Hangin' in the Toks

(Miller)

We ended our trip with a bang in one of the trendiest capitals in the world. Clearly, this was the place for us, being Glamazons and all.

Lyle had shown us a FABULOUS time in Kurabuchi and it was really nice to get a taste of what living in Japan is like and not just passing through as a tourist. It’s also been really nice to see things in a new light as my trip here 10 years ago with Mom and Abby was a bit different… though the trains, subways, and vending machines are still the same and I’m still the largest person in the country. Seriously, next travels I am headed to big people land where I won’t feel like la giante!

At 5:30 in the morning, we stood waiting in the snapping cold for the local train to Tokyo. True to form, I slept the whole way and it seemed like a 2-minute trip. Lyle rousted me and we were off, stashing our bags in lockers and breathing the crisp city air.

The reason we’d left so early was to see the Emperor on his birthday, the big 7-5! It’s a big deal each year and everyone lines up to wave paper flags and yell Banzai. And we did, with flair! The man himself came out (behind bullet proof glass) and reassured the crowd that his health was fine and wished everyone well. The best part for me was the walk you have to take through the grounds. We passed by countless manicured lawns and even his personal volleyball court. At one point, the imperial grounds in Tokyo we valued at a higher price than all California real estate combined. BANZAI!

Japan is cold this time of year, like snow cold. I’ve been in socks and sandals for 8 days now and am over the shame of it. Have moved on to just seeking warmth. Hats are a MUST and these tiny little girls who scamper around in micro-mini skirts and 4-inch heel boots baffle me.

We checked into the hostel, which was an experience in itself. The office is about half a kilometer from the actual bunk beds and after we’d finally made it, we took a time out for a few hours. Walked around the rest of the afternoon and popped into an alley for some bowling. Yes, bowling.

The next day saw an early start at the Tokyo fish market; the largest in the world. Weird stuff and crazy cart traffic made it quite the experience. Somehow I don’t think my experience on the boat will be that glamorous. We did get to see huge tunas getting jig-sawed up. Puffer fish, eels, giant squid, octopus, and sole are just a few of the specimens they sell daily.

That afternoon we were off to the National Nature and Science Museum, which was AMAZING! I could spend two solid days there and still not see everything. The evolution of Japan is particular as it is, in fact, an island.

Then we hit the karaoke bar. All you can drink and sing for an hour. I am SO not a fan of karaoke. Visions of cigarette smoke filled lounges, cocktail dresses and dirty old men danced in my head but this was totally unexpected. It’s a room you reserve with your friends with nothing in it but a tv, song box and phone to call for more drinks. Totally private and totally hilarious! Not sure yet if we’re posting a video, they’re pretty priceless.

Up this morning and Merry Christmas and Happy Birthday to Annie! Had some Krispy Kremes and all you can eat pizza for lunch. Can you tell we’re easing our way back into the US? Waiting in the airport lounge now, typing on wireless internet and drinking keg beer. Happy Holidays all, stay tuned for final thoughts!

The Golden Pint Awards

In celebration of completing our jaunt around the world we wanted to take a moment to think back and reflect on some of finer moments – good and bad. Of course this is only our opinions, so as always take them for what they are worth. – Annie

So….drum roll please.
Annie = italics / Rachael = bold

BEER
1. Best Beer - Brewerks Golden Ale (Singapore) / Brewerks Oatmeal Stout (Singapore)
2. Worst Beer - Kingsfisher (Egypt) / I've never met a beer I didn't like
3. Most Diverse Beer Country - Nepal / Singapore (Microbrew, hello?)
4. Best Beer on Tap - Ankor (Cambodia) / Brewerks Oatmeal Stout (Singapore)
5. The country that was cheapest for beer - Thailand (7Eleven + No open container laws) / Cambodia
6. The country that was the most expensive for beer - Singapore / Singapore

TRANSPORTATION
1. Favorite mode of transportation - Ferries / Metro
2. Easiest border crossing - Singapore to Malaysia / Malaysia and Singapore and reverse
3. Country with the cheapest transportation - India / India
4. Country with the most expensive transportation - Japan / Japan
5. Best single trip - JB to Malaka, Malaysia / Overnight sleeper from Sera Thani to Bangkok, Thailand
6. Worst single trip - Dahab to Luxor, Egypt / 3rd class park bench overnight to Sera Thani, Thailand

HOTELS
1. Best hotel - Jamine Lodge, Cambodia / Jasmine Lodge, Cambodia (Free Breakfast!)
2. Worst hotel - Cameron Hotel, India / Nubian Oasis Hotel, Egypt
3. Country with the cheapest hotel - India / India
4. County with the most expensive hotels - Japan / Japan
5. Best single feature of a hotel - Hot water / Free wi fi
6. Best night in a hotel - Koh Sok, Thailand / Saharia Farm, India

FOOD
1. Favorite single item - Slurpies, Thailand and Momo, Nepal / Anything on a stick
2. Best dish - Chicken Rice, Malaysia / Thali Plate, Nepal (Free refills)
3. Worst dish - Plain boiled potatoes, Nepal / Is there such a thing?
4. Favorite country for food - Nepal / India and Thailand
5. Cheapest country for food - Thailand / India
6. Most expensive country for food - Singapore / Japan

MISC. “Naughty”
1. Most embarrassing moment - The 46 times my pants ripped at the crotch and getting passed by a Japanese grandmother on the Annapurna trek. / None
2. Funniest story - Seeing tourists and the Taj Mahal
3. Favorite person on the trip - South African bag pipe player / The Man who told us about the Penang concert
4. Favorite book - The Ultimate Gift / Why don't you fly
5. Most desperate and destitute moment - The Peace Pagoda / When I realized sleeping bags (which we didn't have) actually were esential on the Annapurna trail.
6. What I learned… Time does actually stand still sometimes. You can be an adult, travel, and have a lot of fun doing it. / It's okay to be a traveler on vacation once in a while.

Our homestay in Japan

(by Annie)

The flight to Japan was wonderful, good food + tons of movies + a half empty plane ='s two happy travelers. Our plane came in on time and we were off on the train to Lyle's nearby town of Takasaki. Japan trains run like clock-work literally, so at 12:04 a.m. we were waving to our Peace Corps Benin bro!!

After a quick 30 minute drive we were in the lovely little town of Kurabuchi. Rachael and I again had grown up envy much like in Singapore. His house and car gives us something to look up to.For those of you who are not familiar with the famous Lyle - he has been working for almost two years as a JET. No, not a member of West Side Story goes to Tokyo, but a "Japanese Exchange Teaching" employee. Basically he works for several grade schools and jr. highs as their English guru.

Our first two days were spent at Lyle's jr. high. We got to play teachers, designing a lesson describing our travels around the world. We played some introductory games, showed pictures from each country, and then played a game with the countries and flags. It was such a way to bring closure to our trip. Sharing the knowledge we had learned was a way to cement all our amazing experiences. The kids were the equivalent of 7th, 8th, and 9th grade and their English is remarkable, at least compared to my students of similar ages in Benin. Lyle team teaches, so another bonus was being able to have a cross cultural exchange with his colleges. Rachael spent a good hour showing Lyle's counterpart pictures of the mountains and she quizzed me about my time in Benin teaching there.

Another great part about having Lyle as a tour guide is all his friends we have been able to meet. His Japanese teacher cooked a wonderful meal for us Friday night as we swapped English stories for basic Japanese character writing. On the ex-pat side we enjoyed several meals with fellow JETs and graduate students. Again, it is one thing to see the sights but perhaps something even cooler about sharing culture and customs. Of course the main motivation for many of these exchanges has been food. And Japan has not disappointed. Noodles, Sushi, Ramen soaked in pig fat, and delicious cakes and desserts are only a few. I have never really had Japanese food before, so now I have another new obsession to continue stateside.

On the sight seeing frontier we climbed up to Mt. Myogi. Lyle lives in the Gumma prefecture, about an hour north of Tokyo, which has an active volcano and several mountain ranges. We also spent an evening driving up the mountain to see Christmas lights displayed in a volcanic crater. It was wonderful. Our last sight seeing excursion was a hillside temple with the seven lucky gods. I rubbed one of their bellies for wealth, cross your fingers!

A weekend of adventures left us to finish up the way we began - in the classroom. This time we were with the primary school students or kindergarten through 6th grade. They were so energetic and cute learning new vocabulary in time for Christmas. Rachael and I even got to lead group activities with the older kids and then eat lunch. They are completely self sufficient serving their own food and doing all the cleaning for the entire food.

Lyle does such a great job with his students and I have no doubt that he will be remembered for years after his departure. One of my favorite vacations in Peace Corps was Niger because I was able to see my friends in their villages and Niger through their eyes. Japan has been a similar experiences and a fantastic way to wind down our travels.

Right now we are watching movies and chillin' before our 4:00 a.m. wake-up call. The hustle and bustle of Tokyo awaits! BONZAI!!!

Melacca – We lika Melaka

(Miller)

Since the trip down treated us so well, we decided to take a few more days in Malaysia, the town of Melaka specifically. Notice I’ve spelled it a number of ways. That’s because it really is like that. Malay is a relatively new language but we were still surprised to see it written in the Roman alphabet rather than in characters like in Thailand and Cambodia. It made piecing words together a whole lot easier though.

UNESCO named Melacca a world heritage site and we FULLY support the decision. The museum density within a 2-kilometer area is the heaviest we’ve seen – EVER! There were no less than 15 museums, including ones featuring kites, literature, marine vessels of past and present, local history, and my favorite, the Museum of Enduring Beauty. It demonstrated how different groups around the world, past and present, have displayed beauty in their own minds. Included in the exhibits were – teeth filing, neck stretching, corset wearing, anorexia, piercing and tattooing, and skull forming. Enduring took on a whole new meaning.

