Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam

On April 30th we got into Bangkok around noon. We thought we had a shuttle service to pick us up but after about an hour we realized we didn't. We tried to find a cheap taxi to the city but everyones prices were ridiculously high for what we knew we could get an actual taxi for. They were all just trying to rip us off. However, after quite some time we accepted a taxi ride for $700 Baht one way to the city. That's about $28 which doesn't seem that high but there, it is very high! During the ride the taxi driver was asking us how to get to our hotel and asking if he should take the highway and we were very frustrated that we had to pay so much and now he was asking us for directions. If anything, he should be able to afford a GPS!  Then we had to pay more money for the tollway.

Finally we got to our hotel and we were pretty hungry. We decided to just walk down the street and find a restaurant. On our walk there was someone selling sunglasses and I lost my pair in Chiangmai so I wanted to quick buy a pair. There was a pair that were $50 baht so I bought them. After I gave the man the money I took off the sticker on the glasses and right under the sticker there was two large scratches! I knew though that since I gave the money already there was no way I was going to get it back.

We found ourselves, again, walking through a food market where there was food we should definitely not eat. After awhile we got out of it and found a restaurant that was very over priced but we were so hungry we just wanted to eat.

Then we were just walking through the city with no destination and a nice Thai man was telling us
where to go and where good shopping was. He helped us get a tuk tuk (little motorbike taxis) and told the driver to take us somewhere. We were so grateful for the guy he was very nice. Then we arrive at the store and it was a tailor! We walk in and it was very authentic Asian outfits and tailors trying to sell to us! We knew that you're not suppose to shop at tailors because you don't know how much you're paying until the end and they usually rip you off. So right away we left. Pretty disappointing.

We took a quick nap and then continued to walk through the city in a different direction. We ended up going to a real mall and ate something at the food court. haha. It was funny that we were eating at a food court but the food was actually authentic and very cheap. It was really good too so that boosted our moods! Then we were walking through a park and after awhile we just headed back to the hotel because we were going to meet the other people in our group and get dinner with them.

Our group consisted of about 17 people. Most were girls. The ages were from 18-30. Most people were 18-22 though. Everyone was from Europe. One guy from Australia. Sydney and myself from America.

We all went out to dinner to get to know one another and we all got the large bottles of beer. Sydney and I got Singha and most got Chang beer. The beers came and although they were both 'large' ours were significantly smaller than the Chang beer that everyone else got. Sydney made a joke and said, "We got jipped. The word that defined our day."

So that was my experience in Bangkok. Wasn't my favorite city, that is for sure. We slept there overnight and left early in the morning to head to the Cambodian border.

One of the buses we traveled on. We did a lot of traveling throughout the trip to hit the main cities. Also, in Cambodia they don't really have a road system so it took a long time to get to each city because we were only going about 30 mph on dirt roads and were constantly slowing down for other traffic. 

We drove a car to the border and we had to get off and cross through the border on foot. It was pretty easy and then on the other side there was a different bus waiting for us.

This was the Vietnam border with a man who had to lift up the gate for cars and the buildings were small shacks. The Cambodian border was more buildings.


Our first stop in Cambodia was Siem Reap where the temples are.














The picture shown is us in a tuk tuk in Cambodia. It seemed like a lot of the streets were dirt like this one.




 














G Adventures is the program I went on for the tour and they sponsors a school for the local Cambodians who don't have enough money for education. We went to the school and then had dinner there. As an appetizer they had this platter with cockroaches. I tried one... not too bad!

The next day we woke up for sunrise at the Ankor Wat temple which is the largest worship temple in the world. 












Later in the afternoon we went back to look at the temples again. They were very big!

 Tomb Raiders, the movie, was filmed in Siem Reap at the temples.















After touring the temples we had a quick nap and then went ATVing. After about 20 min the sky was getting very dark and it started to down pour! The employees stopped us and they said we were going to out wait the storm. However, the entire sky was so dark it did not look like the storm was going to pass.



So there we were sitting in the middle of the storm. Haha. I thought it was so funny. I was 100% drenched.

Finally, they decided that we would just finish with the storm still going. So we drove off and since we were already all wet we went flying through the puddles and the puddles were huge so the water would completely go over our heads. It was so much fun!
After, we had to quick get back to our hotel and shower and change because we had a dinner to go to!





