Luckily, Smith and I were not aboard this flight, we landed 3 hours earlier.
Here's the story from USA Today
PREY PEAY, Cambodia (AP) — Rescue teams searched jungles of southern Cambodia for a passenger plane believed to have crashed with 22 people aboard, including South Korean and Czech tourists, while flying between two popular destinations, officials said.
The plane, a Russian-made An-24, disappeared in a mountainous jungle area in Kampot province Monday morning.
Officials said they were certain the PMT Air flight had crashed, and a police chief cited witness acounts of a plane going down in the area, but searchers had not yet found the wreckage.
The search for the plane was suspended for the night about 12 hours after it disappeared, said Nhim Vanda, vice president of the National Committee for Disaster Management.
Him Sarun, head of the Secretariat of Civil Aviation, said it was unlikely any survivors would be found.
FIND MORE STORIES IN: South Korea | Cambodia | Czech | PHNOM PENH | Siem | Kampot | Sihanoukville
"If we located the plane three or four hours after the crash, there might have been some hope of survivors ... but since it is going to be a whole night passing without finding it, even if there had been any survivors, they could die from loss of blood," he said.
The plane had been flying from Siem Reap — where the famous Angkor Wat temple complex is located — to Sihanoukville, a coastal city with access to beaches, said Him Sarun.
An official at Siem Reap airport said 13 of the passengers were from South Korea — a figure confirmed by officials in Seoul — and three were Czech.
The official, who asked not to be named because he was not authorized to speak to the press, said the plane carried a crew of five Cambodians and a Russian co-pilot.
"It is 100% certain that the plane has crashed, but we still do not know who might have been killed or who might have survived," said Sith Sakal, head of the aviation secretariat's security department.
PMT Air is a small Cambodia airline that began flights from Siem Reap to Sihanoukville in January.
The airport official said contact with the plane was lost at 10:50 a.m., five minutes before it was due to land.
Him Sarun said the crash site is thought to be between Kamchay and Bokor mountains in Kampot province, about 130 kilometers (80 miles) southwest of the capital, Phnom Penh.
"I have received information from conservationists based on Bokor mountain who said they had spotted a plane crash" from a distance, said In Chiva, the Kampot province police chief, adding that the area is in a thick forest.
Rescue teams, comprising mostly soldiers and police, searched the area, but their efforts were hampered by slippery soil caused by recent rains, making trails impassable for vehicles, he said.
- Josh
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Sunday, June 24, 2007
So long Vietnam
We leave for Cambodia in a matter of minutes. Vietnam has been a country full of surprises, something that i half expected but never thought that it would have left me so breathless so many times..
Josh went to great efforts to tell you how amazing our time in the north of the country truly was, but there are no words that can explain to you how surreal the entire last week has been. Three days ago we had gone through and entire day of enduring, tiresome and inspiring dirtbiking through the country, to break down fall behind schedule and arrive at our boat to Bebe national park at dark. after we CAREFULLY loaded our bikes, packs and 4 guys( Josh, myself, our giude minh and the dirver/owner of the house we are staying with) on this boat, that could maybe be categorized as a large raft with an engine, we were off.
We lay on the front of the boat in the pitch black with the dark silhouettes of the mts on either side of this narrow river a bright half moon leading the way and fireflies along both sides of the water. The sky was full of stars, something rarely seen in Boston, or even fl and ca. for that matter. a shooting star and the sounds of crickets were the only sights and sounds other than the dull humm of the motor putt putting along.
We sat there wondering if we had ever in a million years thought we would be in north Vietnam in the middle of a lake in the dark with two Vietnamese, three dirt bikes and the sweat tears and cuts to prove the journey was an arduous one?......Not in a million.
No matter how hard try to explain or describe what it was like to be in that moment there are no pictures or words that can convey what the thoughts and feelings were like going through out minds and bodies right at that moment. It was something that i will never forget.
Cambodia and another adventure and story awaits.
Josh went to great efforts to tell you how amazing our time in the north of the country truly was, but there are no words that can explain to you how surreal the entire last week has been. Three days ago we had gone through and entire day of enduring, tiresome and inspiring dirtbiking through the country, to break down fall behind schedule and arrive at our boat to Bebe national park at dark. after we CAREFULLY loaded our bikes, packs and 4 guys( Josh, myself, our giude minh and the dirver/owner of the house we are staying with) on this boat, that could maybe be categorized as a large raft with an engine, we were off.
We lay on the front of the boat in the pitch black with the dark silhouettes of the mts on either side of this narrow river a bright half moon leading the way and fireflies along both sides of the water. The sky was full of stars, something rarely seen in Boston, or even fl and ca. for that matter. a shooting star and the sounds of crickets were the only sights and sounds other than the dull humm of the motor putt putting along.
We sat there wondering if we had ever in a million years thought we would be in north Vietnam in the middle of a lake in the dark with two Vietnamese, three dirt bikes and the sweat tears and cuts to prove the journey was an arduous one?......Not in a million.
No matter how hard try to explain or describe what it was like to be in that moment there are no pictures or words that can convey what the thoughts and feelings were like going through out minds and bodies right at that moment. It was something that i will never forget.
Cambodia and another adventure and story awaits.
Saturday, June 23, 2007
Motorcycle Diaries
The morning after we returned from Halong Bay we packed up all our gear and headed over to Huang's garage where we picked up our dirtbikes. Smith was on year 2000, 230cc Honda with electric start, I was on a 1996, 175cc Yamaha with a kickstart, and gears that could never find neutral, and our guide Minh was on a 125cc Russian made Minsk motorbike left over from the war, famous for breakdowns and no suspension.
Together we were most badass motorcycle gang Vietnam had ever seen. We strapped down our packs and headed out of the city. There are 3.5 million people living in Vietnam, and 2 million motorbikes. The majority of the traffic lights flash yellow, and to cross an intersection you just proceed straight ahead, the other drivers can smell fear, so confidence is a must, and nerves of steel don't hurt.
I manage to stall at every red light as we head out of the city, buses honking at me, trucks flashing their lights... We get to some road that's under construction, dust flying everywhere, mud, puddles, sand, people, dead ends, livestock everywhere...this is mayhem, and we're only 1 hour into a 5 day trip.
We rode 300 kilometers that day, both Smith and I had some close calls with some water buffalo that had stopped in the middle of the road. Minh said no rain for the trip; he was right for about 6 hours until torrential downpours had us huddled under a hut with some locals. Smith's raincover for his pack flew off a few kilometers back, so everything he owned got soaked. We were happy to arrive around 7pm that night In Ha Giang (Ha Zan) where we were greated with Bia Hoi (draft beer for 20 cents a glass) and some locals that rarely saw foreigners and invited us to go to discotec with them.
