Impressions of South East Asia

It's been nearly a week since we boarded our plane in Bangkok and said goodbye to South East Asia...and hello to Micronesia and the scuba diving paradise of Palau. Having had some time to reflect on our experiences over the past two months in SE Asia, we wanted to share with you some highlights and insights about this remarkable region.

Preface: While we strove to experience the "local" culture of these countries, please understand that much of what we have witnessed has typically been on the backpacker path. We did have the opportunity to see the local way of life in snapshots, but much of what we experienced was what is readily available to travelers who transverse these amazing countries. Many of the influences of our blog come from our own observations and the instances when we were able to converse with the locals (random strangers, guides, friends of friends) and other travelers. We are sharing from our own personal experience and are not trying to put these people/cultures into a box, but only share what we have learned. Each person who comes to these places may come away with a different experience or perspective, and we welcome comments/insights from others who have spent time in these places. We always appreciate other viewpoints and know that many of our travel companions from this region are checking the blog - Enjoy!

Thailand
Of the three countries we visited in SE Asia, Thailand was by far the most developed - and the most touristed. And for good reason, the country has so much to offer in terms of its natural beauty - the picturesque beaches in the South to its mountains and jungles in the North. And its culture and people who are both welcoming and friendly. Bangkok is very much a modern city filled with shopping malls, high rise buildings and the shoppers and business professionals to fill them.

Some of the things we loved most, or thought were most interesting, about Thailand included:

People - having come from China where social etiquette is not highly valued, arriving to Thailand was a nice change in pace. Thai people are very respectful, always giving a warm greeting and a genuine "thank you." Many people, especially in the less populated areas, would stop to say hello or chat with us for a few minutes (many people speak at least some English). And if we ever looked a bit lost, within minutes someone would stop to ask us if we needed help or directions.

AMAZING Thai Massages on offer for about $6 an hour. Not to mention the variety of other spa services like manicures and pedicures for a very reasonable price.

Thai Food - spicy Thai curries, delicious soups and noodle dishes. And when we were craving Western, plenty of pizzas and burgers as well to cater to us tourists.

Shopping - everywhere you go in Thailand, you can find cool souveneirs, gifts, clothes, and more. We had a great time looking through different markets and bargaining to get great deals. Let's just say we had to send a very heavy box home via slow boat mail (so the post didn't cost us more than the stuff!)

The King - people in Thailand are wild about their king, and we are not exaggerating here. Every Monday, virtually everyone in Thailand wears yellow because the king was born on Monday and the day's color is yellow. At 8AM on Monday, the king's national anthem is played all over the country - we were in the Bangkok train station one Monday morning and everyone in the station stood up and faced the flag (and the king's huge photo next to it) while the anthem played. And when you see a movie in Thailand, before the main feature is played, the anthem is played while movie clips are shown of the king growing up and showing his kindness to the people. The king well loved because he has truly been the people's king ・he has always visited people all over the country and fought for causes that help the people. He has ruled for 60 years and is now 80 years old. Currently, and sadly, he is in the hospital with some medical issues. Everyday, upwards of 50,000 Thai people go to the hospital to sign a book to let him know they have visited and are hoping for his recovery. If only every monarch in the world had so much dedication!

Lady Boys - lady boy culture is something that is common throughout SE Asia and is well accepted. Lady boys are men who dress up as women (some are very convincing and attractive) and have the usual feminine characteristics. They may be transvestites or transsexuals (i.e., undergone various surgeries) and we assume many are homosexual. They are often part of the hilarious cabaret shows that you can view throughout the country. Unlike in Western culture, there is not really a social stigma around lady boys. In fact, they are embraced as a usual part of society and from the little we saw, do not face a lot of discrimination.

What we didn't like so much about Thailand:

The very apparent Sex Trade - it's not uncommon to see an elderly Western man arm in arm with a very young and cute Asian girl. In some cases they are prostitutes, in other cases they seem to be mail-order-brides. In certain known areas in Thailand, many a sick man (and perhaps occasionally woman) comes to take part in the rampant prostitution, sex shows, and underage exploitation. It's really very sad considering many of the girls entering this trade are either sex slaves (having been sold into it by family or suckered into it by lies) or feel they need to resort to the practice to feed drug addictions, or maybe even just to survive. It brought back memories of our visit to a museum exhibit we saw in Sweden on the expansive global sex trade - and makes one realize what a huge and devastating problem it is in the world.

The negative effects of Too Much Tourism - while tourism can bring many benefits such as money to boost an economy, there are also some downsides. In Thailand, there were times we felt we weren't far from home - Western fast food chains, retailers and even pharmacies were common place. Traditional ways of life are often diluted and changed and it can be hard to feel like you're getting a genuine "local" experience when everything is catering to the tourists and demanding vendors and scammers pop up at every corner to try and make a quick buck. And since some tourists can be quite demanding, some of the local friendly spirit can be diminished and replaced by people calloused by tourism. That being said, if you can get past or ignore some of these downsides, we would still highly recommend Thailand as a destination because it does have so much to offer.

Laos
This is a country that we had not been planning to visit. But after so many fellow travelers recommended it, we decided it was worth changing our route. And we weren't disappointed, Laos is probably what Thailand was like 20 years ago and turned out to be our favorite country in the region. While tourism (largely by backpackers) is becoming more commonplace, it is a bit easier to get off the beaten track and experience the local culture and people.

Some of our favorite aspects of Laos included:

People - like Thailand, the people in Laos were very friendly and welcoming, probably even more so. Everywhere you went, you were greeted by the locals with a smile, wave and "Sabaidee" (hello). Even when in the midst of hard bargaining, the locals were sure to keep it a friendly affair and often smiled and laughed with you. The tuk tuk drivers and shop vendors were not too aggressive or forthright in trying to get your business. The Lao people are extremely laid back, often preferring to hang out and chat with family and friends than to work too hard. And the children, oh, the children were wonderful! Full of energy, life, love and smiles. There were gangs of them everywhere and they always wanted to play (unlike other countries we've visited, they weren't interested in begging). The Lao people love children and have as many as possible - the percentage of pregnant women and the ratio of kids to adults is unbelievable. And despite large families living in small villages with very little to their names, it always seemed everyone was quite content and happy. In Laos, they seem to know what community is all about and they are graciously willing to let us "farlang" (foreigners) get a true glimpse at their lifestyle and culture.

Transport - we've already written an entire blog on this, but suffice it to say that getting around in Laos was one of the most interesting, and often fun, aspects of our travel there.

Food (and drink) - the actual Lao food is quite similar to Thai/Vietnamese food. And like in Thailand, many places have some Western food on the menu. What they have here that Thailand does not is a history of the French, which equals amazing coffee, pastries and baguettes. This may not be very traditional, but it certainly was delicious. And Lao coffee is amazing for anyone looking for good international blends. Beer Lao also deserves a mention as the local brew - we enjoyed this on many a hot day.

Backpacker Culture - as mentioned before, most of the travelers we ran into in Laos were other backpackers with similar ambitions to ourselves in seeing the world. In fact, from the time we arrived at the Thai/Laos border to the time we left the country, we hardly ever traveled alone. In each place we went, we met other singles, groups and couples on similar routes and would travel or hang out together for a few days. There were a number of international travelers who we met up with time and time again and really enjoyed getting to know them over the course of several weeks in various locations. Laos is still currently geared more to the rustic traveler, but unfortunately will probably change over the next 10 years as tourism increases. If you want to see a country in the region that still retains most of its original culture, come to Laos and come soon. (Sidenote: We were also told by many that Burma is similar to Laos with wonderful people. We would have loved to visit Burma as well, but unfortunately the recent events and violent government crackdown against its people has made it difficult to travel there for the time being. It's on our list of places to go back to though.)

Hammocks - let's just say that we spent a lot of time in these while in Laos doing what the Lao people do best, hanging out. And we loved it!

Our FAVORITE Experiences: riding and bathing elephants, drinking Lao coffee and eating pastries in Luang Prabang, tubing and swinging into the river near Vieng Viang, staying at a local village, going through the Tham Lot Kong Lo cave, playing backgammon and cards over breakfast and on rainy days, and relaxing in the hammocks in Don Det.

What we didn't like - honestly, there wasn't much we didn't like about Laos. The only thing I would mention, which is also true of other countries in the region, is the disregard for the environment. It is commonplace that people throw trash out the windows of moving trucks, buses and boats. Slash and burn methods in the rain forests are still quite common in Laos. The local people feel they need to do this to farm the land and support their families. The government and a variety of NGOs are beginning to address this issue with education and alternative and sustainable practices to help the local hill tribes make their living.

Cambodia
This country, more so than the others, left a lasting impact on us. What we learned here through visiting the historical sights of the Pol Pot regime, spending time with the local children and exploring the ruins of an ancient kingdom was both heartbreaking and uplifting. This was the country where we found ourselves reflecting the most - on poverty, war, humanity and hope. This was the country where we found ourselves feeling the most deeply - sometimes feeling so rejuvenated through the love of a child swinging her arms around us, or on the verge of tears at the many child beggars with their hands out for food. While Laos is technically a poorer country, the poverty in Cambodia is much more pronounced and the scars of their brutal recent history still loom.

It would be hard to sum up Cambodia in the same way that we have with Thailand and Laos. We loved so much about the country - again, we met many wonderful and kind people, we were inspired by the children, and we thoroughly enjoyed the sights and natural beauty. The ruins of Angkor Wat were breathtaking and it was amazing to think about what it might have been like during the height of the Khmer kingdom centuries ago.

But there was also a constant cloud of something deeper, something sad almost, tugging at your heart. The tuk tuk drivers were extremely desperate and aggressive for your business. There were children and beggars everywhere selling things to tourists, and they knew well the lingo of getting a deal and convincing you to buy. Cambodia has also been touched and changed by tourism, and with the popularity of Angkor Wat increasing, this is likely to continue. The people here are a bit more reserved and not quite as friendly and warm, with good reason if you consider their history. There are billboards asking people to get rid of their guns because they are no longer needed in the new, modern Cambodia. And in general, we did feel safe here and could see how the country is changing and growing in positive ways. However, if you were looking for it, there were still plenty of shady characters around willing to sell you some time at the local shooting range blowing up cows, give you drugs, etc. - but even these people are also just trying to make a living (and often supplement their $20-$30 a month income) to feed their families by playing off the former (and still remnant) corruption.

Cambodia's fledgling democracy is bringing hope to its people, but it's fragile and the past is not yet forgotten - probably never fully will be. Hopefully, Cambodia will be able to continue its move towards modernization and be able to improve the lives of its people.

To conclude this section on Cambodia, I wanted to share a snapshot of one of my personal journal entries that I feel embodies both of our emotions and thoughts at times while in Cambodia:

On the bus ride from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap, we stopped at a local rest stop with a restaurant and bathroom. I jumped off to use the facilities and get a coke. As I walked past the entrance to the open air restaurant, there was a boy of about 12 sitting cross-legged with a basket in his lap. His eyes were gone and his sockets were covered over with skin. Probably the result of a land mine. He sat there singing to himself and swaying to and fro. Occasionally, someone would drop some money into his basket and he would smile and say "kop jai" (thank you). I put a bit of money in his hand and then took a seat nearby to wait for the driver to unlock the bus so I could get back on.

