SE Asia

It's been a while and I'm sorry I haven't been on top of the updates, but as you read you'll be happy to know I'm seeing some great things and meeting some cool people.

-Thailand-

So we headed down to the islands and spent a coupl weeks hanging out on the beach and diving. Things have been amazing on my side of the world! Scuba diving was an incredible experience.... it's something I'll definitely continue to do after this trip. Got down to roughly 30m or 100' on a couple different dives but usually stayed around 12-18m. Being under the water and actually being able to stay under the water is an amazing experience. You are totally in a different world that is just as beautiful and mysterious as the one above the water. I saw lots of beautiful fish [clown fish (Nemo), trigger fish, barracuda, giant trevally, grouper, bannerfish, batfish, angel fish, etc.], coral (both hard and soft), eels, sting rays, plants, etc. No sharks unfortunately enough but it was awesome! Nate's girlfriend Kelly joined us in Thailand on the 28th of Dec.


-Cambodia-

We left Koh Tao and headed back to Bangkok for a couple days before setting off to Cambodia. I guess it should be mentioned that while we were in Bangkok we tried a deep fried grasshopper. It was a big boy that took a couple bites to get down. Wasn't the best tasting thing I've ever eaten and I must say that the worm I ate a couple summers ago tasted much better. We took a train across the SE section of Thailand to the border with Cambodia. From the border we took a 3 hour taxi ride to Siem Reap where Angkor resides. This ride was one of the most awesomely bad dirt roads I've ever seen in my life. It made for a very fun and unforgivable ride. At one point very early on in the ride we had to avoid cows standing in the middle of an intersection at night on a dusty road.... it was really tough to see them until you got very close. We've had to avoid cows in the road on quite a few occasions, it's actually common, but none of the avoidances came so close to failing as this experience. I also thought the car was going to rattle its way apart on dozens of occasions. I even hit my head on the roof a couple times. Awesome adventure..... right in line with the other random occurrences of this trip. Eventually made it to Siem Reap and spent 4 days touring the ancient compound of Angkor.

I have seen the temples of the ancient city of Angkor and it was so beautiful and awe inspiring. There were all these amazing carvings all over the temples' stone walls/doors. At the time of it's construction around 1180 AD there were over 1 million inhabitants and the city stretched to the size of New York City!!! It took over 100 years to build and took over 8 millions workers. It is quite a feat of engineering, architecture, and design. It was so cool walking through all of these complexes (which were spaced out like a city with several km between temples at times) knowing that at one time there was a thriving civilization residing there.







It only took about 20 minutes of wandering through the temples before I stumped the absolute doo-doo out of my toe. I stumped both of my big toes on New Year's Eve and had just been healed from those wounds when I did this awesome number on my big toe. As I've been wearing flip flops since I've been in SE Asia I have managed to keep a stumped toe. It definitely pays to spend a little extra money on a good sturdy pair of flip flops but unfortunately they don't really exist here.


Many monks visit the temples and it is really cool to see them walking around the ancient temples. It just seems special for some reason. Also interesting to see monks on the back of motorcycles, or taking pictures with their digital cameras of us 3 Americans walking around (happened).... even saw one monk smoking a cigarette, still don't know what to think about that one as it just doesn't look right.

We hung out with our tuk-tuk driver/guide for the week, Roum, a couple of different nights with his friends and family. Our first night with his friends and our last night with his family. The night with the family was awesome as it was spent chatting and eating the scrumptious food they cooked for us. They went out of the way and prepared a feast for us including duck, chicken, veggies, and a "bird" that I will die believing was a bat. If it wasn't a bat then it was exactly what I would imagine a bat would taste like. It wasn't bad either way, just a very strong taste. We eventually had to leave because there was this guy who was gay and would stop pestering Nate and me and it pissed off all the people we were with to the point that we were told it was time to go because it was going to cause a fight if we didn't leave. It was an odd and abrupt end to the good times of the night. On several different occasions it has all of a sudden out of the blue been decided it is time to go or go to sleep when its unexpected. Nevertheless, when the person in charge tells you to do something (it's never a request) you politely respect their wishes.

