tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24341495468467876322024-03-13T12:06:12.508-07:00The Ultimate Expedition of CMFIt's that time of year again, and I've got the travel bug! The adventures will begin with the whole family in Vietnam and Cambodia. After my dad flies home, my ma, sister, and I will explore the beaches of Thailand. Then, my sister and I are let loose to roam Southeast Asia heading towards Nepal and northern India. Mid April I fly to Zambia to volunteer for a month at Appeased School before starting work in San Francisco. Ready or not, HERE I COME!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02670233503267185418noreply@blogger.comBlogger103125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2434149546846787632.post-37442403460552581802017-08-12T13:53:00.002-07:002017-08-12T13:53:35.097-07:00Mitad del Mundo<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
After the Amazon, I returned to Quito for two nights. I took advantage of this day to wash all my wet, stinky cloths from the Amazon. Nothing dries there and everything gets slimy! Yuck! I also went to the middle of the world, Mitad del Mundo. I got my picture at the famous monument located at the “fake” equator. The monument is surrounded by Ecuadorian shops, museum, and a cultural center which has a touristy, Disneyworld-like feel. About 100 meters down the road is the real equator and a smaller, more authentic museum. Here is where I saw an egg balance on a nail head, water drain straight down (compared to swirling right or left less than 5 ft away from the equator) and your strength holding your arms up decrease due to the force pushing down on you at the equator. I have now stood on the northern and southern hemispheres at the same time, and have a stamp in my passport to prove it! I have to admit, I think this is a step above the four corners!<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02670233503267185418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2434149546846787632.post-20752048961941721742017-08-12T13:52:00.002-07:002017-08-12T13:52:20.010-07:00Solo Traveling<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Its good to be able to do whatever you want, whenever you want it. However I miss sharing the experiences with someone. I miss killing time before the bus with someone or laughing about a language barrier mistake or how late everything is. Of course my tour is a German family, their guide, and me. There are so many different languages being thrown around it is kind of comical. It is also kind of isolating. Very often do I sit at the table and have no idea what everyone is talking about. I’m excited for the next town to stay in a hostel with other travelers.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02670233503267185418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2434149546846787632.post-36315827905187685222017-08-12T13:51:00.002-07:002017-08-12T13:51:38.332-07:00The Wild Amazon<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Boy are we on Ecuadorian time, we were suppose to meet at 9:30 am sharp, and we didn’t take off for the river at least until 11:00 am. The river was gorgeous though. There are numerous bright red and orange flowers. The yellow and black birds sang gently while we paddled by. We heard Macaws squawk and toucans talk. We saw a large fish eat a smaller fish skipping along the top of the water. We saw three snakes, two were fairly small and one was a 6-8 foot anaconda. The first night we spent camping. The choir of the frogs, cicadas, and other creatures grew louder as the sun went down. Long after dark the rain came. We camped in tents under a tarp and the rain echoed through out camp as it hit the tarps. The rainforest seems to stay a constant temperature no matter the time of day. It is always 80-85 degrees F with 100% humidity. I’ve been getting flashbacks of late summer afternoons in Kentucky. The smell in the jungle is extremely rich; it is full of vegetation and almost sweet. It seems rare to have a sunny day. The mornings typically start gray and by midday there are strong sun rays coming through the clouds. The clouds dissipate by mid afternoon and the blue sky shows itself. After the sunset, the clouds roll back in the cover the land for the night. Throughout our trip we saw spiders the size of your hand, tarantulas crawling back into their holes, giant trees, pink dolphins, tree and water snakes, monkeys jumping from tree to tree, and a collection of birds. The lodge was cute and simple. There were hammocks hanging everywhere and all rooms were open to the exterior. Although the mosquitos were minimal due to the high pH of the water, each bed was furnished with a mosquito net. The lodge had a 10 ft platform you could jump off into the Cuyabeno river. We also swam in a near by lagoon which was very refreshing. We visited a nearby village and made a local dish out of …. We also visited the village shamen and was blessed by him. Well the adventures are over and now its back to Quito before heading to Banos.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02670233503267185418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2434149546846787632.post-86487665577577982792017-08-12T13:50:00.002-07:002017-08-12T13:50:33.612-07:00Quito<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Ahhh the wonderful world of Quito where the cars creep uphill and the artists paint the streets. I traveled VIP here as I stayed with Liza Darlington and her boyfriend Emerson. They showed me the Quito way and did all the talking. Not very many people on the streets speak English, and it would be very difficult to see all I saw without them. Additionally, Liza drove me to few spots and boy did we make a good team. She drove while I navigated.<br />
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Day 1: We had a wonderful brunch and then wondered around Old Town. After a little cat nap, Emerson lead a walking tour through Guapulo and La Floresta. Both neighborhoods are artist communities and have gorgeous little bars that were lit up at night. The streets are colorful as every house is a different color and murals dance along fences, parks, and homes. We eat some wonderful street food for $2 a plate, and then ended the night at a hip bar drinking ginger blonde ales.<br />
