Relaxing along the Adriatic sea in Budva, Montenegro, and tales from travelers

I spent nearly all day at a cafe in Montenegro, relaxing and looking out over the Adriatic Sea.  When the restaurant owner kicked me out, and to be fair I had been there for a good 4 or 5 hours, I went to Mongren beach, which Srbo said I had to check out.  Along the way, I enjoyed the sites of the citadel built on the outlet.

Once I got the the beach, I sat in a lounge chair, ordered a salad, and relaxed some more.  When it started getting dark, I made my way to the hostel which was extremely difficult to find.  A local was very kind, called the hostel for me, and walked with me.  It was at the end of a tiny street, and by tiny I mean maybe 3 feet wide.   

At my hostel I met 2 french guys, in their 20s, who in addition to hitchhiking their way throughout Europe, are also pitching their tents when nightfalls and they are far from a city.  I asked if they had a weapon with them, and indeed they said they had knives.  One of the guys showed me a picture of their tent which was just a few feet off the side of the road.  I asked why they pitched it so close to the side of the road and he said, "I guess we didn't think about that."  Then he told me that in Albania, where they pitched their tent surrounded by mountains, that they started hearing wolves howl once night feel.  THAT is adventure traveling!  Or just plain stupidity.  Either way, they lived to tell the tale, and what a great story they have.  

He also recently went to NYC with his dad and showed me a picture of an empty suitcase which he brought.  He went with only the clothes on his back so he could take advantage of the inexpensive shopping in NYC.  I think the only thing that is cheaper though are American brands, like Polo.  

I met another couple who were in Montenegro for diving and have gone diving literally all over the world.  They've dived in the Red Sea several times.  

I went to bed early as I had a bus ticket to Dubrovnik the next morning at 7:30AM.  

Biking up cobblestone hills, amazing city views, and Serbian dinner at a kafana

Srbo left Beerfest early the night before since he had to work the next day.  He is an engineer, as well as a computer programmer.  When Valentina and I got back to her house, our feet were covered in dust.  

I woke up the next morning to sunshine flooding into their beautiful guest room.  Valentina had put my clothes in the laundry the previous night so after I woke up, I hung them up to dry.  Srbo was already up and was sitting on their veranda working.  He invited me to pull up a chair.  Valentina joined and we all had cantelope and grapefruit for breakfast.  We sat and chatted for most of the morning.  

The beautiful guest room.  Notice the picture in front of the television.  Its a painting of a dog whose job it is to guard them from TV.  They haven't watched TV by choice in months!

They decided to take me on a bike tour in the city.  They both had bikes and we walked to a bike rental place just along the Danube river so that I could rent one as well.  We biked through New Belgrade, and to Zeumen which used to be a separate city.  They wanted to take me to the top of a hill that had amazing views.  When we finally got to the top of a hill, we stopped at a nice cafe and enjoyed a glass of lemonade.

Srbo and Valentina in front of their home

Views of Zeuma 

Valentina teaches private Russian lessons and had a student at 4pm.  (She is from Belarus originally which is how she speaks Russian).  I also wanted to buy a bus ticket to Budva, Montenegro which was in the same direction as Valentina's student's house.  So we all biked together, then split off.  Srbo biked with me all the way to the bus station.  It was great exercise biking on the bridge over the Danube river.  I think we biked nearly 10 miles that day.  

On our way home, we stopped at a supermarket so that I could try pita, a Serbian cheese filled bread.  When we got home, Srbo told me such an interesting story about his life.  He is originally from Serbia, and moved to Budva Montenegro when he was in his 20s.  The war was going on at this time and after work he would just sit outside, listen to the sirens alarm, and watch kudzas being launched at enemy aircraft.  I can't comprehend how he could be in a city where bombs are dropping and not fear his life.  He said that life was very "boring" at the time, roads and bridges were either destroyed or blocked off, and he was trapped in the area he lived without being able to visit friends else where in the city.  Gasoline and food was also very hard to find. 

He had a girlfriend at the time (not Valentina) who just came back from India and brought with her a souvenir that folds into different shapes.  Because he was an engineer, he decided to make these and sell them in Montenegro, which he did and made a good living.  While in Montenegro, Valentina was there on holiday with mom, when she met Srbo, fell in love, and the rest is history!  