As I sat there waiting, I watched the boy and found myself on the verge of tears. He was so sweet, so full of life. Even if he did get decent money from begging, his life could not be easy. His parents might use him as a tool to get money, or maybe he doesn't have parents. He probably can't attend school easily with his eyes and he will be forever disabled. Of course, he is not the only one with this fate in this country that has been shaken by war and tragedy. And there are also those like him all over the world - even in the USA. But on this day, as I sat and watched this wonderful little boy and saw his joy despite his pain, I could not help but love him - want to touch and hug him. It made it all so real - all the suffering we had learned about the past few days with the killing fields, the stories of the kids at the orphanage, the beggars everywhere we turned. This little boy made it real for me - made it so human, made me feel raw and so sad. Watching him made my heart hurt so much for him and for all the pain like his in the world - the unfairness, the atrocities. It all came up inside me and cumulated in a large bulge in my throat barely holding down my overwhelming emotion.

So that I didn't break down right then and there, I got up to go and get him a cold juice drink. I figured he must get thirsty sitting there in the heat and if the money he earned did go to someone else, at least I'll know he would be the one to enjoy this. I took it over to him and put it in his hands. I spoke to him in English, and to my surprise, he thanked me back in English. I wish now I would have tried speaking to him more, but I was so emotional that I didn't think of it at the time. I walked away and continued to watch him from the corner of my eye as I waited again for the bus driver. He didn't open the bottle or drink it right away. He held it in his hands, felt it, smiled a big grin and put it in his lap. Now and then, he would finger the top of the bottle and the straw alongside it and would smile again and go back to singing. I hope he did eventually enjoy it for himself. And I hope he could feel the love I gave it with and somehow know that I admired him - his joy and smiles despite his circumstance.

When I got back on the bus, I finally allowed myself to cry. As I sat there hiding in Eric's lap, I let my emotions overcome me and released the sadness that had been building the last couple days. It was a huge relief, but still frustrating because I felt so helpless. We can each do our part - and we can make a difference - but we can't fix it all. It's a hard reality to know that pain and suffering will always exist in the world. And even harder (but so important) to see it face to face.

Siem Reap and the Temples of Angkor

First, let me preface by saying there is no way I can do justice in words to the amazing architecture and fascinating beauty that are the temples of Angkor (ancient ruins that spread across many kilometers)...so please take a look at our photos. That being said, I will try and briefly describe our experiences exploring the temples with our friends Cory and Stacey.

When we arrived to Siem Reap in the late afternoon, we were met - to our surprise - by a friend of our Phnom Penh tuk tuk driver (he had a sign in hand that read "Ms. Mariah and Mr. Eric"). We decided to be good-willed and give him our business and agreed to stay at the guest house where he gets commission and hire him the next day as our driver to explore the further afield temples. We met back up with Cory and Stacey in the evening at a pre-determined local Khmer restaurant where sampled some of the local cuisine and got caught up on our activities from the last couple days. We all agreed to tour the temples the first day by tuk tuk and the second day by bike. And we also agreed to rally and get our butts out of bed at 4:30AM to go and see the sunrise over Angkor Wat - something the guide books claim is a must-see.

Day 1

The early morning arousal was brutal, but we eventually recovered and made up for it with a late afternoon nap. The sunrise was beautiful - despite the many other tourists motivated to do the same as us. Once the glory was over, we rushed back to our tuk tuk and headed to the temples that were 20-40 kms away, making our way slowly back to some of the main temples towards the end of the day. Each temple we saw was unique in its own way, depending on why it was commissioned and the time period in which it was built. Sometimes, we had to deal with the tour bus loads of people wandering around with us. But other times, we lucked out and were able to explore a place virtually alone - enjoying the peace and serenity of the ancient ruins. (If you visit Siem Reap, we recommend taking the larger loops that take you away from many of the most famous temples, but allow you to explore some of the unique smaller ones without the crowds.)

Day 2

We slept in a bit on day 2 to recover from the previous early morning, so set off about 11AM on our bikes for the half-hour ride to the first temple. We spent the day exploring the more famous temples including Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom (which also just happened to be a bit closer and more convenient for biking). Exploring the area on bikes added a whole different feel that we really enjoyed. It made you feel closer to the ruins and it was easier to stop if you saw something along the way you wanted to explore or take a photo of - not to mention giving us a dose of exercise we were in need of.

We had planned to watch the sunset at the famous tree-covered Ta Prohm temple (which we had also visited the day before), but our explorations of other temples took longer than planned and an unexpected flat tire on Stacey's bike meant we had to do some problem solving (we eventually found her a free ride back to town in a minivan with some gracious rich tourists). Mariah, Cory and I were on our own for the bike ride back to town as dusk fell and darkness set in. All was fine and good until we took a presumed shortcut on a better road. While we could bike a lot faster on the smoother pavement, it turned out the shortcut was a bit of a detour, so we pulled into town in the growing darkness amid crazy traffic and honking horns. We only almost got hit a couple times - no problem - but in the end, made it safe and sound. After our stressful ride, we agreed to meet for dinner and a beer to relax and enjoy our last evening in Cambodia with our Canadian friends.

Overall Highlights of the Temples of Angkor

• Angkor Wat - The largest scale wat with intricate bas-reliefs stretching around the outside of the central temple complex (800m)

• Bayon - We enjoyed the giant faces (216 faces) and wandering the many halls in the compact three tiered structure


• Ta Prohm - Unlike the others, this temple has been swallowed by the jungle (featured in the original "Tomb Raider" movie)


• Further afield temples - We all enjoyed exploring the smaller temples and other structures that aren't on the main tourist path. There are many jungle lined roads weaving in and out of these ancient testaments to the former Khmer Kingdom of Cambodia.