We passed on the clubbing and ended up at a restaurant that had run out of food, and served us fried fat, pineapple, and tomatoes. We got to our guesthouse which had 3 beds per room, and passed out.
Now for the highlights to save time:
I run out of gas as we pull into a gas station
Almost crash into water buffalo
Visited the palace of the Mong King (mountain people)
Tried to catch a chicken for dinner (farmer says his all died from bird flu)
Cham Vu Cham means "100%" you say it to a person and you cheers and finish your drink
Breakfast is no different than lunch or dinner, pork and beef are perfectly acceptable choices
We pass people who've never seen Americans and we feel like rockstars the way they wave at us, and come out of their houses when they hear us coming
I break a small plastic kiddie chair at lunch and fall on my ass
Another hotel with 3 beds?
We plant rice with the locals, they're better than us
Woman invites us in for rabbit
We hear gunshots, and watch army target practice
Played soccer with Viet kids
Crash Viet dinner party, they all say the following "Hello, my name ___, you drink rice wine wit me?" we have no choice, they won't let us leave.
Breathtaking scenery
Karaoke...
Opportunity to eat dog presents itself, we pass.
Sleeping naked again
My geat shifter breaks, clutch is hanging by a thread
I hit gravel while taking a turn at 30 mph and my bike slips out from under me. I slide along the asphalt and cut up my arm and knee. Smith see's my head bounce off the ground, but the helmet saved my life. There are chunks of plastic missing from the helmet. I'm fine, but shaken up
We spend 2 entire days on dirt roads with rocks, puddles, rivers, forests, jungles, and mud up to out knees. We ruin our clothes, and leave our socks behind each night
Smith burns his leg on his exhaust and puts a big hole in his pants
I'm forced off the road by a bus in my lane trying to pass a truck and i hit a pile of bricks which throws off the alignment and costs me $10 when I return the bike
Started with 4 turn indicators, finished with 1, which I'm keeping as a momento
Flat tires, wet spark plugs, no rear brakes, no mirors, food shortage, riding at night, taking a boat up the river with only the moon and fireflys to guide us, staying in the house of an ex-soldier in the North Vietnamese Army (not our side), corn whiskey, great pictures, adrenaline rushes, riding single file up and down trails not even suitable for hiking along a 60 foot ledge...
We're black and blue, but breathing nonetheless.
-Josh
Together we were most badass motorcycle gang Vietnam had ever seen. We strapped down our packs and headed out of the city. There are 3.5 million people living in Vietnam, and 2 million motorbikes. The majority of the traffic lights flash yellow, and to cross an intersection you just proceed straight ahead, the other drivers can smell fear, so confidence is a must, and nerves of steel don't hurt.
I manage to stall at every red light as we head out of the city, buses honking at me, trucks flashing their lights... We get to some road that's under construction, dust flying everywhere, mud, puddles, sand, people, dead ends, livestock everywhere...this is mayhem, and we're only 1 hour into a 5 day trip.
We rode 300 kilometers that day, both Smith and I had some close calls with some water buffalo that had stopped in the middle of the road. Minh said no rain for the trip; he was right for about 6 hours until torrential downpours had us huddled under a hut with some locals. Smith's raincover for his pack flew off a few kilometers back, so everything he owned got soaked. We were happy to arrive around 7pm that night In Ha Giang (Ha Zan) where we were greated with Bia Hoi (draft beer for 20 cents a glass) and some locals that rarely saw foreigners and invited us to go to discotec with them.
We passed on the clubbing and ended up at a restaurant that had run out of food, and served us fried fat, pineapple, and tomatoes. We got to our guesthouse which had 3 beds per room, and passed out.
Now for the highlights to save time:
I run out of gas as we pull into a gas station
Almost crash into water buffalo
Visited the palace of the Mong King (mountain people)
Tried to catch a chicken for dinner (farmer says his all died from bird flu)
Cham Vu Cham means "100%" you say it to a person and you cheers and finish your drink
Breakfast is no different than lunch or dinner, pork and beef are perfectly acceptable choices
We pass people who've never seen Americans and we feel like rockstars the way they wave at us, and come out of their houses when they hear us coming
I break a small plastic kiddie chair at lunch and fall on my ass
Another hotel with 3 beds?
We plant rice with the locals, they're better than us
Woman invites us in for rabbit
We hear gunshots, and watch army target practice
Played soccer with Viet kids
Crash Viet dinner party, they all say the following "Hello, my name ___, you drink rice wine wit me?" we have no choice, they won't let us leave.
Breathtaking scenery
Karaoke...
Opportunity to eat dog presents itself, we pass.
Sleeping naked again
My geat shifter breaks, clutch is hanging by a thread
I hit gravel while taking a turn at 30 mph and my bike slips out from under me. I slide along the asphalt and cut up my arm and knee. Smith see's my head bounce off the ground, but the helmet saved my life. There are chunks of plastic missing from the helmet. I'm fine, but shaken up
We spend 2 entire days on dirt roads with rocks, puddles, rivers, forests, jungles, and mud up to out knees. We ruin our clothes, and leave our socks behind each night
Smith burns his leg on his exhaust and puts a big hole in his pants
I'm forced off the road by a bus in my lane trying to pass a truck and i hit a pile of bricks which throws off the alignment and costs me $10 when I return the bike
Started with 4 turn indicators, finished with 1, which I'm keeping as a momento
Flat tires, wet spark plugs, no rear brakes, no mirors, food shortage, riding at night, taking a boat up the river with only the moon and fireflys to guide us, staying in the house of an ex-soldier in the North Vietnamese Army (not our side), corn whiskey, great pictures, adrenaline rushes, riding single file up and down trails not even suitable for hiking along a 60 foot ledge...
We're black and blue, but breathing nonetheless.
-Josh
Monday, June 18, 2007
The American War
After all, that's what they call it here. However their thoughts on the war are much different than our thoughts on the war. We hear stories of terror and bloodshed and of all the soldiers lost fighting against the NVA, and the subject is hardly ever talked about here. I had doubts when we first arrived at the airport of how we'd be received...Smith and I being some of the most American looking Americans I know, but I've found the Vietnamese to be some of the greatest people we've met so far. The majority of the country is under the age of 35, and the war is just a history lesson to them, something that is taught, not experienced. Please believe me when I say you know nothing about this country. We've been here 4 days and are just beginning to grasp the culture and lifestyle of these fascinating people.
