Itinerary

This is a running list of where we’ve been and where we hope to go next. We will update the actual itinerary as we execute it. As we don’t really have any tickets, all future dates are tentative. All prices are per person (pp) unless otherwise indicated

November 11th, 2013: Bye bye ‘merica
  • United flight from Denver to Tokyo
  • All Nippon Airways flight from Tokyo to Manila
  • Booked our flight for $18 and 32,500 frequent flier miles!

+November 12 – 28, 2013Philippines

+November 29 – December 29, 2013Vietnam

+December 29, 2013 – January 6, 2014Thailand

+January 6 – 18, 2014Malaysia

+January 19 – 20, 2014Singapore

+January 21 – February 11, 2014Thailand

+February 12, 2014 – February 25, 2014Laos

Cambodia

Exchange rate: 4000 Khmer Rial (KHR) to 1 USD. US Dollars are widely accepted along with the local currency.

February 25th: Enter Cambodia!
Unimpressed travelers nearing the end of a 24 hour bus "adventure" -- without seats.
  • Hellish bus from Ban Nakasang in southern Laos to Kratie (176,000 kip, 7.5 hours: 9:30a-5p). Matt and I sat in the aisle for the latter half of the journey :(
  • Cambodian entry visa: $20, $2 stamping fee from Laos, $5 stamping fee for Cambodia
  • Stay at U Hong Guest House in Kratie ($7 for room with two twins)
  • People met and traveled with: 48 other pissed off foreigners who also got scammed by the bus company, dinner with Ania (Poland) and Phil (AUS)
February 26th: Travel to Sihanoukville
  • 10 hour journey (4.5 by minivan to Phnom Penh, then 5.5 by big bus) from Kratie to Sihanoukville ($15)
  • Stayed at Done Right hostel on Otres Beach ($20 for a geodome)
  • Saw Ben Turnock and Bridger Cohan one last time
February 27th: Move to Koh Rong
  • Slow boat to Koh Rong from Sihanoukville ($18 for round trip open ticket)
  • Stayed at Dreamcatch Inn ($20/room)
February 28th: Chill out
  • Stayed at Ponleu Pich Guest House ($13/room with one bed)
  • Hiked to gorgeous Long Beach (30 minutes) to watch sunset and then took a boat back ($3 pp)
March 1st: Chill on Koh Rong
  • Hike to 4k beach
March 2nd: Chill on Koh Rong
  • Literally, nothing.
March 3rd: Camp on Long Beach, Koh Rong
IMG_5881
  • Rented hammocks ($3 each) and slept in them on Long Beach
  • Hiked 7km to Sok San and back
  • Saw pieces for Survivor: Bulgaria on Long Beach
March 4th: Camp on Long Beach
  • Slept in hammocks again ($3 each)
March 5th: Leave Koh Rong and split up
  • Hiked back to Koh Rong village and returned hammocks

Matt:

  • Catches slow boat ferry (9am, 2.5 hours, $9) to Sihanoukville and moved on to Phnom Penh

Lisa:

  • Hitched a ride with a dive boat from Monkey Island resort ($4) to Koh Rong Samloem
  • Stayed at Easy Tiger hostel ($15 for private room)
  • People met: Nick & Neil (UK), the owners of Easy Tiger
March 6th: Lisa chills on Koh Rong Samloem, Matt explores Phnom Penh

Lisa:

  • Went for a run on the beach (???) before spending the day in papasan chairs and hammocks, chatting with people or sleeping or reading
  • Stayed at Easy Tiger ($15 for private room)
  • People met: a couple of ladies from UK and a girl from Holland, Ravi (Phnom Penh)
March 7th: Lisa continues the chill trend on Samloem, Matt parties on a boat

Lisa:

  • Move to private guest house ($8 for a private room)
  • Talk/sit/read in papasan chairs and hammocks
  • People met: Sylvia (Korea), Shea (UK)
March 8th: Lisa moves to Phnom Penh, Matt plays in Phnom Penh Hat

Lisa:

