China 4th

Tomorrow is our 4th trip to Asia,and a long plane ride ahead.I'm so excited for the food,(of course)the new places,and then all the new people that we'll meet. We are going to go to Shanghai for two days then we'll go to Chengdu for about 3 days,after that we will hopefully be able to go to Tibet for a week to 10 days.My cousin Katie is coming with us and traveling the whole way!And I'm just thinking about the planes to China, because if I do I get too hipper! I AM SOOOO EXCITED!!!!
Written by Julia McMahon-Cole

Before we leave

I have to say...I never made much time for our blog in our previous trips. The girls usually are the ones to blog but since it was hard for me to sleep (shouldn't I be packed by now, did I buy the right medicine, is it crazy to take coffee with me), I thought I would restart our family blog. I look at some of our old entries. I loved reading what the girls were thinking and experiencing in our previous trips. I miss Chinese food, the energy of the country, the optimism. Most of all, I miss and look forward to concentrated family time, being with Jeff and the kids 24-7. I am also excited that Katie will be with us. She will make an excellent travel partner and we are all so excited that she will be with us.

She arrives in Lincoln tomorrow and we are all thinking about what we will do the one day we are together in the US.

We are traveling in two groups. Jeff and Hana leave early Monday morning and then Katie, Julia and I by 10:30 am. In short, it was the best way for us all to arrive on the same day without paying a fortune.

Look out China, here we come!

Getting to Siem Reap

What Jeff failed to mention was our trip here..and how incredibly interesting it was...I will let the girls tell the story but in short, we landed at the border w/out a real appreciation of what the bordertown was like. After being ripped off by border police for our visas, we encountered the ugly world of taxi drivers. Almost 3 hours and many stories from our taxi driver, we did arrive at our cozy and truly delightful hotel. They greeted us with fruit drinks and smiles and frankly, I was happy the Cambodian taxi mafia didn't get us. I must admit that as we travelled thru the largely dark and very poor villages of Cambodia I wondered if again we had decided to do something totally, totally nuts. Fortunately, my in-laws were pretty calm and I told that driver I was about to vomit...which in a way I could have if the situation demanded. We'll upload some pictures soon. The city is truly wonderful and the people delightful...we are thinking that despite the gangs of taxi drivers and the truly scary begininng, we are not ready to end this adventure.

Angkor Wat

The name itself pulls you in... Fortunately for us, the reality of this fascinating temple complex outside of the Cambodian city of Siem Reap is even better than the exotic images the name evokes. Miles of roads connect the various stone temples that were built at the height of the Khmer kingdom (starting in the 9th century) as part of an elaborate holy city. This huge complex easily absorbs the tourist masses and allows you to feel as if you are one of those French explorers finding it for the first time. One of the sites was preserved in the way that it was found to give you a sense of how overgrown the complex was when it was first "re-discovered" in the late 1800s. The interplay of architecture and nature at this site is amazing - with the 800 year old buildings mounted by 400 year old trees whose roots meander through the nooks and crannies, merging themselves into a key element of the site. The stone faces that adorn the restored complex called Banyon is also something that you cannot easily forget. Then there is the massive complex of Angkor Wat - the image that has become the symbol of the Cambodian state. As amazing a complex as you will find anywhere. We're heading back tomorrow.




However, somewhat to our surprise, we have found much more in Cambodia that we really enjoy. It is a very relaxed place, where people greet you with easy, genuine smiles. The traffic, after frantic Bangkok, is sooo much more relaxed and invites you to rent a $2 bike for a day to explore the various markets and riverfront developments. Great street food and inexpensive, high quality market wares make this an ideal destination. Had we not had a bizarre experience at the border, which will have to be the subject of another blog, we would have absolutedly nothing negative to say about laid back Cambodia. Probably a couple of more days here before turning back to Thailand for our last two weeks. What a great adventure it has been so far!

Thailand

After spending a month in China we have now left China and have come to Thailand, where there isn't sensored internet, so we can publish blogs.
Yesterday we went on an incursion into a National Park, where wild tigers and elephants still roam today though their numbers are decreasing and we all had quite an experience.
Sorry, we are leaving for Cambodia so I will finish this story later.

Our first days in Thailand.

I know, it has been a long time since we did any blogging at all. We had a lot of problems in China. Nothing too serious but in short, we had limited email access. And once we finally got email, our blog page would not work at all. We all had a great time in Xi'an for 3 weeks. The girls took chinese classes in the morning and then some Tai Chi and caligraphy classes and I tried to stay out of trouble. By the third week, my in-laws arrived and the girls focused their attention on them. We did a whole lot in Xi'an, including 3 massages for me. I saw a whole different side of China..and frankly, one that I liked a whole lot. By the end of the month, we made our way to Beijing to meet Jeff and to say our goodbyes to my students. I had 14 students for this trip and everyone of them was unique and enjoyable. I couldn't have asked for an easier group.

On June 2 we said our goodbyes but only after a morning run around Tiannmen Square. It was a nice way to say farewell to China. We got tickets --on Sri Lankan Air (yes, I am honest and it was FANTASTIC..perhaps the best flight any of us have had) After drinks, red wine and great food (I'm totally honest), we landed in sticky Bangkok. Well, the internet is truly amazing and the hotel that I booked hours earlier from Beijing was ready and waiting for us when we arrived. After a relaxing dinner of spicy Thai food, we took a dip in our pool and settled in. Yes, I was definately back in Thailand.

So, two days later we have found ourselves in Northeast Thailand..Issan country..at one of the country's national parks...we hope to see wild elephants, monkeys and all sorts of animals and wildlife tomorrow...but who knows. I am just happy we are here..and have a pool to enjoy.

The girls, I am sure, will write soon..now that we aren't bothered by censors or internet connections...off to Cambodia soon...should be amazing.

The first group run

Today we finally got to run in Xing Quin Park. I ran most of the way but at the end I had to stop because my lungs were burning. I walked with a Chinese student Yue. She and I went to a play area and went on this towering rocket slide. It was lots of fun!! We got to the gate a bit late but mom and keith were still waiting for us. Mom, as always, was nervous about my delay..but we were just fine.

We ran the rest of the way "home". Home for us here is on campus in the international dorms. On the outside the dorms looks kind of unique but on the inside it is pretty plain and average, though it is not bad at all.

We had breakfast at a Muslim cafeteria or canteen. Hana and I ordered at least ten baozi which are fluffy sort of dumpling. We then got kicked toward the end of our breakfast because we were eating food from a different canteen which had pork. Muslims don't eat pork and that was a problem.

At 9 in the morning, we had calligraphy class -- man from the university came to talk. Next week were are going to draw some calligraphy. I was very happy about that...and very surprised, because all he did was talk.

From 10 until 12 I had an interesting but hard Chinese class. We had a writing test since we finished a lesson.

I will write soon again because now I have to go to my Chinese discussion class with Yue, our Chinese friend..and my teacher!