So long Asia (thanks for all the rice) and bbbbbbback in the USA!!!

Below: Welcome back to Venice, Nick....

After a too loooooong 11 hour flight in a too small seat I arrived at LAX this afternoon and was greeted at the airport by Mom and Dad and then Randy at the In 'n Out on Sepulveda.

What a shock to be in Cambodia one day and the next in Thailand, Taiwan and then finally LAX staring at a double double cheeseburger - this timeline defies logic but I have the passport stamps to prove....

Venice greeted me with a sighting of our local celebrity "Venice Ken" within minutes of leaving my apartment for a run on the beach this afternoon and the above sunset shown through the chilly breeze this evening. It is good to be back and life in Venice sure is good.

That concludes the trip - three months exactly from the day of depature. Until next time (not too long I hope), thanks for reading!

Bangkokin' again and almost hommmmeeeee!!!

Yesterday morning woke up at 9AM - that is not a problem except the bus to Bangkok left at 7:30AM.... Went to explain the predicament to my travel agent and was met with a stern look and was placed aboard a scooter and transported to the bus station after a quick goodbye to Brooke.

Somehow I ended up in a shared taxi for a five hour drive to the border with only two Cambodian girls. At the border I started chatting with an expat Brit and and Aussie and followed them to their bus in hopes of hitching a ride. Three min-bus transfers later and six hours I was dropped off at my hotel in Bangkok.... I have no idea how my missed bus ticket got me there or who paid for the taxi in Cambodia but I made it.

Met my friend Kristy from Vang Vien at a really cool bar called Cheap Charlie's and then had a couple more farewell drinks at a street bar (car parked on the street serving drinks) on Soi 11 with more expats living in Bangkok and then departed for the airport at a bright and early 6AM. I stayed the night in a really cool hostel on the advice of Kristy - a place called Suk 11, check out the link: http://www.suk11.com/

Very eclectic decor, almost like a fishing village crossed with a bombed out shelter...

After a quick three hour flight I am in Taipei killing two more hours before the final 14 hours home. Exactly three months since I was here last and the airport has not changed. Free internet and free massage chairs and no food court....

It has been a long trip and many good times were had with great people from all across the world. Sights were seen, nations were conquered, next stop the United States and back to Venice but I have a feeling I will be back before long....

Leaving for some Bangkokin'

T-minus two days until I get on an airplane back to the states...

Our crew of six (Brooke - Mitch, Bert and Warren from NZ - Stephan from Oz) hired scooters and spent the day at Otres beach relaxing after a long night at the beach discos. Tomorrow I wake too early to travel to Bangkok via bus - only ten hours, a ferry, one border crossing and hopefully no chickens or goats until my last night before back to Venice.

Skye and Nick are going to be in Bangkok for the evening so we have tentative plans for a night out and should be meeting with a friend from Vang Vien that lives in Bangkok as well...

Scuba-in' in Cambodia and back to the Sihanoukville...

In order: Koh Koun from the porch; sunset on Koh Rung Samloem; kids from the fishing village holding up their catch; Brooke and I scuba-in'

We spent the last three days on the island of Koh Rung Samloem where we stayed in bungalows on water's edge placed on a peninsula near a small fishing village - if there were waves it would be paradise - and arrived back in Sihanoukville last night.

The diving was fun and the water was warm and clear... We managed to scuba five times over our stay and snorkeled around the island and its neighboring peak Koh Koun. No sharks were seen but plenty of fish and reefs.

We arrived to the island via boat in what was supposed to be a 2 hour ferry, but the boat broke it's propeller shaft about half way and four hours later we arrived. On the far side of the fishing village near our bungalows a conservation group dedicated to the plight of seahorses was headed by a militant man named Simon. I have never seen such passion for seahorses and he provided great insight to the environmental matters and village gossip.

Today was spent again on the shores of Otres Beach and now off to dinner with a crew of Kiwi's we met in Vang Vien....

Temples, zzzz's on a bus and Sihanoukvillin'

In order below (but not in timeline): Sihanoukville sunset; Serendipity Beach; another monkey; Angkor Wat; entrance to Preah Khan; Sihanoukville sunset and I; Siam Reap's maindrag; Angkor Wat; Bayon














The last days in Siam Reap were spent in the steaming hot temples of Angkor Thom and Angkot Wat - the largest of the temple structures surrounding Siam Reap - and then relaxing by a pool for a day before the night bus to Sihanoukville - the southern beach town of Cambodia. The temples were a sight to be seen and took hours to explore. I felt like Indiana Jones with little Short Round Cambodians following me around trying to sell fruit, books and anything else I might need for the trek. These temples were monsterous and must have a sight when in their prime supporting over a million residents in the surrounding jungles.

