Reflections on SE Asia

Today marks the end of my three and a half month travelling in SE Asia, and what an amazing 12 weeks it has been.

Travel
My South East Asian journey took the form a huge loop through four countries: Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia. In all a journey of over 8000km! On this journey I travelled by train, bus, sleeper train, sleeper bus, sawngsaw,skytrain, speedboat, longtail boat, hydrofoil, bike, motorbike, metro, tuk tuk, pickup truck, taxi and most importantly: my own two feet. Here are some rough statistics of how far I have travelled thus far:

By Air      8048km
By Water 524km
By Road   3907
By Rail      3767

By Foot: Countless Steps

Total         16246km


I travelled with ducks and chickens and sacks of rice, with chattering locals and blaring music. Sometimes it was comfortable, airconditioned, leasurely and relaxed. Other times it was...an experience. The rice paddyfields, the mountains, the villages, cities and towns passed day by day forming the backdrop to the many thoughts that occupied my mind on thoese long journeys. Often I would listen to Radio National Podcasts, and use transit for learning.

Unfortunately I have travelled so far Google Maps can not fit the journey onto one page but has split it from Saigon onwards (see below). Click here to see a larger version.








Highlights

This journey has taken me through many wonderful diverse cultures, landscapes and cities and brought with it a wealth of amazing experiences. Here's a few highlights:

• Boating down the mighty Mekong River
• The picturesqe village of Kong Lo and it's amazing subteranian river
• Street life in Hanoi
• Kayacking through the submerged limestone kasts of Ha Long Bay
• Sleeping overnight with a Hmong family
• Heading south to Hue, Hoi Ann and Saigon with Mason
• Spending a night with the local teenagers in Sai Gon
• The mighty temples of Angkor

Food

Four countries, four cusines with many regional variations. Despite some intitial worry, I had no problems seeking out meatless dishes wherever I went and think I have experienced a wealth of different dishes. From pad thai on the street in Thailand to bowl after bowl of Noodle Soup in Lao. From the simple cooking of the Hmong in Sapa to the time Mason and I splurged and had wonderful hot chocolates and lemon meraunge pies at a fancy cafe on the lakeside in Hanoi. In Cambodia I saw fried crickets, teranchulas and duck foetuses for sale...I did't try these. Food is an important part of travel, and in SE Asia it has come cheap, a meal generally costing $1 to $2.50.

People

I have passed through four countries but many more cultures, each with their unique styles, foods and ways of doing things. From the hill tribes in Vietnam to the urbanites of Bangkok, SE Asia is rich in cultural diversity, home to scores of different ethnic groups. So too is there huge inequality between these countries and between different groups within them. Meeting locals has provided deeper insights into these cultures and provided many memorarble experiences. Soo too have I enjoyed meeting with countless fellow travellers, people to share experiences and split tuk tuk fares with.

Onwards


Tonight I depart on a flight to Mumbai to begin the next stage of my journey, India. If SE Asia was anything to go by, the next three months in India, Nepal and China should be equally as amazing and full of unexpected experiences. Whilst my journey in SE Asia has mostly consisted of a solo affair (bar the 10 days with Mason), in India I am to be joined for three weeks by my mother and brother, and in Nepal I shall be joined by my friend, Emme.

Goodbye, SE Asia! Hello India!