As I headed back towards my hotel after a day of roaming the Hanoi streets, I found myself stopping in at the few touristy shops that were open. One shop was a DVD, CD, books shop. There were two other girls in the shop and a girl manning the counter. As the two girls made their selection and went to pay, one of them said that she wanted a good deal because she was buying three. The girl at the counter said 110,000 dong. They countered with 50,000 d. Then a loud male voice came booming over a speaker. In very good English he said 100,000 dong.
It seems there was a camera set up in the corner, attached to a computer that was online, allowing the shop owner to bargain with the tourists from a different shop entirely. I wonder how many shops he watched at once.
The two girls really got into the bargaining with someone they couldn’t see, but could not get the man down below 90,000 dong.
After they left, I thought it might be fun just to see if I could get the same deal. So I took my three items to the counter. The girl said 105,000 dong. I looked up, smiled at the camera, and said they paid only 90,000. There was then some conversation in Vietnamese before the male voice said, “ok 90,000 dong”. He then asked if I was part of the same group, I replied no, but I’d overheard the negotiations. I then paid, smiled and waved goodbye.
After an early breakfast at the coffee shop next to our room, we found our tuk tuk driver and took off for Angkor Wat and the temples. It was my second time in 9 months to visit the temples, but they are just as spectacular the second time. There is so much refurbishment going on that there were new things to see and some former things that were blocked.
We did not have a tour guide, so we used the guide book and our own curiosity to explore. We covered 4 temples in about 5 hours. After ups and downs of all the stairs we were ready for a less active afternoon, so after lunch we took a walk around part of the city before heading back to have a snack at bar and a nap.
Just as we were ready to head out to the night market and dinner, a big thunderstorm started. After watching the storm from the balcony and realising it might not be smart to stand next to the power lines in an electrical storm, we settled back in the room to wait out the storm. We became totally enthralled in the absolutely horrible movie, The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift. Man does that movie have incredibly bad dialogue and yet we could not stop watching. The movie did inspire an idea for a sequel. Let’s just say that the sequel involves the lax traffic laws and tuk tuks of Cambodia.
I arrived home mid-morning yesterday. Can’t really say that I am happy to be back. The trip was way too much fun, and as crazy as it was, it was way too relaxing. I enjoyed not caring if I was clean, not worrying (too much) about safety as we did crazy things, only caring where the next curry might come from.
The adventure started very, very early on Monday morning. Debra arrived about 1 am and our flight to Phnom Penh was scheduled for 6:45 am. So we had about 3 hours between airport trips. There was not much sleeping. First stop in the airport was the coffee shop, which conveniently had free foot massage machines. We took advantage and as we caffeinated and we massaged. The flight was pretty empty, so we were able to get our own rows for stretching out. We were pretty giddy at the start, but each managed to snooze a tiny bit on the flight.
Thanks to the one hour time difference, we arrived in Phnom Penh, just after 7 am. We got to our guest house, navigated the crazy stair case (each stair was different height and width, luckily we managed not to kill ourselves on them) and settled in for a bit. After arranging our bus to Siem Reap for the next day, we negotiated a tuk tuk ride out to the Killing Fields at Choeung Ek.
The tuk tuk ride was a total adventure. Choeung Ek is outside of the city, so we had a long ride and almost hurt ourselves laughing. While cars mostly stay in their lanes, tuk tuks do not always follow the normal rules of the road. When making a right-turn, the tuk tuk would move into the on-coming traffic as it merged it’s way over to the right side of the road. At one T intersection, it was every vehicle for themselves; total madness. We eventually weaved our way through, only tapping into one moto, and headed down a wet, dirt road. It was a pretty steep drop and the tuk tuk slid a lot, once sliding into the moto in front of us (no one even bruised, but lots of laughter).
The Killing Fields are very depressing. Everyone walks around with a sombre expression, barely speaking. Near the entrance is a glass stupa filled with skulls recovered around Choeung Ek. You are encouraged to walk through the inside, and most visitors do, looking slightly ill and totally mortified. The silence in the stupa comes naturally as no one knows what to say, think or feel. After the stupa, you can wander through the grounds and see the holes left from the mass graves. There are signs indicating where the buildings once stood. As you walk along the back fence, there are cute children that will pose for photos for $1 and give you a well rehearsed speech of sorrow as they beg for more dollars. By the third child you know most of the lines of the speech yourself. Some kids are better at selling it than others, we took pity on two of the first boys we saw. All in all, it was a very depressing stop.
On our way back to the guest house, we heard what sounded like screaming kids coming up behind our tuk tuk. Turned out is was a truck full of pigs being taken to market. They were standing on each other up to about 3 deep (Do you still hear the screaming, the screaming of the lambs pigs?).
