Review of the Journey So Far

Tomorrow I will end the Southeast Asian portion of my journey and fly from Bangkok, Thailand to Calcutta, India. I've spent four months on the road; another eight months are ahead of me.

Myanmar was a high point

When I was planning this trip, I viewed Southeast Asia as a pleasant and "easy" starting point that would prepare me for India and East Africa. In hindsight, it's been much more than that. It hasn't always been easy (except Thailand, which is about the easiest, friendliest, most accommodating, and delicious country you could hope to visit), but it has been moving, meaningful, educational, and memorable.

High Points
Where to start? Just walking the streets of a new village or city is a high point. Every connection I make with local people is exciting…

Here's what really stands out in my memory:

• Myanmar. Everything about Myanmar was a high point. Myanmar taught me how educational and important travel can be. It also taught me how deeply you can connect with the people you meet. The time I spent with S____ is a highlight of the trip.
• Temples of Angkor. I'd been dreaming about Angkor for years, and, in spite of all the build-up, it exceeded expectations. Riding a motorbike around the temple complex, past the Bayon and through the gates of Angkor Thom, was almost more exhilarating than climbing the towers of Angkor Wat.

• Laos was incredible too

  Hill tribe villages in Laos. Visiting the hill tribe villages in Laos was like visiting Mars. It was a privilege to glimpse a way of life that is completely different from my own. In these villages I also enjoyed some of the best – and worst – pork I've ever had.
• Phnom Penh. At first glimpse, there's little to like about Phnom Penh: it's dirty, chaotic, and lawless – a hotbed of corruption, sin, and vice. But after a few days these qualities become somehow endearing, and the chaos becomes a pleasure.

Low Points
The high points of the trip have greatly outweighed the low points, but there have been a few. In order of unpleasantness:

• The bus rides in Myanmar were perfect slices of hell

  The "Worst Bus Ride Ever". Nothing can touch that journey in terms of sheer terror and discomfort.
• Getting sick in Inle Lake, Myanmar. Vomiting, diarrhea, chills, sweats, shakes, headache – you name it, I had it. It was the worst 24 hours of my life. Conventional wisdom says that every long-term traveler gets sick at least once. Let's hope this was the first and last time for me.
• Minibus ride in Vietnam. It was only a six hour drive from Chau Doc to Saigon, but the suicidal, horn-happy speed freak at the helm of the van made it seem like a four-day "Faces of Death" film marathon. Only content if he was doing 120MPH, the spiky-haired 20-year-old made such risky and maniacal passes that, at one point, I put our likelihood of a head-on collision at 50-50.
• Ferry landing in Phnom Penh. The hoard of touts at the docks in Phnom Penh was more annoying than dangerous, but the anarchy of the situation still shook me deeply.

Traveling Alone
Traveling on my own has opened up many opportunities that wouldn't have otherwise been there. It's easy to meet other travelers when you're by yourself; I think you're also more open to encounters with locals.

Cousin Mike and friend Phun

That said, I've had my share of solitary dining experiences.

My cousin Mike joined me for the Cambodian/Vietnam portion of the journey, which was a great change of pace. But it's exciting to enter into this next phase of the journey alone.

Health
Apart from the bout of food poisoning/traveler's diarrhea mentioned above, I've been in near-perfect health. I've slept well, eaten well, and managed to get quite a bit of exercise. My weight has remained stable. My emotional outlook is good. I've been taking Doxycycline, an anti-malarial, every day for the past three months, and have experienced no adverse side effects.

Finances
I budgeted $50 a day for food, accommodation, entertainment, and transportation (including flights between SEA and India, India and Africa, Africa and home). So far, I've spent more like $30 a day (least expensive place visited so far: Muang Ngoi, Laos, where four days' accommodation, food, and drink set me back $11). There are some big expenses ahead (the mountain gorilla trek in Uganda costs upwards of $500), but I still think I'll come out a little under budget. Which is good - more money for a year-long South American trip in the future :)

I've shot 2,115 photos so far

The Vagabonding.com Project
The Vagabonding.com project gives the trip greater structure and relevance. In four months I have:

• Shot 18 hours worth of DV tape
• Written 23 travelogue articles
• Produced 19 video shorts
• Shot 2,115 photographs
• Posted the 148 photographs that were any good

The site has enjoyed a steady growth in popularity and, recently, a dramatic spike in traffic thanks to a mention in This is TRUE. Some current statistics:

• Number of newsletter subscribers: 323
• Number of visitors in January: 5,777
• Average number of daily visitors in January: 186
• Amount of data downloaded in January: 5,392,162 kilobytes (that's over 5 gigs of data – thanks for the hosting, divine!)

Am I Ready for India?
So has Southeast Asia prepared me for India and beyond? Yes and no. I feel comfortable now in chaotic situations that would have rocked me to the core a few months ago. I've met a host of terrific people – and some scoundrels and predators too. But from what I hear and read about India, nothing can really prepare you. And you know what? That's just the way I like it.