Miles To Go

This is a place for run-on sentences and running around the world, spelling mistakes and life mistakes, struggling to balance humor with humanity. I laugh, I fail, I flourish-- in no particular order

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The View From Here

Thank you for my bestfriend, for my hiking partner, for the view, for the peace.

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Thank U, Universe. Thank Youniverse.

I'm so filled with joy for this week. For the moments of productivity in coffee shops and tranquility in the outdoors. For views from breweries with out the brew, but with (free!) iced coffee instead. For my friends, and their joy. For the best sandwhich I have ever put in my mouth made of seitan and avocado and love and unicorns. For the odd and interesting paintings I feasted my eyes on while I feasted my mouth on said sandwhich. For the beautiful lake that never gets old and catches me when I throw my body into it. For the courage to throw my body into it. For my two closest, and only, male bodied friends meeting over rosemary frenchfries with old bay aioli. For the long walks around Shelburne Farms, the cows on the farm, and the company on the walk. For the sunshine that cleared my skin and my mind. For discovering something new--the Friday night Food Trucks--in my beloved town. For those food trucks feeding me with the best asian food I've had since Asia. For a tough hike with a big reward and an old friend to make new memories during with. For joining a new yoga studio. For doing headstands by the water in the ultimate yoga studio. Bliss, bliss, bliss. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

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100 Days of Happiness Project begins today for me, folks! I'll be trying to upload a picture or a story or a quote or any little piece of joy or gratitude that made my day worth it. There are some bigger goals that go along with this project, physical and mental health, employment, etc being headliners. I hope it inspires you to thank the universe for your joy!

Day 1: so, so blissful! I hiked to the top of smugglers notch, a beautiful green mountain where Luche and I played by the lake at the top. So cool! I've never seen a pond so high up before. Then, I got to go to YOGA!!! and then, I ATE BRUSSLE SPROUTS. God I love brusslesprouts. They are my heaven. And guess what? I even managed to apply for a job that would bring me so much joy to have!

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Saying "YES" in Bali

When in Ubud, Bali, it is important to say “Yes”. Say yes to yoga class. Say yes to holding your downward facing dog a few breaths longer. Say yes to your breath, in general. Inhale, exhale, repeat. Open your mind. Drink iced lattes. When the waitress asks if you want another, you know you do. Say yes. Say yes to to beautiful old ibu—grandmother—walking down the street, small as if her body should be fragile, but you know better…her strength radiates through her gaped teeth and beautiful smile. Say yes with your eyes when she starts speaking fast bahassa at you, gesturing to the bag of flowers on top of her head. Do you want one behind your ear, she asks, you think, reaching up on her toes to touch your face. Well, do you? You’re so quick to say no here in Asia. You have grown cynical of the hawking, quick to brush off the men lining up on the street—“taxi? taxi?!” no, you say, with all of your body. You can’t be bothered to make eye contact. When a man who you don’t see but hear is asking over and over again you finally look back, frustrated. But as you meet his warm smile you realize-yes!- you know this man! He drove you to the rice fields, hours away. His name is wyuan and he is gentle with his words and hearty with his laughter. You are ashamed. You were too busy saying no that you didn’t stop to think that maybe someone was just trying to connect, not to sell. He holds your hand in greeting and you talk. Thinking back on this, as you look at the ibu and her wide, old eyes, you say yes to her offer. She pulls out a few yellow flowers and holds them to your nose. They smell so much bigger than their size. she tucks it behind your ear and smile. You have the flower in your ear later when you are dancing at a studio in the trees, overlooking a farm. You are surrounded by fifty humming bodies, lost in dance, silently screaming with their rhythm, eyes closed. You move, and you move, and you move and you move some more. Inhale, exhale, come back to your breath, repeat. Stop and listen to the vibration surrounding you. And if you have a chance to join in, say yes. 

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If You like Pina Coladas and Getting Caught in the Rain

After Koh Tao, we made our way to one of Thailand's most famous beaches: Krabi. There, we repeated the perfect cycle of seeing beautiful sights, doing adventurous things, meeting cool people, eating delicious meals, and laughing with each other. I'm a broken record at this point, really. But a broken record stuck on my favorite song--no complaints!

