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Welcome to our travel communication experiment.
On November 6, 2001 we begin a journey full of potential - potential to touch the world and have the world touch us.
Often one of the best parts of being "out there" is the ability to lose contact with the "back here". At the same time, sharing experiences can add to their luster. Particularly in these times of unrest, our connection with you has taken on an elevated importance.
We have intentionally left much of our itinerary open to fate, believing that specific destinations can be decided upon as we make our way across the globe. So look through our site and itinerary as they evolve, visit with us virtually, and consider joining us for a segment of our trip.
All our best,
Jim and Laura
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Our Journal
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The Great Wall | 04.22.02 @ 10:44 AM EST |
Everybody says that you can't go to Beijing and not go see the Great Wall. After being there I'd say you can't go to China and not go see it. Today, in the rain and fog, we hiked the Great Wall. It was a perfect way to spend our last day in China. It was truly nothing short of magnificent; Another highlight of our trip.
After a two and a half our drive we arrived at the entrance. It was cold and wet, and we felt uninspired. I got us some hot tea and we sat in the car hoping the rain would let up. It didn't, so we headed out.
As it turned out, the nasty weather was a blessing in disguise. Nobody else wanted to brave the weather and we had this ancient wonder all to ourselves! I had prepared myself for a tourist trap with tour buses filling the parking lot as we pulled up. To our advantage, the place where we entered draws fewer tourists than other spots because the wall is not restored in this area and is very steep. Anyone who suffers from vertigo, or lacking a basic level of fitness would have a hard time with this portion of the wall. We passed one small group in three hours. Even the local farmers, who try to make a little money selling postcards and t-shirts, didn't think it was worth the effort to chase two tourists through the cold, and left us alone.
We had packed our rain jackets, so we stayed pretty dry, and once we got going, the uphill climb warmed us right up. At first sight of the wall snaking through the landscape in the distance, I felt exhilirated. It was so beautiful. So mythical. As I walked along some of the crumbling sections, I marveled that parts of the wall had been built over 2000 years ago. The weather added a dramatic effect as the wall wound its way though the mountains. At times parts of it would disappear into the fog, and then reappear as it blew out again.
The weather never did improve. The wind picked up and it rained harder. But we were continually amazed by the changing view and invigorated to be walking along a stretch of this great outdoor museum.
Tomorrow morning we head to Japan! Check out the Asia photos that Jim posted about a week ago. I hope we got some more good ones today. We'll be home soon!!!
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Images of China | 04.20.02 @ 12:43 AM EST |
We started our visit to China in Hong Kong, an ultra modern, clean, fast moving city where many people speak English. We continued on to Shanghai, Guilin, Xi’an, and now we are in Beijing. It was in Xi’an that China began to grow on me. I could sense China’s ancient history when we went to see the Army of the Terra Cotta Warriors. Over six thousand clay soldiers and horses in battle formation built and buried to honor the emperor of the Qin Dynasty around 210 B.C. Since the first broken pieces were found by peasants digging a well in 1974, at least five enormous pits have been excavated and much restoration has been done. I can only imagine the awe of the archeologists involved in this project-one of the greatest archaeological finds of the 20th century. To stand over these open burial sights is truly amazing. Later walking around the city and seeing how people live today, it dawned on me that we have seen so much at this point that the unusual had started to seem usual, so I took a closer look around me.
People spend much time in a squatting position; the man waiting for the bus, the mechanics working on a tire, the woman chopping meat on the sidewalk, the old man having a smoke and watching life go by, all in a squatting position. It is extremely comfortable if you are four, or happened to grow up in China. Also very handy- you don’t get dirty, and you can rest or work anywhere without a chair.
People in Xi’an have been so friendly it feels like we’re in a small town, although it is home to seven million people. We took a tandem bike ride on the city’s ancient wall, a place that draws mostly Chinese tourists. Because of the smiles and attention we drew we are sure that many of these visitors come from small towns and have rarely seen a foreigner. We stopped so I could use the bathroom. At the same time an old Chinese couple stopped and the wife went in too. When I came out I saw the husband merrily chatting away to Jim (in Chinese) and gesturing with his camera. We thought he wanted us to take a picture of him and his wife, but he then grouped the four of us together and solicited another stranger to take our photograph. Like old pals, he draped his arm around our shoulders and his wife took my hand. Then they thanked us heartily and went on their way. What would his story be? “I met this American man. My wife had to pee, HIS wife had to pee, so we took a picture!” Later we understood that it was no different from our fascination with the H’mong Hill Tribe People in rural Vietnam. We were whipping out our cameras before our driver could pull over. We’re a novelty here. It sank in how sheltered China has been and still is from the outside world.
