JakeEd1

If New York is the “melting pot” of the west, then Malaysia must be the “stir fry-wok” of the east, dishing out a smorgasbord of people, tastes, sights, and sounds that are anything but monotonous. A refreshing blend of ethnicities churn together inside a giant smoothie of culture to create one delicious gulp of travel in this benevolent land. The dominant faith is Muslim, guiding the souls of Indians, Chinese, Malay, and others through life in the funnel tip of Southeast Asia. Inexplicably awesome is not seeing a predominant ethnicity, as was much the case in previous countries we visited. Not that one ethnicity is a bad thing, but variety of faces and personalities is highly welcomed on a trip through Asian countries. We loved Malaysia! Especially the capital, Kuala Lumpur! Anyhoo… Our first stop was ... read more

The exhalation of fresh air that was traditional Laos soon gave way to the inhalation of another new world, light years ahead. Just steps over the border into Thailand, we were greeted with the warm luminous glow of 7/11 signs and other amenities that represent modern civilization. As wonderful as Laos was in its primitivism, it was great to be able to stroll inside those glass doors and see familiar brand names gracing the labels of those mass produced provisions we call snacks. Oh thank heaven for 7/11. After two days of traveling by slow boat up the Mekong River, our weary bones needed a rest. In the northernmost border town of Chiang Rai, we found a pleasant little guesthouse via Lonely Planet’s recommendation. We didn’t do much in Chiang Rai except for rest, re-up ... read more

A king fell in love with a girl. Her name was May. He asked for her hand in marriage. Every animal throughout the land was invited to the wedding. The ceremony lasted seven days and seven nights. When it was over, all the animals turned into stone... Or so the story goes... The story about the origins of the rock formations inside the Heavenly Palace Cave at Halong Bay may be fantasy but the real world beauty is undeniable. * * * * The twelve hour sleeper bus ride from Nha Trang to Hoi An was not all that bad of an experience. Besides the loudest snoring guy I've ever heard and an endless barrage of honking, I think we actually managed a couple hours of sleep. (Our twenty hour ride to Laos tomorrow will be ... read more

Killing time in the Killing Fields The capital of Cambodia, Phnom Penh, has a way of growing on you. All of the high speed hustle and bustle of Bangkok, minus the high rise buildings, plus a higher ratio of motorbikes to cars. It’s not a beautiful place, but it’s a place of intense emotional feeling. From stunning Buddhist temples to depressing monuments to genocide, one morning tuk-tuk ride took us on an excursion into the deepest chasms of human nature. Our driver, Lee, had arranged to pick us up at 8:00 a.m., so we would have enough time too see some sights before our 12:00 bus ride to Siem Reap (Angkor Wat). Arriving promptly at 7:50, we were awakened by knocking on our door and broken English. “Jake! Jake! Are you up? Time to go! We ... read more

CLICK HERE to Watch our Bungy Videos on YouTube !!!! Queesntown, New Zealand. The mecca for all that is reckless abandon. Looking in between your feet through a metal grate at a raging aqua colored river, carving a rocky canyon 100 meters below. Strapped in to a harness equipped with carabiners and tie downs as your only lifeline. Legs convulsing uncontrollably. Heart beating through your chest. Two "certified" operators joke around and nudge you nearly off the suicide drop. This is all part of the game. This is Queenstown. Welcome. We arrived here in the a.m. and headed to the booking office for our first extreme adventure. The Shotover Canyon Swing. Not even an hour into our stay in QT and we were loaded into a rickety van heading up the Kuwara river gorge to ... read more