August 7th.
September 20th.We are home. Happy to be back but noting the bittersweet absence of places of great peace, people with full hearts and a slower, more contemplative embrace of the human experience.
Here are the details (how Western am I for even doing this?):
Miles traveled: 22, 522
Airlines Flown: 5 (Continental, Viva Macau, Air Asia, Berjaya Air, Lao Airlines)
Modes of transportation taken: 17 (Airplane, Taxi, Monorail, Train, Tuk-tuk, 4x4, Sea Kayak, Motorbike, Speedboat, Hydrofoil, Subway, Incline Tram, Longtail Klong boat, Riverboat, Songthaew, Sidecar)
Days Worked: 11
Cities Visited: 15 (Hong Kong, Macau, Jakarta, Bandung, Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Selangor, Chaweng (Ko Samui), Surat Thani, Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Luang Prabang, Vang Vieng, Vientiane, Siem Reap, Phnom Penh)
Best Bargain: One hour massage in Laos - $3
Worst Bargain: Book on Angkor Wat bought from Hawker - $7 (I was later offered the book for $1)
Best Food: Laotian Dried Sweet and Spicy Beef (Victor's Choice) + Thai Green Curry (JJ)
Worst Food: Durian fruit popsicles (Unanimous)
Best Drink: Beerlao
Worst Drink: House red wine at an Italian restaurant in the club district of Kuala Lumpur. Nas-tay.
Top Accomodations: 1. The Jungle Club, Ko Samui ($35/night), 2. The Red Palm Hostel, Kuala Lumpur ($6/dorm bed) 3. Le Gardin Organique, Vang Vieng ($12/night)
Worst Accomodation: Mirador Mansion, Hong Kong - good lord the hallways were gross.
Scariest Moment: Waking up in Jakarta to the sound of rustling through our baggage.
Most Relieving Moment: Realizing that the rustling was caused by a fearless and rotund mouse.
Pictures taken: 2,730
Videos shot: 76
JJ's favorite photo:
Check out the monks in the reflection.
Victor's favorite photo:
Buddhas seen: 23,000 (estimate)
Engagement rings purchased: 1
Other jewelry purchased by JJ: Statistically incalculable
Combined Weight Loss: 12 lbs.
Number of Possessions Stolen: 0
Amount We Were Defrauded: $15
Amount We Were Overcharged for Being Westerners: Plenty
Rationalization by Us Regarding the Overcharges: We need it less than they do
Most Poignant Moment: Realizing that Luang Prabang was so small and so contented, and that our presence was not requested. After the UN designated it a World Heritage site in 1995, travelers have been coming here in ever greater numbers, but you can sense that the town hasn't fully embraced that change. We could feel that our presence and our dollars were changing this place in a way that you don't sense in more developed destinations. Because the beauty of Luang Prabang is its languorous out-of-time-and-place charm, we travelers with our Western pace and passive but relentless demand for efficiency and convenience, we change this place by coming here. We both felt conflicted about that realization, and tried to answer the dilemma through attempting to adopt the Lao pace and philosophy as best we could.
So that's our trip. It's already slowly fading from memory, but the experience will continue to shape us and we appreciate the opportunity to share it with you. Thank you for reading and peace be with you!
-Victor and JJ
5 comments:
Blog readers delighted: Incalculable
Blessings to you two: Unnumbered
Absolutely fascinating! Enjoyed reading every single detail of your incredible journey! Hope to see you soon!
If you were my children, I would number your blessings to show that I care for you.
Greatest. Blog. Ever.
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