Travel Guide: Denver + Boulder, CO, USA

Off to Colorado for a few days!  Here was my itinerary:

• IKEA!  My first time.  Wandered around for an hour and a half looking at rugs and trinkets for the home.  But, small carry on luggage and a recent desire to not clutter up my life with stuff, I left empty handed!  Did eat a pretty tasty $1 cinnamon roll there though.  And 3 samples.
• Wandered around DSW and the Park Meadows Mall as part of my random shopping afternoon.  Again, no purchases (after all, Christmas was right around the corner!) but it was some nice alone time.

When my friends made it into town we became a little more outdoorsy:

Panoramic view of the prairie dog holes in Arsenal!

• First up, a trip to the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Reserve!  We were in the mood to hike, and while we didn't really do sufficient research to know that this was definitely NOT the mountains, it was a still a great trip.  We started off at the visitors center to learn a little more about the history of this Superfund site and then tried to find some wildlife first in the car and then by foot.  Andddd we had success!  Bison, white tailed deer, mule deer, tons of coyotes, prairie dogs and hawks!

Bison!  Through the binoculars.  (Available for free at the Visitors Center!)

4 Simple Goals

Whew.  It's been a long time.  Did you know I had a travel blog?  You can read about my Asian adventures at Bradyinbali.tumblr.com

BUT!  Back to life.  I saw a post today on one of my favorite blogs titled 4 Simple Goals.  And you know what?  I'm jumping on the bangwagon and making some as well.

1. Practice Yoga Everyday
2. Cultivate New Friendships
3. Read
4. Try New Things

Will let you know how it goes!

Day 68: Beijing

On my way back to the States!

I took a flight from Bangkok at 1am today after successfully navigating the Bangkok public transit system to BKK. 79 Bus to Siam, SkyTrain to Phaya Thai and then Airport Link to the end! Andy and I have mastered the local Bangkokian buses.

After a ~5.5 hr. flight, including a meal at 2am, we arrived in Beijing and went through customs/security and I added another stamp to my passport! Sadly they are out of order as Indonesia skipped one page and Cambodia skipped two. This bugs me probably more than it should.

Now just a long haul to New York, a few days there and then a final bus ride back to Boston! I am very excited to go back and will try and compile my travel lessons on the flight to post soon.

Enjoyed my last Thai meal at Ethos Vegetarian Restaurant.
Delicious Green Curry!

Best sugar covered roti!

Abdul's Roti.  Amazing

Day 55-58: Koh Tao & Khao Sok

The island hopping continues as we visited Koh Tao for a few days!

This was after taking a 7:30am bus to Koh Kong, spending the night, taking a Tuk Tuk to the Thai border, crossing (yay!), taking an hour and a half ride in the back of a pickup truck (don’t worry it had benches and a roof), 4 hr bus to Bangkok, the skytrain and MRT to the train station, 10:50pm train to Chumphon and then another bus to the pier, and then two hour express catamaran to Koh Tao. Oh and then another pickup truck to our hostel, O’Chai Bungalows.

Tuk Tuk to Thailand!

Catching the SkyTrain in Bangkok

Day 52-54: Koh Rong

I haven’t worn shoes in three days.
And I’m living above the ocean on a pier. I can see the waves through the floorboards! But that also means I can hear our toilets flush into the water as well.

Nevertheless I went diving and snorkeling, seeing a manta ray (!!), lots and lots of fish, some hard-to-remember-name of a colorful sea slug with funny antennas, a scorpion fish, some shrimp, coral of course and lots of spiky black sea urchins. Not nearly as breathtaking as Bali, but visibility was low and it’s the rainy season, so I’ll let it pass.

Also hiked barefoot (not by choice) up and down a cliff, in the rain, in a swimsuit, clutching at vines, with Andy and a Swede, to the other side of the island.

Lunch overlooking the church

Not too shabby, eh?

The path was full of signs like this…

Day 49: Kampot

Lovely day today!
Awoke from a semi-restful sleep on the porch of Bodhi Villa, where we are renting mosquito net covered mattresses for $2.25/night. My kitty friend was still here when I awoke, so we bonded a bit more before Andy and I headed to the market to find breakfast.

We decided to rent a motorbike today, since we wanted to go to Bokor National Forest, and this seemed like the best and cheapest option. I was a bit hesitant as Andy had only driven twice before, but besides a few lurches we did wonderfully.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cambodian_genocide

http://www.killingfieldsmuseum.com/s21-victims.html

http://www.eccc.gov.kh/en/about-eccc

Hmmm…OKAY!

