Scroll down to find some additions that I made to my lists and view the video that I was unable to post earlier!
Back in the states and reflecting on my trip…
Things Lost/Stolen:
- 1 Blackberry (Pickpocketed, Philippines)
- Eyeglasses (Disappearing act from my suitcase during the course of some flight… most likely from Laos)
- 1 Sunglass Case (Lost, Beaches of Bali)
- 1 Waterproof Timex Watch (Stolen by the Ocean, Surfing in Bali)
Lessons Learned:
- You can never be too paranoid about your stuff
- Haggling + charming smile = lowest price paid
- Price tiering does exist and it’s worse if you’re not Asian (lucky for me!)
- That said – if you pass for a local – MILK IT FOR ALL IT’S WORTH.
Things I Hope for:
- TO RETURN: I would love to return to Vietnam or Indonesia or Malaysia to do anthropological/political research or to teach English next summer.
Superlatives:
People:
- Best Dressed: Vietnam
- Best (or worst…) drivers: Vietnam
- Friendliest to Tourists: Balinese Indonesians
Places:
- Highest Humidity: Philippines
- National Geographic Moment: Rice Terraces, Batad, Philippines
- Most Diverse: Bangkok, Thailand or Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Least Diverse: Seoul, Korea
- Most Hectic: Hanoi, Vietnam
Best Food/Drink:
- Che – Vietnamese shaved ice/coconut milk/jelly, etc. snack. Where to get it? A street side food stall
- Balinese Food – pork, chicken, meat skins, rice, some skewered item, and a little curry. Where to get it? From a food hawker on the beach in Bali, Indonesia
- Coconut Shake – Best one was found in Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Best Shopping:
- Hanoi, Vietnam: a long set of streets (it is just one street but changes names three times) above Hoam Kiem Lake. Cheap shopping and pretty good deals if you know how to bargain. Bought: tie set, scarves, two pairs of shorts (very needed)
- Express Bus Terminal, Seoul, Korea: Pretty cheap and extensive shopping in this underground mall that Kathy Chung showed me. Bought: canvas shoes
- Russian Market, Phnom Penh, Cambodia: despite the fact that the guns and knives can no longer be found at this marketplace, it is still a really cool market to walk in and around. Bought: 1/2 kilo of lychee, two kramas, and two pipes – one ivory and one wooden.
Worst Transportation Experience:
- Overnight bus from Bali to Surabaya, Indonesia
- 50.5 hour bus ride from Hanoi to Saigon, Vietnam
Most Humorous Transportation Experience:
- The taxi ride in Bangkok in attempts to get to the Weekend Market – see “Taxi #1: Weekend Market,” in this post for more detail: http://monsoondiaries.com/2010/06/27/some-special-taxi-experiences/
- The moto ride in Bali from Seminyak to the Ubung Bus Terminal and Caitlin’s not-so-secret admirer – see this post for more detail: http://monsoondiaries.com/2010/07/03/motorbikes/
- At time of posting in Harwich, MA, it was 71.6 °F -
Humidity: 90% | Wind Speed: 3km/hr | Cloud Cover: overcast
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