoners were also recognized here, as many of them were young kids (preteens) who had been recruited from the country by the Khmer Rouge and really did not understand what they were doing.
After S21, we drove about 20 min to the Killing Fields. These fields were part of the Khmer Rouge's systematic execution about about 1.5 million people. On the ride there, our guide told us his story because he could not tell it to us in a public place, for fear that the guards or others passing by would hear something that could be used against him. While many of the Khmer Rouge leaders have died or are on trial right now, there are still many present in the Cambodian government, making it difficult for freedom of speech on this topic. The fields were extremely hard to take in because bones, teeth and clothes still remain in the ground and were poking out everywhere you walked. At one point I thought I was going to throw up when I came across a large section of clothing and bones in the dirt that was I walking over. Only about 10 of the mass graves had been dug up by the government, the reason being that they want to leave the past in the past. I do understand that point.
While I think it is good that the government allows these sites to be open to the public, and they are much more upfront about this dark past than the Vietnamese were about any of their history, there is still a long way to go in terms of properly documenting and honoring their past. One thing that annoyed me was that on the description memorializing the Killing Fields the first sentence said something to the affect that this was more horrible than the Holocaust. While I agree that this was horrible, and definitely gets a lot less attention than the Holocaust, all genocide is horrible, and comparing it is not necessary, there are much more appropriate ways to recongnize the suffering.
While seeing the Killing Fields is something I will always remember, I found learning about the historical context during the day much more valuable. After talking with our guide, I went to a movie that night played in the upstairs part of a bar/restaruant about the rise of the Khmer Rouge. This video actually left me a lot more confused than when I started. A lot of that had to do with names for leaders changing, or poor translation, so it has motivated me to look at Western historical analysis, something that I can grasp a little easier. Also, because these events happened so "recently" it will take many more years before more thorough historical analysis is available. There is so much Cambodia needs to help ensure a better future than help looking back at the past, so I completely support their efforts to push forward and not spend resources on anything to do with the Khmer Rouge. 3/4 of Cambodia's population are too young to even remember the Khmer Rouge. Most of the citizens live on less than $1 US a day. They are a hopeful people, but they also live on a day - to -day basis. Those that can remember the attrocities of the Khmer Rouge know what is like to one morning be hopeful about the future and then a few hours later be told to leave your home immediately due to the threat of American bomgs, and then be led to these kiling fields.
It continues to mystify me how genocide can continue to occur. It also continues to mystify me how we have yet to find a way to prevent this from occuring.
After S21, we drove about 20 min to the Killing Fields. These fields were part of the Khmer Rouge's systematic execution about about 1.5 million people. On the ride there, our guide told us his story because he could not tell it to us in a public place, for fear that the guards or others passing by would hear something that could be used against him. While many of the Khmer Rouge leaders have died or are on trial right now, there are still many present in the Cambodian government, making it difficult for freedom of speech on this topic. The fields were extremely hard to take in because bones, teeth and clothes still remain in the ground and were poking out everywhere you walked. At one point I thought I was going to throw up when I came across a large section of clothing and bones in the dirt that was I walking over. Only about 10 of the mass graves had been dug up by the government, the reason being that they want to leave the past in the past. I do understand that point.
While I think it is good that the government allows these sites to be open to the public, and they are much more upfront about this dark past than the Vietnamese were about any of their history, there is still a long way to go in terms of properly documenting and honoring their past. One thing that annoyed me was that on the description memorializing the Killing Fields the first sentence said something to the affect that this was more horrible than the Holocaust. While I agree that this was horrible, and definitely gets a lot less attention than the Holocaust, all genocide is horrible, and comparing it is not necessary, there are much more appropriate ways to recongnize the suffering.
While seeing the Killing Fields is something I will always remember, I found learning about the historical context during the day much more valuable. After talking with our guide, I went to a movie that night played in the upstairs part of a bar/restaruant about the rise of the Khmer Rouge. This video actually left me a lot more confused than when I started. A lot of that had to do with names for leaders changing, or poor translation, so it has motivated me to look at Western historical analysis, something that I can grasp a little easier. Also, because these events happened so "recently" it will take many more years before more thorough historical analysis is available. There is so much Cambodia needs to help ensure a better future than help looking back at the past, so I completely support their efforts to push forward and not spend resources on anything to do with the Khmer Rouge. 3/4 of Cambodia's population are too young to even remember the Khmer Rouge. Most of the citizens live on less than $1 US a day. They are a hopeful people, but they also live on a day - to -day basis. Those that can remember the attrocities of the Khmer Rouge know what is like to one morning be hopeful about the future and then a few hours later be told to leave your home immediately due to the threat of American bomgs, and then be led to these kiling fields.
It continues to mystify me how genocide can continue to occur. It also continues to mystify me how we have yet to find a way to prevent this from occuring.
Phnom Penh
From Ho Chi Minh city we took a public bus to Phnom Penh, Cambodia's captial. The term public bus is rather misleading because it was actually really nice. When we got on, the "host" served us bottled water and then promptly began the paper work to help everyone on board get their visas sorted for Cambodia, he then served us a light breakfast. The entertainment on board was dreadful Vietnamese Karoke videos, which I drowned with my iPOD thank goodness. Once we arrived at the border we had to take eveything off the bus and then go wait inside the border office building for our names to be called by the border police. It took what seemed like forever, thanks to a lack of order, our heavy bags, and also the tendency of the Vietnamese to push/shove to get where they want to go. The no smoking signs were also ignored, which was rather annoying. Finally we all got back on the bus, where we drove to the Cambodian border, about 500 meters away. We had to get off again, this time we could leave our bags, and then we had to hand our passports over to their officials. We then got back on the bus, and were taken to a restaurant for an early lunch, while the officials stamped our passports (kick-backs much?). The restaurant food was alright, we sat on small plastic chairs, and the area was not clean at all, but at this point in the trip, I barely noticed. It was really hot, but since bathrooms were hard to come by, most of us were suffering from forced dehydration, which made our moods less than chipper when we arrived at our destination.
Our ride through the Cambodian countryside was beautiful, and I got some great pictures from the bus. Arriving in the capital city was a little shocking, although we had been warned about the conditions, there's only so much that words can do to prepare you for the throngs of street kids and other street hawkers, including many limbless ones, and the really dirty street and living conditions. Our hotel was a block away from the riverside, so it was a great location. That night we went to a restaurant run by former street kids and had some amazing food. My new favorite dish, thanks to the introduction from this restaurant = Fish Amok. After dinner some of us went to the Foreign Correspondents Club to check out the award winning photos on display, and also to have a classy drink at a Western hang out (well it was when there were lots of journalists in Cambodia).
Our ride through the Cambodian countryside was beautiful, and I got some great pictures from the bus. Arriving in the capital city was a little shocking, although we had been warned about the conditions, there's only so much that words can do to prepare you for the throngs of street kids and other street hawkers, including many limbless ones, and the really dirty street and living conditions. Our hotel was a block away from the riverside, so it was a great location. That night we went to a restaurant run by former street kids and had some amazing food. My new favorite dish, thanks to the introduction from this restaurant = Fish Amok. After dinner some of us went to the Foreign Correspondents Club to check out the award winning photos on display, and also to have a classy drink at a Western hang out (well it was when there were lots of journalists in Cambodia).
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Ho Chi Minh City
HCMC (or Saigon) is easily the most overwhelming of all the cities visited in Southeast, simply due to the number of motorbikes on the road. As I said before, all traffic regulations are light suggestions in Asia, especially Vietnam, so getting from point A to point B in Saigon is quite a challenge. Thankfully, it wasn't too hard since I had practice stepping into the road with hundreds of motor bikes whizzing at/past me in the other cities we stopped at up North. The flight from Hoi An to Saigon went smoothly (besides a slight delay and being pushed quite frequently while queing to get on the plane...there something about lines and pushing that the Vietnamese do much differently from Westerners that really bothers me!) When we got to Saigon we had some time to get a late lunch before we had our cyclo tour.
We walked down the road to a place called Pho 2000, which is where Bill Clinton ate when he visited Vietnam. The Pho was worth the hype, but the experienced was dampened when they charged us for using napkins! A little while later we met our cyclo drivers for a frightening ride around the city to see the sites at rush hour. Our guide did a great job explaining the sites like the Reunification Palace and the Post Office designed by Mr. Eiffel, but the city itself was not too impressive. I was impressed, however, by the hotels like the Carvelle and the Rex, simply because it was cool to actually see where many of the press briefings took place that we learned about in history and politics classes. When we got to the Opera House/ Western journalist hotel areas, we realized that they were setting up for the Olympic Torch.
We promptly went up to the top floor of the Rex Hotel and got seats along the balcony to secure prime torch watching views. I was surprised by how many pro-China supporters lined the streets, but not surprised that there were no protests. The actual passing of the torch was anticlimatic (a lot of waiting, not much action), but it's still cool to be able to check that off on the list of things I've seen in life.
The next day some of went to the Cu Chi tunnels, about a 45 min drive from Saigon, where the Viet Cong hid during the Vietnam war. The video that we saw there was the most biased history I have ever seen, which I found surprising in the year 2008, not sure why though. Instead of making a distinction between the South Vietnmese and the Viet Cong, like we learn in history, the video made the point that the tribe in the tunnel were Vietnamese living there and were forced to fight using these tunnels because the Americans destroyed their peaceful rural town. The video highlighted a number of heroes, referred to as "American killer heroes" and then mentioned how the Americans, "like crazy devils" bombed their "temples, schools, and even their gardens." While I appreciated a completely different perspective, it got to be a little bit too over the top (and I'm not the only one who thought so, even though I was the only American). The tunnel that we got to crawl through was made bigger for tourists, which was pretty shocking seeing as how tiny it felt as we crawled through. The whole time we were in the jungle exploring this underground network it was raining, which kind of made the whole experience feel more authentic...it reminded me of scenes from Forrest Gump.
