Daily life traveling is usually more complicated than life lived in one place. These complications are humorous and something I expect. Even so, I still shake my head in wonder and amusement when these moments occur. I arrived in Battambang from the islands. My clothes were dirtier than I could manage hand washing. I asked at the hostel front desk…
Author: theyearofsarahjoy
Koh Rong Sanloem 11.7.16
At each destination I tell myself I will have the opportunity to return if I wish. With this attitude I avoid the sense of worry brought on when the goal is “to see everything.” My visit to the island Koh Rong Sanloem about 16 miles from mainland Cambodia in the Gulf of Thailand was the first time I felt I might never see a place like…
Kampot & Kep 11.4.16
Serendipity. Fate. Good luck. Coincidence. However you label it, chance encounters setting off a chain of positive events are a wonderful part of travel. Some examples: I met Sophie, in my hostel in Hue, Vietnam. Two days later, we happened to take the same tour from Hue to Hoi An, Vietnam. A day after arriving in…
Phnom Penh 10.31.16
Currencies continue to be a learning opportunity for me each time I enter a new country. In Cambodia, I was surprised when the first hostel I booked (while still in Vietnam) sent an email indicating only dollars would be accepted for payment. Immediately, I thought, “Oh no, I do not have enough emergency USD for…
On the Street: Vietnam 10.30.16
Google says I have traveled 7100 miles from Beijing to Phnom Penh, Cambodia. By my count, I have traveled this distance using 9 different types of transit (airplane, train, metro, foot, car, boat, bus, tuk tuk, moto). In each country I enjoyed learning the transit system. In Vietnam, transit within a city was mostly via foot, cab,…
Eating Well: Vietnam & Cambodia 10.29.16
I am not sure the cause, but the food I am eating in Cambodia is mostly western style. It is not pictured, but in Phnom Penh I could not pass up a stop at both Krispy Kreme and Domino’s Pizza. Super tasty! Curries are common Khmer food and two well-known dishes are amok and luk…
Mekong Delta 10.28.16
Like water cooler talk at work, travelers have go-to topics of conversation too. As a person from the U.S., I am often asked about the election and Donald Trump. People ask for my opinion without regard for social conventions dictating politics is off limits. It is great to discuss a topic that we avoid in…
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 10.19.16
In South East Asia (SEA) the cost structures for health care and telecommunications services are different from the United States. Here are two stories highlighting the differences. For data and internet access while traveling it is less money to buy a local SIM card than to maintain a US-based plan with international add-ons. When I enter…
Dalat 10.15.16
The last time I long-term traveled I was 20 years old and in between study abroad semesters in Chile. I met many other travelers but one person, English Sarah (I was American Sarah), stands out. English Sarah and I were roommates on a multi-week South American tour. She was closer to 30 years old than…
Hoi An & An Bang 10.13.16
Perhaps more than any other country I will visit, Vietnam’s economy is growing and the pace is fast. GDP growth in the last quarter was over 6%. For comparison, US GDP growth is close to 2%. The literacy rate in this country exceeds 90%. The people I meet are motivated, entrepreneurial, smart, and hard working. College age students…
Eating Well: Vietnam 10.11.16
The food in Vietnam is outstanding. Fruits and vegetables are a common part of most meals (hurrah!) and all the ingredients are fresh. Very little food is fried and oil is not heavily used for cooking. It is a far into the future, but when I return to Minnesota and begin cooking I will be trying to use…
Hue 10.7.16
Arriving in Vietnam from China, I was hit with unexpected culture shock. I think the shock came from 1) seeing many backpackers 2) seeing a lot of white people and 3) the highly visible Vietnamese tourist infrastructure. Items #1 and #2 were not a part of my experience in China. Infrastructure for tourists is present in China but it is targeted at domestic travelers, not…
The Year of Sarah Joy 