Yesterday morning Smith and I got up early and hopped in a van headed for Ha Long bay. It's a three hour ride to the coast and some of the most amazing islands I've ever seen. A kid from Singapore asked where I was from, and if Northeastern had any relation to Northwestern (no matter how far I go people get that wrong) I tell him he speaks great English, and he tells me English is their first language in Singapore. I feel like an idiot, but I learned something. Did you know that the money in Australia is waterproof? (makes sense living on a big island i guess)We boarded a 3 story Chinese Junk and headed out into what looked like ominous islands from Pirates of the Carribean. Pretty awesome, then we head into a huge cave, then kayaked for a bit.
We went for a swim, and Smith got me to jump off the top of the boat, about 3 stories. Jumping isn't my thing, but that's his job...making me do things. We have a great dinner then Karaoke begins. Our tour guide Tom (who was born 3 days before Smith, making them both Rats in the Vietnamese zodiac, and is reason enough for multiple shots of rice wine) starts us off with a beautiful rendition of The Rolling Stone's "Paint it Black." He basically screamed in broken English as loud as he could into a microphone with reverb that couldn't be turned off. Smith and I followed with some Green Day, YMCA, Backstreet Boys, and then I did Born in the USA.
After Stan the French guy sang Britney Spears, Smith stole some beers, and we headed to the top deck for some bonding. Little did we know that the entire crew was up there getting wasted off of a jug of rice wine and eating strips of dried squid with chili sauce. We were well received, and over the course of an hour drank enough rice wine to kill a small animal.
We were woken up by a cute Vietnamese girl who was probably wondering why our windows were open and we were butt naked, but we smiled and told her not to worry. I wore a white sheet up to breakfast, and got a few funny looks from the crew. Smith made it up a half hour later, then proceeded to sunburn his entire front by falling asleep in the sun for 2 hours.
We're back in Ha Noi now getting ready for the weekly BBQ at the Hostel, and we leave tomorrow morning for 5 days of intensive exploration on our greatly upgraded hogs. We've gotten ourselves a tour guide, and we're headed up to the Northeast part of the country near the China border. This is the part of Vietnam where dogs and cats become their bread and butter, and even the rice runs out on occasion. This is the last you'll hear from us for a few days, but I'm sure we'll make it home alive...
Keep on keepin' on,
Zoz (closest they can get to Josh in Vietnam)
Yesterday morning Smith and I got up early and hopped in a van headed for Ha Long bay. It's a three hour ride to the coast and some of the most amazing islands I've ever seen. A kid from Singapore asked where I was from, and if Northeastern had any relation to Northwestern (no matter how far I go people get that wrong) I tell him he speaks great English, and he tells me English is their first language in Singapore. I feel like an idiot, but I learned something. Did you know that the money in Australia is waterproof? (makes sense living on a big island i guess)We boarded a 3 story Chinese Junk and headed out into what looked like ominous islands from Pirates of the Carribean. Pretty awesome, then we head into a huge cave, then kayaked for a bit.
We went for a swim, and Smith got me to jump off the top of the boat, about 3 stories. Jumping isn't my thing, but that's his job...making me do things. We have a great dinner then Karaoke begins. Our tour guide Tom (who was born 3 days before Smith, making them both Rats in the Vietnamese zodiac, and is reason enough for multiple shots of rice wine) starts us off with a beautiful rendition of The Rolling Stone's "Paint it Black." He basically screamed in broken English as loud as he could into a microphone with reverb that couldn't be turned off. Smith and I followed with some Green Day, YMCA, Backstreet Boys, and then I did Born in the USA.
After Stan the French guy sang Britney Spears, Smith stole some beers, and we headed to the top deck for some bonding. Little did we know that the entire crew was up there getting wasted off of a jug of rice wine and eating strips of dried squid with chili sauce. We were well received, and over the course of an hour drank enough rice wine to kill a small animal.
We were woken up by a cute Vietnamese girl who was probably wondering why our windows were open and we were butt naked, but we smiled and told her not to worry. I wore a white sheet up to breakfast, and got a few funny looks from the crew. Smith made it up a half hour later, then proceeded to sunburn his entire front by falling asleep in the sun for 2 hours.
We're back in Ha Noi now getting ready for the weekly BBQ at the Hostel, and we leave tomorrow morning for 5 days of intensive exploration on our greatly upgraded hogs. We've gotten ourselves a tour guide, and we're headed up to the Northeast part of the country near the China border. This is the part of Vietnam where dogs and cats become their bread and butter, and even the rice runs out on occasion. This is the last you'll hear from us for a few days, but I'm sure we'll make it home alive...
Keep on keepin' on,
Zoz (closest they can get to Josh in Vietnam)
Saturday, June 16, 2007
Miss America
No, not the contest, but do I miss America? The short answer is no. There is so much of this world left to explore. The ppl the places and the food around every corner offer so much more of an insight to what our planet is than i could ever look up on the internet or see on TV. Sure I miss the convenience of having a sub place across the street or being able to do my laundry or shower when ever i want, but I am in Vietnam, eating from street vendors meeting ppl from all over the world. I can honestly say i have learned more about other countries in the last three weeks than i have my entire educational career. Wars, customs, habits... For example i doubt that anyone knew that the queen of England is the head of state of both Australia and Canada....thats pretty crazy ehh?
So I have been on the road for a little more than two weeks. maybe two and a half, if that; but i can definitely see there are some travellers' illnesses we've picked up.... for example Josh more than definitely suffers from:
Cultural Emulation Syndrome: "Going native" if you will, picking up the local social, dress and eating habits of the country, Josh for the last several days have been wearing what i would call a camono maybe? a sort of man dress?
Cultural Enhancement Syndrome: Exaggerating the home countries local customs....for example, the loud american who likes to go to strip clubs and get massages.
Obssesive Junk Food cravings: Often the result of an unfamiliar and unfulfilling diet for a time unend. in most cases will cause the afflicted to ravage particular foodmarts for the particular brand or item on hand. A chilli cheese burger in the heart of tokyo perhaps?
I currently suffer from at least the following and probably more:
Pack Stoop: Casused by lugging an over-heavy backpack ffrom hostel to hostel seeming to get worse the longer we travel, especially as we load up on un-necessary goods and presents for those loved ones at home....
Constipated Payment Disorder: The result of a traveller not wanting to pay the asked for rate even though when we are home I would easily pay upwards of ten times the going rate here. We could pay the rate they ask but then we run the risk of getting lectured by fellow travellers about the "its not the money, its the principal." - Actually in most of the countries here its custom to haggle and looked as a sign of respect. Weird huh?
anyway tomorrow we leave for a 7 day adventure...two days in halong bay doing water stuff then 5 days on our new hogs...bigger and badder than ever...josh got his yamaha 175 cc and I my 230 CC honda and our giude; just the three of us and 1000km of open road, two homestays, a hotel and a guest house.....sick right? get ready for the pictures and adventures of the trip so far....
