Robyn's Wanderings

Travel bureaucracy

Almost every country has it. It?

In Vietnam, for example, I was told by a guide that if he wanted to leave the country on a holiday he had to have a substantial amount of money in the bank (and proof of it), a good job to return to and apply to his government for a pass.

In India, I was told of a boyfriend trying to go to Canada to visit his girlfriend. Though he applied for a visa, he was denied.

What is this? I am talking about travel bureaucracy. It’s everywhere and it’s not only about leaving a country, but also entering.

For example when I tried to travel between Laos and Cambodia only to be required to pay  an “entry fee” to every man standing along the border in a uniform! Ok, so it was only US $1 per man, but still annoying.

And Bermuda? Well my home country is no different. Seemingly ridiculous procedures surround entering and leaving the country too.

I had always heard some stories, but on my recent trip to Toronto I actually got to be on the receiving end. I’m such a lucky girl!

I will give the Bermuda’s L.F. Wade International Airport customs guy one excuse: it was Christmas Day and I am sure he did not want to work, but lots of people have to work on Christmas. Still, I will give him that small leeway for his response:

“Hi, I need to register my camera,” I said.

“Do you have proof you bought it in Bermuda?” said the small man in a crisp blue uniform as he poked his head out of the barely-wedged-open door.

“Uh, well it was a birthday present, so no I don’t have a receipt.”

“Well, I’m not saying you are lying, but we will not give you a registration. Too many people sneak items into Bermuda.”

Bermuda might be beautiful, but.....

OK, I should explain the policy. Bermudian residents are required to purchase items in Bermuda or be prepared to pay duty of 35% on items acquired abroad.

To avoid the duty, we can register electronic devices (usually the only items we are taking that are the most expensive and hardest to prove you had before you left) before leaving the Island. This registration is delivered in the highly modern form of a yellow slip of paper!

Yes, there is no way you will ever lose that (sarcasm is free).

The yellow paper, however, is not a minor detail. Instead it is a Bermudian resident’s “get-out-of-35% duty” card!!!! Can you imagine?

Why, you ask do we have to pay such a high price? Well, the argument is that if government increase the price of purchasing items abroad, Island residents will be more likely to “Buy Bermuda” (I have my opinion about this economic policy, but that is a different blog entirely).

I have two problems with this checking system:

1. when an item is purchased in Bermuda, no one issues a yellow piece of paper. One might think that is important especially for, I don’t know, a camera which is almost definitely going to leave the island and one that might also be a present that the receiver should never know the price of…..I’m just saying.

2. if I do buy abroad (gasp!) and pay duty on the item, there is no way to show that the payment I make (all 35% of it) directly relates to a camera, etc…. So when I turn-up to customs at a later date there is no way to prove that, if I have not bought my item in Bermuda, that I paid duty on it. (I would show you a picture, but these are such high commodities, an extra form is just not possible to get!)

Instead, the form groups together all goods in a particular category i.e. clothing and footwear, and we pay the duty on the total amount. There is nowhere to actually list the items you are declaring and therefore, no way to reference the duty you paid on them. i.e. the customs’ officer was asking me for something I literally could not produce.

Get-out-of-Jail yellow customs' slips!

Let’s be honest here too, if a traveler manages to outsmart the bureaucratic process that is installed to just put more money in government’s coffers and sneaks their goods into Bermuda…..can we really penalize them at a later date? I don’t think so.

Tourists, you are not exempt! You can also be subject to these problems, especially if you are visiting residents. Travellers are allowed a $30.00 excemption on goods they plan to bring into Bermuda.

Bermudians? Well the first $100 for each household is free and then duty kicks in and so do the yellow slips!

So what happened with my recent trip, you ask….well I had to leave the Island with my camera bought in Bermuda (there was no way to send it home before the flight) and prayed that when I returned to the Island I could outsmart the process.

Did I? Well, you’ll have to come back tomorrow to see what happened…….oh and for some fun travels to Quebec City!

So I have traded airplane seats for office seats for a little while and one thing that comes with an office….a commute. It’s true.

I have nothing against my new job, let me preface. It’s a great place to be and I am working on things that matter – healthcare.

What I could trade? My commute. Yesterday as I sat behind the smog-spewing car that would lead me to Bermuda’s capital, Hamilton and my new seat, I couldn’t help but think of….well all the other ridiculous and crazy commutes I have witnessed.