We were particularly excited to see the sound and light show that evening. It advertised the history of Melacca with …yes, sound and lights. We were pretty excited, as Malaysia was unraveling itself to us as a very diverse, complex and layered country. Well, this was a bit of a disappointment. The amphitheatre was built to view the lit up fort hill at night and highlight the local sights while recounting the colonization on to independence in 1957. Not recommended as you can go next door to the top floor of some restaurant and listen for free. We went over to the mall next door and watched Transporter 3 to complete the media experience for the evening.

Walking along the river (it had a very Dutch feeling), I noticed something sliding along. It was too small to be a crocodile, but too big to be a snake. It turned out to be a HUGE swimming monitor lizard, many in fact. No one told us about these but they are not to be missed, creepy.

We took an afternoon bus the next day to Seremban, where we thought we’d be able to sleep and get a morning tram for our 11am flight to Japan. Not so. The bus station in Seremban was awful. After being told multiple times to just take a taxi by the TICKET SELLER, we decided to just go see if we could check-in at the airport…15 hours early. Refueled with some Dunkin’ Donuts, we took the commuter train and 2 hours later, we were in one of the nicest airports in the world (really, voted in the top 10 for 2008), lounging on a mat, watching movies, and sleeping for a solid 8 hours. Malaysia was great, so much more left to see!

Singapore: The Lions, the MRT, and the Breweries

(By Annie)

Our overnight train to Singapore was not the best nor worst. It was very efficient as Malaysian customs officers came to you to stamp your passport on the train. Even the Singapore border was relatively easy seeing as they had a special area for train passengers. Perhaps the only frustration was knowing our friend Anne’s house was just minutes away and yet we had agreed to meet her downtown, but alas neither knew – next time.

Sure, Rachael and I wanted to see the sights of Singapore but our real motivation in heading farther south was our friend Anne – a peace corps buddy from Benin. She has worked there for two years at the Singapore American School as a grade school gym teacher. So, our first day was hanging out at her school at teaching some of her classes with her. Our lesson was gymnastics and Rachael helped out with the floor exercise and I helped the kids to climb the ropes.
(Miller: picture if you will, Annie the Boys and Girls club saint and me, the not so kid friendly amazon, wrangling kids in a padded room…)

That night and really all of the day of the next we did nothing but chill, surf the web, and watch movies. (Miller: and get starbucks!!!!) It was wonderful and amazing and exactly what we needed to recharge our batteries. Anne was busy teaching and we were busy relaxing, until Friday when we conquered the bar and club scene including “the stage” at our last club. Oh yeah, and, if you haven’t scene what happens to mannequins when you leave them on the curb, well then you should click our you tube video right now.

The weekend came and Anne was a gracious hostess. We saw the Asian Civilizations Museum, the Mer-lion – a giant half lion/ half fish vomiting water in a fountain manner, the Cricket Club, and wonderful Christmas Decorations. It is hard to call Singapore simply a city but that is exact what it is – perhaps the only fair comparison is if Manhattan was another country.

Our last dinner was at Brewerkz a microbrewery near the Singapore river. It really was AWESOME and spawned our favorite beers on this trip. Rachael went for the oatmeal stout and I opted for the lighter golden ale. We had chicken wings, multiple pints, and watched the new Sex and the City movie before heading to bed.

We were up with the sun to wish Anne well and do some errands before we headed back to Malaysia. (Miller: Annie ripped me out of bed to announce that President Bush had just been attacked with shoes by an Iraqi reporter. It’s probably the only time on this trip an emergency wake-up has been warranted.) It was only a ten-minute bus ride from Anne’s house to the border patrol and cheap public buses lead us to the bus station in JB. From there we had enough time to change money and buy two McD McChicken meals before our ride to Malaka – the former colonial giant of Malaysia.

The capital of Malaysia - Kuala Lampur

(by Miller)

Arrived by overnight train…at 5:30 in the morning from Butterworth, the Penang/Georgetown connection. Due to schools’ holiday, it’s high tourist season and the hotels are just filled to the brim. Annie, being the dutiful scheduler she is, had suggested we make a reservation as we would be staying in the capital. Good call! We arrived at the Backpacker’s Inn at 6 a.m. and were told we didn’t have beds. This was the cheapest place in town by far so to change hostels was going to cost us. After insisting we’d emailed and talked to “Stevie the Wonderhost” (seriously, that’s how he signs his emails), we went for breakfast and to mull things over.

After noodles and salty porridge, we returned with our battle faces already on but the desk dude showed us our very own email and said our beds would be ready at noon. Shortly after, another backpacker walked in who’d been trying to get in for 4 days… not really sure how she didn’t get in.

We had two days to kill and really only one night as we were headed to Singapore on a deadline. After pursuing the guidebook yet again, we set off in search of the butterfly gardens, the planetarium, and the national museum.

Malaysia is definitely the rogue contender in this trip. The Georgetown experience was great and KL was as good or better with its attractions. Our hostel was in the heart of Chinatown and there was food galore. Slurpees in hand, our first stop was the planetarium. Yes, we LOVE stuff like this and I was a little more than just disappointed when the sign said it was closed for renovations. Along with 85 shrieking school kids, we braved the information lobby, which listed Malaysia’s celestial conquests. (Annie’s note: The staff thought we were DORKS…because we were the only non-chaperons above the age of 12.) Apparently, Russia made the open call and of 10,000 initial applicants, 1 made it through and was sent up as part of a crew in 2001. The dome movie was playing, called SOS Planet. It was a lovely, air-conditioned 45 minutes in which Annie and I recovered from the overnight train. The polar bear danced, the snake slithered and we learned about the importance of not littering…as I said, there was air conditioning.

The museum is definitely a must see. It was accidentally mistaken for the train station in the 40’s and bombed so it’s rather new in comparison to some of the other government sponsored establishments we’ve been to. They had just redone it also so there were new installations that had opened only a week ago. An English-speaking woman greeted us and introduced herself as a volunteer guide so we jumped on that ship. She took a group of us on a lovely 45-minute tour around the two floors of exhibits, explaining the history of colonization and industrialization. Fascinating, and the best part – admission was 2 ringet… That’s about 70 cents.

We walked back past the Islamic library, the national mosque, and the Islamic arts museum. Islam is the national religion and though there have been several clashes in recent history, the mix of cultures is tolerated if not celebrated by most. We didn’t go in but it was just another demonstration of the prominence of religion in the national image.

Walked around more that night and grabbed dinner, chicken and rice. Drank a few beers on the curb and went to bed. Our train to Singapore was the next night so after leaving our bags in the common area, we hopped on the metro to one of the biggest tourist attractions in KL, the Petronas Towers. Petronas is the Malaysian petrol giant and these towers are the largest in the area, largest in the world until Taiwan trumped them. These towers are also the home of a 6-story mall. Yes, a shopping mall, in full Christmas decoration. We were in shock and before we knew it, 6 hours and a lunch at Chili’s had passed and it was time for our overnight train to Singapore.

Kuala Lumpor, lots to see, lots to eat, friendly people and great public transport. Go.

Welcome to Penang!!

(By Annie)

After two consecutive train rides, two bus trips, and one border crossing we finally after 40 hours of traveling reached the lovely island of Penang and the city of Georgetown. All I have to say is - what an introduction to Malaysia. Our last bus was thankfully our best trip. It was only a three hours ride and 5 people comfortably sat in the 10-seat mini-van. The border crossing was our easiest yet and ironically the only time we have been asked to give money. Mind you it was by the driver and not the immigration officer.

Joining us on our travels were two very well spoken chaps who because of Bangkok airport problems were forced to go overland. They filled us in on all the ins and outs of Malaysia and even helped us with directions when we arrived. The minivan dropped us off right in the heart of backpacker central, so we grabbed a hotel room and a hot shower, the mandatory beer and literally crashed. Rachael’s poor ankles were the size of watermelons and I left sweat stains in the room by just walking in.

Twelve hours later we motivated and changed hotels to a cheaper one across the street. We then walked to the ferry to buy train tickets for the rest of our Malaysian adventure. I just can tell you enough how interesting Penang and Georgetown were to these two now seasoned travelers. It is a colonial town and a melting pot of MANY different cultures. The museum, which cost only a quarter, highlighted this so well, describing the Indian, Chinese, and Malay influences and how intermarriage and immigration truly made this city and island what it is today.

After the museum we headed back to the hotel and did some internet administrative duties. We then headed to the strait side and had some cheap beers and amazing Malay food. We were winding down our evening when this lovely man approached our table – there is a free concert at the fort tonight – he said simply. Another indication of the warmth of the people we have met, he didn’t have to do that, he did it because so far Malaysia rocks!

The concert was wonderful. The event was to celebrate Panang diversity and LG was even the corporate sponsor. The MC was hilarious the opening acts superb and then came the royal send off – the Alleycats. One of the most famous Malaysian bands ever. They surprised us by even playing a better than Guitar Hero version of “Smoke on the Water” by Deep Purple. Although we didn’t win a mug, a rice cooker, an LG phone, or even the 32’’ plasma TV it was a night to remember.

The next two days in Georgetown were down days. We tried to go up to the famous hill, but the gondola like train was under construction. Instead we had a lovely Sunday stroll in the park and then read under a tree while watching kids blow bubbles and fly kites.

A night train and a $5 dollar train ticket were the perfect end to our first Malaysian city. You see you get two for the price of one – a hotel room and transportation. Rachael was like a giddy school girl the seats were awesome and reclined with cushions to match. I finished my book and of course couldn’t fall asleep to save my life. Oh well, Kuala Lumpur here we come.

