To cross the border and go to Laos, we elected to take the slow boat. The other options included the fast boat, which was apperently dangerous and loud beyond reason, and the bus, which was bumpy, slow, and vomit-inducing. The…
Luang Prabang – Welcome to Laos
Chiang Rai – Cats, Temples, and Hot Pot
Chiang Rai at first greated us with harsh sun and dusty streets. It sort of reminded us of what we’d expect a harsh, little city in Mexico to look like. As we wandered the streets in search of our hostel,…
Pai – Small Town, Rolling Mountains, and Reggae Vibes
Pai is a small town with a local population of about three thousand. It is a favorite of the backpacker community because of its sweeping landscapes, easy roads, and reggae feel. We hit this town at a bad time; we…
Chiang Mai: I Am Meditator
Grant and I had kicked around the idea of doing a 10-day meditation retreat while on our travels. We went back and forth about it in the beginning, but after meeting some folks who had completed and benefited greatly from…
Chiang Mai – Friends, Tigers, and Jazz
After a quick stop in Hanoi, Vietnam to catch a flight, we found ourselves in Thailand again. Our path never made much sense, but we didn’t care, since we were able to meet Ms. Jessica Lee and Kanami Otani in…
Tam Coc – Popcorn, Temples, and Winding Rivers
The buses of Vietnam amaze me. The distance are short, and yet they travel SO SLOW. For our 60 mile ride we thought it might take 3 hours to get to our destination because of windy roads and such. How…
Cat Ba Island, Ho Long Bay – Ocean Landscapes and Beautiful Trails
Northern Vietnam in December is cold and rainy. Many of our days were spent indoors reading, drinking, eating, and talking. It’s nice at times, but it’s even nicer when you plan a rainy day on a travel day such that…
Phong Nha – The Highs and Lows
Phong Nha can be split into two separate and completely different experiences. The first, a pleasant stay in a little town on the rise in the middle of a gorgeous national forest. The other, the god awful accommodation that we…
Hoi An & Hue – Rain In Quaint Cities
As we left a long stay in Da Lat, we started a quick combination of three cities on the central coast: Nha Trang (7 hours), Hoi An (2 nights), and Hue (1 night). Each city was different and great for…