Goodbye SE Asia

This post will be brief as Bangkok has the tendency to easily exhaust its tourists.

Tonight is my last night in Thailand and alas my last night in Southeast Asia! A bittersweet goodbye. I had a great 5 weeks exploring and eating my way through Thailand, Lao, Cambodia, and Malaysia but it is surely time to move on to... Hong Kong! After 10 quarts of curry and 3 kilos of rice, I am definitely looking forward to Hong Kongs more diversified cuisine and sights.

The last week or really brought out the highlights of my time in Thailand overall. Mara was nice enough to spend her vacation days with me! We hit up all the must-sees in Bangkok (mostly temples, palaces and buddhas) and had the best half day learning how to cook thai cuisine with a firecracker of a lady.

We then took the overnight bus down south to check out Koh Phi Phi for some island action. While yes, Phi Phi was heavily touristy, it was for good reason! Gorgeous limestone jagged mountains jut out of the water to surround the island. The island was seriously hit by the Tsunami in 2005 but they have since recovered nicely and are constantly building and developing. After saying my goodbyes to Mara I headed north to the quiet national park of Khao Sok. Loved Khao Sok. It is a beautiful and massive lake which was also encompassed by limestone karsts. I was able to hike, cave spelunk and kayak in the area so that was good to get physical after laying on the beach for too long. Additionally, my lodging came in the form of a raft hut on the lake itself. I loved literally rolling out of bed and jumping into the freshwater. A definite recommendation for all your future travels!

My last stop in Thailand was Prachuap Khiri Khan to visit another buddy from college, C'pher. He teaches at the middle school there and leads quite the awesome life as one of the only white people in the small beach town. I was able to do some biking and hiking (and of course swimming) which was a great way to get to know the area. My first night there was the nation-wide Water Festival (Loi Kratong). All the locals come out to the water and light lanterns and kratongs and just have a lot of fun with fireworks, BBQ, and parades in order to pay respect to the water spirits.

So there you have it, no more Thai adventures to report on! Will update you from "Fragrant Harbor" aka Hong Kong!

Cambodia and Malaysia

Hey faithful readers!

Wow what an incredible few weeks to update on! I can't believe my trip is halfway complete...I don't want it to end. I left off with my time ending in Lao. After leaving the capital of Vientiane, I met my friend Ildi in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. It was quite a shock to every sense to arrive in the capital. The city was surely alive and active, especially since the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon was in town visiting as well. (copycat!) However the poverty and aftermath of the 1975 Genocide was still alarmingly present.

Ildi and I spent most of the first day touring the remnants and exhibits dedicated to the memory of the victims and survivors of the genocide. We went to the killing fields, torture prisons, and witnessed the slums of outer Phnom Penh that are still underdeveloped due to the massacres. After that we definitely needed a drink! After a few days of touring the bustling city, we took a 5-hour bus ride to Siem Reap, the famed host to Angkor Wat.

Known to most as the 8th wonder of the world, Angkor Wat certainly lived up to expectations! The temple complex was built in the 12th century and is incredibly maintained. (perhaps due to the $20 entry fee??) We started at dawn to witness the hyped sunrise behind the main Angkor temple and we were not disappointed! The rest of the day was spent meandering through the vast expanse of ruins. The area was packed and we were told that it was the low season...whew!

From Sieam Reap we flew into Kuala Lumpur to begin our Malaysian adventures. KL is incredibly diverse, as is the rest of the country. It was incredible to just walk for 15 minutes and find ourselves go through Little India, China town, and then end at a hawker-stall complex full of Malay food. We always joked that we could never tell who was a tourist or a local due to all of the ethnicities that comprise Malaysian culture.

From KL we settled in Penang. NO, PANANG CURRY DOES NOT COME FROM PENANG. I know, we were disappointed too. Penang means betel nut, if that helps anyone. Despite the lack of panang curry, we were gastronomically pleased with the array of foods we could find and immediately devour. The island is famous for its lhaksa soup, rojak desserts, and Nonya secret cuisine. On the island we were able to hike, swim, motorbike, eat and sleep. Not a bad way to spend three days!

From Penang we took a 3-hour ferry to the remote island Pulau Langkawi. Langkawi is an underdeveloped island with great beaches and water sports galore. For my birthday Ildi and another friend Andres snorkeled with baby sharks! Very memorable. Sadly last night Ildi and I said goodbye as she headed south to Singapore and I head north to Bangkok to meet Mara.

From there we will tour the city for a few days and then holiday on one of the famed southern islands, most likely Koh Phi Phi. Can't wait to meet up with her, will keep you posted soon!

Cheers,
Aviva