Traveling Ratankiri Cambodia was amazing! As many of you know, I was recently in Cambodia teaching English, studying the Khmer language, working with NGOs, and traveling around the beautiful country.

We made a trip to Ratankiri, a small province (even for Cambodian standards) of less than 100,000 inhabitants, felt so different from Siem Reap. The population and commerce in Siem Reap is heavily concentrated in a relatively small area whereas Ratanakiri is spread out with far less people.

Prior to traveling Ratanakiri Cambodia, we were privy to a presentation by a well spoken, highly intelligent professor named Krishna. Krishna’s presentation about Ratanakiri and the Jurai people was incredibly interesting! It was amazing to me that she lived with the Jurai people for so many years.  She lived the same way they did and learned from them which is admirable!

I was sad to learn that the local village is being destroyed because of outsiders taking their land and using it for commercial use, for rubber trees, etc. In 1997, 80% of Ratanakiri was covered by forest/jungle. This number is swiftly decreasing. Krishna explained that the Khmer Lou village people she knew may have already been forced to flee the area. Consider this: The Khmer Lou native villagers have been in this area for 1,000 years. It’s a sad reality that in Cambodia and other areas of the world (tribes in South America, Native Americans in U.S., and more), native traditions that have been practiced for so many years (handed down from generation to generation) are now being destroyed in the name of “progress.”

This is why the work of anthropologists is so important. It’s also crucial that our generation learns about cultural traditions from our parents & grandparents. This is the best way to ensure that traditions are remembered and passed on.

Where is Ratanakiri Cambodia? What’s the terrain like?

Located in the remote northeast corner of Cambodia, near Vietnam, Ratankiri is well known as an exceptionally beautiful area of Southeast Asia. Ripe with mountains, lakes, tropical jungle and waterfalls, travelers can simply enjoy the wonders of nature.  The vast array of waterfalls was amazing.

The final waterfall that Maya and I visited was my favorite.  Laying on the flat rocks and gazing upwards toward the water falling was mesmerizing.  I could trace with my eyes a tiny droplet fall from the top all the way down.  I did my best to soak in the image in my mind, but something tells me I will need to go back one day to remember 🙂

Boat Ride to Villages in Ratanakiri

The boat ride to visit the villages was a spectacular highlight of traveling Ratanakiri.  It felt nice to be on the water in such solitude, away from the honking and trucks on the streets in Siem Reap.  I enjoyed trekking through the villages to see the cemeteries.

Cemeteries in Ratanakiri

I am curious as to how they decide on what images to paint on the wood grave placements and how they decide for each person.  Is it spur of the moment?  Or does the family ask what images they’d like to be painted?  I saw many different designs, images of people, images of animals, and images of events being partaken (drinking rice wine, hunting, etc.)  Additionally, I’m interested in the color selection and how they acquire the different paints.  What do they use to make the paint?  It is all so complex, yet very simple at the same time (brush strokes, structure, and positioning).

Visting Ratanakiri: Where to Stay

I was surprised that there were many other tourists at Tree Top Guesthouse, where our group stayed.  I didn’t think many tourists would come to or even know about Ratanakiri — although the scenery is magnificent which gives reason as to why many others would come!

Summary of Ratanakiri Trip

Ratanakiri was a great trip and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing more of Cambodia.  It is also interesting to note that the one time I felt “threatened” here in Cambodia was not from a Khmer person, but instead a foreigner.  Let’s hope there won’t be any more bizarre events like that one!  — although they do make for good stories to laugh at afterwards 🙂

Ratanakiri is a terrific place for travelers who are seeking to get off the beaten path and find a culturally rich “hidden gem” of Southeast Asia. If you appreciate underdeveloped cultural destinations, Ratanakiri is for you. But be sure to respect the local culture and while you’re there, see if there’s anything you can do to help the Khmer Lou people 🙂

Shenzhen China Travel

Shenzhen is a vibrant major Chinese southern city neighboring Hong Kong. With a population of 15 million people, the city contains a diverse group of people with a large expat community. There are tons of places to eat, shop, and meet interesting people (including those who speak English)!

