Happy New Year!

It hardly seems real that we are wrapping up 2010, but it's true!! And for me...it's coming sooner. (Sorry to leave ya'll in the dust.) Right now I'm getting ready to head out on the mini town of Kampot in Cambodia to celebrate New Years Eve and ring in 2011!

So many things this year seem like a dream. Not only for the fact that it has flown by so incredibly fast, but it's my past time to refer to life at home as "real life". Lol. This life...real life, and in 2011... I want to live every day so full. I want to take everything from this last year...good and bad, and learn from every step so we can make this next year fabulous.

Cheers to 2011!

Chey and I in Southern Cambodia...wrapping up 2010!

A Cambodian Christmas

The count down for Christmas is coming and I couldn't be more excited. It's actually already here for those of us on the other side of the globe. Merry Christmas friends!
 Chey and I made our way into Cambodia to spend the Holidays on the islands in the South East Asian heat, lounging on the beach, sippping pina coladas and chillen in a remote bungalow surrounded by bannana trees. This will be a definate change from the normal Christmas spirit. Ya know, cozying up near the fire in a big chunky sweater, sipping spiked eggnog and decorating the Christmas tree. The change is so drastic it hardly seems like Christmas. Especially because Asia only starts decorating the streets , shopping centers and restarants in December. Imagine that! Geeze, I see my first peice of miscle toe at home the day after Halloweeen. Regardless, this tropical climate will not deter us to get in the Christmas spirit. In fact, we are not bonbarded with an overload of gift buying and dare I day the "black Friday" shopping extravaganza..it's a relief. However, even the smallest things make me love this holiday even more and miss home. I mean, you have no idea how excited I got to hear Mariah Carey's Christmas alblum playing in a shop in Vietnam. In a world so far away, the little things that are familiar (especially during the holidays) bring a smile to my face.


Friends and family, Cheyenne and I will miss you this Christmas!

Dasher 'n Dancer

Christmas eve sunset

Christmas sunrise

Chaing Mai, Thailand: Tiger Kingdom

At this point I feel like Chaing Mai is so far away. Well, it is actually. Two counties and four weeks away to be exact. But no matter how fast this trip is flying by I can't stop thinking about my encounter with Lola...the two month old tiger that melted my heart.
Chey and I set out to Tiger Kingdom in Chaing Mai which is super touristy, but whatever. I was so excited to play with the Tigers! When I got there I totally chickened out. Um I'm sorry, but there was no way you are putting me in a cage with a 400 pound carnivore! I dont care how "tame" you claim they are. Show me to the babies...I'll play with them.

One month old baby kitten

Before they allowed us in the cage with Lola we got to explore and see the much bigger tigers in all their gloriousness. Massive and pure muscle they were magnificent to watch and a little intimidating to get up close to. Here...see for your self:

Mufasa!

Some crazy dude in the cage with the big kitty

When they finally let us into the cage with Lola, we had 10 minutes. She was the cutest and sleepiest little kitten ever and the next 10 minutes Chaing Mai life...

Ohhhh big yawn!

Spooning with Lola

The Gibbon Experience

To all you adrenaline junkies…listen up. I found just the adventure that not only had me high on life, but had me high in the sky dangling 100 meters above a canopy of forest. The view was magical and the rush never got old as I ventured into the Bokeo Forest to participate in the eco-friendly, backpackers escapade of trekking and zip lining ridiculousness. We shot out of Houi Xai, Lao at the ripe hour of 8am and piled into the back of a pick-up truck for the two hour journey ahead. We got there covered in dust and a little frazzled from the bumpy ride, but still ever so enthused about the next three days of what is called “Gibbon Experience”. We chose the Waterfall Experience which, we were told, included quite a bit more trekking that the Classic. We pulled into a tiny village with baby pigs, chickens, puppies and kids running amuck and soon followed out guides into the unknown.

In the village...parting ways with our pick-up truck.