Phitsanulok- land of spandex and Christmas lights

(Miller)

We arrived in this town around dusk after our sejour in Chiang Mai. The train all day was lovely, as we knew no matter how long it took, we were going to end up in a bed. Enough consolation to take the local class train, appropriately dubbed “ordinary”.

We stayed at the London Hotel…though just bits and pieces of English were spoken. Our digs were a fabulously tight shoebox that had mosquito netting on the windows and a working fan so we dropped our bags and headed out to see the town.

That’s when we saw it; or heard it first rather. Up on a community stage with literally at least 200 people in front of him; was a man in spandex shorts and a pink shirt (color of the day in Thailand) leading aerobics routines to blaring techno. “Holy Richard Simmons in Thailand girl!” I said to Annie. We contemplated jumping in but just couldn’t manage watching and two-stepping WHILE wind milling our arms. Thailand has a huge national fitness movement as was demonstrated by the countless joggers, walkers, skateboarders, break-dancers, and badmitten players lining the river. The walk was also lined with exercise equipment painted in a colorful manner so as to suggest, “working out can be fun too!” Anyone remember the creepy guy in spandex on TV with the blonde ponytail hawking something called the gazelle? A kind of ski glider? They are all over the sidewalk in this city, as are hip twisting discs and pelvic thrusters. We had quite a walk.

Making our way down to the river we took a stroll through what can only be described as a boulevard of lights. It was for a festival that had just finished but I took them as a personal Christmas light show. They even had dinosaurs and Hello Kitty lights!!!!!!

Walked around the night market and went to bed feeling jolly and full from the noodle and pork soup we had.

Phitsanulok is on the train route and mostly used as a jump-off point for people going to visit the Sukohthai ruins. This was Thailand’s Anchor Wat and we just hadn’t had our fill of stacked up stones yet.

It is amazing the contrast between the two sites. Clearly, Cambodia holds the gold for ancient sandstone ruins, it’s on their flag for pete’s sake. However, due to the very different histories and very different GDP, Thailand was better able to preserve the park itself. This may have been a choice and true, Anchor Wat is being refurbished and restored and has been for awhile, but we both felt, on the whole, that Sukohthai had a more “tended to” feel about it.

After renting bikes we didn’t need to ride around the few kilometers of park, we caught a bus back to Phitsanulok and had a relaxing night. Caught a 5am train the next morning to Bangkok.

Lounging in a train station is all well and good, and we are SO good at it by now but we felt it was in our best interest to push south towards Malaysia. The protests had calmed and they were opening the airport that night but hey, it was time to move on anyways. A direct effect of the planes not flying was that more people were taking trains. This DIRECTLY affected our ability to get cheap seats anywhere and it took a train and two buses to get over the border, but we did it and it was so worth it. Thailand is over now. There was so much we saw and did but I can’t help feeling that we only scratched the surface. It is an amazing country, varying like most, from north to south. From diving to trekking, for the chic-est of tourists to the scrubbiest of travelers, Thailand has it all. We highly recommend it and I for one, cannot wait to get back there.

Heading north in the land of smiles

(By Annie)

After our Thanksgiving Day in Bangkok we headed to the northern capital Chiang Mai. Much like Benin we had heard the south was crazy and the north calm, cool, and collected. Chiang Mai did not disappoint, in fact it all started at the train station. Upon arrival, we were greeted by the cutest Thai grandma, who offered us a cheap room and a free ride to the hotel. Sold! However, we still hesitated, wanted to figure out the catch, that is why we love Thailand, there is no catch. Well, just one or two, the cheapest rooms were on the 7th floor and the pool was more like a water feature.

We settled into our $5 room, found food, and then crashed suffering the effects of the 18 hour train ride. Side note here, to save money, we are “sleeping” on seats which resemble the Chicago L train. They are the perfect size for Thai women but neither Rachael nor I could fit more than our elbow lying down. Rachael finally contorted herself into a chair and I just said screw it and took up the isle with my feet. Hey, a girl’s got to sleep, right.

That night we actually motivated enough to go out and see a little bit of town. AND finally take in that much sought after rugby game. New Zealand killed England and it was fun to for a moment we forgot we were in Thailand on vacation. There were so many ex-pats there it was literally standing room only.

Day two was devoted to taking in the historical sites. So basically more wats or temples. Seeing the Buddha in every position and made of every material possible just doesn’t get old. The highlight of our evening was the Sunday night market, which was HUGE. Imagine Taste of Chicago or for your lesser informed individuals a food and music extravaganza. We did some shopping for Christmas Gifts (You guys better start posting if you want one too!:)) and even took in some Thai pop music. Although it ended up that we were at a protest rally, but hey who knew. We thought the red was for World AIDS day.

On our last day, we had a lazy morning and then stuffed our faces with some amazing Mexican food. We took in one more Wat and then taxied to the tribal museum. At the museum we watched this wonderful documentary film detailing the six main ethnic groups that live in the hills all around of Chiang Mai. Since we didn’t have enough time to visit them ourselves this was a great way to get to know a little more about the north from afar.

We got back into the city and then headed west towards the two Universities in Chiang Mai. One is a Buddhist University and at the nearby temple they host an English monk chat. Basically it was a conversation time for tourists to ask questions and the monks to practice their English. This was soooo cool and rivals all our other experiences in Thailand. After our monk chat we did what any self-respecting boozer does and headed over to the bar. We reveled in the free wifi and cheap beers. A great night in Thailand and a wonderful end to our three-day stint in the northern capital.

Phnom Phen – the big dollar store

We took a bus from Siem Reap for the 6-hour ride down to the capital city. Far less insane than Bangkok, we maneuvered fairly easily off the bus and got a tuk-tuk to the Okay Guesthouse. This place, like many others we’ve stayed at, has been written up in the Lonely Planet. I’m about ready to chuck the book were it not for the maps. This place was a zoo! No less than 20 tables set in the common room, all full of travelers. We needed dorm beds, which were a bit pricey at $2 each; even more pricey after we saw the beds. In effect, we were sleeping in the hallway of the laundry ladies’ facilities. A curtain divided our bunks from the rest of the world and Annie awoke one night to a rat tap-dancing on her face. Little schoolgirls have nothing on her voice.

That area of the country is, sadly, best known for the Pol Pot Killing fields and torturous prison museum, Teoul Sleng. We paid our respects to both. The museum was an old converted schoolhouse and the photos and stories there were clearly just a few from millions. It was especially eerie to Annie and I as the building construction was identical to that in Benin. It could just as easily have been a high school in Parakou.

12 kilometers out of town are the Killing Fields. A place of due somberness sharply contrasted with the sounds of schoolkids playing in the lot next door. The tens of dug out depressions in the earth are where the remains of millions were exhumed in the 80’s. All we kept commenting on was how this conflict happened while our parents’ generation were very much alive. It’s really the first time I’ve been hit in the face with how recent the genocide took place. This of course turned my thoughts to Darfur and other atrocities that have taken place during my lifetime. It is an endless cycle and clearly humanity is not learning. Are we doing enough? Are we doing anything? Of course, memorials are meant to spur thoughts like this and I left feeling humbled, grateful for my life, and very curious to learn more about the history of this tiny and surprisingly homogenous country.

On the positive sight seeing spectrum we also went to the Grand Palace and the Museum. Perhaps slightly smaller than their neighbors in Thailand, but just as beautiful. The Palace was amazing for the simple fact that it overlooked the river and the museum had a picturesque courtyard that we literally sat down and read a book in.

Because the currency holds such little value (though nowhere near like Zimbabwe) the US dollar is king. Though both are accepted everywhere, dollars are preferred and honestly, are easier to spend as $1 is equal to 4,000 riel and it just gets bulky. It reminded me of Ghana before they restructured the cedi. People carrying stacks of money worth less than the paper it’s printed on; except in Cambodia the dollar has stepped right in. This difference is clearly due to the history of the country.

Other highlights of the city included the wonderful array of street-food, noodles and meat on a stick galore! There is also this huge grapefruit looking thing, the size of a volleyball before it’s peeled. Delicious…and a dollar. We passed vendors selling things like bbq-ed baby chickens, bowls of grilled tarantulas, scorpians and various other creepy crawlies that go crunch as well as any snack chip would. Sandwiches are also a big thing, piled high with ground liver and chunks of mystery lunchmeat…a dollar. I tried to buy postcard stamp and balked b/c they were just too expensive; each costing …a dollar. Happy hour is a well-known concept there and each draft is…you guessed it, a dollar! Dollar store syndrome is easy to contract there, saying, “well hell, if it’s only a dollar I guess I can afford it!” Dollars add up and we actually spent our full budget there, which was a surprise to me.

Feeling like we’d seen our fill after three days, we headed north to Battambang to take a relaxing pit-stop before heading back into Thailand. It’s the second largest city in Cambodia but apart from the hundreds of high schools, you’d never know it. Relaxing and lacking in the usual traffic madness we spent an afternoon walking around and had a tame evening. The next day saw us crossing the border we’d already crossed 9 days earlier and back in the land of the Bhat. Hopped a bus to Bangkok, learned all about the protestors shutting down the airport and headed north to Chiang Mai on a 3rd class bench overnight train that took 15 hours.

Please don’t worry, we are FINE and are planning to leave via the Malaysian border in a few days. Thankfully, as of yet, travelers are only indirectly affected as all departing flights have been cancelled until further notice but we hadn’t planned to fly out of here anyways. Hope everyone had a great turkey day; we ate tuna subs at subway…something was lost in translation. We’re home in less than a month!!!

Say WAT!?

