New Zealand Wildlife

One thing that you notice in New Zealand is that there doesn’t seem to be a lot of wildlife apart from birds.  There are a lot of animals here for sure, the sheep outnumber people six to one.  You can’t throw a rock without hitting a sheep, but as you drive the rural roads, you don’t see any wild deer, moose, or kangaroos.  There is some incredible wildlife here, you just need to look to the shores.  New Zealand is home to species of dolphins, seals, and penguins that are found only here.  

A friend of yours?

A friend of yours?

 

In an area at the southern tip of the south island called The Catlins, we ventured to a spot where a few yellow eyed penguins are known to hang out.  They stay out to sea during the day hunting and feeding, then come ashore around dusk to settle in for the night.  This spot is just a public, rocky beach where anyone can go.  There are no tickets or cafes or souvenir shops.  Just a rope indicating a part of the beach where you are not allowed to go, and a park ranger who shows up around the same time as the penguins to make sure you don’t cross it.  Just before dusk we were standing at the yellow rope with about 30 other people hoping to get our first glimpse at an aquatic avian in the wild.  About 50 yards on the other side of the rope we could see a young penguin on the edge of the shrubs looking out towards the sea, no doubt waiting for his parents to return home with a stomach full of fish ready for regurgitation.  As we stood there looking over the rope at the little guy in the distance, Jesslyn said to me, “hey everyone is looking the other way”.  About 30 feet behind us a lone yellow eyed penguin had emerged from the sea, and started to make his way over the rocks towards the safety of the shrubs.  It was awesome to see him so close, and made us chuckle to see how he waddled and hopped up onto and down from rocks.  He seemed oblivious to our presence and allowed us to get some great pics.

A Yellow Eyed Penguin striking a pose for the paparazzi

A Yellow Eyed Penguin striking a pose for the paparazzi

Making his way up the beach

Making his way up the beach

While in Dunedin, we ventured out onto the Otago Peninsula where we paid to get up close to the smallest penguins in the world, the Blue Penguin.  They are wild penguins, and at one time there was no control to the access to view them.  As you can imagine, they were harassed, blinded by camera flash, and even kidnapped.  As a result, a private, not for profit organization controls access to the area around where they nest.  As we waited to see the little flightless birds, we were lucky to see numerous Royal Albatross flying overhead, which are known for their enormous wingspans of over nine feet long.  

A Royal Albatross with its distinctive long, narrow wings

A Royal Albatross with its distinctive long, narrow wings

The Blue Penguin experience was a bit different from the first one.  There were many more spectators, and we were on a wooden platform.  There were also many more birds, about 50 of them, coming out of the water in small groups called rafts.  They emerged from the ocean when it was already dark outside, and some areas around the platform were lit so we could get a good look at them.  The lights were small, dim, scattered about, and specially designed to emulate moonlight.  Unfortunately, I didn’t get any great pics of them, which I will blame on the darkness, but I think I actually had the stabilization feature on my lens accidentally turned off.  Similar to the Yellow Eyed, the Blues waddled and hopped their way up the rocky beach, then into the tall grass and shrubs on shore.  They followed the leader, sometimes down a wrong turn before reversing direction and back on track to the nest.  It was cool to see them, but the platform, lights, and other people somewhat detracted from the experience.

Four Blue Penguins making their way out of the water

Four Blue Penguins making their way out of the water

One benefit of the artificial lights are the cool shadows

One benefit of the artificial lights are the cool shadows

Back in the Catlins, we explored some out of the way beaches where there were very few people.  At one particular beach, I was wading into the gentle surf looking for a better angle to take some pictures of the nearby cliffs, when I spotted a seal a little further down the beach who had just made his way out of the water.  I started back towards the beach and yelled to Jesslyn.  Because there had previously been some false seal sightings (one was a duck and another was a kid in a wetsuit) that we joked about, she didn’t believe me.  After an emphatic re-assurance, she looked and spotted it too, then ran half a mile down the beach to let Knox and Sharon know.  I was snapping away and approaching slowly as he walked up onto the beach.  As cool as it is to see a penguin waddle, I get more of a kick out of the way seals walk.  After getting about 50 yards away from the water, he just started to roll around, flip sand on top of himself, and try to get comfy for some rest.  He seemed pretty indifferent to our presence and we had to warn Sharon not to get any closer.  Upon a little more research, we believe this guy was actually a sea lion.  It was an awesome experience because it was totally unexpected, and we were the only ones around.

A sea lion being very cooperative for the picture

A sea lion being very cooperative for the picture

Just trying to get comfy

Just trying to get comfy

 

We were very excited for the excursion we booked to swim with Hector’s Dolphins, the critically endangered and world’s smallest dolphins.  We finally had some nice weather at Akaroa on Bank’s peninsula near Christchurch.  The dolphins are completely wild and they are not fed, so there is always a fair chance of not seeing them.  We were able to get up close to a few in the boat, but they didn’t stick around long enough for us to get in the water with them.  Perhaps we will book another trip in Kaikoura where they offer swimming with Dusky Dolphins.

 - Jake

PS:  We are fairly current on our photos, so please check out all the new New Zealand pics we've added to our photo page. 

PPS:  Due to internet access constraints, we couldn't get this video of me doing the canyon swing up in time for the last post.  The best part is Jesslyn's commentary.

Tasmania

We had our first campervan experience in Tasmania, or Tassie (pronounced 'tazzy') as it is more commonly called.  Lying 150 miles south of the mainland, the Australian island of Tasmania is more than just the home of the Tasmanian devil.  The beautiful and uncrowded coastline and mountains made it worth the visit.

We picked up our campervan near the Launceston airport.  The camper worked out great for us.  It was tall enough to stand up in, had a bed that converted into a table, as well as a small fridge, gas stove, and sink.  Because it was so tall, the biggest problem we had was keeping it on the road as the wind was relentless at times.  We were happy to save money on food by cooking our own meals.  However, in our future campervan adventures we will need to expand our culinary experience beyond PB&J and pasta.

Our first stop was Freycinet National Park, home of Wineglass Bay.  We don't pronounce any town names correctly until we hear someone else say them.  We just hope that we hear a local say it before we need to say it to a local.  We mistakenly pronounced Launceston as 'lon-stun' with two syllables, but is actually pronounced 'lon-sess-tun', with three syllables, and Freycinet ends in the sound 'ay', not 'et'.   

Freycinet was where we saw our first wallaby.  We were so excited, but it turns out they are everywhere, and we saw many more on our trip.  We saw seals from a distance, lounging on the rocks of a small island (the seals, not us).  

Wallabies look like miniature kangaroos.

Wallabies look like miniature kangaroos.

That night, we went down to the beach for the sunset.  The clouds didn't cooperate, so the sun didn't put on much of show, but the crabs did.  When I walked out on to the beach there were no crabs at all.  I looked up after playing with my camera for a couple minutes and saw dozens of them coming up onto the beach.  I snapped a few pics, then turned my attention back to the sunset.  I looked up again, and there were now hundreds of them.  I now realized the crabs were going to be more interesting to photograph than the sunset.  As I started taking pictures, more and more crabs appeared, until there were millions of them on the beach.  Each were  about the size of a dime, and buried themselves in the sand after coming up onto the beach.  It was quite a sight, and a little creepy.  

Crabs attack!

Crabs attack!

Crabs in motion (sorry for my poor video skills)

Wineglass Bay

Wineglass Bay

Our next stop was Port Arthur, which is known for being a historic convict settlement.  It is also infamous as being the site of Australia’s worst post-colonial mass murder in which 35 people were killed in a 1996 shooting.  It's true that many prisoners from the UK were sent Australia, and Port Arthur was the destination for thousands of criminals who were forced to worked as slave labor between 1830 and 1877.  There were no convicts at our campsite (that we know of at least), but there were parrots, wallabies, and the endangered potoroo.  I think a mad scientist once crossed a rat and a kangaroo to invent this animal, but I couldn't find that fact documented anywhere.  We couldn't stick around too long because of the 6 hour drive to the next destination.

Our next stop was in Strahan, pronounced 'strawn', not to be confused with Michael, the former Giants defensive end and Regis's replacement, who pronounces his name 'stray-han'.  We had a stroll through a green, damp rain forest, and walked along the 36km Ocean Beach, where we didn't see another person.  We also visited a quirky display of natural wood figures that resemble other things.  Then we had to get on the road to get to the next spot on the itinerary (notice a trend yet?).

Looking up from the rain forest

Looking up from the rain forest

Jesslyn standing on the deserted Ocean Beach

Jesslyn standing on the deserted Ocean Beach

The artist had a twisted sense of humor

The artist had a twisted sense of humor

The next day, we headed to the Cradle Mountain area to do some more serious hiking.  The first three words that come to mind to describe Cradle Mountain are fah ree zing.  Due to a prior accident involving spilt wine, my sweater and fleece were temporarily out of commission, so I slept in my rain jacket.  The national park at Cradle Mountain was fantastic.  The scenery was incredible and we saw more unique animals.  Jesslyn had a wombat encounter during a middle-of-the-night pee break.  The next day we did a fantastic 7 mile hike.  The Aussie’s don’t use the term ‘hiking’, they call it ‘walking’, which hints at how rugged these people are.  Our ‘walk’ started out really cold, wet, and with no visibility.  The park ranger recommended that we do not attempt the summit of the 5000 foot Cradle Mountain because of the snow (and I think the fact that Jesslyn was wearing running sneakers).  Luckily, the weather improved throughout the day, and allowed for some great views toward the end.  

Jesslyn and me with Dove lake in the background at Cradle Mountain

Jesslyn and me with Dove lake in the background at Cradle Mountain

Tasmanian Devils are cute when they are young...

Tasmanian Devils are cute when they are young...

...but not when they reach maturity

...but not when they reach maturity

The campgrounds (called holiday parks in part of the world) we stayed at were all very nice, and the one at Cradle Mountain was the best.  It has common areas with full kitchens, BBQ's, gas powered pizza ovens, tables and chairs, and large fireplaces, which is good because it was so cold and outdoor fires were not allowed.  It was too dry, and wild fires are currently raging in parts of the island.  The common areas were full of experienced people making elaborate meals, playing cards, and drinking wine.

We had a quick stop in Devonport (pronounced ‘dee-vohn-pert’ ...just kidding, it is pronounced just like you think).  There isn't much to say about Devonport.

Our next stop was back where we started in Launceston.  It is a cool little town where we had the chance to purchase some warmer, proper hiking gear, and have nice pub meal.

Overall, Tassie was fantastic.  It was very outdoorsy, with beautiful landscapes and exotic animals.  We regret booking only one night in each spot since we spent a lot of time driving and less time doing other things.  The positive side to the driving was that we saw extremely varied landscapes, from rolling hills of farmland, to forests, to mountains, to coastline.  We are looking forward to more hiking through breathtaking landscapes in our next stop, New Zealand. But we are more excited to meet up with our next visitors, Jesslyn's aunt Sharon and cousin Knox.

 - Jake

PS:  We recently added the pictures of Japan and Tasmania to our photo page.

Japanese Food

Generalizations are typically unfair and misleading, and this holds true for Japanese food.  It is far more diverse than many people think.  Most of it is good, some of it is absolutely amazing, and some of it is the most foul stuff humans put in their mouths.  Here is a rundown of some of the things I ate in Japan.

 

Sushi

Let's start with the obvious.  I am a big fan of sushi.  I used to eat it quite often in grad school at a cheap place near campus, usually accompanied by sake bombs and bad karaoke.  The spicy tuna roll was one of my favorites.  That stuff isn’t in the same league as the sushi I had in Japan.  We first ate sushi at a tiny place with seating at stools around a counter which had a small conveyor belt bringing the plates of sushi around.  Most of the plates had two pieces of fish sitting atop some sticky rice. You just grab the dish you want as it goes by, then pay based on the color of the plates at the end.  It is a great way to do sushi.  If you don’t see something you want going by, you can order from the sushi chef behind the counter.  This was the first time I have ever eaten otoro, which is richest part of the belly meat of a bluefin tuna.  It is often called fatty tuna in English.  It tastes like butter and melts in your mouth.  No joke.  I know that sounds strange when talking about raw fish.  If you don’t think you like sushi, or even fish for that matter, you still need to try otoro.  It is bit more expensive, so we usually had just one piece at the end of the meal.  I also loved the seared salmon topped with a little mayo and black pepper.  The searing is just a quick pass with a blowtorch that adds another dimension of flavor that I love.  I tried a few others that were pretty good.  As good as the otoro and salmon were, the uni was at the opposite end of the taste spectrum.  Uni is the Japanese name for sea urchin, and it was all I could do to choke it down.  It tasted like rotting fish dipped in sea water.  I am one of the least picky eaters I know, but I would have spit it out if I could have done so discretely.  I think the second piece of uni was the only thing I left on my plate our entire time in Japan.  But wait, it gets worse…  There were two dishes that I opted not to try.  The first one was “fish guts”, which is exactly how it was listed on the English part of the menu.  The second was milt, which is part of the male reproductive system.  It sort of looks like small intestines, but white.  The lovely color comes from the fish semen inside.  Yum!  It was actually fairly popular with some of the locals.  Jesslyn went hungry the three times we went for sushi.

 

Ramen

The staple of college students’ diets.  Actually, it wasn’t quite the same as the brick of dried noodles and powder that turn into soup with a little hot water.  The broth has a much more complex flavor and the noodles are a bit thicker and chewier.  The noodles are hidden under a slice of roast pork, some fresh herbs, a piece of nori (dried seaweed), and sometimes a soft boiled egg.  At one of the ramen joints we visited, you purchase a ticket at the vending machine just inside, then sit down at a stool and hand the ticket to the server behind the counter.  I really liked the ramen, but Jesslyn didn’t care for the taste of seaweed or the slight hint of fish flavor in the broth.