Ahead of us was a three hour hike that made us even more joyful when we finally reached the waterfall. After a quick swim we strapped on our harnesses, hiked a bit more and were ready to zip. We made our way from one mountain to the next through a network of ziplines as our only means of transportation. We glided through the forest until we reached our tree house deep in the jungle. We slept, ate, and showered high in the trees with our new friends… a group of 8 of us. Four girls from New Zealand, a brother and sister pair of Aussies and Chey and I The views were absolutely magical and the rush just never got old. Here experience it for yourself:

Woo Hoo! Just watching that was fun. I have to say...the zip line gives a whole new meaning to heights and the harness gives a whole new meaning to camel toe. Proudly enough, Chey even conquered her lifelong fear of heights, but I wasn’t so lucky with the harness situation. Lol.

Each morning we got up before the sunrise to hike and zip in hopes of seeing some Gibbon. The experience is named after these shy little monkeys only because we are visitors in their territory. Sometimes hikers are lucky enough to hear them singing in the morning, but for us, they didn’t feel like making their debut appearance. Our morning treks consisted of us tiptoeing off the beaten track gathering up the leaches along the way or sometimes sitting quietly on the trail…just listening to the soundtrack of the forest. I found that so peaceful.

View...mid zip.

Our tree house crew

To wrap it up, the Gibbon Experience was sweet! It has been a great welcome into Laos and for any traveler passing through wanting to check out this adventure, make sure you book it early. The word is out and backpackers from all around the world are finding out what it feels like to swing like the Gibbons.

Singapore to Malaysia and Back Again

     When entering a new country, a new traveler goes in ambitious. They muster up all the gusto imaginable with high hopes of an epic adventure. They strap on their Choco’s (in Cheyenne’s case), pull up their boot straps and are ready to take in every site, temple, museum, and city center the destination has to offer. Good for you my fellow Vagabond! I admire someone who is determined to take it all in without a blink. But before I give too much praise to the highly motivated rover, beware…this sort of travel will kick your butt and possibly trigger a new hip injury that never bothered you before (Yes, I say this from experience).


Cheyenne and I got into Singapore (Fri. Nov. 12) with bright eyes and high hopes after a much needed beach chill out time in Bali. To say the least we hit Singapore hard! After 4 days and a dodgy hostel with the stench of B.O. that was more like a sock in the face, Chey and I once again conquered another city.

Monsoon down pour in Little India. Like my umbrella?

Each day we walked to a different district not missing a square inch. From Little India to China town, I swear we saw every Temple, Mosque and Mall in existence…and literally there is a massive mall on every corner. We definitely saved the best for last and I think it’s worth mentioning. The Buddha Tooth and Relic Temple and Museum was amazing. There was a service going on when we arrived. We accompanied the Monks who were chanting as we made our way through the temple and learned about the life of Buddha. By the end of each day we were beat, but that wouldn’t hold us back!

Buddah Tooth and Relic Temple

Om.

High rises of Singapore sparkle at night.

Morning glory in a Singapore Mall bathroom. :)

We found Singapore new and impeccably clean, but the first set of advice we got about the country was that the 10 days we had there was way too long. Sir! You’re talking to Jayla and Cheyenne! We could fly around the world twice on a shoe string, fit a closet in a back pack and “together we think of everything”…are you telling me we can fit in a whole other country into our travels? That we did friends! Our unexpected detour included a jaunt over the boarder to Malaysia. We thought, why not? The U.S. dollar was not doing us any favors in Singapore and the more I experience the better. We hit up Kuala Lumpur and had some fun bargaining at the night market while we did most of our Christmas shopping. We saw the tallest twin towers in the world from a sky bar hotel that was so luxurious(don’t worry, we had our two –for –one Happy Hour drinks and left) and a far cry from any accommodations we were about to stay in, and we even ran into our friend Dom, from Bali. Great success.

The Petronas Sisters. View from the Sky Bar.

