Blog-to-Books: Our 2012 Travel Memories Enjoyed Through Print
We are currently in the US, making our way through several states to visit friends and family. When we recently arrived in Alabama to visit Bama Mike’s mom, our 2012 Travel Sabbatical blog-turned-into-books were waiting for us. They turned out way better than we expected! When we had intorealpages.com publish our posts and photos, the intent was to have something more durable in print—in case something terrible happened to our website and it disappeared.
We had forgotten a lot of the details captured in the blog, so it almost felt like we were traveling through these places again for the first time. We had many belly laughs over being reminded of the the crazy situations we encountered.
2012 wasn’t that long ago, but in comparison to our travels now, access to web information was spotty, and many transactions were not digital or electronic. Therefore, it seems we had to talk to more locals to get real-time intel, and we had to be more creative in-the-moment with new problems we encountered. Overland border crossings and travel days were always the most entertaining blogs to re-read because of how unpredictable, harrowing, or crazy they were.
If you feel compelled to go down memory lane with us, here are a few posts that we still find entertaining, 14 years later:
Travel Sabbatical: Our Favorites 2012: If TL;DR, here’s a good summary of all our favorites. For example:
Favorite Funny Moment: After a "slight" miscommunication, Mike's goatee trim turned into a full-on shave by the barber. Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Favorite Bus: If you have to be on a bus for 18 hours, it might as well be an "ejecutivo" bus in South America. Oltursa bus service from Los Organos to Lima in Peru was basically like business class on wheels, complete with huge reclining leather seats, wifi, meals, drinks, etc.
Favorite Local Market: Bac Ha, Vietnam came to life on Sundays when the colorfully dressed Hmong hill tribes came from all over the mountainside to trade, sell, and socialize each and every weekend.
Favorite Off-the-Grid, No Tourists in Sight, Hideaway: Los Organos, Peru. We wish we were swinging on one of the hammocks at Muelle Viejo Bungalows.
Best "Glad We Made It" Moment: The Ecuador to Peru overland border crossing was the most dreaded and anxiety provoking from all the difficulties and horror stories we read and heard. We were very, very glad to report that we made the multiple bus transfers and immigration checkpoints without incident. We felt very accomplished and relieved.
Best "Glad We Didn't Get Scammed...Too Much" Moment: Yet another irritating overland border crossing, this time from Thailand to Cambodia, where we felt we did enough research to avoid the major tourist pitfalls and scams.
Best "I Hope We Don't Die Today" Moment: Suspended over the tallest waterfall in Ecuador over a river gorge in a tarabita, a rickety metal basket...
Favorite "Hangout With Locals" Moment: In June, a large Andean family came down from the mountains to watch the Ecuador-Colombia futbol match at a local bar in Banos de Agua Santa, Ecuador. They bought a couple of bottles of beer to be shared amongst 15 of them or so. We ended up buying them rounds of beer while we watched Ecuador win.
Best Place for "We're Going to Freeze to Death": Being in such high elevation (11,000+ feet), Cuzco, Peru gets very cold at night. Interestingly, there were no heaters to be found in any of the hotels. Hmmmm. We just froze instead.
Best Perros Callejeros (stray dogs): Ecuador.
Favorite Clandestine Experience: Being sent to the currency black market through some back alleys, unmarked doors, and secret handshakes to obtain US dollars to pay for our Thai visas.
Etc.
Day 44: Touring the Highway of Waterfalls and Night View of Baños, Ecuador (June 14, 2012)
“As the adventure sport capital of Ecuador, there are multiple opportunities to risk one's own life around the waterfalls….and riding the crazy tarabitas. The closest description of a tarabita is a cable car, except much more "basic". It is an open air metal basket precariously hanging from steel cables that gets pulled by a motor while gravity sends the cart barreling out into the wide open. This is Ecuador...there is no OSHA. We went on the tarabita willingly and without question, but had to stop ourselves from asking the 'what-ifs' while we were suspended over the river gorge to prevent ourselves from having a complete panic attack…After that, we really didn't feel the need to zip-line like we originally wanted to.”
Day 51: Bus Trip from Cuenca, Ecuador to Máncora, Peru (June 23, 2012)
“The most important point for us to recognize was that no matter how much research and planning we did, each person experienced a different twist or turn (overland border crossing).”
“We finally made it to the Huaquillas CIFA bus terminal where we were...unexpectedly...dropped off. It was unexpected because in all our research, we were suppose to pass through the Ecuadorian immigration office BEFORE we got dropped off in Huaquillas! Arrghhh. Of course, trying to have this conversation with the bus attendant and CIFA office lady was fruitless. Great. We had no idea where the Ecuadorian immigration office was, nor did we know when our CIFA bus towards Máncora was leaving…”
Ranting About Margarita's House in Machu Picchu Pueblo, Peru (July 14, 2012)
“Margarita's House in Machu Picchu Pueblo was a hostel charging hostel prices for the "free experience" of crashing at a single mom's house with 3 kids running around.”
