Bali

When I posted last, I was at the (amazing) Changi airport in Singapore awaiting my flight to Bali. The flight was pleasant enough and for the parts of it during which I was awake, I was content to listen to music and stare dumbly out the window. About midway through the flight, the schoolroom globe came to life as I saw the glorious deep-black ribbon of the equator unfurled under the flight path. It may have been an oil spill.

Upon arrival, I had a few hours to fill until my good acquaintance-bordering-on-friend Adam, with whom I was to spend the following four days, was due to arrive from Australia. I set about obtaining some local currency - Rupiah (a conveniently divisible 13,416 to the US dollar), chugging a rejuvenating bottle of Pocari Sweat ("Have you met the sweat yet?") and napping.

The Bali countryside is beautiful, and quite distinctive from elsewhere in southeast Asia. Initially I stayed inland, near the town of Ubud (apparently of 'Eat, Pray, Love' fame). We scootered around the countryside on the first day which was fun of itself, but also stopped at a Hindoo (sic) temple (Bali is a Hindoo holdout in mostly Muslim Indonesia) which was carved out of a rock face.

The following night, we set out at 2 am to climb Mt Batur, a still active volcano in the north of the island, in order to reach the summit in time for sunrise. The climb wasn't too strenuous and when I reached the top I stood, naked but for the clothes I wore, observing the horizon. I was transfixed by the rising sun still visible amidst the puffy clouds: my gaze was broken only by an occasional sideways glance to make sure that nobody was having a more meaningful experience than I was. We were also greeted by hot steam emerging from cracks in the crater, and hungry monkeys who were happy to pose for pictures for literally peanuts.

After four days I left Ubud and moved to Canggu, on the coast and subsequently to Padang Bai, in the northeast. I did enjoy myself swimming and enjoying the scenery of a different section of Bali, but unfortunately I've been feeling a bit under the weather most of the last few days.  Maybe because of this or mabe because of missing Chanuka celebrations back home, as well as the fact that almost five months have elapsed since I left, but for the first time I found myself counting down time a bit. In the past, the lows, especially when caused by being unwell, have faded and been replaced quickly by new and positive experiences and I'm confident that this will again be the case, but I am looking forward to seeing some familiar faces and enjoying some home comforts soon.

I'm writing this post from Gili Air, one of a group of islands tautologically known as the Gili Islands, where I'll be until just after the new year. I'm beginning to feel a bit better and hopefully I'll be up for some diving, because there are meant to be some fantastic dive sites here.

2016 has certainly been an interesting one, on both global and personal levels, I look forward (slightly apprehensively) to seeing what the new year will bring.

Love David

Temple near Ubud 

Sunrise at Mt Batur 

Feeding a monkey 

Tanah Lot temple near Canggu 

Malaysia and Singapore

On Monday I landed in Malaysia (Malaysia?! I hardly know her!), on a blessedly uneventful Malaysia Airlines flight to Kuala Lumpur. When I was younger, Malaysia used to use the tourism slogan 'Malaysia - truly Asia' in adverts, and I can now confirm that this is accurate, at least in a strictly geographical sense.

At the airport, I was pleasantly relieved to discover that my Israeli-issued credit card was accepted more readily than actual flesh and blood Israelis (read: at all) and I withdrew some Malaysian Ringgit to fund the forthcoming days (later at a shop. Me: "I'd like to know how much this coke costs, could you Ringgit up for me?". Cashier: "eh?"). Armed with said cash, I set about exploring the city, and discovered that, like most places, it was kind of like Belgium and kind of different.

Kuala Lumpur was cleaner and more modern than I expected, especially in comparison to the other Southeast Asian cities I've visited - for one thing, it was a treat being able to dispose of toilet paper directly into the basin. We may have our differences of opinion when it comes to diplomacy, but I have nothing but respect for Malaysian plumbing. The city is full of glitzy shopping centres and gleaming skyscrapers like the Petronas towers, those famous twin buildings inspired by traditional Islamic architecture, which tower over the city Petronas-ly.

