Home at Last

Well, we're home safely, and despite falling behind whilst we were away, our updates will continue.

Feel free to ask about our travels and experiences, either through comments or email (though I suppose we can talk in person, too.... How old fashioned)...

Now, I just have to remember how to drive...


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Location:35 Ave SW,Calgary,Canada

Cambodian Details... Crocks, Stilt Houses, & Markets

As mentioned previously, Matt and I are starting to think that south east Asian people aren't able to sell anything to tourists during the day since they ALWAYS seem to have a night market… maybe because its too hot for the tourists to come out during the day???

Welcome to Cambodia!

Matthew and I almost felt like fugitives during the morning of our boarder crossing from Thailand to Cambodia. We had to be up and away from the hotel by 5 am and drive in the dark out of Bangkok for three hours to the overland boarder of Poi Pet. We took a taxi, which was a scary adventure in its self that compared to driving in India except that we were now the people in the little car rather than the people in the sizable bus!

Filling in the Gaps..

Naturally we saw many other things during our week in Thailand, and most of the rest wasn't just big cities, but ruins, water falls, and the infamous Death Railway from the second World War…

I am just having troubles catching up on the blog!!

Chang Mai

Whenever people heard that we were going to Thailand, they always seem to ask if we were going to Chang Mai (Northern Thailand) – it was obviously quite a few peoples favourite locale… and Matt and I were able to agree whole heartedly!

Bangkok, Thailand

Welcome to Thailand!

We finally got to arrive in style, first class plane tickets!
(It was a booking fluke on Expedia during a seat sale, I think???)

Bangkok, for all of its reputation of being a city to experience, we found it a little tame. Perhaps it was because we did the whole city with a G Adventures tour?? By day, the temples are shining in the sunlight, painted gold and decorated with mosaic glass/mirrors to add even more shine and glimmer…. the chimes ring in the wind, sweating tourists run from shady spot to shady spot.. and the air is heavy with musky incense.. or was it body odor?

Hong Kong - King Kong of Asia

Welcome to Hong Kong –  Please mind the Gap.. and don't trip over anyone since they're practically on top of each other!

Hong Kong is my favourite Asian city outside of Japan; and before someone leaves a comment that it isn't really a true Asian city.. yes, I know. I think that is one reason why I like it so much! It is like an Asian-lite city – it keeps all of the fun Chinese customs and rules, and pairs it with a progressive, modern attitude that has kept it as one of the leading cities in South East Asia.. so whatever you want to call it, it's a city that works!

Shanghai - City of the East Moving West

Shanghai is likely China's most recognizable cities.. almost known as the modern gateway to Asia just as Yokohama was the gateway to Japan in the early 20th century.. it seems that everything “west” flows through this place and as a result, it begins to take on a hybrid existence…

We're Back!

..and not quite from outer space... although, it JUST so HAPPENED that Matt was REQUIRED to go visiting to Akihabara to get supplies... perhaps it wasn't just bad luck???

Watch for new posts!

Matt's luck

Well, Matt's luck regarding electronics has followed us even to the other side of the world... The netbook has died on us. We'll not be able to post entries with photos embedded from Flickr unless we can get it fixed somehow, and now we get to use the phone instead, so be prepared for short and picture less posts.

More to come (we hope) from Malaysia!

M & M


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Location:street no.08,Siemreab,Cambodia

Sailing, Sailing, on the Yangtze Green.......

In order to continue onto the next few days of sailing down the Yangtze, our ship had to traverse the five stage ship locks to get through the Three Gorges Dam. We did this at night, so it made for some cool shots!

Three Gorges Dam

After the Three Gorges Dam Project was completed, the water level among the famous lesser gorges was increased by approximately 137m. This increase in water height had robbed this area of it's once hauntingly beautiful mist shrouded peaks and while it is still pretty, it has lost a little mystery...

The Magnificent Three Gorges

Cruising the Three Gorges was something I've wanted to do since grade school (yeah, we're hitting A LOT of bucket list items this trip) and while the scenery is different from my textbooks (I'm definitely older than the dam) - it was still worthy of the title: Magnificent!

Pagoda to Heaven

Our first stop along the Yangtze is the small town of Shibaozhai

The town is a relocation town where most of the residents are relocated farmers or original town peoples who were forced to move during the building of the three gorges dam project… but what is the main attraction is a Pagoda which goes to Heaven, and if you're especially limber – Super Heaven!

Chongqing

This town is where we got onto the river boat which would take us along the Yangze River for 4 days and 5 nights… Just a few pictures of a "small" Chinese city....

Terracotta Soldiers (Xian, China)

We have been just knocking off things from my bucket list this week!

If Archaeologists had a crown.. and if there was a jewel in it – The area around Xian would be it! Not only does it have the Terracotta Soldiers and all of the treasures hidden away that come with it, but they also have a fair number of Ming Dynasty tombs which are in the area as well…

Great Wall of China

Apparently being able to see the Great Wall of China from space is a myth... the Chinese sent astronauts up there and confirmed that they really couldn't see it. So, I guess that means we'll all have to go to China to see it rather than outer space...

Peking Opera

The real highlight of our first day in Beijing was the Peking Opera...

Beijing - City of Old & New

So, the first thing we did was visit the Forbidden City – which could be considered, by some, as the Chinese crown jewel… We then moved on to the Summer Palace

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Beijing is both new and old in the sense that they kept the older history of the forbidden city but much of the rest of the city has been demolished to make way for the 2008 Summer Olympics buildings and space requirements and the rest to build large modern skyscrapers to help keep up with the growing housing demand as China becomes more urbanized. This means that really, the areas of Beijing are either very old, or really quite new...

The Forbidden City:

Well, it was pretty cool… our tour included the Tiananmen Square which was interesting… it had all of the trims and trappings of a usual state monument except that there was a lot of armed guards around. And sure military presences isn't unusual, what was unusual was that they were really only watching or checking the Chinese groups – as white tourists we were free to roam un-watched around the square and even skip the security checks at almost ALL famous landmarks etc. throughout China.

Us, looking especially touristy!

One of the Guards (He was pretty much just for looks...)

More Military, and Chairman Mao!

The city is beautiful, but I found it more closed in than I would have though. There are tons of courtyards after courtyards.. hidden gardens and small passageways… and lots of little details!

Detail around a jade ring sitting within the living quarters (outside)

Apparently the Dragon had 9 sons.. and the little dragons on the end of a roof symbolize the importance of the building. The more mini dragons (up to 9) the more important the building - this one has 9 and was the throne area for the Emperor and therefore was considered VERY important!

Little Balcony overlooking a rock garden... reminded me of an Chinese Romeo & Julie scene!

Summer Palace:

The summer palace was a gift from an Emperor to his Mother on the occasion of her 60th birthday. The Palace sits overlooking a lake (which, random fact, the Emperor used to also train his navy on) with a beautiful arched bridge leading to a lonely island in the middle of the lake. We rode a “dragon boat” which was a motorized ferry done up like a dragon to see 'the longest corridor in the world' which I really thought was kind of a cheat since it really resembles more of a covered walk way – however it didn't rob the spot of it's beauty!

Yeeeeeeah, it's pretty touristy - but the locals ride it too!

Half Marble Boat (it really is floating apparently!)

Detail in a Pagoda (hand painted)

Picture of a section of the longest corridor in the world
It's all outside along a park/lake shore

Welcome to China

Welcome to China.. first impressions are generally important right? Well, one of our first impressions of China was a man trying to scam us into paying six, yes, SIX times as much for a taxi to our hotel.. luckily, we had the forethought to look up around what it is supposed to cost!

Final Thoughts...

Well, that was the main highlights of our time in India… we may have glazed over the IB, the dripping sweat, the blowing dust, the chaos and the poverty which many people live in, but it was an experience which Matt and I will always remember. It may not be a place to say that you “ Just Love India” like many people love Mexico or Thailand – but India has it's own special something which I am sure will keep going along.

So, with these final thoughts, we are off to China!Matt & Miranda

Varanasi - The Spiritual Center of India

Varanasi has several things which make it interesting.. aside from being the business hub for silks and embroidery, it is also the holy city for the Hindu religion... put this with the fact that Varanasi is the longest continuously inhabited city on Earth, and it makes for a deep rich city with so much history you're practically choking on it along with the dust!

Breaking news!

We interrupt your regularly scheduled... Late... Blog post to bring you.... The weather! From Thailand.





Yes, that's right.... Feels like 48 degrees.

And now, back to the latest coverage of India.


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Location:ถนนโรจนะ,Phai Ling,Thailand

Welcome to an India Safari

We went on a Safari looking for Tigers... but well, they're shy... but we saw some other interesting stuff!

Khajuraho Temples

Otherwise known as the Kama Sutra Temples... need I say more??


In Hindu religion there are various disciplines which are designed to engage your inner energy points and connect you with the spiritual world. Meditation is one example, however there is also Tantra...

DISCLAIMER: WARNING THE FOLLOWING IMAGES ARE OF A SEXUAL NATURE AND ARE NOT INTENDED FOR THOSE WHO MAY BE OFFENDED (No, they aren't really THAT bad... but I don't want to get sued)

Orchha - Palaces, Relics & Tents

When we did escape from the hectic Agra city and managed to get back into the smaller rural towns we found ourselves in a little village named Orchha.. famous for there ornate palaces (one of which was only lived in for one night!), the Hindu relic which is housed in an old palace kitchen, and we stayed in a tent!