Chinese people have an answer to messy diapers. Here and there Jim and I noticed a number of babies and toddlers who had “split their pants”. Too many. We realized that this was a form of toilet training. When the kid says the word you quickly open the slit-no problem! If the child is too young to give warning-parents have to think fast! Luckily the one child policy is in effect and clearly adhered to, so it’s not possible to have more than one child (not) in diapers. It is common to see three or four adults caring for and doting on one child. Girls are dolled up with colorful barrettes and various ponytails. Boys are decked out in Lucky red and yellow– adorable.
In China as well as Vietnam it’s not uncommon to see people out in their pajamas- and why not? Pajamas are good. Hugging is not common but hand holding is. In Hanoi, Vietnam young people hold hands with their grandparents while strolling along. Old people are included in family outings, and can be seen outside in the early morning doing Tai chi and stretching. Old men hold hands with each other-a great sight, especially if one of them happens to be wearing pajamas.
The experience of just walking around is rich and often inspiring. I’m constantly moved by the variety of life styles as well as the basic similarities we all have at our core as human beings.
Update- we are adding another country to our itinerary-Last stop-Japan! Stay tuned…
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Midnight on the Cockroach Non-Express | 04.8.02 @ 6:26 AM EST |
After spending time in the cities of Saigon and Hanoi, we decided to venture out into the countryside. We hired a guide and driver to drive us from Hanoi to various remote mountain villages in the north west, where many “Hill Tribes” live and grow rice, cassava, and corn on the steep hills of the region. There are many different groups, each with its own language, customs, and traditional dress.
The bad roads discourage many tourists from driving this route, which took three days, so many of these communities have rarely encountered a westerner. The trip was wonderful and it would take pages to describe the experience of enjoying the beautiful landscape, meeting local people, and bearing witness to the difficult and interesting life they live. A story in itself.
Instead, I thought I’d share a bit of the down side of traveling by describing our train trip back to Hanoi. Although Toan (our guide) warned us that the beds on the train were very hard, just a thin straw mat on a narrow plank, we were determined to make our return trip by train. He further cautioned us that there would be six berths to a compartment, the train would make many stops, it would be very noisy, and lastly, smoking was permitted throughout the train including within the sleeping compartments.
Having enjoyed many train journeys as a young back packer in Europe, I smiled as I entered our six by six room, and greeted our fellow travelers. With Toan’s helpful translations, we chatted with the other passengers, and I thought to myself, “This is gonna be fun”.
Fortunately, none of the things that had concerned Toan bothered me in the least during the trip. Unfortunately, it was the one thing he had failed to mention that kept me up. Roaches. Those who know me well know that I have a totally irrational, exaggerated aversion to them. While enjoying a warm beer, I spotted one crawling up the wall, so I tried to stay in the easy going “I can rough it” zone. “I’ll just put my head on the other end” I thought, but spotted another as I went to put my pillow there. I looked across at Jim and told him he had a big one crawling right near his head. He startled and quickly flicked it onto my bed. Thanks!
Our companions, up in their bunks seemed to be sleeping soundly. I tried to do the same but once the lights were dimmed they were everywhere, crawling periodically up from below my bunk, like a procession. The place was infested. To keep them out of his ears, Jim stuffed cotton in them and went to sleep. I watched them crawl around his head. I lost count of how many I killed. At 2:00 am I was still on watch. “Two more hours” I thought, grateful for the noise of the train and the passengers who abruptly got on and off, for keeping me awake in spite of my fatigue.
It wasn’t the filth of the train itself, the non-flushing, hole-in-the floor bathroom, or the nose picking and flicking of my third bunk companion. All of that was tolerable. What I couldn’t take were the images I had every time I closed my eyes...roaches crawling all over me and nesting in my back pack.
I guess I must have drifted off at some point because Jim woke me at 4:00 am and said, “We’re here”. I have never been so happy to get up at 4:00 am. |
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Heading Home Early | 04.1.02 @ 8:56 AM EST |
Things were going so well. Then suddenly it seemed that our luck had run out. We left Cambodia and boarded our flight to Viet Nam with anticipation and excitement. Upon arriving at the airport in Saigon we found that the driver scheduled to pick us up was not there. It was late,we were tired, and we decided to go it alone. A helpful citizen offered to escort us to our hotel. He was going in the same direction and said it was no problem. Upon arriving at our hotel we went to put our passports in the safe and realized they were gone. We still haven't figured out how this imposter got them without our noticing. Devastating. We stayed up agonizing and planning what we would do. By 2:00 am we decided to cancel our plans of touring Saigon the next day and instead head for the American Embassy with our passport copies, which thankfully we still had.