(By Annie)

After two wonderful train rides I guess we had a lot of hope for Cambodia, but one thing we have learned after three months of traveling is that no matter the language, country, or currency all border towns are shit holes (Sorry for swearing grams). We fairly effortlessly passed through Thai and Cambodian Immigration and then went to a bank to change some money and get smaller American dollars.

Lonely planet warned and warned about the bus scams on the border and apparently in their caution failed to mention there really are no afternoon busses ANYWHERE. So, after walking around aimlessly for a half hour we ate some lunch and then proceeded to bargain for a taxi. I was pissed off by this point and so Rachael took the reigns. We ended up paying $10 a person to take a taxi, which we thought was just for us, but ended up being shared. Even with three people in the back I was a little cramped and crabby, and the fact I did that for years in Benin still baffles me.

Finally, three hours later we were in Siem Reap, or the foothills of the 8th wonder of the world – Ankor Wat. After dogging a few touts our taxi driver wanted to pass us off to we actually found our hotel the Jasmine Lodge. It was the best deal in town and for $9 we shared an elegant suite with Cable TV and a hot shower.

Siem Reap was easy to navigate and we made it to the strip of bars aptly named Bar Street. There we treated ourselves to hamburgers and pitchers at a bar called Ankor What? As someone who completely adores plays on words, they were everywhere. After our burgers we headed over to Funky Munky to play trivia for a cause. Every Thursday this bar hosts a charity and then collects money from tourists and ex-pats. I am not allowed to tell you how much Rachael got into this game – oppss. But, team Yes We Can, finished in dead last. However, Wild Bill was pretty pleased.

The next day we made an executive decision to take in Siem Reap and then go and buy our tickets via bicycle to the Ankor Wat complex. During our explorations we literally stumbled on the brand spanking new Ankor Wat museum. Marvelous and a little expensive this state of the art museum took us through the Khmer Empire explaining all the temples and religious symbolism masterfully. It really is a must see and exactly what we needed before taking in the Wats or temples.

After the museum we saddled up and rode the 6 kilometers to Ankor Wat. We stopped and bought our pass – a whopping $20 dollars, but how can you really put a price on the wonders of the world. The main actual Ankor Wat is a massive complex complete with moats, dikes, and massive sandstone structures that are over a thousand years old. Rachael took lots of photos and I meandered along. After taking in the sunset we left for bar street and more beer on tap.

Day two was exploring Ankor Wat via Tuk Tuk or a motorcycle horse drawn carriage ride. I originally was not smitten with Ankor Wat but after spending the better part of six hours crossing these amazing structures you cannot help but be impressed – seeing the temples’ shear size and the marvelously meticulous figures. It is easy to see why movies like Laura Croft Tomb Raider used the rubbles to depict old gnarly bad ass-ness. Rachael and I both agreed that Bayon was our favorite temple. Everywhere you walked there was literally eyes watching you, said to resemble the king himself.

After our carriage ride concluded we napped and tried to watch some rugby. But, we ended up trying bar after bar with no avail – the channel was not coming in and so internet and more draft beer became an appropriate substitute. Finally, we headed back to the hotel and watched South Africa trounce England during our final night in Siem Reap. What? Wat!

The rains down in Thailand

(by Annie)

Our last but certainly not least stop in Southern Thailand was Kao Sok National Park. I enjoy a beach with the best of them, but after a week I suggested we take in some of the jungles and waterfalls that also make south the place to be.

The 6 am bus took us literally to the doorsteps of the park. We jumped off expected to walk two kilometers to some of the cheaper hotels closer to the park. Well, we were calmly greeted by four poster holding Thai hotel owners. They were so nice and calm literally Rachael and I almost did a coin flip for which hotel to stay at – we ended up choosing the cheaper of the two – the Evergreen Guest House. For $2 a person we had a cozy jungle bungalow complete with fresh towels and the nicest bathroom we’ve seen yet.

After unpacking and unloading all our beach laundry we headed right into the park. Not only did they have a student price but also the pass was good for 24 hours. So, for three dollars we had two days of waterfalls and lounging.

The park itself actually is really well done. The visitor center is well built and the trails, at least at the beginning, are well marked. The hour hike gave Rachael the physical activity she had been craving and me new views to take in. It ended in a small swimming pool where Rachael fought the river current and I finished my latest book. We saw rain on the horizon and monkeys in the trees so we headed back to the larger trail and back for some beers and dinner, only getting rained on for about five minutes.

After a wonderful night sleep in the jungle. I forgot how the orchestra of nature is really unique in each place. However, there were a few “out of tune” instruments near our bungalow and one bird had a rooster quality that was very humorous to watch Rachael wake up to. In fact I think her exact words were, “What the hell is that?” Birds aside – day two was much like day one only we didn’t get to the waterfall we hoped for because the trail was closed, so instead we took what we believed to be the original trail through the jungle up and down looking at a living and breathing eco-system.

Our viewpoint jaunt brought us back to this damn like watering hole. Here we soaked up some rays, read some books, and planned the rest of our trip to Cambodia. Early afternoon came and we headed back to the cabin for movies and naps. Perhaps equally as entertaining were the people we met at the Evergreen. Hmmm…let’s just say Britain has its own GI Jane and Holland never ceases to amaze us in the crazies it churns out. But, cheers, they make our nights and as long as you have a beer in hand it’s better than watching a movie.

We lazily got up and checked email before heading towards the bus stop. This really could be a post in itself but really I couldn’t adequately explain it and nobody in their right mind would believe it. So, the 150 kilometer journey to Surat Thani where we would catch our train took five hours. First, we got kicked off a public bus for not paying a dollar over, then got picked up by an UNC alumni whose car had a karokee player where we all sang Numa Numa, finally only to be dropped off at a 7-11 where we finally got a bus to the train station. (Please excuse my necessary run on sentence) Inside the bus was the Thai equivalent of my grandmother’s nursing home floor. Wonderfully ironically we arrived at the station with twenty minutes to spare for the first night train.

Have I mentioned I like trains? Well I do. And for about $10 dollars we had two wonderful beds, with real sheets, pillows, and even fans. Even more wonderful was the dining car. All the employees were sipping out of buckets of beer, Eminem playing in the background, and there was even disco type lights to illuminate our rousing game of Rummy, which of course the staff heartily joined in on. Three beers later we were ready for bed and it was comfy – even Rachael who can sleep anywhere and everywhere in any condition was like a little kid in a candy store.

At 4:30 we were rustled awake as Bangkok was on the horizon. Remarkably we timed the trains perfectly so after some Dunkin’ Donuts and a $1 train ticket we were off to the Cambodian border. Six hours later and remarkably well rested we were globe trotting again.

Phucket...Phucket real good

(By Miller)

We arrived and shrugged off the motos and taxis persuading us that it was a long way into Phuket town. After walking a few kilometers and night approaching, we ate our words and hopped motos to the On-On hotel. It’s a converted old firehouse so plenty of character…not much else. The princess died last year and her cremation ceremony had been playing on the television all day. Things had been randomly closed so we had a quiet dinner and settled in for the night.

The main draw to Phuket for westerners is the strip of beach along the west coast. It is apparently world renowned and apparently very expensive; at least on our budget so we steered clear. Opting for the butterfly house and insect museum sounds far more enticing than sandy white beaches and drinks out of coconuts right? We thought so too so we walked across town to it. Greeted with chilled nectar of something or other, we then continued on to see the exhibits of tarantulas, millipedes, scorpions, and other creepy crawlies I was just as likely to see in my latrine in Benin. Spent some time walking around the butterfly sanctuary and it was time to go. That was our big event for the day so, satiated, we went back to try and find food and more things to do.

A shopping mall presented itself and James Bond just happened to be playing IN ENGLISH! Sold! That’s how we spent our afternoon and loved every minute of the experience, watching an English movie and sucking in the perfumed air that is piped into the theatre, and listening to the fat western dude next to us chomp down his popcorn.

That night we tried to locate all the fabulous bars written up in the LP with happy hours and trivia nights. Again, due to the passing of the princess, they were all closed and we had another mellow night. We’d decided to breakup the long haul from Phuket to Bangkok by stopping in the Kao Sok national park. Phuket was lovely but don’t really need to go again. The islands are where it’s at, and even all the diving trips from Phuket ferry their clients right back to where we’d come from. No more time was needed and we were excited to see some of Thailand’s preserves! Caught a 6am bus the next morning.

Going down in Koh Phi Phi

(By Miller)

The express boat ride took two hours from Ao Nang to the island. It was amazing scenery as we stopped midway - in the middle of the ocean – to pick up a round of passengers. Annie and I were a bit miffed at first, when we bought our tickets. We kept looking for the thai price, you know, the bush taxi on water. As it happens, it doesn’t exist. Koh Phi Phi is pretty much locked up as a tourist destination.

When the tsunami hit in 2004, it wiped the island and surrounding area out. Thanks to the endless tourist dollars pouring in, Thailand is faring far better than many of the other areas implicated, like the Philippines. That said, there was still much construction going on and it is nowhere near fully recovered. Something we did enjoy, and aren’t sure whether it’s a result of crisis response or not, were the 5 Bhat water just refill stations. For about 10 cents we could refill the 1½-liter containers so we didn’t have to keep buying more plastic bottles.

Walking off the boat was madness. Wait; actually it was the best organization of the masses we’ve seen yet. Thailand – unlike India – has learned how to effectively wrangle its tourists. There were the usual touts but this time they were behind ropes, much like in an airport. At the end of the dock, there were boards and maps of every possible guesthouse and hostel on the island, complete with pictures and prices. We took this as a personal gesture of kindness from the government of Thailand. Slogging around in the 100-degree sun with packs on is just not a great way to spend an afternoon.