“The room was basic and clean, except for the curtain that was too short for the large window that opens into the main hallway, resulting in a "free show" for anyone walking by who had a full view into our bathroom!”
“Occasionally, we would return from town and the front door would be locked with no one to let us in except for her son playing in the lobby area. He opened the door for us, which is rather scary as we could've been anyone.”
“On another occasion, we returned and they couldn't find our key. Turns out, it was left in the door after one of her daughters cleaned the room! OMG.”
“Every morning at 5 am, this place came alive with noises from the kitchen, her kids screaming, TV in the lobby turned on, washing machine started, etc. One morning, a call went directly to the answering machine at 5:30 am and the answering machine beeped every 10 seconds for 2 hours! Arrggh.”
“Since our train didn't leave until 3:20 pm, we just hung out in the lobby area for a while, journaling, reading, writing postcards, etc. This is when the daughter put me to work by asking me to alert her when a guest walked in because she was doing other things. Wha?!”
Etc.
Importance of Confirming Flights (July 10, 2012)
“In the States we don't usually bother to call and confirm flights, as we typically receive email updates and such. Not so, on this trip!”
“Trying to confirm our Lima to Cuzco flight was complicated”
“For our upcoming Lima to Buenos Aires flight on LAN Airlines, we tried to verify our flights online but it wasn't recognizing any of the confirmation or reservation codes we received from AirTreks. AirTreks gave us additional codes but those didn't work either. When we got back to Cuzco, we decided to just go to a LAN Airlines office in person. This is when we discovered that our flight times dramatically changed.”
Day 88: Random Buenos Aires Adventures (July 31, 2012)
A restaurant named “Kansas Grill” in Buenos Aires! “We decided to eat lunch at Kansas Grill and Bar because it was on our way to the Thai Embassy, and our Aussie laundromat owner recommended the place to us, saying they had the best BBQ ribs in town. He did add by saying, "...but since you're actually from Kansas, you may not think so." Without getting our hopes up too high, we were up for the challenge of trying out "yanqui" cuisine in BA.”
Our attempt at getting Thai visas at the Thai Embassy in Buenos Aires came to a screeching halt when she asked for payment in US DOLLARS! Wha?! Let's see...we're in Argentina in a Thai Embassy. We have plenty of Argentine pesos, no Thai baht, and definitely no US Dollars. We could not seal this deal without US Dollars. We did manage to get our hands on some US Dollars*, but we were reminded that all this was unnecessary when, a couple of days later our good friend Lisa - upon reciting the story to her - asked us why we didn't just use our emergency stash of US dollars hidden in our belt? Ummm, good question. We had totally forgotten about our hidden cash. Apparently, we could've avoided all the back alley clandestine hoop-jumping, but then, we'd be without a good story. *We were sent to the currency black market through some back alleys, unmarked doors, and secret handshakes to obtain US dollars to pay for our Thai visas.
Reflections: 4-Months Gone By! (September 12, 2012)
Check out our 40 random things/tips we've discovered about travel and ourselves, in no particular order!
Weirdest Bus Ride from Skopje to Sofia…Ever (September 15, 2012)
“…We think the bus driver was either very sick, very hungover, or still half-drunk. This didn't seem too far fetched after we witnessed a group of bus personnel in uniform at the Ohrid bus station the other day, doing shots of brandy with their espressos at 7 in the morning!”
“Within the first hour of departure, we stopped no less than 3 times along the side of the mountainous road where our driver just sat, slumped over the steering wheel in his seat, then he would get out and go somewhere - probably to take a leak or go throw up. One time, he just killed the engine altogether, and we sat on the side of the road for what felt like eternity. He also made a pit-stop at a gas station where he ran out and bought 2 packs of cigarettes.”
“At last, he was letting the passengers off the bus...only to discover there was no toilet in sight at this strange stop. So, the men just went around the corner and used the bushes, while the ladies...well, we just held it. After about 10 minutes, our driver proceeded to sit down to enjoy a sausage lunch!!”
“Once we got going, he forgot to close the bus doors (this is a big tour bus with front and rear doors), which was nice for ventilation but dangerous for passengers on these mountainous roads.”
“Our driver finally closed the doors, and never stopped again to give us a break for the next 3-4 hours, even though we passed by big rest stops. Except, he did stop the bus at the side of the road one more time, so HE could go do his business in the bushes.”