By the end of our 2-day whirlwind tour of the temples of Angkor, we were definitely feeling like we needed more time to enjoy this area and explore the temples in more detail. They are still to this day discovering more ruins in the area that are worth a visit if you have the time and motivation to get off the beaten track. This may be a place where we have to return one day.

Phnom Penh

All that we had heard of Phnom Penh was that it was a dodgy/depressing city where you want to spend as little time as possible. After a long and cramped minivan journey, we arrived to the city after dark and were tired, hungry and with little patience. So when we were immediately swarmed by tuk tuk drivers touting their different guest houses, we felt a bit overwhelmed and missed Laos even more. While our first night did not leave the most favorable impression, our time in this city over the next 3 days was actually quite memorable and enjoyable.

Mariah's Birthday

Our first full day in Phnom Penh (Oct 16) was Mariah's 26th birthday, so I knew we had to make it special. It was a whirlwind day filled with trips to the National Museum, the Grand Palace, and a famous temple. In between sight seeing, the girls (Mariah, Stacey, and Fauzia) got pedicures, manicures and massages. While the girls were being groomed and pampered, Cory and I took in the local bars and quickly realized that you can get anything and everything in Phnom Penh. While enjoying an Angkor beer, we were approached with offers of sex, drugs, and weapons (guns/rockets/tanks - and your own cow to use them on). I don't think I would have believed the guys selling these trips, but I had already seen something similar on YouTube...pretty crazy. Needless to say, we declined the offers.

The day's finale was a gourmet dinner at one of Phnom Penh's finest Italian restaurants where we enjoyed a multi-course meal and fine wine (compliments of a bit of birthday money from Mariah's mom, Joni -thanks again! ;) I had also managed to arrange a birthday berry cheesecake from the local bakery that we enjoyed with chopsticks back at our hotel after dinner. Mariah's birthday was a success. Even though we didn't spend it on a tropical island (as she would have liked), we did find our own slice of paradise in the bustling capital of Cambodia.

Pol Pot, S-21 Prison and the Killing Fields

As travellers, our goal is to better understand the country we are visiting and its people. To do this, we must enjoy the good and take the opportunity to understand the bad. After Mariah's B-Day, we changed gears and immersed ourselves in the history of Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge.

We started by visiting the Tuol Sleng Museum, also known as Security Prison 21 (S-21) . S-21 was formerly Tuol Svay Prey High School until 1975 when it became the largest detention center used by the Khmer Rouge to store and torture their victims. The museum is housed at the old prison and many of the same torture devices are still left in the rooms with pictures that display the atrocities that occurred within its walls. It's hard to imagine the magnitude of the extermination and torture that went on within this building, but the harder reality is that Pol Pot was not only directly and indirectly supported by major world powers like China, the UK, the US, and many other countries, but once he was discovered as being a ruthless dictator, nothing was done by the international community. In fact, countries like China took advantage of the situation to purchase food cheaply in exchange for weapons to fuel the Khmer Rouge.

Directly tied to S-21 are the killing fields of Choeung Ek where between 1975 and 1978 about 17,000 men, women, children, and infants were exterminated. Most of the victims of Choeung Ek were formerly inmates of S-21. It is an eerie experience seeing the mausoleum with over 9,000 of the uncovered skulls and walking on the dirt paths which are littered with clothes from the victims buried below. Due to the large amounts of rain in this region, the remnants of those still buried keep rising to the surface of the field. The guides of Choeung Ek are constantly finding new bones and teeth after each rain and leave the clothes on the path for people to see just how real the people buried below are.

Similar to visiting the atrocities of the Holocaust in Europe, a visit to the killing fields brings home the horrid reality that so many innocent victims have been killed in the name of power and hatred - and worse, that this is still happening in places in the world today. In Cambodia, the killing was taken to another level - all victims were brutally tortured and then killed, not by a quick shot to the head or gassed, but by being bludgeoned to death so as not to waste precious bullets. The country as a whole has been rocked by the awful experience of Pol Pot's reign and is still building back the infrastructure destroyed by this ruthless leader and the Khmer Rouge. While strides have been made in recent years with the country's fledgling democracy, it will still take years to gain back the trust of the people and to erase the deep seeded fear and pain that are part of the human implications of such a horrible regime.

The Center for Children's Happiness, CCH:

Now this is what traveling is all about - spending time with the local children. Thanks to Fauzia, who had learned about an orphanage called the Center for Children's Happiness (CCH) from a fellow traveler, we were able to spend some quality time with some of the kids of Phnom Penh. CCH is a home where kids (some without family and some with family, but too poor to support them) can live and receive food, clothing, and an education that will enable them to have a better life. The center is currently home to about 50 boys and girls ages 5 - 18. We learned that many of the local orphanages will go to the local garbage dump in search of children working and living as garbage pickers. Some of the kids still lived with their parents, but were so poor they were working night and day scrounging for things to sell to support their family. Other children had parents that had passed away from Aids, land mines or other diseases. The orphanage takes the children in (asking those with parents for their permission first) and begins to give them back their childhood.

In preparation for our visit to the orphanage, we had gone to a local market to pick up some toys and games for the kids. Not knowing what to expect, we bought: balls, a plastic bowling set, building blocks, and nail polish. All our choices turned out to be big hits with the kids, especially the small ones. Many of the teens were more interested in talking with us and practising their English while they gave us tours and told us about themselves - their dreams, goals and interests.

