The Kalalau Trail

The Kalalau Trail along Kauai's infamous Na Pali coastline is esteemed as one of the world's greatest treks. However, on paper, this doesn't really make sense. It's an eleven mile trek along a narrow trail carved into the side of rugged mountains that quickly ascend 1,000 of feet from the sea. The fact that the wettest spot on earth is directly above this trail ensures that it is always dangerously wet & prone to disappear completely under the frequent mud slide. There are no restroom facilities aside from the two composting toilets, and all water sources (aka streams, waterfall, ponds, etc.) are known to contain the bacteria leptospirosis...which will inspire a prolonged gnarly flu. And if you do reach the end of the trail, you've got to turn around and hike back the way you came.

On photographic paper, it looks like this:


So as you can see we made a wise decision; and @ 7am on Friday morning we set out on a 3 day (2 night) hike , equipped with the following:

• A "youth" tent from Wal Mart (measuring 5' x 6'), which as you might expect is too small for any non-midget
• Two fleece sleeping bags
  
• Two bags of trail mix, a half pound of steak, 200 oz. of water, water purification tabs, 8 kudos bars that we acquired from stealing children's lunches from a school bus, a gallon of red quinoa, 4 salmon cups, and 6 snickers bars (save the best for last)

The trail certainly did not disappoint in any respect, good or bad. It was long, it was strenuous, it was breathtaking. For the first 6 miles we traveled through rain forest type terrain: winding through dense canopy, crossing streams and stumbling over tree roots. Then somewhat abruptly, the climate changed and we emerged into what was seemingly a desert by comparison. The trail wound along red-barren* (no, not like the delicious pizza) volcanic mountains with amazing views of the transparent, electric blue water below.

*not to be confused with the manufacturer of delicious frozen pizzas


We continued throughout the day, periodically stopping at one of the man incredible vistas to take in the true brilliance of the Na Pali coastline. In front of us an endlessly vast ocean, to the left and right were the silhouettes of nearly vertical mountains; all together it was a vibrant contrast of reds, greens & blues (I'm pretty sure those are the primary colors) that is unparalleled on this planet. And somehow, we made it to the end.


The trail ends in this, worth every step of the 11 mile trek. You can go no further, not that you'd really want to. Many people make it this far and decide not to return. They plant a garden, get rid of their clothes and work on their tan...needless to say, a simpler lifestyle than most.

Photos

They're all here, check em out
http://www.SLOtography.com/Travel

We've Only Just Begun

The trip is over, but because life is a journey, the blog must go on.



http://kilauearoundhouse.blogspot.com/

In Summary

The trip is over, we're home, and everyone wants to know, "How was it?"..."What was your favorite place?"...and my favorite, "How did you guys get along?"

Well, answering those questions is easier said than done. If you had a couple of hours to burn, you could start at the bottom of the blog and read your way up...however, if you are the type of person who prefers the Cliffs Notes to the real book, then this is the blog for you. Here it is, in no particular order, our trip...

We've:

• traveled to three continents, throughout nine countries (Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina, Australia, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia & Vietnam).
• covered thousands of miles by land, by sea, and by air: bus, car, tuk-tuk, speed boat, sail boat, ferry & of course, campervan.

• collected over 20 stamps in our passports.
• eaten llama, alpaca, crocodile, kangaroo, & numerous unknowns (probably including dog).
• met people from around the world including countries we no longer knew existed, like Slovenia.
  
• sampled wine from regions across the globe; not that we couldn't accomplish the same by visiting a Trader Joes.
• thrown up everywhere...in nearly every country, on the land, on the sea and in the air.
• encountered bathrooms that upon first inspection don't even look like bathrooms, but the smell always gives them away.
• explored beautiful cathedrals, massive temples, ornate wats, impressive monuments & creepy mausoleums that demonstrate the power of a people's beliefs.

(Apsaras carved from sandstone at Angkor Wat)

• seen natural sights so awe inspiring they would cause even the most devout atheist to ponder the presence of a divine being.

(The impressive rinse cycle at Iguazu Falls)

• and then, witnessed animal species so strange that only Walt Disney could have created them, or rather, they evolved.

(Rafiki?)

• gawked at menus where the most expensive meal was less than $5 dollars, and then moved along claiming, "it's so expensive!"
• spent anywhere from $2 to $200 on dinner
• witnessed men, women & children in a seemingly depressing state of poverty, smile more radiantly than a child pop star.

