tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14862064268450825582024-03-28T01:57:20.039-04:006 Months to LifeSo here's the deal. We have been itching for travel pretty much nonstop for years now. Our annual trips just aren't cutting it anymore. So the plan, take one long trip to see if we can cure the itch. Some say it will help, others say it will make it worse...one way or the other, it's going to be 6 months to life.Leigh and Jarrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15395204612709102957noreply@blogger.comBlogger140125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1486206426845082558.post-61597066517291885872011-03-21T13:06:00.004-04:002011-03-21T13:27:45.286-04:00Big Wrap UpHere we are, 18 countries later and about a month after arriving back in Canada, and still without a general wrap up for the trip. Reason being, it wasnt easy to figure out what to put in, leave out, and agree on for any list we thought might be interesting. We finally have one put together, although I am sure as soon as it gets posted, there will be things we think we should add to it. For now, this will have to do.<br /><br />Best Cities: Berlin, Budapest, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong, Beijing, Istanbul<br /><br />Worst Cities: Warsaw, Alexandria, Cairo, Xi'an, Bangkok<br /><br />Best Food: Vietnam, Germany (Whod have thought that!), China (for Jarret)<br /><br />Coolest Experience: Dead Sea, Crawling through the Cu Chi tunnels, A day with the Elephant Mahouts, PANDAS, Euroleague ball in Istanbul<br /><br />Most moving: Dachau, S21 Prison (Cambodia), Agent Orange exhibit (Vietnam)<br /><br />Friendliest people: Hoi An (Vietnam), Laos, Cambodia, Jordan<br /><br />We would go back to: Honestly, almost every place we went to we would revisit, but if we had to choose a short list, this would be it: Hungary, Germany, China, Malaysia, Bulgaria, Vietnam<br /><br />Biggest regret: Going to Alexandria instead of Luxor, Not having enough time in Malaysia, Not getting to see more rural areas like Guilin/Yuangshou in China, not having more time period!<br /><br />Biggest Disapointments: Weather in China, Group tours, Memento Park, Terracotta warriors<br /><br />Why dont we have: Better transit, Quiz nights, more happy hours for booze, Asian soups that arent laced with salt, a bigger variety of street food, toll roads<br /><br />Worth the effort: The warsaw rising museum (you must do the video that shows how much of the city was destroyed, brutle), COPE rehab centre in Vientiane, Big Brother Mouse in Laos<br /><br />Lived up to the hype: Petra, Pandas, Hong Kong<br /><br />Most random thing: hitching a ride to Amman in jordan with a guy who sets us up with a friend for a drive to the Dead Sea, only to discover that we had already talked to him about taking us to the Dead Sea before we left for Petra!<br /><br />Best airports: Koh Samui, Singapore<br /><br />Worst airport: T5 in London<br /><br />For now that will have to do, cant really think of anything else to list, and if I try to hard I will get depressed and end up at the airport on another plane. We will write a post soon on what it is like coming back home and readjusting. In the meantime, if you ever have the chance to do a trip like this, dont put it off or think you cant do it, make it happen. It ended up being better than we thought it could have been and has us thinking of doing another one in a few years. Go away, live, experience, learn and enjoy.Leigh and Jarrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15395204612709102957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1486206426845082558.post-77903122596327950262011-02-25T09:36:00.002-05:002011-02-25T09:54:57.532-05:00Asian AnalysisTravelling through Asia (well, south <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">asia</span> and china) had a much different feel to it than going through eastern <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">europe</span>. It felt more like Latin America...laid back, more relaxed, chilled out vibes. It <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">definitely</span> felt more like a vacation. That isn't to say that it wasn't tiring at times. Extremely long and uncomfortable bus rides, persistent touts, and difficult sleeps all <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">occurred</span> numerous times, but all in all it was a great great experience that served to solidify the fact that there is so much to see out there we have to go back! For now though, the best we can do is wrap up our time in Asia in one of our lists.<br /><br />Best of: Public transit (in every major city the subways were amazing and efficient), food, budget airlines.<br /><br />Worst of: <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Harassing</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">tuk</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">tuk</span> drivers, Western fast food joints, Bus rides in Laos.<br /><br />Best cities: <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">Kuala</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-error">Lumpur</span>, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-error">Hong</span> Kong, Beijing and <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_10" class="blsp-spelling-error">Hoi</span> An (more of town but lets go with it)<br /><br />Worst cities: Ho Chi <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_11" class="blsp-spelling-error">Minh</span>, Xi'an<br /><br />Best Beaches: Phi Phi (Thailand), <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_12" class="blsp-spelling-error">Mui</span> Ne (Vietnam) - two totally different vibes, both good<br /><br />Best Food: Vietnam, Singapore<br /><br />Best attraction: For us, probably the Pandas<br /><br />Friendliest people: Laos/Cambodia - really really great people<br /><br />Yes please: Transit<br /><br />No thanks: Bus rides in Laos/Vietnam<br /><br />Most frustrating: China (still <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_13" class="blsp-spelling-error">didnt</span> diminish our time there though)<br /><br />Where does your dollar go further: Close call, but we think you can get more for your money in Vietnam. Cambodia and Laos are cheaper, but once you get up to 20 bucks a day, Vietnam gives you more bang for your buck.<br /><br />Pleasant surprises: Vientiane and <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_14" class="blsp-spelling-error">Siem</span> Reap. Two places where we were not expecting much but that delivered loads.