On the road again...

how we wish we were on the road again. Life has a way of beating one upside the head and recently that's been the way Reg and I have been feeling.

After our last post, things got crazy: Reg went back to work, my siblings came up and we attempted to clean my childhood home, Cross-Country practice started, Reg went away for a day or two because of work, school started (and oh, how I could go into that...but I'd probably get fired).

That's not to say its been all bad, in fact I can honestly say that because of the trip I have a much better outlook upon life. Things that would have seemed important a few months ago are no longer so. From Rina and Fitri in Indonesia I have come to understand the importance both of money but also of enjoying life and the simple things. I'd like to say money isn't important but I've come to the conclusion that though it can make things easier, going for a walk, sitting by the fire pit, or coaching my team are much more important.

Don't think I've gone soft, trust me, I could go off on any number of things but the one thing I could rant about might get me in serious trouble with the powers that be at my job. Suffice to say, I enjoy when I actually get to teach, the rest of the stuff...well, ummm, yeah, I'll leave it at that.

Now, back to travel stuff, because that's what this is about. It's time for some tops.

Top Place I Ate:
Hai Scout Cafe, Hoi An, Vietnam. This was THE meal of the trip. It was our first meal in Hoi An and first outside of Ho Chi Minh City in SEA. There were delicious fried spring rolls, a shaved chicken over rice, and a lemon-grass beef wrapped in banana leaf. It was the one meal that spoiled all others. The service was phenomenal, the food excellent, and the ambiance of sitting outside, underneath stars and a nice bamboo grove gave it the tropical feel. It was so awesome that we signed up for a cooking class run by the restaurant.

Top animal:

Elephant. Could it be anything else? I got to ride one. In second place were the butterflies of Kbal Spean.

Top place we stayed:
Okay, this is cheating, but the junk we stayed on, Indochina Sails 2 is my answer to this. So what if it was a semi-luxury junk, I stayed 1 night on it, in a teak-walled cabin, with a granite bathroom, awesome air-conditioning, and a deck where one could see the stars, enjoy a drink, and just hang out. Yeah, top pick.

Best interaction(s) with locals:
Easy, Banda Aceh, with Rina and her family. Discovering the Acehnese way of life, where family and friends are the most important things in one's life was awesome. The hospitality, food, coffee, coffee, coffee, beach on a rainy day, and her dad's driving were all very much appreciated.

Now for 5 pictures, one from each country and then a favorite of Reg's:

Malaysia: The Petronas Towers at night.




















Vietnam: Ha Long Bay from the top of Titop Island...all 424 stairs up.

















Cambodia: Angkor Wat at sunrise on my birthday...complete with dog.
















Indonesia: Pulau Weh: a view from our bed out towards the Straits of Malacca, including our hammock. Oh, life was hard.
















Last, but not least, what may be the photo of the trip, courtesy of Reg and an unsuspecting me, because let's face it, I hate my picture being taken:




We'll be back with more soon, we promise.

"Only in America"

We have arrived back in the good ole U. S. of A. and to celebrate we are doing our first joint post!

On Saturday we went to the Brooks and Dunn Last Rodeo concert.

Being at the show reminded us of all the things that are great about America and also all the reasons why the rest of the world hates us. Being able to kiss your girlfriend in public is great; groping her as you lay her down across a picnic table in the concessions area, markedly less so. Freedom is great, but common sense is better. Perhaps it's that our last stops on the trip were in conservative Muslim areas. Perhaps we were experiencing jet-lag and culture shock. Perhaps Philadelphia country music fans have no class or style. Either way, there should have been fashion police at this thing.

For example:

If I can see your ass-cheeks when you walk, what you're wearing is a shirt, not a dress, and you need to put on some pants.

Dude wearing jeans overalls and no shirt: you look like and escaped convict from O Brother, Where Art Thou?

Hey drunk girl: Your belt should never be wider than your inseam is long. Especially when you are too drunk to figure out how a belt works.

You know it was bad when among the best dressed people we saw all night was the guy in the cut-off Liverpool jersey.

The opening act was Justin Bieber...with a mullet.

Honey, your cleavage, though very impressive, if a bit in need of better support, is NOT an acceptable place to store your cell phone or camera.


On Sunday, we were out and about running some errands and engaging in the great American pastime: spending money! While out, we noticed 5 Vietnamese restaurants within a 7-10 minute drive from our house. We decided to go eat at Phơ Hoa, a Vietnamese chain in Adams Plaza. Our waiter was amazed that we had been to Vietnam and then proceeded to grill us as he's leaving in 2 weeks himself. Good food was had, and though not as cheap as it would've been in Vietnam, still very very affordable.

We do plan on continuing the blog for a bit longer. We plan on putting some of our pictures on it as well as some other things including our Best and Worst lists that many people have asked for.

Weeeeee'rrrreeee baaaccckkkk

Well now, where to start? Here? Okay, we'll start in KL.

They like to say KL (Kuala Lumpur) is multi-cultural. It was started by rich Chinese miners, brought in some Malays and Indians, and then the Brits came to colonize. All true. That said, like America, multicultural does not mean non-exclusive. If you walk into many areas of America you can see many different races/ethnicities but normally segregated, often de-facto. The same can be said here. Though you run into many Chinese, Malay, and Indians, they are all almost always separated. There's nothing wrong with it unless you are the Malaysian government and keep promoting this united Malaysia. Its an interesting concept that deal with rule of law, respect and a shared vision of progress. They put it in the newspapers and its talked about on tv. They do seem to get along rather well, with the main Hindu temple located in Chinatown as a prime example.

The Petronas Towers are here in KL. You may recall that they had been the tallest buildings in the world back in the mid-90s. Some building in the UAE now has the title, but it is my understanding that they are still the tallest twin-buildings in the world. They give out only 1640 tickets a day to go up to the Skybridge that connects the two towers. Sadly, we have not been able to secure tickets so we have walked around the complex, stared longingly at them, and are currently in the mall at the bottom on the computer. Super-cool structures, especially at night.

Speaking on being on computers, there is a serious lack of interet cafes here. We've looked, trust me, we've looked. Our hotel does not have any computers (but does have some major issues in terms of noise). There's plenty of free wifi, but trying to blog from my IPod is a major pain in the backside.

That noise you hear, its the alarm going off at the department store under the hotel. Yes, its gone off 3 times the last 2 nights. No you haven't slept particularly well. What? That's not happened to you? Oh right, yeah, that's what has happened to us. It SUCKS. In addition to the noise, they've got this amazing shower at the hotel, except that no matter how well the door is shut, it still leaks and there is plenty of water all over the bathroom floor. Its maddening.