(no wonder Angelina has half a dozen of them)

• seen an eclectic mix of beggars & sellers from 2 year olds who could recite capital cities across the world to 75 year old land mine victims who did nothing more than sprawl out on the sidewalk displaying the few limbs that they still had.
• stayed in a range of hotels, hostels & guest houses, from 5 star resorts to places that could only be classified as shit-holes.
• switched rooms more often than Goldilocks; sleeping on beds hard & soft, covered in plastic & sometimes bed bugs.
  
• stolen airline blankets that proved to be lifesavers on various freezing nights.
• seen looks of confusion disappear as we shamelessly act out what we're trying to say in a form of archaic sign language.
• cruised through airports with ease as if it were the pre-terror era, (accidentally) bringing knives, lighters & even liquids aboard the plane.
• swam in lakes, rivers, streams, oceans & seas, such as: the Pacific, Atalantic, Amazon, Tasman, Coral, South China, Mekong, Nam Ou & the Gulf of Thailand.

(Only a place so serene as Ko Samui, Thailand could get me to read)

• shamelessly snapped off over 10,000 photos...and I still feel we don't have enough.
  
• witnessed the largest land mammal, the biggest fish, and a chimpanzee eat his own (or maybe his mother's) shit.

• lived out of a bag for four months, packing & unpacking over 60 times.
• fought with each other repeatedly, about mostly stupid things like whether they use peanut butter in the dough of banana pancakes (I was right, they do).
• jumped out of a plane, willingly, arriving safely on the beach in Wollongong.
• arrived on US soil for the first time in months to one of the most incredible sights: a sunny day in San Francisco.

How was the trip? It was absolutely amazing! But it was also completely stressful, enlightening, draining, inspiring, depressing and compelling. The culinary experience was remarkable: the exotic, the familiar, the delicious, and the vomit inducing...were all unforgettable. The people were nearly always awesome; but there's always the one person who leaves the greatest impression on you, and just so happens to be a complete asshole. We rarely got a good nights sleep, which is possibly the thing you crave the most while traveling...besides good Mexican food. How did we get along?...Pretty well, considering we spent four months together (nearly every minute)...while enduring every emotion known to man (or woman), including exhaustion from sleep deprivation and days spent traveling, hunger, and homesickness. And despite it all we returned intact as a couple, a couple with a little bit more experience. I suppose the best answer to the question, "how was it?" is to go find out for yourself. Just let us know if you need some advice.

Bangkok, Round II

Our first bout with Bangkok left us battered and bruised, with a bad taste in our mouths. Upon our first escape from this heavyweight city we swore we'd never return, but as time went on, our wounds healed. We realized that we were previously ill equipped to deal with the overwhelming nature of Southeast Asia's biggest city; but in our travels we endured much, much worse than Bangkok had to offer (see: Hanoi) and this time we knew what to expect. So nearly two months later, we return to face off again with the giant that is Bangkok...for a proverbial re-match.

This round we took a different approach. Rather than staying in the outskirts of the city, we decided to go for the heart: Khao San Road. This is the Bangkok which locals avoid and travelers can't get enough of. Whether you're looking for a piercing, fresh squeezed orange juice, pirated dvds, last minute souvenirs, an authentic Thai massage, hair extensions, falafel, or a bucket of booze with a straw for each of your new found friends; this is your one stop shop.


Khao San is the type of place that promises a sensory overload similar to Vegas, minus the glitz of air conditioned casinos and nightly performances by Danny Ganz or Celine Dion.

Having survived our first night back in Bangkok, sleeping well in to the afternoon, we decided to venture out for some sight seeing. Of course, this is the same thing that got us into trouble before, but this time around we were wiser. We arrived to the Royal Palace dressed like the slutty Americans that we are: tank tops, shorts, and other offensive gear, requiring the fashion police to intervene and issue us some new outfits.


Lauren came out looking like your average Thai girl and blended right in with the crowd. I'm pretty sure there is no photographic evidence of my outfit, which was essentially a pair of awesome hammer pants. Within the Royal Palace we were treated to yet another unbelievable collection of architecture, art, and Chinese tourists.


Our last day abroad was capped off with a feast intended to satisfy all cravings for Thai food for months to come, but was obviously a failure a couple of hours later when we arrived to the airport, hungry. At 6am on February 28th in Thailand we departed, with mixed feelings and much more crap than we started with. Nearly 18 hours later (including an uneventful layover in Tokyo where we got some Yen) we arrived in San Francisco at 9am on February 28th, only 3 hours after we started. Well, 3 hours and 114 days.

