Paradise Found!

You know the perfect moments in time when you catch yourself? They are rare, but they are so special. They are those moments in time when everything negative dissipates. Everything wrong in the world fades away. All your worries are temporarily forgotten and just for one moment, everything is calm, everything is happy, everything is perfect. I live for those moments and on this trip I've had quite a few of them. They may occur when you are sitting under the stars, poolside with your family. Or perhaps when you are sitting on a rooftop downtown at three in the morning listening to house music with your friends. They may occur when you are watching a simple sunset with the one you love. Whenever they happen, make yourself aware of them. They are the best part of life.

I end this trip of a lifetime with feelings of sadness, apprehension, and joy. I have seen incredible, beautiful things I will never forget. I have experienced exciting, surreal circumstances and witnessed breathtaking sunrises and sunsets. I have seen first hand the devastation that can take over a country at the hands of evil beings. I have seen that country bounce back and house some of the happiest people I have ever met.

Most importantly though, I have seen hundreds of happy people living their lives the only way that they know how. It seems to me that many of the happiest people we met are some of the poorest. They are people who love to laugh and see the value in a smile. They are people who live each day to its fullest. The last four months have been eye opening. Traveling is a learning experience. On top of learning about other cultures and ways of life, you learn about yourself. You become grateful for everything you have. You become ever aware of how fortunate you are here in America. As I think back on these experiences, tears form in my eyes. Cambodia, I will miss you the most. You taught me a great deal about life, tragedy, and overcoming it. You taught me the importance of grabbing life by the horns and taking it all in when you can. Australia, Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines, Hong Kong and Macau, I will miss you all as well. We shared a lot of good times together.

And so now my journey ends and another one begins... A huge thank you to all our friends and family members. When we told you we were gonna travel the globe for four months, not one of you said don't do it. Everyone was supportive in so many ways. Thank you and we love you so much.

And lastly to my husband who made this trip extra special. Yes there were times when I wanted to ring your neck and likely vice versa. But more often than not, you reminded me why I chose to marry you. You can make me laugh like no one else ever has. Somehow you used this ability to win your way into my heart seven years ago and you have been there ever since. I wasn't sure how we would handle being together non stop for four months, but it was incredible. I am closer to you now than I have ever been. I love you beyond words and you are still my favorite.

-Kristen


It was a strange feeling flying back into Minnesota. I started realizing how far away we really were and how unique this place I live truly is. It's going to be a week before we can recover from the jet lag. We are basically on an opposite schedule here. I have missed the cats terribly over the last few weeks. I think about them a lot. Also, I can't wait to see my mates and smash some beers with them. We have a mountain of things to catch up on. After that we still need to find jobs, but I don't care. It was all worth it. The places we've seen and people we've met! I wouldn't trade it for anything. There are places I don't want to return to and some I feel I have to. It was such an amazing experience and I feel so lucky to have had it. It's such a bizarre and beautiful planet. The more I see of it, the more there is to see. It's kinda sad thinking we cannot see it all. But we will definately give it our best shot.

Looking back I have to say I enjoyed Australia the most. It was also the place we spent the most time and money. The beaches there are hard to beat as well as the rest of the beautiful scenery. Cambodia is another place I feel I must return to. There is still a lot to see there. I definately see us going back to the Philippines. Next time we will see more than a few small islands. Although once you are on the beach, you really don't care to leave.

As I walked into our home I realized we had finally found it. It may not have crystal clear water and pristine beaches. There aren't thousand year old relics darting the landscape. The weather isn't always warm and sunny, but to us this is paradise. For now, this is the place we yearn to be above all others. We had to go all over the planet to find it, and all the time it was right where we left it. You get a different perspective out there. You have to detach yourself from it so you can look at it from a different angle. Then you realize how lucky you are to live how and where we do.

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.

p.s. We want to thank everyone who help make this dream possible for us. We love you all! And we want to thank all of you we met along the way, who helped make our trip so much fun.

