We Now Say Goodbye

Sawasdee everybody, I hope that this note finds you all well. I just wanted to let everyone know that our Southeast Asia 2010 adventures have come to and end (insert sad sigh here). Today we separated, some of us are returning to the USA and Canada and others are continuing our travels. It has been an awesome run and I am pretty sure Asia will never be the same. We left Cambodia a week ago and returned to the madness that is Khao San road in Bangkok. We were here only briefly before we flew down to paradise (also known as Southern Thailand). We were able to stay in lovely houses on the beautiful beaches of Railae. We went swimming from white sand beaches, scuba diving with sharks and turtles and spent the last night having dinner together and trading stories.

On a very personal note I want to thank each and every person in PD'10 for being so fun, thoughtful, silly and amazing. You have all touched my heart in so many ways and I cannot describe how special you all are to me. Thanks for being an incredible crew. I love you all.

Until next time...safe travels and lots of love,
-Hillary

Here are some final thoughts about our Cambodia days...

Now after visiting all four countries, I can say that each one is 'same same but different'. Each country has its own characteristic and charm that makes it truly unique from the other countries, but for me, Cambodia has thus far been the most enjoyable experience (we still have yet to go to the south of Thailand - so this is subject to change). In Cambodia, a country that has so little, the people and places are full of rich and diverse history. From the volunteer projects, to the homestays, to the big cities, to the cultural sites - Cambodia is packed full of adventure. Two thumbs way up.
-Marc

I have loved all of our time in Cambodia. Not only was building a toilet and house extremely meaningful work, but we got to play with some of the cutest kids too! Even though leaving the Meas family's warm hospitality was sad Phnom Penh was great as well....I saw a water/light show that put 4th of July fireworks to shame! Despite the sweat that has been constantly dripping down my back...i heart Cambodiaaaaaaaa
-Gita

One of my highlights in Cambodia was the day in Phnom Penh when we took a group of kids living at a local orphanage out to a water park. It was a ton of fun being with them as they got the chance to just be kids, especially as they ran up water slides and wreaked havoc on each other (and us) with giant yellow inner tubes. There's something to be said about the importance of play, and mother did they get a full serving. The unrelenting energy of these adorable Cambodian kids left me fully passed out for the tuk-tuk ride back to the orphanage.
-Micah

My time in Cambodia was some of the most rewarding of the trip. With such little money and effort we were able top make such a large impact on local villagers lives. I learned a great deal about giving back to a part of the world I have come to love and admire so much over the past two months.
-Benjy

Last update from Down Under

We last left you at the end of the Fraser Island hiking trip. What a blast!

After eating Australian Cheescake and waving goodbye to Dragon Lady at the hostel, we made our way south to Byron Bay. A windy day provided some excitingly huge waves to help us work on our balancing skills when we went kayaking in the bay. We saw dolphins, which was a delight for all, nearly lost Michael to a big wave (or four) and a few people lost their breakfast (over the side of the kayak) along the way as well. Fun was had by all, cavorting with the locals and other travelers whilst checking out the Byron nightlife. We all enjoyed the comfort of our lovely beach cottages and our impromptu but delicious BBQ chicken dinner.

The waves at Byron in no way compared to the waves around Crescent Head, which was our next destination; Surfaris surf camp. Everyone had been looking forward to this and we were not disappointed. From the free 24/7 PB and J, to the free wireless, to the rocking band on our last night, fun was had by all. Must not forget to mention the surf, which was mostly good; the instructors, who were brilliant; and the surfing skills, which ranged from ok (first day crappy waves) to fantastic (not to brag, but I heard some surf companies want to sponsor me now); all achieved in 5 days of hard work and harder fun! This really was an excellent week together and a great 'big bang' before heading home.

