Thursday, April 26, 2012

My Closing Words...

Before I go into a reflective post of the past 3 months, a brief summary of my last week:


Kampot, Kep & Battambang: a beautiful finish....

Kampot - 
I went with my friend Jess to Kampot for one day - we felt incredibly ambitious and rented bicycles and cycled to "Secret Lake," a lake hidden off the beaten track through provincial dirt roads. We biked more than 20km (12 miles) through the most beautiful rural roads where we could not cycle longer than 5 minutes without hearing a local farmer or child yell out "hello!" in the distance. We were completely immersed in the Cambodian countryside, relying on nothing but our sense of direction with a small crinkled map in my bicycle basket. We finally made it to Secret Lake after over an hour of cycling and dunked ourselves in the water with the other locals there. We enjoyed delicious freshly-squeezed sugarcane drinks on bamboo mats overlooking the lake. We went to bed early and travelled to Kep the next morning.

En route to Secret Lake
Locals swimming and tubing fully clothed at the lake's edge


Kep -
Kep is a beautiful seaside escape with the most incredible seafood, crab market and pepper plantations. Kep was also the hottest 2 days of our lives. I have never sweated so much, it was well over 100 degrees and Jess and I still chose to rent bikes yet again to try and find salt fields a few miles away. The heat was unbearable and after a  full afternoon of exploring, we helped ourselves to a great seafood dinner over the water, looking west. Our dinner that night was so incredible. Everything about it was amazing - from the staff, to the atmosphere, to the food, to the VIEW. We were blessed with what was without question the most stunning sunset I've ever seen in my life. At night, we enjoyed staring at the night sky which had an overwhelming amount of stars, and managed to point out Venus, Mars and Saturn...


Amazing crab with whole green pepper, lemongrass, parsley...

Our next day in Kep we took a boat to Rabbit Island, another beautiful remote beach with no vendors and a few local families enjoying the water. We came back to the main land to enjoy an incredible plate of cooked crab and enjoy the sunset view all over again, with more clouds this time, but no less beautiful... Jess and I said goodbye to each other at 7:30 the next morning as she went back to Sihanoukville, and I went to Phnom Penh briefly to check out the S-21 Genocide Museum before my final destination of Battambang... S-21 was eerie. It was crazy to know how much blood had been spilt in these halls. Photos of Cambodians killed in the rooms and on the beds 3 feet away from me left me feeling disturbed... I made it to Battambang the following day.

Rabbit Island
Sunset #2
A classroom-turned-torture-chamber with brick cells at S-21, Phnom Penh


Battambang -
I spent my time in Battambang alone, exploring the town and its impressive local market, and went on an amazing tour the next day with the nicest motorbike tourguide I've had so far. He took me to Bamboo Rail, a train track with bamboo platforms that people actually use. I didn't have enough money to try it, so I watched others do it. I also climbed over 360 steps to Banon Temple, which was a beautiful place of 11th century ruins.



My tourguide told me all about Southeast Asia's religions, Cambodia's history and his own perspective on life. We then travelled through what felt like the most remote place I've ever been - not a person seen for miles through these dirt roads beneath the blazing sun. We made it to the "Killing Caves," where many during the Khmer rouge were killed, and I climbed a mountain to the most spectacular view of Battambang and environs at the foot of gold-foiled temples, Buddha statues and monks. The day ended at sunset after I walked down over 700 steps to street level where I watched millions of bats fly out of "bat cave," before my tourguide drove me back to the center of the city.

One of the temples at the top of the mountain
bats flying out of the bat cave

The drive back was a very long, contemplative one as I realized that the final day in this final city, in this final country of this trip was happening right now, in this moment. I looked around me one last time as the motorbike zoomed past tuk-tuks, horse-pulled carriages, bamboo huts and locals in their backyards. I turned my head back to look at the sun setting behind me. And as the sun began to set in the west, a rainbow had formed in the east... The first and only rainbow I'd seen my whole trip, on this very last day in a new city, before heading back to Bangkok... Behind my smile lay the thought that this rainbow was the welcoming closure to my trip.



My Closing Words...

