Kimchi

When I was in South Korea, instead of saying "Cheeeese" when they took pictures, children would say "Kimcheee." Or at least that's what I saw.

Kimchi typically comes with every meal in Korea.

Can you spot the kimchi?

There it is again.

You may be surprised to know that when I first tried kimchi, I was disgusted. I didn't like the spicy and sourness of it, and couldn't understand why people loved this stuff. Then in college, I had a roommate from South Korea who would always eat it. I was intrigued and she showed me how to eat it and what to eat with it, and I became hooked. So now I even make it myself. There's something very rewarding about making food with your own hands, and then comparing the end results with the recipe.

Thus with my new found freedom (ahem, unemployment) I also have a lot more time, and one of the things I really like to do is to make stuff in my kitchen. I think I'm turning into my mother. And just last week I saw nappa cabbage on sale at the Chinese supermarket. It was ridiculously cheap! $.29 cents per pound. So of course I bought a whole 7 pounds of it, and made 5 jars of delicious goodness, and to think I only paid about $2 for all 7 pounds. Each jar of kimchi normally costs about $5 just so you know.

You may think it's a little excessive, but you can ferment this stuff under the sink literally for forever and it stays good. Plus it's REALLY good for you. Read here. Like sauerkraut and yogurt, kimchi contains probiotics, and they are the healthy gut bacterias that aid digestion and give you glowing skin. Need I say more?

All mine.

If you are interested, I did post a recipe on how to make this way back in 2013. It is still as good as when I first made it! :)

So now what?

After coming back from such an epic journey, life can feel pretty anticlimactic. To think, just two weeks ago I was on the other side of the world, eating a delicious curry called Amok, and trekking through temples in the mud, and now I'm just sitting at home at my kitchen table, thinking about what I'm going to do with myself. But I'm trying to not let it get to the best of me, even though it did affect my mood quite lot at first, but now I'm officially moving on.

Delicious veggie amok!

As much as I'd love to be on that next plane to a new foreign location, I also have to stop thinking that way. Life isn't just about the next destination. Life is this step, and it's happening right now. I may not be "on the road" currently per say, but I am (metaphorically speaking) on the road of life. Hah, I know it's pretty cheesy, but it's true. So I've been really trying to make the best of my time by being "in the moment" and by focusing on some new goals and learning some new skills.

Meanwhile I'm just enjoying summer in New York City, which is beautiful!

My first meal after getting off the plane.

So many beautiful flowers in my neighborhood!

Woowww.

Breathtaking view of NYC from the new world trade center.

:)

Finally... Siem Reap, Cambodia!

Angkor Wat

 If you've seen Tomb Raider or Indiana Jones Temple of Doom, or played the game Temple Run, then these structures probably look familiar to you. That's because both of those movies were filmed here, and the game modeled after these structures. Pretty amazing isn't it?

When I was younger, I saw documentaries on Angkor Wat on TV. I've also seen it on the cover of magazines, and I've read about it in my college textbooks, but seeing it in person was a totally different experience. I was unprepared, by the grand size of it, the intricacy of the carvings, and the grandeur of its hallways and arches. Almost everywhere I looked, there was some kind of story carved onto the walls, and you just can't help but stand in awe, wondering how long it took and what exactly went on in these buildings. I attempted to capture some of its beauty through photos, but needless to say, they do not do justice.

From afar.

 I don't feel quite qualified to give a history lesson on the temples, but what you need to know to understand its significance, is that it was once an ancient city of up to a million inhabitants of the Khmer Empire. The complex dates back to the 9th-13th century, and contains over 1000 temples that span across an area larger than New York's five boroughs. Today it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and Angkor Wat is just one of the many magnificent buildings within the site. All of the artwork contained within the temples depict an evolution of Indian subcontinent art from Hindu deities to war stories. Here's the link to the official UNESCO webpage if you'd like to know more.

Angkor Wat, the most well known temple amongst many in the area.

This temple alone stretches across a few blocks.

The main entrance of the temple.

One of the many carved murals in the temple.

A war story?

Depiction of deities.

Columns on a window.

A library nearby.

It keeps going.

One of the many areas in the complex under reconstruction.

Another temple nearby.

This temple was completely overrun by trees.

Nature and temple have become one.

These tree trucks were pretty scary looking...

These trees were huge.

Another thing that struck me while walking through the temples, was the number of sites under reconstruction. Unfortunately, due to the hot and humid climate of the area, and the amount of visitors to this site, the temples are rapidly falling apart. Despite the staff's best efforts to reconstruct it, I'm afraid by the look of it, they may not be able to catch up with all the damages. It's saddening to think, but I'm not sure how many more generations will be able to visit this site before it's all gone.

Day 65 - Home

Sixy-five days. That's the number of days it took for me to decide it's time to come home. Actually to be perfectly honest, the thought crossed my mind five weeks into traveling, but I would have never allowed myself to hop on that plane. Going to Asia was not just a mini break from home for me, it was a conscious decision to push myself outside of my comfort zone. I would be damned if I didn't at least stay for two months, and I'm so glad I did. It was one of the most wonderful things I ever did for myself.

