I write this final journal entry from a busy internet cafe on the Khao San Road, oh yes, back in the steamy noodle metropolis of Bangkok one last time. I spent the day on the pool deck of that same hotel I snuck into three months ago on my first days here... I can hardly believe how quickly time has passed. In 12 hours, I'll be on a 747 Jumbo Jet bound for home... but not before stopping in Taipei, Anchorage and New York. At noon on Wednesday, if all goes according to plan, I'll touch down in Halifax after three [View Full Entry]

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Happy Happy Summer! While all you Connors/BRCC/extended family folk were partying in Hackett's Cove this Saturday, I was on a midnight train bound for Malaysia. And don't think I wasn't thinking of you! Since I last wrote from Bangkok, just after leaving the lovely lovely Laos, I've continued on my journey...south. Wayyyy south! Back in May, (seems like a lifetime ago!) I visited 2 of the 3 islands located in the Gulf of Thailand: Koh Tao and Koh Samui. (You may recall the food poisoning/parasite incident? That was there.) Anyway, since I missed out on Koh Phagnan, the one in the [View Full Entry]

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Luang Prabang has stolen my heart. It has to be my favorite place of all so far. Everything just seems to fit. The people, the surroundings, the atmosphere, the attitude. It's a UNESCO World Heritage site, nestled in the mountains, next to the Mekong River. I can't describe how beautiful it is here... just picture Lunenburg -- those same sort of heritage homes -- except next to a chocolate milk colored babbling river instead of the Atlantic Ocean. Oh, and the streets are lined with palm trees and fruit vendors. And there are gorgeous green mountains in every direction. There are [View Full Entry]

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Sabaidee! And Happy Canada Day!!! I've been in the country for just one week... and by golly, it's true. The living IS easy in Laos! I feel like I've gone from a zillion miles an hour to a snail's pace. There are no obnoxious honking horns. No kamikaze motorbikes aiming for me and no street hawkers trying to sell me anything I don't need. There aren't enough 'ills' in chill to describe this place. It's partially because the people here are just different. And, partially because tourism to the country is so new, I reckon they haven't had time to come [View Full Entry]

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Just got back from an absolutely breathtaking few days on Halong Bay. It's a UNESCO World Heritage Site and it's just like the pictures promise... Thousands and thousands of limestone islands that jut straight up into the air. Apparently, they're very similar to those on the Adaman coast of Thailand. The call it 'where the dragon meets the sea.' Left Hanoi early Tuesday morning to go to Halong City by bus. There are 5 zillion tour companies offering this type of cruise, but they're not all the 'same same.' I've heard some horror stories about being put on crappy rooms in [View Full Entry]

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In Hanoi... ditched my crappy bus pass and took the overnight train from Hue to Hanoi with my aussie friends and a belgium couple. I can't remember their names, so I refer to them as Hanz and Franz (even though I know that's German...and I don't do it in their company, of course.) Anyway, train was lovely. Paid more for the one trip than my entire idiotic tourist bus pass, but it was worth it. I gave my bus tickets to the lovely Vietnamese girl who worked at my last hotel. She was very excited! I felt good about that. Hanoi, [View Full Entry]

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I have just had the best few days of my trip thus far. Am convinced that the only way to see this country is from the back of a motorbike. A real motorbike. Last time I wrote, I was about to leave Hoi An with a backpack full of new digs. I ditched my tourist bus ticket and Dale and Katherine, the Aussie couple, picked me up from my hotel. They hired a couple local fellows to drive us up the coast to Hue in a car! When you're on a bus, you really only get to see the highway. It [View Full Entry]

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Sitting in Hoi An, just about to do my last fitting for (yet another) tailor made item. This UNESCO world heritage town is best known for its gorgeous french architecture (reminds me of southern France) and its 200 plus tailor shops. These tailors can recreate ANYTHING you point out in a designer catalogue....for a fraction of the price... and in about 3 hours. I heard about all of this, but didn't believe it until I actually arrived. Now I feel like some character out of a Bridget Jones type novel, bouncing from shop to shop, getting measured for beautiful new digs... [View Full Entry]

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Yes, here I am in Ho Chi Min City, where coned hats, french pastries and mystery meat on the street prevail. I like it better than PP already! Staying in a $2.50 USD guest house. I'm sharing with my new friend Helen from England, who is in her 8th month of travel. She's going for a whole year. At our hotel, we get free breakfast too -- your choice of tea or coffee and "baked." Took me awhile to figure out that meant 'baguette.' (You gotta love the English translations and spelling here!) Ate it in a little kitchen that doubles [View Full Entry]

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For those who keep asking... :) Each one took 5 minutes to upload -- or longer -- so there are only a few. [View Full Entry]

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