Honeymoon Part 2: Weekend in Bangkok

Bangkok is beginning to feel like a second home to me.  Lisa, on the other hand, was a bit nervous about visiting. Assuring her that the political unrest had long since subsided, I tried to appease the situation by talking about Bangkok’s modernity. I brought up the speedy, air-conditioned SkyTrain, clean & efficient taxis and all the beautiful spots to stay in the downtown area. Though she was clearly still anxious, she took my word for it and started to get excited for the trip (at least I’d like to think she did). Thanks to our combined collection of Hilton Hotel points, we booked our stay at the Millennium Hilton Bangkok, located right on the Chao Phraya riverside. The only down side to this gorgeous five-star stay is the fact that it’s not close to any convenient SkyTrain stop. This being so, I knew we’d have to taxi from the airport.

After we landed, got a pair of the cheap prepaid sim cards at Suvarnabhumi Airport, I reassured her that the taxi ride would be smooth, stress free, and around an hour long (taking some traffic into consideration). Well I guess all my talk about Bangkok’s modernity and efficiency totally backfired, because the ride in was a nightmare. My comfortable “hour taxi ride” turned into a gridlocked, stop-and-go, 2-hour taxi ride from hell. By the end of it we didn’t have to say anything; you could read the anguish on both our faces. From that point on, it was going to be all trains, boats or tuk-tuks.

With the both of us working remotely, we were able to enjoy the stunning Hilton scenery and amenities for a few days. Finally when the weekend came, we were ready to do some exploring.

The Chao Phraya River Express

As the Hilton is located right along the Chao Phraya River, they have a hotel shuttle boat that goes back and forth to the central Sathorn Pier.  From this pier, we were able to catch the famed Bangkok water taxis to most our destinations. As you walk down to the pier, there are two separate boats you can take. The first is the “local” ferry, with tickets running around 15 baht (50 cents) per way (generally the more packed and less comfortable option)… Or the “Tourist Boat”, which charges over double the price (40 baht to be exact), but includes more space, and even a tour guide explaining all the passing sights. Trying to avert another taxi experience, I opted for the latter. We boated up the river a few stops and stopped off to explore the first batch of Thai temples.

A View of Wat Arun from the Water Taxi

A Searing Tour of Wat Arun

As we stepped off the water taxi, we encountered our first real obstacle for the day: the heat. July in Bangkok is scorching hot. There’s no way around it. Covered in sunscreen and jumping for the shade, we finally made it to Wat Arun… which is where we encountered obstacle number two: the dress code. Despite 100+ degree temperatures and thick, jungle humidity, women were not allowed to wear shorts, short dresses or tank tops into the complex. Respecting the local customs, we “rented” a sarong for Lisa to wear, and made our way into the ancient grounds. Filled with grand stupas and colorful Buddhist icons, we battled the heat and explored the amazing 17^th century “Temple of Dawn” on foot. At this particular complex, visitors are still allowed to climb the actual steps of the stupas, which is quite cool, but also where we met obstacle number three (don’t things come in threes?) :-) Lisa isn’t the worlds biggest fan of heights.

Lisa braving the climb in her rented purple sarong

If you’ve ever visited any ancient temples in Southeast Asia, you know that they aren’t updated to modern safety regulations. The steps leading up to the top of the stupa were probably half the size of a normal, safe step, they were built ridiculously close together, practically vertical all the way up… and many of them don’t have handrails. I am sure many a tourist has taken a tumble on these stairs.

As we climbed the treacherous stairs and Lisa attempted to ignore the ever-increasing height, we finally reached the top with its stunning panoramic views. After a few photos, we commenced the descent, which was actually harder than the climb up. Lisa was fantastic about it all, though, and with help of a couple of European backpackers, we made it down without a single tumble!  As you can see, we were beaming with delight.

Made it up and down without a single tumble!

After leaving Wat Arun, we headed back to the boat pier. We crossed the river and made our way to Wat Pho, home to the giant 43-meter reclining Buddha, which was absolutely breathtaking. The entire complex was beautifully built around this gigantic Buddha, with halls, shrines and stupas completely surrounding it. After gawking at this wonder, we made way to our final destination: The Grand Palace.

Wat Pho's Giant Reclining Buddha

Tuk Tuk, Touts and the Grand Palace Scam Artists

As we made our way from Wat Pho to the Grand Palace, we quickly realized we were on the opposite side of where we wanted to be. The giant complex has one main entrance, and we were at least a quarter mile away from that. As the sun literally burned us and we were struggling with how thick the humidity felt, we were approached by a Thai local.