Our colorful Hostel in Kuala Lumpur

We were quickly off to Melaka where we spent our last two nights in Malaysia. This was much more of a quiet town, and like Kuala Lumpur, it was Chinatown where the hustle and bustle was happening. But Melaka gave us some flare with parades of flamboyant pedi cabs. Brace yourselves for this one and make your own judgment, but when a pedi cab comes peddling down the street with a funeral size flower arrangement, blinking lights and blasting music, it’s gonna turn some heads. I found them absolutely hilarious.

Pedi cab rediculousness.

Just got into Melaka

Melaka River

Singapore and Malaysia are so very different it hardly seems right to group them into the same chronicle. It was sad to see the rubbish lined streets of Kuala Lumpur after being on the clean and efficient subways in Singapore. It is humbling to pass by the Muslim Malaysian woman who covered her body head to toe after roaming the city in my tank top just days before in Singapore. Out of respect, or just simply trying not to draw attention, we dressed more conservatively, but with a jam packed agenda we were quite busy trying to do everything under the hot Asian sun; More clothes were not helping our situation. In fact, I have gotten used to feeling like a sweaty grease ball even right after I shower. I’ve even come to the point where I like, and even prefer, a cold shower. None the less, not even the thick humid air could hold these gung ho vagabonders down. Onward we went, back to Singapore to hit up the tech mall and museum we absolutely couldn’t miss! I think I may have collapsed by the end of the day. Oie!


When I first booked this trip abroad I went in thinking I was going for a long time. I thought scheduling 5 months of travel would be more than enough time to do and see all I hoped for. I mean, with no obligations to anyone on the lonely nomad trail…I do whatever I want! However, I soon found out that I was that traveler who would try to do, hear, see everything even if it killed me. I’ve learned better. I’ve come to realize a few things.


A) The reason why they call this a dream trip is because it is passing by as quick as a dream.


B) I just can’t do it all in one day (sometimes my ambition is stronger than my endurance).


C.) Less is more! As I become the vagabond extraordinaire, sometimes to fully enjoy one thing means to not experience another.

Happy Thanksgiving From Thailand

The best part of Thanksgiving is the time spent with family and friends. This year, half way across the world, I a still so thankful for the loved ones I have. I even got to see some of their beautiful faces (thanks to skype video chat)! But mostly, I am so thankful for my friend Cheyenne! We had our own Thanksgiving feast last night at a little Italian restaurant in Chiang Mai. It was very much a splurge, but with good food, wine, teramisu and a dear friend, it was the perfect thanksgiving! I am so thankful that I can share this journey abroad with Chey. It would not be the same without her.

ps. we've had some fun day dreaming about turkey leftovers. Mmm, with stuffing and cranberry sauce. yum!

My New Toy

Hi friends and fellow vagabonders! It has been quite some time since we spoke last and I take full responsibility. I have been out exploring the world, taking in the sites and have just plain and simply been on the go. Also, as you may have read a couple blogs ago, my favorite new Apple device (my iTouch) was jacked, and I save my pen to paper stories for my journal. No offence.  Nevertheless, I bring good news…I got a new gadget that allow me to keep the stories coming. I hooked myself up with an ASUS Eee Pc and it’s been rad! It’s my miniature laptop that is perfect for a traveler who wants to stay in touch. I am all about traveling organically and not being too tied to technology while trying to experience life outside our normal 9 to 5 routine we become used to at home, but hiking all over creation trying to find the one internet café in town can be annoying and simply a waste of time. Also, to my pleasant surprise, most places we have traveled to have WiFi (or how our French friend Anne says it..WeeFee!) What a treat!

"When You Come Back Down" Nickle Creek

You got to leave me now, you got to go alone

You got to chase a dream, one that's all your own

Before it slips away

When you're flyin' high, take my heart along

I'll be the harmony to every lonely song

That you learn to play

When you're soarin' through the air

I'll be your solid ground

Take every chance you dare

I'll still be there

When you come back down

When you come back down

I'll keep lookin' up, awaitin' your return

My greatest fear will be that you will crash and burn

And I won't feel your fire

I'll be the other hand that always holds the line

Connectin' in between your sweet heart and mine

I'm strung out on that wire

And I'll be on the other end, To hear you when you call

Angel, you were born to fly, If you get too high

I'll catch you when you fall

I'll catch you when you fall

[Bridge:]