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Day 2: Liza and I adventured out to Papallacta which are famous for their hot springs and trout. We hiked through a secrete garden-esk trail along a creek. There were air plants everywhere! I’ve never seen them grow I’m the wild. On our way home, the misty skies clears and the snow capped volcano appear over the mountains the surround Quito. As banked around s turn, you could see all the beautifully painted houses on the hills of Quito. It was so picturesque. It was great to get to know Liza as an adult. We really only speak much time together when we were little and no we were relearning who each other became. However there is a since of belong when you meet up with a childhood friend. You understand each other a little more than someone you’ve met at an older age.<br />
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Day 3: We woke up bright and early at the crack of 8 am and set out to see Quito from above. We took the gondola up and overlooked the long, dense city. After our mini hike at the top, we wentdowm and headed over to Guapulo for the artist open house workshops. It was very near to see everyone’s work on display and to wonder through the local homes. There were beautiful views of the valley.<br />
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Liza organized a cab for me and off I was to the bus station. I’ve left my crutches and now its time to learn Spanish! I’m currently the only Ginga on the bus to Lago Agrio, where I start my trek into the Amazon. These are definitely when I wish I had a travel buddy but its good to practice time alone. I’m alert, anxious, and ready for everyone to try to take advantage of me. Its funny how I have so much more confidence in San Francisco. Well, they always say fake it until you make it! I’m faking as well as I can!<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02670233503267185418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2434149546846787632.post-4416325383112714942014-12-07T13:44:00.003-08:002014-12-07T13:44:30.526-08:00Cheers to Africa<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.7272720336914px;">There's always more you want to see and more you want to buy. Though, your time, money, and luggage size is never infinite. There's a time when you have to call it quits and go home. Enjoy what you did, create memories and call it a day. You have to leave something for next time. Be happy for coming and seeing what you saw. Never regret not doing something because if it was so critical, you would have e</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">ither </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.7272720336914px;">done it or you'll come back for it! Life is good. Enjoy it. As I've said many of times, do what you want to do. If you wake up more times unhappy than happy, then change your life. Don't wait and let it change you. Be adventuresome, try new things, and being crazy isn't always a bad thing. Until next time Africa, it's been amazing!!</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02670233503267185418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2434149546846787632.post-45009661663331173192014-12-07T13:43:00.004-08:002014-12-07T13:44:52.431-08:00More to Africa<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
To be posted soon...</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02670233503267185418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2434149546846787632.post-80088671098940237042014-12-07T13:39:00.001-08:002014-12-07T13:39:12.575-08:00Africa<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.7272720336914px;">The rich are rich and the poor just keep getting poorer. That's life here in Africa. I definitely see the difference since we're living at the American International School which is gated and has housekeepers, gardeners, people to take out the trash, and people to wipe your ass. Then, 45 minute walk later, we're standing in the middle of </span><span style="font-size: 13px;">Bauleni, a </span><span style="font-size: 12.7272720336914px;">compound where the city dump is burning across from the town market. 20,000 people live here in shacks and barracks. Most kids don't continue school past 7th grade. And even at the 7th grade level, few still can't read and most aren't proficient in math. AIDS and HIV is very common along with starvation. Though, no one will talk about disease. All the locals say is "so-and-so is sick", "so-and-so died". They never said what someone is sick with and why they died.</span></span></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02670233503267185418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2434149546846787632.post-26632534683582962362014-12-07T13:28:00.003-08:002014-12-07T13:28:42.463-08:00Realization<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.7272720336914px;">
<span style="font-size: 12.7272720336914px;">Yep, the right hand is used to eat and the left hand is used for... : /</span></div>
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Note to self: bring toilet paper EVERYWHERE and do not use the bar soap (liquid is ok)</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02670233503267185418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2434149546846787632.post-43924616185087501712014-05-15T03:19:00.001-07:002014-05-15T03:19:09.075-07:00Sisters<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">To my surprise, Suzie was one of the best travel companions.
It defiantly takes a special person to spend every waking moment of 10 weeks
together and not have someone dead by the end. Yes, there were times when we
wanted to kill each other and even debated splitting up, but through it all, we
stood side by side. We could be grown up travelers one moment and have side
aching laughter like giddy children the next. Sisters have a remarkable bond
that will never break. She gets me better than anyone else. For goodness sakes,
we have the same mother and father so we understand each other. We were on the
same time schedule, financially equivalent, and showed interest in similar
things. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Traveling with her was like re-meeting an old friend. We
haven’t spent more than Christmas break together in the last 8 years. I had to
replace the shy Suzie who use to make me ask the store attendant for the
location of the bathroom with an older, mature, wardrobe-designing, young
professional. I saw a lot of her in me and vice versa. I relearned my sister’s
character, including strengths and weaknesses which often times mirror my
strengths and weaknesses. All of this caused me to learn so much about myself.