After Valentina came back home, she and I went to a kafana where we had a delicious Serbian meal.  After the meal, we took a cab to the bus station, and said our goodbyes.  Then I was off to Montenegro

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Party in Belgrade! Alcohol for breakfast, alcohol for lunch, and Beerfest party with my CS host and friends at night

When I got off the train in Belgrade, Serbia, old, dilapidated hostels on the main street greeted me.  Never did I imagine that beyond the rough exterior of the city was a beautiful, tree-lined, cobblestone street city center with one cafe after another, all with outdoor seating underneath umbrellas and hanging potted plants.  I walked up to the city center, found an internet cafe and was so surprised to find that Valentina had accepted my CS request!  I also got an reply from Ana, my old roommate from Nis Serbia, telling me what foods I should try.  I freshened up a bit in the restroom, and then went to the Republic Square where my free walking tour was to start.

The tour started at the Bohemian district, famous for its many kafanas.   Kafanas are like pubs and its very common and acceptable to dance on the chairs and tables.  And in some kafanas, you can even smash glasses if something bad happened to you and you are very upset.  

Our guide told us about rakija (pronounced rah-key-ah), an alcoholic beverage made from fruit, and in Serbia most commonly plums.  Serbs drink it for breakfast, lunch and dinner to kill any bacteria in the stomach.  It has about 40-60% content of alcohol.   My guide was amazing and actually brought us home made rakija  which she passed around in plastic shot glasses.  I could definitely taste the pulm!  It was very sweet but also had the strong taste of hard liquor.  

In front of the beautiful Bohemian district

We then went to a place dubbed the "Silicon Valley" but not for what you think.  Its called Silicon Valley because its the area where many girls who have silicone breast implants come to show off their silicone, (I mean, their body).  And a funny story, men who want to show off their cars even have been known to get into fights for parking spaces on the corner so everyone can see their car.  It doesn't matter if they live a couple of blocks away, they will still drive their car to the restaurants in the Silicon Valley to show it off.  They even started paying people to save parking spaces for them in advance.

Public water fountains

In front of a building with visible bullet hosle sustained during WWII

My guide explaining Rajakia

The fortress built and reconstructed alternatively by the conquering Ottomans and Austrians

After the tour, Valentina met me at a cafe.  We walked around the city together, and because she studied art history, and used to give tour guides as a volunteer, I had another professional tour of the city!  We stopped at a kafana where one of her friends works and had more rajika and a turikish coffee.  Not only is she very pretty and intelligent, able to tell me all of Eastern European history, we chatted about everything else.  She was happy to heal all my travels stories, and about my family's background, and my work and night life in NYC.

Rajika and turkish coffee for lunch

Rakjia served in a cone shaped flask on ice

After our lunch, we walked to her home in New Belgrade, which is across the river Danube.  We stopped for dinner at a local cafe and had pljeskavica, a Serbian hamburger.

After dinner, I took a nap.  Then Valentina, her husband Srbo (pronounced Sirbah) and I set off for Beer fest, which is a huge free annual beer and music festival.  The majority of the bands were Serbian, one was from Bosnia, which was fun to dace to music I didn't understand at all.  By far the most fun for me was at the end of the night when the Shapeshifters performed!  I probably would have never have heard this band without living in Scotland and going to so many techno and house clubs.  I love their song Pusher.  At one point I still had about a half can of beer that I didn't finish and wasn't going to.  Valentina told me I should "throw my drink".  So while everyone was jumping to the music, I spun my beer can around in the air and sprayed us all with my beer.  I was scared people would be upset but it actually made the guys cheer and take off there shirts!

When Shapeshifters started singing "New Day", I really let loose and sstarted dancing.  Valentina said to me, "Don't look behind you because there are 5 guys just waiting to make eye contact with you!".  If I could get that sort of attention in NYC I'd always be dating.

 Crowd and decorations at Beerfest

Having a great time with Valentina, her friend, and her friend's bf

A hilarious story about this guy on the and his outfit, which is from Senagal (except of course for the Mexican hat).  He was traveling in Paris and met a man.  He told the man he really wanted his outfit.  The man said, "I can't give it to you, its my clothes.".  He then offered to pay him 50 euros, and the man sold him his outfit.  He wears it every year to Beerfest and has become quite a hit!

