Wat's Next?

So about that yellow brick road we were on…

The shadier characters would surely be found in Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia. Tuk-tuk drivers swarmed us as we exited the airport walkway shouting prices and following close behind in case we changed our minds. We eventually chose the driver pushing the Corolla, but as the sedan navigated through the narrow streets, we could only hope we were still en route to the Blue Dog Guesthouse! Then we got there. The torrential downpour help to set the scene, no special effects necessary. The less-than-appealing hostel had a garage shed for an entrance and three pad locks coupled with fear on each of the bedroom doors.

I reckon, like the Cowardly Lion, we didn’t have enough courage. My mate and I booked our bus ride to Siem Reap and nine hours later, we arrived at the Golden Temple Villa. I’ve slept in about 12 hostels, but few this lovely—the décor inside and out, the lotus blossoms on our beds, the private balcony, and the cleanliness to name few of what I admired. Nearby were Old Market, Night Market and Pub Street as well as tuk-tuks and cars bustling about, sending a whirlwind of dust into the city streets. Clearly the antithesis of Phnom Penh, Siem Reap is alive and welcoming. 

Our trusty tuk-tuk driver took us anywhere our little hearts desired. He was so proud of his country and eager to hear our thoughts when he picked us up at day’s end. We began with one of the surrounding temples where we watched the sunset. Only thing that stood between a visitor and the view were steep stairs that you had to literally climb, on all fours. Sweaty, but not defeated, I enjoyed watching the sun set over the temples. The next two days were spent exploring Angkor Thom, Bayon, Angkor Wat and all those sites in between. Angkor Wat is the largest Hindu temple in the world. Suryavarman II chose Vishnu as his patron and built the religious complex as a symbol of his power. Here’s another fun fact: The masons used a technique that didn’t require mortar or cement, yet the temple has survived the past 1000 years! I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the girls who chased us down selling bracelets, chanting "One dollar, one dollar". I'm all for charity, but we were forewarned that it may be a scam—that while the girls are selling the bracelets, our dollar(s) won't stay with them. Eventually, we learned to tune them out. And don't you dare make eye contact!

Cambodia has more to admire than Angkor Wat, such as the Floating Village and the Apsara dance. Our boat had three stand-alone wooden chairs and started with the clip of a safety pin. A young boy—and by young, I mean about 6 years old—drove most of the way while the older gentleman sat on the edge of the boat. The good news is I made it back to tell you about this adventure! In the village, wooden boats are the only mode of transportation and fish farms reign supreme. Children dove from their porches into the murky waters for their baths or for leisure, while others tended to chores. On our return, the boat began to smoke furiously, but we managed to visit a Pagoda. Again, more children begging for money. That warning didn't seem to be situational. 

I was also fortunate enough to experience the Apsara dance on two occasions, once at a local restaurant and second, an orphanage. The dance form is said to have Thai influence after dancers were sent to assist in the royal court. Yes, that was another fun fact. I had to catch my flight to Beijing, China in couple of hours, but I couldn't imagine missing the show at the orphanage. Without family, they were left to hand out pamphlets and hope that locals and tourists would visit. Though they had very little, the orphanage prepared dinner for their guests. I even got a quick lesson on how to count in Khmer. Many giggles erupted at my pronunciation, but they appreciated my efforts no less. After seeing the dancers at the restaurant, I had such an admiration for the orphans’ performance and their precision. 

My friends haven’t nicknamed me Chunky in vain, so only right that I save room for food! See what I did there? Besides the fact that we were able to dine on $5 USD, the meals were absolutely flavorful. I’m sure this is what it felt like when Tin Man finally got oiled up, bliss! My two favorite dishes were the Khmer Amok (fresh coconut cream, onion, cauliflower leaf, egg and Khmer traditional spices with Jasmine rice) and the Happy Pizza. Note to Mum: I even ate some fruit, Rambutan being my favorite. To eat the fruit, peel away the spiky outside and finish off the job as you would a ginep. Nom!

Photos below, y'all know the drill.

[Bus ride to Siem Reap, I'm not a morning person.]

[My humble Cambodian abode.]

[Angkor Wat in all it's glory.] 

[Floating Village, Pagoda, Apsara dance.]

[Khmer Amok and Happy Pizza.]

Let Google be your guide for Rambutan.

We're almost to China!

