The Experience, part 2.

FOOD. If it weren't for the fantastic people, this would be my favorite part of the trip. Wait, it probably was the most incredible part of the trip. I ate Thai food twice a day for a month and wanted more after I left. The unfortunate part is, that as good as the American version of Thai food is, it can't compete with the real thing. I am left wanting.

Thai food is everywhere. That may sound strange but have you ever tried to take a foreign visitor out for typical American food? Where do you go after you have a hamburger? When my friends and I decide on food, we generally narrow down by ethnicity; Italian, Chinese, Mexican, Greek, Thai. Maybe this is mostly a California problem but it sure made me think while we were in Thailand. The alternative to Thai food throughout Thailand is "Western Food" which includes burgers and Italian mostly and from what I hear, if I had looked closer at the menu there would be specialties to Australia, New Zealand and Germany. However, they all looked like impostors and were always found where the tourists were, not as a part of the everyday cuisine of the Thai people. No, if you wanted good food, you went for the local food.

The local food was everywhere. In restaurants that out numbered all other businesses 2 to 1, on the streets in carts, attached to motorcycles, by sellers that board the train and then get off at the next stop and in kitchens that most of us would consider primitive. On a raft with no electricity, two wonderful women cooked us an amazing lunch and dinner while sitting on the floor in the corner of the boat. We ate from a food cart in Ayuthaya, ordering from a young man that I hoped understood my request for no eggs. (He did.) We ate in a restaurant with a tattoo parlor in back and a proprietor that ran next door to get our beers. A family we stayed with made delicious pad thai and wrapped it in banana leaves for us to take for lunch on our trek. Kim and I sat at a small table in a park, where a husband and wife paired up to served us a delicious lunch.

Though the food is delicious, just like any other ethnic food, there are certain dishes that you will always find. Pad Thai and fried rice were everywhere, in street carts and in restaurants. Another popular street food was papaya salad, made from green papayas, chilies, green beans, garlic, tomatoes and dried shrimp. Chicken and fried basil, garlic and chicken, green, yellow and red curries. Tom yam goon was my personal favorite, spicy and sour soup with shrimp, lemon grass, kaffir lime leaves, mushrooms, tomatoes and, of course, chilies. These are but a few of the many dishes that were always available and delicious no matter where you enjoyed them.

We were lucky enough to have many meals cooked outside of restaurants. During the homestays we experienced typical family meals. There was always rice, and usually 3 other dishes that we ate family style. In the north they used a lot of cabbage and eggs and very little meat. In the south there was more vegetables, more fish and somewhat less spicy. Though that may have been them catering to the delicate western palette. They always cooked us so much more food then we could ever eat, we were always torn between stuffing ourselves to be polite or saving ourselves for dessert, which was always the most wonderful pineapple and watermelon.

So now I am home, to the vast array of foods, and I keep wishing for REAL Thai food again. One of these days I will use the the info I learned in our Chiang Mai cooking class and make something the might actually taste like Thailand.

Thanks for reading.

The Experience, part 1.

I often wonder why certain people travel. They (the certain people) are often traveling behind the lens of a camera or with a check off list in their hand. I know that these folks, at the end of their "trips of a life time," are only asking whether they took the perfect picture of Denali, made it to the top of the Eiffel Tower or visited Ma Ya Beach. I have the philosophy that these "tourist" events are important or they wouldn't be on the to do list. However, there is so much more to traveling and exploring the world. To me the best way to learn about any place is to do three things...talk to the locals, eat the local food and drink the local drink. I know most of you (well the couple that read this) are with me on the first two but the last sounds a bit suspicious. However, I believe that all three are terribly important.

On this trip I had the fortunate opportunity to spend time with a few of the amazing people of Thailand. Our first experience was part of an adventure that everyone warned against...taking the set price Tuk Tuk ride. K and I were wandering the neighborhood near our hotel and were approached by a nice gentleman offering to help us with our adventure. In the end he said that we shouldn't pay more then 10 Baht for a tuk tuk tour and just at that point we were approached by a tuk tuk driver offering to give us a tour for 10 Baht. Shocking. Well since we knew what we were getting into we decided to go for it and we had a very enjoyable 4 hours. PK, our driver, told us about his life as her drove us to a couple of smaller temples and then on to the obligatory jewelry store and clothes maker. He was originally from Phuket and moved up to Bangkok at 17 to work and go to school. He was at the university but was a bit ostracized since he was a tuk tuk driver as well as a student. He talked about his sacrifice of not having an IPhone and having to work all weekend instead of having fun. Though we were much older, he was he was very interested in knowing about our lives in the U.S and would ask us questions or answer ours at every stoplight. Not only did we not mind our 4 dollar right we enjoyed getting to know a nice young man trying to make his way in Bangkok.

Our next big experience with a local was our guide, Sam. His name wasn't really Sam but he said it was too hard and long to pronounce in Thai. He was from the northern city of Chiang Mai, had 3 siblings, his mom owned a restaurant and he went to a prestigious high school and specialized University. Throughout our 4 weeks together we got to know Sam but he was careful not to be too involved in our adventure, just being a facilitator. We learned about the political situation that is threatening to rend the country in two, discovered that he has many dreams for after leading tours but that his love of food will guide his next step and uncovered the fact that a Thai's favorite pastime is sleeping. Sam has little interest in traveling beyond his region of the world but he has a first timers joy when he shows off Thailand.

Kim and I were also very lucky to have a small interaction with some young Thai kids. While we were eating lunch in Ao Nang we observed a large group of high school age kids divided into two groups trying to talk to passing tourist. Kim and I, not known for easily approaching people decided we would go up and talk to these kids and see if we could help them. Kim approached the shiest looking girl and went to the other. They were competing with each other by filling out an English questionnaire by asking questions of tourists. These kids spoke very good English and could read it just as well; there understanding was a little weak but we were incredibly impressed by their skills. We spent about 15 minutes filling out the form and another ten just talking to them and getting our pictures taken. They were very enthusiastic and excited to talk to us beyond the questions. Later we were walking down the beach and from up above at street level we could hear someone calling at us, it was the students and they came running down to the beach to talk to us again. Four of them swarmed us to get a couple more pictures and our email addresses. We were flattered but we meant more to them since we took the time to talk to them and showed a genuine interest in their lives.