There Are No Sharks At Shark Island

We would like to preface this blog with a simple conversion: 7.5 meters is equal to 25 feet. Keep that in mind.

As you've come to find from reading this blog, Thailand is home to elephants, knock-off clothing, scam artists, and lady boys. However, there is a softer side to Thailand, and it exists off the coast in the sea. Filled with tropical fish, colorful corals, and much more, it's no wonder that scuba divers and snorkelers flock to Thailand to immerse themselves in its crystal clear waters.

So we found ourselves in Thailand, perhaps for different reasons than some (see: sex tourists); and while it was not our primary goal to scuba dive, it'd be a bit ridiculous for us not to right? So we walked into Easy Divers with a large Singha beer in hand, which did not seem to alarm the two Germans who greeted us. At some point, I glanced over at the wall of the shop to see a poster with the image of a whale shark...it looked something like this:













It's a bit ironic that the largest fish in the sea is also one of the most elusive. With not one, but two of the coolest names to be bestowed upon a fish, the whale shark's name is enviable in itself. Whale sharks are so cool that they have a posse of fish that constantly follow them, just feasting on their leftovers. These massive fish are whale-ish in size but they are in fact sharks, frequenting the depths of the sea; very rarely do they venture near enough to the surface (to where divers can see them). But of course, when you step into any dive shop they'll hype up the possibility of plunging into the water and swimming with one, no matter how far fetched it may be.

Our dive master was more realistic about our chances: first, he admitted he'd seen only 5 whale sharks in over 1500 dives and prior to our second dive, at Shark Island, when someone asked the obvious question, "will we see any sharks?" he responded, "there are no sharks at Shark Island!" Oh well, we jumped in anyway.

The water was disturbed that day: full of floating crap, including invisible jelly fish spores that would sting for a second before fading away...just in time for the next one to hit. We swam for thirty minutes with butterfly fish, barracudas, and incredible corals. Late in the dive the sun disappeared from above us, almost as if it had hidden behind a cloud. I turned my head up to investigate, and saw the silhouetted figure of a whale shark gliding through the water above me. I instantly lunged and grabbed Lauren, spinning her around to reveal the sight. She explained later that her first reaction was horror, like one would expect if they saw a shark swimming a few feet away. But the fear faded away and we swam along in awe. Once the shark had disappeared from view, we celebrated in the only way we knew how, with an underwater high five.

For five more minutes we swam along in our less impressive surroundings, with smiles filling our masks. The dive was coming to an end and I couldn't wait to reach the surface where we could finally break our silence and discuss what we had seen. I looked back for a routine buddy check to see Lauren squirming out of the way of a tail the size that was as large as her. Attached to the tail, was a whale shark 7.5 meters in length and as it turns out, the mother of the tiny shark we had just seen (only 2.5 meters). The shark was so huge, we couldn't see from one end to the other, so we never even saw it's face. It seemed the whole dive group, nearly 40 people, had discovered this shark and was now swimming along slowly with her.

We all emerged from the water to the startling commotion on the surface. It was a celebration; every diver, from those just getting certified, to the most experienced dive master, was amazed. We had not only witnessed a whale shark & its baby, but we had swam along with them. We had discovered sharks, at Shark Island...go figure.

Banana Pancakes in Ko Sumui

There's no dessert that can compare to the flavor and pure unhealthiness of a Banana Pancake in Ko Samui. So it's delicious. In fact, if you're lucky enough to stumble upon the Tom Cruise of Banana Pancakes, you will enjoy the preparation almost as much as the end result.



But as you may have suspected, there is plenty more to do on the reasonably sized island of Ko Samui. Of course, we wouldn't have known this if it wasn't for our old friends (and tour guides), Darren & Kathryn.























(Darren, Kathryn & the Namuang Waterfall)

For instance, you can rent a motor scooter and daringly maneuver in and out of traffic as you realize the entire island is now at your fingertips. You can marvel at the 'natural' rock formations of Grandfather & Grandmother rocks...essentially a giant penis and vagina that coincidentally appear in the same vicinity. You can bathe in the refreshing waters of Namuang waterfall and then ride a tortured elephant for about 50 yards.
