The trip is about over, in fact at this time tomorrow, we'll be somewhere over India I think, or some other Asian country that is north of Malaysia. I'm not sure I'm ready for it to be over and all the things that await back home. School, Cross-Country, the garden, laundry, etc. Its not that I don't like home, I do. Its great, but at the same time, this trip has been so relaxing (even if frustrating at times, like today when we couldn't get tickets to go up the Towers. Yes, I'm still bitter) and I'm not quite ready to come back. The near 20 hours of flying that will commence at 9am my time (9pm East Coast, US-time) certainly has something to do with it. Really, 20 hours on a plane. 13 to London and another 7 back to JFK. Joy! I'll probably have read the entirety of "Red Storm Rising" by the time I land.

I haven't gone into our time with Rina because I was going to save that for Reg. As we both can't be logged in and blogging at the same time, I'll go into it a little now, with the rest to be blogged at some later point.

Day 1 in Aceh: Land, wait an hour to get through Immigration. Why an hour for one plane? Well, there was 1 person taking Indonesian passports and one doing foreign passports. When the half of the plane that just had to go and smile and be waved through were done, the Officer who was doing the Indonesian passports just sat there and wouldn't take anyone else. One guy, doing about 35 people. Still, we got through with no problems. Rina was jumping up and down with excitement and her sister and father were just laughing in bemusement. They drove us around, got some food (hot, hot, hot!!!) and coffee, and then were dropped off for the ferry ride to Weh. Upon arriving at our hotel in Weh, we were shown to Bungalow 8, where we got to sit in a hammock, relax looking out at the crystal clear water in front of us and then we promptly got changed and dove in. AWESOME!!!The waves were light, the sand was soft, and the breeze glorious.

Day 2: Wake up, lay around, eat, go down to go in the water, do some snorkeling, get a little seasick from letting the waves take me wherever, take a nap, go back to the beach, read, eat, read, sleep.

Day 3: Must kill wild dogs (loose ones more like it) who fought all night. That said, go eat, go to the beach, snorkel, nap, eat, read, eat, nap, go to beach, sleep.

Day 4: Back on a ferry to Banda Aceh and Rina. What? No, Rina at the terminal? Hmmmm. Okay, 10 minutes late but thankfully Reg no longer has to endure the stares of people who've obviously never seen such a pale, fair-haired, busty woman! Drive around with Rina's sister and brother-in-law. Coffee, food, food, food, food, food. Stop at the house to meet her mom, take a nap, eat some food, and then off to the beach. The weather was breezy and cloudy, some drizzle, but into the water we went. The beach was followed by eating the best grilled fish I've ever had right next to the sand, then back to the house to eat some more. Did I mention we ate? Then we went off for some coffee.

Day 5: Eat, sleep, eat, go to an engagement party, eat, nap, eat, go around town, get some food, drink some coffee, eat, eat, talk, talk, eat.

There's plenty to talk about but I need to get going. Aceh will be done deeper sometime soon. As for now, I'm going to enjoy the rest of my time on vacation.

Terima Kasih.

N

Alive and well in Aceh

We are with Rina in Banda Aceh now and are a-ok. Will write more either tomorrow or Monday. Just know that the coffeesos good, the food full of hot chili peppers, and the company fantastic. Tomorrow I am going to attempt to learn how to cook Acehnese food.

Until next time,
N

Away in Aceh

If you don't hear from us for a few days (almost a week) week it's because we'll be in Aceh, Indonesia. We'll be on Pulau Weh until Saturday and then with Rina until monday. We've no idea what our Internet situation will be like. If we can get on we will but there is no gaurantee.

Until we blog again selamat malam.

N

Can I get a wat-wat? And a story of love and loss

Our time in Cambodia has come to an end. Angkor was stunning and magnificent; it alone would have been worth the trip. Phnom Penh was an ideal place to unwind after four days of touring the temples from dawn til dusk.  There's enough to see but not too much to see. 

We went to the National Museum which has some great artifacts from Angkor and other sites (although many of them were without descriptions or their descriptions read: unknown male divinity, unknown location, date unknown. I thougt it hilarious; Nick found it irritating and kept saying he wanted his $3 back.)

We went to the Central Market which is an Art Deco ziggurat with a large dome. The market was worth seeing just to see how all those attributes were possible in a single building. Sure enough, it fit all those descriptors and is among the oddest buildings I've ever seen. 

We went to the Russian Market which has eveything you can imagine. I beleive you could build an entire motorbike out of the parts you could find in just one row of stalls at the market. We named one area Tom Alley; it was full of wires, switches, and outlets. You could buy all 20 seasons of The Simpsons (bootlegged, of course) for $30.  Or some fresh-out-of-the-factory Adidas or American Eagle at a 90% discount. Or silk. Or casters. Or these hideous harem pants with bells that every merchant tried to push on me. It was awesome and exhausting.

But mostly Phnom Penh is about Wats. Most of what is worth seeing are the Pagodas/temples.  Today we went to the Silver Pagoda and saw monks and tourists alike gawking at the 90 kg Buddha with thousands of encrusted diamonds. 

And now for the story of love and loss:
In Hoi An,  I decided I needed a big floppy hat to help shield me from the tropical sun. I found an awesome blue and white ribbon hat and, after I haggled down to an acceptable price($2.50 from $3), Nick bought it for me.  I wore it everywhere: to the beach, hiking up temples, used it as a fan in museums. It was a great hat, crushable and of really good quality (direct from the Lane Bryant factory with price tag attached!) 

I discovered it had fallen out of my bag when we were taking Nick's birthday ride on top of an elephant at Angkor. Heartbroken. We went back to the places we'd been so far that morning (one temple and a wc) but still couldn't find it. So sad.

But there's a happy ending to this story. Although I never found my hat, I did find a nearly identical hat in a market in Phnom Penh which I haggled down to $2. Not as awesome as the original, but a fine replacement.

Safely arrived in Kuala Lumpur, where we'll be for 16 hours before we leave to see Aceh, Pulau Weh, and RINA!!!!!  
      

There's a Blizzard in Cambodia!

We've survived torrential downpours, severe heat, disgusting humidity but we never thought we'd have to deal with a Blizzard.

Welcome to "Global Warming"?

No! There's a Dairy Queen at the airport and as a treat to ourselves we each got a Blizzard.

