Where did I leave off on my Part 1 Philippines blog? I’m so relaxed that I’ve lost focus. Recalibrating…
Okay, so, I need to start with some potential redundancy. This is around how absolutely incredible the Philippines is as a vacation destination! I honestly under-estimated the country in terms of it’s overall amazingness. Friends who want to visit Southeast Asia for the beaches- the Philippines is your jam! Pinky swear. 
Moving on-ish…the mystery flight out of El Nido (that was only a mystery to me) took us to beautiful Bohol. Bryan Not-Adams had the not-so-easy task of herding our group of 13 through the airport…but we made it and were greeted with adorable little monkey necklaces. 
We were taken to our home for the next three nights, a beautiful resort with breathtaking views…and suddenly the travel day was more than worth it. Here’s Danny and Fi enjoying the welcome drink- they should be poster children for vacation-mode!
And here’s our first glimpse of our latest slice of the paradise pie that this country is. 
That night we enjoyed more fresh seafood at one of the many restaurants on the beachfront that our hotel overlooks. Since it was the night before Easter the beach was packed with revelers and we even got a fireworks display (which Bryan took complete credit for arranging). I hadn’t realized that the Philippines is 80% Catholic, so obviously Easter and everything around it is a huge deal and we saw many festive celebrations throughout the week. 
The next day (Easter Sunday) we were off on our next adventure- exploring the “Chocolate Hills” that Bohol is known for. I’m used to chocolate on Easter but this was even better! The Chocolate Hills are scattered throughout a 20-square mile area and are these cone shaped mini-mountains (100 to 400 feet tall) that are apparently a geological anomaly. They are a luscious green color in the rainy season but brown in the dry season (when the grass dies and the mud that forms them is exposed), hence their name. We started our exploration of said hills with an aerial view from a viewing area. 
Once we had our bearings, we got down and dirty with our hills exploration, cruising through them on ATV’s.
This was a BLAST and we all finished absolutely covered in “chocolate” (I wish!).
Part way through our journey we stopped to hike up one of the hills and take in more views. 
We also saw many interesting sites along the way, such as this Easter dinner prep.
Some minor excitement when Fi’s ATV stalled while cruising through some water but our guides troubleshooted quickly and we were on our way. 
We rinsed off as much of the mud as we could before heading to our next destination- the Tarsier Sanctuary. So, I’d never heard of a tarsier either, but they are adorable little monkeys who are native to the Philippines. They are so tiny that they could fit in the palm of your hand and they look like little Yodas! They actually have the largest eyes relative to body size of any mammal and their eyes are the same size as their brain (random tarsier factoid). And, because their eyes are so big they can’t rotate them, so instead their neck can turn 180 degrees in each direction! Despite this exorcist-like party trick, tarsiers are sensitive little creatures, and they like their silence and darkness while sleeping (who doesn’t, right?). But apparently, while in captivity, light from camera flashes and noise can make tarsiers commit suicide! We carefully creapt through the sanctuary, pointing and snapping a few flash-less pics of the cute little buggers- hoping they wouldn’t off themselves on our watch. 
Tarsiers are sadly an endangered species with the numbers continuing to plummet. This is because they require a specific habitat with certain vegetation and lots of insects to eat, which is harder and harder to come by. The Philippine Tarsier Foundation runs the sanctuary we visited and looks after about 100 of the adorable little creatures. Needless to say, we all fell in-love.
Back at the resort, we relaxed by the pool and took in a stunning sunset before enjoying another beachfront meal. Life continues to be a struggle!
The next day was a BIG one…my birthday!!! While I wasn’t exactly psyched about this birthday rolling around, I could not have asked for a better one and I want to thank my 13 new, super-awesome friends for making it so special! They even made me card and wrapping paper- using printer paper, colored pencils and staples. So industrious! And, yes, there were presents! Sneaky Fiona even got me a tank top I’d been eyeing at a shop in El Nido, after she’d convinced me not to buy it. 
I spent my birthday morning paddle boarding down the gorgeous Loboc River, that is lined with palm trees and other luscious vegetation. We stopped along the way to use a rope swing and try various challenges presented by our guides. Cristina won the “balancing on one foot contest,” with an extremely impressive 21 seconds! I didn’t trust my phone dry bag to keep my phone dry (learned that lesson in Croatia), so unfortunately there are no photos to prove any of this actually happened. You’ll have to take my word for it!
After paddle-boarding we enjoyed lunch, complete with a birthday cake and the second rendition of “happy birthday” of the day, before heading back to the hotel. Later we conveened for a wine and tapas happy hour before frequenting our favorite beachfront bar for the remainder of the evening. I even got a birthday bottle of champagne from the owners of Flash Pack (and also now friends), Radha and Lee! It was a great birthday.
So, if you’ve followed my blog at all (or if you know me at all) you know that “relaxing” is not exactly my area of expertise (at least in the relaxing-by-not-doing-anything-active kind of way). I actually find more relaxation in movement than sitting still (weird, I know). But, when the day after my birthday was a “free day,” I chose to “relax” at the resort and actually thoroughly enjoyed laying around! Maybe this is a getting older thing?!? I will say, the scenery definitely helped (as did the fact I needed some recovery from the birthday revelry the night before). 
Proof I was “relaxing!” 
Danny, Joe, and Bryan got up early that day and went on a boat trip, which they enjoyed- while they did say it was odd to be on a boat with “other people.” I completely understand how that would be odd, as all of our tours in the Philippines had been private and, quite frankly, it was the lifestyle to which we had become accustomed! They seemed to tough it out okay, though, strangers and all. 
The next day we hopped a flight to a town called Cebu, and stayed at a beach resort on Mactan island. Our final dinner (sniff, sniff) was at a “floating restaurant” and we even had a personal musician, regaling us with acoustic cover songs. I will say it was quite entertaining to watch the group (mostly British) belting out “Country Roads,” in accompaniment to the Filipino musician, as we sat on a floating restaurant in the middle of the South China/West Philippine sea (which sea it is depends who you ask). A perfect ending to a perfect trip!
It was sad times the next day as the group slowly peeled off, heading to the airport for various flights. Joe and Helen were leaving later and went on a boat tour, with Ollie’s hat (not sure how they got the hat but it looked like it had a great time!). 
My personal favorite is the hat’s perfectly timed jumping photo on the beach! 
Meanwhile, I enjoyed the amenities and soaked in every bit of sun that I could. I only had to push a few kids out of the way to get a turn on the water slide! 
When I left, it was just Phil at the resort…the last one of the group. He tried to evoke some sympathy for this circumstance but I didn’t feel bad for him, at all. 
While it was sad to have the trip come to an end, I’m so glad that the our group chat has continued to be active, as we share photos, re-live memories, and even plan for reunions (yes, reunion plans are already in motion!). Bryan Not-Adams even made a two-minute video of the trip (talk about going above and beyond!) You can view it here.
Up next….I’ve continent-hopped on over to Africa, specifically South Africa, and can’t wait to see what’s in store for me here!
We began our adventure in the city of Manila, that we toured via bamboo bikes. How ingenious to find a way to make a bicycle using the country’s natural resources! And I have to say it was actually a much smoother ride than a “normal” non-bamboo bicycle.
So, Manila is a city with it’s fair share of baggage in the history department. Essentially the country has been under Spanish, Japanese, and American rule for periods of time and (according to our very awesome guide, Bryan Not-Adams), Filipinos are a hybrid in getting their romance from Spain, their business sense from Japan, and their ambition from America. Not a bad combo at all, in my opinion! I have to say that the amount of American influences in the country have definitely surprised me. Most people speak English, for starters, which is something I had not experienced in my southeast Asian travels yet. When we popped into a big shopping mall to use the ATM, it could have been in any mall in America. They even had a Dunkin Donuts and a Forever 21! (Keep in mind this is the major shopping mall in Manila. Very different from the villages we visited later in the trip).
After the bike tour, we chilled at the hotel pool during the hottest part of the afternoon and then I enjoyed an incredible $10 massage. The deal the hotel offers is actually 2 hours for $1000 pesos (about $20) and there is no option for one hour-. I think I like this “island time” thing! I was certain if I had a 2-hour massage I would succumb to jet lag and fall asleep, so I “split” the time block with one of my new friends, Kristina.
So, we travelled via sea plane to El Nido- a first for me! [Although, in full disclosure, this plane took off from the sea but landed at an airport so I’m not sure it counts as a full sea plane experience? Regardless, it was a cool.] We pretty much sat with the pilot, a friendly Canadian, and it felt a little bit like being in a flight simulator (although thankfully just watching and not flying). Here comes our aircraft:
Preparing to board (some of us are just a smidge nervous)
We made it! Our first meal in El Nido.
