June

3

Sydney: walk through big, lovely park whose name I can't remember; walk down Macquerie Street to take in architectural sights; Royal Botanic Gardens, Mrs. Macquerie's Chair -- an infamous view of Sydney Harbour; hightail it back to the bus station to take a bus to Canberra

Happy Birthday Marilyn L.

4

Canberra: Parliament, got to see Prime Minister and his peers act juvenile during "Question Time"; Old Parliament; Aboriginal "Embassy"

Happy Birthday Stephanie

Happy 15th Anniversary Suzie & Dave

5

Canberra: War Memorial, National Gallery of Art -- got "private" tour since no one else showed up for the free tour; High Court; State Library; hightail it back to bus station to go back to Sydney

6

Sydney: Parliament; Northern Territory Center with didgeradoo show

7

Sydney: preparing to leave country

Overnight flight to Seoul

8

Arrive Seoul 6am; use 14 hour layover to see National Museum, National Folk Museum, and Gyeongbokgung Palace

flight to Bangkok, get in at midnight, ugh; actually get a hotel room!

9

Bangkok: Victory Monument, Computer City, Wat Ratchedamneon, Democracy Monument, Khao San Road

10

Bangkok: Chatuchak Market; Maha Umi Devi Temple; Patong Night Market

11

Bangkok: Grand Palace (where I used a squat toilet for the first time and survived), Wat Phra Kaew, Wat Intharawihan, Wat Trithossathep; got scammed for the first time (didn't lose money or health, just trust); river tour (by accident); Erawan Shrine to see Thai dancers

F.I.L. #8

12

Bangkok: Wat Traimit; Wat Pho, first traditional Thai massage (incredible!)

13

Bangkok in morning, taking care of plane tickets; to Ayutthaya, the ancient capitol in afternoon; Night Market in Ayutthaya

14

Ayutthaya: boat ride on Chao Phraya River (you wouldn't believe how hot Thailand is -- this was all I could manage!)

Happy Anniversary Nancy & Rob

15

Ayutthaya: rent bike (and survive crazy traffic behavior), to Chao Phrom Market, to nine wats: Ratchaburana, Phraram, Worachettharam, Worapho, Lokayasutha, Naphramen, Thammikarat, Mahathat and one that didn't even show up on my map. Also went to Wihan Phramongkhonbophit where the woman who sold me coconut juice and I teach each other our languages.

Night Market

16

Ayutthaya: share "tuk-tuk" to see Wats Phukhaothong, Chaiwatthanaram, Yaichaiyamongkhon, and Phananchoeng

Happy Anniversary Maria & Mike

17

Taking it easy and getting caught up on website -- you just can't imagine the heat here!

Happy Birthday Christophe

18

Ayutthaya and then a bus to Bangkok where I get a mid-range room -- this means that in addition to air-conditioning, I have a western style toilet, but I have to flush it myself with a pail of water!

19

Bangkok: Wat Ratchedameon; canal taxi; tried to get my Vietnam visa changed, but failed since the embassy was closed due to two bombs being found there that mroning!; Jim Thompson's House/Museum; back to Vietnam Embassy where I learn I have to apply for a new visa instead of getting the dates changed on the old one and was scolded for not being "better organized" (me! not organized!) and I have to pay extra to expedite it; markets

20

Bangkok: National Museum; King Rama V Monument; Vimamek Mansion, including Thai dancing

21

Bangkok: Back to the Vietnam Embassy to get new, lemon-scented visa; Wat Arun; another massage at Wat Pho, this one a reflexology one for the feet

22

Fly to Siem Reap, Cambodia; market; Phnon Krom, a Vietnamese fishing village; boat ride through village and onto the Tonle Sap, an enormous lake

23

Siem Reap: Begin the temples tour; Angkor Thom, including Bayon, Baphoun, Phimeanakas, Terrace of the Elephants, Terrace of the Leper King; Chau Say Tevoda; Thammanon; Te Keo; Ta Prohm; Bantey Kdei in the rain; Sras Srang; Pre Rup for the sunset

24

Siem Reap: More temples and some countryside; Prasat Kravan; villages; Bantey Srei; Bantay Samrei; Eastern Mebon; Lolei Temple; Preah Ko

25

Siem Reap temple tour continues: sunrise (can you believe I got up that early?!) at Angkor Wat; Preah Khan, Neak Paon; Ta Som; Western Baray; Phnom Bakeng

Dinner with a Prince, a Governor, and an Ambassador! (No, I did not wear the leopard capris.)

Happy Birthday Gretchen

Happy Anniversary Kelley & Robert and Don & Lin

26

Spend an extra day in Siem Reap, going to the markets, writing stories on the computer just for you!, experiencing my first monsoon (and having enormous crickets jump all over me --ewwww), and hanging out

27

Fly to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), get oriented

Happy Anniversary Ali & Keith

28

Saigon: Cyclo tour of Giac Lam, Phuoc An Hoi Quan, Thien Hau, Quan Am, and Phuoc Hai Tu Pagodas; Binh Tay Market; History Museum

29

Saigon: Reunification Palace (the one that was stormed on April 30, 1975), War Museum, Water Puppet show

Happy Birthday DJ

30

Brick Factory (hey, I told the guide I like to see how things are made); Caodai Temple in Tay Ninh; Cu Chi Tunnels -- the ones the Viet Cong built -- I even went in one and I'm a major claustrophobic!