Hope you're enjoying your weather as much as we are.

N

"You handomse man" and other lies

Today is the last full day in Cambodia. We've managed to sleep in, see the National Museum, haggle with vendors at the Russian Market, and eaten at the Foreign Correspondents' Club. For those who watch the Amazing Race, both those last two places featured in the show recently. But before we get to today's adventures, let's take a step back or two.

Backpackers: Seriously, do you need to not wash your clothes or yourselves? Take a shower, hell, jump in a river, there are plenty around here. You're not cool, in fact you look worse than the beggars here. I get it, you like to smoke pot, but to do so right in the middle of a rest stop, knowing full well that its not something done by locals (and this is a very local rest stop) and its highly illegal, welllll, I hope your ass spends tons of time in some dark prison cell in SEA and that your consulate lets you rot there.

Frenchies: Stop smoking, ladies. Many of you are quite attractive but as soon as that cigarette hits those lips you've gone from an 8 or a 9 to a 3. Also, we understand you use to be the colonial masters here, perhaps you should go away for a bit longer or at least understand how things work nowadays. "Don't touch" signs, mean exactly that. Keep your nasty, dirty, Gallic hands to yourselves. You can be as obnoxious as those wonderful Yanks you love to hate, yeah, I said it.

This guy was smiling at me and talking to me
He was being real friendly,

But he wasn't gay, and neither am I! People here smile all the time. Even when they are bugging the hell out of you, they are doing just that. Our tuk-tuk driver in Siem Reap, Don, smiled and laughed all the time. We just walked past a guy who was about to offer us a ride (the 16th in less than a block) and as I smiled and got out the words, "No, thanks," he was already laughing about it. One would think that with all this country has gone through from a coup, another coup, the mass murders/genocide of the Khmer Rouge, war with Vietnam, and general poverty that they'd be wanting to slit their wrists. Nothing could be further than the truth. The smiling is actually endearing and one might say catchy. Yes, even I am smiling most of the time.

Haggling: "You buy from me," "My store right there," "You my only customer," "I make special price for you." All of those are lines we've heard on a daily basis. Often times its followed by asking where we are from. Together, we've been mostly from the US, once from Germany to get someone to leave us alone, and today, Canada. When you tell them where, they tell you about that country. In Angkor, right under the enigmatic faces of the Bayon (yeah, Ma, look that one up), a boy told us about Barrack Obama and Joe Biden and their governmental positions. Said boy was about 6 years old. We didn't buy postcards from him. One of the tricks the women use is to tell me that "You a handsome man." It may be going to my head. Actually, its pretty freakin' hilarious because Reggie just rolls her eyes when its said. One the negotiating starts, they start SUPER high, and if you've done any asking at other vendors you've got an idea on how much it "should" cost. $5 for one set of postcards is a rip-off...the going rate is $1. That scarf you're trying to sell us for $4 is going everywhere else for either $1 or $1.50. Taking even one step and all of a sudden the price comes tumbling down. We've gotten some good prices on things and at times we know we've been had, but for the most part, we've been good customers who realize that the extra $1 means way more to these people than it does to us.

Monkeys, monkeys, everywhere. From Angkor to next-door, we've seen them and heard them. Here in Phnom Penh, they are spending some time next door, mostly fighting from what we can tell, but I'm sure they're being fed by some of the locals. We saw one run across the electric line yesterday and leap a good 8 feet to the pole before climbing down. As cool as that one was, the best was watching a monkey right in front of Angkor Wat downing the last bits of someone's Diet Coke. We've got some decent shots of that.

Speaking of the Wat, we spent the last afternoon in Angkor there and still managed to find someplaces where it was just us. As Reggie stated, this is highly unusual, but most appreciated. Watching the sunset and the light change the color of the temple was one thing I'll never forget. It also felt like the closing of a chapter for me as 8 years of dreaming and planning had finally been finished. It also was a sad moment because I know just how much Dad wanted me to go there. He was saving National Geographics and cutting out articles for me, the realization that he won't hear the stories was sad.

Ever wanted a massage? If so, SE Asia is the place to come. Some of the best in the world are given here. Want a foot massage? You can have it done by a human or by fish. We've not had any done, but let me tell you, I have been offered more massages here than I will for the rest of my life. As they were offered to me for the first few days I was living in oblivion. The one night we were on the main drag in Siem Reap, Reg pointed out that she was only ever offered foot massages while, "Sir, you want massage?" was always directed towards me. Even here in PP, that holds true. I later found out they don't just do massages, but instead they oftentimes do, "happy-ending" massages. And hilarity ensued. We've joked about it ever since.

Tomorrow brings an end to Cambodia and a stopover in the airport in Kuala Lumpur before going to Banda Aceh, Indonesia. We'll be spending some time on Pulau Weh, an island of the coast of Sumatra in the Indian Ocean, before spending the rest of the time with Rina. We're pretty stoked.

I know there's stuff I'm missing which Reggie will fill in at some point soon (its my turn at this moment).

All the best.

N

Hello

Bad wifi situation at our current place, so this is just to say we're currently in Phnom Penh and it's a
nice little city. Will write more from an Internet cafe tomorrow.

N

Alone in Angkor

This morning, thanks to our amazing driver, Don, Nick and I experienced a magical moment at Angkor: in this park that receives over 2 million visitors a year, we had a temple complex entirely to ourselves. We had originally given Don the name of a few places we wanted to go when he said: "I thought this morning to take you to Banteay Samre.". We had not talked about going to that temple. In fact, it was out of the way we had planned on going and spending the day. But Don had been right about everything else we've done the last three days so we listened. Brilliant move.

A small ruin, but we were completely alone. Only a few caretakers. Really remarkable.

We managed to hit some of the most popular temples, ones that are always crowded, and have sections completely to ourselves. A perfect ending to a memorable four days.

Tomorrow we head to Phnom Penh and then onto Aceh!!!

Oh, my friends! I'm so pleased you're not dead!

Nick and I have just wrapped up Day Three in Angkor and are feeling a bit like Indiana Jones; we've been whistling, humming, and/or singing the theme for the last 3 days. We've explored a number of active ruins that have been looted and were followed around by a bunch of kids that were reminiscent of Short Round (but not nearly as endearing).

The scale of the Angkor complex is beyond comprehension. It is everything National Geographic made me imagine, and more. The temples are massive, but the carving details are minuscule. We visited a temple yesterday, Banteay Srei, which was built in the late 10th century. The carving was exquisite, tiny, and in remarkable good shape, given that it was over 1000 years old.