More surprising than anything, we biologically reacted very similarly to
things. We responded to drugs, sicknesses, and exhaustion in the same manner.
If I had a headache due to travel exhaustion, most likely Suzie had the same
headache. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">At points in our travels, I never thought I
would travel with Suzie again in the future, but now looking back at it, I can
only smile with the good memories. I’m going to miss her this next month and am
excited for our next adventures!</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02670233503267185418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2434149546846787632.post-72362526122040428262014-05-15T03:17:00.003-07:002014-05-15T03:17:19.042-07:00The Early Bird Gets the Worm<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It never fails to get to the airport early and check, double
check, and check again your flight details.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Suzie and I arrived at the Kathmandu airport
with plenty of time to spare. I checked in no problem. Suzie, on the other
hand, rushed back to me with a worried look. Since she has two layovers in
India she needed a transfer visa which was news to us! In a panic, she booked a
flight with a different airline company to bypass one of the stops and pick up
her flight at her second destination. We pooled our cash together and had just
enough to cover the cost. Wow, did her flight just get expensive! After all the
commotion, I was worried we would miss our flights! Thankfully being in an
Indian and Hindu influenced airport, there was a line for men and a line for
women. As we were the minority, we breezed through customs and security in less
than five minutes. Suzie hopped in the boarding line, and I sat waiting for my
flight to New Delhi. One step closer to Zambia!</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02670233503267185418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2434149546846787632.post-31060305210316751792014-05-15T03:16:00.002-07:002014-05-15T03:16:19.032-07:00Instinct<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Number one rule of traveling: always trust your instinct. No
matter where you are or what is going on, if you get a bad feeling, trust it.
Especially being a women. Don’t be scared to say no. There is no such thing as
a grey area, and if you feel like you’re heading that way, say no. Be straight
forward and stern. Though, saying no doesn’t mean you’re being impolite or
rude. You can be nice while still keeping to your opinion and standing strong. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">There are different limits in all cultures, but you have
your own limits and they shouldn’t be crossed, no matter what culture you are
in. Yes language barriers and being open-minded can make it difficult to
decipher your limits, but always remember, it is better to be safe than sorry. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Are people really that nice or does niceness come with a
toll? Of course there are genuinely nice people out there who care about
others, but there are defiantly people who take advantage of the system. Signs
to look for:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Does the person continue to talk about how good
they are? Even after you’ve acknowledge that they are a good person, do they
still persist to tell you so?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Do they try to convince you to do something and
use numerous tactics as to why to do it, or why to trust them?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">3.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Calibri;">They talk down upon other people.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">4.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Calibri;">They slyly mention repayment numerous times.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Never feel pressured or rushed to do anything. Take your
time, think about the options, and make the decision for yourself. Often times
persistent people have a different plan in mind, so don’t become the victim. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Be prepared. Sometime things don’t go the way you planned.
Always have a plan B which may change as the circumstances change. Constantly
think about what is going on and if anything seems weird or suspicious. The
more you can see ahead, the easier the present decisions will be.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Confrontation is key. When in a difficult situation, be as
blunt as possible. I have heard numerous stories from friends that when being
followed, turning around and confronting the person is often times the safest
thing to do.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Suzie and I got the opportunity to talk to a women who has
done an extensive amount of traveling, alone and with others. These are words
of wisdoms and knowledge from a collection of traveling souls. With this
knowledge Suzie and I have stayed safe and responsible throughout our travels.
Please take the advice however you wish. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02670233503267185418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2434149546846787632.post-42034897791438931732014-05-15T03:15:00.000-07:002014-05-15T03:15:12.261-07:00Street Children<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Pokhara is the most distinctive spot where tourists meet the native
Nepali people. The two groups of people are shaken and blended together, but
mix as well as water and oil. The tourist walk past slyly gawking while the
natives continue with their normal life. The most interaction is in shops and
through trekking guides. The kids though, do not follow their parents’ lead.
They wave and yell hello to you. Often time they approach you and want to hold
your hand. This is all fun and games until you hear "give me candy",
"give me money", and "give me chocolate". It sometimes
seems like your running from zombies (YouTube). The street children are even
worse. They pop out of nowhere and demand everything. It has become a game for
them: How many things can I get from the tourist. They ask for your bracelets.