 

Tonkatsu

We had a pretty special meal experience with the Tonkatsu Nazi.  There is this old guy in Yokosuka who operates a small restaurant near the Navy base.  The place consists of only a counter which can fit about seven people.  There were five of us in our party and were the only diners in the place.  This man is the only person working.  He cooks, preps, washes dishes, takes orders, serves, and whatever else needs to be done in a restaurant.  The kitchen is directly opposite the counter, so you get a great view of the meal being prepared.  You never know when it is going to be open or not.  Why the "nazi" nickname?  He doesn’t greet you until he is ready.  We sat there while he washed the dishes from the previous customers.  Then he did some prep work.  A good 20 minutes went by before he acknowledged our existence and took our order.  We all got beers, which didn’t come for another 15 minutes.  He prepped his station by chopping vegetables, and filling the small containers with the items he needs.  Everything was in its place.  He assembled the salads with precision, so each one was identical.  We ordered the special, which is a variety of tempura vegetables, and tonkatsu, a deep fried pork cutlet. The menu is posted on various pieces of paper tacked to the wall.  It was all in Japanese.  Luckily, we were with people who had been there before, so we knew what to do and to expect.  The food was very good, and relatively cheap, but you really go there for experience.  It is funny to me…  Something that would be the downfall of any other restaurant is actually the attraction here; the unpersonable, slow service.

Our tonkatsu meal with the fried pork and vegetables, pickled veggies, dipping sauce, white rice, miso soup, and of course the Kirin lager.

Our tonkatsu meal with the fried pork and vegetables, pickled veggies, dipping sauce, white rice, miso soup, and of course the Kirin lager.

Beef

Japan isn’t all fish and rice.  We ate beef quite a few times.  It tends to be very tender and fatty, and I mean fatty in a good way.  We had a great steak at a place where you order your meat by the gram and watch them hack it off the large loin.  Then you stand up to eat it at a counter.  I guess they don’t want you to get too comfortable and overstay your welcome.  We ate tender Kobe beef burgers at a tiny counter in a hidden food court on the 7th floor of the train station.

Justin and me standing at the counter ready for our steaks.

Justin and me standing at the counter ready for our steaks.

Yakitori

There are a lot of meats on sticks in Japan.  We walked by an outdoor vendor who had quite a crowd.  You stand in front of the place, and just grab the sticks of meat you want, then put the empty sticks in a cup.  When you are done, you are charged by how many sticks are in your cup.  Unfortunately, we had just eaten when we went by.  We did eat at a yakitori place one night where, we had a variety of grilled meats and vegetables on sticks. They were all great, even the liver.  My favorite might have been the bacon wrapped quail eggs.  We washed the yakitori down with a few chuhai’s.

 

Chuhai

Shochu, a liquor similar to, but usually a little weaker than vodka, is a popular in Japan.  It doesn’t have much flavor, so it is commonly mixed with fruit juice and soda water to make a drink called a chuhai or chu-hi.  Chu-hi’s are extremely dangerous because they don’t taste like alcohol at all, and are a light refreshing thirst quencher. They sell them in cans at every convenience store.  Most are 5% alcohol, and the “strong” version clocks in at 8% or 9%.  My favorite was the grapefruit which tastes like Fresca.

 

Snacks from the Sea

We visited the Nishiki Market in Kyoto where I sampled a variety of local treats.  I had a piece of grilled fish on a stick that was labeled as “Pike Conger”, a type of eel common in Japanese cuisine and known as hamo.  It was cold, firm, and had a slight fish taste.  I had a tiny octopus on a stick with a quail egg stuffed in its head.  It was also cold and had a strong octopusy flavor.  Jesslyn was having a tough time finding something she wanted to eat, until we found little dumpling-looking things.  We got a cheese flavored one and a bacon and onion flavored one.  To her dismay, they turned out to be fish cakes.  They weren’t bad, but not what you really want to eat for breakfast.  I also had a smoked scallop, which were individually wrapped and sold.  It tasted really good, but was extremely chewy.  After about 5 minutes of chomping, I joked that I was chewing scallop gum.

 

Octopus appeared to be quite common.  A very popular snack we tried was takoyaki, which are little balls of dough with chunks of octopus inside.  It is topped with a sweet, teriyaki-like sauce and bonito flakes.  This is might be the best way to eat octopus.  

What's better than a baby octopus on a stick with a hard boiled quail egg stuffed in the head?

What's better than a baby octopus on a stick with a hard boiled quail egg stuffed in the head?

Dessert

We didn’t have too many desserts, but soft-serve ice cream was very popular.  Every vendor had at least two flavors, vanilla and green tea, and usually a vanilla/green tea twist.  In fact green tea was used to flavor a lot of things, like cakes, cookies, and Kit Kats.  Another popular sweet was a cake-like pastry filled with sweetened red or white bean paste.  Beans for dessert sounds odd, but it works.  One night, we were watching an older gentleman making them through his shop window, when a very friendly local man came by.  Through his broken English, he told us that the desserts were excellent, that Jesslyn was beautiful, and I was handsome.  Then he bought us each a white bean cake.  I am pretty sure he was drunk.

 

The food in Japan was unique and mostly delicious.  You know the food of a country is special when it gets its own blog post.  At the same time, I am looking forward to western style food in Australia and New Zealand.  

 - Jake

Hong Kong

We just finished four quick nights in Hong Kong where we got to catch up with our friends and incredibly gracious hosts, Jose Luis and Paulina.  Jose Luis and I met at grad school and have shared a few adventures together, most notably hiking the Inca trail to Machu Picchu.  Jose Luis and Paulina went out of their way to show us a great time.  It was especially nice since they were setting off on their African safari honeymoon hours after they sent us off to Japan.  Plus, Paulina arrived home on our second day in Hong Kong after taking the redeye from Paris where she was working for 10 straight long days.  Jose Luis was our personal tour guide for a day, and took us to the world famous Din Tai Fung for delicious dumplings, and we met up with their expat friends for Korean BBQ.  Thank you guys for your hospitality, and for giving up your bed for us!  

We were lucky to have friends to stay with as Hong Kong was recently awarded the distinction of the least affordable city in the world according to a recent housing affordability survey.  It may be expensive, but it is very easy to get around.  They have one of the nicest airports and subway systems I have seen anywhere (I am now embarrassed by how dirty and unreliable the NYC subway system is).  The city is also very walk-able.  If you know how, you can walk for quite a while through the many malls or on covered elevated walkways, and use the thousands of escalators.  They also lay claim to the world’s longest covered outdoor escalator system, stretching half a mile.  A great and unexpected feature of Hong Kong is the vast amount of green space.  The tall buildings of the urban area city are surrounded by mountains full of hiking trails, and wild animals including boar, monkeys, and snakes.  

I always knew that Hong Kong was a British colony until it was given it back to China in 1997.  However, while it is technically under Chinese control, it is still mostly autonomous.  Entering the country, we didn’t need a Chinese visa.  Actually, this was the first country we entered where border control didn’t stamp our passports, apart from the European Union where there is no border control between member countries.  Residents of mainland China also have to pass through border control and have restrictions surrounding residing there.  Hong Kong has its own currency, the Hong Kong dollar (often called the “honkie") and to make it more confusing has the same symbol as the US dollar ($).  One USD is equal to about 8 HKD, so it was strange to see a menu with a beer for $50.  I used to think that Hong Kong was an island, but it is actually made up of a few different areas: Hong Kong Island, Kowloon (evidently they named this area after the restaurant on Route 1 in Saugus), and the New Territories, plus about 200 small islands.  Kowloon and the New Territories are connected to mainland China.

There seems to be an extensive expat community in HK.  Before this trip, I understood “expat” to simply mean someone who lives in a different country than the one in which they were born or are a citizen.  After talking with expats, the term is often used to describe someone who is living in another country for work and often has a good “package”, meaning a good salary, little or no taxes, and sometimes even paid living expenses.  We went out on Friday night to a popular expat area, and you forget you are in China.  Looking around, you couldn’t have guessed if you were in New York, London, or Hong Kong.

We did a few touristy (or as they say everywhere else in the world, ‘touristic’) things.  We watched the light show as the buildings along the shore of the harbor come to life and illuminate the night sky to music.  We took a glass floor gondola up to see the 112 foot tall bronze Big Buddha statue.  We also took a funicular to the top of Victoria peak for views of the city from the island.  Unfortunately, it was foggy, so we couldn’t see very far.  We had a $16 beer at the Ritz-Carlton on the top floor of the 9th tallest building in the world.  Since this is in the Kowloon area, it normally provides nice views of Hong Kong island across Victoria Harbor.  But, once again, the fog was not cooperating.  It was worth the price of admission however, because as we were sipping our beer, we were eye to eye with a large bird that looked like an eagle, and after some research, I believe it was a black kite.  Sorry, it didn’t hang around long enough for a pic.  We did get some great bird pics in the aviary in HK park, which we really enjoyed.  We kept our eyes peeled for Hong Kong Phooey, but never did see him (you have to be well over 40 to get that reference).

Hong Kong is a very modern and efficient city.  However, there are still some things that are not quite to so modern.  We watched workers disassemble scaffolding from a tall building, which was nothing more than bamboo poles held together with zip ties.  The workers were not tethered in, and some were at the very top where the bamboo poles were already cut away in many places making for a very unstable perch.  I would have expected this in Laos, but not in a modern city like Hong Kong.

Hong Kong was a stark change from the sun drenched beaches of Thailand where we just were.  It was cold and gray, fast paced, and full of bright lights, concrete, glass, and steel.  We enjoyed the change, but it tired us out!  Now on to Tokyo…  maybe that will be tranquil and relaxed. ;)

 - Jake

This was taken in an open area near the Buddha statue where bulls just roam around like they own the place.

This was taken in an open area near the Buddha statue where bulls just roam around like they own the place.

You can see the Buddha in the background, high up on the hill.

You can see the Buddha in the background, high up on the hill.

The big buddha!  Notice the swastika on his chest.  The Nazis didn't invent this symbol.  It has been commonly used by Hindus and Buddhists for many centuries, and symbolizes auspiciousness and good fortune.

Me and Jose Luis, the aspiring photographers.

Me and Jose Luis, the aspiring photographers.

The aviary in Hong Kong park was a great place to practice some photography.

The aviary in Hong Kong park was a great place to practice some photography.

This guy drank way too much coffee.

This guy drank way too much coffee.

Jesslyn is intensely learning about HK with the central district in the background and Kowloon just visible across the harbor.

Jesslyn is intensely learning about HK with the central district in the background and Kowloon just visible across the harbor.

I don't know how much these guys make, but it isn't enough.  What do you think OSHA would have to say about this?

I don't know how much these guys make, but it isn't enough.  What do you think OSHA would have to say about this?

Seven Month Travel Stats

After three months in Southeast Asia it's time for us to move on to colder climates and different time zones.  When I reflect on the people we were when we first arrived in Bangkok, I'm a bit surprised at how much we've changed in three months.

  • No ice please
  • I'll have the pad thai with chicken please
  • Street food?  I don't think so - we'll get sick!

We were so uptight.  Now we have ice in our drinks, prefer street food over restaurants, and I hardly ever order pad thai because there are far too many more delicious options.  No doubt I was more uptight than Jake to begin with, but we've both improved for the better and have been able to enjoy what this region has to offer more because of it.

We have both been looking forward to spending time with friends and our first stop is four nights with Jose Luis and Paulina in Hong Kong.  Jake and Jose Luis met during their MBA program in Boston.  From there we fly to Japan where we'll spend six nights on the U.S. Navy base at Yokosuka with my friend from RPI, Justin, before meeting up with Mo and her sister Laura in Kyoto.  We were fortunate to have my friend and former roommate Mo also meet us in Italy so this is quite a treat that we get to see her again!  In addition to being excited about spending time with good friends and exploring new places, I'm also looking forward to a costume change.  I have cold weather clothes that have been lying dormant in my suitcase since our chilly October days in Poland and they are ready to make an appearance.  We are going to miss $3 meals and lounging on white sand beaches, but I know that I speak for us both when I say that we are ready to move on from southeast Asia.  What I'm not looking forward to is the cuisine in Japan but my fingers are crossed that I'll have a similar transformation to the one I had in Thailand.

This past Sunday marked seven months since we left the United States and we thought it would be fun to put together some trip stats:

  • Days on the road:  218
  • Countries visited:  15
  • Longest stay in one city:  15 nights in Florence, Italy
  • Longest stay in one accommodation: 10 nights in Nha Trang, Vietnam and 10 nights in Ko Chang, Thailand 
  • Flights: 19
  • Trains:  26
  • Buses:  16
  • Ferries: 20
  • Unique Accommodations:  67
  • Favorite Accommodation:  Culgower House, Helmsdale, Scotland (back before we really went low budget!). This was hard to pick because we also really loved our Air B&B apartment in Krakow.
  • Favorite Island: Milos, Greece
  • Favorite City:  Berlin, Germany
  • Friends and Family we’ve been able to see while on the road:  11 and looking forward to more!
Two of my favorite photos from Milos, Greece

Two of my favorite photos from Milos, Greece

The transportation stats above represent how we got from point A to point B.  For instance, to get from Nha Trang, Vietnam to Phonm Penh, Cambodia, we took one night train to Ho Chi Minh City and then a bus into Cambodia.  We didn’t include times spent on subways, intracity buses/trains because we’ve taken far too many trips on those to count.  We counted train travel that was more like taking the Amtrak back in the U.S.  In addition, we rented a car in Scotland, Norway and twice in Italy.  We also rented motorbikes in order to explore the islands of Milos, Cres, Mljet and Ko Chang.  

Since Jake met up with Lynn and Rob in Budapest while I explored more of Italy with my Dad, I’ve technically been to one fewer country.

In Europe we mostly had private rooms within hostels or we used Air B&B.  In southeast Asia we have found plenty of budget hotels within our price range, but in retrospect we should have splurged at least once and stayed in a five star place because nowhere else in the world could we afford that.  Oh well!  Maybe in Central or South America?

