The latest Journal Entries from Marilyn and Greg at Footstops.com en-us Sun, 22 Apr 2007 03:20:26 -0700 Copyright 2008, Bryan Rite @ Footstops.com Sun, 22 Apr 2007 03:20:26 -0700 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 240 http://www.footstops.com/mlawrence/ At sunrise yesterday at 13,435 feet we peaked, symbolically ending our six month journey and beginning our trek home. Today we hobble around Kota Kinabalu, calf muscles somewhat shorter and tighter, gripping handrails and slowly maneuvering ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/mlawrence/blog/768/ http://www.footstops.com/mlawrence/blog/768/ Sun, 22 Apr 2007 04:40:07 -0700 Semporna Islands National Park, in the southeast corner of Sabah, is classed among the top l0 dive sites in the world.  And there we were, the splashing snorkelers among the serious divers, equally awed by the abundance of stunning marine l... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/mlawrence/blog/767/ http://www.footstops.com/mlawrence/blog/767/ Mon, 16 Apr 2007 04:50:09 -0700 This mighty muddy river was our home for three days. Older than the Amazon, its lower floodplain is famous for a variety of wildlife, especially the notorious orang-utan - man of the woods, the only species of great apes found outside Africa. Prio... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/mlawrence/blog/712/ http://www.footstops.com/mlawrence/blog/712/ Thu, 12 Apr 2007 07:20:29 -0700 What an exotic name - Kota Kinabalu, Borneo....conjures up images of lush jungle, primitive peoples, primates swinging from trees, crocodile infested rivers, bugs and leeches... As yet we've only discovered the city of Kota Kinabalu with its Fili... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/mlawrence/blog/677/ http://www.footstops.com/mlawrence/blog/677/ Wed, 04 Apr 2007 23:00:08 -0700 Kuala Lumpur surpassed all our expectations for a city experience.  Like all southeast Asian cities there were crumbling sidewalks waiting to trip you into the sewer and the aromas of sizzling food cooked in hawkers' booths. But in KL, pros... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/mlawrence/blog/664/ http://www.footstops.com/mlawrence/blog/664/ Fri, 30 Mar 2007 17:37:55 -0700 This city, in the most northeastern part of Malaysia, is rich in Islamic culture. The women are beautifully dressed in colourful sarongs, tunics and scarves - each one a walking palette of colour and design. This Kelantan state of Malaysia is g... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/mlawrence/blog/663/ http://www.footstops.com/mlawrence/blog/663/ Wed, 28 Mar 2007 09:07:26 -0700 We've been holidaying...island hopping - sun, sand, sea and snorkelling.  After Krabi town in southern Thailand we spent a week on the very small island of Ko Jum then onward to Ko Lipe, the most southerly island in the marine park of Ko Taru... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/mlawrence/blog/561/ http://www.footstops.com/mlawrence/blog/561/ Sat, 10 Mar 2007 06:52:56 -0800 Myanmar - the politics, the people, the place ...   Not much has been said by us about the politics, as there is always the fear of retribution while in this country.  Like the local peop... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/mlawrence/blog/512/ http://www.footstops.com/mlawrence/blog/512/ Fri, 09 Mar 2007 23:27:00 -0800 An old overcrowded, overheated bus wound its way for hours up from the central plains through mountainous and rugged terrain to our destination, Kalaw. This would be the starting point of perhaps the most remarkable of our roads less travelled... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/mlawrence/blog/496/ http://www.footstops.com/mlawrence/blog/496/ Fri, 02 Mar 2007 22:40:46 -0800 Far different than the remote site of Hsipaw with its hourly chanting of monks, dark nights and generated electricity, Bagan is geared up for the tourists who have yet to arrive. Quietly it waits with its new paved roads from community to community, ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/mlawrence/blog/444/ http://www.footstops.com/mlawrence/blog/444/ Sun, 25 Feb 2007 23:39:19 -0800 An old English hill station east of Mandalay, it felt at first more like stepping into an old western movie expecting John Wayne or Clint Eastwood to stroll around the corner ready for a shoot out or arrive in town on one of the many stage coaches. ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/mlawrence/blog/424/ http://www.footstops.com/mlawrence/blog/424/ Thu, 22 Feb 2007 01:29:18 -0800 If the train ride was an indication that we were getting off the beaten track, then the dusty roads, the lack of electricity, tourists, e-mail and yet another language, confirmed it. We travelled eleven and a half hours on a rocking train (circa 1940... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/mlawrence/blog/405/ http://www.footstops.com/mlawrence/blog/405/ Mon, 19 Feb 2007 01:22:42 -0800 Fifteen hours crumpled in the back corner of an overnight bus can take the joys out of travel, but arriving in Mandalay, the last royal capital, made the trip worthwhile.  We have visited ancient sites via trishaw, miniature Mazda pick-up tru... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/mlawrence/blog/351/ http://www.footstops.com/mlawrence/blog/351/ Fri, 16 Feb 2007 22:49:21 -0800 From the dusty bumpy roads leaving Cambodia, to the superhighways of Thailand, and the frantic pace of Khao San Road in Bangkok we have since arrived to the "Golden Land" of  stupas, longyis, monks ... a place where foreigners are r... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/mlawrence/blog/350/ http://www.footstops.com/mlawrence/blog/350/ Tue, 13 Feb 2007 22:35:47 -0800 Be prepared for a range of emotions if visiting Siem Reap! It's a journey of absolute spiritual inspiration seeing the magnificent temples of Angkor! But it's also a journey of despair seeing the stark reality of poverty! You marvel at the geniu... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/mlawrence/blog/268/ http://www.footstops.com/mlawrence/blog/268/ Mon, 05 Feb 2007 09:31:53 -0800 A quick stop at this seaside resort to try out it's famous white sand beaches and fresh seafood was a reassurance that this country is evolving fast. However, with this rapid growth comes the good, the bad and the ugly...some of the local people are ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/mlawrence/blog/257/ http://www.footstops.com/mlawrence/blog/257/ Sat, 03 Feb 2007 22:53:51 -0800 Crumbling buildings, vacant lots, abandoned colonial homes,  commercial decay - Kampot is a city struggling to recover from the years of civil war. We were awed to see such a visible reminder of this country's more ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/mlawrence/blog/253/ http://www.footstops.com/mlawrence/blog/253/ Thu, 01 Feb 2007 22:18:18 -0800 Charming and captivating with its pagoadas, monks, colonial buildings, restaurants, cafes and markets, Phnom Pehn is also a city causing dismay and distress.  With a history so horrific and so recent, one can't help but feel th... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/mlawrence/blog/229/ http://www.footstops.com/mlawrence/blog/229/ Sat, 27 Jan 2007 03:21:29 -0800 Leaving Phu Quoc Island for the border town of Chau Doc was not without its challenges. Our day began with the hydrofoil – the SuperDong Express.  Since we only had one day to leave the country before our visa ran out we thought it best... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/mlawrence/blog/217/ http://www.footstops.com/mlawrence/blog/217/ Fri, 26 Jan 2007 02:30:01 -0800 We have had a wonderful eight day “footstop” on this tranquil and unspoiled island south of Cambodia but claimed and governed by Vietnam. Beautiful beaches line the island, with some tourist development on the western shore.  The ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/mlawrence/blog/189/ http://www.footstops.com/mlawrence/blog/189/ Thu, 18 Jan 2007 01:14:27 -0800 Actually there is no town by the name of Vespa in Vietnam. I have created it in order to display a few photos I have taken of the classic Italian motor scooters. As we travel from country to country, town to town, I have developed a passion for th... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/mlawrence/blog/188/ http://www.footstops.com/mlawrence/blog/188/ Wed, 17 Jan 2007 05:55:56 -0800 We've been crammed into the back of trucks, slept on hard platforms in cramped train compartments, squished into buses bulging with produce and people,  teetered with packs on motorcycles,  but this trip from Dalat to Saigon was the... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/mlawrence/blog/151/ http://www.footstops.com/mlawrence/blog/151/ Sun, 14 Jan 2007 10:46:07 -0800 After a sixteen hour bus journey south along the coast and then winding its way through the highlands, we arrived at the thriving agricultural community of Dalat.  Situated in a wide upland plateau surrounded by high hills, it is known for it... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/mlawrence/blog/150/ http://www.footstops.com/mlawrence/blog/150/ Fri, 12 Jan 2007 09:58:15 -0800 A charming and historical city that we slowly developed a love for.  At first glance it seemed only to be a retail mecca of tailor shops ready to exploit your vanity for tailored suits and silk dresses. But  the city has retained it... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/mlawrence/blog/149/ http://www.footstops.com/mlawrence/blog/149/ Tue, 09 Jan 2007 10:10:33 -0800 Although a city of many attractions, it is particularly known for being the site of the bloodiest battles of the 1968 Tet Offensive. Close to the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), it has many reminders of the war - Vinhmoc Tunnels, Khe Sanh Combat Base an... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/mlawrence/blog/143/ http://www.footstops.com/mlawrence/blog/143/ Sun, 07 Jan 2007 00:22:28 -0800 Serene, enchanting, mystical...it's no wonder that this area is known as Vietnam's most magnificent natural wonder.  We cruised through the limestone islets in a traditional junk, sleeping on board and enjoying the company of 14 other travellers... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/mlawrence/blog/140/ http://www.footstops.com/mlawrence/blog/140/ Sat, 06 Jan 2007 09:52:01 -0800 Happy New Year!  Here we are in a high hill tribe village in northern Vietnam, almost at the China border. We got here after an overnight train and then a bus ride winding its way up the mountains.  We are bundled up in ever... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/mlawrence/blog/132/ http://www.footstops.com/mlawrence/blog/132/ Mon, 01 Jan 2007 03:47:04 -0800 Hanoi impacts strongly when arriving by plane from Laos.  