After we located (for $6/night) the H.C. Anderson Guesthouse (Hans Christian Anderson?), Annie was adamant I needed to actually use the SCUBA certification I’d picked up in Egypt. Not that I needed much convincing. I’d really planned on just slothing around on the beach for a few days but the streets and alleys are just lined with dive shops. A very convincing Aussie (who knew where the Appalachians were!) gave us a free map and I was sold. To seal the deal, they take credit cards!!!! I fear the plastic, especially after spending two years in countries where cash is king, but this allowed me to have more money on hand for places that don’t take VISA…like everywhere else. So, for $75 I went on a day trip, which included two dives, lunch and fabulous company. One of my dives ended up being an “adventure dive”, of which I need 5 of to get my advanced diver card. Yahoo! You can imagine how much fun Annie had with that achievement. This one involved going down to 30 meters (between 90-100ft) and seeing if the nitrogen in my blood made me nuts. People compare it to getting drunk but what actually happens is your brain just stops processing information, making gauge reading difficult. Happy to say, neither the Swede I was diving with nor I had much problem and our instructor Mika (also a Swede and did a wicked Muppet chef impression) said we were very comfortable in the water. The second dive after lunch was a fun one and we saw a hawk’s beak turtle after being down only 5 minutes. It was amazing and I’m so happy Annie persuaded me 

While I was down under, she was checking out the viewpoint and relaxing vacation style. There are no open container laws and 7-11s are everywhere so we bought beer for half the price of a bar and sat on the beach.

We stayed a total of two nights and left the next afternoon after a morning absolutely baking on the beach. The tide rises and falls by a good 8 feet or so and tide was half in so there was lovely swimming to be done. Boarded the speedboat (the Princess, how appropriate) to Phuket and got to sit in air conditioning for a few hours.

Other travelers we’ve run into have given us mixed reviews on what Koh Phi Phi is really all about. I say take it for what it is. A tourist-ridden isle, paradise for some and a hellhole for others. A bit of both I think for us, it was time to move on.

RPCV love doesn't always mean Krabs

(By Miller)
Sometimes unplanned detours are the best and this proved to be true with the south of Thailand. While still in India we received an email from a friend of the family who had built a house in Ao Nang and just happened to be a returned Peace Corps volunteer from Ghana. LOVE the community! We hadn’t planned to go south of Bangkok at all, except to take the train to Singapore. I didn’t need much convincing as sand, crystal clear water, and scuba diving galore sounded slightly more enticing than the streets of Calcutta. After all, we ARE on a vacation of sorts, right?

For about $10, we took an overnight bus from Bangkok to Ao Nang, a smaller ‘burb of Krabi (said crab-EE). The bus was the most comfortable thing to sleep on we’d seen in a long time as I couldn’t fit in the Calcutta bed and the short reprieve we had with an ex-pat friend in Bangkok just didn’t placate my back. The seats reclined to a visually pleasing angle but after two hours of sleep, woke up to numb feet and knees the size of grapefruits. Whatever, we arrived soon enough, looking glamorous. The local taxis in Ao Nang are pickup trucks with benches in the back so we took on to the end of the road, where our soon-to-be new best friend, Mark lived. He said we shouldn’t have a problem finding his house, as it was the one that looked out of place on the road. After a kilometer in the muggiest weather we’ve felt yet, this palatial estate complete with pool appeared and we figured it must have been it. JACKPOT! Mark and his incredibly adorable 8-month old were fabulous hosts.

We rented a moto for a couple days and decided to take it easy and tool around. The “strip” consists of McDonalds, Starbucks, endless restaurants, tattoo parlors, dive shops; and of course, the obligatory 7-11. Checked out the sites, made a plan for the next day, and headed home to cook some noodles and veggies in a real kitchen! Did I mention that Mark treated us to Starbucks filter coffee? Travelers on vacation we are! Stumbled onto a Karaoke bar and Annie got to sing the Romanian dance song so near and dear to all Peace Corps Benin volunteers. You all know the words…my-a-hee my-a-ha…Betsi Frei would have been on cloud 9!

Had a lazy morning and decided to conquer the beach…but not before a rousing game of mini-golf and a Thai massage. The golf course was closed, which was a serious blow to Annie but as some of you may know I’m just not a gamer and wasn’t too broken up about it. She didn’t go in for a massage so while she lounged on the beach, I got worked over for an hour by a small Thai man twisting me in all directions and hitting pressure points I didn’t know I had. It was heaven, they even gave me tea and pineapple afterwards  The afternoon was spent wading around in the bathwater warm Indian ocean and watching the boats zip around. Apparently we missed the memo and were caught in a huge rainstorm. Once it let up, we tooled our moto back to Mark’s.

There was a festival of lights and lanterns, something about asking protections and forgiveness from the ocean. People wove palm leaves into floating candle and incense holders and set them out to sea. More stunning still were the lanterns about 2 feet high which are lit from underneath and the hot air makes them rise up to the heavens, carrying good wishes with the flames. Amazing to see the night sky full of floating lights.

Returned the moto, said goodbye to Mark and his baby boy, and hopped a boat to Koh Phi Phi. This was a little more expensive than anything we had planned but OH MY GAWD it was worth it. Phi Phi (said pee-pee) was far grander than anything I expected.

12 million + 2 more = Bangkok

(By Annie)

Our delightful Thai Airways flight landed shortly after sunrise, so we lost a night of sleep, but gained a whole lot more. Our host in Bangkok was Marilee, who those from my days of Peace Corps will remember as our former director. She now runs program management in Thailand and was so very gracious to offer her apartment as a home base for our travels in Thailand.

So, after an amazing breakfast and Starbucks for Rachael (Miller: STARBUCKS!!!!, it cost more than a meal but was worth it to hear Christmas carols order a drink with 7 words in the name) we were off to conquer Bangkok. First things first, the public transportation system is so diverse and efficient. Traffic is a huge problem for city, so there is an extensive sky train, metro, bus, and river taxi system. In two days believe it or not we conquered them all. I was impressed with how user friendly they all were. The metro and sky train rivals and perhaps surpasses any of its competitors around the world- did I mention they were air conditioned as well?

As for the sights, our first day was spent exploring the river. Most, if not all, the highly visited sites are conveniently located on or around the river. We took the river taxi and happened to stumble across this beautiful park and fort. We then headed down to the Grand Palace, the former residence for the royal family of Thailand. I am not even sure I can put into words what we saw. Imagine a giant gingerbread house made of all the ceramic tiles and precious stones you could collect in a lifetime; and put together with such detail to design and color. It is truly one of those architectural miracles. Also, inside the palace compound was the emerald Buddha – one of the most famous sites for religious pilgrimage and devotion in the entire world. It was wonderful to be a sort of fly on the wall seeing the process that Buddhists go through. It is one of the many times during this trip where I have seen things that I have read and studied come alive.

After the palace we headed home and enjoyed a hot shower and a real bed, which after Calcutta were just as valuable to us as the Grand Palace. Day two was more public transport and then logistics like buying bus tickets and post cards. We also spent some time in the central park of Bangkok watching children on all ages attempt to fly their kites. It was magical to see how they danced in the air and the change of expression on the kids faces as the parents helped them get in the air. We also walked and saw the golden mountain. Hmm, again I am at a loss. Imagine a carnival, literally a carnival – like one with a ferris wheel, games, and all the food on a stick you could ever want. Well, a mountain with a gorgeous temple on top was right in the middle of it, taking in pilgrims and tourists alike still eating the cotton candy off their fingers.

Once we climbed down, it was off to the main event – literally – Muay Thai or Thai boxing, the national sport of Thailand. We saw five different fights and perhaps even cooler than the knockout punches were the rituals performed before each battle and the spectators betting up a storm. The guidebooks described it like the stock exchange and there is not better way to put it.

Day three was finally a Monday and we needed to get down to business. The morning was spent in the Cambodian Embassy, it took a little bit of time, but it was one of the better visa getting experiences we have had. After getting back to the river we headed off to a cyber café for Rachael to finish her job application and for me to finish my scholarship application. Two beers later we were on our overnight train with 7-11 fountain drinks in hand, yes, the answer is- they even have slurpees and we have had three so far.

Fourteen hours later we are in the paradise of Krabi. Moto-ing to the beach today where we can lounge with cocktail in hand and indulge in a $4 hour-long massage, all while staring at the unreal land/seascape that southern Thailand is famous for.

Kolkata

After arriving from the Nepal border on an 18-hour train at 5:30 in the morning, Annie and I needed some down time (I feel like we’re saying that a lot lately) and we’re pretty sure there’s no better place to do it than Calcutta. Wait, rewind, there are THOUSANDS of better places than Calcutta, we just happened to land there.

The old colonial capital (the new one is Delhi) and home to the birth of Mother Theresa’s order, it is a mix of olds and news. The colonial feel is definitely present as is the strong culture the Indians have held on to. Set in West Bengal, Bengali is the language; different from the Hindi belt we were in before in the state of Rajastan (you know, when we did the Taj Mahal.)

Apparently, West Bengal is also known for its sweets. This was certainly reinforced by all the sweet shops, sometimes three in a row. Among the 30 or so choices, most are spongy balls soaked in sweet syrup coated in a sugary dough, like they decorate cakes with. In any case, they are amazing and guaranteed to rot the teeth right out of your head. The other food was similar to what we’d seen before with a bigger fish influence with lots of delicious oily sauces and roti (grilled flat bread). Our default meal was vegetable thali, which is a huge round tray with rice, roti, butter/peanut sauce with potato, lentils, and three other sauces, usually with cucumber and onions chopped up to cool the spicy burn of the curry. Hungry yet?