Pools were then laid by and Siam Reap's cafe's and bars were visited a couple last times... We caught up with a couple NZ friends we met in Vang Vien and another Finnish friend that took diving classes with us in Koh Tao.

The overnight bus to Sihanoukville was a measly 10 hours in a reclining lazy-boy type chair and amazingly was quite comfortable and I slept most of the way to arrive in a blistering lighting and rain storm in Sihanoukville. The locals say this was the first rain in the three months and not surprising that we arrived at 6am to greet. The rain blew over in the early AM and we explored the town via scooter and the surrounding beaches. Not the beauty of the Thailand islands but still nice to be back at the beach all the same. After catching the sunset we at BBQ dinner on the beach and explored the nighttime offerings...

Today we sat on the beach all day (and one flat scooter tire later) and planned a trip to the outer island of Koh Rong Samlon were we will be diving and staying in a waterside bungalow the next two nights.

The Cambodian government has earmarked this area for extensive tourist development, the beginnings can be seen already, and glad I made this trip before another paradise is lost.

Siam Reap and temples, temples, temples...

In order: I don't have my guide book so will have to update the pics later... Monk atop temple; temple; tuk-tuk representing the best country on Earth; sunset atop temple; yup, another temple; temple from Laura Croft: Tomb Raider; me sitting atop a thousand year old elephant - much more comfortable and less smelly than the real deal; temple losing the battle with tree;

Firstly, take a look below as I updated the last post with a few more details and some pics....

After a measly six hour bus ride (a walk in the park compared to the last) we arrived in Siam Reap yesterday afternoon. Ankor Wat - "the eighth wonder of the ancient world" - lies just outside of town and features many Indiana Jones temple relics from the around 1000 A.D. where the Khmer empire was capitaled for about 500 years. When London had 50,000 residents, Ankor Wat housed over one million. What is left is many labyrinths and colossal odes to (insert whichever god was flavor of the month here) spread throughout about the jungle and overgrown with lush vegetation. Last night we took in the sunset on the Bayou temple and today cruised via tuk-tuk around the outer temples. Tomorrow we tackle Ankor Wat and Thom....

Siam Reap, the French empire finally got something right before they left Southeast Asia to the native and their civil wars - this town is straight out of a postcard with tiny Parisianb alleys littered with cafes and restaurants and features my favorite watering hole yet found in Asia - Ankor What? A lively little late night joint with great music, 75 cent beers and free pool.

Leaving Laos, 26 hours of busing hell and now a holiday in Cambodia

In order: first sunset in Cambodia somewhere between Laos and Phnom Phen; S-21 prison; tower in Choeng Ek housing bones of victims (the site itself is a lies in a very peaceful garden these days; skulls in the Choeng Ek tower (each killing field has a tower like this throughout Cambodia - there are many unforetunately, but these will make people not forget; Laos border where you need to pay $1 for a passport stamp; Laos crazy soccer fans in Vientiane - note the stadium is so tiny in the background (white wall); That Luang; Royal Palace thrown room in Phnem Phen; watch out while driven for elephants...

After a bicycle tour of Vientiane Monday morning, Brooke and I parted ways with NZ Nick and Skye for their flight to Vietnam and other travels. We had a blast with the crew from NZ and sorry to see the last of them go - but we made tentative plans to someday, one day, go to New Zealand.

The bicycle tour brought us through the Presidential Palace, a stop at the Cambodian embassy for a visa (and a meeting with the rudest Cambodian met thus far), the Laos Victory Monument (or a copy of the Arc de Triumph built with USA concrete intended for a runway) and That Luang (the holiest temple in Laos). Along the way we encountered several police convoys escorting bike race participants for the SEA games down the busiest thoroughfare in Laos - strange that this race would not be held on a closed course as the bicyclists were dodging traffic and breathing car exhaust. While waiting for the bus to Cambodia we noticed half the city walking to the National Stadium near our hotel where the Laos soccer team was to play Indonesia later that night. The people love their team.

We killed time by walking around the stadium (a little larger than a high school football stadium) watching the first half on tv with locals. The television coverage of the event was hilarius - think second rate amateur camera-man from a local news team covering a highschool football game and divide by two. We nearly missed a goal as the camera was showing random fan shots for thirty second while Laos was unloading on the Indonesian goalie.

