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Wednesday, September 2, 2015
Wednesday, January 21, 2015
Kota Bharu - Perhentian Islands
Beautiful and relaxing.
I spent a lovely few days at the Perhentian Islands. More specifically, at Long Beach on Kecil. The water was crystal clear and toasty warm. It was the perfect end to my Southeast Asia adventures. I loved spending time lounging on the beach without a care. And I went on four fantastic dives.
The diving around the islands is some of the best I've seen. One setback though: there were a plethora of jellyfish. I did all four dives in one day, which was a bit tiring, but a great adventure. I went with Matahari Divers, and I was impressed with their service. They were very professional and had great equipment.
My favorite dives were Three Reefs (Terumbu Tiga) and the night dive. The first site is a series of huge, stacked boulders and has a lot of swim throughs. There were a great variety of sea creatures as well. The dive was stunning by day, but I enjoyed the night dive even more. The sea is filled with bioluminescent bacteria, which light up blue when you move the water. I loved running my hand through the black water and admiring the trail of twinkling blue that followed. It was one of the coolest things I've experienced.
I spent most of the rest of my time on the island lying on the soft, white sand. It was delightful.
Perhentian Islands Gratitude Journal
1. I am grateful for scuba diving.
2. I am grateful for bioluminescent bacteria.
3. I am grateful for beaches.
Tuesday, September 30, 2014
Vang Vieng
Tourist Central
I spent a very brief time in Vang Vieng... not even 24 hours, arriving in the late afternoon Sunday Sept. 28 and leaving the next morning. But I can't say that I am saddened by this. Though, had I spent more time in the area, I might have been more apt to like it. Vang Vieng is definitely not a destination for the city itself. Rather it is the stunning country around it that is the draw. There are also lots of outdoor activities available, from kayaking to caving. I didn't have enough time to partake in any of them, but I don't feel like I missed out tremendously. It seems like lots of these things have sprung up to have something to do in the area, rather than it being a place that you really need to do them in. And (granted the natural setting was gorgeous) since I have already been to Yangshuo in China, I didn't feel like I missed out on exploring that type of landscape. Though I will say, I would have liked to go to the Blue Lagoon had time allowed.
I was planning to go hot air ballooning to see the sunrise, but when I asked around at various booking offices, I learned that the ballooning was not available. "It starts next month." You mean the month that is starting in three days?! Talk about unfortunate timing. So I contented myself with walking around the area and admiring the river and beautiful landscape. And I also treated myself to a two-hour massage.
Well, it should have been two hours. I negotiated with the lady to get a one hour full body oil massage followed by an hour foot and leg massage. She led me to the massage room and left me in the hands of one of the masseuses. I checked our starting time, 6:35 p.m., and then settled in for a nice massage. Until she said, "OK. Finished." A glance at the clocked showed 8:20 p.m. Seriously?! There is 15 more minutes to go. I decided to just complain to the lady downstairs and ask for a discount, but to no avail. A language barrier suddenly formed, and two other masseuses claimed the massage had started at 6:25 p.m., backing up the other girl. I didn't even enter the building until 6:30 p.m.! The massage was still much cheaper than it would have been at home, but I was still frustrated on principle. I paid the full price and left grumbling; at least I "saved" money by not forking over a hefty amount for a hot air balloon ride.
I got dinner at a restaurant and then settled in for a night of picture uploading and editing. It poured rain through the night, so I was happy to be safely situated in my hostel. I woke up the next morning with just enough time to get breakfast, see the river once more and catch the bus back to Vientiane. The bus ride had quite a lot of lovely scenery along the way.
I would recommend Vang Vieng solely for a nature expedition. Or if you have been traveling for a while and need a break from the exertions of a foreign country. Episodes of "Friends" play on loop in almost every restaurant in the city, all of which offer more options of foreign food than Lao cuisine. The city has sadly become what it thinks tourists want rather than maintaining its own identity.
Vang Vieng Gratitude Journal
1. I am grateful for sticky rice dessert.
2. I am grateful for beautiful landscapes.
*NOTE: Exchange to/from Laotian Kip in Laos. It's nearly impossible to do it outside of the country.
Vientiane
Patuxai
The first day I was in the city, I arrived around 9:30 a.m., I spent most of the day just relaxing in the hostel and watching Youtube videos. Gasp! What a waste of time. But I was so tired and really just needed a day to do nothing. I'm certainly not always on the go when I'm at home, so how can I expect to power through 6 weeks of traveling with a constant go, go, go attitude. It was a fantastic break! I did go out for food, however, and ate a delicious sandwich from a vendor for lunch. Later for dinner, I decided to try out a Korean restaurant, which served a delicious japchae dolsot bibimbap with ample banchon, filling my stomach and my heart. It was such a comfort food!
The next day I walked around the city, visiting the few spots that Vientiane has to recommend. I first saw the That Dam, which is just an old stupa in the middle of a roundabout. Nothing special. But on the way to the stupa, I spotted a Google Street View car! I was quite excited to see one. It was like spotting a unicorn... because I've definitely seen one of those before. And I saw the car once more on a different street just after leaving the That Dam. So it's quite likely I will be visible in some of the Laos Google Street View images!
View from the top of Patuxai
Pha That Luang
More will follow on Luang Prabang, but first to finish up my time in Vientiane. I returned to the city on Monday Sept. 29. I had intended to visit the nearby buddha park, but by the time I arrived to the hostel and was ready to leave (about 3 p.m.), I didn't have enough time to make the journey out there before the park would close. Part of me is a bit bummed that I didn't see the park, but it was nice to have another relaxing day of nothing to do but catch up on blogging and take a short trip out to check out the night market.
While my time in Vientiane was pleasant, I would absolutely say the city does not require a visit. If you are flying in and/or out of the city, then by all means enjoy what is there. But I would not make a trip specifically to see Laos' capital.
Vientiane Gratitude Journal
1. I am grateful for time to rest.
2. I am grateful for international cuisine.
3. I am grateful for tall places with great views.
*NOTE: Exchange to/from Laotian Kip in Laos. It's nearly impossible to do it outside of the country.
Monday, September 29, 2014
Luang Prabang
Absolutely my favorite spot in Laos!