A funny story about the guy on the left.  Hes the boyfriend of one of Valentina's friend.  A random guy came up to him, asked him something, then burst out laughing.  He couldn't stop laughing with his mouth wide open and pointing.  His gf asked him why the random guy was laughing and he said the the guy recognized him from a beer commercial he a year ago.  He asked us, "Why do you think I wore that huge beard for 7 months!  I had to disguise myself!"

And because I was the only black female in all off the festival, maybe even Belgrade, I got a LOT of attention.  I couldn't make it 10 minutes without being approached by another guy asking for a photo.  I really should have charged a euro for every picture.

Two of my good looking fans!

We stayed out until after 3AM. 

Szechenyi Baths, and crossing the Hungarian-Serbian boarder via train

Thursday was my last day in Budapest.  I asked Judit to wake me up when she left for work so I could say goodbye.  I didn't get up until 11AM, and then waited for Judit's mom to come back from the hairdresser because she wanted to discuss something with me.  That something ended up being Aloe Vera.  Judit's mom is originally a teacher but because teachers make about 600 euros a month, she now works selling Aloe Vera products.  

By the time I got into the city it was about 2:30pm.  I bought a ticket to Serbia, and then went to the Szechenyi baths where I planned to spend the rest of the day.  I went into to buy a ticket and was able to look into the pool area.  I saw a lot of couples and not a single black person.  I was actually was very intimated to go in by myself.  I left, sat outside to think about it and work up courage, and then went in.  It was about 15 euros to get in.  In the center was a large pool, then to the sides were smaller pools with warm, cold and hot water.  

It was without question very touristy and nothing like the authentic onsen naked bathing experience I had in Tokyo.  However, it was a very pleasant and relaxing day, like you'd have at a spa resort.  I swam in the pool, then went to the sauna.  Plus I got to take a shower at the end which was fantastic since I was going to be on a night train, and had no hostel to check into in the morning to have a shower.  

After the baths I had dinner and went to the train station.  I didn't have a sleeping car, so it was difficult to fall asleep sitting upright.  When we got to the Hungarian-Serbian border, Hungarian customs first came on board and stamped our passports.  Then the Serbian officers did the same.  The whole process took nearly 2 hours.  

  

Hungarian language, food, and Jamaican curry chicken

One of the greatest feelings of freedom I've ever experienced is the capability to go anywhere in the world I want, whenever I want.  I love the feeling of not knowing where I'll be sleeping the next day.  I love that everything I have for survival is being carried on my back.  This is what makes traveling fun for me.  Even though I spend a short amount of time in each city, always being on the go, and being immersed in a new culture with a new language and new food every few day keeps things very interesting.

I learned on one of the walking tours that Hungarian language is considered one of the top 5 most challenging languages to learn.  And it was confirmed by this website http://www.thirdage.com/learning/top-5-hardest-languages-to-learn.  My guide on the Budapest walking tour said that because the Hungarian language is considered to be so foreign sounding to most of the world, in movies when an alien communicates, they often say something in Hungarian.  I found an example online of the movie The Rite in which Anthony Hopkins when possessed says words in Hungarian.

I learned a few words in Hungarian.  Goodbye is the same as hello, which is pronounced like "see-ya".  Thank you is pronounced like "go-she" which I think of the coffee store cosi.  And goodnight is "yo-ate" which I think of "I" in Spanish and ate.

Wednesday morning I went on 2 walking tours, a general tour and a Jewish district tour.  Through the tours, I visited the highlights of Budapest, including the Green Bridge, the castle district, the largest orthodox and the site of what is now the reconstructed wall of the Jewish ghettos.

 On the Green Bridge

 The Danube river, separating Budapest into Buda and Pest

Water fountains like these are all over the city.

I didn't enjoy Hungarian food very much.  The two Hungarian dishes I had were goulash (which is the national food) and töltött káposzta (stuffed cabbage).  Both dishes had a sour taste, probably from vinegar.  Because Hungarians also put sour cream on literally everything, I suspect they like sour tasting food.  The best dish I had was langos, which is fried dough served with toppings.

 Stuffed cabbage

Goulash, from Most Pub which per my guide has the best, most authentic goulash in Budapest.  The pita bread is served with sour cream on the inside.  