Such a contrast! The density of vehicles, the random driving, the constant honking, the persistant vendors - the vibrancy of it all is quite an awakening!  Just crossing... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/mlawrence/blog/130/ http://www.footstops.com/mlawrence/blog/130/ Thu, 28 Dec 2006 03:39:16 -0800 We are soon to end our 30 day Visa stay in Laos. How we have loved this country! Never before have we been to places where the people have exhibited such serene and calm qualities. Perhaps it is the result of their belief in Theravada Buddhism.... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/mlawrence/blog/129/ http://www.footstops.com/mlawrence/blog/129/ Sat, 23 Dec 2006 09:21:19 -0800 A winding road climbing hills and traversing high ridges inhabited by desolate hill tribe villages brought us to this small town  situated on the Nam Song surrounded by beautiful limestone karst terrain.  The town itself lacks the charm and... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/mlawrence/blog/128/ http://www.footstops.com/mlawrence/blog/128/ Wed, 20 Dec 2006 09:20:44 -0800 Right now we're in the town of Luang Prabang in northern Laos. Got here by a slow boat - 4 of us and two boatmen - six hours down the River Ou to the muddy, meandering Mekong River. It feels very civilized from where we have been. Actually ha... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/mlawrence/blog/125/ http://www.footstops.com/mlawrence/blog/125/ Mon, 11 Dec 2006 18:18:36 -0800 After an amazing sawnthiaw ride over the mountains from Luang Nam Tha we arrived at the most pristine little village on the River Ou.  Would you believe you can put l6 people into a small box pick-up?  On arrival to this small village, w... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/mlawrence/blog/115/ http://www.footstops.com/mlawrence/blog/115/ Sat, 09 Dec 2006 02:32:53 -0800 In the last few days we have trekked into the jungle, forged rivers, crossed rice paddies, climbed hills, eaten food rolled in banana leaves, pounded rice, spun cotton, and passed into a culture so different and unrecognizable from anything wester... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/mlawrence/blog/114/ http://www.footstops.com/mlawrence/blog/114/ Mon, 04 Dec 2006 09:19:18 -0800 Entering into Laos from Chiang Khong, Thailand, is a very noteable experience. Once you cross  the Mekong River to Huay Xai, Laos you know you are stepping onto a landscape differing in many ways from the bustling economy of Thailand. Fr... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/mlawrence/blog/113/ http://www.footstops.com/mlawrence/blog/113/ Wed, 29 Nov 2006 18:19:07 -0800 We're getting farther "out there" now.  Fewer and fewer backpackers here, but those that are here, await the crossing of the Mekong River into Laos. Found a beautiful guesthouse (bamboo hut) on the river overlooking all the working boa... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/mlawrence/blog/112/ http://www.footstops.com/mlawrence/blog/112/ Tue, 28 Nov 2006 02:17:22 -0800 Arrived by bus after an eight hour bus ride in the Golden Triangle area of Thailand to a city called Chiang Rai. (called the Golden Triangle because it borders on Burma and Laos and was famous for it's opium trade).  It's much quieter he... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/mlawrence/blog/111/ http://www.footstops.com/mlawrence/blog/111/ Sat, 25 Nov 2006 09:07:15 -0800 We've had an exciting last two days. We left Pai and our stuff in our room and headed out on the motorbike - over a mountain pass and to a small village in the hills that has an incredible amount of caves and villages of hill tribe peoples. You sh... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/mlawrence/blog/110/ http://www.footstops.com/mlawrence/blog/110/ Thu, 23 Nov 2006 02:12:30 -0800 When we left Chiang Mai we headed north on a local bus about four hours on a switchback mountain road to a very fertile valley where Pai is situated.  It is a beautiful small town in a  rich agricultural valley surrounded by high hi... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/mlawrence/blog/109/ http://www.footstops.com/mlawrence/blog/109/ Tue, 21 Nov 2006 09:11:28 -0800 Left the Treehouse on the far side of Koh Chang over the very bumpy and isolated road.  Made it to the ferry just as it was leaving for Trat.  A bus was leaving Trat for Bangkok and conveniently enough, an overnight train was leaving Ban... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/mlawrence/blog/108/ http://www.footstops.com/mlawrence/blog/108/ Wed, 15 Nov 2006 09:02:31 -0800 Left Bangkok on the VIP bus... hostess and all.  She served us watery coke and cookies while we were supposed to be enjoying the blaring movie on the overhead screen.  Thais LOVE noise. Arrived in Trat and looked for Kristi's rec... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/mlawrence/blog/104/ http://www.footstops.com/mlawrence/blog/104/ Sun, 05 Nov 2006 02:32:51 -0800 Hello everyone, Here we are in Bangkok and loving waking up to the sounds and smells. Kristi, the D & D is a great place to stay. We didn't arrive here until 2:30 am. It was easy to find. Guess we should have listened to you, though, and not t... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/mlawrence/blog/103/ http://www.footstops.com/mlawrence/blog/103/ Wed, 01 Nov 2006 03:00:13 -0800