Snazzy Snaps & Travel Tales
Welcome to my travel blog! I've visited 30 countries (kickstarted by Remote Year) and 38 U.S. States. Click SUBSCRIBE to receive an email when a new post is published.
Strangers in Saigon
A year ago, a kind stranger swooped into my life and showed me the best skyline spot in Saigon. For the full story, tons of snazzy snaps, and details about travel safety, check out this latest blog post.
* My award winning photo of the Saigon Skyline! Check out Bonsai Cruises to book an incredible night!
One of my last nights in Saigon, I wanted to snap the skyline at sunset. I asked the sweet ladies at the front desk of the Saigon Mansion (my home for that month), and they directed me over to this bridge across town: Cầu Thủ Thiêm
Hopped on an Uber Moto with my camera / tripod and got dropped off right by the bridge. I realized I needed to hit the loo before setting up my snap sesh, and was wandering the streets when this young guy on a moto stopped by me.
My first thought was, "Stranger danger."
Second thought, "Oh yeah, I've got a heavy ass tripod in my hand."
One strategy I started during my first month of travel was to always carry my tripod with my camera bag. If someone wanted to snatch my gear, they're gonna have to deal with my weapon.
Him: "Hey, are you a photographer?"
Me: "Ummm, yeah, I was just looking for a spot to take pics of the skyline."
Him: "I know a great spot to take pics of the skyline. You want to come with me?"
This is one of those moments when you see your life flash before your eyes. I've seen the movie Hostel and it left an indelible imprint on my imagination.
As murdery thoughts were making their rounds in my mind, he pulled a small tripod out of his bag.
"This is my tripod for my photo class."
I stalled for a bit, as we chatted. We introduced ourselves (his name was Lam) and he showed me his student ID.
He was in college and was an avid photographer. We talked about photography for a bit and my spidey-sense stopped spiking.
Photo: Lam Đinh
The sun was starting to set and it was decision time. He had kind eyes and seemed like a real nice kid.
Photo: Lam Đinh
I trustingly hopped on the back of his moto, but told him I needed to hit the loo quick before we set up shop.
As we rode through the streets of Saigon away from the bridge, a few murdery thoughts reemerged. But they were squashed when we arrived at a mini-mart and he offered to pay my small fee for using the toilet.
After that, Lam brought me to this sweet spot on the Sai Gon river, near this park. It was dark but there were tons of people around. It looked like a lot of locals with maybe a couple tourists sprinkled in. We set up our tripods and started snapping.
And I got to know Lam a bit more.
He was also a tutor. If I recall, he was tutoring students in English. (I could be wrong, it was over a year ago now).
And, he was SO incredibly nice. He went out of his way to help some random tourist.
He was so nice, that he was almost late for his tutoring lesson, because he wanted to give me a ride home!!! When I realized he was cutting it close, I insisted he just drop me off and I would walk the rest of the way.
What an incredibly nice and thoughtful guy! We exchanged Facebook profiles and I checked out his profile. He is a FANTASTIC photographer. And an even more fantastic guy.
Photo Credit: Lam Đinh
Photo Credit: Lam Đinh
Photo Credit: Lam Đinh
Photo Credit: Lam Đinh
This was one of my last nights in Saigon. And, now, ~1 year later, I'm going back to Vietnam.
I look forward to reconnecting with Lam, and maybe doing some more photography with him.
Photo Credit: Lam Đinh (?)
For me, this story proves that, while it is important to keep your guard up while traveling, it is also important to keep an open mind.
Some of my most amazing memories from Remote Year center around meeting random locals and them inviting me into their lives for a brief moment in time.
Sometimes, I get a little sad when I think about how many awesome people I've met on my travels that I no longer see. But, that's life. And, if our paths cross again, it will be like we never skipped a beat.
"See you soon, Saigon! See you soon, Lam!"
* UPDATE - 2 years later, I submitted my photo of the Saigon Skyline to a photo contest run by the Bonsai Cruise company that does premium dinner cruises here in Saigon and I won 1st place! WOW! Thank you to Lam Dinh and also my friend Dung, who saw the call for entry and tagged me! I guess I can say I am an Award Winning Photographer now!?
THOUGHTS ON TRAVEL SAFETY
Before I started traveling on Remote Year, many of my family members and friends cautioned me about the dangers of traveling abroad.