In terms of demographics, the population of Malaysia is comprised of three primary ethnic groups - Malays, Chinese and Indians, and Kuala Lumpur represents somewhat of a microcosm of Asia. Chinatown is within walking distance of Kampung Baru, a traditional Malay village that lies in the shadow of the central business district, while at the Hindu temple located within the Batu caves on the outskirts of the city one can feel instantly transplanted to the subcontinent. To be sure, the city feels like a part of the region in which it is located - there were still market vendors greeting me with an effusive fervour that even my parents can't muster, monsoon rains and tropical fruits galore - but compared to Hanoi it felt like a distant step-brother.

A particularly enjoyable moment, on my final night, was having a drink at a bar located on a 34th floor helipad overlooking the city. It was quite exhilarating to gaze at the panorama of an exotic place I had decided to visit only two days prior.

I left Kuala Lumpur by bus for Singapore on Thursday, pausing for a whistlestop visit to the town of Melaka (Melaka ?! I hardly know her!), as Malacca is spelled in the Malay language, and for which the eponymous straits are named. Melaka has an interesting history, having been variously, under British, Dutch and Portuguese control, and it has a diverse mix of colonial architecture to show for it. All in all, I wouldn't describe it as a must-see, but it was a nice way to break up the journey.

As I took my leave from Melaka, I reluctantly parted with my stash of pornography, chewing gum and seditious materials, and prepared to cross the border to the city-state of Singapore, the legendary Asian Tiger - all the cosmopolitan flair of a major world city, without the full raft of pesky civil liberties.

Singapore is like that shopworn cliché of the ostentatiously wealthy Asian uncle at the Passover Seder who's a bit of a stickler for the rules but is a pretty nice guy nonetheless, unless you are harbouring narcotics, in which case your afikoman present is death.

As in Kuala Lumpur, one can find multiple cultures and ethnicities represented in Singapore with each group having its own traditional quarter. The city is reminiscent of Hong Kong in certain ways - the many bank headquarters, the obsession with upscale shopping - but Singapore is cleaner and quieter. The buildings here are less dense and there is an emphasis on free green spaces such as the scenic Botanic Gardens and Gardens by the Bay, both of which I scoped out.

There is a pervasive air of prosperity and sleek efficiency; they're so far ahead of the rest of us that we're gormless troglodytes in comparison. Twice nightly there is a free light and sound show at the Marina Bay, in which images are projected, as though by magic, on to puffs of vapour. The spectacle is exceedingly impressive, like 'vaccine for polio' impressive, though perhaps less of a contribution to the enduring good of humankind. The mass rapid transit system is spotless and punctual. The trains are fully automated, so you can stand at the front where a driver would be seated and watch the train seamlessly glide over the tracks; my ten and eight year old nephews would have loved it. I loved it.

I post this entry at the airport, as I await my flight to the Indonesian island of Bali, located in what's claimed to be the largest hemisphere south of the equator. I plan to be there for around a week before moving on to another Indonesian island.

Have a good week, hell, I'm feeling generous, have a good month.

Love David

The Petronas Towers 

Inside the Batu caves 

View from the helipad bar 

The strict policies of the Singapore MRT trains. It was particularly difficult finding flame retardant clothes so as to avoid a $500 fine 

Last Week in Vietnam

I write these words while stationary, for a change, on my final full day in Vietnam. For a variety of reasons I have elected to skip Laos and instead head towards Indonesia, with a couple of brief stops in Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.

Since my previous post, I've spent three full days in Hanoi itself, spaced out before, between and after, respectively, two three-day side trips - one to Sapa and the other to Halong Bay.

On my first day in Hanoi, besides for doing a large amount of walking (still key, in my opinion, to getting a real sense of a city's pulse), I visited the ethnological museum, which provided information regarding Vietnam's numerous minority ethnic groups. It was particularly interesting to learn about the Hmong tribes and certain other groups, as they comprise most of the population in the Sapa region, where I was due the following day.

Many tour operators in Hanoi offer package trips to Sapa (a town and, more broadly the region including its surrounding villages), in the mountains near the border with China. However, it is much cheaper and not particularly difficult to travel there independently, and that is what I, and the people I was traveling with, decided to do. The scenery is truly beautiful, despite the fact that the rice has already been harvested from the terraces characteristic of the area, and it was refreshing to experience the clear mountain air and my first real taste of winter. I had heard that the area can be overrun with tourists, but my experience really wasn't so bad, and in fact, we were often alone on the trails - probably an advantage of arriving during the shoulder season. The trekking was not overly challenging, with the experience being primarily cultural, but with over four months having passed since I last ran, any opportunity for physical exercise was welcome.