I really enjoyed Luang Prabang. It was beautiful, relaxing and offered ample culture. I arrived in the city early Thursday, Sept. 25 after taking the night bus from Vientiane. The ride was bumpy and uncomfortable. I didn't get much sleep, especially because the seats were two together on each side of the aisle, so I was sleeping right next to another person. Happily, though, my bus partner was Yogi, a cool guy from Indonesia. I didn't know who to expect to share the ride with, but it worked out well. Yogi was a funny guy and had also spent some time in Korea. We chatted for a while before trying to get some sleep. I felt comfortable next to him and wasn't freaked out when our butts inevitably brushed up against each other as we rode through the country. But I was certainly happy to be off the bus the next morning and went directly to Central Backpackers, where I was able to secure a bed and check in immediately, even though it was only 6:30 a.m. I was glad to have a bed to sleep on and decided to sleep until I could sleep no longer, which turned out to be about 11:30 a.m.
View from Phousi Hill
Once I finally woke up, I spent the rest of the day wandering around the city. I enjoyed exploring several of the temples, of which there are many, and decided to climb Phousi Hill. The ticket cost 20,000 kip ($2.50) to climb the staircase to the top of the hill. There are actually two staircases, each on opposing sides, which allow access to the top of the hill. The top has some great views of the city and it definitely worth a visit. By the time I climbed down, the night market had started, so I walked around that for a bit before grabbing dinner and calling it a night.
Tak Bat
The next morning I woke up at 5:40 a.m. to watch the Tak Bat, the morning ritual of the monks walking around the city collecting alms. I caught the tail end of the ritual, but was able to see several monks gathering food from some of the locals. There is a lot of hullabaloo about the ritual being ruined and becoming a tourist spectacle. But from my observations, it still seemed like a solemn ritual. I think if you are going to observe, then just don't be an idiot and get up in the way of things. After most of the monks seemed to have returned to their temples, I ventured over to the river for a short time to see the lingerings of the sunrise. Then I headed back to my hostel to get a bit more sleep.
Kuang Si Waterfalls
I woke up again around 9:30 a.m. and ate breakfast. Then I got ready to set out on the ride to Kuang Si waterfalls. We left around 11:30 a.m. and got to the falls about an hour and a half later. We had a short two hours at the falls. The entrance into the waterfall area set me back another 20,000 kip, but it was well worth it. Near the entrance, there is a small Bear Rescue Center that is home to Sun Bears. The bears were easy to see from the path and the center had some good information about the mission to protect the bears.
The falls have several tiers, which are stretched out with pools in between. At first, I thought a small fall near the bottom was the main attraction, but decided to keep walking to see if there was more. And good thing I did, because the start of the waterfalls was incredible! It was really a beautiful sight. I decided to hike to the top, not sure how difficult it would be. It was more strenuous than I first anticipated, but nothing I couldn't handle. There were parts that were a bit unsettling, but I made it through unscathed. And barefoot. That may have been my favorite part of the falls. I had my shoes on for a good while, but almost lost a flip flop when crossing a bridge that had a powerful overflow of water streaming over it. I then took off my shoes and discovered how soft and incredible the ground felt to walk on. It was comfortable to walk on the ground even all the way to the top of the falls.
Once I returned down, I decided to go for a swim in one of the pools. On my way, I encountered a group of three or four drunk men (I am fairly certain they were Chinese) who asked if they could take my picture. I denied their request, and they seemed to accept it. Until I got to the pool area, where they were taking pictures with and of other Western tourists. I took off my outer clothes and entered the pool in my bikini. Once in, I asked another girl in the pool to take a picture of me with the falls behind. As I started to pose, one of the men came over, trying to join the picture. I asked him to leave, but he was adamant, so I had to shove him away to finally be free of him. It was frustrating, but I let it slide and had a nice conversation with the girl who had snapped my photo. As time went on, the men kept trying to sneak pictures of us, which was both obvious and infuriating. I kept my camera in front of my face, which deterred them. But once I got out of the water, one of the guys took a few photos with his phone. I told him to stop, so he nodded and turned away. I then got my towel and turned to see him taking more photos, so I made a big X with my arms, "Stop. No.More.Photos." and he nodded and turned away. Then I readjusted my towel, and again I saw him taking photos. I was so done. I ripped his phone from his hands and deleted every photo he had of me. Their belligerency was upsetting, but I still had an enjoyable time at the falls.
After returning from the falls I was quite spent. I took a shower and then enjoyed some more Internet time, watching the last episode of Rookie Blue. I later headed back to the night market for a light round of shopping and then to Nazim Restaurant for some Indian food. It was an enjoyable evening.
Cooking Class
Saturday morning I did a cooking class with Tamarind. It was an exceptional class! We met up at Tamarind Restaurant, where I discovered that a girl, Toni, that I shared the hostel with in Vientiane was also taking the cooking class! It was nice to run in to someone I had previously met.
The class started with a very brief tour of the market and explanation of the different types of foods. We were then taken to the cooking class facility, which was a beautiful kitchen in the countryside. It was an incredible place to cook. We had lovely views all around and a nearby stream.
Much of Lao cooking, or at least the dishes we made, is done by pounding ingredients in a mortar and pestle. We made several dishes, starting with sticky rice and a spicy eggplant dip. Our other dishes were fish steamed in banana leaves, stuffed lemongrass, larb and coconut sticky rice. All of the food was incredible! The most notable dish was the larb.
Larb is a minced meat salad that can be made with pretty much any meat. We made larb with buffalo. Already interesting, but the real intrigue is that the salad usually includes intestine and bile. Yep, bile. The Lao people take using every part of an animal to a whole new level! Now, we were able to make our larb without the intestine or bile, but our instructor made his first to show us the process and included both. So I was able to try it, and it tasted pretty good. Though my larb didn't include the extra ingredients, it tasted quite similar to our instructor's, so I do not feel inclined to ever add bile. After all of our hard work cooking, we were able to sit down to our feast and enjoy a delicious meal. It was a great class, and I would highly recommend it!
After class, Toni and I decided to grab a coffee and had a lovely chat. We then wandered around the city for a bit, checking out some of the temples. On our way back to our hostels, I stopped to get cash from an ATM, and we met a girl named Patricia as I waited in line. We joked about the ATM running out of cash, which it turned out it did. So the three of us left together in pursuit of another ATM. Once we got our cash, we decided to continue on together after a short break. We planned to go back to our hostels and then meet again an hour and a half later for dinner and to enjoy the night market. I dropped off some stuff at my hostel, then went for a pedicure before meeting up with the girls.
We all joined together again and proceeded to have a delightful evening together. They were both great fun, and the three of us got along very well. We had very similar sensibilities and dispositions, so it felt comfortable and easy to be together. We grabbed some food from the night market-papaya salad and fresh spring rolls-where a guy, Nick, struck up a conversation with us and then joined in on our group. The four of us then set off to stroll around the tents in the market. We did a bit of shopping, then ate the remaining spring rolls while sitting on the sidewalk at the end of the market and chatting. After some convincing from Nick, we headed to Utopia Bar, the night spot most of the young travelers in Luang Prabang go to. It was a nice bar with a great vibe. And we finished the night off with a bit of dancing. I was sad that I didn't have more time with these great people (well, mostly Toni and Patricia...), but so glad to have been able to share a wonderful day together. I had such a fantastic last night in the city.
Sunday morning I took the beautiful bus ride to Vang Vieng.
Luang Prabang is a fantastic place, and I would have been perfectly content to spend my whole week in Laos in that city alone. It is a treasure.
Luang Prabang Gratitude Journal
1. I am grateful for companionship, however fleeting.
2. I am grateful for cooking classes.
3. I am grateful for quiet.
4. I am grateful for waterfalls.
5. I am grateful for food.
*NOTE: Exchange to/from Laotian Kip in Laos. It's nearly impossible to do it outside of the country.
Kuala Lumpur
National Monument
Visiting the lay over city.
I will have flown in and out of Kuala Lumpur (KL) on four different days by the time I finish this trip! I chose to fly Air Asia, the cheapest option, and consequently have to stop in KL between some flights. It's worked out well and of course I was happy to check out the city on one extended lay over if you will (all the flights are actually booked individually, so I could dictate what constituted the lay over). I had a full day and two nights in Kuala Lumpur, which I felt was enough time to see the major attractions in the city.
I arrived late the first night from Brunei, taking Air Asia's Skybus in to the city for 10 ringgit. I was then able to catch the metro to Chinatown, where I stayed at Matahari Lodge. It was a pretty good place. Not the nicest hostel I have stayed in, but clean enough, and it had hot showers. There was also breakfast included, though it was just toast with butter, peanut butter and jam. Still better than nothing!
Petronas Twin Towers
The next morning I headed out early in hopes of getting a free ticket to the sky bridge between the Petronas Twin Towers. Sadly, the sky bridge is closed on Mondays, and of course I was visitng KL on a Monday (Sept. 22)! So instead I walked around the Suria, which is essentially two malls in one in the Kuala Lumpur City Center. Most places weren't open until 10 a.m., though, so there wasn't a lot for me to do. I decided to walk to Kampong Bharu, an old village within the city. On the way I spotted an H&M, which was open, so I figured I'd browse inside quickly. I ended buying a few items before finally continuing on to the old village. There wasn't much in the area, but a few cool old houses. I had a pamphlet from my hostel that gave some history to the place, so that made it a bit more interesting. I also found a food court and had some noodles for lunch.
Old Train Station
I continued exploring the city, this time heading to the old train station. I jumped on the metro, which is incredibly cheap and convenient, to save myself a long walk. The old train station is quite lovely and there are some other interesting buildings around the area as well. From there I walked to the nearby National Mosque, which is the ugliest mosque I have ever seen. It was seriously horrid.
Botanical Gardens
Kuala Lumpur was a nice place to visit, and I imagine it would be quite comfortable to live in. Also, the public transportation is great.
Kuala Lumpur Gratitude Journal
1. I am grateful for efficient public transportation.
2. I am grateful for gardens.
Brunei
Money and time.You need an abundance of the former, but a smattering of the latter.
I arrived in Brunei around 4 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 18 with no accommodation booked and uncertain of where the bus stop was located to catch the bus from the airport to the city center. But this was nothing new to my travels, and I figured it would all work out just like it had been in each of the places I had previously visited. And in the end it did work out, just in a very different way!
I was hoping to stay at Pusat Belia, a youth center in Brunei that offered dorm rooms for B$10 (B$= Brunei Dollars) a night. I had read online that it was understaffed and finding someone at reception could mean waiting for a couple of hours, but in each of the cases, it had worked out fine and the writers (of the blogs and forums I perused through) had been able to secure a room. I wasn't sure where the youth center was, so I asked an airport employee if he was familiar with the place and knew which bus I could take and where to board said bus. He knew the place, but said the bus was unlikely to be available any time soon (I had also read about the shoddy public buses in Brunei, which are unreliable and won't run unless there are enough passengers, in those same blogs and forums). And then he offered to drive me to the youth center for only B$5. I hesitatingly agreed, then a moment before leaving the doors of the airport to his car, I panicked as the plots of "Taken" and "Hostel" flashed through my mind.
So I figured I'd just get a taxi. But I was not inclined to pay B$25 for a 9 km ride! So I set out in search for the bus (a B$1 ride), but to no avail. Happily another traveler was looking for the bus as well, so I told him about the ride I was offered and asked if he'd be willing to split it. He agreed and we went back into the airport in search of the man who offered me the ride. We found him after a short time, and happily he, who I later learned is Min, was still willing to drive me in to town and didn't mind having a second passenger. Min dropped off the other guy first and then took me to the youth center. He even went with me to the youth center to ensure that I got a room, and good thing he did, because the staff was gone for the day and wouldn't be back until Saturday! He knew the cheapest hotel in town and drove me there and helped me secure a room there. It was B$40 a night, so significantly more expensive than what I planned for by staying at the youth hostel, but definitely the cheapest hotel in town from what I had researched on the Internet. I was so thankful to have Min's help. He was such a kind man and really just wanted to help me out of kindness (and maybe a bit of boredom).
Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque
The next morning I met Alisa and we walked to the jetty, where the booking agent would send us off to the tour guide. Happily, I was able to join in the tour with no problems. We took a boat to the Temburong area of Brunei. We were picked up by our tour guide and then taken to the Eco Village Guesthouse where we would set off to the jungle. Next we went by boat again up the river, but this time our boat was a Temuai, a wooden long boat. The river was low, so there were several parts where the skipper had to cut the motor and the man in front would help propel us forward with a large stick, mind you while going up rapids. I was constantly impressed with their expert handling of the boat! The took us to the entrance of the park, where we registered, and then we carried on again to the part of the river with the canopy walk way.