"You better watch your back in Buenos Aires. So much crime there."
"Be careful over there in Asia."
"Are you going to wear a money belt?"
"South America is really dangerous."
I definitely agree that travelers need to exercise strong street smarts, wherever they go. And, yes, certain countries / cities, extra caution is wise.
But, I also think people are pretty paranoid of the unknown. I felt just as safe in almost all areas of South America than I did in almost all areas of Los Angeles.
You stay away from Skid Row, you're good to go.
I traveled with ~70 other people for 1 year and I recall (may have been more):
3 Females getting their purse snatched: (1 left a bar alone to walk home; and 2 others who got their purse stolen via a fast moving motorcycle thief in Kuala Lumpur, & Phnom Penh)
1 Male getting mugged in Lima by a taxi driver who drove into an alley where guys were waiting
1 Female who had her cell phone snatched from the side pocket of her backpack
~70 travelers, who each traveled to ~15-25 countries each over the course of 12 months. To me, that's not that bad, especially when you often stand out like a sore thumb.
Sadly, female travelers need to be more careful than males. It's just statistics. Even if you're walking on the street with your hand on your purse, those motorcycle thieves are driving fast and your hand grip is no match for their slick n crafty techniques.
And, don't walk on the sidewalk with your head buried in your celly.
It's impossible to always walk in groups, so if you are walking alone, walk on the building side of the sidewalk, not on the street edge of the sidewalk. YES, motorcyclists can and will ride on the actual sidewalks, so you do always have to be on alert.
In Buenos Aires, and a lot of other cities in South America, young women and men, often wear their backpacks with the pack side on the front. Much safer than having it on your back, where someone could be walking behind you, and unzip it.
And, there were several times (at least 3) that I personally left my apartment / hotel with one of my backpack sections accidentally unzipped. Guess what happened? Every time, someone on the street noticed it and told me about it so I can fix it. (Cities: Bogota, Belgrade, Kuala Lumpur) I personally alerted several people throughout the year that their packs were unzipped.
That doesn't mean you should just let down your guard when traveling. But, I do think a lot of people are overly paranoid. If this is what's keeping you from traveling abroad---please reconsider! And message me if you want more advice.
When I returned from RY, I got this question a few times: "Was there any time or city you felt unsafe?"
The only time really was in Paris at Le Louvre.
It was the day after Bastille Day, 2016. Tragically, this was the night that terrorist drove his truck through a crowd of partygoers in Nice, France, killing 87 (including himself). After buying my ticket to tour Le Louvre, I was eating a baguette sandwich when the alarms started going off.
"PLEASE EXIT THE BUILDING. PLEASE PROCEED TO THE NEAREST EXIT IMMEDIATELY."
Everyone was on high alert, and we all started to funnel toward the exits, eyes darting around, people looking for their loved ones. As we approached the underground exit, there was a Louvre security guard who was stopping the flow of traffic telling everyone they needed to go back the other way.
This was a weird moment. My imagination ran wild with the idea that a shooter was on the other side of where this security guard was shielding us off from. So, people started to turn around, but people were also pushing from behind. Getting trampled temporarily trumped my worry about an active shooter.
Thankfully, within ~30 seconds, the guard opened things back up and allowed everyone to exit through the underground pathways. And, the whole thing was a false alarm.
Other than that, I found every city I went to just as safe as any other in the good ole USA. Of course, you do your research about the bad areas of town and you steer clear of them.
Don't let fear stop you from traveling abroad!
Book your flight TODAY and then check out my friends at AllTheRooms.com to find a ton of cool places to stay! They are travel experts and they got you covered!
The Thrill of Uber Moto
Forget skydiving, or bungee jumping, Uber Moto is where it's at! In Vietnam, for as low as $1 you can ride the gnarliest thrill ride!
A year ago almost to the day, I hopped on the back of an Uber Moto for the first time and had one of the most thrilling joyrides I've ever experienced! Forget skydiving, or bungee jumping, just spend $1 and take an Uber Moto and your adrenaline will be through the roof!
Ho Chi Minh City is home to roughly ~8 million people, and there are ~7.5 millions motos. It's how most people get around. To a westerner like me, it just seems like total chaos. Madness!
They get so close to each other.
They drive on the wrong side of the road.
They drive on the sidewalks. They dart out in front of oncoming traffic. The rules of the road seem like merely suggestions.