There were 2 experiences that stood out from the others during this vacation. The first was deep water solo climbing. Luche and I spent the day (from 10-6) on a stunning sailboat, as we made our way out into the deep water where we got up close and personal with Krabi's famous limestone cliffs. The rocks that rose straight from the water were huge, sharp slabs of limestone, most surrounded by water on all sides. Deep water solo climbing calls for the bouldering across and climbing up these majestic craters, without any ropes or harnesses, only to dismount by plunging into the water below. The most daring, experienced climbers on our tour free climbed up 50 feet of some of the most diversely angled limestone, towering above the crowd watching from the boat, drawing gasps when they took the jump down. I got vertigo just watching. Unfortunately I wasn't able to get any pictures of these types of cliffs, so you'll have to make due with the few I did snap. They're more mundane, but still impressive.

The second experience was the Krabi Night Market. Asia does markets up in a way that America barely comes close to. Sure, we have our farmers markets. But Asia's version is bigger, better, and more in your face. Countless stalls selling trinkets and food, children laughing and playing music, art around every corner, and good drinks to wash said food down with. These markets will definitely be one of the things I miss most about Asia. The Krabi Night Market was one of the best I have been to, even with the inclement weather that interrupted the night. Despite being close to rainy season, which I was rather paranoid about, Luche and I had BEAUTIFUL weather for all 2.5 weeks of our beach time. When a torrential downpour finally rolled in on our last night in Thailand, it seemed to be a sign that it was time to move on. The sky opened and unloaded all its built up precipitation on the crowd below. Luche and I rushed under the nearest food stall's umbrella, which just so happened to be a drink station selling pretty pina coladas with their own mini umbrellas. How meta. Cue the song...

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Koh WOW

The South of Thailand blew me away. I was overwhelmed by how beautiful everything--and I mean EVERYTHING--was. There is nothing in the US like the Thailand beaches. Mountainous landscape, white sand beaches, water so clear you can see the coral reefs beneath you, huge limestone cliffs emerging from said clear water everywhere you look; I'm talking serious beauty. We started in Koh Tao, or Turtle Island, an island about 8 hours and a ferry ride away from Bangkok. The water was translucent even at the dock. The town had a relaxed, welcoming vibe. Luche and I decided to rent a motorbike to explore. This was no easy task as the roads winded up and down the steep terrain. At some points, I had to get off the bike so Luche could walk it down the nearly 90 degree decline. But being on the bike, having control of where we were going, was exhilarating and freeing.

The motorbike ended up really coming in handy, since our place was on the outskirts of town, secluded at the bottom of the island, with its own bay. We rested our heads at a basic bungalow, with a view that was anything but basic. From our porch, complete with the most relaxing hammock, the water was a mere 50 feet away. Luche and I had fun climbing around the rocks, splashing in the water, snorkeling (although you really didn't even need goggles, the water was that clear), and collecting sea glass. We would motorbike up to the top of the hill that our place sat below and drink coconuts and fruit shakes, which I have grown addicted to, and enjoy the view.

Because of the winding, steep topography of Koh Tao, there are a handful of seriously amazing look out spots. My favorite overlooked freedom beach. The hike to the top was short but intense, with little marking but with big pay off. After climbing atop the final boulder, we saw what was arguably the most breathtaking view in Thailand. Two different, but striking bays to the left and the right with a green divide between them. Luche and I were awe struck.

We ended our time in Koh Tao with a walk along the beach, near the dock, while we waited for our ferry. We watched as two Thai brothers jumped off the turtle into the water. I could relate to their joy.

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The Life of Pai

You swing in your hostel's hammock that overlooks the mountains. The fresh air is all the greater after a cramped, three-hour drive through the winding countryside of northern Thailand. Later, you will learn that there are exactly 762 curves from Chiang Mai to your destination of Pai. That makes it 762 times you thought you might need to discretely throw up on the driver's shoes. But you are a veteran of travel by now, easily boasting trips four times as long as the measly 180-minute ride you just sat through. You forcefully remove yourself from the comfort of your hammock, shake off what is left of the motion sickness, and begin your 72 hours on Pai time. What comes next?