We spent that evening in a small beach town and enjoyed a spectacular sunset before our chariot arrived the next morning (our chariot being a boat) that would be taking us to a remote, private island where we would be camping for three days (yes, that’s right, I said private island). On the way there we “island-hopped” (this is a thing), did lots of snorkeling, and had lunch on one of the many isolated white sandy beaches. We arrived at our private island later that afternoon, where we stayed at the one 
Fiona made herself right at home on the private island (yes, I’m trying to say private island as much as I can).
Private island life was a very rustic and very phenomenal experience- the views of the sea, sunsets, and stars were like no other, and the staff could not have done more to go above and beyond and make us feel at home on the island. We were even treated to a concert by the daughter of the chef! 
Speaking of the chef, the food was amazing and they even roasted a pig for us on the second night. The bacon at breakfast the next morning was also delicious. 
After sleeping in mosquito net tents on the beach (at the waters edge under the most star-filled sky) we enjoyed another full day of island hopping and snorkeled for hours among vibrant coral and fish. Life is really tough right now, I know. 
We tried to coordinate a synchronized jump off the boat (we’d seen the passengers on another boat do this and thought it looked cool). Getting into position took some time and once we were all finally ready, Oliver (who was ring leader of the group jump) must have gotten excited and jumped in early. We are just a little dismayed by this premature jump.
Finally, success! Sort of.
I had thought my back was maybe a little pink from all the snorkeling but when I returned to the island, the owner greeted us and immediately offered me aloe for my back. There were no mirrors on the island so asked him to take a picture so I could survey the damage. Ouch. 
Much aloe later, it’s finally faded- that sun can really creep up on you while snorkeling. That night we witnessed another phosphorescent sunset, collectively noticing that the prettiest colors actually came out about 15 minutes after the sun had set. Not sure if this is just a Philippines thing and I’ll have to start paying attention during sunsets elsewhere. With Bryan’s help I also used the time-lapse feature for the first time to capture the sunset. Let me see if I can figure out how to share it…
I had grouper steamed in lemongrass shared some DELISH grilled squid.
The next day we had the option of a free day to relax at the resort or go on a lagoon boat tour- difficult life decisions. I opted for the tour and seven of us had the BEST day crusading around the West Philippines sea, stopping to explore multiple amazing lagoons. Since it was a holiday (Good Friday) the boat traffic was heavier than usual but we still managed to find a secret lagoon, where we were the only ones there for a period of time. Lunch was on THE most secluded beach, which also happened to have THE best snorkeling of the trip so far. And that’s saying a lot! It was a fantastic day and we were all grateful to Bryan for organizing it for us on a free day. Although I think his motivation may have been partially selfish as he seemed to have just as much fun as we did. 
We reunited with the rest of our group for a sunset cocktail (and there was so much for us all to catch up on after not all being together almost a whole day!) I felt kind of guilty telling those who hadn’t come on the lagoon tour how spectacular it was, but they all seemed quite content with their decision (and also looked very relaxed).
As we walked, Daisy told me about a black mark on Hungerford’s history, due to he now infamous “Hungerford Massacre,” which occurred in the 1980’s, when a mentally unstable person walked down the streets of the town randomly firing a rifle at people and taking 16 innocent lives. Following the tragedy, the gun laws in England were severely tightened (including a ban on semi automatic weapons altogether) and the incident remains one of the deadliest mass shootings ever in the UK. It was a timely anecdote to hear as an American, and also frustrating to be reminded that much of our current gun violence is actually preventable. Sigh…
Upon meeting her parents, it was obvious where Daisy gets her contagious personality- her parents are great people and I have no doubt their family home was full of laughter (like all the time) while Daisy was growing up.
No rest for the weary though… I had an upcoming Travelling Trio adventure to tend to! You may recall our last adventure was to Portugal in October. For a March destination we’d tossed around Costa Rica (all of us are dying to go) but schedules didn’t allow the time so we decided on a domestic weekend trip to… Richmond, Virginia. An obvious second choice to Costa Rica? I have to say I was certainly not complaining about not getting on another plane and the train ride was quite lovely (and convenient!) So, I’ve driven through Richmond a few times (meaning I know what route 95 looks like there) and I’d seen the University of Richmond during my college touring (the dealbreaker was a HUGE lake separating the girls dorms and boys dorms- it seemed like an unnecessary barrier). But, until now, I hadn’t actually spent time in the city. And, I have to say, I liked it a lot! In fact, the entire Traveling Trio was pleasantly surprised by good ole Richmond! It’s definitely a lot more happening than I expected- a smidge edgy (this surprised me) and with a lil’ industrial feel, including lots of old warehouse based developments underway. Here we are being edgy! 
Richmond also has the laid-back vibe of a college town but combined with the maturity of an epic historic location, and with the confidence and character that goes along with that. The people are also really friendly- with a southern charm that isn’t over the top and almost seems more midwestern at times. We had a jolly old time exploring the city, including it’s bourgeoning restaurant scene and historic highlights, such as a ridiculously fancy brunch at the Jefferson Hotel (Page had us on a waiting list and we got the green light at the very last minute). 
I then headed up to New England for the main event of my March America fly-by. I spent a few days visiting my New Hampshire nephew contingent (and upping my snowman game) before heading down to Boston. 
Hugo was NOT happy when he came home from school and Frosty was no more. The hard knocks life throws at a four year old! 
So, I’ll be honest that it would have been slightly more convenient to remain in Southeast Asia in between trips to Myanmar and the Philippines. Even with my shoddy sense of geography, I know that much. However, this was not an option! It turned out that on the eve of St. Patrick’s Day, my most amazing Dad was to be the honoree at a large and prestigious gala in Boston- it was an extremely well-deserved tribute to him following a 40-year career in social services, during which (according to personal testimonies at the event) he’s impacted gazillions of lives. Obvs, I HAD to be there! Those of you who know Mark Kennard understand completely… my Dad is just THE BEST! He really is. And, his acceptance speech was absolutely incredible (I may be slightly biased, as he may or may not have referred to me as “our 8th Wonder of the World” in the speech). Here’s the man of the hour! 
The whole family was very proud to be there, especially at the head table with THE Honoree! Here are a few pics of some of my Dad’s entourage (which included Baby Theodore strapped to Tobi’s front!). 
Of course, Seth was trying to hog the spotlight during the red carpet photo shoot. Brothers!
Conveniently the next day was was St. Patty’s day, and what better city to celebrate in than Boston?!? (Okay, yes, Dublin is better…but still pretty solid in Bean-town!) We jumped right into the festivities, including joining an impromptu parade with a bunch of bagpipers. It seemed totally normal at the time and we blended right in! 
I stayed with my friends Porsha and Dennis the next night and was entertained by their hilarious kiddo, Makayla, and her sidekick, Gatsby. Porsh and Dennis moved to Boston from DC last year and it was great to catch up with them. 
Then it was back to DC for packing once again (in true consultant fashion, I implemented some process improvement measures as a result of of my lessons learned from last time). I was planning to arrive a day early for my next Flash Pack tour (the Philippines!) but Mother Nature intervened and instead I spent an extra day in DC, playing in the snow with a real cast of characters.
Thankfully I was rebooked on a flight that got me there JUST in time for the first tour activity. The flight did have an 11 hour layover in Doha, an airport I’ve become very familiar with, and just to kill some time I went on the free bus tour of the city that Qatar Airlines offers. I already did this tour during a layover in December and not much has changed but the sites were far superior to those of the airport. 
Now, I’m finally here and ready for whatever adventure the Philippines has in store for me! (I guess I could look at the trip itinerary to see what that is but why ruin the fun?!)
I feel lucky to have had the opportunity to experience the country while it’s still seeping with raw beauty and history, literally everywhere you turn. It’s rare to experience the authenticity of a place (both the good and the bad) before the tentacles of tourism creep in and alter things. Kind of like finding that elusive ‘sweet spot’ time to visit Cuba.
We toured around bustling Yangon the next day and even had our first street food experience, which was delicious. Thankfully Josh knows the spots to try- not sure I would have been that adventurous on my own (and there were still some menu items I was not adventurous enough to try). 
We were up and out the next day, flying to the city of Bagan, of which I knew nothing about. This was our first experience with Myanmar domestic air travel and I soon realized that it’s really more like riding a bus than flying. The flight times are all “ish,” and there doesn’t seem to be an actual set time. Also, you get a sticker of a certain color, which is how they tell which fight you are on. And, you will almost always stop somewhere along the way, for just enough time for some people to get off and others to get on. It’s very efficient in that way, and they seem far more concerned with getting you there in one piece – keeping the eye on the prize… I like it. Doesn’t this boarding pass exude confidence? 