I'm writing my final blog entry in the same hostel where I wrote my very first one. While the hostel's lobby brings back strong feelings of deja vu, something feels different. Nothing in the hostel appears to look different, so I'm assuming that the difference I feel is within myself. Words can't describe how much I have evolved and learned in 3 months. This trip has become the most transformative, exhilarating thrill and journey of my life. It was the boldest decision I've ever mustered up the courage to make, and after taking that leap of faith by booking a one-way ticket and embarking on the journey solo, I can confidently say that it was the best decision I've ever made. Yes, it was hard at times, and I was warned that it would be, but I also experienced the most beautiful moments, seen the most breathtaking sights, and met the most inspiring people along the way. I have learned more about myself in 3 months than I have throughout my 4 years in college. I have never felt so young, wild and free before. I have never felt so passionate, so honest, so alive.........


On the night of February 2nd, I found myself in a strange, new place far, far away from home. I woke up every day feeling like it was Saturday, where my first week all my senses worked overtime beyond my transitioning jetlag to translate all the sights, sounds and smells into something familiar. At first the smallest things created stress. The thought of ordering unknown food seemed daunting. But soon, my confidence grew - I lived and breathed everything that this part of the world had to offer. Soon I came to realize that all of my material possessions at home were never really necessary. I felt fine rotating between the same 5 t-shirts every day. I stopped wearing make-up my last month. I didn't have a care in the world that I was covered in sweat and sunscreen all the time. Not a soul knew who I was here, either, which gave me the chance to re-explore sides of my personality I'd never known existed. When you're traveling alone, it's up to you to decide what to do, who to see and which direction to turn - you have the chance to map out and change your route any second you please, and even reinvent your personality if you wanted. You have the power to be anyone and try anything. It's up to you to push yourself and put in the effort to befriend other travellers. You meet so many new, like-minded people that at times it's even a challenge to give yourself alone time again. But the comfort of other travellers is so inviting. You swap stories, practice languages, exchange advice, and are inspired by their ideas and what they have to share. Backpacking travel is so accelerated from all the events and experiences shared with others that it shocks you at how fast and strongly your new friendships develop. I remember thinking a 2-week friendship felt more like a 2-month friendship - the bonds that would have taken months or years at home are almost frightening in their rapidity and comfort here. You might grow close enough with some of these people to consider them like family; friends for life. You might even find yourself falling in love with some of these people. A few encounters will end with a sad goodbye and swapping contact information, but the truth is that chances of you seeing some of these people again are very, very slim. Some goodbyes have been extremely difficult for me, and others very easy. The sadness of the goodbyes quickly fade because you know that brand new unwritten adventures, experiences, dangers and friendships lie ahead. This makes the sadness quickly turn into a smile, because you know that deep down, your new friend is probably thinking the same.


And when you finally decide which new city, town or island to take on, you start all over again. You get a feel for the city's layout, locals, culture and other backpackers' names and faces all over again. Every day is spent trekking through remote villages in the mountains, exploring unlit caves or immersing yourself into the locals' daily life through visiting temples and eating special delicacies at the local market. Some things that are probably considered risky or dangerous, but at the same time makes your body vibrate with survival. I pushed myself to do things I never would've tried at home or dreamed I'd be brave enough to do. I've lived more in the present, followed my gut, acted on impulse and lived more spontaneously than ever before. I let go of my shy side. I let go of my safe side. Risks and social opportunities presented themselves at every turn, and for the first time, I never thought twice about my actions or bold decisions (which would've been different back at home). After a while, home, friends and family felt like distant memories. My 3 month journey already felt like a 9 month one where so much had happened, so much had been realized, so much had been learned.