But, there is a fascinating harmony about it all. It's the norm for them and it just kinda works.
Except for the half a dozen accidents I saw during my month I was there. The accidents weren't bad, thankfully. But, they bump n grind a bit.
Hanoi
It reminds me of India, although not quite as chaotic. For me, nothing will ever top that! The traffic is unreal. SOOO many vehicles on the road. Bikes, motos, cars, rickshaws, trucks, cattle, monkeys, etc.
4 or 5 family members on one moto. Dozens hanging out of rickshaws. Monkeys and cows crossing the roads and everyone just swerves around like it's no big deal.
I saw a mother with two small children, probably ages 2 and 4, smack dab in the middle of a busy rotary. All 3 begging for money. I couldn't believe the 2 year old was just right there! A little sad actually.
This was a different girl:
The other strikingly different thing about the traffic in India is the incessant beeping. They are not beeping to be jerks. It's how they communicate. Beeping is just someone saying, "Hey, I'm on your right."
India is by far the most incredibly culturally rich travel country I've been to!
The traffic in Vietnam seems tame compared to India. But, it is still thrilling!
Check out the video of my first Uber Moto experience. My heart was pounding!
These next two snaps are from Hanoi, long exposure shots from the top of the hotel I was staying at. You can see the crazy traffic madness:
Wonder if UBER Moto would ever happen in the U.S.? Probably not.
Guess that means I need to go back to Vietnam for my next adrenaline fix. Hmmm...
My Remote Year Marathon
12 months, 19 countries. A year of new experiences and constant stimulation. A year that can never be replicated, and never fully comprehended by anyone outside of RY3 . A year that probably seemed so luxurious on social media. But, in reality, it was just as challenging as it was rewarding. Like running a marathon.
12 months, 19 countries. A year of new experiences and constant stimulation. A year that could never be replicated, and never fully comprehended by anyone outside of RY3 . A year that probably seemed so luxurious on social media. But, in reality, it was just as challenging as it was rewarding. Like running a marathon.
It's been 2 weeks since I completed Remote Year and you may have noticed the radio silence on my part. The reality is, I'm recovering from the marathon!
Our first week in Remote Year, Carlos Paz, Cordoba, Argentina
In our very first meeting in Cordoba, Argentina, the staff played a video for us. It was an advice compilation from the original RY group that was in month 9 of 12. One of the older guys in the group said,
“RY is like a marathon, not a sprint. Pace yourself, because a year of travel and work is really challenging.”
Being a marathoner, I took these words to heart. In the beginning of the race, I know I always feel like this:
The adrenaline is flowing and I'm so excited the race is finally here!
But, I know that the mid to late miles are tough. The initial adrenaline wears off. Fatigue sets in. I get numb. And the last few miles I'm on auto-pilot, emotionally and physically. I sometimes can't remember a lot in those late miles, because my body is in this weird state of confusion. I'm just going through the motions, and everything is a blur.
And, when I get to the finish line, I'm often not able to savor the moment. I'm just numb. I may have an emotional moment for a minute, realizing that I just completed a big race that I'd been training so hard for. But, then, it takes me a couple hours to get some feeling back.
On my Remote Year marathon, I didn’t quite realize how tough the late months would be!
It wasn't tough to visit gorgeous National Parks, UNESCO sites, and Wonders of the World. It wasn't tough to adapt to the local culture or find my way around a new city. It was not hard to get along with such a great group of people who cared for each other and treated each other like family.
But, the combination of: constant travel, sightseeing, work, time zone challenges, lack of sleep, blogging, photography, the high of forging new friendships, the lows of saying goodbye and start all over, etc, etc. It's all amazing but exhausting!
The last few months of RY were challenging. I constantly felt fatigued. Got sick a bunch of times. Wasn't sleeping much. Was pushing my mind and body to the limits, trying to see all the sights. In a lot of ways I was just going through the motions. Checkin' stuff off the list.
Oh, another UNESCO World Heritage site. Neat.
A Wonder of the World...huh. Cool.
Most people plan their whole year's vacation around some of the things that I probably took for granted. I got emotionally numb in the late miles.
And, towards the end, I just wanted to hit that finish line.
Final day of Remote Year, just finished packing up my stuff.
But, now, I'm getting my feeling back. :]
Looking back, I realize just how lucky I am to have been able to be a part of Remote Year. So few people on this Earth will ever have the opportunities that I've had. It was the most extraordinary journey I've ever taken. The best race I've ever run.
