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.
Chiang Mai and Chaing Rai
An Afternoon in Hue
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.
We Love Hoi An!
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.
First stop: Bangkok
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.
Kanazawa
Our decision to go to Kanazawa was rather spontaneous but so worth it! After getting shut down in the Alps in the rain, we decided that rain can’t stop culture. We booked two nights in the city and set out to explore.
The Japanese Alps: still on our bucket list
After getting citied-out in Tokyo, we were eager to get into the mountains. The skies were grey on our train ride out of the city, but we were optimistic about adventures! Climbing and hiking in “the Yosemite of Japan” were on the agenda, but mother nature had other ideas.
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Japan Part 1 – Tokyo, Kyoto, and Nara
After a long journey taking us through Dubai, we arrived in Tokyo. The sprawling metropolis swallowed us whole as we stepped into the neon craziness of Shinjuku and walked to our hotel. In the following 10 days, we explored Tokyo, and then Kyoto, and Nara with Dan and Jake who were visiting from LA.
Climbing in Spain, and saying goodbye to Europe
We found ourselves newly carless after selling our van in Chamonix. Without Bleu Lightning, our plan of driving and climbing our way back across France was no longer possible. Luckily this gave us the chance to visit our friend Sebastian in Asturias, Spain and another day with Michelle and Zach, who gave us a ride to Zurich on their way home.
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Friends and a transition
After leaving Romania, we enjoyed a day in Belgrade, reunited with a new friend in Zagreb, and coasted north to Munich, stopping in Ljubljana and Salzburg. We arrived to Munich just in time to hang out with Michelle and explore her new neighborhood.
Discovering Romania
We arrived in Bucharest for dinner, and to our delight, we found the pedestrian “old town” bustling with life and packed with restaurants and bars. This was just the beginning of our discovery of Romania. After visiting castles, mountains, towns, and mines, we are pleased to share that this country is a blossoming destination that we are so glad we did not miss!