6th Day in Istanbul: A Private Foodie Tour (September 28, 2012)
“What is Ottoman cuisine, you ask? First, imagine a highly diverse empire that lasted for 500 years, extending all the way from Venice to the west, Hungary to the north, Egypt to the South, and the Middle East. Imagined being able to incorporate the best culinary practices and bounties from each region into their own unique cuisine. Also, imagine being situated right in the middle of the spice trade route. The end result is a complex melting pot of flavors and cooking techniques influenced by India, Middle East, North Africa, the Mediterranean (think Greek), and Italy.”
“ Although we had to re-schedule for a private tour later in the week, we were very happy with our new guide, Aylin Oney Tan. She is a food writer for a Turkish newspaper, food historian, book author, lecturer, and food consultant. She frequently attends food events, was recently consulted to curate a traditional Ottoman wedding feast for a group of journalists, and will be guiding Sara Moulton (one of the original Food Network stars!) through the markets of Istanbul for a television show in a few weeks. She is obviously an expert in Turkish cuisine, and we couldn't believe that she took half a day out of her busy life to take us on a tour (she flew in that morning, just for us, from a mushroom harvesting trip; then was flying out again to some wineries in western Turkey). “
I Could Be Turning Into A Hippie...(October 22, 2012)
“What is it about traveling through third-world (emerging) tropics that make it seem acceptable to start ditching my REI or Northface gear for something a little more...cotton-y and flowy? I'm not kidding. I've got the long unruly hair, hippie-sack bag, flowy skirt, and Birkenstocks to prove it.”
Glad It's Over: Thai-Cambodia Overland Border Crossing (October 22, 2012)
“We've read and heard a lot of chatter about the potential pitfalls and traveler nightmares of crossing the Cambodian border. Perhaps a visit to these sites for some inspiration: Seat61, Poipet - WikiTravel, Cambodia: Poipet - A Warning. It's not that we were worried about whether or not immigration will let us in. We already had our $25/pp Cambodian e-visas issued in advance. It's all about getting across the border and to our destination without getting scammed...too much. Here's what our 13-hour travel day looked like...”
CSX, How to Open An Account to Trade on the Cambodian Stock Exchange (November 7, 2012)
“CSX is in its infancy. It officially opened in April 2012 and currently has one (yes...one) public stock - Phnom Penh Water Supply Authority (PWSA). Although, several more are going public soon. With the economic boom going on in Cambodia, and the relative low financial risk of starting an investment portfolio in Cambodia, we decided to get ourselves in a position to invest in Cambodia. Here's how we went through the process of being able to trade on the CSX.”
Go Take A Hike...With Us in Sapa! (November 29, 2012)
“I'm not ashamed to admit that I had to get some (okay...A LOT of) hands-on assistance from a 12-year old (who probably weighed 70 lbs. soaking wet) and a lady in plastic sandals with a baby strapped to her back, in order to prevent myself from sliding down the cliff during our muddy and slippery trek through the rice terraces of Sapa and the Lao Chai and Ta Van Hmong villages. Welcome to "real trekking" in Sapa, Vietnam.”
I even wrote a poem to encapsulate the whole experience! “As our transition back into real life approaches, it's natural for any extended traveler to begin having a personal philosophical debate about their experiences, trying to somehow articulate it into some deep meaningful expression before it all gets drowned out by the rat race of life all over again. After all, doesn't it seem somewhat shallow if we didn't at least entertain the idea that we learned some life lessons from our travels rather than treating it as just one big vacation?”
Travel Sabbatical Insights, A Poem
I want time to stand still,
To stay in perpetual freedom.
I want time to pass quickly,
To escape from this vagabond life.
Responsibilities,
Schedule,
Routine, I can't recall.
Discipline, I left it all behind.
How ignorant I am.
How naive I've been.
In my world view.
My cocoon.
Ecuador. You surprised me.
Jerusalem. You enlightened me.
Buenos Aires. You nourished me.
Chiang Mai. You cast a spell on me.
Cambodia. Your resilience inspired me.
Vietnam. Your beauty stunned me.
Istanbul. Your grandeur seduced me.
Tangier. Your impenetrable facade mystified me.
The Balkans. Your ongoing struggles challenged me.
Witness to history unfolding.
Sometimes repeating.
"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."
Repeating.
Personal Freedoms.
Due Process.
No longer just words to me.
I've seen a lot. Not seen enough.
Done a lot. More to do.
Met many. But only a few.
Learned daily. Experienced much.
Took less for granted.
Left with more appreciation.
How alive I feel.
For my mom who couldn't.
For my friend who didn't.
This was no vacation.
A career break.
A gap year.
A trip around the world.
Was it a life changer?
Or a life staller?
Only time will tell, but right now,
I want time to stand still,
To feed my curiosity.
I want time to pass quickly,
To acknowledge that new perspective.
Only time will tell.
The insights from our Travel Sabbatical.