 Langos- fried dough with sour cream, cheese, tomato and olives

A CS is meant to be an exchange of cultures (for both the surfer and the host), I was very happy for the opportunity to cook Judit and her family some Jamaican food.  I very randomly walked past an store labeled "International Food and Spices".  They store was owned by Indians and they had a lot of West Indian food and spices, including curry and coconut milk in cans.  At Judit's home, I showed her how to prepare curry chicken and THANK GOD, it actually tasted good!  Cooking for people can be so stressful when you are representing your national dish!

Judit's parents had already eaten but they sat with us for dinner.  Her mom is very funny and actually wants to couchsurf herself the next time she goes traveling.

After dinner, I spent all night planning my next move.  Though I wanted to go to Croatia, most of the accommodation in the hostels had already been booked leaving only a few expensive options.  I realized after looking at the map that it made more sense to approach Croatia from its Southern part, via Montenegro.  I decided to take the train to Belgrade, Serbia, from where I could get a bus or train to Montenegro, and then a bus to Dubrovnik.

What Belgium waffles really taste like, Manneken Pis, and a lucky find

I set out Monday from NYC with a Jansport backpack on my back, and a messenger bag over my shoulders.  That's all I have with me for the next 2 weeks.  In fact, when I arrived at the check in desk at the airport, the lady even asked me where my luggage was!   I have a towel, 3 dresses, 1 capri, and 2 tanks, 3 days of underwear, a sweater, flip flops, closed toes shoes, and pjs.

 All I brought with me fits in here

When I arrived in Brussels early Tuesday morning, most stores were still closed.  I had no map on me and no guidebook but the nice thing about European cities is that everything is in the city center.  So I followed the English signs marked to the city center, asked a stranger for help purchasing a bus ticket, and made my way to the bus stop.  It was fairly chilly as the sun wasn't fully up yet, probably in the mid 60s.  I saw a good mix of people on there way to work, mostly whites, but quite a bit of blacks as well.  As we got out of the suburbs and closer to the city, I started feeling weary about traveling through another European city.  "Where's the challenge?" I thought to myself, remembering how chaotic and adventurous it was to even cross the road in Manila, Philippines, when I then squashed into a jeepney, knees touching the person across from me, and face covered by a surgical mask.  Now I was on a air conditioned bus on beautiful streets and to be honest, I really didn't feel much excitement.

I had to wander around some roads a bit when I got off the bus before i found the Grand Plaza.  By now it was about 8AM, and except for a large group of Chinese choir members, the tourist had not yet arrived.  It is a beautiful plaza, a bit smaller compared to the one in Madrid, but on the 4 sides has an  impressive city hall in Gothic design, and 2 museums gilded with gold.

Grand Plaza

I kept wandering and eventually found an internet cafe where I sent a couple of emails.  I then bought a phone and SIM card.  Then it was time to for me 11AM tour with Sandemans which offers great quality donation only walking tours around Europe and even NYC.  My tour guide was Senna, like the laxative, and I was lucky because he is a Belgium native.  He grew up in the north of Dutch Belgium, but just along the French speaking southern Border.  His mother makes chocolate for a living, and his grandmother makes waffles.

The most anticipated landmark for me was Manneken Pis, the peeing boy statue.  I remember seeing a picture of it when I was growing up.  The statue is really small, maybe 2 feet long.  And just when i was thinking that I was surprised it hasn't yet been stolen, Senna told us that it had it fact been stolen 7 times.  And right next to it is a sign that says "Camera Surveillance" but has no camera, because that too has been stolen.  And a hilarious story is that once the statue was stolen by a French person.  The Belgium people became furious and the king of France made amends by actually knighting the statue.  After that, every time a French solider walked by, they had to salute the statue!  I would be really PISSED OFF (get it?), ahahaha.

 Manneken Pis!

The meaning of the statue is unclear.  One thought is that the boy saved the city from seize by peeing on a lit fuse that would have lit explosives.  And thus the statue was ERECTED to commemorate him (ahahah, I know, I know).  Another myth is that the boy went missing and the father said that he would make a statue of whatever the boy was doing when he was found.  And there is actually a female version which was made.

