Day 13 I think this was the biggest day of my trip thus far. Just alot of good times in Hoi An. Hoi An is a town that was designated as a UNESCO world heritage sight, because it represents a community where the Chinese, Japanese, and Vietnamese learned to live together. The sleeper train to get here was a step below our last one with dirty sheets and smelly garbage but it could've been far worse. I did manage to sleep more than last time. We arrived in Hoi An at about 5:30am and our rooms were not ready yet so many people opted to sleep in the lobby and by the pool. I knew I wouldn't be able to do that, so I got a jump start on exploring with Tina - a woman my ... read more

Day 9 After getting one of the best nights sleep I've had on the trip it was all aboard another long bus journey. We were boung for Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and had about 6 hours ahead of us. Part of the journey included a quick 5-minute ferry across the Mekong River (or some branch of it - I was slightly disoriented). Our bus journeys are interesting as although we are a fun group that gets along well, we usually keep to ourselves and allow for personal down time while en route to our next city. We didn't have much time to explore the city so we opted to walk to the Rex Hotel (5-stars) and go to the rooftop for a drink a view that was not to be missed, or so we read. ... read more

Day 6 A slightly shorter bus ride today landed us in Sihanouk Ville, which is a great little beach town on the coast. Our accommodations are at beach bungalows, although we're not directly on the beach - but only 500m walk! Everything here is much cheaper than Siam Reap or Phnom Penh and the atmosphere is more laid back. It's much more relaxing for sure. We quickly found our way to the beach and set up at on some of the loungers. We settled in and got to enjoy a beautiful sunset over the ocean. As we watched the sunset, the bars exchanged their loungers for tables and chairs to prepare for the evening dinners and festivities. We moved to a different bar for dinner, called Muslei's Family Restaurant and quickly found our new home (or ... read more

Day 2: After one night in Bangkok, we headed to the Thailand/Cambodia border. This was about a 4 hour trek via mini-van, followed by about an hour in border crossing. We first successfully cleared the first checkpoint and it made me feel like we were in something out of Indiana Jones (I know we weren't digging anything up) but it was more so felt like we were in a different place and time altogether. I have a great photo of the "welcome" to Cambodia sign but this current computer I'm using won't allow me to upload. After checkpoint one, which was actually us exiting Thailand, it was into a smaller hut that reeked of feces and was hotter than hell to get cleared for entry into Cambodia. It went very smoothly. There was an immediate difference ... read more

It's actually happening. I'm now sitting at Pearson Airport in the Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge and I'm eating up this "luxury" before I go. I've already helped myself to a few drinks, thanks to the open bar, and plenty of cookies! Before I head off, I have some people I want to thank who have helped make this journey less stressful. Mike & Michelle & RLT: I owe you all HUGE for you unwavering support in this journey. I also connot stress how much your excitement for me has made me even more excited. Mel: This lounge is incredible and this is such a relaxing way to calm my nerves before the big trip. Thank-you for the pass - and the bonus one from your friend. I hope the breakfast at Heathrow is tasty! Jessica: ... read more