After the tunnels I went to the War Remnants museum back in town. Museums in Southeast Asia still have a far way to come, and this one definitely fits in that category. It was basically just a photographic display with some poorly written explanations about the victims of war, especially the agent orange victims. Outside, the museum had a few former US Airplanes and helicopters. The pictures were extremely graphic, and hard to take, as was the point the of the exhibit. I'm glad I saw the side of the war that I wouldn't have purposely sought out back at home, but I wished that the exhibits were a little better put together. I think that in a few years, when academics in Vietnam seize the museum idea the museum culture will improve.
The next day we headed out early to cross the border to Phnom Penh, Cambodia, via a public bus.
We walked down the road to a place called Pho 2000, which is where Bill Clinton ate when he visited Vietnam. The Pho was worth the hype, but the experienced was dampened when they charged us for using napkins! A little while later we met our cyclo drivers for a frightening ride around the city to see the sites at rush hour. Our guide did a great job explaining the sites like the Reunification Palace and the Post Office designed by Mr. Eiffel, but the city itself was not too impressive. I was impressed, however, by the hotels like the Carvelle and the Rex, simply because it was cool to actually see where many of the press briefings took place that we learned about in history and politics classes. When we got to the Opera House/ Western journalist hotel areas, we realized that they were setting up for the Olympic Torch.
We promptly went up to the top floor of the Rex Hotel and got seats along the balcony to secure prime torch watching views. I was surprised by how many pro-China supporters lined the streets, but not surprised that there were no protests. The actual passing of the torch was anticlimatic (a lot of waiting, not much action), but it's still cool to be able to check that off on the list of things I've seen in life.
The next day some of went to the Cu Chi tunnels, about a 45 min drive from Saigon, where the Viet Cong hid during the Vietnam war. The video that we saw there was the most biased history I have ever seen, which I found surprising in the year 2008, not sure why though. Instead of making a distinction between the South Vietnmese and the Viet Cong, like we learn in history, the video made the point that the tribe in the tunnel were Vietnamese living there and were forced to fight using these tunnels because the Americans destroyed their peaceful rural town. The video highlighted a number of heroes, referred to as "American killer heroes" and then mentioned how the Americans, "like crazy devils" bombed their "temples, schools, and even their gardens." While I appreciated a completely different perspective, it got to be a little bit too over the top (and I'm not the only one who thought so, even though I was the only American). The tunnel that we got to crawl through was made bigger for tourists, which was pretty shocking seeing as how tiny it felt as we crawled through. The whole time we were in the jungle exploring this underground network it was raining, which kind of made the whole experience feel more authentic...it reminded me of scenes from Forrest Gump.
After the tunnels I went to the War Remnants museum back in town. Museums in Southeast Asia still have a far way to come, and this one definitely fits in that category. It was basically just a photographic display with some poorly written explanations about the victims of war, especially the agent orange victims. Outside, the museum had a few former US Airplanes and helicopters. The pictures were extremely graphic, and hard to take, as was the point the of the exhibit. I'm glad I saw the side of the war that I wouldn't have purposely sought out back at home, but I wished that the exhibits were a little better put together. I think that in a few years, when academics in Vietnam seize the museum idea the museum culture will improve.
The next day we headed out early to cross the border to Phnom Penh, Cambodia, via a public bus.
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Hoi An
Hoi An was my favorite stop on the month long trip. Hoi An is a small, peaceful town, that guidebooks may refer to as a tourist trap, but that did not take away from my experience at all. Yes, the town survives based on tourism, but it did not feel like a Westernized place at all. Shortly after arriving (it was a 4.5 hour bus ride from Hue), Sean, Lynda, Leia and I headed to the tailor shop down the road to browse through magazines to find clothes we wanted tailored for us. (Hoi An is THE place to get clothes tailored...cheap, speedy, quality service). We spent the afternoon getting fittings, picking out fabrics, and developing a relationship with the crazy woman who owed the shop.
That night we met the the group for dinner, at a rather western restaurant because there was a a football game on that most of the boys (all English) needed to watch. That was the first "Western" meal I ate since I began the trip. The pasta was alright, but much appreciated, as I was craving a break from the Asian food (although I know I'm going to miss it a lot!).
The next day, Lynda, Sean and I rented push bikes from the hotel ($1/day) and biked to the beach. It was such an amazing beach. Palm trees lined the back part, and provided perfect shade for laying on our towels, napping and reading. Then there was a large stretch of sand leading up to really warm water and fun waves. There were very few people on the beach, and the Vietnamese that were there, were either selling tourists unnecesary trinkets, or were sitting under the palm trees completely covered in clothing. Because they place such heavy social value on the whiteness of one's skin, the Vietnamese rarely enjoy the beach like we do. (Also, they like large people because it is a sign of wealth, so if you come to Asia and you are pasty and fat, you look like a gold mine to them!)
After the beach, we headed back to the tailors to get our clothes and have a fitting, and then went out for dinner at the same place we went the night before. The night before, while playing pool after dinner in the bar downstairs, a friend who I travelled/skied with last June in New Zealand came up to me. I was shocked to see her, as we hadn't kept in touch since she finished travelling NZ and moved to Melbourne. She was also on her way home, via SE Asia, after spending a year in Australia on a working holiday, like I did in NZ. Unfortunately, we must have missed each other (times like that when you realize how helpful cell phones can be). So, we played some more pool and then headed home to get to bed early since some of us were going diving the next day.
Diving in Hoi An is not world renowed, as there is not much to see, but I was still looking forward to it as I love being underwater and exploring the world under there. The dive company we used was not only really cheap, but provided amazing service. They set up everything for us (gear wise) and we had an excellent guide. After two dives off Cham Island, we motored over to a beach for our lunch. It was the most idyllic beach I have ever seen. There were hammocks set up between palm trees in the shade. A volleyball net on the beach and a little hut/restaruant set back among the trees. Our diving group and the restaruant workers were the only ones on the beach. After an amazing seafood lunch, we had some time to chill in the hammocks before heading back to the docks. When we got back to the docks, the sun was setting as the Vietnamese fisherman were heading out for the night, and I got some spectacular pictures.
That night I joined 4 others in my group for a cooking demonstration and meal. The guy who taught the class was great, really animated and well spoken. He is a graduate of KOTO, a program that trains street kids in hospitality up in Hanoi (we went there for a great breakfast one morning) and was started by an ex-Intrepid leader who was sick of giving money in Vientnam to causes and not seeing any affects. The chef leading the class is an amazing example of how much of an impact KOTO is making in Vietnam! The dinner was great, and I cannot wait to try the recepies...especially the steamed fish.
The next morning the hotel arranged for workers from the post office to come help us ship stuff home (customary as EVERYONE buys SOO much in Hoi An since getting clothes and shoes made is a must do here!). I shipped a couple of things, but not much because I refused to pay a lot for shipping as I had just saved so much money getting things made, and figured that if I bought it then I should be able to carry it. (Now I am slightly regretting that, as my arms are soooo sore from carring my bags around yesterday trying to find the hotel!).
We then got on vans for a 45 min ride to the airport (past China beach, where the US had a huge base) to fly to Ho Chi Minh city (aka Saigon).
That night we met the the group for dinner, at a rather western restaurant because there was a a football game on that most of the boys (all English) needed to watch. That was the first "Western" meal I ate since I began the trip. The pasta was alright, but much appreciated, as I was craving a break from the Asian food (although I know I'm going to miss it a lot!).
The next day, Lynda, Sean and I rented push bikes from the hotel ($1/day) and biked to the beach. It was such an amazing beach. Palm trees lined the back part, and provided perfect shade for laying on our towels, napping and reading. Then there was a large stretch of sand leading up to really warm water and fun waves. There were very few people on the beach, and the Vietnamese that were there, were either selling tourists unnecesary trinkets, or were sitting under the palm trees completely covered in clothing. Because they place such heavy social value on the whiteness of one's skin, the Vietnamese rarely enjoy the beach like we do. (Also, they like large people because it is a sign of wealth, so if you come to Asia and you are pasty and fat, you look like a gold mine to them!)
After the beach, we headed back to the tailors to get our clothes and have a fitting, and then went out for dinner at the same place we went the night before. The night before, while playing pool after dinner in the bar downstairs, a friend who I travelled/skied with last June in New Zealand came up to me. I was shocked to see her, as we hadn't kept in touch since she finished travelling NZ and moved to Melbourne. She was also on her way home, via SE Asia, after spending a year in Australia on a working holiday, like I did in NZ. Unfortunately, we must have missed each other (times like that when you realize how helpful cell phones can be). So, we played some more pool and then headed home to get to bed early since some of us were going diving the next day.
Diving in Hoi An is not world renowed, as there is not much to see, but I was still looking forward to it as I love being underwater and exploring the world under there. The dive company we used was not only really cheap, but provided amazing service. They set up everything for us (gear wise) and we had an excellent guide. After two dives off Cham Island, we motored over to a beach for our lunch. It was the most idyllic beach I have ever seen. There were hammocks set up between palm trees in the shade. A volleyball net on the beach and a little hut/restaruant set back among the trees. Our diving group and the restaruant workers were the only ones on the beach. After an amazing seafood lunch, we had some time to chill in the hammocks before heading back to the docks. When we got back to the docks, the sun was setting as the Vietnamese fisherman were heading out for the night, and I got some spectacular pictures.
That night I joined 4 others in my group for a cooking demonstration and meal. The guy who taught the class was great, really animated and well spoken. He is a graduate of KOTO, a program that trains street kids in hospitality up in Hanoi (we went there for a great breakfast one morning) and was started by an ex-Intrepid leader who was sick of giving money in Vientnam to causes and not seeing any affects. The chef leading the class is an amazing example of how much of an impact KOTO is making in Vietnam! The dinner was great, and I cannot wait to try the recepies...especially the steamed fish.
The next morning the hotel arranged for workers from the post office to come help us ship stuff home (customary as EVERYONE buys SOO much in Hoi An since getting clothes and shoes made is a must do here!). I shipped a couple of things, but not much because I refused to pay a lot for shipping as I had just saved so much money getting things made, and figured that if I bought it then I should be able to carry it. (Now I am slightly regretting that, as my arms are soooo sore from carring my bags around yesterday trying to find the hotel!).
We then got on vans for a 45 min ride to the airport (past China beach, where the US had a huge base) to fly to Ho Chi Minh city (aka Saigon).