I made a new friend on the tour, Ashwin.  He started talking to me and I was really happy to listen to all of his stories.  I really think in this way traveling has opened my eyes to what is is possible to do with your life because what people in my family and friends circle consider extreme is nothing compared to what people I meet do.  To me, couchsurfing is nothing, I consider it lower risk than staying in hostels!  I feel like I can really vibe with travelers because they feel like my people, and we understand each other.

Ashwin is going to Slovenia because he saw a picture of Lake Bled and it looked really beautiful.  In fact, his whole face lit up when he described to me how a church lies in the center of the lake and you have to row a boat to get to the church.  Now that's something I would do.  I went all the way to Laos just to go to a herbal sauna that I saw on Samantha Brown.  So it was really nice to meet someone as passionate about traveling inspired by a photo as I have been.

The next fascinating thing with Ashwin is that he's planning on traveling across Italy by hitchhiking.  His plan is to write where he wants to go on a pizza box, and stand along the highway.  I told him I was just talking about hitchhiking with a friend of mine about hitchhiking, and even though I've personally have hitchhiked (allbeit only about 15 miles) with a hostelmate in Crete, I still admit that it was a pretty crazy thing to do.  Then he told me that Utrecht, Netherlands has whole designated stations where people looking for a ride come and people who want to offer a ride purposefully drive by to pick up hitchhikers.  It is carsufring!

The other crazy thing he told me about was his own CS host in Budapest, a guy from the Congo who since joining CS in Aug 2011 has hosted 462 people!  He lives in a penthouse and has 2 extra rooms which currently Ashwin and a family with a 14 year old is staying in.  Ash told me he made him breakfast this morning before going to work at 6am.  His profile says, since he's not able to travel, he loves hosting people from around the world, and got "addicted" to CS as a way of meeting and helping people.  One day he hopes to meet someone from every country!  Ash told me he has made an photo album of everyone he has hosted.

After the tour, Ash and I went to get waffles at a place recommended by our guide.  The most authentic waffles are always 2 euros, because the ones that cost more do so for their extra topping.  But the real authentic waffle has just whipped cream on it.

Guide to waffles

Actually, waffles come in 2 forms, the Brussels waffle, and the Liege waffle.  The Brussels waffles rectangular shaped and has sugar added on top.  The Liege waffle is the one that I had, and looks, and I iterate, only looks, like the ones served in the NYC food trucks in Columbus Circle.  That all the similarity.  I hate to say it but the Beligum waffles sold in NYC taste so much worse than an actual waffle!  The ones in NYC are hard, crispy, and thin.  The actual waffle is soft on the inside.  and the Liege waffle has sugar lumps baked into the dough so when you bite it, you actually see sparking sugar on the inside of teh waffle.  The there outside is a little crisp, but more caramely, while the inside is soft.  Even the whipped cream tasted better.

Me and my waffle

So now that's one more thing I can no longer eat in NYC, in addition to the dosa's.  Its just not the real thing!

The other thing Belgium is famous for are its fries.  French fries actually originated in Belgium!  And the secret to their fries is that they are double fried, first at 140 C, after which they are cooled.  Then they are re-fried at 180 C which gives it an extra crunch.  Some frites stores come with over 20 different types of sauces.  Ash and I got fries after our waffle and I got the American sauce, which I can't really describe.

Frites store with sauces in the background

After this it was 3pm, just enough time for me and catch the bus going to the Charledori Airport to catch my flight to Budapest.  We exchanged numbers since we may both be in Venice at the same time.

 Ash with his Frites

When I landed in Budapest, I quickly  found out that though part of the EU, Hungary uses its own currency.  I withdrew some money and got on bus 200E as Judit, my CS host said.  I told her I would text her when I landed, and get off at Kobanya Kispest where she was going to meet me.  Unfortunately, my phone wasn't able to send the text.  I tried to using the phone of a really nice Dutch girl sitting behind me, but it didn't work either.  I told her about all my CS hosting experiences, in Asia and in the US and she said it sounded so dangerous.  The hilarious thing was that she and her friend (also female) hitchhiked from Holland to Brussels!  I told her that that sounds so much worse than CS!  But deep down inside, I'm a bit jealous of that experience and hope that one day get the chance to hitchhike again!