  • Hitched a ride with Sylvia & Shea back to Koh Rong and pirate-boarded the 9am ferry to Sihanoukville ($10)
  • Bus from Sihanoukville to Phnom Penh (Rith Mony company, $7, “12:30″ (actual: 1:45p)-7p
  • Stayed at Blue Dog hostel (shitty). $5 for dorm bed with springs poking me, generally very dirty, and thefts occurred throughout the weekend in my room
March 9th: Phnom Penh Hat tournament
  • Lisa watches, Matt plays with El Salvador
  • People traveled with: Angie (VN), Perrine (FR)
  • Lisa stays at Blue Dog hostel, $5
March 10th: Move to Siem Reap
  • Lisa catches “7:30″ (actual: 8:15) Paramount bus to Siem Reap. $8, 9 hours because we stopped constantly to pick up/drop off passengers
  • Matt catches 1:30 bus (Sorya bus line)
  • Stay at Dancing Frog hostel ($10 for a single room)
March 11th: Angkor Wat!
  • Lisa hires tuk tuk for the day ($15, add’l $5 tip) and tortures her driver by making him pick her up at 5am and drive both the Big and Little Loops, and stay for sunset
  • Stay at Dancing Frog hostel ($10 for a single room)
March 12th: Move to Bangkok
  • Bus from Siem Reap to Bangkok ($10, 8 hours)
  • Stay with Ben and Derek in BKK

March 13 – 20, 2014Philippines

March 13th: Move from Bangkok to Boracay
  • flight from BKK to MNL, flight from MNL to Kalibo, bus to pier, boat to Boracay
  • Stayed at Casa Pilar with the team
  • Traveled with Pandas and many other Southeast Asian ultimate players
  • “one drink” with Lester at Summer Place
March 14th: Day 1 of Boracay Open 2014
  • 3 pool play games vs. Currier Island(L), Rhino (W), and Canadian PR (L)
  • Stayed at Casa Pilar with the team 
  • Traveled with Pandas and many other Southeast Asian ultimate players
  • Dinner and drinks at Smoke with team before terrorizing D*Mall
  • Party at Area 51 where Pandas destroyed the first stage (aka sound box)
  • Lisa loses her phone, ATM card, and credit card early in the morning after another teammate has all her things snatched
March 15th: Day 2 of Boracay Open 2014
  • 3 games vs a local team (W), Rhino (W), semis: Canadian PR (W)
  • Stayed at Casa Pilar with the team
  • Traveled with Pandas and many other Southeast Asian ultimate players
  • Dinner at a Chinese place where we played Rum & Gin roulette with the lazy susan
  • Tournament party (theme: Graffiti) at Summer Place
March 16th: Day 3 of Boracay Open 2014
  • Pool B finals against the Warriors, lost on universe point
  • Pandas win the party award!
  • Stayed at Casa Pilar with the team
  • Traveled with Pandas and many other Southeast Asian ultimate players
March 17th: Chill out on Boracay
  • Hang out at Spider House with Pandas: Lester, Julia, Alex and others: Ana, Bryan, JC, Mitzie
  • Sunset cruise on a paraw (1400 pisos for max 10 people… 1900 when we were fined another 500 for an extra passenger)
  • Stayed at Casa Pilar with the team
  • Traveled with Pandas and many other Southeast Asian ultimate players
March 18th: Chill out on Boracay
  • Moved to Treehouse Hostel (350 pisos for a dorm bed)
  • Pick up ultimate on the beach
  • Traveled with: Pily, Jano, Corinne, Michael, and other leftover ultimate players
March 19th: Chill out on Boracay
  • Stayed at Treehouse Hostel (350 pisos for a dorm bed)
  • Visited Puka Beach
  • Traveled with: Pily, Jano, Corinne, Alyssa Wise (Canada),
March 20th: Move back to Bangkok
  • 6am: Pickup from Treehouse hostel, ferry back to Kalibo, bus to airport (490 pisos each with Southwest Tours)
  • Stayed with Ben and Derek in Bangkok
March 21st: Errands in Bangkok
  • Matt gets new pages added to his passport at the US Embassy in Bangkok ($82 USD)
  • Arrange same-day visas to Myanmar (1260 baht each)
  • Lisa buys new iPhone to replace the one lost in Boracay with panda case
  • Stayed with Ben and Derek in Bangkok

Myanmar

Exchange rate: 960 Myanma kyat to $1USD. Prices are quoted in both kyat and USD with the de facto rate of 1000 kyat to 1 USD.