So I have been on the road for a little more than two weeks. maybe two and a half, if that; but i can definitely see there are some travellers' illnesses we've picked up.... for example Josh more than definitely suffers from:
Cultural Emulation Syndrome: "Going native" if you will, picking up the local social, dress and eating habits of the country, Josh for the last several days have been wearing what i would call a camono maybe? a sort of man dress?
Cultural Enhancement Syndrome: Exaggerating the home countries local customs....for example, the loud american who likes to go to strip clubs and get massages.
Obssesive Junk Food cravings: Often the result of an unfamiliar and unfulfilling diet for a time unend. in most cases will cause the afflicted to ravage particular foodmarts for the particular brand or item on hand. A chilli cheese burger in the heart of tokyo perhaps?
I currently suffer from at least the following and probably more:
Pack Stoop: Casused by lugging an over-heavy backpack ffrom hostel to hostel seeming to get worse the longer we travel, especially as we load up on un-necessary goods and presents for those loved ones at home....
Constipated Payment Disorder: The result of a traveller not wanting to pay the asked for rate even though when we are home I would easily pay upwards of ten times the going rate here. We could pay the rate they ask but then we run the risk of getting lectured by fellow travellers about the "its not the money, its the principal." - Actually in most of the countries here its custom to haggle and looked as a sign of respect. Weird huh?
anyway tomorrow we leave for a 7 day adventure...two days in halong bay doing water stuff then 5 days on our new hogs...bigger and badder than ever...josh got his yamaha 175 cc and I my 230 CC honda and our giude; just the three of us and 1000km of open road, two homestays, a hotel and a guest house.....sick right? get ready for the pictures and adventures of the trip so far....
Friday, June 15, 2007
Good Morning Vietnam!!
So we made it last night, a great flight with both of us having and entire row to ourselves. We spent most of the flight both completely tangled in our Vietnam guidebooks. This is the country that I am most excited about. We head out of a surprisingly simple customs, when compared to Thailand. Our Hostel Pick-up was there to meet us and after a quick change of some money, 2 million dong = 120 dollars....what a conversion right...
We jump in the bag of what looks like a civic that was left in the dryer too long, a bit small. The roads here are horrendous, random piles of bricks laying in the middle of the road, which is owned by motorbikes. Hundreds of them, no street lights and absolutely no rhyme of reason about who goes when, the bigger car really wins if you are bigger you don't need to stop at intersections. The trick to crossing the road when on foot, walk slow, make eye contact and they will go around you. The first time we did this, i panicked and ran. were good now. We crashed early last night to get a go at it early this morning. Eggs and bread for breakfast with some instant coffee that is actually quite good.
One of the pair of Aussies that runs this joint was really helpful with us this morning and we are heading to Halong bay tomorrow and up to the northern part of the country for a bike tour, then back here to Hanoi and down to ho Chi Min City, HCMC, then hopefully to Cambodia and on to Bangkok for our flight to Morocco, all in two weeks? that's the plan anyway .... I am sure it will change at least three times more, Bangkok in two weeks or bust
We jump in the bag of what looks like a civic that was left in the dryer too long, a bit small. The roads here are horrendous, random piles of bricks laying in the middle of the road, which is owned by motorbikes. Hundreds of them, no street lights and absolutely no rhyme of reason about who goes when, the bigger car really wins if you are bigger you don't need to stop at intersections. The trick to crossing the road when on foot, walk slow, make eye contact and they will go around you. The first time we did this, i panicked and ran. were good now. We crashed early last night to get a go at it early this morning. Eggs and bread for breakfast with some instant coffee that is actually quite good.
One of the pair of Aussies that runs this joint was really helpful with us this morning and we are heading to Halong bay tomorrow and up to the northern part of the country for a bike tour, then back here to Hanoi and down to ho Chi Min City, HCMC, then hopefully to Cambodia and on to Bangkok for our flight to Morocco, all in two weeks? that's the plan anyway .... I am sure it will change at least three times more, Bangkok in two weeks or bust
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Chiang Mai - Zen and the art of Motorcycles in Thailand
We left Bangkok tues night, and as usual we waited on Josh. Only this time we had three companions. Courtney, Mike and John. Courtney the one from Texas and John and mike the British boys, actyually liverpool. Anyway we grab our overnight train that cost us about 25 bucks and head to chiang mai. The train wa a riot, Loud, kinda dirty and the toilet emptied right on to the tracks. But no matter for us. We are on an adventure. We travel through some of the most beautiful countryside i have ever seen. Try and wake up for the sunrise but didnt make it. once we landed, or better, pulled into the station we looked for who ever looked the most interesting and ended up at a hostel called BMP backpackers meeting place. THEY HAVE A POOL!! first things first. We are WAY behind schedule. so we opt out of the trek to take a plane to vietnam, we leave tomorrow afternoon.
our new friends pick a two day two night trek, we more decided mostly to opt out beause it seemed a little bit touristy and not really authentic and we are blazing our own trail on this trip my friends...so we had spoken to two guys that rented motorcycles for about 5 bucks a DAY and they ahd a blast, so why not. after a few negotiations we were set two manual and three automatic 125cc motorbikes. We only had a few hours of sun light so we head out to a temple about 45 min away, if you know where you are going. and clearly we did not, another adventure begins.
Traffice in chaing mai is a little bit less hectic than in bangkok but not by much i would say its the difference between NYC and Boston. In and out of traffic you have to be aggressive and its mostly a go and pray mentality, and to be honest i think ppl are better drivers b/c yu have to be aware wof what is going on or you will get hit. So we grab some lunch and our biker gang is off. Up in the MT. winding roads and blissful views are suddenly stopped by the sounds of a motorbike careening off the edge. Courtney took a huge spill and to the hospital we go, Josh chases the cab I deal with the thia police who were amazingly helpful, a few bumps and bruises some meds later and a 6 dollar bill and we are out the door haha. 6 bucks!!!
Right so the guys head back up to the temple and have the most fun on this trip so far, josh and I find this awesome trail do some psuedo offroading and end up in some guys front yard...ok back to the highway. No speed limits and almost no rules about traffic makes for a great time with alot of freedom. We have some dinner and crash early after a few rounds of mauy Thai fighting.
