Check out part 4 of our video series as we finish our time in Cambodia, and visit Thailand and Malaysia. Cities include Phnom Penh, Sihanoukville, Bangkok, Phuket, Penang, and Kuala Lumpur.
Roswell, NM - # 1 in Alien Abductions
Asia Video Series Part 3
Check out part 3 of our video series as we visit the legendary temples of Angkor in Siem Reap, Cambodia.
Carlsbad Caverns
After stopping in Mesa Verde, we ventured on into New Mexico. Numerous hours later, we finally arrived at the legendary Carlsbad Caverns.
Asia Video Part 2
Part 2 of our video series from South East Asia. In this video, we finish out our time in Vietnam with Hanoi and Halong Bay. Then we move on to Laos, with stops in Vientiane, Buddha Park, Pakse, Don Det, and our amazing motobike trip on "The Loop" from Thakhek to Konglor Cave, and Lak Sao.
Mesa Verde
After arriving back in the US, we rested for a week, then decided to hit the road again and drive across the country. First stop, Mesa Verde National Park.
Asia Video Series: Part 1
Check out part 1 of our video series from our travels in Asia. This video is all about Vietnam, including Ho Chi Minh (Saigon), Mui Ne, Nha Trang, Hoi An, Hue, and Hanoi.
Mathematical!
Over the past three months in Southeast Asia, we've kept track of our costs for each country, as well as the number of times we rode trains, buses, etc.
Penang, Malaysia - Toys and Forts and even Toy Forts
Phuket and Hat Yai - Rainy season begins
Sihanoukville, Cambodia - Beach bums, old weirdos, and motorcycles
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| Sokha Beach |
We head to the beach for some much needed relaxing in the sun.
Phnom Penh - The most depressing post ever
Moto Trip Laos: Wild Hogs 2 - Caves, Mud Pits, and the open road in Thakhek
Vientiane, Laos - Buddhas and Wats
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| Damn that's big |
Halong Bay and exotic street food - Hanoi, Vietnam Part 2
A four hour bus ride from Hanoi brought us to the legendary Halong Bay.
Formaldehyde and Water Puppets - Hanoi, Vietnam Part 1
After a bus ride that took far longer than advertised, we made it to Hanoi.
Getting Historical in Hoi An/Hue, Vietnam
After an overnight bus ride that included dehyration, a fainting spell, and a skinned knee (perilous journey!); we finally made it to Hoi An.
Nha Trang, Vietnam - "Don't be lazy, be crazy"
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| Ponagar Cham Towers |
Our next stop on the trip is Nha Trang, a city that feels like a mix of Saigon and Mui Ne.
Fun in the Sun in Mui Ne, Vietnam
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| Sleeper bus to Mui Ne |
Arrival In Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
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| On top of the Reunification Palace in Ho Chi Minh City. Yes those are clip-on sunglasses. Deal with it. |
We made it to Vietnam. Finally...
Almost there...
In our last week here we've been trying to tie up all our loose ends, and see as many friends as we can before we leave. We moved out of our house and stored or donated all of our possessions. We also did as many "American" activities as we could, including going to a baseball game, and eating tons of American food like burgers, BBQ, and our favorite, Blackjack Pizza.
Geekery ensues
We’re only two weeks from flying out and I can hardly contain my excitement. We’ve given our resignation letters to our employers, contacted our credit card companies, and we’ve moved almost everything out of our apartment. So close! The only thing that helps with the waiting are the cool things we get to do on the weekend. For example: this weekend we went to Starfest 2012, which was pretty much the geekiest thing to do in Denver. Our good friend Lauren came out from Austin with her new boyfriend Stephen and we had an awesome time walking around in spandex and taking tons of photos. Check out some below:
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| Lauren and Stephen suiting up |
The science of packing
We're now less than a month from leaving. Over the course of the last several months, I've managed to pack what I hope is everything necessary for this trip. I'm sure there's something I forgot, but I plan to return to this post either during the trip or at the end, and evaluate what was useful and what was a waste, hopefully as a resource for others who wish to take a similar journey. I'm taking two bags on this trip, the main one being a DaKine Heli Pro pack that I've owned for years, and has held up well through numerous backcountry ski trips, including some small slides, and tumbling off cliffs. The other pack I'm taking is a small sling bag I picked up from an army surplus store, perfect for day trips when I don't want to carry my large bag. I pulled everything out of my packs to give an idea of how much can fit in them.
This month is going to go really slow.
It’s almost here. Every day that thought echoes even louder through my subconscious. The day we get on a plane and leave the country for unknown adventures. There
have been many days when it seemed like it would never get here, but
now with a month left, I find myself constantly remembering some small
detail that I either forgot or suddenly decided was vitally important to
take care of before it’s too late. Inevitably, there will be some things that I will forget. Whatever they are, once we’re out there I doubt they will seem to matter as much.
When
we got engaged in June 2011, we laid out a simple plan that we would
get married in December, and within a year, quit our jobs and travel. At the time some people questioned our sanity, while most questioned our resolve to see it through. We had good jobs and lived downtown in a great city, why would we give that up? We
had no real answer beyond the belief that there has to be more to life
than earning money and getting saddled with car and house payments.
While
we initially focused on budgeting for our pending nuptials (which we
managed to pay for completely on our own), there was always the concern
in the back of our minds about saving enough money to make this trip
work. In the fall we began selling off our possessions:
the extra car, the motorcycle, almost all of our recreational equipment
such as skis, etc. To save on gas, we rarely drove
anywhere unless it was absolutely necessary (and still do; its good
practice for our upcoming travels).
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