Upon my return to Hanoi, I mostly strolled around the old quarter and read. I also visited the Hoà Lo prison, the notorious 'Hanoi Hilton' where John McCain was held, and which had previously served as a prison for Vietnamese nationalists under the French colonial regime. The exhibits were heavy on propaganda even by Vietnamese standards and, as distinct from the War Remnants Museum in Saigon, it was difficult to separate fact from fiction.

Halong Bay contains thousands of islands and limestone outcrops, the result of geological processes that I totally understand but simply don't feel like explaining. The site has been recognised by the UN (so you know it's good) and can be visited on cruises of one to three day's length. I participated on a three day, two night trip, with the first night spent on the boat itself, and the second on an island. The trip was slightly more expensive than some of the alternatives, but it was worth it to sleep in a secluded corner of the bay and to sail via a less trafficked (and consequently less polluted) route - proof again, as if any were needed, that money is the comprehensive and unambiguous answer to all of life's problems.

This morning, I paid a visit to the final remaining site on my Hanoi wishlist, the mausoleum containing the body of Ho Chi Minh. I had never thought that a visit to a cold, stone edifice housing the embalmed corpse of a long-dead Asian leader would be a bit bizarre, but, believe it or not, that's exactly what it was. It was like a macabre, communist Madam Tussauds, with a queue to match; still, I'm a sucker for cults of personality and I also now know the fashion in which I would like to be preserved upon my death.

Well that's a wrap on a great month in Vietnam, up there with Japan as my favourite country on the trip so far.

I hope to update soon.

Much love,

David

Hanoi street scene

Sapa scenery 

Small village in Sapa 

Eiffel-designed bridge in Hanoi 

Halong Bay - where we moored for the first night 

Central Vietnam and beyond

As so often seems to be the case, I find myself updating this blog while traveling between cities - on a train for a change - able to utilise a distraction-free window to gather my thoughts. I'm traveling between Ninh Binh and Hanoi, which, besides for being Vietnam's capital and second largest city, is also a jumping-off point for the country's northern provinces and the legendary Halong Bay - plenty to fill the ten days until my visa expires.

Since I last posted, I've graced Hoi An, Phong Nha----, Hue and Ninh Binh with my presence and I will briefly describe my experiences each, showing my calculations.

Hoi An was... nice. I liked it just fine, but it had been hyped up to such gargantuan proportions that it was almost inevitable that it would underwhelm. The old city, which boasts endless colonial and pre-colonial architecture, really is very attractive, particularly at night, but is just a tad too disneyfied for my tastes. The beach near the city is quite presentable too, but the weather on the day I visited was not conducive to sunbathing or swimming. The town specialises in cheap tailoring but I ultimately opted not to indulge in any bespoke clothes because I have renounced consumerism/look great in everything, even regular old off-the-shelf clothes/am lazy.

After Hoi An came Hue, the former imperial capital of Vietnam. One of the main reasons to visit Hue is actually for the journey from Hoi An which is via the Hai Van pass. Unfortunately the day I made the journey was exceptionally stormy and at the summit I was treated to sweeping views of my forearms and the immediately adjacent 1-2 metres, and little else. We did stop at a creepy abandoned waterpark in the outskirts of Hue; it was particularly atmospheric in the mist and rain. Hue itself was quite pleasant and, though close in distance to Hoi An, had a very different feel. The imperial palace complex, much of which was destroyed during the war, is quite impressive, if unfortunately lacking in context and information. The town also hosts a charming pagoda with an equally charming 0 VND (US$0.00 Nov 16) entry fee. Walking between the two takes one through the streets of a typical Vietnamese city, with citizens unconnected to the tourist industry unhurriedly going about their ordinary business.

