Category Archives: Culture
The Cave Temples at Ajanta and Ellora
Following a recommendation from our good friend Steve from Austin, we persuaded my dad and Anne that it was worth making the trek from northern India down to Aurangabad in the Mumbai region for a visit to the Ajanta and … Continue reading
Sunrise at the Taj Mahal
We rolled out of bed at 5am, threw on our clothes, and headed to the hotel lobby to meet up with my dad, my sister Anne, and our guide for a sunrise tour of the Taj Mahal. We waited in … Continue reading
New Delhi
To begin our tour of India’s capital city, Shelley, Anne, John (the 1st) and I took a bicycle rickshaw ride through the streets of “Old Delhi,” an area within the city that was once the capital of the Mughal Dynasty, … Continue reading
Lazy Days in Luang Prabang
We spent five great days in Luang Prabang, Laos’s second city and definitely one of the most beautiful city stops on our trip. The whole place has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, so buildings both new and old … Continue reading
The Money Trail – Vietnam
The local currency of Vietnam is the dong. The visage of Ho Chi Minh is prominently displayed on each bill. 1 USD ~= 20,000 Vietnamese Dong
Scooter Dodging in Hanoi
After our slowdown in Hoi An, we were a little taken aback when we arrived in Hanoi. Hanoi was like the hustle and bustle of Ho Chi Minh City taken to the next level. I would say turned up to … Continue reading
The Money Trail – Cambodia
The official currency of Cambodia is the riel. However, it might as well be the US dollar. Every ATM that we used in Cambodia dispensed US dollars and everyone seemed to prefer transacting in US currency. The only time we … 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
The Money Trail – Singapore
Singapore is so neat and clean, even their money is white! Seriously, they must take the soiled money out of circulation. I didn’t see any. Singapore is the first country we’ve visited where the US dollar is worth less than … Continue reading
The Money Trail – Indonesia
Landing at the Bali airport and withdrawing a cool million (Indonesian rupiah) from the ATM there was an interesting experience. Definitely made us feel like high rollers! 1 USD ~= 9000 Rupiah