As for what comes next after Hong Kong and Japan, check out our updated plan, specifically all the new details in Phase 3 - New Zealand and Australia.  We also recently added a lot of new photos to our website, most of them are taken by Jake and I'd say his online photography classes are paying off.  As for the photos I'm taking, I'm having a lot fun posting them on Instagram (_no_permanent_address_).

~ Jesslyn

Our Final Stop in Southeast Asia

Chai Chet Beach, Ko Chang, Thailand

Chai Chet Beach, Ko Chang, Thailand

In November, we spent two wonderful weeks on the Thai islands of Koh Lanta and Koh Lipe.  The food, pace of life, beaches, and warm, azure water were so magical that we decided we couldn't leave the region without exploring at least one more.  We chose to spend the last ten days of our Southeast Asian journey on the Thai island of Ko Chang.  Ko Chang is larger than the other islands we visited and much more jungle-like.  The upside to that is that we saw monkeys a few times, but the downside is that no amount of OFF! Deep Woods bug spray could keep the mosquitoes away.  If you notice scars all over my hands and legs, those would be my Ko Chang souvenirs.

We are trying to stretch the budget out, so we didn't stay beachside this time and that worked out fine.  After a 30 minute walk north or south we could cool off with a swim and then relax on the beautiful beaches of White Sands or Chai Chet.  For 200 baht ($6) a day we were able to rent a motorbike a few times and explore more of the island.  The process of renting the motorbike was interesting.  We walked across the street from our bungalow, pointed at the bike, handed over the cash, were given the keys and two helmets and then we drove away.  No questions about whether or not we'd driven a motorbike before, or even had a license for that matter.  We could have driven it onto a ferry and cruised through the country without ever turning back.  Good thing we are nice people.  On our final day with the bike, after cruising around the sparsely populated, undeveloped side of the island we were fortunate enough to get a flat tire almost directly in front of a repair shop.  Less than ten minutes and $3 later we were back up and running and headed to the beach.

Chai Chet Beach, Ko Chang, Thailand

Chai Chet Beach, Ko Chang, Thailand

White Sands Beach, Ko Chang, Thailand

White Sands Beach, Ko Chang, Thailand

White Sands Beach, Ko Chang, Thailand

White Sands Beach, Ko Chang, Thailand

Other highlights from our time on Ko Chang was a day of scuba diving and our daily interactions with John, the proprietor of where we stayed.  Scuba-wise we had a fun day out and while the diving wasn't as good as it was from Koh Lanta, we saw blue spotted sting rays for the first time.  I was also happy to be back in the water with Jake in his first dives since the Koh Lipe incident.

John is originally from South London but left when he joined the Merchant Marines at age 16 and traveled around the world.  Somehow he found himself on Ko Chang 13 years ago.  When he arrived, he couldn't find a decent breakfast on the island and it sparked the idea for his first business which focused on serving english breakfast.  We got to reap the rewards of his fine breakfast making skills each morning and enjoyed lots of his homemade bacon.  His London accent was like nothing we've ever heard before - and we've both visited that city several times.  Most of the time, it was incredibly difficult to decipher what he was saying.  We had to ask him to repeat himself several times and had to translate to other guests who were more lost than we were, probably because English was not their first language.  Over the years, my brother has made me laugh so hard with his British and Russian accent attempts.  I wish that he could have heard John speak and would love to hear my brother try an imitation.  The most challenging part of this trip is the time away from my brother.  Sometimes I envision being a few years apart in age from him instead of 18, and what it would have been like to take this trip together as young backpackers.  I really miss him.  Hopefully someday we will be able to go on a fun trip together.

~ Jesslyn

Siem Reap, Cambodia

First off, it’s crazy that we just happen to be in Siem Reap at the same time as on old friend from college.  What are the chances?  I met up with Rich, his significant other, Kathleen, and their daughter, Maxine for dinner, drinks, and a fish pedicure.  Well, no drinks for Maxine, and Jesslyn was forced to stay home because she was sick.  It was so great to catch up with Rich and meet his family.  

Me and Rich

Me and Rich

 

Oh, the fish pedicure you ask?  You just dangle your feet in a large tank, and the small fish nibble at the skin on your feet.  It cost $3 for as long as we wanted.  It was actually difficult at first because it tickled so much, but after a while you get used to it.  The tanks are communal, and I am not sure why, but I had 90% of the fish on my feet (not sure if that is good or bad).  I would take them out periodically so the others could get a chance.   I think it’s kind of a novelty thing since I didn’t really notice any difference in my feet afterward, but it was fun and worth the $3.

Me getting a fish pedicure

Me getting a fish pedicure

They really liked my feet

They really liked my feet

OK, how about some culture?  Siem Reap is home to thousands of ancient Buddhist and Hindu temples, the most famous of which is Angkor Wat.  With an area of over half a square mile or 17 million square feet, Angkor Wat is the world’s largest religious monument.  It was built by the Khmer empire in the 12th century and was originally a Hindu temple before becoming Buddhist.  It was quite a construction project with an estimated 10 million blocks of sandstone averaging 1.5 tons each, which were quarried 25 miles away.  Nearly every wall is covered with intricate carvings depicting scenes from Hindu mythology.  I am always astounded by the amount of work that must have gone into such projects.  The temple itself is inside the perfectly square walls and large moat that surround the former city of Angkor.  Our tour guide told us the moat used to have many crocodiles which he called free security guards.  The importance of this temple is recognized by the fact that it is depicted on the Cambodian flag.

Us in front of Angkor Wat

Us in front of Angkor Wat

Carvings on the wall at Angkor Wat

Carvings on the wall at Angkor Wat

Angkor Wat was quite a sight, but we actually found Bayon inside the city of Ankor Thom to be the coolest.  What makes it so unique is that there are about 200 large smiling faces carved into the stone.  Historians are not sure whose face it is, possibly the king or Buddha.  It also had some unique reliefs carved into some of the walls of wacky looking characters dancing.  It was very different than anything we had seen before and made for some great photos.

Smiling faces at Bayon

Smiling faces at Bayon

Wacky dancers carved into the stone at Bayon

Wacky dancers carved into the stone at Bayon

Another cool temple was Ta Prohm, which is most famous for its appearance in the Tomb Raider movie.  What sets this one apart is that it has purposely not been restored to the same extent as some of the others.  This is because the large trees have managed to grow on top of the temple, with their roots snaking over and through the stone.  It creates a really eerie feel, but visually stunning appearance.

One of the cool trees growing atop the temple of Ta Prohm

One of the cool trees growing atop the temple of Ta Prohm

Another tree at Ta Prohm.  I wasn't too happy the my pics there.  These don't do it justice.

Another tree at Ta Prohm.  I wasn't too happy the my pics there.  These don't do it justice.

We visited two other temples that day, but they were not quite as impressive as the three mentioned above.  If it is not clear, these are ruins of temples, not actual functioning buildings.  The temples had been abandoned hundreds of years ago and overtaken by the surrounding jungle.  They remained that way until colonial French found them and decided to start excavating and essentially stealing priceless artifacts, many of which can be seen in French museums today.  More looting of the temples happened during the violent civil war and during the reign of the Khmer Rouge in the 1970s.  Today there are huge restoration and preservation efforts underway.  Much of the money for this is coming from overseas.  Some of the temples we visited were being restored by the United States, Japan, Germany, and India.

The temples are the biggest tourist draw in Cambodia, so Siem Reap is ripe with tourists, and Cambodians hoping to make a buck from them.  When not at the temples, the tourists can be found on Pub Street which is lined with restaurants and bars.  A kind of funny, and at times slightly annoying thing about southeast Asia is that you are constantly being offered rides in tuk tuks.  There are T-shirts that say “No, I don’t want a tuk tuk”.  However, I have not had so many offers as I have had in Siem Reap.  There is even a hand gesture that accompanies the words “tuk tuk?”.  It is raising both hands as if they are on the handlebars of a scooter and twisting the right hand as if to rev the throttle.  Several times a man would walk along side or behind as he was offering, so he could get close enough offer his other services without being heard by others.  The other services often included a “happy massage” or marijuana.  Obviously, I declined those offers, Jesslyn was with me.

Tuk tuks are a cheap way to get around the city.  They are ubiquitous in SE Asia, although slightly different in each city.  In Bangkok, a tuk tuk is a three wheeled vehicle with a motorcycle front, and an integrated, forward looking bench in the back.  In Ayutthaya, they are also three wheeled, but the front has an enclosed cabin, and the rear has two benches facing each other and sideways.  In Koh Lanta, it is a typical motor scooter with a large sidecar that can fit four adults sitting in an “L” pattern.  In Siem Reap, it also a motor scooter, but with a trailer with a large bench facing forward, and a smaller one facing to the rear.  They are the same in Phnom Penh, except they have the addition of a wire screen around it for safety from bag snatchers.  They don’t seem to be the safest things as the drivers dart in and out of the chaotic traffic.  The only thing that give me any peace of mind is that most of them can’t go very fast.

A tuk tuk in Ayutthaya with the enclosed cabin

A tuk tuk in Ayutthaya with the enclosed cabin

 

While in Siem Reap, we also went on a food tour.  It was conducted by a nice Scottish fellow, who has been living in Cambodia for about a year and impressed us with his skill of the language, even though everyone he spoke to laughed at the way he talked.  The tour was good, but not great.  We had had better Cambodian food already.  The nice part of the tour was that it took us out of downtown, and out of the tourist areas.  At one of those places we ate duck soup, which contained not only chunks of duck meat, but also fertilized duck eggs.  I was the only one of the 6 people on the tour to partake.  It wasn’t bad.  There were 2 bites; the first was basically just the yolk, and the second was the duck itself which was surrounded by a little of the egg white.  It sort of tasted like a chunk of super tender, mild duck meat inside of a hard boiled egg white.  It looked gross when it was cracked and put into the soup where it cooked.  Jessiyn said she might have tried it if she hadn’t seen that part.  We ended the food tour at the night market where we tried a few things including frogs which had their bodies stuffed with pork sausage.  Those were actually really good.  The body really just acted like a wrapper for the sausage.  We also ate the legs which were much better than when I first tried them many years ago, which I remember having a fishy flavor.  These were grilled over hot coals and didn’t taste of fish at all.  We also had some fresh fruit, including jackfruit, which I did not eat since I learned recently that I am allergic to it.  When I ate some on New Year’s Eve, my throat started to swell shortly after.  I think I would have been OK without it, but I took some Benadryl and was fine.  

We encountered other strange food; a street vendor on the touristy Pub Street sells various bugs, tarantulas, and small snakes for snack.  Because of its location and the fact that it says you can take a picture if you buy something tells me it is more of a tourist gimmick than authentic.  Bugs are definitely eaten though because we have seen them for sale a couple more times at places where we were the only tourists around.  The last strange food we saw was also aimed at the tourists.  We went to a highly rated burger place and noticed one of the burgers had an “eat at your own risk” and “adults only”  label next to it.  My first thought was that it had super hot chili peppers on it.  Nope, the list of ingredients sounded normal.  Then I noticed the name, it was called the Bob Marley burger.  

We had been so lucky to have been in SE Asia for over two months with no significant sickness.  That changed in Siem Reap.  Jesslyn got it first.  I will spare you the details, but she stayed in bed and didn’t eat for day.  She was back at 100% in about 3 days, and just about when she was fully recovered, it hit me. We took the antibiotics the doctor at the travel clinic back home prescribed for us.  We are very happy to report that we are both fully healthy once again.

Apart from the temple visits and food tour we didn’t do a lot in Siem Reap, partly because of our illness, but more because we spent our time planning New Zealand.  We booked our camper van, campgrounds, ferries, sky diving, swimming with dolphins, swimming with seals, skin diving for lobster, fly fishing, an overnight cruise, overnight hikes, and a wine tour.  We are going to be busy there, and cannot wait.

Just one more stop in this region (the Thai island of Ko Chang), then on to Hong Kong!

 - Jake

 

Baht, Riel, Dong?

A fun, and at times confusing, part of traveling is dealing with the different currencies.  When we got to Thailand, we got acquainted with the Thai currency called baht.  One US dollar is worth about 36 baht.  So when I see a price in baht, I remove 1 zero and the equivalent in dollars is somewhere between a quarter and a third of that.  For example, 1000 baht is roughly 28 dollars.  

1000 Vietnamese dong (4 cents), 1000 Cambodian riel (25 cents), and 1000 Thai baht ($28)

1000 Vietnamese dong (4 cents), 1000 Cambodian riel (25 cents), and 1000 Thai baht ($28)

In Vietnam, one US dollar is worth 22,500 Vietnamese dong.  Yes, that’s right dong.  We’ve had our share of jokes about that name.  I saw a poster for a budget travel agency that promised to help you “stretch your dong”.  It was easy to roughly convert to USD.  Drop 4 zeros, and divide by 2.  What got confusing were all the zeros.  It was easy to confuse a 100000 dong bill with a 10000 dong bill.  Most prices were listed in thousands, for example, a beer might cost 20K dong (or $1).  It was strange to go to the ATM and take out 2 million dong.  There are no coins in Vietnam.  The smallest paper bill we saw was 500 dong, or 2 cents.  Even stranger when you consider that in the UK, there is a 2 pound coin which is close to 68,000 dong.  On a side note, Vietnam was the least expensive country we’ve been to.  A super nice hotel room two blocks from the beach was $40 per night.  A meal, including drinks, for the two of us at a nice place was $18.  

The currency situation was the strangest in Cambodia.  They have their own currency called the riel.  One USD is equivalent to 4000 riel.  So, conversion is super simple; drop 3 zeros and divide by 4.  What is strange however, is that most prices in Cambodia are listed in USD, and not only does every business accept USD, it seems to be the preferred currency.  We didn’t know this when we first arrived, so when the ATM asked if I wanted to take out USD or riel, I thought it strange, but chose riel.  Since prices are listed in USD and I had riel, I was in a situation where I was having to convert from USD to riel instead of the other way around.  There are no coins in Cambodia either (rial or US coins), which is odd since they use American currency.  The small riel bills substitute for coins.  So if your change is $2.25, you would get 2 one dollar bills and 1 one thousand riel bill (which is worth 25 cents).  The exact 1:4000 exchange rate is used by businesses to convert the currencies in both directions.  You can pay with either and will get change in either or both.

