The Farthest Away From Home I've Ever Been

To kick off the adventure through Vietnam, and make the most of our remaining time before Logan (who has been travelling with me for this past month) returns home to New Zealand, we decided to start things off in the capital city Hanoi, exploring the old town and visiting the Temple of Literature, and Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum.  St. Joseph's Cathedral in the old quarter.  Temple of Literature, over the centuries students have rubbed the turtle heads smooth by praying for luck in upcoming exams.  Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, no photos allowed inside.  The next destination was to a smaller city a couple of hours south called Ninh Bình. From here we made a day trip to Trang An where we joined a guided rowboat tour, which weaved around the limestone peaks and through low caves to visit various temples along the way. For our final destination we originally intended to head northeast to the coast and...

Our journey through the Lao People's Democratic Republic has been short but sweet. Starting in the capital city of Vientiane, we ventured north to the scenic mountainscape of Vang Vieng, and then onwards to finish up in the former royal capital and UNESCO World Heritage Site Luang Prabang. Vientiane Chilling in the capital was fun, and aside from exploring the Night Market, the main attraction we visited was Buddha Park which was a bit touristy but still good value.  Vang Vieng Things got a bit more exciting once we got on the road to Vang Vieng. The ride out there had its rough spots but the views were becoming more and more spectacular the closer we got. The biggest highlight here was a day trip out to the Vang Vieng Elephant Sanctuary, where we hand fed them bananas, walked with them through the shrubland and helped bathe them.  Later that evening I went for a hike to find a good viewpoint to enjoy the ...

So... many... temples....  It's incredible, don't get me wrong, that Indiana Jones-y feeling as you make your way through an ancient temple complex which the jungle has reclaimed; climbing up the narrow steps of a central tower to look down on the crumbling walls and collapsed archways below; with faded carvings and fragmented statues at every turn. There are so many monuments in the area surrounding Siem Reap, with Angkor being the former capital of the Khmer Empire (a.k.a Angkor Empire) and the Angkor Wat site being the most well restored and popular amongst tourists. Of the dozen other sites  we were able to visit, some had been partially restored after centuries of encroachment by the jungle and erosion from the elements, and a few left in ruins with the jungle simple being kept at bay. Some were overcrowded (Angkor Wat in particular) while others were almost entirely deserted, but the 3 days spent temple hopping in the back of a tuk-tuk were an absolute blast. Angkor Wat ...