Amber, B and Tiger Melbourne, AU

Boys from Oakland, Thailand overnight train

Us with Adam and Daniel Siem Reap, Cambodia

Tam Coc River, Vietnam

Us with Sandra and Berta Cairnes, AU

Us and Daniela, ferry to Fraiser Island, AU

Our private boat tour guides Boracay, Philippines

Party victim of the Full Moon Party Ko Pha Ngan, Thailand

Adam and Miguel, Ankor Wat Temples, Cambodia
\

Enthusiastic buddies Botantical Gardens, Hong Kong

Hong Kong & Macau

So we ended our journey with twelve days to spend in Hong Kong. In retrospect it wasn't the best idea. Don't get me wrong, we love Hong Kong, but its not the cheapest place to stay. Food and clothes are cheap,but accommodation isn't.

The first five days in HK we took it easy. We spent much of the time walking around looking for cheap Internet. The funny thing is, HK was the most modern city we went to and yet it had the fewest Internet cafes. When you did find them they were crazy expensive, at least $7 an hour for most places. We also made little recognisant missions to the markets.

After five more days in HK we were again ready to move on. We checked the guide book and read about another near by island, Macau. It was just an hour jet boat ride away and had cheaper accommodations then HK. It also mentioned it was popular for casinos and its Portuguese influences. Sounded cool. Cheaper accommodation was the real draw. We read that for the equivalent money you could stay in much nicer accomodations in Macau.

So in the morning we were off. We marched our backpacks for about a mile around a busy HK metro system. Our bags now had a combined weight of about 80 pounds. We found our way to the harbor and bought two tickets for the ferry. The ferry happens to be a sleek jet powered hydrofoil .We got a great look at the harbor as we were whisked away.

Macau looked similar at first to HK, but not as big. One of the first things you notice is that the signs are written in Cantonese and Portuguese. It's an interesting combination of two very different cultures. We found a taxi and made off for the hotel. On our ride through the city it became immediately apparent that this areas main draw was casinos. It's like a little Vegas in southern China. We didn't expect this at all. It even had the same hotels as Vegas. There was a MGM, Rio, Sands, and a Venetian. The Venetian hotel in Macau is thirty percent larger then its Vegas counterpart and it is tremendous. The hotel we booked was centrally located and rated four stars, but by the reviews I read before hand made it seem more like a three star hotel. Anyway, it was fifty bucks and turned out to be a really nice place. I give it three and a half stars.



During our stay in Macau we saw a few interesting sights. There is actually quite a bit of cultural sights to see there. The island has a pretty crazy history due to all the different countries that once made claim to it. These days the Portuguese influence is still very apparent, but it is mostly Chinese. We visited the Grand Prix museum. Every year or so Macau is home to a grand prix that runs right through the middle of the city, which gives it a feeling that you are walking through a race course. The course is very obvious and makes crossing the street a real pain in many places. There are very few cross walks and large parts of the road have barriers lining them. Anyhow I would love to see the race go down. It would be an awesome environment to watch a grand prix. We also visited the Museo de Vino (wine museum). Having a strong Portuguese influence gives Macau a strong wine tradition. You can get really good wine rather cheaply there. The museum gave us a thorough explanation of the history of wine. Dating back to the Carthaginians, the history then proceded through Europe and onwards. It ended with a wine tasting where the employees were stingy.



After a couple nights of successful gambling on my part, we decided to have a date night. We went to am Italian restaurant in the Wynn where there were floor to ceiling windows of the fountain show, in which we were directly in front of. There we had a proper feed which included pre-dinner cocktails, appetizers and entrees. I enjoyed a really nice cognac after dinner as well. The food and service was stellar. It was probably one third the price we would have paid in Vegas for the same. It was a lovely way to finish our stay.


After about six days in Macau we headed back to HK. We had two more days until our flight back to the states. At this point we were very anxious to get home. We often fantasized about what the first thing we would eat or drink upon returning. I imagined myself arriving home and walking to Lyles for some American beer and a ham and cheese. I missed a good beer so much. When I say American beer I am not taking about budwiser, or the like. I am talking about the great ales and stouts we have. I drank so much bland beer over the last few months. Sure you could go into some pubs, but you would be paying a premium price. Kristen on the other hand would not stop talking about her vegeburgers. She missed a proper vegeburger more then anything. " I would kill for a good vegeburger," she repeated over and over. I became concerned at one point when I thought she was almost going to make good on this threat. She was a real trooper though. She at a meal of cabbage that was steamed in basically shrimp and fish broth. I know it was really hard on her but she toughed it out. She continues to blow me away.

We finished our business at the markets. I think we visited either the Temple Street night market or the Fa Yuen Market every day we spent in HK. Some of the vendors were beginning to recognise us, which in a city this populated is kinda funny. The following morning we were off to San Francisco.

I don't think I have ever had a better flight. We flew on Cathay Airlines which I guess is a five star airlines. Twelve hours on an airplane sounds like hell and it usually is, but even in economy class you receive great service. The food was the best food I have eaten on a plane by far. They also had vegetarian meals for Kristen. All the beverages were free, including beer, wine, and liquor. Let's not forget the entertainment system. You have your own on demand TV. You can choose from all types of music, movies, sitcoms, and other shows from all around the world. The movie selection was top notch including new releases still in theaters! After four and a half movies we arrived in San Fran. We left HK on April 7th at noon and arrived in San Fran on April 7th at two pm only two hours later. We only had enough time to eat and sleep before heading to our final flight home.

Paradise found

You know the perfect moments in times when you catch yourself? They are rare, but they are so special. They are those moments in time when everything negative dissipates. Everything wrong in the world fades away. All your worries are temporarily forgotten and just for one moment, everything is calm, everything is happy, everything is perfect. I live for those moments and on this trip I've had quite a few of them. They may occur when you are sitting under the stars, poolside with your family. Or perhaps when you are sitting on a rooftop downtown at three in the morning listening to house music with your friends. They may occur when you are watching a simple sunset with the one you love. Whenever they happen, make yourself aware of them. They are the best part of life.

I end this trip of a lifetime with feelings of sadness, apprehension, and joy. I have seen incredible, beautiful things I will never forget. I have experienced exciting, surreal circumstances and witnessed breathtaking sunrises and sunsets. I have seen first hand the devastation that can take over a country at the hands of evil beings. I have seen that country bounce back and house some of the happiest people I have ever met.

Most importantly though, I have seen hundreds of happy people living their lives the only way that they know how. It seems to me that many of the happiest people we met are some of the poorest. They are people who love to laugh and see the value in a smile. They are people who live each day to its fullest. The last four months have been eye opening. Traveling is a learning experience. On top of learning about other cultures and ways of life, you learn about yourself. You become grateful for everything you have. You become ever aware of how fortunate you are here in America. As I think back on these experiences, tears form in my eyes. Cambodia, I will miss you the most. You taught me a great deal about life, tragedy, and overcoming it. You taught me the importance of grabbing life by the horns and taking it all in when you can. Australia, Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines, Hong Kong and Macau, I will miss you all as well. We shared a lot of good times together.

And so now my journey ends and another one begins... A huge thank you to all our friends and family members. When we told you we were gonna travel the globe for four months, not one of you said don't do it. Everyone was supportive in so many ways. Thank you and we love you so much.

And lastly to my husband who made this trip extra special. Yes there were times when I wanted to ring you neck and likely vice versa. But more often than not, you reminded me why I chose to marry you. You can make me laugh like no one else ever has. Somehow you used this ability to win your way into my heart seven years ago and you have been there ever since. I wasn't sure how we would handle being together non stop for four months, but it was incredible. I am closer to you now than I have ever been. I love you beyond words and you are still my favorite.

-Kristen


It was a strange feeling flying back into Minnesota. I started realizing how far away we really were and how unique this place I live truly is. It's going to be a week before we can recover from the jet lag. We are basically on an opposite schedule here. I have missed the cats terribly over the last few weeks. I think about them a lot. Also, I can't wait to see my mates and smash some beers with them. We have a mountain of things to catch up on. After that we still need to find jobs, but I don't care. It was all worth it. The places we've seen and people we've met! I wouldn't trade it for anything. There are places I don't want to return to and some I feel I have to. It was such an amazing experience and I feel so lucky to have had it. It's such a bizarre and beautiful planet. The more I see of it, the more there is to see. It's kinda sad thinking we cannot see it all. But we will definately give it our best shot.