So, Bagan is Temple Central– I’m talking about more than 2,000 temples! They are literally EVERYWHERE you turn, giving the spot a truly ethereal quality. 
These temples are not new construction, either. Most were built between the 9th and 13th centuries and it is estimated that there were once 10,000 of them! Today most are just to look at and only a few dozen are restored and kept up. We went on a templing bike tour, which was a great way to take in the beauty of the place as well as navigate the dusty, rocky roads between the pious icons. It definitely could not have been easy to haul around the materials needed to construct these massive structures back in the day. I could barely haul myself around! (Luckily I could just blindly follow Josh).
We took in some additional Bagan beauty (as if we needed it) with a sunset boat cruise. I’m not sure pictures can really capture the beauty of Bagan: 
Next, we hopped back on the airplane-bus travelling to another stop along the route…a small town called ‘Heho’ (yes, the Naughty By Nature song was in my head incessantly). Upon arrival, we embarked on a breathtaking trek through the surrounding mountainside dotted with cabbage patches and, of course, a few temples. 
We stopped in one of the villages for lunch hosted by a local family, in a traditional two-room hut that houses their entire extended family. We could see the food being prepared over a single flame, and later we all agreed that it was one of the best meals of the trip. In true Burmese fashion, the village people were all super-friendly and seemed fascinated by our group (I don’t blame them- with representatives from seven countries, we were a motley crew). After lunch I enjoyed hanging out with three little guys, and despite not speaking the same language… it’s amazing how the common language of silliness brings people together. 
The next day we were off to an elephant conservation camp! This was a highlight of the trip for many, myself included (despite not having known we were doing this in advance- love it when every day is a surprise). So…the elephant situation in Myanmar is very sad. There used to be tons of logging taking place there and the country actually has one of the world’s worst deforestation rates. Additionally, there was gross mismanagement and corruption in the logging trade, contributing to the country’s ongoing conflicts. A national logging ban was implemented in 2014 and since then, the logging has decreased significantly…which has actually been a very bad thing for our elephant friends. So, the elephants were a critical component of the logging industry- hauling all the wood around, as elephants do. But elephants being used in this way are bred and used as worker elephants. Problem being that worker elephants can’t just stop working and go back to the wild. Doesn’t work. So, there’s a huge population of endangered elephants that are kind of left high and dry now that they aren’t logging anymore. To further confound the situation, there are unfortunately still some bad eggs out there- hunting elephants and using the majestic animals for personal gain (aka making money on things like elephant rides). It’s a sad state affairs.
Okay, so I have to say, there is something incredibly regal and captivating about elephants when you’re interacting with them, and especially when looking them in the eyes. The way they look at you….you almost feel like you should bow down to them. And, they just exude this wisdom- you can tell that they totally get everything that is going on. It’s fair to say I will never think of elephants the same way again… these animals are really something special. 
Our home for the night was an awesome hotel that was boat themed and the next day in true fashion we embarked in two water vessels for a spin through the waterways that make up Inlay lake, consisting of extensive “floating villages” and beautiful views. 
We stopped for lunch at a restaurant in a floating village, clearly trying to cater to whatever tourism comes through. And I clearly blended right in as a local.
Our home for the evening was a beautiful and rustic lodge in the very remote village of Samkar. Since we’d made good time, apparently, Josh was able to take us on a walking tour of the village (in the past it’s already dark when groups have gotten there). As Josh led us through the dirt roads and villagers came out of their homes to greet us, and the children running around seemed especially fascinated to see us. Josh spoke to a few of the villagers and learned that for many it was the first time they had seen light-skinned people. Wow. Somehow that possibility had not occurred to me. 
On that note, many of the women and children Myanmar apply a mud-paste substance called ‘thanaka’ to their faces. It’s said to be good for the skin, serve as sunscreen, and make their faces appear lighter. It’s almost impossible (based on my efforts- may actually be impossible) to find sunscreen in Myanmar that doesn’t have bleach in it, as their goal is only to lighten their skin. I wondered what the Burmese would think of the concept of a spray tan? 
We enjoyed a beautiful sunset and the next day boated on over to a town called Phekone, swinging by a few waterfront temples on the way. 
We enjoyed another beautiful sunset and the next day traveled to Pan pet village for another scenic trek (life is very rough). There we met some villagers, including women wearing brass neck rings…who most people have only seen photos of in National Geographic. So, in eastern Myanmar there are many women in the Kayan state who wear these rings (although apparently it’s far less popular than it used to be). The rings give the impression that the women have extremely long necks, but they actually just compress the shoulders downwards. 
Nobody knows for sure why these neck rings became a “thing”- explanations range from keeping evil spirits out, to protecting against tiger bites, to making them less attractive and less likely to be taken into slavery. A woman we met has four children and 8 grandchildren and only one granddaughter has chosen to wear the rings. She has until age 18 to decide if this is for good, because after that age you add rings and your neck becomes physically unable to hold up your head without the support. So, it’s a lifelong commitment. 
We headed back to Yangon the following day and wrapped up our trip with a bicycle tour of the town of Twante. We took the ferry to the other side of the river to get there from Yangon, a reverse commute to the masses of villagers heading into the city to sell their wares. Apparently the ferry was a gift from Japan and has been a life-saver for people residing in the villages. I can’t help but think that a bridge might be a nice next step, but I don’t see that construction starting anytime soon. 
In Twante, we cruised around the streets and stopped for lunch at a local establishment. We also visited a village pottery studio and I added pottery-maker to the list of careers that I will not be pursing in the future. 
I don’t know what happened…but somehow it was the last night of our trip, all of the sudden! It felt like we had just met in Yangon! We enjoyed a final meal together and reflected on all of the magic we’d experienced together. 
I was glad to be staying an extra day and I used that time to visit a Burmese photography exhibit in the stunning former headquarters of British colonial rule, the 
As I walked through the formally abandoned building, rich with beauty and history and packed with tourists and locals alike- I thought about why we were all there. We knew it wouldn’t be perfect inside, but it was somehow the imperfection we sought. We knew it had been the site of tragedy and injustice and tears, and we didn’t want those stories to go away or be glossed over. We wanted to see it, and feel it, and let it in… and maybe even let it change how we thought of the world, just a little bit. As I made my way to the exit, and thought sadly about going to the airport, I realized it was the magical country of Myanmar that had done exactly that.
I then embarked on my maiden solo voyage using London’s public transport system. I’d also been forewarned that this was complex to navigate and that Londoners were mostly “heads down” and wouldn’t go out of their way to be helpful or friendly. But my London opposite-world experience continued. I actually felt like people were much more helpful than people would be on the DC Metro…strangers carried my suitcase up stairs for me! At one point I was waiting for an elevator (aka lift) in the station along with several other suitcase laden travelers and a women with a stroller. In the States I’m quite sure that those who had been there first would have gotten on and the others would have to wait. But here, stroller lady got priority without question and then stroller lady worked with the other riders to arrange a Tetris puzzle that would allow all of us and our bags to fit. Teamwork with a Capitol T!
It was a blustery London day and the tour ended at a pub, where I sat and chatted with a new friend from the tour over fish and chips- she’s from Brazil and her name is Alathea. This confusing during introductions when she said “I’m Alathea” (pronounced Ala-Teha) and I replied “I’m Teha” and she said “No…I’m Alathea” to which I responded “and I’m just Teha.” Soon after we sorted this out, two gents timidly approached our table and asked for a favor…they work for a market research company and were testing a new hard cider. They had the nerve to ask if they could give us each a free pint of cider and ask us a few questions on camera. AND, as if this weren’t enough of an imposition, they also wanted to PAY us ten pounds for the huge inconvenience. Um…YES and YES! Alateha commented with glee that these things just don’t happen to her. I admitted that these things seem to happen to me all the time. Here we are with our paychecks: 
So, while planning my day that morning I’d checked out a last minute theater ticket app and entered a raffle for a first-row ticket to see Kinky Boots for 20 British pounds (which is equivalent to $28). I checked the app at the designated time and saw that I had not won the first row raffle (and I usually pride myself on my raffle-winning skills) but I was offered a 7th row seat for the same price. I guess that would have to do! 
My seat and the show did not disappoint- both were amazing! And apparently my row was celebrity-central that night. I was chatting with a group of six women in my row before the show and noticed the two ladies sitting next to me staring and whispering. They later told me they couldn’t believe I’d met the band “Girls Aloud,” which is apparently a British Spice Girls-esque band. The group had apparently broken up so it was BIG NEWS that they were together at the show. Oh the drama! One of my seat mates exclaimed, “I can’t believe there are celebrities sitting next to us! This NEVER happens to me!” I refrained from commenting this time.
