Spring 2008
Day 1 Thursday, April 10
We leave Woodstock early, early for the airport. From Albany, we travel to Chicago, then on to Tokyo.
Day 2 Friday, April 11
We pass through Narita Airport in Tokyo and arrive in Bangkok at midnight, leaping ahead through the 12 hours time difference. We are met at Suvannaphum Airport and taken to our hotel.
Day 3 Saturday, April 12
After breakfast, we'll travel by van into Bangkok where we’ll board the river taxi for a visit to the Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew. We’ll then stroll over to Wat Pho, home of the Emerald Buddha, stopping along the way to investigate the offerings of street vendors selling Buddha images and pendants – you may even get your palm read. We’ll have lunch at the pier and take another river taxi to Chinatown. The stimulation of this part of the city should help keep us awake. We’ll arrive at the train station in time for dinner and board for an 8:30 pm overnight train ride (yes, there are beds).
Day 4 Sunday, April 13
We arrive early at Ubon Ratchathani (that little patch of red on the map is Ubon Ratchathani Province, waaaaaaay over there by Laos), a city of over 1.5 million people where 99% of the people are Buddhist, and nearly 80% are rice farmers. We are met by staff of the Institute of Nutrition (INMU) in our Sweet Mango-mobile. Breakfast is at the Asoke Vegetarian Restaurant where we’ll get a tour of the local organic food market and explore the restaurant’s natural remedy market. The rest of the day will be about Songhkran – today is the beginning of Thailand’s three-day holiday celebrating the peak of the dry season. Historically, Thais expressed appreciation for the rain coming back (soon) by gently pouring small amounts of water on each other. Nowadays, truckloads of toy water-gun-toters keep everyone in town cool and laughing. We’ll have dinner in the night market and stay overnight at the INMU field station.
Day 5 Monday, April 14
This morning we travel just outside of Ubon to Wat Pah Nanachat, a forest temple populated by monks from around the world (the Abbott is Australian). We’ll have breakfast with the monks and local visitors – then get a chance to chat with the Abbott or another English speaking resident monk. We’ll then board our truck for the trip to our village home. Upon arrival, we’ll be welcomed and distributed in pairs to our host families. (We’ll have all meals together during our stay in the village.) We’ll meet for lunch and get a community tour, then settle in with our families and explore the area and culture. Songhkran continues…overnight in our host family homes.
Day 6 Tuesday, April 15
Today there is a full day of village activities – to be decided by our hosts. We may hike…dye cotton or use the loom…help prepare meals…learn how to weave a bamboo mat…share language skills… We’ll be expected this evening to share our culture somehow – songs, dances, games, slide show, etc – and they will share theirs. Dinner all together and overnight again with our families.
Day 7 Wednesday, April 16
Following a farewell ceremony, we’ll say goodbye and travel to the Cambodian border. We’ll change vehicles – to a large van – and drive to Siem Reap (about 5 hours). We’ll stop for lunch on the way. When we arrive at our hotel, we’ll transfer our bags to the hotel, briefly settle in, then head over to the lake, Tonle Sap, for an early evening tour of life on the lake. Dinner is on your own – overnight at our hotel.
Day 8 Thursday, April 17
This morning we get up really early for a sunrise visit to the Eighth Wonder of the World – Angkor Wat, twelfth century Khmer ruins. After lunch, we’ll visit Angkor Thom (of Tomb Raider fame) where huge trees are still entwined with the ruins’ stones. The afternoon is somewhat flexible, giving you time to wander, journal, email, do laundry, re-pack, etc. Dinner in the city of Siem Reap and overnight at our hotel.
Day 9 Friday, April 18
Today, we’ll visit Wat Damnak and Venerable Hoeurn Somnieng, and learn about the activities of the Life and Hope Association.http://www.watdamnak.org/lha/ After stopping at the hotel to freshen up and grab our bags, we’re off to the airport for a 6:20 flight to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon, Vietnam) We arrive at 7:20 pm and are met by staff of Buffalo Tours, who will transfer us to Le Duy Hotel. Dinner nearby.
Day 10 Saturday, April 19
Full day of site-seeing: after breakfast, we’ll have an early departure for the Ců Chi Tunnel system, developed by the Viet Cong to infiltrate enemy camps unseen. We’ll tour the tunnels and explore the exhibits of booby traps, craters and tanks. We return to Saigon for lunch then explore the city. Our tour includes the Reunification Palace, the War Remnants Museum, the Giac Lam Pagoda and Binh Tay Market in Cho Lon District. Freshen up before we board local buses for dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight at Le Duy Hotel.
Day 11 Sunday, April 20
Today we’re off to the Delta – where the Mekong River waters, having left Tibet 4,500 kilometers ago and traveled through China and Laos, along Burma’s and Thailand’s borders, then through Cambodia and into Vietnam, dump into the South China Sea. It’s a bit of a drive (3 hours) but well worth it as we’ll explore the region’s canals and floating markets by local transportation – boat. We’ll have lunch at a delta fruit orchard, then pick up our van in Vĩnh Long and return to Saigon. There’s a little time to get packed before we’re off to a favorite local meal, Lau noodles. Early to bed at our hotel.
Day 12 Monday, April 21
After a very early breakfast at the hotel, we leave at 4:30 am for the airport. We'll follow the same route home; Bangkok to Tokyo to Chicago to Albany, gaining our 12 hours back and arriving home late tonight.