Looking back I have to say I enjoyed Australia the most. It was also the place we spent the most time and money. The beaches there are hard to beat as well as the rest of the beautiful scenery. Cambodia is another place I feel I must return to. There is still a lot to see there. I definately see us going back to the Philippines. Next time we will see more than a few small islands. Although once you are on the beach, you really don't care to leave.

As I walked into our home I realized we had finally found it. It may not have crystal clear water and pristine beaches. There aren't thousand year old relics darting the landscape. The weather isn't always warm and sunny, but to us this is paradise. For now, this is the place we yearn to be above all others. We had to go all over the planet to find it, and all the time it was right where we left it. You get a different perspective out there. You have to detach yourself from it so you can look at it from a different angle. Then you realize how lucky you are to live how and where we do.

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED....PARADISE FOUND

p.s. We want to thank everyone who help make this dream possible for us. We love you all! And we want to thank all of you we met along the way, who helped make our trip so much fun.

Amber, B and Tiger Melbourne, AU

Boys from Oakland, Thailand overnight train

Us with Adam and Daniel Siem Reap, Cambodia

Tam Coc River, Vietnam

Us with Sandra and Berta Cairnes, AU

Us and Daniela, ferry to Fraiser Island, AU

Our private boat tour guides Boracay, Philippines

Party victim of the Full Moon Party Ko Pha Ngan, Thailand

Adam and Miguel, Ankor Wat Temples, Cambodia
\

Enthusiastic buddies Botantical Gardens, Hong Kong

Hyper Glorious Boracay, Philippines

Welcome to Boracay

So we landed in Manila just long enough to stay one night and make arrangements to head out. We arrived at night so we didn't get a great view of things, but I was completely surprised at what I did see. Big buildings and giant billboards dotted the city as we headed to the business district where we spent the evening. It was immediately apparent there is quite a bit of wealth here, more than we both expected. Because we've heard from many people that certain areas can be dangerous and traveling for foreigners can be difficult, we opted to high tail it to Boracay.

Boy did we make the right decision there!!! Arriving late in the day we sauntered off the plane and caught a quick boat to the island. After taking a tricycle (a motorbike attached to a sidecar) we found the beach. We settled for a hotel about 50 feet off the beach as accommodations are a bit more expensive here than they are in Thailand.

When we awoke on our first morning we headed (where else?) for the beach... and oh my god!!! You'd almost think that by this point we are so ridiculously spoiled that we'd merely take the vast beauty of the ocean for granted, but no. It's insanely gorgeous here!!! The water is three shades of the most perfect color blue I've ever seen. We both stopped, starred, and breathed in the beauty of Boracay. The beach is named White Sand beach for obvious reasons. The sand is so fine and soft and for some reason it doesn't burn your feet the way it did in Thailand. Miguel and I looked at each other and I think in that instant we both knew how lucky we were to be here. This meant quite alot to Miguel. This Philippines were a place he had dreamed about since he was a child. He had heard stories about the country where his father's ancestors came from, and to finally set foot here was a real highlight. As I glanced over the see his expression I could tell his eyes were begining to gloss over. The shear joy of the moment was quickly appearent on his face. We had finally made it.

Another thing that's really cool about this place is despite the fact that it's a vacation destination, it's full of locals. The Filippinos out number the tourists for once. In Thailand nearly all the beach goers were foreigners. It's really great also, because we don't have to struggle with a language barrier here, everybody (many locals even) speak English.

We spent one afternoon taking a speed boat out to sea to go para sailing. Miguel and I went first. After fitting into our diaper-like harnesses, the giant sail afloat behind us, we started to go up. Up, up, and a little higher. About 40 feet above the water the ropes settled, making an 'eerrrrr' sound and shifting our weight sideways.

"Ahhhh," Lonnie gasped. I could see his heart sink into his stomach in that brief moment filled
with pure uncertainty. But that moment soon passed and as it did it was replaced with awe and excitement.

"Whoo hooo!" we shouted. "Fly like a birdie!" By now we were getting really high, the boat towing us looking more and more ant like.

"No hands!" With giants grins spanning from ear to ear we spent 15 minutes soaring 100 meters above the bright blue sea. My bare feet sailing in the breeze, I felt free. I felt happy. I felt alive. And there's a lot to be said for that. A couple times our speed boat got insanely close to other speed boats also towing para sailors.

