Robyn's Wanderings

Child fishing from the third floor (Vang Vieng)

Our poor wanderer, Emily Ross. She can’t catch a break in Laos. She’s encountered everything from the flooded Mekong to buses in the mud and food poisoning…..

How will she salvage this little landlocked country? Here she plays go-fish and discovers…..dry:

Oh, readers, you have no idea how happy I am to be in Luang Prabang.

How shall I describe Laos? Now that I am nearing my final days here (we leave for Chiang Mai on Friday) I think I can confidently say that Laos…

Has been a bit of a fail.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s not Laos’ fault! I feel quite sorry for it. The country’s gorgeous landscapes, friendly people and zingy cuisine pretty much guarantee a positive experience…unless you have the terrible luck we have these few days. Oh, Laos. It’s alright. Everybody has an off day. Or twelve.

Unfortunate Incident 1: Pakse

Oh, Lonely Planet praised it so. Built up our expectations! Raised our hopes to divine heights with their speak of pillowy soft naan and moreish tikka masala. But no, the diarrhoeal consistency of the curries at Jasmin Restaurant (we ordered three different dishes which all tasted exactly the same.) and the crunchy toast pretending to be naan left us wondering what the Laos Lonely Planet dude was ON when he wrote that recommendation. As we later learn, turns out a plethora of potential substances.

*As a side note, I know not to have high expectations of food that is not a local specialty. I weren’t born yesterday, bie (a little of Emily’s Bermudian for you).  But even by South East Asian standards of Indian food, this was terrible. AND it was owned by an Indian guy. They gave us ketchup to dip poppadoms in. Ketchup.

Girl on a water buffalo on Don Det

Unfortunate Incident 2: Don Det (the 4000 Islands)

Now, the 4000 Islands were personally my favourite part of Laos. Robyn described them as ‘a trip back in time with no electricity’ and she was right. They were beautiful and laid back, the perfect place to sit back in a hammock and watch the world go by. We had a few incidences of torrential downpour (which would become a more than familiar occurrence over the next few days) but our few days there were still beautiful. Now, in Don Det at least, they’ve become quite eco-conscious (probably as a counter measure against the tourists, we’re in the slow season but I’ve heard this island in particular can get very busy) and have numerous stations where you can fill up your water bottles with filtered water rather than buy new bottles. Unfortunately for my British travel companion, she forgot her wallet on the table next to the water container. By the time she realised it was gone, it was gone. Long gone. At least we were on an island with no ATMs or card readers? Oh, and did I mention Laos doesn’t have a British embassy? Thankfully I also have a British bank account so my friend was able to transfer money to me and now I’m her walking, talking ATM. It is amazing how painless losing everything can be sometimes. Just don’t lose your passport!

Unfortunate Incident 3: The Road to Vientiane

Food poisoning. Horrific food poisoning. All of us. And bumpy roads. I was on the top bunk of the sleeper bus (they’re like proper beds! That was a nice touch) but couldn’t sleep as every bump I was literally thrown in the air (I’m not exaggerating – I was clutching onto the side rails for dear life).

Unfortunate Incident 4: Vientiane

Food poisoning.

Oh, and rain.

Unfortunate Incident 5: Vang Vieng

Ah, Vang Vieng. Notorious party town. Heaven for the hedonist. Your liver’s worst nightmare. Robyn explained it well. Our hostel, run by a father like expat, had a handy advice booklet in each room, reminding us that ‘there are no health and safety regulations in Laos’ (tubing claims at least one life a year, this year somebody has already died) and warning us of the dangers of opium and opium tea. Yes. Opium TEA. I thought opium disappeared in Victorian times, dude!

Palm tree submerged in Vang Vieng

But (I’m not sure how unfortunate this really is, now that I think about it) the town is currently experiencing the worst flooding in decades. Even the elderly were crowded around the river in awe…so you can imagine the extent of how bad this really was. Thankfully there was no tubing – the river was moving quickly and was FILTHY. We met a guy who had just recently recovered from a dangerous parasite born fever caused by swimming in the river with open wounds (this includes mosquito bites). One of his travel companion’s feet had swollen to five times its size due to parasites.

Unfortunately, with no tubing there is literally nothing to do in Vang Vieng – it did not stop raining for the two days we were there, not even for a few minutes, and all we could do was watch Friends in the numerous Friends Bars. Yes. The bars play Friends ALL. DAY. Now I love Friends, the choice of show wasn’t really an issue for me personally, but I can understand why a few backpackers had that crazed ‘get-me-out-of-here’ look in their eyes.

Buuut it’s not that easy to leave Vang Vieng. And so we move on to Unfortunate Incident 6….