After our night with Roum's family we then set off for Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, where we saw the Killing Fields and the prison where tens of thousands of people were tortured and murdered during the genocide enacted Pol Pot's regime of the Khmer Rouge within the 70's. I have seen 8,000 skulls stacked 8 stories high in a memorial at the Killing Fields where mass graves were located. You could even still see the clothes lying around, some protruding from the ground, some lying piled under a tree. They were normal clothes of normal people, some still possessing their colors and designs. The blouse of a woman with pink flowers, the purple and red shirts of men, even smaller clothes that resembled those of a child. It's really disheartening to see the aftermath of a revolution like the one of Pol Pot and his Khmer Rouge.




If you look closely in the picture above you can actually see where the individual was killed with a blow to the head. You could see the holes bullets left in these poor peoples skulls or the massive hole left after they were beaten with a club. It made it even more real than just looking at a skull and thinking it used to be a person.... it made me think of screams you could hear as the person was having their skull broken not far from where I was standing. There were speakers playing loud music at the time of the genocide in order for the screams of the victims to be drowned out. It was a very somber experience to be in a place of such destruction to people who are just like you and me.

Phnom Penh has its good sections, it's touristy sections, and its so-so sections but more noticeable for me were the bad sections near the south end of town towards the killing fields where you see that the damage the Khmer Rouge did to the country and people of Cambodia is still lingering nearly 3 decades later. Trash is everywhere, there are people idly roaming around with no purpose, naked babies walk around with a thick layer of dust accompanying them, and of course through all this you notice the faces you see. I saw faces of hopelessness. There were also faces beaming with hope, happiness, and a contentment with life; but a face of pure hopelessness is a humbling, pitiful, and saddening sight. At one point I was eating at a restaurant sitting outside by the sidewalk and an elderly lady who was at least 70 came to beg for money. When I looked at her face it seemed as though and maybe it even was an actually that she had absolutely nothing in life, no reason to look forward to the next day. That was the face of hopelessness that pervades within a certain percentage of the population. When around any kind of shop, restaurant, or tourist trap there is the constant buzz of little children or adults who just come up and beg for money. This wonderful place is taking a long time to rebuild itself and its national well-being since the Pol Pot Regime.



This problem of constant begging also occurred in Angkor Wat, except there the children are badgering you over buying post cards, or books, or flutes, or cold water. This is isn't so bad as you at least feel like they're trying to earn their money instead of direct begging. Only problem with this is that they're being sent out by what essentially is a Pimp to sell this crap and the child sees none of the money. Nonetheless, there is the constant call of "Hey Mr. Want some Cold Water?" Books, Postcards, Flutes, Bracelets, etc.

I feel like I've portrayed this place in a bad way, but it's not nearly as depressing as I've made it sound. I guess that by now I've been traveling long enough to see the details and the small things of the places I go. The buildings and infrastructure of these places change a little, and the people all change a little, but in the details I've found the cultures of these places and how they differ among one another. What I just talked about are the details I noticed in Cambodia so they were fresh in my mind. The people there are all very nice and assuming you use common sense, the security is good. Everyone in Cambodia has a much more firm grasp on the English language than the Thais. Most people here strike me as very entrepreneurial, open-minded, and eager to learn. I like it here and have enjoyed the stay, the food is really good and they do a really mean pizza here as well. Also worth mentioning is the fact that Viva! Mexican Restaurant in Siem Reap, Cambodia has the best Mexican food on the planet and good Margaritas as well!

After Phnom Penh I headed down to the southern beach town of Sihanoukville where I hung out for about a week and a half while Nate was taking Kelly back to Bangkok for her flight home. I was a very effective beach bum and didn't do much but hang out and read a lot. It was a very nice break that allowed me to catch up on some rest. 4 months of constant travel will eventually wear you down and make it difficult to get up everyday. Watched the sun set every day and enjoyed my peace and quiet.