A short four hour minibus from Hue is Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng National Park - a national park containing some of the largest caves in the world. In contrast with places such as Dalat, Hoi An and Halong Bay, I hadn't heard of the region before I arrived in Vietnam and began to hear glowing reports from backpackers moving in the opposite direction. To reach the caves, one can rent a scooter and circumnavigate the ring of roads around the park, through lush, jagged, mountains, small villages and rivers, woven together into a tapestry of scenery unlike any I have ever seen. On my first day I visited the dark cave (does exactly what it says on the tin), the entrance to which has Vietnam's longest zip line and which contains thick mud pools where one can wade, eerily suspended in the viscous goop. The main destination for the following day was the Paradise Cave, discovered only in 2005, the longest dry cave in Asia. Besides for being immensely impressive in its scale, the cave contains numerous natural rock formations that look like intentionally created works of art. I really fell in love with Phong Nha (in a platonic way); the two days I spent there were a highlight of my time in Vietnam so far, and indeed of my entire trip.

Ninh Binh (putting the 'beyond' in the title of this post), a night bus away from Phong Nha, is only a couple of hours south of Hanoi. I had heard mixed things about Ninh Binh, but the day and a half I spent was fantastic. The town itself doesn't have much to see, and is rather a base for exploring the surrounding countryside, home to a spectacular lookout, the largest pagoda in southeast Asia, and a boat ride through terrain described as Halong Bay on land. It's been quite interesting to see how people's opinions of destinations can vary so greatly, and I suppose the takeaway is that the only way to develop an informed impression of a place is to see it for oneself.

As I noted, the plan is to spend the coming week and a half in the North before moving on to another country (Laos?). I shall endeavour to update the blog along the way.

It's hard to believe it's been over four months since I left home and the heat of a Tel Aviv midsummer - over here it's beginning to feel a lot like Hannukah. I'm still enjoying myself but I'm definitely looking forward to catching up with everyone when I get back.

Love David

The old town of Hoi An 

Lake at the abandoned waterpark 

Paradise Cave, Phong Nha 

Rock formations in Paradise Cave 

Phong Nha 

Lookout near Ninh Binh 

Boat ride near Ninh Binh 

'Nam

I arrived in Saigon (officially known as Ho Chi Minh City) by bus, and was immediately pleasantly surprised. I had been expecting a larger version of Phnom Penh, which, while not without its charms, is fairly dusty and not particularly impressive from an architectural perspective. Instead, I found a city that was full of well preserved French boulevards and buildings, and quiet allies with balconies full of flowers, nestled between the mad traffic of the main thoroughfares. I had heard about the swarming motorcycle hordes of Vietnam's urban areas, but I was still shocked at the density of the vehicles on the roads. They say that there are five million motorbikes in Saigon and I think I must have seen at least 60% of them; Crossing any road, and especially the large roundabouts which have no traffic lights, is a daunting affair. You quickly realise that there is no point in waiting for a break in the traffic and learn to trust that the skilled riders will swerve around you as you step into their path. I had also not expected the city to have such a pulsing capitalist spirit, with banks and international fast food chains on every corner. One can only imagine what the city would be like had the capitalists actually won.

I stayed in a hostel located some distance away from the so-called 'backpacker street' in District 1, the centre of town, because I wanted to see a more representative segment of the city. The hostel was great and in the course of visiting the sights over the two days I spent in the city itself, I found myself walking tens of kilometres and really getting a feel for the place.

Besides for visiting the main market and checking out the French architecture, I spent an afternoon at the war museum. After having been at the War Memorial in Seoul, it was interesting to encounter exhibits emanating from the opposite facet of the cold war dichotomy. Predictably, there was a lot of talk of 'the imperialist Americans and their puppets' and a distinct lack of emphasis on the indiscretions of the North Vietnamese and communist guerrillas. Nevertheless, for those able to look beyond the narrow focus, there are many enlightening artefacts and descriptions or photographs of incidents that are beyond dispute, as well as a harrowing explanation of the tragic effects of Agent Orange which, staggeringly, continue in some measure to this day.

From Saigon I visited a subterranean network of tunnels used by the Viet Cong, at Cochi, in the suburbs of the city, which was interesting but highly touristy, and I also took a two day tour of the Mekong Delta region, which had a similar touristy character. I did however enjoy the homestay in a house right alongside one of the river's many tributaries, and seeing the floating market which is actually a functioning market used by locals.

