Cambodia: Angkor Wat, Day 2

This morning Erin and I were off in search of a cheap breakfast. After parting with the $40 fee for the Angkor Wat 3-day pass, not to mention the surprisingly high costs in Cambodia, we are on a serious budget. After a $1.50 breakfast (still too high for our liking), we rented bicycles and headed off for the rolling pilgrimage back to Angkor.

Fortunately, it was a cloudy morning, so we were able to avoid completely melting in the humidity. It only took about twenty minutes to weave through the lawless motorbike mania before we finally reached the entrance. We headed straight to one of the children we met yesterday to purchase the book "S-21," an account of the horrors of the Khmer Rouge, in preparation for Phnom Penh.

Our main attraction for the day was Ta Prom, sight of the filming of "Tomb Raider." Unfortunately, I mistakenly circled Ta Prohm on my map, which is a relatively unknown wat, and Erin and I biked around for about two hours in search of it, finally reaching the Siem Reap Airport. It was good, dirty fun, though, as we met many children in the neighboring village as we peddled through.

Eventually, I spoke with a tuk-tuk driver who correctly pointed out that "The map is not wrong...You wrong!" and pointed us in the right direction. By the time we reached the right Ta Prom, Erin and I were exhausted and hungry, so we sat outside the entrance and ate cheese and apples on a baguette (another sign of our money woes) and read aloud from our very painfully boring S-21.

Finally, we wandered around Ta Prom, and I quickly decided that The Bayon has some fierce competition, as this was an incredible place. While most of the other temples in Angkor have been preserved, this place is overgrown with gigantic jungle trees that strangle the stone walls.

After wandering through enchanting Ta Prom, Erin and I cycled past the Terrace of Elephants and back through the winding roads, eventually bidding adieu to Angkor Wat forever. Even though we purchased 3-day passes, we have seen enough and feel it is time to move on to Phnom Penh tomorrow morning.

Cambodia: Angkor Wat, Day 1

My adventure exploring Angkor began this morning when Erin and I hopped onto our mode of transportation for the day: a motorbike. And it was not just the two of us on the bike this time...we had a driver, an adorable guy named Molde. That's right...three people sandwiched onto one motorbike...proper Cambodian style.

We pulled into the entrance of Angkor, and after much deliberation, settled on a three-day pass for the outrageous price of $40. We hopped back onto the bike for the quick jaunt to the main attraction: Angkor Wat, the largest religious building in the world. We wandered through the monument for a couple hours, climbing up and down extremely steep staircases while gazing in awe at the immaculate ruins. I was mostly entranced with the beautiful, detailed stone carvings that have been gracing the walls since the 9th century.

As we were leaving the wat, we were bombarded by little children selling postcards. Of course, we had to buy a pack each, feeling terrible for the other sad little faces around us. We then found a cafe for lunch, again being hassled by the kiddies. Some noodles, three scarves, and a U.S.A. trivia session later (after I told one child where I was from, she immediately said, U.S.A...capital, Washington D.C. What state? California? Ahhh...your governor is Arnold Scwarzeneggar...he was not born in the U.S., though, he is from Austria...), Erin and I found Molde and headed for our next stop: The Bayon.

The Bayon was my favorite attraction for the day. Built over 800 years ago, it is a large stone temple whose walls and towers are covered in enormous human faces and various reliefs depicting daily life in Cambodia. The eerie shadows that the sun cast over these faces made for quite a memorable experience.

After the Bayon, we headed to three other smaller temples: the Preah Khan, Neak Pean, and Ta Som. By this point we were quite "Templed Out," which coincided perfectly with the impending sunset. Therefore, our last stop of the day included a short hike up boulders and narrow steps to the top of Phnom Bakheng to relax and enjoy the view. Finally, as the sun was dipping low in the sky, Erin and I made our way back down the hill and crammed onto our motorbike. For some strange reason, the sight of a Cambodian and two blonde girls on one motorbike was amusing to not only other foreigners but to the locals as well. I thought it was perfectly normal not to be in a tuk-tuk like everyone else...hey, we had our own driver and a thrilling ride for just $8 a day, so I cannot complain!

