Day 2 - Lama to Langtang

The Long Day
Distance - 7 miles
Time - 7 hrs
Elevation - from 7,939 feet to 11,236
Equivalent flights of stairs = 333

Day 1 - Syapru Besi to Lama

The First of a Million Steps
Distance - 8 miles
Time - 6 hrs
Elevation - from 4,790 feet to 7,939 feet
Equivalent flights of stairs = 311

Day Minus 1 - Drive from Kathmandu to Syapru Besi

And We're Off
We chose to trek within Langtang National Park next to the Tibet border.  Compared to the Everest base camp trek, which is rated difficult, our trek was more suited to out-of-shape people like ourselves.  The drive from Kathmandu to Langtang, though just 40 miles as the crow flies, is a seven hour slog via jeep over the scariest roads and through the most beautiful countryside.

Day Minus 2 - Flight to Kathmandu

A "Quick" Hop
Forty five minutes to Kuala Lumpur then another four hours to Kathmandu.  Our trekking guide, MB (initials for an unpronounceable name), met us outside the airport.  He led us to a waiting car and we were followed by two guys who did absolutely nothing except whisper "tip, tip" to me unsuccessfully as I closed the car door.  First impression: India.  We drove to the headquarters of the trekking company and were met with smiles by a man named Samden, whose mother owns the company.  He gave us an overview of the trekking itinerary and then we were off to our "hotel", below, for a night.

Siem Reap - Temples

The Temple Region

Angkor Wat is but one temple in a vast temple graveyard north of the city.  Every patch of blue on this map is a moat surrounding an old temple save the large rectangled "Barays", ancient reservoirs that feed the rice paddies.  Angkor Wat is the small blue square closest to the city.  Angkor Thom and Prasat Bayon are inside the larger blue square between the Barays.  Ta Prohm is at the SW corner of the East Baray.  Song took me to all of these via tuk tuk.

Siem Reap - Khmer Cooking

Heading into the Countryside for Class
My afternoon cooking class started with a long tuk tuk ride south of Siem Reap.

Siem Reap - Money

Uncle Sam Rules
You can either pay in US Dollars or Cambodian Riel.  It takes a quick mind as you will be quoted a price in one or the other and often get change in both.  One dollar is worth 4,000 riel.  This is the first country I have been to that has no coins.  Or, rather, they are not used and I didn't see any.  If you are quoted a price of fifty cents you can either pay 2,000 riel or hand over a dollar and get 2,000 riel in change.

Siem Reap - First Visit to Cambodia

Gas on High, Light Match
I flew on Malaysia Airlines via Kuala Lumpur, three hours in total.  As you might imagine, with the recent Malaysia Airlines news, I got a great price.  Thailand to the left, Laos above and Vietnam to the right.  Siem Reap is just north of the large lake in the middle of the country, Ton Le Sap lake.  It feeds Ton Le Sap river which meanders southeast where it joins the Mekong outside of Phnom Penh.

Singapore - Birthday Celebrations

Yes, As in Plural
This was a great birthday year -I had three separate parties.  The first was about ten days ago with Jean and her friends at an Italian restaurant.  Plenty of wine was flowing.

Singapore - Garden Update

Fruitful
Despite 35 straight days with no rain, things are fairing well on the roof.  Most of the plants need water three times a week but the chili plant drinks daily.  I've eaten and harvested many green chilies and couldn't keep up - some turned red and I've got them drying in the sun for longer keeping.

Australia - Perth

Perth

Chiang Mai

Various Photos

Chiang Mai - Here We Come

Thank Goodness for Business Trips
Dodo has to go to Chiang Mai for a business trip, I'm tagging along.  It's in Northern Thailand, near the Burma border.  While she is sitting through meeting monologues, I'll be attending a two-day cooking class at a farm in the countryside.  We leave Monday.

Shanghai - Here We Come?

Looking Increasingly Likely
Jean has been offered a six month assignment in Shanghai so we may be moving there sometime in November.  The details are sketchy and the timing is not nailed down.  It's not completely locked in but it looks likely to happen.  We should know more in the next few weeks.  (Looks like I have to start practicing my Chinese again.)