The largest landslide

Unfortunate Incident 6: The Road to Luang Prabang

So we decided to escape a day early to Luang Prabang. Easier said than done. We were concerned as we’d already heard that the way to Vientiane was blocked due to landslides caused by all the rain. And you have to understand that we had to get to Luang Prabang – we have a flight on the 1^st July and can’t miss it because we’ve been trapped in Vang Vieng. So we join the many evacuees. The ride was smooth enough…until the first landslide. And then the next. Our six hour journey was lengthened to a whopping seventeen hours. I was amazed we made it to Luang Prabang without spending the entire night on the bus. Late at night on a mountain, waiting for the largest of the landslides to be cleared (it was 9pm, some people had been there since 8am – thankfully we arrived at the Big Boy at 4pm), we played cards. What else could we do? Don’t worry about the lack of food or the possibility of being crushed by a mini mountain of mud as you wait for another to be cleared….go fish.

Nothing else to do but......

But we made it, readers. We made it. And a miraculous thing happened in Luang Prabang.

It’s stopped raining.

I feel strange.

I think it’s called dry.

I can’t remember anymore.

So Laos, I feel sorry for you. We chose a bad time to visit, didn’t we? Don’t worry, I won’t take it personally.

At least Luang Prabang has yummy cinnamon rolls.

Talking on the phone....seriously.

“Roam if you want to, Roam around the world. Roam if you want to…..,” The B-52’s lyrics from their song, “Roam” on their 1989 record, Cosmic Thing.

Anyone remember the B-52’s? Yeah, even I remember them. They were so innocent.

“Roam if you want to?”

Sure I’ll roam and then….well then I’ll return from my trip and I will be “Paying even if I don’t want to.”

I know I’m being silly. I know I am taking the word roam in the song out of context, but that’s the point.

Roaming used to be linked with a type of travel rather than something to fear. Now? Well now we worry about Roaming Charges!!!

And you should. The charges that can apply for you to use your own cell phone, blackberry, android device, etc.. in another country can be exorbitant (or so I am told) if you are not smart about it.

In the past I have tried to travel without a phone to ensure I avoided these costs.

Yes when I traveled for a year around the world I traveled without a phone. Gasp.

However, recently I started using a blackberry and I figured I might as well figure out how to take it with me when I travel rather than leave it at home!

So I turned to Rob McNabb, who is the director of Marketing for CellOne here in Bermuda for some tips. To be honest, I’m sure he wondered if I had ever used a phone. Why? Maybe it was my first question for him:

Can you explain to me what is roaming, exactly? And why does it exist? (see I told you it was a simple question for some).

Mr. McNabb: “Roaming is the ability for a cellular customer to make and receive calls and send and receive data when outside the geographical coverage of their home network.  “For CellOne customers it exists as a convenience so that they can use the same device at all times no matter where they are in the world.”

How do roaming rates apply? Do they differ for different areas of the world? Are there roaming rates for data?

Mr. McNabb: “Roaming rates differ depending on the country you travel to.  Roaming agreements are set up between the different wireless carriers all over the world and each one differs – CellOne is always negotiating to get the best roaming rates for its customers.

“There are roaming rates with sending and receiving data.  This is where most people get in trouble as they do not understand how much data they are using!”

Here’s where the tips come in! Even if you do know how to use your phone and roaming, it’s always helpful to find out more! So how can people best avoid getting charged for roaming on their phones?

Mr. McNabb said: “If you plan on using your phone when abroad then you will get charged, but there are ways of minimizing your costs The data affects both sending and receiving (of emails, internet searches, google, etc..).

1. Turn off the data on your smartphone.  On most phones, there is a “settings” section where you can choose to turn off sending and receiving data.  Doing so will not allow you to surf the web, get email, etc., but it will minimize your costs and you can still use your phone for calling and texting to keep in touch.
2. If you need to stay in touch over the web, WiFi hotspots are everywhere and make internet surfing on smartphones easier than ever.

How do you use wifi instead of the cell phone tower? Mr. McNabb: “Turning on the wifi usually takes place in the area that you turn off the data roaming. Each device is different but for example on the Android devices, you simply follow these steps:

Go to ‘Settings’ then select ‘Wireless and Network’

The menu should give you the option for ‘WiFi Settings’, select this

The next menu should give you the option to turn WiFi on or off.”

3) Do not open large email attachments or stream music and video when abroad. These are the biggest data consumers and can get people in trouble quickly with large bills.

4) Minimize your call time.  Each minute you talk on the phone outside your home country costs much more than it does when you are back at home so make sure to watch how much time you are using.

Leaving the Island? Learn how to use your phone.

Another way to save? Purchase a local SIM card! Do you know how many SIM cards I had when I lived in Europe 10 years ago? A lot. The SIM cards, though, are cheap and will mean you attach to the the country’s phone system rather than bouncing back to Bermuda! Of course call your own customer service for more information before you go.

Finally, it sounds like there are a lot of problems with data and it costing money. Are there advantages to having a blackberry, say, or an android for traveling versus a simple phone?

Mr. McNabb: “One of the great advantages of the Smartphone is that you can always stay connected no matter where you are, so they are great if you need to stay in touch with your business or personal life while out of your home country.  The disadvantage is that these phones are usually data intensive, which could mean bigger roaming bills while traveling. BlackBerry’s are traditionally less data intensive than iPhones and Androids though.”

Feel free to travel boldly with your blackberry, cell phone, android or iphone and make sure you know how too. Next we’re taking our trip for July and it’s going to be in…..Atlanta! Remember to visit www.robynswanderings.com and leave your comments.