Tomorrow we are going to brave the intense heat once again for another trip to Angkor.

Cambodia: Hell on Wheels

After the longest, most uncomfortable, and therefore most humurous bus ride known to man, I finally arrived in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Erin and I met a boat around 8:00 am leaving Don Det Island for the neighboring town of Ban Nakasang. We then loaded all of our bags onto a minivan, and soon we were barrelling down the dusty roads to the Laos/Cambodian border of Voem Kham/Koh Chheuteal Tom.

After a frustrating two hours dealing with the border police (I was forced to cough up $6 for "stamp fees," plus they tried to charge me $5 for "stealing" my departure card...I flirted it down to $2), we climbed back into our vans, and about an hour or so later, we arrived in the town of Stung Treng. We had a short lunch before seventeen of us climbed into a sticky, dilapidated old minibus (more like a van, but made for fifteen midgets), sans air-con, of course, and began the real journey of the trip.

It was an extremely long, steamy, sweaty, ride through the backwood dirt highways of northwest Cambodia. It is undisputed that Cambodian roads are the worst in the world, and we just happened to be on the most potholed, dusty, and dangerous road in the country. To add to the adventure, our driver was a maniac...we killed two dogs along the way, put the fear of God in children, and even got pulled over by a concerned citizen. Thank God for the padded ceilings in the van, is all I have to say. Oh, and our engine kept getting overheated, so every thirty minutes we would have to stop, get out of the van, and wait for the driver and his cronies to cool it down with our bottled water.

Around 5:00 pm we arrived in Kratie, where we dropped off two passengers in exchange for two more. It was a good chance to stretch our legs and tease each other about our dirty, brown faces (remember, we had no A/C, so we were forced to leave the windows open as we plummeted through the dirty road, covering our noses every so often to avoid clogging our lungs with filth!). Soon our driver began honking, and we climbed back aboard. Little did I know that we were only halfway to Siem Reap!

Finally, we were blessed with some nicer stretches of road, and just as we were trying to get comfortable (which is difficult even for a munchkin like myself...I was in the extreme back with one knee under my chin, one leg out the window, and my head wrapped in a fleece jacket so as not to receive a concussion via the windows or ceiling), our driver decided to take various shortcuts through the woods. All we could do was laugh, albeit nervously (there are so many horror stories about highway bandits!), at the entire situation.

Finally, around 10:00 pm, our little van could go no more, so we pulled into a driveway and switched our bags and ourselves into a nicer, newer van with air-conditioning. Unfortunately, this van was much smaller, so the fifteen of us crammed in while several Cambodian guys hung onto the luggage rack up top. After about an hour of this, I had the brilliant idea of climbing over my seat to the extreme back section of the van...it was a section about a foot wide and four feet long, piled seat high with bags and a guitar, but I somehow managed to wedge myself in for the remainder of the trip. Turns out, it was not so brilliant an idea, but I was basically stuck there until we finally arrived in Siem Reap.

Yep, we made it here at 2:00 am, dirty, exhausted, smelly, but with grins on our faces. After eighteen hours of sitting sweaty skin to sweaty skin with complete strangers, breathing in the hot smoke and dust that shot through the open windows, all the while holding on for dear life as you constantly were flung out of your seat while the driver swerved to hit family pets down the Cambodian dirt superspeedway... well, what else can you do but laugh?!

Erin and I got a room at the first open guesthouse we spotted, where we were excited to receive our own bathroom, fresh towels, and soap for just $5 a night. I giggled delirously as I took my shower and the water never turned clear...even this morning's shower continued to wash off the caked on dirt.

So today is a rest day...we slept until 11:30 am, had a long breakfast, and now I'm paying an obscene amount of money updating my blog.

Laos: Deep Thoughts

As I wrote a recap for my time in Thailand, so shall I do for Laos. But unfortunately, this is my second draft, as my first one (which was ever so witty) was lost forever due to my computer crashing as I typed the final period. Aaaahhh...gotta love Southeast Asia's dial-up service.

