3 countries in 4 weeks

The last month has been exhausting, in a good way. After five months of being away from home I finally got some quality family time when my dad flew in for a visit. Let me just start this post off by saying that my dad is awesome. period.

This picture notwithstanding...

We backpacked from Beijing to Thailand to Cambodia, all in the space of about three and a half weeks. The sights were incredible, and the experience is one that i'll never forget.

So let's get to it, what exactly did we do?

Well, as with any foray into China, we walked the Great Wall, and (I'm going to hate myself for this later) it was pretty great. We walked past several signs saying tourists weren't allowed past, and then we kept walking. Despite all the pictures you see of the Great Wall, it's actually fairly dilapidated for a majority of its length. Needless to say, those parts were my favorite.

Future site of worlds most dangerous slip'n'slide

We then left the cold, harsh environs of northern China in exchange for the tropical paradise of Thailand. Of course it wasn't all sunshine and rainbows. When we got into Bangkok, it was three in the morning. We couldn't find our guesthouse, and every street we went down was teeming with snarling dogs. Then once we found our guesthouse, the owner was asleep and didn't answer the doorbell for close to a half hour. Ugh.

Anyways. After that, we toured Bangkok, which is a crazy city full of life. A longtail boat cruise around the city is definitely the way to go though. It was a good way to see the city.

Leaving the city, we decided to go visit Khao Yai national park (jungle). This place was great. We actually ended up camping in the Jungle(which was uncomfortable).

Fast forward a few days (because I'm getting bored with the way this narrative is going) and we're on a beach on the island of Koh Chang, which lies near the Cambodian border.

I would absolutely return there. Our hostel was great, the people were great, the beach was peaceful and fairly empty, and the white sands were just beautiful. One of the best parts was this waterfall located in the interior of the island with a pool that was perfect for swimming in, it was surreal.

With heavy hearts and downcast spirits we left the island for the infamous Cambodian border crossing. As usual for foreigners, we got scammed. Which in this case means paying an extra $6 and waiting a couple hours longer. Of course then we got shipped off to Siem Reap, where our bus driver drove us into town, and then right back out of it so that we could be deposited at a tuk tuk (a rickshaw pulled by a motorcycle) station no doubt owned by his friends. Since it was after dark, we had to take these guys into town.

We actually liked our driver, so we offered to hire him for the next day, to which he enthusiastically agreed. The next morning, he shows up and passes us off to his monolingual "brother". Welcome to Cambodia ladies and gentlemen.

Sunrise: The only time you can get a picture without
people in it.

In Cambodia we saw Angkor Wat (Shocker!) and it was everything you've ever heard. Imposing, ancient, mysterious, and sprawling. Among other adjectives. It was quite a bit larger than I was expecting. It turned out to be a good choice to hire a tuk tuk driver, as I don't think we could have possibly seen as many temples as we did if we had been on foot.

After Siem Reap and Angkor Wat, we proceeded to Phnom Penh (the capital city of Cambodia). Here's the part where I digress into an anecdote.

So there we were, sitting in the back of twelve passenger van. Our senses were constantly assailed by the faint musk of human bodies intermingling with the thick cloud of dust blowing in through the A/C vents. Our bus driver was pulling off his best Keanu Reeves impression from Speed and doggedly pushed that poor van to ensure that our speed never dropped below 55 mph. This despite constantly driving into oncoming traffic on half paved, half dirt roads.

As my teeth rattled inside my head, I felt the familiar urge that never signals good tidings. Now, normally, when I need to make a pitstop, I simply tell whoever is driving. In this particular instance though, my driver spoke only Khmer, the official language of Cambodia. Guess which obscure Asian language I can't speak?

Bouncing up and down, swerving left and right, and breathing in dust isn't the best situation, but wait! there's more!

Sitting next to me was a young kid, probably around eleven years old or so. His stomach must have been feeling the same external stimuli as my bladder. To his credit, while throwing up inside a van whipping back and forth like Willow Smith's hair, he managed to catch almost all of it in his hands...except for the small amount that I later found on my foot....Yeah...it was that kind of day.

Luckily though, the driver stopped the van at that point, which meant I could take care of business...so that's a plus!

And they all lived happily ever after.

For once, your imagination
is actually less horrifying.

Once in Pnohm Penh...
 The main attractions there revolve around the Genocide perpetrated by Pol Pot and the Kmer Rouge. It was a sobering counterweight to the levity of our previous adventures.

I really enjoyed this trip. To be honest, I was getting pretty tired from dealing with all the things that entail teaching in a foreign country, and this was a good recharge. That said, I think I need a vacation from my vacation. We ate way too many meals from 7/11 and had far too many 6 plus hour minibus rides down jumpy roads for me to recount in a single post. It was fun, but it'll take it out of you.

Anyways. It's been great talking to you. I'll see you in about four months (!!!!).