<br /><br />What is with...the Indian <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_15" class="blsp-spelling-error">restos</span> in Laos? Seriously, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_16" class="blsp-spelling-error">Nazim</span> has like a chain of ten through the country, and even tiny little Vang <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_17" class="blsp-spelling-error">Vieng</span> had 3!<br /><br />Biggest disappointment: Not being able to get to the rural areas of China or more of Malaysia. However, this was easily offset by the knowledge that we will totally be going back to China in the near future and will get to see the places we wont. FYI - We think October is prob the best time to go if your thinking about it.<br /><br />We wish: We had more time there. Indonesia, Borneo and the Philippines were just a short (dirt cheap) Air Asia flight away...next time!<br /><br />All in all, the places we visited were great and I would recommend all of them for a trip. There is so much to see and do, or not do if you want to chill by a beach, that we cant see how anyone could get tired of travelling here. Each country is different and has tonnes to offer. If anything, its worth it to travel for the food alone. If you are put off by the long flight to get over here, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_18" class="blsp-spelling-error">dont</span> be. You could do Thailand, Malaysia or Vietnam in 16 days, and could really see a lot of one of the countries in 3 weeks. If you need a break and see a seat sale, get on that plane and enjoy yourself. You will be so glad you did you will be offering us a finders fee!Leigh and Jarrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15395204612709102957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1486206426845082558.post-75282548879757774372011-02-21T10:43:00.003-05:002011-02-21T11:02:26.459-05:00Long journey back<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wDwYIg6gdLg/TWKL_anDhXI/AAAAAAAAGr8/HP6l2MO9c04/s1600/P1050714.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576173210229245298" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wDwYIg6gdLg/TWKL_anDhXI/AAAAAAAAGr8/HP6l2MO9c04/s320/P1050714.JPG" /></a>Singapore...7pm Thursday night, London 6am Friday morning, Toronto 6pm Friday night. Added all up with the time changes and you are looking at 40 hours of travel.<br /><br /><div></div><div>Started off good in Singapore, awesome airport. Lots of relaxing areas (i know, weird for an airport), free wi-fi, sleeping areas and foot massages. </div><br /><div>On to the plane and still not bad. Qantas airlines new A380, Easily the most comfortable plane we have ever been on. Even in economy there is tonnes of room. Serve yourself snack and drink bar, nice big screen in the back of each seat for movies. Service was ok, food not so great, but the comfy plane made up for it. </div><br /><div>Arrival at Heathrow, terminal 5 and things go downhill. This was easily the worst airport terminal we have been in the entire trip. So poorly designed, so busy and backed up, 3 bucks for 5 minutes of internet. It was awful. The worst is that it is brand new...definately a lesson in how not to build an airport terminal.</div><br /><div>Getting on the BA flight and things sort of even out. We had two seats to ourselves, so that was good. Seats were fairly comfy, but more crowded than Qantas. Service was better and food was better, but the entertainment in the seats was bad. Just a couple movies on play that you couldnt pause or anything and a tiny tiny screen. Still, better than having nothing I guess.</div><br /><div>Arrive in Toronto. Customs was a snap we get our bags and head out to see our folks. Home by 7:30-8. A long long trip back and here we are back in Canada. What comes next...well we will see. For now, we will be getting into our new apt that already has our stuff moved in thanks to our parents...THANKS! Then we will see.</div><br /><div>Like we said earlier, keep following the blog because we are going to have some major wrap ups that you are not going to miss!</div>Leigh and Jarrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15395204612709102957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1486206426845082558.post-10949677915806867922011-02-19T09:30:00.003-05:002011-02-19T09:35:58.528-05:00So long Singapore<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FxQfLwRM0dM/TV_Uw_5z_QI/AAAAAAAAGbY/c0y4HLxOvM4/s1600/P1050625.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575408801960688898" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FxQfLwRM0dM/TV_Uw_5z_QI/AAAAAAAAGbY/c0y4HLxOvM4/s320/P1050625.JPG" /></a> Singapore was a good place to end our time in Asia. It had a real blend of Indian, Malay and Chinese cultures that gave us a little reminder of places we have already travelled to. Be forewarned though, if you go to Singapore, be prepared to spend money. It is not cheap, as a matter of fact, it was the most expensive place we have been on the trip. Even with eating at hawker stands (street food) you will be hard pressed to do any sightseeing for less than $100 a day. Enough about that though, lets get to the wrap up.<br /><div><br />Best of: Traffic, it is the best traffic of any big city we have been to (they have road tolls, huge duty taxes on autos, and force people to buy new cars every ten years through a license lottery type thing that gets pricey), hawker stands (great food for cheap), night safari, Changi Airport</div><div><br />Worst of: Prices, hippoduck hop on hop off tour (the most unorganized thing ever!) </div><div><br />Best meal: Jarret - Chilli crab, Leigh - Onion and egg dhosa and veggie curry </div><div><br />Worst meal: Jarret - Hainan chicken (cold steamed chicken...), Leigh - N/A </div><div> </div><div>Yes please: Subways (a common theme on this trip...)</div><div> </div><div>No thanks: Prices</div><div><br />Who'da thunk it: Singapore has over 20,000 cabs, and they are cheap to ride! The cabbies must be locals and pass an exam testing their road knowledge. They rent the cabs from a company for between $80-130/day and get to keep what they earn after paying the rent and gas (and prob insurance type stuff). </div><div><br />Whats that smell? If your walking around Singapore outside of the main tourist areas, you are bound to smell durian being cut up and packaged. It really smells pretty bad, especially in 30+ heat. They have them all over south asia, but they were particularly noticeable here. </div><div><br />All in all Singapore was good. Its kinda like a calmer, smaller Hong Kong. You definately dont need more than 3-4 days to visit, so its a great place to add to the beginning or end of a trip to someplace like Malaysia. If you do go, be sure to try out food from a Hawker stand, for very little money you will likely get food that rivals or surpasses any indian or chinese you can get at home in a setting that will really make you feel your doing something exotic.