We've scaled a few temples for excellent views and terrifying descents. We had a girl try to sell Nick 10 postcards for $5 (the going rate here is 10 for $1) and in the process of the hard sell tell him he was a handsome man", at which point our driver burst into giggles. We've taken probably 1000 pictures in the last three days (we can't guarantee that they'll be any good). We've been surrounded by Japanese tour groups. But mostly we've been overwhelmed. Every time we say we're suffering from Temple Fatigue, we notice some other interesting detail that keeps us going.

Tomorrow's our last day in the Angkor region and we plan on ending our time here as we began it: at Angkor Wat. This time we'll be watching the sunset instead of sunrise.

Oh, and today we took an elephant ride through part of the complex and saw some monkeys. It may be good to be Ted, but today it was also good to be us.

--R

Good night

We realize it's not night tme where most people who read this blog are but we're going to bed. This is a good thing since it shows that the one temple we went to really did have all the landmines cleared.

Now that I freaked some of you out, I'm turning in.

N

Utterances of an old man

Today's update comes from Siem Reap, Cambodia via Hanoi, Vietnam. It is my birthday, hence the title. Not that I feel particularly old, but still, I am getting older.

Let's start with the World Cup. One of the worst finals ever. Spain were probably the better team but their diving and whining did nothing for me. We watched the game at the hotel with the staff. They were all Spain fans and so were happy with the result. The manager was not happy waking up 2 hours later though. It was fun watching with others especially knowledgeable soccer fans.

Our last night in Hanoi resulted in us purchasing some gifts for some of our family as well as getting last-minute tickets to see the water-puppets. I got to hum Le Marsielliase because Reg wanted to give up our quest for tickets because they were supposedly sold out that afternoon. When I made her go back right before the show there suddenly 2 tickets. The puppets were the only thing she really wanted to do in Hanoi so I couldn't believe she was going all Marshall Petain on me. The show turned out to be pretty cool, much to my Surrender Monkey's delight.

Afterwards we went to the night market where we saw something perfect for John; a new leather wallet with the Chelsea crest pressed into it. One small little problem: if you're going to make something counterfeit, make sure you spell things right. The wallet said, "Chlesea Football Club." we thankfully spotted the error before we forked over any money.

Before we were to leave Hanoi we were geared up to go see Ho Chi Minh, or what's left of the dude. Contrary to his wishes, he was embalmed and is on show in the middle of the city. He wanted a simple cremation befitting his humble upbringing/take on life. Early on Tuesday morning I was startled awake by what I thought was the shower in our bathroom, instead it was the downpour outside. Said downpour lasted over 4 hours and on the two blocks around our hotel there were over 8" of water. We were a bit scared that we wouldn't be able to leave Hanoi, and if you've read this blog, that was a horrifying thought. Thankfully the rain lightened to a fine mist and we were able to get out of the hotel for an hour, but did not make it to see Uncle Ho as the last tickets were already given out. We did get to see two soldiers guarding the doors to a temple. Those soldiers were carved and painted and were quite cool looking, I called them my "G Nuggets". Don't ask me how I came up with that one, I just did. When we went to go look at them, this very nice kind, older gentleman came over and tried to get me to come in and pick up 3 incense sticks (that's how many you're suppose to get and how many bows you're suppose to do as you say your prayers...at least that's what we've learned so far). I didn't want to come in but he had a near death grip on that fleshy part of the upper arm that he was actually hurting me. I thought for a second that Vietnam Conflict II was about to break out but thankfully he needed to assist someone else in the temple and I was able to scurry away, with a minor bruise.

Speaking of bruises, did I mention the awesome one I've got on my calf? No? Well, when we got back from Halong Bay, we walked back to our hotel. As Reggie has posted about sidewalks, we did our dodging in streets and sidewalks. When we passed one area as I got by a moto (scooter), I felt the back of my leg catch fire, or at least that's what it felt like. I got burned by the tailpipe of a moto on the back of my left calf and its about a good 2 inch big burn. Blisters and everything the last day or so. So, I think I've got a cool scar story now.

When we finally left Hanoi we did so with a slightly heavy heart. As "Hanoi-ing" as it was, the people at our hotel were really quite nice. The manager/owner (we think he was part owner) was really great and helped out with whatever we needed. He even gave me a hug. I'm not saying it made me feel good, but it might have.

Upon landing in Cambodia, I thought I could make out Angkor Wat, but still today, can't be sure. Getting a visa and clearing customs was a breeze, and right out front was Don. Don is our tuk-tuk driver. He works for the guesthouse we're staying at and he's a funny guy. For about $15/day he takes us everywhere around town and the major local temples. For a bit more, he'll be taking us to some of the much further out temples tomorrow. Don drove us to our guesthouse which coincidentally is run by a guy from Philly, Gordon. Dude has a great writing style. His hotel manual and his blog: www.talesofasia.com are really quite funny with some good sarcasm thrown in.

Today being my birthday, we arranged with Don to go see Angkor Wat at sunrise...along with at least 4 busloads of friggin' Japanese tourists. We found a great spot on the corner of the lake, set up the tripods (yes, I brought my two mini tripods) and got ready for sunrise. Unfortunately, the sunrise spectacle with many different colors didn't materialize, as the sky was overcast with mostly blues and yellows. That said, I didn't care one f'in bit as I was at ANGKOR FUCKING WAT! ON MY BIRTHDAY! How ya like them apples? We spent about 2 hours going around taking pictures, looking at bas-reliefs, and marveling at apsaras (celestial nymphs with killer bodies). There were thousands of them.

After Angkor Wat, we decided to go to Ta Prohm. If you've ever seen Lara Croft: tomb Raider, you've seen Ta Prohm. Its the temple used with the weird trees breaking the temple apart. Let me tell you, there's nothing like seeing Mother Nature give the middle finger to humanity and watch it slowly destroy a work of beauty. Seeing the temple walls, roofs, and foundations surrounded and wrapped by tree trunks, limbs, and roots was almost surreal.

After that we took a nice 2+ hour break back at the hotel, where I consumed two bottles of Coke. Oh, right, real Coke, made with SUGAR, not high fructose crapola. Oh, did I mention the bottle? GLASS. Yes, for the past 2 weeks I've been drinking real Coke, out of glass bottles. Jealous?!?! I'm trying to figure out how to get one or 2 home later on.

