Page 2 of SeeingTheWorld Travel Blog Posts


Reaching New Heights

Published: August 17th 2007Asia » India » Jammu & Kashmir » Ladakh » Leh
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SeeingTheWorld
August 16th 2007

It would be safe to say that I have reached a "high" point in my trip, both literally and figuratively. It's certainly no secret that the Ladakh region of North India is a trekking paradise. Having so many routes to choose from, one falls victim to the tyranny of choice in planning upcoming adventures. I've been in Ladakh slightly less than one month, spending 16 of those days out in the wilderness, trekking at high elevations and exploring the wondrous beauty of the Himalaya. It has truly been a magical experience. After finishing the 8-day, 118-mile Rhumtse to Tso Moriri Lake trek, it was necessary to take a few days of rest. However, feeling very healthy and well adjusted to the altitude of Leh, I was quick to search for an even tougher challenge. India has ... read more



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SeeingTheWorld
July 27th 2007

There has been no lack of excitement and activity during the past week. As I mentioned in my previous blog, the day after finishing the trek, the same group decided to embark upon a long downhill mountain bike trip on the highest motorable road in the world. The road eventually took us up to the Khardung La Pass at an elevation of 18,380ft. Aside from the frigidly cold air and noticeable lack of oxygen in the air, the views were stunning. After snapping a few memorable photos, we began our 3 our descent back to Leh. During the trip we descended almost exactly 7,000ft back to the town of Leh. It was great fun and didn't require all that much effort given the fact the entire ride was downhill, allowing the force of gravity to do ... read more



Spituk to Stok Trek

Published: August 9th 2007Asia » India » Jammu & Kashmir » Ladakh » Leh
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SeeingTheWorld
July 24th 2007

So I haven't been so vigilant in updating the blog recently. I finished my volunteer teaching work in Mcleod Ganj about 10 days ago. Teaching the Tibetan refugees and the Buddhist monks English was perhaps the most enjoyable and memorable experience of trip thus far. Most of the students had no English experience or knowledge whatsoever, so I started half the classes with learning the alphabet. By the end of six weeks I had a lot of my students who knew no English when we started, asking me questions in English by the time we finished. So many f them came so far and it was almost euphoric to watch their skills progress in such a short period of time. The Tibetans are the most delightful group of people I've ever come across and their warmth, ... read more



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SeeingTheWorld
June 10th 2007

After nearly 7 months of constant movement and travel I have finally found a temporary settlement. For the next 6 weeks I will be residing in a small town called Mcleod Ganj up here in North India. When His Holiness the 14th Dali Lama fled Tibet after the Chinese invasion/occupation in 1959, Mcleod Ganj is where he made is home. In the surrounding area of Dharmsala and within Mcleod Ganj is an extremely large Tibetan-refugee community, creating a social and cultural environment that is in many ways distinct from the rest of India. Dharmsala and its environs is home to the Tibetan Government in Exile and a large number of artifacts, museums, and Buddhist monasteries which all contribute to preserve Tibetan national identity. Tibetan monks in their elegant maroon robes are often a more common sight ... read more



Manali High

Published: August 7th 2007Asia » India » Himachal Pradesh » Manali
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SeeingTheWorld
May 24th 2007

I knew the moment I arrived in Manali that I would enjoy my time here. Set in a large valley with snow-capped mountain ranges running adjacent to the town, the scenery around Manali is stunning. When compared to the 110+ temperatures of Delhi, the weather here is awesome. Ranging from low 70's in the day at high 40's at night, it's a great summer mountain climate. The several valleys and peaks around Manali are prime backpacking spots with more than 50+ different treks to choose from. Unfortunately because of the late snow this year I'll have to wait a month or more before the most desirable passes open up. I think I'll return in a little over a month and see what trips I can get myself involved in. On my second day I did take ... read more



Amazing India!

Published: August 7th 2007Asia » India » Uttar Pradesh » Agra
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SeeingTheWorld
May 18th 2007

I knew the moment I arrived in Manali that I would enjoy my time here. Set in a large valley with snow-capped mountain ranges running adjacent to the town, the scenery around Manali is stunning. When compared to the 110+ temperatures of Delhi, the weather here is awesome. Ranging from low 70's in the day at high 40's at night, it's a great summer mountain climate. The several valleys and peaks around Manali are prime backpacking spots with more than 50+ different treks to choose from. Unfortunately because of the late snow this year I'll have to wait a month or more before the most desirable passes open up. I think I'll return in a little over a month and see what trips I can get myself involved in. On my second day I did take ... read more



Final Farewell to Vietnam

Published: August 7th 2007Asia » Vietnam » Red River Delta » Hanoi
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SeeingTheWorld
May 9th 2007

Final Farewell to Vietnam As I write this blog it's been exactly 2 months since I entered the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. It's hard to believe that time has moved by so quickly and in some ways I'm sad to leave. One month on my own and one month with Dad, a nice blend of comfort, companionship, and adventure. I feel insanely lucky to have had the chance to spend a whole month traveling the country with Dad and I know that it is a part of my trip I am unlikely ever to forget. Like I've said in previous blogs, Vietnam fascinates me on so many levels and I really enjoy just observing life moving by at such a rapid pace and pondering what's in store for these insanely ambitious people. I have nothing but ... read more



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SeeingTheWorld
May 2nd 2007

In an attempt to not be too repetitive with my blogs I'm going to keep this one rather brief. As I've already "blogged" many of the places I'm now revisiting, I don't see a tremendous need to repeat tales of history and geography in Central Vietnam. That doesn't mean, however, that the last few weeks have been short of any fun and excitement. I think quite the contrary. Since I last updated this site, Dad and I have been working our way north toward our eventual final destination of Hanoi. There's only 11 days of our trip left and man has time moved by fast. It seriously seems like yesterday that we were wandering around Saigon while I watched Dad's bewildered reaction to the motorbike insanity that consumes the city. It's been a great trip ... read more



In the Mekong Delta

Published: August 9th 2007Asia » Vietnam » Mekong River Delta
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SeeingTheWorld
April 17th 2007

After traveling nearly 5 months, most of it alone, on April 14th I was finally graced with a serious dose of familiarity. Dad had arrived. After flying nearly 20 hours from San Francisco to Hong Kong, and then Hong Kong to Saigon, Dad had made it to Vietnam. After settling into our room, we briefly meandered around the city and called it an early night. There was a lot planned for the next few days. Since I’ve already spent nearly a month getting to know Vietnam, traveling around with Dad should be a breeze. Over the course of 30 days I’ve gone from the very far north near the Chinese border, all the way to the very far south towards Malaysia. Checking out the best towns, coolest hotels, best sights, and tastiest places to eat. So ... read more



Easy Riding

Published: August 9th 2007Asia » Vietnam » Central Highlands » Lam Dong » Da Lat
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SeeingTheWorld
April 14th 2007

I guess I mentioned at the end of my last blag that I would give you gusy some sort of fashion show. Well, sorry to disappoint (I doubt anyone really cared). As much fun as it was getting tons of custom fit clothes made, I thought it would be a bit lame to post a dozen photos of me dressed up in different attire. I may have been a wee-bit over-excited about visiting Hoi An when I last updated the blog. Anyways.... A beautiful town filled with century-old buildings that date back to the French colonial days. The influence on the architecture is very much noticeable. I spent several days wandering the old town and visiting various tailor shops to find a place to make me clothes. There are over 400 tailors in Hoi An, all ... read more






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