http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Asia en-us Sat, 06 Sep 2008 22:14:09 BST Sat, 06 Sep 2008 22:14:09 BST Well its been a while. I have to admit there have been alot of downs and when it goes back up it doesn't go very far or last very long. Maybe eventually I'll get more ups then downs. I am sick of feeling down. I like this place yet i hate it as well. bah I dunno about anything anymore.Things with Emily got bad. seriously do not wanna discuss it but all who matter know I guess. We got our new apart http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/China/Shandong/blog-320580.html hello everyonejust a quick note to let you all know that both adam i have finally arrived in vietnam after a grueling 20 hour flight. the flight from alaska to hong kong was the worst 10 bloody hours with the most annoying ahole sitting behind me as if being stuck on a plane for 10 hours once we arrived and left the airport we were stuck in traffic for an hour before arriving to http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Vietnam/Southeast/Ho-Chi-Minh-City/blog-320563.html I know it's been awhile since we've posted anything. We just finished our first week of school. Whew I didn't think I'd make it. Between working and going to RT Mart though we have been well...eating A couple photos for you to enjoy that have captured our unique feasting moments The first event was the Friday before we started school. It was at a new more modern Chinese restaurant that was com http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/China/Zhejiang/Ningbo/blog-320548.html We have been pretty busy in the last ten days so we have not had much time to update our blog. We are continuing with the training and meeting adults and children alike. We have been involved in lots of social activities as well so sit back and relax. We hope you enjoy readingDay 28 Tuesday 26 AugustPhilip is feeling extremely unwell and has had a terrible night. Tight pains in his chest and ha http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/West-Bengal/Darjeeling/blog-320543.html Varnasi is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world and it is the relentless merciless continuity of this habitation that gives the city its unique flavor. This is not a Brugges or a Colonial Williamsburg scrubbed clean and made palatable for tourists. Varanasi is loud. It smells bad. Traffic and the resulting smog is overpowering. Within minutes of our arrival our throat http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Uttar-Pradesh/Varanasi/blog-320538.html Hey peeps near and farOur Indo phone number is 62 81353245430 you can reach us on this until 6th Oct. We will be updating the blog again soon but at the minute we're having far too much fun in the Bali sun Much love http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Indonesia/Bali/Kuta/blog-320516.html Hong Kong in summaryMost memorableinteresting Bamboo scaffoldingSmells LPG fumesWeather Warm and humidDodgy experience None in our short stayLocal Food GoodWe arrived at the Bangkok Airport early and were advised that our flight to Hong Kong had been delayed by 2 hours. We were offered an earlier flight and so we jumped on it YayWe were in Hong Kong for about 24 hours only and staye http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Hong-Kong/Hong-Kong-Island/blog-320515.html Lets do a quick recap shall weWe felt like a little change of scenery so we chose to do a trip to Asia... we wanted a little culture maybe some good food so we picked india first...and we have most certainly received the change of scenery and culture we were looking forThe first form of Indian culture following our three days of delirious seclusion in our hotel room came in the form of a http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Rajasthan/Jaisalmer/blog-320505.html Today I shopped at Walmart. Things we never thought would happen. But they have SIM cards and now I have a cell phone. I like having my third arm back.I put 50 Yuan on the phone but it seems to think I only have 30. One one hand it's only 3 but if this happens again I'm going to be annoyed. We're thinking activation charge or something.I did also get soap nail polish Snickers instant c http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/China/Guangdong/Shenzhen/blog-320461.html Well sorry for the delay folks we have been mega busy in the TB household School has been interesting to say the least this week for me and Ian went in on Wednesday for a few hours then came back and isn't needed until Monday. They are trying to sort out the job titlevisa issue as he is not a trained teacher but are promising it will work out. We know they are in desperate need of teachers so http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/China/Shanghai/blog-320452.html Last night Fri a bunch of EPIK teachers were meeting up for drinks and dancing in Daegu. I invited Landon because he seemed like a cool guy and buddies are always a good idea in cities. The group was meeting at 10 sharp at a subway stop in downtown Daegu. They were waiting 10 min for stragglers... So Landon and I agreed to meet at 930pm. All of the planning for this event happened via facebook http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/South-Korea/Gyeongsangbuk-do/Gyeongsan/blog-320440.html