You uphold tradition: Throughout your time in South East Asia, you have done a lot of eating. Oh, there's a temple? Some pad thai would compliment it nicely. What a beautiful Beach! You know what goes well with sand and waves? Spring rolls. Let's take a trek into the jungle; I want to see wild animals! But first, we should eat some dead animals...you know, to attract the live ones. Food has been the name of the game, and if it's not broken, who are you to fix it? No one, absolutely no one. So when you find yourself wandering Pai's pedestrian night market, known for its good eats, you and your travel buddies are practically coerced at gun point into ordering the gyoza, pumpkin spring rolls, spicy papaya salad, and peanut samosas, collectively. You spot a ginger tea stand being served in an ascetically pleasing bamboo glass. Should you buy it? You are running out of hands. Your inner dialogue sounds like this: It's cheap street food! It's Pai! Drake said 'You Only Live Once'! I'm doing it for him. And for the presentation. I can't ignore presentation like that! It will make such a nice trinket once I'm back home! I'll remember this glass forever!  Logic wins out and you buy the tea, but mostly for the keepsake the cup will make (whatever it takes to believe it). Five minutes later, you forget the bamboo that holds the last remnants of your drink in a mad dash for a burrito you share with your boyfriend. It's Mexican, the tea never had a chance. 

*obviously the only thing not pictured is the salad

You drink coffee and caipirinhas and fulfill childhood dreams: You realize that the only way to beat the heat of Pai is to have something cool in your hand. You drink ice coffee overlooking gorgeous scenery in the morning and cheap caipirinhas in the afternoon in a funky little bar. Everything in Pai is funky. You love the signs that hang along the streets, and the art and jewelry that the street vendors sell. The whole vibe feels so creative that you are inspired to do something creative (and temporary) to yourself! You finally get the hair wrap that you always wanted as a six-year-old girl. It looks childish and silly and you  love it.

You visit canyons, cracks, waterfalls, and Budhas: You hike the Pai Canyon and promise yourself that you will see the canyons in your own country. You chase waterfalls and dip your feet into its cool pools. You visit the White Budha that overlooks your hostel for a beautiful sunset. While watching the sunset, you are invited into a newly wed’s bridal photos.The adorably in love Thai couple wais the enormous Budha five times together in unison. It is exciting to be part of their happiness and you will curse your phone for dying and not capturing any of it.  Best of all, you visit the Pai Landsplit or Crack. Your friend (previously mentioned in other posts as Leah the Travel Superstar Delaney) has instructed you to go because it is "wonderful and strange." You see a beautiful view upon arrival, but more beautiful is the lovely couple that tends to the gap at the bottom of the hill. You sit down at a table next to hammocks and they bring you plate upon plate of food, without ever asking for it. It is free (donation based) and you will want to stay forever. Every time you look up another plate is placed in front of you. You eat the homemade potato chips and sip on the freshly squeezed roselle juice made from the roselle plants growing on the hill in front of you. You need to convince the couple that you really, really, really are okay and do not need a sixth glass of juice, or a fourth refill of papaya, or a second bowl of peanuts. Despite all this, your boyfriend is able to do little more than gasp at the family's large rooster that wanders around the farm. Seriously, it is all he can do. You are pretty sure he will never be able to get over the shock of seeing something so "giant" and "delicious looking." 

You live dangerously and you are free:  This is the hardest choice to make in you Life of Pai. Your father has warned you since the adult age of eight about the fatalities associated with the demonic vehicle otherwise referred to as a motorbike. In Thailand, motorbikes are the cheapest, most efficient modes of transportation. A careful combination of personal fear and paternal respect has led you towards the motorbike's four wheeled taxi cousin. However, you have grown and healed into a braver person since your first few steps on Asian soil almost 8 months ago. You have wanted to see Pai since your arrival in Thailand, and with the absence of tuk-tuks or taxis, combined with the abundance of motorbike rental stations, it looks like you've made your choice. Your boyfriend, who has experience behind the wheel (or lack there of), agrees to do most of the driving. He will authoritatively command you to wear your helmet, and you will remind him that you are still a five-minute walk from the bike. This will make no difference to him. You hear him mutter something about how your father is going to kill him under his breath. He drives safely and smoothly to all of your destinations. Better still, he agrees to teach you how to drive it yourself. You remind yourself to thank his parents for raising a man who empowers women instead of trying to have power over them. He takes you to a quiet, secluded alley and you feel like you are five again, with your training wheels finally coming off. Eventually, you get the hang of it and he  hops on the back. He is probably terrified, but even after you almost peel out of the driveway, he remains complimentary. You focus on the road like it's about to fly away. Exploring feels so much cooler from behind the bike. Later, you will remember a quote from Budha that describes the experience perfectly: When you realize how perfect everything is, you will tilt your head back and laugh at the sky.