They ask for your water even when there's a spigot 10 feet away. They try to
annoy you enough so you want to give them stuff just to go away. The worst
thing a tourist can ever do is give street kids sweets or money. This keeps the
street kids and village children on the streets. If they can make three times
the average person by begging, why would they go to school, get a normal job,
or stay in programs to get them off the street? Parents in villages also hate
when tourist give the kids things. So, from one traveler to another, don’t do
it!<o:p></o:p><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02670233503267185418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2434149546846787632.post-7372154008081334182014-05-15T03:13:00.004-07:002014-12-07T13:34:33.627-08:00The Telluride of Nepal<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Pokhar was more touristy than Thamel! I yi yi, everywhere
you looked you saw westerners and Nepali tourist loading up their shopping bag
for their big trek. This land is the trekking mecca of Nepal. If you come to
Nepal, most likely you either hike Everest Base Camp or trek in Pokhara. The
feeling of this little town nestled between a lake and a mountain range is that
of a ski town in the summer. Everyone is very outdoorsy and did I mention
there’s a whole hell of a lot of tourist.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pokhara is also the most distinctive spot where tourists meet the native Nepali people. The mixing between the two cultures is purely water and oil. The tourist walk past and slyly gawk while the natives continue on their their normal life. The most interaction is in shops and trekking guides. The kids do not follow their parents way. They wave and yell hello to you. Often time they approach you and want to hold your hand. This is all fun and games until you hear "give me candy", "give me money", "give me chocolate". It sometimes seems like your running from zombies. The street children are even worse. They pop out of nowhere and demand everything. It has become a game for them: How many things can I get from the tourist. They ask for your bracelets. They ask for your water even when a spigot is 10 feet away. They try to annoy you so much that you give them stuff just to go away. The worst thing you can ever do is give these kids sweets or money. This keeps the street children and village kids on the streets. If they can make three times the average person by begging, why would they go to school, get a normal job, or stay in programs to get them off the street. Parents in villages also hate when tourist give the kids things.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Completely shaken and blended together, but mix as well as water and oil</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">While we were Pokhara, we wondered through the town, spent a
day biking, and, of course, trekked. The trek was three days and two nights.
After talking to other travelers, we discovered it’s not uncommon for one or
two of the three days to be very short without a lunch on the last day, no matter
what time you arrive in Pokhara. Through the grapevine, we found our guide
which turned out to be about half of normal cost. Ya, I’ll take that ; ) First
night we stayed in Sarangot to wake up to an amazing sunrise. The sky was clear
and the Anapurana mountain range laid right in front of us. A sight I couldn’t
forget even if I tried. The next day we hiked along the ridge, down to the
creek, and back up the other side to spend the right in Dampus. Here we met our
new American friends. They are a fun, middle aged couple working in Antarctica.
Six months of work and six months of play, not too shabby! Suzie, Sheila (our
new friend), and myself had “girl talk” until lights out. The next day was an
easy 2 hour hike down the ridge to a crowded bus which took us back to Pokhara.
Overall, it was a good hike, and now it was time to bike!</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">So, let me first remind you of Suzie and my previous bike
rides. We tried biking the bumpy road from hell in Vang Vieng, and then we had our
pitiful attempt to go fishing in Pai. Not learning from the past, we took off
bright and early at 11am with bikes, helmets, a map, and a few snacks. We biked
around the lake, stopped for tea, as per usual, and ventured across a bridge
into somewhat no man’s land. We figured if we kept biking towards Pokhara
around the lake at some point we’ll either hit the highway or town! Perfect
plan right?? It was a lovely bike ride up and down small hills and weaving
closer and further around the lake to avoid croplands. After ignoring a warning
from a local, we continued our joyful biking. The trail narrowed and soon we
were pushing our bikes instead of riding them due to the steep hill and loose
dirt. At first, it wasn’t so bad since there was a mix of places to bike and
places to walk. We ate lunch with a spectacular view and continued up the
mountain with a general idea of where we were on the map. Half an hour of
walking turned into two hours of walking. Yep, I was defiantly over it by now!
Suzie, on the other hand, wanted to continue up. “Grrrrrr. Bikes are for
riding, not walking,” I barked! Finally when we asked someone how long until
Pokhara, he said it wasn’t too far but he could help us hoping to gain a few
bucks. Finally we found out what “not too far” meant. My ass where we doing
this for another 3 hours!!! It was now time to turn around. Let the fun times
begin! Wahooooo! It took us half an hour to get down what took us two hpurs to
get up. We took a shortcut back and got to cross the river with a homemade
pontoon. On our way back to town we stumbled across a lakeside restaurant with
the best dal baut we’ve had! Ok, I’m happy now : )<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02670233503267185418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2434149546846787632.post-58881523682905046262014-05-15T03:10:00.001-07:002014-05-15T03:10:23.341-07:00River Rafting<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b><span style="color: #555555; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The
first day was fun, nothing too intense. Though, there was a cliff jump about 17
feet high which got your blood pumping. That night we danced to Nepali music
(similar to Indian) and enjoyed the evening. Day two was going to be a big one!
Other rafters joined so now there were two rafts: one with Suzie, me, and
guides and one filled with middle aged men. We started higher than normal so I
got a little nervous! At least Suzie and I were as safe as possible. I don’t
know how much could go wrong with 2 novice rafters placed with 4 guide rafters
and the leader. When the man in charged yelled for us to go right, hot damn did
we turn right! We completed a few class V rapids that were extremely technical.
