I am not sure why I felt trepidation as we waited to board our Taiwanese EVA Air flight for the longest flight of my life, half-way around the world, to Asia. It was midnight at Toronto Pearson Airport, and I was about to turn into a pumpkin, as we patiently waited amongst a sea of mostly Asian faces. The queue of at least 30 elderly passengers in wheelchairs was surprising and resembled a retirement home going on a field trip. I fretted about the upcoming 12-hour time change and my inner homebody worried about being so far from home, as we began the 15 ½ hour first leg of our incredibly long journey.

Paul had told me about his previous trips on EVA Air, recalling when he took business trips to Asia and was outfitted with travel pjs and enjoyed delicious Asian meals. I anticipated that the experience would be much different than our usual travel with Air Canada, with announcements first in Mandarin then English, Taiwanese food, and a Taiwanese flight crew.  I reminded myself, that this is part of the adventure, after all, we travel the world to experience different cultures. The flight attendant spoke perfect English to me as she delivered the first of countless hot towels and a glass of champagne. I finally began to relax, and I pinched myself as the reality set-in- we were going to Southeast Asia!!

When we were settled in our comfortable pods, unpacked for our long journey, the famous pjs arrived and Paul insisted that it would be a game changing experience as he hurried off to change. Reluctantly, I accepted a pair, thinking that I would tuck them into my bag to be re-gifted at home. When he returned from the bathroom looking adorable in his sporty, grey pjs, I thought to myself, “What the heck!”, and headed off to change. It was going to be an extraordinarily long day, with a layover in Taipei, another long flight to Bangkok, and an early morning arrival at our hotel where our room likely wouldn’t be available for hours. Why not preserve my travel outfit and arrive in Thailand feeling somewhat fresh? We took a selfie to send to our kids because we looked so cute! 

By the time we finally took off at 1 am, I was exhausted, yet, upon the advice of the flight attendant, as she confirmed my dinner selection, I made the wise decision to eat another dinner at 2:30 am. It was important to try to reset my internal clock and I was told that breakfast would not be served for another 12 hours, with only a savory snack on offer, during the long night. The delicious sea bass dinner with an array of unrecognizable Asian side dishes and accompanying French wine, was just what I needed before curling up in my new pjs, with my eye mask on, ear plugs in and feeling very fortunate to be stretched out in a luxurious pod.  I fell soundly asleep, lulled by the plane’s engines, with dreams of our travels ahead.

Our route took us north, over Alaska, skirting Russia and directly over Japan and Korea. Even though it was the middle of the night, Japan was bright with lights. We flew directly over Jeju Island, South Korea, the home of Asia’s Branksome Hall (Lexi went to Branksome Hall in Toronto) and the location of a book club book that we all enjoyed called, “Island of the Sea Women”.  I regularly consulted the interactive map on the big screen in front of me, checking on how much further we had to go. I finished reading a fabulous book called “Hello Beautiful “, and we both binge watched many episodes of “The Crown”- having a great book and a bunch of downloaded shows is critical for a super long flight.  Before we knew it, we touched down in Taipei, Taiwan for a two-hour layover. First order of business- Starbucks, in the very modern and clean Taipei Taoyuan International Airport.  Next, we flew 3 ½ hours to Bangkok, Thailand and I did a happy dance, giddy with excitement, when our bags were the first to appear on the conveyer belt. A driver from the Rosewood Hotel, where we would stay for the next two nights, picked us up and we got our first taste of Southeast Asian traffic as we headed into the morning rush hour. Door to door, our journey took 25 hours.