The day after returning to Saigon, I caught a bus to Dalat, an inland town in the mountains that was a French retreat during colonial times. The area, which is full of waterfalls and canyons, is known for offering numerous adventure activities. I partook in canyoning, a sport which includes abseiling, waterfall sliding and cliff jumping. It was one of the most enjoyable activities I've done on the trip so far, and it was nice to be forced (far) out of my comfort zone. Besides for the adventure sports and visiting the waterfalls and coffee plantations, an unusual attraction found in Dalat is the Crazy House, best described as a kind of walk-in Dr Seuss book, a large and still unfinished building that is a labyrinth of corridors and staircases.

I am currently on a long bus journey towards Hoi An, about which I've heard only good things and I'm excited to see what else the country has to offer, as I continue Northwards.

Happy Movember to those celebrating. I'll try to keep posting.

Love David

Chinook at the War Remnants Museum, Saigon 

Waterfall sliding in Dalat 

Abseiling into the 'washing machine', Dalat 

Elephant Falls, near Dalat 

The Crazy House 

Last Week in Cambodia

As I begin a new country and a new chapter in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam, I'll briefly sum up my last few days in Cambodia.

As planned, after Koh Rong, I visited the northeast; specifically the province of Mondulkiri. The region is quite beautiful and looks fairly different from the rest of the country with rolling hills that appear almost European as opposed to flat countryside. While there I participated in a two day program run by an elephant sanctuary. On the first day we hiked a bit alongside the elephants and later joined them in the river as they cooled off. I had never seen an elephant from up close before and it was cool just experiencing their immense presence, almost gravitas, and I also later enjoyed channelling my inner Year 9, by texting my friends "I was at an elephant sanctuary, your mum sends regards". The following day we did a 25km trek through forest, jungle and villages of the non-Khmer indigenous tribes that inhabit the province. We were led by a local guide on a trail that wound through some fantastic scenery (and, unfortunately, also through some areas that have been devastated by illegal logging, thanks Trump) with a stream of explanations of local flora, fauna and customs. All in all I'm glad I detoured to Mondulkiri and I want to thank the PTA for organising the outing.

After Mondulkiri, on the way to Phnom Penh to arrange my visa and transport for Vietnam, I stopped by Kratie town, another sleepy riverside place on the Mekong, most notable for the freshwater dolphins that live about 15km upstream. I went to see the dolphins, which were nice to observe though impossible to photograph - It was like someone was tipping them off every time I tried to take a shot - but the most enjoyable part was actually the boat ride out on the wide, still river under a vast, peaceful sky.

So yeah, it's a short one this time but hopefully I'll post about Vietnam soon. In conclusion I really enjoyed Cambodia - from the sites to the friendly people, and I'm glad I took the time to see a broad swath of the country.

May your preferred candidate win in 2020.

Love David

P.S. A new entry in a game that's been dormant for a while - Buddha's for backpackers - The Buddha of bottom bunks

Beach on Koh Rong (from previous week) 

Self explanatory

Banyan trees on the trek 

On the trail

Sunset over the Mekong in Kratie 

Cambodia Part II: Acid Reflux

Since I last posted, I've been in Phnom Penh (the capital), Kampot (a quiet riverside town) and Koh Rong (an island), from where I now write.

The main reason I travelled to Phnom Penh was to visit Choeung Ek, just outside the city, one of the notorious killing fields, which has been dedicated as a central memorial for all the atrocities committed by the Khmer Rouge, and to visit the S21 museum in the city itself, housed in a prison used by the Khmer Rouge to hold and torture prisoners before dispatching them to be killed. As I arrived in the city overnight by bus, I decided to wait a day before visiting the aforementioned sites, which I knew would be emotionally heavy, and I spent my first day wandering the city centre, swinging by the art-deco central market and the misleadingly named Olympic stadium (the Olympics never made it here due to regional unrest). While I was at the stadium, there was a full military band procession, beginning with a march around the running track and culminating with a ceremonial flag changing. I couldn't for the life of me ascertain whether this was a daily occurrence or whether there was some kind of special occasion to justify the extravagance. The city itself, which I neither loved nor hated, is quite dusty, hectic and traffic-clogged, though the paths running alongside the banks of the river are relatively serene.