We negotiated with our driver to drive us all day for $10. Because our next stop was closed during lunch time, we stopped at our room and power napped for an hour before heading out to lunch and Toul Sleng Genocide Museum. Lunch was at the ever so cute, outdoor cafe Boddhi Tree, and the first of many, many curries.
The Khmer Rouge was very good at documenting the torture inflicted on their victims at S-21, a former school. In the first set of rooms you see where victims were tortured. Today you see the beds, the leg irons and maybe some of the items used to torture the victims. Each room contains a photo of a victim being tortured. I don’t even want to think about the stains that remained on the floors and walls. From the torture rooms, you moved to rooms and rooms of photos of the victims. As each prisoner arrived at Toul Sleng, they were photographed and documented. The documents were lost, but the photos remained behind and are now displayed as a reminder. There were a few boards of photos of very young children. I realised that those children were my age, or would have been had they not been systematically murdered. From the photos, you moved into the prison cells. There was a lot of history to read, but most of the museum was visual evidence of what occurred at the prison.
We had a bit of time left before everything closed and needed to lighten the day up, so we headed over to the Royal Palace and silver pagoda. We had about 30-45 min to run around the grounds and take in all the beauty.
At dinner time, we left to guest house to see that our tuk tuk driver was still hanging around outside, so for a few more dollars we had him take us to the river, to eat next to Tonle Sap. When we arrived, we were the only non-locals in the place. As the evening wore on, we laughed as we watched group after group of tourists walking in holding the same Lonely Planet book, their finger conveniently marking the page.
On the way home from dinner, with a different driver, our tuk tuk stalled. In the middle of the intersection. We jumped out and helped push it across the road. Luckily our driver got it started again and took us the few remaining blocks home.
It is Wednesday at a little after 2 pm. We have finally sat down for lunch. This morning at 8 we headed out to the temples. We spent at least 2.5 hours at Angkor Wat, walking around. Next was the up and down and up and down of Bayon at Angkor Thom. Ta Prohm was third and really great. There we were really allowed to explore and we went through so many passage ways. With the heat and climbing we were starting to fade fast. A quick coke from on of the many kids and we were ready for the final temple, Preah Khan. After that we were done. No plans for today other than enjoying the slower pace of Siem Reap. Tomorrow we head for Koh Samui.
On Friday night at beers we were discussing where we want to travel. On Sunday Debra sent me her list of places she wants to see.
I’ve been afraid to put my list in any real form of writing. Because the more I travel the more I want to travel. I’m afraid that by putting it on paper, or in list format it will grow even more crazy. But without much thought to it and in no order other than somewhat geographical, this is the list I dashed off (in about 20 min or less). I’m sure there is lots I’ve forgotten. And I added some places I’ve been but want to always visit again and again and again…
Asia – Japan – Kyoto, Mt Fuji (in August so I can climb to the top), Hiroshima Vietnam – Hanoi, boat trip along Mekong Laos Cambodia – Phnom Penh (Killing Fields), Sihanoukville Thailand – Krabi, Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket again and again Hong Kong China – Chengdu or Wolong province (see Panda Bears, on hold now after earthquake), Great Wall Borneo – See the Organ tans in Sabah Indonesia – Bali India – Taj Mahal Maldives – Before they’re covered with water Nepal – Trek to Mt Everest Base Camp and around to side where you can see all the way to the top Philippines – So I can see all of ASEAN
Antarctica
Africa – Egypt – Cairo, Great Pyramids Morocco - Casablanca, Marrakech Kenya South Africa – Kruger National Park, more time in Cape Town (touch Atlantic and Indian Ocean in same day Rwanda – See Gorillas, http://www.responsibletravel.com/Trip/Trip100267.htm Zambia – Victoria Falls, White water rafting on Zambezi
Oceania Australia - Tasmania, South Australia, more than 15 min looking at Uluru, Sydney, Sydney, Sydney New Zealand - http://www.ultimatehikes.co.nz/
North America – Cuba (first place I’m going once Americans allowed to go there, or I get a different passport) Manitoba – See polar bears Alaska
Rest of Eastern half of Canada
Europe – Germany – many, many places Austria Russia Italy – Pompeii, Rome, Venice, Milan (for more than one night) London – can visit hundreds of times and still love Paris – can visit hundreds of times and still love Belfast – return in a few years to see how it has changed as they continue to recover from the Troubles Czech Republic - Prague Greece- Athens Hungary - Budapest Croatia Amsterdam Sweden - The Ice Hotel
I wonder what the list would look like if I took time to think about it and do more research. Occasionally I’ll bookmark a website of somewhere I want to go and am afraid I’ll forget about. Those are included.