We've spent the last two days in Katoomba, in the Blue Mountains National park, a couple of hours from Sydney. Yesterday most of the group went on a grueling 5 hour exploratory bike ride through the Blue Mountains and were rewarded with astoundingly beautiful views during the ride. Although my butt isn't thanking me for it today, it was worth the hard work and effort. Two days in Sydney, final debrief, picnic dinner and the groups' departure beckons tomorrow. Its going to be a shock waking up when I want to, with nobody to talk to and no organizing – whatever will I do with myself?
- Leo

As our last days in OZ are coming to an end, I am starting to wonder what I am going to do without the group. There are only 3 nights left before we go home and I am already getting groupsick (like home sick but of the group). When I get home I will feel like I am lost without the other 11 people that I have grown so acustomed to. When I look back at my time downunder I will be looking back at the time of my life, my prime, my heyday, my zenith, my pinnacle.
- Michael Elghazi

Whenever I stop and reminisce about the trip, I feel as though I'm going over memories from someone else's life. These past two months I have challenged my physical and mental states to unnerving feats compared to the biggest challenges I faced at home. This trip has widened my lens of what I thought was possible from caving, to mounting steep slippery cliffs, and from taking a 134m free fall, to hiking in the rain for 6 hours with 35 pounds on my back. I know when I get home my confidence will be higher and my ambition greater and most of all I will make each moment count. Also I will never forget the people I accomplished all this with and who made each set back into an adventure.
- James Cameron

Jumping out of planes and off bridges, falling down 21ft waterfall, riding a horse that was in Lord of the Rings, scuba diving, planting, surfing, snorkeling, sea kayaking, weeding, zorbing, caving, rappelling---all are activities I somehow fit into my two short months here. And now there are only three days left. How is that possible?! I have spent the past year dreaming of these two months here in New Zealand and Australia and now it is suddenly coming to a close. Even though the time has flown by, I find myself coming out of this experience with not only 11 close friends or a million amazing memories, but confidence, maturity, and an open mind. My next challenge is going home and sharing my indescribable experiences with my family and friends, but I can't even start thinking on where to begin. When March 16th comes around, as I finally say goodbye to my life down under, I will be sure to hold onto all the moments that have made me laugh, cry, struggle, grow, learn, smile, and all the amazing people that made that possible. Peace out PD. Kia Ora.

With Our Own Two Hands...

Hello World! We are all doing just fine here in Cambodia. It has been a crazy week. We left Vietnam in style, cycling 30 km through the Mekong Delta and stuffing ourselves with coconut candies. After crossing the border into Cambodia we headed to Takeo district to stay with the lovely and amazing Meas family. We learned a lot about Khmer history and spent 3 days building a house and toilet for 2 local families. We worked from the ground-up, literally breaking down a crumbling home to construct a new one in its place and building a toilet for a huge family who had never had one before. We are now all skilled with a machette and can carve bamboo with the best of them. Being able to get down and dirty (if you will) in an area that needs so much help really gave us some perspective on what life is like for local people here. The work was hot, hard and beautiful. I was so impressed with everyones ability to jump right in and really take an interest in what we were doing.

After arriving in Phnom Penh we had some free time to explore the city. We visited Toul Sleng and The Killing Fields, both intense and interesting sites where we learned about the Khmer Rouge's atrocities and more importantly about what people are doing to rebuild their lives. Today we visited KDFO (The Khmer Developement of Freedom Organization) an orphanage dedicated to improving the lives of kids here in the city. We were able to take 17 kids to play at the local water park. These kids are so beautiful and after 3 hours of playing, chasing and laughing with them we were all smiles and a bit sleepy as well.