Bikes at Angkor Wat

Day 46: Siem Reap to Phnom Pehn

Another travel day today, this time moving south within Cambodia to the capital Phnom Pehn.
The bus ride was just over six hours and involved both Andy and I holding in some very choice words and actions for the bus driver who would not stop blaring his extremely loud HORN. EVERY TWO SECONDS. FOR EVERYTHING. ALL THE TIME.
Oh and they were blasting Cambodian karaoke music throughout. Unfortunately my noise canceling headphones aren’t 100% effective. Anyway, we survived and are now in our newest hostel, recovering our senses and enjoying the AC.
But, let me tell you about my last two days in Angkor Wat! On Thursday we woke up at 4:30am to bike out to Angkor Wat and hopefully get a beautiful sunrise view of the temple. Unfortunately the sunrise wasn’t that spectacular, and Phnom Bakheng, the temple we had climbed to get the view, was also under construction. Nevertheless the early morning meant it was cooler, and since we were planning on doing the Grand Tour, a 27km trek, we got started right away.

East Gate

Phnom Bakheng sunrise

Angkor Wat

Day 43: Bangkok to Siem Reap

Travel day! The process actually started yesterday when we boarded an overnight bus from Chiang Kham to Bangkok at 5:30pm. Arriving in Bangkok at 4:45am we scurried to the bus terminal and bought a ticket to the town of Aranyaprethet next to the Cambodian border crossing in Poipet. We departed at 5am, made a little food break midway where I got some tasty sticky rice and taro bundles, and arrived at the border around 9:30. 

Land crossings into Cambodia are notoriously sketchy and can result in huge scams for unknowing individuals. Having read a detailed article, Andy and I felt confident in our abilities, but I was still a bit concerned, it was my first border crossing after all!

Day 41: Romyen

More farang (white foreigner) shenanigans today, although the community is still debating whether I am a farang or not.
Today Kayla actually had to work, so Andy and I headed to the hills to do what we had been explained to as “planting.” We biked to the office to meet our two escorts at 8am. Of course we didn’t leave until about 8:30, and then we were off! In a pickup truck with two men who barely spoke any English, whizzing through gorgeous hills as we slowly gained altitude.

At times the driving got a bit perilous as our driver shifted gears while going up a steep incline, but eventually we pulled onto a paved road marked by a life size portrait of the king and queen. Did you know this is my first country with a reigning royal family? Anyway, their portraits are everywhere here, and some of the are quite hilarious. If I were queen I would definitely only choose attractive pictures of myself to post around my country.

Heading back to the bus station after a hard days work

"The white people are coming!"

Day 40: Romyen

Crossed off something from my Asia travel list today! Planting rice in a rice paddy! Ever since I bought my lovely and expensive rice paddy shoes I’ve been waiting for the time when I could do this. Unfortunately Bali disappointed me, but Thailand came through!

We went off with Pi Dao today to visit her family’s rice paddy which we would be helping plant. Pi Dao led us on her motorbike as the three of us biked to the bus station at 8:30am. Then we got on a bus and took that for about 45min to the village. Her step father picked us up in his pickup truck and we drove to her house arriving around 10. Evidently that is eating time, because lunch was then served, and despite the hearty breakfast of Nestlé Honey Crisps I’d had less that two hours before, you have to eat. So we had mango, papaya, sticky rice and two odd dishes I didn’t much care for. I stuck to the fruit and rice, which northern Thais eat with their hands, a skill I am growing slightly better at but is still really weird to me. Then off to the paddy!

Day 39: Romyen

What a cool day!

We are up north visiting Andy's friend Kayla who is in the Peace Corps. Today we went and picked soybeans (edamame) with the grandma of her host family. The whole neighborhood of old women was actually out there picking since they all help each other out. We sat with these women, who were covered from head to face to protect themselves from sun, and got teased by them about our lack of long sleeves, whether we want to marry Thai people and beauty for a few hours before going back to the woman's house to eat a special dish her daughter had prepared. I can't remember what it's called but it is a spicy sauce with meat and some sort of vegetable over rice noodles. Normally they put blood cubes in it too but for us vegetarians she omitted it. But not the meat. Oh well! It was quite tasty topped with fried onions and cilantro.

Then she, her son and niece led us by motorbike as we biked to a Buddhist temple (wat). Andy and I had borrowed extremely illfitting, uncomfortable and inefficient bikes so due to our slow pace they all thought we were really tired. It was hot (upper 80s to low 90s I think) but nope, mainly it was because my butt and back were killing me!

Temple in Chiang Mai

Wide noodles from the train station eaten on our 2nd-class-overnight-supposed-to-be-14-but-really-18-hour-air-con train to Chiang Mai

Street congee for breakfast

Day 34: Bangkok

**

Thailand! I successfully met up with Andy at the BKK airport yesterday and we are currently waiting to head off to the train station for our 14 hr night train ride to Chiang Mai. So far we had some decent food but I am still waiting for the delicious Thailand of my dreams to reveal itself.

