From the border town of Hekou, with the huge help of Rachel's Mandarin, we were able to catch a day bus, leaving at 10:30 am, to Kunming. As it turned out, our bus was of the sleeper variety and we were the only westerners on the full bus. Right away, the differences between China and everywhere else I have travelled in Asia became apparent. Starting in Hekou, while looking for an ATM, it was apparent that no one spoke any English at all – even in t...

As I headed out towards my multi hour, multi day train voyage, armed with my last $2 pack of Amoxicillian, I wondered why I do this? I was tired from the cold, cranky that I hadn't been able to have a last week of tennis and sad to leave Laura and the really nice life she has made for herself in Vietnam. The family insisted I have lunch with them before I left and Phouc also insisted on taking me and my large packs on his scooter to the train station. As it...

Spent the last few days in Danang nursing my head/chest cold and talking myself into packing. When I arrived in Danang a month ago, my pack was to the near exploding zone. I brought a lot of gifts for Sharon and Laura and was looking froward to all the empty room. Funny thing was that I had acquired quite a few new clothing pieces and now closing my pack was not even possible. A trip to the post office was necessary and right now I have no idea what went into...

Back on the road...or should I say the rails and then more rails and then the road......This is my plan.....I am leaving Sunday at noon, from Da Nang to Hanoi. - 16 hour train. Arrive in Hanoi at 4 am, will head into town and grab a hotel room to clean up and maybe sleep???? before heading back to the train station where I will grab another overnight train at 8 pm. This one runs north of Hanoi - up into the beautiful terraced mountains where the colorful hill t...