Like this ridiculous video straight from the capital of Cambodia, Phnom Penh! Honestly, I have never seen such ridiculous traffic in all of my life. Try and cross the road! Near impossible…I had to play “chicken” with the SUV’s!

I mean do you see the motorbike do a U-turn when he is about to be squashed?

Sure Phnom Penh’s traffic was life-endangering, but in Laos it was cow-filled. Witness the scene below with this pink-hewed cow grazing on the side of the road on the way to waterfall! Where do you see that? Certainly not on my commute in Bermuda?

For the next bit of insanity, I bring you to heads as helmets scenario that is all the rage in Cambodia. How about the parents who also stick their toddlers in front of them as pillows? Well, Bermuda often has parents who place their children in front of them, but at least they have helmets on their children; they give them a fighting chance!

This dad below….well…..I crossed my fingers after this photo:

Or what about moving house on a motorbike? I’m not entirely sure what this guy was carrying on his motorbike, but I’m glad that I was not riding beside him! I now feel better riding my own motorbike into work and only having to concern myself with the fuming car!

Moving house?

Or how about how to move your motorbike? Well, in Bermuda we have ferries that will transport motorbikes very comfortably on their bows (front).

In Laos? Oh come on!!!! Who would actually ride their bike? Or put it on the back of the van? A commuter bus, that I had just exited to use the toilet, was far more practical!

How else do you transport you bike?

And when you’re not dragging your bike along with you? Well you have to fill it with gas, of course. But how are going to do that?

Well in Thailand, you ask a woman standing in a shack to start pumping and pour out the blue, red or green gas sitting in tubs!

technical fill-ups

I had never seen this before and I thank my lucky stars, now, when I see my gas gauge going low I can nip into the gas station, whip-out my credit card and head-out on my way…even in rush hour….even with slow attendants (not much in Bermuda moves quickly…I’m Bermudian, I can say that.)

And finally what am I getting at? Well let’s at least, while we sit in the mountains of traffic for Christmas-time commutes remember, we could have been caught in an elephant parade!

elephant parade

“The Buddha whimsically pointed out that seeking happiness in one’s material desires is as absurd as “suffering because a banana tree will not bear mangoes.” – Rolf Potts in Vagabonding, An Uncommon Guide to the Art of Long-Term World Travel. 

Chilling in Thailand......in an economical way

You enjoying that coffee? Do you know what that $2 you used to buy it means?

To me, at least?

Probably not.

Well, let me explain. That $2 coffee means a night in Thailand! Yes, Thailand and I did not mistype.

Am I crazy? Maybe, actually. But that’s not the point of this column and I’m not crazy for thinking a cup of coffee equals a stay in Thailand.

That cup of coffee I gave-up before my 2009 trip around the world bought me a view of the river Kwai ( you know, the one with the famous bridge over it?) while sitting in a hammock and trapped in a green garden. Yep, all of that and my own room for just $2!

Now calculate your coffees for a week and that’s about $10 or a night in Santiago, Chile (or 5 in Thailand) and the most comfortable bed I have ever slept in.

But this column is more than comparing expenditure on coffee and the equivalent bedding you could find in a foreign country.

And in this column, I am not going to argue I am a some kind of personal finance guru. I can’t tell you about stocks, bonds, mutual funds and other boring financial instruments.

What I do know is we are in an economic crisis and people are struggling to stay afloat I always hear:

“How do you have any money left?”

“Ummm…uhh…”

I hate money questions, especially when they are about mine, but I can understand where this question comes from.

Visiting the bridge over the river Kwai!

Why? Well, I had just spent one year traveling around the world where the only income I had was from my somewhat weekly column to this paper.

Even with the year of travel expenditure, however, I had returned home with money in the bank.

Actually enough money to try my hand at my own business and even go out for dinner, which is where I sustained this very question.

Why am I writing about this now? Almost two years since I have returned from that mammoth trip?

Well it has everything to do with what travel can teach you about your economy and I don’t mean the mess of Bermuda’s (though maybe there could be a few lessons in here too!) And the real lesson I have to teach you is most succinctly phrased by the author of this week’s quote, Rolf Potts. His tip: Keep it Simple.

Before I traveled the world for a year, I kept it simple.