Chinese transportation is so easy and advanced which makes traveling to Shenzhen China a cinch! Take an 11 hour bullet train ride from Shanghai or an even easier 30 minute train ride from Guangzhou. If you’re like me and visit Shenzhen from north of Shanghai (i.e. Beijing or Jinan), domestic flights are quite cheap and will only take you a couple hours.

My route from Jinan to Shenzhen

Top 5 things to do in Shenzhen China:

1. Xiaomeisha Beach Shenzhen.

This is an easy 35 minute public bus ride out of main town LuoHu district. It will cost 5 kwai to get there and another 5 kwai back. There are two Meisha beaches: Dameisha and Xiaomeisha. I suggest Xiaomeisha as it is cleaner and less crowded, however, there is a 30 kwai ($5 USD) entrance fee whereas Dameisha is free. *Fun fact: Mei = beautiful and Sha = sand. So, put together it literally means Beautiful Sand!

Xiaomeisha Beach Shenzhen China

Did you know such beautiful beaches exist in China?

2. Dongmen Market.

Dongmen Market is small and very condensed area contains hundreds of knock off goods and street food. Many Chinese tourists come here to shop, enjoy food, and experience a fun time within the modern and ancient pagoda building architecture. At night, these streets are even more packed and lights brightly lit. Located right near Laojie metro station (Line 1 & Line 3) in Luohu District (1 hour from Shenzhen International Airport).

Dongmen Market during the day

Dongmen Market at Night…. Packed, Vibrant & Alive!!

19 😉

3. Travel to Hong Kong or Macau!

Located right next door, Hong Kong makes for an easy day trip or extended few days vacation.

4. OTC Loft.

A posh art & design district which hosts multiple exhibits. There are outdoor terrace restaurants which have pricier, yet tasty, drinks & food. Bookstores and small local designers also sell their work in boutique stores. Located right near Qiaocheng East metro station on Line 1.

Main OTC Loft Area

OTC Loft!

5. Shenzhen China Massages.

There are lots of massage places that will give you a thorough massage for a cheap price. I received an hour long $7 USD foot massage and holy cow was it great! I even drifted off to sleep for a minute (at least I think it was only a few minutes!) *Heads up: Massages in China are a bit different from other South East Asian massages because Chinese use more pressure to work out the kinks in your muscles and joints.

Shenzhen China is a fun and easily accessible city to travel to in China. You won’t have to worry about breathing in air pollution either, as this coastal city has better air quality than Beijing, Jinan, and Shanghai. Below is a map to get you started! Be sure to check out our others posts on backpacking China!

Let me know how you enjoyed doing my Top 5 in Shezhen! 🙂

Shenzhen China Subway Map, click to enlarge 🙂

With love,
+Danners

Traveling Chongqing China

Backpacking Chongqing China is the experience of a lifetime. Chongqing has a population of twenty nine million people. Think about that for a moment. That’s over 50% more than the population of the metropolitan New York City area. Yet, nine out of ten Americans (including us before Hesh encouraged us to visit) have not heard of the city!

Chongqing features the confluence of two of China’s greatest rivers, the Jialing River and Yangtze River. Thus Chongqing is known as the “city on the rivers.” As in most areas of China, we were greeted with warm smiles, open arms, and lots of positive energy from the Chinese people!

Where is Chongqing

Chongqing is in central China near the infamous Tibetan Plateau. Chongqing is approximately 1,100 miles away from both Beijing (in the northeast) and Shanghai (in the east). This is about same distance as NYC to Orlando, FL.

What’s Unique About Chongqing China?