In the past 3 months, I've eaten 5 kinds of bugs and every tropical fruit known to this side of the world. I've learned how to count and interact through basic conversation in all the countries I visited. I've snuggled with tigers, ridden and washed elephants bareback, and played with monkeys. I've released beautiful floating lanterns into the night sky and snorkelled in some of the most beautiful bays in the world. I've lived with a local family from a remote village, interviewed and befriended a monk on Thai radio, and ridden a motorbike. I've hidden from dangerous kidnappers in the islands, found myself in a non-speaking van full of locals in the middle of nowhere with no help, and discovered hidden waterfalls and monks lounging about while getting lost and exploring with a great friend. I've stayed awake beyond the night hours singing, drinking and laughing around bonfires with people from all over the world. I've kayaked through Halong Bay and trekked through unreal red sand dunes that my imagination could never possibly invent. I've meditated in and wandered the halls of Angkor Wat and 4th century My Son ruins. I've learned how to cook 6 traditional Thai dishes, spoken to wise old women from small hill tribes in traditional dresses up in the mountains, and taken a slowboat down the Mekong River through Laos. I've had the pleasant outings with locals to learn about their culture and families, and the unpleasant outings of nearly getting mugged by some. I've provided monks with their only meals of the day and swam in the most stunning waterfalls. I've crawled a distance of 100 meters on all fours underground in Vietnamese tunnels used during the war. I've gotten my feet munched on by fish and taken part in the biggest water fights for the New Year in Cambodia. I've danced the night away and lived on remote islands losing all sense of time and space. I've learned so much about the history and culture of all of these countries. I've had my breath taken away by majestic caves, mountains, temples, and even people.


Beyond the physical achievements and experiences I've gone through, it's the character-building moments, self-discovery and personal revelations I've had that make me so grateful for this journey. I'm not coming home as a different person by any means - I'm still coming home as Celine, but with a new and clearer perspective on myself and where my life is headed. I've learned how I adapt in new situations and interact with new people. I've learned to be confident in my own desicions, take risks and not play on the safe side. I've learned that I am much braver than I ever thought I could be. This trip has built my confidence exponentially and has reminded me that at any time, anywhere, I can cope. When the going gets rough on any trip, it's up to you to get yourself out of unwanted situations and challenging bumps in the road. It's up to you to make decisions and not rely on someone else. It's up to you to DO, GO, and DECIDE. One of my more notable achievements I've made from embarking on this journey is also discovering my ability to move on, and the beauty of letting go. I've never been good with change or goodbyes. I forced myself to embrace change and unfamiliarity during this trip and have said hello and goodbye more times than I can remember. With all of the experiences and people I've encountered down my path, I'm now at peace with knowing that all things must come to an end. Knowing that there will come a time when you have to let go, and have to move on. Whether it's moving on from a challenging situation, moving on from a beautiful destination which you never want to leave, or letting go of material possessions such as my phone, letting go of people, letting go of attachments at home, or elsewhere. I've learned that time, along with new encounters, environments and perspectives also contribute in healing the deepest of wounds - each one creating a new layer of skin and armor. I've learned and have gone through the stages of accepting that things don't always go as planned or as desired, which has reconfirmed my belief that everything happens for a reason. I've felt every single human emotion at its deepest level throughout this whole journey. I have felt completely invincible, vulnerable, euphoric, devastated, brave, terrified, accomplished and defeated. I also have to steal a quote from Ali Murphey's old travel blog, because it just rings so true to my experience as well: "I have laughed harder, cried more, and felt more intensely than ever before."


I'm also coming home feeling so thankful having done this trip solo. Yes, it would have been nice to do this trip with a friend. That way when you come home, you'll have that person know all the things you experienced - you'll share the memories. But in another sense, there is something really beautiful about going by yourself. The experiences are for you, your own memories, your own development, your own creations, your own growth, your own triumphs and failures, your own choices, the list goes on. It becomes a personal, character-building experience and chapter in your life that only you know (along with those irreplaceable travel friends you crossed paths with along the way...). I asked one of my closer friends I made on this trip what they wanted to get out of their year-long solo journey across the world, and the reply I got was "I'd rather be surprised with what I get out of it, than have expectations." This completely changed my view on my own trip, and made me look back on my old list of "things to accomplish" and how it was completely unnecessary to write out (and even think about in the end). It was a perspective on travelling that changed my views from that point on. I wiped my mind of my plans. And he was right, I am more surprised with the things that have come out of this trip in the end - even overwhelmed. This same person also introduced me to the quote "Not all who wander are lost," which is a beautiful outlook on those eager to see, explore and discover like me. It's a quote that had a big impact on me and the rest of my experience here, and is one I'll probably never forget.


