 Rebecca Ford - drofykceb | All Comments |
Comments | |
| 19th November 2009 trisela | Medical Travel Insurance - From: Travel Insurance Ups & Downs Thank you for such a useful post .I really appreciate your effort and encourage others to view this post Medical Travel Insurance |
| 7th November 2009 Darlene Pendell | Ah Paris - From: Ah, That Matisse Hi Becky, I am taking a "senior" class at UT called the evolution of Modern Art. Several weeks ago the lecture was about Fauvism in France with Matisse, Rodin and Derain. While sitting in class I decided to repair our bedroom with the color of Matisse. I hope the Renior exhibit is still in Paris. When we were there in the summer Bill and I went to see it. Wonderful. Enjoy the city of lights. My favorite city. Darlene |
| 7th November 2009 leokasari12 | - From: Ah, That Matisse Hello Rebbeca, Lovely pictures you have posted. The Orangerie was a delight that I was almost disappointed in. After paying the 12 euro entry fee and gazing on the water lillies for about 15 minutes I thought well that was nice but really a rip off for a one trick pony. As I was heading toward the exit I saw the small sign that lead to the basement and seeking a restroom went down stairs. A lucky event spured by a full bladder. The collection was throughly enjoyable and I almost missed it. |
| 6th November 2009 Neomi | - From: Paris Revisited I miss you guys! This was so fun to read. Isn't running in Paris is the best - you're distracted from your misery by all the beauty and history around you. |
| 6th August 2009 anonymous | - From: Hong Kong Blowout On your next trip to South East Asia, i would suggest that you start with Singapore and Thailand. I enjoy reading your blog and hope to see you back. |
| 6th August 2009 anonymous | Nice beach! - From: Paradise, Or "Survivor"? Is this trip to the private beach a part of the 'Ha Long Bay Rock Long Rock Hard' tour? |
| 13th July 2009 Helen | Farewell - From: Hong Kong Blowout Have a good journey back home. That must have been a tough decision to make but as long as your happy with it that’s the main thing. I will look forward to hearing when you are off on your travels again.. Stay safe. Hx |
| 13th July 2009 Angelica | OMG!!! FUN PARTYING!!! - From: Hong Kong Blowout Wooow! The partying looks so cool. Okay, we could do without the huge waves, but still - the boat, the foods, the masquerade party!?!?!?!?! AWESOME!!! Hey, and that's a pretty shirt....did someone go shopping??? Call me when you're back in the States! |
| 13th July 2009 Angelica | Ooooh....duck - From: Pekingese Fajitas I had that in Foggy Bottom at some Chinese restaurant....I was so excited that I was getting 'peking duck' something I'd always heard about. I agree - too greasy, you treat it like a taco and it's not all that good. I'd rather Lauriol Plaza Fajita tacos. Mmmmm. Enjoyed hearing the review though. |
| 12th July 2009 Mom | What a Way To Go!! - From: Hong Kong Blowout Sounds like you had a blast in Hong Kong. What an exciting send-off. It is great to have such good friends spread out around the globe. Hope you can return the favor for Travis one day. Can't wait to see all of your pictures. See you Monday. Love Mom |
| 8th July 2009 kly | wow, what an adventure! - From: Fourth of July Junk Hi Rebecca, thanks for sharing your journey with us here! The advice you give is definitely helpful for peeps like me who hope to travel through Southeast Asia as well. Sorry to hear you got sick, but I am glad you are getting along better now. I sure hope that you will still continue on without losing site of what you intended on for your 5 month journey. I will sure to be coming back to read. Oh yes, and how is your budget coming? Is $30/day good to get you through the day? |
| 8th July 2009 amber | - From: To Market, To Market Haven't been able to identify the red and white flower at the top- the one that looks like velcro or maybe corn on the cob?...But I did find out that the one you labeled "flowers?" is a pitcher plant, a carnivorous plant (eats insects, not you), but only after asking a friend who's something of an expert in that field. Anyhow, it looks nice and healthy, and so do you. You must be feeling better! |
| 7th July 2009 Angelica | Soooo....was it the - From: To Market, To Market raging case of unknown/exotic travller's stomach virus or facing ending your journey that made you un-afraid of birds???? I'm very impressed. |
| 7th July 2009 Angelica | Those green things look like.. - From: To Market, To Market .....they look like jalapenos or green beans! What are they? Wannabe asparagus? |
