Cambodia Part 2

Our last day in Cambodia was jam packed with places to see. It began with an optional visit to Angkor Wat for sunrise and about half of the participants joined me. Unlike sunrise at the Taj Mahal, Angkor Wat was pretty busy and bustling with vendors ready to make a few dollars by selling coffee and tea.

Watching the sunrise with a handful of students, parents and a few hundred random people was a neat experience and made me use the token line of my SAS experience: ‘what is my life?’ Just as quickly as the sun came up, we were bussed back to the hotel for breakfast where we met the rest of the group for the day ahead. We went to a bunch of temples around Angkor Wat including an area where the movie Laura Croft: Tomb Raider was filmed.
Most of the temples are in various stages of decay and are now being refurbished. My favorite was the Bayon temple or temple of faces. It is a Buddhist temple but has Hindu elements incorporated. Its main tower has huge stone face that some call the Mona Lisa of Southeast Asia on each side. There are 51 smaller towers surrounding Bayon, each with the four faces. I liked this temple so much that I bought a sandstone replica of the one of the faces. I’ll be excited to display it in my new home, once I find one.

I didn't take these two photos but I really like them and they are far better than the ones I took. Enjoy


We made our way back to Angkor Wat for our full tour where we got our history lesson. Thanks to scared-destinations.com I’ll give you a little lesson as well.

Built in the 12th century by the king of the prosperous Khmer empire, Angkor Wat was built as a royal temple dedicated to a Hindu deity. After the city of Angkor fell to invaders, Angkor Wat receded into the jungle but continued as a Buddhist temple and a pilgrimage site over the centuries. Angkor Wat is the best-preserved example of Khmer architecture in Cambodia and is so grand in design that some rank it among the Seven Wonders of the World. It appears on the Cambodian national flag, a very rare instance of a flag incorporating an image of a building. The "lost city" of Angkor first attracted the interest of Europeans in the 1800s after the French colonized Cambodia. Today, Angkor Wat continues to draw thousands of visitors anxious to see this remarkable ancient temple in the jungle. In addition to many tourists, Buddhist monks are daily visitors to Angkor Wat, their bright orange robes making a vivid contrast with the grey stone of the temple.

To learn even more about Angkor Wat go to http://www.sacred-destinations.com/cambodia/angkor-wat








Our visit was a bit more hurried than I would have preferred but being the bus leader I didn’t feel appropriate leaving the group and tour guide to do my own exploring. It was back on the bus and off to the airport where we had a little drama that I really can't write about but resulted in a student being sent home. When we made it back to the ship I helped with the return process of my trip and one that arrived soon after mine, purchased a few things from the vendors stationed outside the ship and called it a night.

Cambodia Part 1

I’m not sure if Semester At Sea usually welcomes parents to join their student for a trip or if it was because of low student numbers but none-the-less I was the bus leader for the student/parent trip to Cambodia. I had my hesitations- how will the parents be; will they give me problems, what will the student response be... I am happy to report that it all turned out quiet well as far as the parents go.

We took a flight from Saigon to Phnom Penh, the capitol of Cambodia where upon arrival we had to purchase visas for $20.00. Now, we were told about this fact since the day we signed up for the trip and over and over again since then but one of our students still had to stop at an ATM in the airport to get the money. For some reason the machine said it gave her the money but she did not actually get any. She immediately got on the phone with her bank…blah blah, blah, delay. Another student lost his wallet between the first airport and the second airport, he ran back to the plane and couldn’t find it…blah blah blah, another delay. His mom was on the trip so I made sure they had our itinerary and a phone number of the tour company and we left them as we were already late and chopping things from our itinerary as the moments passed. I was plenty annoyed and our trip was just beginning.

Our first stop was to an orphanage and school home to 93 children started by a SAS alumni home to 93 children. The students performed two dances for us and gave us tours of the facility.
From there we took a sunset cruise on the Mekong River I got to talk with a few of the parents and they were impressed with my experiences on and off the ship and very envious of the opportunity to work for SAS. Sailing along the river the skyline of Phnom Penh showed the changes the country has gone through over the past years with traditional Buddhist temples next the flashing lights of the casino (while it is illegal for Cambodians to gamble tourism keeps the casinos very busy according to our guide). We enjoyed a traditional Cambodian dinner before going to our hotel to relax for the rest of the evening. The student who lost his wallet never found it but luckily still had his passport so the kid and his mother made their way to the hotel and left a message for me that they would join us the next day.

