Well, we're here....we landed in Edmonton late last night greeted by Vinny's smiling face (the airport pick up guy!) It was a long, painful journey home, and the snoring symphony in our hostel for the two nights prior to our departure did nothing to help us ease into the journey ahead! We were able to collectively sleep two hours in those two nights in that hostel. We woke up at 3:30 in the morning to go the the airport in Singapore to fly to Hong Kong. As much as we had grandiose plans to do some sight seeing in Hong Kong, a few snapped pics of some big buildings used all the energy up that we could muster, and we resorted to a pub for a beer and back to the airport to await the plane taking us back to Canada.
For some reason, when we checked in there were only single seats available (Even though we checked in three and a half hours before departure!)...so for the twelve hour flight ahead, Leif and I sat beside complete strangers! I managed to snag myself a sweet seat with a ton of leg room, but as soon as I sat down I realized how ridiculous I was being as Leif's legs are quite literally twice as long as mine. Ever the gentleman though, he refused to switch with me as he wanted me to sleep, and I was able to sneak in four more hours of much needed sleep...and Leif watched a total of seven movies....and didn't sleep a wink!
Then twelve painful hours later, we arrived in Vancouver...the three hour layover there went pretty fast though, and before we knew it we had landed in Edmonton! Being home so far is a wee bit strange. What happened to....
- tuk-tuks?
- street vendors?
- driving on the left hand side?
- disorderly traffic?
- palm tree jungles?
- beaches?
- backpacks?
- a warm breeze at night? (brrrrrr!)
- having every meal prepared for me?
- getting my laundry done for me?
- 7-11 selling beer?
- wild monkeys?
- the ocean?
Though I will miss nearly everything about SE Asia, home ain't so bad either. Leif and I will always make going on trips a priority...maybe not five month trips, but many different trips to see different parts of the world, we will plug away at seeing it till we dead and gone.
I can't believe how much travelling has opened my eyes, packing up your life into a backpack for five months to live in another part of the world...I mean, it's bound to change a person. Travelling was the best way for me to learn. I was a girl who knew NO geography, had never seen any cultures outside of North America, didn't know much world history (or had memorized it for a test, and promptly forgot it the next day), but as we travelled I read over 20 books, more than half being about history, culture, environmental issues, wars and struggles. Not only did I learn through books, but by taking it all in by visiting religious temples, war memorials, and by watching them live day to day. I realized that my way of life isn't necessarily the only way to go. They seemed perfectly content living a simple kinda life where possessions weren't everything, which I think is pretty admirable. Cambodia was my eye opener....it'll always be that place where I had that indescribable "moment."
Anyways, got a little deep there cuz this blog will be the end of the road for my blogging adventures. I have enjoyed every minute of keeping everyone updated on our travels! We had the best time EVER!!! SE Asia stole a little piece of my heart!
Can't wait to eventually catch up with everyone over a glass of wine and hear about what's going on in your lives!
Love you all! xoxo
So, in our nearly five months of travel, we have been to Bangkok now 7 times!!!!!! 7 freakin times, lol! Every time our bus comes to a stop and the driver yells out "Khaosan Road, Khaosan Road," I feel a little pang of dread. Don't get me wrong as I love every aspect of Thailand....the beaches, the lifestyle, the food, the islands, the fellow travellers, living out of a backpack...but one thing will always remain-- my dislike for Khaosan Road. Every time we get to Bangkok it is after a night bus...which means we are incredibly groggy (especially me as I am like a walking zombie in the morning). Being groggy and stepping onto Khaosan Road at 5:30 in the morning is an experience in itself. As every single night on Khaosan is a party, the street is lined with remnants of everyone's shenanigans, and of course there are the hardcore drunkies still sauntering around wondering why the party died down. Stepping back onto Khaosan after we have found somewhere to eat and fully wake up is always fun too...."You want tuk-tuk? Good price!"..."You want suit sir? Here take my card!"..."You want massage?". Yup, Khaosan has come to life again. Bangkok seven times has left me wanting this shirt, more than ever:
Other than my dislike for Bangkok (phew, good little vent sesh lol) every other aspect of our continued Thailand adventures has been amazing. Chiang Mai was a delight, a clean little city filled with great shopping and good food! We rented a bike and went to a little hippie town way up north called Pai. Leif looked it up on the internet and was convinced we must go, the man is a hippie at heart. It was awesome! It was total hippie-ville--arts, crafts, dreadlocks and rainbow hippie pants everywhere...such a cool, laid back vibe; I totally envied their carefree life! The ride there was an adventure too, uphill all the way, and a total of 762 curves in the road (no, I never counted lol).
Next up, Koh Phi Phi...we thought this island was gonna be a no go on account of our budget and the prices of accommodation there, but it is low season now and prices here have gone down....so we can go!!! We plan to beach bum it, go on a few more scuba dives, and live it up for our last few weeks of the trip!
Later gaterz!