Wizard of Malaysia

If I were Dorothy, granted I'd look cuter in those red shoes, my yellow brick road would begin in Malaysia, grace Cambodia and end in China. All the while trying not to click my heels in fit of a culture shock. I realized that I wasn’t in Kansas anymore, but Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia was nothing I imagined the city to be. The streets were filled with the same quick-paced pedestrians, honking horns and random antics found in the Big Apple. Except Kuala Lumpur Sentral train system is more reliable. For just one ringgit, my mate and I traveled to the Matahari Lodge by Komuter train. Stands lined a nearby street flaunting rich colors of yarn, yummy local food and native music. And if that wasn’t enough for the senses, the stands led right to the Central Market.

I'd even ditch poor lil' ToTo for an elephant—I fell in love with the docile animal while bathing with them at the Elephant Sanctuary in Kuala Gandah. We had the opportunity to feed, ride and wash rescued elephants. Actually, I became acquainted with many animals during the day’s tour having fed sweet potatoes to deer, carrots to rabbits and Oreos to a honey bear at the Deer Sanctuary. In all, I learned that elephants love sugarcane juice and Oreos are not only America's favorite cookie! 

Speaking of animals, I had my bout with monkeys at the Batu Caves. As I climbed the 272 steps to see one of the largest Hindu shrines outside of India, they jumped around taunting tourists and stealing snacks right from their pockets! Then there were the penko fish. Despite being countless miles away from New York, we managed to run through (Berjaya) Times Square. The 7.5 million square foot building featured just about every kind of store you could think of, including the Fish Foot Spa. The penko fish nibbled away at my feet until they were as soft as a baby’s bottom! A really peculiar sensation, but an experience worth having no less.

The last of our journey was spent at the theme park…also inside Berjaya Times Square. Three days felt like so much more while exploring Kuala Lumpur, but the city is so full of adventure and culture. Enough to break out into song like the Munchkins! Check out some of the photos below—click to enlarge!

[Around the way.]

[Batu Caves x Naughty Monkeys.]

[Deer Park...and a whole lot more than deer.]

[Elephant Sanctuary.]

[Times Square x Penko Fish Foot Spa.]

Next stop, Cambodia. x

*This entry is dedicated to Bernie, Andrea and Jared—Thank you for your encouragement and support in continuing this blog.

A 'Sweet As' Adventure

Let's just cut to the chase; I slept around a lot in New Zealand. I mean, it's not very hard to do when backpacking across both the North and South Island, visiting eight cities and sleeping in eight different hostels throughout 19-days. That is what you had in mind, right?

The adventures began in Auckland and, after six trips on the InterCity bus, one Islander ferry-ride across Cook Strait and approximately 10 hours in our rental car, ended in Christchurch. And in case you were wondering, no ride on public transportation is worthwhile if there isn't someone blaring music from their cell phone and singing along obnoxiously. And lest we forget the (un)pleasantly plump man whose elbow kept me safe from any sudden jerks the bus made during our 8-hours of travel. I digress. For every city we visited, we allotted one day for travel and another for an activity. After these two nights, we were off to our next destination. The South Island had a bit more to offer so we spent an extra night per destination. Our route looked a little something like this:

Each town was respectively charming. Anyone who cared to inquire about our travels figured that we were likely to party hard in Wellington, swim with dolphins in Kaikoura, and possibly get laid or bungy jump in Queenstown. Other times you don't get so lucky. Moving on. Even though Christchurch is still heavily impacted by the recent earthquakes and its entire City Centre has become restricted area, the community still welcomes visitors. I even visited a local market, where local residents sold hand-crafted pieces, second hand belongings and offered free meals. No matter the charm, there was an acknowledgement and respect for the Maori culture in a way that the Aboriginal culture isn't regarded in Australia. Today, the Maori people make up about 14% of the New Zealand population, while their language has been integrated into much of the New Zealand lifestyle. Oh, and here's a fun fact: Every word in the Maori language ends in a vowel. Maori men have also been known to participate in whats called Haka, a traditional war dance. I am unsure how widely practiced this aspect of their culture is practiced today, but one tourguide was more than happy to demonstrate the moves for us.