The next morning started early as many had before as we prepared for a heavy morning of historical tours. The Toul Sleng Museum, a former high school which was used as the
notorious Security Prison 21 (S-21) by the Khmer Rouge regime from its rise to power in 1975 to its fall in 1979. It was converted into a prison and interrogation center. The classrooms were converted into tiny prison and torture chambers, and all windows were covered with iron bars and barbed wire to prevent escapes. Only 7 people survived S-21, one of whom was there while we visited.

We then went to the killing fields where the Khmer Rouge executed at least 200,000 people following the end of the Vietnam War. A 17-story memorial has been built in the center of the field where skulls of the victims can be seen. Our guide told us that as the rains occur over the years the bones and clothing of those buried are exposed. We could see partially exposed clothing in multiple areas around the fields and while I questioned if it was actually the clothing of the victims from 30 years ago it still served as a powerful visual. Many of the parents on the trip who said they were going to school during Vietnam War said they never knew about the situation going on in Cambodia.

With heavy hearts and more questions than answers we continued our day visiting the Silver Pagoda and the Royal Palace where the King of Cambodia currently lives. The grounds are pretty expansive and have about 20 different buildings in all. The architecture was beautiful and intricate. Following lunch and a little free time to explore the surrounding markets we made one last stop in Phnom Penh at the National Museum before going to the airport to fly to Siem Reap.

With a very quick flight we made it to Angkor Wat just before the sun went down.
I ran into two other staff members who were there independently and it was a nice breath of fresh air to see some friends if even for a short moment before jumping back into bus leader mode assisting a student with night blindness make his way through the quickly darkening and tricky stairwells and doorways. I have to admit my excitement for a number of the places I have visited directly comes from seeing them on The Amazing Race (an around the world scavenger hunt type reality TV show) and Angkor Wat was one of them. I was excited to further explore and learn more the next day.

We were off to dinner buffet and ‘cultural dance show’ that was a total tourist trap and reminded me of a show at Disneyland minus the casts’ ability to fake their interest in what they were doing. The food was ok and the show was less than great. Luckily after dinner we checked into a wonderful resort and spa for the evening where I got a great nights sleep.

Vietnam Day 1

Our approach to Ho Chi Minh City began as we entered the mouth of the Saigon River. A three hour trip up the twisting and often thin waterway was an experience not too many people have. We passed small villages and single homes along the banks of the river, plenty of small fishing boats and came far too close for my comfort to other large vessels making their back out to sea. I began the morning as usual with sunrise but in honor of our trip up the Saigon River one of my coworkers and her husband who happens to be a faculty member and on the SAS Board of Trustees invited us to their top floor private balcony for coffee and pastries. It was a good time to hang out with some of the team who usually doesn’t get up for the entry into the port. Before too long the LLCs were put to work as the MV Explorer pulled into the port passing out passports and landing cards to all passengers. When we finally had a chance to look outside we saw the excited parents and loved ones that would be joining the SAS Cambodia trip and others. Many of our staff had partners and spouses joining us for the port or some for even longer. Two of the children on board were welcoming their other parent aboard so the energy was high and even those of us not expecting any visitors were excited for the others.



It was almost 11:30 before the ship was cleared so after a quick lunch on board I met up with a crew of the Living Learning Team and as usual went out into town. Most of them were on a mission to get some custom made suits and dresses. I too had that plan until a few days prior when I agreed to be a trip leader for a trip on our last day not really thinking about it. DANG!

Anyway, trying to cross the street in Vietnam is an art form. We were well prepped by our interport students as well as some fellow passengers who have spent time in Vietnam but hearing about it and doing it is a very different thing. The city is a scooter/motor cycle town, looking down the streets is like looking at a wall of bikes and you are just walk out into the street and let them go around you. Don’t run, don’t stop walking, just walk at a regular pace and go with it. We must have crossed busy streets about 2 dozen times and while I did get easier I would not say it was something I was totally comfortable with.

We walked through the market place and like many of the markets I have now experienced around the world it was a sensory overload. As expected there was plenty of knock-off stuff; North Face, DVDs, purses, sunglasses etc. Walking through the food market was a challenge as I held my breath and surely looked like a deer in headlights as I saw a mesh bag full of frogs jumping about, large platters of fish, squid and things I have never seen before or want to see again.
Making our way out the other side we began to find the tailors and the group began their process. It was a lengthy process but cool to see them picking out fabric, pulling out pictures of what they liked, getting sized and returning a few hours later to see the garment take shape.