Well, I feel that Thailand has a run for its money for the title of "Land of Smiles," as the Laos people are the most friendly and unassuming people I have met thus far. I am sure that this is owed in part to the fact that while it is working hard on attracting visitors, Laos is still miles away from the extreme tourism that is quickly infiltrating its neighbors.


Snug as a bug... 

Laos is truly the country to "chill out," from slowly tubing down a river with a beer in hand and the warm sun on your face in Vang Vieng, to wandering aimlessly through the cobblestone streets of charming Luang Prabang, to watching the setting sun from your bungalow hammock in Si Phan Don. The over-used term of "something for everyone" truly applies to this enchanting country...the perfect getaway from the hustle and bustle of city life.


Relaxed... 

One secret that I probably should not be sharing to the world via internet is Si Phan Don (but considering that odds are good nobody reads this, it should be safe). While the rest of Laos is still relatively a baby in comparison to its neighbors' mass tourism, it is working its way into the competition. Si Phan Don, however, is in its own little world, thanks to its obscure location far from the well-traveled route up north. I shudder to think what will become of this place once travelers come home with tales of Si Phan Don's serenity and beauty.

As for the food, Laos chow is quite similar to Thai food; however, I find it to be much less spicy, and at times, bland. My favorite traditional meal is Laap, which is a meat dish (preferably fish) covered with mint, cilantro, and lime, served with a bamboo cup of sticky rice. As there is a large French influence in the country, warm, toasted baguettes are to be found everywhere. The coffee is perfectly tasty, thanks to loads of sweet condensed milk.


Laos French Architecture. 

And I cannot forget the "happy" food...Happy pizzas, Happy calzones, Happy shakes, Happy mashed potatoes, Happy garlic bread, Happy pancakes, Happy happy birthday cakes...the list goes on and on. If it is edible, you can make it "happy" for just $1 or $2 extra. (For those naive souls out there, "happy" involves adding one of the two "m's" to the food: Mushrooms or Maryjane). Erin and I were amused by one particular restaurant menu that devoted an entire page to "Happy Foods," complete with the items "small joint" and "large joint." My personal favorite was the "Happy Hangover Breakfast," which included eggs, baguette, bacon, sausage, coffee, valium, and a painkiller, which you could make "happy," of course.


Mekong River. 

And now for my random thoughts bit: Toilets that do not flush are no problem as long as there is a bucket of water and a scoop (or spray gun) nearby. After forty-five days traveling through southeast Asia, I have officially mastered the spray gun. When in a pinch, spray... saves the environment from all that messy pink toilet paper (why is it pink here, anyway?). As previously mentioned, French influences are found throughout the country, from the ubiquitous baguettes and cheese to street signs and colonial architecture. True to the laid back Laos nature which I love, the service is SO SLOW...I have come to believe that restaurants employ only one person for the role of chef, server, and cashier. And finally, Lao Lao...losing the battle with a short flight of stairs and crushing in my face is reason enough to keep me far, far away from the potent whisky.

My favorite spot in Laos...Si Phan Don. 

Last but not least, I have remember all the lovely people I met while in Laos. Of course, it goes without saying that it was a warm addition to my travels to have Erin join me for the journey. And the "Longboat Posse," including Sarah, Aaron, Tierry, and especially Tom and Dom, who we just could not seem to get rid of (and they would probably say the same about us!). Aimee was a great addition to the family, even though our time with her was short-lived. And of course, our troupe of French Canadian friends and Ally and Neal, who put the perfect finishing touch on our final days in Laos.

Another Aaaahhhh....I LOVE Laos! I hate that the border only offers 15-day visas, and I wish I had gotten a 30-day visa ahead of time, because it is an amazing place in which I could have spent months exploring. Cest La Vie...I'll be back!

Laos: Don Det

Yesterday and today were pretty similar days here in Don Det. After spending some time in the mirror laughing at my previous night's stair-sailing injuries, I hopped in the river for a quick morning swim before breakfast. Erin and I then rented bicycles, found two of our guy friends, Neal and Ally, and the four of us peddled through cow pastures and over a bridge to neighboring Don Khon Island.

We rolled up to a sandy white beach, and after I swam out and checked the depth of the water, we proceeded to partake in some cliff jumping from the top of a massive rock jutting out of the middle of the river. After we were all jumped out, we ate lunch at a little cafe before peddling to an impressive waterfall in the forest.