First thing in the morning we hailed an auto rickshaw and asked the driver to step on it. We were hoping to arrive before the embassy opened and be first in line. In his haste the driver misjugded the distance between himself and a local farmer carrying a huge load of rice on his ancient rusty old bicycle. He swerved and missed the farmer but in the jolt I was hurled forward and out of the rickshaw. I broke my fall with my hands and it seems that I may have broken my wrist in the process. At this point, we had to take out our travel Vietnam book to find the nearest hospital instead of the embassy. During the seven hours we waited to see a doctor we had time enough to discuss all of our options. Given our current situation and emotional exhaustion we decided to just count our blessings and start heading home.
I'm glad none of you could see my expression as I wrote this...
APRIL FOOLS!!!
Sorry. It was Jim's idea and I just couldn't resist. Maybe it was because he has already tricked me twice today. The truth is we had a wonderful time in Cambodia. A truly amazing little country. It was one of the shortest yet most impactful stops of all. Now we are in in Hanoi, Viet Nam. Tomorrow we take off to drive a north western loop in the country side for 5 days, returing to Hanoi by train on the 6th. Should be nice to get out the city for a while.
More later... |
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Leaving the Land of Wats | 03.24.02 @ 11:24 AM EST |
What's a Wat? A temple. Thailand has tons of them. They are ornate and beautiful places where people come to pray to the Budda. Everyone, including non-Buddist foreigners, are required to conform to customs of modesty and respect when visiting them. Anywhere you don't find a temple, you'll find a little pagoda, a statue of Budda, or an altar adorned with flowers, candles, and insense. They greet you in virtually every store, restaurant, and home. Thailand is unmistakably Buddist.
We started our visit in Bankok, a noisy city, home to more than 10 million people, and of course many temples. It was not one of my favorite cities so far. It was thick with air and noise pollution which was intensified by the heat and humidity of the current season, and lacked the friendly welcoming feeling I later experienced in other parts of the country. The sight seeing was interesting, but I was happy to head south to Thailand's beautiful beaches after four or five days of city life.
Thailand's beaches are some of the most beautiful I've seen. Some surrounded by lush hills of palm trees, others by wild rock formations jutting out of the water-which was bath water warm. So warm I was able to stay in long enough to learn how to windsurf-By learn I mean have one actual ride that lasted a few minutes after about a million falls. We swam, kayaked, and lazed in the shade reading until it was time to watch the sunset. O Knowing it was the last beach on the itinerary we really tried to soak it in.
After leaving the beach we headed to the northern city of Chang Mai, a smaller and more inviting city. Just an hour and a half outside the city are hills that offer some pretty challenging trekking which we tok advantage of today. Our guide took us to meet some of the local "Hill People" who live well in houses built from the bamboo that grows in adundance around them, and eating the rice harvested from the nearby fields. They were friendly and shy, but spoke only a local dialect, so Jim and I weren't able to use the five Thai words we have struggled to learn.
We leave Thailand with good memories, lots of curiousity about all the stones we've left unturned here, and excitement about what lies ahead. We pack tonight for another international flight-to Cambodia! Stay tuned...
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Next stop...Thailand! | 03.9.02 @ 8:13 AM EST |
Our time is India has been great. We started in the southern city of Chennai where we were hit hard with India's flavor. In the congested streets auto rickshaws compete with cars, cattle, bicycles, motorcycles piled with entire families, and pedestrians who seem indifferent to the constant honking and near collisions going on around them. Colors and chaos, beauty and dirty streets. India is a country of wonderful, vibrant contrasts.
Next we went to visit my sister Leah in Kodaikanal, a beautiful little town in the mountains of Tamil Nadu where she is volunteering her time teaching English to very enthusiastic village children-another highlight of the trip for me. Walking and talking with my sister and working with her students rejuvinated me, and made it hard to leave.
We continued on to the back waters of Kerala, where we took slow boat rides through small fishing villages along the canals. People stopped their washing or bathing long enough to smile curiously and wave.
We then made our way north to visit the Pink City of Jaipur where we took an elephant safari, and visted lots of handicraft shops while touring the city. Finally, the magnificent Taj Mahal in the city of Agra- a real tourist trap, but worth it.
Last night we went to the airport in Delhi to catch a Thai Air flight to Bankok. The flight was oversold and our chances of getting on were slim. While Jim was harasssing (I mean inquiring) about our possible seats, he was told by an airline employee that there had been a bomb scare and a highjacking threat on that flight, so security was taking a long time to check people in. Was that information intended to make him feel more patient? Needless to say, seats or no seats, I didn't want to get on that flight. I was relieved when we were finally turned away.