Grab a bowl of green curry at any number of oceanside restaurants and stare at the ladies who mine for snails in the tranquil surf. After lunch stop by and hang with the mummified monk and ask each other, "why do you think they put glasses on him?" If you haven't already seen enough puzzling marvels on the small island, head all the way up to the northern tip to see the Big Buddha...who just so happens to have one big nipple, which further complicates the gender confusion surrounding the Buddha. At this point, the day ought to be nearing an end, which means it's time to grab a Singha, hit the beach, and watch the sunset. If you're lucky, you'll stumble upon a litter of puppies who will practically beg you to pick them up and pet them.























For dinner you can stroll along the beach and check out the dozens of fresh seafood restaurants; for fun try weighing a few gigantic lobsters to see how much they would cost. After you wisely decide against the overpriced seafood, make your way back to the busy streets of Chaweng and instead dine at an Italian restaurant called Rice??? At this point, you can either hit the crowded streets of Chaweng and dance/drink the night away...or wisely decide to call it a day, retire to your rock hard mattress & blaring air conditioning, and drift away. What a day.

The Temples of Angkor

The Temples of Angkor are unbelievable. I could tell you all about the impressive architecture or ornate carvings, all done using sandstone that was floated miles down the river to the various sites. I could show you the 1,000+ photos I took detailing the dozen or so temples that we visited over two full days. You could even go so far as to research the Khmer empire, commonly compared to the Roman empire, that flourished for hundreds of years from 9th to 15th century. And if you were incredibly motivated you could fly into the brand new Siem Reap international airport, just a few miles from the temples, and explore yourself. But I can honestly tell you that no matter what you do, you still will not believe it; this place is beyond comprehension.



The Angkor is the area that once served as the capital city for the illustrious Khmer empire. Numerous temples are scattered around the Angkor area (check out this 3D map for a frame of reference), each with a story; typically built to pay homage to a current or past king, or even a Hindu or Buddhist god. There's Bayon with it's huge stone faces...


And you can witness Ta Prohm struggle to stay standing as the raw power of nature takes over...


And a bit of a drive away you'll find the lovely Bantay Srei, that was constructed using only the pinkest sandstone.


And while there are dozens of temples that lie within 15km of each other, it seems that every single tourist is piled into the mother of them all: Angkor Wat.


This is arguably the most amazing place on earth. With most of the temples aged over 1,000 years, it's amazing that they're still intact. Many of the temples are in a state of decay, but luckily nations from around the world have joined in to help preserve this ancient gem of Southeast Asia. And coupled with the flow of wealthy tourists they will no doubt survive another 1,000 years.

Pilgrimage

Pilgrimage is in fact the only word that can be used to describe our journey from Nha Trang to Ho Chi Minh City to Phnom Penh to Siem Reap (sorry, I don't even know how to pronounce these names and don't recommend trying). Our ultimate goal in all of this madness, was to reach the temples of Angkor, so it was quite literally, a religious movement. And like any religious rebellion, we faced our fare share of adversity. Just finding a bus ticket was like trying to buy a tickle-me Elmo doll around Christmas time. And apparently the tickets we did buy didn't guarantee us seats, as we were verbally accosted and nearly kicked off our second bus. Unfortunately for the crew, they were messing with the wrong Americans, and we stood strong despite the painful glares from the rest of the passengers.

Midway through our trip, we finally left Vietnam, which resulted in a collective sigh of relief from the entire bus full of people. There was also a noticeable difference in everything once we crossed the imaginary border into Cambodia. The constant honking of horns abruptly stopped, resulting in a indescribably peaceful silence. Instead of the death defying games of chicken we'd gotten used to playing on the highways; it was more like we were in the middle of a parade in which people were piled on top and hanging off of the cars and trucks to catch a ride. While we waited to get aboard the ferry across the Mekong river, we realized we were in a Cambodian traffic jam, which is essentially their version of a busy marketplace.


In every direction vendors are carrying trays atop their heads with the delicious treats piled high, such as fried cockroaches (see above), salted snails, and other equally appetizing snacks I couldn't quite make out. If you were daring enough, you could open the window of your air conditioned coach and make a transaction...but we preferred to just sit and observe. Right next to us, a young Cambodian girl skillfully snacked on a coconut, which I'm convinced is the secret to a beautiful smile (see below). In fact, after a few minutes in this country, it's easy to see why Angelina keeps coming back: the children are adorable!!!


