Q. I am going to SE Asia for spring break, will be there a week. Going to Vietnam and Cambodia, but do you think that is enough time? In Cambodia I just want to go to Angkor Wat, how many days there do you recommend? And what do you think about Vietnam? South? North? Penny for your thoughts...
One of the major attractions in the Sri Lankan Cultural Triangle area, the ancient city of Polonnaruwa is a massive spread out area full of nearly 1000 year old ruins. There is a lot of variety in the UNESCO World Heritage site, with some of the best ruins in Sri Lanka, amazing temples, statues, and a healthy variety of wildlife (mainly monkeys). It's easy to spend a full day or two exploring this ancient city, rent a bike or hire a driver and get lost in Polonnaruwa.
The Dambulla Rock Cave Temple is one of Sri Lanka's 8 UNESCO World Heritage sites. In the heart of the Cultural Triangle of Sri Lanka, the caves are located conveniently between Kandy and the Siguriya Rock Fortress. At the base of the Dambulla Rock sits the World's Largest Budha statue (golden), then you climb up a flight of stairs for about 10 minutes until you reach the entrance to the caves. Inside there are 5 caverns, the large cavern being the most spectacular with it's painted ceilings, but all of them are pretty cool. The first cave has a big laying Buddha statue which was one of my favorites of the entire temple.
I was feeling much better when I woke up, and I washed my hair in the sink which made me feel considerably less disgusting. Toast for breakfast. I'm only eating bland things and Clif bars until my stomach settles. We left around 8 and walked for around 3 hours then stopped for tea. It was a pretty easy walk, mostly traversing the mountain ridges. After tea was a 1 1/2 climb, "up up up" according to Boo, all on switchbacks. We stopped in Tengboche for lunch which is where many people stop for the night. The town is on a peak so it's very cold. After lunch Dan and Sam photographed the monastery with the fisheye lens. Amazing place. I don't know if the monks were more interested in the blonde girl or the photography.
That Dussehra festival is tonight at about 6pm (Oct. 6, 2011), they’ve been warming up for it every night and its super loud up until midnight. Sounds pretty cool. No Goa, didn’t have time, didn’t even have time to see everything here, traffic is terrible and everything is really spread out, it’s a huge city. I feel like this must kind of be like how foreigners feel trying to visit LA. I didn’t do much it seems like, but I filled up 2 full days of sightseeing.
Renting scooters is a thrilling way to explore Mui Ne and Phan Thiet, and stopping at the Cham Temple and Prince's Castle on Banai Hill is the perfect stop to break up the scooting and stretch your legs hiking up to the ruins. Atop the hill you get great views of the coastline and a massive cemetery dotted with colorful grave markers. If you are looking to buy souvenirs, there is pottery, woodcarvings and silk textiles that are hand loomed on site. There is a nominal entrance fee, and if you forgot your water or want some ice cream there is a small outdoor shop near the Towers.
I'm currently wrapping up my time here in Sri Lanka, a place I never planned to visit on this trip, but threw in last minute as I worked my way west towards India. I had about 3 weeks of time to fill from when I split with one set of friends in Vietnam, and before meeting another in India. Originally I was going to head straight to India, but instead I ended up cruising up the Mekong to Cambodia for 5 days, then stopped over in Singapore for a couple, and then noticed flights to Sri Lanka and on to India didn't cost much more than straight to India. On a whim I went for it and booked my flight from Singapore to Sri Lanka.
Q. I have a question about your travels, if you can think back to Everest Base Camp. Can you tell me about how that worked? How long did it take? How much did it cost? Any other tips or tricks in booking and doing it? Anything you’d do differently if you were to do it again?
Q. I need tips for China, I'm going there this week and meeting Anna on tuesday. We start from Beijing, and then have no idea where to go, have about a month there. Any must places outside of the big cities what did you enjoy, or anything else you recommend?
Q. I’m flying home (LAX) From Australia on June 12, and I booked a flight that has a layover in Taipei. I arrive at 6am and my flight home leaves at 4:20pm, so if I’m lucky I’ll have 8 hours to get into the city and back to the airport. Any advice? How long does it take to get into the city from the airport? What’s the best way to go, train, bus? Once there, what should I do/see?
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