I re-entered Thailand with my GAP adventure tour group on December 10th. We started in the North in the area of Chiang Kong, since we came from Laos/the Mekong River. I was definitely looking forward to having more time in Thailand, since my first stop there was so brief!
In Chiang Kong, we visited the White Temple. As it's name implies, this temple is all white, and has the most intricate architecture. It houses a large Buddha statue. You have to cross a white bridge over a small lake to get to it. From Chiang Kong, we drove to Chiang Mai. Unfortunately we didn't have much time there, but I was able to explore the city and it's markets a little. The markets have EVERYTHING you could imagine, I even got a foot massage in the middle of the market for less than a dollar. It was a nice massage, but not the most relaxing environment!
After Chiang Mai, we took a sleeper train back to Bangkok. In Bangkok, I visited the Grand Palace, Wat Arun, the Big Swing (which isn't really a swing at all) and Khao San Road (the touristy area with many shops and restaurants). The Grand Palace was amazing! There are many buildings of gold, marble and gems, including the temple housing the Emerald Buddha. We had to rent clothes that were more "covering" just to get in. We had to cross the river on a ferry to get to Wat Arun, "the temple of the dawn". The stairs of this temple were so steep I felt like I was going to fall backwards, but the view from the top of Wat Arun was completely worth it. I spent my last night in Thailand and my last night with my tour group enjoying the club/bar scene on Khao San Road.
I left Thailand for the Philippines on December 13th, exactly a month from when I arrived. I experienced Thailand as a country of beautiful temples with a very majestic feel. On the other hand, it is developing very quickly into a more modern country with a fun and light vibe. I think it will be a very different place in the near future. My time in Southeast Asia seemed to fly by. I still can't believe how different each of the four countries were from one another and yet they are so close together. I am glad to have gotten a taste of each of the countries, but it does leave more to be explored! In some ways, it was a little more touristy than I had expected it to be, but I have had some pretty unreal experiences because of that. I am very thankful that my GAP tour group was such a great group of people to travel with. I have made some good friends and shared some unreal moments with them! Overall, I am glad I chose to tour Southeast Asia and have certainly made many memories that will last a lifetime!
Saturday, January 14, 2012
Laos Laos
Before leaving to travel, Laos was the country I knew least about and had the least reason to be excited for. However, it ended up being my favourite Southeast Asian country of the four! Laos is a mixture of open beautiful scenery and small towns/cities full of character. I entered Laos at the beginning of December in the small border town of Lak Xao. I could immediately see and feel the difference between Vietnam and Laos. Compared to the busy feeling of Hanoi, Lak Xao was extremely relaxed and peaceful. The people were friendly and easy going (and didn't seem like they were always trying to sell me something!).
We spent the next few days in Vientiane, the capital of Laos. A couple of friends and I rented push bikes and drove around the city to see the sites. We went to Pha That Luang (the gold stupa and national symbol) and the National Monument/Gate (also called the vertical runway), which is a tower that was built with supplies donated by the French to build a runway. Instead, the Laotian people built the monument as a symbol of their independence. We were able to see a lot of Vientiane from the top of the tower.
From Vientiane, we went to the small town of Vang Vieng along the riverside, known for it's limestone mountains and caves. We only had a day there, but I went kayaking in the river (through rapids) and caving/swimming in one of the caves. It was dark in the cave, so they gave us little candles, which were quite impractical as I kept falling into deep water. Still, it was a lot of fun! In the afternoon, we went tubing down the river. It's a very popular spot for partying backpackers. I couldn't believe how many people there were. There are many bars along the river and they hook you in on your tube. The bars also have giant rope swings, slingshots and slides. I tried the slinghsot, but the wooden slides looked a little too unsafe/painful to me.
Our last stop was Luang Prabang. It is a small town that used to be the capital of Laos. It has many temples and Mount Phousi (mountain of monasteries) in the centre of the town. I got up at 5am to watch the monks procession down the main road near the mountain. All of the monks walk to collect food donations from the local people lined up along the street. While in Luang Prabang, we also visited an elephant centre, where we road the elephants down to the river and got to bath them. I had the most stubborn elephant, who didn't listen to any of the commands of the Mahout (trainer), which made for an even more interesting experience. She did make sure to completely drench me with a consistent blast of spray from her trunk during the bathing! Finally, we visited Kuang Si Waterfalls (a 3-tier waterfall), which we were able to swim in, jump off of, and rope swing into!
Before leaving Laos, we took a 2-day boat trip down the Mekong River to the Thai border. We rode in a traditional junk boat owned by a local family. We saw many people and animals along the riverside. We stopped at Pak Ou - the cave of 4,000 Buddhas and stopped for the night in the small riverside town of Pak Beng.
On December 10th we arrived at the Thai border, where we left our boat for the town of Chiang Kong. I was definitely surprised with how much I enjoyed my time in Laos. I especially liked the friendly and easy going nature of the people and the relaxed atmosphere. I think I would like to return to one of the smaller areas one day as a volunteer.