A bus with a bike...on top? Of course it's Laos!

How do you explain half-naked backpackers cavorting with Laotian children while rum flows faster than the water? Well there is only one: Vang Vieng.

This tiny town in the middle of Laos is the Vegas of South East Asia. It’s a place that uses the Mekong River not for the practical delivery of goods, but of a good time.

What am I talking about? Upon arrival in Vang Vieng the plan is: rent tube, ride old truck with the tube to a bar and then sit in the tube to jump between bars along the river.

Buckets of different drinks await these tubers along the way making it more precarious as you continue down the river.

The danger? Well besides the buckets? The danger is being stuck there. Vang Vieng is also the Bermuda triangle, as it were, of South East Asia.

So how do you survive this town? Well my tip one starts with how to get to Vang Vieng. Ensconced in the hills of Laos a tricky bus ride can leave your stomach upside down, so make sure you DO NOT EAT before you board.

Tip two? Do NOT follow the first westerner that takes you to a hostel. Especially if it is an Australian guy who promises to fit you and your two friends in your own house. The next morning? We had mould growing over us and could barely breathe. Nice, huh?

Tip three: Stay with a Laotian family who survive on your rent and who care whether you get back from your tubing experience alive!

The river where backpackers send themselves silly on drink

If there is one problem I met in Vang Vieng it was the backpacker that could not escape.

“Dude, I’ve done it 20 times.”

“No biggie, I’ve been here two months.”

“Whatever 65 days in a row man!”

I’m not kidding. DO NOT let that happen to you. Tip Four: plan to get out of Vang Vieng. Have somewhere after the tubing you ABSOLUTELY have to do…..or face your liver abandoning you.

How do I know how long these guys have been in Vang Vieng? Good question.

They told me….by writing it all over their bodies. Now this can be a tough tip five, but make sure no one spray paints, writes or draws on your body.

It will take you enough days to wipe it off that you will be tubing again! Do not tube again!

One is enough. Ok it’s six, but one day of tubing is enough! I know you can get a deal on tubes for more than one day and you may not even want to bring your tube back, but DO IT!

You must, must extricate yourself from Vang Vieng. Yes, it’s a great town with beautiful mountains and sunsets, but it is dangerous.

Exaggerating? Nope. Tip seven be careful with the caves. There are caves in those mountains, but they are guarded by little boys with knives.

Walking out to the caves of Vang Vieng

Ok, well it was one boy and it was after we ignored his pleas to pay him for a non-entrance. In any case, I wouldn’t ignore the kids or visit the caves on your own.

Tip eight: while tubing be careful on the slide (do I sound old, yet?). Slide? Ok that’s not really what I would call it all. Maybe a tiled (yes, tiled) attempt to end your trip to Vang Vieng.

Yes, this tiled-attempt-to-end-your-trip is located at one of the last bars on the river and by then anything might sound good.

But don’t do it! There is no forgiving one false move on the slide and you will conk your head on the hard corner of the TATEYT.

Tip nine: ignore the constant streaming of TV shows like Friends and Family Guy in the bars. Do not become the zombie backpacker who “takes a break” from tubing to leave your brain on the side of the road. It’s too easy a life. Remember you want more! You want more!!

Finally, the only other way that Vang Vieng can trap you is by drugs that seem way to available and far too dangerous. Go to Amsterdam if that’s your gig. The problem with Vang Vieng? It’s so far from reality the drugs push the backpackers over the edge and away from home forever. Then you find them serving you the only all-you-can-eat buffet (I know buffets are self-serve so you get what I’m saying now, right?)

Wel that’s about the end of my tips to survive Vang Vieng. It’s a great town with a lot of fun, but just like Vegas….there is no need to be there for more than two days! Enjoy!

Riding the slow boat to Luang Prabang, Laos

I will be the first to tell you I wasn’t so sure about Laos. It doesn’t have a coastline, it’s little and I had heard nothing about the culture that is Laos.

My trepidation, however, was not fair and as our Monday Wanderer, Emily Ross, is visiting this tiny country I thought it was time to explain why you SHOULD go to the forgotten one: Laos.

So reason one for visiting Laos? Well there is nothing like taking a slowwwww vacation, right? You don’t want time to fly and believe me time will NOT fly on the slow boat from Thailand to Luang Prabang. Most people take the boat in that direction, but there are some boats that go the other way (LP to Thailand).

Comfy? Probably not, but definitely an experience

Greeted by wooden planks for seats and more backpackers than you can swing a stick at, the boat trip is actually quite pleasant. The Mekong is an interesting river to navigate and locals still take the boat to deliver their produce.

Until recently these slow boats were, in fact, used to deliver products to markets because Laos had very few roads. As backpackers started filling the boats, locals starting emptying from them. I still managed to sit next to a woman with a bucket filled with frogs and in front of a chicken coup so…..it’s an experience!

Reason two really has to be Luang Prabang. Painted with a colonial brush, this sleepy northern town is ……well a trip back in time. Curfews are enforced. Yes, you want to feel like a kid again?  No problem. Your hotel will lock it’s doors and bars will kick you out at midnight so make sure you’re tucked in bed!

