Ian here.
I've been putting off writing this, my final blog post. I'm very good at procrastinating, it's something I do well when I get around to it...but seriously, it's the realization that this crazy adventure is over.
After 5 months away I arrived back in Victoria on May 11th. I have to say that I am surprised to find that the culture shock of coming home is much greater than being in Brazil or China. I think it's because I went to those places expecting them to be different, but when I came home I didn't realize how different
I was until I got back.
I want to start this post by saying thank you to all the people who made all of my travels an amazing experience. Thanks to Tim and Alisen for keeping my car safe and storing my junk, as well for their generosity and hospitality in Whiterock, and in Rio. Thanks to Marnie, Bert, Mateo, and Gabriel for their hospitality, great food, and good times in Rio and Brasilia. Thanks to Angel and the staff at the foreign affairs office in Chengdu for a great learning experience. Last but not least, thanks to Lesley and Jane for being great travel companions!
So to go back to my last adventure in Asia...I was lucky enough to have my sister, Jane, come to do some travelling with me. Jane arrived in Chengdu on May 5th after a couple of days in Beijing on her own and we quickly initiated her in the world of Chinese street food. We had a few days in Chengdu to visit some temples and do some shopping. On the 8th we headed to Lijiang for a second attempt at Tiger Leaping Gorge as Lesley and I had to abandon our attempt in February due to illness.
Part of my incentive for hiking the gorge, aside from it being the largest gorge in the world, was that the Chinese government, in it's infinite wisdom (I can say stuff like that now that I'm not there), has decided to dam sections of the Yangtze river as it passes through the gorge so people can charge their cell phones and electric scooters...
That being said the gorge is stunning. It was a 5 hour hike the first day that took us high up the side of the gorge, almost eye level with the soaring peaks on the other side. After a night at the 'Half-way House' it was an easier 4 hour hike that took us right down to the river itself.
From Lijiang Jane and I flew to Hanoi in Vietnam where I was overjoyed at the site of French loaves for sale on the street corners, along with the French colonial architecture that was a refreshing change from the concrete box style buildings in China. After 1 night in Hanoi Jane and I were off to Halong Bay which is a UNESCO World Heritage site famous for its limestone karst mountains that pop right out of the ocean. We did an overnight cruise which included a stop at a massive limestone cave on one of the islands, kayaking, great food, and beautiful scenery.
We spent a few more days in Hanoi shopping, exploring, and enjoying some great food before we flew to Bangkok. Once in Bangkok Jane and I hunted for a restaurant and settled on, off all things, a Chinese place. After dinner we explored a massive night market where everything from Rolexes to running shoes could be found. The next day I set off to get my China visa organized for my return and got fitted for a suit before Jane and I boarded the train to head south. After the overnight train we arrived in Surat Thani where we hopped on a ferry for the island of Koh Samui.
I won't bore you with all the details but Jane and I had 3 days on Koh Samui, and 3 days on Koh Pang Ngang before Jane headed back home and I relaxed on a beach for a quiet week on my own. I will say that there was much fun had with snorkel trips, elephant safaris, crocodile shows, swimming in water falls, riding scooters, water buffalo fights, and of course there's the amazing Thai food! The pictures speak for themselves.
So now here I am back in Victoria and back to what life in Canada entails. All this travel has made me more acutely aware of the ease and bounty in which our lives take place in this amazing country and I am so grateful for all that I have learned about myself and the world.
Thanks for reading.
Yours in health.
Ian.