There were so many more...our 65 year old hill trek guide named Homey, that could out hike all of us and Frank, our charming Lady Boy attendant on the overnight train that wanted to play dominoes, cards and listen to Madonna with us. Getting to experience another culture through the words and stories of a native is the true gift of travel.

Stay tuned to hear about the food culture of Thailand. To see the pictures from the trip, click here.

Thanks for reading.

The Trip

I don't know how many times people have asked my "Why did you go to Thailand?" To me this a very odd question, since I want to go everywhere, Thailand is only a part of the list. So instead I answer it as "Why did you go now?" The idea started before my trip to Zurich at the end of '08, well at least the idea of SE Asia. My plan was to spend my vacation in Vietnam on a bike tour but that changed when the W's went to Zurich for a year. There was no way I could pass up spending an extended time in Europe with my great friends and feeling a little bit like I live there. That experience was amazing but very cold. So this year my plans were all about warm weather. Throughout the summer, I had multiple guests tell me wonderful things about Thailand so my thoughts started wandering in that direction. I thought about hitting all four countries in SE Asia but decided that I didn't have enough time or money to visit them sufficiently and that I should focus on Thailand.

The next question I often get is "Why did you go on a tour, when you are a tour guide?" For me that answer is easy, it made it possible for me not to think about traveling. Sounds weird, right? This summer I spent most of my time going to places I had never been and dealing with the issues that arise from traveling around trying to see as much as possible. My thought was if I went with the right company, that had my travel philosophy, that it would be great to not have to worry about any planning. I found the right company, my own, Intrepid. They are the parent company of Suntrek, so the way they travel is the way I like to travel. It didn't hurt to get a small discount either. I chose the 28 day tour that covered both north and south Thailand, the best part was the beach time would be in the last week, so we would have our down time at the end. The trips are never more then 12 people, using public transportation and staying in smaller guest houses and hotels convenient to the heart of town or camping and home stays as a part of the adventure. We were able to meet and talk with the locals and learn about their culture first hand and not just from a guide on a bus.

It was a great experience, letting someone else handle every aspect of the tour. I have no regrets about traveling under somebody else's control and we had plenty of time on our own. I also had a great traveling companion, Kim, a fellow tour director. Having her along helped to cope with the only drawback to a group tour, the other guests. I have few complaints about our fellow travelers, however, they did not necessarily have the same mindset as Kim and me about how to enjoy a foreign country.

In the end, I loved the tour and having other people along to share in the experience. I highly recommend using Intrepid if you want to travel like the locals, in a small group and see things that would never find on your own.

Thanks for reading.

A Month Has Passed.

We have just returned from the beaches of the south, concluding the stay in Thailand. I was supposed to stay a few more days in Bangkok but I decided that I have had enough. So I am joining Kim in Cambodia for 5 days and then will return to chilly and raining California and reality. Once back I promise tales of my adventure but for now you can check out my Flickr account, I have slowly been uploading photos to it when I have the chance.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/15284254@N08/

Thanks for reading.

So Far, So Amazing

I am a week into my trip and have seen so much. There are stories for many of the events but for now I will just relate a few highlights:

Bangkok - a chaotic, teeming mass of people. Transportation has to be the biggest business sector, except maybe for the unnamed numbers of people that cook cheap delicious food on every street.

Food - No one must eat at home. It can cost twice as much for a loft to have a kitchen and you can get a meal on the street for $1.

Dogs - Dr. Sara would go crazy with the number of stray dogs that roam the streets.

Weather - It is the coolest time of year now but it is hot enough to want to spend all your time in the shade of a building outside since most of the people do not have AC. Life is lived outside.

Flora - Bougainvilla is grown like weeds. They use it like CA uses oleanders along the freeway.

People - Very nice folks that are happy to help but if they have a taxi or a clothes stand they want your business.

Backpackers - This is still very high on the list for the itinerant backpacking group. The effect is cheap internet cafes interespersed with cheap clothes that are strictly for this group since you don't see the locals dressed in them.

If you want the funny side of the trip, check out Kim's blog. http://gorillabits.blogspot.com/

Thanks for Reading.

More Than One Night in Bangkok

The time has come, I leave Thursday morning. MW will take me to the airport and I will pretty much disappear from your lives until I return on February 9. I will be checking e-mail and Facebook when I have the chance, however I will not have the ability to maintain my blog but intend to take good notes while on the trip and write it up when I get back. My itinerary is below, so you can follow along if you like. I will be staying extra days in Bangkok before and after the tour, so Day 1 of the tour is January 10th and I end the tour Feb 6 but won't leave until February 9.

The tour is through Intrepid Travel and the name of the trip is Thailand North and South. Check out their website.

trip map

itinerary

Day 1 Bangkok

Sa-wat dee! Welcome to Thailand.

You can arrive at any time on day 1 as there are no activities planned until the important welcome meeting at 18:00 (this time may vary from time to time). Your leader will leave a note at reception telling you where this important meeting will take place. Please ask a member of reception for this information.

Bangkok has so much to offer those with time to explore - why not take a riverboat to Chinatown and explore the crowded streets, or wander down the tourist mecca of Khao San Road?

Our comfortable hotel in Bangkok is centrally located near Khao San Rd and the Chao Phraya River and has ensuite bathrooms, air-conditioning and a swimming pool.

Days 2-4 Kanchanaburi/River Kwai

Early on day 2 we head off in a longtail boat down the Chao Phraya River to explore the famous 'khlongs' (canals) of Bangkok (approx. 1 hour). The life that goes on along these canals seems a world away from the chaotic streets. We then visit Wat Po, the home of the magnificent reclining Buddha and keeper of the magic behind Thai massage. We return to the hotel to pick up our bags and transfer to the bus station.