This mornign we wake up early and say goodbye to our buyddies and hit the road. We are on a 120 km journey to Doi indoin the highest point in thailand. The sun is out our skin is hot and the road awaits. Just us our HOGS and the road, we head out of town with little trouble and start getting on to what looks like I-70 across the midwest but hot and with ox instead of cows and rice instead of corn. only 40 km left. I had read about 30 times that Northern Thialand was notorious for Monsoons this time of year. What Rubbish!!, except that they were right. A few much welcomed sprinkles of rain turned into an all out down pour of rain and drop of 30 degrees to about 60, we were only 9 km from the top. we had to push on
After about 20 min under some cover the rain suppressed enough for us to make it to the top to an Oasis of Ramen and hot coffee and for just 3 dollars we were warmer than before but just as wet with no sun in sight. Josh and Smith around the world or we shouldn't be alive? you decide either way we got some of the most amazing footage and shots to date. 45 min later on a slow trek down and huge goosebumps josh has a flat....good thing we are another 30+km from civilization. no matter we are a biker gang, minus three, with motorbikes not choppers but who's counting anyway.
We made it and found a nice kid that for 2.50 will change the tire in about 20 min. Exsausted and warming up we sit. "ill be right back" says josh, mind you we are in the middle of no where with a lady who has two pet pigeons and about 5 dogs who all look they have rabias, "ok Josh sounds good" and off he goes to return no more than 2 min later with two huge cold beers. what a guy. The trip home was awesome riding like the locals and exploring Thailand like no one would have expected. Off the beaten trek we found water falls, rice patties and the most picturesque locations you could imagine, Today was the best day we have had Yet. Tomorrow Viet Nam awaits. A few beers and a surise from the top of the Temple 30 min away we couldnt ask for a better ending to our journey in Thailand....
Lessons learned so far....
Never leave with out knowing EXACTLY how to get to the airport
Never use a wallet, they maybe lame but money belts are the way of the future
Never Leave for a Mt. with out a rain coat or at LEAST a jacket......More lessons ahead
our new friends pick a two day two night trek, we more decided mostly to opt out beause it seemed a little bit touristy and not really authentic and we are blazing our own trail on this trip my friends...so we had spoken to two guys that rented motorcycles for about 5 bucks a DAY and they ahd a blast, so why not. after a few negotiations we were set two manual and three automatic 125cc motorbikes. We only had a few hours of sun light so we head out to a temple about 45 min away, if you know where you are going. and clearly we did not, another adventure begins.
Traffice in chaing mai is a little bit less hectic than in bangkok but not by much i would say its the difference between NYC and Boston. In and out of traffic you have to be aggressive and its mostly a go and pray mentality, and to be honest i think ppl are better drivers b/c yu have to be aware wof what is going on or you will get hit. So we grab some lunch and our biker gang is off. Up in the MT. winding roads and blissful views are suddenly stopped by the sounds of a motorbike careening off the edge. Courtney took a huge spill and to the hospital we go, Josh chases the cab I deal with the thia police who were amazingly helpful, a few bumps and bruises some meds later and a 6 dollar bill and we are out the door haha. 6 bucks!!!
Right so the guys head back up to the temple and have the most fun on this trip so far, josh and I find this awesome trail do some psuedo offroading and end up in some guys front yard...ok back to the highway. No speed limits and almost no rules about traffic makes for a great time with alot of freedom. We have some dinner and crash early after a few rounds of mauy Thai fighting.
This mornign we wake up early and say goodbye to our buyddies and hit the road. We are on a 120 km journey to Doi indoin the highest point in thailand. The sun is out our skin is hot and the road awaits. Just us our HOGS and the road, we head out of town with little trouble and start getting on to what looks like I-70 across the midwest but hot and with ox instead of cows and rice instead of corn. only 40 km left. I had read about 30 times that Northern Thialand was notorious for Monsoons this time of year. What Rubbish!!, except that they were right. A few much welcomed sprinkles of rain turned into an all out down pour of rain and drop of 30 degrees to about 60, we were only 9 km from the top. we had to push on
After about 20 min under some cover the rain suppressed enough for us to make it to the top to an Oasis of Ramen and hot coffee and for just 3 dollars we were warmer than before but just as wet with no sun in sight. Josh and Smith around the world or we shouldn't be alive? you decide either way we got some of the most amazing footage and shots to date. 45 min later on a slow trek down and huge goosebumps josh has a flat....good thing we are another 30+km from civilization. no matter we are a biker gang, minus three, with motorbikes not choppers but who's counting anyway.
We made it and found a nice kid that for 2.50 will change the tire in about 20 min. Exsausted and warming up we sit. "ill be right back" says josh, mind you we are in the middle of no where with a lady who has two pet pigeons and about 5 dogs who all look they have rabias, "ok Josh sounds good" and off he goes to return no more than 2 min later with two huge cold beers. what a guy. The trip home was awesome riding like the locals and exploring Thailand like no one would have expected. Off the beaten trek we found water falls, rice patties and the most picturesque locations you could imagine, Today was the best day we have had Yet. Tomorrow Viet Nam awaits. A few beers and a surise from the top of the Temple 30 min away we couldnt ask for a better ending to our journey in Thailand....
Lessons learned so far....
Never leave with out knowing EXACTLY how to get to the airport
Never use a wallet, they maybe lame but money belts are the way of the future
Never Leave for a Mt. with out a rain coat or at LEAST a jacket......More lessons ahead
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Ping, Pang, Pong
It's not Thai, it's a driking game 2 Englishmen taught us last night at the bar on Pat Pong street.
Quick update on our travels as we have to leave soon to catch the 12 hour sleeper train to Chaing Mai in Northern Thailand with three friends we picked up.
Smith is in Bangkok.
This morning I had my entire front waxed for 9 dollars just to see what it was like. It was the most painful thing I've ever experienced and I can't wear a shirt because I'm still raw.
Made friends with multiple Aussies and English fellows who convinced us not to do Western Europe next month, but to do the Eastern Block instead...we're buying tickets currently, most likely landing in Split, Croatia.
Ate a shrimp dish that was so hot it made me cry and an Australain guy had to leave the restaurant to get me some chocolate milk.
Was left alone in a Thai strip joint when my mates were followed into the bathroom by lady boys and left without telling me.
I speak a new dialect of English with British and Australian influences. Don't know why.
Watched a woman play "catch" with herself and a banana.
Lost my wallet/cash/credit cards in a shopping mall...
Found my wallet/cash/credit cards in a shopping mall...
My travel log, watch and iPod are missing. I hope they turn up.
Ate like kings in a middle eastern restaurant for 4 dollars US.
Learned the rules of cricket, might take it up when I get home.
Got invites to go to a Liverpool football game with John and Mike.
Thats it for now.
From Chaing Mai we'll do a 3 day trek into the jungle then onto Laos.
Thank you Tyler for that badass web thing you made, I'll try to get in on the blog.
Peace
-Josh
Quick update on our travels as we have to leave soon to catch the 12 hour sleeper train to Chaing Mai in Northern Thailand with three friends we picked up.
Smith is in Bangkok.