My favorite rapids were called Frog in the Blinder and the Gerbil. We have now
rafted the 7<sup>th</sup> best river in the world and didn’t even get stuck
once (thanks to the guides)!<o:p></o:p></span></b><br />
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02670233503267185418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2434149546846787632.post-68838775526250926272014-04-23T12:59:00.000-07:002014-04-23T12:59:03.682-07:00Common Life in Nepali Villages<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b><span style="color: #555555; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">You travel to see things, to broaden your
horizon, and to experience different cultures. Even when you explore and engulf
yourself in a new country, you still cannot see everything. There is so much
tragedy that is overlooked or put behind closed doors. In Nepal, women are
still struggling for their rights. The government does not see them as
citizens. Therefore, they cannot pass land to their children, they cannot give
their children citizenship, and sometimes they cannot even eat dinner at the
same table as their husband and elders. People live in villages with no running
water, no hospitals, and since the young men have left to find work, no
farmers. Still today, people die from common diarrhea or infections that simple
antibiotics could cure. The saddest part of all, Suzie and I have been in the
country for 5 days now, and we wouldn't know about any of this if it weren't for
a local women we met on the rafting trip. The government tries to hide it
because it’s not the most optimal advertising for tourists. Very few tourist
actually know what is happening in this country.</span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: #555555; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: #555555; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: #555555; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">All of this knowledge makes
me want to do something to help, but all this knowledge also makes me wonder if
I can even help. I'm only one person and the problems are so big. Programs can
be implemented and money can be donated, but nothing will change unless you
make the people sustainable. You have to teach villagers skills that they can
continue to use. Teach them how to sow instead of giving clothes. Teach them
how to farm instead of giving food. For long term change, the government must
also change. For that to occur, I don't know if I have any influence. Though,
the key is to start small and with enough small things, you create something
big. Change the people in order to change the governing. Most of all, a little
luck is often needed to get the ball rolling.</span></b></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02670233503267185418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2434149546846787632.post-79595818268358442542014-04-23T12:55:00.002-07:002014-04-23T12:55:25.184-07:00River Rafting<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<b><span style="color: #555555; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">The first day was fun,
nothing too intense. Though, there was a cliff jump about 17 feet high which
got your blood pumping. That night we danced to Nepali music (similar to India)
and enjoyed the evening. Day two was going to be a big one! Other rafters
joined so now there were two rafts: one with Suzie, me, and guides and one
filled with middle aged men. We started higher than normal so I got a little
nervous! At least Suzie and I were as safe as possible. I don’t know how much
could go wrong with 2 novice rafters placed with 4 guide rafters and the
leader. When the man in charged yelled for us to go right, hot damn did we turn
right! We completed a few class V rapids that were extremely technical. My
favorite rapids were called Frog in the Blinder and the Gerbil. We have now
rafted the 7<sup>th</sup> best river in the world and didn’t even get stuck
once (thanks to the guides)!</span></b></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02670233503267185418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2434149546846787632.post-31207519668191011002014-04-23T12:52:00.004-07:002014-04-23T12:52:34.548-07:00Everest!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
We have done the flight. We have seen the highest point in the world. It's
quite an achievement, and still I want to see more. The flight was beautiful
and the Himalayas are breathtaking. The mountains are so rigid and harsh. The
flight showed the difficulty of even hiking to the base camp. Everest is not
just the tallest mountain, but it is also surrounded by sky high mountains.
Talk about a ruff trek! Most of the Himalayas are over 27,000 feet tall!<o:p></o:p><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">On our flight, Everest was a faraway mountain
blanketed by a light cloud. Though, it didn't completely give me the
realization I wanted. It didn't strike me with its power and strength. Everest
is not very jagged, and since it’s so deep in the mountain range, it doesn’t
look like the tallest peak. It’s difficult to imagine that people have died
trying to climb it. Maybe I’ll be taken back by its presents if I see it
closer. I guess I'll have to wait until next time I'm in Nepal! At least I got
to see it once, even if it was far away! : )</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02670233503267185418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2434149546846787632.post-69997022111180982972014-04-21T00:36:00.000-07:002014-04-21T00:36:00.122-07:00Helllooooooo Kathmandu!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
After a 28 hour flight, all Suzie and I wanted to do was sleep. We booked a
guesthouse and crashed! Later we met up with our soon-to-be couchsurfing host
to take a walk around the town. We explored the night market and drank tea
overlooking Durbar Square. The hustle and bustle under us was like a stream of
cars and motorbikes with people swimming upstream. The streets are chaotic, and
I'm surprised there's not more accidents. It isn’t because they drive fast, but
there are no sidewalks, the alleys wind and turn, and you must swerve around
the random cows moseying down the street.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
Talking to Harri, our host, we learned some insider info on the culture. It
doesn't surprise me, but I didn't expect the Indian influence. There are
multiple Hindu festivals and celebrations each month. The city closes down
around 10 pm, but unlike Myanmar, it doesn't wake up especially early. The food
is a mix between Indian and Chinese. Since there was a revolution only 8 years
ago, things are changing dramatically. The infrastructure is improving and more
roads are being paved than ever before. Though, this does not mean Google maps is
accurate. When following Google’s most direct route from Monkey Temple
(Swayambhunath) to home, the road disappeared into dirt and rock piles. After
cutting through an abandon parking lot and a hole in the fence, we were back on
route only to find out the road turned into stairs. Now it makes complete sense
as to why the taxi took a roundabout way to get to the temple!<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
The next day, Suzie and I explored Boudhha. This is the biggest stupa for….