Upon arriving in Siem Reap, we were accosted by Tuk-Tuk drivers with broken English, each desperately trying to offer us a ride. We'd come to find that it wasn't the ride into town that they wished to provide, so much as a tour around the Temples of Angkor...which will lock in an amazing $12/day for these guys. At one point we were surrounded by half a dozen drivers all yelling things like, "I saw you first" or "where you go?" I felt my fist clench and my temperature rise but amazingly we escaped and made it in to town courtesy of the wonderful Mr. Sovann:


English speaking Tuk Tuk driver, Siem Reap
Email: tuktuk_sovann@yahoo.com
Phone: (855) 12 19 47 116

In Cambodia we had the pleasure of withdrawing good ol' American dollars from the ATM...it's nice to feel the crisp green bills again, but also a bit of a reality check. Previously, it was all as good as monopoly money to us, but now that we're nearing the end of our trip our bank accounts are hurting. We've managed to shrink our budget down to $60/day (a small fortune by Cambodian standards) and we're still enjoying the finer things in life...

The Rest of Vietnam

We realize that there are many people who may have in fact had worse experiences while 'visiting' Vietnam, but most of them did not voluntarily go. And since Vietnam has opened its doors to tourism, we'd heard nothing but good things about the communist country. But while we managed to escape with our lives (and our limbs), like many before us, we will continue to relive the horror of Vietnam for the rest of our lives.


After Hanoi, we traveled via a pleasant overnight train to Hue, a historical city in central Vietnam. The central area of the city is surrounded by the unoriginal moat & gigantic wall combo. However, within that wall is yet another walled city, known as the Imperial City. Unfortunately, this once incredible city remains in shambles after enduring numerous battles during the American War (the wall & moat did nothing), and has yet to be repaired. The surprising high'light' of Hue is the light show that takes place on the Trang Tien Bridge each night (see picture above). The arches of the bridge light up in a cornucopia of colors so spectacular you begin to think that Vietnam might actually have its act together. Not the case.


The country's true charm is contained within the small town of Hoi An, located in central Vietnam. On a tour of the city you'll see beautiful buildings and quaint streets, and even a Japanese Covered Bridge (see picture above). However, most tourists spend their time in Hoi An at the tailors having shoes, shirts, suits and coats made for unreasonably low prices. I say unreasonably low because this is an instance where the saying, "you get what you pay for" seems to ring true. Of course, if you don't mind wearing a dress that makes you glisten as if you were a freshwater trout or a suit that suggests your shoulders are different sizes, this is the place for you.


It's worth noting that we were traveling in Vietnam during their holiday season, the Chinese New Year. The Vietnam version of this early-February holiday is known as "Tet", lasts for many days, and is like everyone's birthday, Christmas, and New Years, all wrapped into one. Needless to say, it's a celebration of epic proportions. Upon arriving in Nha Trang, a beachside town in southern Vietnam, we were invited to a Tet party at our hotel. We marched downstairs with the belief that we'd be exposed to a cultural celebration, it turned out to be more of a frat party-like environment. For an hour we were continually hazed by the organizers, ordered to finish our beers after every cheers - in which they recited some foreign phrase we could never quite grasp (probably a result of the alcohol consumption) - and fed exorbitant amounts of Vietnamese food. We learned a valuable lesson that day: gluttony is not just an American thing.


Lastly, I'd like to comment on the country's obsession with Ho Chi Minh. Ho Chi Minh was instrumental in unifying the country, so it completely understandable that most Vietnamese dig the guy. However, they dig this guy so much, that when he died in 1969 they wouldn't dig him a grave. Instead they embalmed him and stuck him in his very own Mausoleum in Hanoi (see picture below). From 8am-11am everyday, people literally march through (without stopping, do not stop) to see him. If you are into creepy dead guys with goatees, feel free to visit him; just make sure you don't go during the three months out of the year that he is in Russia for routine maintenance.

Good Morning (in) Vietnam

The Giants win the Superbowl!!! This makes me happy because I recall in an interview from before we left (which was in early November mind you), Brady was already being asked the question of the Patriot's potential for perfection. In reply, Brady simply responded, "The only thing that matters is winning the final game." Thankfully, we had to hear nothing about his perfect season from that point on, and I watched the computer screen with a grin on my face as Brady's season ended with an interception, (the most imperfect thing a quarterback can do), clinching the loss.

This was also good news because we had just received news from NYU, that Lauren's application has been accepted. This officially (possibly only temporarily) made our football team the New York Giants, (screw the Jets), and means that we just won the Superbowl! It's like reliving the Montana/Rice years all over again! Anyway, a big congratulations to Lauren for her first, of many, acceptance letters.