• The spicy food and the spicy women! Chongqing is known for hot, spicy food, especially “hot pot” dishes. Chongqing is also infamous for aggressive women.
• The sheer number of people (29 million people in Chongqing metropolitan area)
• The confluence of two major rivers. In Chongqing, two massive rivers meet (Jialing River and Yangtze River)

Beautiful Temple in Chongqing

Brian in front of Chongqing Library

Only in China:

All my posts about traveling China include an “Only in China” section where we try to share with you the most ridiculous, random, hilarious oddities of traveling this wonderfully wild country!

Ducks outside a restaurant in Chongqing

Chinese Families eating dinner and playing Ma Jong

The ducks have been trained to eat and then return to their owners

Getting a workout in?

The alleyway where the hostel is located, the Chinese are creative in transporting goods!

Gods love shining on us in the middle of China

The Chinese often struggle with English translations but not this time 🙂

Last line: “How surprised it is!” A more typical Chinese translation 😉

Massive amounts of skyscrapers going up in Chongqing

Chinese woman’s dog all dolled up 😉

Chinese “gamers” in a dark secluded internet gaming lounge #addicted

Brian with a monkey on the streets of Chongqing

A view of Chongqing from our boat cruise on the Yangtze River

Large building in Chongqing where the two rivers converge

Where to Stay in Chongqing China

Back to backpacking Chongqing China ….. Chongqing has many high quality, inexpensive hostels. We stayed at Chongqing Urban Trails Youth Hostel and highly recommend it.

Urban Youth Hostel is difficult to find because it is tucked in inside a narrow alleyway that cars cannot drive on. Once you get there, you’ll find a simple (in a good way), inexpensive, clean hostel in the heart of Chongqing.

My favorite part about this hostel was the friendliness of the staff, particularly an employee named Tiger Tang. All of the hostel staff were helpful (giving us the local lowdown on where to go, what to see, etc) and outgoing. They were so curious to talk to Americans because 1) They’re from Chongqing (see below on nightclub experience) and 2) They’re always trying to improve their English 3) The intrigue factor because so few Americans travel to Chongqing.

The alleyway where Urban Youth Hostel is located

Weather in Chongqing China

The weather in Chongqing China is very moderate except for the summer when it gets very hot and humid. The winters are mild. The ideal times for backpacking Chongqing China are from March through May or September through November.

Getting Around Chongqing

You have options. Since transportation is government subsidized in China, taxis are very cheap. You can also get around Chongqing by bus or subway. Chongqing subways are immaculately clean, efficient, and FAST.

Top 4 things to do Backpacking Chongqing China

1.Eat spicy Chongqing hot pot!

If you’re backpacking Chongqing China, you simply cannot leave the city without eating spicy hot pot! Hot pot is an experience anywhere in China but Chongqing’s hot pot is the most unique hot pot in the entire country. Due to the Sichuan peppers that are used, Chongqing hot pot spices create a unique sensation taste that is indescribable. If you do nothing else in Chongqing, eat hot pot! Note: Vegetarians can access hot pot too. Veggies are cooked in the hot pot, not just meat/fish.

Traditional Chinese hot pot meal, The searing hot spicy broth cooks the raw meat/veggies/fish

Cooking our own Hot Pot in Chingqing

Brian cooking Hot Pot in a Chongqing restaurant

Blurry photo of Paz enjoying hot pot with another Chinese patron

2. Go out to a Chongqing night club

We were planning on going back to the hostel after dinner but happened to stumble upon a night club. We were wearing athletic shorts and tee shirts but still decided to stop in. We figured it would be uneventful and that we’d stay for five minutes or so.

In most cultures, it is the men who are the aggressors. In Chongqing, it is the opposite… and boy are they aggressive. Go out to a bar or night club and they will probably approach you and want to take photos, hang out all night…. all despite the fact that most don’t speak a lick of English.

The great part about Chongqing is even if you don’t know anyone, you will within two minutes of entering a social scene. Whether it’s a bar, restaurant, or store, most people are outgoing and curious. This made for a great night and an opportunity to meet people and spread positive energy.