Travelling by local bus for approximately 3 hours in the afternoon, we reach Kanchanaburi, home to the infamous 'Bridge on the River Kwai'. There may be time here for an optional samlaw (bicycle rickshaw) tour around Kanchanaburi, the perfect way to take in the splendour of this city and the monuments to its tragic past.

Our comfortable guesthouse in Kanchanaburi is a short walk to the shops and restaurants and has ensuite bathrooms and fan-cooled rooms.

On day 3 we board a big floating barge and spend the day cruising down the river Kwai. We have plenty of time to relax and swim. We also stop and visit some amazing temples during our journey. Tonight, spend a memorable night on board, sleeping under the stars. We sleep all together on fold-out mattresses on the open deck (or undercover if it rains) with shared bathrooms.

On day 4 we visit the Jeath War Museum and then head off to Erawan National Park (approx. 1.5 hours each way from Kanchanaburi), where we can explore the famous seven-level waterfall or simply swim and relax. On the return journey, there is the possibility of grabbing a kayak and taking the River Kwai back towards town, paddling under the infamous bridge for a unique view. If kayaking is not your thing, there are always majestic Buddhist temples to explore. We return to our guesthouse in Kanchanaburi for the evening.

Day 5 Ayuthaya

After a local bus/songthaew ride from Kanchanaburi (approx. 4 hours) we arrive in Ayuthaya, one of the ancient capitals of Siam. As we have an overnight train journey tonight we have shared day rooms in a clean basic guesthouse in a quiet part of town which has basic facilities and a restaurant.

We have ample time for a guided tour of the picturesque ruins and temples spread across the town. The ruins at Wat Phra Mahathat provide many a photo opportunity, and the Buddha head surrounded by Banyan tree roots is perhaps the most photographed site of all in Ayuthaya. Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon affords the opportunity for a glimpse into the future and Wat Phanan Cheoeng is Ayuthaya's answer to the Taj Mahal, built out of love for a wife departed.

There is time here also for a final swim and dinner before boarding the overnight train on the evening of day 5 bound for Chiang Mai (approx. 11 hours). We use soft sleeper class trains for all our overnight train journeys. Multi share compartments are air-conditioned, with bunk beds; sheets and pillow provided. Our baggage travels in the carriage with us. There is a food and drink service available on board.

Days 6-7 Chiang Mai

We arrive in Chiang Mai in the morning of day 6.

Dubbed 'The Rose of the North' by the Thais for its beauty and the friendliness of the people, Chiang Mai is our base for the next 2 days, giving us ample time to explore this amazing city and its lush surroundings. From Chiang Mai we take a short trip (1 hour) to a nearby national park where domesticated elephants, previously used for logging, take you for a ride through their natural environment (approx. 1 hour). After completing your journey on these majestic creatures, bamboo rafts await those who would like to try a relaxing float down a jungle river. Of course, the tranquillity of river rafting is often quickly replaced with mayhem as water fights with local children break out along the river bank.

Back in Chiang Mai there is the chance to have a traditional Thai massage before heading down to the famous Chiang Mai Night Bazaar, a shopaholic's dream.

Day 7 allows you to choose from a plethora of activities that are on offer in the city and its surrounds. The Chiang Mai Thai Cookery School offers courses for budding chefs and will definitely allow you to impress your friends upon your return. A novel way to see the surrounding countryside is to take a cycling tour, on which you will visit temples and ruins, the McCain institute for handicapped artists, and possibly a sticky rice factory among other sites.

This evening sees us off to explore the famous temple complex of Doi Suthep. A short songthaew drive from our guesthouse (approx. 45 minutes) along a scenic, winding mountain road ends at the impressive 300-step Naga-guarded stairway. The rewards justify the ascension to the top, with one of the most beautiful temples in Thailand on display, not to mention fantastic panoramic views of the city and the opportunity to listen to hypnotic evening chanting by resident Buddhist monks.

Our clean, comfortable guesthouse in Chiang Mai is located by the famous night markets and has ensuite bathrooms and air-conditioning.

Day 8 Homestay

Via Chiang Rai, we travel approximately 4 hours to a small Thai village to stay in the home of some local friends. There is plenty of time to experience the quiet village life before sampling a traditional northern Thai kantoke dinner, complete with a dance performance presented by the school children of the village. Staying here is a true privilege and a chance to experience the real Thailand - something very few travellers are able to do.

Our basic multi share homestay is in a local village. There will be fold-out mattresses on the floor and shared bathrooms.

Days 9-11 Hilltribe Trek

Walking through hilltribe villages and meeting the locals is, for many, the highlight of this trip. We visit various villages, each with their own unique language, clothing style and belief system.

Please note that you should be fairly fit as we hike across hilly countryside and rain as well as hot, humid weather pose extra challenges. We walk for approximately 5 hours each day so there is no great rush. The terrain is rural rather than jungle - the hilltribes grow rice and other vegetables on the slopes - and we trek along village tracks. There is also the possibility of some shallow river crossings. Please note, there may be times during the trek when the use of video and/or still cameras may be inappropriate. Your group leader will advise you further. Each person carries their own pack for the whole trek (see 'what to take' section for luggage requirements). All meals are included while trekking, but you will need to purchase and carry your own water (please allow US$8 for the entire trek).

Accommodation is multi share, sleeping on fold-out mattresses on the floors of the wooden/bamboo huts typical of the villages. There are shared squat toilets and basic washing facilities in most villages (i.e. hose or water pipe) or we may be able to wash in a nearby stream. Warmer clothing & sleeping bags are recommended from November to January as the nights are usually quite cool during this period.