After the nap we went to see another 3 smaller temples, all in various state of repair/destruction. One, Ta Keo, we were told that we needed to climb to the top. I'm normally not afraid of heights, but when each step is only 4-5 inches max wide, and 18+ inches high, its a bit steep and terrifying. In a moment of weakness, I may have tipped a 5 year old Cambodian girl (if she was even that old) $1 for showing me the best way up and down the temple. The views were killer and having done it, it was no problem later that evening doing a similar temple trying to watch a sunrise that never materialized.

Elephants! All around the temples in terms of artwork. Only a few to be ridden. We have not ridden one yet, we're saving it for Friday, after we've seen most of the big things we want to see. We saw a bunch of monkeys this afternoon, which was pretty cool. No tigers, or tiger cubs. We have looked into it and the tigers are on the other side of the country, so finding one may be a bit harder than some people would like to believe, no matter how "good it is to be" them.

Reg is telling me I need to be done now, something about a 6am meeting with Don so that we can go to Kbal Speal, Bantay Srea, and Bang Melea. Oh right, I was the one who set that up, I guess I do need to go. Did I mention how cool this freakin' place is??? Everyone smiles here and for once in my life it doesn't feel put on.

The Birthday Boy

I'm about an hour and a half early, but I wanted to take a moment to wish Nick a very happy birthday. He'll be turning 32 tomorrow while we get up in the pre-dawn hours to see Angkor Wat as the sun rises. I'm so grateful to be experiencing this trip with him; I don't know if I would ever had made this trek alone or If making this trip would have ever seemed possible without his talking about this dream of his.

Happy birthday, Nick. Here's to many more years of exploring together.

--R

Sorry, Uncle Ho

We are currently experiencing our first real rains of wet-monsoon. It started raining around 6am and is still pouring. The street in front of our hotel is under at least 6 inches of water and other roads are significantly worse. We'd planned on going to the Ho Chi Minh complex before leaving today (his house, museum and mausoleum) but we'll be lucky if we can get off our block in time to get to the airport.

We've filled the time watching the locals get around regardless of the weather, whether walking, motorbike, and even a few cars.

The floodwaters are starting to recede, so, although we'll miss seeing Uncle Ho, we should be able to get lunch.

And then...

The air conditioner started to leak at 10:45pm and with no other rooms available we're listening to a nice drip. More to come from us tomorrow after we go see the body of Uncle Ho.

I could really go off now but will not give in to the urge for once.

N

This town is Hanoi-ing

It seems like Nick and I will be switching off tonight - introspective Nick and ranting Reggie.

Our trip to Halong Bay exceeded our expectations, which is quite a feat given how much it's been built up in our imaginations. If we were ever to win the lottery, I think cruising around Halong Bay would be an ideal way to spend some time. Good food, great companionship, fun activities, beautiful scenery- what more can you ask for in a day trip?

Returning to Hanoi after spending a mere 24 hours in Halong Bay has been jarring. The incessant horns, horrible driving, and mediocre meals of Hanoi have been truly disappointing. I can't seem to pinpoint what it is about Hanoi that I struggle with, but here are the top contenders:

Sidewalks - the sidewalks in Hanoi are for parking, cooking, cleaning, burning trash, and sitting. Anything but walking. So you need to walk in the street. Which brings me to...

Driving - The driving here is the worst we've seen , and that's really saying something. In theory, traffic is supposed to travel on the rIght-hand side of the road. Not so in practise; people drive wherever there is space. Even pedestrian only zones aren't safe from motorbikes. And God help you if you get in their way. We noticed that there are very few traffic lights, and the few there are don't work. A tour guide told us that drivers would just ignore them anyway.

Honking - You pass me, I honk. I pass you, I honk. I'm next to you, I honk. You're in my way, I honk. I want you to get in my taxi, I honk. I'm entering an intersection, I honk. I drive, therefore I honk.

Food - I think we must have been spoiled in Hoi An. Every meal was delicious, and most were worth writing home about (Nick ate Asian food!). Most if our meals here have been bland, a few, downright bad. I'm sadly considering meals of French fries or rice, since they're pretty hard to mess up.

Wierd hours - Most museums and tourist sites in Hanoi are closed on Mondays and Fridays. Our two full days here are Monday and Friday. We'll get to see most everything, but they seem like funny days to be closed. Also, everything is closed between 11:30 am and 2:00 pm, but that makes total sense given the heat.

All in all, still having a great time. I think we both wish we could have extended our rime in Halong Bay and shortened our time in Hanoi. We now know for the next time.

Happy World Cup Final to all, and to all a good night

--R

The Luxury You Deserve

That's the motto of the company that we did our trip with to Halong Bay. We didn't know it when we booked the trip because we booked through one tour company that was highly recommended but it seemed on the trip we booked that they are just a booking agent for a higher-end company. Suffice to say, it was probably the nicest thing Reggie and I have ever spent money on...and it wasn't a lot. We kept saying the motto everytime we felt pampered or were enjoying some real nice pampering.

We were aboard a boat/ship (Ted, help me out, what's the difference again?) called the Indochina Sails 2. The cabins were done in teak from top to bottom and there were only 28 of us aboard. The scenery though slightly hazy due to midday sun was incredible. I know, no pics, so you'll have to wait until we get home, or until we get to an internet cafe where I can actually plug in an SD card into a computer instead of using a computer in the hotel. Our first stop, after a refreshing drink of fresh juice, pumpkin soup, sweet and sour shrimp, a mango salad, and some lemongrass chicken, was Titop Island. Why it is named Titop, I'm not sure, but I think it has to do with the one lookout in the bay that is at the tippy-top of an island. I counted 424 stairs but our guide said 423 to the top, and let me tell you, some of those stairs were not fun. I suppose our 103 stair climb to our room the previous 2 days was a good warmup. Once up top though, you get views of the bay like one sees on the internet and on postcards. After snapping over 20 pictures we climbed down ad starting talking to one of the other guests. His name was Derick and he happened to be from Penang, Malaysia but sounded like an Englishman, which was explained later when we found out he spent 15 years living in Manchester. More on Derick later.

Upon reboarding we got to sit on deck and just enjoy the views as the junk proceeded to our next stop where we would go kayaking. As Reg has never done it, she was quite thrilled we could and so we maneuvered our way around the bay and through caves for about 40 minutes. Good workout for the shoulders. Upon arrival at the junk, it was swimmming time. So we put our shirts back in the cabin and went out to the tender(little side boat that's brought with the bigger ships for embarkation as well as small side jaunts) and were about to jump in off that, when the tour guide, Duong tells us, "Off the top!" Thinking that he was kidding we went along and went up to the 3rd deck, which was a sun-deck and saw an Aussie go right off the side. Climbing onto the side, Duong started a 3-count, and soon enough it was off the side and down 30+ feet into the bay. What a rush. Soon Reg followed and we were floating around in the bay. Unlike 2 of the other passengers we weren't stung by a jelly-fish, which apparently are quite prevalent in Halong Bay. I went off the top a total of 3 times and Reg twice.