After multiple bike-chain mishaps along the way home, we finally arrived back at our bungalow just after sunset. Erin and I had another quiet dinner, met up with the others, and just hung out with our four favorite boys outside their bungalows to the glow of candlelight. Erin was tired and called it a night around midnight while I was too lazy to get out of my hammock. The next thing I knew, I awoke, still in my hammock in the pitch-black silence of night. I dragged my tired self back to our bungalow and into bed, shocked to realize that I had slept for over three hours outside.

This morning I once again went for a quick swim out to my little island in the river before Erin and I rented bikes and met the boys back on the riverside beach. They were in the middle of more cliff jumping, but Erin and I were too bruised and battered from yesterday to join them.

After lunch, we chartered two small boats that took us out to a small rock in the middle of the river a few kilometers away near the Cambodian border. Here, we kept our eyes open for a glimpse of the rare Irawaddy Dolphins. We were not disappointed in our efforts, as the dolphins occassionally poked their heads out of the water. I cannot say I was ecstatic about my dolphin sighting, as I did grow up near Florida, but it was thrilling to realize that there are only a handgul of Irawaddy Dolphins left in the world, and even though they were far away, I was fortunate to see them.

Erin and I managed to peddle home in time to watch the sunset over the river from our hammocks. We then ate dinner with our group, once again finding ourselves, in hammocks, outside their bungalows that evening. Finally around midnight, Erin and I said our final goodbyes (we have been traveling with some of these boys for a couple weeks now!) and drifted back to our bungalow, preparing for tomorrow's journey to Cambodia.

Laos has been fifteen days of pure paradise, and I am going to be so sad to have to leave, especially Si Phan Don. There is no doubt in my mind that I will come back one day, but I do not want to envision what tourism would have done to the place by then! However, I am looking forward to Cambodia, as well!

Laos: Si Phan Don

Tuesday night we boarded our night bus to Pakse around 8:00 pm, and seeing as I was starving hungry, I was looking forward to the free dinner that came with our ticket. Unfortunately, the free dinner was a small packaged snack cake and a few pieces of candy. I decided then was the time to pop a sleeping pill to get me through the ride south.

We arrived in Pakse, a pretty scrubby town, around 6:00 am yesterday morning and immediately made our way to the bus station across town to catch a saangthaew to Si Phan Don. Unfortunately, the truck was pretty packed when we arrived, so Erin and I said goodbye to Aimee (who is heading to Cambodia) and sat down with the boys Tom and Dom, along with two other guys we met along the way, Neal and Ally, to wait for the next truck. An hour later, we climbed aboard the "non-stop" truck to Ban Nakasang.

The "Non-stop" was anything but, as we dropped off and picked up Laos passengers every few kilometers. We were packed in pretty tightly for the three hour trip. Finally, we rolled into Ban Nakasang and onto a boat bound for Don Det, one of the 4,000 islands of Si Phan Don in southern Laos.

Erin and I knicked the last remaining bungalow at the first place we entered, Sunset View Resort. Our room was just $3 a night, sans bathroom and electricity but bursting out the seams with character and amazing views of the river. As soon as I looked out at the vista, I felt a deep calmness come over me, and I immediately hung my hammock next to the hammock that was already swaying on the porch. After a relieving swim to a small island in the middle of the river, Erin and I settled into our hammocks for the beautiful sunset.

After a quiet dinner, Erin and I met up with the large group of travelers that we have seen throughout Laos, now numbering nearly fifteen people, for drinks. Unfortunately, someone thought it would be funny to fill a water bottle with the toxic "Lao Lao" whiskey, and my attempt to quench my thirst almost knocked me out. The effects were strong, to say the least.

We all went for an evening swim in the river waters, and as I was heading to the common restroom to prepare for bed, I took a serious spill down our bungalow's steep wooden steps. I wish I had it on video, as I literally went head over heels, smashing my face into the bottom step. Only this morning, with a swollen lip, blood on my face, and gritty dirt in my mouth, did I realize just how strong that Lao Lao is....never again!