Whose image is it on these bills?  The picture of the king appears on all Thai currency.  King Bhumibol Adulyadej is the worlds longest currently serving head of state.  It will be 70 years in June!  On Vietnamese money, it is Ho Chi Minh on every bill.  The Cambodian Riel has different people, and many of the notes don’t have a person at all.

 - Jake


Koh Rong, Cambodia

For years, I had heard about rustic bungalows directly on beautiful, remote beaches in the Thai islands which cost next to nothing.  That was a major reason why we were planning on visiting Thailand.  We didn’t end up having that experience in Thailand as we opted for places not so remote or rustic since they were also very inexpensive.  After having traveled in this part of the world for a bit, we were feeling a little more adventurous, and found our way to the Cambodian island of Koh Rong.

We realized just how off the beaten path it was when we couldn’t find consistent information about how to get there.  We emailed with the proprietor of the Sok San Beach Bungalows where we were staying, and he gave us a number to call for a ferry.  That number didn't work.  We found the number of a ferry on the internet and called to book a ride.  They said to email them, which we did, but they never got back to us.  We were able to book a different ferry online to get us to the island, but not to the beach where we were staying.  There are no roads connecting that beach with ours, so we couldn't take a tuk tuk like we so often had.  Hopefully there would be a water taxi to get us to the right place.  It all worked out fine, and we were able to get on a boat for $5 each which took us where we needed to go, or close enough.

This was the first time on the trip where a backpack instead of a roller bag would have been much better.  The ferry dropped us off at a pier, and we had to walk a considerable distance on the sand carrying our bags, but it was worth it.  It is absolutely beautiful here.  Our rustic bungalow is right on the beach, about 15 yards from the crystal turquoise water.  It’s remote.  The beach is over three and half miles long, with only about five establishments at which to stay.  There is so much beach and so few people, you can find a deserted stretch where you feel like you have the place to yourself.  So much so, that one could even swim without the restricting confinement of a swimsuit, hypothetically, of course.   What helps to keep this place remote is the very shallow beach.  Only small boats can dock at one of the three small piers or even come anywhere close to shore.  The water is so shallow, piers aren’t always necessary.  One evening while enjoying our happy hour special of beer and french fries for $1, we watched some local villagers unload supplies by carrying them over their head while they waded through chest deep water for about 50 yards.  Most of the travelers on Koh Rong are in their 20s and 30s and are single.  It is more of a backpacker destination than other places we’ve been.

Our bungalow is rustic.  It appears to be built mostly from material you could gather from the surrounding jungle.  We only have electricity from 6pm to 10pm which powers the one outlet and the three lights.  There is a flush toilet, but no hot water.  There is no sink, instead the PVC faucet dumps directly onto the concrete floor of the bathroom as does the shower.  The gray-water from the faucet and shower drain directly onto the ground under the bungalow.  All of this is fine with us, and well worth the benefits of the surrounding paradise and $30 a night.  The bungalow has a porch with two papasan chairs in which we spend a lot of time reading or playing cribbage.

There are a handful of places to eat at our beach, and the menus are all pretty much the same.  The favorite thing we’ve eaten is a traditional local dish call “amok”.  I can best describe it as a peanut curry soup.  It has either chicken, beef, or pork along with cooked chunks vegetables including onion, eggplant, and peppers.  The place with the best amok is a tiny place typical of this area.  Its four tables sit on a bare concrete floor, under a tin roof with no walls.  It is difficult to establish where the dining room ends and the kitchen begins.  The family that owns it appears to live in the rear, and they are all milling about and all pitch in.  Our waiter (the father) takes our order wearing nothing but a pair of shorts.  A young boy of about five years, brings us our beer.  The mother, about five months pregnant, is cooking in the open kitchen.  There is no refrigeration, just large coolers with ice delivered regularly.  Locals are eating here.  The amok is $3.  A beer is 75 cents.  One night while eating there, we had some entertainment as well.  I was admiring the very large insects on the tin roof overhead, while Jesslyn was doing her best to steer clear of them.  Then I noticed some quick movement and saw a large lizard with a grasshopper dangling from its mouth.  With enormous bulging yellow eyes, and bumpy gray skin, it was one of the coolest looking creatures I’ve seen.  Jesslyn was not as impressed, and instead let out a shriek and jumped to the other side of the restaurant since it was all happening directly over her head.  It was a Tokay Gecko and my affection for them waned as we had several more encounters with them.

The only seafood commonly served here is squid.  Being an island, one would expect the surrounding ocean to play a larger part in the local diets.  The restaurant where we are staying serves barracuda when they can get it.  The proprietor said that the local waters have been over-fished and there are longer any large fish.  Dolphin and shark sightings are non-existent.  It is sad to see these conditions.  I realize that, coming from a first-world country, it is easy to criticize others for their poor treatment of the environment.  For people without job opportunities and who may have lived through civil war and oppressive governments, it is understandable that they would do what they need to in order to get by in the present and not worry about the future.  It is a thought that has popped up over and over throughout our journey in this part of the world.

In addition to a lot of reading and swimming, we went on an afternoon boat trip.  It advertised snorkeling, fishing, and if we actually catch fish, a BBQ on the beach.  There were just 10 of on the boat, and just like everywhere else on the island, we were the only Americans.  We’ve encountered people from England, Germany, Poland, Sweden, New Zealand, and Australia.  I guess it is because it takes a long time to get here and Americans get so little time off.  Back to the boat…  the first stop was snorkeling.  I have been very fortunate to have been snorkeling and diving in some incredible places such as Fiji, Key West, and Thailand.  If this were my first time snorkeling, it would have been incredible, but relative to what I’ve seen before, it was just OK.  The visibility wasn’t great, but we did see a lot of small reef fish.  After snorkeling, we relocated for the next stop, fishing.  We were each handed a spool of mono-filament line with a weight and two hooks onto which were skewered a small chunk of squid.  At this point it was apparent that the two crew members on the boat did not speak English.  The whole time we were snorkeling and now with the fishing, we were not given any instruction whatsoever.  We were just following cues.  When they set anchor and give you a mask, that means it's time to snorkel.  When they start the engine up, that means to get back on board because we are about to leave.  Our low tech fishing gear didn’t need much explanation, but we wanted to know if we should be fishing on the bottom or not.  Jesslyn asked and the answer was “no speak”.  But a short time later, one of the crew came over and demonstrated that it should be on the bottom.  Most people on the boat caught one or two small fish of which there were two types - but I have no idea what kind.  I was surprised to see that we were keeping very small fish, like six inches long.  After an hour or so of fishing, we headed to the beach for our BBQ and to watch the sunset.  We were surprised at how big the beach was, yet not developed except for one small group of buildings at the far end that looked like a private residence, and not a hotel.  Most of the land next to the beach was a forest of coconut trees.  Because it is unspoiled by humans, it is one of the nicest beaches I’ve been to in my life.  The sunset was incredible.  We picked the little bites of meat from the small fish before wading through the water back to the boat.  It was now dark, a necessity for the next and last activity; snorkeling with the glow plankton.  It is a cool experience to see the bio-luminescence light up as you move through the water.  All-in-all, not a bad afternoon for $10.

Fans of the TV show Survivor may have heard of Koh Rong.  Last season’s 'Survivor: Cambodia' and this coming season’s 'Survivor: Koh Rong' were filmed here.  We were told that the Swedish version used our very bungalow for a photo shoot.  The very few roads that exist on the island were built by and for the show.  

We jokingly asked, "What could Koh Rong with this?”.  Well... first I left my camera battery and charger behind in Phnom Penh, so no photography here other than with the iPhone.  That sucks because not only is it incredibly scenic (and not to mention a costly mistake), I have a lot of time to practice my new hobby.  The second problem is the sleeping situation.  It is a bit too hot to sleep at night.  There is very little air circulation under the mosquito net, even with the door and window open.  A ceiling fan (and of course the power to make it spin) would make a world of difference.  The biggest hindrance to a good night’s sleep however, is the noise.  In such a remote place, what could be the source of the noise?  A rooster, a dog, and that pesky Gecko.  I thought roosters were supposed to crow at sunrise.  Not this one.  It’s workday starts at 4:30am.  A dog hangs out at a local residence just on the other side of a footpath behind our bungalow.  Several times a night we would be awakened by a yappy howl that just grates on my ears.  We mentioned this to the proprietor of our place, and he said that he wanted to kill it as well.  He told us that the people who live there keep the dog around because she keeps having puppies, which they eat.  That is one local cuisine that I will not be trying.  Seriously, a lizard?  They make noise?  Yup.  We first heard it one evening while eating dinner at a different place from where we saw it eat the grasshopper.  A very distinct and very loud sound came from the roof.  I had a flashlight with me and was able to spot the crooner, that same type of lizard, a Tokay Gecko.  Every once it a while it would just let loose with its (I’m assuming) mating call.  We thought it was pretty neat until we heard the same noise in the middle of the night, but this time the noise was inches away from our heads.  So, two or three times a night, we are awakened by a lonely lizard looking for some company.  

Despite not being able to take pictures and less than great sleep, we love Koh Rong.  It is different from other beaches we’ve been to in ways that didn’t sink in until we were here for a few days.  First of all, there are very few people.  And, you see the same people all the time since there are only a couple of places to stay and eat.  Second, there is no one trying to sell you anything.  At other beaches, there are always people trying to sell you stuff; bracelets, sunglasses, fruit, tuk tuk rides, sight seeing excursions, etc.  (As an aside:  In some places, they are not very savvy and/or their English isn’t very good, so they say to you “you buy from me”.  In Vietnam, people would try to start a conversation first.  “Where you from?”, they would say.  You know they are just trying to sell you something, but if you ignore a direct question like that, you are kind of a dick.  Anyway, I guess I am kind of a dick.)  Back to my point…  In Koh Rong, there isn’t a single person pushing their goods or services on you.  That was nice.  Third, it is so peaceful, with no cars and just the sounds of the ocean (except when you are trying to sleep).  It has been very relaxing, but we have grown a little restless and are ready for the next site and adventure.  Off to see the temples in Siem Reap.

 - Jake

This is the view from our front porch.

This is the view from our front porch.

Jesslyn on the bungalow.

Jesslyn on the bungalow.

The beach where we had the BBQ.

The beach where we had the BBQ.

Sunset at the BBQ beach.

Sunset at the BBQ beach.


The Killing Fields

After our time in Nha Trang, Vietnam, we spent five nights in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.  The top two things to do in Phnom Penh, according to Trip Advisor and anyone you ask, are to visit the killing field Choeung Ek and the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum.  Today Cheung Ek is a memorial site and is the most well known of over 300 killing fields (mass grave sites) throughout Cambodia.  It is approximately 15 kilometers outside of the city center.  Tuol Sleng is within the city center and is more well known as the "S-21" prison.  It was the secret center of a network of nearly 200 prisons where people were tortured by the Khmer Rouge.  Between 12,000 and 20,000 people were imprisoned at S-21 with only 12 confirmed survivors.  We set out to visit both sites in one day and it was a humbling and educational experience.  

The day started with a 45 minute tuk tuk drive through the dirt roads of Phnom Penh, to Choeung Ek.  You visit this memorial site by listening to an audio guide as you respectfully walk the grounds of the killing fields.  It explains some history of the Khmer Rouge and what happened at this site as well as sites like this throughout Cambodia.  On execution days, typically a few hundred arrived by bus from the S-21 prison and were held in an overcrowded shack until night fell.  At night music would be played loudly as people were brought out to the field to have their heads bashed in, followed by their necks slit and then dumped in a ditch.  We saw several indentations in the ground which were remnants of mass graves.  We also saw two glass boxes:  one with victim’s clothing and another with victim’s bones and teeth.  Areas that are known to be mass graves are roped off.  As the rain washes away soil, bones and clothing are unearthed and they don’t want anyone walking on it.  Monthly, staff collect these particles.  We saw The Killing Tree, where brain particles and hair had been discovered, as well as a mass grave of baby bodies.  The prison director confessed that this was the tree where they smashed babies heads before throwing them to their final resting place.  Many areas we walked by had informal memorials of piles of friendship bracelets, money, etc. that visitors have left behind in remembrance.  The audio guide ends at the Memorial Stupa which includes a column about 12 feet high that contains rows and rows of skulls that have been excavated from the site.  They are grouped into categories so that you can understand the estimated age, gender and method of execution.  The memorial was well done and very sobering.

Before planning our trip, I knew nothing about the genocide that has occurred in Cambodia.  The night before our visit we watched the Oscar nominated 1984 film, The Killing Fields.  It’s a true story about two journalists, one from Cambodia and one from America during the years of 1973 - 1979.  The film was good but it left me with a massive amount of questions.  Jake found this paper online which I read before we went to the killing field and S-21 prison.  Reading the paper, along with touring the facilities answered most of the open questions that I had.  I highly recommend that you read the paper, it’s easy to follow and provides a concise overview.

Imagine if one out of four people you knew were killed by your own people.  Then imagine that person’s entire family was killed too.  Why?  So that no one would live to seek revenge.  This is what happened in Cambodia under the Khmer Rouge during the years 1975-1979.  Approximately 2 million people, 25% of the Cambodian population was killed by murder or starvation.  Below is my history lesson to you, much of which is courtesy of Wikipedia.

The Rise, Fall, and Destruction Caused by the Khmer Rouge

According to Wikipedia, "The Khmer Communist Party, was a communist party in Cambodia. Its leader was Pol Pot and its followers were generally known as Khmer Rouge. The party was underground for most of its existence, and took power in the country in 1975 when it established the state known as Democratic Kampuchea. The party lost power in 1979 with the establishment of the People's Republic of Kampuchea by leftists who were dissatisfied by the Pol Pot regime, and by the intervention of Vietnamese military forces after a period of mass killing.”.

