The Land of Tailored Clothing

We've been in Hoi An for three nights already. It's a very laid-back little town. Every other store is a clothing shop. I've officially bought my first suit and silk tie, and Mike has gotten suits of his own. The value here is great, and much cheaper than in the U.S. We tried them on yesterday, and not that I've had much experience wearing suit jackets, but I have to say we looked pretty sharp. Mike's pants were too tight around his thick farmer ass and legs, so he's getting that refitted today. We've picked out our restaurant (kind of like in Seinfeld) that we go to every day. Beers cost .15 cents there! And the foods great too. The beach is only a few miles away, and our hotel provides us with free bike rental. We soaked some rays and checked out the babes yesterday, occasionaly taking a dip in the ocean. The water is warm and clear, and the only downside is that you have to watch out for jellyfish. Went out with a few Australian ladies and a German last night for a few drinks. We'd met one of them before in a different part of Vietnam. This isn't the first time we've run into people we've met days or weeks ago in different places.

Halong Bay

After 24 hours of travel from Sapa, we reached our destination at Cat Ba Island, which is the only inhabited island in Halong Bay (which is a series of thousands of little islands in close proximity to one another. We took an overnight bus to Hanoi and continued straight on to Haiphong, the main port for travelers to see Halong Bay. We figured Hanoi was another bustling city that we weren't in the mood to see. When we arrived at Cat Ba Island, it took us nearly four hours to find a room. Apparently it was a Vietnamese holiday (not the 4th of July), plus it was a Saturday when we arrived. Since then we've gone to a beach and loitered around the main strip on the water. We'll be leaving tomorrow for Hoi An, which is the place to be if you're looking to buy a hand-tailored suit for cheap. If anyone has recommendations for us as far as what our suits should look like, feel free to comment. The weather in Halong Bay has been crappy, and there are many tourists, which took away some of the experience for us. Personally Sapa has been the most memorable experience thus far. The Hmong Villagers are a fun bunch of people. We've got videos posted now. They're directly on this web page or you can go onto YouTube and search 'Jayd22j' which is my account name.

Into Vietnam: The Northern Mountains

We finally reached Vietnam on the 29th of June. China was a great experience. We headed back to Kunming from Dali, and in the same day took an overnight bus to the border of China and Vietnam. If you've never been on an overnight bus, let me tell you that it can be a very intimate experience with other passengers. Imagine a coach/greyhound bus with the seats gutted. There are three rows of bunkbeds that run the long way of the bus, with two isles separating them. The space is very unforgiving for a man my height. I sat down next to a cute Chinese woman. I mistakenly told her in Mandarin that she was beautiful. Moments later, she had moved seats and Mike swooped in to take the newly available room. 12 bumpy, stinky, and loud hours later, we arrived at the border. After crossing the river into Vietnam, we took a bus up through mountains to the village of Sapa. It is quite possibly the most beautiful scenery I've ever seen. Picture being on the side of a mountain with green jungle and fog surrounding you. There is a waterfall that runs into a stream a short walk away. We went swimming in the crystal clear water and walked around a few Hmong villages. Lots of chickens, pigs, and cows (which look more like water buffalo here). We'll be here a few more days, then on to Hanoi, where we plan to celebrate the 4th of July (definitely being much more inconspicuous of course). Mike and I weren't sure of what reception we would get from the Vietnamese (with the war and all). So far, they've been very similar to the Chinese: curious, friendly, and eager to practice their english. We'll try to get some pics and videos up very soon. Stay tuned.

China: An Overview

Hey all! Sorry for the lack of posts. China actually has blogs blocked on their internet. A fellow traveler showed me a way around that little inconvenience. We've been in China for about five days, and covered a lot of ground. After leaving the luxuries of Hong Kong and Pat Stahl's apartment, we took a two hour bus ride to Guangzhou (the 3rd largest city in China). Any large city in China is BIG, and Guangzhou was nothing short of chaotic. This was the first time we experienced the major problem of the language barrier.
We learned the easiest way to communicate things was to find someone who spoke english, and then have them write down a message in Chinese on a piece of paper. We decided to head west to Kunming, and using our little piece of paper, we purchased train tickets from Guangzhou to Kunming.
The 27 hour train ride was relaxing, and we met many friendly Chinese along the way. Even only being able to speak a few words in one anothers language, we were able to communicate. We traded Chinese Cigarettes for American 'Trident' Gum and played some card games. We've found the majority of Chinese to be extremely friendly, and almost treat us as mini-celebrities. We've gotten used to being stared at on the street. The type of staring isn't leering, but genuine curiousity. Very different then Europe (those snobs). We stayed a few nights in Kunming, which is really a hub for travel, and got to Dali yesterday. It's a large town, with a modern area and a maintained ancient city still within the original walls. Our hostel is right outside the walls. We're looking up at mountains and down at a lake. We'll explore here for a few days, then head up to Lijiang, a town similar to Dali that is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Then on to Vietnam. Stay tuned for more!

The Arrival in Hong Kong

It was an interesting time getting here, to say the least. I lucked out and sat business class on my flight to Tokyo, which was delayed due to debris up in the atmosphere of our flight path, caused by a volcano in Russia. I was put up in a hotel in Japan for the night, and continued on to HK. After wandering in the airport for an hour, my friend from childhood, Pat Stahl, rescued me at the airport. We took a train to his apartment, which is nothing short of spectacular. He lives on the 71st floor of a luxury apartment building overlooking the bay and what has been dubbed the "Manhattan of Asia." Imagine Manhattan with giant rolling hills in the background and more lights. Google 'The Arch Kowloon' to get an idea of what the building looks like. Mike will be joining us tomorrow night en route from Ireland. Then on to the next adventure...

Previewing the trip

Hello to all of our curious fans out there. It's hard to say how many people have reacted utterly bewildered, or at the least surprised, when I tell them I'm traveling Asia this summer; but it's true. It is no doubt out of the ordinary, but something that will be a lifelong experience we can take with us if we survive. There has been plenty of preparation: vaccinations for diseases spread by bird-sized mosquitoes, visas needed to be acquired just to step foot into certain countries, and travel equipment and tickets for getting us there and staying prepared. Either Mike or myself will be updating the blog as frequently as possible. We'll have posts, pictures, and videos. If you truly love either of us, you will follow this blog.