  That night we went to a dinner that had a performance as well. The dinner was a buffet and was really good! Cambodian food is influenced by Thai food but also has their own food.

 At night we went to Pub Street which is a small street with the bars. It was pretty fun and it was fun to get to know the people on our program better.














The next morning we traveled to Phnom Penh which is Cambodia's capital. It was a 7 hr bus ride to just travel 300km! When we got there we just got dinner and then went back to the hotel to sleep.

The next day we went to the killing fields from the Cambodian genocide in 1971-1975. It was very interesting to here all about the genocide. It's pretty shocking to think of how many people were killed and to see the remaining history. Not only that, but I couldn't get over the fact that I just learned about the genocide within the past year. That so many people were killed but it seems like not many people know about it!

This picture is the structure that was built to hold the skulls of the victims.







This is a picture of all the skulls in the monument. Almost every skull has a crack in its head and thats because the victims were most all killed by some tool or shovel. A lot of the skulls had a colored dot on them and there was a key that gave information on the age of the person and how they were killed.


















Then we went to the Prison where people were typically held for a short time before they were sent to the killing field.  We met two of the survivors and they didn't speak English, but our tour guide communicated with him and relayed the message.

 Phnom Penh didn't have much to do or see besides the history of the genocide. We went and saw the Royal Palace where the king lives. It was beautiful. On the streets you can tell the people live in poverty and then you enter the walls of the palace and it has so much money in it.



For dinner we all went out and it was fun but just went to bed early because we had a 5 hour bus ride the next day.

We arrived in Sihanoukeville which is southern Cambodia in the afternoon. We got lunch on the beach and spent the afternoon on the beach. Our guide told us that there were people on the beach who would come up to us and try to sell us stuff and sometimes they are pests. If we didn't want to talk to them we could just avoid them or ignore them. However, when I found out what they were offering I was so excited! So I bought a beer for $1 from the bar we were sitting in front of who brought it out to me. Then a lady came by trying to give me a pedicure. At first I said maybe later. She made me pinky promise that I would come back to her for my pedicure and not go to anyone else! Turns out that every person that tried to sell you stuff wanted you to pinky promise them. haha their sales tactic.
So an hour later she came back and I agreed to the $3 pedicure! After, I got a $3 half an hour back massage on the beach! It was heaven.

In the afternoon we all got dinner on the beach and went out for a bit. 

The next day, we could do an all day snorkeling trip for $16. Our guide said it wasn't that great but we wanted to do it anyway. It ended up being one of my favorite days. Snorkeling isn't my favorite thing, but we had our own private cute boat and went out to an island. Snorkeled for a bit and then went to a different private island! There we just hung out, played catch and we were served a grilled fish lunch that was great. Then we went to another island and Snorkeled. I just enjoyed floating out in the water! 

That afternoon again we just went to dinner on the beach and had a relaxing night. Most of us were a little burnt because it was hot out! 

The next day we left to head toward the Vietnam border. It was 5 hours to the border and then 4 hours more after the border. However, we had stops on the way and it didn't feel too long! 

That night we had a home stay. They made us a local dinner and we just all hung out there. At night we slept in mosquito nets however the bugs were huge and very scary all around! There was even this huge lizard right above me and we were pretty scared. It was also super hot so it was not the best night of sleep. 

The next morning we had a boat trip on the Mekong river to a local floating market. I thought it was super neat! It's like boats that are wholesalers go out and stay there until all their products sell. They sleep on the boat and everything. To buy stuff, you just take your boat up to the side of it and talk to them. The sellers have long sticks that go in the air and at the top they put, say a pineapple, at the top to show buyers what they are selling and so boats can see it from afar. 

After the boat trip we had a short bus ride to Saigon. In Saigon, over half the population owns a motorbike! As seen in the picture.


When we got there we went to the Vietnam War Remnants museum. It was very interesting to see the museum from a different perspective. I don't know too much about the Vietnam war to begin with so it was a little confusing to read their views on it. Also, most of the people on our group program that we went with were European, so most of them didn't know anything about the war and they would ask me about it!

That afternoon we had a last group dinner and we all went out. It's crazy how I only knew them all for 10 days but it really felt like I got to know them well!

