Destinations
Vietnam
Blon, Stieng Ethnic Group, Vietnam
B’lôn, 90, from the Stieng (Xtiêng) ethnic group, sits in front of her small wooden house in Southern Vietnam. Her ear lobes are elongated with ivory earrings.
Pra, Ta Oi Ethnic Group, Vietnam
Pra, 92 smokes her pipe in the living room of her house in the countryside of central Vietnam. She is from the Ta Oi Ethnic Group and walked from Laos with her family, many years ago.
Nga, Si La Ethnic Group, Vietnam
Nga and her friends are from the Si La ethnic group. They live in a remote village in the mountains of Northern Vietnam. With 909 members, the Si La are one of the smallest ethnic groups in Vietnam.
Hong Kong
Man Mo Temple, Hong Kong
The air is heavy with incense smoke, large coils hang from the ceiling. One of the oldest temples in Hong Kong. A quiet, calm atmosphere, in contrast to the bustle and ritzy streets of Central Hong Kong. Man Mo Temple on Hollywood Road is the largest and most famous…
Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery
Ascend a winding staircase lined by golden, life-sized statues of Buddhist men, each a unique character with a unique facial expression. The artist who created them was clearly quite creative and as you ascend the 400+ steps to the Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery, the…
5 Interestingly Unique Things in Central — Hong Kong
A roaring bronze lion named Stephen with shrapnel holes from WWII, a man who looks like Gollum and took his name, cannons to fend off bad spirits, here are 5 interestingly unique things in Central Hong Kong that you might have otherwise missed. And they’re all free to…
Laos
Tham Pa Seuam, Thakhek Laos
Tham Pa Seuam (Pa Seuam Cave) is a beautiful 3‑kilometer long river cave which can be fully appreciated by renting kayaks as part of a 3‑hour tour inside, or swimming through the cave. Otherwise, you can walk to the entrance of the cave but cannot go very far inside…
Buddha Cave, Thakhek Laos
The Buddha Cave is one of the first stops on the Thakhek Loop, not far from Thakhek, Laos. 6 km down a dirt road off of Route 12, known locally as Tham Pa Fa (Pa Fa Cave). This Buddha Cave is filled with 229 bronze Buddhist statues up to 500 years old which can be seen inside behind a short gate. It wasn’t until 2004 that the cave was discovered or “re-discovered”.
Getting a Vietnam Embassy Visa
Getting a Visa for Vietnam, if you are flying into the country is fairly straightforward, with lots of agencies to help you get a Visa on arrival. I’ve described the Vietnam Visa on Arrival process here. However, there is far less information and no online agencies to…
China
Yubeng Village – A Photo Journey to Tibetan China
I just returned from 4 days of hiking in this beautiful remote mountain village in China. Yubeng! Tucked in a valley surrounded by glaciated peaks right on the border with Tibet. The only way to get here is by foot, or for those with a bad case of Ambulophobia (fear…
Yubeng Village China — Complete Guide
Nestled in a farming valley on the border of Tibet, amongst lush green forests, surrounded by rugged glacier covered mountains lie the 2 small villages of Upper & Lower Yubeng. There is a dirt road that goes to the village, however you must hike in (or take a mule for the less walking inclined “hikers”). The valley is amazingly beautiful with spectacular views of the mountains, alpine hikes to waterfalls and glaciers,
A year and a half traveling so far…
It’s been almost a year and half since I set off to Europe. I’d imagined I’d be gone for about 6 months before returning to Los Angeles….well that didn’t really happen. The longer I travel the more the concept of home becomes, well, kind of just a concept and not really a specific place. Home is where you make it.