| 7th July 2009 drofykceb | Prices - From: To Market, To Market Prices are dirt cheap compared to anything you would find in the States! You can get gorgeous, huge flower arrangements for a few dollars. |
| 7th July 2009 Jill | - From: To Market, To Market Hi Becky - I think flower market would obviously be a favorite out of those! How are the prices? After conversion, do you feel like the prices are US equivalent for the quality? Not sure how the bunny market is in Austin but how about the flowers? |
| 6th July 2009 drofykceb | Junky Boat - From: Fourth of July Junk Yeah, it was kind of disappointing, but I found out there's only one real historic junk left in Hong Kong, called the Duk Ling. Weather pending, I might try to take a cruise on it, but it has been pouring cats and dogs. Jill said the kids got their postcard, (but that was from Hong Kong, and about a week or so earlier), hope yours doesn't dawdle too long! |
| 6th July 2009 Dad | And after I told everybody... - From: Fourth of July Junk ...you were going out for a party on a genuine Chinese junk! Oh, well, at least it looks like you weren't riding around on some firetrap garbage scow. Still waiting for that first postcard! |
| 5th July 2009 Jill | - From: Fourth of July Junk Hi Becky! Kate and Jack got their post card and we very excited! Also, thank you for printing as the kids usually give up on cursive. Glad you are having more good clean fun! |
| 3rd July 2009 drofykceb | Thanks! - From: Culture Shock I appreciate your words of support. I hope you and your husband have a great time in Ha Long Bay - it is a truly amazing place. Safe travels! |
| 3rd July 2009 Abi Kemp | Fair play to you - From: Culture Shock Hi, I was just looking through blogs to try and get some tips for halong bay cruises when i happened across your blog. i am travelling with my husband and we have been away from home for 6 months so far, i hust wanted to say fair play to you doing all this on your own, it can be very intimidating when you are with someone let alone when you are on your own. reading your blog has also made me appreciate having someone to share this with. I hope that your feeling better soon and i have the ultimate admiration for what you are doing, i know it might not feel like it at the moment but there will be many many positive things to come out of your experiences. good luck and don't let them grind you down a fellow traveller |
| 2nd July 2009 Mom | Isn't Skype Wonderful? - From: Back in Hong Kong Just wanted to say how great it was to actually see you again on Skype and be able to count all the fingers and toes. It was also very encouraging to hear that you are thinking about continuing your adventure. While adventures are exciting and memorable, thay are also exhausting. Good idea to recharge your batteries. It will be fun to hear about your Peking Duck dinner on Friday night. Hopefully they will not serve it with the feet and head like in the Christmas movie "Christmas Story" with Ralphie and his family. Ha Ha. Enjoy July 4th with Travis and his buddies. However with the quantity of alcohol that he has ordered, you may need to take some notes so you can report on your blog. Have Fun, Relax, and Celebrate. Love Mom |
| 2nd July 2009 Helen Hunter | Of Course, l forgot.... - From: Back in Hong Kong .... Retail Therapy! Just what a girl needs, albeit for flip flops!..... You do sound a lot better Rebecca which is great to hear... Lets hope your bug/virus clears up for good too... |
| 2nd July 2009 Jill | - From: Back in Hong Kong This sounds much better to me! But I'm not sure I can handle being on a plane for more than 3 hours... I know I am wimpy - you can do this! |
| 2nd July 2009 drofykceb | Thanks! - From: Culture Shock Helen - thank you for your words of encouragement! I am sure that I will be in a better state of mind to make decisions on how to proceed after a few days in HK, and some time with friends. I am already feeling the urge for adventure, and I have only been back for a few hours! Amazing how you can rejuvenate... You are right that this is probably the real test of my mettle as a traveler, and I certainly do not want to give up on a years-long dream. Please keep in touch and I will let everyone know what I'm planning! -B |
| 1st July 2009 amber | - From: Culture Shock Smoking?!? Bad, bad, bad!! I can't believe that in this day and age you would do such a thing to yourself! Get out of the country and move on! |
