In 4 days time - Thurs 15 July - I board the plane to Hanoi. Right now I'm alternating between being so excited I can't sit still or having a little cry cos I'm scared and don't want to go!!
So having bummed out of the China Internship, what am I going to do? Basically a bit of volunteer work with i-to-i and then set off on my own around South East Asia. The outline plan is as follows and surprisingly for me (I'm one of life's obsessive planners), I've left flexibility in it for exciting things to just develop as I go along.
- 15 to 30 Jul ~ fly to Hanoi and work with Orphans & Special Needs Children for 2 weeks. Hoping to use the weekends to go to Ha Long Bay and also 3 days trekking in Sapa.
- 30 Jul to 8 Aug ~ make my way down through Vietnam to Ho Chi Min City. Will probably do this on the Reunification Express Train, stopping of at a couple of places along the way. Quite like the look of doing a Perfume River Tour in Hue.
- 8 to 13 Aug ~ travel across the border into Cambodia and then up through Phnom Penh to Siem Reap. Mooch around Siem Reap, mainly in the Temples at Angkor Wat for a few days.
- 13 to 18 Aug ~ fly to Borneo and stay in the Sandarkan/Sepilok Area. Spend at least a day at the Organgutan sanctuary and live in a stilt house in the rain forest surrounded by Proboscis monkeys, bats and crocodiles!
- 18 to 26 Aug ~ fly to Bali where I meet my little sister and (for the first time) her Balinese Boyfriend. I'll be staying with his family for most of the time so will get to experience the real Bali. Doglag and his mum have told me that they'll teach me how to cook traditional Balinese food - yum! And despite looking forward to going on retreat, my sister and I have decided to climb a volcano rather than spending time meditating and being pampered ~ I'm not quite sure how that happened!
- 26 to 29 Aug ~ fly to Bangkok and stay in a luxury room in a hotel on the banks of the river. If I resolve my ethical deliberations, I may just go and see the Tiger Temple. But I'll certainly spend time in the floating markets whilst avoiding any mass demonstrations!
- 29 Aug ~ fly home, spending the flight time reflecting on my journey and thinking about how I want my life to change when I get home.
Now I've type that - I'm feeling all excited again now ;o)
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Hi Jane
Just contacting people who are going/have been to Phnom Penh, with the message below.
Hope you have a great trip anyway!
Best
Michael.
Hi
I'm sending this message out to anybody who has visited Phnom Penh (or is going), and is aware of the CCOLT orphanage, the dumpsites, or the People Improvement Organisation.
I was there myself in 2008, on an i-to-i teaching project, and it was a fantastic experience. When I returned to Ireland I set up a small charity called Lotus Lives to help raise funds to support the CCOLT orphanage, and the PIO, which do amazing work for the underprivileged families on the dumpsite.
We are looking to expand our small charity and gain a wider audience, and so if anybody is interested in what we do and would like to get involved, or offer any advice; then you can contact me here or via my email; michael@lotuslives.org
Please check out our website for further details; www.lotuslives.org
and join us on Facebook; https://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/lotuslives
Many thanks!
Michael
Hi Jane. Just wanted to wish you good luck on your adventures. I am looking to be in Bali early next year if possible so would love to read about your exploits and meet up if that's possible.
Thanks for that Katie, I'll see if I can squeeze Hoi An in on my way down the coast! Getting excited now - 9 hours till lift off!!!!!!
Sounds fantastic Jane.......only suggestion i would make is that you visit Hoi An while going down to HCMC. It is one of the most delightful places and one which I return to every time I'm in Vietnam. It is a UNESCO hertitage town with lovely old buildings but is also a shoppers paradise - the most fantastic tailors and cobblers. Nothing like tailor made clothes and handmade shoes!!
Best of luck and keep us up to date with you travels.
Cheers
Kate.xxx
Have a fantastic time Jane! x
Your trip sounds amazing! Have a wonderful time and make sure you post lots of pictures!
Wow!!! That's intense and fascinating!!! That's great you get to do that. It's a great way to definitely explore a country. :) I hope you decide to post pictures and share some recipes or tips on the Balinese food!!!
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