</div>Leigh and Jarrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15395204612709102957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1486206426845082558.post-1986939271872136412011-02-17T08:51:00.003-05:002011-02-17T09:03:41.590-05:00How the heck...<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NS7JK7H-e9g/TV0qRCfjYkI/AAAAAAAAGbE/PzVzVqvKUSc/s1600/P1050622.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5574658385969898050" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NS7JK7H-e9g/TV0qRCfjYkI/AAAAAAAAGbE/PzVzVqvKUSc/s320/P1050622.JPG" /></a> Did they get that ship on top of those three buildings!<br /><div></div><br /><div>Today was our last day in Singapore and we spent it dropping off our bags at the airport this am, then taking the metro back to town to have lunch and visit a museum on the POWs that were captured during the Japanese occupation of Singapore in WW2. An interesting museum that provided decent info on a topic we don't learn much about in Canada. After that we stopped for a drink and took the subway back to the airport.</div><div></div><br /><div>Speaking of airport...what an airport Changi International is. Its the first one we have been to where we dont feel like we are at an airport! Showers, a pool, a supermarket, tonnes of lounges, real trees and plants, sleeper chairs, free foot massages...it has everything! If your ever in this neck of the woods and have an early flight out, dont bother paying an arm and a leg for a hotel or hostel, come here later at night after a nice supper at a hawker stand and walk by the waterfront and spend the hours before your flight in the terminal for free. It will prob be better than your sleep at the hotel!</div>Leigh and Jarrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15395204612709102957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1486206426845082558.post-13826668309444255582011-02-16T11:09:00.002-05:002011-02-16T11:16:52.345-05:00Singapore Night Safari<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EYLolGMHSNs/TVv4PCwCY5I/AAAAAAAAGa8/sMu4cxWnyF8/s1600/P1050690.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5574321901121201042" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EYLolGMHSNs/TVv4PCwCY5I/AAAAAAAAGa8/sMu4cxWnyF8/s320/P1050690.JPG" /></a> Singapore has quite a few cool things to do that keep you busy for a few days. Definately the coolest thing we have done so far here, and one of the coolest on our trip is the night safari.<br /><div></div><br /><div>The safari opens at 7:30 and allows visitors the chance to get up close and see nocturnal animals that are boring or non-existant during the day at normal zoos. There is a tram that goes around with a guide to explain the animals you see, and then there are trails on which you can walk. The animals are in good enclosures and have pretty free range...a tapir crossed the road in front of us and kept walking into the trees, and the deermouse (look them up..crazy) were walking around everywhere at one point.</div><div></div><br /><div>If you like animals and want to check out something besides the normal zoos, give the safari a shot. Its one of a kind and a cool experience.</div>Leigh and Jarrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15395204612709102957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1486206426845082558.post-52454816912376006722011-02-15T03:49:00.005-05:002011-02-15T04:31:17.038-05:00Cambodia...land of the Camry<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6gbpr5rSf3g/TVpF6K0A-0I/AAAAAAAAGa0/zL5PQvHLjoQ/s1600/P1050514%255B1%255D.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5573844354461662018" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6gbpr5rSf3g/TVpF6K0A-0I/AAAAAAAAGa0/zL5PQvHLjoQ/s320/P1050514%255B1%255D.JPG" /></a> Seriously, we have never seen so many Toyota Camrys in our life! Everywhere!<br /><div></div><br /><div>Cambodia was a great country. What was strange about it though, was that even though it was not the poorest country we have visited, it seemed like the poorest to us. The capital was dirtier than other places we have been and there were more beggars than any other place. Despite that, we found it to be a good place to visit. Its a small country, so its easy to visit the three major sights in a short period of time and with the good roads and buses, getting around was a snap. Now for the wrap up.</div><br /><div>Best of: Angkor Wat, Otres Beach, Cambodian people</div><br /><div>Worst of: The heat (we know this garners little sympathy from you at home, but it was oppressive at times)</div><br /><div></div><div>Best meal: Jarret - Pork Amok, Leigh - Veggie curry</div><br /><div></div><div>Worst meal: Jarret - Fries at the beach (seriously, who batters french frozen fries before frying them?), Leigh - Veggie fried noodles</div><br /><div>Yes please/no thanks: There really isnt one thing for either that sticks out to us</div><br /><div>Hard to visit, but important: S21 prison in Phnom Penh was a really moving and difficult place to visit. The torture and inhumane treatment that went on there, and continued at the killing fields was horrendous. The pictures that depict how it was when it was found are moving, and knowing that it was a school before a prison, with the chalkboards still on the wall drives things home further. It was a difficult place to be, yet important. </div><br /><div>Who'd a thunk it: Despite what you may hear about Cambodian cuisine, it is actually quite good, and they are famous for their pepper, served on your plate right off the plant at times! The Russian market in Phnon Penh had cheaper clothes than China, and they are the real deal, kinda like a Winners in Canada.</div><br /><div>Something to think about: Next time you go to fill up the car and complain about the high price of gas, keep in mind that people in Cambodia who have a per capita income of around $2000, well over $35,000 less than ours, are paying over a dollar a litre for gas. Think about it.</div><br /><div>Cambodia makes a good country to add on to a South Asia trip. While we are not sure there is enough to keep somebody busy for 3 weeks, it is easy to get to from Vietnam, Laos or Thailand, and makes a nice addition for some additional beach and temple time (btw, Siem Reap is a lot more happening with loads more restos and bars than you would think). Flat as a board, we also imagine that it would make a good cycling spot, as long as you dont mind camping in the middle of nowhere at night! Bottom line...if your in the area and have some time, give it a visit, we doubt you will regret it and at the very least will see one of the worlds truly great treasures in Angkor Wat.</div>Leigh and Jarrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15395204612709102957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1486206426845082558.post-57088577129726645492011-02-15T03:49:00.000-05:002011-02-15T03:50:15.324-05:00VLeigh and Jarrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15395204612709102957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1486206426845082558.post-57912222175898715842011-02-14T08:43:00.003-05:002011-02-14T09:11:20.216-05:00Phnom Penh's not so secret dark sideThailand may be more famous for it, but make no mistake the sex trade is big business here in Cambodia, especially Phnom Penh. You have to look no further than whichever resto or bar you stop at for a drink to see an example of this. What may come as a surprise to many, is that although one night stand deals surely exist, the bulk of what you see here is what could be called "medium term" deals.<br /><br />Look around the streets and you can see men walking down the sidewalks or having a snack and drink with Cambodian women anywhere from kinda 18-35. Apparently many Westerners arrange their vacation so that they can be in the company of a certain local for the duration of their time here. The result being that a single lady accompanies a guy around the country for a week or two while he is here visiting. Sometimes they almost look like couples.<br /><br />The occurences of this are far from rare, with expat mags even advertising bars with hostesses. Thankfully, you can see government action being taken to protect young women from falling into this. While it may not seem like much, requiring local girls to present IDs at guest houses before accompanying men, it does help. Especially given the number of hotels owned by expats who are not keen on garnering a sour reputation. Unfortunately, there are probably still many ways around this.<br /><br />To be honest, the sex trade is pretty much in your face all through South Asia, and while prostitutes are not a rare sight in Europe, the situation here is much more dire for those involved. A simple way to help women who have fallen victim to the trade is to seek out businesses who are helping them earn honest livings and get back on their feet. It may mean paying a buck or two more for a painting, lunch or massage, but in the big scheme of things, a buck or two is not that much to us, whereas it can help ensure a young person does not fall back into a darker life again.Leigh and Jarrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15395204612709102957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1486206426845082558.post-1112309992251933702011-02-13T09:16:00.002-05:002011-02-13T09:48:52.181-05:00Not so sleepy Sihanoukville<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IjTmU7X4oXA/TVfu57rOSlI/AAAAAAAAGaY/k1thvxXuQ8o/s1600/P1040247.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5573185742933215826" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IjTmU7X4oXA/TVfu57rOSlI/AAAAAAAAGaY/k1thvxXuQ8o/s320/P1040247.JPG" /></a> On the coast of Cambodia, about a 4 hour bus ride southwest from Phnom Penh is Sihanoukville, the main (only?) beach destination in Cambodia. The area encompasses a bunch of beaches, but there are two main ones that people head to now; Serendipity and Otres.<br /><div><br />Serendipity is right off the main drag and has beach restos strung along almost the whole stretch of sand. It is packed though (with a surprising amount of older people), and has a busy, kinda run down vibe to it. Sure its nice, and the water is warm, but it definately has the most touts and beggars we have seen on any beach so far. As well as loads of people.<br /><br />For a more quiet beach experience, where there are still lots of food options and the occasional tout, head to Otres beach. It is cleaner, the water is clearer, and there are less people there. After spending one day at the busy beach, we opted for Otres for our next two days in town and were glad we did.<br /><br />The Lonely Planet makes Sihanoukville sound almost like a sleepy little town in comparison to beaches of Thailand and Vietnam (at least to me), and while it is true that there are way less visitors than Thailand, its no smaller than the beach we were at in Vietnam and is not a sleepy little town. Don't fret though, if a laid back beach is what you are after, come to the area and hire a tuk tuk to take you to the quiet beach each day for 5 bucks (there and back).<br /><br />On another note, pics are up of Siem Reap and Angkor, enjoy. (Disclaimer: I can`t remember what the names of all the temples around Angkor Wat were called and I am not in the mood to go back and check, so some are nameless in the pics!)</div>Leigh and Jarrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15395204612709102957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1486206426845082558.post-29005039431227043512011-02-12T07:15:00.003-05:002011-02-12T07:20:10.966-05:00One week to go...Its crazy that we are almost done. Time has gone so fast, and where the first part of the trip in Europe tired us out because we always felt we had to run around and see stuff, Asia has been the complete opposite. We are tired, and at times worn out, but it is definately more of a vacation this half of the trip. We are toying with ideas and ways on how to keep the blog going, like providing travel advice etc (not like there are a lot of those sites out there!), so if you have any ideas let us know!<br /><br />Over the coming week though we will update the travel tips again, put up more pictures, have a summary on Cambodia, as well as one on the second half of the trip and then no doubt a best of worst of the last six months with highlights to go along with it.