On Friday I met up with Bhavika (aka B) who I’d met in July on the Flash Pack Vespa tour in Spain and she took me to the Tate modern as well as other assorted sites, before we met up with two other fabulous females from the same trip, Emily and Sacha. The four of us went to a super-cool bar that is World War II themed. It’s underground (and actually hidden with a secret entrance) and decorated as a bunker. You wear a bad-ass uniform jacket while decoding various clues, selecting a series of smells, colors and tastes, and radioing in the selections…which end up being the components of individualized hand-crafted cocktails. They claim to never make the same one twice but who knows. Mine was delicious so I do hope they make it again! 
The next day I was excited to FINALLY meet the infamous owners of my favorite tour company, 
I then met Rob at his cricket club where there was a big rugby game on TV, but I forgot to watch the game as I was too busy chatting with people. The next morning Rob had a soccer (aka football) game that I went to watch. It’s with guys (aka mates) he went to high school with and they still play against other former high school rivals! I was immaturely entertained hearing grown men on the field (aka pitch) saying things like “lovely shot mate!” The “British language” really never ceases to entertain me!
Essentially she cooks delicious food and people come to her house to enjoy it. The kicker is that often she doesn’t know any of the people (nor do they know each other) and most attendees are just individuals who want to enjoy a “proper Sunday lunch” and potentially make new friends. It’s a popular concept in London apparently and a “brilliant” idea. Emily is an out of this world chef and the consummate hostess, so it’s not at all surprising that her lunch club has been so successful! 
I saw Emily and B again a few days later for a delectable “afternoon tea” at none other than the infamous Harrods. I knew the Brits were known for “tea time” but didn’t realize it was a thing that many restaurants offer in the afternoons. A very cool experience with two very cool ladies. 
I checked out the London museum on my last day in the city and was horrified to learn more about all the city has been through over the years…fires, plagues, wars etc. Talk about a resilient city! I have to say that my time in the city made me leave wanting more, which is exactly how I like to leave a place. I especially need to see St. Paul’s cathedral next time, as Tom Cruise had it occupied this trip for filming Mission Impossible 12 (or whatever number we’re on now).
As I walked into the cathedral at 5:30 on-the-dot, the woman at the entrance stopped me. I explained “Oh, I’m just here for the concert” to which she replied “This is a religious service.” At that point my deeply seeded Catholic guilt came out (odd since I’m actually not Catholic) and I feared if I turned away at that point I’d be struck by lightening. So…I sat through an entire mass. There was actually a choir, but it consisted of middle aged to old men- definitely no children. Whoops! It’s such a beautiful place that I definitely did not feel bad for myself. 
The next day Louise and I got sucked into some Winter Olympics viewing in the morning. As explanation, I’m minorly obsessed with the BBC’s coverage of the games as it’s SO different from how the Games are covered in the U.S. First of all, there are NO commercials and they actually show LIVE coverage, that includes showing athletes who are NOT from Team USA. What a novel idea! I will say they definitely focus on events where Team GB has any shot in hell for a medal, but that’s only a few events anyways. I learned that Ireland only has five athletes at the Winter Games and has never won a medal. Louise read me a headline from a local publication, about an Irish skier’s “success” in their event the previous day. I assumed that meant they had made history and medaled! Um…not exactly. Success is apparently defined as (and I quote) “finishing the run with no major issues” and placing in 56th place! Once again…perspective gained.
That night we went “out on the town” with Louisa’s fabulous friend, Fiona, and ended up at an authentic and infamous pub called O’Donahues, where we saw a “proper session” of folks jamming Irish music with an array of impressive instruments. It was pretty phenomenal and also cool to see the photos on the walls of the dozens of celebs worldwide who have been there to enjoy the music.
So, several months later we all met up to board our flight to Ivalo, which is a remote place in Finland where the temperature was MINUS 25 degrees Celsius the day we arrived. I’m still working on how to convert Celsius to Fahrenheit exactly, but any way you dice it, negative 25 is FREEEZING. Maybe the cold would decimate the germs causing whatever sickness I had percolating? Such wishful thinking! Here’s Daisy, the ringleader and travel coordinator of our crew:
The proprietor of our Ivalo accommodations, Henry, picked us up at the airport and drove effortlessly through the ice and snow covered roads in his sedan. SUV whhhaaattt??? We settled into our adorable little bungalow and bundled up for the 15 foot walk to the main building where we enjoyed the first of several home-cooked authentic Finnish meals. Yum!
So, the big draw for this middle of nowhere spot in Finland, is that you have an increased chance of seeing the mythical northern lights. Henry and company provided the service of knocking on our door to alert us to any lights (up until 11pm) so we wouldn’t have to sit outside waiting for them while turning into Walt Disney’s corpse. I learned there is some debate about northern lights viewing as it’s impossible to predict when they can be seen. Some companies apparently rip-off tourists by taking them on expensive northern lights viewing treks that don’t actually increase their odds of seeing them. It’s pretty hit or miss as far as I (or anyone can tell). Having discussed northern lights viewing strategies with several strangers on the voyage there (including the Finnish flight attendants on the plane) I had decided that the best time to see them was after 11pm, when no one was watching. Like spotting Santa Claus! Yet when we heard a knock on our door at about 9:30pm- I threw on my cold weather gear in about ten seconds flat and ran outside. Opinions differed on what it was that we actually saw at that juncture…I saw a greenish cloud streaming across the sky, that looked even greener if you took a picture of it. It was kinda cool, as far as green clouds go, but not what I was expecting for THE LIGHTS. 
We went back inside, feeling like we’d seen them (if not with our own eyes, it definitely appears we did if you look at a picture) and returned to a rousing game of Cards Against Humanity. As I’d promised myself, I geared up again at around 11:30pm for another check, convinced I had cracked the code by waiting until after 11pm…but, alas, there was nothing to be seen. Not even Rudolph! The next morning at breakfast we heard from another group that they went outside at 1am and the lights were in FULL EFFECT, “dancing across the sky!” Darn it- if only I’d checked a few more times before going to sleep! Oh well, can’t win ‘em all I guess. And at least we had that green cloud!
Unfortunately, I woke up the next morning feeling even more achy and chilled, with zero desire to get out of bed (zero was far warmer than the temperature outside, btw). Staying in bed, however, was not an option as far as I was concerned…it was snowmobiling day! With all the winter activities I’d enjoyed in my lifetime, snowmobiling was not one of them and I’d been dying to try it! I consulted Binay, the doctor in the group (and he’s actually a doctor!), and loaded up on over-the-counter meds that kicked in pretty quickly and at least made me forget I had a fever. We paired up on snowmobiles and got a tutorial from our guide, during which I was only half paying attention. The views around us were just so pretty and I was just SO excited! How to concentrate?!? 
My passenger, Danielle, and I boarded our vehicle and she asked if I knew what I was doing. Let’s hope so! I knew how to GO (most importantly) and also not to get too close to the snowmobile in front of us and to stay in the track created by the leader. No funny business, basically. 
I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED snowmobiling, and was in heaven as we cruised over the snow covered ice, passing a few adorable, remote lake-side houses. Throughout the three hour trip, the guide only had to stop twice to walk back to my snowmobile to issue me warnings. During the second warning he shook his finger at me, like a teacher scolding a student. I really couldn’t help it though! It was way more fun to cruise just a little bit to the side of the track, through the deeper, untouched snow and I didn’t think he would notice a few, small deviations…my bad. We stopped midway through the journey and disembarked our snowmobiles to warm by a fire deftly created by our guide, after he whittled tiny strips of birch off a branch (in the middle of a snow mound, as if creating a fire in the snow is like switching on a gas fireplace). As we trudged about 50 feet through the deep, fluffy snow to the fire area, I had the impulse to stop to make a snow angel and Daisy (our resident videographer, always looking for a good shot) asked if I had my camera handy. I handed it to her and then returned it to it’s holding place in my front pocket. 
Following the rest of the trudge (this snow was DEEP) we arrived at the fire. I reached for my phone to discover it was no longer in my pocket. Huge. Siiiighhhh. I knew my phone had to be somewhere along the 50 foot long path we’d created in the snow, so I diligently canvassed the area, scouring the WHITE snow, for my WHITE phone. And to make matters worse, the more I scoured the more new footprints I created, making it nearly impossible to tell where we had first walked. I didn’t say much during this search and rescue mission but knew that if I did not find my phone, it would be a royal pain in the *ss to get a new one (I knew this from a previous Teha’s Travels mishap when my phone had an unfortunate run-in with a defective dry bag while whitewater kayaking in Croatia…procuring a new one overseas was both a lengthy and expensive endeavor). My travel mates kept encouraging me to give up the seemingly futile search and join them around the fire before I froze to death (they didn’t say that last part but they later admitted thinking it) but I refused to give up. Don’t they look worried?