Now that you love Pai and all 762 turns it takes to get there, you are ready for your next adventure.

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Songkran

Happy Thai New Year everyone! The Thais really seem to love New Years, as they celebrate three: the calendar New Years, Chinese  New Years, and most importantly, Songkran, or Thai New Years. During Songkran, Thais pour water on each other, as well as smear white talc powder on the face, as a blessing. The holiday is as spiritual as it is fun. Songkran is best celebrated in the North of Thailand, so off to Chiang Mai we went. Technically, it lasts from the 13th of April to the 15th, but in Chiang Mai, shenanigans last for a week. There is an amazing sense of community with this holiday. The entire nation rallies together during the hottest time of the year to splash around in celebration. There is no malice in the splashing, just pure intentions. I was shocked to hear "thank you" when I first started shooting my watergun at friendly looking faces. It was a blast, and I will be sad to leave the beautiful city tomorrow when Sami, Luche, and I head to Pai!

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The Most Beautiful Place I Have Ever Been

Going to Vietnam and not seeing Ha Long Bay is a sin. It's easily the number one experience and it's not hard to see why. Holy moly, it is GORGEOUS. I knew it was pretty, but I was blown away by the scenery. We did a 2 night 3 day cruise where we slept one night on the boat and one night in a hotel on an island.  We were blessed with decent visability, and even a little sun for a few hours. I am still pretty speachless about the 2,000 islands we passed on our cruise, the caves we explored via kayak, and the mountain we hiked, so i'll try to let the pictures do the talking (even though there is NO way to capture the bay's beauty). 

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A-Hoi!

The only way to mend my broken heart after leaving Saigon was to end up in Hoi An. Hoi An had the largest harbor in southeast Asia during the first century, but fell after the collapse of the Ngyuen rule in the 18th century. Since it was no longer of economic value, the city progressed with little to no industrial impact. The result is a beautiful town, with an old, untouched feel. Back on our bike grind, we cycled through the peaceful town and easily biked the 7km to the stunning beach--that's how slow paced Hoi An is. The beach came as a happy surprise to me. I had no idea it would be so beautiful. I sipped on a coconut and contently listened to the waves with Luche. While we were hanging out, we got SUPER hustled by this amazing woman selling trinkets. Luche and I both agreed that she gave the best sales pitch we have ever heard. She was warm, personable, funny, and firm. This resulted in me overpaying in a big way for some random bookmark. But I was too impressed to be mad. Well played, lady.

Beyond being aesthetically pleasing, it's also the culinary capital of Vietnam. If it seems at this point that all Luche and I do is eat and talk about food, then you're finally catching on. I won't even waste your time by pretending that our priorities are anything beyond the pursuit of delicious grub. Our dedication to good eats was rewarded when we took a cooking class. There are cooking classes all over Hoi An. You can pay 40-50$ and go to a real culinary class where you take a trip to the market, pick out your own food, and have a step-by-step tutorial on meal preparation. These classes get rave reviews, but 50$ is about a week of traveling for us so we decided to seek a different path. I honestly believe we are constantly rewarded for doing this trip on the cheap: there are so many precious experiences we've had from our budget and cooking in Hoi An turned out to be no different. After learning that you can approach almost any restaurant to teach you how to cook whatever delicious meal you just ate for about 10$, we set out for the cult classic Cafe 43. Cafe 43 gets insane rave reviews. Backpackers from across the globe flock to Cafe 43 for its delicious food at crazy cheap prices. It's so popular that its starting to gain animosity from foodies who hipsterly warn travelers away from doing the "cafe 43 thing where you just end up eating all your meals there." Alas, never too cool or above doing the mainstream thing, we loved our meal at Cafe 43. I had a shrimp rice pancake, which was more like a taco, but again was unlike anything I have ever had. Andrew had stuffed tomatoes. We both sipped on delicious Vietnamese coffee that I have grown addicted to. It was heaven.

