43 days ago Marilyn, Daisy, Kim and myself said goodbye to the kids, staff, and other volunteers in Manila, strapped our not-too-heavy packs on our backs, and headed out for a 6 week, 6 country extravaganza around Asia.
We started in Thailand, first in Bangkok, then to Chiang Mai, and then back to Bangkok. We spent 4 days in the red zone of bangkok (that’s what we learned to call it), which is the area that the “red party” has come to call home in their protest against the government and powers-that-be. We got massages from them, bought bargain souvenirs from them, and enjoyed many many 10 cent iced coffees and fresh fruits straight off the street. We feasted on pad thai daily and sweated nonstop as we walked all over the city!
We took a 3 day trip to Laos, since we were so “close.” We took a 14 hour sleeper train in and a 14 hour sleeper train back, with about 30 hours left to spend in the capital city. We learned first hand that Laos is still a very under-developed, not-too tourist friendly country. We walked around town, continued sweating, and had an interesting experience trying to get back to Bangkok (check out my previous blog to hear that story!)
Our third country was Cambodia. We again traveled six hours by train and another 2 hours by taxi to get there. We had a great time touring the temples of Ankor Wat, and getting great deals in the markets of Siem Riep. And we even got to meet up with some world race friends from last month in Manila. We stopped another 2 days in Phnohm Penh to see the Killing Fields and Genocide Museum, which although it was my second time, is still a tough pill to swallow. We ate 2 dollar buffet breakfast by the riverside and were daily hassled by the children and other locals to buy their rip-off books. Our last night we finally gave in and Marilyn and I bought two books from a young man. His other friends were so angry that we didn’t buy any books from them that right before we took off in our tuk tuk, once slapped me in the arm and a young girl flipped Marilyn off while all the others yelled obscene curse words at us (kids between the ages of 6-12).
We crossed the next border into Vietnam via bus. We spent 8 days in Vietnam in four different cities: Saigon (Ho Chi Minh), Dan ‘ang, Hoi ‘an, and Hanoi. We spent about as much time traveling as we did enjoying being in the cities. We drove around in the madness of motorbikes and scooters in Saigon, saw the Cu Chi tunnels from the Vietnam war, got severely burned in Dan’ang, ate a 5 course riverside meal in Hoi’an, and wandered the streets of Hanoi. We endured several miserable–not an exaggeration– overnight trains in the top bunk of a 3-high-stacked train car on wooden mattresses with families of 6+ Vietnamese piled in below us. On one particular train ride we were trapped in said bed space for 15 very long, uncomfortable hours.
On April 3 we excitedly packed our bags yet again to head across the seas to China in an airplane. We thoroughly enjoyed the comfy reclining chairs, temperature-controlled cabin, and free food! We saw many famous landmarks in Beijing such as Tienamen Square, the Forbidden City, and of course… the Great Wall! We stocked up on souvenirs and had fun bartering with the local vendors, often getting ripped off, only to get a great deal at the next stall down. I took one last overnight train from Beijing to Shanghai. Due to the Shanghai Expo and a lack of available tickets, I was “forced” to travel in a 4-bed soft sleeper. Free water, slippers, and a tv! It was a relatively painless 9 hour journey. In Shanghai we enjoyed being in a home for the first time in a long time! Hosted by the lovely Harlen and Mary Lyso, we enjoyed being toured around Shanghai to several different locations, soaked our train-worn bodies in the hot tub, had picnics around town, and put on our jeans, shoes, and sweaters for the first time.
We headed to Korea, our final country, also via airplane, on April 10. Happy again to spend time in a home, this time hosted by the very hospitable Pam Wright. I spent a week staying at Pam’s apartment in Seoul Foreign School in downtown Seoul. I spent a lot of time walking and looking around, and a lot less time buying things in one of the most expensive cities in the world. I ate two steaks, a burrito, two Indian dinners, cheerios, lots of nuts, and two delicious authentic Korean meals, and spent a lot of time exercising each morning to make allowance for it!
Speaking of running…. over the course of this trip I have had the pleasure of running all over the six different countries. I ran down the highway in Chiang Mai, through the red zone in Bangkok, I ran to Ankor Wat in Cambodia and down the river in Phonm Penh. I dodged motorcycles in Saigon, ran along the beach in Dan’ang, through the cobblestone streets of Hoi’an, and in the pouring rain in Hanoi. I ran in a tanktop and shorts in the brrrrrr weather of China, through Tienamen Square in Beijing and around the suburban streets of Shanghai (not to mention climbing the 2,000+ stairs of the Great Wall). And I daily jogged along the beauitful, flower-lined canals of Korea to the World Cup Stadium. I’ve run in the sweltering heat (100+) as well as the chilling cold (50 and below). I’ve gotten strange looks from most locals as I ran, but I’ve always had the pleasure of getting a smile and a thumbs up in each country from an equally enthusiastic runner.
I’ve eaten delicious foods off the street in every country, watched and observed the locals, haggled for souvenirs from the many markets, and successfully navigated the subways , buses, and walking streets all around South East Asia.
43 days ago we left Manila. And tonight we get on our last plane ride of the trip. Seoul to Manila via Cebu Pacific. Tonight, technically tomorrow, at 2am, I will throw my pack on the floor, wash my face and brush my teeth, and sleep in my own soft bed. And when I wake up, I get to see the many faces I have missed for the past 43 days. I will step outside for my morning coffee, hugs abounding with the kitchen staff, and then I will go find my little Manny and scoop that beautiful little boy into my arms! I am so excited to hear those two little words in his squeaky little voice: “Tita Kissty” 🙂
Manila, here we come!