New clothes? Nope (or rarely). These were only bought for weddings or if the jeans were finally wearing out.

A house? No, there too. I shared an apartment with three girls and then rented an apartment on my own (which was a splurge,but I didn’t have a choice!). I still do not have a house, but that will be the next reason I keep it simple.

I brought lunch to work, gave-up purchasing coffee and rarely went out for dinner.

My biggest splurge was sun glasses and if I live on an Island then I need to protect my eyes!

These economic woes that the US felt first and now Bermuda is experiencing are down to one thing: excess. For some reason there is constantly an urge to have more than you need in material things and compete with those around you.

My attitude: who cares?! Why compete for the large mansion? Why not live within your means or invest in personal growth (schooling?)? Why invest in a big car rather than your own personal improvement?

And travel (i.e. not immersing yourself in a resort in any country, but actually visiting different countries) is all about personal investment. Want a story for the next dinner party that does not hinder around purchasing shoes or a new car? Take that shoe money and run to South America!

Which brings me to the second lesson I learned about keeping it simple: do it for travel too.  I never understand tourists who fly around the world to host themselves in a Hilton, Marriott or some other chain hotel.

Why? Because that is exactly what they are: chain, no identity hotels. They are not owned by the people who actually live in the country and they will never possess the ability to immerse you in the culture of Thailand, Chile or Mexico.

niagara falls!

Me? I prefer to stay in local joints. In Laos I stayed in a family-run affair and in Niagara-on-the-Lake I stayed in a Bed and Breakfast run by a local. At the B&B, the local, Joe, not only gave me tips on how to visit the area, but was also able to offer us local (not concierge) tips on where to eat.

I have never spent more than $200 on a hotel room and I can’t imagine why I ever would. The point of travel is personal growth. How will a resort that mimics your home country do that?

So….to wrap this up, perhaps we all need to take a tip from travel and learn to keep it simple and focus on personal investment, not superficial material investment.

Until next week…I hope you start to focus on improving you (and stop buying the $2 coffee for crying out loud, if you need to save money!!!)

You've got to deserve those beaches!

Our wanderer Emily Ross is coming to the end of her stint living abroad and finds herself flying through Thailand.

What is she going to see? Well that’s why you have to read on:

Apologies. I know it is not Monday. I think my elation at FINALLY finding sun in Thailand has addled my brain and memory somewhat.

Oh, Thailand. I paid you a short visit back in March but oh! How little I did see. Our mission is to rectify that this time around, by moving from the North (for some templing) to the South (for some beaching). Although it wasn’t until our last day in Luang Prabang that we realised…our time in Thailand is preciously short.  We’ve got twenty days to travel cross country before we have to fly back to Hong Kong, collect our belongings and head back home. So, readers, prepare yourselves for Thailand: Express.

Right. So. North of Thailand? We’ve given ourselves a week up here, then we’re flying down to Phuket (because you can’t lounge on a beach unless you DESERVE it. Which means visiting a lot of temples up here).  You can’t (and I mean can’t. There must be an unwritten backpacker law) visit Northern Thailand without stopping by Chiang Mai.

The welcome return of street food

We sampled the Khao Soi (a delicious curried noodle soup) and wandered the weekend markets, taking full advantage of the abundance of street food. That’s one part of Thailand I can’t get enough of – the sheer variety of street snacks. I definitely noticed a shortage of street food in Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. Sure, you’d get your occasional skewer of meat or nondescript thing wrapped in a banana leaf, but the Thais LOVE their street food like no other South East Asian country. I’m in foodie heaven. Nom.

Because this is supposed to be the half of the trip where we’re not just enjoying all the hedonistic  pleasures Thailand has to offer, we signed up for a day trip. Yes. I know. We haven’t done anything in a big group since VIETNAM. The Cosmos decided to punish us for this by placing us in a group with five gap yah girls (cue shaking fist at sky). This was gonna be a long day.

Karen girls

We signed up for what you might consider to be the ‘taster platter’ or the ‘ADHD special’ of day trips from Chiang Mai. With a day lasting from 8 to 6, we crammed it with as many different activities you could possibly do. We started in an orchid and butterfly garden, then toured various villages specialising in rice farming, weaving and hemp farming (yes).