March 22nd: fly to Myanmar
  • Lunch with our travel angel, Ben, in Bangkok
  • Took a $51 flight from Bangkok to  Yangon, Myanmar (Nok Air)
  • Stayed at Cherry Guest House in Yangon ($20 for a double room)
March 23rd: Explore Yangon
  • Explore Sule Paya ($3 USD)  and Shwedagon Paya
  • Walked to Old Market area
  • Stayed at Cherry Guest House ($20 for a double)
March 24th: Explore Yangon and move on to Bagan
  • Lisa has her disintegrating Puma hat fixed (replaced the clasp) for 2500 kyat
  • Overnight bus from Yangon to Bagan ($15, 7:30p-4:30am)
March 25th: Bagan!
  • Overnight bus arrives in Bagan at 5am. Caught horse cart (1500 kyat each) to View Point Inn to drop off our bags
  • Took horse cart to watch sunrise and the hot air balloons from a taller stupa
  • Checked into to View Point Inn ($18 per night for a double with air con)
  • Walked from Nyaung Oo to Old Bagan, explored Swesigan Paya , caught sunset at Shwe San Daw paya
March 26th: Bagan!
  • Rented e-bikes ($5 for all day) and tooled around the temples from Nyaung Oo to Old Bagan
  • Saw sunset from a temple near Shwe San Daw (but not overrun with tourists)
  • Photographed stars from same stupa we saw sunrise from
  • Stayed at View Point Inn ($18 per night for a double with air con)
March 27th: Bagan!
  • Matt photographs sunrise again
  • Took e-bike on lower part of loop to New Bagan. Had a key-keeper let us into a locked temple, and then he fixed the flat tire on Lisa’s e-bike
  • Saw sunset at a random temple we stopped at that we could climb (Lay Myet Hnar Temple)
  • Stayed at View Point Inn ($18 for a double with air con)
March 28th: Move to Mandalay
  • Bus to Mandalay (4 hours, 8:30a-12:30p, 7500 kyat)
  • Checked into Royal Guest House ($22 per night for a double with air con)
  • Faluda and orange float at Nylon Ice Cream
  • Caught a ride in a local pickup truck to U Bein Bridge for sunset (500 kyat each)
  • Met: Frank and Lauren (USA) – a couple who most recently taught for a year in Siem Reap and are about to go teach in Manila for 2 years
  • Took motorbike taxis back to guest house, 2500 kyat each
March 29th: Explore Mandalay
  • Lisa hires her motorbike taxi from the night before for an all-day “non-touristy” tour of Mandalay ($12) including stops at the jade market, a gold leaf factory, Mahamuni Image where we saw many ordination ceremonies, and lunch at a Buddhist monastery with all the monks and nuns
March 30th: Move to Pyin Oo Lwin
  • Caught a ride in a pickup truck (2000 kyat for front seat, 1500 for sitting in the bed) from Mandalay to Pyin Oo Lwin (4 hours crammed in the cab with two other people)
  • Stayed at Grace Hotel II ($17 for a double)
  • Wandered around Pyin Oo Lwin and splurged at the mini marts
March 31st: Anisakan Waterfall
  • Caught a taxi ($13) round-trip to Anisakan Waterfall
  • Got lost on the hike back and came across a new resort (“The View Restaurant”) that has been under construction since 2007 but is targeted for opening in a month
  • Met MG (Singapore) and Brooke (AUS)
  • Stayed at Grace Hotel II ($17)
April 1st: Train to Hsipaw
  • Train from Pyin Oo Lwin to Hsipaw (3000 kyat each, 7 hours, 8:30a-3p).
    • The price used to be $6 or 6000 kyat for foreigners but they started new prices on April 1st to encourage train travel.
    • There were four guys selling the foreigner tickets. And one goat.
    • One minute into the train ride, our car (full of tourists) gets splashed by kids with buckets from the outside and we all got soaked. A little preview of the water festival on April 12-16.
  • Stayed at Yee Shin Guest House ($10 for a double room, $5 for a single, all shared bathrooms, breakfast included)
  • Traveled with Zoe (UK) and MG. Also met: Alesha and Jazza (AUS)
  • Signed up for overnight trek to Pan Kaw Village II ($18 each)
April 2nd: Trek to Pan Kaw Village II
  • Hike to Pan Kaw Village II (Palau tribe) from 8:30a-1p and had lunch and dinner at our homestay (included in trekking fee)
  • Traveled with Zoe, MG, Alesha, Jazza, and Laura (Baltimore) and our guide Sai Now (“little brother”)