We spent the next few days in Vientiane, the capital of Laos. A couple of friends and I rented push bikes and drove around the city to see the sites. We went to Pha That Luang (the gold stupa and national symbol) and the National Monument/Gate (also called the vertical runway), which is a tower that was built with supplies donated by the French to build a runway. Instead, the Laotian people built the monument as a symbol of their independence. We were able to see a lot of Vientiane from the top of the tower.
From Vientiane, we went to the small town of Vang Vieng along the riverside, known for it's limestone mountains and caves. We only had a day there, but I went kayaking in the river (through rapids) and caving/swimming in one of the caves. It was dark in the cave, so they gave us little candles, which were quite impractical as I kept falling into deep water. Still, it was a lot of fun! In the afternoon, we went tubing down the river. It's a very popular spot for partying backpackers. I couldn't believe how many people there were. There are many bars along the river and they hook you in on your tube. The bars also have giant rope swings, slingshots and slides. I tried the slinghsot, but the wooden slides looked a little too unsafe/painful to me.
Our last stop was Luang Prabang. It is a small town that used to be the capital of Laos. It has many temples and Mount Phousi (mountain of monasteries) in the centre of the town. I got up at 5am to watch the monks procession down the main road near the mountain. All of the monks walk to collect food donations from the local people lined up along the street. While in Luang Prabang, we also visited an elephant centre, where we road the elephants down to the river and got to bath them. I had the most stubborn elephant, who didn't listen to any of the commands of the Mahout (trainer), which made for an even more interesting experience. She did make sure to completely drench me with a consistent blast of spray from her trunk during the bathing! Finally, we visited Kuang Si Waterfalls (a 3-tier waterfall), which we were able to swim in, jump off of, and rope swing into!
Before leaving Laos, we took a 2-day boat trip down the Mekong River to the Thai border. We rode in a traditional junk boat owned by a local family. We saw many people and animals along the riverside. We stopped at Pak Ou - the cave of 4,000 Buddhas and stopped for the night in the small riverside town of Pak Beng.
On December 10th we arrived at the Thai border, where we left our boat for the town of Chiang Kong. I was definitely surprised with how much I enjoyed my time in Laos. I especially liked the friendly and easy going nature of the people and the relaxed atmosphere. I think I would like to return to one of the smaller areas one day as a volunteer.
Rickettsia in Vietnam
Hello Vietnam!
I entered Vietnam from Cambodia on November 21st via the Mekong Delta area. The Mekong Delta is a large area of paddy fields, orchards, and streams/canals. The water is everywhere, it almost looks like flooding, but it's like that year round. Most of the people live on the water and the water is used for transportation and to make a living. Our first stop after crossing the border was the small city of Chau Doc. I took a motorbike trip up Nui Sam or Sam Mountain to watch the sunset over the Mekong Delta.
After leaving the Delta, we arrived in the city of Saigon or re-named Ho Chi Minh City. It's a very big and busy city! One of the first places we visited was the Ben Thanh Market. This market is insane! The shopkeepers will literally grab you and pull you into their shop. I only lasted about 10 minutes in there, a bit too aggressive for my liking. While in Ho Chi Minh City, I visited the Cu Chi Tunnels, the Reunification Palace (originally the presidential palace before the war, re-named and re-built when Ho Chi Minh's army took over the building/city during the war), and Notre Dame Cathedral (gothic style church built by the French). The Cu Chi Tunnels are an underground tunnel network built by the Viet Cong during the war. The tunnel system stretches over 250kms and is several storeys deep. We got to go down inside one of the tunnels, but most of us only lasted 50m or less because it is so compact and you have to walk completely bent over or crawl. It was actually a little bit scary, I can't imagine spending much time down there!
Our next stop in Vietnam was Nha Trang, a coastline city. We got one of the nicest days of the season at the beach. From Nha Trang, we went by sleeper train to Hoi An. Hoi An is a very pretty port town, made up of many markets, tailors and the old town. Unfortunately, I was only able to enjoy a day in Hoi An before beginning to feel extremely ill. I hadn't been feeling 100% in quite a while (I had already seen two doctors, who had prescribed me antibiotics), but my fever became so high that I was admitted into the hospital in Danang (the closest hospital to Hoi An).
I spent three long days in the Danang hospital with a diagnosis of "fever of unknown origin". During my time there, the doctors ordered 9 blood samples, a blood culture (from the foot.. oww!), urine and stool samples, a chest x-ray, an abdominal ultrasound and tracked my blood pressure, breathing rate, and temperature every hour. I was also hooked-up to an IV for fluid and antibiotic treatment. Despite all of this, my condition was not improving, and no diagnosis could be made. The blood tests seemed to show some sort of viral infection and the ultrasound showed that my liver and spleen were both greatly enlarged. So, I was flown to a hospital in Hanoi (the capital) to see a Canadian doctor who specialized in diseases of the liver. There I was finally diagnosed with Rickettsia, a bacterial infection (non-responsive to antibiotics) caused by dead ticks found on unclean fabrics. Both myself and the doctor assumed I picked it up while trekking in Nepal, but the bacteria were dormant (inactive) for a period of time. I was just glad to have a diagnosis! I spent two more days recovering and being treated in the hospital before being released in Hanoi.