The river to the park.
We were dropped off on the river bank and then set up to climb to the canopy walkway. The first part of the walk afforded a bit of hiking, but we were soon to a lengthy staircase that would take us the rest of the way. We completed the 800 steps, reaching the bottom of the canopy walkway. A few more steps up the towers led us to the top of the canopy. It was an incredible view! I felt like I had nearly as good a vantage point as a bird flying overhead would see. The walkway had four towers and three bridges connecting the towers. We walked along all of them and saw the canopy from different parts of the bridge. The final tower definitely had the best view!
Canopy Walkway
After the walkway, we hiked back down to the boat and then stopped off at a small waterfall on the way back. Our tour guide had us all take off our shoes, hold hands and close our eyes, and then led us in to the water where the fall pooled. We weren't quite sure what to expect, but suddenly I burst out laughing as I felt something nibbling at my feet! Everyone had a similar, joyous reaction and we all enjoyed our complimentary fish spa pedicure. It was such a fun way to learn the fish were there. Our tour was almost up, as we headed back to the Eco Village, where we had lunch before returning to BSB. It was a great tour overall and well run. Well worth the B$125 fee.
Jame Asr Hassanil Bolkia Mosque
The next day Alisa left Brunei, and I joined Oceanic Quest for some diving. I had planned to do three dives, but the visibility was crappy (though good for Brunei apparently) and they where all wreck dives, which I have discovered I don't particularly enjoy. I am glad I did the two dives, however. Interestingly, they were the American and Australian wrecks, two ships that were both sunk by Japanese mines during World War II. They are the only wrecks I have seen that were not purposely sunk to stimulate coral growth, so it was interesting to see in that sense. But I really prefer the colors and variety of corals and sea life, so staring at a decaying vessel just isn't as appealing. After the dives, I headed back to town, where I visited the Royal Regalia Museum to check out some of the absurdly abundant amount of gifts the Sultan has received. I then spent much of the night hanging out in a coffee shop. Sunday I was able to get a ride from Min to the airport (Seriously, this guy was so great! Really made my time in Brunei so much easier. A real blessing.) and then flew to Kuala Lumpur.
My time in Brunei started out rather stressful, but I was blessed with meeting great people who made it an enjoyable place to visit! The mosques were spectacular and Brunei had some of the most beautiful sunsets! The colors were spectacular. Streaks of saturated pinks, oranges and reds painted the sky. It turned out to be a great time.
Brunei Gratitude Journal
1. I am grateful for Min.
2. I am grateful for fellow solo travelers.
3. I am grateful for skilled boatmen.
4. I am grateful for scuba diving.
Friday, September 26, 2014
Penang-Georgetown
Street Art
A quaint old quarter, fantastic food and a beautiful beach.
I fell in love. Penang is one of the best places I have been, and a place I certainly hope to return to. I could have easily stayed for a few weeks, but sadly only had two full days. I flew in late from Singapore, arriving around 9:30 p.m. on Sept. 15. I was able to take the bus to the city, which took about an hour and cost 2.70 ringgit ($.83). The bus was my first glimpse at how nice the people of Penang are. I was a bit nervous about which bus to take, though I read that I was supposed to take the 401E, but thankfully there was an incredibly helpful bus attendant at the bus stop. He was a kind man and directed me on to the correct bus, which was indeed bus 401E, after sharing a pleasant conversation while I waited for the bus.
The bus terminated at Komtar, which I later learned was a main shopping center in Penang's Georgetown. But at the time I was totally unsure of where I was. Luckily there was a really helpful girl, Hui Ting, on the bus who walked with me in the direction of her house, which was also the direction of my hostel. It was such a comfort to get pointed in the right direction, and she was a sweet girl. I got to the hostel I intended to stay at, but they were full. I was flustered for a moment, but just walked down the street a bit and found another place to stay, which ended up being cheaper. I stayed at Red Inn, and really enjoyed the place. It was a large hotel with several rooms, and I stayed in a four bed dorm. Breakfast and towels were included, which was a bonus.
Hokkien Mee, the most delicious thing I have eaten on this trip.
My first day in Georgetown, which is a city within the state of Penang, I walked around the old city for a while in the morning and enjoyed its general splendor. I also was in search of sunscreen, having run out the day before. I found some at 7 Eleven, but at $10 for a 4-ounce bottle, I was reluctant to buy it. So I went in search of a supermarket and found Mydin, a shop comparable to a miniature Walmart. Mydin didn't carry the tradition sunscreen brands, but did have two options. Neither had an SPF or description of water and/or sweatproof, but I decided to give it a try and bought the cheaper one for about $1.50. It actually worked quite well, but smelled horrendous! After my sunscreen adventure, I was quite hungry, so I headed to Kimberley Street, which Hui Ting said had a lot of good street food. I had read that Hokkien Mee was a good dish, so I gave it a try. It was absolutely scrumptious. Definitely my favorite thing I have eaten on this trip. It was essentially a spicy noodle soup with shrimp and vegetables, but so flavorful and savory that it really stood in its own echelon.
After a most satisfactory lunch, I took the long (about 1.5 hours) bus ride to Batu Ferringhi, the beach area of the city. The beach was incredible with soft, white sand and not too many people or too many peddlers. I spent the late afternoon and evening alternately lounging and reading on the beach and swimming. I forgot to bring a towel, so I had to improvise. I had purchased water and some snacks before heading to the beach, and received a clever bag made from newspapers. I decided to give the A Section a third life and laid it down as my barrier from the sand. It actually worked quite well until I swam and then got it wet. It quickly disintegrated and left a bit of story behind on my legs, but nothing that didn't wash off easily with my next dip in the ocean. At that point I decided to rent a beach chair. The guy started at 10 ringgit ($3) but after I gave a slight hesitation dropped the price to 5 ringgit. The simplest bartering I've ever done!