<br /><br />Until next time!Leigh and Jarrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15395204612709102957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1486206426845082558.post-18306140401756887872011-02-11T07:44:00.002-05:002011-02-11T07:51:37.151-05:00A little more on Angkor...The main reason many foreigners go to Cambodia is to visit the largest religious structure in the world, Angkor Wat. What many may not know though is that their are temples and sights spread all over the area around Angkor Wat. Given the shear size of the site located just outside Siem Reap (and the vast distance between the structures) 7 day tickets are sold to hardcore tourist enthusiasts. We opted for a 1 day pass (20 US dollars) as both of us develop temple fatigue quite easily. <br /><br />Jarret and I rented a Tuk Tuk and driver to take us around the major structures for half a day. It was by far the best mode of transportation as it was comfortable, cheap ($12 US for 5 hours), and easy. The sun in Cambodia is intense so we recommend bringing lots of water, sunscreen, snacks, and a hat. You can buy some things at the actual site just in case you forget something.<br /><br />The faces on some temples reminded us a bit of Mayan architecture we have seen in Central America and Mexico. Many of the buildings are in various states of ruin with restoration trying to turn back the hands of time. We couldnt help but feel lucky that we could visit such an important site in our lifetime as we cannot imagine given the current shape of some of the buildings that they will last for long. Ancient trees are causing havoc due to their weight and ever-expanding roots that are meandering through the stones blocks. At some locations, the fight against detoriation is a loosing battle. Ironically, some of these trees with roots going through the temples are themselves prime sightseeing icons now.<br /><br />The temples around Siem Reap generate enormous revenue for the Cambodian government and are truly one of the must see sights on the planet and we hope they will continue to preserve this magnificant time-capsule for future generations. What are you waiting for? Go visit!Leigh and Jarrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15395204612709102957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1486206426845082558.post-64906439098044660012011-02-10T08:33:00.004-05:002011-02-10T08:47:21.593-05:00A Vitamin is our Apple!Jarret recently had an episode of food poisoning, the worst I have ever seen him expe<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_pz_j4TSyLCg/TVPr-QiNArI/AAAAAAAAGTQ/bLATuvyT8js/s1600/imagesCABCAEGS.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 127px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 133px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5572056618810278578" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_pz_j4TSyLCg/TVPr-QiNArI/AAAAAAAAGTQ/bLATuvyT8js/s320/imagesCABCAEGS.jpg" /></a>rience. I am happy to say that he seems to be on the mend once again (without drugs), just in time for the beaches in Cambodia. Both Jarret and I are otherwise very healthy people who do not get sick that often at home, but during the 6 months on the road we have collectively had 6 common colds, 2 sinus infections, 1 bronchitis, 1 stomach flu, and 3 food poisoning incidences.<br /><br />As apples are sometimes hard to find overseas in hotter climates, we have surrendered to taking a daily multi-vitamin to keep the doctor away. Next time, we will start taking the vitamins at the beginning and not the end of our trip. We would recommend the same to you on your travel adventures!Leigh and Jarrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15395204612709102957noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1486206426845082558.post-12722402389427746852011-02-10T08:22:00.002-05:002011-02-10T08:31:47.874-05:00Laos Pictures are Up!<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JijVfQzm4ag/TVPok0LPeuI/AAAAAAAAGTI/WM9sNwPza24/s1600/P1050123.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 300px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5572052883166165730" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JijVfQzm4ag/TVPok0LPeuI/AAAAAAAAGTI/WM9sNwPza24/s400/P1050123.JPG" /></a>Take a look through our Laos adventures in Vientaine, Vang Vieng, and Luang Prabang! They can be found to the right of the screen as usual. Yesterday, we had the pleasure of visiting Angkor Wat (or the biggest religious complex in the world and a wonder of the world). The temperature was so hot but the sights were beautiful. We spent about 4 hours at the sight before we became templed out. At the moment, we are going through our pictures and we hope to post them tomorrow!Leigh and Jarrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15395204612709102957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1486206426845082558.post-84669303134703339222011-02-08T08:46:00.002-05:002011-02-08T09:00:27.061-05:00<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_pz_j4TSyLCg/TVFMECLDE7I/AAAAAAAAGBg/muA_atoWj6E/s1600/P1040168.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5571317846220411826" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_pz_j4TSyLCg/TVFMECLDE7I/AAAAAAAAGBg/muA_atoWj6E/s400/P1040168.JPG" /></a> In total, we spent about 10 days in Laos (Vientiane, Vang Vieng, and Luang Prabang) and thoroughly enjoyed our time here. Even its capital city felt like a small town and reminded us of what our home towns might have been like back in the day if they were a bit bigger. We enjoyed all destinations save a bit of a downer in Vang Vieng where the tourists were always too drunk and obnoxious by noon for us to get a real good feel of the town. Here we go:<br /><div><br />Best of: The people, landscapes and hotel value for money.</div><div><br />Worst of: Bus rides that made you want to shoot yourself. They broke down, never ran on time, went under 30 km/hr and just plain sucked.</div><div><br />Surprising Fact: The shear variety of restaurants and the quality of food. The huge number of Indian restaurants and lack of their Chinese counterparts. Plus, the most fellow Canadians we ran into throughout our whole adventure was in Laos!</div><div><br />No Thanks: The sometimes too laid back atmosphere that completely went against the grain of someone who is in a hurry...good for a few days, trying after that. Also, there were some uppity tourists in Luang Prabang who seemed like they just got dropped in from Boca. </div><div><br />Yes Please: Huge value for money in hotels, being able to bike everywhere, friendly people, and the lush greenery.</div><div><br />Best Meal: Indian food (Leigh) and localpork meatball soup (Jarret). Albeit, Leigh fed a local cat half of Jarret's meatballs. The cat looked like he thoroughly enjoyed them!</div><div><br />Worst Meal: The meal at Coconut Restaurant that gave us both food poisoning 4 hours later (spaghetti for Leigh and local fish laap for Jarret).</div><div><br />Laos in a nutshell: Friendly people, terrific food, cheap beer, and the most laid back place we have ever been too complete with the laziest dogs on earth. It is a destination that not many people think about going to and that, we both agree, is a real shame.</div>Leigh and Jarrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15395204612709102957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1486206426845082558.post-78391117264631116532011-02-07T06:21:00.003-05:002011-02-07T06:26:40.715-05:00Laid back Luang Prabang<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_pz_j4TSyLCg/TU_WZl0E5QI/AAAAAAAAGBY/xQZfpFq17bk/s1600/P1040123.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570906999216203010" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_pz_j4TSyLCg/TU_WZl0E5QI/AAAAAAAAGBY/xQZfpFq17bk/s400/P1040123.JPG" /></a>Luang Prabang in the north of Laos is a quaint, laid back little town. That doesnt mean there is nothing to do though. From town you can go to a bunch of waterfalls, the most famous of which is Kuansi with its menthol green cascading pools, you can go check out a variety of caves nearby, visit an elephant rescue centre, or check out one of the best night markets for crafts we have seen on our trip.<br /><div><br />The centre of town is really geared towards tourists, with loads of restos and even 3 or 4 wine bars. That may give away the fact that this town is more expensive than any we have been to in awhile. It is still well within our budget for Asia though, so don't let that put you off. There are way more what we will call upper class tourists here as well, and the accomodation to match. A benefit for us is that while we can't afford the rooms at these places, we are able to lunch at the restos for about 4 dollars each (including some vino), so it makes a nice splurge! Luang Prabang is a really big change from the twenty year old hang out of Vang Vieng, and makes you wonder if it is still the same country.</div><div><br />Sitting here on the banks of the Mekong having a drink and the local varient of spring rolls, we both agree that Luang Prabang is one of the most relaxing towns we have been to, and is growing on us the longer we stay here. To be honest, Laos might be the most beautiful country we have ever seen...it is really stunning, but we will save that for the wrap up!</div><div><br />A couple things about Laos and Luang Prabang in particular, is that we have met more Canadians in 10 days here than we did in probably the last 4 months of travelling. Luang Prabang is also easily the most gay friendly destination we have been to on our trip (since Germany). Its a really open and welcoming place.</div><div><br />Anyways, we have some books to read before the sun sets over the river, so ciao for now!</div>Leigh and Jarrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15395204612709102957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1486206426845082558.post-68714019284001665582011-02-06T06:23:00.004-05:002011-02-06T06:40:04.225-05:00Big Brother Mouse<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_pz_j4TSyLCg/TU6GIZ2XfUI/AAAAAAAAGBQ/32KAjZY0YA8/s1600/reader180j%255B1%255D.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 180px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 255px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570537268039875906" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_pz_j4TSyLCg/TU6GIZ2XfUI/AAAAAAAAGBQ/32KAjZY0YA8/s400/reader180j%255B1%255D.jpg" /></a> On a small side street in Luang Prabang is a shop that is trying to make a big difference in the lives of rural Lao children. Big Brother Mouse released their first books in 2006, and since then has provided books in english and lao to dozens of small villages in the countryside. <div><br />For many children, it is the first time they have seen a book, with BBM staff even having to show them there is more to read and see after the first page! Walking through their small shop you see loads of pictures of happy smiling children at Book Parties (parties where BBM spends a day at the village giving books away, playing games and reading to the children) where in 2009 over 30,000 children got their first ever book. </div><div><br />The books range from traditional lao stories to african animals to wonders of the world. As one staffer put it, "these children have never ever seen some of these things, and by giving them these books, maybe they will start dreaming", dreams that could lead to a better future. The staff also provides reading sessions 6 days a week for two hours, where tourists can go and read to the children if they like.</div><div><br />If you are ever in LP or Vientiene, check them out and see the joy a book can bring to young children.</div><div><br />Check out the website: <a href="http://www.bigbrothermouse.com/">http://www.bigbrothermouse.com/</a></div>Leigh and Jarrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15395204612709102957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1486206426845082558.post-60064778384870210602011-02-05T04:50:00.004-05:002011-02-05T05:00:13.529-05:00Essential experience my %*#!!<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_pz_j4TSyLCg/TU0ejtWuo0I/AAAAAAAAGAw/N2d-28dRbTo/s1600/P1040063.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570141912946352962" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_pz_j4TSyLCg/TU0ejtWuo0I/AAAAAAAAGAw/N2d-28dRbTo/s400/P1040063.JPG" /></a> So, as we mentioned in our last post...trying to romanticize a hot, stinky, 9-10 hour bus ride on an old Chinese bus that breaks down 6 times en route to your destination (which is only 250km away) and has half a dozen people puking their guts out is simply delusional!<br /><div><br />Bus rides in Laos are something of a right of passage, and much has been said and written about "Laos time". Basically it is said that no matter what happens en route, you will get there eventually, it just wont be when you thought it would be, but that this is one of the essential experiences of travelling here.