I LOVE Southeast Asian Food.
A lot. I enjoy Japanese food too, but the flavours and spices of the food in Southeastern Asia are my absolute favourite (so far).
I learned that I will definitely go back.
I cannot tell you what my true favourite was. I was surprised by how much I loved Cambodia for sure. And even though we did less in-depth touring in Thailand than in Vietnam, I loved them both.
I am lucky to have been born in Canada
Can’t stress this one enough! We are RICH in these countries!
The stories we heard about what people in these countries went through during Covid were horrific. Say what you want about the government, but at the time of Covid our boys were students and gig workers. I am grateful they could live through it with as little hardship as they did.
Everyone in Canada has access to a decent education. So not true everywhere in Southeast Asia. I think about the Floating Village in Cambodia, not to mention the many kids I saw in all three countries wandering on a “supposed” school day.
We met so many people with so much less than we have, and they were friendly and grateful. It was, as I have said, truly humbling.
Travelling is hard work.
We have always known this as the type of travelling our family has always done, is not easy travel. But – it is harder when you are older, harder when your body does not cooperate and definitely more of a challenge as a plus size person.
We were occasionally written off or underestimated when it came to some of the activities we signed up for. And every once in a while, singled out. But – it will not stop us from planning future adventures!
We are NOT tour people.
Don’t get me wrong, we loved this tour, but it wasn’t really a “tour” tour. It was planned for us. Our flights and hotels were booked for us. We had a car and an English-speaking guide meet us at every city. All of that was wonderful!! We LOVED that! But looking at the body language between some participants in large groups as they arrived at or left a hotel or airport – NOPE!
Our activities and tours were also planned for us – day activities. We met different people on each of them. Some we would have loved to continue chatting with – some? Not so much!
Airports in Southeast Asia are interesting to say the least.
Hanoi and Saigon are huge cities, and so is Bangkok. I am guessing the airports are what they are because these are not rich countries. In many cases we bussed a long way to find a plane or a terminal. In Hanoi there are only 12 gates at the airport even though millions of people live in that city!
Earlier, I mentioned that travel has not returned to Cambodia like it has in the other Southeast Asian countries. They are waiting for the Chinese to return!! Everyone is waiting for the Chinese to start travelling again!
In Cambodia (Siem Reap) there is no airport that can handle the giant planes that come from China. The Chinese government is actually building an airport near Siem Reap to be able to accommodate these large planes. Our guide is hopeful that it will make a big difference in tourist numbers for that region.
In Phuket, there is a DUTY-FREE Warehouse (for lack of a better word). It is huge and luxurious and it is also for the Chinese.
Climate Change and Animal Cruelty is NOT on the radar of poor people in these countries.
Before anyone takes offense, let me explain. We often hear the “big players” talk about developing countries and that it is not fair... "they are not reducing enough, etc. etc."
The reality is this… if you can make money to feed yourself and your family – you are going to do it anyway you can. So, as we boated through polluted rivers and canals and saw less than humane practices with some animals it really hit me. Unless the poverty for some people changes, or we who can afford to cruise through these polluted waters stop, nothing will change here. And I gotta say, seeing it first hand, makes me understand it – even if I don’t like it.
It has been a few weeks and we are already missing Southeast Asia and talking about going back next year. I have become fascinated with the region and the history; both recent (Vietnam War) and long ago (Angkor Wat).
BY THE NUMBERS
ACCOMMODATIONS 9 (including a boat)
FLIGHTS 9
CITIES 6 (including Tokyo)
COUNTIRES 3
SNICKERS BARS IN AIRPORTS 10
SCORPIANS EATEN 1
ENGLISH GUIDES 7
BEER NO COMMENT
BUDDHAS No Idea! Stopped counting at 80!!
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