The prayer flags strung from the peak in every direction was gorgeous! Shops
and restaurants surrounded the square. As we were told, this was the most
expensive area in all of Kathmandu! A short 30 minute walk away was
Pashupatinath Temple. This is where the holy river flows into the city and has
become the location for cremations. How far upstream the body is cremated
depends on the class of the family. It once was segregated by occupation, but
now is based on price. Bodies are being burned all the time. We witness two
during the two hours we were there.<br />
<br />
The best part of Kathmandu, other than shopping for scarves, was our
sleeping arrangement. Suzie and I laid our heads down under a sleeping bag and
numerous blankets on the roof of an apartment building! Yes, we slept outside
every night and woke up by the sun every morning if the dogs and roosters
didn't wake us up first. It's crazy how you can be in the middle of the tourist
center and still feel like your camping. This is a once and a lifetime
opportunity and we have to thank Harri for making it possible!<o:p></o:p><br />
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02670233503267185418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2434149546846787632.post-52618998829422140992014-04-21T00:27:00.002-07:002014-04-21T00:27:51.533-07:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
Wow, does time fly! We have already traveled through Myanmar and are about
to go to Nepal. My friends I'm meeting in Zambia are leaving in a few day so I can
join them in two weeks. As I reflect, I am defiantly reminded to live in the
moment. Take in each breath, live each sunset, and be present no matter what
you're doing. Often times we get distracted by technology. Nowadays you look
around and all you see is people texting, talking on the phone, or checking
Facebook. It's kind of nice having a useless phone aside from when I have WiFi.
Another distraction I find so often is a camera. If you're obsessed with
finding the perfect shot, you won't even remember the moment. Yes, it is good
to have photos to show others and to remind yourself of the moments, but you
have to find the balance between being behind the lens and seeing it with your
own eye. If you don't stop and look around, you're going to wake up one day and
wonder where you're life went. Do what you enjoy and surround yourself with
people you love. Sometimes it's as easy as that to make your life better.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
I'm excited for our next adventures and I've thoroughly enjoyed our trip so
far. Nepal, here we come!!<o:p></o:p><br />
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02670233503267185418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2434149546846787632.post-26562827564063395632014-04-21T00:24:00.001-07:002014-04-21T00:24:22.011-07:00Inle Lake<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">We have made two more people addicted to Zilch: Anaïs and
Benjamin, the French couple. They joined us for drinks the night we got back
from our trek. We ended up drinking the first draft beer we’ve had since we
started traveling and played Zilch until about 10:30. Well, I guess that’s late
for Myanmar. We were the only people in the streets and when we got to our
hotel, the doors were locked and the gate was shut! Thankfully, we saw a little
bell which summoned a boy to rescue us. That night was the best night of sleep
I’ve had!<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Sadly a bit of Cindy became installed in me and
by 6 am I was up! Rise and shine, it’s bacon time! We spent the whole day with
Anaïs and Benjamin. It started with biking an hour to the hot springs which
turned out to be a hot tub with a $10 entrance fee. Scratch that! Then we took
a boat (with our bikes and all) to see the jumping cat monastery which no longer
has jumping cats! By this time we only had a few hours before our bus left, so
no time for the winery. We had our last drinks with our new friends before
heading for the bus. As per usual, the pickup van was late. We picked up
numerous more people and headed out of town. Are we going to drive the whole
way there in this minivan?!? After half an hour of worrying, we rolled into the
bus station and boarded the bus. We laid our plastic bags down on the seat (to
prevent bug bites), and here comes another long night!</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02670233503267185418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2434149546846787632.post-22255950831998443292014-04-11T10:04:00.001-07:002014-04-11T10:04:44.802-07:00Trekking to Richland!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Hellooooo from the rooftop patio at the Richland Hotel in
Inle Lake! We made it!!! We’ve trekked from Kalaw to Inle (with a little help
from a truck). Normally the root takes three days and two nights. Our schedule didn’t
allow that much time so we signed up for the two day trek and drove the first
part. Thinking back on it, thank god we didn’t do the three day because I’m
sore just from the two day!</span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">We trekked through rolling hills filled with chili, ginger,
and potatoes plantations with a few rice patties thrown in there. At one point
we were on a single track following a farmer and his cows! We passed through
many villages with little kids coming out of houses, barns, and behind trees
just to wave “Ming-la-ba” (Hello).</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Since our cook’s tire popped in route to the first day’s
lunch, and therefore lunch took 3 hours instead of 1, the last part of our trek
was in the dark. We arrived at the farmer’s house around 7pm. Once again, the
guests, us Westerners, ate in one room while the family and guide ate in
another. I’m curious about the dinner guest customs because twice now the
family has eaten separately from the guests. By 9 pm Suzie, the French couple,
and myself were playing dice while everyone else was asleep. Clearly we had no
idea we’d be up before dawn to finish the hike. Sure enough breakfast was on
the table by 6 am and we started the hike groggy and far before my sleepy eyes
woke up. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The temperature varies tremendously here. At night you’re in
jeans with a light jacket and by mid-day all you want to do is swim in a cool
lake. So it was probably a good idea to hike before it starts getting hot
around 9am. As per usual, we were a little late and got to Richland sound 5 pm.