Excited to master this Vietnamese dish, we approached the busy Cafe 43 with a plea for a cooking class. Unfortunately, they were all booked. Bummed, we went around asking multiple restaurants for their cooking class prices. Either for price or timing, none of them worked until we asked a very vacant, worn looking restaurant ironically called Sunshine. An older woman with okay English informed us it would cost 150,000 dong for a three course meal class. 6 dollars for three courses? SOLD. It truly ended up being one of the best decisions we have made in Asia. I'm sure the more expensive classes have their perks, but I wouldn't change our experience for the world. She brought us into her kitchen which looked a lot older, smaller, and worse for the ware than my college kitchen did, and immediately we felt at home. Mao had a professional, almost stern attitude which was really a blast to work with. She was clearly a business woman, but would laugh at our meager attempts of attempting what was second nature to her. I really loved Mao. We made the most delicious spring rolls I ever tasted, a yummy tomato tofu dish, and a hot bowl. So, so proud of ourselves, we feasted on our hard work. It's crazy to think that a little over a year ago, I was on my first date with Luche at a vietnamese restaurant where he was hesitantly ordering chicken wings. Fast forward, and find him in a Vietnamese kitchen, chopping up squid for the soups broth. We have come a long way.

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I'm in Love, I'm in Love and I Don't Care Who Knows It!

Not even 24 hours into Saigon/Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) and I'm already in love. After being down and out for a week with a raging fever that would later be identified as MALARIA (seriously, Cambodia??), it was with little remorse that Luche and I were onward to Nam and saying goodbye to Sihanoukville. The trek called for a 12 hour bus ride that we broke up by stopping in Pnhom Penh for a night. The next morning we woke up and got onto the second leg of the journey. Finally, we rolled into Saigon and checked into My My Arthouse. MMAH is a lovely hostel tucked into the winding alleys of the backpacking area of HCMC in District 1, Pho Ngu Lao. For 5.50 USD each, we secured a room with some real luxuries-clean sheets, a functional TV, Air Con, and-wait for it-HOT WATER! Best still is the owner of MMAH. Helpful and honest, the lovely man equipped us with a map and good advice on handling the city. Relieved and refreshed by this kindness, we turned in early and soaked in a needed good night's rest.

We hit the ground running this morning at 8 AM and walked about 30 minutes through the chaotic and beautiful city to the War Remnants museum.It's noteworthy that not once were we heckled to take a tuk tuk, partly because of the cultural difference, and mostly because of the transportation diverge: MOTORBIKES EVERYWHERE. Cars are uncommon in comparison to their slender, more open-aired equivalent. Nevertheless, we stuck with walking. It was a beautiful, albeit hot stroll where we passed a huge park with children and elderly alike practicing tai chi and working out. After finally arriving at our destination, we spent the next two hours immersing ourselves in a side of the "Vietnam War" not taught in our history books back in the states. Luche and I were both silent after taking in the awesomely tragic material provided at the museum. I felt physically ill at points. The horror suffered by the Vietnamese people at the United State's hands and their persevering hopeful spirit despite the fact is remarkable.

Seeing our treatment of Vietnam during the war, you might expect an unfriendly attitude towards Americans like us in HCMC. But what I found is quite contrary. On our coffee run (did you know Nam was the largest coffee exporter in the world?) and lunchtime adventures, we both were treated with warmth and kindness. The winding alleys where people and xe om's (motorbikes) zoom around feels different then Thailand's street vendors. Perhaps its the deep French impact on the place, or maybe it's the homey feel all the street restaurants have, but there is something just lovely about the city.  We ate separately, but at each of our dining experiences we were instructed to sit as if we were in their home.  Luche and I get a little competitive about who ate best, and it's hard to say who won this round (no it's not, I did). Luche sat down and slurrped up some of the legendary pho. I wandered a bit further down the alley where I was greeted by the sweetest older woman. We didn't share almost any commonly  language, but after establishing my vegetarian diet combined with her seemingly maternal, care taking instincts, she confidently began preparing me lunch. For less than 1.50, I was brought out a plate of meat free deliciousness. Refusing to take my "no thank yous" to coffee, she brought me out yummy free tea to enjoy my meal with. I think my favorite part of this exchange is that the only thing she had to go off of was that I was vegetarian. Besides that contribution, she pretty much ordered for me. We left with a hug and a promise of my return.