When we were done swimming it was relaxation/shower time before enjoying a mixed internationa/-vietnamese buffet dinner. Since Derick was travelling alone, we invited him to join the two of us and for the next hour plus we traded stories and tales. After that it was happy hour on the sun-deck which by now had become the star-deck. For whatever reason, the only people up there were the three of us and we talked for almost 2 hours covering everything from politics and education to soccer to life and traffic in Hanoi. Derick even mentioned how he had just seen a travel food program on cheesesteaks. We discussed the hell that is Hanoi traffic, with all 3 of us agreeing its the worst any of us have encountered in Vietnam (and Derick lives here now), how he hopes Holland wins the wWorld Cup (who doesn't?!), and why we love to travel. All in all a good night, in fact the best of the trip so far.

This morning it was a small snack before tai-chi and then we climbed the short 120 steps to Amazing Cave. This set of 3 chambers truly was amazing and surprising for only water can do to rock what was done inside those chambers. There were smiling buddhas, the middle finger, two people sitting on a ledge, and even a female turtle and her eggs, or at least formations that looked like all those things. Once that was done it was back to the boat for breakfast and the ride back to Halong City where we would catch a 4 hour bus back to Hanoi.

Now, Halong City is only 106 miles away from Hanoi, yet it took 4 hours. I finally figured out that even on roads that are 2 lane-almost highways the maximum speed is 30, sometimes 40 miles an hour, but with no one following traffic laws, there is no such thing as going that fast. Those 4 hours were some of the longest of my life. This was the part of the trip run by the original company we booked with and most certainly was not, "THE LUXURY YOU DESERVE." That said, I'm not sure that short of taking a helicopter (if that were even possible) of a better way of getting to/from Hanoi to Halong. By the way, Halong means Dragon bay, as dragons are very good luck here in Vietnam, not evil creatures that hide in basements as certain people are led to believe.

Now, time for some good stuff...introspective Nick (love you, Eddie!).

Its been 3 weeks since my dad passed away and at no time during the trip has it hit me like it did during the 2 days in Halong Bay. Dad loved natural wonders, whether it was a beautiful woman or the Grand Canyon. Of all the places we are to/have visited, this would be the one Dad would most like. He was a sucker for nature and the jutting limestone karsts, caves, and caverns would have been thing he'd have enjoyed. I can't tell you how much I miss him, but for a few moments, this trip sucked because I know that he won't be home for me to share it with when I get back.

I'm on the stairway to paradise

...or at least to our room. We got lucky in Hanoi, and they upgraded us to a bigger room with a huge window. This room is on thee seventh floor in a hotel with no elevator- 103 stairs to our room.

Heading to Halong Bay in the morning. Getting down those stairs with our bags in the morning should be fun!

--R

Humble in Hanoi

As Nick mentioned, this morning we visited the Hanoi Hilton. I've visited a few historic prisons before,even worked at one, but found this one particulary affecting.

Hoa Lo was built by the French in the 1890s to house Vietnamese protesters against the French rule (colonization, occupation, call it whatever you want). Most of the museum dealt with the history of the Vietnamese held by French jailors. Descriptions of the living conditions, and of the people who were held there made it sound like Vietnam's Robben Island.

From 1964 to 1973, Hoa Lo was used to house the American prisoners of war caught in northern Vietnam. The two rooms which discussed this time period were fascinating. One room showed a video (propoganda it would seem to Americans) of the folly of the US military invaders and the resilience of the Vietnamese people. The video showed all the horrible images that I grew up seeing in textbooks and some that never would have made the high school textbook cut. All the pictures of the American POWs in this exhibit showed them happy around the Christmas tree or receiving packages from the Red Cross or home. The captions with the pictures describing their time there were nearly comical, discussing the joys of raising poultry and learning to farm.

As a student of history, I've always been aware that there are many sides to every story. History is always told by the winners and in this case the eventual winners were the Vietnamese. Having grown up with the American version and having heard more of the Vietnamese version over the last few days, I can say that I firmly believe the truth to be somewhere in between. It all just reinforces to me the bravery of the men who fought on both sides and questionable decisions made by the men in power.

Ramblin' Man

Okay, you're going to be getting some ramblin' today.

Let's go back a few days. After 3 fittings and several trips to 2 different tailors, Reg and I have shipped home a total of 2 suits, a sports coat, 3 dresses, 3 pair of trousers, 2 ties and 2 shirts. Yeah, we went a bit overboard, but really, its good stuff.

We made it to the beach while in Hoi An, biking the 3+ miles through Vietnamese traffic. First the beach: New Jersey has been ruined for me. For that matter, beaches in the US are ruined. If I could find a way to get my pics from my camera to this blog, you'd understand why. That said, the Pacific Ocean is one salty ocean. Yes, I understand the Atlantic has a higher salinity rate but with the warmth of the water where I was, it was salty as can be. That didn't dampen the experience. Laying there, looking out at Cham Island (look it up) and just soaking up the shade, ocean breeze, and slight sun rays that poked through the palm fronds, it was perfect.

Vietnamese traffic. I think I've mentioned this before, but these people are freakin' insane. Here's how it works...everyone has the right of way. I beep, you move over. The only people who have no right of way are pedestrians. Cross the street at your own peril. We were given advice by a tour guide a week ago, "In the cities, cross slowly. In the towns, wait, they won't stop." I'd amend that last part to say, "In the towns, run like hell!" Traffic lanes don't matter, nor do one way streets. Motos/scooters/whatever the hell isn't a car does whatever they want. In Hanoi, we've only seen 3 functioning traffic lights. TR said, "Speak softly and carry a big stick." Nick Kosiek says, "Tread slowly and be ready to scrurry like hell." There's a reason there are a ton of accidents and vdeaths from vehicles every year. The people in the shops/streets keep trying to get us to rent a scooter, they're nuts, no way in hell is that happening.