We arrived at lunch time when most of the kids had a break from school and came back to the center to eat. We had the opportunity to spend time with all different ages of kids and enjoyed learning how they are cared for and the opportunities they are given by living there: education, food, clothes, shelter, and potential for university scholarships. One boy we spoke with was beginning the International Baccalaureate (IB) program to prep for university and was told if he did well, he'd be able to receive scholarships to US schools. Some of the other kids were anticipating an upcoming sponsored trip to Japan (where many of the center's donors live) to perform their traditional Khmer dances.

After the older kids left for school, the younger group had an art lesson taught by a volunteer from Southern California. The volunteer (I can't remember her name) had come to Cambodia three years earlier while traveling and decided to return to work for a year as an art teacher in the many orphanages across Phnom Penh. Hearing her stories and the conditions of other orphanages was very encouraging; however, there are a few that are in poor condition due to under-funding, some that abuse their funding, and even a very few that take advantage of the kids. There was one orphanage that she had learned was dealing in the sex trade, and believe it or not, it is actually funded by Save the Children Norway (now, thank goodness, it's finally under investigation). It is a good reminder that when giving money to a good cause, it's important to know where your money is going. And in many ways, giving your time and love can be a most precious gift.

And since we are on the topic of giving, I would like to take this opportunity to let you all know that the children of CCH are working on building their library collection (both Khmer and English books) to help them with their education. If you would like to donate to the cause and send along a few books in English, they are looking for: young children's books (the kinds with lots of pictures and basic story lines/sentences), books at the adolescent reading level (e.g., Harry Potter-type novels, short stories, historical fiction/non-fiction), English grammar books, or any others you think might be beneficial. You can mail the books (fast or slow mail) to:

The Center for Children's Happiness, CCH

Director: Mech Sokha

#413, St. 371, Sk. Steung Meanchey Khan Meancheym

Phnom Penh, Cambodia

email: mechsokha@hotmail.com

(And they of course also accept financial donations if you prefer to send money to buy clothes, school supplies, food, toiletries, etc.)

Finally, after spending our last day in Phnom Penh, we had to say goodbye to our friend Fauzia, who was our travel companion off and on from our slow boat journey, throughout Laos, and into Cambodia. She was heading to Malaysia and we wish her the best! For us, it was time to travel to Siem Reap and the temples of Angkor and meet up again with Cory and Stacey (who had departed a day earlier).

Crossing into Cambodia

After our three weeks in Laos, it was time to say goodbye to what has been our favorite country so far to continue our journey south into Cambodia. It is both the blessing and the curse to be able to move on to new experiences, leaving behind cherished places that we will likely never see again.

Traveling in a large group of fellow traveler friends, we bought tickets for a water taxi to the main land and a minibus to take us to the Cambodian boarder. This southern border crossing is a new route that has only been open for less than a year - and they are clearly still working out the kinks. Once off the islands and back on the mainland, we quickly found out that our tickets were sold to us by an enterprising businessman who was intending on pocketing the money. He purposefully sent us two hours after the bus for the boarder had departed. We met up with the guys from the company in charge of the boarder run and explained our plight. They were frustrated at the situation and inconvenience of arranging another bus, but agreed to help us anyhow. After a bit of investigation, it turned out the scam was contrived by one of their brother-in-laws. Why someone would try to cheat us on such a small island where they can easily be found out is beyond us - there was no way he would get away with it. Needless to say, our scammer's brother-in-law would handle the punishment once he got us over the boarder and returned home.

And then there were 5: Cory, Stacey, Fauzia, and us traveling onwards in Cambodia...
From the boarder, our group of 13 split into two - those wanting to visit a volcano to the East and those of us wanting to head South to Phnom Penh. So we set off with the Canadian couple we'd befriended (Stacey and Cory) and our British friend (Fauzia) and headed onwards to the town of Kratie, en-route to the capital.

Kratie is a small city that's not really worth visiting except for the fact that it is home to the rare and endangered species of Irrawaddy fresh water dolphins. To see the dolphins, we rented a motorbike and headed up along the Mekong to find the quieter waters where the dolphins are frequently seen. For those who know us well, you will know that for Mariah to give up control and let me take her life in my hands by driving the motorbike is a big deal. But she did a great job relaxing and holding on to me while I dodged the traffic (cars, bikes, kids, dogs, cows, etc...), especially since the first few minutes were a little shaky as I got accustomed to the gears and gadgets. We rented a boat to take us onto the river and spent a couple hours watching the dolphins "frolic." Sadly, we have about 1,000 photos of nothing but a dorsal fin here, or a nose there...nothing worth showing off really, but you can view the photos if you want at the link to the right. After our dolphin excursion, we negotiated a shared minivan ride to Phnom Penh.

The trip from Kratie to Phnom Penh should not have been eventful, however, about halfway to the city our driver got out and asked us to vacate the vehicle, pointed to an over-crowded minivan for us to board, and asked for full payment for the trip. This was not part of the deal we made 2 hours earlier at the taxi station and we knew this was a scam. But with the support of the group, I stood in the middle of a crowd of yelling Cambodians trying to get us to move into the new minivan (without enough seats). The negotiations persisted for about 20 minutes until a local English-speaking student and I were able to negotiate our compliance in return for a reduced price. So, we finally all squeezed into the last minivan of the day heading to Phnom Penh for a cramped 3-hour journey.

Four Thousand Islands - Don Det

After our cave adventure, Mariah and I packed our bags and headed south to the 4,000 Islands in Southern Laos where the Mekong stretches up to 14km and creates little island groups perfect for watching the world float by.

On our way to the islands, we met up with a Canadian couple who soon became our travel companions through Laos and Cambodia. Cory and Stacey just rapped up 3 years of travel - 1.5 years in Korea teaching English and 1.5 years in Africa (Zambia and Angola) working with the NGO People to People.