The Khmer Rouge ideology was influenced by four principles:

  1. Total independence and self-reliance
  2. Preservation of the dictatorship of the proletariat
  3. Total and immediate economic revolution
  4. Complete transformation of Khmer social values

After taking power, the Khmer Rouge set out to immediately revamp Cambodian society and isolate the country from all foreign influences.  Their first step was to rusticate the cities so that the urbanites, suspect for their “regressive” class background, could be reformed through hard labor.  These reformed subjects could then contribute to the new agrarian economy focused primarily on exponential increases in rice production.   The Khmer Rouge transferred Cambodia into a rural, classless society in which there were no rich, no poor, and no exploitation.  To accomplish this, they abolished money, free markets, normal schooling, private properties, foreign clothing styles, religious practices, and traditional Khmer (Cambodian) culture.  The national bank was destroyed.  Public schools, hospitals, pagodas, mosques, churches, universities, and government buildings were shut or turned into prisons, stables, reeducation camps, and granaries.  There was no public or private transportation, no private properties, and no non-revolution-related entertainment.  Soon after seizing power, they arrested and killed thousands of soldiers, military officers, and civil servants from the former Cambodian government.  

During their four years in power, the Khmer Rouge overworked and starved the population, at the same time executing selected groups who they believed were enemies of the state, spies, or had the potential to undermine the new state.  They executed hundreds of thousands of people that fit into these general categories

  • Professionals and intellectuals - in practice this included almost everyone with an education and people who understood a foreign language.  It also included people who required glasses or had soft hands.  To the KR this meant that you spent too much time reading books or doing non-agrarian type of work.
  • Ethnic Vietnamese, ethnic Chinese, ethnic Thai, and other minorities in the Eastern Highlands, Cambodian Christians, Muslims, and Buddhist Monks.
  • “Economic saboteurs” - many former urban dwellers who were deemed guilty of sabotage due to their lack of agricultural ability.

Before execution, many of these people were forced to write confessions for things they had never done or even heard of.  For instance, while we were visiting the S-21 prison I heard stories of dozens of people who were forced to admit that they were part of the CIA when this wasn’t even a commonly heard of organization within Cambodia.  We saw the interrogation cells at S-21, where prisoners were chained to beds and torutured.  We saw various kinds of torture devices and I couldn’t stay in these rooms very long.  It made me feel sick and I had to go outside for fresh air.  Many of these people died in prison due to starvation.  If starvation didn’t take their lives, then they were executed at the killing field.  Executions were typically carried out by a blow to the head with a metal bar and then the prisoners neck was slit afterwards to ensure they were dead.  They were not shot because bullets were expensive.  

The rest of the population was forced to become farmers in labor camps.  In Phnom Penh and other cities, the Khmer Rouge told residents that they would be moved just outside of the city, and would return to their homes in a few days. Some witnesses say they were told that the evacuation was because of the "threat of American bombing" and that they did not have to lock their houses since the Khmer Rouge would take care of everything until they returned. People who refused to evacuate would have their homes burned to the ground and would be killed immediately. The evacuees were sent on long marches to the countryside, which killed thousands of children, elderly, and sick people.  They were dehumanized, no longer referred to by their name, or even “he” or “she”.  Everyone became “it”.  Walking through the S-21 prison, there was room after room containing mugshots of thousands of people:  men, women, and children.  You could feel the sorrow in their faces. No names, no identification. I will never be able to imagine what it would be like to be a family member walking through those rooms looking for faces of their loved ones.

The total lack of agricultural knowledge by the former city dwellers made famine inevitable. Rural dwellers were often unsympathetic or too frightened to assist them. Such acts as picking wild fruit or berries were seen as "private enterprise" and punished by death. The Khmer Rouge forced people to work for 12 hours non-stop, without adequate rest or food. These actions resulted in massive deaths through executions, work exhaustion, illness, and starvation. 

The audio guide at the killing fields mentioned "the secret war”, in which the U.S. dropped more bombs on Cambodia than they did in all of World War II.  It mentioned that about 100,000 died from these bombs, mostly farmers.  I read that this was one of the reasons the Khmer Rouge was able to easily gain followers from rural communities.  

By December 1978, because of several years of border conflict and the flood of refugees fleeing Cambodia, relations between Cambodia and Vietnam had deteriorated.  According to Wikipedia, "On December 25, 1978, the Vietnamese armed forces, along with the Kampuchean United Front for National Salvation, an organization that included many dissatisfied former Khmer Rouge members, invaded Cambodia and captured Phnom Penh on January 7, 1979. Despite a traditional Cambodian fear of Vietnamese domination, defecting Khmer Rouge activists assisted the Vietnamese, and, with Vietnam's approval, became the core of the new People's Republic of Kampuchea.  The new government was quickly dismissed by the Khmer Rouge and China as a “puppet government”.”  

I’ve done some research on what happened from here, but is very unclear to me.  It seems as though first world countries still recognized the Khmer Rouge as the Cambodian government and they even had a seat on the UN. Today Cambodia is officially a multiparty democracy but as you drive through the country you see signs everywhere for “Cambodian People’s Party” as well as pictures of the Prime Minister.

Pol Pot continued to rule the Khmer Rouge for twenty more years but lived in hiding.  He was not seen in public after 1980 and never went to trial for his crimes.  In 1998 the Khmer Rouge agreed to turn him over to an international tribunal, and according to his wife, he died that evening.

Cambodia first approached the United Nations in 1997 for assistance to conduct a trial for the crimes committed by the Khmer Rouge.  Why did it take so long for that to happen?!?!?!?  I really don’t understand this.  Two years later, the Royal Government of Cambodia began actively working with the UN to establish this special court called the Khmer Rouge Trial.  It did not become fully operational until 2007.  Along with Pol Pot, many other leaders of the KR had already died or been killed but four senior leaders remained.  Among these four was “Duch”, the notorious leader of the S-21 prison.  His trial began in 2009 and he was found guilty the following year.  Despite the fact that it is estimated that 15,000 people were killed at S-21 , Duch was sentenced to a mere 35 years in prison.  Duch appealed the verdict and I’m happy to report that that backfired.  In 2012 his original sentence was replaced with life imprisonment.  Three other members of the Khmer Rouge lived to be sentenced for crimes against humanity.

Some interesting facts about the movie I mentioned above, The Killing Fields:

The man that plays the Cambodian journalist, Haing S. Ngor, had never acted before.  He was spotted by the film's casting director at a Cambodian wedding in Los Angeles.  For this role, he won both the Golden Globe and Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.  He was a survivor of the Khmer Rouge regime and the labour camps.  Prior to that he was a doctor based in Phnom Penh. In 1975, he was one of the millions of people forced to leave the city and move to labor camps in the countryside. He spent four years there before fleeing to Thailand.  In February of 1996, he was shot dead outside of his home in Los Angeles.  Three men who were members of the “Oriental Lazy Boyz” street gang were charged with the murder, but other sources indicate that it was a politically motivated killing carried out by sympathizers of the Khmer Rouge.

Angelina Jolie Pitt

As an avid People Magazine reader, in the past when I’ve heard about Cambodia, I’ve thought of Angelina Jolie Pitt.  Wow, actually putting that into writing makes me feel pathetic.  Anyway, I’ve associated her with the country because I knew that the first child she adopted was an infant from Cambodia and I had read that she purchased a home in his native province in an effort to connect him with his heritage.  I can list several celebrities that have adopted children from other countries, but she was the first one I can remember hearing about.  I think it stuck with me because I think it’s admirable that she wants her son to learn the culture of his native country from within.  She makes headlines most often for her high profile family, but what impresses me most about her is her humanitarian work and charitable giving.  I knew that she was a United Nations Ambassador but didn’t know much about how that came to be so I just looked into it.  She first visited Cambodia in 2000 to film “Tomb Raider” and witnessed the effects of what this country has been through.  She contacted the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) for more information on trouble spots throughout the world and in 2001 was named a UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador in 2001.  She has since gone on 40 field missions and has contributed over $5 million of her own money.  I’d love to quote her entire UN profile here because I think it is so awesome but I’ll leave it up to you on whether or not you are interested.  You can read more about her work on the UN Refugee Agency website here.  

Jolie Pit is currently directing and producing a film version of the memoir, “At First They Killed My Father” for Netflix.  The memoir was released in 2000 by Loung Ung, a survivor of the Pol Pot regime.  Loung was one of seven children of a high ranking former government official and was five years old when the Khmer Rouge went into power.  She was trained as a child soldier while her other siblings were sent to labor camps.  The book is her account of what happened during those years and after.  I haven’t read the book yet but I plan on it.  The movie is currently being filmed in Cambodia with an all Cambodian cast and is scheduled to be released in 2016.  The production company is employing another 300 Cambodians to help make the film.  I’m thankful that Netflix and Jolie Pitt are producing this memoir as a film.  I think that it will give a wider audience an opportunity to understand some of what happened in Cambodia during the rule of the Khmer Rouge. 

Closing Thoughts

The experience of staying in Phnom Penh for a few days, visiting the killing field and prison amplified my thankfulness for being born in the United States of America.  One thing I can’t shake though is my lack of knowing about this genocide in Cambodia.  Where else in the world have things like this happened and I was never taught about it in school?  I don’t have a wonderful memory, so maybe there was a paragraph about it in one of my history books.  Maybe I didn’t choose the elective that would have taught me more about the history of the world.   When Jake and I set out on this trip I didn’t anticipate that one of the things I’d enjoy most is learning world history.  Sometimes we see families traveling with small children in highly cultural/historical places and think to ourselves, “Those kids must be so bored.  I’m sure they’d rather be playing on a beach or at an amusement park.”  Traveling through Phnom Penh gave me a new perspective on why kids should be exposed to different cultural and historical places:  what career options you are exposed to!  Sure, some kids may be bored out of their mind and it ends there.  Others?  Others may end up becoming a teacher that changes the world through passionate history lessons, a doctor helping people in third world countries, a life of work dedicated to preventing genocide.  Travel with kids - I get it now.

I leave Phnom Phen with similar feelings as the ones I had while in Berlin:  massive respect for what the citizens of this contry have been through.  It pains me to think about how many lost their lives, how many people don’t know what happened to their loved ones, and how long it took to bring the Khmer Rouge leaders to justice.  

~ Jesslyn 

Sources:  Some of my sources were given above via hyperlinks.  Below is a comprehensive list.  Please note that the informed retrieved from Wikipedia was retrieved on either January 3rd or January 11th and is subject to be changed.

Ten Nights in Nha Trang, Vietnam

When we put together our itinerary for Vietnam, we recognized that we’d want to “settle down” somewhere for a bit because we would have been traveling a lot (three nights here, two nights there etc.).  We also thought that it sounded like a good idea to spend Christmas on the beach.  We booked ten nights in coastal Nha Trang because it looked like a decent beach and I had heard that if you want to go diving in Vietnam, this was a good spot.  We were aware of some mixed reviews, unpicturesque tall buildings and that most of the other tourists would be Russian.

When we first arrived in Nha Trang it was pouring and the forecast showed no signs of stopping for the next ten days.  I was cranky and miserable about this.  It was raining incredibly hard, the kind of weather where if you are outside for even one minute in a raincoat or with an umbrella, you’re drenched.  You don’t go to Nha Trang for indoor activities.  Luckily our hotel was nicer than we expected and the wifi was good.  This allowed us to spend the first few days planning future details of our trip (Hong Kong, Japan, Tasmania!).  Then, three days before Christmas, something magical happened: the sun came out and never left!  We headed over to the beach and were disgusted.  The water was brown, not beautifully blue like the pictures we’d seen.  Also - the beach was covered, absolutely covered, with trash:  clothes, empty plastic bags, shoes, bottles, cans, etc.  Gross.  We had read reviews of other beaches in Southeast Asia (Phu Quoc, Vietnam for example) and decided to skip them because of how negatively people talked about the beaches:  beautiful sand and water covered with enormous amounts of trash.  It was so bad in Nha Trang that I attempted to cool off in the water, but couldn’t even get myself to go in because as I entered, my legs were being bombarded with trash.  This is just not what the beach is supposed to be like.  We wondered if this unexpected disgustingness was due to the storm?  Fortunately, it was.  By Christmas eve all of the trash was gone and the water was returning to its pretty shade of blue.  We spent a few hours on the beach each day, including Christmas (and had Christmas turkey dinner at the Cheers pub, the meal and service were great).  

Other travelers we met had raved about a multiday motorcycle tour they did through the Vietnamese countryside with a group called Easy Riders.  We enquired about doing a one day adventure since we had already paid for consecutive nights of accommodations in Nha Trang.  We went out for the day and it was fun, but we stayed local to Nha Trang which means we didn’t get to witness the countryside in that region like I had hoped for.  This was a reminder to me to be very clear about what you want in a custom itinerary and understanding whether or not it can be accommodated.  Oh well.  Two men on motorcycles picked us up at our hotel and we set off.  

First we stopped by the Po Nagar temple, then a fish pier and our last stop before lunch was the Ba Ho waterfall.  Walking around the local fish pier was cool but it was also kind of gross.  Of course it smelled fishy which isn’t exactly pleasant and it was a mix of awesome and disgusting to see the fish coming off the boats and being separated into various categories and covered with ice.  There were numerous types of fish, including sharks, squid, rays etc.  It made me hope that before I order fish at a restaurant - it has been cleaned, really, really, really well.

If you’ve been looking at our pictures and following us on Instagram (_no_permanent_address_), you know that we’ve seen a lot of waterfalls on this trip.  I can think of ones we saw in Scotland, Norway, Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam.  This one was the best!  It takes the top spot for three reasons:  not only was it really beautiful, but there were hardly any other tourists there and we could go swimming.  Not having swimsuits with us didn’t stop us from taking a dip!