After lunch, we got on a mini bus to the cu chi tunnels, which are about 70 km out of the city. It was amazing to learn about the historical importance they played in the war. The intricate system was a sort of achilles for the US-they couldn't figure it out. Since the war,they have expanded the tunnels so fat foreigners can fit in them. But even with the expansion, they are a tight fit. In a down moment, our guide (who you see pictured below in the tunnel entry point) asked us where we were from. Luche hesitated and timidly answered, "The United States." Our guide, sensing our guilt, said "No need to worry, we are all friends now." For the second time that day, I was brought to near tears. 

We returned to HCMC in time for another alley way meal. This time I got the spring rolls and a creamy coconut shake. OMG IT WAS SO GOOD. I know I won this round because after Luche finished his dinner of noodles and beer, he stopped by the spring roll station to get his fix. Jokes on him because the best part was absolutely the shake. No beer could compete.

We both agreed that the worst part of HCMC will be leaving it. It is by far my favorite city I have ever been too-the kindest people, the best food, and the most unique vibe. 

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You win some, You lose some

Like most good things in life, I was pointed to Otres beach by Leah The Travel Superstar Delaney. Her friend loved Otres so much that she got it tattooed on her wrist. Seemed like a legit enough reason to make a pitstop for some beach life before heading to Koh Rong, Cambodia's prized island --i know, life is really hard. But before you get too jealous, let me even the tables a bit with todays clusterfuck of events. 

Wake-up: Discover Luche and I have bedbugs.

Depart on a beautiful snorkeling trip, but for thematic purposes, will cut directly to the downfall: the boat's motor goes out. Then it starts to rain. Then it starts to thunder. Then it starts to rain, a lot harder. Then there is lightning. And then some more rain. Finally, we are pulled to shore by another boat, soaking wet, freezing (IN HOT AF CAMBODIA) a mile or so away from the warmth of our hostel and with zero $. 

Arrive at our hostel: this is our home for the night. unfortunately, this home is covered in rat poop. Yes, rat poop on our bed. And where there is rat poop, there are rats. We got to see the furry little creatures all of last night. This makes our room not the best place to cozy up to.

But enough complaining, because Otres beach is just breathtakingly beautiful. Luche and I have taken many a walks down the white sand beach, rocked in hammocks to the sound of waves, swam in the water directly outside our room, snorkled in stunning coral reefs, had a bbq on one of the adjacent islands, soaked up too much sun, and watched it set from a treehouse.So go ahead, be a little jealous. 

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Wat stress? Wat worries?

If you look at the Cambodian flag, you will see one of the majestic temples of Angkor Wat in the middle. Arguably Cambodia's biggest claim to fame, the Angkor Wat temples are truly enormous. Spanning over miles of ground, each Wat seems grander than the previous. It's crumbling stone and decaying statues give the place a mystic feeling; everything is so old and so tremendous that it's easy to feel overwhelmed-or lost. Luche and I lost each other multiple times while wandering the grounds. And wander we did. In fact, we opted out of the customary tuk tuk that is forced upon you at every waking second--"madame, tuk tuk? sir, tuk tuk?" --it gets pretty old, pretty fast--and settled on renting bikes for our four days in siem reap. We saved at least thirty dollars doing this and biking around Siem reap was lovely. We trecked the 3 miles or so to the temples, and decided to hold onto them for our day to day adventures in town. Angkor Wat was beautiful, and definitely a must see, but Luche and I decided to cut the day a little short since we were one more minute away form heat exhaustion. So. Much. Sweat. But most certainly worth it.