In Don Det, the popular backpacker island on the boarder with Laos and Cambodia, we also ran into our Lao companions from the "slow boat" to Luang Prabang: Fauzia, Dean, Dave, Danny and Nicolai. Time in Don Det seemed to stand still as we took afternoon bike trips to surrounding islands, beaches and waterfalls (more like extreme rapids than waterfalls). We also frequented the local bakery - a rarity on an island with no electricity and only accessible by boat. The bakery was run by an Australian guy who came to Don Det for a week and ended up staying for three years. His specialties were pumpkin burgers on fresh foccacia and carrot walnut muffins. The bakery was a great place for me to set up our backgammon board and give out lessons while Mariah soaked up the chat time.

Aside from our bakery socializing, the majority of our 3 days on these islands was spent sitting in hammocks watching the river flow by wishing that our time in Laos didn't have to end. It is during our travels in this wonderful country that Mariah and I truly felt separated from our lives back at home - we were able to fully embrace the travel lifestyle and spent lots of time reflecting, philosophizing and relaxing.

More so for me, it has been hard to just live in the moment when I know there is so much going on in the world with family, friends and business. And in my desire to not miss anything, I have sometimes felt like I have not fully given into the lifestyle of a year abroad. The struggle to stay in the moment and not think too much about what we are missing at home continues to be a challenge, but I (and we) are getting better at it. In the words of our friend Ruth back at home, it is taking in the memorable snapshots of life and travel that will be so beneficial when we are back at home/work and need to take a quick mental vacation. :)

Transportation in South East Asia

One of our greatest adventures (and also the most time consuming) during our South East Asian travel has been getting from A to B. In two short months, we have taken about every mode of transport you could imagine. We thought it might be fun to do a bit of transport "show and tell"...

Planes
Compared to any other airline we've traveled on, the ones we've flown in Asia have been the best in quality and service. We took Thai Airways from Hong Kong to Bangkok and actually had the most delicious Thai curry on board. We also took 2 flights on Bangkok Airlines in the region and even on the short one-hour flights, you get a meal-like snack, beverages and excellent service. Not to mention the warm little towels they bring you to wash your hands before your meals. We highly recommend these airlines if you find yourself coming to SE Asia!

Trains
We had one looonnnggg 20-hour train journey on two trains from the South of Thailand to the North. The Thai sleeper trains have very comfy beds and a little curtain for privacy (a nice touch). Eric also enjoyed the attention of a particularly cute "Lady-Boy" attendant on our night train. :)

The day trains actually serve you food and beverage just like you'd get on an airline. Once again, we weren't disappointed with the Thai curry and cookie snacks we got on board from the attendant driving her trolley up and down the aisles.

Buses
We took a whole variety of these, from aircon comfort buses to barely-held-together local buses prone to flat tires. On the nicer buses, we were often entertained (or slightly annoyed) by the blaring SE Asian music videos or variety shows (all VERY cheesy) that they showed on the TV at the front or played over the loud speaker. Features of most bus journeys also included:

• Cargo transport - buses transport motorbikes (sometimes in the bus aisle), live animals (mostly chickens and fish), large empty water bottles, vegetables, and pretty much anything else you can imagine either on top of the bus or somewhere inside - and maybe right next to you.
  
• Vendor stop - this is when local vendors race aboard to sell you BBQ fish or bird (I say bird b/c I'm really not sure it was chicken), rice, bread and other goodies we could not decipher. It's a mad dash where the bus is filled with loud voices bargaining and touting. The vendors put stuff on your lap to try and get you to buy. And then, before you know it, they all rush off and you are on your way again.


• Random stops in the middle of nowhere to drop people off or pick people up - it was not uncommon that the driver would halt to a stop and the "assistant" would get on the mobile to call so-and-so down the little dirt road to come out of their house and get on the bus. There are no rules or real bus stops and time schedules are "flexible." It's most enjoyable when you just sit back, relax and let it be part of the fun. Being in a hurry is not an option.
  
• Bathroom breaks - sometimes you had the benefit of stopping at an actual place with a toilet. Other times, it was boys on one side and girls squatting on the other - usually with no tree cover, which is okay with a skirt, but shorts are a little risque

Motorbikes
By far the most popular form of transport for the locals. Motorbikes are more affordable than a car/truck and can actually serve as the family minivan - in case you weren't aware. We saw entire families piled onto one motorbike (dad, mom and 2-3 kids). And these handy little vehicles are also good for transporting farm animals, bicycles, wood, and even bedroom sets (yes, we really did see that happen). The Asian concept of what is possible by motorbike and what is not (and what is safe and what is not) is entirely different from the Western perspective. Riding a motorbike is actually was quite a freeing experience - you feel very much in the mix of the local lifestyle and happenings.

Warning: many tourists wind up with a SE Asian "tattoo" due to the no-holds-barred form of traffic and the ever changing road conditions

Boat
We took many of these...and a whole variety - ferry boats, wooden canoes, fast boats, long-tail boats, slow boats, large tourist boats. There are so many rivers to cross and travel (not to mention sea travel in the islands) that we got quite comfortable with being on the water. And like motorbikes, the locals can transport just about anything on a small motorized wooden canoe including: motorbikes, sacks of food, livestock, etc... and sometimes way too many people than should safely be in the boat. But hey, it's all part of the local experience - we figured at least we knew how to swim if we had to abandon ship.

