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.