We spent our remaining days at the Mad Monkey hostel, whose motto was "wat stress? wat worries?" I was so pleased with the play on words that I almost didn't notice the amazing pool, roof top bar, and swanky hangouts of the hostel. I definitely noticed the air con in the rooms, though, and the super cool people we met there during our stay who we ventured out with in the eve. Certainly the best hostel I've ever stayed at. My favorite night time hangout was the Angkor WHAT bar because, again, word play. Overall, I loved Siem Reap--the food, the temples, the people--all gave me the fuel I needed to make it through the 14 hour bus ride to Sihanoukville. Reporting on beach life soon! 

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Siem Eat

Part one of our backpacking journey has commenced! We have started in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Siem Reap is home to Cambodia’s famous Ankor Wat: the biggest religious structure in the world. Seriously, it’s HUGE. More to come on that, but honestly, the most amazing part of this town for me is the FOOD! Different, amazing cuisine everywhere at low prices with a charming feel (reminds me of Burlington). And boy did we need charm after a 14 hour travel day with a bad first impression of the country. Everywhere we turned someone was trying to rip us off via transportation cost. It was impossible to avoid the extortion. They have a legal monopoly on the taxis and busses, so there was nothing we could do. But as soon as we got to Siem Reap, it all changed. Starting with dinner.

On our first evening Luche found a place with 1 dollar tapas.  I got Khmer sweet potatoes with a mint sauce and the most delicious pumpkin soup. No ones pumpkin soup will ever beat my mom’s, but if I had to pick a second place, it would go to the one I ate at Ivy’s. Pumpkin is a big part of Cambodian food and I’m really happy about it. 

We explored pub street, which screams Church Street, VT  with an Asian twist. You know, because we're in Asia. The neon sign illuminates the vendors and bars. Unlike Thailand, where alcohol is much more expensive than most of the street food, Cambodia has 50 cent beers to go with the average 3 dollar meal. As tempting as that is, every cent counts. We decided to save our pennies the past three nights and put our dollars (yes, Cambodia uses US currency) towards a treatyoself dinner. It was most certainly the right choice!

We had read about Old House on a friend's blog and when we looked it up, it had amazing ratings. Serving Khmer style food, we got the set three course meal for six dollars. I ordered a spicy mango salad, the Amok with fish, and pumpkin custard. The mango salad had the Thai kick that I have grown accustomed to. Don't even get me started on the Amok. It was unlike anything I have ever tasted. Most closely related to curry, this Amok had clumps of spiced fish. It was truly delicious and filled with protein; a nice break from my carb on carb lifestyle. The pumpkin custard was a lovely finish to the meal.

We also hit up Sister Strey's coffee shop the next morning, which we read about on the same friend's blog, too. Even better, it supported children in Cambodia needing education, water, and food (40% of Cambodia's children are malnourished). The avocado grilled cheese and watermelon ice was the perfect lunch to sustain us for our Angkor Wat explorations in the frying heat--it is truly so hot that I burn walking around.  What I loved most about Sister Streys, though, were the placemats. Each placemat had a beautiful quote written on it. My favorite was "see the world. it is much more beautiful than any dream" and aint that the truth.

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An Ode Sami Shep

I came to Thailand excited for all the NEW: new experiences, new places, new culture, and maybe most of all, new people. Though I have loved all of the different walks of life I have encountered while in Asia, it was actually something someone- that has had one of the biggest impacts on my adventure. That someone is Sami Shep. With her recent departure from Bangkok, I felt like a related post was in order.

When I first arrived in Thailand, I was COMPLETELY overwhelmed. I have never truly been immersed in a culture so different from my own. I found it hard to cope with the changes that I should have taken into consideration before moving across the world. For example, the (DUH) language barrier. I'm not a super assertive person, but communication is a strength of mine and one that I crutch on to build relationships, affirm a sense of safety, and even just get around. Plus, I have never lived in a city before, and that transition has proved to be one of the largest adjustments I've had to conquer. I took so much for granted before Bangkok, and it hit me pretty hard. I was embarrassed by how paralyzed I felt--this was supposed to be the time of my life! I couldn't go abroad in college, so I promised myself I would travel after graduation and milk the most out of whatever situation I could find. Yet when I arrived in what was supposed to be my dream trip, I froze. Even with easy access to two of my best friends-Luche living with me and Leah literally across the street-I couldn't shake the anxiety. Then, one month later, Sami arrived.