Arrival in Malaysia
Yesterday was one of those days when I really wished I wasn't travelling by myself, weird how that happens right after I leave a group travel and was looking forward to the alone time! As soon as I got to Kuala Lumpur, I picked up my bags and headed to the nearest atm so I could get money to take the train into the city center. For some reason, that atm did not work, and when I went to try again, Bank of America shut off my card due to security concerns (I didnt know this at the time). I tried every single ATM in the arrivals area of the aiport, meanwhile getting harrassed by taxi drivers. Finally, I found 30 us dollars in my purse (from Cambodia, thank goodness they use that currency) and changed that money at the money exchange so I could get the train and then sort it out at the hotel.
Get to the city center, and I have no idea where I'm going from there (I should have done more research in Bangkok). A lady at a tourist info place gives me directions to the monorail, I didnt understand them, ended up walking around for a while with my really really heavy second bag (the vitesse one) for a while until I figure out the monorail is across the street. Lug my stuff over there (long walk when your bags are heavy and its 30 degress celsius). I hand my money to the ticket guy, he wont except one of the bills because it was ripped, I received it ripped from the train station machine at the airport, so I was really mad about that. Get on the train fine and to my stop fine. I refused to take a cab from the monorail stop because I could tell it was close to the hotel (although wasnt sure how close) and I didnt feel like haggling with cab drivers, especially because I didnt have a lot of money left, and wasnt sure when was the next time i could get cash. I used the map the tourist info lady gave me and found my way to the hotel after a walk that seemed like it took an hour. In all I think it took 10 min (would have taken 5 if I didnt have that gosh darn heavy duffel bag...why did I refuse to leave those books behind!?). I arrived at the hotel sweating profusely. Check in went fine, since they didnt charge me anything yet. I quickly changed my sweaty clothes and rushed to the Pertonas Towers shopping area (just up the street) to see if those ATMs would work better. No luck. I tried looking for a place where I could use skype to call the bank, again no luck (when I went back later that night, I found a place without even looking!). I headed back to the hotel and decided I needed to use the hotel phone to call the bank because I wasnt going to survive here with no money and so I just needed to bite the bullet on their international calling fees. Thankfully, I was not put on hold at all, although I did have to talk to two different people, they sorted out the issue and unlocked my card. Woo hoo.
So that night I ventured back to the PT shopping area (which is AMAZING...every single store in the world that you can think of...Top Shop, Marks and Spencer, Zara, Mango, Gap, Polo, Luis Vuitton, Coach, Gucci...EVERYTHING). Had dinner and then decided to treat myself to a movie. I saw What Happens in Vegas, which was actually really interesting to see in Kuala Lumpur because there were parts so obviously edited out due to their decency standards. Also, it was funny to hear what the audience thought was hysterical, and recognize that in more Western cultures, there would have just been a little chuckly from the crowd and not much more.
Get to the city center, and I have no idea where I'm going from there (I should have done more research in Bangkok). A lady at a tourist info place gives me directions to the monorail, I didnt understand them, ended up walking around for a while with my really really heavy second bag (the vitesse one) for a while until I figure out the monorail is across the street. Lug my stuff over there (long walk when your bags are heavy and its 30 degress celsius). I hand my money to the ticket guy, he wont except one of the bills because it was ripped, I received it ripped from the train station machine at the airport, so I was really mad about that. Get on the train fine and to my stop fine. I refused to take a cab from the monorail stop because I could tell it was close to the hotel (although wasnt sure how close) and I didnt feel like haggling with cab drivers, especially because I didnt have a lot of money left, and wasnt sure when was the next time i could get cash. I used the map the tourist info lady gave me and found my way to the hotel after a walk that seemed like it took an hour. In all I think it took 10 min (would have taken 5 if I didnt have that gosh darn heavy duffel bag...why did I refuse to leave those books behind!?). I arrived at the hotel sweating profusely. Check in went fine, since they didnt charge me anything yet. I quickly changed my sweaty clothes and rushed to the Pertonas Towers shopping area (just up the street) to see if those ATMs would work better. No luck. I tried looking for a place where I could use skype to call the bank, again no luck (when I went back later that night, I found a place without even looking!). I headed back to the hotel and decided I needed to use the hotel phone to call the bank because I wasnt going to survive here with no money and so I just needed to bite the bullet on their international calling fees. Thankfully, I was not put on hold at all, although I did have to talk to two different people, they sorted out the issue and unlocked my card. Woo hoo.
So that night I ventured back to the PT shopping area (which is AMAZING...every single store in the world that you can think of...Top Shop, Marks and Spencer, Zara, Mango, Gap, Polo, Luis Vuitton, Coach, Gucci...EVERYTHING). Had dinner and then decided to treat myself to a movie. I saw What Happens in Vegas, which was actually really interesting to see in Kuala Lumpur because there were parts so obviously edited out due to their decency standards. Also, it was funny to hear what the audience thought was hysterical, and recognize that in more Western cultures, there would have just been a little chuckly from the crowd and not much more.
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Hue
After Hanoi, we had two nights/ one day in Hue. We arrived there via an overnight train from Hanoi, which was definitely not as nice as the one we took from Bangkok to Chiang Mai, nor as comfortable, but we made the best of it. I shared a cabin with Leia, Shaun and Lynda, and we passed the time played the card game Hearts for 3 hours. Even though I was the one getting criticized for telling people the (right) rules, I ended up losing! Sleeping that night was difficult, as the train was loud.
We arrived in Hue around 830, got vans to our guest house, had breakfast and then met our motocycle drivers and Vietnamese guide, Tam, who were taking us around the area for the entire day. It was such a spectacular activity, not only because traveling around via motorcycle ensured that we saw a lot all in one day, but also because I never knew how fun it is to ride motorcycles!
Our guide Tam was extremely animated, great at English, and really well educated. I learned an extensive amount about Vietnam's history before the French colonized. I also really enjoyed hearing about his personal stories about growing up during the American War. He pointed out the fields that he and his 10 brothers and sisters played in while bombs dropped less than a mile away, and how his mother would get furious with them when they were not back in the bomb shelter quickly enough. He also talked about his current life today, and how much corruption there is the government, but they all live with it because the economy is booming. He showed us pictures of his two kids, and when we asked him if he wanted more, he replied that he can't have more because of the family planning laws. His wife is a teacher, so she works for the government; if they have another child, she will not be fired, but will be "punished" by being transferred or not receiving pay raises as she should.
After our day of motoring around the city, I had an early night as we had to get up early the next morning to head to Hoi An.
We arrived in Hue around 830, got vans to our guest house, had breakfast and then met our motocycle drivers and Vietnamese guide, Tam, who were taking us around the area for the entire day. It was such a spectacular activity, not only because traveling around via motorcycle ensured that we saw a lot all in one day, but also because I never knew how fun it is to ride motorcycles!
Our guide Tam was extremely animated, great at English, and really well educated. I learned an extensive amount about Vietnam's history before the French colonized. I also really enjoyed hearing about his personal stories about growing up during the American War. He pointed out the fields that he and his 10 brothers and sisters played in while bombs dropped less than a mile away, and how his mother would get furious with them when they were not back in the bomb shelter quickly enough. He also talked about his current life today, and how much corruption there is the government, but they all live with it because the economy is booming. He showed us pictures of his two kids, and when we asked him if he wanted more, he replied that he can't have more because of the family planning laws. His wife is a teacher, so she works for the government; if they have another child, she will not be fired, but will be "punished" by being transferred or not receiving pay raises as she should.
After our day of motoring around the city, I had an early night as we had to get up early the next morning to head to Hoi An.
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Halong Bay
Halong Bay was a spectacular experience, I obviously loved being back on the water again, and also the islands sticking up everywhere reminded me of Milford Sound in New Zealand, except here the thousands of small islands made the feeling more paradise-esque. We arrived around 12 and quickly boarded our boat (called a Junk Boat). The docking area was absolutely packed with tourists, both Westerners and Vietnamese, boarding identical boats. Halong Bay is the most visited spot in Vietnam.
I felt like a princess getting on the boat because as soon as I walked up the stairs to the seat/dining area, one of the crew members was handing out the wet wash-clothes like they do on long airplane rides. The tables were set for our seafood lunch, which was absolutely delicious. After dining we motored over to the caves, and we got out with our Vietnamese guide to walk around what is called the "Surprise Caves". There were three of them attached to each other, each one bigger than the next, surprisingly bigger in fact...hence the name! The caves were lit up inside, with multicolor lights, which helped to highlight the interesting formations on the walls, and also created a disney-world like feel to the experience.
After the caves we got back on the boat and motored past little floating villages where a number of Vietnamese live on their fishing boats. We then dropped anchor in a bay specifically designated for these tourist boats because it is an area protected from pirates (a very real threat to the area still!). Once we anchored, most of us put on our bathing suits and started jumping off the side of the boat. While the water didn't feel that clean, it was still really fun to float in the Gulf of Tonkin around such stunning landscape. We had diving contests off the side and floated around the boat for the whole rest of the afternoon. That night we had another delicious seafood dinner, drinks and played cards until about midnight.
The next morning we got back to the docking area around 9 and got in vans to begin the 4 hour drive to Hanoi.
I felt like a princess getting on the boat because as soon as I walked up the stairs to the seat/dining area, one of the crew members was handing out the wet wash-clothes like they do on long airplane rides. The tables were set for our seafood lunch, which was absolutely delicious. After dining we motored over to the caves, and we got out with our Vietnamese guide to walk around what is called the "Surprise Caves". There were three of them attached to each other, each one bigger than the next, surprisingly bigger in fact...hence the name! The caves were lit up inside, with multicolor lights, which helped to highlight the interesting formations on the walls, and also created a disney-world like feel to the experience.
After the caves we got back on the boat and motored past little floating villages where a number of Vietnamese live on their fishing boats. We then dropped anchor in a bay specifically designated for these tourist boats because it is an area protected from pirates (a very real threat to the area still!). Once we anchored, most of us put on our bathing suits and started jumping off the side of the boat. While the water didn't feel that clean, it was still really fun to float in the Gulf of Tonkin around such stunning landscape. We had diving contests off the side and floated around the boat for the whole rest of the afternoon. That night we had another delicious seafood dinner, drinks and played cards until about midnight.