A nice, clean bed in our own room has never felt so good! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Today we’re exploring Inle Lake and tonight
we’re heading back to Yangon! </span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02670233503267185418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2434149546846787632.post-59318136503536580052014-04-11T09:55:00.001-07:002014-04-11T09:55:07.249-07:00Kalaw, Myanmar<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Kalaw is a little town and that’s about it. The main
attraction is the trekking. You can hike around Kalaw or to Inle Lake which is
our plan! We’re doing a two day, one night trek to Inlet Lake tomorrow. I’m
very excited! <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">While we were in Kalaw, we figured we’d check out the town
and explore the cave. The guesthouse receptionist told us the cave was just a
cave so we didn’t have to worry about showing our shoulders or knees. Suzie and
I roll up with knees out and shoulders for all to see when, in fact, the cave
is a pagoda. So, we asked the nearby store if she had anything to cover us, but
she had nothing. We started our sad walk back to the hotel until we saw a
fabric store a few minutes later. Here goes nothing, we’ll give it a shot! With
some hand gestures, a few English words, and many laughs we finally got our
story across and walked out with skirts made of large pieces of fabric and a shawl.
Boy did they laugh hard at us! We got to see the cave shrines for Buddha which
was cool solely because it was defiantly unique, but still nothing to write
home about.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">See you in Inle Lake!</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02670233503267185418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2434149546846787632.post-43410914654973303492014-04-10T21:21:00.004-07:002014-04-10T21:21:39.709-07:00Dinner for Two<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Suzie and I were invited to a Burmese family dinner. We had
no idea what to expect or what to bring or what not to bring. Thankfully our
tour guide told us no one brings flowers unless it’s for a girlfriend and even
that is not very common. Scratch that idea! So, we brought drinks instead and a
little desert. We sat at the table to find there were only two placesettings!
Hmmmmm are we eating with the family?? I guess the family had already eaten, or
so they said, and it was only the son that was going to join us. At least we
had one family member joining us! The plates came out full of rice. Holy cow!
How are Suzie and I going to eat all this rice?!? The food was delicious. We
had red curry, sweet and sour soup with quail eggs, duck egg salad, and
cauliflower. I noticed the boy only really used the broth from the soup and the
red curry with rice. I don’t know if that was personal preference or he wanted
to save the meat and veggies for the rest of his family. Throughout dinner, the
family members came and went as if eating in the kitchen. I don’t know if this
was a cultural difference or what, but I just let it happen. Half a plate of
rice down and I couldn’t go any further. I wanted to, but I was stuffed to the
rim! Desert was mini bananas which looked so good, but soooo bad because I was
so full!</span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">After dinner we played go fish with cards. I never realized
how hard it is to explain a game to people who aren’t fluent in English. Though,
the kids caught on quick so afterwards we played a dice game. Before we headed
out, we got a family portrait which I hope to send them later. There address was
very different from ours. It described where the house was in relation to a
restaurant and included a phone number. We gave them our information and I
would love to stay in contact with the family. They are such amazing people. I
hugged the mother which I quickly found out was not a part of the culture but
she embrace it, and shook the fathers hand. They seemed so appreciative for our
presents which was exactly how we felt as well. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I hope we all get to have dinner again sometime
soon!</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02670233503267185418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2434149546846787632.post-45405043084428645012014-04-10T21:01:00.000-07:002014-04-10T21:01:02.518-07:00Exploration of the Ancient City<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Today we explored Bagan! We started at 8:30am with a guide
recommended by our new Burmese family friends. Our guide was very bright, spoke
good English, and was extremely nice. You can tell being a tour guide is a
fairly profitable business because our guide had a bigger motorbike and a nice
purse. Normally a day guide cost about $35. I don’t know what percentage she
receives after her company takes their portion and I’m sure the government does
as well. Today hopefully was under the table so she could keep it all.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">We started the tour at Shwezigon Pagoda, then Ananda Temple,
Thatbyinnyu Temple, Shwesandaw Pagoda, and ended on Dhammayangyi Pahto. Each of
these are very famous. Shwezigon Pagoda is a good one to start at because it’s
on the far north side of town. Ananda Temple is known for its beauty.