This morning I had my entire front waxed for 9 dollars just to see what it was like. It was the most painful thing I've ever experienced and I can't wear a shirt because I'm still raw.
Made friends with multiple Aussies and English fellows who convinced us not to do Western Europe next month, but to do the Eastern Block instead...we're buying tickets currently, most likely landing in Split, Croatia.
Ate a shrimp dish that was so hot it made me cry and an Australain guy had to leave the restaurant to get me some chocolate milk.
Was left alone in a Thai strip joint when my mates were followed into the bathroom by lady boys and left without telling me.
I speak a new dialect of English with British and Australian influences. Don't know why.
Watched a woman play "catch" with herself and a banana.
Lost my wallet/cash/credit cards in a shopping mall...
Found my wallet/cash/credit cards in a shopping mall...
My travel log, watch and iPod are missing. I hope they turn up.
Ate like kings in a middle eastern restaurant for 4 dollars US.
Learned the rules of cricket, might take it up when I get home.
Got invites to go to a Liverpool football game with John and Mike.
Thats it for now.
From Chaing Mai we'll do a 3 day trek into the jungle then onto Laos.
Thank you Tyler for that badass web thing you made, I'll try to get in on the blog.
Peace
-Josh
Sunday, June 10, 2007
Grassoppers, Lady Boys, and German Girls...Oh my!!!
As you probably have figured out by now, I am in Bangkok...and Smith is not. That said, I've taken it upon myself to explore the city as much as possible while I wait for Smith who ought to be here around midnight. Here is a rundown of what's been going on in the last 48 hours.
Arrive in Bangkok at midnight, get to Hostel and pass out immediately. Wake up at 7am and hit the streets. Take the skytrain the wrong way and end up looking for a nonexistant marketplace for 2 hours. Bangkok is wild, people drive like maniacs on the wrong side of the road. Wander into numerous back alleys. Find some temple and asked a monk if they let westeners meditate with them, he says sometimes, i say now? he says no. Back to hostel. Go next door and have Thai woman shave my head, it would have taken me 5 minutes, but it too ker 45 minutes as she payed close attention to detail. Other woman wants to give me massage, and says she likes my style, my name there is Sexy Man...just like in the states. Start drinking great beer and talking about life with the pregnant hostel owners wife and we help eachother with relationship troubles. She's a beautiful and brilliant girl who teaches me much, along with some Thai phrases. I meet 4 german girls (one was french) but majority wins and they were all german to me. I tell them we party tonight, they say ok. I meet a new friend from Estonia, it's a country...look it up, and we head to Khao San Road. We arrive at different times, and know we'll never see eachother. Khao San is the area wher Leonardo DiCapprio drinks snake blood in the movie the beach. It's overrated, Leo wasn't there, and it was just a bunch of fat, shirtless, Americans and Australians wandering the streets drunk, waiting to get home and tell their friends how exotic Thailand is.
Mel the Estonian and I find German Girls...YAY! We have dinner and go to Club Lava for tequila shots to kill any bacteria that may be in the ice we had in our drinks with dinner. I show my moves th Thai people, they love me. German Girls peace, and we hang for a few more minutes. We leave, i fall asleep in cab, wake up when we get home. I steal pregnant girls mangosteen fruits and promise to buy her 10 kilos tomorrow...I still owe her 10 kilos. 2 am, Courtney from Texas walks in, i ask her if she wants to go out, she says yes. We go to Pat Pong where there are local sex shows, and the cops let them serve booze till 8am. We show up too late for sex shows so we go to a bar instead. I talk Thai to the bartender and she compliments me and asks how much time i've spent in Thailand. I tell her 24 hours. She proceeds to beat me 10 times at connect 4 and Courtney and I get massages while sitting at the bar. Than a Lady Boy walks in. Transvestite Thai men have sex change operations and prowl the streets looking for unsuspecting men. They are very beautiful, but I am a suspecting man. Somehow my hand ends up on her breast, pretty nice, the whole bar enjoys this. 4 am Courtney and I leave and find a hookah bar where we share life stories and our reasons for traveling until the sun comes up around 6am.
I spent all day today with an Aussie and an Irish kid. We had breakfast together then sat at starbucks for 2 hours sharing drunken stories from our respective countries. We found the markets I tried to find yesterday and walked around for hours. We ate Grasshoppers, Flies, Grubs, Beatles, and Chicken fetuses from a street vendor and payed way too much. Saw pet shop with millions of fish and birds and turtles and squirrels and dogs and snakes and tarantulas and scorpions etc... I want to drink snake blood to improve my virility, but could find none. Aussie kid just left for the airport, and said I could stay anytime. He's gonna add me on facebook. (australia has facebook). Tonight we'll go to cowboy road with the Irish kid and some Englishmen and meet up with Smith around midnight...
I hope he sleeps on the plane.
- Josh
Arrive in Bangkok at midnight, get to Hostel and pass out immediately. Wake up at 7am and hit the streets. Take the skytrain the wrong way and end up looking for a nonexistant marketplace for 2 hours. Bangkok is wild, people drive like maniacs on the wrong side of the road. Wander into numerous back alleys. Find some temple and asked a monk if they let westeners meditate with them, he says sometimes, i say now? he says no. Back to hostel. Go next door and have Thai woman shave my head, it would have taken me 5 minutes, but it too ker 45 minutes as she payed close attention to detail. Other woman wants to give me massage, and says she likes my style, my name there is Sexy Man...just like in the states. Start drinking great beer and talking about life with the pregnant hostel owners wife and we help eachother with relationship troubles. She's a beautiful and brilliant girl who teaches me much, along with some Thai phrases. I meet 4 german girls (one was french) but majority wins and they were all german to me. I tell them we party tonight, they say ok. I meet a new friend from Estonia, it's a country...look it up, and we head to Khao San Road. We arrive at different times, and know we'll never see eachother. Khao San is the area wher Leonardo DiCapprio drinks snake blood in the movie the beach. It's overrated, Leo wasn't there, and it was just a bunch of fat, shirtless, Americans and Australians wandering the streets drunk, waiting to get home and tell their friends how exotic Thailand is.