On a note completely unrelated to the Superbowl, I found out that I passed 2 out of 3 of exams for the professional engineering exam...and 2 out of 3 ain't bad, in fact, that's as well as I had hoped to do.

As if that weren't enough, we saw the sun today, which has been in hibernation for the last week. And for that twelve minute period, Vietnam began to glow, as I'm sure it's known to do. It was a beautiful moment that had the power to totally redeem our trip to Vietnam up until that point... then the sun went away, our bus driver began to honk his horn again, and I knew our perfect day had come to an end...

Southeast Asia Photos Up

Click on the "Our Photos" under "Links" in the top-right hand corner. These photos are better, bigger, and more dangerous than those which preceeded them....parental advisory, explicit content.

The Concrete Jungle

Hanoi, the capital city of Vietnam, is much like what one might expect from a large city in Asia: full of people, people on scooters. In fact, even the people who are not currently riding their scooter, still wear a helmet. Perhaps this is meant to be fashionable, possibly it's to alleviate the burden of carrying it in one's hands; but more than likely, it's a safety precaution.

Hanoi is indeed a jungle, not in the Vietcong hiding in the tropical trees sort of way, or the Forrest Gump running through the tall grass carrying a dying Bubba, or the "me love you long time" sort of way that movies have led us to believe. It is instead a concrete jungle, where they have given every lunatic a scooter to drive around in a city with few traffic control devices. These maniacs wander around aimlessly, with the sole purpose of honking their horn until it breaks on them, producing a dull sounding wheez...no matter though, because within hours your senses are so overloaded with the incessant noise and 'exotic scents' (as our guide book so romantically described these putrid smells), that you become numb. To add to the numbness, we just happened to arrive in Hanoi during a freak storm that dropped temperatures to 50 year lows; more unfortunately our hotel wasn't blessed with the modern convenience of "air-con" (the term that applies to both hot and cold air conditioning).

In Hanoi, just crossing the street is a complicated process. First, you must make a list of pros and cons to evaluate how badly you need to get to the other side of the street...there are four blocks that you can explore safely without ever having to plunge yourself into the street. But if you do decide to take the plunge, it's as if you've entered a real life game of frogger. You'll find yourself stepping forward a few steps, then jumping back, and at some point when you realize you've passed the point of no return, you take a leap of faith to the other side. At the same time you breathe a sigh of relief for having made it through the battleground known as the street, you realize you've entered an even more chaotic zone commonly referred to as the sidewalk. Here you'll dodge open flames, parked scooters (you can really never get away from them, not even inside), and worst of all: the pushy Vietnamese. These are a people who will push you shamelessly if you are in their way, literally hit you to get your attention, and tickle you if they want you to buy something. There's really nothing more annoying.

(The Murky Hoan Kiem Lake)

Ater a few hours in Hanoi, we were already craving some relief, so we begun our search for a sanctuary...which, according to our guide book, was at the nucleus of it all: Hoan Kiem Lake. This small lake is right in the center of town, colored green from algae, and is the fabled home of giant tortoises. Crossing a short red bridge to a tiny island provided some relief as the sound from horns seemed to fade (although never completely). On the island is a strategically located Pagoda, the holy home of Vietnamese Buddhist monks. Yet, in this Pagoda exists the ultimate paradox: a souvenir shop. Instead of monks taking the "middle path" to an enlightened state of mind, free of wants and desires, and chanting melodically to pass the time; people (even monks), are shopping.

Try and look beyond the laundry list of complaints from a traveller who has been on the road now for over 3 months to see the moral, Hanoi stinks. I'm sorry, but it had to be said so that future travelers don't make the same mistake we did. On to greener pastures.

A Day in the Life...

In an attempt to see the real Laos, we set out to Muang Ngoi. For most of the people in Laos, life is more about surviving than it is about cell phone ring tones. In fact, the majority of the population of Laos lives along the shores of the Mekong river, and this river is their life. It provides fish for them to eat, water for them to drink, cook with, or bathe in, and the only means by which to travel.

From Luang Prabang we set out north by bus for three hours. In Nong Kiew, we boarded a time machine in the form of yet another speed boat, and in one hours time we were transformed from modern civilization to life in it's simplest form. Along the way we noticed women cleverly bathing in the water so as not to reveal too much skin. Animals bravely roamed the steep hills which remained bare. And children populated the row boats, sometimes fishing but mostly just messing around.