Days 12-13 Golden Triangle

Using local transport - songthaews - we visit the point of the Golden Triangle where the Thailand, Burma and Laos borders meet, stopping also at the border town of Mae Sai, which is full of colourful shops stacked with Chinese goods. After dining at one of the many restaurants located on the banks of the mighty Mekong River, we pay a visit to the Opium Museum for a deeper insight into this area's problematic past. Following this, there is time for an optional fast boat ride down the Mekong River.

Today involves a total of around 3 hours travelling and we spend the night at a hotel/guesthouse in Chiang Rai. Almost like a little sister to Chiang Mai, this city boasts a great night market and a variety of good restaurants. We may also have the option of briefly crossing into Burma to attend a Burmese market (not included).

Our clean, comfortable guesthouse in Chiang Rai has ensuite bathrooms and air-conditioning and is located in a quiet part of town near the local markets.

From Chiang Rai, we return by bus to Chiang Mai (approx. 4 hours) on day 13 before boarding the overnight train south to Bangkok (approx. 13 hours).

Days 14-15 Bangkok

We arrive in Bangkok this morning and check back into our hotel, leaving a free day for shopping or sightseeing before meeting again for our final night's dinner with those who are leaving the trip here in Bangkok. Being a weekend, this is a great opportunity to visit the weekend market at Chatuchak - one of the biggest and busiest markets you will ever see. Your leader can also give you other ideas of what to do - places like Jim Thompson's House and Chinatown are all great to explore. There's a fantastic array of transport options available for getting around this traffic-choked city and although it's most efficient to stick to the canals, river and Skytrain, a trip in a tuk-tuk is certainly an experience!

As this is a combination trip the composition of your group and your group leader may change today. There will be a group meeting to discuss the next leg of your journey.

On day 15 we explore the canals of Bangkok in a longtail boat. We also visit the Grand Palace, with its many spectacular temples and secular buildings. The most famous of these is the Temple of the Emerald Buddha.

There is time for stocking up on any last minute items before we board a comfortable overnight train in the evening to the southern railway junction of Phun Phin (Surat Thani), a journey of approximately 13 hours.

Days 16-19 Khao Sok

Arriving at Surat Thani early in the morning, we take a ride (approx. 1.5 hours) to Khao Sok National Park where we find some of the best remaining rainforest in Thailand. The park covers an area of 646 sq km and has an ecosystem that is reputed to outdate even the Amazon.

Boarding a longtail boat we head out on the Chiaw Lan Lake (approx. 50 minutes) to spend 2 nights in remote floating rafthouses, surrounded by spectacular mountains and rainforest. There's plenty of time to relax, swim or try an early morning rise to spot wildlife such as gibbons and hornbills.

On days 16 and 17, we stay in bamboo rafthouses in Khao Sok National Park which are basic, with shared bathrooms.

Returning across the lake, we continue to the Park headquarters (approx. 1 hour on a boat, plus 1 hour by car) where our accommodation includes simple but comfortable bungalows with local-style bathrooms. The afternoon of day 18 sees us go on a short (approx. 1 hour round trip) jungle walk to a fantastic cave temple and have a talk with the locals about the history and legends behind the cavern.

Day 19 allows plenty of time for exploration, and with so many superb walking trails, rivers and waterfalls to discover, the day can be easily filled. You could take a ride on an elephant, or in the rainy season there is an option to take to the water in inner tubes and float down the river through the rainforest.

On days 18 and 19, our accommodation is in simple fan-cooled forest huts close to a stream just outside the National Park. Huts are twin share, simple but comfortable bungalows with bathrooms attached.

For trips Nov-Apr (West Coast)... Days 20-23 Ao Nang/Krabi

Leaving Khao Sok National Park we drive approximately 3 hours to Takua Pa to the west coast Province of Krabi to our village homestay. Here we can walk around the village, try out rubber tapping and enjoy the great food and hospitality of the region. There is even the possibility of assisting with the preparation of the night's meal. Please be aware that this is a Muslim region so conservative dress standards are in order.

Tonight, our basic multi share homestay is in a local village. There will be fold out mattresses on the floor and shared bathrooms.

On day 21 we head for the small beach town of Ao Nang (approx. 10 minutes), close to Krabi and the stunning limestone karst scenery of the headland for a day of relaxing on the beach or getting active. There are many activities that can be done in Ao Nang, ranging from sea kayaking, to some world class rockclimbing, its all here for you to enjoy.

The evening affords us the opportunity to witness a beautiful sunset while dining on seafood in a beachside restaurant, followed by an evening enjoying a drink in one of the many clubs and bars situated on the beach.

Our comfortable guest house is centrally located just a short walk to the beach, shops and restaurants and has ensuite bathrooms and air conditioned rooms.

Days 24-26 Phang-Nga Bay/Sea Safari

This morning we take a short walk to Ao Nang Beach where we take a 2 hour boat ride to Chicken Island located in the stunning Phang Nga Bay. Here we snorkel and continue on to Poda Island for lunch. After lunch we head to nearby Bamboo Island where we will set up camp for the next 2 nights.

The bulk of our luggage will be left at our Guesthouse in Ao Nang so it's a good idea to have a daypack for the essentials - sleeping sheet, sarong, towel, change of clothes, sunscreen, etc. Tents and basic sleeping mats are supplied, but you may wish to bring your own air mattress.

There are many activities available on Bamboo Island such as coconut picking, fishing for Barracuda & Squid, swimming & snorkelling. Spend your evening by the camp fire, with local games & fire dancing.

On Day 25 we head out on the boat to Maya Beach on the neighbouring Island of Phi Phi Lek. Maya Beach is where they filmed The Beach with Leonardo DiCaprio. The bay is perfect for that photo opportunity and snorkeling & swimming. At 11am we head to Phi Phi Don Island and stop for lunch with time to explore the Island for a few hours. After lunch we head to the other side of the Phi Phi Island to Lip Bay for a swim and then return to our evening camp on Bamboo Island. When leaving Lip Bay we may throw a line in to try and catch some fish and squid for dinner.

