http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/Carolee-and-Jay/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Carolee and Jay en-us Sun, 15 Nov 2009 21:57:44 +0000 Sun, 15 Nov 2009 21:57:44 +0000 The only thing I knew about Nepal before coming here is that they invented that lessthanclever combination of vanillachocolatestrawberry ice cream. Or is that NEApolitan Well now I know one thing for certain about Nepal it has the most gorgeous scenic drives I've ever been on. I'm not saying it has the best scenery though it could easily contend but it simply has the best scenery from http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Nepal/blog-30054.html Yangshuo is the unofficial convergence site of backpacker China. There's this pedestrianonly street Xi Jie West Street that is 3 blocks long full of cafes bars clubs and trinket stalls to cater strictly to ole Whitey. You'll hear James Blunt in the cafes and Maroon 5 in the bars and have your pick of pancakes hash browns pizza and burgers to remind you of home. More likely than not http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/China/Guangxi/Yangshuo/blog-26748.html We finally made it to a beach on the SE coast of China in Xiamen. Lazing out on the sand sipping cocktails taking a dip to get the old heart going again or to take a thinlyveiled piss break. That's what we pictured before we got here. But the first sight we arrived to on the beach were 3 guys in Dockers and dress shoes posing for pictures on the shore. There's no laying around or build http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/China/Fujian/Xiamen/Gulangyu/blog-25982.html When I was a kid I used to have this inexplicable urge whenever I saw someone holding a newspaper out in front of them to swat it out of their hands while they were intently reading. It wasn't anything menacing I just thought it was funny kinda like scaring someone from behind a closed door. But no one ever really saw the same humour in it that I did. I did it to my Dad all the time where http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/China/Zhejiang/Hangzhou/blog-25109.html We just made it back from Huangshan an amazing mountain peak located in Anhui province in east central China. We had never heard of the place before coming here but along our journey had heard so many people talking it up that we were ripe to go. There's no rail connecting Wuhan where we were last staying to Huangshan so we had to bus 4 hrs to Jinliang 3 hrs. to Jingdezhen train 3 hrs to T http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/China/blog-23993.html Our whole concept of good and evil in this world has been completely upended. For the entire first month we've been coming out of each train station barreling through the throng of groping hotel hawkers and tour bus drivers who try to grease you with their carsalesman smile and luring English. They know just enough words to get your attention in a world of unrecognizable bawkwai's and x http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/China/blog-23632.html So we made it out of Mongolia though it took a bit of work. Last we wrote we were on our 5th bonus day in Ulaan Baatar with no prospects of getting out. The last day we went to the station at opening as per our daily regimen and were denied for the 4th straight time. A few days earlier when the agent couldn't find us a ticket we thought we heard her mention something about going directly to http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/China/blog-22618.html We've had a wrenching stomach ache the last few days and they both started at the same time which leads us to believe it was one of 2 things The apples that the nice elderly folk gave us on the train that were bought straight off the street and thrown into a dusty bag though they warned us to wash them we were on the train using recycled water from the communal vanity room where I wouldn't be s http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/China/Jiangsu/Suzhou/blog-20714.html We're now in Xian. and are now leaving Xian. Got here 2 days ago and the only train we could get to our next destination Shanghai was for today so we're forced to hightail it out. Pretty nice town large I think they say population of 4 million. We've seen a few familiar faces from Beijing so it looks to be we're all rolling the same number on the dice.The last day in Beijing was spent http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/China/Shaanxi/Xi--an/blog-20113.html A few days have passed kept busy trying to hit all the sights. on Tuesday we got to Mao's Mausoleum only a half hour earlier than the 730 opening and so expected the huge line we encountered. It was a bit intimidating as honestly we were about 1200th in line about 300 positions back and they stacked people 4 to a row but it was so well organized that once the line started moving you didnt st http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/China/Beijing/blog-19730.html woke up at 530 this time getting worse and hit Tian'anmen Square Tiantan Temple of Heaven and went to see a Chinese Opera. We got up early to go to Tian' anmen to try and beat the line to see Mao and found out the mausoleum was closed on Mondays. So we went to the Forbidden City the stomping ground for Chinese royalty for the last 500 years closed to the public hence the name until ab http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/China/Beijing/blog-19723.html woke up early morning about 8am early for not being employed. Carolee and I realized long ago in our travels that the best way to explore a city is by bike less confusing than by bus less limited than by walking and less underground than the subway. the hostel rented out bikes only US2.50 a day nice It was a bit chaotic the first time out. There isn't much order to the roads. Thoug http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/China/Beijing/blog-19707.html The plane ride from NY wasn't as bad as we thought it'd be. 2 hours to Chicago then 12 to Beijing. The airline made some lofty promises for their entertainment segment announcing they'd be showing 6 different movies so its a long haul but at least we'd have a decent diversion right...they ended up showing two one of them three times Mr. Mrs. Smith. So we get to Beijing around 230pm and http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/China/Beijing/blog-19423.html Not really an entry but just wanted to post something while in Myanmar so we can color in more of that little world map on the title page. Though I just went across the border to get my stay extended in Thailand it still counts as being in another country. As an American you dont really need a visa for Thailand they'll let you in on goodwill for a period of up to 30 days. If you want to stay http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Burma/blog-49469.html Traveling in Egypt is a game of patience and humility. When riding the overnight bus from Hurghada to Aswan remember to hold on to all 14 ticket stubs that they give you so that you can show the fare collector who comes back to check by waking you up at 1am and every 45 mins thereafter. Show them only 13 slips and you got some 'splaining to do. When riding the train from Aswan to Luxor remember http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Egypt/Upper-Egypt/blog-41758.html Reentered India via Bombay a good place to make a return. As the country's economic capital it's a good place to see today's modern India. It's a busy metropolis 16 mil but beyond paying too much on fancy meals and nicer hotels they provided towels there really isn't much else to remark on. Besides the fact that it was the first place we've seen in India to house the Golden Arches. We'v http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Maharashtra/Mumbai/blog-38364.html Finally in Thailand. Our last country. I don't consider it much a tourist destination anymore as the family roots dig deep in Siam and I've spent enough hot summers in Bangkok and various offradar towns in middle country to feel a little underwhelmed whenever I come back. But all those times I had been escorted around safe in the custody of relatives. Though I've been to places like Chiang M http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/Central-Thailand/Bangkok/blog-47757.html Hadn't updated the blog in a while cuz well it turned out to feel like work and hell I'm on vacation. But seeing as how one of you has taken the time to express concern over our whereabouts charmed Joanna will try to dredge up some of our last encounters. So now in Rajasthan the State of Kings. Before Britain arrived and put the leather submission outfit on India the natives thrived in an http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Rajasthan/blog-43584.html Singapore is only 100 miles north of the equator which is kinda cool cuz it makes the climate stable. If you take a look at one of those annual climate charts each month shows the same bar. What sucks is that it's stabled around hot. When you get off the plane it feels like someone just dumped a bucket of pudding on you with which you're forced to walk around the rest of your stay. But it's a http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Singapore/blog-48289.html Saw the Taj Mahal absolutely amazing. It's rare that you can come upon a site that lives up to its hype but the Taj is one of those rare breeds. The photo's obligatory but really it can't produce the leveling you get when you see it in person. Magnificent. I heard one praise that calls it the greatest monument to love. If it were a monument to kicking puppies it would still drop you on your http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/National-Capital-Territory/New-Delhi/blog-44427.html