Laos: Vientiane

Well, Vientiane does not receive any glowing reports from me. After a wonderful, adventurous time taking in the beauty of the rivers and enjoying the laid-back lifestyle of Northern Laos, Vientiane does not have much to offer.

On Monday, I just wandered around town with Aimee, taking care of my visa and puttering about on the internet. We then found a table by the river where we watched another beautiful sunset. That night, we girls met up with Tom and Dom in search of a place for dancing. Unfortunately, most establishments in town close at 11:30 pm or earlier, so after amusing ourselves at a little Laos club with a painfully earsplitting singer and band, we decided to relax at a table outside our guesthouse. The boys headed home around midnight, but soon came back to crash in our room, as their guesthouse had locked them out.

This morning, Erin, Aimee, and I took a tuk-tuk to the public pool on the edge of town, relaxing and swimming (but too scared to go under the water!) until it was time to head back into town to catch up on internet before boarding our bus south.

Vientiane was boring, but it did serve its purpose, however, which was to obtain a visa for Cambodia. Amazingly, I received my visa just one day after applying for it, so Erin and I were able to catch tonight's overnight bus out of town. We have decided to check out Si Phan Don, aka "Four Thousand Islands" for a few days of relaxation before our 15-day visas expire and we begin our journey into Cambodia.

Laos: Kayaking to Vientiane

This morning we awoke bright and early and met at the rafting store for breakfast. We decided to forego the ordinary bus transit to Vientiane in favor of a one-day kayak trip south. After a hearty breakfast of eggs and toast, about fifteen of us crammed into two large trucks (I was the last one out, so was forced to sit in the front with the driver) and made our way to the Nam Ngum River.


White Water Kayaking

Once we were dressed in our lifejackets and helmets, we hopped into kayaks (Aimee and I shared) and began the paddle session. After about ten minutes, I was completely bored. Soon enough, however, we hit some small rapids, but that only kept me interested for a few seconds. Just when I thought my shoulders had had enough, we were ushered out of the water to scope out the daddy of the day's rapids.

Our guide told us how to get through the rapids without flipping over. I took one look at Aimee, saying, "I kinda want to flip," followed by her excited agreement. A few minutes later, we were paddling toward the large rapids, taking all our power to turn our kayak sideways...sure enough, next thing I knew I was getting banged in the face with my kayak while spurting water out of my nose. Extreme beginner kayaking at its finest.


Site of kayak flip-tation. 

We settled down for lunch, after which I could not resist suiting up and jumping off the rock right into the rapids for a little "how does it feel to drown?" experience. We then climbed back into our kayaks for more serious paddle action, interrupted by a quick stop at a large cliff for some jumping. Aimee and I were equally bored with traditional paddling, so we did everything we could to make it more fun, from paddling with our hands to getting in the water and kicking with our feet, to standing and paddling...our personal favorite.


Showing off Aimee's motorbike injury.

Finally, we made it to the end of our kayaking adventure and boarded trucks bound for Vientiane. An hour later we arrived, and Erin, Aimee, and I found a nice room with three beds and A/C for $8. We then imbibed in an Indian dinner with our English friends Tom and Dom (who also happened to do the kayak trip with us).

Laos: Born to Be Wild

Well, today I wanted to head out of Vang Vieng, but everyone else wanted another day and influenced me to stick around to ride bicycles. I am sure glad I stayed! I was not too keen on riding bicycles through the dusty town, but once someone mentioned motorbikes, I was ready to go!

Ain't Skeered!

Yep, believe it or not, yours truly hopped on a real, live motorbike and sped through the streets of Laos! Frightening idea, I know, but what can I say...I was born to ride! Erin and I shared a bike, and after figuring out how to do the clutch, we were off! Dom and Aimee shared a bike, as did Tom and Sarah. We first headed down the road until we reached our first destination... Tham Phu Kham, a massive cave. We climbed up a steep entrance before entering the cave, which was the largest thing I have ever seen. we wandered through for a bit before meeting the disappointing end and turning around.