Minibus
When a local bus wasn't available, we often took a minibus. Sometimes these were specifically for tourists and they'd pack you in like sardines. And sometimes you shared these with the locals, where they also packed you in like sardines (could be intersting when a monk was on board because they are not allowed to touch women). But it was always an enjoyable ride if we could open the window and let the breeze blow on our faces as we listened to our ipods and watched the incredibly beautiful scenery pass by. And did I mention - minibuses are ALSO used for all sorts of random cargo transport...but if you've read this far, I think you catch my drift.

Bicycle
On a couple of occasions, we explored our surrounds by bike and get a little exercise in the process. We pedaled around the islands of Don Det and Don Kon in Laos and also explored the ancient ruins of Angkor Wat in Cambodia by bike. Both times, we had the enjoyable company of our Canadian friends Stacey and Cory.


Tuk Tuk
These little vehicles are a symbol of SE Asia and the drivers are notorious for scamming tourists. However, they are quite fun and if you are good at bargaining you can get a good deal. We found a nice little tuk tuk driver in Phnom Penh who became our personal driver over the three days we stayed there. He then referred us to his friend in Siem Reap who we were surprised to find waiting for us at the bus station with a sign! But that's how business works here and we didn't mind giving his friend a bit of business as well.

Sawngthaew
We have spoken about these trucks in several of our previous blog entries. This was probably our favorite mode of transport and a great way to mix with the locals. Most trucks have a route they tend to drive and if you are going the same direction, you jump in at an agreed fare. Along the way, the driver stops to pick up others who flag him down and drops people off where they tell him - sometimes at their front door. Like most other transport, the locals use the trucks to transport all sorts of cargo either on top of the roof, or smushed right in beside you. In Cambodia, if they ran out of room inside the truck, then people would start piling on top of the roof (we chose to stay inside).

Walking/Trekking
Yes, we did sometimes go by foot! We went on a few nice jungle treks and also explored some of the cities and towns on our own two feet!


Elephant
Ok, so maybe not the most practical form of transport, but we have to include it here because we so enjoyed our elephant experiences trekking through the jungle.



Other Transport We Didn't Take, But Thought Was Cool...
-Tractors (aka: "jumbos") used for transporting people and cargo on the flatbed trailer attached





-Pony and Ox carts: "same, same" (as they say here) as above, but pulled by animal rather than by little tractor.

Into the Darkness - Tham Lot Kong Lo Cave

After spending a few days in Vang Vieng - a backpackers haven along the Nam Song river with tubing and plethora of riverside bars with awesome rope swings - we began heading south once more, in route to a 7km cave we had read about in the Lonely Planet.

We bought a public bus ticket to go first from Vang Vieng to the capital of Vientiane. When I saw the bus, I had some initial concerns. It was basically a rusting box of tin from the 1960's that barely held together. We seriously debated upgrading to the "V.I.P" bus, but Eric convinced me that we should have the local experience. I agreed, having seen a few other foreign backpackers getting on board and knowing that at least the road was not as steep or windy as the one from Luang Prabang to Vang Vieng (we took a tourist minivan on that route - though not a whole lot better).

After an hour or so of driving, we stopped at a small village and saw that the right-front tire was leaking. Unfortunately, the shop at the village didn't have the necessary tools to fix the tire...so what did they do?...fill it up with air and keep driving. About 25 mins later, we stopped in front of what kinda/maybe looked like an auto shop, where they did have the correct tools. They pulled the spare tire from the roof of the bus - it was old and almost completely stripped... oh great! Because they didn't quite know how to take off the bolts in the correct order, it took a while to change the tire. Meanwhile, I stood by the side of the road hoping the V.I.P bus would appear so I could flag them down and get on. However, trial and error prevailed and they fixed the tire before I had the luck of seeing the other bus. In the end, we made it safe and sound without any further mishaps...only frequent stops to let locals off/on, load on/off local cargo, pick up someone at their house, stop for a pee break (men standing on one side, women squatting on the other - I held it), or let local vendors on board to sell sticks of BBQed birds and "God knows what." It was actually quite amusing and, I must admit, fun once I stopped worrying and just trusted in the sturdiness of the old bus :).

We stayed in Vientiane only one night at Joe's Guest House, which had the nicest bed we'd slept in for months. The next day, we were off again to the village of Ban Na Hin which would be our jumping off point for the cave excursion. The public bus on the second day was much nicer and more comfortable. The only slightly annoying, but culturally immersing, aspect was the TV at the front of the bus that loudly blasted cheesy Thai/Lao music videos (love songs only) the entire 5-hour journey. Eric loved it as you can imagine! The bus dropped us at the junction of route 13 and route 8. The driver and a few others got out to show us where to catch a sawngthaew (truck) to continue 50km east on route 8 to get to Na Hin...the people in Laos are extremely helpful in this way. We were lucky that there was a truck departing shortly and we jumped in the back with our bags. A German couple - Manuela and Friedore - were also on the truck and planning the same route, so we agreed to travel together to share expenses and good company.

When we arrived at the village of Na Hin, we checked into a simple guest house and ventured into the small town to find some food. It had been raining off and on the last few days, so the dirt roads were quite muddy and full of puddles, but after some maneuvering, we saw a small sign for Tho's Restaurant. When we walked in, we were greeted by the very friendly, English-speaking Tho - an 11 year old boy. He seated us, took our orders and then pulled up a chair while his mother cooked our meals and asked us to sign his address book in which he'd been collecting tourists' email and home addresses for the past year. The book was filled with names from all over the world and he was quite proud of it. He also showed us a number of gifts he'd received in the mail from foreign friends he'd made and offered his young guide services to go see the waterfall the next morning - on a donation basis only. He was very adorable.