On day 26 we head back to Ao Nang (approx. 2 hours) to pick up our stored luggage, shower, and head to the bus station (approx 2.5 hours) to take the overnight train back to Bangkok (approx 13 hours).

Please note: An alternative itinerary may apply to Days 24-25 subject to seasonal weather conditions, tides or camping booking periods. In the event of bad weather we will arrange alternative activities for these days.

Both itineraries... Days 27-28 Bangkok

Arriving in Bangkok in the morning we check back into our hotel, then you are free to check out markets or shopping centres, catch a river ferry or explore Buddhist sights. This evening, enjoy a final night's dinner in one of the great local restaurants.

There are no activities planned for day 28 and you are able to depart the hotel at any time. Check out time from the hotel is at 12 noon. If you are departing later, you can arrange luggage storage at the hotel

Merry Christmas to All.

A frosty day in Prague August in Monument Valley, UT

This is me being lazy and frugal. This is my Christmas card for 2009.

2009 can be summed up in one word for me...new. January 1st found me on a train from Zurich to Freiburg, Germany and December 31st will be spent amongst my second family. In between this is everything NEW:

...places - Zurich, Milan, Prague, Joshua Tree, Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, Moab, Bryce, Zion, Houston, New Orleans, Mississippi, Smokey Mountains, Asheville, Savannah, Florida.

...niece - Julia Marie was born in February. She is amazing. I spent February, March and April staying with my sister and brother-in-law, helping everyone getting ready for and then adjusting to the new addition. I am now closer then ever to my three beautiful nieces. I am very lucky.

...loss - Mom passed away from Metastatic Breast Cancer in April. We miss her but before she died she got to meet her new granddaughter and spend quality time with her family and friends.

...roommate - Trevor, my friend's brother, moved in when Karen moved out. Trevor is a great roommate and Karen and Eric have a beautiful baby, Brandon as their new roommate.

...jobs - I spent January 20th standing in 20 degree weather on the Mall in D.C. with my high school tour group and 1.5 million or so others watching the new President be sworn in on video screens. Then, instead of returning to Alaska this summer, I started a new adventure with Intrepid Suntrek leading 13 passenger tours, camping and hiking our way around the United States.

...people - My work with Intrepid Suntrek introduced me to some wonderful trek leaders that I now consider good friends. As trek leader I got to know people from Germany, the Netherlands, Britain, Switzerland, Denmark and New Zealand. I feel privileged to have met them and shown them around our beautiful country.

Of course, in addition to the new, was the presence of old; my great family, which I am closer to now then ever, my close friends in Davis and the Bay Area that are always there no matter how much time I have to spend with them and my love of travel which will take me on a month long trip to Thailand just seven days into 2010.

I hope that you all experience a joyful and prosperous 2010.

Diane

Easter in Ukiah Julia's first Christmas

Best Laid Plans.

December was all about great plans but for one reason or another most of them fell through. Doing things, getting out of my house, seeing people this is what I wanted to do this month. It is very easy to sit around and not do much when you aren't working, I have many tour director friends that can back me up on this.

I had big plans to go to LA to visit KH, who had just moved out to the west coast and was moving into her own place. We were both excited about it, we hadn't been able to hangout since the beginning of July. The weather was worrying me a bit but I figured I would be fine with my trusty Subaru. First however, I had to run up to my sister's to drop some new clothes for the baby and spend some time with them before I was gone for a 2 weeks. As I drove up there, it started snowing, but usually it doesn't last very long and rarely do they get much snow in December. The next morning we woke up to over a foot of snow and still falling. It was going to be very difficult to get out of there and once on the road the conditions were going to be awful. So I postponed the trip until February, I later discovered that the Grapevine was closed due to snow. Good decision.

The following week, Carrie, the girls and I were supposed to travel to Reno to visit our aunt and uncle for a few days. Unfortunately, again, the weather was threatening and it was decided that to keep certain men in our family from worrying themselves sick, we postponed this trip also. This time the weather would not have been and issue but it turned out that my family in Reno had a medical situation that would have made our stay inconvenient.

Finally, this last weekend was supposed to be full of festivities and I ended up with a cold. Saturday was our Davis/Folsom family dinner, which had been on the calender for months but instead of risking infecting the kids and the future mom, I decided to stay home and get myself healthy before Christmas. The following day was the twins birthday, which I missed last year while in Zurich, however, since the house would be full of kids, I again decided the best gift I could give them would be keeping my germs to myself.

I did do many great things this month; my first Sharks game with Michelle, playing in the snow with my nieces, reliving some of the good times of Zurich with the Watson's, cutting down my first Christmas tree with MW, the fantastic Christmas party at the DePaoli's, and getting my running endurance up to 28 minutes, among other events. January is all about Thailand, that better not get disrupted.

Thanks for reading.

Flashback: Prague

The final destination on my six week trip was Prague, a city that I had heard so much about but had yet to travel. We knew it was going to be cold, temps were predicted for the teens and twenties for the weekend we were there. I was worried it would alter my feelings for the city. Though I am sure if I had visited in spring time my feelings toward Prague would have been stronger, it didn't take long to fall in love and catapult this gem to #2 all time city. If the weather had been better Paris may have felt some heat for it's #1 spot but as of now the city of light remains firmly in first place. Our apartment was in the heart of the Josefov, or Jewish Ghetto, less then 5 minutes from the heart of the Old Town and amid many good little restaurants. This turned out to be a bigger benefit then usual for us. Generally, the W's and I prefer to wander about and luck upon a small restaurant, that more often then not would have great food and the perfect atmosphere. However, with such cold weather, when we left the apartment for dinner we wanted to know exactly where we were going and take the shortest route. During the day we did explore and definitely liked what we saw. The city is way ahead of Budapest in recovering from the Communist years, the buildings are well restored, services such as trams and and buses are full speed ahead and the tourist infrastructure is in place. We did our best during the day to wander the streets, visiting whatever struck us as interesting, persevering despite the weather. We spent much of the time in the heart of Prague, between the Old Town, Josefov and Mala strana, so we were never too far from home and a chance to thaw out.