The cosmopolitan and congested downtown core of Bangkok, full of beautiful modern towers, was not at all how I imagined Bangkok. Our hotel, The Rosewood Bangkok, ranks high on our list of the nicest hotels where we have stayed. Described on TripAdvisor as, “Visually stunning and a vertical architectural marvel”, we savored the remarkable service, modern décor and the warm namaste greetings by the staff at every turn. Our 23^rd floor room was gorgeous with incredible views of the Bangkok skyline. We made use of the well-equipped gym on the day we arrived and in the early mornings, while trying to adjust to the time change and get our legs warmed-up for our cycling trip. Thai massages helped our weary bodies get over the jetlag. When going on group travel trips, we always try to take a day or two before joining our group to get acclimatized as well as wanting to present our best selves when meeting our travel companions.

With only one full day in Bangkok, we planned to make the most of it and see as many of the famous tourist sites as possible, so we hired a guide and a driver for a Taste of Bangkok tour. The first tourist attraction on our tour was the Golden Buddha, weighing 5,500 kilos and located inside the elaborate Buddhist Temple Wat Traimit.  Thankfully, our guide had advised us of what to wear because our knees and shoulders had to be covered when entering temples.  Throughout the day we toured through the highlights of touristy Bangkok, including a walk through the grounds of the Grand Palace, the official residence of all the past Kings of Siam/Thailand. Here we saw the Emerald Buddha and the 46 m long and gold-plated Reclining Buddha. Following lunch, at a tiny, authentic Thai restaurant that our guide had deemed safe, we took a ride in a longtail boat along the Chao Phraya River that included a stop to feed some enormous catfish.  Bangkok is sometimes referred to the Venice of the East with the winding Chao Phraya River and the 83 canals that cut through the heart of the city. Our full day finished at Paste, a Michelin Star restaurant, a short walk from our hotel, for the best Thai food we have ever tasted.  Without a doubt, we will return to Thailand one day to explore beyond the crowded capital city.

The next stop on our Southeast Asian adventure was Luang Prabang, Laos, a short flight from Bangkok. Our hotel, Belmond La Residence Phou Vao, was situated just outside of the World Heritage town, perched on a hill overlooking a tropical valley. We devoured our first bites of delicious Laotian cuisine (I had divine dumplings filled with pumpkin and mango and a side of sticky rice, that may have been my best bites of the entire trip), on an outdoor patio in the warm sunshine- a far cry from the chilly November weather we had left behind in Toronto. Taking in our surroundings, we admired a gorgeous Buddhist Temple in the distance on the top of Phou Si Mountain. Pronounced, “Pussy”, we giggled like adolescents every time one of the locals said the name while proudly pointing out the main landmark in the region. A long walk through the town and a delectable dinner at our hotel, made for a wonderful first day in Laos.

At last, dressed in our cycling gear and energized by a solid sleep and delicious breakfast, it was time to meet our two guides and 13 fellow travelers. Jenna and Kyle, two Americans and experienced trip leaders, were our Backroads guides. From the start, we knew that we were going to like them as they welcomed us with radiant smiles, positive energy, humour, and clipboard efficiency.  For the first time on one of our Backroads trips, there were other Canadians, including a couple from Montreal and a couple from Victoria. Nine Americans completed our group including travelers from Los Angeles CA, Park City UT, Springfield OR and Winnetka IL. As we made our introductions, easy conversations and laughter ensued, and we immediately knew that we had a fabulous group, for our upcoming adventures in Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam.

Laos is a small country, landlocked and nestled between China, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia. Laos is one of the poorest countries on Earth, where most homes do not have reliable clean water and refrigeration for their food.  Seven million people live in Laos, a country ruled by a communist government, and measures 236,800 square kilometres of mostly mountains. The mighty and murky Mekong River is 4330 km long and flows through Laos, providing freshwater fish, a vital transportation route and a source for hydroelectric power.

Buddhism is the main religion here- beautiful and ornate temples are everywhere. Monks dressed in their traditional orange robes, with shaved heads and bare feet, are front and centre in this country. Over 20,000 monks live in Laos, with much of the male population spending some time in their life in a monastery. For boys from poor, rural families, becoming a novice monk is the only available option for an education. Our local guide in Laos, Choy, had grown-up in a monastery, choosing to leave at age 20, when novice monks are given the choice if they wish to continue. Choy now has a family of his own, owns a business with his wife and is a skilled and articulate guide.