The the way I thought about it, my phone HAD to be somewhere along that 50 foot stretch of snow and while the chances might be slim that I would actually find it- there was a ZERO percent chance I would find it if I didn’t keep looking. So keep looking I did! Probably a good 30 minutes later, just when I was mentally trying to come to terms with the fact that my phone was probably gone…EUREKA! Miracles do happen! Our guide seemed shocked. The other members of my group seemed extremely relieved, most likely that they wouldn’t have to be dealing with the potential aftermath of sick AND phone-less Teha. I don’t blame them in the least! [Note: All’s well that ends well, although I do have to admit that the toes on my left foot have not felt quite the same since that frigid phone-hunting expedition…just an odd tingly sensation at times. But what’s a few toes….at least I have my phone!] 
I was on a high (from both snowmobiling and the found phone) that lasted until we got off the snowmobiles. I think the British Tylenol had worn off by then too and I was authentically chilled to my bones, wanting nothing more than to be in bed. Which is where I went…..and slept for hours (bundled in a hat, four shirts, three layers of pants and four pairs of socks). All was well worth it for the feeling of whizzing over the ice on the snowmobile! Sadly I missed out on the group’s Ivalo fun that afternoon:
That night we enjoyed a second Finnish meal, featuring none other than reindeer. I wasn’t sure about this but it actually tasted pretty good! I also enjoyed it in a soup the subsequent evening, where it had more of a smokey, bacony taste. The Finnish definitely have no qualms about eating Donner, Blitzen, and the gang. 
Same drill the next morning but on a different exciting winter adventure…dog sledding! I didn’t know what to expect on this excursion but once again it was incredible. It reminded me of that book “The Call of the Wild” by Jack London, that was pesky mandatory reading in high school. 
Danielle and I had our own sled (once again she was the passenger, I was the driver- roles we were both very happy with) and this time we had a whole fleet of energetic huskies that pulled us (and fast) through a beautiful winter wonderland-y forest. The sled driver wasn’t supposed to take videos but I couldn’t help it…at least I only had one warning this trip!
The next day we had a few hours to explore in the snow before heading off to Finland’s capital, Helsinki. I roamed around that morning and tried so hard to see a reindeer but no dice…just a lot of evidence that there were around (and likely hiding from my pink snow pants). 
These pants are actually my 92 year old grandmother’s back from her skiing days and she actually had a jacket to match! It takes a certain kind of person to rock pink ski pants like these ones and I can only hope to do them as much justice as Nan did!
We may not have understood much of the language but we had a blast! Funny headwear is known for breaking down language barriers.
It was a FREEEEZING day in general and especially so on the blustery fortress island. Once again…hand warmers to the rescue! This fortress has some really cool history as it was originally constructed to protect against Russian expansionism and was created using a typical “star-shaped style of fortification” but adopted for a group of rocky islands. This construction methodology was apparently very successful as the sea fortress still stands in seemingly perfect condition and there are even about 800 year round residents. 
Back on the mainland we warmed up with lunch and speed-toured a few churches before ending up at a Boston bar (by accident, I swear!) where we played Finnish scrabble. 
There is a different ratio of consonants to vowels in the Finnish version of Scrabble and some letters are missing altogether. At one point Claire had 4 k’s in her letter bank! 
I have to say it was surreal sitting in Finland in a bar with Boston sports paraphernalia everywhere and with the Washington Capitals hockey game on TV! 
Before heading out on the town (aka back to Bar Base) for our final evening of the trip, we presented Daisy with a thank-you gift for organizing our adventures, which she totally rocked. 
Little did Bar Base know that it’s Twister night on Mondays! Daisy denies this was her doing but the rest of us are certain it was. 
Some final touring in the morning before heading to the airport to head back to London. There, we finally found the northern lights! 
The amazing Daisy already created a fantastic re-cap video of the trip, that you can view 
So, for ten days it was too cold to go outside for more than a few minutes…which resulted in a lot of time inside and lots of “opportunities” for family bonding. I had the option of two locations where I could participate in this bonding: my parents’ house (which includes my mom and dad) and my sister’s house (which includes my sister, Tobi, her husband, their three children, and two cats). Over the ten days, I found a great balance toggling back and forth between the two houses- the chaotic and exciting environment of Tobi’s and the relaxing and excitement-lite environment of my parents’. At my sister’s I loved hanging out with my adorable nephews, and especially meeting my brand new nephew, Theodore! How cute is he?!
I even came to enjoy the 7am wake-up calls of two shrieking jumping beans (named Felix and Hugo), who jumped on both me and the bed with MUCH gusto every morning I was there.
As much as I enjoyed this, I needed a break every few days and enjoyed the solace of my parents’ spot. I also loved spending some QT with my parents and was even there the day my dad came home from work for the last time before retirement. After so many years of grabbing his briefcase (and gym bag) and heading to the office, he was dunzo!
Now, if you who know me at all, you know that I have just a lil’ bit of energy and this being-stuck-inside thing was bound to have me bouncing off the walls. This could have resulted in a disaster over ten days [namely me going bonkers]. Have no fear… Planet Fitness to the rescue! This was a clutch move that contributed pretty significantly to the success of the visit…that and a few (short-lived) outdoor expeditions.
Despite the farewell blizzard I made it back to DC, where the next week and a half flew by and soon I was scrambling to pack the morning of my next adventure! Where am I going, you may ask? So…this trip kind of morphed along the way as I discovered that it’s super-cheap to travel to and around some European cities during cold and dark January. What a perfect time to hit up some new places! And after braving the New Hampshire weather, I was certain Europe would feel like Cancun.
Upon takeoff, the WOW flight attendant announced that most passengers on our flight were transferring in Iceland and heading to Europe. She also said that, despite the delay, she was “99% certain” that all the connecting flights would wait for us. PHEW! Then we landed…. and the same lady got on the loudspeaker to let us know that if you were headed to Stockholm or Berlin, well, those planes didn’t wait. 99% certain? How lucky of me to finally be a one-percenter!
It was there that all of the inmates were issued pink slips of paper (literally) with the name of the “hotel,” where we’d be staying. When asked about specifics, the WOW reps shrugged a bunch, repeated the fact that there were no more flights to our destination that day, and provided assurances that we’d be on the first flight the next morning. We were then ushered onto airport buses and driven to our “hotel.” During the drive we were quiet and defeated, looking like inmates not knowing where we were being taken, or for how long. We were dropped off at The Base “hotel” that was seemingly in the middle of nowhere…in snowy, dark tundra of Iceland.
I admit that I used the deadbolt to make sure no potentially assigned bunkmates could get in. By this time, it was 8am and still pitch black. I checked my phone and discovered that sunrise was scheduled for 11am and sunset for around 4pm. Yikes. I took a snooze and watched an episode of the Crown…and then it was light (only one light) out! But it was also lunchtime and I was hungry. We’d been told by the WOW reps that we’d be comp’d for all three meals that day. This meant we could spend 2,000 of Icelandic currency (I’ll call them ‘things’) on each meal. Unfortunately, this was not for use at the restaurant of our choice (not that there were any to choose from) and it was to be spent at The Base Hotel’s on-Base “restaurant” that was a 10-minute walk from the barracks. This was more of a trek than a walk, through the snow and ice….and on that day, also blustery winds. It would definitely have been very difficult for anyone with a physical impairment to get there.
Once I arrived, it was not surprising that the restaurant (more like a mess hall) was as strange as the rest of ‘the situation.’ I got a menu and realized that there was pretty much nothing I could purchase for 2,000 things (equivalent to $20). Shocker of shockers, I had to pay extra to get a chicken salad and soft-drink. It was clearly the Soviet-bloc ambiance I was paying for? At this point, I knew I had to do something that involved movement to survive this situation, but there was no Planet Fitness to be found. Instead, I embarked on a walk to the nearest “town,” that was about 2 miles away.
The scenery was beautiful, as it is in Iceland, but I had no idea where I was or where I was going, and was paranoid the sun would set at any moment (in which case I’d have been a real liability for WOW). I completed the walk (the ‘town’ was pretty much non-existent but there were some nice views on the way) and I returned to The Base “hotel” thinking it would be a long night. Here’s the town:
Then I remembered that the airport shuttle was picking us up at 3:30am, so the night would not be long at all. Phew! I trekked back out to restaurant (an extra-chilly venture after the sun was down!) got another chicken wrap (that was more than 2,000 things, of course) and headed to bed. I was surprisingly awake at 3am (I credit the time change) and, despite the early bell, folks on the bus were actually a little chatty this time! While at The Base “hotel” I’d enjoyed meeting Joanne from Munich at lunch and having dinner with Kenny from Chicago, and it seemed others had done the same. One sub-group of five strangers had even coordinated an excursion to the Blue Lagoon!