Our first destination was the unusually crowded Charles Bridge and after crossing we found a great little cafe. The shop had tea and specialty coffee drinks, we enjoyed it so much we returned a couple of days later. We visited the Alphonse Mucha museum, he is one of the most famous Czech artists and MW is a huge fan. It was a wonderful little museum and I gained a new appreciation of the artist. One of his very famous works is in St. Vitus Catherdral in Prague Castle. The window was beautiful, full of color and his Art Nouveau style made it stand out from the standard religious stained glass window. We spent a few more hours exploring the castle complex, one of the largest in the world. The 10th century Basilica of St. George was a beautiful contrast to the gothic St. Vitus Cathedral and just as impressive due to it's age. Of course, we are always on a mission for good drinking so we made sure to visit some of the local brew pubs and enjoy some true pils. I enjoyed the Czech beer we taste much more then the beer from our Germany trip. We also tried the local mulled wine while we explored the beautiful old streets and did some shopping. We ventured out to see Wenceslaus Square, which is the main shopping area of the town center. It was filled with chain stores for all wallets but nothing you can't find in any other big city. The view to the National Museum was very nice though. Near there we did find a place with great Czech beer and food where we took shelter for a few hours.

Though we did much more, the trip was mostly about discovering a beautiful city. I can't wait to get back and visit when 3 layers of clothes aren't required.

Thanks for reading.

To see the photos from this city, visit my Flickr Prague set.

Postponed

JMA's first snow and not sure

she likes it.

CEA's snow angel CMA

I was very excited to head to LA and visit my marvelous tent mate from this year's Suntrek training. KH and I spent 3 weeks sharing a tent and were the only women in a group of 11 trainees but still came out of it great friends. She moved to the west coast after the end of our tour season and now has her own sublet. I was hoping to help her get settled in the new place. However, Mother Nature had other ideas. Yesterday, I swung up to Foresthill to see the nieces before heading to LA today and while sleeping last night 14 inches of snow fell. Of course, I knew that a storm was scheduled to come through but we rarely ever have cold, snowy weather in December, that happens in January or February. I figured the meteorologists were going to be as accurate as usual. So I waited through the morning hoping the snow plow would come by and the restriction of 4WD with chains would be lifted. It was eventually but the weather all the way to southern California was going to be ugly and I preferred to be safe then sorry. So here I remain, in Foresthill, and if I didn't know better I might think that CMA had something to do with the weather. She kept saying how sorry she was that I couldn't go to visit my friend and then would snuggle up a little closer to me with a big smile on her face.

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The Running Thing

The faithful shoes taking a well deserved rest.

I started running again for the millionth time. I often take up running for exercise and then give it up because of sore knees or lack of motivation. This time I have good motivation. MW started the Couch to 5K program and I thought this might be just what I needed to get moving again. Not only would I have a slow build-up that would guard against knee pain, hopefully, and keep me from getting discouraged. Also, MW and I would keep each other on track. So far the program is working great and my stamina is better then I thought, I even did a 5K early on in the training. I will get done with the program just before I leave for Thailand and though I won't run a 5K organized run right then, I plan to do one upon my return and then start working towards a 10K. Another plus of running over biking is that it is a lot more portable on tour. Of course, then I just need to find time to run during those 12 hour days.

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Back on the Bike

...of course it may not last long since the rain is due to arrive any day but it had to be done. For some reason I have avoided my beautiful two wheeled living room decoration since early spring. It has sat under the stair collecting dust and mocking me while I sit on the couch and watch reruns. To avoid the guilt, I have done many things: drove tourist around the U.S., gone to Foresthill to be with the nieces, spent time in the Bay Area adventuring with friends and taken up running. So after spending the last few days thinking about what a waste of time my last month and half has been, at least while at my house, I decided I needed to start with more physical activity. I have been running but that is only 3 days a week and the beaches of Thailand are looming. So today I pumped up the tires, put on the spandex and headed out into the California sunshine. The sun wasn't as warm as it appeared but I was ready to go. It was a good ride even though technology let me down. First, I realized that my speedometer wasn't working, which I would have remembered if it hadn't been 9 months since my last ride. Second, my new toy, a heart rate monitor that I bought for running, is impossible to use while riding a bike. I should have listened to the reviews that MW read to me but I was so excited to find a heart rate monitor at Costco right when I decided I wanted one. I will be testing Costco's return policy soon. What did work for me was the one thing that is always consistent when I ride...the unbounded thinking that usually results in clarity on a topic that I wasn't concerned about. Today was no different. I also remembered how much I love to ride so watch out my lovely black and silver companion, I am back in the game. If the rain doesn't ruin my new found motivation.

Thanks for reading.

P.S. I do not have memory loss, I realize that I have casually ignored the last nine months. I will do my best to update the blog before I head out on my next adventure.

Short Update

The switch to the new job this summer has been a great success. I have traveled throughout California, northern Arizona and southern Utah. There are times when I miss my friends and the adventures in Alaska but the benefits, both personal and professional, have been worth it. Click here to see a bunch of photos from the summer. Enjoy.