Well, it wasn't exactly peaceful or quiet because there were little kids every day that try and sell you bracelets, paintings, and fruit in order to make a buck. A new kid would come up about every 10-15 minutes if you were lucky to get a break that long. After a few days of being harassed it does get a bit annoying. While the fact that these kids are badgering you, they are all very pleasant. They all carry a huge smile, and even if you don't buy anything they sit and talk with you for a minute. While they need to sell their things, they also seem very genuinely happy and likable. People who have been maimed by a land mine drag themselves down the beach on their butt using their arms to move (they either have no legs or dysfunctional ones that are folded up underneath) constantly come up and beg for a handout. There's a very sad sign of their presence as you can spot the trail they leave in the sand by dragging their butt along.

At first it was tough to see these people and the children and say no to them but after a while it becomes second nature. You cannot help one by giving him what amounts to 20 cents because it doesn't seem fair to the others you have to say NO to every other 10 minutes. And while I don't feel bad about it, I sometimes wonder whether or not they think I'm a jerk because you eventually get to the point where you don't even look at them, you just tell them no before they even open their mouth. It's very disheartening but as I've come to accept, it's a fact of life that people exist like this trying to find a way to survive one day at a time. It makes me even happier to be an American and thankful to be as privileged as I am to have the network of security and family that I luckily have.

Nonetheless, I hung out on the beach for a week and a half and had a great time and met lots of awesome people, four of which had the great idea of driving from Germany to Cambodia through the "'Stans" of Central Asia while raising money for the Children of Cambodia. There goal is to raise $300,000, mainly by selling the rights of their documentary to someone but they had at the point we were hanging out collected around $18,000 from private donations. Check them out at www.TrabantTrek.org Cool idea, entrepreneurial spirit, and a way to help people. They had some awesome stories, some of which I could very closely relate to. The perils and surprises of traveling occur in close manner all across the world.

Nate finally showed up and we left a couple days later and headed for the southernmost border X-ing in Ha Tien, Vietnam. We stopped in Kampot for the night on the way to the border and it proved to be one of the more bizarre happenings we would cross. We were sitting outside our bungalow when two guys and a woman walked by with a dead dog and took it behind a building. Nate and I just looked at either other and one of us said "Holy S%#t.... we're not eating here tonight!" We started hearing this chopping sound and at first thought they were chopping up the dog. You'll be happy to know they were digging a hole for the animal. Very soon after we started hearing all these dogs barking, howling, fighting and making a ruckus in general. This was shortly followed by gun shots started exploding from everywhere. The gunshots were a few hundred meters away in different directions and it eerily sounded like a war had broken out. More dogs. Quiet..... another burst of gunfire. More dogs. Silence. This continued for about 30-45 minutes. Nate and I were very confused when we first heard the gunfire because none of the locals even blinked. I wondered to myself "What in the hell is going on? Are people shooting at each other? Should I run? Why aren't these people reacting in any way?" Soon enough it hit Nate and me very soundly that what was occurring was the mass termination of the local dog population. Not sure what happened to the dogs after they were dealt with but it was an odd experience. We abstained from any meat other than shrimp for a couple days. This is not a rare occurance as the local dog populations must be repressed every so often. In Koh Tao, they must do this as well but do so by poisoning the dogs. Just a funny story I thought I'd tell.... sorry to all you dog lovers. It happens!

-Vietnam-

After hanging out on the beach for a while Nate finally showed back up from taking Kelly back to Bangkok and we set off for the communist country of Vietnam. We entered through a very little used border crossing in the southern town of Ha Tien in the Mekong Delta. Then got a ride to Rach Gia and set out to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). I have failed to mention thus far, but the people of SE Asia can really cram into or on a motorbike/car/van/bus. Example.... I have seen a family of 5 and a small bag riding on a motorbike semi-comfortably; 8 Cambodians plus luggage crammed into a Camry; and as in our ride to Saigon, 20 people crammed into a bus suitable for 12-14 (with bags). We, tourists, are very big people I've discovered. The plastic chairs are about the same size as the ones you use in school growing up (K-5th grade). Back to the bus ride.... it was a little crammed; Mexicans could learn something from the transportation of SE Asia.

Got to HCMC (Saigon) and went to the War Remnants Museum, the Fine Arts Museum, played with some kids outside Reunification Palace, and planned our trip up the coast of Vietnam. After two days in HCMC we took off for Mui Ne.... a small fishing village with a great beach, free of beggars.