The beach shuts down once the sun sets, but the main road nearby turns in to a night market around 6 p.m. I enjoyed walking through the market and checking out the merchandise. I met a persistent old man who was a chiropractor slash masseur. He squeezed my hand and pinpointed my tendency to have lower back pain and have swollen calves. The skeptic in me wonders if he had not followed me for a bit and studied my body movements to diagnose me rather than just with the squeeze of my hand, but I was impressed with his accurate diagnosis. I decided not to partake in his treatment, but if I happen to run in to him again upon a return to Penang (because I really hope there will be one), then I will have to give it a shot! I had dinner at a hawker food center and then took the bus back to Georgetown. The ride was much quicker without the traffic. I settled in for the night and got some rest.
Penang Hill
The next day I headed to Penang Hill to take the funicular up to the top of the hill. The price for an adult was 30 ringgit ($10), but I was able to use my student ID for a student discount, scoring a ticket at half the price. Prior to the ride, I thought the price a bit steep, but once I realized how steep the funicular's journey was, the price was absolutely fair. Especially considering it was round trip. I would have been happy to pay the full adult fare had there been no student discount. The ride itself was quite fun, and it would have been an intense climb otherwise. I believe there was indeed a staircase to the top, so not an all out hike, but still a journey I was much more inclined to take by railway. There were several attractions at the top of the hill, including an Owl Museum and some gardens for an additional fee. I didn't bother with the extras and instead walked around the hill top. It was a cloudy day so the views of the city below were dismal, but I was still happy to have gone. The funicular ride was worth the cost and time to get to the area in itself, so everything else felt like a bonus. But, of course, it would be ideal to go on a clear day.
On the way back to the city I considered stopping at Kek Lok Si Temple, which is only a few kilometers from Penang Hill and recommended as a top spot to visit. But I felt to lazy and contented myself with glimpsing at the temple as the bus passed by back on its way to Georgetown. It did seem like it would have been quite spectacular, but I've long ago given up the desire to see every temple a country has to offer. It's unattainable. Had I had more time in Penang, I would likely have gone to check the temple out, but I just wasn't up to it this time around.
After returning to the city, I went on a search for lunch. I was planning to get more Hokkien Mee from the same cart on Kimberley Street, but much to my dismay, the man and his cart were not present (nor were they later present when I went to check again at dinner time). As such, I was quite disappointed and grieved that I was only able to eat his delectable dish once. I ended up eating at Subway, which was mediocre but filling.
With a full tummy, I headed back toward my hotel to drop of some things when I caught a sign for a camera museum out of the corner of my eye. I decided to go in and check it out. I was able to get another student ticket (yes!) and ventured through the museum. There were cameras of all shapes and sizes representing centuries of camera development. I started off just wandering around by myself, but soon a staff member was nearby and gave me detailed information about the cameras in the museum and camera history in general. It was one of the better museums I have been to. And at the end, there were a series of photos of cool street art, which I learned was in Penang! I was excited to have more to admire in the city and set off in search of the street art.
A great way the city tells its history.
Much of the street art is around Armenian Street, so I headed there first. But I should mention, the picture above is one of the wrought-iron caricatures, which I had seen several of before. With 51 of them around the city, they are hard to miss. I really enjoyed reading them and learning a bit of the city's history in such an attractive way. I think more cities should adopt a similar style. Back to the point, the street art in discussion was mainly murals. And some of them were interactive, like the two children on a bike and the kids on a swing set. Georgetown has some of the best street art that I have seen in the world. I loved that it was interactive and often incorporated the heart of the city.
I found as many of the murals as I could, and then decided to head to Fort Cornwallis. The fort wasn't the most impressive I've seen, but at 2 ringgit (less than a dollar), it's worth a visit. The area is fairly quiet and has a nice bed of grass along with some trees. It is a relaxing place to see, and one of the walls gives a nice view of the marina on the other side. While there, I asked a guy to take my picture, and then we followed up with the common question, "Where are you from?" I was a bit surprised when he replied, "Iraq." And he seemed equally startled when I answered, "The U.S.A." We had a fleeting moment of awkward tension before realizing we were fine and that didn't change anything. Turns out he used to live in the US before the war, but had to flee once it broke out. He was a kind guy, and really I would have loved to talk with him more. I was intrigued by what his view on the war and America now would have been, but alas time is a finite resource. Still that brief moment left me contented and hopeful for the future.
By this time the sun was setting, so I decided to grab some dinner. I got some dim sum, which is popular in the area as it is largely influenced by the Chinese. Still a bit hungry, I also had some Hokkien Mee, but from a different place than the one I dined at on Kimberley Street. It was no where near as good as the first, but interesting and tasty in its own right. I then called it a night and headed back to my hotel to sleep before my early flight the next morning.
Penang is truly a treasure and a place I plan to return to.
Penang Gratitude Journal
1. I am grateful for helpful locals.
2. I am grateful for people asking permission to take my picture (happened at the beach).
3. I am grateful for people accepting "no" as an answer to above request.
4. I am grateful for student discounts.
5. I am grateful for a diverse world with a variety of food.
Thursday, September 25, 2014
Singapore
Marina Bay Sands
Charming by day; magical by night.
My time in Singapore was brief but delightful. I really loved the city/country/island. Singapore is practically spotless and offers an extensive, well run public transportation system. It was really easy to get around, and actually small enough to walk most places. I arrived in the afternoon of Sept. 14 and headed straight from the airport to my hostel @The Little Red Dot. I contemplated getting a tourist 2-day metro/bus pass but opted out when the cheaper option was sold out. There was one for $26 ($10 of which was a refundable deposit after returning the card) for unlimited use of the public transportation system and another for the same price, but with no refundable deposit; rather, including passes for two attractions in the city. Had the cheaper one been available I certainly would have gotten my money's worth by using the metro extensively, but I am actually pleased I chose not to purchase it, because I was easily able to walk around the city, seeing much I would have missed in the train.
Singapore Flyer
I arrived at the hostel around 1:30 p.m. and had to wait around until 3 p.m. to check in. The timing worked out rather well as I did a bit of research and planned my path for the day. I set off around 3:30 p.m. and walked from the hostel (on Lavender Street) down to the Bay, making several stops along the way. I passed through Bugis area and walked around the Colonial District, which wasn't all that impressive but had some interesting buildings. I also passed through the construction preparing for the Grand Prix Formula 1 races, which were set to begin the next week. Once I got to the bay, I admired the Marina Bay Sands hotel and ArtScience Museum buildings as well as the Singapore Flyer.