Dear late-teen to early 20-something backpacker: SHUT THE FUCK UP! If I can hear you in a crowded bus and make out your entire conversation, you're too loud. If I can hear you 3 rows away on an airplane and follow your discussion on William Shatner and Jennifer Anniston, you're too loud. If you complain about paying the equivalent of $1.50 for a beer instead of $1, shut up. If you can't afford to eat in a restaurant, its not because its too expensive, its because you're a cheap bastard. SHUT UP! Oh, and that dirty, trashy, white-shoe with scuffs and tears all over-look, or the no tee-shirt with torn shorts-look, you look like an idiot. Seriously, these people would never be caught dead in this shit in London, Birmingham, Sydney, Auckland, Dublin or NYC, why the hell is it acceptable in Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi? If you're pale, put on some clothes and make sure you put on some suntan lotion, seeing human lobsters on the street is not a thing anyone wants to see. You're not cool, you're a fool.

Uncle Ho is everywhere in this country. Smiling down from most shop windows and light-poles, he gazes upon you making sure that you know you're in the land of the people's paradise. He's on one side (not sure which) of every Dong note there is, from the 500, up to the 500,000. Seriously, I've used notes of the following denominations: 500, 1000, 2000, 5000, 10000, 20000, 50000, 100000, and 500000 and he's always looking at me. The cool part about the money is the bigger the denomination, the larger the physical size of the note.

Speaking of Uncle Ho, today we went to Ha Lao Prison, or what's left of it. Many of you will be more familiar with the name, The Hanoi Hilton. It was an old French-built prison used to jail nationalists and revolutionaries and was later used by the Vietnamese to house downed US pilots, including John McCain. Talk about propaganda, wow. Glorious revolutionaries, communist paradise, delicious Christmas meal, beloved comrades, etc. Oh yeah, I've also got a photo of a guillotine, the French were some cruel bastards.

We met a Chef by the name of Phi (Fee) on Tuesday. Talk about a cool cat. He could make jokes in English as well as teach me how to make some kick-ass food. Gave great recommendations and was a huge soccer-fan. Seriously nice guy, huge flirt too. Said he had 7 wives...not 8 because that's a bad luck number in Vietnam.

In an earlier post I talked about poor plane companions, yesterday may have been the worst. On a 2/3 full flight, the guy on the ailse next to Reg decided not to move to an empty row (RIGHT BEHI HIM!) but instead had his arm raised most of the flight from Danang to Hanoi (1 hour, 15 minutes) with no deodorant on. The guy behind me kept kicking my seat, and the stupid people from the NYC metro-area kept having loud conversations.

Will be heading to Halong Bay on Saturday and Sunday returning late that afternoon so that we can watch the World Cup Final routing on Holland. Everyone here watches. Have not seen the new Arsenal kit, but have seen some great Chelsea and United knock-offs. That said, my favorite fake was a kid-sized Arsenal kit in an orange. I did pick-up a souvenir for myself, a real Vietnam jersey from the Nike store.

I've finally gotten my bargaining-shoes on. The first few days, I just paid whatever (if there's a sticker, you pay that price, if not you're suppose to haggle.) I wasn't really worried about a dollar here or there until we went to buy some fabric for something Reg will be making. We bought some at one stall after being quoted $3/meter. We found another little stand selling another style that we liked, same quality and the woman told me $5. I said no way and started walking. When she asked why it was too high, I showed her the other stuff and told her how much I paid. She looked uncertain but decided to do business for $3/meter. When we walked to another stand looking for some souvenirs, it was game on.

The first thing everyone asks is, "Where you from?" or "What's your name?" Right after one, they ask the other. Yesterday at the souvenir stand, it was Tom, from Canada. The woman wanted a bit more than I was willing to pay for some chopsticks (Yes, I, Nick Kosiek, bough chopsticks) and a holder. I got her down a whole $.50. Its about saving face for both parties, I'm getting better at it. I was able to bargain for my next patch for my backpack earlier today. Reg just laughs when I do it now. I'm all up for a little haggling.

I finally had shit food today. Not "make you shit food" but just shit asian food. There was more taste in my $1.50 beer than in the food itself. It was a fried rice with chicken dish that's pretty standard here in Vietnam. There were still bones in the meal as well as plenty of cartilage. I was amazed because all over the restaurant were comment cards filled out by people from all over about how great it was. It was SHIT! I think I could've made better food than what was given to me. No, really, I mean it.

I'm sure I've missed plenty, but that's okay because Reg will cover it sometime soon.

Much love to you all, especially to Rags who now appears to be reading!

N

Happy in Hoi An

Today's adventures bring a sick traveller (just a head-ache), a delicious meal (okay, more than one to be honest), and some messed up travel plans.

Where to start? Right, here, in Hoi An. As you may have read, this place is a seamstress'/tailor's dream come true. Fabric and tailor shops galore. We had done some research beforehand and options ranged from getting stuff done super-cheap to super-expensive (which even then isn't super expensive). Since we've saved some money for this trip we decided we wanted quality over quantity. As it stands, I've been measured and fitted for a suit, a sportscoat, and 2 shirts at one of the best tailors in town, known as A Dong Silk (look'em up, they're good). Reggie is having a suit (pants, skirt, and jacket) and 2 dresses made there. Suffice to say, the work and service have been excellent and tomorrow we have another fitting. We've also visited many of the many hole in the wall places and after Reggie saw a "twirly" dress (I know that's not the technical term, but its what she's been calling it) in one, it was decided that we'd go there for that dress. One "twirly" dress for her and 2 conversion pants for me, and we've now completed our buying here. We still have some fittings tomorrow to make sure everything is just right, but we are super-happy with the stuff. Reggie still looks at all the shops and keeps saying she needs to take a class to become a better seamstress.

Sick traveller is Reggie, with a massive headache for today. In fact the person who's handled the heat the worst has been her. I've been great minus one time 2 days ago when the heat was getting to me.

Let's talk food. As most of you know, I don't like Chinese food, its too fried and greasy and just has never sat well with me. Vietnamese food is completely different. The ingredients are fresh and I've been eating it right up. I've liked it so much so that today we took a cooking class. I can now make Pho, a shrimp wrapped in banana leaf, as well as a fresh Vietnamese salad with Chicken. I could go on and on about the food around here, suffice to say the herbs have been fresh and even Reggie is eating seafood. We've had dinner at the place where we did the cooking school and at a place that helps train disadvantaged youths in the hospitality field. Being the suckers that we are, we even made a donation to that program.