The Chongqing “Spicy Women

DJ in Chongqing nightclub

Not a lick of English but smiles are universal 🙂

The crowd erupted when the famous singer made an impromptu performance

3. Check out Jiefangbei Square

Chongqing’s premier shopping district. You can always get a good sense of a city by its markets and stores.

The View of Jeifang Bei from our boat cruise

4. Visit the Chongqing Golden Chinese Buddha

Golden Buddha in Chongqing China

Food in Chongqing China, What to Eat:

• Fresh seafood from the fisherman and hot pot. Located at the confluence of two major rivers, Chongqing has amazingly fresh seafood.
• Check out a new niche food that has sprung up in the past few years, Indian rotis!

Chongqing Indian Roti Artist at Work!

This guy was awesome!

Indian Roti maker bringing the Positive Energy All Day!

Paz Enjoying the Finished Product, Indian Roti with Banana 🙂

• Goji Berries. Heralded as a superfood in the West, the Chinese rarely eat Goji Berries. Instead, they are used for medicinal purposes in Traditional Chinese Medicine herbal. Chongqing is relatively close to the Himalayas, goji berries are dirt cheap here (about 20x cheaper than at a Whole Foods Market in the US where they sell for $21.99 USD per pound)

A Woman Grabbing me a Handful of Goji Berries in a Chongqing Market

Average Daily Cost of Backpacking Chongqing China: $31 Per Day

Hostel: $15 USD Food: $14 USD Transportation: $2 USD

Backpacking Chongqing China

Overall, is a crazy, interesting, unique city and probably the biggest city you’ve never heard of. We met friendly, open people and ate amazing food without paying a lot. Here are some of our other posts on traveling:

• Backpacking Langkawi Malaysia
• Traveling in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia
• Tips for Traveling Osa Peninsula Costa Rica

Traveling to China for the first time? Post a question in the comments section below, we’ll respond with advice! If you liked this post, please share it with friends and leave a comment!

Best Gifts for World Travelers

A couple years ago, I received an awesome surprise gift from my cousin and this prompted me to think of the best gifts for world travelers. My cousin Anna had me in our family’s “Secret Santa” or “Chris Kringle” gift exchange. Although I didn’t ask for anything, she knew what to get me: a book and a map. I had just returned from a 3 month trip around Asia and Anna was thoughtful enough to give me these thought provoking, mind~expanding gifts. It got me thinking that I could create a concise list of gifts that travelers will especially appreciate. Here’s what I came up with as a list of the best gifts for world travelers:

The 5 Best Gifts for World Travelers

1. Books

If you’re a world traveler, chances are you are curious and open minded. What better gift than a book? A good friend once told Brian and me that the greatest gift you can possibly give someone is a book because it has the potential to expand their mind. I suggest either a travel book, a book that can enhance their character, or a book that might alter their perspective on life. Here are a few suggestions:

Travel Books:

The Beach
Into the Wild
Zen & the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance
Hatchet

Philosophy Books:

Living with the Himalayan Masters by Swami Rama
The Holy Bible (this version is recommended by my dear cousin, Bob)
Meditations by Marcus Aurelius
The Joy of Less, A Minimalist Living Guide: How to Declutter, Organize, and Simplify Your Life

2. A World Map

Chances are, if your gift recipient is a world traveler, they’re fascinated by maps. Give them a map and watch them start telling stories of their travels, where they’ve been, where they’ll go. World maps might seem cliché to some but in reality, each world map is a bit different…. some are vastly different (see photo at the top of this post, image credit to: valeriepieris on reddit). I’ll never forget seeing this map before Brian and I made our trip to Asia.

Give your loved one the map & watch them instantly become magnetized to it. Brian has been known to pick out a spot on a map and “go there” mentally…. Visualizing being there for a short or a long while. This is indeed a lucid practice 😉

3. A More localized map

A map of a special place is one of the best gifts for world travelers. Getting a world traveler a map of one of their favorite countries or favorite cities. Travelers love closely examining maps of the countries, cities, and towns that they’ve been to. Remember, there are vintage maps, pocket maps, wall maps, all sorts of maps…. So get creative!