Danica’s amazing Mom, Marit, made a very smart decision to get out of dodge and take the train, in an effort to get to her elderly father and her daughter’s grandfather faster. We all exchanged information and hugged goodbye.
Hanna and I had officially met at 3:30am that morning, despite having crossing paths a few times at The Base “hotel”, at which time we were both in “what’s going on right now, eyes straight ahead” mode. Hanna is a creative, wise, and super-fun musician, who moved from Sweden to Baltimore three years ago. So, we’re practically neighbors and I have no doubt we’ll meet up when we’re both back in the area. Maybe meeting Hanna is the one thing I can give WOW credit for on this epic journey? Or maybe not. I actually suspect that we were just meant to meet and WOW had nothing to do with it 😊
So, at the end of the DAYS, my journey ended up taking 44 hours, which left me with about 16 hours to explore Stockholm before moving on to Brussels. I’ll fill you in on both cities in the next day or so. This is already so long… so much to say and congrats if you made it to the end!
So, I took off from Siam Riep and hopped over to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. After posting that I was in Cambodia I was informed by my friend, Mel, that Malaysia is close to Cambodia (yes, I actually own the bright yellow book “Geography for Dummies.” I haven’t gotten too far, obviously). I met Mel when I spent a college semester studying abroad at the Univeristy of Western Australia, in Perth. While I had many friends who also chose beautiful Australia as their study abroad destination, I was the only one who chose the most remote city on the planet as my home for six months. Literally, it is the most remote city on earth! A fact validated by John Glenn, who when he first orbited the earth reported that Perth was the only city he could differentiate from other cities. A distinctive and lonely grouping of lights, I guess? So, my college friends mostly lived in group houses in Sydney, with each other and other American students. Their experiences reminded me of the MTV show “Real World.” On the other side of the country/continent I lived in a “college,” one of several affiliated with the “uni” and it was a place where I slept, ate, and participated in a range of social activities with my new “mates,” who were mostly Australian, closely followed by residents of Singapore and Malaysia, a handful of POMs (Prisoners of Mother England), and just a few Americans. It was like I lived in the most down to earth (and all over the earth) fraternity, named St. Thomas More College. My time there was both formative and transformative, as it’s when I first had the opportunity to immerse myself in different cultures and gain perspectives that would forever alter how I viewed the world. I also made many friends who still (and will always) have a special place in my heart. It’s funny how six months of my life are still so important and impactful, many years later. I digress…so, my friend Mel was one of my St. Tommy’s mates who hailed from Malaysia. And when he reached out I jumped at the chance to check out a country I’d heard so much about over morning tea and vegemite toast 20-years prior. Here we were, at a uni ball (Mel is second from right): 
I was first impressed by the accommodation options in Kuala Lumpur- I stayed at a beautiful, centrally located Le Meridien for about $50 a night. No joke. Next, I was impressed with the infrastructure of the city. I whizzed through the huge and well-designed airport, to the efficient and well-designed high-speed train, only to be deposited in the main train station (in the torrential downpour). But before I could look up the address of my hotel on my phone, I saw a sign for it- in the train station! I followed the series of signs that took me through some walkways and overpasses and deposited me in the hotel lobby- having never been subjected to the outside elements!
Mel and I continued catching up the next day when he served as my tour guide extraordinaire and took me to the stunning Thean Hou temple, where there were multiple weddings going on (a popular nuptials destination and even an office on-site to procure a license.) 
We then swung by the Islamic Arts Museum, which is a beautifully designed building full of historical, fascinating, and aesthetically pleasing displays. There was a special exhibit about the recent trend of Australian fashion designers focusing on how to modernize/spice-up female’s traditional Muslim attire. Admittedly, I had never thought about fashion trendiness as an issue specifically for Muslim women before, but I totally get it.
After bidding Mel farewell (and promising our next meet-up would be in <20 years) I culminated my Malaysian experience with a tour of the massive Petronas towers. They are about as tall as I expected, although I did have the added advantage of having produced a documentary about “the world’s tallest twin towers” in my first post- collegiate job, with the Discovery Channel. At the time I felt like I knew TOO much about those twins from having edited hours of video! Alas, it was a very cool experience to finally see them live and in-person. 
My next stop was a quick swing through Thailand, as one does when traveling from Malaysia to London. I revisited my favorite beach from my one other time in Phuket- Nai Yang.It’s also the beach closest to the airport, which is especially convenient when you have less than 48 hours in your itinerary. This time I stayed at a hotel named “The Happy Place” and it lived up to it’s name. Some quality sun-time, several swims and beach-walks, a cheap and awesome massage,, and a few delicious meals later, I was off to chilly London. But at least I had a tan! 
My flight from Phuket to London (via Cologne) took way longer than I’d expected (having not paid attention to the flight times…hence my need for a geography boot camp). Anyways, many hours later I did arrive in London and connected with my host for the long weekend…the handsome and mostly funny Rob, who I’d met during my Flash Pack tour of India & Nepal two months prior. We’d kept in good touch since the tour and decided a visit was in order (it may have been a factor that at the time I’d thought Thailand was just a hop, skip, and a jump from his home city). Regardless, it was a great visit and I loved seeing London all decked out for Christmas. We went to a “Winter Wonderland” where I even got a view of the city from a Ferris wheel! This is a selfie from the Ferris wheel…guess I forgot to take a picture of the view 🤦♀️. 
Oh wait, here’s a London view shot- 
I also had a true British experience by attending a holiday celebration at Rob’s cricket club (btw, the only thing I know about cricket is that each match is 6-7 HOURS long. It makes baseball seem like the 100-meter dash). The theme of the cricket club party was the classic “ugly holiday jumper” (could this be more British?!) and Rob fully represented (although unclear if his jumper is for Thanksgiving or Christmas).
The next day I was sad to say goodbye to the handsome and mostly funny Rob (not so torn up about leaving his jumper) but time to move onward to D.C. for the holiday homestretch!
The front desk guy laughed when he saw me putting up the display and said he’d wait for the phone to start ringing. Okay, so there there may have been just a COUPLE of concerns from other building residents last year. Mostly because it’s possible that I was perhaps a smidge over-enthusiastic promoting holiday cheer via the use of “star showers,” which I used to project hundreds of lights onto the front of my building, making it look like the ENTIRE building was covered in strings of lights! It was SO COOL! (P.S. Some of the lights even blinked!) Well, apparently there are either a few Scrooges in my building or a few people who are annoyed by a couple of stray blinking lights projected onto their TV screens. Most likely both 🤨 Bottom line: I scaled it back this year, in true Bah-Humbug fashion.
I joined my friend Sarah and her family for a lovely Christmas dinner at her parents’ house on Capitol Hill and when I got home I decided a Christmas Day viewing of ‘Love Actually’ was in order. This is mostly because I’ve heard (about a trillion times) what a fantastic holiday movie it is, and I’ve disputed this, as I was NOT a fan. Some of my friends are incredulous about this harsh, and sometimes divisive, reality.
Le gave us the full-scoop on the sitch and for the first of many times on my tours of Vietnam and Cambodia I realized that the history I’d been taught in school wasn’t entirely accurate. I knew of Ho Chi Mihn from history class, mostly in reference to his communist regime and his trail. I guess I didn’t have a warm and fuzzy about him as a result of these associations but honestly hadn’t given it all that much thought. Le educated us as to the real deal, from his perspective, and it seems Ho Chi was a hero of sorts to the Vietnamese- a stand-up guy who lived a modest life, refused to live the garish lifestyle to which he was entitled, and authentically had the best interest of “the people” in mind, without the corruption that has been rampant in Communist regimes since. It was interesting that as we sat on the curb across the well-guarded street from the Mausoleum, and while Le sat in front of us explaining the site, he was admonished by an officer for having his back to Ho Chi. 
Le looked surprised before rotating his position, but not too surprised as it seems rules are both created and enforced kinda willy-nilly in Vietnam these days. Le also shared that he has to be careful what he’s telling us when in public or around others as free speech does not seem to be encouraged by the government, sadly. In fact, while we were there I saw on news flash (from the U.S.) that a Vietnamese blogger had just been sentenced to seven years in jail for writing about an environmental disaster (a disaster that had really happened but the government didn’t want shared publicly). Le assured me that my Teha’s Travels post on the trip would not have any negative ramifications but I chose to err on the side of caution and wait until I was out of the country to post this.
