Adventures by Alan and MelanieĀ
Coming back to the mainland US after being abroad for so long was definitely an adjustment! Fortunately, our friends David and Rachel softened the blow by letting us land at their home while we figured things out.
Continue reading “Birthday in Death Valley”
We found an incredibly good deal on flights to Hawaii from Japan, so we decided we had to stop there on our way home. We basked in the warmth for a week, relaxing in Waikiki and exploring Maui.
Mobile once again, we set out to meet up with friends in two parts of Japan. Near Hiroshima, we met up with Josh, a buddy from Cornell. Then, after finally catching a view of Mt. Fuji, we met up with Ryo, Carrie and their dog Luke, our workaway hosts from back in September.
Our daily schedule in Chaing Mai closely resembled that of hobbits. In between our busy days of second lunch and pre-dinner we explored museums and beautiful temples.
Over one thousand years ago, an ancient king established Angkor as the capital city of the Khmer Empire. The city would grow to be the largest in the pre-industrial world, home to about one million and covering an area the size of Los Angeles. Today, the ruins lay hidden in the forest near Siem Reap, Cambodia. Temples straight out of adventure novels are in various states of ruin, which often adds to the aesthetic; tree roots envelop entire temple walls, proving that nature always wins out over time. This was our first stop in Southeast Asia that was on everyone’s bucket list, however we (mostly) managed to avoid the hordes of tourists and find peace and beauty while exploring the temples.
The former capital city of Vietnam was directly on our path to Laos! We enjoyed our short stay by visiting the elaborate mausoleums of two former Emperors and eating vegetarian food with the locals.
Of all the places we have visited in Vietnam, Hoi An has felt the most like home. The town has everything you want: picturesque landscape for biking, nice beaches, historic walk streets lit only by silk lanterns, and the best banh mi. Quite a few expats have settled here, and we can see why.
Tam Coc is a quaint village near the city of Ninh Binh, 2.5 hours by bus from Hanoi. Famous for its newly classified UNESCO landscape it is certainly growing as a destination for both domestic and international tourists in Vietnam. Like in Ha Long bay, limestone towers fly out of an otherwise flat landscape, and slow rivers flow between the tiny mountains.
Sapa is a mountain town near the border with China that is home to several ethnic minority tribes in Vietnam. Most of the residents come from one of five tribes, which can be identified by beautiful handmade traditional clothing. The town is of French colonial origin, formerly a garrison, and distinctly contrasts with the basic villages in the adjacent valley. Trekking in the region offers a window into traditional life in this rice-growing community.
On our first stop in Southeast Asia, we stayed a couple days in Bangkok and ate (and cooked!) some of the best food of our entire trip so far. We saw some sights, like the Grand Palace, Wat Pho, Chinatown, and of course the backpacker filled Khao San Road.