This Backroads trip was different from other cycling trips that we have taken because there were many other activities and cultural experiences mixed in and it was 9 days in length, 3 days longer than most Backroads trips.  Our mornings in Laos involved very early starts, which enabled us to see a misty sunrise at a temple at the top of a holy mountain, to witness the collecting of alms by the monks at daybreak and to beat the heat and the crowds. One early morning, we wandered through the incredible morning market in downtown Luang Prabang and saw stands of local food, including fresh fruits and vegetables, live fish, bugs, frogs and even skinned dead rats. A highlight for me was the early morning cruise down the Mekong, as the sun was burning off the mist- the mountainous scenery was spectacular- I had a permanent smile on my face!

The roads in Laos are pitted with potholes making cycling a challenge, forcing us to really focus on the road, while also dodging trucks, motorbikes, dogs, and people. We loved riding through quiet villages, observing local culture, smelling the food being cooked on outdoor grills and seeing temples, big and small. When we entered temples while wearing our bike clothes, Jenna handed out sarongs, and thoughtfully made sure that our sarongs colour-coordinated with our biking shirts. For the women in the group, Jenna had a humorous rating system for the available restrooms each day- 5 stars was the restroom in the hotel lobby, down to ½ star for a grubby closet with a hole in the ground and no toilet paper. Sketchy restrooms are part of world travel; however, it was so nice to know what to expect, when to take advantage of an “opportuni-pee” and when to bring your own toilet paper.  There are dogs everywhere, all very friendly and willing to pose for pictures, including one for our Dogs of the World collection.  We visited a beautiful 50 m high waterfall called Kuang Si, where we had the opportunity to stretch our legs with an easy forest walk up to the waterfall that surprisingly included a sanctuary for Asiatic black bears.

Another fascinating stop as we cycled through the Laos countryside was the Laos Buffalo Dairy. While we enjoyed refreshing ice cream cones made with buffalo milk, we learned about the social enterprise built by a couple of Americans to help local farmers while also providing nutrition to children in rural villages. There are no cows in Laos, where 90 % of the population is lactose intolerant and much of the young population suffers from chronic undernutrition due to food insecurity. Kudos to the Laos Buffalo Dairy for making a difference in Laos- your story was empowering and inspirational and your ice cream is delicious!

Our beautiful hotel was the perfect spot to spend a relaxing afternoon after our early start and hot bike ride. Paul and I enjoyed floating around the pool before heading to the spa for Laotian massages. For our final night in Laos, we ate at a magnificent restaurant in town, Manda de Laos, the highlight being the gorgeous large lotus pond, an UNESCO Heritage site, in the middle of the restaurant. All lit up at night, it was magical.  Paul and I went back to the hotel to head to bed and be ready for another early start the next day, while many in our group went to the night market and upon the advice of Kyle, our guide, went for an hour-long foot massage for $5, that sounded amazing!

Next stop on our adventure was Siem Reap, Cambodia, the second largest city in Cambodia.  This transfer involved two short flights, made easy and seamless by our fantastic Backroads team. They took care of our luggage, provided a gourmet boxed snack, handled check-in, whisked us through customs and in no time, we were being welcomed by Sarom, our smiling and enthusiastic local guide in Cambodia. We arrived in Siem Reap, during one of the busiest times of the year, just in time for the Water Festival (Bob Om Touk), a three-day national holiday celebrating the end of the monsoon season. Wanting to experience this incredible event, our group immediately headed into the throngs of locals and tourists to see the dragon boat races, check-out the street food on offer (I was tempted to taste a tarantula!) and be immersed in the excited crowds.