Andy with a sticky sweet rice dessert.  Egg on top?

Today we went on the riverboats and also wandered into Chinatown which was a lovely treat. Also wandered around the touristy Khao San Road and saw a 45 meter tall Buddha! Time to sneak back in my hostel to shower before this trip!

**Please note that photos courtesy of Andy Carlson may appear from this point on.  Basically you should assume all the good looking and in focus pictures have been taken by him.  Thanks Andy!**

Bali Travel Lessons

Bali:

1. Everything, including you, is going to smell regardless of what you do. Tough luck.
2. Balinese people really are genuinely warmhearted and kind. I was skeptical too but I haven’t seen anything proving otherwise.
3. Initially I suggest getting sugar in your tea. I typically avoid sugar in my tea but it’s necessary in Ubud. Elsewhere not so much!
4. You are also going to get bug bites no matter what. Bring anti-itch cream!
5. Bring/wear shoes that are easy to take on and off for temples and homes.
6. Bathrooms: 
1. Traditionally the sinks are actually large basins that just hold water, and have a ladle next to them. If you have this type of sink and a toilet with no apparent flushing mechanism, just put a few ladles of water into the toilet bowl (you can even use the ladle worth of water you used to wash your hands! Yay grey water!!) and it should push the water down. 
2. If your shower isn’t working, or has really suspicious brown colored water coming out of it, you may need to take a ladle bath! Recommended method: stick head/hair into bucket as much as possible. Pour water on as necessary if hair isn’t fully wet. Lather hair. Using cupped hands, fling water onto body and wash with soap. Repeat process to rinse.

KFC for dinner and free wifi!

Day 32: Kuta

The Bali Dialogue is officially over, which has sparked a fair number of contradictory emotions.

I would happily return to Boston now and start my ‘real life,’ but I’m really excited to see Thailand and Cambodia, and think that I’ll get into it when I’m there. Nevertheless right now I’m concerned the next 5 weeks may be just a touch too long! We shall see when I fly off to Thailand tomorrow.
But for today I hitched a ride with the group to the airport and then took a taxi by myself to my hostel. We had already left a group of 6 back in Ubud, as they are staying a few weeks extra but will be hanging in Ubud until then. I split from everyone as they entered the gate, making plans to send postcards and see each other later in the semester. Preeta then helped me get a taxi and I went to my very first solo hostel called Granny’s!

Day 31: Ubud

Last whole official day of this dialogue! Which of course means it’s time to go shopping again. We had a delicious lunch of eggplant curry near Ubud center.

Andrew with his smoothie

Then back to the market and I succeeded in buying my Bali art! Two simple paintings that shall either find a new home or stay with me. I have a month to decide. Then a slow tired walk back to the Homestay, we returned home at 4:30am yesterday after all. Final dinner at the ARMA Resort’s 16th anniversary, and a low key night of packing. I also reserved a night at a Kuta hostel for tomorrow night, so that will be interesting. My plan is to take the car down with everyone tomorrow and then take a cab to the hostel. Thailand before I know it!

Last roomie pic of the trip!

Day 30: Ubud

Back in Ubud! Today was a full full day of shopping/wandering. I got up at 6:50 in hopes of going to the food market, but alas no one listened to their alarms and woke up. Thus, I just stayed up and then went to the tourist market at 10.

Then tons and tons of shopping, bought a dress for myself! Nothing else for anyone else. Sorry people, you shall have to settle for Thailand gifts.

Delicious street food of tofu with peanut sauce and sweet soy sauce followed, and then off to the post office for round two of postcard sending.

More street food for dinner, corn and peanut chocolate cake things! Amazing. I love corn on the cob.

We have quite an adventure planned for tonight. Will see how it goes!

Squished car ride…with animals!

Family portrait on the creepy boar statue

Pura Penataran Beratan Temple

Day 29: Ubud

Travel day! We left for our return trip to Ubud this morning and spent a long few hours stuffed in a small van going over tons of mountains. In the middle of the trip we stopped at a beautiful temple in the middle of the lake, that is actually on postcards all over Bali. Quite the surprise but it turned out to be a good day. We also had lunch at a little bakso stand, which I got without meatballs. So it was soup, noodles, tofu and egg, tasty tasty.

Then back in the car for the rest of the ride, through gorgeous forests and winding mountain roads. Saw some monkeys, pigs in a truck and probably more cool stuff I already forgot. Then before we knew it we were back in Madra Homestay, our first Balinese home.

It was a fun car ride.

Erica, Rachel and I wandered around Ubud in a direction we had never ventured before after dropping off laundry. I am ecstatic to have clean and dried laundry. Singaraja is great for hand washing and quick air drying but it has left most of my clothes a bit stretched up, so I’m hopeful that they will tighten back up when I grab them tomorrow!