Sure there’s one or two places that break the rules (there always are), but generally bed time is midnight. The bedtime is enforced to ensure there are no loud backpackers outside to wake everyone up! Fair enough.

Rice cakes dried in the sun

Reason three? Because there are rice cakes drying on the side of the road in Luang Prabang. Yes, drying next to the cars driving by and yet….these are delicious! I got all the exhaust I needed.

Ok, it’s more than rice cakes. I love laos because I saw some of the most random things on the streets here: pink cows, rice cakes, and weird varieties of eggs to name a few.

Of course the food was pretty good, but not compared to Thailand (sorry Laos). Still in Luang Prabang the way to eat is via buffet so I definitely filled the gut.

Luckily reason four is the amazing outdoor activities in Laos. For example? A mere 34km bike ride past rice paddies and hills from Luang Prabang are the Kuang Si Falls.

Water falls

My photos definitely did not do them justice. These beautiful falls offer places to swim and even a sanctuary where they take care of bears. Ok not the most usual of pairings, but still…..

Reason five: the evening market! Yes, filled with all of the jewelry, hand woven materials and baskets for your sticky rice that you can imagine!

Walking through the night market

STICKY RICE….how could I forget sticky rice? Ok this is a weird number six, but it’s important. Sticky rice is amazing and should comfort celiacs anywhere who are worried about traveling. You will find it all over South East Asia, but in Laos it is a staple.

More comforting than normal rice, it will fill the belly and is easy to carry with you as you travel. You will find it stuffed in bamboo shoots, crammed in woven containers and soaked in coconut milk for dessert….mmmmm. In fact….I think I need to revive the sticky rice crew! Yes, travel buddy we need to bring it back.

While you eat the sticky rice, you will also be happy to know that Luang Prabang is clean. Yes my reason number seven? Well walking the streets is an easy feat (ha! feat, feet…. get it?) so visiting temples that litter the area is a lovely treat.

The streets of Luang Prabang

And finally….it’s a hop, skip and six hour drive south to the backpacker tubing experience: Vang Vieng. Before you do take the trip….don’t eat!

The way is windy and the buses are not forgiving, so make sure you stomach is empty or filled only with the sticky rice that will keep things in place.

And when you get to Vang Vieng? Do NOT take the tuk tuks at the bus station….they will just deliver you to the backpacker places. Ahhh Vang Vieng. Stay one day for tubing and make sure you escape. That’s all I have to say (for today anyway). Until tomorrow when we visit!

We can bring tourists to Bermuda!

“We need to get rid of the cruise ships!”

“No, no we need more entertainment.”

“What are you talking about? Bermuda’s Tourism needs a new hotel.”

We’ve been here before: the tired debate about why Bermuda’s Tourism is failing.

Before I go on I will apologize and admit this week’s column is not about travel away from Bermuda. But who is going to be able to travel unless we start bringing some money into Bermuda? Wouldn’t someone like to start making money off our tourism to be tourists somewhere else? I thought so.

So let’s look at the organization that Government has most recently expanded to help with our tourism product: the Tourism Board.

In December last year Minister of Business Development and Tourism, Patrice Minors, stated that the Board would add new members to reflect the change in her Ministry.

Unfortunately, since then the most interesting news surrounding the Tourism Board made headlines last week with the axing of one of its members, Tony Brannon.

Is that a good thing? I would say, no. So here are my very own suggestions for the Tourism Board based on products I have seen for years on my own travels.

Let’s take my suggestion one from Singapore’s Tourism Board. Yep, Board not Authority and really that is just an argument of semantics so let’s drop it. Have you visited their website? https://app.stb.gov.sg

On their Tourism Board’s website is a statement of exactly what they do, how they do it and who is doing what. Do we know exactly what Bermuda’s Tourism Board’s mission is? Do we know who is doing what? So might I suggest Bermuda’s Tourism Board publish their own mission, values and organizational chart?

My second piece of advice is check the Singapore website again. Do you see business tourism there? Right. It is it’s own category and that is the way, I think, it should be. Vacations and business are two different travel needs and really we are mixing-up our visitors. If we create a committee that focuses on business and one for vacationers we start separating our apples and oranges.

Flying to Bermuda's easy!

Perhaps I am repeating what the Bermuda Tourism Board discussed in their two-day retreat in April. Who knows? Well the people who attended, I guess. So here is my third piece of advice: make your process and ideas public. Take the mystery out of it all.

Which brings me to four: why not create a website for the Tourism Board? As I researched this column I looked for the Tourism Board’s website. I was only able to find a basic blog that asked the public for tourism suggestions. Well, it’s great to consult, but really we are just trotting-out the same horses: nicer people, better transport, cheaper accommodation, etc… So maybe the time to consult is over and the time to make decisions and place your names behind them on a public website is here?

Suggestion five? Stop shooting for the moon. How about just trying to reach the stars? Let’s start with just creating a few goals? Bermuda is not going to be back on a map in a year, but here’s a start: Goal 1 – create a symbol and slogan that portrays Bermuda for advertising. Perhaps we need a rethink of “Feel the love”? It’s kinda creepy.