A, G and I went for massages while the rest of the group went to the history museum (sorry Dad and Cormac). I was the first person to be taken upstairs and I noticed that all three massage tables were in one large room. The masseuse told me to undress and lay down. It was only then that I noticed hospital like curtains pushed against the walls, she pulled them out and closed my bed in. A few moments later I heard A and G join me on the other side of the curtains and I just had to fight back the giggles. The massage was enjoyable over all but she was a bit hard on my neck and I was a bit sore and bruised the next day but $10.00 for an hour massage was worth it.

Feeling relaxed but hungry we made our way to a restaurant at one of the hotels but stopped at a street vendor on the way for corn on the cob. Of course with my food issues I didn’t buy one but after getting good reviews from A & G I was happy to help A eat hers. G chose the restaurant based on the size of the wine classes he noticed when we walked by earlier in the evening. Its no surprise that G and I get along wonderfully. While I’m not entirely sure what I had at this point I do remember that everything was excellent especially the company.

To the Taj and back again

My journey to the Taj Mahal began when my alarm went off at 3:00am, breakfast at 3:30 and our buses leaving for the airport at 4:00am. For all of the SAS flights we tell participants to only bring a carry on bag so we don’t have to check bags – it makes things so much easier when traveling with 64 people. However here in India you cannot bring batteries on the plane, much like liquids over 3oz in the US so the field office provided us with a bunch of small zip lock bags and the tour company gave us a duffel bag with a lock on it and that one bag gets checked. As we loaded the bus our tour company also told us we had to check all liquids and gels. On the way to the airport I passed out the bags and collected everyone’s items to be distributed once we got to New Delhi. The flight was fine, most of us slept the 2.5 hours and after a very nerve wracking few spins of the luggage carousel our duffels of batteries and toiletries came my way.

On to the buses we met our guide and had a tour of Old Delhi and The Red Fort, a world heritage site. Located in the walled city of Delhi, Mughal Emperor Shahjahan started construction of the massive fort in 1638 and work was completed in 1648. It was the residence of the royal family and only became open to the public in 2003. It was pretty crowded with school groups and as has been common along our journey, we watched the locals as the locals watched us right back. The entire place was beautiful and the detail in the stonework was simply amazing.

Before we knew it we were rushed to the train station for our ride to Agra, the home of the Taj Mahal. We arrived to the station stepping around trash, people sleeping, dogs, and the occasional cow. The station is a very far cry from Grand Central. The train that left as we arrived was overflowing with people. Think of Slumdog Millionaire. Our train was two hours late so some of the group went to a small store to get snacks on another platform while I stayed with the rest of the group just watching the people go about their business.

Beggars in the train station were worse than anywhere else, maybe because we were a sitting target with no place to go. At this point in the journey we have gotten pretty good in dealing with them but now and then when the beggars are extra persistent we lost our patience and were less than polite in telling them to leave. Seeing the children was the worst part. We had been told that similarly to as was seen in Slumdog Millionaire that children are often working for a ringleader. Having plenty of time at the station we actually saw this happening and it was pretty difficult to watch. Some of our students tried to give the children food instead of money and when the children took it back to the older man he yelled at them, hit them and pushed them back towards the crowds. Our tour guide spoke to a child at one point and when we asked what he said he told us that he offered to give the child money to go to school and the child said he didn’t want it. Our train finally arrived and we quickly took refuge in the calm and quiet cars. With a late arrival to our hotel some of the group went right to bed other still wanted to eat the dinner they had waiting for us.

The following morning we were up at 5:30 to watch the sunrise at the Taj Mahal. Arriving to the west gate there were only about 30 people in front of us while the line behind us seemed to grow by tens of people eveny second. With Gumby in my pocket I passed through the gates only to have Gumby confiscated by security, ‘No Toys’ I was told. I was nervous that I would be saying “…and that’s how I lost my world traveling Gumby” but it all ended well as I got him back as I exited.

Being at the Taj for sunrise was just wild. It was empty compared to what it was like when we returned for sunset that afternoon and. Like many of the group, I was unaware of the gardens and other buildings that surrounded the Taj itself. Walking the grounds trying to capture the grandeur of it all with my camera was daunting. After a little while I just sat down and tried to take it all in before we were taken back to the hotel for breakfast.