We stayed on Sudder Street, the tourist drag but also with the cheapest accommodations. After being told the Salvation Army was “broken” we opted for Hotel Maria with rooms like saunas and cats all over the place. Our neighbor was the toilet and right down the hall some guy was storing a thousand sweaters accompanied by a thousand mothballs. I guess the place had its own charm about it.

The town is full of places to visit, mostly due to the old colonial landmarks. Our first venture out was to the National Museum where things are poorly labeled but displays some great Buddhist architecture pieces as well as the Mecca of taxidermy. Annie enlightened me on the process of animal preservation as she took it in college when she brought her turtle, which died in 1984, out of the freezer and into the limelight. Enough about that… we also felt like exhibits ourselves, as people just couldn’t resist “capturing” us with their camera phones, even though photography is prohibited.

Other outings included seeing a movie at the local Elite theatre, a far cry from the masses we braved back in Jaipur. This was a much more pleasant experience and a great way to stay cool in the afternoon. Even the post office was something to see. Large and domed like the US capitol, it has a mini museum right around the corner. We visited the Calcutta zoo also…not much to say. Small cages, overgrown bush, sad animals; not recommended.

Our shining moment in Calcutta was the US elections. After getting to vote by ballot in the embassy in Nepal, we were even more excited to follow the play by play on Nov 4th. Having never been abroad for a happening such as this and only taking up a recent interest in politics, Annie was captain of this endeavor. Once we got to Calcutta, we went to the embassy just to ask where the best place to watch the vote was as we didn’t have a tv in our hotel room. They mentioned a gathering at the swank Park hotel and printed us an invitation. I was dubious but decided there really wasn’t an alternative and hey, don’t things like this have free food?

Because of the time difference, we woke up at 4:30 on the 5th and walked the 15 minutes to the hotel. We got there by 5:15 and clearly were in the right spot, with arches of red, white, and blue balloons snaking up to the party room. With a grand flourish, we flung open the door not really sure what to expect, only to discover we were by FAR the most enthusiastic Americans present. In fact, the only ones present. Soon after, the head of the American cultural center showed up and other volunteer-like folk we’d talked to started to dribble in. Coffee, doughnuts, and sandwiches came out (yahoo!) and we got to watch everything unravel on two HUGE projection screens. Once Ohio got the vote we all cheered and crossed our fingers a little harder. When the west coast finally closed and Obama was declared president elect of the US, people cheered, clapped, and even some tears of joy were shed. The one guy over in the corner, wearing a McCain/Palin button, deck shoes, and a polo shirt, muttered, “it’s only 4 years”. It was a jovial moment so we held back the tar and feathering.

Our rendezvous with our fellow Americans did us good and we decided to go bowling to celebrate the good ol’ Amerrrrrican spirit. Found out the alley didn’t exist and settled for a classy Indian dinner instead. It was time to leave, we’ve exhausted all our activity resources and still had a couple days to burn, which we spent watching pirated dvds and eating. Life is hard.

Our time there ended with rounds of beers with Kristen – our new Wisconsin playmate, taxi to the edge of civilization where the airport is and caught the 2am plane to Bangkok, which was only a 2 hour flight, ate AMAZING plane food and landed in on of the greatest cities I’ve seen yet.

Kathman-dos and don’ts

P.S. Pre-Script: This post was written on October 28th. We made it to India and are now in Calcutta, with minimal pain.

(By Annie)
Well, I am literally sitting in the lobby of Mohan’s Tattoo Inn, and realizing that you all have not been filled in on the going-ons in the wonderful capital city of Nepal. I also am willing to wager that you are tired of the same old blog post about as much as Rachael is tired of getting poked with a needle after five hours. So, we are going to get a little creative and make this post a sort or dos and don’ts. Wow, we are getting to crazy for you, fear not more of the same will come as we head to India tomorrow morning at 6:30 a.m.

Kathman-do’s
1. Take the tourist bus – We realized the only way we were truly getting swindled on this trip was the bus ticket officers. So, we just gave up finally and took the tourist bus. It was more comfortable, more reliable, and really only two dollars more expensive.
2. Stay near Durbar Square – There are many places to stay but none richer in tradition than Durbar Square. If you can imagine a single place that is still an active market area, houses the original royal palace dating all the way back to the 1800’s, and it entertains hundreds of tourists too! We seriously were so lucky to have a place near there. One of my favorite mornings was our last one in Kathmandu where we just climbed up one of the temples and people watched for two hours. All the colors coming together and the people coming in and out of the square, there really was something magical about it.
3. Go in as many back doors as possible – Well while I was a little under the weather the first day, Rachael went to see the monkey temple. She walked around the back and got in for free. There were monkeys galore and this cute little temple was perfectly placed on the top of the hillside. Of course she also ran into pretty much every single person we met while in Pokhara.
4. Take a picnic to the Secret Garden – Our second day in Kathmandu was literally out of a movie, Rachael’s favorite in fact. Tucked away in the hustle and bustle of the tourist area was this magical garden. It was probably only the size of a high school football stadium, but it truly was so peaceful. Exactly what we needed, and of course, there was wifi there. So, we read, had a picnic, and uploaded photos all day long.
5. Decorate your animals – If you go to Nepal, go in October. Pretty much every day there is a festival. Our visit to Kathmandu coincided with Diwali or the Hindu festival of lights. It is pretty much exactly like a New Years celebration. In keeping with Diwali, animals are decorated on different days. Dogs, Cows, Goats, and even I wore different forms of powder and lays of flowers. Rachael especially loved the dog and cow day. I really think she, not so secretly, just wanted to put flowers on dogs all day long.
6. Walk as often as possible – Nepal turned out to be expensive, well more expensive than India. So, our walking motives were probably at the beginning to save money for beers later. But, we have now decided we would rather see less and do the walking, cause in return you actually see more. For example, we walked to Boudha in the suburbs of Kathmandu to see the famous Stupa or prayer statue (which was wonderful). Sure, we got lost and had to walk through sewers to get there, but those are the moments that have made our trip and what can you really see from a window anyway.
7. Rock the vote – It’s official we BOTH voted. After a long trek back from the Stupa, we took the long way around and found the Embassy. Rachael thought she was going along for moral support, but it turned out they had extra federal write-in ballots, so she got to vote too. You still have time, register, seriously, I cannot even tell you how much this election means abroad. I held true to my promise, if I met someone in my travels who wanted John McCain for president I would vote for him. Hmmm, can you guess how that turned out?
8. Get tattooed at Mohan’s – Well, really, this is for Rachael, so I will let her tell.
Just as or more sterile than any place I’ve been to in the U.S. and doubly as friendly. Mohan is a great guy who worked really hard on my design and made sure we were both happy at the end. 5 hours later, bleeding but in good spirits we said goodbye with promises to email. Was truly a pleasure to work with him and I HIGHLY recommend buying a plane ticket just to get ink-ed, well worth it and about half the cost I’d have paid in the states.

Kathman-don’ts
1. Have Rachael stay awake. – You know how I complained about Rachael sleeping on buses, well she is scary when she doesn’t. So, I take that back. Who can blame her though, it is not fun riding a bus on mountain ridges. Especially when this travel partner took the lazy way out and had a beer for lunch and a window seat.
2. Buy flutes – The most annoying and ironically the place we spent a great majority of our time was this little neighborhood called Thamel. Everywhere you turned there were motorcycles, tourists, and Nepalese selling flutes. What is with the flutes? I have heard of Irish whistles and even RPCVs from Vietnam taking up the flute (Shout out to my man Johnny). Seriously, if you can tell me why there is a Nepal flute demand, I will buy one for you.
3. Take pictures with fake priests and monks – Okay, I know there is no Santa Clause. If I am bursting your bubble too bad, you shouldn’t be reading this blog. However, I also get why Santa exists and the spirit of going to the mall and getting a photo. Well, there are in fact real monks out there so…I will never understand the allure of a tourist taking a picture with an imposter. I really think they just don’t know they are a fake, so sad.
4. Go anywhere near Thamel if you can help it – I think I already covered this with the flutes, but yeah, enough said. But, you are going to end up going there, so just have a sense of humor about it. (Miller: ok, you WILL go there, it has everything and most do end up going to see something in that area. Last time I checked, we were big white western tourists after all…oddly, the place we felt most uncomfortable was the only place we didn’t stick out. AND we got the chance to see a GREAT Nepalese cover rock band)
5. Take expeditions to “Breakfast” Restaurants at night – As I said, walking is all fun and games, until you get lost. Highly recommend getting lost during the day and not at night. You just get frustrated, angry, and pissy. A situation like eating should never be stressful. Plus, they are known for their breakfast, what was I doing suggesting we go there at night, duh!
6. Go anywhere near children with fire-crackers or even who have that look in their eye. – Okay. Let’s pause. Sure the festivals are cool, but the children and their fun firecrackers suck. As Rachael was getting “inked,” I was getting “dyed” and “blazed” as it seams even kids on the roofs thought it sooo funny to throw sparklers at my feet. I love Diwali, but have changed my mind about firework regulations. Go, Illinois. Keep on enforcing that ban.
7. Go to restaurants just for the internet connection – Well, again, duh. Super, they have free internet connection, but guess what they also have meals three times the price. Plus, we are not good multi-taskers when it comes to food and beer.
8. Stay too long – I put this one last cause it is only partly true. I loved Nepal. It was tranquil, picturesque, and became very comfortable. But, food isn’t cheap, and you burn through money quickly, so be careful.

Okay, that’s all from Nepal. You regularly scheduled blog will return at an unscheduled time in the future.