<Quick flip of an official tourist/Grand Palace volunteer badge>

Volunteer: “I’m sorry, the Grand Palace is closed today”

Us: “REALLY?!”

Volunteer: “Yes, there’s an assembly of 1,000 Buddhist monks coming in town this afternoon, and the whole complex is strictly open for devout Buddhists only. No foreigners or tourists allowed.”

Well that stinks, we thought to ourselves! What now?? But before I could even get my next thought out, the “volunteer” continued on…

“However, these three sites are open to visitors today (pointing to an official map)… I can help you hire a tuk tuk to bring you around to them, yes?”

I politely declined his "help" and we kept on walking. Even if we couldn’t go in, we’d at least get to see the entrance and maybe get a couple of pictures if the gate was open.

A second time before reaching the main entrance, we were approached by more “volunteer Grand Palace workers”. We also noticed a handful of other hot, sweat-ridden tourists getting approached by these “helpers”, some of which opted for the tuk tuk ride. As we crept closer to the “closed” palace entrance, we started hearing a loudspeaker blaring in English (as if it was talking directly to us): “The Grand Palace is open everyday from 8:30 to 4:30. Beware if you are approached by hawkers in front of the palace saying the palace is closed.”

We just sort of looked at each other and laughed. We wondered how many poor, overheating tourists those scammers have duped into overpriced, high-commissioned tuk tuk rides.

As we turned into the Grand Palace entrance, we were greeted by the greatest sign of all:

It really is open EVERY day!!

  

Wandering through the Grand Palace, we were overcome by its sheer beauty. It is by far the most ornate, impressive palace complex in Bangkok (and probably in all of Thailand!)… There was even a full replica of the Angkor Wat temple inside the Palace walls! Really cool.

One of the most amazing aspects of the Palace though is Wat Phra Kaew (AKA, the Emerald Buddha Temple). Tucked safely inside this golden temple is one of the world’s few emerald Buddha statues, sitting well protected and far from even a camera’s reach- though I tried my best with my 200mm lens ;-)

My photo of the elusive emerald Buddha!

Ayutthaya Round Two

The following day, after talking Ayutthaya up to Lisa so much, we hopped the same mini bus I rode before and headed for the ancient kingdom. She was excited to see all the cool sites I had mentioned, and I had a few new spots I wanted to see as well.

Pimped Out Tuk Tuks Round Two

As we arrived at the street corner where the minibuses drop-off, we were picked up (yet again) in a pimped-out tuk tuk: colors, speakers, fake chrome and all. We hit all the same spots I visited a few weeks ago, but this time headed to Wat Yai Chaimongkhol as well.

Home to another giant reclining Buddha, this Wat, like so many others in the kingdom, was surrounded by dozens of seated Buddha statues. However, there was one big difference that I was happy to see: these Buddhas were not beheaded like the others I saw on the previous trip! It was great to see a beautiful, historic Thai Wat in the form that it was meant to be seen- unspoiled, undefiled and in perfect (yet weathered) condition. We wrapped up our Ayutthaya and Bangkok trip on this positive note, and happily headed back home to Singapore this "second mini-honeymoon". 

A Buddha statue with a replacement head

Buddha statues with their heads; the way every wat should look! 

Lisa and I at the Grand Palace

A Marriage, Mini Honeymoon And a Tour of the Skies

When two people are engaged to be married, there’s one thing that takes importance over everything else: the wedding. Lisa and I had been brainstorming for months where to tie the knot. As we live quite international lives, it only seemed appropriate to get married in an exotic international location. Once we both put our top choices on the table, we were surprised to see our first pick was the same: the Maldives.

Yes, the Maldives, that tiny strip of paradise islands off the coast of Sri Lanka… who wouldn’t want to get married there? Secured in the number one spot on almost all lists for “best honeymoon destination” in the world, the place is basically made for newlyweds. It just so happened that the both of us were individually obsessed with this tropical getaway for quite some time, so now it only seemed appropriate that we got married there. Right?

Not so fast.

The Maldives truly is the world’s best honeymoon destination. But unfortunately, it is also one of the world’s worst spots to get (legally) married. For some reason, the government of the Maldives refuses to recognize any marriage that takes place on the islands by foreigners as legitimate. If the Maldives won’t recognize the marriage, then the strictest-of-all USA government definitely won’t recognize the nuptials. Plan foiled.