Now were are headed into the north to visit Angkor Wat and the Tonle Sap nature preserve. That's all for now...Southeast Asia over and out!
-Hillary

You can't walk two steps down the street in southeast asia without making that universal cooing sound everyone makes at a baby. There are babies everywhere and they are all 100% cuter than american babies. Most of us are having trouble not attempting to take one home.
-Liz

The orphans in Phnom Penh were awesome. The excitement of driving in tuks-tuks to the water park was great, you could really tell that it was a special event and i got to hang out with a great kid for 3 hours as I chased him up and down the slides.
-Matt

If there is one thing that I will not miss when I get home - it will be the constant honks and attacks from motor bikes which flood the streets of Vietnam. Tourists and locals dodging both directions just to make their way across the street in any of the cities that we visited, was an experience which is burned into my memory. Other than that I cant really make a complaint about Vietnam - Hanoi was my introduction to the prevalence of themed streets, which was not only hilarious but proved to make shopping choices more difficult because you have to chose between 20 stores, which all stock the exact same thing. Hoi An was certainly my favorite town - mainly because it gave me opportunities to have gorgeous dresses made, and also have time to enjoy the land by bike, and the sun on a beach.
-Jane

Although the places we have seen are amazing and the activities we have participated in are exciting-what I have enjoyed most about this trip are the people. In spite of poverty, loss, and violence, these people have remained resilient and smiling. I communicate best to the locals through smiles, nods and hand motions-and it never ceases to amaze me at how sincere their responses are. White teeth, crooked teeth, chipped teeth or lacking teeth, everyone smiles all the same.
-Carolyn

Now that we have arrived in Cambodia, we have reached a whole new level of humidity. The temperature during the day is the worst kind of heat, sticky, sweat-all-day, never-cool-down heat. The only way to relieve ourselves is to duck into the closest cafe for an ice-cold fruit shake.
-Sara

As we walked into the community where we would be building a bamboo house over just two days, we were immediately swarmed by thirty smiling kids who, throughout the day, were constantly putting up peace signs and asking for their picture to be taken. In no time, our group immediately started demolishing what was left of the old structure, at which point I was instructed by a frail old woman on the proper way to utilize a machete. While we were all covered in dirt, cuts, and blisters from wacking bamboo for hours, and dripping copious amounts of sweat, the gracious support from several locals, and the thankfulness that was expressed in the faces of the audience was enough to keep us working for hours. It was incredible to be a part of something that was so life-changing for not only a family, but also myself. -Erika
The volunteering experience was very insightful and exhilarating. I really enjoyed the bike ride thru the Mekong Delta. I think Phnom Penh is one of my favorite cities so far. It is very exciting and mysterious.
-Priya

The 2 days that we spent building the house and toilets were so incredible. It felt really good to know that just with a little hard work, you can make the difference in so many lives. My experience in phnom penh is definitely something I will never forget.
-Jordan

Fraser Island, North Keppel, and a not-so-wet last night of hiking!

Gidday folks, chuck another shrimp on the barbie….

Australia is noticeably different from NZ. If the swarms of biting mosquitos and sandflys don't alert you to it straight away, the intense heat and miles of endless beaches will.

Since arriving in Auz we have had a couple of nights on the run in pretty, beachy places, and five days out on North Keppel Island, part of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage area. Our camp there was stunning, right on the edge of our very own beach, and we spent the week doing volunteer work such as clearing a fire-break, removing non-native weeds, counting and mapping the sand-dunes, which are receeding. Our work there was the start of a push to re-plant the dunes and save the beachfront. We also spent half a day snorkeling, which was a highlight for all. Awesome, beautiful tropical swimming-things abounding. We ate lots of delicious food, as always, and had a really great time working and bonding further as a group.

Pizza and a second night in Rockhampton preceeded the drive to Hervey Bay, gateway to Fraser Island. You'll find there's lots of stories from our time on Fraser Island, two main ones; the one from those who made the decision to come off a day early and had a dry night at the hostel, and the one from those who stayed the course and got soaked, two nights in a row.

From Leo, stationed in the middle to catch the groups as they came through, I enjoyed my time on Fraser, although lonely without my 11 buddies (they've become more like limbs over these past two months). I did get to see one of the beautiful freshwater lakes that this gorgeous sand Island is famous for (biggest sand island in the world!) and had a few walks on my own with the aid of a dingo stick in case of any too close encounters with a dingo (they recommend you don't ever walk alone)! I'll leave the rest to some of the group for comment….