Update
I knew I’d forget a few places and of course they’ve been coming to me at random moments during the day.
Again in no particular order:
Spain - Running of the bulls
Madagascar
Mauritius
Fiji
Galapagos
France - Nice, Normandy, French Alps and WINE COUNTRY
Copper Canyon
Israel
Dubai
Bhutan
Tanzania - Mt Kilimanjaro
Belize
Glacier National Park
Spain - Barcelona, Bunol - Tomato fight, Madrid
Still know there are many more I am forgetting. Particularly in Africa.
Oh yeah. Travel bug is strong. This is why I try to avoid the Lonely Planet and Let’s Go Books in all bookstores.
It is 9 pm, I haven’t had a cocktail today, I must be home from holiday. And I am so not happy about that.
Phuket was absolutely wonderful. At 10 am Phuket time, when I arrived at my hotel, that 6 am alarm ringing was history. I was changed into the bikini, slathered in sunscreen and out to see things through my viewfinder in record time. I had picked a hotel in the south western area of Phuket. The monsoon weather comes from the south west so it meant there was no swimming on my direct beach. It also meant that my area was quiet and had way fewer inhabitants than some other areas of the island. In my initial walk around, there weren’t many people to be seen at all. A very, very, very, very nice change from Singapore. My hotel was FABULOUS! And again because of monsoon season, very few other occupants. That meant no fighting for the good pool chairs. It meant I got the same chair everyday. I was right next to the young couple from Jersey (UK Jersey, not New Jersey). They were next to the woman from Queensland. To my right were the French families, and around the corner to the left was the scary woman who had a finely leathered look to her. Everyday those were our chairs. No one dared interlope. Even if I spent all but one hour of Saturdays’ sun time touring and snorkeling around other islands, my pool chair was still vacant waiting, hoping for my return. I could even leave my stuff at my chair, go to my room, go to lunch at a nearby restaurant or make a soda run to the nearby store and I knew my stuff would be untouched on my return. And the pool people looked out for each other. We found the shop with the cheapest cokes, shared books, shared DVDs, shared eating place suggestions. We were in it together.
I long ago gave up trying to get a good margarita anywhere in Asia, but something made me order the one at the hotel. Perhaps it was the crazy cheap price, or the lounging in the sun all day, not really sure. But damn that thing was good. Tasted like an actual margarita, made with actual tequila. I had two with dinner. Two and I was good and done.
Saturday I wanted my ocean swim time so I booked a speedboat tour to Phi Phi Islands. You might recognise the area in my pictures from the movie “The Beach”. The coral areas we snorkeled around were not that good. Lots of bleaching, but the water was crystal clear and there were lots of colourful fishies to look at. No Nemo though. And!!!…there were MONKEYS!!! MONKEYS people. Many monkeys. On an area called Monkey beach, what are the odds of that? The tour guide was great too. I was the only one on the tour alone and the only one whose name he learned. On some other trips I’ve done people haven’t known how to treat the single person, but he made me feel more special and not alone at all. Yeah, I tipped at the end of the tour. Truly fabulous day in all.
Sunday was back to the pool, beach and wondering around the neighbourhood. Well, that and a bit more time at the spa. Who can resist cheap massages; cheap massages at 10% discount? Not I.
I really loved Phuket. Loved that I could just wander along and not get lost. Wander along and find great places to eat, great coffee shop, nice ice cream stand. Two guards outside a more upscale hotel would even snap to attention and salute as I passed. Did I pass more often than necessary just to be saluted? Quite possibly. God knows I loved the curry. Red curry snapper at lunch Friday. Green curry chicken at dinner Friday. Yellow curry prawns on Saturday. Red curry beef on Sunday night. Yellow curry chicken on Sunday night. So colourful, so awesome, so cheap. A good lunch or dinner was about 160-200 Baht for the main. That is about $6 US. Cocktails ranged from 99-200 Baht. I’m sure it would have been cheaper if I drank at the stand outside the market next to the hotel, but I opted for the hotel bar or the cute places near the hotel. I loved that when I would come back to the hotel there was an employee to ask me how my day was, ask where I’d been, just check up on me. And they were genuine when they asked. Can’t wait to go back.
My last two nights in Sydney, I stayed with some American friends of mine. Turns out that David and I were in the same new hire class, but we never knew each other until we were in Sydney. By Tuesday their 3 1/2 year old daughter was happy to have me in their house. I was almost like a new toy.
Mid-morning I was sitting in the guest room, trying to figure out how I was going to get all my stuff back in my suitcase. Alana stood in the doorway and started to talking to me. While standing in the doorway, she started to tell me all about the baby in her mommy’s tummy. After a little while she asked me if she could come and sit on the bed so we could talk. Of course she could. And talk we did. Alana pointed out the picture of her parents wedding.