Your memory's the sunshine every new day brings

I know the sky is calling

Angel, let me help you with your wings

When you're soarin' through the air

I'll be your solid ground

Take every chance you dare

I'll still be there

When you come back down

Take every chance you dare,

I'll still be there

When you come back down

When you come back down

There are those special people in your life that are always there for you. At times you may not not know the reason why god put them in your life or appreciate them as much as you should, but still, they are there.These are the same people that are on your team, have your back and always encouraging of your dreams no matter how crazy they may seem. It's hard to say goodbye sometimes to those you love and set off on the lonely road of traveling, but knowing they will always be there for you "when you come back down" is a comforting thought. This song remindes me of them.

Bali Is the Remedy.

Hi Friends! The Vagabonding has officially begun. Yes, the trip actually started over a month ago (which is so crazy considering it feels like I just left), but it wasn't until I got to Bali that it really sunk in. New Zealand is probably the most picturesque place I've ever been too. Australia resembled the States in more ways than the Aussies would like to admit. But Bali...Bali is what I was anticipating this trip to be like. First off...lots of Asians. Secondly, no traffic laws. And finally, the currency...Rupiah. Where there are so many zeros to count you feel like you're rich, although to Indonesian's...we are. However, lets not get it twisted as we are sill on a Backpacker's budget.
When we landed in Bali we actually stayed at a quite luxurious hotel that we has booked ahead of time since we were getting in after dark. The next morning at breakfast the concierge came up to me and said "You have a friend in the lobby." Confused, I quickly replied "I have no friends in Bali". But after a temporary struggle through the language barrier I finally got it. Ohh, on the phone! lol. Before Chey and I left the country we gave our parents the most information we had to ease their minds as we ventured out into the unknown, and in this case...the hotel info. Mama Cindy had done it again...rockstar. The next thing we know Chey and I had an hour massage ordered up to our room! Ahh, way to start the trip off right. Again, thanks mom!

Me, Anne, and Chey in Kuta

We were pleasantly surprised by blue skies the next day so we were off to Kuta Beach. Relaxation in the sun, hot surfer men everywhere, and a Bintang Beer. We even adopted a friend along the way...Dom, our English bloke who we met on our flight and ran into again in Kuta. After two days of blistering heat and humidity (and the occasional 15 minute monsoon downfall) we all decided to head to Ubud. We were becoming quite the Threes Company Trio, and when we got to the Frogs Pond Inn in Ubud we adopted another friend...Anne, from France. Everywhere we went Dom had to feel like quite the stud trekking along with us three girls. At one point the cutest Balinese guy ever...Jaring, called us Dom's Angels. haha.
Jaring was our guide when we set off on our all day bike ride through the rice fields and villages of Ubud. He was the sweetest and so cute I just wanted to put him in my pocket and take him home with me! Instead, he took us to a coffee plantation, popped into a Balinese family compound, and went to the rice fields where we actually helped the locals pick the rice. However, if I were to describe "picking" rice...just imagine slamming dried grass against a block and duck and cover from the bullet like rice grains flying at you at record speeds. I had rice in every crevice of my body after that experience.

Rice Fields in Ubud

Rice Fields along the Bike ride

Anne helping the locals pick rice

Balinese woman in the family compound

Non the less, it was an experience to see the local Balinese way of life. BTW, only the woman are in the rice fields. My first question...where the hell are the men? Jaring let me know they were home massaging the cock! ehhhem, excuse me Jaring? Don't worry friends this story is still PG. The men are home massaging the roosters...making them stronger for the cock-fights. Oh, real hard work!
I thought I would die...or at least barf after the 30k bike ride in heat, but we made it through. The local kids in the villages keep ya going when the run out to give you high-fives and say "Hello, you're beautiful!"
All in all I heart Bali...it was just what we needed.