Goal 2- create a great marketing campaign that uses Bermudians to sell their country and sells a product that feels good.

Goal 3 – market Bermuda to our businesses as a place for conventions (but really market it to them.).

Suggestion six: publish those goals on your website and then ask the public to actually create the symbol and slogan. Give them actual physical buy-in. It could even be a competition. The top ten applicants will be featured on your website and everyone can vote. An American Idol of sorts for Tourism. These are actual constructive ways to start moving forward. Sure there are big picture changes that need to be ushered in as well, but start somewhere you can actually rally the troops.

Making of a Jamaican Ad

And my seventh suggestion looks to Jamaica (which by the way has a Tourism Board with a website). On the American State Department pages, they regularly warn their citizens about traveling to Jamaica because of the crime, which they describe as “a serious problem in Jamaica.” Yet watch any of their tourism ads on You Tube. They are funny, they are creative and they give you a sense of who Jamaica is. The advertising also means I’m not really all that worried about what the State Department has to say; I like the vibe the advertising conveys.

Which brings me to eight: Let’s stop taking ourselves so seriously! We like to have fun, Bermuda, so why not convey that in our message too! We have Cup Match. We like to walk in parades. We love cheering on sadistic runners who drag themselves along our roads in the heat of the day. Let’s give the public a “sense” of what and who Bermuda is; a vibe as such.

Bermuda's beautiful pink sand and blue water are worth it!

Suggestion nine: use BERMUDIANS to coney our vibe. I don’t mean the videographers, etc.. That would be great, but like Jamaica has capitalized on Bolt, why can’t we capitalize on our famous cricketer Sluggo aka Dwayne Leverock? Um, I can see an ad for the UK already. And in America? Why not feature Mishka who is touring the United States and has the backing of actor Matthew McConaughey? Heck, why not use the “Proud to be a Bermudian” song as music for an ad? (BTW I said it first!).

Finally, let’s stop trying to pretend our product is so bad. We can criticize until we do nothing, but at the end of the day we don’t have the crime of Jamaica. We don’t have the diseases that people are willing to get shots for to visit South East Asia. We do have beautiful beaches, gorgeous water and, yes, friendly people. We are only hours from East Coast of North America. Let’s sell it! Visit my website www.robynswanderings.com to add your suggestions or comments and I promise next week we will be back to traveling. Traveling with you phone? Oh yes, to Roam or not to Roam. Until next week, “So Long Mon.”

Angkor Thom

Today we are traveling to the ancient kingdom of Angkor Wat in Cambodia where our Wanderer, Emily Ross, spent six days here. Doing what? And what should you see? Well let Emily lead the way:

Hola, travellers!

I write from Pakse, Laos – yes, the Cambodian chapter of my journey has regrettably come to an end. After Battambang we moved onto Siem Reap and spent an entire SIX nights there (the longest I think we’ll be anywhere on this trip. We have two rather good reasons for slowing the pace, I promise! Firstly, one of our friends from the Hong Kong exchange is based in Siem Reap volunteering with Rachna Satrei, a local NGO aiming to empower disadvantaged groups in Cambodia (visit http://www.rachnasatrei.webs.com/ for information about the organisation and how to help) and secondly, we’d bought a three day pass to see the incredible ruins of Angkor – where one can find the world’s largest religious monument, the impressive Angkor Wat.

The ruins of Angkor are, as expected, gorgeous – and remarkably well preserved, although unfortunately as we’re travelling during off-peak season (ie rainy season. Very rainy season) one needs to be rather creative with the camera angles in order to avoid the ever present scaffolding and tarpaulins necessary for keeping the ruins so well preserved. In fact, the middle and largest tower of the famous Angkor Wat was rather anticlimactically hidden under a gleaming green tarp, glinting mockingly at you in the sunlight as if to say: ‘Well…you’re here! You HAVE to photograph me, sucker! You can’t NOT take a picture of Angkor Wat, bud. ’

Angkor Wat, be-Tarped

Curse you, Green Tarp. I shall never be avenged, reduced to but a rogue and peasant slave.

Grumble.

Of course, if you go to Angkor Wat you’ve got to watch the sunrise. It’s number one on the Lonely Planet’s Greater Mekong Highlights, although as we noted after the fact they may have slightly romanticised the experience.

‘In the steamy pre-dawn hush we waited, yawning. The glowing orange sun appeared, rising slowly between the graceful stone domes of Angkor Wat – its iconic silhouette mirrored perfectly in the still lake in front of us. With the first soft ray of sun to alight on the water it was as though someone flicked the ‘on’ switch. The quiet filled with a cacophony of buzzing, chirping insects and the day’s throbbing heat was all of a sudden there, where it hadn’t been a moment before.’