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Much Maligned Milan

So many people asked us why we wanted to go to Milan. Most say that it is just a big city that doesn't have much character, others say only go if you are interested in fashion. MW and I decided to go because...we could. Milan a was a mere 4 hours or so from Zurich and honestly we both needed some Italian food. Potatoes, gravy's and beer was getting very old, I needed pasta, sauce and wine. The early morning train from Zurich to Milan provided me with my first real views of the Alps on this trip and we couldn't have known that the beautiful snow covered scenery would take us all the way to Milan. Our first stop upon arrival was a restaurant recommended by PDP, so into the metro we went, emerging into 3 feet of wet snow and rain. Not a good combination. We easily found the restaurant though and were seated in the mostly empty dining room. The food was good and we were happy to relax and beat the lunch cutoff time since it was almost 2pm. We both had pasta but MW was the smart one and got a dish with the homemade pasta as opposed to me going for the sauce that sounded the best. No matter, the food and wine were still good. From lunch we headed out to see the heart of Milan, the piazza at the Duomo. The Christmas tree was still standing, at least for another 24 hours, and there was an exhibit on the Beatles in the piazza but it certainly didn't detract from the glory of the Duomo. For the rest of the day, MW and I did what we do best and wandered even though the wandering wasn't easy. Snow was piled up in the cutters and on top of the cars but it was sloushy due to the warming weather and the rain. After checking into our hotel, Hotel Ariosto, we headed back out to find some of the famous free food. Many Milan bars have free snacks during happy hour, we intended to make a meal of this but we never found anything that wonderful and we were visiting Milan for the food after all. Back near our hotel we found what we were looking for but you never would have known from the outside. We just happened to stop in front of a very unobvious restaurant that from what we could tell was empty. However, the proprietor was standing in the entryway and opened the door, we could tell then that this would be good. The restaurant was almost full and it seemed that everyone in there was a local, as the owner walked around and talked to each table. We tried about 4 different dishes that were all phenomenal and we left there truly happy.

The next day we packed up and headed to the train station to lock

up our luggage. We noticed that the earlier version of the train we would take later in the day was cancelled. We hoped that was not going to impact our trip later on. We headed back out to visit the

La Scala, the amazing theater that Milan is famous for. It was very

beautiful and truly impressive on the inside. From there we headed over to see the inside of the Duomo. The Duomo is an amazing church, giant in size and with the spires and ornamentation, it feels so much more gothic then any other church I have seen. It was also a great way.

to stay out of the rain for a bit. That was the end of our short time in Milan, but it was well worth the trip.

However, we didn't go straight back to Zurich, we made an afternoon stop over in Lake Como. Lake Como is a quaint little town that was pretty deserted the day we were there. We wandered about, enjoying the view of the lake, the hillside homes and the small shops. We found a small

local place to have a late lunch and continued the wandering. As night fell we headed back uphill to the train station to head home. We grabbed a quick snack and headed out to wait for the train.

The platform was empty and there was no information on the

arrival sign. We waited quite a while, almost an half hour before any information was put

on the sign. Finally, the train arrived, we settled in for our 3.5 hour trip to Zurich. As we pulled into the Lugano station there is an announcement saying that we are going to have to change trains. The tricky part was that it was said first in Italian, then German, then French and when they finally announced in English, everyone was jabbering away and MW and I couldn't hear the information. Of course, we had put together what was said using our knowledge of the first 3 languages, however, with something this important we wanted to be sure. Fortunately one of the train attendents took a special interest in us and was sure to inform us of what we were going to have to do, which was make 4 more train changes. The trip in the end only took about an hour longer then what had been schduled but it certainly was more exciting then a straight shot into Zurich.

Next: The final adventure - Prague.

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Why is the Chapter Still Unfinished?

As I went for a run today, I started thinking about my blog. I regret that I have not been the writer that I wish I was. I often consider opening up the computer and finishing what I have started, namely the last few posts on an amazing trip. However, I then get stuck. Why?? It isn't like I didn't enjoy that last week, it may have been the best part, not that I am showing favorites. (Yes, France you are still my favorite, no need to get jealous.) Then I wonder if it is because finishing those posts, officially ends that adventure, and really, who wants to close that door. I also consider that maybe I don't actually remember the events after all this time all that well. None of those alone can be the reason, but together maybe and now I know how MW felt when her adventures were coming to fast for her to record properly. I promise myself that I will finish and I am sure there is at least one person out there reading that would like to know how the story ends. I also believe I have to do it so I can shut the door and move on to the events at hand.

Stay tuned for the end of one year and the beginning of the next.

Thanks for reading.

Loner in Luzern

My one solo day trip during this trip was a short day trip to the most popular city in Switzerland, Luzern. Set amongst the Alps on Lake Luzern with a long history and many sites to see, this city is often the first stop for tourists but ended up being my last stop in Switzerland. I squeezed the trip in between our trip to Germany and the overnight to Milan but I am very glad I went.
The short train trip delivered me into the heart of the city and from there I started my wandering.













Chapel Bridge is the most famous crossing of the Reuss River and was built in the 14th c. as a fortification and a bridge. This oldest wooden bridge in Europe is decorated with 17th c. panels depicting the life and history of Luzern. In 1993 the bridge burned but as quickly rebuilt, though not all of the panels were saved. The water tower in the middle has served many uses through the years and today it is a souvenir shop, of course.












The old town is well preserved. It is a maze of small streets and old buildings, now mostly occupied by modern chain stores. Another highlight is the many facades painted with murals depicting everything from hunting forays to angels.














My wandering took me to the edge of the old town and the old city walls. The section that is still intact is perched above the town with a small meadow on the backside. During the summer, you can walk the top of the walls but unfortunately it was closed while I was there, for safety reasons, I am sure. Also on the edge of town is the famous Löwendenkmal or Lion Monument. This huge lion carved out of rock is dedicated to the 700 mercenaries killed protecting Louis XVI in 1792, when the citizens stormed Versailles Palace, in order to take the King and Marie-Antoinette back to Paris.









Amid the Alps, beside a lake, church spires everywhere, city walls to storm and a bridge crossed by covered bridges, Luzern is truly a fairy tale town.

Germany, by car.

We now return to the rest of the European story...

7:30 am, January 1, 2009, Zurich Hauptbahnhof.