"Why do they have to get so close?" Miguel asked.

"To give you the ride of a lifetime," I thought.

It was good. It was really good. I had the luxury of para sailing off Hamilton island, Australia with my cousin Rob back in '01, but we certainly never got 300 feet into the air! You feel so free up there and the view is utterly breathtaking.

We also decided to spend a day island hopping. Besides the two guys who manned the boat, Miguel and I had the whole boat to ourselves. We first went to a place called the Crystal Cave. We got to the top of the cave and then descended a spiral staircase down into the water. Armed with goggles and a snorkel we set out to enjoy the view. There weren't too many others around and as soon as we swam out a bit we were on our own. So we swam around starring down in awe at the coral and sea life around us. I'd be visually captured by the beauty of the coral and suddenly find myself a part of a school of tiny fish, glittering silver and green beneath the sun. Again I felt so free. What is it about going up above the ground and down into the sea that makes you that way? Whatever it is, I love it.

Just after getting out of the water we started to make our way up when an old Filippina woman kindly grabbed me by the arm. She was speaking to someone behind me in Tagalog, so I had no idea what she was saying. The only word I caught was 'American'. She just kept speaking and every so often she would smile at me as I stood sopping wet in nothing but my swim suit. For nearly a minute she had a good hold of my arm, attaching herself to me like I was the only visible life savor and we were still in the ocean. Having no clue what she wanted and hearing Miguel say, "let's go," I pryed myself free from her and made my way up the steep staircase. I heard him call my name again shortly after, but I was already on top of the cave.

Later once our boat was in motion I asked Miguel, "I wonder what that little old woman wanted with me?" "She wanted a picture with you," he replied. "Because you are American." Surprised and touched, I immediately wished I had made my way back down into the cave. I still feel bad I didn't let her take a photo of me. How sweet and endearing. It seems the Filipinos still have a very strong connection to America, dating back to the second world war. This was the first country on our trip we saw many locals wearing clothes with American emblems on them.

The water here is truly crystal clear. You can literally see down probably 20 - 30 feet or so. On our trip around the island we never lost sight of the bottom. It makes for great snorkeling and boating. It makes any water sport quite great actually.

We spent most of the days laying on the beach and wandering from bar to bar in search of the best happy hour, which is on offer pretty much all day every day. Our last meal was spent at a restaurant called the Hobbit house. Its a restaurant in which all of the employees are dwarfs (I'm not sure what is PC here) or little people. This place would never fly in the states. It was a really fun place to dine though, great atmosphere with live music.

We thoroughly enjoyed Boracay. How could you not? It's one incredible place, one that I will never forget. We desperately hope to return here at some point.

Leaving the Philippines we flew out of Manila. On our way to the airport I caught a glimpse of the city in the light. There is definitely alot of poverty here as well as wealth. We drove by a river and literally half of it was filled to the brim with trash. It was equally sad and disgusting. We also passed a few neighborhoods we agreed we wouldn't want to be dropped off in. As we lifted off the ground you got a view of the many large slums. It appears that their is a huge gap in between the rich and poor. Considering all the we know and have heard, I am glad we opted to high tail it to Boracay. Still, there's a little part of me that feels like we copped out. I really have no idea what the majority of the Philippines is like at all.

As I think back on Boracay I think of the crystal blue waters and the white sandy beaches. Endlessly beautiful, endlessly unforgettable.

p.s. Miguel here.. Just wanted to let all of you know I did try Balut, as well as some other interesting cuisine, while I was there. For those of you who don't know what it is, allow me to explain. Its basically a hard boiled duck egg with a partially developed duck inside. It sounds a lot worse then it is. The way to eat it is you crack open the top then drink the soup (embryotic fluid) sprinkle with salt and vinegar and dig in. If you closed your eyes while you're at it, which I would suggest, all you would taste is a strong slightly gamey egg flavour. I ate two because a local next to me said they were good for your knees and since you have two knees... well, you get the idea. I have to say that I would eat it again. It really was not bad at all. An experience I am glad I had while I was there. You can imagine I didn't recieve too many kisses from Kristen that night.

pictures of Kanchanburi now up!