We then cruised back to the city, made a stop at Le’s house, AND even got to meet his parents! They welcomed us with tea and fresh pineapple and bananas that they had grown, of course. 
That evening there was no rest for the weary as we prepared to board an overnight train that would take us north. Having only taken day trains I wasn’t sure what to expect but it was actually quite nice! We stayed in sleeper cars with two bunk beds in each room. It reminded me of summer camp- minus the pillow fights. 
While some in the group reported not reaching REM sleep cycles (or any sleep cycles), the movement of the train lulled me right to sleep. We arrived in beautiful Sapa just in-time for breakfast and then embarked on a spectacular hike- the adrenaline from the views making even the sleepless forget they were supposed to be tired. 
Our smily and charismatic hiking guide, Meg, deftly navigated us through the windy mountains, covered in lush rice patties, smatterings of villages, and the occasional buffalo. 
Meg led us on another hike the next day and we swung by the remote hut/house where her grandfather lives, along with a bunch of aunts, uncles and cousins. Meg herself lived in the three-roomed hut for four years as a child, as her family needed whatever money she could bring in from selling bracelets and other woven items to tourists in the surrounding area. She did return to school, but not for long, and while her English is perfect, she admits not knowing how to read or write…but is working hard to make sure it’s different for her 6 year old son. Here she is with her grandfather:
We relaxed that afternoon before hopping on the Night Train back to Hanoi (‘Midnight Train to Georgia’ kept going through my head- the Indigo Girls version). Then in true Trains, Planes, and Automobile (& boats) style we headed to the airport for a quick flight only to have a chariot (aka bus) scoop us up and deposit us at our home for the next two days…a junk boat cruising through Halong Bay! Let me be clear that we were definitely not roughing it, as we were aboard a very non-junky vessel, where we enjoyed delicious and beautifully presented meals, sunshine on the top decks, and a kayak trip among the dozens of “islands” that are ginormous rock formations. 
That evening we also had a cooking lesson (on the lido deck, of course) on how to make spring rolls. 
Okay…now is the time to admit that I had a bit of a love affair with spring rolls on this trip- the fried version worked but my favorite are actually the fresh version with rice paper. I can safely say that I ate dozens of them during the two week trip. I also know 13 people who can validate this fact. Here’s a sampling of one of my typical breakfast plates:
The evening brought some authentic group bonding through karaoke…while it took us a few minutes (and several drinks) to get going- we did not disappoint. Although we may have disappointed the residents of the surrounding boats docked for the evening who were looking to go to bed early!
Please note the mic of the bike tour guide…and he used it every time he spoke even though the amplification it provided (if any) was extremely negligible. We also took a cooking class and learned how to make THE MOST delicious fish, seasoned with a mixture of fresh spices and wrapped in banana leaves before being cooked over the flame of a large outdoor oven. 
It was scrumptious and while we were given the recipe, I have doubts about my ability to replicate it using bottled spices, tin foil, and the stand-up George Forman grill I have on my balcony. Alas, I will try!
Our visit to Ho Chi Minh city started on a somber note with a visit to the Remembrance museum, which commemorates the “People’s War” (what the Vietnamese call the Vietnam war). As difficult and emotional as it was to see and take in, it was such an important part of the trip for me as I increasingly realized how gaping the holes in my knowledge of the war were and the sad realities I was protected from. The hardest part to see was an exhibit on the effects of Agent Orange on the Vietnamese people. The exhibit consists of large photographs and short biographies of some of the many Vietnamese who were born with horrific birth defects as a result of the chemical warfare. These poor children (many now adults) have unconscionable deformities yet many have worked hard to lead accomplished lives, despite receiving very little (if anything) in reparations for their suffering. I was saddened to learn that the impacts of Agent Orange can be passed down to future generations and that there are now third generation children suffering. I have to admit that I was truly embarrassed to be an American as we went through the museum and each exhibit demonstrated more of the devastation the war caused. 
The next day my education about the “People’s War” continued with a visit to a location close to the Cambodian border where many of the underground tunnels were located. Again, I must admit my ignorance as to the magnitude of these tunnels. And by magnitude I mean how many of them there were and how long they extended (hundreds of miles!), not the size of the actual tunnels. Let me be clear- the tunnels are TINY- here’s an entrance to one! 
I would venture to guess that 96% of American adults would not have been able to fit into a tunnel. Maybe closer to 98%, actually, given current obesity rates. My fabulous roommate, Rachel, fit perfectly though! 
We got to walk/crawl through a faux tunnel designed to give tourists a better sense of the experience but with the HUGE caveat that the amusement park version was three times bigger than the real deal, and that the actual tunnels were pitch black. And apparently the tunnels weren’t just for cruising around- people, entire families, actually LIVED in those tunnels to stay protected from bombings, and for long periods of time. To say I can’t even imagine what that was like is the understatement of the century. During the tour we could have walk-crawled further in the faux tunnel system but we all opted to get out as quickly as possible. It was hard to be in there- and I’m not even claustrophobic. And, while in the tunnel I flashed-back to family vacations as a kid when my siblings and I would complain about too much “family togetherness” sharing a hotel room or small beach rental. I then learned about the ultimate demonstration of family togetherness, tunnel-style, as there were several babies born in the tunnels! Le said the “tunnel babies” had a reunion recently and he got to meet one of them.
Soon we were off to Phnom Penh, the capitol city. One of the many reasons Keasar was an awesome guide is that he gave us the real scoop on his native country, as difficult as I know it was for him to share. As we drove into the clean, built-up, and somewhat glitzy capital city we noted it was a far cry from the scenery along the sparse, dusty roads that got us there. 
K explained that the current government in Cambodia is quite corrupt (similar to how Le described Vietnam) and that he would have to be careful about where he could talk to us about the real deal- it would probably be mostly on the bus. K informed us that Phnom Penh does have some money, or at least they’re putting money into things like huge statues and portraits of the king, but, in reality, it’s more of a facade to convince the rest of the world that the country is doing really well. Here’s the current King…he’s everywhere! 
In reality, we learned, the country is not doing really well. In fact, the majority of the country is poor and 70% don’t have access to piped water. In addition, due to the mass killings during the war in the 1970s, 65% of the population is currently under the age of 25. [Side note- in case you aren’t familiar with the nitty gritty of the Cambodian war, as I was not- approx 1/4 of the population- TWO MILLION people- were killed in massacres by the Communist regime, the Khumer Rouge. Yes, I told you I learned a lot of harsh realities on his trip…but I’m glad I did]. Keasar also shared that there is a lot of fear right now as children aren’t being educated properly (or at all) and aren’t being told anything about the country’s tragic history…things the country can learn from. Given that youngsters are the majority in the country, this is especially concerning. K is not the only one terrified that if things don’t change, history will repeat itself. He’s doing more than his part by starting a school in the remote village where he grew up (and where both of his parents were tragically killed as a result of the conflicts when he was a young boy). The school focuses on teaching English to the village children as K feels this skill is essential to avoiding an insular future and establishing a global presence. K relies on volunteers (some from his tours!) to teach at the school for whatever periods of time they can spare and provides a bedroom with a local family. I have to admit I’m very tempted…
My tour-mate, Anne, gave a donation to one survivor and bought the books of the other two and said “I don’t know that I can even bring myself to read them but I just don’t want them to have to tell those stories again.”
Several areas were marked- one as a location of a mass grave where 150 women and children had been buried naked…the majority had been beheaded. Next to that grave was a large tree covered in friendship bracelets. It was marked “the killing tree” as children had been tied to a rope and thrown against the tree over repeatedly before being deposited in the grave. 
There were also markers where the sound system speakers were located- to drown out the noise from the killings. In the middle of the fields there’s a large memorial, filled with skulls from the victims, each labeled with if they were male or female and how they died (bayonet, bullet, iron tool, etc.) There aren’t words to describe the feeling of looking at all those skulls, in the middle of the field, while in a beautiful country where every person you’ve met has been incredibly warm and welcoming.
Needless to say, we were all a little/lot emotionally exhausted and somewhat shell-shocked after our morning. We had some time to chill-out and process that afternoon before embarking on an evening boat cruise up the river, where we passed by many floating houses/boats full of families waving excitedly at us. I couldn’t help think that maybe I’d get sick of tourist boats, blasting music, cruising by my home but everyone seemed excited to see us.
The next day we embarked on our final trip, to Siem Reap. There we had an o’dark thirty morning where we got up at 4 AM to see Angor Wat at sunrise (totally worth it).