At any rate, on my second day in the city I went to the memorials which were as weighty as expected. While I already had a general knowledge of Cambodian history and the horrors of the brief but desperately cruel Khmer Rouge regime, I gained a far deeper understanding of the political background, as well as being exposed to many stories on a more relatable personal level. The atmosphere and mood is similar to that which prevails at memorials and museums for other tragic events, but one is shaken by the fact that it all took place so recently, as recently as 9 years before my birth. It's hard not to wonder which museums we'll be visiting 20-30 years down the line,  for events taking place right now.

Kampot is a fairly sleepy town, with a lot of French colonial charm. I didn't do so much of note there, save for a day trip into the picturesque surrounding countryside. A particular highlight was a cave with a miniature temple inside. Outside the cave there were trees full of playful monkeys. I'm only 2/3 immunised against rabies, so I stayed about 33% farther away than I would have otherwise.

I spent my first few days on Koh Rong -
proposed tourism slogan "Koh Rong - but it feels so right" - at a secluded beach with limited electricity and no internet connectivity. The place was great, but I probably would have enjoyed myself more if I hadn't spent a day or so feeling violently sick, in a way I'd been lucky to escape thus far. Nevertheless, I still managed to get a lot of reading done, and the dark beach enabled me to see the incredible bioluminescent plankton in their full glory. The plankton sparkle as the water is stirred by moving limbs,in what is a memorably impressive spectacle.

I'm now on a more developed side of the island (hence the internet connection), but I'm hoping to head to the Northeast soon, to see a different part of the country before moving on to Vietnam.


Don't forget the 5th of November,

Love David

Central Market Phnom Penh

(Spontaneous?)  Procession 

Temple inside cave 

Pepper farm in the countryside near Kampot

Abandoned French mansion in Kep (near Kampot) 

Relaxing on island paradise. Vigorous vomiting follows 

Western Thailand, Siem Reap, Battambang

I write this post from Battambang, Cambodia, having arrived in the country (Siem Reap, specifically) a few days ago, by bus from Bangkok. To be honest, I probably could have spent a slightly briefer total period in the south of Thailand, but I'm in no particular rush, the only real limit on my time being the mortality that, to a greater or lesser degree, usually looms on the horizon of my mind.

I did enjoy my remaining time for the most part; amongst other things I went for a day of rock climbing at Rai Leh beach in Krabi province, and went for a scuba diving daytrip around the Phi Phi islands. I don't know if I would go as far as to say that I was worse at climbing than I am at scuba diving, but suffice it to say that I was quite poor.

Overall, I found the south of Thailand a bit too resort-y for my tastes after a while, and Cambodia has been a welcome change in that respect - I've been enjoying the fact that it is somewhat less heavily developed here, which is in essence to say that the relative poverty translates into an enhanced backpacking experience for me. This makes me feel a bit guilty, but what else is new...

As I mentioned, I arrived in Siem Reap, gateway to Angkor Wat and associated temples, overland, by bus. I paid a little bit more for a direct bus, as opposed to switching buses at the border. This allowed me to leave my backpack on the bus while progressing through the various formalities, and also made it easier to avoid the numerous scams for which this crossing is notorious.

Siem Reap was really fun, I stayed at a great hostel with a pool, there's a great atmosphere in town and the free-flowing alcohol is cheaper than water (come to think of it, maybe that has something to do with the atmosphere). Obviously the highlight was visiting Angkor Wat et al, especially now that I've had some time to regain my appetite for temple-hopping. Even without knowing all that much about the history, a visit to these sites is an incredible, immersive, experience. One traverses steamy jungle vegetation, heavy with insects and birdsong, to encounter grand mossy towers, in various states of repair, often intertwined with the roots of ancient trees.

From Siem Reap, I took a boat to Battambang. The city, which is the country's second largest, can be reached by a 4-5 hour bus from Siem Reap, but I had heard fantastic things about the boat which takes a bit longer and is slightly pricier. The journey did not disappoint; we cruised along the river, scraping by trees and other vegetation submerged over the course of the long rainy season and passing countless floating villages, with children as young as four or five criss-crossing the river in small paddle boats. As the boat was full, a few of us had to sit up on top, where we were able to spread out and experience both the fierce tropical sun and the heavy, but thankfully brief, rains that are characteristic of this time of year.

