Thursday, October 31, 2013

goodbye and hello

Leaving Thailand was bittersweet. I will truly miss this place! Here are a few photos from my last few days there.
last sunset at Hippy Bar
Hippy Bar after dark
this is Jungle Bar - just down the way from Hippy Bar
this was my ride while on the island
Cha-Chai home - favorite place to eat on the island!
leaving :( i got to sit with Jim, one of the Hippy Bar guys. he was going to buy some foam to keep the noise down for the neighbors...

Upon arrival to Siem Reap, I hired a motorcycle taxi to get to the hostel. The ride into town was fun! Since I was on the back of a motorcycle, I got to feel the air, hear the sounds, smell the quite obvious smells, and even get a little dirt in my face - all things I would've missed in a car. The driver, Mau, offered to pick me up at 5am the next morning to see Angkor Wat at sunrise. I enthusiastically took him up on this. After settling in, I explored the city a bit but made sure to turn in early to get some rest for the next day.


I was advised by another traveler to go at sunrise, but to go inside the temple before the sun actually rises. Apparently everyone waits outside for the sun while the inside is empty. She was right! I could hear every step echo in the dark when I went inside. So cool. Here are way too many pictures...
my jaw about hit the ground when I saw this. and it just got better...


everyone waiting for the sun




so much detail everywhere, on almost everything




an idea of the scale





temple grounds looking out from Angkor Wat

for my German homies!
first and only monkey so far
you mad bro?


So that’s one temple. I actually saw two more, but that’s too many temple pictures for one blog...
After the temples, I checked out the war museum and learned me some history. Also, how much damage land mines really do. I couldn't help but wonder, who the hell sits around and designs so many different mines to injure and kill people in so many different ways? And gets paid!? It was a very interesting hour. By this time, I was pretty tired and went back to rest up. Later, I got an incredibly cheap massage and checked out pub street and the markets. Most of my other time has been seeing the city on foot, which I have really been enjoying. 

the smell is pretty intense in this tent...


ladies on tables!




something more refreshing...
Khmer dumplings

this restaurant was awesome. Haven Training Restaurant provides a free training program for young adults who's time has come to leave their orphanage. a Swiss couple started this in 2011. the service was great and the food was delicious. a must-go if you are ever in the city!
i went to Phare - a Cambodian Circus act, with a healthy dose of comedy!

pub street on Halloween

Next up is Phnom Penh. I catch the early bus tomorrow for the six hour trek and will have a few nights there. Then back to Siem Reap to catch a flight to Vietnam...

Saturday, October 26, 2013

Paradise continued…

The past week or so has been an awesome time. Meeting great people, eating delicious food, and soaking up this gorgeous island. Within just a few days, more tourists have started to arrive here. It’s been interesting to watch the locals prepare for the high season.


I spent three nights at a well-advertised bungalow resort before moving next door to a much more friendly, small, family run resort. I’m so glad I did! I've met and spent some time with some really great people here, including a skiing/snowboarding instructor couple from the UK who chase the snow around the world together, an aspiring writer who is traveling from the UK, and some hilarious Germans who were here on their holiday. Our time has been filled with a lot of laughter, music, and fun. I think one of my favorite parts of traveling so far has been the people - both locals, and other travelers. I only get to spend a short time with each other, but I find myself connecting on some level with a lot of the people I’ve met. Being on the road alone, these connections are like honey to the soul. Here are a few snapshots of our island exploration.

So there’s this bar made completely of drift wood on the beach called the Hippy Bar. The guys there said it’s taken nine years to build and it’s still being added to.








Regina on the slackline

Surfing!. I gave it a shot, but wasn’t able to quite stand up. These guys had much better luck…




Charlie making it look easy...
Didi bringing it in for the night

A beach on the southeast side of the island looking toward the smaller Kham Island





the golden Buddha by the Temple Pier
even Buddha needs a shower
steps down from Buddha. there are monks who live in tiny little huts and take care of the grounds right nearby


another killer sunset

Regina and Didi from Munich - these girls are a hoot!
when the sun goes down... this was pretty much every night :)
Charlie playing a tune
Monkey beach






so clear!


another breathtaking sunset. every night is amazing!


Looking back at our bungalows

Leo’clock: the time at which one begins consumption of one of Thailand’s finest “non-premium” beers
we named this sweet girl Scraggy
Laura and Gaz with Moew - another name we assigned :)
it was great exchanging German and English slang with these two. we covered a multitude of terms - again, mostly inappropriate.

Charlie, Regina, and Didi left a couple of days ago. As always, I am sad to see them go but looking forward to the next leg of the journey. I leave this hidden gem on the 28th to spend one night in Bangkok before heading to Cambodia to see Angkor Wat - a much anticipated site.