| 1st July 2009 Helen Hunter | Transform: Challenges into Opportunities; & Problems into Solutions. - From: Culture Shock (((((((Big Hugs)))))) for Rebecca. I admire your honesty about how your feeling and the thought of travelling alone is one that grips me occasionally and l haven’t gone yet! I understand Vietnam is still a very very poor country and what we would consider to be “roughing it” would possibly be luxury to them in some places. So I can identify with how low it must be making you feel right now and that’s without the heat and your debilitating illness you’re suffering from as well, which only compounds everything and makes the whole thing seem 10 times worse than it really is.. Maybe a few days in Hong Kong with dry bathroom floors, clean water, air con, clean sheets and sleep might make you feel a) better b) stronger and C) Feel like getting back on that god damn horse! I guess this is where you have to dig very deep indeed. And l agree with you that’s it’s not like you can share the up’s and downs of this and cry on the shoulder of a companion which would make it all the more bearable as well… I personally and extremely selfishly don’t want you to quit. Because l enjoy reading your blogs and you do not strike me as the sort of person to give up. “At least Seven years” you said you’d dreamt of this trip. Try not to let a small backwater country get the better of you. I’m sure you will have many magical once in a life time experiences when you feeling well and stronger. This is part of your life’s journey and you wouldn’t want it to be plain sailing all the way because you wouldn’t learn anything… And hey, You think you’ve got it bad, our air con broke down at work yesterday and it’s 30c So We’ve had to plug a fan in! And if that wasn’t bad enough, l’ve chipped a nail!!! Hee Hee…. Get out of Nam PDQ [Pretty Damn Quick] rest in HK for a while cos if you give up you may regret it. But it is your choice hun, no one will think any less of you… Well, we all will actually we just won’t say.. Sorry, Poor British humour there…. |
| 1st July 2009 Jill | - From: C'est Magique We watched Nim's Island last week and this is in the movie too! |
| 30th June 2009 Neomi | - From: Nice People, Nice Shopping Is the hapless backpacker crying, or just overwhelmed by smells? That is a GREAT photo. So glad you found your photo card!! I'm glad heartwarming things are happening to you, too. Those can really make a difference. |
| 30th June 2009 Neomi | Hang in there - From: A Safari I can completely understand why the constant harassment from the locals is getting you down. I hope things start to look up once you leave Vietnam, but I suspect things (the begging) will be similar all over Asia. It looks lovely, though. Hope you are meeting some nice, somewhat mature traveling companions. :) |
| 30th June 2009 Mom | Sharing is Good - From: Solo Woes It sounds like independent travel is a little like "childbirth". It is painful at moments when you are actually doing it, but it is wonderful to look back on and generally results in the "birth" of many new memories and stories. Like "childbirth" travel is more fun when you have someone to share it with. Those "Did you see that?" or "Can you believe this?" times are important. As Three Dog Night put it "One is the loneliest number that you'll ever do". But just think about the cocktail hour chatter that you have available! Love Mom |
| 30th June 2009 drofykceb | Smells.... - From: Solo Woes Oh no! That sounds miserable! I hope you at least saw some whales for your trouble! |
| 30th June 2009 Jill | - From: Solo Woes Very familiar scene, but all voices in English... Ken and I were on a whale watching tour off the coast of Provincetown, Mass... we are out in choppy seas to see the whales on a large sight seeing boat with a snack bar - cooking up some kind of breakfast. They start handing out plastic bags and I think, oh how nice they are giving us trash bags to keep the boat clean. On cue, all these people start vomiting! I had no idea I would get sea sick until that smell hit the air with the greasy kitchen smell too. I made Ken walk me out and sit on the side of the boat but it was freezing! I never threw up but I really wanted too. Oh course someone walks by and makes some funny comment that was suppose to make us laugh and I may have bitten her head off! When we got back we found out we were the only boat to go out that day because seas were too choppy. |