The next morning we got back to the docking area around 9 and got in vans to begin the 4 hour drive to Hanoi.
Hanoi
Hanoi is a bustling city, where crossing the street is an extreme sport. There are motorbikes absolutely everywhere, and traffic laws are just light suggestions. So, to get anywhere in a normal amount of time you have to just step off the sidewalk and keep walking at the same pace, while the motor bikes avoid you. Really scary at first, and actually it never got less scary, but I did get much better at just going for it after the second or third time. Shopping in Hanoi is spectacular, and so is just walking around the old quarter and the French quarter. Once you can get past the extreme NOISE pollution of the horns, it is a great city to spend 3 days in.
The first day in Hanoi was our first experience with the tremendous rain fall in SE Asia, and mother nature did not spare us one bit. After a lunch in the old quarter, and some pirated DVD shopping, the sky opened up, and we were too stubborn to buy ponchos from the street ladies, and also to get into a cab. By the time we realized the pouring rain was not going to let up, we were so wet, it was too late to do anything about it. After about a 30 min walk back to the hotel (walk/ death race through motos to cross streets!) we arrived completely DRENCHED. That evening, I was not impressed with Vietnam at all. I was overwhelmed by the motos everywhere, wet, and just not happy with the day we had. Thankfully, the next day was a lot better, and my opinion of Hanoi and the rest of the country quickly changed.
The second morning we went as a group to see the preserved dead body of Uncle Ho (aka Ho Chi Minh). It was really strange lining up to see him. We had to stand in two straight single file lines and walk on a small red carpet up the stairs and through the halls to the room where the body is displayed in a glass case surrounded by 4 guards. You have to stay in your lines the entire time, and so you walk by rather quickly. The body could have been a wax replica, and it would have looked exactly the same, and I wouldn't be surprised if in 10 years, they reveal that is! Apparently most Vietnamese try to come see Uncle Ho once year, or at least once in their lifetime. Every year for 2 months in September and October he is sent to Russia to be preserved again.
Once that was finished we walked with our Vietnamese guide around the palace and the former home of Ho Chi Minh (very simple, and not that interesting). The most interesting part was talking to our guide at the end. He is rather young, had recently finished business school, which he said was really hard to get into because of how popular it is right now, and also how hard it is to get a job once you get out. Because he knew English well, he had a much better advantage. He then told us that the young people do not like Communism because of how corrupt everything is, but they aren't looking to do anything about it right now because of the stability it provides. He remarked that in their country they are not afraid of terrorism like many western nations, so they just are doing the best they can with what they have for now.
When the morning was finished I went exploring around the city with Lynda and Sean for the afternoon. There was some great DVD shopping and really interesting art work and crafts to browse through. That night our group went to a water puppet show, which was really miserable. It consisted of really annoying Asian music being sung by two women who sounded like they were shouting over the not that great Asia instruments and then these puppets popping out of a pool. All the stories were in Vietnamese, and the audience was all white, so needless to say not many people really understood the cultural significance of any of the acts.
After Hanoi, we drove to Hue where we spent one night.
The second morning we went as a group to see the preserved dead body of Uncle Ho (aka Ho Chi Minh). It was really strange lining up to see him. We had to stand in two straight single file lines and walk on a small red carpet up the stairs and through the halls to the room where the body is displayed in a glass case surrounded by 4 guards. You have to stay in your lines the entire time, and so you walk by rather quickly. The body could have been a wax replica, and it would have looked exactly the same, and I wouldn't be surprised if in 10 years, they reveal that is! Apparently most Vietnamese try to come see Uncle Ho once year, or at least once in their lifetime. Every year for 2 months in September and October he is sent to Russia to be preserved again.
Once that was finished we walked with our Vietnamese guide around the palace and the former home of Ho Chi Minh (very simple, and not that interesting). The most interesting part was talking to our guide at the end. He is rather young, had recently finished business school, which he said was really hard to get into because of how popular it is right now, and also how hard it is to get a job once you get out. Because he knew English well, he had a much better advantage. He then told us that the young people do not like Communism because of how corrupt everything is, but they aren't looking to do anything about it right now because of the stability it provides. He remarked that in their country they are not afraid of terrorism like many western nations, so they just are doing the best they can with what they have for now.
When the morning was finished I went exploring around the city with Lynda and Sean for the afternoon. There was some great DVD shopping and really interesting art work and crafts to browse through. That night our group went to a water puppet show, which was really miserable. It consisted of really annoying Asian music being sung by two women who sounded like they were shouting over the not that great Asia instruments and then these puppets popping out of a pool. All the stories were in Vietnamese, and the audience was all white, so needless to say not many people really understood the cultural significance of any of the acts.
After Hanoi, we drove to Hue where we spent one night.
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Vietnam- Nimh Bin to Halong Bay
Crossing the border from Laos to Vietnam went really smoothly. After getting our passports stamped out of Laos, our Lao van driver drove us across "No Man's Land" where we saw Vietnamese guys hoisting refridgerators on to their backs to carry through the jungle across the Vietnamese border...nothing can be done about it once they're in "No Man's Land" unless they get caught coming out of the jungle in Vietnam. Getting into Vietnam was pretty easy because we already had our visas (I got mine in Wellington). Our van was waiting for us just over the border (what I love about Intrepid is how well eveyrthing is organized in terms of accomodation and transportation). We then had a crazy ride through the mountains to Nimh Bin.
Note on driving in Vietnam: Lines = Loose suggestions, Lights = Suggestions, Horns = used at ALL times. So yeah, driving through the mountains in the van was pretty nerve racking looking out the front of the dashboard, so I looked out the side. This was much better because the scenery is stunning, and it was really funny to pass by the motorcycles and see what they could fit on the back. Quite frequently we passed baskets filled with pigs, or chickens, or even live fish floating in a bag...it's so interesting!!
So Nimh Bin was a gross orientation to Vietnam. Really, really dirty and the traffic was overwhelming. Thankfully, we were only there for a night and left early the next morning for Halong Bay, where we were boarding a boat for an overnight boat stay in one of the most beautiful places in SE Asia.
The drive to Halong Bay was about 5 hours, again very exciting drive because of the choatic way the drive, the beautiful scenery (green rice paddies EVERYWHERE), and again the really interesting motobikes transporting every type of good one can imagine.
Note on driving in Vietnam: Lines = Loose suggestions, Lights = Suggestions, Horns = used at ALL times. So yeah, driving through the mountains in the van was pretty nerve racking looking out the front of the dashboard, so I looked out the side. This was much better because the scenery is stunning, and it was really funny to pass by the motorcycles and see what they could fit on the back. Quite frequently we passed baskets filled with pigs, or chickens, or even live fish floating in a bag...it's so interesting!!
So Nimh Bin was a gross orientation to Vietnam. Really, really dirty and the traffic was overwhelming. Thankfully, we were only there for a night and left early the next morning for Halong Bay, where we were boarding a boat for an overnight boat stay in one of the most beautiful places in SE Asia.
The drive to Halong Bay was about 5 hours, again very exciting drive because of the choatic way the drive, the beautiful scenery (green rice paddies EVERYWHERE), and again the really interesting motobikes transporting every type of good one can imagine.
Homestay- Laos
The last two days in Laos we spent with a hilltribe in Laos. I wasn't particularly looking forward to this bit due to how sick I was but thanks to modern day medicine I held up pretty well, and it turned out to be much more bearable. The hilltribe was a very, very basic village...they do have electricity, but no indoor plumbing. Their toilets are in the back, and they are squat toilets (hence why I was not looking forward to this part of the trip). The houses are built up on bamboo stilts (for the rainy season and shade). The tribe is one that lives off the land, and no one ever really leaves. There are 46 families, 3 generations normally living in the houses. The school was the most depressing bit because it was this one room hut with dirt floors, a few falling apart desks and a little chalk board at the front. Our Laos guide explained to us that about 50 children (ages 6-11ish) are in that one room, taught by one teacher everyday. They only go to school for those ages because that is required by the government (they must learn to read and write, but that's it). If they do want to go on to secondary school they must travel 40 kms away, but what is most prohibitive is the cost of stationary. Also, there isn't much point for them to go, since they are needed to work in the rice paddies.
Intrepid (the tour I'm on) pays this tribe (not sure how much) for every group that goes through, which is good to give the village extra, much needed money, but at the same time it's a little awkward that we're going in there and basically invading their way of life. More recently they have gotten televisions and mobile phones in a lot of their homes, which, along with us westerners coming in all the time, illustrates to the young children what life is like outside of the tribe. My Intrepid guide pointed out that in many ways TV and Westerners travelling to these parts is pretty much helping to spread Western ideals just as the US government wanted to acheive with the Vietnam War, except this way is obviously a lot more peaceful. (My guide hates America by the way). The other awkward part about the stay is that no one speaks any English, so while playing with the children (Soccer and cards) was a great thing to do with them no other interaction was possible, so it feels like we're just invading for the night (which we are...but still). Even dinner was awkward because Laos custom means that they will not eat with us nor let us help clean or cook. After dinner (which was cooked for us by our Laos guide) that I couldnt eat because I still felt so nauseous, we got ready for bed. While I was getting ready it reminded me of Outward Bound/Chewonki. I went to bed, a thin mattress on the floor under a bright pink mosquito net, early (still sick) while Lynda and Leia (my roomates for the night) 'talked' with the family. They recited some Laos words that we had in our books, which made the girls giggle and I think it was really great that did that because it felt less like we were imposing.
The next morning we woke up early and got in the van to head to the Vietnam border!
