Not many of the world's great attractions live up to the hype, but the Angkor temple complex in Siem Reap is one that does. In fact, it exceeds expectations; I have yet to meet anyone who wasn't impressed by the size and scope of the sprawling ancient city ruins. I also haven't met anyone who wasn't at least a little annoyed with the army of pint-size touts who work the site. … [Read more...]
Yurt Life at Karakul Lake in Xinjiang Province
In the evening, our hosts made us a delicious noodle dinner. After the meal, they entertained us with a "disco night", which involved some pretty bad music from a little portable radio and some crazy dancing by the local children. Naturally some of us (by which I mean people who weren't me) joined in. It was actually a fun time. Afterward we hired one of the local boys to make … [Read more...]
Trek to Jagat and a Rant Against Guides on the Annapurna Circuit
When we first got to our guesthouse in Bahundanda, we immediately noticed the beds. Comfortable mattresses are a rarity in Nepal and one of our goals upon entering any town where we planned to spend the night was to find the guesthouse with the softest beds. In many villages, the thickest mattress you could find was about as wide as a finger and Bahundanda turned out to be one … [Read more...]
Just Another Tale of Love on the Road…or is it?
It's amazing how two people can live the exact same experience, yet have completely different interpretations of the events. Often dubbed the Rashomon Effect, this phenomenon has been the subject of countless books and movies, most notably Rashomon itself, and is familiar to us all. I have personally witnessed a few examples during my life, but none as dramatic, hilarious, sad … [Read more...]
Leaving Danba Difficult Thanks to Minivan Drivers
Following our measly breakfast, it was time to head back to Danba. After our experience with the drunk driver the previous day, we were naturally not all that excited at the prospect of hiring another van to take us back to town. We asked our hosts if they could help us find a sober ride, but they actually ended up just driving us themselves for a very fair price. It was a nice … [Read more...]