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Seeing family we haven't see in years and meeting new family... the Banaue rice terraces... riding in a way too small tricycle in Cabanatuan... tons of bancas (boats) on White Beach in Boracay... jet skiing in Boracay... going to Sunday mass at the shopping mall (sheesh, only in the Philippines)... the Taal Volcano in Tagaytay... the Chocolate Hills and tarsiers (smallest primate in the world) in Bohol... taking a calesa through Intramuros in Old Manila... seeing movies like Can This Be Love? in NE mall in Cabanatuan and Star Wars III in Cebu Ayala Center... just being at El Nido Lagen Island and meeting the welcome lady from The Amazing Race
Vietnam (12 days)
The people (especially the little waving children and the pointed hat women)... the millions of motorbikes and bicycles (8 million people in Saigon and 3 million motorbikes)... the feeling when we first arrived in Hanoi's Old Quarter... crossing the street for the first time in Hanoi and Saigon... finally feeling comfortable crossing the street... the speedy tailors of Hoi An... crawling through the dark, dirty, claustrophobic Cu Chi tunnels used in the war... firing an AK-47 used in the war... the somber feeling after visiting the War Remnants Museum
Cambodia (7 days)
The depressing Tuol Sleng S-21 Prison Museum and the Killing Fields (hands down the most memorable moment on the entire trip)... the temples of Angkor (Angkor Wat, Ta Prohm and Bayon)... being "templed-out" after seeing too many temples... travelling overland to Thailand on unpaved dirt roads, having the bridge collapse, walking through a muddy river, stuck on a packed bus, and on the back of a pick up truck too
Thailand (8 days)
The doctor in Bangkok suspecting I had malaria (which thankfully turned out to be just a viral infection) and being at my lowest point ever on the trip... the tuk-tuk/, taxi and bus drivers and "students" who are all out to get your money... the extremely hot and spicy tom yum soup... Khao San Road and Rambuttri (the backpackers ghetto)... the most beautiful beach in Ko Phi Phi which was hard hit by the December 2004 tsunami... standing up during the previews of Batman Begins to pay tribute to the King of Thailand... parasailing on Patong Beach
Malaysia (3 days)
The Petronas Twin Towers... not being able to go up to the skybridge on the 41st floor because all 800 daily passes were sold out... Jalan (street) Bukit Bitang... the shopping malls (Vincci shoe store in KL)
Singapore (3 days)
Shopping on Orchard Road (Ngee Ann City, Paragon, Lucky Plaza)... Bugis Village, an air conditioned outdoor mall... eating at the food fest in Ngee Ann City... getting turned down for entry into the lobby of the Raffles Hotel and being re-directed to the garden courtyard for lunch... Singapore Sling Cocktail at the Raffles Hotel... the merlion (half fish, half lion)
China (4 days)
Taxi drivers and their ability to speak English only upon fare collection... tons and tons of Chinese tourists at all the tourist stops... the food (my God the food)... Wangfujing Street... seeing Mr. and Mrs. Smith in Chinese (kidding - there were Chinese subtitles)... Tian'an Men Square... the Forbidden City... seeing the Great Wall on my birthday
Hong Kong (2 days)
More yummy Chinese food... the Victoria Harbour city skyline... the light show on Victoria Harbour... Avenue of Stars... the Peak... Madame Tussad's Wax Museum... feeling homesick and thinking about returning home
SE Asia Highlights
SE Asian Countries Visited:
Philippines
Vietnam
Cambodia
Thailand
Malaysia
Singapore
China
Hong Kong
Worst Tuk-Tuk/Taxi/Mototbike/Bus Drivers: Philippines - the bus drivers who speed and weave in and out of lanes while barreling through the mountains. Bangkok, Thailand - some crazy and heartless the tuk-tuk and taxi drivers, and the weaving in and out of lanes speeding bus drivers. Beijing, China - the supposedly English speaking taxi drivers.
Best and Worst Tour: Banaue, Philippines - 4 hour trek to see the spectacular rice terraces (parts in the rain); never have our muscles endured so much pain.
Best Temple: Siem Reap, Cambodia - Ta Prohm Temple left to the ravages of the jungle; where Tomb Raider was filmed.
Worst Traffic: Manila, Philippines - takes so long to get somewhere close. Hanoi and Saigon, Vietnam - miliions of motorbikes everywhere.
Most We Have Ever Sweat (gross we know): Hanoi, Vietnam - the uphill 3.5 km trek to the Perfume Pagoda felt like we had taken a shower with our clothes on.
Best and Worst Travel Experience: Siem Reap, Cambodia overland to Bangkok, Thailand - 9 hours on unpaved roads, the bridge collapsed, had to cross a muddy river, packed and smelly bus, on the back of a pick-up truck for 2 hours, unpaved roads again, and after taking a shower the water was brown...yup the worst! But quite an experience and we wouldn't trade it for a 1 hour flight.
Best Hotel/Guesthouse: El Nido, Philippines - Lagen Island Resort was paradise!!!
Worst Hotel/Guesthouse: Chau Doc, Vietnam - Thanh Tra Hotel was a whole in the wall. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - Corona Inn had stained sheets, was smelly and looked like it hadn't been cleaned in weeks.
Best Beach: Boracay, Philippines - White Beach was nice but too hot to tan. Ko Phi Phi, Thailand - even after the tsunami it was the most beautiful beach we had ever seen.
Most Memorable Phrases Heard: "The gay broke it" (friend's cousin referring to the computer his son broke). "Hello! Where you from?" "Where you go now?" "You look, you like, you buy." "Maybe later?" "Tuk-tuk? Tuk-tuk?" "I'm a student. Can I be your tour guide for the day? That site is closed" (and it's 1:00pm). "Same, same. But different."
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