Convinced that this threat was a diversion from the real target, Jim then headed to the Indian Air counter for a refund on the back up ticket we had bought to Thailand. At 1:00 am we found a hotel room in Delhi. Tonight we head to Bankok-on Singapore Air-via Singapore. Check your map to see how much sense that routing makes.
In the end, India has been one of our favorites. I will remember the bright colors of sarees against beautiful, dark skin, the smell of insense and spices on the street, music in the distance, rich and mysterious food, and lots of warm people. We'll write more after arriving SAFELY in Bankok. |
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Off to India | 02.21.02 @ 4:31 AM EST |
Singapore lived up to its reputation of a very modern (and very clean) city. In fact it feels a little like "the city of the future" from some yet to be made movie. For those of you in my circle who might care about this stuff...a taxi driver can put a smart card into his credit card termianl, then swipe your credit card for wireless authorization, and the funds get transfered into HIS account.
We spent the last five days exploring, resting and preparing for our next stop - India. (I of course had to try and sample every kind of food available at the wide range of hawker stands.) We leave on the evening of the 21st for Chennai, India. Two days in and around Chennai, then to Kodaikanal to visit Laura’s sister who is there volunteering in a school. On the 28th we head to Kerala to the backwater area, and then on the 3rd we head to Jaipur for a few days exploring the area of the Pink Palace and hopefully taking an elephant ride. Finally, we will end our time in India in Agra at the Taj Mahal. We will then fly to Bangkok arriving on the morning of March 9th.
We are not sure what lies ahead...Hopefully not "Delhi Belly" :(
PS - check out the new photos and movies from our time in Africa. |
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Bungy Jump! | 02.14.02 @ 7:50 AM EST |
BUUUUN-GYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!
Those of you that have been checking the site know that we left Cape Town a second time to go and drive south Africa’s famous Garden Route. This is this southern coast of the country just east of cape Town. It is famous for its beautiful beaches, great surf, and hosting of the highest fixed bungy jump in the world. A German woman we met in Brazil planted the seed of this particular jump which was right in the middle of our planned itinerary, and the seed has been growing in Jim’s mind ever since.
Needless to say, once driving this pretty coast, Jim would periodically look at me with a gleam in his eye and whisper, “bungy”, at that point still under the illusion that I might actually want to join him in this plan to free fall off a bridge with a string tied to my ankles.
Although logically I knew it was safer that driving down this scenic African coast, it still made me nervous knowing that sooner or later I would be watching him fall through the sky.
On the particular morning there was actually no plan to go to the jump and we were peacefully driving to the next bay along our route to check the surf. All of a sudden the sign for the jump caught Jim’s eye and he pulled off the road and made a u-turn. “I think this is it, honey... Let’s just check it out -we’ll just take a look “. It was at that moment I knew he was going for it. Taking a look, I knew, would mean jumping for Jim. I’m sure I Iooked as nervous as he did at that point. He began to make inquiries about the jump at the registration desk. Then turned to me. “Should I do it?” (smile) he looked around, paced a bit, looked at me again. “Should I do it?” I knew enough not to say anything, and within minutes he was registering.
After getting harnessed in, he got a few short instructions and off he went with two other first time jumpers to the catwalk leading to the underside of the bridge. I watched and filmed from a lookout point across from the bridge where I could hear the adrenaline music start pumping. Soon after that the guides brought him to the edge of the 216 meter drop and counted, “five, four, three, two, one, buuun-gyyyy!!!!!!!!!” and Jim became a white dot plummeting toward earth from above for seven full seconds, and then bouncing two, three, maybe four times before dangling by his ankles in the vast ravine below the bridge.
Why I felt a sense of relief at this point is still not clear to me. He was still a distant dot swinging upside down over rocks and treetops. I watched gratefully as the “recovery guy” lowered himself like a spider and clipped Jim into a seated position and began hoisting him back to safety.
With a tear in my eye I breathed a sigh of relief, and went to see the look on Jim’s face. What a smile!! As I write this, Jim sits beside me reading and preparing for the next adventure-eating his way through Asia. We leave tomorrow on a long flight to Singapore. Stay tuned... |
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Back from the bush | 01.31.02 @ 9:53 AM EST |
(Written 5 days ago - internet host problems)
I guess since we don’t have jobs, I can’t say we’ve been too busy to post an update. Let’s just say we’ve been a little distracted. We got back from safari about a week ago and have been enjoying the comforts of civilization for the last week. First things first-the safari exceeded our wildest expectations, and has truly been a highlight of our trip so far.