  • Watched two drunk guys steam the tea leaves and fool around (singing Ole Ole Ole Ole!) before the woman in charge came out and scolded them
  • Stayed at homestay (included in trekking fee)
April 3rd: Hike back to Hsipaw
  • Breakfast at the homestay
  • Hiked back to Hsipaw from 8-11:30a.
  • Stayed at Yee Shin Guest House ($10 double)
  • Traveled with Zoe, MG, Alesha, Jazza, and Laura (Baltimore) and our guide Sai Now. Also met: Ele (UK)
April 4th: Putz around Hsipaw before traveling onward
April 5th: Arrange trekking to Inle Lake
  • Arrived from overnight bus at 3:30p and walked to Eastern Paradise ($15 for a double, discounted because we arrived so late. Massive delicious breakfast included)
  • Unable to arrange any trekking after 10am so we ended up staying a second night ($20 for a double)
  • Met Ashley (UK), Laura (Romania via Belgium), Chris and Charlotte (UK/France) and combine forces to sign up for a trek
  • Arrange trek with Ever Smile, $33 per person for a 3-day, 2-night trek including seven meals, guide, and luggage transport to Nuang Shwe (Inle Lake)
April 6th: Begin trekking to Inle Lake
  • Delicious breakfast at Eastern Paradise Guest House
  • Set out on trek at 8am with guide Aki (16-year-old Burmese girl) and her friend Aquos. Arrived at homestay around 6p
    • Got caught in the rain and took shelter in a random lady’s house by her fire, and she gave us tea while we waited out the storm with a zen cat that was just staring at the fire, oblivious to all the humans around it.
    • The rain flooded a riverbed that was normally dry, so we had to ford it.
    • Ate and stayed at a homestay
  • Traveled with: Ashley, Laura, Chris and Charlotte, and guides Aki and Aquos
April 7th: Day two of trek to Inle
  • Breakfast at 6:30, start hiking at 7
  • Hiked all day
    • A local dog joins us for the day. We name him “Khway,” Burmese for “dog”
    • Tea break with kittens
    • Lunch and nap from 12:15-1:30
    • Done trekking at 5:15
    • Dinner and beers with the group, in bed by 7:30p
  • Stayed at another homestay
  • Traveled with: Ashley, Laura, Chris and Charlotte, and guides Aki and Aquos
April 8th: Arrive at Inle Lake
  • Breakfast at 6:30, depart at 7:30
  • Hike from 7:30-11:30a, arrive at Tone La part of Inle Lake
  • Boat tour of Inle. Stopped at a silversmith, saw Longneck women, and went to a monastery that used to be famous for jumping cats (no longer true)
  • Stayed in Naung Shwe at Golden Lotus Inle Hotel ($30 for a double room)
  • Dinner with Ashley and Laura at Lucky Restaurant. They opened the restaurant just for us that night!
April 9th: Hang around Inle before heading back to Yangon
  • Wandered around Naung Shwe
  • Overnight bus with Chris and Charlotte to Yangon (20,000 kyat, 6p – 4am, actual: 6:30p-7am with a flat tire in the middle of the night)
April 10th: Sweat in Yangon before going to the beach
  • Arrive in Yangon at 7am and attempt to find a bus to Chaung Tha beach that will allow us to return during the Water Festival. Failed for a few hours before finding an overnight bus at 9p that will bring us back to Yangon on the 13th (15,000 kyat round-trip).
  • Traveled with Chris and Charlotte
April 11th – Explore Chaung Tha beach
  • Arrived on overnight bus to Shwe Ya Minn guest house in Chaung Tha beach (not charged for the night of the 10th)
  • Walk down Chaung Tha beach and watch all the locals on vacation
  • Stay at Shwe Ya Minn GH ($25 for a double with fan, AC is an extra $10, includes breakfast)

April 12th – Chill day in Chaung Tha

  • Hang out in the shade at guest house, reading and internetting
  • Stay at Shwe Ya Minn GH ($25 for a double with fan, AC is an extra $10, includes breakfast)
April 13th – Water festival and head back to Yangon!
  • Water Festival begins! 
  • Bus from Chaung Tha to Yangon (7500 Ks, part of round-trip ticket on the 10th)
  • Stay at Royal Star GH ($35 for air-con double with breakfast)
April 14th – Water festival in Yangon!
  • Stay at Royal Star GH ($35 for air-con double with breakfast)

April 15 – May 26, 2014Nepal

April 19-29th: Kathmandu Monastery Stay

 

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