| 29th June 2009 drofykceb | Communication - From: Solo Woes Amber - I won't deny it's been frustrating! Tonal languages and all - I just can't get them. I get by with English, a mix of pointing and waving and finger-thrusting (for numbers, you see), and sometimes all that just doesn't get the point across. I mean, how do you say "You liar, you told me 8 dollars and now you've changed your mind and are swearing on your mother's grave that you would never say 8 dollars but I know you did and your mother's probably cackling in her grave at how you're cheating the blue-eyed foreigner..." ??? |
| 29th June 2009 amber | - From: Solo Woes I'm still curious- how do you communicate? Do you just sound out the phrases out of your book or do you use English? I think I'm too intimidated by Asian cultures to even attempt to visit. Sad, but true. So bravo to you! |
| 28th June 2009 Jill | Great day! - From: Nice People, Nice Shopping That sounds like a great day! Get those photos backed up to snapfish or Walgreens right now! |
| 28th June 2009 drofykceb | Leggings, and stuff - From: Nice People, Nice Shopping You can see the leggings in the pics...I think they are just leg coverings, maybe for modesty's sake, maybe to keep the insects away. The leggings all appear to be pretty much the same, but the ribbons that tie them are different. I will have to see if there is some significance to that. Otherwise their dress is very similar, but with difference head-dresses and tunics. |
| 28th June 2009 amber | - From: Nice People, Nice Shopping Aw! I love to hear that honest people DO exist- It gives me hope! So what's with the leggings? Are they like socks? Do different tribes have different leggings? Do the various tribes dress differently altogether? |
| 26th June 2009 drofykceb | On the Mend - From: The Climb Climb to Cat Cat Thanks, Jill....I would say veggie all the way, but then you have to make sure it's cooked properly! I just hope I don't revert to my "Africa diet" - rice!!! |
| 25th June 2009 Darlene Pendell | Tid Bits - From: The Climb Climb to Cat Cat Hey Becky, I always thought that Indigo dye was from some kind of nut not leaves. Thanks for another of the many things I am learning from your blog. |
| 25th June 2009 Jill | glad you are doing great again! - From: The Climb Climb to Cat Cat Sounds like a veggie diet is the way to go in that part of the world! |
| 25th June 2009 drofykceb | Sa Pa Weather - From: The Climb Climb to Cat Cat It rains in the early eary morning, then tends to clear up in the late morning afternoon. Hopefully it stays that way. Plus much cooler than in Hanoi! |
| 24th June 2009 Sam | Hello! - From: The Climb Climb to Cat Cat Hello! I'll be visiting Sapa in a couple of days --what's the weather like over there at the moment? :) |
| 24th June 2009 drofykceb | True, true - From: The Climb Climb to Cat Cat Yes, I think Ha Long Bay might have been every bit as ethereal if were [i]not[/i] for the partygoers. Lesson learned, though! Vietnam does have some spectacularly varied scenery. |
| 24th June 2009 Mom | Cat Cat - From: The Climb Climb to Cat Cat I have been reading about the villages around Sa Pa. Cat Cat was mentioned as one of the best. I can see how the name would appeal to you. Bouff would approve! Nice to see a more gentle side of the country for a change. While cavorting with the Qiwis and Aussies is fun too, this is actually more appealing to the soul. Such magnificant vistas. Who knew all this was in Vietnam??? |
| 24th June 2009 drofykceb | Michelle - From: How to Piss Off a Doctor Nah...she lives in San Francisco, though. She moved on into Laos yesterday, so I'm wishing her the very best! |
| 24th June 2009 drofykceb | Nice Legs? - From: Paradise, Or "Survivor"? Why thank you, I grew them myself! |
| 23rd June 2009 Neomi | - From: Vietnamese Water Puppets Still can't believe you are in Vietnam. So sorry to hear about your earlier health scare. I'm relieved you are feeling better. It could have been much, much worse (both the sickness and the cure). I look forward to your blog every day. My favorite line in this one is "On a buffalo with flute." Of course. What better place to hang out and play music? |
| 23rd June 2009 Helen | Not what you were expecting.. - From: How to Piss Off a Doctor OMG you poor thing! That must have been pretty scary for you, what a nightmare! Nice of Michelle to stay with you throughout your brief stay in hospital that must have been quite a weight of your mind while the Dr’s played at being Dr’s. His name wasn’t Mengeles was it??? Stay safe. H. |
| 23rd June 2009 amber | - From: Paradise, Or "Survivor"? Nice legs! |