Local Map of Italy, image credit: Shutterstock

4. Travel Yoga Mat

Many of our readers practice yoga but even if you don’t, it is nice to have a mat for exercising while on the road. Who knows, maybe your trip around the world will be in your inspiration to take up the practice of yoga. If you have a mat, it will be that much more accessible. All yoga mats are not created equally… some can be difficult to travel with while others are very convenient. For more on travel yoga mats, click the link to read the great post that our friends Brandon and Anne wrote on this.

5. Printed Photos

Travelers love seeing the photos from their journey. It instantly brings back memories of great times. Check their blog or Facebook page for photos from their trips. Consider blowing up a photo and framing it for them or creating an entire album. If it’s that extra special person, invest a few days to make them a travel collage like the on Brian made in this post. Photos are tangible and practical, they’re involved in the recipient’s everyday life. Photos are last but definitely not least on our list of best gifts for world travelers.

For most, the best gifts for world travelers will probably be inexpensive gifts — but also very thoughtful gifts. The key to making a lasting impact on a traveler is to touch their heart and/or to make them think more deeply.

Please note that there are no “affiliate links” in this post. In other words, we are not compensated by anyone if you are to click the links within this post and make a purchase. We’re simply hoping to assist you in finding meaningful gifts for loved ones 🙂

Have you ever given/received any of these best gifts for travelers?
What are other thoughtful gift ideas for travelers?
Let us know in the comments section 🙂

I was recently in Cambodia studying the Khmer language, teaching English, working with NGOs, and traveling around the beautiful country.

This is a reflection from my time in Koh Ker Village Cambodia. Koh Ker Village is located deep in the Cambodian Northwest Countryside near the Thai and Laotian borders.

Location of Koh Ker Village Cambodia

Koh Ker Village Cambodia

Upon reflecting this week, it was great to visit Srayang School/Dormitory in Koh Ker Village Cambodia.  Srayang is yet another school/organization that PLF (the NGO I’m working with) has helped evolve. I enjoyed visiting the remote village for our one week stay. The scenery was beautiful and it was nice to be detached to the internet/connection and busy-ness that bigger towns like Siem Reap encompass.

Seeing the sun rise at dawn from the guest house.

Casually passing through a herd of cattle on the way to school.

Teaching English in Koh Ker Village

I was also glad to begin teaching my first English class. The students of Srayang School that I taught were incredibly sweet. They are the first students in the village since 1979 to complete schooling beyond 3rd grade. It was obvious they were much less educated than the students in Siem Reap, but they they still knew quite a bit. Their ability to read/pronounce words in their workbook was outstanding, however, the students struggled understanding the meaning of the words they were saying.

Srayang Dormitory

Learning in the classroom at Srayang Dormitory!

I was so glad the classroom had a huge map of the world. This map came in handy the first day of class. I showed them where “Axel from Norway” (a character in their workbook) lived on the map and then I showed the locations of countries they’ve studied such as Cuba, Argentina, and Italy. They didn’t understand what continents were, but I did my best to explain, and I think they (eventually) caught on . . .

Evolution of Srayang Dormitory and Guesthouse in Koh Ker Village

Our group’s stay at the guesthouse was terrific. The Cambodia food they cooked for us (see below) was so delicious. It was interesting to hear the history of how not only Srayang School evolved, but Srayang’s budding guesthouse as well. It is so great that PLF is not only improving the lives of the students at school, but also the surrounding communities. Lori (President of PLF) provided the family who runs the guesthouse with key information to help them run a more successful guesthouse for visitors (cooking meals to pay for electricity at night and tips on cleanliness). I can’t imagine what it must have been like for Lori when she first visited all these places for the first time . . . and now seeing how everything has developed . . . and still seeing what improvements can be made.

The guest house we stayed at!

Breakfast: simple and delicious!