Supertree Grove
I then headed over to the Gardens by the Bay, where I spent much of the rest of my day. The gardens were really beautiful and offered a great variety of flora. There were two conservatories and a skywalk you could pay for ($28 for two conservatories, $5 for the skywalk), but I decided to skip them as the rest of the area was free and rather extensive. I walked around the extent of the gardens, admiring the lake and various plants. Happily, I arrived when the Chinese community was celebrating the mid-autumn festival, so I was able to catch a cool acrobat show and enjoy several lanterns along the paths.
Gardens by the Bay
The supertrees, though not really trees at all, were my favorite part of the gardens, namely because of the light show. Each night at 7:45 and 8:45 p.m., the trees are lit up in time with music. It is spectacular and was my favorite part of my time in Singapore! I can't describe the experience justly, but it was such a beautiful, serene moment. And the music they used was great. After I went to see the laser light and water show in front of the Marina Bay Sands, but I didn't find it as impressive. It was great in its own right, but not as magical. Though I was impressed with the images, almost like an artistic documentary of Singapore and its people, that were displayed on the fountains. It was definitely worth seeing, but if you only had time for one I would undoubtedly recommend the supertrees light show. After the second light show, I headed back to the hostel to get some rest.
Chinatown Food Street
The next day I got up early and grabbed some food from Fair Price, a grocery store near my hostel. It was a great place to find, because I was able to get fruit and snacks for cheap. Definitely a good way to save a bit of money (and before leaving, I ended up buying a small jar of Skippy peanut butter, which has really come in handy since)! Then I headed out to Chinatown. I walked around the area, which was filled with shops and restaurants. It was an interesting area to visit, but not all that pressing to check out unless you want to shop or eat. Though there is also the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple, which was fairly interesting.
Maxwell Food Center
I then headed to Maxwell Food Center for lunch. I made several laps around the food stall, trying to figure out where to eat. Finally I settled on trying porridge from a place that had a long line. It was definitely worth the wait! The chicken porridge was delicious and quite unique from other things I have eaten on this trip. I also had some popiah, which is like a sandwich wrap meets a fresh spring roll. It was really tasty.
I ended the day by journeying back to the Burgis area and visiting the Albert Center and Albert Street, which I was quite excited to see. They didn't have much to offer, but I was particularly partial to the name. Time was running short, so I headed back to the hostel to rest for about an hour before taking the metro to the airport to catch my next flight.
Singapore was a great break from the sometimes craziness of Southeast Asia, though it did come with a higher price tag. Though my time was short, I felt like I was able to see the most significant parts of the city and didn't leave with regret or a need to see more.
Singapore Gratitude Journal
1. I'm grateful for sidewalks.
2. I'm grateful for light shows.
3. I'm grateful for grocery stores.
4. I'm grateful for hawker stalls.
1. I'm grateful for sidewalks.
2. I'm grateful for light shows.
3. I'm grateful for grocery stores.
4. I'm grateful for hawker stalls.
Wednesday, September 24, 2014
Saigon/Ho Chi Minh City
I arrived in Ho Chi Minh City early in the morning, around 5 a.m. I was a bit disoriented at first, not sure where the bus driver (I took another overnight bus) had dropped us off at. But I let instinct take over and crossed the street to walk down the nearest intersecting street. Happily I found myself on the exact road I needed to be on, and after a short 5 minute walk, I was at the door of the hostel my friend from Dalat recommended to me, Eco Hostel. I was able to check in and get a bed right away, but I had to pay for a night and a half for such an early check in. It was absolutely worth it though, because I slept for a few hours in a comfortable bed rather than on an erratic bus.
I woke up around 9 a.m. on got ready to set out for the day. I went to the front desk to ask for tips of where to travel the city when I saw a sign for a free tour. It was starting shortly, so I hurried over and was able to join in. A British man, Adam, who has been living in Saigon for four years headed up the tour much like they are offered in Europe. The tour is free, but you are encouraged to tip at the end whatever you deem the tour worth. It was an incredible tour!
We walked around the city for about three hours, checking out some of the historical and notable sites. Adam was very knowledgeable of each of the places he took us and gave us a great history of each of the spots. I really learned a lot on the trip, which made the places we visited much more interesting. I won't make an exhaustive list of each spot we stopped at, but some were Ben Thanh Market, Saigon Opera House and the Reunification Palace. The tour was the perfect fit for me as I had such little time in the city. I was able to see the important spots worth a visit and find out what made them so noteworthy.
After the tour I went to the War Remnants Museum, which was rather depressing. There were lots of pictures of people who were mutilated and malformed by Agent Orange, a chemical the U.S. used during the Vietnam War. But it was a good thing to see as were some of the weapons, planes and tanks from the war. Next I headed to the market to walk around inside, but nothing intrigued me. I finished the day off with a simple dinner and headed to bed early to sleep before my early morning flight.
It was a short time in Saigon, but I felt like I was there long enough to see what I needed to see. I was pleased with my jaunt around the city.
Saigon Gratitude Journal
1. I am grateful for free tours.
2. I am grateful for learning the history of a place and its people.
Trails & Tales Saigon
http://www.trailstalessaigon.com/
Dalat
Canyoning and friends.
Dalat was incredible! The weather was cooler and the people were nicer than other parts of Vietnam. I took the overnight bus from Hoi An and met some cool people who ended up staying at the same hostel and canyoning with me. We stayed at Smile Dalat Hostel, which is my favorite hostel from Vietnam. The staff were incredibly welcoming and the beds were so comfortable. We also had a big dinner that was much like a family affair. Guests and staff just seemed to be much more relaxed and inviting than in other places I stayed, so we got along really well. I really enjoyed feeling like part of a group (there were about ten of us) especially after so much solo time.
My first day in Dalat I was quite tired from the bus ride, so I mostly just chilled and did a light bit of walking around the city. The sleeper bus left Hoi An around 6 p.m. and arrived in Nha Trang just before 6 a.m. We then had a two and a half hour lay over until we got a regular bus to Dalat, which took about another two and a half hours of driving. Once we finally got to Dalat, we were happy to relax and went out to grab a few beers and some dinner.