Sunrise at Angkor Wat

I suggest a slightly more realistic summary:

The alarm was piercing. Blearily we blinked back our disbelief, our incredulity that we were really willingly getting out of bed at 4 o’clock in the morning. We know how Pyrrhus must have felt. We jumped into the tuk-tuk, shivering (yes, shivering) as we raced through the chilly morning air towards the ruins. We found our way to the lake, and amidst the sound of vendors selling ‘Breakfast, Coffee, Best Price Lady!’, we waited, yawning. A great grey cloud appeared, hovering over the five towers, ominously threatening the day’s afternoon rain. The temple was silhouetted by the few rays of light able to pierce through the cloud – this at least hid The Tarp from view.  The cloud dissipated slightly, we were able to spot speckles of pink in the sky, the silhouette of Angkor Wat reflected in the lake in front of us – but distorted by the skittering of insects, the ripples created when their lives are abruptly ended after being snapped up by…something. You itch a bite. A middle aged Japanese man hits you with his tripod. Repeatedly. Pushing through the crowd of backpackers and tourists, you attempt to get a better angle. The angle is not better. You fight once again through the crowd to reclaim your spot on the waterfront. The sun is higher now, you can’t see it, but can tell by the sweat beads on your brow, suddenly there, where they hadn’t been a moment before. All at once you’re blinded by the glint of The Tarp, now illuminated, ready for the day.

I should write one of these for the Great Wall!

In all seriousness, it WAS worth it. Despite The Tarp, the sweat, the fatigue, the cloud….I still managed to get a good shot and a glimpse at the masochistic lengths we travellers will go to (without question) for ‘the experience.’

Get out or online and see the world!

“We need the possibility of escape as surely as we need hope; without it the life of the cities would drive all men into crime or drugs or psychoanalysis,” Edward Abbey, Desert Solitaire.

Itchy feet. I have itchy feet and no, it’s not a medical condition.

It’s a phenomenon of which I am sure most people are accustomed, especially because we live on a 21-square-mile island. Of course we Bermudians call this situation by another name: Rock Fever.

Whatever you call it, the need to travel is something everyone feels from time to time. Some people? Well you know I find it hard to sit still.

What happens, however, when you find other commitments in life? What happens when the economy takes a nose dive and your income is eaten by electricity bills, grocery bills, etc…? And what happens when your vacation days are a pitiful 10 thanks to the minimum required by law?

Well, as Edward Abbey said in Desert Solitaire (read the quote!): “We need the possibility of escape,…” Sure it would be better to actually escape, but sometimes that’s just not possible.

So what are you supposed to do? Well this brings me to my Rock Fever Column today and ten websites that will help you to find your escape and inspiration for your future travels. Bonus? These websites are free so save your money and trees by leaving magazines on the counter and log-on to:

Robyn's Wandering....or skipping through the Valley of the Kings, Egypt

1. Of course the first one has to be my own: www.robynswanderings.com! There’s nothing quite like self-promotion. My blog offers photos and stories from my year traveling around the world, my travels through Europe last year and many more. It also offers weekly offerings from fellow Bermudian, Emily Ross, who is traveling through South East Asia. Need I say more? There is even a page (Bermuda’s Postcards) dedicated to stories from fellow residents’ travels. This page is no guidebook, which can offer very pristine views on travel; instead, Bermuda’s Postcards offers real stories from Bermudian residents about real travels. Want to submit your stories? Email me at skinnerrobyn@gmail.com.

2. www.wherethehellismatt.com because we all need to dance in the rain in Stone Town, Zanzibar. You think I’m crazy to become a travel journalist? This guy found sponsors to send him around the world “dancing” (you will understand the quotations when you watch) and filming himself. I even used Matt’s clips while I was on the road. When I didn’t think I could continue in Malaysia my travel buddy introduced me to this website. I continued for another three months. These four-minute flicks should be your feel-good films of the year!

3. http://joobili.com/ because it’s great to travel, but it’s even better if you can plan your trip around a festival or other events. This site is easy to use and will allow you to pick a range of days in any month and then showcase concerts, festivals, etc… in multiple different countries. Only downfall? It’s mostly Europe. There’s another travel business idea…….joobili for North America…….

Research your travel in Europe on www.joobili.com!

4. www.reallywildchallenges.com: Want to mix travel with charity? Well we have our own Bermudian organization, Bermuda Overseas Missions, but what if you miss their trip this summer? Then Really Wild Challenges offers a traveler the chance to raise money for a charity and in doing so hike up Mt. Kilimanjaro, bike through India and many other “wild!” travels. How does it work? You can either pay your way (no charity involved) or ask a charity if you can raise money for them. The charity will ask you to raise a certain amount of money and if the individual does, then the charity will pay the minor challenge costs for the individual. Does travel get any better?

5. www.hostelworld.com: Ok so this is a little random. Sure we visit these booking sites to find hostels, but the site also offers great photos and suggestions for places to visit in a country. Stuck with where to go? See where hostelworld.com has hostels on offer and what there is to do there! It’s a great source of honest information too. Backpackers can leave reviews of the hostels but also the town, which are honest and helpful!

6. http://www.travelyourself.ca/ Want some more videos to inspire? Well, I couldn’t but help to support a fellow, female traveler. Oh and Cailin’s a great videographer that is not paid by any organization to create pristine videos. The beauty? You can visit a country for “real” and see what it’s like.