We had tour of another world heritage site, Fatehpur Sikri, a historical city constructed by Mughal emperor Akbar beginning in 1570 and served as the empire's capital from 1571 until 1585, when it was abandoned for reasons that remain unclear. Following lunch we walked through the Agra Fort, also known as the Red Fort from where we could see the Taj in the distance. It is the most important fort in India and served as the home for many of its leaders. I was distracted most of the time as I was working on Cormac and Mary’s congratulations sign.

Going back to the Taj for sunset like entering a mad house, the serenity of the morning was long gone and the swarms of people had arrived. This time however, Gumby joined us thanks to one of my student smuggling him in. With a few more photos it was time to head back to the train station. This time we were on the express train and I was sitting between to Indian gentlemen, one of whom had a bad cold with a consistent rattling cough. I did my best to sleep with little luck.

Our hotel back in New Delhi was a 5 star oasis. I have to say it was difficult to be staying in such a beautiful place, a somewhat fake world that was completely opposite of the world just outside our window. I had my own room again and did a little happy dance as I walked in and saw the wonderful space I would be living in for the evening. I took a quick shower and made my way down to the bar to unwind with a fellow staff member and a few life long learners. Unfortunately I learned that my debit card had been shut off because of a severe compromise – a mess that I am still working to fix.

Our last day included more tours of New Dehli at which point I was just ready to get back to the ship and relax. The flight back to Chennai was fine, again we had to check our batteries and liquids and we made our way back to the ship around 11:30pm to a late dinner that the crew had made for us. They are wonderful.

Incredible India Day 1

Throughout the voyage returning passengers have told us of the struggle that is India. That the port is dirty, the city is dirty, the officials make our visit difficult, shop owners jack up prices and cab drivers try to scam us. My supervisor the dean of students used the phrase “Prepare to have your senses assaulted.” I did hear some positives as well. One of my favorite shipmates, Tonya has traveled to India a fair amount and her husband is Indian. She told us about the great food, the kind people and the beauty that India has to offer. I tried my best to have an open mind.

In the days leading up to our arrival the staff was debriefed on the situation of the port: singing in and out every time we left the port gates, nearly 150 Indian officials boarding the ship and eating, sleeping, living, working from the ship for our 5 day stay, armed guards at the base of the gangway, face-to-face verification of all passengers and crew members by Indian customs before our departure…the list seemed to go on and on. Again, I tried my best to have an open mind.

The morning of our arrival we went out for sunrise we had a slightly larger group than normal to send off Tonya, she would be leaving us to visit her family in Northern India and then head back home to NYC. The pollution in the air made it difficult to see the sun for a while but suddenly over the layer of smog and soot the sun began to appear and our first day in India began.

The LLC team took to our stations, passing out shore passes, customs forms and a copy of passports. Students were eager to begin their adventures, going to the Taj Mahal, 3 day Yoga workshops, visiting Dalit villages and more but to be honest I was not so excited. My lungs were already feeling the smoke and dirt in the air and my eyes were burning slightly. I was trying my best to put on a happy face for our students.

A group of us were heading to do some shopping so we got in a taxi just off the gangway and made our way to the port gates. We began to see groups of students walking back to the ship and we were curious as to what was going on. The story that follows could have developed into an international security and safety situation. For the continued safety of all involved I will wait to share the story until we are safety planted back on US soil. (OK its not THAT crazy, but we were a bit sketchy so you’ll have to wait for the full story) Driving away we were thankful that everything turned ok and acknowledged that it could have been a bad situation.

Sounding like a broken record, the traffic in Chennai was crazy. Rickshaws were everywhere and could often be seen driving on the wrong side of the road. The sidewalks were covered with merchants, trash and dogs so for the most part people had to walk in the street. Approaching round-abouts was like a test of courage and faith just hoping that the direction we were going would work out and that the people coming towards us would make way. I very quickly decided that I never wanted to drive in India. It occurred to me that I have not driven a car in about 70 days and wouldn’t for another 45.

We got out of the taxi and walked to a hotel to ask for directions. The big name hotels are like a strange oasis among the squalor. Behind high walls the dirt, traffic, and smell of India disappear. Inside the hotel was like stepping into a different world. The female staff dressed in beautiful saris, the men in suits welcomed us. We had initially only intended to ask for directions but decided to stay for lunch and it was well worth it. We were the first ones in the restaurant and the waiter pretty much ordered for us; chicken, duck, shrimp, all kinds of spices and chutney and of course plenty of bread. AB and I asked for some not so spicy options and he was wonderful bringing us plain white rice and yogurt to calm down any of the food that was a bit much for us. We spent nearly two hours enjoying conversation and the amazing food before venturing back out into the bustling city to do some shopping.