Canyoning Group
The next day was the big adventure. We went canyoning! It was incredible. One of my favorite parts of my trip. And it was a great deal too. For $25, we got round trip transportation, lunch, equipment, pictures (including one printed and laminated picture) and a great journey through the waterfalls and cliffs. We had four fantastic guides with us. They were fun, efficient and highly qualified. I felt totally safe in their care and with the equipment provided. It was a fantastically run tour, and I was constantly impressed with their skills and professionalism. The tour group is Highland Sport Travel.
We started the day with a briefing of how to use the equipment and practice abseiling down a steep cliff. Then it was time for the real adventure to start! With our neon orange life vests and helmets on, we were in sharp contrast to the green and brown of the forest around us. Our first challenged was to abseil down a dry 18 meter cliff next to a waterfall. I was a bit nervous at first, but excited to give it a go. Once hanging over the cliff with my rope in hand, I started to walk down, following the guide's instructions.
Walk slowly. Move down step by step. Stop. Look to the left and smile. Picture, picture.
I turned and gave a genuine smile of excitement and satisfaction. I was doing it! Then the real fun began. I had walked past the sloping part of the cliff to the shear rock face. Now it was time to jump down. Feet wide, I leaned back, squatted down and pushed off. Whoosh! For a moment I was sliding down the rope with nothing around me. Then I swung back to the cliff face and did it again, this time pushing off harder and sliding down farther. Each time I slid down a little longer as I got more comfortable with the technique and more confident to let the rope slide through my fingers without gripping it too tight. Once I got to the bottom, I let go and dropped in to a cold river. I swam to the edge and climbed out with a huge grin on my face.
Once everyone made it down, we walked along the river, crossing a sign that marked "restricted area." My excitement only grew! We took a short break to jump in the water and swim to the base of a waterfall for a group picture. Then we walked to a different part of the river, where we got in and slid down a rock in the river. A true water slide. We then continued on to our next stop, a 16 meter dry cliff. This was my favorite part of the experience! I was more comfortable with the technique of abseiling, so I was really able to fly down the side of the cliff. The guides challenged us to make it to the bottom with 3-4 jumps, and I am excited to say I made it with only two jumps (really more like 1.5). It was such fun.
Next we headed to the most challenging part of the course. We went down a 25 meter waterfall, basically sliding our feet down the whole way rather than jumping or walking down. About halfway down the fall, the water crashes over your head, so you have to tuck your head in and look to the right for the guide to direct you down. I was nearing the end: the guide held up two fingers and motioned to the left- two steps to the left-then a big X with his arms-stop-then... oh my I feel like I am slipping, I'll lean back a bit and lift my feet to get more steady, splash! I fell into the water below rather suddenly. I had run out of rope and was pushed down by the waterfall. It wasn't the most graceful way to enter the water, but luckily I was unharmed.
We walked a bit further along the river before stopping in a nice open area and eating lunch. We had a large variety of fruit, cakes and delicious sandwiches. They brought so much food, and it was all so tasty. After stuffing our faces, we trekked on farther to the free dive cliff. There was a 7 meter and 11 meter jumping option, but the 11 meter required you to run and jump, so the guides had us complete the 7 meter before attempting the higher point. I climbed down to the 7 meter point and happily jumped off without too much anxiety. It was great, so I hiked back up and did it again. Then I sat in the pool of water below and watched as others jumped. And I debated.
Should I do the higher jump? The height isn't really intimidating. It's the running part that worries me. What if I slip? Nah, I won't do it. Why risk it. Oh but it looks so fun. And all of these people did it no problem. Alright, I have to.
So I climbed back up set to take the plunge. As I reached the 7 meter point, the guide asked if I would jump it one more time before tackling the higher point. I declined and said I'd rather just go straight to the top. So I continued up where I was met by another guide. "Smile more, you look to serious." He was worried I might panic mid jump, which would certainly lead to injury. I gave a breathy laugh and a weak smile. "Give me a second while I pray." Then I sent up a quick pray to Dad and asked for His protection. Filled with strength and confidence, I opened my eyes and squared in on the destination (well the point of jumping off as I couldn't see the water below). The guide started to count, "1" right as I began my first stride. I heard him utter a surprised, "Oh!" as I took off. Then it was just one, two, three steps and jump! I flew through the air and splashed in to the water. I was so exhilarated and pleased that I had done it. I really would have regretted it otherwise.
Our final challenge was the "washing machine." We were set to abseil down a 16 meter waterfall. But this time it started with a walk down the dry rock face until we were hanging freely with nothing but the waterfall around us. The key was to just keep going at a steady pace until we got to the end of the rope and fell in. We then got swept down with the waterfall's current before it spit us out into the river. It was a rush and a great end to the adventure. After everyone was collected, we had to hike up a steep hill for about 10 minutes to get to the road. That may have been the most challenging part of the trip! I left completely satisfied and felt like I really accomplished the guides' motto, "Don't be lazy; be crazy!"
That night we were all pretty tired, but we enjoyed that delicious and fun family style dinner. It was really great, because we were able to try several local dishes and enjoy each others company.
Crazy House
The next day I walked around the city with a hilarious girl from my hostel, Zohar, and a friend from canyoning, Eyal. They were both great fun and really good people. I'm glad I was able to hang out with them. We went to the Crazy House, which indeed lived up to its name. It is a guesthouse with a bunch of winding paths and staircases and whacky architecture. The house was really interesting and definitely worth a visit. We also enjoyed checking out the shops inside the Crazy House and had a lot of fun taking pictures, plus some dance party action, because I love to dance, with the crazy hats. After lunch at a vegetarian restaurant that had few vegetarian options, and was out of half of the things we first tried to order, we spent the rest of the day visiting a few shops and relaxing.
Dalat was truly a delight. I really fell in love with the place and now want to go canyoning anywhere possible!
Dalat Gratitude Journal
1. I'm grateful for canyoning.
2. I'm grateful for companionship.
3. I'm grateful for architects.
4. I'm grateful for digital photographs.
Highland Sports Travel
61 Bui Thi Xuan Dalat, Vietnam
http://www.highlandsporttravel.com/
highlandsporttravel@gmail.com
+84 63-352-0521
Dalat Smile Hostel
268-10 Phan Dinh Phung, Ward 2, Dalat, Lam Dong, Vietnam
dalatsmilehostel@gmail.com
+84 91-252-6379
Saturday, September 20, 2014
Hoi An
Japanese Bridge
Just delightful!