As we got off at the bus stop, I started to wonder how i was going to meet my host.  The Dutch girl I met asked me the same question, and I said, she has an online picture so I at least know what she looks like.  Then I heard someone say, "Is that her?"  I turned around and it was my host with her friend!  I was soooo relieved!  I was in a place I didn't know in without internet, late at night.  The funny thing is that I wasn't even worried.  Something about traveling in places like Manila, or Guayaquil makes Budapest feel like my backyard.  I knew that if I needed to I could always take a cab to the city center, and walk around until I found a hostel.  Or just go back to the airport and spend the night there.

Judit was so extremely kind to come all the way to the station to meet me and take me to her house.  We didn't reach to her home until about 11pm.  Her home is absolutely beautiful.  She has a gorgeous staircase, which a large tree in the center.  I have my own comfortable room upstairs.  We chatted a lot on the bus, and then over dinner which she served me some of their rice and chicken that her dad had made earlier.

My comfortable room!

Again, such incredible generosity.  They made a bed for me, gave me their food, and asking nothing in return.  Couchsurfing is an incredible thing but its only because there are incredible people in the world.

Europe, here I come!

Monday Aug 12 is my first day of vacation.  I've spent hours planning this trip.  I decided to fly into Brussels Belgium because it was the cheapest destination in Europe I could book using my US Airway miles.

When I think of Belgium, I think of waffles, chocolate, and the peeing boy statue.  I most likely will have a host, a girl name Katrina.

My anticipated itinerary is very hectic.  I mostly want to go to Croatia, but its very tricky to get to, especially the city Dubrovnik, which is on the south east cost.  No trains or planes arrive in Dubrovnik.  My options to get there are bus, ferry, and car.  My worry with the bus is that I can't book tickets online, and this is peak season, meaning that tickets could be sold out.  And bus only operate on certain days of the week.

I contacted a doctor I found on CS in Zagreb Croatia, but the day I will be there she'll be working a 24hr shift.  She also told me that its holiday time in Croatia and most people will be by the seaside.

The seaside looks absolutely beautiful.  I am hoping to go scuba diving.

Here is my itineary.
Aug 13 6:40 AM -> land in Brussels
Aug 13 6:00 PM -> fly to Budapest, Hungary (it was the cheapest day to fly by 20 euros and I figure I'd spend the morning in Brussels eating and siteseeing)
Aug 13: 10 PM -> arrive in Budapest.  I'm still waiting to hear back from potential hosts
Aug 14 Budapest
Aug 15 1PM -> Budapest to Zagreb, Croatia by train
Aug 16 Zagreb
Aug 16 10 PM -> Zagreb to Split, Croatia by overnight train
Aug 17: Split
Aug 18: Split
Aug 19: Split to Dubrovnik, Croatia by bus, 5hr journey.  This is where I really want to go!
Aug 19: Dubrovnik
Aug 20 Dubrovnik
Aug 21: Dubrovnik -> Pula, Croatia by train if I'm lucky.  Otherwise, it will I'll have to take a bus to Split, then a train to Pula.  I have to go to Pula, in order to get to Venice, which was the cheapest way to get back to Brussels.
Aug 22: Pula
Aug 23: 5:30 AM Pula to Venice
Aug 23: 10:25 AM arrive in Venice.  I'll have just enough time to eat pizza, gelato, and ride a gondola!
Aug 23: 21:00 Venice to Brussels by plan.  
Aug 23 23:00 arrive in Brussels.  3 countries in 1 day!
Aug 24 Brussels
Aug 25 10:40AM Brussels to NYC

Dubrovnik, Croatia

Split, Croatia

Pula, Croatia.  Another Colosseum!

 Budapest, Hungary

Brussels, Belgium

Back in NYC!

After 36 hours of traveling, 5 different flights, and 2 nights spent sleeping in airports, I made it back to NYC safely.  Thank you God for keeping me safe and giving me such an amazing trip!

I am hoping to wrap up my journeys in Manila, diving in Palawan, the journey back home, and de-bed-bugging on arrival.