Intrepid (the tour I'm on) pays this tribe (not sure how much) for every group that goes through, which is good to give the village extra, much needed money, but at the same time it's a little awkward that we're going in there and basically invading their way of life. More recently they have gotten televisions and mobile phones in a lot of their homes, which, along with us westerners coming in all the time, illustrates to the young children what life is like outside of the tribe. My Intrepid guide pointed out that in many ways TV and Westerners travelling to these parts is pretty much helping to spread Western ideals just as the US government wanted to acheive with the Vietnam War, except this way is obviously a lot more peaceful. (My guide hates America by the way). The other awkward part about the stay is that no one speaks any English, so while playing with the children (Soccer and cards) was a great thing to do with them no other interaction was possible, so it feels like we're just invading for the night (which we are...but still). Even dinner was awkward because Laos custom means that they will not eat with us nor let us help clean or cook. After dinner (which was cooked for us by our Laos guide) that I couldnt eat because I still felt so nauseous, we got ready for bed. While I was getting ready it reminded me of Outward Bound/Chewonki. I went to bed, a thin mattress on the floor under a bright pink mosquito net, early (still sick) while Lynda and Leia (my roomates for the night) 'talked' with the family. They recited some Laos words that we had in our books, which made the girls giggle and I think it was really great that did that because it felt less like we were imposing.
The next morning we woke up early and got in the van to head to the Vietnam border!
Lao Air
After 3 days in Luang Prabang, we headed to the airport to catch a flight to the capital, Vientiane. We were flying on Lao Air, an airline that Western governments do not allow their diplomats fly on...the Laos government does not release their airline statistics, add on to that we were flying though the mountains, so it was a nerve-racking! After going through security, we had to get our passport examined and our ticket checked again before boarding the plane. The plane actually seemed alright, relatively new and that made the journey a lot more comfortable. Right after we took off we were handed wet naps for our hands and then a box with biscuits (aka cookies) and some water. Before we knew it we were in Vientiane!
Viantiene is nothing to write home about...so I'll keep this brief. The day after we arrived Leia, Norelle, Lynda and I rented bikes to pedal around the city. A great idea because what there was to see is pretty far apart. The ride itself wasn't that beautiful and it was soooo hot so we didn't use them for too long, but we did get to see all the "important" places. That night I got really sick...thankfully we were in a hotel, because the next night we were at our homestay with a Laos Hilltribe.
Viantiene is nothing to write home about...so I'll keep this brief. The day after we arrived Leia, Norelle, Lynda and I rented bikes to pedal around the city. A great idea because what there was to see is pretty far apart. The ride itself wasn't that beautiful and it was soooo hot so we didn't use them for too long, but we did get to see all the "important" places. That night I got really sick...thankfully we were in a hotel, because the next night we were at our homestay with a Laos Hilltribe.
Friday, April 25, 2008
Elephant Riding
Many of you know that I am no fan of animals. What most of you don't know, however, is that since I arrived in New Zealand last May, I have been slowly coming around to liking them (particularly sheep dogs). Now on this particular trip that I'm on there are included activities (like boat rides, temple visits) and then there are optional activities, such as the cooking class I did in Thailand. On our last day in Luang Prabang, elephant riding was the choice that everyone in the group made. I wasn't particularly keen, but I also didn't want to be the odd one out, so I decided to sign up as well.
I am SO HAPPY that I decided to do it. I had such a good time, and I would recommend this place to anyone coming to Southeast Asia. When we got there, we changed into this ridiculously hideous denim outfits to wear while we bathed the elephants. We then climbed up a ladder to get onto the elephants, which were being "driven" by Laos elephant trainers. We then rode the elephants into the lake, which was quite a thrill given they were so much higher up than I expected. They also had a lot spikier hair than I expected. Once the trainer (who was also on the back of the elephant with me) got the elephant to lie down, we cupped the water and then threw it (gently) onto the animals. There was a big group of us, so there were lots of elephants all clumped together in the water, which also meant there was lots of elephant poo floating around. That was by far the grossest experience, but seeing the faces on people in my group as it came close was priceless. After about 15 min of washing them we rode the elephants out of the water (while my trainer acted slightly innappropriate and would not stop telling me how beautiful I was...oh Laos men!) and changed into our dry clothes.
We then got on the back of the elephants, which were now equipeed with benches on their back (I'm sure they were not comfortable for the elephants) and Lynda, Rob and I all squished onto the bench while the trainer sat on the elephants next. We had a really fun ride across the lake and through the jungle to the other camp. Because it was so uncomfortable to have 3 of squished on there, Rob drove for about 3/4 of the time, which was really funny to see him trying to shout Laos orders at the elephants and then also to have our Laos trainer trying to help and laughing at us.
We finished around lunch, and then got a ride back in the van to our hotel. That night we went back the night markets, and I was in such a good mood from the elephants that I bought a silver bangle bracelet with elephants on it, which I am still wearing right now.
I am SO HAPPY that I decided to do it. I had such a good time, and I would recommend this place to anyone coming to Southeast Asia. When we got there, we changed into this ridiculously hideous denim outfits to wear while we bathed the elephants. We then climbed up a ladder to get onto the elephants, which were being "driven" by Laos elephant trainers. We then rode the elephants into the lake, which was quite a thrill given they were so much higher up than I expected. They also had a lot spikier hair than I expected. Once the trainer (who was also on the back of the elephant with me) got the elephant to lie down, we cupped the water and then threw it (gently) onto the animals. There was a big group of us, so there were lots of elephants all clumped together in the water, which also meant there was lots of elephant poo floating around. That was by far the grossest experience, but seeing the faces on people in my group as it came close was priceless. After about 15 min of washing them we rode the elephants out of the water (while my trainer acted slightly innappropriate and would not stop telling me how beautiful I was...oh Laos men!) and changed into our dry clothes.
We then got on the back of the elephants, which were now equipeed with benches on their back (I'm sure they were not comfortable for the elephants) and Lynda, Rob and I all squished onto the bench while the trainer sat on the elephants next. We had a really fun ride across the lake and through the jungle to the other camp. Because it was so uncomfortable to have 3 of squished on there, Rob drove for about 3/4 of the time, which was really funny to see him trying to shout Laos orders at the elephants and then also to have our Laos trainer trying to help and laughing at us.
We finished around lunch, and then got a ride back in the van to our hotel. That night we went back the night markets, and I was in such a good mood from the elephants that I bought a silver bangle bracelet with elephants on it, which I am still wearing right now.
Laos New Years!
We arrived to Luang Prabang (a World Heritage site) in the afternoon, and were promptly warned by our Laos guide to protect all our valuables because they would get wet on the ride to the guest house. The Laos people celebrate New Years by throwing water into the street onto people/cars passing by...for good luck. He was not kidding about needing to protect our belongings. We had bucket after bucket tossed on us! It was good fun, and not annoying because it was so hot. Although, after a few days of this, it did really start to get annoying.
The guesthouse we stayed at was really, really nice. We were in bungalows with balconies overlooking a nicely manicured lawn. We slept under mosquito nets and ate wonderfully cooked breakfast on our deck. The only downside was that it was a bit far from town, so walking wasn't an option. This meant we had to go in groups whenever we went out, hence why getting to internet was hard.
The next day we got up early to go to the waterfalls. After a strenuous hike to the top, we cooled off in one of the aqua blue swimming areas, and we even used the rope swing, which was being dominated by little Laos boys for a lot of the time. That afternoon we headed back into town to catch the New Years parade. Where we proceeded to get soaking wet, and in addition lots of flour was thrown on us (also supposedly a blessing for good luck, but they have taken it to a new extreme level). By the end of the parade we were so exhausted from the heat and dirty from the buckets of water and flour, that we headed home showered and then got ready to head back into town to hit up the night markets.
The night markets were a lot of fun to look at really interesting art work, jewelry, clothing, and also a lot of crap. Since we were tired, we made this visit brief, the next night though we stayed a lot longer.
The guesthouse we stayed at was really, really nice. We were in bungalows with balconies overlooking a nicely manicured lawn. We slept under mosquito nets and ate wonderfully cooked breakfast on our deck. The only downside was that it was a bit far from town, so walking wasn't an option. This meant we had to go in groups whenever we went out, hence why getting to internet was hard.
The next day we got up early to go to the waterfalls. After a strenuous hike to the top, we cooled off in one of the aqua blue swimming areas, and we even used the rope swing, which was being dominated by little Laos boys for a lot of the time. That afternoon we headed back into town to catch the New Years parade. Where we proceeded to get soaking wet, and in addition lots of flour was thrown on us (also supposedly a blessing for good luck, but they have taken it to a new extreme level). By the end of the parade we were so exhausted from the heat and dirty from the buckets of water and flour, that we headed home showered and then got ready to head back into town to hit up the night markets.
The night markets were a lot of fun to look at really interesting art work, jewelry, clothing, and also a lot of crap. Since we were tired, we made this visit brief, the next night though we stayed a lot longer.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Border Crossing- Laos
The morning of our boarding crossing into Laos immediately started well due to the amazing banana pancakes (what we would call crepes) that was served by the lady who ran the guesthouse we stayed at in Chiang Khong. After breakfast, we got in a van for a short drive down to the Mekong river. We then carefully got onto long boats that took across the Mekong (took like 5 min...). Once getting on the shore of Laos (where we were strictly forbidden to take pictures) we walked up the hill to get our passports stamped into Laos and also change our money into Kip. I thought the process would be a lot more militaristic as it is a really strict country, but it was not at all, the guy checking our passports was sitting at this fold out desk and barely glanced at the passports. I think what helped was that on the shore we were also met by our Laos guide- Viang (not sure on the spelling there). In all the countries that we go to, we are required by law to have a guide with us who is licensed by the government. This has been great for me, not just because they are really helpful for translation, especially when we go to places that are not major cities (which is a lot of the time) but also because it is so interesting to talk with them about their lives and their impressions of their home and where the country is heading.
After clearing the border we walked up the hill to the main road where we met our Tuk-Tuks that were taking us to the other side of to get on a big house boat that was to be our transportation for the next two days. The boat is in the picture above. It was a beautiful and relaxing boat ride. A great time to catch up on the journal, read and play cards. That evening, we arrived in Pakbeng. A SMALL Laos town, which the Rough Guide to Southeast Asia states, "for many Pakbeng is the first stop in Laos- Don't Panic!". This statement was definitely important to keep in mind. First of all, when we got there we were immediately swarmed by little boys who wanted to be our sherpas to carry our bags up the sand hill to our guest house. Even though it was pouring rain, the climb didn't appear difficult, so no one really wanted to use them. A few people ended up giving them their bags because they felt bad, but it was really sad to watch them because they were so small and clearly so desperate for any money.