The cave entrance just happened to be near one of the riverside bars, and we felt we needed another day of some rope swinging attempts. The real excitement of the day, however, happened as we were leaving the parking spot. I was chatting to Tom and Sarah on their bike, Erin was sitting on our bike, digging through her bag, and out of nowhere, Dom was screaming, "Brake! Brake!" The next thing we knew, Erin and Aimee were a mass of flailing arms, legs, and one motorbike.

All fun and games till someone gets hurt...

It was the funniest thing I have ever seen (always my reaction to scary situations), so as soon as I made sure everyone was okay, I, along with the others, laughed our heads off. Fortunately, Aimee's crazy driving skills only gave her a huge bruise on her leg, as well as a crushed basket, for which she had to dole out $10.

After the mishap, we ate a quick lunch before speeding around the outskirts of Vang Vieng for a bit. It was so thrilling, and I am now deadset on buying a motorbike when I finish traveling! Once back in town, I said goodbye to my American pals and settled in for a quiet night of watching some soccer on T.V. Sadly, tomorrow morning we leave for Vientiane. I am really regretting not buying a 30-day visa!


Hanging out by the river.

Laos: Rolling Down the River

Thursday morning, after a hearty breakfast, six of us met up for tubing down the Nam Xong River, Vang Vieng's most popular activity. We hopped in tubes and traveled about fifty yards before reaching one of the first of several riverside bars. Of course, the drawing point of the place was the large zipline.

After several turns involving flips, bellyflops, and backbusters, we hopped back into our tubes. This time, we went about twenty-five yards, as we could not avoid the rope swing at the next bar. We gave it a few tries, I dove off the roof of the bar, and back in the tubes we went.


Water Buffalo!

This time we floated down the river for a bit longer, enjoying the views, relaxing on our tubes, and singing songs. Finally, a mega-stop came into view (two ziplines and two massive trapeze swings??!! Heaven!) and we steered back to land. Erin, aka Little Acrobat, showed off her double flips off the rope, while I perfected my belly flop. We ate lunch before jumping back into our tubes.

After about an hour of floating, the sun began to go down and the air got colder, meaning the novelty quickly wore off. We paddled for dear life with our flip-flops, eventually pulling into port around 5:30 pm.

Sunset view of the river.

That night was a big one...we started with dinner at an organic cafe before I met up with the American boys for a big night on the "town." Those boys are nothing but trouble, and before I knew it, it was 5:30 am...bedtime!

Today was what the doctor ordered...I slept until noon, ate lunch, and spent the rest of the day and early evening parked on one of the bamboo docks by the river. I think I shall call it an early night tonight!


Lounging by the river.

Laos: Vang Vieng

Wednesday morning, we took a morning bus out of Luang Prabang for a six-hour ride through winding Route 13, the most dangerous stretch of road in Laos, thanks to several ambushes and murders. I had my Swiss Army knife and some Tae Bo skills, so I had nothing to worry about. It was a relatively uneventful ride however, except for the lone "bathroom break," which consisted of the bus stopping for a few minutes so we could all drop trou on the side of the road to do our business. On the bus we met Aimee, an English girl traveling alone, so upon arriving in Vang Vieng, the three of us set off in search of a guesthouse.

View from our balcony.

As we walked through the dusty streets of Vang Vieng, I felt just like I was in a small version of Cozumel, Mexico, but with backpackers instead of cruise ship passengers. The town was hopping with tractors, cement mixers, and the sounds of drilling as the people were working to accomodate the increasing number of travelers. Fortunately, the building effort is in its infancy stage, but I cannot imagine how different this small town will be in a few years...glad I got the chance to see it now!

Once we checked into our room at the Saysong Guesthouse right on the river, we wandered down to one of the small thatched open-air bungalows by the river for a quick dip and cold drink. We ran into the Luang Prabang posse, Sarah, Tom, and Dom, and while I was relaxing, it came as no surprise to see my three American buddies I met in Thailand, Max, Mike, and Evan, climb out of the river after a day of tubing. I immediately ran to them, and after a round of hugs, they came over to join us.

Reunion!

That evening, we all went out for pizza before checking out the seedy Vang Vieng dance club. Eventually, we made our way back down to one of the bars by the river to chat around a large fire.