I wasn’t sure how I felt about visiting the villages – populated by people of different ethnic minorities (including people of the Karen or ‘long neck’ tribe from Burma, where the women wear heavy neck rings to elongate the neck), it felt a bit like a human zoo. It was slightly uncomfortable. Interesting, but uncomfortable. It reminded me of why we’ve been avoiding tours for so long: it’s awkwardly forced, being pummelled by the constant ‘LOOK AT THIS NOW’ structure of the day.

Hallo you.

We then moved on to an elephant sanctuary, where we rode elephants. Having had a near death experience with charging African elephants back in Botswana, the first thing I noticed was how small Asian elephants are in comparison. A promising start. I managed to get myself on the naughty elephant who kept eating along the road, but hey – I can sympathise. Again, not sure how I felt about this – as someone who dislikes zoos, it’s a bit unnatural to be riding elephants, no? But they were very lively and inquisitive and not displaying symptoms of maltreatment, so I was able to placate my inner discomfort for the time being.

After elephants we got FREE FOOD (tofu fried rice and fruit. Yum!). It was at lunch where another difference between Gap Yahs and University students became apparent. Where we helped ourselves to three (or more) plates of the free bounty, they barely touched their first. Oh, they are so young. One day they too shall be students and respect the glory of free food. Especially if you’re gathering strength for an epic hike through rain and mud. Oh yes we did. Crossed rivers on little logs (I would say they were more akin to branches, myself) too. Felt very Indiana Jones. Or somebody else adventurey.

And then onto…white water rafting. Definitely a feature in my List of Things I Never Planned To Do. After the initial terror…I actually enjoyed it. Enjoyed it enough to have been the highlight of the day. Okay, okay, it probably was not the most challenging stretch of river your average adrenaline junkie may encounter but I was invigorated nonetheless! I may have caught the adrenaline bug…which may potentially change the nature of my daytime excursions. Oh, we shall see. Finish the day lounging on a bamboo raft and then back to town for the Sunday night market. WHEW. Done Chiang Mai.

Now onto Chiang Rai….

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.

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!

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.’

Walking through rice paddies in Laos

I was with my California travel buddy; the one I met over a cooking course in Thailand. We decided over spring rolls that we would conquer Laos together. It turned-out to be a successful coupling.

Especially when we had to contend with knife-wielding youths.

Yes. A knife. We were innocently trying to walk from our B&B to some caves in Vang Vieng, Laos. This town is known for its drunken, tubing experience (i.e. bars along the river banks which are accessed via inflatable tubes), but it is also known for spectacular scenery as well as caves lodged in rice paddies.

Me and the California travel buddy decided after one day of tubing we were going to work-off the various buckets (a bucket filled with rum, cokes and red bulls) with a wander. We found ourselves lost and a six-year-old sitting in a tree yelling at us.

“You must pay. You want to go to the cave? You have to pay. Hey. You have to pay.”

We had been told to ignore the kids waiting by the caves. Why? Because they were running a scheme. So we did. We continued walking, found a dead-end and had to turn back.

Our heckler had found a knife by the time that we returned.

“You find the cave?”

We kept walking, which became speed-walking as I noticed him slapping his hand with a knife. We picked-up the pace and made it back to the main road and to our B&B.

We never did find caves, but that is not to say we didn’t find a way to exercise while abroad. Which leads me to my Rock Fever Column in The Royal Gazette today: Exercising Anywhere.

I offered some of my own advice, knife’s excluded, but I also conferred with Bermuda-based, personal fitness trainer, Jenille Devenson-Smith for back-up. With her own business, Heart Core, she regularly trains people without the use of gyms. In the National Stadium, the botanical gardens or other “free” spaces are her work-out stations.

Getting away from the mirrors offers her clients the chance to focus on themselves as well as offering exercises for those who may need to do them in imperfect positions – travelers.

What does she have to say? Here’s a quick Q&A from the expert herself:

1. For someone who travels often, do you have any tips for maintaining their exercise routine? Exercise and diet are a marriage. So when you travel and want to exercise don’t forget that in order to see the benefits of your exercise you need to eat properly. This does not mean “no cake” I am an advocate of cake, especially coconut cake with vanilla icing… But I am also and advocate of moderation. Allow yourself to indulge, but don’t allow yourself to fail. There is a difference. On vacation a lot of people just give up on eating right. Diet is a life long challenge. You are in control, even when you are not. So don’t forget, you are what you eat.