</div><div><br />The only way to get from Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang is via bus or minibus, and having already had bad experiences on minisbuses over long distances, we opted for the VIP "air conditioned" bus. Departing Vang Vieng one hour late due to the driver trying to fix the stereo so he could listen to Chinese pop tunes, things were not looking good. And they only got worse. </div><div><br />Two hours into our "6" hour drive, we stopped for lunch...for 1 hour! Overkill much. Then the breakdowns started...first the brakes, then the transmission, then 3d gear seemed to be gone, then the brakes. All the while poeple were getting on and off the bus, and it was heating up like an oven, the ac spewing out heat like an electric heater. During one breakdown somebody saw smoke and yelled fire and all hell broke loose! Luckily it was just the brakes smoking again. </div><div><br />After two more breakdowns in the dark where even the driver was getting angry we finally made it to Luang Prabang, almost ten hours after leaving! We are no stranger to bus rides, having been on 15-20 hour epics in Latin America, but this was the worst ever. A right of passage maybe, but one passage was enough for us!</div>Leigh and Jarrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15395204612709102957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1486206426845082558.post-86490364009781073832011-02-04T11:24:00.002-05:002011-02-04T11:37:32.638-05:00Vang Viengs Walking Wounded<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_pz_j4TSyLCg/TUwq7XWuW-I/AAAAAAAAGAo/kleEYPaG2WA/s1600/P1050157.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5569874038520437730" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_pz_j4TSyLCg/TUwq7XWuW-I/AAAAAAAAGAo/kleEYPaG2WA/s400/P1050157.JPG" /></a> Before we begin...people who say that taking a ten hour bus in Laos is part of the experience are just deluding themselves and trying to make the best of a bad situation...but more on that later.<br />VangVieng is nuts. Take everything you have heard and know about spring break in Cancun, put it in a little dusty town in the middle of nowhere in Laos, and you have Vang Vieng.<br /><br />Set amongst some of the most amazing scenery we have seen on the trip, the town comes out of nowhere about 5 hours away from the capital of Laos. It is cheap, like the cheapest food we have seen on the trip, and there are lots of hotels. And while the caves and kayaking are popular, the tubing and partying is what the town is famous for.<br /><br />First the tubing...it is actually nice, going down the river in your tube, beer in hand, with huge limestone cliffs as your backdrop with bob marley playing in the background it makes for a relaxing 4 hours. The partying on the river though makes me feel old though.<br /><br />Maybe its the fact that ten year old kids who would normally be in school are instead calling you into their parents bars with promises of `strong mushroom shakes and free joints` or that in 6 hours of being there we saw 8 injured people with wraps and hospital bandages over huge scars on legs, arms and faces, crutches everywhere along with the talk of 4 dead foreigners in the river in January, but something just makes me think things have gotten out of hand here. When you are at dinner and young australians (and some canadians) are falling down practically naked on the main street in front of restos and stores where local families are eating their dinner it kinda solidifies it. Makes you think that this is giving the wrong message to people and tourism.<br />Vang Vieng seems at the crossroads, there are tonnes of beautiful natural scenery, with lots of good fun to be had, but delving into excess with the resulting effects makes you wonder what it will be like in a few years.<br /><br />Whether you want to stop here or not, chances are you will end up here since it makes a good break on the long bus ride to Luang Prabang. No matter what, you wont forget it.Leigh and Jarrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15395204612709102957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1486206426845082558.post-68115436684033773472011-02-02T07:03:00.002-05:002011-02-02T07:06:24.332-05:00The veritable truth on Vietnam (in our opinion)Our time in Vietnam was spent visiting cities, chilling in small world heritage towns and relaxing at the beach. If we had to choose one word to describe how we felt about the country, it would be surprised. We arrived in Vietnam thinking it would be exciting to visit, but would be rather hard to travel around and language might be a bit of an issue. We could not have been more wrong. Everyone spoke English, getting from place to place was easy (if rather long on the bus) and food was amazing, getting real bread was nice after a month of sweet bread in China. Here we go with the wrap up.<br /><br />Best of: Cheap drinks, Mui Ne, food<br /><br />Worst of: Ho Chi Minh City (neat for a couple hours, then tiring), bus rides, Cu Chi tunnel tour<br /><br />Best meal: Jarret - Grilled crab and tiger prawns, Leigh - Grilled tiger prawns<br /><br />Worst meal: Pizza with peanut buttery sauce in HCMC<br /><br />Yes please: Value for money - easily the best value for money yet on the trip with your dollar going ffffffaaaaaaaarrrrrr (coming home is going to be a shock to the system in this dept)<br /><br />No thanks: One lane "Highways" where it takes 6hours to drive 200 km, young kids with no helmets on scooters (weird since their parents all wore one).<br /><br />For real? We read Mui Ne was a kitesurfing mecca, but no way were we prepared for the cool sight of over 50 kites in the air each afternoon! <br /><br />Are we in Kata, Thailand? Once again, Russians dominated the beach town we were in. Who'd a thunk it.<br /><br />Pleasant surprise: There was so much variety in food, and it was all good. From fresh french bread with pate, to traditional pho and variations of it. For Jarret, best food yet on the trip, for Leigh, lots of choices that all tasted good.<br /><br />Our time in Vietnam was great, the only draw back was that we did not have enough and had to cut some things out. It really would make an excellent three week holiday. It offers the perfect mix of city, rural and beach. Once it gets easier to fly to, it really could give Thailand a run for its money. We already met two couples who had been to Thailand five times, but are going to come back to Vietnam from now on. If your looking for an exotic locale with amazing beaches, good food, friendly people and exciting cities, look no further.Leigh and Jarrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15395204612709102957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1486206426845082558.post-83170982672516180352011-02-01T07:02:00.003-05:002011-02-01T07:06:16.959-05:00Buy a leg, change a life!