Don’t we look chipper for having had such an early bell? 
We also toured a few other spectacular temples in the area (including one where they filmed the Tomberator apparently) and saw a gorgeous sunset from the top of one massive temple. 
In each case I was in awe of the grandeur of the ancient structures and the detail that adorned them. 
On the final day of the tour (boo!) I took an optional tour of a “floating village,” of which there are apparently hundreds. And we’re talking about real villages, complete with schools, temples, stores etc. The water levels vary based on the season and rainfall but most of the time the village is truly floating and boat is the only way to get around. It was one final awe-inspiring glimpse into the Cambodian culture and the spirit of the people who make it so. 
Saying goodbye at the end of the tour is always the worst part (without a doubt) and this trip was no exception, although I’ve learned that “we’ll stay in touch, for sure!” isn’t just something Flash Packers just say. I’ve been happy and impressed by how well previous groups have stayed in touch, via What’s App groups, in-person get-togethers and even planning future trips together! This knowledge made it easier to bid farewell to my new friends, with whom I’d shared some intense, eye-opening experiences and also some really fun times. 
Whew! Yes, my time home may seem like a whirlwind. Yes, my time home was definitely a whirlwind. No, I am not complaining. I swear!!! (My friends have banned me from complaints of ANY sort while living my current Teha’s Travels lifestyle. I get it, I get it.)
Lucky for us Felipe is actually from Valpo and he deftly led us through the charming streets that include a variety of architectural styles within the French, German, and British influenced neighborhoods. Here’s Felipe in action! 
We enjoyed a lovely rooftop lunch before traveling on to the beautiful Bodega winery. (Btw, I’m slowly finding myself using more British words like “lovely” and “brilliant,” which I blame the influence of my travelmates from Mother England. If only the accent would rub off too!).
The rosè was especially delicious and was a blend called Pinotel that is a blend of Pinot Noir and something else I can’t remember. After the tasting we sat outside and enjoyed a final glass of wine before heading back to Santiago for dinner and pisco sours (Chile seems to be poaching Peru’s drink. No complaining here, though…not that I’m allowed to complain anyways).
The ride even had entertainment as my tour-mate, Dan, was behind me in the line of horses…waaay behind me. 
His horse had a bad-ass name (Conquistator or something like that) but didn’t seem to respond to any sort of kicking or cajoling by Dan to move along (or at least the way he was doing it). Dan was the “class clown” of the group as he was always laughing, often at his own jokes (even when nobody else was) and he took the horse situation in-stride, albeit with nonstop laughter. Even the guide seemed amused by the situation. Meanwhile my horse, named Wheat (because of it’s wheat color- so not creative or bad-ass) was totally on it, even trotting at times! Here’s the dynamic duo of Dan and Conquistador (aka the Caboose).
That afternoon was truly spectacular as we embarked on two hikes- one to Moon Valley (that really looked and felt like you were on the moon) and Death Valley (that was not as scary as it’s name but was stunning and we got to run down the way dunes into the valley!). 
The bright Chilean sun enhanced our adventures- it’s so blue and brilliant in it’s hue and so different from the sunlight I’ve seen anywhere else. Chile should really be an Instagram filter…you heard it here first. Perfect background for silly photos opps (our specialty!) 
Our senses were on overload when the day ended with a fantastic sunset viewing, completed with a vino toast (thanks to Filipe!). You don’t see sunsets like this everyday. Or, really, any day. 
And the day was not over yet! We grabbed street-stand empanadas for dinner and were jettied off to a “stargazing experience.” This was in the middle of nowhere, where you see more stars than you thought existed (for the record 2,000 are up there each night, we were told). We stood under the night sky in a circle as our guide (a real jokester) walked us through the various constellations we could see from the southern part of the Southern Hemisphere. Who knew there was so much fodder for comedy in the world of constellations?! Between him and Tina’s equally funny quips my stomach hurt from laughing the next day (it was already sore from horseback riding). Comedian stargazer also used a laser pointer to show us on the ground where the “missing” stars (such as the North Star) were located. I saw four shooting stars throughout the night and had to think fast to come up with wishes! At the end we got to look through six massive telescopes, each pointed to various stars/constellations we’d learned about. I took a picture of the beautiful star-filled sky but it didn’t quite do it justice. 
We continued on to some thermal baths (as one does) and took in the views while decompressing in the naturally warm water. The rest of the day consisted of the group engaging in a collective combination of sand boarding, relaxing at the pool, shopping in the town, dinner, drinks, karaoke, and Jenga. 
Really something for everyone and we enjoyed sharing our experiences (and photos and videos) with each other on the bus the next day, as we embarked on a travel day to the Lake District. We arrived early enough to take a boat ride across the spectacular lake directly in front of our hotel and walk back along the shoreline that consists of volcanic ash from an eruption in 2015. 
I’d never walked on volcanic ash before and became even more familiar with it on our stunning hike two days later (during which I realized I should have brought hiking boots as the packing list indicated- my sneakers/trainers were moon boots by the end- as I dumped out loads of what looked like moon dust).
The highlight (for me) was when I got to fork over my paddle and sit in the very front of the boat as we cruised through an intense set of rapids. It was like I was a hood ornament on the raft! 
At one point on the trip we (meaning the guides) pulled the boats over and led us to a cliff we could jump off of. This was not like regular cliff jumping, as you were landing in rapids. We were told to do a “pencil jump” directly in front of the cliff so you land in the slightly more calm water and can swim quickly to the shore. One of the guides stood on the cliff giving instructions and the other was on a rock in the water with a rope to throw if a rescue was needed. Which it was. For one person. One guess as to who? 
Okay, so in looking at the photographic evidence it’s clear that I was over-zealous in my jump and did pretty much the furthest thing from a pencil jump. As a result I landed pretty far out in the river and (according to the bystanders) directly in a fast-moving rapid. I sensed this when underwater as it took me longer than expected to rise to the surface. At that point I turned to swim to shore and realized it was quite far away and I was moving quickly away from it. Then there was some yelling and a rope being thrown towards me. Thankfully the rope was just long enough for me to grab it and be pulled to safety. 
Phew! Those rapids are not something I would have wanted to experience sans boat.
In addition to being environmentally friendly, it was also a fabulous hot tub experience- Goldilocks style. The water was not too hot, not too cold…but was juuust right! Love it when fairytales translate to adult hot tub experiences.
We boarded a boat the next morning that would kick-off a full-day “glacier hunting” expedition via various watercrafts and deposit us at our new accommodations (further south) at the end of the day. And then bar was raised YET AGAIN. I kid you not. 
We also got to see penguin-like birds up close in one area and a bunch of sea lions hanging out on a rock in another. Apparently the sea lions are only visible on that rock a few times a year, so we were lucky! 
Our group was actually told many times throughout the trip that we were lucky- our various hikes all seemed to happen on “the first nice day” in a while and had crystal clear views that we probably took for granted. In each place we stopped the local guides would thank us for bringing the good weather and beg us not to take it with us.
We had waaay too much fun in the orange outfits.
And the views…especially from the viewpoint peak where there’s a turquoise blue glacial lake surrounded by massive rock peaks and cliffs (this was a pleasant surprise for me, of course, but others seemed to know it would be there). This is Tina, Dan, me, and The Amazing Karen- for whom this hike was the 52nd in a 52 hike challenge she’d been doing!
We gave Flash Pack a lil shout-out from the summit. 
It’s fair to say we were all pretty beat after 10 hours of trekking but our high from the experience lasted for days. Here we are in the bus, post-hike. 
Good-byes were sad, as always, but easier this time as several of us were staying for another night (for me this was bc flights were cheaper if I waited a day). My Chilean partner in crime (Aussie Tina) was also staying, so we shared a room. Aussie Tina and I are very much alike (minus the fact she owns her own business and I don’t even have a job) and we always have a ton of fun together. Someone in the group said we should have our own YouTube channel as she thinks it would be a big hit. I think I’ll hold for now on the “Tina-Teha Show” pilot. The world isn’t ready yet. 
The nine of us remaining spent our post-tour day touring and eating our way through Santiago (I admit we were a bit lost at first without Filipe shepherding us around). We hit up the art museum and sculpture garden before enjoying lunch at Santiago’s only Vietnamese restaurant (thanks Tina!). 
Three more in our group then departed (boo!) and the “then there were six” crew enjoyed a last-last supper from a rooftop bar while taking in the sites and sounds of the city (including 80’s music). Note: Ever since Chile transitioned to a democracy in 1990 and people could freely listen to music again, the Chileans have been obsessed with making up for lost time and the music they missed in the 80’s. It’s pretty much all they play- no complaints here!