When you travel there are simple weightless exercises you can do. Squats, lunges, jumping jacks, push-ups, crunches and sit ups. I prefer to travel with a jump-rope as well. Jumping rope is a complete body workout that can burns a lot of calories. If you don’t have time do 10 min here , 10 min there, til you reach 30 min of cardio. Use the stairs in your hotel. Most people don’t use them, so you will find you have them all to yourself. A lot of hotels these days are also equipped with gyms, so you may jus commit  to a few gym visits while you are on vacation, and of course, walk, walk, walk.

2. Is there an easy and quick “maintenance” work-out that someone could do in their hotel room/hostel room? When you travel there are simple weightless exercises you can do. Squats, lunges, jumping jacks, push ups, crunches and sit ups. I prefer to travel with a jump-rope as well.

Eating on the road

3. I know that diet is also an important consideration when it comes to exercise. Do you have suggestions for those on the road to how to eat healthy?

Try to eat protein, while on vacation I try to eat clean, but I still indulge. Sometimes the fish I order may be breaded, or have a wonderful sauce on it. For me this is a luxury I allow those luxuries but pair it with a nice clean vegetable. Try to limit your carbohydrates to your daytime meals, ie breakfast and lunch. Then for your remaining meals chose protein and vegetables. Try not to go to sleep with a belly full of pasta or baked potato. Eat fresh, go to the grocery store, buy fresh fruits, veg and nuts to snack on. Keep them in the fridge in your hotel room. Just because you are on vacation does not mean you are not in control. Don’t forget to drink water. So many empty calories are consumed in beverages. Save the calories for something you really want to eat.

Don’t be afraid to customize your meal. If you are dining out, and you see something you want don’t be afraid to add and take away ingredients or dressings to make the meal acceptable. You are in control or your results.

4. What should we do at home? And why is it important to eat healthy for travel and other activities? Try a class when you are away. Sometimes it helps to be anonymous when u exercise.  It is a good way to meet people and gain confidence.

5. How would you encourage someone who, perhaps, has not been very active and wants to start working-out? Working out can be a little overwhelming for someone who has never done it before, or who is self-conscious. Gyms tend to be intimidating to a lot of people. Everyone in the gym seems to be advanced, experienced or even fearless. Intimidation can offset the average person and prevent them from achieving their goals. If you are not comfortable in a gym, go outside, away from the mirrors and away from the on-lookers and get fit. You don’t have to start at a high level, the main thing is just to begin. You must walk before you can run, so by all means, walk. Take long walks, short walks, fast walks, slow walks, walk upstairs, downstairs, up hill and down hill. Alternate, one day power walk, one day distance… Have fun with it. When you are comfortable jog a little, then jog a little more. Fitness and exercise should be a life long journey and in life you grow so be patient with yourself and allow yourself to grow. You can not run a marathon in a day. There are things you can do in everyday life to enhance your fitness level as well. For example, take the stairs instead of the elevator, ride a pedal bike to work, or walk to work avoid short cuts…

If you are entering the gym for the first time, it is so important that you know what you are doing or you could lose the battle before you begin. If you have never set foot in a gym before I highly recommend you hire a personal trainer for your fist few sessions. Just to make sure you do all the exercises properly and that you make the best use of your time. If you hire a trainer, don’t be afraid to speak up. You know your body better than anyone and you know how far you can push. Your relationship with your trainer will not work if you do not have open communication. It Is a team effort.

Workout DVDs are also a great start for those who wish to start working out. You can learn in the privacy of your own home. I would advise watching it all the way through before attempting. A good workout DVD will let you know the proper posture and position for each exercise to ensure that you do not injure yourself. Be sure to listen carefully to all instruction.

Running through the Valley of the Kings

6. Finally, why should exercise be part of our everyday activities? Exercise is like maintaining your car, you body is an amazing machine that requires daily maintenance. It does not have to be intense or grueling you just have to keep your body in motion. You know the saying if you don’t use it you lose it, well through simple excercise, and diet regularity you can keep your body healthy and humming. Eating well and staying fit helps fight diseases diabetes, heart disease, osteoporosis and as we age these are all things we must think about.

For your own training session don’t contact me. I’m no trainer. Try Jenille at heartcorefitness@gmail.com or 504-336 and get fit anywhere!