I am afraid of getting on the plane tonight. At first, it will feel great to see friends and family. But I'm not ready to face the reality of NYC life where everyone is in a hurry to get somewhere, no strangers smile and greet you with a kind hello, and where everything costs 8 times more than it should. I will be overwhelmed by the collection of clothes in my closet after surviving just fine with the same 5 t-shirts. There won't be anymore giant spiders under my bed or crazy motorbike muggers around to keep me guessing. I don't want to leave Southeast Asia. I don't want this journey to end, and have now been brought to tears... Tears which will inevitably come back once I board that plane at 2AM tonight...


I hope that my travel blog has inspired anyone who's had the patience to follow it this far to embark on their own backpacking journey one day, solo or not. But if you are willing to embark on a journey on your own, and if you're able to see every obstacle in your way as a lesson, and every person you cross paths with as a teacher and guide, then you will come back with a whole new perspective on yourself, the world we live in and the unpredictable challenges and blessings life has to offer. I will remember this trip for as long as I live and look back on it with great happiness, pride, shock, awe, deep nostalgia, and love. I am sad to leave. Luckily tonight my hostel is hosting a big party, and I am ending my final night in Southeast Asia with great friends and irreplaceable memories.


Now imagine yourself waking up and every day is Saturday. Imagine yourself stimulated by the change, the new and the unfamiliar, learning things about yourself you never knew existed. Imagine yourself embracing the new, falling in love with the places, people and things that you cross paths with. Imagine yourself unearthing your capacity to feel, dare, grow, and love in ways you never thought possible. Never will you think that by the end of your journey, so much has changed. So much has been discovered. So much about yourself has been realized and understood. You are eager to book another journey and translate all those new sites, smells and sounds into something familiar all over again. You approach another foreign traveller in that overwhelming moment on your first day - not knowing that in a few days or weeks time, this person could become a friend for life. Not knowing what experiences will come your way every hour of the day. Not knowing that in several months time, your life will have completely changed.


Cheers to the end of this life-changing chapter, and the promising beginning of a new, unwritten one - Who knows what new adventures and discoveries lie ahead...


Until next time,


Celine

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

I love you, Cambodia

Cambodia, officially, has the nicest locals I've met thus far. It truly makes a world of a difference. It's been an amazing week of $1 accommodations, $0.25 beers, great sites and amazing people (backpackers and locals alike). I also can't believe I have a little over a week left here.
I spent some time in Siem Reap chatting with this great girl from Brooklyn, Sasha, about the importance of breaking free in other parts of the world every once in a while and not feeling pressured to be tied down in a structured lifestyle at home until retirement. I've been told by so many at home that you have all the time in the world to travel once you're retired. But at that stage you've already formed your world views, you've already established who you are as a person and where you stand in life (at least a lot more than you've established in your 20s). But in your 20s, there is still so much to develop and learn. Now, for me anyway, is the time to travel. Now is the time to broaden your horizons, your views, your mind. I'd rather not wait til i'm 65 to 'discover myself' on a 5-star vacation. I'd rather do it now, living with the locals, eating meals for $1 in the streets and taking that risk that accompanies eating authentic street food, roughing it out in cheap hostels, not having a care in the world how i'm dressed or how i look, taking risks of having plans not go as planned, and venturing off aimlessly on a motorbike with a friend to discover historical sites on our own, instead of paying for a guided tour on an air-conditioned bus. I'd rather explore these places with like-minded people my age in this backpacking sub-culture I've lived through in the past 3 months and learn as much from these fellow travelers as I've learned from these countries and cultures we've all chosen to explore together.