A sudden cloudburst sent us scurrying back to our gorgeous hotel, the Raffles Siem Reap. This hotel opened in 1932 and oozes French Art Deco style and charm. Thankfully, all of our group’s rooms were facing the pool, away from the pounding throb of music and the nightly fireworks at the festival in the city centre. Tonight was one of the nights where we were to have dinner on our own, so Paul and I headed to the hotel’s main restaurant, 1932, for a delicious Cambodian dining experience featuring local seasonal produce and fresh seafood.

Cambodia was fascinating and beautiful, and totally exceeded my expectations. Sadly, Cambodia has suffered an unimaginably tragic past, that we tried to comprehend as our local guide shared personal stories, we saw the vandalism to historical sites and when we visited The Killing Fields Memorial. From 1975 to 1979, the communist party Khmer Rouge, led by the maniacal Pol Pot, ruled the country, and committed horrendous genocide, murdering 1.7 million citizens, 20 % of the population.  The murdered citizens included former government workers, professionals, intellectuals, and people of non-Cambodian heritage. This horrendous part of Cambodia’s past happened following the Vietnam War. Cambodia had been caught in the crossfire of the Vietnam War, when the country endured years of bombing and conflict. Three decades of war left a legacy of landmines scattered throughout the country. The intent of these landmines was to harm humans and protect sacred temples.  We visited Apopo, a charitable organization where African giant pouched rats are trained to sniff out TNT in explosives, as Cambodia continues to work to remove these remnants of war.  During the 1970s, almost an entire generation was lost, and now, the resilient survivors of the devastation and the next generations are trying to rebuild their country.

Most of our cycling in Cambodia was on the grounds of Angkor Wat, the 400 square km sprawling temple complex, and the largest religious structure in the world. Built in the 12^th century, Angkor Wat was originally a Hindu temple, that was later transformed to a Buddhist temple and is now considered to be a Hindu-Buddhist temple. There are 72 major temples within the grounds, many crumbling, covered in vines, and split by the roots of large trees. Sadly, many of the Buddhas are missing their heads and other parts, taken by vandals during the years of war. Located just 5.5 km from Siem Reap, the park is inhabited by villages, rice fields and 23 km of bike paths. At the peak of its dynasty, the Angkor Wat region was home to 900,000 people. Today, approximately 200,000 people live there.

Riding through the backroads of Angkor Wat, was an incredible experience. Children excitedly called out “Hello, hello!” as we rode through villages. We stopped by a farm to lend a hand with the traditional threshing of rice stalks. We dodged muddy potholes along the red clay paths, splattering our legs with warm mud. Our faces were pink with exertion and from the heat of the day, as we stopped into a local family’s home for lunch. Feeling adventurous, Paul and I accepted the challenge of eating fried crickets, popping a few into our mouths before the thought of it got the better of us. Somehow, I could not get my head around trying the stuffed frog, which was the next item on the lunch menu. Thankfully lots of other delicious Cambodian food followed- we never go hungry on Backroads trips! Most notably, the fresh mangoes and papayas served by the Backroads local crew at our bike rest stops in Cambodia were the freshest and tastiest I have ever had. I may never purchase mangoes and papayas at my Toronto grocery store again, because once you have tasted the freshest of fruit in the world, you can never go back!

Before leaving the park for the day, we attended a water blessing, a solemn ritual that is said to bring good luck. We were reminded to be as serious as possible, to bow our heads and place our hands in namaste. As the first blast of cold water hit the top of my startled head, a high-pitched squeal escaped from me, and many in our group struggled to maintain their composure. By the end of the lengthy blessing, we were thoroughly drenched and hopefully, fully blessed! In the coming days, our group jokingly referred to this blessing the “water torture”, however none of us regretted taking part in this memorable and refreshing ritual.

