Ever checked out what's actually on TV at 4:48 in the morning? It's pretty disappointing, I can tell you. I almost prefer the inane Chinese game shows and costume soap operas which I didn't understand even a little.
Surprisingly, I managed to sleep that late after the long day of travel. The flight left Seoul at 9:15 and landed in L.A. eleven hours later. Again, thanks to the nice little pill provided by my physician, I slept for about half of the flight. I mention it because I (famously) never manage to sleep on flights and because being out for so long really screwed with my head. Before on long flights, since I was awake the whole time, an overseas flight really felt long. When I would arrive (whatever) the destination, it really felt like I was far away. Upon arrival yesterday, L.A. didn't seem all that distant. It's hard to explain, but it threw me into a melancholic funk. However, that didn't keep me from hitting the In 'n' Out on Sepulveda for my first meal. The Double-Double was memorable as always and probably made an immediate dent in the 10 pounds I lost the past six weeks.
Part of my mindset has to do with going from being surrounded by (seemingly) millions of people all day long to life in So. Cal. and our concept of what crowded is. The 405 at 6:30 on a Monday night? No problem. In fact, I am vowing to never complain again about traffic conditions. Maybe I'll whimper a little, but that'll be it. Part of my mood also has to do with the fact that I may have suffered a serious technical glitch that may have wiped out a few hundred pictures mainly from Vietnam and China. I haven't cried in a long time, but if it turns out that I really did lose a lot of my photos, I may lose it. The flashcards are at Costco as we speak undergoing some kind of analysis. Hopefully by today, I'll have a better sense of things.
No matter where I go, I always consider it a valuable experience. Obviously, some places are better than others for any number of reasons. Would I go back? Yes and no. Here's the wrap:
Cambodia - I would absolutely love to go back to the southern coast and explore that area in much more detail. The people were wonderful there. The countryside was spectacular and with a few exceptions, the area is not very touristy. If I were an ancient temple fanatic, I'd go back to Angkor Wat, but since temples aren't really my thing, don't see any reason to go back there. The only temples that I really cherish are named Fenway and Camden Yards, so you know... And Phnom Penh? I know that if I travelled to the south, I'd pretty much have to go through PP to get there so I won't say anything too negative except that it wasn't my favorite place. Cambodia was a fascinating place all in all. I was pretty prepared for most of what I saw, though I admit that the road conditions caught me off guard. Still, in a developing country, it comes with the territory.
Vietnam - I really wasn't prepared for how crowded just about everywhere seemed to be and the level of poverty I encountered. I think I can best explain myself by saying that the only Vietnamese community I know is the one in Garden Grove. In less than two generations the Vietnamese who came to this country have built a very impressive community. It really goes to show the impact that governments have on people's lives. Culturally the people that live here aren't all that different from the ones that live there, but Vietnam is definitely another world as the result of it's socialist policies. It's really a shame, because it's a place with so much natural beauty that is marred by pollution, corruption and overcrowding. Hoi An/Da Nang was great. I'd go back so that I could visit Sapa and Ha Long Bay and possibly Dalat, but with the exception of Hoi An, I don't think I 'd be going to any of the places I visited again. And I'd prefer to go with someone who speaks the language so as not to be getting ripped off quite so much. The food, however, was something very special. As I moved from south to north, I tried new things and really saw a lot of variety in the cuisine. And of course, the fresh beer for about .25/glass can't be beat.
China - The China I saw last year was very different from the one I saw this year. Maybe my plans were too ambitious which caused me to spend a whole lot of time moving from one place to another on one bus or train too many. Maybe it was the lack of English time and time again. Or maybe I got a more accurate glimpse of the real deal. Without my friend Chao accompanying me, it would've been almost impossible to move the way I did. As with Vietnam, the food was unbelievable. Chinese food is my second favorite (Italian is numero uno) food and this trip really solidified that perspective. If the Chinese had better dessert options and anything approaching Italian wines, it would be number one, but that's a whole 'nother blog. Of all the cities I visited, really only Huangshan and Shanghai are really the only ones I'd want to see again.
The amazing thing is that for all of the travel-related issues that I came across, all three countries make it work somehow. My complaints are based on what I have come to expect from my travels both here at home and abroad. For all my discomfort, I got to where I needed to be, as did the hundreds of my fellow passengers on every bus, train, plane and boat. The two things that this trip really confirmed in my eyes is that a country's transportation infrastructure clearly relates to how far along it is. As I moved from Cambodia to China, I saw better conditions of roads, vehicles and facilities which translate directly into traveler comfort. I've seen the same things in Latin America and Western and Eastern Europe. The other revelation is the trash situation. It's simply a tragedy that I saw so many beautiful places stained by people whose cultures don't value cleanliness a whole lot. I know that the reasons behind this are complex and that my own country craps all over the environment like few others, but I'm not talking about dumping chemicals in streams which most people never see, I'm talking about putting lunch leftovers in a receptacle. Shame.
All in all, no serious regrets. And if the economy doesn't improve, then Asia will remain a great place to spend my meager dollars and get a lot of bang for the buck. I'll be back. Thanks for reading for the past six weeks. If you're in need of any travel ideas, tips and the like, get in touch. Hopefully, all of the pictures of the trip will be at www.fotoz.smugmug.com in the next week or so.
You can't expect to understand the world unless you get out and see it.
Z
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