Phnom Penh - the Killing Fields

I stayed at a great hostel in Phnom Penh that had a great bar and a SWIMMING POOL which was amazing for some relief of the heat. It has averaged high 90s every day in Cambodia so far. I also bumped into a friend I had made in Chiang Mai, Allie, who I later got back in touch with and spent lots of time in Sihanoukville with. My time in Phnom Penh was brief since I wanted to go to Siem Reap and be in Sihanoukville in time for the Khmer New Year. I'm going back to Phnom Penh in a few days to finish doing all the things I'd like to do.  I managed to spend my day wisely though and go to the most important site in Phnom Penh - the Killing Fields.
The Killing Fields are where about 1/3rd of Cambodia's entire population was wiped out with horrendous killings during the Khmer Rouge Regime in the 1970s, all because of the Prime Minister psychopath Pol Pot wanting Cambodia to be renewed with no capitalism, western influence or religion. 
We were taken straight to the fields, stood exactly where poor blind-folded innocent Cambodians were dropped off by trucks to their deaths, walked directly past trees where babies were held by their feet and smashed head first in front of their mothers' eyes, crossed ditches where to this day bones, teeth and clothing still unearth from the soil during monsoon rains, and watched the still lake - where hundreds of bodies are now resting in peace. 


can you spot the tooth?
A few of the ditches where bodies were piled
Pic taken through a glass case: a tooth lost in the piles of clothes found

The most gripping to me was stumbling across a tree which they called the "Magic Tree" where they had speakers playing a disturbing mixture of traditional Cambodian music, and the looping sound of a loud tractor engine. This was played through the speakers to drown out the sounds of people dying. It was the last thing they heard. And it was the horrible musical accompaniment that those still alive heard while watching the deaths of their loved ones. Our audio guides actually played this very music, the exact same soundtrack that it was at the time. It is just so disturbing and devastating, and i have goosebumps right now replaying it in my mind. Those poor people...
The last spot at the killing fields was the memorial, where they had tons of skulls behind glass, placed in age and sex order. There was a section of skulls listed "Females 15-20 years old," "Males 30-50", etc. Some skulls revealed slits and holes created from the blows of the axes, hammers and bamboo sticks that killed them. Just like the War Museum in Vietnam, it was also a very rough, but necessary visit.
hundreds of bracelets, given by visitors to pay respects to the killed women and children


inside the memorial, peace paper cranes 
Inside the memorial, skull remains. Reminded me of the Catacombs in Paris

Siem Reap - Angkor Wat 

Siem Reap was more uplifting! I arrived late my first day and made friends with the girl Sasha from Brooklyn who I chatted for a while with about traveling and breaking free. That night she actually convinced me to try the FISH MASSAGE BATH, $1 for 15 minutes, which I had been avoiding until now. It's these little doctor fish who go up to your feet in the water and eat off all the dead skin and bacteria. It was HILARIOUS, I could not stop screaming and laughing. I hadn't laughed so hard in a while. It tickled so much I could barely handle it. Sasha was laughing at my spastic reaction. Can't believe I lived through that... But at least my feet and legs felt super smooth and clean after!
you can't see my face, but take my word for it that i am freaking out here, and maybe wiping away a few tears of laughter.
The next morning I took a tuk-tuk to Angkor Wat, one of the most impressive historical sites in the world, the former capital kingdom of all of Indochina. It was a stunning place. Unfortunately the people I was going to go with never woke up so I wound up going on my own, but it turned out to be a good idea so I went at my own pace and didn't feel rushed. I watched the sunrise there at 6am with the main temple reflecting across the lake water, wandered the corridors and steps with gorgeous bas-reliefs and unfinished carvings... 

Angkor Wat at sunrise
an unfinished bas-relief...




After the main temple i made my way to Bayon, which i actually preferred. There were amazing faces carved in the columns. I spent the most amount of time here, and actually sat down to sketch for an hour, for the first time my whole trip. I missed sketching. It was such a great release. It was sort of funny towards the end of my sketch, a gigantic group of chinese tourists wandered around and saw me drawing on a rock, and they all snapped pictures with me and my drawing, and pictures of me with them once they realized i was half Chinese. They were hilarious!