What goes up, must come down (Thank god!)

As we stated many times before, the plan for Nepal was centered on a two-week trek in the Annapurna Mountains. Well, we have survived and made it back in only ten days. We climbed up a mountain over 14,000 feet, hiked over 45 hours, made weird friends, and saw majestic views. Obviously to blog about every day would get a little repetitive, so instead we will lay out our ten day schedule, and then give our takes. - Annie

Annapurna Sanctuary Trek
October 13th – 22nd
Day 1: Bus ride to Phedi from Pokhara
Phedi to Pothana (3 hours 30 minutes)
Day 2: Pothana to Newbridge (5 hours 30 minutes)
Day 3: Newbridge to Sinuwa (6 hours 30 minutes)
Day 4: Sinuwa to Bamboo (2 hours 30 minutes)
*We could not go any father because there were no rooms higher.
Day 5: Bamboo to Himalaya (4 hours)
Day 6: Himalaya to Machhapuchhre Base Camp (4 hours 45 minutes)
* We are at 3,700 meters and it is very cold by 1:00 p.m.
Day 7: Machhapuchhre to Annapurna Base Camp (2 hours)
Annapurna Base Camp to Bamboo (6 hours 30 minutes)
Day 8: Bamboo to Chhomrong (4 hours 15 minutes)
Day 9: Chhomrong to Syauli Bazar (7 hours)
Day 10: Syauli Bazar to Naya Pul (1 hour 30 minutes)
Bus ride back to Pokhara

Annie’s Take: “I have no trekking style.”
Well, I am finally off my feet and resting. I must admit; I have always liked walking. For some reason never running, but walking was something you could do to take in the sights and get somewhere at the same time. I loved walking places in college because it made you calm down and relax. Well, trekking and walking are two very different verbs. I will never be a trekker. However, I am so glad I faked everyone out, and did it…just this once…in Nepal.

A mountain goes up, I am not really sure how I could have forgotten this part. And, I really cannot go up. I know, I know. After about two minutes I get out of breathe and it takes me about 15 to 30 minutes longer than an old Japanese grandmother. Its funny, I get super competitive about everything else, but I waved happily as the grandma coasted by. I looked nice, but really it was just a good excuse to rest. Poor Rachael was a large version of “Where’s Waldo.” She would scurry up the hill about 5 minutes until we made eye contact and then trek off again. It was a really bad version of a typical Tom and Jerry cartoon. This was 30 hours worth of our 45-hour trek. She seriously is a trekking rock star and I am not worthy. The little Grazel Adams, as I started calling her, was so outwardly patient with me, and really the only reason I made it up and down. We didn’t have a guide and porter, but who needs one with Rachael on your side.

So now that I’ve covered the boring parts and the tired parts, I guess I will end on the amazing parts. The best part about the Annapurna Mountains is that they are right there all the time. Almost every night we got to see first hand the progress we were making and those large peaks got closer and closer. During the final days and even hours I just had to stop looking up. It was so deafening and addicting to look at where we were and I couldn’t stop marveling at just how close we got. They say base camp and we truly were right at the base.

Then, we got to go down! I can’t do up, but I can sprint down a mountain. We made it half way in one day and I guess I finally felt trekker-like as this time the Japanese grandma had nothing on me. The biggest challenge going down is not to do it too fast, because your feet really do get ahead of you.

All in all, I am so glad that I did it and maybe under the right circumstances would even do it again. Trekkers are a weird bunch, so evenings at the lodges were fun and Rachael and I fit right in. Take a look at some of the quotes that came out of these evenings, there is little more I can add. Except, climbed a mountain, lived to tell about it, and most importantly am wearing the t-shirt as we speak.

Miller’s take – Well, we did it.

I thought scuba was the end all, be all of fabulous experiences I was going to have on this trip. FALSE! Trekking is something I’ve always read, heard, and watched about but never done. Nepal just opened that Pandora’s box. I am in love with the mountains and this has been the beginning of a beautiful relationship.

First of all, despite what Annie may have alluded to, she did fine. Those damn Japanese grammys are just too scrappy. We did learn that we have very different styles, likes and dislikes, strengths and weaknesses; but at the end of the day, nothing felt better than a high five, a plate of momos (dumplings), and cold beer. We didn’t figure the beer out until the way down which is why the first 7 days were a little tense. Things also get much more expensive as you go up because someone had to carry it there on his back. I say “his” because 98% of porters are men, though the few women we did see were just as strong.

Anyways, the whole way up, the Annapurna range is right in front of you; Annapurna south and a few other peaks directly ahead, Machhapurche (Fishtail Mt.) to the right. We took over 300 photos, and the majority are scenic shots- in fact, we now have to do a youtube photo montage because there are just too many. (I am STILL loving my camera!)

The teahouses or lodges we stayed at were great, some had solar showers, some even had gas-heated showers but most importantly, they all let us use their heavy yak wool blankets. You see, Annie and I decided to forgo the usual accompaniment of a guide and porter and hoof it all ourselves. This meant we took significantly less “stuff” than anyone else we ran into. Among the “stuff” we chose to leave behind, were sleeping bags, gloves, full jackets, and at times, common sense. All the lodges were family run and some of the mamas were a real hoot. For between 100 and 200 rupees (2 to 3 dollars) we had beds, showing up late meant sleeping in the dining hall but we were really lucky and didn’t have any problems. Encounters with Aussies, Irishmen, Indians, Japanese, South Africans, Dutchmen, Koreans, Americans, Brits, and yes even some Nepali, gave us great entertainment and interesting conversation. Sad to say, I take it as a compliment when folks said we didn’t behave as “normal Americans”, but think what you will.

Finally, we hit the camp right before the base camp (MBC) and stopped for the day. It was only noon but going higher would have been suicidal as even at MBC the temperature dropped to 28 degrees F. Drank countless cups of outrageously expensive tea, just to keep our hands warm and were in bed by 8. (actually a late night by trekking standards) Decided to get going at 5:15 am to see the sunrise, see the mountain then get the hell off it while our blood was still circulating. The whole walk up was illuminated by literal golden rays of sunshine warming the frozen scrub grass and melting the ice that had formed overnight on the moving stream of runoff water from the peak. Bundled in everything we had, bandanas wrapped around our hands, we made it shortly after sunup and walked out to see the glacial crevasse formed eons ago. The force that is the Annapurna range is breath taking. I can only imagine what the climbers who make the summit must feel because just standing at the base of the monstrosity makes one feel small, unsafe, and empowered all at once.

Took the requisite photos, walked around a bit, then sat down for coffee before saying goodbye. We’d done it, and on our own!

The descent took only two days as Annie said, and thank god because the boots I’d picked up in Pokhara destroyed my feet. Fairly certain I’ll be loosing toe nails and I’m cleaning my feet hourly so I don’t get a staff infection from all my open blisters.

Came back to Pokhara and ate a steak dinner last night that was so rich it almost came back up (but in a good way ☺ ) It’s been fun seeing people around town who we met up there. We’re SO in the club now. Annie did in fact, buy the tshirt (as did I) as did a million other people; and why not? We earned it.

Mother SUCKERS!

(Miller)

Well, this post is a bit passé but better late than never; besides, Annie and I need to share this story, however shameful it may be.

The Peace Pagoda is a well-known hike in Pokarha. It’s usually for people just warming up to go trekking and I’m pretty sure meant to be a self-esteem booster as it’s like the bunny hill at a ski resort. Our hostel is on the north side, with a clear view of Phewa Tal (the lake) and the Peace Pagoda is situated right on top of a hill just across the water; making for an even more picturesque sunrise shot. It’s a Buddhist temple about 1 hour from the base, and a highly visited destination by Buddhists and trekkers alike.

We’d made friends with a mama at a restaurant called the Yeti (Annie’s pick, shocking) Her sons, who speak incredible English, run boats across the lake for people who want to mix up the walk to the top. Decided on a sunrise boat ride, which took about 45 minutes and was a chilly if not beautiful wake-up, waved hello to all the fishermen and fellow boaters and bid our captain adieu as we found the trailhead with ease, confidence already bolstered.

We made it up right on time, an hour almost exactly on the dot of time estimated in our bible, Lonely Planet, so we were feeling pretty good. Winded, but happy. Took a zillion photos of our first real glimpse of the Annapurna range. We had plans to begin the 10-day trek to Annapurna Base Camp the next day so it was a taste of things to come and we were pumped! The sky was clear, as the clouds hadn’t risen yet and we were only 2 of 6 people viewing that magnificent creation; life was good.

Sat down to eat the cookies and apples we’d squirreled away as the other slow-pokes arrived, chuckled as they sucked wind and then again as they turned and really saw the looming mountains for the first time, just as we had. Far superior trekkers we were, timed it perfectly and had plenty of time to bask in the morning sun that was just starting to warm up the mountain.

“Let’s take the long way down so we can enjoy the morning,” I said. If we’d been in a B- horror movie, the dun-dun-DUN organ music would have played, foreshadowing mishap to come.

And come it did. About 15 minutes from the top, we took some photos and even a video of how happy we were with life. Yes, I’m jigging in the woods. Anyways, 10 minutes after that, we suddenly found ourselves off the beaten path and standing on a terraced hillside, up to our ears in ferns and spider webs. “What the hell?” was all we could say; at this point more confused than anything else. I’d bought new boots to break in for the long trek so we just figured this was the time to break them in so let’s not go back from whence we came, but push on and find the trail a bit down the mountain.

If I ever needed a boy scout in shining armor, it was then. An HOUR later, after Annie had her pants scared off by an unidentifiable green snake and we’d far surpassed the “this is so funny” part of the excursion; Annie yells “Check your boots!” I look down to see the tail end of a leech squirming through my bootlaces and about 30 others on their way, some already fat on my oh-so juicy ankles, even through my socks!

