11 May 2011 Munduk Trekking The image of the blood running down her leg thanks to the leeches that were attached kept flashing through my head as we brushed through the wet jungle leaves following our Balinese guide to the first large waterfall. The “she” in question was a woman from the UK who we …
10 May 2011 Ubud to Munduk As our car descended into the village of Munduk, I noticed that my bum cheeks were instinctively squeezing the seat as though in a roller-coaster cart careening down that first big drop. The roadway grade must have been at least 20 percent and was accented in its treacherousness by …
07 to 09 May 2011 My rental bicycle appears to have been made for a 12 year old and ordered directly from the Sears Wish Book back in 1972, after which it was clearly left outside in the rain for at least two decades. There is nearly as much rust as paint, the wheels wobble …
05 & 06 May 2011 I don’t know about this being so near the Equator thing. All I do is sweat. Stand, sweat, sit, sweat, type, sweat, wander, sweat, eat an ice cream, sweat, buy a $1 juice, sweat, read the map, sweat, take a photo, sweat, and on and on it goes. Luckily, I …
3 May 2011 Halong Bay Tour – Day 4 Cat Ba Island to Hanoi I am starting to feel a mild sense of panic rising. I usually don’t feel this way on boats but then I’m not typically on boats that are continuing to take on passengers even though there are obviously no seats left. …
2 May 2011 Halong Bay Tour – Day 3 Cat Ba Island Learning the art of doing nothing. A full day on our own and instead of figuring out the logistics of how to get to the National Park on Cat Ba Island and how to hike in the National Park on Cat Ba Island …
1 May 2011 Halong Bay Tour – Day 2 Kayaking Halong Bay His paddle is upside down and he’s telling two of the lovely Brits on our trip to not worry about getting their rudder down. For a kayaking guide he sure doesn’t seem to know much about kayaking. Good thing this is not an …
30 April 2011 Halong Bay Tour – Day 1 Hanoi to Halong Bay Sometimes not getting what you were originally sold works out for the best, even in Vietnam. That luxurious junk boat we’re being ferried over to here on Halong Bay looks like it’s going to count as one of those Sometimes. We’d signed …
29 April 2011 SpiceRoads Cycling Tour – Day 12 Transfer from Danang to Hanoi I can’t remember the last time I saw a flight attendant jump seat in the overwing exit row, but there it is, directly across from me, fixed and rigid and not at all comforting. How old is this plane? Better not …
28 April 2011 SpiceRoads Cycling Tour – Day 11 Around Hoi An (30 Km) Ride from the outskirts of Hoi An to My Son for more temples or go shopping in Hoi An for the day for some inexpensive tailored clothing? The choice seems obvious and yet we feel as though we made the wrong …