http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/two4deroad/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from two4deroad en-us Wed, 30 Dec 2009 13:15:05 +0000 Wed, 30 Dec 2009 13:15:05 +0000 A Dream In RetrospectAsk us when we first conceived the idea of travelling the world and we'd be hardpressed to pinpoint the exact moment. We guess it was an unaddressed desire simmering just below the surface like a volcano waiting to erupt. The I'dliketotraveltheworldoneday kind of feeling that hits you when you see some travel show about exotic places exquisite cuisine and the largest http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/China/blog-362688.html Ancient saying Man who go through airport turnstile sideways goin to ...BangkokIn the fulness of time when the moon was in the third phase of the second crescent we sneaked into Bangkok. It was at the crack of dawn on some random day in the year 2551. That's right 2551 B.E. And herein lies the reason for the tardy updating of our blog we had to timetravel 500 years into the future. If you http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/Central-Thailand/Bangkok/blog-362333.html We arrived in Ayutthaya by bus in the quiet hours of a Tuesday morning. By taxi we made our way from the bus station to somewhere 'central' and from there we began the alltoocommon search for lodging. We found a crappy little bedroom in a houseturnedinn secured our belongings and went in search of breakfast. Over breakfast even as the city awoke we mulled our options for exploring Ayuttha http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/Central-Thailand/Ayuthaya/blog-249108.html The city of Sukhotai meaning lsquoDawn of Happinessrsquo was up until 1238 a part of the Angkorian Khmer Empire when two ambitious Thai princes Phor Khun Pha Muang of Muang Rad and Phor Khun Bang Klang Thao of Muang Banyang rallied together to oust them. Sukhotai became the capital and official start of the Thai nation and Phor Khun Bang Klang Thao the first king. After changing hands http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/North-West-Thailand/Sukhothai/blog-348081.html Morning's first rays lightened the dark streets. We were in Chiang Mai a clear 700 km north of Bangkok and looking for room and board. Oh wait Let's bring you up to speed. When you last checked in on us we were at the bus station in Phetchaburi just about to buy tickets for Bangkok when we got some 'good news'. A direct bus to Chiang Mai and yet another chance to skirt Thailand's chaotic cap http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/North-West-Thailand/Chiang-Mai/blog-337963.html A sugarcoated milkysmooth voice coming out of brightred lipstickplastered lips of the bus' male steward whispered delicately in Vibert's ear. In a language he couldn't understand. At Midnight This was Vibert's dream. He shot upright from his recliner seat his panicked eyes struggling to adjust in the harsh white glare of the bus' florescent lights. Shanna eyed him curiously. Over the pub http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/Western-Thailand/Phetchaburi/blog-336965.html After two glorious weeks on two glorious islands we knew instinctively that it would be a while before we sprouted 'land legs' again. 'Mainland legs' that is. But we had to try and so we chose a destination that although not an island could only be reached by boat. Getting to Railay required the skill and patience of seasoned travellers. First the boat ride from Koh Tarutao back to the Pak B http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/South-West-Thailand/Railay/blog-331868.html The options were simple a tent or a sparse overpriced room. We chose the tent surpriseeeeeeee. A short walk from Koh Tarutaorsquos ranger station revealed 4 more tents set up under the shade of a few trees in a designated camping area. We chose to ignore the designated area surpriseeee choosing instead to pitch tent amidst a cluster of trees a good way upwind. Like seasoned troopers we l http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/South-West-Thailand/Ko-Tarutao-Marine-NP/blog-317894.html Which way to Thailand we asked. He moved out of the doorway raised a crooked hand and pointed. Our eyes followed his outstretched hand. He was pointing down a long dark road. Groaning we saddled up. Apart from the solitary old man nothing or no one seemed awake. Or maybe because it was pitch black we didnrsquot see another soul. Memories of being stranded on the roadside at 4 a.m. in Ya http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/South-West-Thailand/Ko-Lipe/blog-249112.html The mainland of Malaysia receded in the backwash of the ferry as we settled in for the 30minute ride. This would be peanuts compared to the 4 hours bus ride we had just completed from Cameron Highlands to the pier at Lumut. Our destination was Pangkor Island Pulau Pangkor a small green enclave off Malaysia's west coast. The concrete dock led to a reception room