http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/Alli/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Alli en-us Tue, 22 Dec 2009 07:33:37 +0000 Tue, 22 Dec 2009 07:33:37 +0000 Well spending a week in Addis Ababa was not in our original plans but Ethiopian Airways seemed to have other ideas for us so a week it was. Addis as it is known means new flower and its location was chosen because of the natural beauty of the area which is now being eclipsed as massive development sprawls incoherently reaching out further and further from the city. With a population between 5 http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Ethiopia/Addis-Ababa-Region/Addis-Ababa/blog-233907.html Well this was certainly going to be a Xmas to remember and not in a good way. We left Lalibela extremely late on our Ethiopian Airlines flight and then had to endure most of the full tourist circuit as we took off and landed in Gonder and then Bahir Dar before getting to Addis. Since we were an hour late when we landed in Gonder they advised us that the ground time would be 3 minutes and it pret http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Ethiopia/Addis-Ababa-Region/Addis-Ababa/blog-231467.html I weary of writing more about these buildings because it seems to me that I shall not be believed if I write more ... but all that is written is truth and there is much more that what I have written and I have left it that they may not tax me with its being falsehood Francisco Alvares 16th century Portuguese written upon travelling to Lalibela Well our travels to Lalibela were cut a little http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Ethiopia/Amhara-Region/Lalibela/blog-231288.html We were up early to catch our long bus ride to Axum from Debark. Our guide book had called it the most scenic journey in the country which I also read to mean long We had also been warned that the bus did not stop for bathroom breaks or snacks so we needed to be prepared. Waiting on the side of the dusty road in Debark attracted considerable attention from the local children the braver of whom http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Ethiopia/blog-229784.html Well our trust paid off and not only were we met with food but a cook driver and our own beat up landcruiser to drive from Gondar to Debark where we would pick up our guide scout and gear. The road was windy but the drive went quickly with our good driver and American music blaring from the dash The terraced fields gave way to the start of the Simien Mountains our destination and truly one http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Ethiopia/blog-228460.html Well suelam from Gondar Ethiopia where we are still trying to adjust to life as travellers in a very different land and fight against our jetlag It's now 6pm so at least we are still awake It's day 2 since we've landed here after quite an eventful trip. Our flight from Vancouver to Washington went without a hitch including getting excellent pick up service by our friends Kristine and John. Af http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Ethiopia/Amhara-Region/Gondar/blog-227046.html Less than 3 weeks to go until we head off to Africa land of our dreams so little do we know of its soils. Feel free to log on to my blog to travel along with us in Ethiopia depending on whether or not we can find the internet ... Plan is to leave on Dec 8th and travel via Seattle to Washington DC where we will stay with good friends Kristine and John before flying the next am Dec 9th to Addi http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Ethiopia/blog-220870.html Trekking to Kalaw from Inle Lake it's better than taking the bus Now that caught our attention and we were firmly committed to trying it. 40km as the snakes wriggle and water buffalos lumber we sussed our a guide for our 3 day and 2 night trip and after finding a company that seemed good handed over our 30 each and we were ready to go. But all did not start out as well as we'd hoped ... It http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Burma/Kalaw/blog-118919.html Our trip to Inle Lake home of the Intha people started off in high spirits as we shared our taxi with fellow travellers Ven and Anita from England Laura and Sarah from the US via Laos and Therese from Switzerland via Singapore. The topography was vastly different from the dry plains of Bagan and so were the people. The trees and the rolling hills seemed greener than ever after the browns and gr http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Burma/Inle-Lake/blog-117026.html Sorry for the brief hiatus from writing but we have been computer challenged. After days of power outages that last all day and non existent or too slow internet connections we are finally back on line for today only and then who knows ... but back to our story ... when you last left our travellers they were headed to Bagan. Ah travel in Myanmar there is the bus usually at night and on roads http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Burma/Bagan/blog-114885.html Ah the travelling life the trying of new foods and exposing our hyperclean bodies to the dirt and normalcy which is Myanmar. And after a wonderfully tasty Nepali meal the day before which I loved found out that it did not love me and I spent the night in the bathroom and slept the next day away fully spent. Figured it probably fixed me up and purged my system so feeling pretty good with breakfa http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Burma/Mandalay/blog-112841.html We left the heat and smog of Yangon to land in the dark of the Mandalay International Airport at least in name. Surprisingly when we landed there were absolutely no lights on and as we were ferried to the luggage carosel the lights flickered on and off and out popped out bags. There was no one about and since the plane was only a third full and contained only 3 other tourists the place was dead http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Burma/Mandalay/blog-112530.html Well miracle of miracles we are in an internet cafe only two blocks from our hotel and there seems to be the makings of email albeit slow. As promised with power outages a daily occurrence we will see if we get to actually write and save this My very dirty fingers and toes are crossed ... It is day 3 of our journey and we are slowly adapting to life as traveller with its own rhythms. After r http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Burma/Yangon/blog-111060.html There was long day written all over Dec 10th when we left for YVR and got ready to hop our first mere 11 12 hour flight to Beijing. Ah Air Canada not our favourite airline for many reasons and the main one of that day being leaving late for our very tight connection in Beijing to Bangkok. But all was saved as we were met right off the plane in Beijing with a sign and our boarding passes. The n http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/Central-Thailand/Bangkok/blog-110303.html One more sleep ... Our little backpacks are sitting side by side anxious to go and we are almost ready finally. All of the running around and late nights about to pay off as we head to the airport tomorrow for our 16 hour flight from Vancouver to Bangkok the city that never sleeps. I'm sure that we will as soon as we hit our beds. The weather is a balmy 35C in Bangkok as they experiencing an u http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Burma/blog-109716.html Only two more sleeps 'til we leave the wetcoast and head for sultry steamy South East Asia. This time destination Myanmar Burma. For most of you who don't know just where it is I am including a little map to help situate us in your mind's eye. http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Burma/blog-109264.html