That night we had dinner at a place that had electricity sporadically. The drinks were not refrigerated and the woman cooked by candle light. It was a good introduction to the true meaning of "Laos Time" as our dinner was served very slowly, one at a time. Thankfully, we had our guide with us to translate to the owner/waiter, but even that did not guarantee we got what we ordered. After dinner we walked back to the guesthouse, where the generator had been turned on, so this time we could see what we were doing in the bathroom! My roomate for the night (Leia) and I read until the generator turned off at 1015.
The next morning we woke up and got packed again, this time the boys surrounded the guesthouse about 30 min before we were even ready to leave. Again, the walk wasn't that bad, so no one really used them. We got on the long boat and headed down the Mekong for another relaxing day; this time we were headed for Luang Prabang.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
The Rest of Thailand (SE Asia Part II)
The Thai boxing that we went to in Chiang Mai was a lot different than I expected, mostly because it was little boys boxing against eachother, and I expected it to be Thai men. Also, the ring was in this concrete area with white plastic chairs surrounding it, and the chairs were basically just there for the Westerners and their cameras. The Thai men in the audience (there were no Thai women) stood on either side of the ring, about 10 people deep, all squashed together and spent the time yelling and cheering and coaching from their spots. I really enjoyed watching the rituals the boxers had as they "warmed up" and after the initial shock of its brutality, I started to really get into it, choosing a color to cheer for each time. In the end, I guess it's not rougher than football and rugby, but it is harder to watch because they are just purposely punching and kicking eachother instead of having the purpose of getting a ball to go somewhere.
The next day we took vans up to the border of Thailand and Laos. At our mid-morning stop we stopped at a place called Condoms and Cabbages. Which receives funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation for AIDS and safe sex education. We got coffee there and walked around the area (they also grow vegies, and distribute those with the safe sex education). Where we stopped for lunch we met up with the woman who organized our Laos visas (we gave her our passports and 40 US dollars and a form filled out and then she took them to the border to get them ready for our arrival). We got to Chiang Khong around 4 (where we were staying for the night). The place we stayed at was really nice; it reminded me of a summer camp/ summer lodge on a lake in New Hampshire, expect this overlooked the Mekong with Laos on the other side. Seeking food for our boat trip the next day, Leia, Lynda, and I walked to the main street where we tried to dodge the kids throwing water everywhere. (The past week was Thai and Laos New Years...which consisted of standing on the side of the road and pouring water on those passing by...for good luck). We came back with some snacks, soaking wet, but whatever, it didnt really matter since it's so hot here! (My only concern was for my camera, which did get wet when a man poured much more water than normal down my back...I was not happy about that, but my camera was fine after I gave it a little break) That night we had a family style dinner cooked for us by the lady that runs the guesthouse, we talked about the boat trip to Laos and what was to come, and then some of us played cards. It is always interesting to play cards with people who know the same game but play by different rules, (Especially for someone like me!) in this case we began playing a game that resembled "Hearts" but was not really taught that way, and then after a couple hands Lynda realized she explained it wrong, and then when me and Sean explained the way we normally play, she agreed that our way was the correct way, so we played that for a while longer. The laughs in the process of getting there were so worth it though, so that was good. After cards we went to bed, but I barely slept, thanks to the fact that we spent the whole day being inactive in the car, it was really hot in our rooms, and then the rooster (they are everywhere here) started making its noise at like 330 in the morning, and my ear plugs were useless to that noise! That was ok though because the next day we spent on the boat travelling down the Mekong in Laos (more on that in the next post...)
The next day we took vans up to the border of Thailand and Laos. At our mid-morning stop we stopped at a place called Condoms and Cabbages. Which receives funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation for AIDS and safe sex education. We got coffee there and walked around the area (they also grow vegies, and distribute those with the safe sex education). Where we stopped for lunch we met up with the woman who organized our Laos visas (we gave her our passports and 40 US dollars and a form filled out and then she took them to the border to get them ready for our arrival). We got to Chiang Khong around 4 (where we were staying for the night). The place we stayed at was really nice; it reminded me of a summer camp/ summer lodge on a lake in New Hampshire, expect this overlooked the Mekong with Laos on the other side. Seeking food for our boat trip the next day, Leia, Lynda, and I walked to the main street where we tried to dodge the kids throwing water everywhere. (The past week was Thai and Laos New Years...which consisted of standing on the side of the road and pouring water on those passing by...for good luck). We came back with some snacks, soaking wet, but whatever, it didnt really matter since it's so hot here! (My only concern was for my camera, which did get wet when a man poured much more water than normal down my back...I was not happy about that, but my camera was fine after I gave it a little break) That night we had a family style dinner cooked for us by the lady that runs the guesthouse, we talked about the boat trip to Laos and what was to come, and then some of us played cards. It is always interesting to play cards with people who know the same game but play by different rules, (Especially for someone like me!) in this case we began playing a game that resembled "Hearts" but was not really taught that way, and then after a couple hands Lynda realized she explained it wrong, and then when me and Sean explained the way we normally play, she agreed that our way was the correct way, so we played that for a while longer. The laughs in the process of getting there were so worth it though, so that was good. After cards we went to bed, but I barely slept, thanks to the fact that we spent the whole day being inactive in the car, it was really hot in our rooms, and then the rooster (they are everywhere here) started making its noise at like 330 in the morning, and my ear plugs were useless to that noise! That was ok though because the next day we spent on the boat travelling down the Mekong in Laos (more on that in the next post...)
Cultural Observations
Communication: One of the major difficulties travelling over here is that the Asian culture is sooo different from the Western one that even gestures often make it really difficult to get your point across. Also, because saving face is SO important to the locals, they will not let you know that they do not understand. For example, this morning at breakfast we went to a place on the corner of the road that our hotel is on. The place was bascially some tables set up on tile, and then behind that was a couch and an entertainment center, which displayed the families pictures...so basically picture their family room attached to a dining area. The kitchen was around the corner. Their menus were written in English (broken English) so you would think that they could understand those words. Instead we had a tremendous amount of trouble ordering coffee without milk and then getting extra milk for a woman I was with. Pointing, making gestures and trying different words with very, very simple sentences did not work. The girls kept nodding as if they understood, would go back into the kitchen, and then come out and sit down on the couch and start watching the tv. Finally a brother or another guy working there came and could understand a little better. This difficulty is something faced everyday here. In a way it is a sign that they have not become "too westernized" for travellers seeking that experience, but at the same time the frustration that ensues often takes away from being able to enjoy oneself. We have come to the conclusion that two Westerns (like an American and a German) would be able to understand each other much, much better in the same situation simply because our cultures and gestures are so much more similar.
Dress: It is considered very sexual to reveal your shoulders and knees (if you are a woman), so for Westerners not used to such extreme heat, this makes finding airconditioning and shade a TOP priority most days (hence why I'm in an internet cafe at midday here!). Men can wear whatever they want...but generally they don't reveal their shoulders. Due to the Buddhist beliefs of these countries, it is important to keep in mind where you are placing your feet (the dirtiest, most evil part of the body), and oftentimes we have to take off our shoes before entering a shop or restaurant.
Food: Ordering at restaurants in a foreign country almost always requires an open mind. Thankfully, I am not a picky eater at all, so this hasn't been a difficult experience for me (others on my trip, not so much the same story...which is quite annoying!). However, customer service is nonexistent (will be interesting to see if that's still the case in like 10 years when tourism becomes more common) and so the food is cooked in the order the chef receives the order, and then brought out when it is ready. Also, most nights they do not have something on the menu that they say they do, but do not realize that until they get down to that part on the menu. The food is obviously rice and noodle based, and very spicy (asking for it mild is a risk, because they often get really confused when you're not talking simply or pointing to something directly at the menu). Even though its more spicy than I prefer, I have enjoyed the food.
Misc: The people are generally really nice to westerners, but like in any other place, you do find those that are really good at taking advantage of tourists. Yesterday, we had a driver who was contracted through Intrepid (the tour I'm on) to take some us to see the monks receive alms in the early morning in Luang Prabang. He has driven us places before (like to the waterfalls the previous day and to our hotel the first day) and so we had a relationship with him, as a group, and also he has a business relationship with Intrepid. When we asked him if we needed to pay him after the alms thing, he at first said no. And then a little while later he told us we should each pay him 5000 kip (like 50 cents, but still it's the principal and that is how much most Tuk-Tuk rides cost), we did and then later that day told our leader. The driver was definitely not supposed to charge us at all, so now my leader has to write that up in his report, and it's a shame because that means this driver will probably lost out more than he got from us in the end. The other thing that is pretty sad about the getting money from white people is using children to sell or beg. While it's not something that we want to support by buying something from them, it is also hard because the families do need that money to survive. It is really, really sad to see the kids working so hard to sell and not in school. That is probably what is hardest for me, is to see all these kids around all day, not going to school because their families cannot afford it. The cycle of poverty continues, but also the sex trade that often sucks in these little girls also continues, which is the saddest.
Dress: It is considered very sexual to reveal your shoulders and knees (if you are a woman), so for Westerners not used to such extreme heat, this makes finding airconditioning and shade a TOP priority most days (hence why I'm in an internet cafe at midday here!). Men can wear whatever they want...but generally they don't reveal their shoulders. Due to the Buddhist beliefs of these countries, it is important to keep in mind where you are placing your feet (the dirtiest, most evil part of the body), and oftentimes we have to take off our shoes before entering a shop or restaurant.
Food: Ordering at restaurants in a foreign country almost always requires an open mind. Thankfully, I am not a picky eater at all, so this hasn't been a difficult experience for me (others on my trip, not so much the same story...which is quite annoying!). However, customer service is nonexistent (will be interesting to see if that's still the case in like 10 years when tourism becomes more common) and so the food is cooked in the order the chef receives the order, and then brought out when it is ready. Also, most nights they do not have something on the menu that they say they do, but do not realize that until they get down to that part on the menu. The food is obviously rice and noodle based, and very spicy (asking for it mild is a risk, because they often get really confused when you're not talking simply or pointing to something directly at the menu). Even though its more spicy than I prefer, I have enjoyed the food.
