Journal
An après-ski-season day trip to Shymbulak.
An eco-taxi and chairlift away, we spend the afternoon hanging out mid-mountain, enjoying a fantastic lunch at La Skala paired with a bottle of sparkling wine.
An overnight trip to the Trans-Ili Alatau II: Kaindy Lake & Charyn Canyon.
Horseback riding to the sunken forest at Lake Kaindy and a walk through the Valley of Castles.
An overnight trip to the Trans-Ili Alatau I: The Moon & Black Canyons, and the Kolsai Lakes.
Visiting the Northern Tian Shan mountains in Southeastern Kazakhstan, and boating on Kolsai Lake.
An afternoon at the Almaty Museum of Art.
A day discovering amazing Central Asian artists at the newest contemporary art museum in Almaty.
A second day in Almaty & a night at the ballet.
Starting to explore the cafes in the city and the cultural performances.
My first 24 hours in Almaty.
An afternoon visiting the the Russian Orthodox Ascension Cathedral, Memorial of Glory, and Arbat Almaty.
A family reunion in Singapore.
A whirlwind tour of Singapore highlights, culminating in a Supertree Grove disco light show.
Afternoon tea in Siem Reap and the flight to Hanoi.
A final shared meal with my cousins before heading off to Hanoi, though not before having to resolve issues with my accommodatins and my visa.
Angkor IV: Banteay Srei, Pre Rup, & Banteay Kdei.
Revisiting my favorite temple at Angkor and the end of our two-day tour.
Angkor III: Sunrise at Angkor Wat, Preah Khan, Neak Pean, Ta Som, East Maybon, & Banteay Samre.
The morning of the second day of our marathon tour of the temples of Angkor.
Angkor II: Ta Prohm, Angkor Thom, Bayon, and sunset at Phnom Bakheng.
Continuing our first day at the temples, we complete our visit to Angkor Thom and watch the sunset from the top plinth of a 9th-century temple.
Angkor I: Arriving in Siem Reap & an introduction to Angkor Wat.
Returning to Cambodia for the first time in twenty-six years I’m struck by how far Siem Reap has come, and how much more protected and organized a visit to Angkor Wat is.
My first afternoon in Penang.
After arriving in Penang, an afternoon stroll to and through the historic center of Georgetown.
One last day (and night) in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei.
Exploring the Kampong Ayer water village by day, and revisiting the Gadong night market and Jame' Asr Hassanil Bolkiah and Omar Ali Saifuddien mosques by night.
A trip to Ulu Temburong, Brunei’s only National Park.
A boat cruise up the Sungai Temburong to the amazing Ulu Temburong Canopy Walk followed by a fish pedicure at the base of a waterfall.
An impromptu day tour of Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei.
A visit to the Jame' Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque, and a river cruise up the Brunei River in search of Proboscis monkeys and down through the Kampong Ayer water village.
Departing Singapore & my first afternoon in Brunei.
A last look at Singapore and my introduction to Brunei Darussalam.