Thankfully, since I had been flown to Hanoi, I was actually caught up to where my GAP tour group was and was able to re-join the group. Unfortunately I had missed the town of Hue and Halong Bay. I was also thankful that I had purchased good insurance and didn't have to pay a thing for my time in the hospital! Finally healthy, I was able to enjoy my last day in Hanoi. I explored the city, Hoan Kiem Lake (a small and beautiful lake in the center of Hanoi) and went to see the famous Water Puppet Theatre in the evening.
The next day, we headed for the border of Laos. I enjoyed my time in Vietnam, despite having to spend some of it in the hospital. What I saw, I liked! It's an extremely interesting country with a diverse historic background. I have come to the realization that being ill is a part of travel. I guess I am just unlucky enough to be as ill as I was. Regardless, I am thankful to continue on my journey feeling well and I am very thankful for the doctors and nurses that looked after me. Everything is an adventure!
I entered Vietnam from Cambodia on November 21st via the Mekong Delta area. The Mekong Delta is a large area of paddy fields, orchards, and streams/canals. The water is everywhere, it almost looks like flooding, but it's like that year round. Most of the people live on the water and the water is used for transportation and to make a living. Our first stop after crossing the border was the small city of Chau Doc. I took a motorbike trip up Nui Sam or Sam Mountain to watch the sunset over the Mekong Delta.
After leaving the Delta, we arrived in the city of Saigon or re-named Ho Chi Minh City. It's a very big and busy city! One of the first places we visited was the Ben Thanh Market. This market is insane! The shopkeepers will literally grab you and pull you into their shop. I only lasted about 10 minutes in there, a bit too aggressive for my liking. While in Ho Chi Minh City, I visited the Cu Chi Tunnels, the Reunification Palace (originally the presidential palace before the war, re-named and re-built when Ho Chi Minh's army took over the building/city during the war), and Notre Dame Cathedral (gothic style church built by the French). The Cu Chi Tunnels are an underground tunnel network built by the Viet Cong during the war. The tunnel system stretches over 250kms and is several storeys deep. We got to go down inside one of the tunnels, but most of us only lasted 50m or less because it is so compact and you have to walk completely bent over or crawl. It was actually a little bit scary, I can't imagine spending much time down there!
Our next stop in Vietnam was Nha Trang, a coastline city. We got one of the nicest days of the season at the beach. From Nha Trang, we went by sleeper train to Hoi An. Hoi An is a very pretty port town, made up of many markets, tailors and the old town. Unfortunately, I was only able to enjoy a day in Hoi An before beginning to feel extremely ill. I hadn't been feeling 100% in quite a while (I had already seen two doctors, who had prescribed me antibiotics), but my fever became so high that I was admitted into the hospital in Danang (the closest hospital to Hoi An).
I spent three long days in the Danang hospital with a diagnosis of "fever of unknown origin". During my time there, the doctors ordered 9 blood samples, a blood culture (from the foot.. oww!), urine and stool samples, a chest x-ray, an abdominal ultrasound and tracked my blood pressure, breathing rate, and temperature every hour. I was also hooked-up to an IV for fluid and antibiotic treatment. Despite all of this, my condition was not improving, and no diagnosis could be made. The blood tests seemed to show some sort of viral infection and the ultrasound showed that my liver and spleen were both greatly enlarged. So, I was flown to a hospital in Hanoi (the capital) to see a Canadian doctor who specialized in diseases of the liver. There I was finally diagnosed with Rickettsia, a bacterial infection (non-responsive to antibiotics) caused by dead ticks found on unclean fabrics. Both myself and the doctor assumed I picked it up while trekking in Nepal, but the bacteria were dormant (inactive) for a period of time. I was just glad to have a diagnosis! I spent two more days recovering and being treated in the hospital before being released in Hanoi.
Thankfully, since I had been flown to Hanoi, I was actually caught up to where my GAP tour group was and was able to re-join the group. Unfortunately I had missed the town of Hue and Halong Bay. I was also thankful that I had purchased good insurance and didn't have to pay a thing for my time in the hospital! Finally healthy, I was able to enjoy my last day in Hanoi. I explored the city, Hoan Kiem Lake (a small and beautiful lake in the center of Hanoi) and went to see the famous Water Puppet Theatre in the evening.
The next day, we headed for the border of Laos. I enjoyed my time in Vietnam, despite having to spend some of it in the hospital. What I saw, I liked! It's an extremely interesting country with a diverse historic background. I have come to the realization that being ill is a part of travel. I guess I am just unlucky enough to be as ill as I was. Regardless, I am thankful to continue on my journey feeling well and I am very thankful for the doctors and nurses that looked after me. Everything is an adventure!
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