Thus began our four day trip into Germany and let me say Zurich never appeared more dead then then this day after the big New Years Eve party that took over the town. We saw more discarded alcohol containers then people that morning. We boarded a train to Freiburg in Breisgau, Germany and in 1.5 hours we arrived in a town even more dead then Zurich. Our first order of business was to get some coffee, which I am ashamed to say involved a well-known American chain with a green logo, but honestly, there was nothing else open at this point and we needed our coffee. We did have a chat with a young local, also having some coffee that admitted to us proudly that he had yet to go to bed. Ahhh, to be young (or stupid.) After getting our jolt of caffeine we took off to see the town, which was surprisingly beautiful, definitely a good place to spend a few hours and one the W's said they may try to get back to. Once we had obtained our rental car, a cute black Mercedes, we took off for the land of cuckoo clocks and Hansel and Gretel, the Black Forest. I see now why fairy tales were written about this region in Germany, it has hidden lakes, dense forests, winding roads and quaint villages. With a fresh layer of snow highlighting the sites, we headed north on a well planned route, with the help of Helga, GPS assistant. Conveniently there was a small brewery set amongst this backdrop for us stop into and have lunch and try some German beer. Continuing on we went encountered the "center of the Black Forest," or so it billed itself. The small town of Triberg is built along the walls of a canyon at the bottom of which was the "highest waterfall" in Germany. Though the waterfall was quite small compared to anything significant in the Sierra Nevada's, it was beautifully lit and for just a couple of Euro's we went up to view it. The town was easily out of a fairy tale, with small shops selling cuckcoo clocks, half timber houses, the small river through the lower center of town and white lights everywhere. Of course, this was just 7 days after Christmas so the spirit was lingering. After our short hike and coffee break we headed on to the Hotel Gasthoff zum Weyssen Rossle in Shiltach for the night. This inn was a perfect setting in the Black Forest; mom and pop run, amazing restaurant and inviting rooms. We really enjoyed our very German meal and our comfortable rooms for very few Euros. The next morning we took a walk around the village, which is billed as the "prettiest" in the Black Forest and I would have a hard time denying it.

Day two was centered around two cities, Baden Baden and Heidelberg. We took the high road through the north part of the Black Forest and it was breathtaking. We had clear skies and little traffic as we enjoyed the view of a snow covered landscape across the top of the mountains. Dropping into Baden Baden we had a couple of objectives, stretch our legs, have a nice lunch and get an impression of this famous spa town. The town was bustling compared to what we had seen the previous day but still slow to recover from the New Years events. It definitely has the aura of affluence and privilege but we certainly didn't feel out of place. We found a great little French restaurant for lunch (yes I was a happy girl, but so was MW since they had great flammkuchen) and then and even better place to get some Black Forest cake and coffee a little later. We walked by the casino, saw the remnants of their Christmas market and then it was time to move on. We took the autobahn to Heidelberg for our next stop and overnight stay. I visited Heidelberg for a couple of hours almost 2 decades ago and it was the one place in Germany that I remember really enjoying. I enjoyed it even more this time and would love to return for longer then 18 hours. We found The Hip Hotel, a great, affordable place right in the heart of Heidelberg and every room is themed after a world city. We had the difficult decision between the New York(MW's favorite city) or Paris (my favorite) rooms, Paris won out due to a better set up for the 3 of us and it was much cuter. With two local breweries available to us we set out to see the sights and enjoy the local beer and food. The city is beautifully lit up at night and the castle was a sight to see sitting atop the hill, but we could tell it was still recovering from it's celebratory hangover.

In planning this trip, we thought about heading towards Berlin but knew the 8 hour return train trip would be too much, so we continued up the western part of Germany along the Rhine River to see the castles. I also wanted to see this part of Germany again, but wasn't so sure since we knew it would be very quiet following the first of the year. We tried making reservations in a few of the small towns along the river for the night but were told they were closed or never received a response. I would not recommend this time of year for this region, since it is not at it's best but as always the three of us still had a great time. The storied part of the Rhine between Rudesheim and Koblenz is home to 30 or so castles that were built over the last 1000 years in order to levy tolls on this vital waterway. Most of the castles are in ruins but are quite a sight as you come across them, one after another, around every bend of the river. We stopped in Bacharach on the western bank to find some lunch, in the guide books this is listed as a busy tourist town but we found it almost deserted with just two places open for lunch. The village was still magical with it's tiny streets and city walls, the lack of people only added to this feel. We continued north, recrossing the Rhine on a car ferry, with a mission of arriving at Marksburg Castle before it closed. This is one of the few castles that is not in ruins and we were fortunate to catch the last tour of the day. Though the entire tour was in German, our guide did translate the information about the instruments of torture into English for us. The castle afforded us great views of the sun setting over the river and was very interesting inside too. We ended our evening in Koblenz, an unremarkable town along the Rhine and though the old town paled in comparison to anywhere else we visited we did enjoy our dinner. We ventured across town in the cold to an area noted as a "replica of a recreation," now housing restaurants instead of wines from throughout the region.

Our final day dealt with history and beer. (Shocking, I know) We drove the autobahn up to the former capital of West Germany, Bonn, just to have a look around. We walked through the old town which seemed very nice though it was hard to tell at 10 am on a Sunday. We saw the Beethovenhalle and Beethoven's home while living in Bonn along with a view of a completely different Rhine River from the day before. After our short stop we headed on to Köln (Cologne,) to return our car and catch our return train to Zurich later in the day. Last year, the W's made a stopover in Köln and enjoyed the city due to it's unique beer culture. The city has a 14 local breweries producing in the Kölsch style and similer to Champagne, only those in region may call their liquid Kölsch. In the pubs, the 0.2 liter servings are continuously brought to you and the server marks the coaster to keep track of how many glasses are dropped off. We stopped in at 5 different places to do some taste testing, have some lunch and pass the afternoon. In the evening we boarded the train for home.

The last minute trip was a great success and though many of the places were closed for January we did enjoy seeing sights without the swarms of people. Driving a Mercedes on the autobahn was an added bonus but the beer disappointed us; of course, we compared it Irish and Belgian beer (and stay tune for my assessment of Czech beer.) This journey ignited an interest in visiting the rest of Germany that I did not get from my trip 20 years ago.

Thanks for reading.