From speaking with the other travelers I met on the way, it seems one month away from home is usually the amount of time that makes for us question what we're doing. It may be a moment of weakness, but also it's just natural that you want to re-evaluate what you are doing. Am I truly happy doing this? Is this what I wanted? Am I doing all the things I had planned? What do I like so far about this trip and what should I change? 

From my experience though, for every moment that I felt lonely, scared, nervous, or homesick, the excitement of the day ahead always triumphed. Most of the time I didn't even know where I was going next yet that was the best part. I learned to embrace not knowing where I was going the next day, how long I wanted to stay in one place, where I was going to get lunch or dinner, and most importantly even my mistakes. Oh, there were a lot of mistakes. When you travel, I believe we all suffer from a "should-have" syndrome. It goes like this:

"MAN! I paid way too much for this! I SHOULD HAVE bargained harder!"

"Dammit! I SHOULD HAVE booked that other hostel!"

"I SHOULD HAVE just ate over there instead of here."

"I SHOULD HAVE just taken the bus!!!" 

Yah, you get the drill. But the thing is, no matter how many "should-haves" we could of have, we didn't, and it's a fact that we all have to come into terms with in order to move on. I experienced plenty of this myself. Paying way too much for a meal, too much for a taxi, going the wrong way and not asking for directions earlier on, it's all been done. But if I beat myself up for every time I should have and could have done something better, I would have NEVER moved along! And the silver lining to all this, was that many of those mistakes led me to greater things. I made friends and saw things that I would've never gotten to if I didn't make those choices. So if you ask me, I wouldn't change anything. 

So what now?

Well this isn't the end of traveling for me for sure! I'm already trying to figure out where I would like to go next and how I'm going to make that happen, and it will! Sixty-five days was simply the amount of time that I felt I got a good grasp of the culture in Asia, without feeling overwhelmed. I'm pretty sure I will be back for more. Meanwhile I'm happy to be back at home to my family, my boyfriend, my friends and my dog. They all warrant just as much time as my trips, and through traveling my perspective of all things home actually became so much more beautiful, grand and wonderful. And that's a feeling I truly believe you cannot experience without leaving home. 

More photos coming soon on Cambodia and more! But first, I will need to sort through the thousands of photos I took…a daunting task that I do not look forward to. Yikes.

Blogger Hui during college!

So I tried to log into my blog today and it signed me into a different account by accident...and it brought me to my blog from college for when I studied abroad in Kenya! I had a lot of fun reading it and I'm so glad I volunteered to do it back then so now I have something to look back into, which is why I wanted to blog this trip.

Have a look if you like too!

http://sbuturkana.blogspot.com

Day 60 - Vietnam, it's been real.

Vietnam, I feel like I made a new friend. I wasn't sure if I would like you at first because of all the scary things I heard about you. But I'm glad I decided to give you a chance, and that's an important lesson I've learned since my arrival here. That it doesn't matter what people say or do, you won't really know what it's like until you do it yourself. And it's been a consistent theme in my life. For most of the times when someone told me not to do something, I'm always glad I did it anyway and going to Vietnam confirmed that for me again.

My first impression of this country was that it's HOT and it's hectic. As soon as I stepped out of my hostel in Hanoi I thought, "Oh boy" and then I got lost. But I was only two blocks away from my hostel. Sometimes our big problems really aren't that big, and the solution is just around the corner if we remain calm and look for it.

After my wonderful four days in Hanoi I headed down to central Vietnam, to the sleepy, beachy town of Hoi An, where I spend quite a lot of time doing nothing. One of my favorite part of this trip though was my journey there on the train. As usual before the ride I was quite nervous, afraid of the boogey monster in my head, but it turned out more than fine. I met the friendliest and SWEETEST family from New Zealand on the train, whom I spend a great 16 hours talking and enjoying the scenery with. They even offered to pay for my cab ride to the hotel when I got there for no reason! I was so touched by their friendliness and generousity that I actually wished the train ride was longer.

View from train from Hanoi to DaNang

After I got to my Hoi An hostel, I met some wonderful travellers and had a night out with them. This involved a copious amount of beer and going to the only bar in town that's opened after 9pm named "Why Not" because, why not right? It was all good fun. Then the next few days I pretty much lounged by the pool and beach, and explored the old town. On the way back from the beach I got lost again (of course,) but ended up on this bridge that offered the best view of sunset in town! See picture below. :D I just love happy accidents like this.

Also Hoi An is known as the ancient town of lights because of all the lanterns that turn on at night, and it's quite sight. I remember when I first walked through the natrow alleys and saw all the lights for the first time, and I just went WOOOOW for a good five minutes. The architecture also is interesting since it's blend of Chinese style buildings and French. You almost feel like you're walking in a movie set.

The town of Hoi An lit up by lanterns.