Despite being the second largest Cambodian city, Battambang has a small-town feel and the riverside still boasts some picturesque colonial era French architecture. I took a great tuk tuk tour of the surrounding region with some other guests from the hostel, the highlight of which was a ride on the 'bamboo train'. After the fall of the Khmer Rouge regime, faced with an almost total lack of transportation infrastructure, locals of this area began transporting goods and people along the disused tracks of a an old French train line from the 1920s. They used small bamboo platforms mounted on wheels from old tanks, powered by tractor engines, which could travel at speeds of up to 40 km/h. Today, goods are transported by road, but the bamboo train remains as a tourist attraction, and one can ride a seven kilometre segment from near Battambang to the next station on the line,and back again. Hurtling along the warped track was a truly unique experience and one I highly recommend. Sadly however, the line is due to be closed down in 2017, as a new Phnom Penh - Thailand railway line is being built. That said, apparently they've been saying for years now that it's due to close soon, so that information can probably be taken with a pinch of salt.

In sum, I'm really enjoying Cambodia so far, and looking forward to seeing the other regions (hopefully some beaches and trekking are on the cards).

Before I leave you with some photos, here's a short vaudeville routine you can perform with a friend at birthday parties and funerals:

Performer 1: "how do you say temple in Khmer?"

Performer 2: "wat"

Performer 1: "I said, how do you say temple in Khmer"

Performer 2: "wat is the way to say temple in Khmer"

Performer 1: "that's what I'm asking you!"

and so on and so forth, until rapturous applause ensues.

Love David

Temple ruins near Angkor Wat 

Ta Prohm temple 

A floating village 

Famous Battambang monument, relating to local folklore 

At the bamboo railway, as we stopped to dismantle our carriage to let a carriage going the other way get by

A Phare circus show. This is a show performed by teenage students of a foundation which runs an art and performing arts school for Cambodian children 

The Islands

After two weeks had elapsed, I once again found myself on a bus, thus triggering the Pavlovian blog writing response. I've spent the past fortnight in the gulf Islands of Koh Tao, Koh Phangan and Koh Samui, and I will briefly detail my experiences in each.

Koh Tao, the smallest of the three, is fairly compact and filled to the brim with diving schools; as I mentioned in my previous post, the PADI course was my main reason for visiting. Truth be told, I didn't do much there apart from the course, as I was quite exhausted at the end of each day and didn't have much energy to explore. As for the course itself, I found it quite challenging. I'm a poor swimmer and rather out of my element in and under water, like a fish flying an airplane, or a squirrel flying an airplane, or a cream cheese bagel flying an airplane. My life priorities changed for the duration of the course as my vague, back-of-the-mind daily goal of not drowning took on a greater immediacy. I was probably among the worst students they ever encountered, but I completed the course by the skin of my teeth. Hopefully the skill will come in useful during the remainder of the trip.

After Koh Tao, I hopped to Koh Phangan (well, I hopped to the pier, and took a ferry from there). Koh Phangan is best known for the full moon party which takes place like once a month maybe? I gather that the island fills up considerably around the event, especially during the peak tourism season. By design, I was there in between parties, and it was ideal - there was no need to constantly fight the crowds, but there was a decent amount of people at the hostel to hang out with. After the relative hard work of the PADI course, I spent my five days on Koh Phangan relaxing intensively, mostly at the beach and the beautiful inland lookouts, and altogether it was my favourite of the three islands.

I moved on to Koh Samui, the most developed of the three islands, mostly to go to the Chabad house for Rosh Hashana (Jewish new year) though I stayed for a few days afterwards. I went there for some of the meals and a bit of shofar (detached ram's horn used for ritual purposes) blowing. It was a bit large and impersonal and though people weren't unfriendly, I didn't find the atmosphere particularly conducive to conversing with other guests. Part of the fun of traveling is engaging in armchair/deckchair sociology. It's interesting to speculate why certain countries have strong backpacking cultures and others don't, even when superficially they are highly similar (eg. Germany as compared to Austria, the Netherlands as compared to Belgium). In a similar vein, people from different countries travel differently. From what I've seen so far, Israeli backpackers are much more likely to be in couples or small groups, and prefer to stay in bungalows or guesthouses rather than in hostels. In any event, I was feeling a bit under the weather over Rosh Hashana and the following couple of days, which definitely (negatively) affected how sociable and outgoing I felt. For the same reason,  I didn't do too much on Koh Samui, except for a speedboat trip around the Angthong Marine National Park, which included snorkeling and sea kayaking, and was a lot of fun.

