Johaan CA USA

Bustling Bangkok. Where to begin? I spent six nights here following my stay in Cambodia, and it served as a transition in my trip from sort of roughing it with my adventure travel group, to a more comfortable journey with the long awaited arrival of Kayce! I’ve got to say, if you get bored in this city of 7.7 million in central Thailand, you may want to check your pulse. There is a mountainscape of skycrapers, neon lights galore, and a rich cultural history tucked into it all. I thought it interesting too that Thailand is the only country in the region that has never been colonized. After pulling into town from Cambodia, we found our way to Khao San Rd to start things off. From what I had heard, and now would have to agree, ... read more

My travels have taken me into the lands of the Khmer people, Cambodia. I instinctively have begun to compare it to the only other Asia that I know, Vietnam. There have been many eye catching differences, some positive and others not so much. Our first stop was in the capital of Phnom Pen (puh nom pen). I originally thought that beyond the world famous Angkor Wat, the whole of Cambodia would be a wild west of sorts. Along the river walk of the capital though, I couldn't have been farther from the truth. The banks of the Tonle Sap are lined with Irish pubs, French bakeries and English breakfast joints. Each one filled with expats from all over the world. Even now I'm not sure what they're all doing here. UN? NGO's? Old white men in ... read more

Greetings from Vietnam! I have arrived safely and am having an incredible time in this land of distinct tastes, smells, people and landscape. I arrived about a week ago and have been dodging motorbikes ever since. My first stop was in Hanoi, where I was able to combat some pretty formidable jet lag (24hrs travel, 14hr time zone change) at the "westerner" Sheraton for a couple of nights thanks to my gracious sister's employment :) My first day out I had big aspirations of walking the town but became entranced by the Vietnam Military History Museum where I spent a good 3-4 hours. This outdoor/indoor exhibit was a blast from the past, literally. The centerpiece of the museum was two large lots that were filled with what I would call a trophy case of American helicopters, ... read more

Ihla Grande, Brazil. This small island is just southwest of Rio. Unlike Rio though, the island of Ihla Grande doesn't have any cars, banks, or all the other things associated with normal life. Instead, Ihla Grande offers amazing white sand secluded beaches and lush forests. Along with Kayce and I, our two British friends Andrew and Charlie and two Danish friends Cathrine and Pernille joined us for the trip. Our lodging is usually not worth mentioning, but this experienc is worth noting. Our "studio" had six beds, our own bathroom, dining room and kitchen. On top of the room, the owner delightful owner, George, coooked the best dinners we had eaten all trip. For a small fee we had smorgasboard dinners and free breakfasts (with fresh baked cakes!). We all wanted to stay and live here! ... read more

Chic B.A. Before I get to reminiscing about an amazing city by the name of Buenos Aires, I first wanted to say how pleasant my return home has been. Aside from taking showers that I actually feel clean after exiting and eating lots and lots of fresh vegetables, it has been so rewarding talking to some of you loyal readers who have expressed your enjoyment in reading the blog. Numerous times now I've spoken to people who I haven't seen in months who offhandedly mention some of my crazy stories from down south ("coffee with legs" came up a lot, hmmm). So cool. It really makes this worthwhile. One other noteworthy bit of news and a great welcome home, I've been offered a job teaching 7th grade in Santa Cruz and will be accepting the position ... read more