One interesting thing about travelling not with a package is knowing your options (you normally have a million) and being flexible. Originally, our plan was to go to Hue tomorrow, but we've been enjoying our time here that we've cut it out of our journey. I'm sad about that but sometimes a place feels right and you want to get deeper, which I feel we've done. So in addition to staying longer we need to make our way to Hanoi on Thursday night for a tour that leaves on Friday morning. Unfortunately, all the berths on the sleeper portion are sold for both trains that leave that night, so we're trying to figure out how to arrange things now. We've got a day train and several flights as well as a night bus. We're working it out but its certainly an adventure...which is the point.

I'm sure I'm missing some things, but that's all I've got.

'Til next time,
N

To be continued

The last day or so has been pretty chill. At the moment we're getting ready to go to a cooking class to learn how to make traditional vietnamese food. I'll update later today my time so basically Tuesday morning for most of you. Oh, one last thing; we like comments.

Hoi An = bespoke heaven

We have arrived in Hoi An. This charming old town is a UNESCO World Heritage site. I'll let Nick fill you in on his thoughts about the town and it's food, but first I need to write about the tailors.

We'd always planned on Nick having a suit made here. I couldn't think of anything that I'd want.

I can't stop coming up with ideas now. I have a problem.

This place is total sensory overload. On our short walk around town after arriving last night, we passed at least 50 tailor shops. No exageration. Each shop makes custom clothing (you pick the style and fabric) and has examples of their work on mannequins outside and around their shop. I can barely take it. Nick's heard me go on about the crepe de chine dresses, the houndstooth jackets with assymetric necklines, and lots of other terms that he has no interest in. And we haven't even gone into a shop yet! I haven't mentioned the miles of beautiful fabric in this town. Dangerous for even the most casual sewist.

I should have brought an empty suitcase.

The Mighty Mekong

Today was the day we decided to go to the Mekong Delta. On a map you're looking at about 70 miles. That's about an hour's drive, right? Wrong! Almost 3 because there is no direct route. You may have heard that people here aren't the best drivers in the world. Our guide explained they don't have to pass a test, and our driver would fail one if he ever had to take one. Unlike every other driver
on the road, he didn't believe in staying in one lane but instead drove down the middle and proceeded to honk at anyone who happened to get in his way. Suffice to say, we heard lots of honking.

Our tour was to include a floating market but by the time we got there mostof the vendors were in their boats doing other things. Nonetheless it was interesting seeing people buying watermeln and sweet potatoes from a boat. We then went ashore and saw how they make puffed rice, coconut candy, rice paper, and drank some rice wine. It tasted a little like whiskey but not as sweet.

The trip continued with a longer ride on the river, lunch at a family restaurant (yes, I ate a spring roll), a bike ride around the little island, and then a ride in a traditional boat rowed by a local. All in all a good day.

If you've ever done a tour like this you know that it is made up by all types, ours was to be no different. First there was the driver who couldn't pick a lane, causing me to channel my father, and then there were the Irish lasses. Nice girls to be sure, from Dundalk just north of Dublin. I'm not sure if they had one complete brain between them. There was the quiet one who burnt to a crisp, the Kaufman-girl lookalike who decided that perhaps taking malaria pills might be a good idea and then there was the "Genius". Oh, yes, the Genius. I fear for Ireland if she is the future. Paler than Reg, she didn't bring sunblock so she got a bit burnt. Then she had no idea where she was headed for this tour, thinking she was headed north and quite far away. And to cap things off, she asked a guy from South Africa if Egypt was close to Vietnam. She would have failed my first quiz this year as at the age of 19 or 20 she admitted to not knowing where Africa actually was. Yes, world, you are just as dumb as those Yanks that you love to hate. She was pure comedy.

We're watching the Germany game and getting ready to fly up to Hoi An tomorrow. Enjoy your 4th.

N

Pho sho'

Tonight Nick and I had dinner at pho 2000, a noodle house made famous because President Clinton ate there during a state visit in the 90s. I've been talking about trying pho pretty often since the planning of this trip began. Tonight i finally got to try some while Nick (never a fan of Asian cuisine) had a beef stew with rice noodles. A big step.

After today,pho 2000 should be famous as the place where Nick learned to use chopsticks. So proud. Will try to post pictures later.

--R

Soccer, Cigarettes, screaming babies, and Crocs

So, this will be short as I am doing this from my iPod. Vietnam blocks Facebook so don't expect to see updates there unless we can figure out a way around.

This trip has been filled with people wearing soccer jerseys, watching matches, or playing soccer video games. I actually regret not bringing any of my Arsenal stuff, I'd have fit right in. You may have heard about how crazy this part of the world is for soccer but until you walk into a store and see all the employees wearing different jerseys or walk through the airports and see special viewing areas and the weird mascot everywhere those are just stories. It really is a soccer-mad place. I found 2 Vietnamese matches, 1 EPL match, and 2 World Cup matches on, at 7:30AM!

If you've been to Europe you've seen their cigarette warnings about how they kill. Let me tell you, those Europeans have nothing on the Malaysians. They actually put pictures of smokers' lungs, rotted mouths, and deformed babies. It was frightening...yet there were still tons of people smoking.

I don't know what it is with airplanes and Reg and myself traveling but we always seem to have screaming babies on them. Please, if you are a parent of a child under the age of 4, don't be selfish and subject a plane full of people to your little angel. We may never have kids with all the crap we see on our travels.

Those kids all seem to wearing Crocs, as do many of the adults in this area. I don't get it but they are
mighty popular.

The weather is hot and humid and there's not much to see in Ho Chi Minh City so not much of an update for here except to say I should never complain about crossing a street again after dodging all the cars and motos and bikes and scooters.,

This is the day that never ends...

We've finally arrived in Malaysia. We can't even say for sure how long we've been traveling because June 30th only existed for 4 hours in Heathrow Airport. We know we've spent about 20 hours on planes so far, and at least 12 waiting in and around airports. We're waiting at the Low Cost Carrier Terminal in Kuala Lumpur for our last flight for a few days: Ho Chi Minh City.
Nick just said he would pay $20 just for the chance to shower; I totally agree with him.

It's hard to believe this trip has arrived. Shortly after landing, Nick said he knows it's now real; I think I'll wait on that sentiment until after we've seen anything but airports.

Weather is warm and muggy. Looking forward to a great month!

--R

Leaving on a jet plane

I don't know when we'll be back again...

Seriously though, thanks to everyone for all the help this last week. Its been hell but Reg and I are determined to have a good time. We'll try to keep you updated on here as well as through email. Pick-up for airport is in 25 minutes. I still need to get dressed and I think that's it. Take care and see you later.