After three remarkable days in Siem Reap, we headed to the airport to travel to Phnom Penh in Southern Cambodia. At the beginning of the trip, I discovered that all of the women in our group were big readers. We had some time to pass while waiting for our flight, so I suggested an impromptu book club meeting and gave everyone 15 minutes to come up with a list of three books (old or new) that they would highly recommend to our group. We found a clean space in this brand-new airport and sat in a circle on the floor for our book club meeting. I took notes and made a list to share with the group, all of us thrilled to take away book suggestions. While we did get some strange looks from the locals, we reaffirmed that we had a wonderful group of fellow travellers with lots of common interests.

We were in Phnom Penh for just one overnight and after a very long day that had started at sunrise at Angkor Wat, Paul and I chose not to take a wild tuk-tuk ride through the extraordinarily busy downtown core, that was offered upon our arrival at the hotel. Jenna and Kyle referred to opting out as JOMO- The Joy of Missing Out, and while I am usually game for anything, I had had enough of crazy traffic and crowds. We were quite content to relax, unwind and eat at the Elephant Bar, at the lovely Raffles Hotel Le Royal, where we were staying.  Aside from glimpses of the city from the chaotic roadways as we drove from the airport to our hotel, we would not spend any time as tourists in the economic, industrial, and cultural capital city of Cambodia, as our group would be boarding a boat early the next morning.

We boarded the Jahan, a majestic British Colonial-style heritage ship, for the final three nights of our Southeast Asia adventure. While the crew delivered our luggage to our rooms, we attended a short lecture by Jean-Michel Filippi, a French professor of Khmer studies at Royal University in Phnom Penh and gained further understanding of the history of Cambodia. Soon our ship left the port in Phnom Penh and began cruising along the Mekong River, crossing the border into Vietnam. Kyle and Jenna managed our passports and Vietnamese Visas (acquired by us prior to the trip), making for another seamless border crossing.

Our guides took some time ahead of our afternoon ride to give their “Route Rap” while explaining how to best cycle in Vietnamese traffic. Most of our cycling would be along the backroads of Southern Vietnam, yet, at times we would have to travel through the busy streets to reach the port where a private tender would take us back to our ship. We learned that we should be like sticky rice and move as a group similar to a school of fish. I learned to always keep tabs on what was happening in front of me, not worrying about the guy behind and to confidently make minor adjustments in the flow of traffic and pedestrians. At the time, I wasn’t sure if the Route Rap gave me confidence or simply scared the shit out of me! Always a cautious person, I was on the verge of tears as I internally questioned why we had chosen this trip, because I hate riding on busy roads, and I really dreaded having an accident so far from home.

The first glimpses of the expansive rice paddies were breathtaking- this area of Vietnam is known as the country’s “rice bowl”. We rode through small villages, through markets and even stopped by a school to have a chat with some school children. As we made our way back through the busy streets with our excellent guides leading the way, I got the hang of how to ride in Vietnamese traffic and I started to relax. Our group survived our first ride in Vietnam, and when we stopped for some refreshing local beer and “safe” street food, we raised a glass to cheers our first day in Vietnam.  Our group chorused, “Mot Hai Ba dzo”, cheers in Vietnamese.

The next morning’s ride was much easier because I knew what to expect and I had gained some confidence during yesterday’s ride. It was another early start as we cycled through neighbourhoods packed with stands selling local produce, while taking in the scents of food cooking over open fires. School children waved and joyfully shouted, “Hello!” as they made their way to school. We passed more rice fields and watched some fishermen casting their nets into the small canals. I was surprised to learn that fish live in the rice paddy fields, helping the farmers by eating weeds and insects. We saw several tuk-tuks laden with goods to sell, blaring announcements to draw in customers. We stopped for a coffee break of traditional Vietnamese coffee (think iced coffee that tastes like melted coffee ice cream) before returning to the ship for a break and lunch. The day was hot and sticky; Paul and I found a shaded spot with lounge chairs at the bow of the boat, anticipating a gentle breeze as our ship pulled up anchor and made its way along the Mekong to our next stop. We did a selfie shouting out, “Good Morning Vietnam!” to send to the kids.