Women can travel solo too!

7. www.wanderlustandlipstick.com Ok so this one is mainly for women….but it can’t hurt the men to check it out; it might just give men an idea of some of the concerns women have to deal with on the road. With the adventurous woman in mind it gives tips on how to stay safe in your hotel room, lists tours and even ways to dress in other countries (i.e. in India you really need to be conservative). Inspiring and a relief for women worried about travel.

8. www.gadling.com This site is constantly updating its blog with a variety of contributors (though really you should be coming to mine). I personally enjoy the links at the bottom which offer random travel stories like about an artist building a mountain out of….used clothes. Fun, quirky and informative.

9.www.nomadicmatt.com One guy, a computer and the world = Nomadic Matt. He also provides you with hundreds of links to blogs of all varieties. From traveling with kids to solo female travel blogs his is the source of any tip of information about travel you might need.

10. www.matadortrips.com Off the beaten track and don de road, rond de corner (for the Bermudians out there) this website will take you everywhere with those who know the particular everywhere you are looking for. Best part? You’re not going to visit Amsterdam just to smoke pot. Yes, crazy I know, but there are other options. Matador with help you out with that.

Hopefully these sites (and of course my column) are a few places to start inspiring your travel or, at least, give you an escape from the everyday. Goodness knows Bermuda doesn’t need anymore crime or drugs (see quote if confused. I promise I don’t pull these comments from nowhere). Until next week I say, “Gauw tot ziens.”

Taking a break from the Bamboo train in the Battambang countryside

It’s a little heavy for our wanderer Emily Ross this week, as she leaves Vietnam to visit Cambodia next door. From learning about the after shocks of the Vietnam War to the atrocities committed by the Khmer Rouge, Cambodia proves to be more than just a backpacking destination.

Luckily, though, the children’s smiles and friendly people help make her trip through this little South East Asian country more pleasurable than it might have been. Here’s Emily’s thoughts:

Happy Monday, bloggers!

I write to you from beautiful, beautiful Cambodia. I’m in Battambang, the second largest city in Cambodia (a surprising fact just learned from Wikipedia…as in my opinion it’s tiny!). Surrounded by thousand year old temples, a beautiful man-made lake and the quirky bamboo train, it’s definitely worth a diversion from the typical Sihanoukville-Phnom Penh-Siem Reap route. I feel like we’ve really been given the opportunity to explore the Cambodian countryside. Make sure you nab a good tuk tuk driver (the only way to get to the sights around Battambang…unless you’re on a bike) – it makes a huge difference in terms of how much you see and learn, and you can make a good buddy in the process!

Smiley school children

What has struck me most about Cambodia is the people. Everywhere we go we feel like celebrities – children literally run to the side of the road to wave and squeal a high pitched ‘Hello!’, old and young alike smile when they see us and seem to smile genuinely…they’re smiling Johnny Barnes type smiles rather than laughing at us. People have been helpful, funny and generous. Which is amazing considering everything they’ve been through.

Khmer Rouge interrogation tactics

I’m ashamed to say I crossed the border of Vietnam and Cambodia knowing very little about the Khmer Rouge and the recent horrors in Cambodian history.  I’d heard of the Khmer Rouge. As in, heard the two words before. I didn’t know what any of it entailed. I believe I wikipedia’d Pol Pot after he was mentioned in a Ricky Gervais stand up routine. And when you read about it, when you visit the chilling Tuol Sleng Genocide Musuem (S-21, t he Tuol Sleng prison near Phnom Penh, formerly a school), when you walk in the Killing Fields…it seems surreal. It was so recent, but it seems like something out of a 1984-esque novel, not reality.

S-21: former school turned Khmer Rouge prison and now a museum

I’ve searched through GCSE to A-Level/IB curricula and there’s just no option to study Cambodia. You can study Vietnam, but I suppose that’s only because the US was involved. I can guarantee that most Westerners have only heard of Cambodia because Angelina Jolie adopted from there. I just find it fascinating that millions of people can die and it not be common knowledge – especially considering it’s very, very modern history.

This isn’t a sermon, I’m guilty of it too. I was standing in front of a memorial stupa filled with over 5,000 skulls, bones and rags and was absolutely shocked at my own ignorance of what had occurred. I had a similar experience at the War Remnants Museum in Ho Chi Minh City – I knew the basic history of the Vietnam war, but very little about the atrocities committed by the Americans and the after-effects of Agent Orange. Hollywood doesn’t delve too deeply into that aspect of Vietnam – Forrest Gump sure as hell didn’t go anywhere near My Lai.

Just a few things I’ve been thinking about.

Santiago's Hills

Poor Santiago….and, well, Buenos Aires and  other South American cities near Chile. How was Chile supposed to know that they had a volcano that would ground flights?

Last Friday Chile’s Puyehue-Cordon-Caulle volcano range, about 800km (500 miles) south of Santiago, began erupting and has created a cloud as far as Buenos Aires that has caused problems in the city.

And it keeps causing problems. Thousands of Chileans had to be evacuated from their homes and rains threatened to bring landslides to the area. So sad.