We went to one large store where the ladies shopped for a few saris and I fell asleep standing up waiting for them. Feeling refreshed, I continued with the group as we walked about a mile to an outdoor market area. There were plenty of shops and opportunities to get gifts and anything ‘India’. As our supervisor had prepared us for, it was a bit of a sensory overload. The different smells, different languages being shouted around us, total visual over stimulation with all the fabrics, jewelry, food, people, and traffic got old after a while and I chose to head back to the ship for a free dinner and to pack for my trip to the Taj leaving the next day.


I took a rickshaw by myself and hoped for the best. The driver was very kind and pointed out things along the way, the cricket stadium, the shopping malls and the University of Madras. We maneuvered between other rickshaws, buses, trucks, and cars with ease on his part and total fear on my part. At times we were so close to other rickshaws I felt as though the passengers next to me were actually sharing the same rickshaw. Having been told that sometimes the drivers will not take you where you want and then make you pay more to actually get to your location I was a bit nervous until I saw the port gates. I signed back in with the port agents and walked about a half-mile back the quiet comfort of the ship.

Yahoo!

My brother Cormac and his girlfriend Mary got engaged!

Mauritius

On October 15th we arrived in Mauritius, a small island the size of Rhode Island near Madagascar for a quick three-day visit. Mauritius was our Spring Break port. Most of our students rented villas on different areas of the island, the majority of the SAS trips were more about fun than education and our deans plan was to play 4 rounds of golf.

It was our earliest sunrise yet but I am a creature of habit so out I went. I did however go back to bed and didn’t bother watch our entry into the port. The first day a group of us went to “the best Chinese restaurant in Mauritius" I however was hungry before we got there and in a moment of weakness enjoyed McDonald’s. Okay- give me a break, we were about 50 days in and I just wanted some comfort food and a Big Mac fries and a coke filled the void. I still tried some of the food at 'First Restaurant' but was not so impressed.

My colleagues and I walked the markets of down town and through china town buying our postcards, t-shirts, magnets and wine. Side note – I got an e-mail from my mom (the cute little Irish woman) telling me not to drink too much and that my Octobeard needs some fertilizer. Don’t worry mom, I didn’t even buy any this time. In our walk about town we found a little shop that I was very excited about. We went back to the ship for dinner and I just had a relaxing and quiet night on the ship doing some journaling.

The second day I was a trip leader for a trip to the Adventure Park and Flick en Flack beach. Because of the large number of us they split us up, some going to the park first then the beach and vise versa. I had wanted to go to the park first but the bus leader had already left in the second bus to go to the park so I didn’t want to send a group of students without a staff member. While I was a bit disappointed as first it really worked out in my favor as I only had 8 students and the other staff member had over 40.

The beach was fine, nothing amazing but not a bad way to spend an hour. The Adventure Park was basically a ropes course through an angry swarm of mosquitos, luckliy the first group warned us so we swam in bug spray first. It was also a bit more intense than we had anticipated. It started with a collection of bridges that got progressively trickier – missing planks, no handrails etc. The real challenge began, rope nets, log sings, zip lines, net tunnels... There were some mild injuries and many of us were sore the days following. I don’t have any pictures of me, but once I get some from the students in my group I’ll post a few. I am sure there is at least one of me upside-down tangled up in some ropes. Awesome.



I was on duty that night and learned that when a student comes back pretty intoxicated we put them in the showers out by the pool. This student was kicked out of a bar and then fell in the street and some other SAS student who didn’t even really know her brought her back because her friends stayed in the bar! The nurse on call told us to take to her to pool deck and as the student couldn’t stand on her own, I made a quick stop in my room to put on my swim suit and proceeded to hold up this young lady in the shower. I'm pretty sure I did not read that in my job description. Over all the night was not a difficult one but I was up pretty late dealing with the student and writing the report.

I didn’t wake up the next day until noon and had to be back on the ship at 6:00 so my idea of going to the beach on the other side of the island was shot, but I was not that disappointed. I just walked around town again, had some nachos and watched people set up for the start of Diwali, The Hindu festival of lights that evening. It was then back to the ship to welcome students back for our next crossing to India. As we set sail the fireworks began and while it would have been amazing to celebrate with the people of Mauritius it was equally as cool to see the celebration as we sailed away.



India, here I come.
Cheers,
P