Ba Ho waterfall near Nha Trang, Vietnam

Ba Ho waterfall near Nha Trang, Vietnam

Next we stopped in a local village to see two women making mats and placemats out of hemp.  It was interesting and we picked up some souvenirs that we have no room for.  We haven’t been buying souvenirs on this trip because we don’t have space to carry them around and don’t want to deal with finding a post office and shipping things home.  This is starting to make me sad at times because I do want some mementos from our travels.  Most of the time I just remind myself that we have beautiful memories and photographs so when we return, I’ll just need to frame some favorites.

Handmade hemp mats and rugs.

Handmade hemp mats and rugs.

Our last two stops were to the Long Son Pagoda where we saw the biggest Buddha we’ve seen so far, and to the Oceanography Institute.  At the Institute we saw lots of fish that we had seen diving in Thailand.  As always, seeing the sea turtles are what made me smile the largest.

Jake developed a head cold during our time in Nha Trang but luckily I didn’t and so I went diving.  A divemaster we had met in Koh Lanta recommended Rainbow Divers in Nha Trang so I went with them and had a great time.  The day on the boat was very professionally run which is exactly what I needed after our horrible experience in Koh Lipe with Forra Diving.  I dove with an American divemaster, Mike, and two guys originally from the U.S. who now live in Kuwait and Dubai.  Mike was incredibly excited to take us out as they have very few American tourists in the area.  At the surface, we constructed a dive plan I was comfortable with and I told Mike that I was nervous.  I downplayed how terrified I actually was to get back in the water.  It didn’t help when we jumped in and I looked underwater and saw how poor the visibility was.  I remained calm and as we descended I realized that the visibility actually wasn’t bad and in fact it was better than what I had expected it to be in Vietnam.  After the descent, and during the entire 48 minute dive I had zero anxiety.  I was back to enjoying diving like I did during my time on Koh Lanta.  The diving wasn't quite as good as in Thailand but we saw a lot of beautiful coral and fish.  I spotted one of the two nudibranch (sea slugs) we saw and the cuttlefish which resulted in me gaining the nickname “hawkeye” on the boat.  The divemaster couldn’t believe that I spotted them and was telling everyone on the boat that I was a hawkeye and that they should go diving with me.  My Dad would have been proud.  Nudibranch are relatively stationary creatures and the one I spotted was probably about 1.5 inches long.  The cuttlefish was something special too because usually they are skittish and this one hung out with us for awhile changing its color several times.  Exactly why they change color is unknown, some believe that it is to communicate with other cuttlefish.  Do I look like a cuttlefish?  It was the first time I saw black saddled toby fish and saw a few dozen of them.  They are less than 10 centimeters and so cute!  I also saw a harlequin sweetlips for the first time which was my favorite sighting during the two dives.

In the end, staying in Nha Trang for ten days worked out well for us.  We got some trip planning done, relaxed on the beach, had fun playing in some really large waves, enjoyed our rooftop pool, swam in a pretty, refreshing waterfall, ate some great pho and other vietnamese food and I got my fix of chicken tikka masala too.

Overall, I think that the itinerary we planned for Vietnam was slightly amiss.  However, we are very fortunate that this is the first time in six months that I’ve felt that way.  We decided to skip Hoi Ann and Da Lat wasn’t even on our radar.  In retrospect, we should have visited these places.  I also don’t think we should have skipped Ho Chi Minh City, we should have spent at least one night there.  I guess we have some reasons to go back to Vietnam!

~ Jesslyn

Hanoi, Vietnam

My first impression of Hanoi was that I loved it and couldn’t wait to come back.  The energy in that city is incredible.  Walking around may have given me the most sensory overload I have ever experienced.  I remember walking though Times Square in NYC for the first time and being overwhelmed, being in Hanoi takes that feeling to an entirely new level.  We only spent three nights there before we headed to Halong Bay and as the days in Hanoi went by, I realized what may have been making the city feel so different than any other city I had been to:  there are thousands of people….but they are on motorbikes.  In NYC, London, Rome…there are also thousands of people….but they are mostly on foot or underground on the subway (well, maybe not in Rome), and in Hanoi they are on motorbikes.  There do not appear to be any traffic rules and it is just chaos.  This video doesn’t do it justice…but here is a little slice of what I mean:

Traveling nonstop and on a tight budget has made being creative for our birthdays a bit challenging.  We pretty much spend every single moment together so that adds a layer of challenge too.  Since we were arriving in Hanoi the night before Jake’s birthday, I had emailed the hotel to ask if they could coordinate the purchase of a birthday cake for me.  They asked if they’d like them to decorate the room for no additional cost so I said, “sure, why not?!”.  When we checked in the front desk staff was super friendly and a bit weird about delaying us getting into our room.  I didn’t think anything of it because I figured the room would already be decorated and the cake would be in a refrigerator.  After about ten minutes we were shown to our room instead of the standard, “here’s your key”….the door was open.  One of the staff was in the room and the candles on the cake were lit.  In the end, it turned out to be a bit of a surprise for both of us.  Thanks to Frank and the awesome staff at the Eclipse Hotel!

Surprise!

Surprise!

We actually didn’t experience the above-mentioned-traffic during our first night in Hanoi because we were pretty exhausted and didn’t venture far from the hotel.  We only went a few doors down to have our first taste of pho in Vietnam.  Jake has been talking about eating pho in Vietnam for several weeks now and it did not disappoint.  If you aren’t familiar with pho, it is a very simple dish.  It is served to you with your choice of a protein, usually beef, a broth, some sort of noodles, and usually some very finely chopped green onions.  It is also served with slices of lime, a plate of herbs such as coriander (aka cilantro) and basil, and sometimes sprouts.  You add as much of those things as you like along with chili’s, fish sauce, soy sauces etc.  Then you eat it with both chopsticks and a spoon.  Slurping is encouraged and you’ll probably leave with some stains on your shirt.  At least I do.  By the way, it isn’t pretty, but I’m surviving using chopsticks, my skills have significantly improved and for Christmas Jake gave me my very own pair so that I can practice.  Anywho, our two bowls of pho and four beers cost a whopping $7 USD.  Our daily budget worked out very well in Vietnam.

On our first day in Hanoi, Jake’s birthday, we decided to do the Hanoi Street Food Walking Tour around the Old Quarter.  The Old Quarter has the original street layout and architecture of old Hanoi.  It consists of about 36 streets.  Today, Hanoi has a much larger area consisting of different quarters (like the French Quarter which has colonial looking architecture).  We signed up for the tour the day before via email and were told that there would be 6-8 additional people in our group.  We were surprised when we showed up and were told we’d have a private tour because no one else had showed up.  Our guide introduced herself as “Cherry”, which was her nickname because it’s her favorite food.  She taught us how to cross the street, once you start, never turn around and just keep going slowly.  The people on motorbikes will navigate themselves around you.  She shared that it is a pretty big deal when you are a little kid and cross the street for the first time by yourself.  She also shared that many women in Hanoi have two motorbikes:  one to get to and from work, run errands etc., and one that is a “fashion bike”.  The fashion bike is used when you are going out at night with your girlfriends.  Too funny.  

The tour itself was great.  As the name indicates - it was a “street food” tour.  Everywhere we ate had small tables and tiny plastic stools on the street.  Usually the food was also cooked on the street and only in some cases did the place we were eating at also have indoor seating.  I don’t think anywhere we went had a paper menu.  It either only sold one dish or the menu was written on a board or on the wall.  We were so incredibly happy that we did this tour because not only was it fun and extremely satisfying, but we went to places we wouldn’t have had the courage to try on our own not knowing how to speak language or read the “menus”!  For me, it also meant that I was much more adventurous with my food choices.  For instance, the first thing we ate was Bún riêu cua which is a tomato based soup with crab and tofu.  It was the only thing the place sold and it tasted great.  I would never order crab and I’d totally eat this over and over again.  The dish is typically made with freshwater crabs that are found in the rice paddies throughout Vietnam.  The second dish we had was papaya salad.  We’ve had this in the U.S., Thailand and Laos.  The Vietnamese prepare this dish a bit differently - the most noticeable differences are that it has beef and it is not spicy.  Cherry informed us that when woman eat this it helps them increase their breast size and when men eat it it helps them get bigger muscles.  She also asked us if I was a model and if Jake was a professional athlete - so of course we can’t trust anything that came out of her mouth.  Just kidding - she was great!  I should mention that the seats and tables of everywhere we went appeared to be for preschoolers.  I’m not kidding.  I’m not exaggerating here to help you understand that they seemed small to us large Westerners….I’m saying that they literally were the size meant for children.  Cherry asked us if we knew why things were so small and also extremely portable and of course we didn’t know.  She explained that one reason is because it is illegal to serve food on the street…so if the police came along everyone can very quickly pick up the tables and chairs and huddle inside until the police leave….and also because Vietnamese people are usually tiny!  

Post egg coffee smiles

Post egg coffee smiles

A few other memorable things we tried were egg coffees and Vietnamese dessert.  Egg coffee is apparently specifically native to Hanoi and it is coffee served with a raw egg yolk beaten with sugar (“egg cream”) that is drizzled on top of the coffee.  It sounds disgusting to me but was so creamy and delicious.  You can also get the egg cream served in hot chocolate or a beer but unfortunately we didn’t end up trying either of those.  I’d love to visit Hanoi again so maybe next time.  We tried two traditional desserts, one was coconut black rice pudding and the other was small bits of various fruits (dragon fruit, papaya, grapes etc.) served in yogurt.  They were both delicious.  The rice pudding was made with black sticky rice, coconut milk and toasted coconut - both savory and sweet - so good!  When we were eating our desserts, Cherry mentioned that we had one more stop.  She asked Jake to write his name down and then she disappeared.  We thought it was odd since she’d been right by our side for the previous three hours but we weren’t worried.  It had come up that it was Jake’s birthday so I did wonder if she was up to something….especially since she didn’t ask me to write my name down.  Once she reappeared we walked down to our final stop, “Beer Corner” for some ice cold local brews.  We sat on the street and and she disappeared again.  This time, when she reappeared she had this:

We got a really big kick out of this because the cake had Jake’s name written exactly the way he had written it on the paper….in all CAPS, “JAKE HILTZ”.  It was so sweet of her to run around at the end of our tour and get Jake this cake!

Cherry and Jake sitting on Beer Corner in Hanoi, Vietnam.

Cherry and Jake sitting on Beer Corner in Hanoi, Vietnam.

Visiting a water puppet show is a very popular thing to do in Hanoi.  Since it cost only $5 and lasted 45 minutes we figured we had nothing to lose checking it out.  I’m glad we went but all I can say is - how odd!  Check out the video below…the music you hear is being played by live musicians.  At the conclusion of the show, the puppeteers came out from behind the curtains and yes they were standing the water up to their wastes.  Like I said - odd!

All in all, I’m glad that we spent a few days in the Hanoi craziness!  I’d recommend it for a short stay and I’d go back.

~ Jesslyn

Blog addition from Jake:

We opted to skip visiting the Hoa Lo prison.  This is the infamous jail better known as the Hanoi Hilton.  The prison has a long history starting with the French colonial times.  We’ve read that they tend to gloss over the Vietnam war era and portray their treatment of prisoners much better than do the Americans who were unlucky enough to know firsthand.  However, we did visit the military museum.  On display there are various Soviet-made and supplied tanks and aircraft, as well as an American-made helicopter, tank, and weapons which were captured during the war.  According to Wikipedia, the Vietnamese call this war, the "Resistance War Against America", or the "American War" for short.  At the museum we saw signs that called it the "American Sabotage War", and I’ve seen several references to the American imperialists.  I wasn’t alive when all this was happening, and so I feel I don’t know very much about it.  I only know what I was taught in American schools and by family who fought and lived through those times.  It was really interesting to see how it was regarded at the military museum in Hanoi.  For those of you who may have thought it was strange to visit Vietnam because of the war and it being a communist country, please don’t worry.  This country shows no signs of communism and there are western tourists everywhere.  All of the Vietnamese we encountered were extremely friendly.  Perhaps they were being friendly so we would spend money, but there were many encounters in which people were super friendly when they had nothing to gain.

Happy (and Lucky) New Year

Before we left on our journey, Jesslyn and I realized how lucky we were that we are able to do such a thing.  Throughout our trip, we realize more and more just how lucky we are to have been born in the time and place we did.  Countless times we have said to each other, "wow, we are so lucky".  So this blog post has been stirring around in my head for the last 6 months.  As we ring in 2016 and reflect back on 2015, I thought this was as good of a time as any to finally write it down.

We are lucky on several levels.  On the highest level, we are lucky not to have been born in a time and place that experienced mass genocide.  Visiting Auschwitz earlier in the trip, I thought about how I might act if I were a prisoner there.  I can't even imagine.  Today, we visited the Killing Fields in Cambodia, and the same thoughts came to mind. With my glasses and soft hands, I wouldn't have lasted too long.

One short step down from that level is not having to live through a war fought in my country, and never having to go to fight in a war.  At my age, I am lucky that I wasn't born in Iran, Iraq, or Syria.  Being born in the U.S., I am lucky not to have been born in a time which would have sent me to war, for example the mid 1800s or early 1900s and thus avoiding the Civil War and WWII.

At the next level, I am lucky that I was born into a socioeconomic environment that created opportunities that most people in the world, and many in the U.S. do not.

Jesslyn reminds me that our own hard work is a big reason for our ability to take this incredible trip.  But, I remind her that our hard work is a result of the work ethic that our parents taught us (and perhaps our DNA, but they gave us that too).  So, we are also lucky to be born into the families that we did.  They provided the environment we needed to be who we are today.  Our families provided love, support, discipline, value of education, and encouragement to follow our dreams.  We are also lucky to have made great friends who have helped shaped who we are.

All these things have come together to make our lives possible, and I am thankful for these things every single day.