which in turn led outside to http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Malaysia/Perak/Pulau-Pangkor/blog-314967.html The last time you left us we were stuck inside a dark Chinatown alley at ten past two in the morning banging on the door of an inn and trying to dodge mothballsized raindrops. In our desperation we made such a racket that we probably woke up half of Kuala Lumpur before the guardnight clerk stuck his angry face thru a window with a look that said How Dare You That was the sweetest part of my http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Malaysia/blog-314966.html Sitting under the canopy of a dilapidated bus station in some unknown barrio in Manila we waited on sunrise. It was barely after 5 am. We had spent the night on the bus from Banaue. When it became bright enough and busy enough we eased in to a jeepney for a random drive around. Since we could no longer sidestep Manila we determined to experience a little of it.We asked for directions to Intramur http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Philippines/Manila/blog-310153.html Sleep wouldn't come even in this semiluxury AC'ed bus. Maybe it had to do with still being on a natural high from swimming with the whale sharks. Or maybe it was because of the frequent stops for bathroom breaks and midnight dinners. Or maybe just maybe it had to do with the heartbreaking neverending screams of a baby one row back. Whatever the cause sleep just wouldn't come. All night we http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Philippines/Banaue/blog-235441.html Mount Mayon was without doubt the most impressive sight we saw in the countless hours on the bus from Batangas to somewhere and now on to Legaspi. Dubbed The world's most perfect volcano Mayon's slope which rises dramatically above the flat of Albay is almost perfectly symmetrical. But Mayon is as dangerous as it is beautiful having claims hundreds of lives. The most recent eruption was in J http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Philippines/Donsol/blog-299470.html SibuyanWe would later understand that it was quite a unique thing to see Mount Guiting Guitingrsquos 2058meter 6751 feet peak. Clouds usually obliterate the view. But there was something special about that day. The waters were unusually choppy 2 3 meter 69 feet swells a flock of frolicking dolphins tracking the boat and then Guiting Guiting. A long concrete platform which served as o http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Philippines/Visayas/blog-294295.html We begin this blog by expressing our grief and condolences at the shocking news of the tragedies visited upon the Philippines by Typhoon Fengshen. Scores of people died just off the coast of Sibuyan when a boat capsized. Islands like Illoilo Sibuyan and Romblon suffered devastating damage to homes farms and livestock. We feel the pain. The indomitable people of the Philippines will remain in our http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Philippines/Romblon/Romblon/blog-293919.html It was quite surprising to us how a fulllength recliner and little personal TV screen could cause 6 hours to fly by. Somewhere between VCDs and sleep we gazed out on lush verdant Malaysia with a mixture of delight and anticipation. But all too soon the ride was over and we found ourselves unceremoniously ejected on to the pavement outside Puduraya Bus station in the heart of Kuala Lumpur. Wit http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Malaysia/Wilayah-Persekutuan/Kuala-Lumpur/blog-290661.html Flashforward Her almostinaudible chuckle said ldquoI know yourdquo. The lady immigration officer handed back our passports and waved us thru. We were back in Singapore.Flashback Some of you may well remember wersquoll never forget the welcome we received upon entering Singapore for the first time some 33 days prior see Singapore 4 . In sum after enduring 4 hours in the ldquo http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Singapore/blog-288463.html Frazzled bonetired and irritable we disembarked the plane in Cochin after a flight that could only be described as lsquointerestingrsquo. That it was pretty close to 1am and the city 18 km away didnrsquot help our moods any. We bedded down in a drafty ratty room for the few remaining dark hours and awoke even more frazzled bonetired and irritable. India was beginning to get the better http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Kerala/Allepey/blog-282940.html Delhi The beating heart of India and home to 13000000. All of India's aspirations and ambitions hopes and hopelessness poverty progress and pollution and any other combination of contrasts swamp every millimeter of Delhi's 1483 square km. There was nothing 'new' inside or outside New Delhi train station. The deafening cacophony irrepressible masses and pungent odors were disorienting. Lucki http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/National-Capital-Territory/New-Delhi/blog-274971.html