Thatbyinnyu Temple is the tallest while Dhammayangyi Pahto is the largest. Lastly,
Shwesandaw Pagoda is one of two pagodas left which you can actually climb to
the top. The view was nothing I’ve ever seen before. Began is defiantly a world
beauty. There are 3,122 temples, pagodas, stupas, and monasteries. Some are
made of brick, some sandstone, some are painted, and others are left raw. There
was period of time when Burma was wealthy and had a good economy. During this
time, every king had a temple or pagoda made for him, even if he was a bad king
(Dhammayangyi Pahto for example). In addition to these structures, most common
people built little structures before they passed away. Before the earthquake
in mid to late 20<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> century, there were over 4,000 structures!
Throughout the tour we learned facts, history, and religion behind these
structures. There are three main kinds of religious structures. You can walk
inside temples, you cannot go inside pagodas, but there are exterior stairs
which you can climb, and stupas you cannot go inside or climb on the outside. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We also briefly spoke with our guide about the
government. Myanmar had gone through many governmental changes. Before WW II,
the British ruled the country. After they were granted freedom, the government
turned into a monarchy and King’s rule was law. Then the military took control.
In 2011 A president was elected. This president still has many militaristic
views but is much better than when the military controlled. School have now
become public, people have more rights, and tourism has greatly increased. Even
with all of the reform, you must realize there are still many parts of the
country that tourists are not allowed. Crossing the border by land is possible,
but difficult. There are numerous military check points, the roads are bad, and
at some crossings, you cannot legally go any further than the border town.
There is still internal fighting between villages. We spoke with some traveler
who were motobiking around the country. They were still in a “tourist safe
zone” and were mistakenly shot at by a nearby village. Thankfully they were not
hit, but defiantly hightailed their way out of there! Problems between Muslims
and Buddhists also exists. Over the last decade many Muslims have been killed
or run out of the country. Even with all the problems, the people are still
some of the nicest people I’ve met.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
next election will be in 2015, and hopefully it will help the country continue
to move forward. </span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02670233503267185418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2434149546846787632.post-13762325883897309172014-04-10T07:44:00.003-07:002014-04-10T07:44:13.990-07:00Bagan<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Today we hopped off the night bus bright and early in Bagan.
At the crack of dawn we were searching for a guesthouse in a horse-pulled buggy…
am I still dreaming??? During the search we met a couple heading to Mount Popa
for the morning so we tagged along. First stop was a sugarplum whiskey distillery
(hut) on the side of the road. It was surprisingly tasty! Next, we were off to
the Nat (spirit) temple on top of Mount Popa. Shoes were forbidden for the 777
stair trek to the top. The temple was covered with monkeys! Some big, some
small, and some mothers with a child attached to their stomach. At the top,
there was a beautiful view of the plains and surrounding temples. So, to sum it
up, the view was greenish brown speckled with gold temples.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The craziest and most memorable part of this journey was the
Burmese people. Of course I was constantly catching people staring, but I also
caught a few people secretly taking photos. The brave ones would ask to take
photos with us. This turned from one photo with the whole family to individual
shots with every family member. As I approached the last stair to the top of
the temple, I saw a family picnicking. When their eyes met mine, they lit up.
Then, when they saw Suzie walking behind me, their faces got even brighter.
With no time to spare, they dropped everything and were asking for a photo. It
was funny how the first photo was of Suzie and I standing close, but not
touching the Burmese women, but ny the last photo the women were holding on to
our arm with both hands. </span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Around noon, we headed back for lunch and nap time. Later, Suzie
and I caught sunset at Htilominlo Temple. We were let by a little girl, her
brother, and sister to a small monetary just outside the main temple. We were
the only ones present for the sunset. The locals were quite talkative and very
curious about us. By the end of the sunset we were all good friends. They
showed us a good place to eat, but we had to follow at a distance because of
the police. If you don’t have a tourist guide license, then you’re not allowed
to show people around. I think it’s because tourist guides pay a percentage to
the government, and so they don’t want people making money under the table. You
must remember it wasn’t long ago when the military ruled the country. At the
restaurant, our new friends ordered for us in Burmese. We tried to convince
them to sit with us, but they continued to make excuses. I think it was because
of the police. After dinner, the girl found us and asked us to come back to
their place. At their house there was two plates set. Suzie and I sat down and
shortly after they brought us ginger salad and fried broad beans with a Coke
and a Fanta. They whole family was so nice, friendly and welcoming. They loved
asking us questions about our life. Tomorrow we have dinner plans at their
house. I’ll post on how it goes : )<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Ta Ta for now!</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02670233503267185418noreply@blogger.com0