Santiago is such an amazing city and Chile is such an amazing country. I suppose this is how Iceland felt? And Chile could be in for more. It’s one of the most volcanic countries on Earth with more than 3,000 volcanoes (80 of which are active) running the length of the thin South American land.

Want to see more photos from the eruption last week? Check it out here.

I know the eruption will mean flights have been delayed or canceled, but I hope for Chile’s sake and those who have not been there, that it doesn’t deter tourists for too long.

Santiago alone is enough to warrant multiple write-ups about this beautiful country. With it’s variety of neighbourhoods, great food, fun people and beautiful background of the Andes, Santiago is a town worth making a trek for.

“Every time I flyer and am forced to remove my shoes, I’m grateful Richard Reid is not known as the Underwear Bomber,” Douglas Manuel, aerospace executive regards airport security. Reported in USA Today, 13 March 2003.

Find a better seat!

“Anything else?”

“Please tell the chef to make it speedy, I only have a couple of hours until I land.”

Land? Yes, I wrote land and no, I didn’t make a mistake.

By October this year, a conversation like this will take place on select flights by Etihad Airways. That’s because the Abu Dhabi-based airline will be providing their customers on with a private chef! Ok, it won’t be in my price range….ever, but I commend Etihad Airways for tackling one of the worst experiences on a plane: the food.

By year-end the airlines expects to have EVERY flight with Diamond First Class cabins supplied with chefs trained by IKA Culinary gold medalist Thomas Ulherr, catering to their clients’ whims.

Ahhh to have the cash.

But at least the airline is trying, right? Look, I know that the airlines have been going through a tough time with volcanoes exploding in Iceland and fuel prices going up. It’s hard to feel sorry for them, though, when despite that, last year the industry made $18 billion!! Even with a 78% predicted decline in profits this year, the industry will make $4 billion.

Maybe the decline is natural disasters. Maybe it’s fuel or maybe it’s time, like Etihad Airlines, to make customers feel welcome again? Which brings me to my Rock Fever column this week: ten things I would put on a plane (besides a private chef). My list would start with number one: a buffet. Hey, I don’t need a private chef, but why not have food on offer for me to get out of my seat and pick what I want. A buffet would eliminate the annoying food carts while ensuring that passengers get out of their seats (if not ensuring making it more likely). Deep vein thrombosis? Not if you make them walk!

Number two on Air Skinner: a children’s section. Yep, keep those tots in their own little world and away from the rest of us who would like to be able to read, watch a film or sleep without screaming, pacing up and down the aisle or kicking in the back of my chair. Look, I am sure I don’t get it; I don’t have kids. I’m sure it’s hard to travel with the ankle biters, but wouldn’t you be happier if there was a section you could all commiserate and maybe the kids could play together? Better, no?

Stress. Yes, many people try to board a plane to escape the stress, but instead almost throw themselves out of one because of the security stress. So my Air Skinner wish number three is: onboard massage chairs. Forget those boring, hard chairs that grate the back. Why not install those lovely chairs that would kneed out any problems in the back and neck?! AHHHHH.

Fasten seat belt? I want to go to the buffet!!

Number four: for people board a plane for work would it really hurt airlines to install a place to charge my computer/ipod/etc….? Look, if I’m on a plane for 12 hours at some point I will want and need to charge a computer. I understand that this exists in first class, but would it hurt to have it in the regular people’s area too?

And when I decide to watch the films on the screen you provide, well my number five is: STOP interrupting!!!! I don’t need to know that you will be bringing food through the aisles (and if you had a buffet you wouldn’t need to tell me anyway) or that there is turbulence; I can feel it. Leave my film running and, AND leave it running when we land.

Which leads to six: keep the entertainment going as we spend twenty minutes to land and another twenty to taxi. It will keep people entertained, calm and help prevent those frustrating pile-ups when trying to exit.

Nothing says annoying better than arriving in a new place feeling grungy so my number seven request? Showers (and towels of course!!!). How amazing would it be to fly to Santiago, Chile on a ten hour flight and arrive refreshed? I mean, really would it kill to have five minute showers for everyone?

Speaking of which maybe you could combine the showers with my number eight request and a gym room. Seriously, how antsy do you get sitting on a plane for 10 to 12 hours? There is only so much reading and watching I can do before I want to move. Rather than annoying those trying to sleep with my pacing, why not bring-in the gym?

Of course for the singles, and helping to blow-off steam, there should be a bar. Yeah, ok I’m pushing it on nine, right? Well why not. Sure it could be located in a sound-proof room, but at least it would give us somewhere to talk to fellow travelers. Heck it could be the new scene!

Try getting through security! It's impossible

And finally my number ten wish for my plane experience would have to be to do with boarding the plane. I would really appreciate NOT feeling like a terrorist whenever I fly. I would like to be able to walk through a scanner that cannot see everything. It’s invasive and rude. Please find another way to check passengers that does not require a full body scan.

Agree with me? No? Have your own wishes for your travels? Visit my website www.robynswanderings.com to share your own airline desires!

Ciao!