 - Jake

Our most liked Instagram pics (_no_permanent_address_).

Our most liked Instagram pics (_no_permanent_address_).


Halong Bay

Halong Bay may have the most naturally picturesque and unique landscape we’ve encountered thus far on our trip.  The way to see it is to take a 1 or 2 night cruise into the bay, then kayak around.  Just a 4 hour drive from Hanoi, it is fairly easily accessible.  It was a good little excursion, but not a great one.  However, we were not disappointed by the scenery.  Check out more pics here.  

We were very lucky to have some great people on the people on the boat with us including Seb and Sam from England, Will and Ellie also from England, and a large group of Australian med students whom we blame for keeping us up way too late to play drinking games.  We were not very lucky with the weather.  It was fairly chilly, so we didn’t do any swimming.  Besides all that, there wasn’t a lot to do.

The other downside of the area is that there are a ton of boats and very commercialized.  On our first day, we stopped to climb to the top of one of the karst via some stairs.  There were hundreds of drunk tourists from somewhere in Asia.  At night, all the boats anchor in the same area, and it gets a little noisy (hard to complain about that one since our boat might have been the offender one night, obviously because of the Aussies).  But the worst is that the water is not very clean where the boats anchor for the night.  We were advised not to swim there.  The good news is that I believe the boats are only allowed to anchor in a specific area so they don’t pollute the entire bay.  One day we took another boat to a different spot where we kayaked and stopped at beaches to swim.  There were no large boats and the water seemed much cleaner, but, again, it was just a little too chilly for a dip.

The boat we were on had about 9 cabins, and we were surprised at how big ours was.  The food was plentiful, but just OK.  The website boasted of multiple cooking classes and fishing.  I am glad we didn’t book it based on those claims.  The fishing was nothing more than dangling a bare hook off the side of the boat in hope of catching a squid.  They told us that it was rare to catch a squid.  Someone asked if anyone had ever caught one before, and suddenly the crews’ English wasn’t good enough to understand the question.  The cooking classes were a joke.  In the first class, we rolled fresh spring rolls.  We didn’t prepare the ingredients, literally just rolled them.  In the second class we rolled spring rolls again, but this time ones that were to be fried.  In the last class, we watched someone carve flowers from vegetables.  It wasn’t too disappointing however, because we didn’t book the trip because of the fishing or cooking classes.

Despite the negativity above, we did enjoy Halong Bay and would recommend it to anyone who is planning to visit Hanoi and has a few extra days.  The sheer natural beauty makes it worth it.  Just keep in mind that thousands of other people have already also figured this out, and it shows.

 - Jake


Trekking in Sa Pa

After spending a few days in Hanoi, then a few more on the water in Halong Bay, we headed north to the mountains for some hiking (or trekking as it is called in many other parts of the world).  This post is a little out of order, but stay tuned for posts on those places.  After arriving back in Hanoi from Halong Bay, we boarded the overnight train to Lao Cai, a city on the Chinese border.  We shared a sleeper cabin with a nice couple from France.  They didn’t speak much English, but that is OK since we just wanted to sleep.  However, the train was incredibly bumpy and we were tossed around by the quick curves and abrupt stops.  Somehow I was able to get some sleep, but Jesslyn did not.  When our train arrived the next morning, our guide was waiting for us at the train station with a sign that said, “Ms. George Jacob Hiltz”.  Close enough.  Also waiting for us was pouring rain, not a welcome sight since we had 2 days of hiking with an overnight stay in a rustic village in between.  We hopped in a car which took us to the town of Sa Pa via a curvy, steep, uphill road.  Amazingly, our driver managed not to run head-on into the large trucks or scooters that were all over the road.  On the drive, we discussed some alternative options with our guide, and agreed that we would re-arrange our itinerary so that we would start our hike the following day, and hope for better weather.  We didn’t have proper gear for hiking in the rain, plus it was very cold and we didn’t know what to expect in the village where we were to sleep.  We were ecstatic that we could check in to the hotel room early so we could take a shower and a nap in a stationary bed.  The hotel was surprisingly nice and spacious.  The odd thing is that it doesn’t have any heat.  We would soon learn that no one has heat in Sa Pa, apart from perhaps a fireplace.   The temperatures can reach freezing in the winter due to its 5,000 foot elevation.  Everywhere we went, people were wearing winter coats and hats inside, including the staff at the hotel and servers in restaurants.

After some rest and lunch, we did a little shopping to prepare for hiking in the rain.  Hiking is a popular activity here, so there are many shops selling outdoor clothing.  All the shops sell predominantly “North Face” products.  I put that in quotes because most (if not all) are fake, or, as they call them, copies.  For the most part, they don’t try and pass the copies off as original, and tell you that something is a copy.  Some shops claim that some of their items are original, but I am not sure because even the “originals” are very inexpensive, perhaps they have minor defects.  The copies, can be really good though.  Earlier in the trip, we had seen some obvious copies, especially in Laos.  The giveaway is that the logo doesn’t look quite right.  But I couldn’t tell the difference of many of the items we found in Sa Pa.  We bought 2 pairs of trekking pants, a pair of shoes, 2 fleece hats, a long sleeve shirt, and a shoulder bag for $130 and everything performed extremely well.  If we had room in our bags, we would have bought a lot more.  It seems to be legal here, or at least blatantly tolerated.

That night we had a really nice meal of slow cooked pork, bamboo shoots, sweet potatoes, and steamed rice at a restaurant in town.  The pork was one of the best things I have eaten on our entire trip.  I also had a tasting of rice “wine”.  Sorry for all the quotation marks, but I have to use them here again because it isn’t wine at all.  It is technically rice liquor because it is distilled after it’s fermented.  “Happy water”, as they call it, is very popular here.

We were elated that it was not raining when we awoke the following morning.  We got ready and headed to the hotel lobby where our local guide was waiting for us.  As we entered the lobby, we noticed some local women standing outside, peering through the window with big smiles.  We could tell they were local because they were wearing the traditional, brightly colored scarves on their heads.  Then, as we left the hotel, three of them followed us.  Actually, it was more like they joined our group, walking along side.  They started asking us questions, “where you from?”, “you have brothers or sisters?”, “you have children?”, “how old are you?” (this seems to be a totally acceptable question everywhere we’ve been).  We were prepared for their sales pitch, but there was none.  They didn’t try to sell us anything, but rather just walked right along side us.  It was a little odd.  We asked our guide why they were walking with us and he told us that they will try to sell us something.  We just didn’t know when.  As we went off road, some of the trails were single file, and they would walk between us.  It started to annoy me.  Our guide would try to explain something to us, but now I was 5 people behind him so couldn’t hear.  Imagine hiking along in the White Mountains with 2 of your friends.  Then all of a sudden, 3 other people start hiking with you, interspersed amongst you, asking you how old you are.  Very odd.  I then figured that this is their home and we are visitors, so I needed to get over it.   The sneak attack befell us when we stopped for lunch.  As soon as we sat down, we were bombarded with scarves, hand bags, and bracelets being pushed in our faces.  The women were very aggressively trying to sell them to us, but to their credit, they did not persist for very long after a few polite, “no thank yous".  Unfortunately for them, they walked about 5 miles for no sale, but that approach must work quite well since they invested all that time and energy.  Another local woman trying the same tactic with another tourist did add a little comic relief.  We caught up with another hiker, a big, young Scottish man.  Next to him was one of the local women, about 5 feet tall and 60 years old, holding his hand helping him along.  The Scot had mud all over his jeans.  He had obviously slipped and fell in the mud, and now had some help to prevent another fall. 

 

Our guide in the lead, followed by Jesslyn, then 3 local villagers.

Our guide in the lead, followed by Jesslyn, then 3 local villagers.

The most striking feature of this region are the picturesque terraced rice fields which cover the sides of the mountains.  As we hiked through and between villages, there are an incredible amount of farm animals roaming free.  “Free range” meat is a trend in the U.S., but it has been that way here as long as they have had domesticated animals.  We were hiking along trails and roads with chickens, ducks, goats, pigs, and water buffalo.  We got a kick out of seeing the little piglets running around chasing each other and rooting through the mud.  We must have seen 100 pigs on our hike, but never more than 5 or 6 together at a time.  Luckily, water buffalo are very gentle and friendly.

The terraced rice fields distinctive of the region.

The terraced rice fields distinctive of the region.

Jesslyn smiling because the rain has stopped for the moment.

Jesslyn smiling because the rain has stopped for the moment.

So many loose farm animals.  We love this image of a chick poking its head out.

So many loose farm animals.  We love this image of a chick poking its head out.

Water buffalo grazing on the side of the road.  Luckily they are friendly.

Water buffalo grazing on the side of the road.  Luckily they are friendly.

We were depressed to see so much trash on the ground alongside the roads.  We had witnessed local people in Laos just tossing wrappers on the ground, and it was obvious that was what happened here as well.  I believe that not long ago, they didn’t have plastic waste.  It used to be all organic which would be eaten by the pigs.  I know it is nice to come from such a privileged background where litter is at the top of the list of things to worry about.  But I do hope that the culture changes so that littering is not acceptable.

There are over 50 different ethnic groups in Vietnam, each with their own culture and language.  The majority of people in the country are of the Viet group, and “Vietnam” means “Southern Viet”, dating back to when the country was the southern part of China.  Our trek was through the mountainous areas which contain some of the minority ethnic groups.  We first hiked through Cat Cat village, home of the Black H’Mong.  Here they grow hemp and indigo from which they make beautiful fabrics for clothing and scarves.  We spent the night in Ta Van village, home of the Giay people, and visited the Giang Ta Chai, home of the Red Dao on our last day of hiking.  It was amazing to see just how close these villages are to each other considering they each have their own language, culture, dress, and architecture.  Today, the villages are friendly with each other, and inter village marriages are common.

 

A local woman working the strands of hemp.

A local woman working the strands of hemp.

Jesslyn admiring the finished fabric and the loom used to make it.

Jesslyn admiring the finished fabric and the loom used to make it.

We were doing a homestay, which means sleeping in the home of a local family.  Our host family consisted of a couple and their 10 year old daughter.  We arrived at about 3:30 so had a couple of hours to kill before dinner.  The family wasn’t very interactive, so we decided to take a walk to check out the village.  There isn’t much in the village, but there was an inviting looking cafe with a fireplace.  We popped in for something hot to drink and unbelievably ran into two of the Aussie med students who were on the same boat as us in Halong Bay.  So we played hearts with them until it was time to head back to the homestay for dinner.

The house we stayed in is more of what we would think of as a cabin.  It was the same house where the wife grew up and was built by her grandparents.  We were surprised at how large it was until we learned that she had seven siblings and at one point, three families all lived there.  There is electricity, running water, and sewage, but it has a bare concrete floor, rough-cut lumber for walls, and a tin roof.  There are gaps in the wall leading to the outside, which isn’t great for keeping heat in, but necessary to let the smoke from the fire out.  In the kitchen, there is a metal tub with hot charcoal which the family huddles around for warmth and for some of the cooking.  There is no sink, but pipes running down the wall to a faucet near the floor.  Under the faucet, the concrete had an indent and channel to catch the water and drain it outside.  They used large plastic tubs to wash the dishes.  On top of a wooden counter were two gas burners on which most of the cooking was done.  While the counter acted as a workspace for cooking, they were just as happy to use the floor.  Squatting next to a wooden chopping block on the floor, our host cut chicken, pork, and vegetables for dinner.  There was no oven (actually many apartments we stayed in in Europe also lacked an oven).  Pieces of smoked pork hung in one corner from a rack over a small fire pit.  

We sat around a very low table.  Our hosts sat on even lower wooden stools, about about six inches off the ground.  Jesslyn and I sat on normal sized plastic chairs.  We were each given a small bowl and chopsticks.  Our bowls were filled with steamed rice from a large rice cooker.  On the table was a bowl of fried tofu and pork with tomato, another with greens sautéed with smoked pork, another with chicken and mushrooms, and another with fried potatoes.  Our hosts said, “please enjoy”, but I sat back and waited to see how it all worked as I noticed there were no serving spoons, nor did we have  plates.  No need, everyone just eats directly from the bowls on the table with chopsticks (except for the individual bowls of rice).  We were flattered they were OK swapping spit with us.  It was all incredibly delicious.  I am not a huge tofu eater, but it was awesome.  They grow their own soybeans and make the tofu in the village.  The food is seasoned with fresh garlic and lemongrass.  The condiments were fresh: crushed chili peppers with salt, and soy sauce.  No one used the soy sauce, so it must have just been for us.  Along with the meal we had some rice wine which the family makes themselves.  It was much better than what I had in town the night before.  For desert, fresh watermelon.  Everywhere we’ve been in Thailand, Loas, and Vietnam, dessert is almost always watermelon sometimes with pineapple.  

After dinner, we sat around the hot coals some more to try and stay warm.  We were wearing our fleece, rain coats, and winter hats.  Even with all the clothing, it was still chilly and I thought of how cold it was going to be sleeping away from the heat.  The family retired to the other room to watch TV where they huddled together on a bed under a blanket.  Oh yeah, they have TV (I am guessing satellite), and even mobile phones.  We were a little disappointed that we didn’t get to interact with the family more, but the language barrier was difficult.  They didn’t ask any questions of us, so the conversation as kind of one-sided.  Just before 9 pm, we got into bed and grabbed an extra blanket to try and stay warm.  These were the thickest blankest I have ever seen.  I quickly warmed up and ended shedding my fleece jacket and hat.  Despite the extremely hard bed, I fell asleep quickly and had to wake up Jesslyn at 8:30 the next morning.  

