November 23, 2019 - landed in Bangkok.
January 30, 2020 - departed Bali, Indonesia.
68 days in Southeast Asia left us hungry for so much more time in this amazing part of the world. Some thoughts as we depart...
If smiles indicate wealth, these are the richest people in the world
Everywhere we went the smiles were huge, genuine and welcoming. In particular when we were off the beaten path, in small villages, etc there was typically a moment on their face of 'is this person really here' followed by a curious warm smile and a hello.
There is so much to discover here
The amount of cultural, culinary and geographic diversity is pure awesome for anyone curious to see more.
The energy is real!
This part of the world has a different vibe. Night markets, commerce, youthful demographics, etc. All of these collide with a general sense of optimism to create an energy that is unique.
Local life exists, even in heavily touristed areas
In much of the world, heavily touristed areas have had the local soul removed. In some regards, it's like entire cities or areas are simply museums & souvenir shops in a way. This is where the cruise ships bombard ports and people come by the busloads. In this part of the world, you still see real life happening all around, even in many of the tourist sites. This may not last forever, but it makes even the big sites more enjoyable to visit.
Food is tasty...and cheap
We routinely ate delicious meals we'll remember forever that cost $10-15 total for our party of 4. All of us loved the food; we're fortunate to have good eaters like Paige & Sadie (although they don't really have a choice ;)).
One word of warning, if you have young kids who don't like veggies or only eat chicken fingers, you'll be miserable in Southeast Asia...no kids menus here unless you're at expensive resorts that cater to wealthy Westerners. But if that's how you're traveling in South East Asia, why bother taking the long flight?
Money Goes Far
With a little research, beautiful and exotic locations are still abundant without crowds.
Interesting Travelers
The region draws an interesting crowd of travelers that are fun to connect with. We've found as a generalization you find a camaraderie with people open to unique and uncharted experiences, in particular when you're off the beaten track in this part of the world.
Hurry and get here before it's too late
The global tourist swarm is making it harder and harder to find unique and culturally true experiences. It won't be long until many of the places we went fall into this category.
Things We Heard
These are some key themes we heard consistently throughout the region.
Pollution & Global Warming - They see it and are feeling it. With so much of their lives tied into the rivers and agriculture, you consistently hear a theme of worry.
China - as the 800lb gorilla in the neighborhood, these were two consistent themes that kept coming up unsolicited:
China is firmly pulling the economic well being of the region and individuals in it. From controlling the flow of water via dams across the border, to building cross-border transportation systems, to being the market relied upon to buy goods - the economic success is tied. There is an underlying unease with the relationship and China's ability to manipulate their economies.
There is an influx of tourists from mainland China that is generally not welcomed. This was consistently brought up by tour guides. They travel differently (in large groups) and with very different social norms. Sensitivity note - this insight generally came from our tour guides (who we tend to get private guides for just us), so clearly the mass group travel is not good for their personal business.
American is Still a Beacon
Steering ever so briefly into politics, it can be challenging at times to be a proud American in this moment with this President (regardless of how you feel about his politics). It was refreshing to hear that America continues to be viewed generally as a force of good in the world and as a beacon of opportunity that is looked up to.
We're excited for the adventures left in our travels, but a big part of us is sad to be leaving such a vibrant, exciting and culturally different part of the world.
Thank you South East Asia! We'll be back!
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