Bali to Manila, Philippines: Jeepneys and tricycles, and Filipino soap opera

Nearly every person whom I told I was going to Manila gave me the same reaction: "Manila?!  You have to be careful!  Its crazy in Manila!".  Nicole, my host from Kuala Lumpur, even showed me a message her last CS guest sent her in which she express how she just wanted to cry in Manila and was so afraid she couldn't eat.  When I asked Nicole why it was so bad she said that cops with large guns search you at the subways and stores.  "Well that's not too different from the cops in the NYC subway trains", I told her.

Bali: dangerous surf conditions, kebays, and Uluwatu

I feel like I really cheated Kadek's sister out of a learning opportunity.

The night we got back from Ubud, her younger sister asked me to help her with her homework.  She was supposed to transcribe into English a 3 minute audio clip.  I took me a couple of minutes and Kadek said her sister would have been up all night doing it.  The audio clip was actually really channeling.  It seemed to be a clip form National Geographic or other documentary, and had complex sentences and words like "subterranean" and "tectonic plates" .  We laughed about how impressed her teacher was going to be when she read it.

Ubud: A Hindu purification ceremony that left me feeling happy, cold, and clean

Indonesia is a strongly religious country with Muslims prominent in the northern island of Jakarta, and Hindus in the more southern island of Bali.  All over Bali, within a hundred feet or so, temples line the streets.  At any  given time in the day, you can see men or women bringing offerings, called canang sari and leaving it before the temple.  This means that all along the city, canang saris are found on the street.  It is a small flat bowl made out of palm leaf.  Inside, they hold flowers, other plants, and even money.

Bali, Indonesia: Waterbom, and surfing on Kuta beach

Bali was just straight up fun.

Kadek accepted my CS host request but the morning of my flight she sent me an email saying it was too dangerous to stay at her house due to strong winds.  She said I could stay by a friend of hers for the first couple of nights and that she would meet me at his house.  I told her I couldn't stay with a guy so I would find a hostel for the first couple of nights.  She really kindly offered to come by my hostel the next day.

Singapore: National Museum, high tea and the Singapore sling

The next morning, Carine's mom made me a turkey lettuce wrap for breakfast.  We also had one of the pomegranate my friends in KL got me.  Neither Carine's mom or I had eaten one before (though I've had the juice) and we tried to figure out how to eat it given it is full of seeds.  But I was really amazed at how readily her mom was willing to try something new, without hesitation or skepticism.  It also felt great to share something I had just learned with her.  I know my KL friends would be proud!

Kuala Lumpur to Singapore: conversations about race and Eastern toilets

The next day in Kuala Lumpur, I had a flight to Singapore.  I really should have taken the bus as it is slightly cheaper but a lot more convenient.  Nicole's parents took me for breakfast as an Indian restaurant.  I wanted to order roti but her dad said to get Nasi.  I can't argue with paying parents!

Kuala Lumpur: a trip made special by photos, Lydia and Ika, and roti

Kuala Lumpur has the reputation of being a city with "not much to see".  In fact, its listed in my guide book as the 3rd most recommend place to visit in Malaysia.  I however had a fantastic time in KL.  I felt like I got to experience China, India, and Malaysia all on the same trip.

Nicole, my CS host, is Malay-Chinese.  Her ancestors from 3 generations ago came to Malaysia to escape internal conflict in China.  She is 33 years old and teaches private Mandarin lessons, mostly to expatriates, for a living.

I met Nicole in front of the Starbucks at Kuala Lumpur City Center or KLCC, famed for its twin towers which are the tallest in the world.

Vientiane to Kuala Lumpur Malaysia: a couchsurfing experience gone wrong

I took a 3 hour flight from Vientiane to Kuala Lumpur Malaysia.  My couchsurfing host in KL (I'll call her K) told me she could pick me up in the city center at 5:30pm.  So I took the skybus to Sentral Station, got there around 3:30pm, and spent 2 hours walking around and checking email until 5:30.

Unfortunately, I was in the wrong place.  I waited for 30 min, and then at 6pm I skyped called K.  She said went to mynews.com where she told me to wait for her and didn't see me.  I thought she came during the brief moment I left to skype her so I went back.  When I still didn't see her I skyped her again.  She said she was there but since I didn't see her, I realized I was at the wrong station.

Vientiane: Market tour, Cooking class, and Herbal Sauna

Vientiane is the capital city of Laos, but it attracts fewer travelers than Luang Prabang.  I decided the spend the day doing a cooking course.