For breakfast, we were served thin pancakes with honey and bananas to put on top.  They were good.  But oddly, Jesslyn and I were the only ones eating them.  Then more food was put on the table: pork, sautéed cabbage, steamed rice, and some chicken leftover from dinner.  It was a little awkward because there were no rice bowls for Jesslyn or me.  I think that they intended for us to eat only the pancakes, and not the other food.  If so, I am sure it is only because they were trying to cater what we would normally eat at breakfast.  That is very nice of them, but we want to eat like the locals!  Jesslyn and I remember how things went down from here a little differently, but however it came about, we did end up having some of the other food.  I love pork, and especially in Sa Pa where the pigs roam free to forage and don’t get injected with hormones.  The pork for breakfast was like uncured bacon, but cut into thick chunks.  So good.  The people in this village eat steamed rice at every meal.  They don’t typically eat noodles or soup like many other places in Vietnam.  We learned that the people of that village typically live into their 80s and 90s.  I am not surprised considering their wholesome diets, even without sophisticated healthcare.  

It was raining steadily by the time we were ready to set out.  Unfortunately, that meant we couldn’t visit the bamboo forest because the trails are very steep and would be too slippery due to the mud.  That was good news for the blisters on my feet from my brand new shoes.  After a bit more hiking we had big bowls of pho for lunch.  It was the perfect food for cold, rainy weather, kind of like chicken noodle soup.  We took a car back to Sa Pa where we had a hot shower and put on dry clothes before heading back to catch the overnight train to Hanoi.  From Hanoi we flew to Nha Trang where we were looking forward to 10 sunny days at the beach.  I am writing this from Nha Trang where I am sitting inside because of…  rain :(

 

Jesslyn following the guide.  

Jesslyn following the guide.  

Jesslyn and me.

Jesslyn and me.

 - Jake

Vang Vieng, Laos

Our time in Laos concluded with three nights in Vang Vieng.  When I did research on where to go in Laos, I struggled to decide whether or not we should go there.  I struggled because it is a party town known for its beautiful landscape but more for its drunken tourists.  The main attraction is tubing down the Nam Song river.  The tube rental company brings you in a tuk tuk four kilometers upstream and drops you off for your joyride back into town.  Along the drift back you can stop at about a dozen or so riverside bars.  Just leave your tube on the riverbank, climb the bamboo ladder in your bathing suit and hang out drinking Beer Lao for awhile.  Sounds great right?  Exactly why we decided we may as well join in on the fun.  We had hoped that people wouldn't be obnoxious and fall-down drunk but it was worth the risk.  We had read that over the years several people have died from tube-related incidents.  From what we could find it seemed to be due to stupid decisions made while drinking and we figured that we were mature enough not to get ourselves into that situation.  The last incident was just a few weeks ago and we wondered what the scene would be like.

We had two full days in Vang Vieng and decided to go tubing on the first day in case the second day was a wash out (turns out day two was the hot one when you really wanted to be in the water).  Because the last tubing incident was somewhat recent we figured that the bars might be closed but weren't sure.  They were all closed.  Bummer.  Actually, one was open but it had a sign "Sorry, tubers are not welcome.".  We may have slipped into that bar with a group of kayakers and had ourselves a beer but once the kayakers were gone, and there were clearly only tubes on the riverbank, no kayaks, we were politely asked to "please leave soon".  We aren't sure if they would have received a fine for serving us?  Or maybe we would have received the fine?  Either way - we were out of there quick!  I've never floated down a river in a tube before....it was great fun until it got cloudy and kind of cold.  It took about two hours to get back into town and we were ready for hot showers by the time we got back.  Once we were back in town, we asked a local about the bars being closed and they said that they'd be open again in about a week and were closed due to a nearby holiday.  We don't think he knew what he was talking about.  Most were closed, and the couple which were open had signs up that said "no tubers".  It may be the end of an era for Vang Vieng.  Sometimes a few idiots ruin the fun for everyone.

On day two we rented mountain bikes and trekked seven kilometers to the Tham Phu Kham cave and the Blue Lagoon.  I really don't like mountain biking.  I find nothing fun about this activity.  I always seem to forget and go but next time I will let Jake have this activity all to himself.  Most people take motorbikes or a tuk tuk to the cave/lagoon so we had the road pretty much to ourselves through the Lao villages.  This is without a doubt the poorest country I have ever been to.  People do not look malnourished and no one is begging you for anything - but how they live is just incredible to me.  Shacks with dirt floors.  Chickens, roosters, dogs and cats everywhere.  The road infrastructure is nonexistent.  The roads are absolutely terrible.  I've never driven on roads with potholes like there are in Laos.  There are no highways.  The roads we took from Luang Prabang to Vang Vieng and then to Vientiane (the capital) go from semi-paved to dirt to semi-paved with potholes and back again.  A mudslide could easily take out the main roads. I hope that I never have to travel on those roads again.  I need a back massage just to undo the damage done from bouncing around in the back of a minivan for hours and hours.

Ok, back to the lagoon.  The lagoon itself was the first thing we saw once we dismounted our bikes.  The color was a pretty, but cloudy, blue green color and we both took the rope swing into the cold water.  For about 30 minutes we watched other visitors jumping off of the tree, doing flips, backflips etc. into the water.  There were a lot of bellyflops.  The funniest thing for us to watch were the adult Asian (not sure exactly from which country) tourists "swimming" in the water in lifejackets and even jumping off the high branch into the water - with a lifejacket on.  I just wanted to teach these people how to swim!

Blue Lagoon in Vang Vieng, Laos

Blue Lagoon in Vang Vieng, Laos

We hiked about 200 meters up into the Tham Phu Kham cave which was one of the biggest caves I've ever been in and was pretty cool.  I kind of felt like I was in an Indiana Jones movie.

Reclining Buddha inside the Tham Phu Kham

Reclining Buddha inside the Tham Phu Kham

Another thing to do in Vang Vieng is watch Friends.  Yes, you read that correctly - watch Friends.  There are several places that have low tables where you can basically lay down with your feet under the table and watch as they play sequential Friends episodes back-to-back, commercial free.   The one we went to sold the cheapest beer in town and had an extensive food menu.  The experience was so random, so fun.  That show is great.

Picture from the back of the Friends cafe...

Picture from the back of the Friends cafe...

IMG_2431.jpg

We definitely enjoyed the food in Laos, especially the bread and the fruit shakes.  Each morning our breakfast was served with a warm baguette - indicative of the French influence on the country.  In Vang Vieng, all over town there were women with carts selling sandwiches, pancakes (crepes) and shakes.  Every menu was exactly the same.  We went to the same woman twice for a chicken sandwich.  In front of you she'd fry up chicken (which tasted like it had been marinating in coconut), bacon and onions.  She'd slice cheese onto the bread, add those ingredients as well as lettuce and tomato, and then any other condiments that you want.  Jake = mayo, me = ketchup.   20,000 kip ($2.45) and so good.  We also had our go-to lady for a pineapple coconut shake:  fresh pineapple, coconut water right out of a fresh coconut and shaved coconut.  You could add sweet and condensed milk and sugar if you'd like.  Sweet and condensed milk was absolutely everywhere in both Thailand and in Laos, weird.

Would I recommend that you visit the town?  Only if you find yourself backpacking through Southeast Asia.  Don't get me wrong, we definitely had a good time, I just wouldn't make a point of making a trip there.  Maybe if you are a rock climber which also seemed to be a go-to activity and with the landscape, you can understand why.

~ Jesslyn

Cooking in Laos

I can’t say that I was dying to see Laos before our trip.  It only came up as a possibility when we started doing research on this part of the world and heard good things about it.  Nestled between Thailand, Cambodia, China, and Vietnam, it is a small country of only about 7 million people.  Most Americans recognize the name only from its role in the Vietnam war.  I won’t go into much history because I don’t feel it could be done justice in just a blog post, nor do I know enough about it to try.  I will say this…  I certainly was never taught about the US’s involvement in the Laotian Civil War (also known as the Secret War) when it dropped millions of bombs on the country, many of which sit in the ground today, still unexploded.  Laos just celebrated its independence day which marks the end of that war 40 years ago when the Communists took power.  One of our tour guides was explaining the holiday and said, “it is when we celebrate our independence from the US”.  I am not sure what he was taught in school, but the truth probably lies somewhere in the middle of what he was taught and I was taught (or more correctly kept from me).  Laos is probably the only current communist country most people can't think of (the others are the obvious: China, Cuba, North Korea, and Vietnam).  Laos is a very poor country and it is shows.

This is where we stayed.  Most buildings had the Laos flag along with the hammer and sickle which reminds you that it is communist.

This is where we stayed.  Most buildings had the Laos flag along with the hammer and sickle which reminds you that it is communist.

OK, on to more fun things.  Yesterday, we took an all day cooking class.  Our walk over to the meeting place was interrupted when we arrived at the bamboo foot bridge to cross the river.  It had been wiped out by the fast moving river after 3 straight days of rain.  So, we went back to our guest house and borrowed a couple bikes and took the long way around via a more permanent bridge.  Once at class, we started with a visit to the market.  The most lasting impression will be from the butchers.  Our teacher joked, “We will just walk past the butcher, then stop to discuss it outside because of the smell.  If you want to take more pictures, feel free to go back a second time, and if you want to be a vegetarian, walk by a third time.”  There were a lot of animal parts typically not seen by people outside of a slaughterhouse.  It was also interesting that all of the butchers were women.

A butcher at the market.  I opted for a relatively appealing photo.

A butcher at the market.  I opted for a relatively appealing photo.

We rode along with about 10 other students in the bed of a truck with benches (a very common mode of transportation here) to the the cooking school.  It was an outdoor classroom with each of us having a prep station and a cooking station.  At the front was a bench where the demonstrations took place and the baskets of ingredients were located.  The baskets contained fresh coriander (aka cilantro), saw toothed coriander, mint, dill, lemongrass, local garlic, Chinese garlic, shallots, red and green chili peppers, spring onions (aka scallions), Laos basil (if you are in Thailand it goes by its more common name of Thai basil), limes, and kefir lime leaves.  We used some combination of most of these in each of the dishes.  In addition, we used banana flowers, long beans (similar to green beans, but about 2 feet long), and galangal (similar to ginger, but not as strong).  At our stations we had fish sauce, salt, chicken stock powder, and MSG.  

Fresh ingredients for our dishes.

Fresh ingredients for our dishes.

The first dish we made at the cooking school was sticky rice with an eggplant dip and a tomato dip called jeow.  Both dips started with roasting chili peppers, garlic, shallots, tomato or eggplant directly on hot charcoal with bamboo skewers.  After pealing off the burnt skin, it all goes into a mortar along with salt and the fresh herbs mentioned above where it is mashed with the pestle.  The sticky rice is steamed in a bamboo basket, again with charcoal as the heat source.  In fact, we never used a stove or an oven.  Everything was cooked over a clay “bucket” with hot coals.  The sticky rice is eaten with your hands.  Take your right hand and dig some rice out of the communal dish, then ball it up in your hand, typically the size of a walnut, then dip and eat.

Roasting an eggplant over hot coals.

Roasting an eggplant over hot coals.

Next we made oua si khai (stuffed lemongrass).  This was the most technically difficult dish because we had to carefully slice the thin stalks to make a sort of basket to hold the minced chicken stuffing, which had a lot of the same fresh herbs as the sauce, just not roasted over coals first.  After dipping in an egg wash, it was deep fried.  This was my favorite.

We also made a very traditional Lao dish, laap, or buffalo salad.  Not to be confused with bison, or North American buffalo, it is actually water buffalo, a popular meat here.  Again, the same fresh herbs were used, and this time we cooked ground buffalo meat in pots over the coals.  The recipe can be modified to ones liking, so I omitted the buffalo bile, and Jesslyn omitted the fish sauce in addition to the bile.  It was delicious, but next time, I will reduce the amount of fish sauce in my recipe.

Jesslyn’s favorite, believe it or not, was the tilapia, steamed in a banana leaf, called mom pa.  We made a marinade for the fish in the mortar in pestle then wrapped it in a banana leaf and tied it up with a strip of bamboo.  Tilapia is a very popular and inexpensive fish raised in farms in the Mekong river.  Most of you are probably familiar with tilapia as it is also common in the U.S.  It has little flavor itself therefore takes most of the flavor from the marinade or sauce.  

For desert, we made purple sticky rice cooked in coconut milk, served with tamarind sauce and sesame seeds.  It is easy to make and very good (if you think rice counts as a desert).  We had the purple sticky rice with a variety of fresh exotic fruit, including tamarind, dragon fruit, sapodillas, and logon.

The final product!  On the left is the stuffed lemongrass stocks, on the same plate is the banana leaf wrapped around the fish, next to the buffalo salad on the right.  The sticky rice is served in the weaved bamboo container at the top.

The final product!  On the left is the stuffed lemongrass stocks, on the same plate is the banana leaf wrapped around the fish, next to the buffalo salad on the right.  The sticky rice is served in the weaved bamboo container at the top.

Deep frying the stuffed lemongrass.

Deep frying the stuffed lemongrass.

Working away with the mortar and pestle.

Working away with the mortar and pestle.

On a random note, keeping track of the currency and exchange rates in each country is always a challenge.  More so in Laos because of all zeros on the money.  The currency is the kip.  There are 8155 kip in a dollar.  So, at the ATM, we took out 2 million kip (about $245).  We have not seen any coins here, and the smallest denomination we have seen is the 1000 kip note which is about 12 cents.  The largest denomination we’ve seen is the 100,000 kip note which is about $12.  

On an even more random note, Jesslyn and I are boring.  We used to think that we were interesting because we are “traveling the world”.  After meeting so many truly interesting people, this is no longer the case.  First of all, what we are doing is not all that unique.  There is selection bias in my sample of people of course since we are not likely to meet a lot of typical westerners in Laos.  But, there are a lot of westerners here, if not a lot of Americans.  We’ve met many Dutch, Belgians, Germans, Australians, and Canadians.  It turns out we are not all that adventurous either.  Other world travelers are hitting up India, Nepal, Myanmar, Indonesia, and Malaysia.  Believe me, even though the places we are visiting in Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam sound exotic, they are very well traveled by westerners.  Maybe you will see future posts from some less well known places in the future!

 - Jake