Welcome to OZ

In the movie Wizard of Oz, Dorothy clicks her heels three times and says "There's no place like home. There's no place like home." and poof!!... she finds her self in a better place and surrounded by her family. With only a backpack and no room for my glittery red heels I was going to have to find a different way of getting through the aftermath of a Tornado that just rocked Chey and my world. No need to panic...it wasn't a real Tornado, but if I had some magical red shoes right about now I might give them a little click.

You see, Cheyenne and I got into Sydney, Australia a couple weeks ago. Cheyenne's freshman collage roommate, Marrissa…who you will soon know well after I get though with this adventure, hooked us up with a friend who lives in the charming district of Surry Hills. Our new friends Katy, Stephen, and Alex housed us, partied with us, introduced us to the game of Rugby…oh, and Cricket (but apparently we don't have a week to learn about that sport.) We explored the many famous sights this city has to offer. The Sydney Opera House, the beautiful botanical gardens, the harbor and the Zoo kept us busy for the first leg of our Aussie trip which originally ten days.

Giraffes always have the best view

Mama Kuala and here Baby...adorable.

Me, Marissa, Chey and the Tuna Can

Yet I'm still here…I will get to why. But first, Chey and I hopped on a flight up north to Brisbane to meet the infamous Marissa and the Tuna Can (which is her van in case you were wondering.) Surprisingly, three girls living in a van for eight days is quite cozy. It's like a cross between and sleep-over with your best girlfriends and camping in the outback all at once…but smaller. There was a lot of rearranging and shifting, but with a full kitchen, a bed and lots of pillows the Tuna Can rocked it out. Byron Bay is where Marissa has landed after uprooting her fabulous San Francisco self. After only being there for about three months, she has managed to create a network of friends that stretch throughout the Gold Coast and back again. This is part of the reason why Cheyenne and I were promptly invited to an Aussie wedding upon arrival. I should mention that this was a Rock Star wedding that made three Vagabonders want to fall in love! Not only did a double decker hippie bus take everyone from the best man's mansion in Lennox to mystical Tea Tree lake, but it was BOYB and everyone gathered around a humble blanket near the healing water for the ceremony. I loved every minute of it. Including the bride's champagne long sleeve mini dress! Anyway, to make a long night of rocking out with the rock stars seem short and not reveal too many details, I'll say this…It was epic fun and a night I will never forget, or will try to remember.

 If Marissa didn't already deliver on showing us a grand time she was about to win the greatest friend award twice over. She took a few days off work so we could road trip in the Tuna Can. Best idea ever! Byron bay was a ball, but it was time to explore a part of the outback us Cali girls didn't know existed…the rainforest. We ventured out to Minyon Falls and Protesters Falls was absolutely magical. Chey describes this place as Fern Gully and rightfully so…this gorgeous place was named in leiu of the tree hugging hippies that stopped it from being bulldozed to the grown back in the 70's. 

 

 

Marissa almost to the top of Mt. Warning

The leach that sucked on Marissa's toe for about an hour after out hike. Gross!

It was the next morning that put a huge wrench in our road trip and landed us at the local police station. We woke up early to get a head start on our climb up Mt. Warning. Without thinking twice about how ironic the name actually was we strapped on our hiking shoes and began our 9k hike. We successfully finished in 3 and a half hours! Considering the last leg of the mountain required chains to get to the top, I thought that was pretty good. Until of course we got back to the car.

Some no-good-tweeker-bizznatches broke into the Tuna Can and took everything…and im not exaggerating when I say everything. Day packs, purses, money, books, journals, swimsuits, money, passports…you name it. The only thing they didn’t take is what we took on this hike…our cameras (and all our vagabonding memories at that…fewww.)

After a few minor break downs and some tears, Thank god Cheyenne and I have the best Moms in the whole wide world! We had closed bank accounts, new bank cards, and a new journal in the mail and in hand within a day and a half. Rockstars! What would we do without you? I know…we wouldn’t be alive today and certainly wouldn’t be able to survive without you. Thanks mom!