As we virtually scanned the globe for the next best spot to get married, we stumbled across a photograph of Bora Bora:

This is not my photo... (Just found on Google Images)

That single, inspirational shot completely took our breath away; we had found our place. Though there were still going to be some legal complexities in getting married there, Bora Bora did acknowledge foreign weddings. However, after realizing that the closest date we could both be in Bora Bora (for an extended period of time) was mid to late November, we finally nixed the whole “legal” wedding abroad idea (though we will still have a “wedding” there when we visit in November!).

To make both our lives easier, and to ensure that our marriage is, in fact, legally recognized around the world, we decided to get married in the US. Heading to southern Florida, we planned our wedding photos, the marriage ceremony and a short, “starter” honeymoon to Las Vegas.

Marriage, Photos and Black Clouds With a Side of Rain

Knowing that southern Florida’s weather is quite unpredictable, we planned our wedding photos for a few days before the actual date. I had my new, tailor-made suit from Bangkok all ready to go and Lisa had a beautiful dress that she had kept hidden away from me until the very last moment. When the day came, we had our clothes, waterfront, Miami skyline and beautiful South Beach surroundings all ready… and it rained. Torrential downpours & black clouds; just about the worst possible weather. We rescheduled for the following day… and it rained again; rescheduled again for the following day… rain… the photographs just weren’t going to work out. Here is a sample of the radar image we saw each day around sunset :-(

Even on the last possible day, the weather radar showed a dreary blue spot lingering right over Miami. So in the end, we had to trade in the long wedding photo session for a simple, yet perfect wedding picture.

With photos aside and the legal marriage complete, it was time for our first honeymoon!

Vegas, Baby

After the Florida weather fiasco, we took off for sweltering Las Vegas, where we at least knew it was going to be clear. Neither Lisa nor I are Las Vegas rookies, so we knew exactly what we wanted to do and where we wanted to go. Our first day was filled with fun excursions, delicious meals, a walk down the strip and a few Vegas shows (including Cirque du Soleil’s Zumanity at NY, NY Casino). Quite possibly the coolest part of the day, however, was our visit to the Hoover Dam.

Visiting this marvel of engineering, we opted for the guided tour, which brought us all around the outside and inside of this colossal dam. Exploring its infrastructure & the turbine generator room, we got to really appreciate the sheer beauty, size and creation of this American feat. The only thing that made the Hoover Dam experience even better, was how I got to view it the following day!

Hitting the Nevada Skies

One nice thing about being a pilot is the community of friends you make around the world. I have a few pilot friends who are based out of the Las Vegas area, so I called one up and arranged to rent his Cirrus for the day. I figured I would take a refresher course, pickup some recurrent training and then take Lisa out for a sightseeing adventure around the Grand Canyon. Taking off with a local instructor, he warned me ahead of time that the skies, despite being crystal clear and scorching hot, were quite choppy. Turbulence and a bumpy ride wouldn’t bother either of us… but it did make me think twice about bringing Lisa up.

With our seatbelts strapped extremely tight (to prevent us from bouncing all over the cockpit), we did our best to maneuver the plane through the turbulence. With a scenic flight in mind, I flew the Cirrus towards the Hoover Dam to get an even better glimpse than I did the day before. Circling around the amazing spot over and over again, I got some fantastic views and some even better photos! It was truly the cherry on top of my Hoover Dam experience.

A Shot of the Hoover Dam from the Cirrus

Moving back into the training part of the flight, I was ready to practice my steep turns. In a typical airline flight, turns are usually done at about 15-20 degrees, but when training, especially in a smaller plane, the turns are quite sharp and aggressive (around 60 degrees). Deciding to combine my practice and training with some sightseeing, we aimed the plane for the western end of the Grand Canyon (opening up to Lake Mead, at the top of the Hoover Dam). Instead of practicing the steep turns in a wide-open space, I practiced the maneuvers inside the canyon. With the rocks of the canyon walls actually above the plane at some points, it was an unforgettable and quite surreal experience.

Flying over Lake Mead

As we battled our way back through the turbulent air, I knew Lisa, who usually loves to fly, was not going to be interested in bumping her way to the Grand Canyon. Though the final excursion fell through, all in all it was a fantastic trip… or should I say, Honeymoon Version 1! We got legally married, had a great time in Las Vegas, saw some beautiful sites and I even got the chance to spend some time in the air! Perfect. With our legal marriage and first honeymoon completed in the US, we are now ready for the real deal in Bora Bora, coming up this November!

The newlyweds enjoying some sunshine!!

The Hoover Dam from the ground

Enjoying the view!!

Though we didn't actually get married at the Elvis Wedding Chapel....

We we had to visit just for Michele :-)

Turmoil in Bangkok and a day in Ayuthaya

If you’ve been watching the news… you may know that things have been a bit hectic in Bangkok.

During the passed few years, Thailand’s political pot has been getting stirred quite a bit. Each time it happened, the international media had a special way of blowing things way out of proportion (as they often do). Assuming this was still the case, I went through with my prearranged travel plans and decided to go to Bangkok. I was in no way trying to jump into the political fray, but it just so happened that the day that I left, Thailand declared martial law. I guess this time they meant business…

Upon arrival, I headed for the airport’s SkyTrain to bring me into the downtown area- just like I always do. (If you’ve ever ridden Bangkok’s SkyTrain, you know that it’s just about the cleanest, quietest, most peaceful monorail route in the world). However, I knew things were quite serious when the SkyTrain showed up at Suvuarnabhumi Airport, and after the passengers disembarked, scores of armed military guards exited every door of every car and inspected the perimeter. On top of the armed guard’s inspection, I could also sense the city’s turmoil because my 9:45 PM inbound train was the final one; there was a 10 PM curfew! Yikes!

Finally getting into the ghost town that was central Bangkok, I checked into my hotel and immediately flipped on the news. I heard all about the martial law, learned about the curfews that were now instated, crossed conflicting bits about a massive protest that would take place Saturday… Bangkok seemed to be changing before my eyes.

The next day I sort of tip-toed around the city, trying my best to stay away from the tumultuous areas, the protest quarters and any electric spots I saw on the news. There was only one thing that absolutely had to be accomplished that day (besides avoiding the political madness): getting a tailor-made suit for my upcoming wedding. Luckily, I didn't bump in to any trouble accessing my favorite, local tailor shop...

Though there was an extremely strong military presence all throughout the city, it was still quite evident that the majority of the population was just trying to go about their daily lives as normal. With curfews, restrictions and pockets of protests scattered all around the city, I decided now was the best time to get out and cross off another destination on my travel list… Ayutthaya.

Ayutthaya: The Ancient Kingdom of Siam

Ayutthaya

After researching online as to what the best means of reaching Ayutthaya was (special thanks to the outrageously informative forums on TripAdvisor), I decided to take the Mini Bus. The train was apparently the easiest and most reliable means… but it took three times as long. The public bus was located on the opposite side of town in the middle of nowhere… and wasn’t exactly the fastest means either. The Mini Bus took some finding (down a random alley near the Victory Monument area), but it was ultimately the easiest and fastest mode of transport.

After flexing my basic guidebook Thai language skills and boarding an A/C bus with no signs depicting our destination (remember, it’s all a part of the experience), I reached the central historic area of Ayutthaya. An hour-long ride, no problems & smooth sailing… I couldn’t have asked for a better journey!

Ancient Kingdoms and Pimped-out Rickshaws

After the 90 km journey into historic Ayutthaya, I was surprised to see what was awaiting me. Thailand is famous for their tuk tuks, but the ones in Ayutthaya were out of this world! The best way I can explain these funky machines? Pimped out. They were all painted wild colors, rocking chrome wheels, giant sound systems… they were unlike any other tuk tuk I had ever seen in Thailand. I approached the hipster machines, sought out a driver who spoke some English, and hired myself a tour guide for the day. You can see my very hip ride below:

A quite unusual tuk-tuk; note the outrageous speaker system!!

As he drove me out into the bones of Ayutthaya, he explained the scene surrounding us.

Known as the kingdom of Siam, Ayutthaya was established in the 14^th century and expanded (by the 18^th century) to be one of the biggest cities in the world. While Europe was creeping through its Dark Ages, Ayutthaya was booming as one of the world’s great trading hubs. Any significant explorer or merchant during this time in history was at some point headed for this global capital. With a population reaching one million, the sprawling kingdom must have been an absolutely amazing sight to see. So what happened to it?? The Burmese Army.

Around 1767, the Burmese Army moved into the capital and burned the entire area to the ground. The only structures that remained were intricately carved stone stupas and stone Buddha statues… that were all beheaded. Even though these Buddha statues sat silently, symbolizing peace (many of them are literally signing “peace” with the Buddhist mudra positions), they were still beheaded and defaced for conflicts that have long since been forgotten. A striking reminder of the futility of war.

A Hauntingly Strange Sight to See

I walked around the amazing Ayutthaya grounds with the optional “headset” (which I would definitely recommend for only $1-2 USD), and listened/learned about the amazing history and culture that once thrived here. Despite being reduced to stone stupa skeletons, I could almost imagine (as I walked around) the opulence and booming civilization that once inhabited this place. Though it’s a shame what became of Ayutthaya, the beauty that came out of it is now known as Bangkok!

Instead of rebuilding on top of the existing rubble, the kingdom was moved 90 kilometers away, which is where modern day Bangkok now stands. Like the mythological phoenix, Bangkok emerged from the smoldering ashes of Ayutthaya, and became the grand city that we know today… though I guess I was catching it at sort of a bad time. Even though Bangkok and Thailand are undergoing a bit of a political face lift (or whatever you want to call it), it’s still one of the world’s greatest destinations.

By the time I left the city on Saturday, the locals (and probably the military, too) were getting tired of the curfew. Restrictions were a bit more lax, places were staying open later and things were returning (somewhat) back to normal. I flew out of the injured city after a fantastic day trip and a few days around the front lines… though I never really felt unsafe at any point. Hopefully things look up in the near future for the “Land of Smiles” and everyone is allowed to go back to their regularly peaceful existence!

Living History: There are no restrictions in Ayutthaya for visitors exploring the grounds... some of the stairs and temple complexes were ridiculously narrow!

A beautiful reclining Buddha in Ayutthaya. Local Buddhists have woven this golden silk robe to cover the entire Buddha... it was nearly 30 yards long from head to foot!!

A Photo of the Grounds

One of Ayutthaya's many amazing Buddha images

A Balinese Volcano Adventure

When you live and travel in Asia, there is never a dull moment. I flew into Bali, Indonesia last week and was completely amazed when I landed. The international airport was brand new, the services inside were super convenient and the customs procedures totally blew me away. I’m not sure what I was expecting… a small town, quiet airport perhaps but Bali’s new International Airport rivaled that of Bangkok (OK, it wasn’t that good... but it was close)!

When it comes to customs, visa regulations and new arrivals into a country, Asia is all over the board. Malaysia is somewhat speedy, Cambodia is slow, yet self-explanatory and Vietnam is, well, difficult. Indonesia, however, has the whole customs thing down pat. Two rows of desks are set up in the arrivals area, the first collects the Visa on Arrival money and gives you a receipt, the next accepts the receipt, prints out a visa sticker and you’re on your way. No hassles, no outrageous lines, no government-issued “letters of invitation”. Simple as that, I was in Bali!

The first thing I try to do when I land in a new country is pick up a SIM Card. They are usually cheap and make getting around so much easier. Before I could even think about commencing my SIM search, I was greeted by a row of SIM kiosks in the arrivals area. No questions, no ID requests, just 10$ USD or even less in local currency and I was good to go for a month… a bit different from my SIM experience in Bhutan! Continuing on with my ultra-convenient arrival, I went over to the prepaid taxi stand and booked a cab into the Kuta area. I hopped in the car, handed over my slip and started chatting with the driver.

His English wasn’t superb, but good enough for basic questions, so I asked him “How long is the ride to Kuta?”

“Umm, 20 minutes to 2 hours” he responded.

I scratched my head, pondering the odd response, and thought maybe his English was a bit off. “20 minutes to 2 hours?”

“Yes”

“But it’s only 6 kilometers from the airport into Kuta” I said.

“The traffic is unpredictable!”

I sat on this response for a while, and as we cruised through the evening streets of Bali, I was hoping for my ride to be more on the 20-minute side of things. All of a sudden, as if it dropped from the sky, the traffic just appeared. We went from regular car speed to a slow walking pace in a matter of seconds. The driver just sort of smiled at me in the rear view mirror and said "See what I mean!" The journey ended up taking about 45 minutes from the airport into Kuta; not exactly the quickest 6 kilometers I’ve ever traveled... But really not that bad.

After arriving in the Kuta area, it seemed as if we had been teleported to an entirely different country. Bars, restaurants, clubs, loud music, foreigners everywhere- I had obviously found Bali’s tourist district. While Kuta was clearly not planning on sleeping at all that evening (or any night from what I gather), I had to work the next day. So I checked into my hotel and called it a night.

The next day (Friday) I spent inside working on the hotel's blazing fast WIFI.  When I finally took a break for lunch, I wandered into the buzzing streets and noticed a parade going on nearby. Though I hadn’t read about any special events in Bali at this time, I asked a local what holiday it was. I was told “In Bali, April is filled with festivals! But this is NOT one of them!” So there’s a giant parade of men dressed in traditional Balinese attire, carrying a golden pedestal through the streets… but they aren’t celebrating anything? Interesting.

The Passing Procession 

The Royal Treatment!!

Ultimately I found out that it was a boy’s “coming of age” ceremony- similar to the Jewish Bar mitzvah. They were carrying the boy through the streets, celebrating as a community, and ending up in a function hall for the big party. I left the non-festival behind, grabbed some lunch and went back to work for the remainder of the day. That night, instead of soaking up Kuta’s buzzing nightlife, I crashed early because of my extremely early wake-up call the next morning.

Sunrise at Mount Batur

2 A.M. came mighty quick and I was greeted by my tour guide in the lobby.  We were off to climb Mount Batur- Bali’s most active volcano.

After a 2-hour drive to the base of the volcano, I stepped out of the car and into total darkness. The trailhead was located somewhere amidst the dew-laden, dense jungle terrain, and there was absolutely no light anywhere to be seen. The only thing rescuing me from blinding darkness were the ultra-bright constellations in the sky… and that was pretty cool!

We began the 1700-meter hike to the mountain’s summit, which I quickly discovered was a super-steep, uphill climb the entire way. The dirt hiking trail was narrow (at its widest parts), and I did my best with a tiny, handheld flashlight to stay on track. However, each time I kept the flashlight lit on the path in front of me, I’d walk into a low-hanging, dew-drenched tree that soaked me when I brushed against it. From then on, I was like a lighthouse beacon, shining my light up and down, back and forth, doing everything I could to stay on track without walking into a small jungle shower.

During the initial ascent, the only thing my guide and I passed on the steep climb were tiny clearings covered in vines, overgrown jungle and low hanging trees. Inside were old, Balinese temples that looked like they’d been meditatively sitting there for hundreds of years- I honestly felt like I was in a scene from Indiana Jones!

About halfway into the hike the jungle terrain was replaced by volcanic gravel. As we hiked through the solidified lava, the terrain kept getting more and more difficult. Jagged rocks and finely ground sand comprised this perilous leg of the journey, and with each step I was thankful for my sturdy, cross-trainer shoes. My guide, however, was wearing tattered, second or third hand sneakers that clearly didn’t fit his feet properly.  They definitely couldn’t have been comfortable!

After a long journey up, we finally reached the summit of the volcano 20 minutes before sunrise. The view? Clouds and darkness. After all that work, I had reached the peak and visibility was zero. I guess my eyes revealed my extreme disappointment because the guide quickly said, “Give it five minutes!” Not even 2 minutes later, the wind changed directions, the clouds drifted away from the peak, and we suddenly had crystal clear, panoramic views of the surrounding mountains and valleys below. As the sun crept up from the horizon, we were exposed to the most heavenly views of dawn… the hike suddenly was worth every single second. We looked out at the surrounding mountains where a few other hiking groups were perched, I snapped some photos and we grabbed some breakfast at the peak:  volcanic-steam boiled eggs, pastries & tea!

The clouds starting to part on top of Mount Batur

The Few Lone Hikers on our Trail

Opening up to a beautiful sunrise

Me finally reaching the top of Mount Batur

Preparing Our Volcanic Breakfast! 

Enjoying my Volcanic Tea

Happy to see the clouds parting!!

Finishing our volcanic steam-cooked breakfast, we headed down another trail to some of the smaller summits in the area. After an unforgettable sunrise and snapping some nice panoramic shots, we began our descent.

A Few Busy Surrounding Peaks

Amazing Scenery!!

About to head back down the "easy trail"

Not long into the trail I said to my guide “it’s so much easier going down than it was coming up!”

“That’s because we are on a different trail,” he said. “We’re on the easier trail now!”

“Easier Trail? Why didn’t we take the easy trail on the way up!?”

“Well, I wanted to make good time and you looked like you could handle the difficult trail.”

Flattered? Maybe. Confused? A little. Exhausted? Totally!

By the time we reached the bottom I was absolutely wiped out. Despite taking me up the difficult route so we could “make time”, I was really happy with my hiking guide. As a token of my gratitude (and because his were years beyond repair), I gave him my cross training shoes- hopefully he’ll get a few good years of volcanic climbs out of them!

By the time I got back to the hotel, there was only one thing on my mind: sleep. I took a rejuvenating late-morning nap and woke up with plenty of time to explore Kuta’s bustling streets once more. With my body already sore from that morning’s hike, I decided it was time for another local experience: a Balinese Massage. 12 dollars and 2 hours later (no joke!) I felt like a completely new person. I flew back home to Singapore that night pleasantly surprised from another smooth, Southeast Asia adventure.

A Daytime View of the Volcano

Beautiful Bali!

One of many Balinese Temples

Busy locals on the hike down

Bhutan: My Biggest Asian Adventure ... so far ;-)

Booking an international trip usually entails a few crucial things. First, you figure out where it is want to go, then you figure out the best way to get there. Airplane tickets are purchased online, if the country requires a visa, a visa is arranged, hotels are chosen and booked ahead… you’re basically almost there.

When I was planning my March Bhutan trip, I imagined things would be a bit tricky, but certainly not as difficult as it actually turned out to be. The start of my Bhutanese adventure? Simply organizing everything.

The Logistics:

Before you could even think about booking a flight into Bhutan’s one international airport, you needed to get a visa. In order to get a visa, you needed to contact a travel agent. You couldn't use any regular travel agent though, you needed to find a Bhutanese government pre-approved travel agent to do the visa, flight & hotel arrangements. Once you found this government approved travel agent, the agent then had to approve you to actually visit the country. Once this giant runaround was OK’d and the tickets, visa, hotels, services and foreigner “Presence Tax” were all added in (yes, non-Bhutanese are taxed for just being inside the country)… then came the payment. Credit Card? I wish it was that easy!

Paying for my trip to Bhutan felt like I was buying contraband on the black market. I had to make a down payment, which was to be wire transferred from my bank to another international bank, who then received the money with a message to bounce it off to another international bank, who apparently had Bhutanese government connections. Naturally, when I initiated this, my bank put up the big Red Flag and stopped the transaction IMMEDIATELY… which I then had to call to legitimatize, and hope that it all actually worked out.

For the rest of the payment? “Oh just bring clean, crisp US Dollars when you arrive into the country and you can pay us in cash.” Of course. Welcome to Bhutan.

With the logistics all squared away, I was finally ready to get into the country. Bhutan (not surprisingly) doesn’t have multiple flight options per day from Singapore, so my best bet was to fly out of Bangkok, which at least offers a daily flight. After having a few day’s adventure in Bangkok, I was ready for my journey to Bhutan.

Arriving in Bhutan:

Flying Drukair Royal Bhutan Airlines (the only carrier that flies into Bhutan, with a modest fleet size of three!), I headed from bustling BKK (population: 6.4 million) to Paro, Bhutan (population: 40,000-50,000 depending on who you ask). After a serious dive through the clouds and mountains to make our landing in the small Paro Valley possible (with the mountains quite close to the wingtips of the plane), we touched down. I was finally in Bhutan!

When I stepped off the plane, there were a number of tour guides waiting for their customers. As I scanned the row of smiling, friendly faces and their name placards, there was only one that was missing: mine. Thinking maybe he was late, there was some confusion in timing or some other honest mistake, I decided to wait. As I looked around the Arrivals area, I noticed a sign for free SIM Cards. Using my travel savvy, I figured I’d get a SIM, call my travel agent and clear it all up- no problem.
All of a sudden, I was approached by a man in the traditional Bhutanese dress (the nation’s uniform, which practically every man and woman wears). He asked what the problem was, told me he was a tour guide, and that he could take care of everything for me. Naturally, my skeptical "Big City" instincts were screaming, “yea I’ve heard that line before…” and I politely declined. 

After I bought the SIM, I realized it wasn’t going to fit into my iPhone without being clipped to size. As I’m standing there wondering what to do, the man approaches me again, this time asking me where I’m staying. When I relectuctantly respond "The Tiger's Nest Resort" , he responded “Oh! Someone is waiting over here for you!” As I walk over to the airport employee, they told me that my guide’s car broke down, and the company has arranged for me to go with this (pointing) tour guide instead. Who is he pointing to? The man who’s been with me the whole time. I laughed to myself at the irony and shady-nature of the whole situation, and decided to just go for it.

As it turns out (in a country that weighs its value by Gross National Happiness instead of Gross National Product), the guy was unbelievably friendly. He not only helped me get my SIM card situation fixed, he actually put his name and ID down as my guarantor to the cell phone company!  In addition, he also turned out to be an amazing guide for the rest of the day!!

Over my first day in Bhutan, my new guide brought me around town to show me all the sites. Though the town itself wasn’t very big (despite being the country’s 'international hub'), it was still interesting and extremely picturesque. We visited the stunning Rinpung Dzong Fortress, tried some delicious Bhutanese food, and he told me quite a bit about life in Bhutan.

Rinpung Dzong Fortress 

Bhutan Fun Facts:

-Almost all men and women follow a national dress code: Men wear what’s called a Gho and women, a Kira… occupations that require a uniform are exempt (note the police officer in the traffic photo below)

-Because there are so few people, cars and almost no congestion in Bhutan, there are NO traffic lights in the entire country!!

-Thanks to their Gross National Happiness, Bhutan is Asia’s “happiest” country, and the 9^th happiest in the world!

Tiger's Nest Resort Hotel- Situated at the foot of the Tiger's Nest Mountain!

After a day of touring and a BIG second day about to come, I was ready to call it a night. I headed to my Tiger’s Nest Resort Hotel (a great stay in Paro with an amazing view of the monastery), settled in and got ready for some shut eye… This is of course after my tour guide personally called me to make sure I was comfortable and pleased with the day’s tour… so nice!

Day Two in Bhutan: Hiking the Tiger’s Nest Monastery. From the 6-mile grueling uphill hike and the mystical, still-functioning monastery to the slippery decline back down… check out the separate post all about my Tiger's Nest Journey Here.

After my rewarding hike to the Tiger’s Nest Monastery, I still had some time to explore Bhutan. Matched up with the guide I was first expecting, we headed for the largest city of Bhutan, Thimphu. With almost 100,000 people, an actual town square and more than two main streets, this was as urban as it gets. Still no traffic lights, but there was one intersection!!

As Close to a Traffic Light as it gets in Bhutan!

One of the most stunning aspects of Thimphu was the giant bronze Buddha statue. Over 55 meters tall, this towering Buddha is (intentionally) visible from every single part of town.

Thimphu's Giant Shakyamuni Buddha Statue

Also home to a really cool main street, the Tashichho Dzong Fortress, and of course an impressive array of monasteries, visiting Thimphu was a great way to top off my trip.

Tashichho Fortress

Thimphu's Not So Busy Town Square

Despite the organizational hassles, the comical “taxes” and the general travel hiccups, visiting Bhutan was one of my favorite trips to date. From its incredibly authentic culture, total religious reverence and ultra-friendly/helpful locals, it’s absolutely a unique place to visit. The towns and scenery were extremely beautiful, the food and culture was remarkable and the Tiger’s Nest Monastery is just one of those life experiences that you shouldn't miss!

Bhutan Highlights:

Buddhist Prayer Wheels

Found all over the country, these prayer wheels were especially prevalent on the hike up to the Tiger's Nest. Covered in Buddhist mantras, every time you spin these wheels it brings good karma upon yourself and everyone around you. So naturally, I spun every consecutive one and made sure to do it in the "proper" clockwise direction!

Prayer Flags: During the Tiger's Nest hike the only sound you could hear was a small stream of water running nearby and the flap of these Prayer Flags in the wind. In fact, the prayer flags were all over town.  A really cool experience. Every time these flags blow, they are supposed to spread the messages of peace and good karma that are inscribed on them. 

A Typical Bhutanese Lunch Spread

The food in Bhutan was awesome, sort of a mixture between Indian and Chinese cuisine. The funniest thing about eating in Bhutan was the lack of menus; I simply sat down in every restaurant.  The waiter would promptly notice I was a foreigner, turned on the charm and just brought out whatever dishes they were cooking at the time (Always rice, plus Indian subji's, Chinese noodles, curries, etc.) 

The General "City" Atmosphere

The Atmosphere in Bhutan was unlike anywhere else that I've experienced. With such a small population that was isolated from the rest of the world for most of its modern existence, the whole country is quite literally 'in a world of its own'.  

The Tiger's Nest Monastery

 ... and of course, the main attraction of it all, the Taktsang Palphug Monastery (Tiger's Nest Monastery)- one of the most memorable places I have visited in the world!

Cheers,
== T.J.==