The last large temple i visited was Ta Prohm, where scenes of Tomb Raider with Angelina Jolie were filmed. I think this one was my favorite. It was a giant ruin with the most majestic trees growing over the stones, reclaiming their space in the natural field... with the roots grabbing onto the walls and the roofs, like a squid wrapping its legs around its prey. I was in awe. My camera's battery died 2 photos shy of where I would've liked it to, so I sketched again! And bumped into that Chinese tourist group again, and took peace sign photos with them... again.




amazing
after the 3 main temples, my tuk-tuk driver took me to about 3 more free of charge. Definitely all less impressive but still a nice way to spend the day. Then a little girl came up to me and gave me a bracelet she made of grass and bamboo, free of charge! (that is unheard of everywhere else I've been in southeast asia). For the first time ever, I was actually offered a gift for free. This girl was so gentle, sweet, innocent. It was a great gift and example of the kindness and selflessness of Cambodians. 

Siem Reap also had an amazing nightlife, night market and day market. I loved the vibe of Siem Reap, and would have absolutely stayed longer had I met a more interesting group of people that was staying for longer than 2 days. I made friends with a great girl from Brooklyn here, but she left early. Fun bars here were Temple Bar and "Angkor What?" (thought that was such a clever name for the bar).



En Route to Sihanoukville...

My ride from Siem Reap to Sihanoukville tops all the horrific bus rides i had in Vietnam, believe it or not. When i thought nothing could get worse....This was a minivan where the AC didn't work, windows had trouble opening, the seats were upright like in planes but were not adjustable, and it was so cramped with no leg space, and i sat next to a tall guy who squished my legs in the corner and CONSTANTLY fell on top of me when he fell asleep, with his boiling hot hand falling in my lap, his boiling body head radiating onto me, the boiling hot windows, the boiling hot stuffy air, and there was hardly a bathroom break (only stopped for male toilets, the fields), and the driver thought it was a good idea to play the cambodian radio at 3AM in the middle of his drive, and also eventually turned on the lights while everyone was sleeping, and then we were dropped off in Phnom Penh to wait an hour to get transferred to a new bus at 6 in the morning, and then transferred a 2nd time after an hour and a half of waiting..... HORRIFIC !!!!!!!!!!!!!
The only decent part of this ride was the scenic view i had from my window - we passed by these little boys, no older than 7 years old, riding water buffalo across the fields.... it was pretty beautiful to see.





Sihanoukville - KHMER NEW YEAR!!

Sihanoukville has been such an amazing place of lazy living, good times and good people. I have had an incredible time here. I've stayed in dorms that cost me an outrageous $1.50 a night, i drank draft beers that cost $0.25 during happy hour, and have relaxed at the beach sipping mango shakes, eating beautiful and cheap tropical fruit salads, soaking up the sun, writing in my journal on comfortable beach chairs, skinny dipping in the ocean in the late hours of the night (oops), and celebrating the Cambodian new year which consisted of a GIANT 3-day baby-powder fight and water fight. 

The first day of the new year I spent visiting a local market and lounging on Otres Beach, a spectacular beach with red dirt roads nearby, cows wandering about, and incredibly relaxing guesthouses with egg-chairs that you could lounge in all day. I met up with Patrick and Brian that I met in Nha Trang and hung out with in Saigon (celebrating Patrick's birthday). It was a nice, relaxing start to the new year, which prepared me for the nighttime and the following day...


Otres Beach!
It was the first night celebrating the new year, so the bars were packed and busy. We watched some decent fire shows (they didn't compare to the ones in Koh Phi Phi in Thailand), and there were fireworks scattered across the entire length of Serendipity Beach where I was staying. In the late hours people got covered in baby powder fights. I bumped into the 2 Archie's that I hung out with in Saigon, it's funny how throughout your trip you cross paths with the same people. 

JJ's Bar! popular place right on the beach
someone lit sparks of fireworks nearby
fireshow!
Meanwhile during the water and baby powder fights, there was a group of about 10 of us that wanted to escape the heat of all the dancing at the bar, and ran to the ocean where we all spontaneously decided to skinny dip to refresh ourselves (hahaha). I have never done this before. I have to say, it is quite liberating and refreshing. Also not nerve racking at all considering it's in the ocean at night where no light can allow anyone to sneak a peak. It was amazing! I didn't want to get all the ocean water inside my pants so i wrapped my pants around my waste like a skirt instead for the rest of the night. Too bad the knot came undone while i was dancing and i yelled out the girliest scream, that was embarrassing...