Misc: The people are generally really nice to westerners, but like in any other place, you do find those that are really good at taking advantage of tourists. Yesterday, we had a driver who was contracted through Intrepid (the tour I'm on) to take some us to see the monks receive alms in the early morning in Luang Prabang. He has driven us places before (like to the waterfalls the previous day and to our hotel the first day) and so we had a relationship with him, as a group, and also he has a business relationship with Intrepid. When we asked him if we needed to pay him after the alms thing, he at first said no. And then a little while later he told us we should each pay him 5000 kip (like 50 cents, but still it's the principal and that is how much most Tuk-Tuk rides cost), we did and then later that day told our leader. The driver was definitely not supposed to charge us at all, so now my leader has to write that up in his report, and it's a shame because that means this driver will probably lost out more than he got from us in the end. The other thing that is pretty sad about the getting money from white people is using children to sell or beg. While it's not something that we want to support by buying something from them, it is also hard because the families do need that money to survive. It is really, really sad to see the kids working so hard to sell and not in school. That is probably what is hardest for me, is to see all these kids around all day, not going to school because their families cannot afford it. The cycle of poverty continues, but also the sex trade that often sucks in these little girls also continues, which is the saddest.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
SE Asia Part One
It is currently 10 am in Luang Prabang, a city on the Mekong in Laos (also the ancient capital. I have been in Laos for about 4 days now, and it has been quite an experience. While the entire trip, since arriving in Bangkok, has been quite the culture shock, Laos is much more so than Thailand. This is not necessarily a bad thing. For one, it's good because it means that the taxi cab drivers arent constantly trying to rip you off and its not so chaotic everywhere you go that is considered a tourist spot. On the other, it is harder to communicate in places like this, more off the beaten path, and comforts (like water, toilets, and even electricity) are much harder to come by. This post is going to be really brief because I don't have much time before I need to get a Tuk-Tuk (like a cab but open air) back to our Guesthouse, pack up, and head to the airport to fly to Vientiane (the capital of Laos).
Hmm where to start? I arrived in Bangkok on the 7th of April, late at night, and was really really tired from a very very long day of travel. After an interesting ride to the hotel (lanes are just suggestions on the highway here, and stopping at any point is totally normal), I basically collasped into bed. The next morning I woke up early and figured I'd go out walking around the hotel to explore the area, as I normally do in other cities that I travel to. This time it was much different. Not only was the heat absolutely suffocating, but the streets have absolutely no order to them, so getting lost is not exactly hard, and for someone like me it happened right away. Also, I soon discovered my hotel was not exactly in a tourist friendly area, so everything was written in Thai and all the markets were not really designed for the kind of shopping that would interest me. I retreated to the airconditioning of the hotel to get directions to the place where I was meeting my friend Sophie (she's a junior at Richmond and studying in Bangkok for her semester abroad). I decided to just head there early and read in the airconditioning until she came. I was really looking forward to talking with her so I could feel a lot less culture shocked. I didnt do as much research as I normally do, before arriving in Thailand, so there were a number of questions like tipping and how much to pay for internet that I needed answered before I could feel more comfortable in the country.
After lunch with Sophie, and my first experience bargainning with the stall owners, I headed back to the hotel and relaxed in the rooftop pool. It was so hot that the pool felt like a bathtub! The next day I met up with Sophie and one of her friends for breakfast and then went off exploring one of the main backpacker-shopping roads. That evening I met up with the Intrepid group that I am now travelling with. After filling out paper work, answering questions, and the usual introductions we went to a nice Thai meal. My group is pretty good...although I'm already starting to get annoyed with travelling in a group (like having to wait for people every 5 min and arriving in a large group at restaurants), but I would not be able to enjoy this experience as much if I were not in a group, so I really shouldn't complain. I am happy though that the obnoxious ones are not Americans because I am so sick of everyone forming opinions of American tourists as the worst (I'm the only American, FYI, so hopefully I'm leaving a good impression!)
After a day of temple visits in Bangkok we got on the night train to Chiang Mai, a 14 hour train ride to northern Thailand. Arriving in Chiang Mai that morning, I signed up for a cooking class, which was such a great experience. I made 4 courses, learned a lot about the ingredients and had a great time enjoying the food with the others in my group. That evening some of us went to the most beautiful temple up a hill in Chiang Mai where we were blessed by a monk and then watched/heard them say their evening chants. After that I went to see Thai boxing...more on that later...must go now!
Hmm where to start? I arrived in Bangkok on the 7th of April, late at night, and was really really tired from a very very long day of travel. After an interesting ride to the hotel (lanes are just suggestions on the highway here, and stopping at any point is totally normal), I basically collasped into bed. The next morning I woke up early and figured I'd go out walking around the hotel to explore the area, as I normally do in other cities that I travel to. This time it was much different. Not only was the heat absolutely suffocating, but the streets have absolutely no order to them, so getting lost is not exactly hard, and for someone like me it happened right away. Also, I soon discovered my hotel was not exactly in a tourist friendly area, so everything was written in Thai and all the markets were not really designed for the kind of shopping that would interest me. I retreated to the airconditioning of the hotel to get directions to the place where I was meeting my friend Sophie (she's a junior at Richmond and studying in Bangkok for her semester abroad). I decided to just head there early and read in the airconditioning until she came. I was really looking forward to talking with her so I could feel a lot less culture shocked. I didnt do as much research as I normally do, before arriving in Thailand, so there were a number of questions like tipping and how much to pay for internet that I needed answered before I could feel more comfortable in the country.
After lunch with Sophie, and my first experience bargainning with the stall owners, I headed back to the hotel and relaxed in the rooftop pool. It was so hot that the pool felt like a bathtub! The next day I met up with Sophie and one of her friends for breakfast and then went off exploring one of the main backpacker-shopping roads. That evening I met up with the Intrepid group that I am now travelling with. After filling out paper work, answering questions, and the usual introductions we went to a nice Thai meal. My group is pretty good...although I'm already starting to get annoyed with travelling in a group (like having to wait for people every 5 min and arriving in a large group at restaurants), but I would not be able to enjoy this experience as much if I were not in a group, so I really shouldn't complain. I am happy though that the obnoxious ones are not Americans because I am so sick of everyone forming opinions of American tourists as the worst (I'm the only American, FYI, so hopefully I'm leaving a good impression!)
After a day of temple visits in Bangkok we got on the night train to Chiang Mai, a 14 hour train ride to northern Thailand. Arriving in Chiang Mai that morning, I signed up for a cooking class, which was such a great experience. I made 4 courses, learned a lot about the ingredients and had a great time enjoying the food with the others in my group. That evening some of us went to the most beautiful temple up a hill in Chiang Mai where we were blessed by a monk and then watched/heard them say their evening chants. After that I went to see Thai boxing...more on that later...must go now!
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Emily's Visit
Emily arrived on Monday, March 17th, a beautiful, warm sunny day here in Wellington. That afternoon we walked around a little bit downtown, then went to the grocery store to pick up some dinner. Emily was tired from travelling, so we both went to bed pretty early. Tuesday, we spent the day (another hot, sunny day) exploring Wellington. In the morning we went to the Te Papa (New Zealand's main museum) and then had lunch on the water front. We then went to the beach down the street from my apartment. It was a little bit too cold to actually go into the water, and we didnt have beach towels, so we didn't spend too long there. Then we went to get gelato at Kaffee Eis, right across from the beach. Emily absolutely loved the gelato, and we ended up going 3 more times while in Wellington! Tuesday night, Emily and I met up with some of my girlfriends here in Wellington for dinner at my favorite Indian restaraunt and then we went to see P.S. I love you (yes, my second time).
Wednesday morning we flew to Christchurch. We caught a shuttle to our hostel, which was a refurbished jailhouse just outside of the city. Despite the really small rooms, the hostel was extremely clean, and the people working there were great for directions and helping us to book dolphin swimming for that Friday. Emily and I headed out to get lunch and explore the area for the afternoon. It was 30 degrees celsius, and so after walking for a while in the hot sun, and my sandals, we were not in such a great mood by the end of the day (I had a huge blister, and yes, I made sure Emily knew about this about every 5 min!). When we got back to the hostel, we got a movie from reception (Memoirs of A Geisha) and watched in their "cinema," which was a room that projected movies onto a white wall in front of semi-comfortable chairs. We then cooked dinner together in the hostel kitchen, read for a bit and went to bed. Thursday morning we walked into town (my blisters were a little better, and it was less hot!), and on our walk we walked through the botanical gardens. When I was in Christchurch during the winter, a few times I ran in these gardens, but obviously nothing was in bloom. This time, the gardens were gorgeous and it was such a pleasant walk. I'm really glad I had the opportunity to see Christchurch again, with much better weather, because now I have a better picture of it in my mind. Emily and I went on a tour of a fudge kitchen in the arts centre area of Christchurch, and spent the rest of the day window shopping (there isnt really much do to in Christchurch...). Thursday night was the Jack Johnson concert (which is why we flew to Chch in the first place).
The tickets said that the concert started at 630, which I thought was strange for a concert, but we didn't have anywhere else to be, so we walked down there at 630 (about 10 min from our hostel). There was a massive queue (aka line), because the doors had yet to open. I immediately realized that this was typical Kiwi organization, and that the concert organizers had misprinted the start of the concert, but it wasnt worth it for us to just go back and hang out in the hostel. Matt Costa (the opening act) came on around 730 and he was great. He definitely is going to be a big in a couple of years, he was a great performer and singer, although would have been a little better in a more intimate setting (not a medium size arena). Jack Johnson came on around 9, and although Emily and I were tired from standing for so long, we still really enjoyed the concert. His singing was exactly like the album, he had a great stage presence, and it's always great when you know most of the songs!
