http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/Tim--s-Excellent-Adventure/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Tim s Excellent Adventure en-us Fri, 18 Dec 2009 19:09:48 +0000 Fri, 18 Dec 2009 19:09:48 +0000 Cambodia is the stuff of legends a forgotten patch of jungle hidden deep in both time and place. Crumbling temples slowly sink under creeping vines and the ancient races whose kingdoms once stood here can still be seen in the eyes of the local people. Cambodia is a true frontier where everyday life is lived on the edge. On the edge of safety and the brink of starvation. Always near catastrophe http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Cambodia/North/Siem-Reap/blog-435849.html Vietnam has not let me down. Each town I stopped in along my way from North to South has had its own character and it was all surprisingly painless to get from one place to another and find cheap accommodation. The land was pretty diverse as well and there were more than just tropical beaches to choose from. The mountain town of Dalat was really similar to Portland with a much cooler climate an http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Vietnam/Southeast/Ho-Chi-Minh-City/blog-432967.html Vietnam is instantly more pleasant than China. As soon as we crossed the border the toilets became bearable the people got friendlier the food gained flavor and the sky became blue again. My first experiences in Hanoi and Halong Bay were so relaxed and beautiful it was easy to overlook the street people literally thrusting items into my hands to buy. Halong Bay is only a few hours away from H http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Vietnam/Northeast/Fansipan/blog-429895.html So here I am back in Hong Kong even in the same hostel I stayed at 2 months ago. I have to say my perspective on this place has changed. It's still busy and noisy but it somehow seems much more bearable after all the strange and awkward sleeping conditions I've been in through Thailand Laos and China. Even when the street hawkers swarmed me like flies I only sighed and smiled as I continued http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Hong-Kong/Kowloon/blog-428038.html After Xi'an I kept moving East toward Beijing. Along the way I stayed a few days in the tiny ancient city of Pingyao where a medieval wall still surrounds the clusters of narrow alleys and pagodas. The crumbling bricks and dusty towers make Pingyao feel like the Chinese version of the Old West and watching the sun set on the forgotten city is way more peaceful than any of the big cities I've b http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/China/Beijing/blog-426063.html Wow a lot has happened since Koh Pangan. Let's see...After Thailand I hopped a plane to the Southeast corner of China to the city of Guangzhou. It's a hot smoggy crowded city. It's got all the worst symptoms of the industrialized Eastern world and after 2 days I was glad to move on to Chengdu. On the overnight train the allChinese passengers first stared at me like I had 2 heads I had to c http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/China/Shaanxi/Xi-an/blog-421644.html For the last week or so I've been back in Thailand this time to the gorgeous Southern islands. I stayed on the island of Ko Phangan which is famous for it's monthly Full Moon Party. Thousands of backpackers from all over the world come here to dance wear glow paint and drink cocktails so potent they're made in buckets. The days leading up the Full Moon were just as fun and the actual event wa http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/South-West-Thailand/Ko-Pha-Ngan/blog-417641.html Made it to Laos The 2 day slow boat down the Mekong river was beautiful at first then got really crowded and cramped. Luang Prabang was a nice enough town but definitely a tourist trap. After a 5 hours on treacherous winding mountain roads shrouded in mist a rickety minivan has deposited me in Vang Vieng. Here I should be able to go tubing down the river and generally chill out. That is after http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Laos/West/Vang-Vieng/blog-413631.html Wow. This is the kind of thing that happens to this one guy who knew this other guy but it really did go down just like in a movie.Arnthor is missing.Last night we met some Danish guys who were keen to hit all the seediest bars in Bangkok. I had a couple drinks with them at the hostel bar before hand but was falling asleep in my drink. Sheepishly I went to bed instead of going out with the b http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/North-West-Thailand/Chiang-Mai/blog-411105.html Awesome. After hanging out for a day in Hong Kong fellow traveler Arnthor from Iceland and I have decided to come to Bangkok. We barely made it on the flight last night and got to the hostel too late to book anything less than a semiexpensive private room. It's actually been a blessing in disguise since the beds here are great and the ones in Hong Kong were awful.Today we booked a week long tr http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/Central-Thailand/Bangkok/blog-410483.html This will be my last night in Hong Kong. It's been a wild ride but this gritty town and it's nonstop energy has become wearisome. I've seen plenty but when i return in September I'll still have a few islands to visit.I took a ride on the traditional Chinese junk boat another nice mellow break from the crowds and car horns. Here are some pics from the big Big BIG Buddha. The monastery below al http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Hong-Kong/Kowloon/blog-409752.html At least in Southeast Asia in the summer it is. Today was mostly spent lounging on the shores of a tiny fishing island off Hong Kong soaking up sun and swimming in the bathwater sea. Ferries go everywhere here and only cost between .25 and 1.50 US. I rented a rusty bicycle and cruised around seeing temples and shrines in unexpected places. Life on these little islands is lived at a leisurely http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Hong-Kong/Kowloon/blog-409469.html Hong Kong is intense.Over the last couple of days I've been taking time to see the sights and sample some of what this busy place has to offer. I've gone to the scenic viewpoints and taken the ferries around the islands. I've tasted the food and gone to the markets. I've seen the museums and the parks and it's all beautiful. But you know what Those aren't the things I really came here for.My mo http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Hong-Kong/Kowloon/blog-408387.html Made it. 18 hours is WAY too long to spend in an airline seat and I'm too bushed to put in a decent entry. I'm now in a sweltering tiny hostel room with 8 other 20 somethings from around the world all clicking away on computers. It's perfect.It's only 830 pm here but I think I'm gonna call it a day. More tomorrow.Tim http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Hong-Kong/Kowloon/blog-407769.html Like I said.. woah. It's hard to believe that a few short months ago I spontaneously decided to vacate the country chase the solar eclipse and get lost in Asia. Now here I am sitting in the airport in Vancouver BC about to board the long flight 18 hours to Hong Kong. It's been kind of a blur.But first I have to mention my utter amazement at the help and support of my friends. I've been the http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Canada/British-Columbia/Vancouver/YVR/blog-407611.html