On Saturday, the 2nd day of the new year, I did a Khmer New Year Booze Cruise. This was soooooo much fun, and I met an amazing group of Canadian girls that I spent the whole day with. It was a day of constant music, dancing, lounging, casual drinking, diving off the boat into the ocean, mingling, getting COMPLETELY covered in baby-powder, drenched by super-soaker guns, laughing with these awesome Nigerian soccer players, making friends with the Cambodian DJ, and just overall having an incredible time!! I also faced my fear by jumping off the 2nd story of the boat into the water. Didn't think I'd ever do that, but I just shut my brain off and jumped. It's the only way i also managed to bungee jump during my time in New Zealand in 2009, you just have to not think.

People covered in baby powder!
my poor friend Nihra got covered pretty bad
I was next !!!!!!!!!!! AHH
Awesome girls :)
Ended the boat trip watching the sunset on the top deck. Beautiful

Bamboo Island

And believe it or not, things just got better and better. I spent the final day of the Khmer new year and the next 3 days afterwards on an island called Koh Russei, AKA. Bamboo Island. This place is paradise. Relaxed on the beach all day, watching the sunset, playing with cute hermit crabs, eating with good company... 

Probably the most accurate description of my time here.
a dead sea urchin




my breakfast

outside the bungalow!
Bamboo island was special - one of the highlights of my entire trip. Maybe it was because it was incredibly reminiscent of my time in Pai in northern Thailand. I also got to hang out with a large group of French travelers who made me practice my french the whole time. 
Our 2nd night there a new boat came in where the Canadian girls and a few others from the booze cruise joined Allie and I. That night we had a bonfire on the beach with nearly everyone on the island (less than 40 people i think), with 2 guys alternating the acoustic guitar, and me chiming in for some singing again! I was so happy. I felt so at home and completely removed from what time it was and where in the world I was. Allie and i took a break from the drinking that night and went to the ocean to watch some bio-luminescence (AKA phosphorescence, or algae that lights up when agitated). It is like looking at fireflies but in water. When you move around and agitate the water, the whole thing lights up in little yellow/green sparks. It is sooooo cool. Unfortunately we only saw a few, but it was still incredible to me.

The island shuts off all electricity past midnight, and the moon was nowhere in sight, both of which revealed the most beautiful twilit sky. There was an ongoing debate between a few of us whether we could make out the Milky Way in the sky or not. There were tons of constellations i could make out. The only light ahead was the boats far out even beyond the horizon. Either way, tilting my head back to stare at these infinite stars with the warm crackling fire by my feet, hearing gentle chords play on the guitar while humming to the tune as other people exchanged stories and ideas... I felt total bliss. It felt like I was back in Pai, and I didn't want it to end... Except that this time it wasn't me that was leaving early, it was other people. I didn't want these people to leave, and didn't want this night to end. I didn't want to remove myself from the good company, my cold drink, feet buried in the sand, acoustic guitar playing, singing, fire, stars.... the twilight that night was like no other. It was an incredible 3-days completely removed from society, internet, street hawkers... I didn't want to leave Bamboo Island, but wrapped it up after 3 days.

Me and Allie with zee french crew


The next day, everyone watching the sunset
Interesting flip-flop tree..

Where I Am Now

I just took the boat from Bamboo Island back to Sihanoukville today, and have 8 days of my trip remaining. My good friend Katie that I went to the full moon party with said she arrived back home in LA today, incredibly bummed. She said her final journal entry brought her to tears, and that being back at home feels surreal. I already know that this is going to be me, too. It's funny how surreal it felt that night I arrived in Bangkok early February, knowing that now it will feel surreal to leave..... I know that in my final journal entry, and perhaps final blog entry next week too, i'll be brought to tears. As for now, i'm going to make the most of my last full week. I'll be going to Kampot and Kep with my friend Jess that i made on the island, then back to Phnom Penh to visit the genocide museum and royal palace which I didn't get the chance to see before, and spend a night or two in Battambang to visit incredible ruins and be in the 2nd largest city in Cambodia, before heading to Bangkok to fly home..... One or 2 blog entries left - let the final days of my time in Southeast Asia unfold.....