North Keppel Island was stunning. I think we all were a little surprised when we realized that this was going to be our home for the next 5 days. Right on the beach, it was the perfect spot for camping. Even though the bugs ate us all up (some worse than others… ahem, boys) we had the best time pitching tents and hanging out in this beautiful place. We got to walk through an endless mud filled path everyday, clear a fire break, mark coordinates of trees to help save the beachline, play with children staying at the education center on the other side of the island, clear out weeds, and plant new baby trees. The staff even took us out snorkeling one day - a very nice treat. We saw the most colorful fish, a couple jellyfish, crazy cool corals, some saw a nursing shark, while others saw pucker fish, and a stingray. Like Leo said, it was a major highlight - I had the best time taking funny photos in our snorkel gear, swimming around in the prettiest blue water, and looking at the awesome underwater world with my group. A well spent 5 days I'd say!

And wow, Fraser Island was definitely something I'll never forget. It was gorgeous; the views from the walks were absolutely amazing and almost didn't seem real at times. We weren't prepared for the rainforest environment we found ourselves in either… not something you'd expect from a big island of sand! The largest in fact, which is very cool. We saw goannas, dingos, crazy spiders, and all types of sand lizards. Lake McKenzie was the most breathtaking of waters we came across, and luckily we got to experience it with the last bit of sunlight we would see, for at least the 3 following days… The weather played a huge role in this trip—it rained um, all 4 days! During dinner, during the night, during the walks, pretty much during everything. It was something that you almost had to laugh at because there wasn't anything else you could do about it.

Our group, Group 1, which included Lesley, Brian, Ursula, Tony, Michael, and myself, ended our 41km hike at Dilli Village. After starting at Kingfisher a couple of days prior, I'm sure the sight of us walking into Dilli was totally priceless. We dragged in, mosquitoes buzzing around us, completely drenched, in our oversized raingear, staring at the ground, not sure what to think of all the rain, hating everyone who drove by in cars, not wanting to set up our wet tents, knowing everything in our backpacks was soaked as well, while the guy in charge of the campground told us that the campsites were closed for maintenance this Monday-Thursday (by the way - it's Tuesday), and that there was no place for us… Ah man. I wish there was a picture for this moment! Seriously. At the time it was pitiful but now it's just funny... We managed to get ahold of Leo who moved our taxi and ferry rides up a day early. And since we were already finished, why not right? Our taxi driver told us later that we actually made a good decision, because with predicted winds of 100 km/h, they probably wouldn't have even been able to pick us up at our expected time the next day. And so we arrived in Hervey Bay. The sight of the hostel was literally the best thing ever. Warm dry clothes, showers, COKES, and beds awaited us, and we couldn't have been happier to have made the decisions we did that got us there. We just wished that the other group would have able to join us. It was definitely not as fun as it could have been, but we really had a great time together and somehow still aren't sick of each other!

The trip has happened so fast; it's crazy to me to think back to all we've accomplished together, knowing that 2 months ago I didn't even know these people. And now they have become like family. It's weird how spending 9 weeks with 11 people affects you the way it does. I wasn't expecting it to be this way. It's been so much better than I could have imagined though! I've learned so much about myself and others, and leaving them is going to be incredibly hard. But I'm excited to still have 2 weeks with them, and I'm sure the next part of the trip is going to be just as fun and entertaining as the last 7 have been. Thanks PD for making this all possible, I've had the time of my life!! Xoxo Lindsay

Footnote from Leo: Although we all at the YHA had a sleepless night worrying for the other group; they ended up taking a room at the prestigious "Kingfisher Resort" on Fraser Island and had some good photos, clean clothes and wet hair (from the hot tub) to show for it!