And, the best part about it is, I'm not numb any more! And, while I may have been fairly unemotional during certain times, I still experienced it all. And, I can look back on those experiences now and fully appreciate them. And, I've got thousands of photos and videos that I haven't even looked at.
In a marathon, sometimes I forget the mid-to-late miles.
But I will never forget one mile, one day or one month of Remote Year.
Patrick and I on day 1 of 365. We were just babies back then.
Fuerza Bruta show, Buenos Aires, Argentina---one of the best nights of the year.
Wandering the streets of La Paz, Bolivia
Climbing Mount Huayna Potosi, one of the gnarliest, craziest things I've ever done!
Cusco culture, they love their little lambs and llama and alpaca.
The train to Edinburgh, Scotland
My romantic weekend in Paris
A phenomenal weekend in the Czech countryside to hike and watch the Perseids meteor shower.
A solo trip to Santorini, Greece, and some gorgeous beaches.
The slow boat in Laos with the Golden Shower Trio!
Admiring the Kuang Si Waterfalls in Laos
Sure, I'll buy a straw hat for $1 in Myanmar
The sweet hotel owner and her daughters in Inle Lake, Myanmar
Zaw Min! The best driver / tour guide of the year, hands down. Loved this man.
Inle Lake!
Jumped on the mic on the cruise in Halong Bay!
HA LONG BAY
Vietnam Mekong Delta cruise.
Vietnam welcome party spilled into the streets for the Tet New Year!
My final memory of Remote Year. A candlelight speakeasy. Magical.
Phare, The Cambodian Circus
Siam Reap, Cambodia was a breath of fresh air compared to Phnom Penh, literally and figuratively. I ventured off on a solo trip for a few days to get out of the city and see the Angkor Wat temples. Angkor Wat was certainly impressive, but it was the Phare: Cambodian Circus that captured my heart!
Siam Reap, Cambodia was a breath of fresh air compared to Phnom Penh, literally and figuratively. I ventured off on a solo trip for a few days to get out of the intensity of the city see the famous Angkor Wat temples. While the temples at Angkor Wat were certainly impressive, it was the Phare: Cambodian Circus that captured my heart!
It's like Cirque du Soleil, but with Cambodian performers who studied at a local non-profit school for the performing arts. The NGO was started by 9 Cambodian men after the Khmer Rouge to help support local artists. Check out the website
The Phare Story is "Uniquely Cambodian. Daringly Modern. More than just a circus, Phare, the Cambodian Circus performers use theater, music, dance and modern circus arts to tell uniquely Cambodian stories; historical, folk and modern."
Phare was recommended by fellow Remote Translator.Liz who had visited earlier in the month. I went with a German friend (Carolin) who I met on the bus from Phnom Penh to Siam Reap. The only seats left were general admission and we were in the far back corner. But, it was a tiny tent venue and it didn’t matter. The performance was so powerful, there were no bad seats in the house!
Just like Cirque, the show featured music, dance, juggling, acrobatics and humor, all sprinkled on top of an overarching story of an outcast in a village who yearns for acceptance. It was brilliant.
The energy in the show is top notch! These performers had us eating out of the palm of their hands. Every audience member seemed entranced from start to finish. I found myself giggling and smiling so much my jaw hurt at the end.
I got emotional at one point during the show. My mind wandered back to the Fuerza Bruta show back in Buenos Aires, which was same same but different. BA was month 2 of Remote Year, and there I was in month 11. The whole year flashed before my eyes and the realization that the year is coming to an end brought a range of mixed emotions up to the surface.
I think the reason I loved the Phare Cambodian Circus so much was because Cambodia was a hard place to live mentally and spiritually. Phnom Penh is overpopulated. The streets are littered with trash. Poverty is ever-present. The dark history of the Killing Fields looms in the back of your mind. As a caucasian foreigner, everyone thinks your rich and merchants can be rather aggressive. It is probably the most challenging place I’ve lived this year.
For me, Phare represents hope! And Cambodians need hope. Feeling the positive vibes, the warmth of the circus and seeing the smiles of the performers was exactly what I needed. It was electrifying!
Hope.
Hope is not a dangerous thing, Red.
"Remember, Red, Hope is a good thing. Maybe the best of things. And no good thing ever dies."