Arrived here just after lunch and unlike in Siem Reap had no trouble getting our tuk tuk to take us to a guest house of our choice. In the afternoon we went to the Royal Palace very impressive bright and colourfull buildings. It is a shame that the immediate surrounding areas of the city are so poor and untidy with rubbish in the street and many homeless people harrassing you. Despite this the c http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Cambodia/South/Phnom-Penh/blog-320428.html Tokyo is the New York City of Asia .... well almost. Take Manhattan multiply it's population by 4 jack up the12288fashion dare coefficient add a billion more flashing neon signs and similar numbers of department stores subtract the stinking sewers and street bums and there you have it. Unbelievable Somehow the confusion melts into pure efficiency. Just don't attempt crossing the current o http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Japan/Tokyo/Ikebukuro/blog-320427.html We spent 4 nights in Koh Lanta. I have to admit the purse strings were let loose again and we splashed out on a top notch beach side resort. We were provided with a first class beach hut with all mod cons including BBC world news. Julie was adiment she wanted to hire a moped and as there is no other practical way to see the islands it was decided that we should go ahead and get one. I mana http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/South/Ko-Samui/blog-320422.html On Thursday we took the overnight train back down towards Bangkok. We got off the train first thing on Friday morning about 4 hours north of Bangkok in a small town called Lopburi. The primary reason for stopping here was to see the monkeys The town of Lopburi is over run with the things. I must admit I wasnrsquot expecting to see them everywhere but you couldnrsquot get away from them http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/Central/Lopburi/blog-320420.html Well hi thereSo we've almost caught up with our blog now. We're currently in Rajasthan West and South West of Delhi in the desert heat but we'll save that for another entrySo after Rishikesh we spent a night in Haridwar one of the oldest cities in the world apparently and again on the Ganges and therefore very holy to Hindus and then took what I can only describe as the bumpiest bus journey http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Uttarakhand/blog-320415.html The REAL Golden TriangleLaos Myanmar Burma Thailand.The tricountry border between Laos Myanmar Burma Thailand forms the legendary Golden Triangle. A mountainous frontier where the Opium poppy was once an easy cash crop for the regionrsquos ethnic minorities. With its history knowing the drug traffic is still going on and the Great Mekong river as a natural border between the countr http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Laos/blog-320411.html Arrived in Cambodia on the 1st of Sept and went to Siem Reap. When we arrived at the airport had to get our visa sorted and i had left my passport photos in my luggage which i couldnt get to fortunately however this is still a fairly corrupt country and an extra 2 dollars meant i could pass through without a photo Took a taxi to the town the driver was very friendly at first until we refuse http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Cambodia/North/Angkor/blog-320410.html We headed back into Bishkek to sort out Uzbek visas. My Letter of Invitation still had not arrived however my photo had gone missing. My spare photos were in the back of the truck so I couldn't get to them so I went shopping for more passport photos. I was very impressed the little man wiped away all the wrinkles on my forehead and got rid of my sunburnt noseWe got back underway and headed to t http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Kyrgyzstan/Karakol/blog-320408.html It was a public holiday for the Kyrgyzstan Independence Day. We left Bishkek for the Ala Archa National Park. It was strange not having the Brits on the truck but we collected 10 new people and the truck was full.Dave driver had trouble with his Turkistan Visa. My Uzbek Letter of Invitation had not arrived I offered to write one but I couldn't do anything by staying. Dave stayed and the rest http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Kyrgyzstan/Ala-Archa/blog-320406.html We drove for around 3hrs from Kochkor to Bishkek. It was strange coming into Bishkek as it was quite a built up town with a whole range of faces and body types. Far away from the Uighurs and the Han Chinese. We had lunch down at the German Beer House. The power was off they turn it off for 6hrs every day so we had a choice of different types of sausages and that was all. Sausage it wasThe hotel http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Kyrgyzstan/Bishkek/blog-320403.html Mt. FujiAs we had come all the way to Japan it seemed only right to climb its highest mountain Mt. Fuji. So after Kyoto we head towards Fuji arriving Monday afternoon at Kawaguchi one of the towns closest to the mountain. For some reason we decide it would be a good idea to climb it at night We had been told its the best way to do it and it seemed to make sense. It wouldn't be hot and you get http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Japan/blog-320402.html