Mel the Estonian and I find German Girls...YAY! We have dinner and go to Club Lava for tequila shots to kill any bacteria that may be in the ice we had in our drinks with dinner. I show my moves th Thai people, they love me. German Girls peace, and we hang for a few more minutes. We leave, i fall asleep in cab, wake up when we get home. I steal pregnant girls mangosteen fruits and promise to buy her 10 kilos tomorrow...I still owe her 10 kilos. 2 am, Courtney from Texas walks in, i ask her if she wants to go out, she says yes. We go to Pat Pong where there are local sex shows, and the cops let them serve booze till 8am. We show up too late for sex shows so we go to a bar instead. I talk Thai to the bartender and she compliments me and asks how much time i've spent in Thailand. I tell her 24 hours. She proceeds to beat me 10 times at connect 4 and Courtney and I get massages while sitting at the bar. Than a Lady Boy walks in. Transvestite Thai men have sex change operations and prowl the streets looking for unsuspecting men. They are very beautiful, but I am a suspecting man. Somehow my hand ends up on her breast, pretty nice, the whole bar enjoys this. 4 am Courtney and I leave and find a hookah bar where we share life stories and our reasons for traveling until the sun comes up around 6am.
I spent all day today with an Aussie and an Irish kid. We had breakfast together then sat at starbucks for 2 hours sharing drunken stories from our respective countries. We found the markets I tried to find yesterday and walked around for hours. We ate Grasshoppers, Flies, Grubs, Beatles, and Chicken fetuses from a street vendor and payed way too much. Saw pet shop with millions of fish and birds and turtles and squirrels and dogs and snakes and tarantulas and scorpions etc... I want to drink snake blood to improve my virility, but could find none. Aussie kid just left for the airport, and said I could stay anytime. He's gonna add me on facebook. (australia has facebook). Tonight we'll go to cowboy road with the Irish kid and some Englishmen and meet up with Smith around midnight...
I hope he sleeps on the plane.
- Josh
Friday, June 8, 2007
Hello from the Tokyo Half
Everyday I step outside the doors of my Sleeping hole with the idea that its an adventure. i never know what to expect and expect nothing. Flights at 6:10pm. So we head out at about 2:30. 3.5 hours ahead of the flight that should be plenty. My adventure begins. So far on this trip i have had adventurous treks, adventurous meals and more adventures on the streets of Tokyo than I can explain. This is just another adventure. 1 hour to get to the airport and more than 15 stops between me and my goal. Next thing i know were running, no Sprinting through the airport, ANA Airlines, United where the hell is the check in desk. Finally we made it, I am sorry Mr. Anderson you have missed your flight. AHHHH! ok keep calm, no worries when is the next flight? "well let me check" well it seems that this ticket can not be changed through us your going to have to get in touch with your travel agency. Well i know there is a United flight in 45 min. can i get on that one? (ANA and United are partner airlines). i grab my bags and we run to United, 4 min of some Japanese some smiles and some laughs I am confident that I will make the flight, a quick phone call and I am all set. We can get you on this flight but you will have to pay full fare...$1500, I turn to Josh "its and adventure" and with a fist pound he is off running down the terminal, it was a scene right out a movie except there was no happy reunion at the gate where i Say I love you stay with me, it was just me my two Japanese flight attendants and some screaming Children in the background.
I made several calls the the US STA Travel office with absolutely no success, 24 hour support, who are they kidding. After getting in touch with a gentleman who was no help I concluded the best plan of action was to head back to Tokyo on the same trains that had caused this whole fiasco to begin with. As i arrive back into the city I grab some food because i am famished at this point and Head back to Laynas apt, where i had been staying for the last week. She and her roommates are at MT. Fuji for the weekend which makes it really convenient for me to get back into their apt. My arms are too BIG!!! I can't reach the keys at the bottom of her mail drop box. I walk around outside looking for inspiration and a small purple umbrella is what I found. I felt terrible taking my wire cutters to it. A few bends and creases and I had myself a beautiful hook that was to hopefully keep me from sleeping inthe streets. A few trys later, Eureka, food in hand i am so excited it worked i left the keys in the door, This morning bright and early I packed my bag again and got ready to head to Bangkok. Two trains later I am learning that The only way to change my ticket is to talk to the US office when they open Monday. Monday Night here. With that in mind i grab a ticket for a measly $450.00 and pray that I can get a refund on my last ticket bc if not I may not make it home......Back to laynas it is...and wouldn't you know it God must have seen me steal that poor umbrella b/c it rained the entire walk back...Karma...JOSH ARE YOU ALIVE...still haven't heard from him...another day another adventure.
I made several calls the the US STA Travel office with absolutely no success, 24 hour support, who are they kidding. After getting in touch with a gentleman who was no help I concluded the best plan of action was to head back to Tokyo on the same trains that had caused this whole fiasco to begin with. As i arrive back into the city I grab some food because i am famished at this point and Head back to Laynas apt, where i had been staying for the last week. She and her roommates are at MT. Fuji for the weekend which makes it really convenient for me to get back into their apt. My arms are too BIG!!! I can't reach the keys at the bottom of her mail drop box. I walk around outside looking for inspiration and a small purple umbrella is what I found. I felt terrible taking my wire cutters to it. A few bends and creases and I had myself a beautiful hook that was to hopefully keep me from sleeping inthe streets. A few trys later, Eureka, food in hand i am so excited it worked i left the keys in the door, This morning bright and early I packed my bag again and got ready to head to Bangkok. Two trains later I am learning that The only way to change my ticket is to talk to the US office when they open Monday. Monday Night here. With that in mind i grab a ticket for a measly $450.00 and pray that I can get a refund on my last ticket bc if not I may not make it home......Back to laynas it is...and wouldn't you know it God must have seen me steal that poor umbrella b/c it rained the entire walk back...Karma...JOSH ARE YOU ALIVE...still haven't heard from him...another day another adventure.
Half and Half
It took us 4 different trains to make it to Narita Airport, where one of us made our flight, and one of us didn't.
Who's in Bangkok???
Who's in Japan???
Find out next blog...
Who's in Bangkok???
Who's in Japan???
Find out next blog...
Thursday, June 7, 2007
Sayonara Japan
So we're about to leave the wonderful island that is Japan. I was only here for 2 days, but it felt like a week, waking up every hour of the night trying to figure out what time zone I was in. Yesterday was awesome, I went to the fish market with a very intense french girl who was always in a hurry to get everywhere however took about 300 pictures of the fish. This place is very hectic, and it's hard to believe any sea animal would be dumb enough to swim within 100 miles of Japan, the way they rape the sea life day in and day out. Smith and I finally met up around noon, and headed for Kama Kura (Big Buddha) which is about an hour outside the city. Had a great lunch by the train station where I ate a wasabi something or rather and started sweating from every pore, all the Japanese laughed at me. We then followed a woman and her daughter to some badass temple which we explored for an hour or so then went on to see the Big Buddha. They weren't kidding, it's huge, and 800 years old. We then went on a 1.6km hike to the next train station. After about 2 hours and 3km in the Japanese forest we ended up in some woman's backyard. We told her we were headed to Kita-Kama Kura, and she looked at us as if we were crazy and said something in Japanese along the lines of "Silly Americans!!! You have very long way to go, and rain is coming!!!" We told her we knew that, and she put us on the right path and left us with the kind of you would leave someone you knew you would never see again.