We started in Botswana where we visited three different camps, then moved on to Zimbabwe for a water camp, and ended in a game lodge in Kruger Park in South Africa. Botswana blew us away with its peaceful beauty out in the wilderness. The tented camps had every comfort we could wish for including hot and cold running water, complimented by the tranquility of literally being in the middle of nowhere, living among wild animals. Hopefully, the photos that Jim will eventually post will help describe the awe we felt getting so close to lion, elephant, buffalo, cheetah, leopard, hippo, and rhino-just to mention a few.
The first three camps could only be reached by small aircraft which landed on a dirt airstrips where we were met by our guides and delivered to camp by range rover. Once there we immediately succumbed to the slow pace necessary to enjoy life in the heat of the bush. A 5:00am wake up call was needed so that we would all be ready to go before 6:00. We returned daily by late morning for brunch, lounging in a plunge pool, chatting with other guests, reading, and/or siesta. After a good rest and shower, we would head out again around 4:30 for our afternoon activity. As a ritual each evening before heading back to camp, we would find a beautiful place to park, watch the sunset, and drink our “sundowner” which was carefully packed by our guides. Some evenings we parked near a river of hippos. Other evenings we listened to the low rumbling of lion calls in the distance, or watched grazing elephants as we sipped our gin and tonics. Game viewing was offered by mokoro, motorboat, range rover, pontoon, or on foot, depending on the camp, and we took advantage of all. Our stories are abundant and memorable, and we can’t wait to share them.
People everywhere have been great. Most of the camps were able to make us feel at home. In Cape Town we have had the good fortune to meet and spend time with people who have gone out of their way to make our experience a memorable one. We have been taken to a family beach picnic, invited into homes, and had a private tour of Parliament by a member. This kind hospitality has helped us experience their sense of pride in Southern Africa.
We are packing up now to leave Cape Town tomorrow morning to spend the next ten days driving along the “Garden Route”, the southern coast of South Africa. It is known for its beauty, surf breaks, and quaint B&Bs. The itinerary after that remains a bit sketchy as we try to decide on places that hold the right balance of adventure and safety.
All our best, Laura and Jim |
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More Africa | 01.27.02 @ 11:16 AM EST |
I guess since we don’t have jobs, I can’t say we’ve been too busy to post an update. Let’s just say we’ve been a little distracted. We got back from safari about a week ago and have been enjoying the comforts of civilization for the last week. First things first-the safari exceeded our wildest expectations, and has truly been a highlight of our trip so far.
We started in Botswana where we visited three different camps, then moved on to Zimbabwe for a water camp, and ended in a game lodge in Kruger Park in South Africa. Botswana blew us away with its peaceful beauty out in the wilderness. The tented camps had every comfort we could wish for including hot and cold running water, complimented by the tranquility of literally being in the middle of nowhere, living among wild animals. Hopefully, the photos that Jim will eventually post will help describe the awe we felt getting so close to lion, elephant, buffalo, cheetah, leopard, hippo, and rhino-just to mention a few.
The first three camps could only be reached by small aircraft which landed on a dirt airstrips where we were met by our guides and delivered to camp by range rover. Once there we immediately succumbed to the slow pace necessary to enjoy life in the heat of the bush. A 5:00am wake up call was needed so that we would all be ready to go before 6:00. We returned daily by late morning for brunch, lounging in a plunge pool, chatting with other guests, reading, and/or siesta. After a good rest and shower, we would head out again around 4:30 for our afternoon activity. As a ritual each evening before heading back to camp, we would find a beautiful place to park, watch the sunset, and drink our “sundowner” which was carefully packed by our guides. Some evenings we parked near a river of hippos. Other evenings we listened to the low rumbling of lion calls in the distance, or watched grazing elephants as we sipped our gin and tonics. Game viewing was offered by mokoro, motorboat, range rover, pontoon, or on foot, depending on the camp, and we took advantage of all. Our stories are abundant and memorable, and we can’t wait to share them.
People everywhere have been great. Most of the camps were able to make us feel at home. In Cape Town we have had the good fortune to meet and spend time with people who have gone out of their way to make our experience a memorable one. We have been taken to a family beach picnic, invited into homes, and had a private tour of Parliament by a member. This kind hospitality has helped us experience their sense of pride in Southern Africa.
We are packing up now to leave Cape Town tomorrow morning to spend the next ten days driving along the “Garden Route”, the southern coast of South Africa. It is known for its beauty, surf breaks, and quaint B&Bs. The itinerary after that remains a bit sketchy as we try to decide on places that hold the right balance of adventure and safety.
All our best, Laura and Jim |
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