Author Archives: Shelley
Five Months on the Road
It’s been five months since we started this epic trip, and at the risk of sounding ungrateful, I’ll go ahead and say it–I’m pooped. I’m really looking forward to getting back home in a few weeks and settling back into … Continue reading
A Cloudy Day in Halong Bay
I’d read and heard from a number of friends that a cruise in Halong Bay was a must-do during our stay in Vietnam. Halong Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the few such sites that we’re … Continue reading
Ho Chi Minh City with Scott and Cesar
We flew just an hour from Phnom Penh to Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), but it felt like a time warp. Phnom Penh reminded me of African cities I’ve been to, with lots of large, dusty SUVs transporting NGO workers … Continue reading
Thanks, Australia
The cruel irony. I made it through four months in Asia without a hint of an upset stomach, including two weeks in India without so much as a tummy rumble, but here we are now in beautiful clean Australia, with … Continue reading
Four Months on the Road
We’ve been traveling for four months as of today, and aside from us both being a little sick, we really feel like we’ve gotten into the groove of things. If it wasn’t for the cold I’ve picked up since we’ve … Continue reading
The Fight Against Human Trafficking in Cambodia
As we traveled around Cambodia, we heard mention here and there about the problem of human trafficking inside the country–as well as across its borders–but in Phnom Penh we learned much more about the issue. We visited two international NGOs … Continue reading
Phnom Penh and the Khmer Rouge
After a harrowing six-hour drive from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh, John, Anne and I arrived into the heart of Cambodia’s capital city after nightfall and headed out to Cantina, a Mexican restaurant owned by a man from Santa Barbara … Continue reading
Taking Siem Reap by Storm: Indiana John and the Temple of the Chinese Tourists
I know, the title is terrible, but it’s fitting… From Kampot, John and I headed north to Siem Reap, which is the jumping off point for tours of Angkor, the ancient Khmer capital and the home of Angkor Wat. We … Continue reading
Good Friends and Good Food in Singapore
We flew out of Bali and into Singapore on a Thursday afternoon, and in just a quick couple of hours it seemed like we had jumped planets. On the taxi ride into downtown Singapore from the airport, I stared in … Continue reading
Dancing in Bali
Nope, we didn’t go out dancing in Bali, but we did watch a lot of dancing. Part of the fun of touring Bali is having the chance to see traditional Balinese dancing. We caught our first performance a couple … Continue reading