A: That’s my parents wedding picture.
Me: Yes, that is very nice.
A: I was in mommy’s tummy (Voice yelling from far down the hallway)
Denise: No you weren’t. You weren’t in my tummy until 4 months later. FOUR MONTHS LATER.
Me (laughing hysterically): Don’t ever say that to your grandparents.
A: I wasn’t there?
D: No. You weren’t in my tummy until 4 months after daddy and I got married.
Alana thinks for a bit, then asks: Where was I?
Denise and I giggle, look at each other and giggle some more.
D: You were just a twinkle in your daddy’s eye.
Alana looks at the picture again: So I wasn’t at the wedding?
D: You weren’t around yet. You were still just a twinkle in your dad’s eye. If you were around you would have been at the wedding.
A: I was a twinkle in daddy’s eye?
Me: Yes, see that sparkle there?
A: I was a twinkle. Then I got in mommy’s tummy.
— A little later…while discussing that I used to work with her dad
A: I go to preschool while my dad works
A: What is my teachers name?
Me: I don’t know your teacher.
A: Oh
Me: Do you like preschool?
A: Yes it’s fun. We get to play and sing silly songs.
Me: Ah yes. I liked preschool too.
A: You went to preschool?
Me: Yes. When I was little like you.
A: You were little?
Me: Yes. I was little too, but then I got older.
A: What is getting older?
Me (only being able to think, “you know, get older”): Uhhh, before I had birthdays and grew up.
A: You liked preschool?
Me: We had a giant sandbox. It wasn’t on the ground, just on a table. So we could only put our hands in it to play.
A: Mmmm
Me: Do you have a lot of friends?
A: Yes. Did you?
Me: Yes. And I had a boyfriend. He followed me around everywhere. He only did what I told him to do. Do you have a boyfriend?
A: Yes.
Me: What is his name?
A: I don’t know. But he is the one with the sisters.
Me: What makes him your boyfriend?
A (matter of factly): He is my boyfriend.
— Later in the day Alana asks me if we can go back into my room, sit on the bed and talk some more.
Me: Only if I can pack while we talk.
A: Oh yes.
A: How are you going to get all of that back in?
Me: I think it might take magic. It should fit, it was all in the case when I got here.
A: Yeah. That’s going to take magic. It won’t fit.
Me: What did you learn in ballet today?
A: We did this (pointing feet) and this (lifting leg) and I got a star.
Me: You got a star?
A: Yes. I was good so I got a star. But I took it off because it was looking worn. I don’t want a worn star.
Me: No worn stars aren’t good.
A: I like bats.
Me (trying to keep up): You like bats?
A: Yes. The things that fly around. I like them.
Me: Have you seen the bats they have here in Sydney? They are big. Much bigger than Austin bats. A: No, I don’t like the big bats. I like little bats.
Last week a top terrorist escaped from a local prison. It has had a weird impact. This is a country that is well known for it’s safety. Something I think the locals take advantage of. Hell, it’s something I am starting to take advantage of. I still tend to look over my shoulder or listen for someone behind me when I am walking alone at night. I just do it while walking through dark, empty fields around midnight. I heard from one of my co-workers that at his child’s school the kids now have to go to the toilet together, and parents were allowed to come pick up the kids early. There are posters of the escaped terrorist placed up all over the place. There are police and soldiers scouring lots of areas, I haven’t seen this personally but others I know have. Over the weekend the three main mobile phone companies sent the following mms to all of their subscribers: Please call 999 immediately if you see Mas Selamat bin Kastari. He is short (1.58m) & limps on left leg. Thank you. Our little piece of paradise is getting to experience a little bit of what the rest of the world experiences all the time. We just get to experience it with greater efficiency.
I write this sitting on the floor of Narita airport. I’m trying to get all the extra power to my computer that I can get. The upgrade to business class is not looking promising. I am, however, feeling much better about that extra money I spent for the seats with extra leg room. On the flight from Singapore, my legs couldn’t even reach the seat in front of me. The only problematic part was not being able to recline for sleeping. And I need to sleep. I know that I was still wide awake at 1 am, and the alarm went off at 4 am. After 1, I vowed to stop looking at the clock as that was only making things worse.
I am however loving Narita airport. After finding my gate, I was in queue for the pub across from my gate. The ham and cheese sandwich paired with a glass of wine seemed like a decent enough idea. Then I remembered. About 4 gates back there was a sushi bar. I was out of that queue so fast. A short while later I had my Asahi beer, edamame and a plate of super, fresh sushi. I have to say, that I am really happier than someone should be when sitting on the floor of an airport.