We rose early the next morning, hoping to take in the waterfall in the morning and then head by boat to the village near the cave in the afternoon. We picked up Tho, who brought along his snorkel mask he'd received from a French tourist, and then headed into the jungle on a well-marked path. The first part of the hike was easy...it was a nice forest path surrounded by towering white trees with spotted bark. We waded through a few small streams, but nothing too major. Then, we arrived to the main river and To began leading us upstream towards the waterfall.

Initially, we thought we were still following some sort of path, but after about 20 minutes of scrambling over huge rocks, crossing the river in precarious places and a few near misses of slipping and getting soaked, we realized that maybe this wasn't the traditional "tourist" path. We asked Tho, but he insisted this was a better way than the normal path where you had to climb up a mountainside...he wanted to save us the effort. However, after about an hour of slow progress we came to a dead-end where it just wasn't very possible to keep picking our way over rocks with the increasingly strong current. When Tho tried to cross the river at one point and got sucked down by the current, pin-balling off a few rocks, before emerging thankfully unscathed, we decided it was time to turn around and go the long way back to the actual path to the waterfall.

Long story short - we made it back to the path and climbed the small mountain to get to the waterfall. The path was a bit "iffy" in places, but certainly passable with a bit of care. The waterfall was beautiful and the jungle trekking of the day was worth the effort. We gave To a small donation after lunching back at his family's restaurant and he was delighted...his mother gave him that look of parental pride and it was quite cute. He will certainly be a great guide one day - but might just need to stick to the tourist path. The only problem was that our morning hike took much longer than anticipated, so in the end, we had to stay another night in Na Hin and make our way to the cave the following day.

At 7AM the next day, the local sawngthaew arrived to take us to the river to catch the boat to the cave. In addition to us and the German couple, there were two other pairs of travelers, which benefited all of us in bargaining and sharing the boat trip. The ride took 3 hours in a small, wooden, motorized canoe. The boats seem a bit tipsy at first, but when you see the locals loading in motorbikes and assortments of other goods, it's easier to feel more confident about your own bags not sinking to the bottom of the river. The scenery on this trip was truly gorgeous - limestone cliffs, rice fields and many riverside villages with children waving from the banks when you pass.

Once we arrived to the village near the cave, we were taken (along with the German couple) to our home stay family and served a lunch of Ramen noodles, fried egg, sticky rice, and a strange greenish rice dish. Everything was quite edible, though the sticky rice did have a few small ants crawling around, so we only took a small bit. After lunch, we were off again on another motorized canoe to visit the cave.

Tham Lot Kong Lo cave is notorious because you can only pass through its 7km distance by boat. The entrance to the cave has some rapids, so we actually had to go into the mouth of the cave and the drivers had to transfer our motor to a different wooden canoe already inside. One boatman sat at the front of the boat with two lights to help navigate and the driver sits at the back, also with a light. We also brought a flash light. Once inside, it is complete darkness other than the artificial lighting. The caverns within are expansive rooms with vaulted ceilings and some sizeable underground waterfalls that soak you as you pass under. There are large rock formations, stalagmites and even some rocky beaches that you can see when illuminated by flash light. It was a bit eerie knowing that you are under a mountain, on a river, in a small wooden boat, with flashlights. I think we were both contemplating what we would do if for some reason we tipped. Luckily, the German couple were in a boat not too far behind and our boatmen do this on a daily basis, so everything went smoothly. All in all, through and back, the journey took an hour. In Eric's words, "One of the coolest things I've ever done!"

When we arrived back to the village, we spent the evening observing village life. We taught the local children to play the card game "war," and took part in some domestic activities like grinding the green rice stuff. I got invited into another household where the mother of the house was so delighted to sit and try to communicate with myself and Friedore. For dinner, we had the same meal as lunch with the addition of fried little fish (literally the whole fish) which we politely picked at, but we could not manage to eat the head. The furniture in most Lao village homes is the floor and some mats and pillows, which is where they prefer to sit, eat, sleep, etc. We slept on mats on the floor near the house grandma (who had an obsession with beattle nuts - a sedative that turns your whole mouth red) and the young son.

At 4:30AM, we were awoken by roosters crowing, ducks quacking as they waddled through the village, puppies whining and people beginning to get up and ready for the day. We managed to stay in bed until 5:30ish and then were served breakfast - again same as lunch and dinner, but with much bigger portions...we couldn't come close to finishing and both of us were glad it was only one day/night of the food. Before we ate, our house mother and grandmother sat us down to take part in a BACI ceremony where they bless you and the food, tie six pieces of yarn around your wrists as they chant things in Lao, and give a food offering to Buddha (we presume). Then they sat and watched us eat every bite of food, trying to show us the right way to do it and laughing all along. While they watched us at every meal, we didn't have the opportunity to observe their family meals, which they had privately (we assume this is the polite thing to do with guests).

Before we left on our boat, we snuck away to have a last wander through the village to observe the morning activities and greeted the kids as they got ready to leave for school, watched an old man weaving a basket, a woman hard at work at the loom weaving lovely cloth and a woman with a basket at her back and a shovel in her hand as she walked out to the rice field. It was such an honor to be in the midst of village life and observe first hand how they live - and how content they are with the simplicity of daily tasks and community socializing. It became very apparent that here, the saying "it takes a village to raise a child" is practiced fully...the children roam so frequently from house to house, and from hip to hip, that you don't know which one belongs to who. It is wonderful.

After the boat ride back, we said our goodbyes to Maneula and Friedore and hopped on board a sawngthaew to continue our journey south. Now, we are on our way to a region near the Cambodian border called the 4,000 Islands on the Mekong where we plan to chill out for a few more days before heading to Cambodia. Laos has a way of sucking you in - the people and places are so wonderful and welcoming and we've truly enjoyed our experiences in this country and would highly recommend it to anyone coming to SE Asia. We'll write again soon...

Mariah