A Touching Story in Koh Ker Village

I enjoyed hearing a story Lori shared about a Canadian man who initially came to Cambodia to become a monk but instead ended up teaching at Srayang after talking with Lori.  He was a Buddhist man who one day decided to drop all his possessions at home and become a monk in Cambodia.  After speaking with Lori, he had a change of heart.  The clincher was when Lori said to him:

“If you go become a monk, you will be Being, not Doing.  Your purpose is to be of service, you can find that at Srayang as a teacher.”

He accepted her advice, deciding that helping PLF and Srayang School would be a wiser and more compassionate decision because they were in need of an English teacher when Srayang first opened. He then moved to Koh Ker and hit the ground running with the students who did not know a word of English.  After some time, he returned back to Canada (with much sadness to leave the village) in order to take care of his elderly mother.  Having spent so much time learning from the people of the village while also having a large impact on the community, I wonder if he will ever come back to Cambodia . . .

The Future of Srayang Dormitory and Guesthouse

My hope is that they will be able to find a teacher that can stay there 5 to 7 days a week to teach the students English. With all that PLF has done so far, I am confident it will happen in the near future.

In the comments section, let me know if you have any questions about traveling/living in Cambodia or any questions about the work that we’re doing here 🙂 You also might be interested in my other posts on living, working, and traveling in Cambodia:

• Khmer New Year in Cambodia — So Much Fun!
• Siem Reap Travel Week 1
• Cambodian Money — 5 Things to Know When Traveling
• Angkor Wat, Ta Prom Temple and More 

San Jose, Costa Rica Travel Recap

Kate and I decided on San Jose, Costa Rica as our jump off point for our 2014 backpacking trip.

We had heard from some friends that Costa Rica was an amazing country and a place ‘we had to see.’

New York to San Jose, Costa Rica Travel

Leaving from New York, San Jose happened to be the cheapest place we could find to fly to in Central America…We were able to find one way flights for under $180 USD a person and scheduled a trip we knew would last a while.

Neither one of us knew much about San Jose – we had heard Costa Rica was awesome, but we really hadn’t heard much about San Jose.

We finally arrived on January 23, 2014. The feelings going through my body were pretty crazy – ‘bye parents, bye family, bye friends see you in a few months – we’re about to explore Central America,’ – those kind of feelings..!

We took a 6am flight…so we arrived pretty early after connecting in Miami. We were off, back on the road.

Tip for Arriving at San Jose, Costa Rica Airport:

If you fly into San Jose and you are backpacking, do not listen to any one who says cabs are the only way to get into the center of city which is about 30 miles away. Walk out the airport exit, walk about a block up the road and you will see a bus sign. There is a bus line that runs to the center of city that costs a dollar or two.

Our San Jose, Costa Rica Travel Summary

San Jose as a city is a nice place. Nothing you have to run and see tomorrow, but a nice place. Kate and I explored the downtown area which we had heard was a bit sketchy. It seemed fine. We ended up spending two days there and felt like we had more than enough time to see the city.

We enjoyed a memorable meal at a cafe one night, but not too many more memories from San Jose.

I’d suggest just using San Jose, Costa Rica as a travel hub to move around Costa Rica and a hub to start a Central America trip. Check out Nomadic Matt’s post for a thorough San Jose, Costa Rica travel recap if you plan on staying for an extended period of time.

We wanted to get off quickly to the Osa Peninsula (more on this here), an area that a few friends had advised us to get to quickly.

~BL

This video means a lot to me. The best way, for me, to explain some of the feelings associated with the video is by sharing a message I wrote the day we were coming home from our 4.5 month adventure:

Sitting on the plane right now coming home and the word I use to describe the feeling is surreal. It’s crazy to believe that we put so much effort into this trip, and that it has now come to a close. I think it was an amazing trip. We were able to visit 8 countries over 133 days; Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile and Argentina. The only country I feel we didn’t explore ‘top to bottom’ is Costa Rica. We wanted to see a lot, so we may have moved quicker than expected in some areas, but I still feel we got a great taste of South America. I don’t think we wanted to ‘check off any boxes,’ but I do feel we share a curiosity for what’s out there. We continually want to ‘learn’ more about different areas of the world. This was the first of hopefully many trips..