Gag me with a spoon; I was DONE with the Peace Pagoda at this point. It’s all fun and games until someone is bled to death by parasites. I’d hit my creeped out point, especially as I could feel them in between my toes. Finally, after traversing terrain only comparable to what Atreo had to do in the NeverEnding Story, we ran into two Nepali folk, collecting plants and they calmly said good morning and pointed us in the right direction. Can’t imagine what their families talked about over dinner that evening.

As we saw the shore (the Peace Pagoda is on an island of sorts), cries of joy escaped our throats and we began the wait for a boat to pass by. This was a pretty frequent occurrence as the lake tour canoes glide past there every 2 minutes. This lovely Indian family slid onto the shore and invited us to finish their tour; the she-captain charged us an unholy 250 rupees to sit in the boat. Thank god the family was all facing forward as Annie just ripped her boots off and began tearing the suckers off her feet and ankles. I found a happy place in my head and waited until we got back to the hostel. In the end, the spot outside our door looked like a butcher had been there, but in reality we were no worse for the wear. Leeches are pretty clean little guys who don’t leave a whole lot behind except little holes that won’t stop bleeding and sucker marks for days.

Moral of the story? Where to begin? Check your boots!

Ridiculous Adventures in Pokhara

(by Annie) I am at a loss of where to begin explaining our first days in the second largest city in Nepal. Tucked away near the Phewa Tal lake the hillsides cascade into the trekker friendly Annapurna Mountain Range - next to Everest the most famous in Nepal. We have traveled far and wide on moto and by foot through unmarked trails. Rachael broke in her boats, I survived, and here we are with some great stories. In true Sound of Music fashion, we are going to start at the very beginning…

Upon arrival we didn’t even hesitate. When you talk about basic needs food is far more important than lodging and so we ate and drank quickly and often. After gorging ourselves we walked and found a hotel called “Fire on the mountain.” Fair price, nice bathroom, we watched another Bollywood film and called it a day.

The beds were sooo comfortable after sleeping on moving transportation and then next to rats and I was finally a happy camper. We lazily woke up and found a breakfast nook called Moondance with coffee, home fries, and wifi. After breakfast we check out and headed north to the quieter end of town and after a little searching found our home away from home for the next three nights. Namaste Lodge had two floors and I convinced Rachael to “go all out,” and get a room with a view for a total extra investment of two dollars. Despite the owner creepily offering us dope we were happy with our choice. Did I also mention that the room with a view also had internet for me to steal – yeah? I know…life is super duper hard.

Agenda for the first full day was simple: shop and get trekking permits. I needed new pants and Rachel needed boots and a non-chewable bag. Apparently we both really hate shopping cause three hours later we were still at it and by now cutting it close to closing time at the Annapurna Sanctuary office. We arrived two minutes late, but at least we knew where it was and on the way back a plan was born for the next two days. We passed a motorbike rental and I reserved a scooter for the very next day. Also, we had Momo’s Nepalese dumplings at a restaurant called “The Yeti” which also offered a boat service our plan for the following day. Check, Check, and Check.

After waking up like chickens (with the sun) we headed over to get our moto. This was my idea and my toy. Rachael really would have been perfectly happy walking, but I needed a day of motorcycle indulgence. We arrived and the man looked a little nervous to hand over the key. I have no idea why, this scooter was like driving a electronic wheelchair. One gear and by pushing the handle forward you went faster. There were even handbrakes. After filling up on gas and air – the air because the scooter probably was not used to that much weight – we we’re off. First things first, our trekking passes the one thing that eluded us the day before. Rachael described the office as the DMV and there is no more perfect analogy, lots of people who can’t sit still waiting in semi-organized lines for disgruntled employees. But, we survived and left $30 poorer with trekking pass in toe. We were legal.

Mind you the entire time we were cruising on our hot wheels. And I am talking about our supped up wheelchair that looked like a generic Vespa. We were a cross between the Wicked Witch of the West, Dumb and Dummer, and that random Hillary Duff movie Cinderella Story. So, the coolest people on the planet. We kept on going over these potholes and just bottoming out right over the top of them and just barely making it over. The $15 for the entire day was well worth it. I finally gave up the reigns to Miller and she looked over and said, “Not going to lie, I’m a little bit nervous.” Then 30 seconds later after her test spin she screeched to a halt and said, “Get on.” She was also a pro except for the time we had to turn right and in Zoolander fashion that seemed impossible to her, but one more time around the block meant enough courage to courageously turn right.

So, the moto rocked and so did the places we saw on our tour. Devi falls is basically this hug pothole of a waterfall. Its definitely is not your typical waterfall, which made it cool and anti-climatic at the same time. The International Mountain Museum is fairly new, constructed in 2004, they did a wonderful job of displaying photos of the various peaks as well as explaining those Nepalese native to the area. My two favorite exhibits were the tales of those who conquered the different peaks in the Annapuran first and also this “they’re just like us” photomontage. It showed pictures of people around the world doing things just like people from Nepal, I could envision the Nepalese school kids and of course People readers getting a kick out of this.

We moto-ed back and the guy sighed to see us in one piece. We then went off for a beer and then dinner – sandwiches. We love these. It’s like organic subway, so good. We also had more dumplings at “The Yeti” and confirmed our boat trip and hike… Yep, you just get three dots because that is THE STORY to tell, no pressure Rachael.

Train from Varanasi and bus to Nepal

(by Miller) Now, Annie and I have been ridiculously flexible in our schedule and we’ve had no problem switching things around (like doing Egypt completely backwards) to make like easier. We figured pushing our train time back a few hours from Varanasi to Gorakpur wouldn’t alter things too much. Well, turns out, the difference between the 1pm train and 5pm train was the difference in staying in a hotel and sleeping in a train station.

Gorakpur is a stop in India that most people pass through on the way to Nepal. We thought we’d get there around dusk, check-in and move on to Sonauli (the Nepali border town) the next day. WELL, as impressed as we’ve been with customer care and the Indian railway system, we had some beef when our train arrived at 11pm and we had no idea where to go. Now, we’ve all arrived somewhere after hours and had to made due, just praying this wasn’t THAT time that we’d get robbed (Cotonou at 10pm anyone?)
We decided to buck up and go check out the town, the hostel wasn’t supposed to be that far anyways.

The whole time we have been in India and now Nepal, people have been telling us “it’s the festival!” They weren’t messing around. In Varanasi especially, we saw tons of instant temples, complete with Christmas lights and paper maché gods. This is the big deal holiday when people go all out to see their families and really have a holiday. It takes place over three days and I’m pretty sure it’s to honor a wife of Shiva...at least that’s what I’ve been able to piece together from the zillions of stories friends here have blessed me with. Anyways, we walk out of the train station and there is a street fair going on, complete with blaring music, street food and carnival games. Looked like a pretty good time but we had packs on and were tired; besides, it was midnight and we had to catch our border bus at 5am.

Braved the crowd and eventually found the bus station we needed to be at in 5 hours and got a great glimpse of the nightlife. Crankiness set in as we realized there really wasn’t enough time to justify getting a hotel room but too much to sit staring at each other. Hmmmm, back to the “air cooled” passenger in transit room at the train station. The room looked like a refugee camp and we set up our site in between a family of 6 and the men’s bathroom door, choice digs. We pulled out the Lonely Planet bible to figure out our next move after the 5am bus and took turns watching the gear and “experiencing” the maxi-pad, dirty diaper graced bathroom. Piling our stuff behind us in the corner, we laid down one of our sheets and passed out for a few hours. Though not before Annie spotted her arch nemesis species, Rat-us Mobilus, peeking out of the men’s room door. Annie demanded I “defend her honor” and kill anything that comes near. I of course, promptly passed out. A few hours later, got up, greasy and bleary-eyed to find our way out of that hell-hole.

Made it there no problem and we even left 10 minutes early. Things could have been really bad at this point; instead of commiserating, we fell asleep again (feels like we’ve been in a constant state of coma at times) and woke up an hour before the border because the road got so bad it threw us off our seats, literally. I picked up my smaller bag (the one with airplane tickets and all the money to my name in it) when we got off and realized there was an enormous hole in the bottom. Oh dear god, Annie and I had mild strokes as I checked and by the grace of something holy, nothing had fallen out. There were perfect rat-shaped teeth marks, all around the foam padding. (Annie insert: Miller is way to blaze about this, it was disgusting to think I was two feet away from a feeding rat.) It suddenly made sense why I was covered with black thread when I woke up. Counted our blessings and moved on.

There were two other western travelers on the bus with us and when we got off we walked across the border together. Well, Annie and I walked across and they kind of, Sound of Music (complete with guitar) style, ran across, then re-simulated so they could video-tape it...

Robert and Lucy are two 18 year old English gap-year students who are just HAPPY to be alive. Everything was new and exciting and just so POSITIVE. Clearly, Annie and I had found kindred spirits. Good thing we ended up on the bus together, all 4 across the back seat with 2 poor Nepalese guys crammed between like wedges. This turned out to be a 9-hour ride. Around hairpin turns and between exclamations such as “Of COURSE I want to trek the Everest base camp. I mean, I’ve always been just so naturally fit,” and applying mascara; we all got acquainted.

At the next stop, Annie and I cracked open terribly expensive cans of beer and pounded potato chips. Pretty sure we forgot to say goodbye and headed into Pokhara once we arrived. Though, we were to run into them randomly on the strip and it was fine. They had roped some poor Israel kid into doing a 3-week trek and share a hotel home. Could someone please write a comic strip about THAT?!