I knew Sami in college. She and I were really close at one point.Though we remained friends, we both went separate ways near the end of graduation. She's one of those make-you-laugh-til-you-can't-breathe type of people so I have always gravitated towards her. When I learned she was coming to Thailand, I was excited but didn't think much more of it beyond how great it would be to have a fellow friend from home here. I guess you could say I was still searching for the "new".  I can and should credit my current new and improved assimilation in Thailand to many things-an incredible boyfriend, new friends I met, kind co-workers, a semi rewarding job, supportive family, a BFF since my early days of college (hi Leah) around the corner; all these things and people helped ease my mind and erase the fear that was holding me back from seizing this amazing opportunity that I have grown to adore so much. But really, there is no ignoring the fact that without Sami, I wold not have found the love affair I'm in with Thailand and enjoy today.

Pretty much from her arrival, Sami became my PIC. If you know Sami, you know that she is a New Yorker through and through. The city girl in her helped to tear away the fear of urban life in me. Even more importantly, Sami is a planner. She was the kick start to almost all of my early adventures and outings. Honestly, without her proactive personality and easy company, I wouldn't have been able to beat my suburban/rural paranoia. But there she was, looking up bus times, finding hotels, discovering food, and introducing me to her friends. We did it all.         

We explored the ancient ruins of Ayutthaya

We scaled a 7 tier waterfall

where we slid down natural slides

And swam in caves

We watched the sunset over Wat Arun

And took a lot of selfies...like, a lot

We ate ALL of the food

Which weirdly was often Mexican, even on Thanksgiving (note Leah's and my refusal to wear the sombrero-cultural appropriation aint my thang) 

If we were not eating all of the food, then we were drinking ALL of the beer

Which often led to crazy eves. BOY OH BOY did we experienced the wild nightlife of BKK...

...With new friends

And old ones

We explored the biggest market in the world

And we cheesed and cheersed at one of the highest points in Bangkok, where the Hangover 2 began

We celebrated her birth...

And my first martini...which I think is a birth within itself

We laughed, we lounged, we lived. And other stuff too, but I thought the alliteration was important.

(even though I look crazy here, this is one of my favorite pics of us)

 I was able to crutch on Sami's confidence and use it to squeeze all I could out of Thailand while she was here. But Sami did more than just lend her strong personality-she made me stronger, too, in the process. It's the whole "give a man to fish, you'll feed him dinner. Teach a man to fish, you'll feed him for life" philosophy. Sami gave me enough strength that, now that she's gone, I don't need her in order to love Asia anymore-but I sure as hell miss her. Though the rest of this adventure won't be the same without her, it's because of her that I know I can do it by myself, and do it pretty damn well. New things are great. I can't wait for all the new that waits ahead of me. But don't take for granted the old, the people who have helped you get where you are today. You never know when you'll need them to show you how beautiful your tomorrow can be (lol, seriously though).

[katerinavit-blog]

Throwback Yall

One year ago this weekend, celebrating mardi gras with a great group of gals and my favorite nugget!

[katerinavit-blog]

Pride & Joy

Like I mentioned, yesterday was Luche's last official day of teaching. He will still be in and out of a classroom or two, but it marked the closing of his time at Sripruetta. Holy smokes, I am just very proud of him. Taking a year to explore the world AND work is so brave. It's like a real life spin on studying abroad, where it seems like you kind of go to classes but mostly you drink. For Andrew, and anyone that teaches here, you have to actually balance a real life, and a real income, with all of the drinking. TOUGH. But seriously, unlike Leah and I who post up in an international school, or Sami and co who have a program, Luche just worked his way into a job that was in no way easy and made the best of it. Luckily, he was surrounded by two goofballs. It was such a blessing to meet people as inherently good as Graham and Brennan, and even more lucky that they were the only two expats in Luche's entire school (which is HUGE!). Basically, between the company he keeps and the work he does, the kid is not as bad as I make him out to be.