What a special experience it was to be able to do it with the girl I love. Yes, we had moments normal of any human being relationship that is experienced 24/7 for 130+ days straight, but it was a big accomplishment; successfully navigating a great portion of South America. It was not easy; we stayed in dorms, took multiple 24 hour buses, and really watched our budget. Kate, you were incredible at being understanding of our financial situation. I would say to anyone, ‘doing these trips on a budget is more worthwhile then the alternative.’ We became creative, did things our way, and worked to get where we wanted to go.

Some thoughts I take away from the journey:

–       Trust in God and things will work out. We were warned these weren’t the safest areas, yet did not witness any crime or ever really feel uncomfortable. I don’t want control, I give the keys to someone else. 

–       Believe in people; we believed in each other and we got it done!….and had an experience of a lifetime while doing it!

–       Don’t set limits; we made this pilgrimage happen quickly and went for it, why not?

–       The world is one country. Just because there are governed territories doesn’t mean this world has to be divided. I believe people are innately good. We met good people from every country we visited. 

–       In life, do whatever you want to do. I have a great friend who passed away recently that put me on this course. He taught me that the time is now…the famous quote, “The most dangerous risk of all – the risk of spending your life not doing what you want, on the bet you can buy yourself the freedom to do it later.” Owen’s death got me thinking about the concept of preparing for the future….with life as fragile as it is, the future is right now. My true belief at this point in time is, I have made it. I’m not looking for ‘more,’ don’t want ‘more.’ If anything I pray to stay meek and actually want ‘less.’ That which you own will end up owning you. The alternative, a different paradise, will come quick and I want to be thankful for every second.

As for the trip and some of the many destinations we touched…

–       Enjoy the nature and wildlife in Costa Rica, I (we) have yet to see anything like it.

–       Take a few days in the mountains of Santa Fe while traveling in Panama. We found incredible peace there.

–       If you are lucky enough to see how people dance in Cali, Colombia, you will be experiencing one of the cooler cultures in the world – the place where salsa was created.

–       The coast of Ecuador is a special place. God watched down on us that week, and we met many special people who we will hopefully remain connected with for a long time.

–       Peru’s Machu Piccu lived up to the hype. Wow, what a day we got up there in Aguas Calientes. We did the extended drive and walk out to Macchu Pichu, and I will remember seeing her for the rest of my life.

–       Bolivia? Kate was right. Bolivia was the most natural country we experienced. Never really found great WiFi. Lake Titicaca and Copacabana up at 15k feet! We have special memories spending a week chillin’ there. Bolivia gets double love because the salt flat tour could have been the best ‘tour’ of the trip. We got up close to 20k feel above sea level. More importantly, we made friends I think we will be connected with our entire life; La familia Boliviana.  

–       Chile; you were expensive, but I’ll always remember hitchhiking 30 hours straight in eight different trucks. We were determined!! Life works out…i ‘know’ this cause we got picked up once in the middle of the desert with cars going by every 15 minutes. For anyone who has been, that was south of Antofagasta in the Atacama Desert…. besides hitch hiking which we seemed to do a lot of, I think we’ll also cherish our time spent in Santiago, a city filled with culture. 

–       And last, but not least, our favorite destination, Argentina. Pretty much going to list every stop because we really loved Argentina. We started in our favorite city of the trip, Mendoza. We may be young, but we did this one correctly. Wine tastings, bike riding around Maipu, private vineyard tours (Alta Vista!!!), Asado dinners, Parilla dinners, we could live there one day. We moved to my favorite location of the trip…. Like Machu Pichu, Patagonia lived up to the hype. We only got to seriously explore Bariloche and El Bolson for a little over a week, but we found places I feel we will be back to. The combination of the forest and the mountains is something I have yet to really see. It reminded me of Glacier in Montana. And finally after a week in BA, we took a bus to Puerto Iguazu to see Iguazu Falls. I’ve never seen anything quite like the location of the “Devil’s Throat.” It is awe-inspiring nature.