<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 250px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 170px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568690920533820914" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_pz_j4TSyLCg/TUf241ZchfI/AAAAAAAAF9I/xg0qqSNzHn0/s400/cope.jpg" />It is a fact that Laos is the most bombed country in the world. Sadly, many of the bombs dropped by the Americans during the Vietnam War did not explode instantly, but years later upon unsuspecting citizens, upon curious children, and upon the poor peasants looking for scrap metal. Bombs or bombies as they are sometimes called still mame and kill the innocent today, in the hundreds. The number of amputees that you see in the streets is blatant signs that war is not quite over here. <div><div><br />In Vientiane, the COPE Rehabilitation Centre has provided much needed hope to hundreds of people injured by bombs. The centre makes prosthetic limbs, provides rehabilitation, and gives medical care to those desperate for help. They put together the pieces that have destroyed lives and attempt to rebuild the self confidence and self sufficiency of the victims. They educate locals in an attempt to erradicate the need for the very services they provide. </div><div><br />For almost nothing at all, you can change a life by buying a limb for an amputee (who we must mention are among the most poorest people in the world). Check out their website and if you are ever in Vientiane stop by for a visit:<br /><a href="http://www.copelaos.org/index.php">http://www.copelaos.org/index.php</a></div></div>Leigh and Jarrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15395204612709102957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1486206426845082558.post-88219544295383869682011-01-31T07:45:00.000-05:002011-01-31T07:46:01.088-05:00Watch - Jarret vs CrabHere is our latest video:<br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JjgM2kOluw0">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JjgM2kOluw0</a>Leigh and Jarrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15395204612709102957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1486206426845082558.post-42312182990557141492011-01-31T04:55:00.001-05:002011-01-31T05:04:16.138-05:00Laid back in LaosAfter a short plane ride with what had to be the most redundant connection in Cambodia, we arrived in Vientiane last nite around 5 pm. Walking from the plane to the baggage area you could immediatly tell the difference in the air. It smelt so clean and fresh. A really nice change after spending so long in more polluted areas.<br /><br />We spent our first night here down by the river getting a drink, being surprised at how many Indian restos there are for such a small place (we counted 5 already), and then having a snack where once we sat down seemed like a gay bar with live music! Good times. On the way home we made a quick stop at the local 7-11 and got two draft beers in plastic cups to take away! lol.<br />Today we are gonna rent some bikes, figure out our onward travel and check out a French resto for dinner. Apparently they are top notch here and in Luang Prabang. Our Vietnam wrap up will follow soon.Leigh and Jarrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15395204612709102957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1486206426845082558.post-67093071496870142712011-01-29T10:47:00.003-05:002011-01-29T10:56:12.001-05:00Tired or not...<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_pz_j4TSyLCg/TUQ4LLnQ2CI/AAAAAAAAF84/JV34saFDGpk/s1600/P1040054.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5567636804083963938" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_pz_j4TSyLCg/TUQ4LLnQ2CI/AAAAAAAAF84/JV34saFDGpk/s320/P1040054.JPG" /></a>It pays to take a second and look around a room before taking it. After a gruelling 6 hour bus ride that felt more like 20 hours, walking around the wrong way in Siagon (or HCMC) for 20 minutes and being drenched in sweat, we went to check into a hotel that had decent reviews and was cheap. Just before we decided to stay, I checked the mattress out, and thank god for that! As my face shows in the picture, there was something not so nice there. A couple of clusters of bed bugs were waiting for us to crawl into bed. First time either of us saw them, and let me say, I am so glad I checked the mattress. We left that hotel, I had to grab our passports from the staff though since they just wanted to give us a better room. No thanks. A short walk down the street to a nicer place and a quick inspection has us staying at a place that should remain itch free tonite! Long story short...take two seconds and check out the mattress seams, it could save you a tonne of headaches!Leigh and Jarrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15395204612709102957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1486206426845082558.post-66805408463627048882011-01-28T09:49:00.005-05:002011-01-28T19:42:04.535-05:00Banged up Abroad<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_pz_j4TSyLCg/TULX8ag43kI/AAAAAAAAF8w/nCiDKa1KxZM/s1600/P1050080.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 104px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 186px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5567249522292743746" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_pz_j4TSyLCg/TULX8ag43kI/AAAAAAAAF8w/nCiDKa1KxZM/s320/P1050080.JPG" /></a>It was bound to happen after travelling for 6 months. We only wish we could say that the injury happened after zooming along a path on a scooter, hitting a patch of loose gravel, falling, and skinning my knee. But alas, again a seemingly pathetic story is behind my (Leigh's) newest war-wound. Its amazing to think that a scooter - parked and turned off no less - could do so much damage. While Jarret was off snapping a picture of the gorgeous sand dunes, I was waiting on the bike, the bike leaned and off I went skidding across the gravel with the bike landing on top! At least the fiasco happened in the middle of nowhere so that no one could hear the scream, see the blood dripping down my leg, or see the dirt caked on my front! Everything was fine in the end and we had a good laugh over the incident. Maybe, just maybe, I will be left with a scar that one day I can show grandchildren and tell them stories about my travels. Until then this will go in the file with the toe broken by the elephant as another story that needs to be embelished a bit!Leigh and Jarrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15395204612709102957noreply@blogger.com0