Based on what I had experienced in Bangkok, I had been worried about the weather. Luckily, I've had mostly sunshine and clear skies since then - it was completely dry over the past two weeks, save for an hour or so of rain, and I can only hope that my good luck continues in Krabi, on the Andaman coast.

The plan is to spend another week or so in the south of Thailand and then depart to Cambodia. Monday will mark the longest period of travel I've ever undertaken, and I feel like I'm heading into uncharted waters, but it's going well so far and I'm feeling good about it. I'll try and post again soon, and my next post may contain an explosive revelation in connection with the US presidential election.

Jews - have a happy new year, gentiles - continue the existing year happily.

Love David

A small representative sample of photos:

Bye (in Korean). Hello (in Thai)

Another bus ride, another blog post. When I posted last, ten days further removed from a Trump presidency (for those of you reading this in the distant future, the "Glorious Leader") I was still in Korea, more specifically, in Busan. From the date of that post I spent a further two days in that area of the country. As planned, one day was spent in Gyeongju, a former capital which has some pretty cool temples (for a change) and other historical buildings (see some pictures, below). On my final day in Busan I visited Yonggungsa temple, which is distinguished from other temples in Korea by its location on the beach, as opposed to atop a mountain. I really liked Busan and would have liked to spend more time there, but alas, I had already booked my train back to Seoul due to it being the busy Chuseok season (kind of like the Korean Thanksgiving).

Back in Seoul, I didn't do too much in the way of touristy activities, save for a mandatory trip to Gangnam, which was disappointingly dull (I'm not really sure what I was expecting), and I mainly just hung out with people from the hostel and stared wistfully out of windows and other openings.

I heralded a new chapter of my trip on Sunday, when I flew to Bangkok to begin a more free-form period of travel, of indeterminate length, in southeast Asia. I had booked a few nights in Bangkok during which time I intended to see the city and determine where to go next. I'm not committed to anything, but as a preliminary and high-level blueprint, I'm minded to do an anti-clockwise loop that takes in southern Thailand, followed by Cambodia, travelling up the coast of Vietnam, crossing into Laos and ending in northern Thailand. To that end I'm en route to Koh Tao, an island which is like a mecca for diving, in that Muslim people like to dive there. No, that would be silly; it's a non-denominational mecca for diving. The plan is to do a PADI qualification course and then be able to dive affordably throughout the trip.

Bangkok itself is pretty hectic. I stayed in the Khao San area, which is backpacker central, and which was quite reminiscent of Pahar Ganj in Delhi. It's still the rainy season here, and with the exception of today, there were intermittent thunder storms accompanied by torrential rain. On my first day, I went around with Israelis and dusted off my Hebrew, but after that I fraternised with people from my hostel, none of whom were Israeli - the shoresh count on the streets was high, but I'm not sure where all the Israelis were staying. In any case, the vibe here seems to be exceptionally friendly and social, fostered by the mainly solo travelers who aren't on tight schedules.

I did a bit of sightseeing in Bangkok, taking in the Grand Palace (beautiful, very pricey) and Wat Pho temple (beautiful, less pricey). I also rode the boat bus on the river that whisks one along an atmospheric route through the city, avoiding the congested streets. Mostly I just took it easy and giddily enjoyed my dramatically increased purchasing power and indulging in much-missed fresh fruit (enabled by the former).

I'm looking forward to getting away from large cities for a bit and I'm just hoping that the weather on the island is decent.

I hope to update next week. Meanwhile, I will part with some words of wisdom.

'If at first you don't succeed, Thai, Thai again'

'A high Thai raises all ships'

'Do or do not. There is no Thai'

'A stitch in Thai-m saves nine'

'It is better Thai have loved and lost than never Thai have loved at all'

'All I know is that I know nothing. Thai.'

Love David

Sunset over the ancient astronomical observatory in Gyeongju 

Wolji Pond at Gyeongju 

Yonggungsa Temple

Selfie on the bus boat in Bangkok 

The gigantic reclining Buddha at Wat Pho