133 day vacation is over with. Excited to just relax a little bit. People may say; ‘will you do it again?’ I hope we answer, yes. I can see us renting an apartment in a beautiful area and doing ‘weekend trips.’ The extended travel is hard. We did two 30+ hour buses. 37 hours from Cuenca to Lima was awesome. 30 hours in the back of trucks down the coast of Chile was challenging. I think as we talked about a lot; we learned some about love, patience, and enjoying the moment. We’re blessed. 

Exploring Ta Prohm Temple and Siem Reap

I was recently in Siem Reap Cambodia, teaching Art and English and learning the Khmer language. Here’s a reflection I wrote about my second week in Cambodia. Hope you enjoy. 🙂

Upon reflecting on my second week in Siem Reap, Cambodia I feel I’ve settled in more and my schedule has not been as hectic (click here for Week 1 Siem Reap reflection).  I was still busy teaching at Pchey school, attending classes, and helping TGC for their Khmer New Year party, but it all felt easier this week. I knew more staff and students by name and I knew how to get around the city on my bicycle. This last week was also nice because students were on break so I did not feel the pressure to prepare for lesson plans.

The bike ride to Phnom Krom on Friday morning was great. I did not realize Hannah, Abby, and I hiked all the way up such a large hill until our way back — we had stopped to take photographs at a lotus flower field and I saw Phnom Krom in the background and said, “Did we really just hike all the way up that?!”  It was such a treat to experience temples for the first time, even if Phnom Krom is considered small.

At the top are the temple ruins of Phnom Krom.

A view of Phnom Krom from the lotus flower field.

Practicing lotus pose in a field of lotus flowers ~~ how fitting! 🙂

Traveling to Angkor Wat, Angor Thom , and Ta Prohm Temple with Ponheary was incredible. These sites were a stark contrast from Phnom Krom.  The structure of the temples and the details engraved are unbelievable!  It was a long 8 hour day, but I was thankful we took an air conditioned van.

Angkor Thom translates in English to mean “great city” in Khmer — this is a fitting description. It is believed that at one point in time, over 1 million people lived here. The temples were then consumed by the forest until hundreds of years later. Check out the amazing engravings (believed to have been from the year 1150) below.

Incredible engraving at Angkor Thom.

It is so impressive that Ponheary (as well as others) were/are able to withstand a career as a tour guide day in and day out.  The heat of the sun, long hours of trekking, and ability to remember and articulate the immense amount of history is a great skill.

I found it interesting that Ponheary is still a tour guide.  I thought that she now dedicated all her time to PLF and the guesthouse, but I guess I was wrong. Ponheary was confused why we chose this particular weekend out of all 10 of our weekends to go to Angkor Wat because of the vast amount of tourists during this time for Khmer New Year, but we coexisted, the other tourists only enhanced our fun.

Ponheary ~~ our amazing tour guide! 🙂

We asked Ponheary what her favorite temple was and she said, “all of them.”  For me, I think Ta Prohm Temple was my favorite because I love how the trees are a part of the structure.  It’s so interesting that the trees grow through, around, and on top of the walls.  I also like that it Ta Prohm Temple is smaller and less popular than Angkor Wat.  Ta Prohm Temple is a place where one can read, relax, and enjoy the day in a comfortable area.  I am so thankful I was able to go on the tour with such a great tour guide and I look forward to seeing more of Cambodia’s historic constructions in these upcoming weeks!

Huge tree surrounding Ta Prohm in Siem Reap, Cambodia.

What are your thoughts on this area of Cambodia? Have you ever lived/traveled in Southeast Asia? Feel free to leave a comment in the comments section of this post!

I found this plant particularly striking because of its radiant color.  What do you think?

I took this photo at the Phare Cambodian Circus Show in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Hope you enjoy 🙂