Muang Ngoi is a village that has seen a recent invasion of backpackers. This has changed the dynamic of the place noticeably, as there are signs in English welcoming travelers to restaurants and guest houses. A couple of bucks a night can sustain life, and so tourists are welcomed with open arms, great big smiles, and a limited-but impressive English vocabulary.


In the morning we set out to explore the surrounding villages, which of course are within walking distance of each other. At 12:30pm we arrived in a small village called Banna. As usual, chickens roamed freely and the high puppy to adult dog ratio made us wonder...? A quick stroll through town revealed a party taking place on main street. As we cautiously approached the festivities, the music grew louder and a vaguely familiar aroma was detected. It smelled, sounded, and looked like any keg party that I've ever been to. The women danced (and I use this term loosely as they mostly just staggered around with their hands in the air) and the men knocked over tables which sent bottles crashing into the mud below. They all grinned at each other and were oblivious to our existence. These people were wasted, and why shouldn't they be, it was a Saturday!


Meanwhile, 45 minutes down the road it's business as usual. Actually, it seems more like this village had their party yesterday, and today is more of a recovery day. We once again approach cautiously, passing a family of free roaming pigs this time as we make our way through town. Our arrival is met with mixed reviews from the locals. Children excitedly scream, "Saibaidee" and gaze at us with interest at us, the exciting visitors. The adults do their best to ignore our presence, and we smile to try and communicate that we mean no harm.


As we exit town, the pre-teens that we just passed gave us the farewell I was expecting by throwing rocks at us. We walk along in silent amazement at what we just saw. The path has been widened here, quite obviously to make room for a new road which will connect this village to the outside world. It's pretty clear from the reception we received that there are mixed reviews about this road, but it seems the younger crowd won the vote.

Luang Prabang

Luang Prabang has got it all. Not one, but two glorious rivers. There are monks running around between the numerous Wats, and travelers enjoying international cuisine at it's finest. Look in any direction and you'll see some of the best preserved French architecture in the world (and that includes France). And if that wasn't enough, there is a mountain of Phousi right in the middle of town! It is truly a magical place, and according to UNESCO, the "best preserved city in Southeast Asia." And UNESCO doesn't mess around.


(The best of the many Wats we've seen)

We spent our days enjoying the numerous sights that lie within the city or just a quick tuk-tuk ride (see picture above) outside. We ate and drank to our hearts content and were always pleasantly surprised when the tab arrived. We treated ourselves to massages that we didn't need because they were too cheap to resist. We met new friends that we'll not quickly forget, including Caroline, Yefim, and Seymour...as well as Mister Ben, who gave us an insiders perspective on Laos.


(Coffee done right in Luang Prabang)

Ironically, UNESCO declaring Luang Prabang a world heritage site was like an announcement to the world to come and spoil it. The jewel of the Mekong is in decline, so see it while you can.


(View from the top of Mt. Phousi)

Uncomfortably Numb

The Mekong river serves as a natural border between Laos and Thailand. And in Laos, it is also the best highway (when there is water in it). And because our next destination, Luang Prabang, was just a couple of miles downstream, it was time to buy some boat tickets. Of course, we decided to skip the slow boat down the river g which took two full days, instead opting for the quickest form of transportation: the speed boat. It wasn't until after I purchased the tickets for the speed boat that I decided to read the chapter in our guide book which strongly discouraged this mode of travel, "simply put, it's unsafe." This warning began to ring true as we sat down in the speed boat and our driver tossed us life jackets (expected) and flimsy plastic helmets.

After the first three hour leg of our journey, we stopped for lunch. Getting out of the unstable boat proved especially difficult as our extremities (specifically our legs) had gone numb from the lack of leg room. Meanwhile, a short Laos man jumped up from his ample seat which allowed him to nearly lie down. And of course, when we finished lunch we noticed the man had returned to his seat where he was presently digesting. At that point I wished desperately for a crash in which he would be sent flying but leave us safely intact because we were quite literally packed like sardines.

So we spent the whole day flying through the Mekong at speeds nearing 30 MPH, seemingly fast forwarding the scenery of the tiny Laos villages along its banks. The combined discomfort of our numb legs and chill from the wind was enough to distract us from the fact that our lives were in jeopardy. The boat would noticeably shift whenever we encountered a small current in the water. The tiniest wave would send us flying and for a brief moment we would ask ourselves whether we would return to the water?...the answer was always painfully relieving as the boat crashed back down. We also realized that the bottles curiously floating in the water were tied to underwater hazards to provide some warning to the drivers...and peace of mind to the passengers?