[Te Maata performs the Haka, traditional Maori war dance]

My senses were overwhelmed for just about every part of our journey. From the pungent smell of sulphur in Rotouroa, the sounds of the Pacific waves crashing in Kaikoura to daunting sirens all over the place. Imagine, you've just been lulled to sleep by the waves of the Pacific Ocean. Best sleep you have ever gotten, I mean better than the sleep NyQuil claims to induce! But all of a sudden, a siren sounds for about 15 minutes. Posters warned that sirens will sound to alert volunteers of an emergency and do not indicate a Tsunami, but I woke up frantically just the same. This happened in Kaikoura, Franz Josef and Christchurch; there has got to be a better way! I also felt about three earthquakes in Christchurch. The wind was a-howling and the building trembled right down to my bunk bed. I thought I was being dramatic until the owner remarked about the mini-earthquakes the next morning. Gotdamn fault line!

But now for my favorites of the five senses: taste and sight. You could imagine how delicious the seafood tasted there. I had to convince myself not to order mussels in every city, 'twas the most challenging thing I've done since that hike up Mt. Warning! The scenery, breathtaking and diverse. I even found a dolphin in the most bizarre of places, see for yourself! 

[Pot of mussels braised w. tomatoes, garlic & herbs w. garlic bread]

Invito, Auckland.

[Thai fish cakes with mango, cucumber, mung bean and carrot salad]

Mac's Brewbar, Wellington.

[Sweet Julie: Grilled chicken marinated in ginger soy sauce w. sweet chili,] 
lettuce, red onion & aioli. -- with a side of chips.

Fergburger, Queenstown.

[Where sensuality and imagination meet.]

Hostels, fate and activities, oh my! One of Mum's last words to me were not to talk to strangers. But you could image how challenging this would have been having to sleep in 4 to 6-female share accommodations. Most nights, my classmate and I got lucky and we had the entire room to ourselves. In the more popular cities like Wellington and Queenstown, it was a full house. And by full house, I mean having to deal with clumsy entries by roommates gone drunk, people talking in their sleep, frequent risers who slam the door behind them in the middle of the night, travelers throwing their belongings all across the room, and a sick person contaminating the room. In the more remote towns like Picton and Kaikoura, we booked twin-shares and regained an appreciation for personal space. Most hostels also urged guests to conserve water by taking short showers and turning off the faucet while brushing their pearly-whites, but this was seriously important in Christchurch. As serious as suggesting a port-a-potty. I think not!

Anyway, have you ever felt like you met the right person at the right time? More so, that you were meant to be in a given time and space just to meet a specific person. Not romantically, but to learn something new about yourself. Perhaps something you have been mulling over, consciously or otherwise. I had moments like this a couple of times during the trip. Conversations ranged from culture, relationships, self-acceptance, fate, spirituality and personal aspirations. I had scribbled my deepest thoughts and worldly questions in my journal only to have them later uncovered in random conversations with strangers. This is what it's about, discovering your truths amidst the natural ebb and flow of life. I have been great about keeping in contact with most of these travelers and hope that they walked away with as much insight and appreciation as I have.

Another truth that I discovered was that the needed to live within my means. I was unable to do all of the activities mentioned in the previous post, but there were still great activities worth highlighting. For one, the Sounds Connection Wine Tour. We visited 4 wineries and tasted about 23 wines from the Marlborough Region including Sauvigon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Gewurtztraminer and Late Harvest Reisling. The Gewurtztraminer and its hint of cinnamon was my absolute fave, as well as the fruity taste of the Late Harvest dessert wine. Give it a try the next time you dine out =).

The second highlight is thanks to Mum whom answered all of my "SOS" emails. With a quick deposit (or two), I had the opportunity to bungy jump! The AJ Hackett Bridge Jump sits 43m (143 ft.) above Kawarau River and was actually the first bungy jump site in the world! He asked how I was feeling, I replied "Foolish". The moment comes. 5-4-3-2-1 Bungy! "Wait, you're not going to push me?" A woman, who was kind enough to take photos of me, later asked what went through my mind before I jumped. An expletive, ha! But now that I am alive and well enough to share the story, I am ready to take the next step in this relationship I have with Adrenaline: Sky-dive. I'll keep you posted. Other activities included the Kelly Tarlton's Arctic Center, Hell's Gate Spa, Rotouroa and Te Papa Museums, Sounds Connection Wine Tour, Sightseeing Tour, and the Glacier Valley Walk.

Below is a just snapshot, all activities are not depicted. Click to enlarge. Enjoy!

[Until the next discovery.]