Our bus got to the town around midnight so what did we do? We got a room for the night right? Nope.... we slept under the stars in a coconut tree patch behind a seawall in between two resorts. It was the best sleep I'd had in over a month. I woke up as the sun was peeking up over the horizon and although half asleep I sat up to peek up over the seawall and enjoy the view of the sun's beams shooting across the sea. What I saw was one of the coolest sights I've seen and while I didn't actually get up and just sit and enjoy it or take a picture of it (kicking myself for not doing this) I still for about 3 or 4 seconds found myself looking at something that took me back into time.

Out off the beach were hundreds of Vietnamese fishermen in their little circle boats fishing as the sun rose. These circle boats are actually boats about 5 ft. in diameter made from palm leaves woven together. They resemble little tea cups floating around in the water. They are propelled by a paddle in the front of the boat the fishermen work using a circular motion of paddling. They can go quite fast. Very simple, very antiquated looking, and very effective fishing vessels that the Vietnamese have been using for centuries. One man/woman per boat. Very cool sight indeed!

Stayed there for a few days and visited the massive sand dunes they have there. Did a few flips off of the dunes and a superman dive or two into the sea of sand before we were happily convinced we'd done our best to enjoy them like the big kids we are. Sand was EVERYWHERE. Every crevice, hole, pocket, wrinkle, hair follicle, and any other place sand could possibly hide. I was almost a week later, still getting sand out of the pockets of the shorts that I have been wearing. Just an interesting fact which you all will think disgusting.... I've been wearing these same shorts everyday (other than swimming trunks) for over a month and they don't stink nor do they look very dirty considering they're camouflage. Best article of clothing Wal-Mart ever sold. I finally got them washed a couple days ago.



After a couple days in Mui Ne we headed north to Nah Trang. The ride up the coast of Vietnam during the day proved much more enjoyable than the night rides. I knew that Vietnam was mountainous in its interior but was surprised to see how mountainous the coast is. It is a very rocky and bumpy looking landscape filled in its flat areas by rice fields and occasional coconut farms. Awesome to see farmers plowing and tending their rice patties using water buffalo.

Nha Trang is more commercialized now than when my buddy Gary was here in the 70's but it is still an amazingly beautiful place nonetheless. It is set in a spot surrounded by mountains on one side and islands on the other. Truly a cool place to see, especially from the water. Another couple days of hanging out on the beach and enjoying the awesome food. There's quite a bit of French influence present here and a few of the residents still speak the language. The Italian food is also quite good.

Played a bit of football... I mean soccer, with the local guys and cut up the bottom of my foot pretty badly. Really badly actually. I will have to say that when Nate put the disenfectant on it I screamed louder and more uncontrollably than I can ever remember. The pain of that 2 seconds was so much worse than breaking my neck.

We went diving while in Nha Trang and had a blast. The marine life isn't the same as Thailand but the corals are amazing! Not as many fish as in Thailand but much better and more numerous corals. Saw a few clown fish (Nemo), a few VERY large eels, a giant pufferfish (~2-3 ft.), giant clam (3 ft), etc. Lots of cool stuff to see. I had been at a beach for about a month nonstop other than 3 days in and getting to Saigon. I got a great tan but am ready for some cooler weather which will come the further north I travel. I forget that it is winter time.

We went to Hoi An next and spent a day there... not much to see and I thought it was a bit too hyped up but the weather is much cooler and I saw rain for the first time in a couple months.

Hue was the next stop and it was a bit better as there was the imperial city to see. I gotta run as my bus is about to leave. Will keep the updates a little more regular.

By the way the food in SE Asia is absolutely awesome! However, I am absolutely positive that I have eaten dog on numerous occasions. You can definitely taste the difference. It's funny because there's a beef section of menus that sometimes will simply just say meat. It doesn't taste bad either way although there is a bit of a mental blockage to overcome. I've simply just been eating more chicken and
seafood but don't shy away from the food. I've tried to be as
unbiased as possible and follow the local cultures as closely as possible. It doesn't kill me or make me sick so I might as well try it.