WE CHECKED INTO THE HUE HOLIDAY HOTEL a mere four hours after we left Hoi An, a pleasant reprieve from our usual 12-13 hour jaunts. We decided to stop in Hue more out of necessity than desire. We had plane tickets to Bangkok in only five days, and there was a lot that I wanted to see in the north, including Halong Bay, the sight that had attracted me to Vietnam in the first place. Unfortunately there wasn’t a bus straight to Hanoi so had to stop in Hue to transfer; we decided we may as well spend the day there and leave the following morning. Against our wishes our one day turned into three – there were no buses available for the next two days due to the number of people that were traveling for ... read more

Normal 0 LUSCIOUS WHITE SAND! ALLURING TURQUOISE WAVES! There’s just something about the combination of these that makes me go weak in the knees. The word beautiful is not adequate to describe this devastatingly handsome landscape of Nha Trang. A sleek, modern city scape runs parallel to the white sands that slope gently into the clear, aqua waters. Dark forest green mountains jut up over the horizon. Nha Trang transformed us from thrifty backpackers to indulgent revelers without even asking for our consent. We ate delicious food, partied like rockstars, swam in the sparkling waters, and... read more

AFTER SIEM REAP WE MADE OUR WAY to Cambodia’s second largest city, Battambang. We decided to visit Battambang because we wanted to visit a more traditional Cambodian town and we had heard the surrounding countryside was beautiful. We could feel the difference immediately upon arrival – the pace of life was slower, the streets a bit dingier, and the scenery not as picturesque. At first sight it was a little disappointing but after walking around it became clear that this was a much more authentic version of Cambodia and I was happy for it. Since there are no large monuments or attractions in Battambang it doesn’t see many tourists, which means it has a very local, almost provincial feel. A frothy brown river runs through the center of town with small, open face storefronts on both ... read more

WE CONTINUED TO FOLLOW INDIA’S WEST COAST southward until we reached the beach town of Varkala, beloved throughout Kerala and much of India for its blond beaches and dramatic cliffs which face the Arabian sea. The narrow, red dirt path that stretches out along the cliff face is overflowing with seafood restaurants, ayurvedic spas, small resorts and shops. Although well touristed, Varkala has a sophisticated feel to it, with flowy resort dresses outnumbering hippie pants and a far less stinky crowd. The air while we were there, however, was thick and unmoving, leaving a residue of slick sweat on our bodies at all times. Even jumping in the sea did not provide much relief – as soon as I exited the water the droplets on my skin began to instantly transform into sweat, leaving me even ... read more

WAYANAD HAS THE MAKINGS OF SOMETHING truly wonderful. It has misty peaks, miles of tea plantations, tall, lanky palm trees, and gushing waterfalls – it is absolutely bursting with vegetation. It is also home to a large wildlife preserve that hosts elephants living in the wild, exotic birds, and numerous other species. Despite all of this, it only has rudimentary tourist infrastructure making it difficult and expensive to visit. Travis and I decided to visit anyway as we couldn’t resist the temptation of glimpsing elephants in their natural habitat. Unfortunately, thousands of other Indian families had the same idea. Many of them had decided to spend their month long holiday in between Christmas and New Years in this peaceful outdoor retreat, which had the effect of eliminating any trace of pea... read more