The last day of our trip we were in Saigon. We went to the underground tunnels and it was very interesting to see. This picture is a 'soldier' showing us how they would go in the tunnel and put the cover back on with leaves so it would look like nothing was there.

I also shot my first gun!











When we got back into the city from the tunnels we just had time to get a dinner before we left. Two Norwegian girls, a British girl, Sydney, and myself went to get dinner. We intended to get a Vietnamese dinner but we couldn't find any actual restaurants so we, ironically, went to a New York dinner place. Haha it was good though.

Then we said goodbye and headed to the airport where we had an overnight flight.

Vietnam is very different from city to city and from the South to the North. I hope someday to get back and see the rest of Vietnam since I only saw the South. I hear that it is beautiful.

I'm grateful that I had the opportunity to travel somewhere so different and unique. I really had a blast! I also really enjoyed getting to know people from all over Europe. It almost felt like a whole new study abroad experience getting to know the people.

My last day back in Australia felt a little odd since everyone I knew was no longer there. So with the last day there I felt ready to get back home.




 

Chiangmai, Thailand

At the airport Sydney and I were able to sit with everyone before they boarded to head back home to the states. I don't really like goodbyes so it was pretty sad.

The way I felt waiting for Thailand is similar to how I felt sitting in Chicago in January. Sad that I just left everyone but looking forward for what was to come. 

At the airport we got onto our flight and we were row 34 so we're walking down and then we look at the numbers and we're at like 45... Turns out 34 was like the first row. Haha so we had to turn around and walk back into the line. It was pretty funny.

So we arrived late into Chiangmai so we got to our hotel and went to bed. 

The next morning we woke up early to start the day.

 We right away rented mopeds which cost $8 U.S. dollars for the entire day! It was so much fun. The mopeds were pretty quick and the streets kind of looked like race tracks. It felt like we were go carting, but on a different level. Also, I don't think Thailand really has speed limits haha. 

We went to a temple to walk around and then saw a massage place for $6 dollars (150 baht). We went in to ask if we could just do half the time but she spoke almost no English. We were all laughing at how hard it was to communicate. She was the cutest little lady. Finally we just decided to do the full hour because it was too hard to get across what we wanted. So she called up her friend to come over to give the other massage. They were giggling so much at first. Glad laughing is a universal form of communication. 

The massage room.

 

The cute masseuse playing with her dog.

After the massages we wanted to get lunch so we moped to a street and parked to just walk down. It was very local and the markets looked very gross and we definitely felt out of place.

This picture isn't from the super local market because that food was like fish with the eyes staring at you and the stench was so strong. This was just a common market.

 After awhile we just wanted to find any food that looked reasonably safe for us to eat. We finally found a place that was good and super cheap $1. It was the first time I realized how different of a culture I was in. 

After lunch we moped around and went to a market. It was pretty neat and the things they have are so cheap I just want to buy everything! Then we went to a fish spa where the fish eat your dead skin. Haha it was soo ticklish and felt super weird. Not sure how well it worked.

In the afternoon we met our tour guide mr. Dong.  The tour group could consist of up to 12 people but since it's not really a time of travel it was only Sydney and I on the trip! So he gave us the jist of our itinerary and then he left. We walked to town for dinner and again we were just looking for a place that looked legit enough for us to eat. There were a lot of food places but that looked very local and that could make us sick since we're not use to that food. Finally we found a place that was very good. 

The next day mr. Dong picked us up from the hotel and we drove to a local market to pick up some water and toilet paper. We were in a pick up truck in the back which had like a cover but open back. We only had a backpack with a sleeping mat, sleeping bag and our clothes. 

Then we went to a cave and had lunch there. 

Then we drove to a local village and that is where we started our trek. I had to go to the bathroom and dong just pointed to a bush and that's how the trip went. 

 We hiked for a little over 2 hours the first day. The terrain greatly differed from just walking on a dirt path to walking in the humid jungle, to walking up a mountain or walking through bamboo trees. It was actually quite difficult.

We got to the village and showered there and then dong gave us a tour of the local hill tribe village. The people there typically never leave and have never been to the city. Dong actually grew up in the mountains but went to the city to get an education. There are a lot of mountain villages with different languages. It was pretty surreal to see the communities way of living. The tours that go through their villages actually help them because the money can go to better education or better living.

 Our toilets we used.

