I met the teacher, Nook, at Full Moon Cafe.  Nook is originally from Luang Prabang, and moved down to Vientiane.  Her cooking has become famous due to a Vietnamese chef, Nguyen, who featured her recipes on an Australian cooking show.

Luang Prabang to Vientanne Laos: an 11 hour bus trip

I decided to save about $50 by taking a bus from Luang Prabang to Vientiane instead of flying.  Unfortunately it left me with two options: Leave 8AM in the morning and miss out on seeing the National Museum in Luang Prabang, or take the night bus and arrive very tired in Vientiane the next day.  Although I was sad to only spend a day in Luang Prabang, I decided to take the morning bus.

Luang Prabang, Laos: climbing to the top of a waterfall

Luang Prabang, Laos is a UNESCO world heritage city. It has a village like feel to it.  Its a very small city with a population of just 50,000.  Its known for its Buddhist monasteries and natural beauty.

I wasn't really sure what I wanted to do in Luang Prabang.  I had contacted 2 couchsurfers to see if they were free to hang out and didn't get a reply.

I decided to go to Kuang Si Falls.  Because of the limestone the water flows down, it is filled with minerals giving it the color of turquoise.  My only regret is that I didn't bring my swim suit.  True the water was a bit cold, but it would have loved to swing on the rope and jump into the pools.

Hanoi, Vietnam to Luang Prabang, Laos: kindness that made me cry

Hang's friend knocked on my door to wake me up the morning after NYE.  I was up late writing in my blog (sometimes it takes me 1 hour for a single post!) so I was groggy when she woke me up. 

By the time I made it downstairs, Hang, Lang, and Luyen were sitting at the table.  Hang had prepared noodles with beef for us all!  I was so grateful!  After breakfast, I offered to help clean up but Hang said no, and told me to get ready.  So I took a shower upstairs, and started packing.  At some point, Fung came over and I heard him shout, “Nisha!  Are you ready?” from downstairs. 

Siem Reap, Cambodia: Angkor Wat, intriguing history, and Aspara dance

My hostel worker tried to persuade me to go to Angkor Wat during sunrise, meaning leaving the hostel at 4:30 AM. I wasn't thrilled about this and was dissuaded to do it by girls in my hostel who told me that it was very boring waiting for the sun to come up and then she was tired the whole day.

I ended leaving for Angkor at 8AM which I turned out to be a great time.  I had my own private guide for the day which cost $28 USD.  It was completely worth it.  He was very knowledgeable about the temple, shared Cambodian history with me, and took several photos for me.

Angkor Wat is the largest religious structure in the world.  What I heard on a documentary that I didn't hear or read in the museum was that it was originally built by a king who wanted to portray himself as a god and thus ensure obedience from his subjects.  The museum stated that it was built to the Hindu god Vishnu.  Its built at the peak of Khmer architecture.

Phnom Penh to Siem Reap, Cambodia: A Cambodian who thinks eating snakes is "crazy"

I took a 5 hour bus from Phnom Penh to Siem reap last Wednesday.  A Cambodian girl sat next to me.  She was in Phnom Penh to meet her family who was traveling in Cambodia from Australia.  We talked a bit about food.  She told me she doesn't eat snake or insects or any other "crazy" food like that.  It reminds me of a joke I heard.  A man from the UK told me how when he was traveling in Kuala Lumpur, a group of locals told him eat the eye of the fish.  He said he told them, "Why don't you eat this one and I'll eat the next one."  Then they told him, "Oh, we don't eat the fish eye".

Phnom Penh, Cambodia: S-21 prison and the Killing Fields

Last Tuesday was a somber day of traveling in Cambodia.  Two hostelmates, Martin and Isabella, and I hired a tuk-tuk for the day who took us to the Tol Sleung Genocide Museum, which also goes by the name S-21, short for Security Prison-21 and one of the killing fields.

Heartbreakingly, the S-21 prison used to be a high school.  Then in 1975, the Khmer Rouge, the Community Party in Cambodia, under Pol Pot, seized power and control of Phnom Phen.  Their plan was restructure the country.  They forced people from the city into rural areas to work in the farms.  They arrested professionals-- mechanics, doctors, teachers.