We made it to the station and got back to Shibuya, the land of the Super Cool Japanese Hipsters, and looked for some food. For some reason I traveled all the way to Japan and was dying for some good old fashioned American food, so I got a chili cheese burger, and a chili dog. I felt like an idiot, but it was fantastic. We then got an ice cream filled crepe and went to the bank (I was broke for a second time in 2 days) then split off to go to our respective holes in the wall for sleeping.
We met in the morning at the fish market and had some really fresh sushi and were complimented on our excellent use of the chopstick and told we were both "rearry good guys." At about 8:45 AM i stumbled upon my favorite vending machine... the one with the beer in it. By noon I had found 2 others, one which was sporting a 1000 ml can of Asahi which lasted me the entire hour subway ride. We had an excellent luncheon of Point and Pray which yielded Ramen, Tofu, Rice, Potstickers (goyza to those in the know) and some sore of yello (jello) dessert.
Tonight we head to Bangkok!!!
-Josh
We made it to the station and got back to Shibuya, the land of the Super Cool Japanese Hipsters, and looked for some food. For some reason I traveled all the way to Japan and was dying for some good old fashioned American food, so I got a chili cheese burger, and a chili dog. I felt like an idiot, but it was fantastic. We then got an ice cream filled crepe and went to the bank (I was broke for a second time in 2 days) then split off to go to our respective holes in the wall for sleeping.
We met in the morning at the fish market and had some really fresh sushi and were complimented on our excellent use of the chopstick and told we were both "rearry good guys." At about 8:45 AM i stumbled upon my favorite vending machine... the one with the beer in it. By noon I had found 2 others, one which was sporting a 1000 ml can of Asahi which lasted me the entire hour subway ride. We had an excellent luncheon of Point and Pray which yielded Ramen, Tofu, Rice, Potstickers (goyza to those in the know) and some sore of yello (jello) dessert.
Tonight we head to Bangkok!!!
-Josh
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
Josh in Japan
I made it to Japan, and will be meeting up with Smith at a giant dog across from Starbucks in Shibuya. I just took the train in from the airport, and may already be out of money, luckily a nice gentleman from the netherlands bought me a water as i was a little dehydrated from double-fisting a beer and a coffee just before we landed. My backpack is like carrying a midget and I:m sweating my face off right now.
this japanese keyboard has a space-bar the size of a quarter, and the buttons to either side change the english text to japanese...huge pain in the ass, requires great precision.
still homeless, time to go scout out a nice park bench for myself.
-Josh
this japanese keyboard has a space-bar the size of a quarter, and the buttons to either side change the english text to japanese...huge pain in the ass, requires great precision.
still homeless, time to go scout out a nice park bench for myself.
-Josh
Saturday, June 2, 2007
Three days in Tokyo
So I am here in Tokyo, made it pretty painless. I had an entire row to sleep on the first plane, and exit row with a young couple on the second plane and two seats that were just big enough for me to lay down and sleep. Extremely painless for anyone who has flown over seas before. I have had some pretty bad experiences in planes. anyway I get here and jump on a train that a very helpful english speaking japanese girl helped me figure out. The train was similar to the commuter rail in the distance between stops and the fact that we were in a suburban area but resembles the T in the way it looks but clearly much cleaner. I didn't really do much but sit there and observe the japanese ppl. They are very quite, always looking at their cellphones and rarely looked up for more than a second. I definitely did not make eye contact with anyone. They, I know i'm generalizing and grouping ppl but what ever it works easier for this forum. anyway they were all reading these little books that had the same book covering, kinda like your text books in middle school and I am very curious to know what they are.
I got off the train in the middle of that huge intersection that you always see on the discovery and travel channel with like a million ppl crossing diagonal across the street, it was pretty rad. Similar to time square but Japanese. You would assume that being in Japan they would have some sweet ads about some Japanese video game and huge ramen noodle restaurants. Nope billboards for movies like 300 which hasn't been released here and the worlds highest grossing starbucks is the first thing I see, which by the way only allows you to order things in the tall size, the glutenous Americans we are with our venti coffee.
So I met layna and her apt is really small but cozy, I have to duck to get in door ways and all the matresses are on the floor. Hot water comes from individual heating units in the shower and at the sink. The toilets have a little faucet at the top I am assuming to wash your hands in, but then it drains into the reservoir for the next flush? confusing right. So clearly when you come to live in another country you should at least put some effort into learning the language right? well not these girls thats for sure. we head out to dinner and pick three things on the menu, which we can't read...I coined it point and pray. we got two decent noodle dishes(cold noodles with hot dipping stuff) one so so noodle dish with a bland dipping stuff and one awful duck noodle cold bread thing...
My meals have been really good over all and I have had a great time, its wildly over priced, extravagant and definitely something to be experienced at some point in your life. I guess I'm here for a reason. We hit up the bars last night and ended up roaming the streets drinking cold saki purchased from a 7/11. Made it home to crash on a mattress on the floor how fitting. future plans...meet josh, hit up the fish market, eat from a sushi conveyor belt and see the imperial gardens...and possibly climb mt fuji?
I got off the train in the middle of that huge intersection that you always see on the discovery and travel channel with like a million ppl crossing diagonal across the street, it was pretty rad. Similar to time square but Japanese. You would assume that being in Japan they would have some sweet ads about some Japanese video game and huge ramen noodle restaurants. Nope billboards for movies like 300 which hasn't been released here and the worlds highest grossing starbucks is the first thing I see, which by the way only allows you to order things in the tall size, the glutenous Americans we are with our venti coffee.
So I met layna and her apt is really small but cozy, I have to duck to get in door ways and all the matresses are on the floor. Hot water comes from individual heating units in the shower and at the sink. The toilets have a little faucet at the top I am assuming to wash your hands in, but then it drains into the reservoir for the next flush? confusing right. So clearly when you come to live in another country you should at least put some effort into learning the language right? well not these girls thats for sure. we head out to dinner and pick three things on the menu, which we can't read...I coined it point and pray. we got two decent noodle dishes(cold noodles with hot dipping stuff) one so so noodle dish with a bland dipping stuff and one awful duck noodle cold bread thing...
My meals have been really good over all and I have had a great time, its wildly over priced, extravagant and definitely something to be experienced at some point in your life. I guess I'm here for a reason. We hit up the bars last night and ended up roaming the streets drinking cold saki purchased from a 7/11. Made it home to crash on a mattress on the floor how fitting. future plans...meet josh, hit up the fish market, eat from a sushi conveyor belt and see the imperial gardens...and possibly climb mt fuji?
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