Friday morning we were up early to get a shuttle to Akaroa, a small, waterfront town about 1.5 hours south of Christchurch. The drive was stunning though the hills and then eventually down to the water. The town was even cuter than I expected, as most small Kiwi towns are pretty much the same and really hard to distinguish from each other. This one has a lot of French influence, and as a result a lot of character. Emily and I got suited in our wetsuits, and then hopped on the boat with the rest of our group to spend about 45 min swimming with Hector/Maui Dolphins. The experience was different than I expected because this one was more enviromentally/animal friendly. We were not allowed to touch the dolphins, but it was still a lot of fun floating around in the water while the dolphins swam around and through our group, on a very beautiful day. That night, Emily and I had a great dinner in downtown Christchurch, and then got ready to head Auckland the next day.
Once in Auckland, we picked up the rental car and then drove off (very nervously!) with Whangarei as our destination. After the first 10 min, I was a lot more confident about the whole driving on the other side of the road situation, and I began to really appreciate and enjoy the freedom of having a car while you travel. (Even though I was a lot more confident, Emily still had to frequently point out that I was too close to the left side of the road). After about a 2.5 hour drive to Whangarei (a magnificent drive by the way), we arrived at our hostel, which was located about 10 min drive from Whangarei's center, on a big farm. It had the feel of a B&B, and our room was really plesant, it made you feel like you were renting someone's Cape Cod house. Sunday, we were up before the sun, to drive to Tutukara where we leaving from to dive the Poor Knights. The Poor Knights (named my James Cook, supposedly b/c the area looked like his breakfast, called Poor Knights), is ranked as one of the top ten dive spots in world. I was really nervous to dive because it had been awhile, and I was afraid I wasn't going to be able equalize my ears, and thus not be able to dive for the day. Emily was nervous because the water was really cold (about 68 degrees farenheit) and her wet-suit didn't fit that well. All our fears were quickly squashed. The wet suits (7 mm thick) worked amazingly well, and diving with a guide was not only good for showing us the way under the water, but also she helped us rusty divers get down and up safely. The two dives were great, less too see compared to the tropics that Emily and I were used to (obviously) but still really amazing to be 20 meters below sea level and exploring that world. My favorite part was during the second dive when we swam up to an underwater cave and came up into the cave, took out our regulators and chatted, all while we were 7 meters below the sea!
Sunday night, Easter night, Emily and I ate a nice dinner at one of the only restaraunts we could find open. It didnt feel like Easter at all, but it was still a really yummy dinner, and after such a spectacular day, it was my favorite Easter by far. Monday, Emily and I slept in and then decided to head to the beach. We didn't really have directions, so we didn't end up getting to the beach we wanted to, at first. The first place we ended up was literally at the end of the road we had driven on for close to two hours. The drive was so amazing, and when the road ended we were at an estuary with a small bridge over it. The place reminded me of Westport, or any other small waterfront town, and the bridge was filled with locals fishing and jumping off of. Emily and I walked around the waterfront, took some pictures, and then it started to rain a bit, so we got back in the car and drove back, trying to find our original destination. We found the correct turn off and eventually got to the Ocean Beach we were looking for. The beach had some great waves and was a huge beach, complete with sand dunes. As soon as we got out of the car, I was even more excited to get to the sand area because it smelled just like beaches in New England! Emily and I ate our lunch, read, tanned and then each took turns swimming in the water, which was surprisingly warm.
Tuesday morning, we drove back to Auckland, returned the car and then flew back to Wellington. Tuesday night, we ordered Hell's Pizza (a popular Kiwi pizza chain) and watched House and Boston Legal (a Tuesday night tradition in my flat). Wednesday, Emily's last day in Wellington, we spent shopping and eating all the delicious treats that are special to New Zealand (like Melting Moments). I had such a good time travelling around with Emily. We were blessed with amazing weather the entire time, which not only made our travels more enjoyable, but also allowed me to appreciate parts of New Zealand (like Christchurch that I had only experienced during the weather). I loved being able to scuba dive in the North of New Zealand, something I definitely would not have done without Emily, and so I'm so happy we had that opportunity. I am also really glad that I was able to share my life with Emily, so she can understand what it's been like for me living over here.
Wednesday morning we flew to Christchurch. We caught a shuttle to our hostel, which was a refurbished jailhouse just outside of the city. Despite the really small rooms, the hostel was extremely clean, and the people working there were great for directions and helping us to book dolphin swimming for that Friday. Emily and I headed out to get lunch and explore the area for the afternoon. It was 30 degrees celsius, and so after walking for a while in the hot sun, and my sandals, we were not in such a great mood by the end of the day (I had a huge blister, and yes, I made sure Emily knew about this about every 5 min!). When we got back to the hostel, we got a movie from reception (Memoirs of A Geisha) and watched in their "cinema," which was a room that projected movies onto a white wall in front of semi-comfortable chairs. We then cooked dinner together in the hostel kitchen, read for a bit and went to bed. Thursday morning we walked into town (my blisters were a little better, and it was less hot!), and on our walk we walked through the botanical gardens. When I was in Christchurch during the winter, a few times I ran in these gardens, but obviously nothing was in bloom. This time, the gardens were gorgeous and it was such a pleasant walk. I'm really glad I had the opportunity to see Christchurch again, with much better weather, because now I have a better picture of it in my mind. Emily and I went on a tour of a fudge kitchen in the arts centre area of Christchurch, and spent the rest of the day window shopping (there isnt really much do to in Christchurch...). Thursday night was the Jack Johnson concert (which is why we flew to Chch in the first place).
The tickets said that the concert started at 630, which I thought was strange for a concert, but we didn't have anywhere else to be, so we walked down there at 630 (about 10 min from our hostel). There was a massive queue (aka line), because the doors had yet to open. I immediately realized that this was typical Kiwi organization, and that the concert organizers had misprinted the start of the concert, but it wasnt worth it for us to just go back and hang out in the hostel. Matt Costa (the opening act) came on around 730 and he was great. He definitely is going to be a big in a couple of years, he was a great performer and singer, although would have been a little better in a more intimate setting (not a medium size arena). Jack Johnson came on around 9, and although Emily and I were tired from standing for so long, we still really enjoyed the concert. His singing was exactly like the album, he had a great stage presence, and it's always great when you know most of the songs!
Friday morning we were up early to get a shuttle to Akaroa, a small, waterfront town about 1.5 hours south of Christchurch. The drive was stunning though the hills and then eventually down to the water. The town was even cuter than I expected, as most small Kiwi towns are pretty much the same and really hard to distinguish from each other. This one has a lot of French influence, and as a result a lot of character. Emily and I got suited in our wetsuits, and then hopped on the boat with the rest of our group to spend about 45 min swimming with Hector/Maui Dolphins. The experience was different than I expected because this one was more enviromentally/animal friendly. We were not allowed to touch the dolphins, but it was still a lot of fun floating around in the water while the dolphins swam around and through our group, on a very beautiful day. That night, Emily and I had a great dinner in downtown Christchurch, and then got ready to head Auckland the next day.
Once in Auckland, we picked up the rental car and then drove off (very nervously!) with Whangarei as our destination. After the first 10 min, I was a lot more confident about the whole driving on the other side of the road situation, and I began to really appreciate and enjoy the freedom of having a car while you travel. (Even though I was a lot more confident, Emily still had to frequently point out that I was too close to the left side of the road). After about a 2.5 hour drive to Whangarei (a magnificent drive by the way), we arrived at our hostel, which was located about 10 min drive from Whangarei's center, on a big farm. It had the feel of a B&B, and our room was really plesant, it made you feel like you were renting someone's Cape Cod house. Sunday, we were up before the sun, to drive to Tutukara where we leaving from to dive the Poor Knights. The Poor Knights (named my James Cook, supposedly b/c the area looked like his breakfast, called Poor Knights), is ranked as one of the top ten dive spots in world. I was really nervous to dive because it had been awhile, and I was afraid I wasn't going to be able equalize my ears, and thus not be able to dive for the day. Emily was nervous because the water was really cold (about 68 degrees farenheit) and her wet-suit didn't fit that well. All our fears were quickly squashed. The wet suits (7 mm thick) worked amazingly well, and diving with a guide was not only good for showing us the way under the water, but also she helped us rusty divers get down and up safely. The two dives were great, less too see compared to the tropics that Emily and I were used to (obviously) but still really amazing to be 20 meters below sea level and exploring that world. My favorite part was during the second dive when we swam up to an underwater cave and came up into the cave, took out our regulators and chatted, all while we were 7 meters below the sea!
Sunday night, Easter night, Emily and I ate a nice dinner at one of the only restaraunts we could find open. It didnt feel like Easter at all, but it was still a really yummy dinner, and after such a spectacular day, it was my favorite Easter by far. Monday, Emily and I slept in and then decided to head to the beach. We didn't really have directions, so we didn't end up getting to the beach we wanted to, at first. The first place we ended up was literally at the end of the road we had driven on for close to two hours. The drive was so amazing, and when the road ended we were at an estuary with a small bridge over it. The place reminded me of Westport, or any other small waterfront town, and the bridge was filled with locals fishing and jumping off of. Emily and I walked around the waterfront, took some pictures, and then it started to rain a bit, so we got back in the car and drove back, trying to find our original destination. We found the correct turn off and eventually got to the Ocean Beach we were looking for. The beach had some great waves and was a huge beach, complete with sand dunes. As soon as we got out of the car, I was even more excited to get to the sand area because it smelled just like beaches in New England! Emily and I ate our lunch, read, tanned and then each took turns swimming in the water, which was surprisingly warm.
Tuesday morning, we drove back to Auckland, returned the car and then flew back to Wellington. Tuesday night, we ordered Hell's Pizza (a popular Kiwi pizza chain) and watched House and Boston Legal (a Tuesday night tradition in my flat). Wednesday, Emily's last day in Wellington, we spent shopping and eating all the delicious treats that are special to New Zealand (like Melting Moments). I had such a good time travelling around with Emily. We were blessed with amazing weather the entire time, which not only made our travels more enjoyable, but also allowed me to appreciate parts of New Zealand (like Christchurch that I had only experienced during the weather). I loved being able to scuba dive in the North of New Zealand, something I definitely would not have done without Emily, and so I'm so happy we had that opportunity. I am also really glad that I was able to share my life with Emily, so she can understand what it's been like for me living over here.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