After my few relaxing days at Hoi An and feeling quite refreshed, I packed up and headed south to my last destination in Vietnam which was Ho Chi Minh City aka HCMC. HCMC is Vietnam's largest city and this was the city that reminded me of New York most. It's got the narrow streets, public parks, and tiny restaurants with tiny bathrooms that reminded me of home. But at the same time it was very different. The noodle stands on the sidewalks, the outdoor markets, the swarms of motorbikes, and the tropical humidity all reminded me that I wasn't home. Actually HCMC resembled my hometown in China, Jiangmen quite a bit, except the language and food was different.

On the topic of food, a lot of people asked me if it's similar to Chinese food. In my opinion? No. Yes, there's the noodles and rice dishes, but if look deeper you'll notice all the differences in herbs and spices. For example, a lot of Vietnamese dishes come with a side of raw lettuce, basil, lemongrass and even mustard greens, which Chinese dishes rarely do. And the spices and sauces that they use such as spicy green peppers, lime, dill, fish sauce, shrimp sauce are also rarely present in Chinese cuisine, or at least not in southern Chinese cuisine where my family is from. Not sure about the North.

Another highlight of my trip in HCMC was a tour I did with a local group called "Talking to the Tourist." This was a group that a bunch of students from local universities started to open up opportunities for local students to improve their English and share their culture with tourists. When I first heard of this I thought, "What an unique and great idea!" and it was because I ended up having a blast meeting three new friends that showed me the country that they love. First they showed me the famous Cuichi tunnels, where Vietnamese soldiers use to hide and strategize during the Vietnam war. I also got to hear some personal tales from my three tour guides about how the war played a role in their families. War, if anything, I've learned is destructive and tears families apart.

After that my three tour guides showed me a great place to eat delicious local Vietnamese food, and I loved it. It was different from the food around my hostel and different from the Vietnamese food I've had at home. It was truly an experience I would not have found by myself, and I'm so glad and grateful to the guys that showed me around. Thank you all again of you are reading!

Wow I wish I could go on but it looks like I've blabbered on quite a bit. I think I'll close this up for now with some pictures, and share more next time. I'm also in a new destination right now in Cambodia so I have to go out there and explore the new land!

Thanks for reading again!

Day 54 - Vietnam, Hanoi

The moment I took my first bite of pho in Vietnam, I knew I made the right decision in coming here. Even though my original plan was to go explore Thailand for a whole month, 2.5 weeks later I felt I needed a change of scenery. I had tremendous fun in Thailand and loved my time there, but in the end Thailand was a little too tourist dominated for me. I wanted an escape from all the planned excursions and bars geared towards younger audiences, and many travelers I met shared the same sentiments.

So when I felt ready I set off to Hanoi in northern Vietnam, the second largest city in Vietnam, and discovered a whole new culture. In general I noticed the locals here are not as smiley as the Thais, but they are just as friendly in a more bashful way. English is not as widely spoken here but hand gestures and smiles have gotten me far. Aside from the crazy taxi drivers at the airport, no one here has tried to scam me or pressure me to buy anything. The other travelers I've met here also seem to have a different mindset as the ones I met in Thailand, we're all here in search of a more unique experience. 

I didn't know what to expect at all in Vietnam,  but so far it had exceeded all expectations. The scenery here, the traffic, the streets are amazingly compact. Picture twenty mopeds all going in different directions with cars and people trying to squeeze by. It's all chaotic but in a fascinating kind of way. And the food here is ugh- AMAZING! Noodles, pho, broth, spring rolls, coffee, seafood, fresh juices, I can go on forever.

The Old Quarter, which is the main part of town in Hanoi is delightfully intricate. I got lost quickly on my first day here because the streets are were so maze like. It's a labyrinth of coffee shops, juice bars, hostels, shops with dried goods, clothes, restaurants filled with little plastic chairs and more. All the streets started to look the same after awhile. My eyes and ears literally could not take everything in all at once, and I'm from New York City.

On my second and third day I decided to take a trip to Halong Bay, which is one of the world's (seventh? eighth?) wonders. I was a little hesitant at first because I was afraid it would be another tourist trap, but I have no regrets. The boat, the mountains, the stars, the water, and the people that I met there were all so wonderful. I met people from Georgia, Seattle, different parts of U.K, Poland, Denmark and Australia.

After my trip to Halong Bay, I enjoyed another full day in the Old Quarter. I discovered a cafe with umbrellas as roofs, I discovered .25 cent beer, I discovered the best pho in the world and a new type of noodle called soya, which I've never seen in the Vietnamese restaurants back home.

At my new hostel, I also met lots of other solo travelers, which was nice because we all understand what it's like to travel alone and keep each other company. We also swapped a lot of good tips and advice with each other. Before coming into the hostel I had fears of insanely obnoxious or dirty roommates, but all I've met were polite, clean and reasonable roommates and friendly hostel staff members. I don't know if this is all luck of the draw or what but I hope it continues.

Well I can probably go on but the sweltering heat is sucking up all my energy. Time to pack and head to my next destination!

Enjoy the pics!