Asian Vacation, part 3

From Siem Reap we flew through Bangkok and on to Chiang Mai. We spent quite a bit of time at the Bangkok airport (we passed through it four times)and it is incredible. It is spacious and airy and fairly quiet. Even though the airport is huge it is easy to navigate, and so well designed. Here are a couple pictures:




Josh's parents met us in Chiang Mai and we spent some time at their lovely house before heading back out to the airport to pick up Ben, Josh's older brother. We then promptly headed to McDonald's for a cheeseburger.

Our time in Chiang Mai was divided between meeting people that Josh's parents are working with, eating every pizza in town to find the best (the winner will be revealed in the following paragraphs since I know you are all on the edge of your seat to know...), napping, watching Animal Planet, and sight seeing. It was really rough.

Josh's parents are working with two children's homes in Chiang Dao, which is north of Chiang Mai. It was really special to be able to meet some of the kids and the adults who work there. The first home we visited held a church service and cooked a meal for us. So delicious- squash, pork, vegetables, and fruit dishes. They had recently moved to a new facility, and were excited to show it off to us. The facility is really nice and has lots of room, all the kids have beds, and there is land nearby that they can farm. The second home is run by a family, and functions more like a foster home. This is the model that Josh's parents are hoping to move toward (less like institutions and more like homes).







Chiang Mai is a town with a lot of historical significance, and it was nice to see it with great tour guides. It used to be a walled city, and parts of the wall, gates, and moat are still there. We went to a couple markets- in Chiang Mai there are markets for literally everything, and Josh bought me a gorgeous bouquet of flowers for about a dollar.





On our last night in Chiang Mai we went on a river boat cruise (good one, Josh!). The boat was moored at a restaurant, so after being seated we ordered food and ate dinner while going up and down the river. So pretty! During our two weeks in Thailand I tried about 50 mozzarella and pineapple pizzas so I can confidently say this was the best one. YUM.

Asian Vacation, part 2

From Phuket we flew to Bangkok where we switched flights then headed on to Siem Reap, Cambodia. When we landed in Siem Reap we were ushered into a line that lead to a huge desk running the length of the room. When we got to the front of the line we found out we had to pay $20US each for a tourist visa. Then about 50 workers took our money, looked at our passports, stamped our passports, entered our info into their system, and gave us back our passports at the end of the desk by calling out our names. Awesome. A shuttle from our hotel picked us up at the airport and drove us about 10 minutes to the hotel.

Our shuttle driver was also our hotel checker-inner and our bell boy and our tuk tuk driver hirer our tour guide and our our restaurant guide. He was so nice that I kept whispering to Josh that we were probably getting scammed. Our hotel was old and gorgeous and run down. Lots of big windows, a formal dining room, huge rooms and baths, really pretty ceiling molding, and a great staff. It was very strange to be in such a fancy place that was mostly empty.

Anyway, Siem Reap was somewhat confusing because everyone we met was helpful, kind, and generous. On the other hand Cambodia has had such a violent and tragic history, and human trafficking is a huge problem there.

Regardless, we only had 2 days so we only focused on Angkor. There were so many temples and ruins that it could probably take weeks or months to really see all of them. Our tuk tuk driver, Mr. Sarth, was very helpful and helped us decide where to go.

It's hard to describe Angkor. Imagine driving through the city, past rice fields, and into the jungle. The road curves and there are huge ruins made of cut rock and carvings, and being held up by trees and vines. It really is that amazing and mysterious.

Asian Vacation, part 1

The posts covering our trip to Asia will be broken up into 6 parts- 1 for each of the main stops we made.

Part 1- Phuket
Part 2- Siem Reap
Part 3- Chiang Mai and Chiang Dao
Part 4- Kyoto
Part 5- Shimonoseki
Part 6- Tokyo


Coral Island beach- we went snorkeling here.

So, first up is the beach! After travelling for about two days and staying the night in Bangkok we arrived in Phuket, Thailand. Josh's parents met us at the airport and did a superhuman job of driving on the wrong side of the road and navigating us to our hotel. We stayed at the Nin Apartments on Karon Beach. The hotel is owned by an ex-pat couple and is composed of about 5 suites. I highly recommend it =).

Boat ride to Coral Island.

Here's an example of a daily schedule in Phuket:

5am wake up because we're jet lagged
6am walk around town and find some place that is open for strawberry jam toast and coffee
7:30am go back to bed for a nap
9am meet Josh's parents for breakfast
10am go on a boat ride to an island or go to the beach
1pm eat lunch
2pm go to the beach again
4pm get a massage
5pm take a nap
6pm eat dinner
8pm go to bed (still jet lagged!)

Yep, life is hard on the beach.


T-Rex! This was a miniature golf course we went to.


Josh and the Phuket coast line.

Unfortunately, the days we were in Phuket were part of the rainiest week in about a decade! It was warm enough that the rain did not slow us down, but I was a little disappointed that the sun was not burning me up while I lay in the sand listening to the ocean.... Moving on, Phuket was lovely and a great way to unwind and get into "vacation mode" before travelling more.


Josh's mom feeding an elephant!

Shit the Girls Say

"Jen, give me my snack! I thick. I need to keep this figure."

"Um, hello? Is this Taco Bell? Yeah, this is [girl's name] and I turned in an application and you guys never called me back. I need a job REAL BAD! So can you hire me?"

"Jen, take me to Popeye's. I need some fried chicken today! I'm fina make you take me to Popeye's in the hoop d Jen!!!"

"Jen, he's hella fine. I don't care if he is staff, maybe he can get me out of this program..."

"Jen, I need to get my hair did. You better let me get my hair did- I'm going whether you let me or not so you choose if you want to deal with all the paperwork of getting me in trouble or if you'd rather just say yes."

Travel Tips!

I don't want to blog about our trip until I get a chance to upload our pictures, so for now, here are some travel tips I've learned, borrowed, or improvised throughout the years. And I threw in some photos from past travels =).

1. Only use a carry-on- this saves time (no waiting to check or pick up bags, and you can walk faster with fewer belongings!), space (especially when travelling abroad), and money (no extra fees on airplanes, trains, or buses)

2. How to pack all those products you'll need into a carry on sized bag? Skip the blow dryer and/or straightener. Some hotels and hostels will provide a blow dryer, and if not, let it go- you are on vacation! Instead of packing loads of hair, skin, and make up products, choose a couple you really care about and transfer them to 3oz bottles. If you skip bringing hair products altogether, a tiny amount of conditioner applied to your hair instantly smoothes and shines it. Conditioner also makes a great shaving cream.



3. Roll your clothes. I do not understand how or why, but rolling your clothes definitely saves space in your bag.

4. Leave the electronics at home. You can always use computers at an internet cafe, and most hotels and hostels have computers and internet free for guests. And, who needs a phone when you're escaping real life?



5. Save money by staying in dorm style hostels. Remember that most everyone there is in the same situation as you, and want it to be a safe, good place.

6. Ask locals for help! I do not know a lick of Japanese, Bengali, or Thai, but in all these places if I say "excuse me" then the name of the place I am trying to go, a local is more than happy to point in the right direction.

7. Pack some comfy clothes, some make-you-feel-pretty-clothes, and some practical clothes. At some point during your trip you will want all of these.



8. Before you go shopping, know what you want to buy- this will save you time if you are on a schedule, space in your bag, and money.

9. Have at least 1 day at the beginning and end of your vacation dedicated to rest and relaxation- I need this to unwind and it really helps bring your mind to the present and enjoy your time traveling!



10. Pack a water bottle, headlamp, journal, and pen. Water bottle for hydration, headlamp for early morning or late night extra light (especially courteous if you're sharing a room with other people), journal for note taking (helpful if you're using a train or bus system), and pen so you can write in the journal (duh!).

11. If you're not sure what or where to eat, your best bet is to go somewhere that already has patrons.



12. Don't forget to plan some spontaneity! After all, you are on vacation. I say "plan" because if you allow yourself a couple extra hours, or days, of flexible time you are able to do some exploring when you see something intriguing or off the beaten path. For me, some of these unexpected adventures have been the most fun.

No Trip to Asia is Complete Without...

Getting sick! That's right, folks. This current round of illness does not even compare to the near death India disease experience, but it has not been pleasant.

I will spare you the gruesome details, but I am very grateful to Josh and his parents for helping me get better. After about 30 hours of sleep, a couple rounds of cipro, and a call to an advice nurse in Iowa my symptoms are now pared down to an upset stomach, nausea, and a sprained finger (from falling over on the train while trying to not puke my guts out- I know).

Moving on, we made it to Shimonoseki, Japan around noon today and just finished an excellent Japanese dinner with Beth and Matt. I think we're going to watch some Arrested Development next, since it is the best show. Ever.

Asia Travels Part 1

Hello Dear Readers,

Well, this blog almost died before it even got going, but I am rescuing it right now!

I only have 10 minutes so here's a quick recap of our trip so far. While this narrative would be much better with photos, I unfortunately cannot access them yet.

So, we started out in Portland, drove to Seattle, and were dropped off at SeaTac by my lovely aunt Cherry. We boarded our plane and flew for about eleven hours to Tokyo. It was cute and pink and affirmed all my Japanese stereotypes. Just kidding, kind of.

After a layover in Tokyo we hopped on another plane and landed in Bangkok, where we were picked up and driven to a hotel near the airport. I popped a sleeping pill and enjoyed some rest, and in the morning it was back to the airport for a quick flight to Phuket.

Josh's parents met us in Phuket and we had a fantastic time on the beach with them. More details will come later when I can post photos. After a few days on the beach, eating ourselves silly, and daily massages we drug ourselves back to the airport to fly to Siem Reap.

Siem Reap was amazing. I was not prepared for the kindness we were shown nor for the absolute unbelievable-ness of the ruins there. Any country that sends its girls to high school, educates tourists about human trafficking, and doesn't rob the shit out of you gets an A+ from me.

It is almost 8pm here on Friday, and we are settling in to Josh's folks' house in Chiang Mai. I will try to get some photos posted, but they may have to wait until we come back to Portland.

Thank you for reading!