I really loved Hoi An and ended up staying longer than I planned. I arrived Sept. 5 and stayed until Sept. 9. I stayed at the Hoa Binh Hotel, which had some of the cheapest beds in the city and was very comfortable. Hoi An doesn't have much in the way of hostels, but has plenty of hotels. Hoa Binh had six and four bed dorms in addition to single and double rooms, so it was a great substitute. And it offered a delicious breakfast buffet. Plus we got new towels each day and the bed was very comfortable.
The first day I arrived in Hoi An, I needed some time to relax and catch up with friends and family. I spent the afternoon chatting during four consecutive Skype sessions with loved ones. It was really great! I was happy to have an easy day, especially after sweating out a fever the previous night in Hue. I also ran in to a girl, Emily, I met on the overnight bus from Hanoi to Hue at the hotel. So she and I spent some of our time in the city together.
The next day I set out to explore the old quarter. My hotel was really close to the old quarter area, about a 5 minute walk. The ancient town was so cute! The streets are lined with adorable yellow buidlings, and the streets are often closed to automobiles, making it much more pleasant to walk around. I bought an entrance ticket for some of the sites in the city. Tickets cost 120,000 dong (about $6) and allow entrance into 5 sites of your choosing. There are 17 spots to choose from, including old houses, assembly halls, museums and communal houses. I went for the Japanese Covered Bridge, Tan Ky Old House, Trieu Chau Assembly Hall, Quang Trieu Assembly Hall and Quan Cong Temple. The bridge and Quang Trieu Assembly Hall were my favorite spots. I would absolutely recommend visiting both. Overall I found the assembly halls and old houses to be more impressive than the museums and communal houses. There are also several sites that are free, so it isn't imperative to buy a ticket to visit those locations, but something worth paying for. I also visited the Reaching Out Tea House, which is run by speech and hearing "impaired" (as they described it on their pamphlet) for a nice pot of jasmine tea. It was a serene place and offered a nice, quiet place to rest. The staff were kind and the tea was tasty.
My Son
Sunday (Sept. 7) I went to My Son, an old temple site about 23 miles (38 km) outside of Hoi An. I met a German guy, Clemens, at breakfast (he was staying in the same room as Emily) and was excited to find out he planned to go to My Son that morning. I quickly finished my breakfast and joined him for the journey. This was my chance to redeem myself and finally conquer the motorbike. We had a pleasant, safe journey to the temple, and I was pleased to have finally finished a successful motorbike ride. The roads were mostly flat and usually without too much traffic, except for the bit when we were on a major freeway, so it was pretty easy going. And there were great views along the way. The temples at the site, which cost 100,000 dong (about $5) to enter, were lovely and in a good state of ruin with enough remaining to see something worth while. But having previously been to Angkor Wat, My Son left something to be desired.
We had a safe journey back and spent the evening with the other people in his room. We had dinner at a food stall on the river and enjoyed the lanterns that were floating along the river. It was the celebration of the full moon, so many people were out and sending off wishes with the lanterns. It was lovely, but not as spectacular as my research led me to believe it would be. I was hard pressed to find a difference in the city's nighttime appearance from the previous night other than an increased volume of lanterns and boats filled with passengers on the river. Actually the previous night had been more pleasant, because it wasn't as crowded. But it was indeed a lovely sight and I enjoyed my time out with my new friends.
Cau Dai Beach
Monday I intended to spend the majority of the day at the beach, but realized I needed to nail down my travel schedule for the remainder of my time and figure out my flights between countries. It took the bulk of the day and was rather stressful. I was sad to have wasted so much time, but glad to have the stress over and things figured out. I biked (bike rental was only 20,000 dong, about $1) to both An Bang (2.5 km from the city) and Cua Dai (4 km from the city) beaches in the bit of daylight I had left. Both beaches were lovely and offered a long stretch of sand. I preferred An Bang, because the sand slopped at a much gentler angle into the ocean than Cua Dai. But Cua Dai had far less pushy peddlers. Either beach is a great option and really worth spending some time at. I wish I had utilized my time a little better and spent more time at the beach. As it was though, I only had about three hours to go to and spend time at both beaches. I wanted to get back to the city before dark, and back to my hotel before it got too late.
I spent my final day in Hoi An doing a cooking class. It was great! I went with Morning Glory Cooking School's course offered at The Market restaurant. The course starts with a buffet breakfast of a variety of Vietnamese dishes. We then did a tour of the market, which was incredibly hot. I was thankful for the delightfully cheesy Vietnamese hats we were given to wear. It offered a bit of relief from the scorching sun. We were also mercifully given cold, wet towels throughout the course, which were a huge help to stave off the heat. Upon our return to the restaurant we were given a tour of the different food stations and a brief description of the food and cooking methods. We were also able to sample many of the foods, including some more adventurous bites. I sampled the jellyfish, pig's ear and some kind of larvae. We also enjoyed tamer options like noodles and dumplings. Finally we spent the remaining two and a half hours doing the actual cooking. Our instructor would first show us the dish, then help us as we prepared it ourselves, and then we ate our creation. We did this for each dish. First we made a cabbage leaf and shrimp mousse soup. Next we marinated chicken and skewered it (then left it aside be barbecued after marinating; the staff at the restaurant took care of the barbecuing). Our third dish was banh xeo a savory, crispy pancake with pork, shrimp and bean sprouts. Finally we made a mango salad, which we ate with our chicken. All of the food was delicious, and the staff was incredibly professional. It was a well run course and offered a lot for the cost. I also really appreciated that they had a large mirror angled behind the instructor, so it made it easy to see what she was doing as she cooked. I was very impressed with the whole thing and would definitely recommend taking the class.
Hoi An was absolutely one of my favorite places in Vietnam. Lots of delicious food, a charming old town and beaches with plenty of soft sand. Basically everything I could want in a travel destination!
Hoi An Gratitude Journal
1. I'm grateful for Skype.
2. I'm grateful for pedestrian/bicycle only streets.
3. I'm grateful for lanterns.
4. I'm grateful for air conditioning.
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