Our afternoon ride on Mango Island started in a thunderstorm and downpour. We didn’t bother to put on rain gear, because it would have made us too hot, and we anticipated that the sun would return and quickly dry us off- it did. I saw a group of men, huddled in a shed, waiting out the rain, watching a sporting event on one of their phones. Wondering what had them so gripped, I peeked and believe or not, they were engrossed in a cock fight! This ride took us through groves of mango and jackfruit trees and along bike paths and roads through quieter villages. We toured a brightly coloured temple from the Caodaism religion, that is unique to Vietnam.  That night, our group had a blast on the ship’s deck, where an impromptu dance party ensued, despite the 35c temps and humidity! We felt so fortunate to be a part of this dynamic group!

We slowly cycled through a morning market in a small town called Sa Dec, relishing in the sights, sounds and smells of our final full day in Vietnam. We took many photos of the astounding offerings in the market including eels, frogs, live fish, chickens, chicks and ducklings, spices galore, many varieties of rice and a vast array of fruits and vegetables. Our local guide in Vietnam, Hien, purchased a live turtle, to be released back into the river for good luck. Today was our longest ride of the week, winding through villages, beside rice fields, over bridges and along canals. Paul and I stayed closely behind Hien, eager to hear what he was sharing at impromptu stops and not wanting to get lost. Each bike was equipped with a Wahoo, a GPS device, just in case we lost the group. Whenever we had a busy road to cross or a difficult intersection, our local Backroads team was there to give directions and stop traffic. It was an extremely hot day, so breaks were planned with healthy snacks and water refills. We felt enormous pride and satisfaction when we rolled into our final bike stop after cycling 50 km and sat down for a delicious and authentic Vietnamese lunch. As we devoured Banh xeo (Vietnamese pancakes) and Pho (soup with noodles, vegetables, and meat), Paul and I resolved to finally try the Vietnamese restaurant in our neighbourhood that everyone raves about- Vietnamese food is incredible! We had safely navigated the chaotic streets and beautiful backroads of Southern Vietnam and what a glorious experience it had been!

In the days and weeks following our return home, my thoughts and dreams were filled with incredible memories of our trip. Our group reconnected by email, sharing photos and happy recollections. In a world where there is so much conflict and turmoil, and where many places are too dangerous to travel, we felt so lucky to find a corner of the Earth where we were welcomed with open arms and felt safe. Travelling in Southeast Asia, we were reminded that beauty and positivity still exists in the world. The enthusiastic and welcoming, “Hellos”, from the children we saw along the way, hopefully foretell the bright futures of these countries. I am so glad that we travelled half-way around the world to visit Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam- it was an experience that I will never forget, and I cannot wait to return one day to further explore these remarkable countries! Namaste!

Backroads Book Club

Lianne
One Amazing Thing by Chitra Divakaruni
The Heart’s Invisible Furies by John Boyle
What the Psychic Told the Pilgrim by Jane Christmas

Mieke
The Measure by Nikki Erlick
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Gamus
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Tom Lake by Ann Patchett (audio by Meryl Streep)

Pam
Shantaram by Gregory Robats
The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moses
Diamond Eye by Kate Quinn
The Five Star Weekend by Elin Hildenbird

Jane
Beneath a Scarlett Sky by Mark Sullivan
Born a Crime by Trevor Noah
Horse by Geraldine Brooks

Mary
Horse by Geraldine Brooks
Pachinko by Min Jim Lee
A History of Art and Crime in Six Thefts by John Barelli

Jenna
Breath by James Nestor
Endurance by Alfred Lansing
Shoe Dog by Phil Knight

Cynthia
Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr
West with Giraffes by Lynda Rutledge
Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt (audio)

Lisa
Hope is a Women’s Name by Amal Eliana Alh’jooj
Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell
The Hours by Michael Cunningham

Judy
The Indigo Girl by Natasha Boyd
Beneath a Scarlett Sky by Mark Sullivan
The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave