12 weeks. 7 countries. 34 bus rides. 9 flights. 2 train rides. 1 King and some goose wings! These numbers sum up the truly incredible three months I spent backpacking in Asia from February 21-May 16, 2010. During that time, I set foot in Hong Kong, China, Laos, Thailand, Bhutan, Malaysia and South Korea.
To Read About the Best of My Trip, Click Here!
Here is a chronicle of my posts from my journey:
- Pre-Departure: “It’s Here…The Day of My Departure!” (NYC)
- Day 2–Flight: “An Odyssey of a Flight” (NYC to Hong Kong, via Seoul)
- Day 5: “Gateway: Asia”
- Day 5: “Adventures in Eating”
- Day 5: “On the Banks of the Pearl River” (Guangzhou, Guangdong Province)
- Day 6: “Tombs and Back Alleys” (Guangzhou)
- Day 7: “A Kingdom of Karsts” (Yangshuo, Guangxi Province)
- Day 8: “Cycling to the Moon” (Yangshuo)
- Day 8: “Lantern Festival” (Yangshuo–Chinese Lantern Festival)
- Day 9: “Spectacle in the Night” (Yangshuo–Theatre production by Zhang Yimou)
- Day 10: “Final Thoughts on Yangshuo” (Yangshuo)
- Day 10: “Adventures in Eating: Hot Pots and Beer” (Yangshuo)
- Day 11: “Up River to the City” (Guilin)
- Day 12: “Chills and Caves” (Guilin–Seven Stars Scenic Area)
- Day 13: “Elephants on the River” (Guilin)
- Day 14: “Into the Hills” (Ping’An–“Dragon’s Backbone” Rice Terraces)
- Day 15: “Trekking Through the Hills” (Trekking the “Dragon’s Backbone” Rice Terraces to Dazhai)
- Day 16: “Wondrous Valleys and Beautiful Terraces” (Dazhai–“Dragon’s Backbone” Rice Terraces)
- Day 17: “The Wind and Rain” (Sanjiang–Dong Minority Autonomous County)
- Day 18: “Train-ing It: The Hard Sleeper Way!” (Hard Sleeper Train from Guilin to Kunming)
- Day 19: “Sleeping My Way From Kunming to Jinghong” (Chinese Sleeper Bus–Yunnan Province)
- Day 20: “A Night at the Market” (Jinghong, Xishaungbanna Region)
- Day 21: “Buddhism…There You Are!” (Jinghong, Xishuangbanna Region)
- Day 22: “Potty Talk” (Jinghong, Xishuangbanna Region)
- Day 24: “China Wrap-Up: Part 1″ (Jinghong, Xishuangbanna Region)
LAOS:
- Day 25: “Border Crossing” (Jinghong, China to Luang Nam Tha, Laos)
- Day 26: “The Churning of the (Ocean of) Stomach” (Bus from Luang Nam Tha to Luang Prabang)
- Day 27: “Steeped in Memories” (Luang Prabang)
- Day 28: “Welcome to Backpacker Hell” (Vang Vieng)
- Day 29: “Adrift for the Day” (Vang Vieng)
- Day 30: “Making it (to the) Big (City)” (Vientiane)
- Day 31: “Wandering the Streets” (Vientiane)
- Day 32: “A Harrowing Day of History” (Vientiane)
- Day 33: “A Bus, A Truck, A Boat, A Bike and Ruins” (Champasak–Wat Phu Champasak)
- Day 35: “River Life” (Si Phan Don–4,000 Islands)
- Day 36: “Final Thoughts on Laos” (Pakse)
- Day 37: “Border Crossing #2” (Pakse, Laos to Ubon Rachatani, Thailand)
- Day 38: “Krungthep” (Bangkok–a sunrise walk through Bangkok)
- Day 41: “Wings of a Dragon” (Thimphu)
- Day 43: “Shangri-La, Really!” (Jakar)
- Day 44: “Life Cycle” (Jakar–Spreading the ashes of my grandmother)
- Day 44: “Monks…Debating?” (Jakar)
- Day 45: “The Day I Met the King of Bhutan” (Ura)
- Day 47: “Let’s Talk Fertility” (Punakha–Temple of the Divine Madman)
- Day 48: “Whatcha Takin About?” (Thimphu–The Takin Preserve)
- Day 50: “Tiger’s Nest” (Paro–Taktsang Monastery)
- Day 52: “City of Angels, City of Life” (Bangkok–“Red Shirt” protests)
- Day 54: “Kuala Lumpur” (Kuala Lumpur)
- Day 56: “Sichaunese” (Chengdu)
- Day 57: “Panda Love” (Chengdu–Giant Panda Breeding & Research Base)
- Day 57: “A Night at the Opera Chinese Style! (VIDEO)” (Chengdu–Sichuan Opera)
- Day 60: “Spiritual Awakening” (Emei Shan–Buddhist Peak)
- Day 61: “Gentle Giant” (Leshan–Giant Buddha)
- Day 63: “Tibet Lite” (Kangding–Tibetan Region)
- Day 65: “Tashi Delek” (Litang–Tibetan Region)
- Day 67: “The Day the Bus Got Stuck in the Snow” (Litang to Shangri-La, via Xiangcheng)
- Day 73: “‘Shangri-La'” (Shangri-La)
- Day 74: “My Night in a Chinese ER!” (Shangri-La)
- Day 76: “Old Towner” (Lijiang)
- Day 78: “Old China: Disney-fied” (Dali)
- Day 82: “Social City” (Kunming)
- Day 85: “World Expo!” (Shanghai–World Expo)
- Day 87: “Shanghai” (Shanghai)
- Day 88: “Lanterns in Seoul” (Seoul–Lotus Lantern Festival)
- Day 88: “Homeward Bound” (Shanghai to NYC via Seoul)
POST-TRIP: