Friendly Thailand & SE Asia
In and around Southeast Asia
Greetings!
Amazing that I've not written in my blog for nearly two years! When we came to Arcata, my adventurer's soul fully intended to chronicle every piece of excitement that came my way. However, the depressing instability of our first few months followed by the boring stability of the last year and a half didn't leave much fodder for blogging. Or I was just so damn busy that I forgot to fit it in.
Round about early summer, I became numb from doing the same things to fill my 80 waking hours every week: 40+ hours at CASA, coaching for HBRA, rowing with HBRA, volunteering at the garden, hanging out with my CASA kid, book group, CSA pick-up, Kids Korner gym trade, stitch'n'bitch, after work CASA meetings, after work other meetings, "how was your day honey" with Pat... rinse and repeat. Driving home on the 101 every night, I felt the desperate need to escape. And, so, passing the infamous stand of eucalyptus one dark evening, I decided I would do what it took to get OUT!
Since I was ahead on saving for a year-long trip with Pat, I decided to use the surplus to take myself somewhere I've never been. Since plane tickets to pretty much anywhere are $1,000+, I researched cheap destinations. SE Asia came up again and again. I'm pretty much out of Spanish speaking countries to travel, save for Spain ($$$) and Central America - a closer location I want to save for a time in my life when it's tough to leave the US for longer than a few weeks. So, SE Asia it is! Join me for a geography lesson and some adventurous tales!
Route taken and entries by Real Traveler Jema
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1
HOW TO CONTACT ME via my blog
The only thing I don't like about this website is that it requires you, the reader, to make an account if you want to talk to me.
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2
I'm ready!!!
I can't believe the day is finally here! Even more, I can't believe I got everything done. I'm so relieved.
At home, the only thi... Continue reading »
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3
Diana wasn't home..
It took me a bit to find Diana's house. I took the skytrain and followed the streets using educated guesses looking for 205. I kep... Continue reading »
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4
Touchdown!
Imagine my surprise when, this morning (afternoon? evening?) I went to write my three dollar airport water purchase in my $$ journal, and I d... Continue reading »
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5
Little Arabia
After Diana left for work this morning, I walked down to Tesco to get a few things. She doesn't have a "proper" shower, as she tells it. ... Continue reading »
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6
Bangkok Tour
What a jam-packed day in Bangkok! Nicole, thanks to her jet-lag, was up at 3am, 5am, etc wide awake (since it was respectively 3pm, 5pm in Omaha... Continue reading » -
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Jungle Waterfalls & A Piece of History
So yesterday we landed in Kanchanaburi (also "Kan"), and I am LOVING it. The pace of the town is perfect - not too sleepy, but very laid back... Continue reading »
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8
How it's Different From Home, Part I
I've been waiting to write this blog for quite awhile, but haven't found the internet time to fit it in. The things I notice most: 1) Left hand tr... Continue reading » -
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Elephant Chaffing & Becoming the Attraction
Happy All Saints Day!
Finally the sleeping schedule is nearing normalcy, and I got to sleep until nearly 7:30 this morning! After some... Continue reading »
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10
Have Bicycle, Will Travel!
The overnight bus was the classic argument for twenties traveling. Not that traveling isn't great at any age, but it's wonderful to do it whe... Continue reading » -
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Dinner with a Sex Tourist
It was tough pulling myself out of bed in time for the 7:15 bus to Chiang Mai this morning, but I made it! Bargaining with a tuk-tuk driver t... Continue reading »
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12
Feast in Five
I "graduated" from Thai cooking school today - it was great! Since "today" is Tuesday the 4th, I spent a lot of time thinking about the... Continue reading »
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13
Into the Wild
It was so incredible to wake up each morning in bamboo and teak houses to a jungle shrouded in mist. Our three day, two night foray into the... Continue reading »
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14
Mekong Inferno
My advice: do not take the slow boat. Inferno implies that it was hot. It wasn't. I didn't want to say "hell," because I consider mysel... Continue reading » -
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Metric Revelations & Kuang Si Falls
Most American folk, if you ask them, couldn't tell you how many miles are in 45 kilometers (including me). I'd estimate about half of the Americ... Continue reading » -
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Saddest in the Happiest Country
Laos is an incredible county. Most people call it "Lao" (without the S) which is short for the "Lao People's Democratic Republic." It's... Continue reading »
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17
Island.... Paradise?
I spent all of 24 hours on the islands of Don Det and Don Khon. However, seeing as a tip to tip bike trip only take a few hours, 24 hours is... Continue reading »
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18
The Other Stuff
I'm a bit behing on blogging, so this might seem a bit dry as I rush to catch up in this island-priced internet cafe. I learned the value... Continue reading »
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19
Pigs and a Death Wish
So, we were off, the Irish and I, to Cambodia. The journey, however, was not to progress with any semblance of speed. I had rushed to m... Continue reading »
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20
Get me out of here!
Phnom Penh. In a word, "'YUCK.'' In two - ''absolutely putrid.'' You want three? "Full-volume chaos." I think Phnom P... Continue reading »
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21
A little wiggle room...
So, thanks to Vichetr, my arrival in Sihanoukville was smooth. After a pretty good night's rest, I awoke to find I'd tipped over my makeshift... Continue reading » -
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One Day Moves Into Two
After I got done looking for prices on Rotha's BrailleNote (poor guy, they ARE $6,000!), I went for a nightcap at my guest house - my first pina col... Continue reading » -
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Angkor Wat
The temples around Siem Reap are amazing. They include Angkor Wat - the largest religious building in the world - as well as several other ama... Continue reading » -
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A Trip to the Emergency Room
Fair warning: this might be a little graphic and gross for the weak of stomach. Be warned!
So, as I was saying goodbye to Kong, I was... Continue reading »
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