So that brings me back to the reason why we ended up in Sydney for 6 days longer than anticipated. With no other choice…Cheyenne and I were on the next bus down to Sydney, and yes, I said bus. With no means of identifications we braved te 14 hour bus ride down to the only U.S. Embassy for new passports. Sp, back to Katy, Stephen and Alex’s house and soon to Ann’s where we were able to crash.

As you can see our friends here in OZ (Australia per the Aussie's) and our moms at home have deemed more than the Tin man, Cowardly Lion and the Scare Crow. They have taken us in, helped us through the storm and shown the kind of generosity you only see in the Hollywood flicks.

Next stop…Bali.

(Ps. I’m posting this blog a little late. Chey and I are in Bali and are having a blast!)

Kiwi Experience

I thought I was SOL with my new iTouch when my computer's operating system refused to cooperate, but after taking it down the local iHelpMeWithEveryhing store in Auckland they set me all up and I'm using it right now! Yay! That's what I get for waiting until the very last nano second to chose what piece of technology I'm going to vagabond with. Next task...hook this baby up to wifi and get my apps and music! Oh and Celeste, thanks for hooking me up with my "apple employee" discount!  As any vagabonder on a budget knows, any deal or discount is worth celebrating. So, when Cheyenne and I learned we could hitch a ride up to Paihia, Bay of islands and Cape Rienga through a company called Stray, we decided to optimize our time wisely.
New Zealand is the adventure Capitol of the world. They invented the bungie jump and take pride in there variety of extreme sports they have to offer. My kind of place! As you can see from the pictures I just posted...this place is breathtaking and Cheyenne and I intended on soaking up every moment. Here's how it went down. We took a bus up the Paihia, hopped on a boat taking us through The Bay of Islands. (Captain Cook wasn't too creative when naming this bay on his voyage back in the day, but he sure got it right!) Our boat took us weaving through all the islands out to the hole in the rock, then swam with the friendliest dolphins! This adventure is definitely worthy of note. I hopped in the water with a school of my now favorite new mammal and they seemed to be having more fun than I was. Don't get be wrong, it was a blast, but chasing these suckers around with a slightly too tight wetsuit and flippers is a freaking workout! Anyway, my playful new friends had personality! One little guy, I swear, looked right at me while swimming an arms length away and with a flirtatious energy did a little spin just to show off. I loved every moment of it!
Now, I know some of you have heard of the Full Moon party the rocks in Thailand, right? Well if not... It consists of music, lots of booze...usually in the form of jungle juice in a netty pot  type of jug and glow in the dark body paint. Since Cheyenne and I decided against splurging on such a party once we get into Asia, the obvious alternative was PiPi Patch hostel full moon party or bust! The greatest thing about traveling is the people you meet and with New Zealand being the backpacker's Mecca, it really is a community of people with a similar mentality...adventure, party and the like.
For some odd reason Chey and I have been popping out of bed ready for the day at 6am. Full moon party or not the next day was no different. We were off to the most norther tip if New Zealand, Cape Rienga. This beautiful point is where the Tasman Sea and the Pacific Ocean collide! Incredible view. We cruised down 90 mile beach in our bus, saw some wild horses in the sand dunes and flew down the sand dunes on boogie boards all in the same day! That's just how we do... No big deal! Needless to say our Kiwi experience was a perfect start to thus expedition abroad. New Zealand was the best layover of my life!

Vagabonding highlight Reel!

 Hi Friends!
Cheyenne and I just left New Zealand. Here are a few treats for your viewing pleasure. We fit so much into the 6 days we had, so here are the highlights:

Boating in the Bay of Islands



Bay of Islands



Mission Bay, Auckland

A Breathtaking cove we stopped in at the Bay of Islands.

Paihia

Best fish 'n chips of my life! Doubtless Bay.

The playful dolphins I swam with in the Bay of Islands.

Chey and I sand-boarding on 90 Mile Beach. Wee!

Awaiting Cheys embrace when we were attempting the self timer feature on the camera. lol.

Wild horses in the sand dunes off 90 Mile beach. So beautiful!