When we got to our overnight bus I was encouraged until I noticed that the sleeping beds were designed for five-foot Lao persons and my particular bunk had an enclosed foot compartment so I basically did not fit or I could lay in the fettle position with have my body hanging in the walkway. 3 sleeping pills and an 12 hour bumpy winding road later we arrived in Pakse - total sleep time maybe 10 minutes. Without a doubt the worst 12 hours yet.

Then onto the local bus through the Laos-Cambodia border and 14 hour journey to Phnom Phen the capital city of Cambodia. Crossing the border you are immediately aware that this country does not care about their environment as the hills were clear-cut and fields and streets are littered with garbage. The Cambodians are extremely aggressive in trying to sell anything and everything to tourists and Phnow Phen is like a wild west / Mexico town with traffic and people everywhere.

Today we toured the killing fields Choeng Ek, the S-21 interrogation museum and the Royal Palace - and saw a random elephant walking through the streets. The kiling fields of Choeng Elk are were the prisoners of the Khmer Rouge were brought from the S-21 prison to be executed. over 10,000 people were killed (I believe more like 20,000) in this camp and the remanents of the three year ordeal was very depressing - a seven story tower filled with skulls and bones from the excavated mass burial sites and were no excavation has occured, human bones and old clothes from victims protrude from the ground. I nearly stubbed my toe on what appeared to be a femur sticking through the earth on a path. Depressing, humbling, anger - lots of emotion is felt in such a place.

The S-21 interrogation museum was a former schoolhouse turned torture chamber by the Khmers in their campaign of terror. Each cell featured a photo of the exact state it was found when the Vietnam backed troops finally beat the Khmer - complete with body parts, blood and death from the final interogattees. Only seven people were left alive from the thousands that walked through the gates.

The Royal Palace was a huge garden-like campus in the middle of the Tijuana-like pits of Phnom Phen. A great oasis in the city.

Internet is slow and I need to change flight home and figure out the rest of the trip in Cambodia so will load pictures later this evening....

Pics from the past...

Have a couple minutes to upload some oldies....

In order: Team picture (l to r: Gabe, Cam, Izzie, Brooke, Skye, Ash, Dougie, NZ Nick, me and Andy) not sure when but I think around Thanksgiving; Thailand and Laos border directions; bowling in Luang Prabang; river bars in Vang Vien; flower at the Royal Palace in Bangkok

And then there were four and Laos with a capital Vientiane

In order: Skye and Gabe pondering a pool shot at Q Bar; where are we again?; nighttime fountain in Vientiane; trying to not scratch at Q Bar (with Curtis in the background); Curtis and I on back of tuk-tuk coming back from the river; Brooke and Skye sharing a bucket at Bar III on the river (why Bar III? it is the third bar downstream and the farthest we made tubing the entire trip); Bar III with Bar II's zip line infrastructure in the background.

This morning we departed Vang Vien to travel by mini-bus to Vientiane and also had to part ways with Gabe as he is heading to Bangkok via bus with Curtis and Michelle. Gabe has been a great travel mate and friend for the past two months and this afternoon seemed so strange as the first time since mid-September Gabe was not near.

After we all said our goodbyes to Gabe, Curtis and Michelle we boarded our ultra-cramped and ultra-old mini-bus - 12 people in a space for maybe a mom and three kids. No air conditioning, four hours, no problem.

The drive was more or less non-eventful (a very good thing) and we arrived at the Laos capital city of Vientiane - the only capital city on the planet without a KFC or McDonalds (as we were told by an Oz ex-pat at dinner tonight). Vientiane is hosting the SEA (southeast Asia) Games this month and the city is decorated in Laos flags and team buses are escorted throughout our neighborhood via police escort. The main road through town actually has a police man on EVERY block to stop traffic when the buses drive through to the National Stadium and sports complex. If we are ambitious, tomorrow we will watch live sports.

Laos' time as a French colony has again left this town with a very French feel. Lots of cafes and bakeries and none of the raucous bars that had been the staple of Vang Vien.

Yesterday was our last day with Gabe, Curtis and Michelle so we tubed the length of Vang Vien's Nam Song (then handed over our tubes to the local Laos kids that jumped on our little rafts as stow-aways), lunched and then tuk-tuked back up river to attend an afternoon at the river bars. Death swings were ridden (the three story trapeze swing over the river), zip lines were rode and lots of good times were had. After dinner, a night out on the town that featured dancing in flourescent orange life jackets and dodging people carrying AK-47s patrolling the streets we all miraculously made it back home to Nine Noi's safe and sound.

Tomorrow, NZ Nick, Skye, Brooke and I will tour the town on bicycles and then Brooke and I head to Cambodia's capital city of Phnom Penh via a 22 hour (TWENTY-TWO!!!) bus ride and NZ Nick and Skye will fly to Hanoi.

Please wish me luck on the bus and that I do not spend eight hours with a chicken on my head and a goat on my lap.

Pics from the last couple days....

In order: Night market feast in Luang Prabang; drive to the cave in Vang Vieng; traffic jam on way to Vang Vieng cave; sunset on the Mekong in Luang Prabang with ME!; sunset on the Mekong in Luang Prabang

And then there were five, the way to Vang Vieng and tubing in the Nam Song

In order: Scooting around Vang Vien (l to r Curtis, Brooke, Gabe, Skye, NZ Nick); reclining Buddha in the Tham Poukham cave; Tham Poukham cave entrance; sunset along the Nam Song;
providing alms to the monks in Luang Prabang.





We have been here in Vang Vieng for the past three days but let me press the rewind and tell how we got here....

Our second to last night in Luang Prabang we bowled. But prior to bowling we sunsetted. The sunsets along the Mekong are astonishing with the sun dipping behind jungle limestone peaks and reflecting off the river - better than a postcard. All bars in Luang Prabang close at 11:30PM for a midnight curfew (so the townfolk can give alms to the monks at 6AM) except one place - the bowling alley. So we bowled! Pretty nice place for the middle of nowhere and as the only establishment serving alcohol pass 11:30, it was PACKED - with eager if not more drunken - bowlers. We played two games with the ten of us and I managed to win both but the second game was neck and neck with Gabe until the last frame. Then bowling turned into tackle bowling and we left.

Our last full day in Luang Prabang saw the departure of Ash, Izzie, Dougie, Andy and Cam to Hanoi and Vietnam adventures. The team is a much more manageable five people but we were sorry to say goodbye and wished them well on their travels. We went to bed early the final night - after carousing the night markets for trinkets for the umpteenth time and dining at a nice side street buffet of vegetarian Laos cuisine - so we could give alms to the monks in the early the next morning.

We awoke t0 a surprisingly cold 5:30AM and made out way into the town main street where the monks make the rounds for their daily alms. This apparently is the only way the monks receive food and the whole town turns out for this daily event (and plenty of tourists). After taking our spots on the sidewalk (looked more like waiting for the Rose Parade to stroll by), four tuk-tuks full of Japanese tourists unloaded practically on top of us and we were immediately the center of their photography. There were at least 10-15 people snapping pictures like this was the last opportunity for a photo - some even came to within one foot with their giant lens to my face to snap a photo. We packed up and went back to our guesthouse were we sat alone on the street with the local elderly ladies and gave our alms to the hundreds of orange clothed monks parading through....

We mini-bussed from Luan Prabang to Vang Vien or more like torture-bussed - picture an average minivan an average soccer mom would drive and through in 12 full grown adults and all their luggage. Not very comfy especially for a tall person. After six hours we made town and settled into Nine Noi's Gusthouse. Noi is the man and nine is his lucky number and his son is named Jimi Hendrix - no joke.

This town is built only for tubing and drinking - both are taking to extremes. One has to rent a tube from the town co-op to actually tube down the river - almost a tube mafia that charges an astounding 50,000 kip ($5.50) for a days tubing and will try to steal your deposit upon return. But we went around town and inquired about purchasing our own tubes - liken this to purchasing drugs across the street from a police station. After many inquiries Gabe found the black market of tubers on the other side of town where we all purchased inflatable children tubes - mine is pink and cost only 30,000 kip.

Along the Nam Song river, upstream from town amid a valley of limestone peaks similar to that of the Grand Tetons, lies a meandering river with crazy bars, huge trapeze like swings from the bars into the river, zip lines that sent people flying into the river, waterslides and bar promoters throwing ropes to tubers to pull them into bars. And somewhere along the permanent marker was brought out to draw all over everyone. We spent a full day on the river and managed to only tube about 100 yards to three bars - this might have been the funnest day of the trip. We will return tomorrow and post pictures of the craziness soon.

Today we, along with new friends Curtis and his girlfriend from Oz, rented motorscooters and took a journey about 7KM away to the Tham Poukam cave and blue swimming lagoon. The drive through the country side was something of a Discovery Channel documentary through jagged limestome peaks, jungles, ricefields and tiny foot bridge river crossings.

Tomorrow, tubing.