Then we had dinner and afterward the girls of the village came and sang and danced for us. It was the absolute cutest thing ever. One of the guys was drumming and the girls were in a circle around the fire doing a little dance for us and it was just great. 

Afterward we just went to bed in our bamboo hut. Around 5am we woke up from the roosters and animals. Sydney made a joke that like "alright guys we get it. We got the authentic experience, you can turn off the noises now." Haha they were sooooo loud it honestly felt like a joke.

 Picture is of where we slept.






But anyway we got up a little later and the local village ladies were literally waiting for us to sell to us their things. Normally in a bigger group they would be selling to more people but it was silly that it was just Sydney and I. Haha literally they waited like 2 hours for us to eat breakfast and they had all their things set up it was really cute. We bought a few things and afterward we set off for our hike.

Dong said this hike was more difficult but it was relatively similar because I thought the first day was hard anyway haha. We made it to a different village and had lunch there. Then we left for another 4-5 hour hike. This hike had amazing views. But also huge hills. We would be walking up a hill And then get to the top and 5 steps later was another huge hill and at times we had to use like the trees to grab onto it was so steep. Then when we got to the top we'd usually stop for a water break. Dong was a great leader. He'd ask us about America and things like that. It felt like Sydney, Dong, and I were just out for a hike together.

I only slipped and fell a few times. I was walking to go to the bathroom and all of a sudden a motorbike with 2 guys and guns came driving toward me. I got pretty nervous but they just smiled and waved when they drove by. Hahaha. Dong said it was just people from the village hunting.

Dong picking the wild mushrooms because they're really expensive in the markets. Haha he said that the local village people would call him lucky and are going to be jealous with how many there were.

 Eating some Thai chocolate waffers (so good) at the top of the mountain.

When we finally got back to the village I was exhausted. But it was pretty amazing what we were doing. I couldn't get over the fact that we were just hiking through the mountains of Thailand. Amazing. 

That night we had dinner and there was no electricity so with candles as lights. They also had little bathrooms but they were kind of gross so we peed just outside of the toilets. Haha goes to show how the village was. (these toilets were worse than the above pictured toilets.)

The next day we woke up and again the village people were there to sell to us! Haha Dong said they know we have money. The things they sold seemed a little more expensive than the things in the city but still obviously cheap. And these people were way cuter. They didn't really know English but they'd say "hellooo shopping." Hahaha again just me and Sydney and they set up so much. We felt so pressured to buy things. It was their sales tactic to make us feel pressured. 

Around 9:30 we left the village and had our last hour and a half to walk back to the car. It was pretty hot this day but the terrain was easy. 

I honestly can say that, that trip was not only the coolest thing I've ever done but my favorite trip as well. It was absolutely amazing to see the villages and live like that for just a bit. But also the hiking was fun and slightly strenuous. So worth it all though. 

When we got back to our hotel we finally had wifi so we caught up with that for a bit. It was really nice to get away from the internet though. 

Then we went out and decided to go see the Tigers. We got a taxi and the driver was so cute. Haha and it was really fun to experience the drive. We tried to negotiate with him the price but it was $200 baht each way which is $6 U.S. each way. We agreed and when we got in he was so ecstatic. Hahaha we drove past other taxis and he would like start laughing and waving to them and pointing back at us. As if he was getting the best deal ever. Haha I mean I'm sure we got ripped off but he was so happy it was hilarious.

 The Tigers were pretty cool to see. I realized that I don't think I've ever really seen a tiger before and if I did I was far away. Here we were with them. Pretty intense! To do this it was more expensive $420 baht which is still only $15!


















Got a picture of our 'taxi'... the least he could do was take a picture for how much we were paying him!

Us with Dong.

After we went back, we wanted to do our laundry so we walked with our laundry into the city but all the places wouldn't do it that night since it was kind of late already. The places were like people's homes with signs on the door that said 'laundry' haha.

So we got dinner at a more fancy Thai restaurant $100 baht so $3.50 for the meal.

Then we walked in the night market a bit. Literally the biggest market I've ever seen. It was the entire long street and then went into buildings. And soo cheap! I honestly could have shopped for days. But I contained myself because I knew I'd want to buy stuff other places and didn't want to get all my souvenirs there.

So far this has been an amazing trip. Chiangmai is wayy less touristy than I expected and English was not a common language everyone knew. 

On to the next 10 days