(Press Play to see what I'm talking about)

At some point during the long afternoon we stopped to converse with some ladies along the shores near one of the tiny villages. After five minutes, one lady appeared holding a dear carcass, which brought a huge smile to everyone's face (except of course for ours). Our driver quickly wrapped the deer in a tarp and placed it directly on top of our backpacks. As I was pondering whether or not deer blood could seep through canvas, I realized that this would go down as one of the most memorable experiences of our trip...if we survived.

A Moment of Reflection

Brought to you by Lauren Hartz


As I sit here, drinking a cold Singha (the national beer of Thailand), looking out at the little street that lines our guesthouse; the sun is shining down on me through the bamboo plants along the table and I feel as calm as a meditating monk. As my mind flips through the photo albums of our trip, a smile is cast across my face and I know this is what I've been searching for.

The traveling life, or more directly the backpackers life isn't always easy. You're often faced with less than desirable surroundings, including: hard beds, cold showers, a smelly man snoring on your shoulder and invading every centimeter of your personal space (I'm not talking about Blake either), heavy backpacks, large bugs (filled with other peoples blood), and more body pains than an 80 year old man endures. But when faced with the choice of five-star hotels filled with rich, high class travelers or, interesting backpackers whom have been traveling for 6 months straight and have the craziest stories to tell you, my choice, hands down, is the latter.

I can't say I've enjoyed every second of this trip, but I can almost say I've enjoyed every day of it. It has been a gift to be able to take 4 months of my life, with Blake, and head to the places I've seen beautiful pictures of and heard jealousy invoking stories about.

At this point there is no clear favorite place, but it wouldn't be fair to make that decision before the trip is over. Actually, I don't think I could make it even if I wanted to. Every step of the journey has made the experience what it is, and although I may not revisit certain places, I would never change my decision to go there. I'm nothing short of ecstatic to continue our travels to Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia, and the experiences we've had thus far have only made us better, wiser travelers.

Traveling is something everyone should do. Many people have expressed their inner jealousy of our journey, but I hope that, if anything, we can be inspiring to others. I know it's not possible for everyone to quit their jobs and move all their stuff under their boyfriend's mom's house, but you have to find your own way. Up to this point in my life I've been nothing short of green with envy when I hear about other people's travels, but now I have my own stories to tell.

This is an amazing life, go out and find your place!

Chiang Mai

Welcome to Chiang Mai, a sanctuary for Thai people, and a magical place for tourists. Travel through the Night Bazaar; a land where Louis Viutton and Channel bags magically drop down to a price which ordinary people can actually afford, but are still overpriced. Browse it's small cobblestone streets and you may come accross an elephant, but beware of the slave driver who will demand money for every photo you take. We're not quite sure whether Chiang Mai is the greatest place on earth, or just infinitely better than Bangkok (where we had just come from). It's probably a little bit of both.

A Six Month Quest

Prior to departure on our journey, an anonymous tip was received for the acclaimed "best Thai restaurant in Bangkok". Keeping this tip in the back of our minds, and more literally carrying around a piece of paper with the name and location for 6 months, we decided it was time to head out and discover for ourselves what the fuss was all about.

In the 2 hours we searched for the restaurant we digested more of the thai culture than we did food upon arrival. We were harrassed by t-shirt sellers and encountered many smiling scam artists telling us "that restaurant closed, you come to this one". But with determination we continued our elusive hunt for the coveted restaurant of which I had been dreaming. After half a dozen attempts to ask for directions, we got our answer from a high hot dog vender in the local 7-11.

Alas we arrived to the holiest of shrines, in the form of a hole in the wall restaurant. The two disgusting dirty shitzus and chihuahua that drug it's butt across the floor to get some relief from the worms, could not deter us.

As we sat there, ice cold beer in hand, we knew we had not waited in vain. The surroundings were meager, but the food boasted a bold, spicy flavor we had yet to encounter on our trip so far. We relished in our choices for no more than 20 minutes, stuffing our faces faster than a monkey eats chocolate (see Halong Bay). After the tornado of eating finished, we looked at the table, wide eyed, at the mess we had made. We sat back, looked at each other, and with extreme pleasure in our hearts, smiled...we were in Thailand!



















The next day we returned to the famed restaurant, having yet another wonderful feast. We were leaving Bangkok, happily, and thus this was our last meal.