Reverie on the Water

Posted on June 12, 2015 by juliamenn

I’ve gotten to experience quite a number of wonderful moments on my travels. But tonight was something truly special.

Posted in Musings, Vietnam | Tagged Adventure, bliss, Hoi An, lantern, lantern festival, reverie, river boat, Vietnam, vietnam adventures | 1 Comment

Something I’ve been struggling with the past week is a sense of failure about this trip. People have said how brave and adventurous I am for doing this, but all I see is how much money I’m spending compared to other backpackers, how I’m not having a great moment every single day, I haven’t stayed in the cheapest hostels, I feel I am not having a million wild moments, and if I do, they’ve been “expensive”, and so on. Continue reading →

Posted in Tips, Travel, Vietnam | Tagged Adventure, Agatha Christie, backpacking, caving, Dark Cave, failure, fun, guilt, money, mud pit, mud pit party, Orient Express, Paradise Cave, phong nha, pinching pennies, posh, saving money, stop the fear, struggle, vietnam adventures, ziplining | 3 Comments

The Dark Truth About Elephant Tourism

Posted on May 30, 2015 by juliamenn

I love animals. I always have. I’m not sure there’s an animal that I haven’t wanted to ride – horses, giraffes, elk, ostriches, whales; you name it, I’ve probably wanted to ride it. Coming to South East Asia you’d think I’d jump at the opportunity to ride an elephant, right? I mean, who wouldn’t want to ride the world’s largest land animal! How cool is that? You can take some boss pictures and show off to your friends.

Well, let me explain why I didn’t ride an elephant, or buy a picture painted by an elephant, or go to a circus or event featuring elephants.

Do I have your attention?

Continue reading →

Posted in ENP, SEA | Tagged Bangkok, barnum and bailey, Bullhook, Circus, elephant nature park, elephant painting, elephant riding, elephant shows, Elephant trekking, Elephants, Eles, Lek, mahout, Nail, performing, ringling bros, South East Asia, street begging, Torture, Trekking | 1 Comment

#SmudgeIsSaved

Posted on May 23, 2015 by juliamenn

It was a bittersweet day. I was walking across the bridge with little Smudge this morning to try to find his mama when I realized I’d gosh darn gone and gotten attached to the little bugger!

Rule No. 1 – NEVER NAME THEM

Continue reading →

Posted in Laos, SEA | Tagged I'm so sorry, Kitten, Kitty, Laos, Monks, Nong Khiaw, rescue, rescue kitten, sad, Smudge, Smudge Pudge | 3 Comments

#SaveSmudge

Posted on May 22, 2015 by juliamenn

I’m in Laos, and have been without wifi access basically since leaving Elephant Nature Park. Let’s just skip ahead to the important parts.

We were walking back to our hostels late last night when we noticed a pack of dogs. They seemed to be fighting over a piece of garbage, but when we got closer we realized they had a baby kitten! The German guy in the group swooped in and broke them up, while I immediately swept the kitten into my hands and held his trembling body against my stomach.

Smudge a few hours after his rescue

Continue reading →

Posted in Laos, SEA | Tagged Adventure, baby kitty, Blessing, cats of instagram, choices, Kitten, Kitten Rescue, Laos, Nong Khiaw, Smudge, up all night | 3 Comments

Elephant Love

Posted on May 14, 2015 by juliamenn

Elephants are a matriarchal society, and babies suckle for up to 7 years. Eles love to be together, and the longer they are a family group, the closer they get (a bit unlike human families it seems to me).

Female elephants can have babies until they’re about 60, and there’s nothing better than a new baby to love and adore – even if it’s not theirs. They form small herds, often based around an expectant mother or a new baby. The mother has carried the baby for nearly 2 years – she welcomes the help! Particularly if this is her first baby and she doesn’t know what to do. (Check out this post about a difficult, but ultimately successful, birth story) The group comes together to rear and protect the baby, often being overly protective. Put a bunch of old ladies and babies together and what do you get? Drama!

Continue reading →

Posted in ENP, SEA, Thailand | Tagged Adventure, Dok Mai, drama, elephant nature park, Elephants, Eles, family, family groups, Friends, herd, Jokia, Lek, logging, love, Mae Perm, nannies, old ladies, play, Thailand, Yin Dee | 1 Comment

My Time with the Elephants

Posted on May 10, 2015 by juliamenn

I spent the last week at Elephant Nature Park, learning about, helping take care of, and getting to interact with the elephants they have rescued. To say the least, it was amazing.

Continue reading →

Posted in SEA, Thailand | Tagged animal haven, elephant nature park, Elephants, Eles, ENP, Lek, Lek Chailert, rescue, retreat, river | 3 Comments

Courage (Steal It If You Have To, but Try It)

Posted on May 2, 2015 by juliamenn

Sometimes I look around and wonder how I got here. Where did I steal the gumption to up and quit my job and fly to a developing country? And for four months?! I was contemplating this as I looked in the mirror, brushing my teeth as I showered (because bathrooms here are awesome enough you can do all of that at the same time). I’m not sure where I got the courage, but I am so glad I found it somewhere. Continue reading →

Posted in Musings, Thailand | Tagged Adventure, Blessing, Cafe, chai, Chiang Mai, Courage, Friends, Monks, reading, story time, Strangers, Thailand | 6 Comments

My Unexpected Detox

Posted on April 29, 2015 by juliamenn

After the first 24hrs in Pai, my time here improved significantly. The second night was spent sitting in the hostel common area chatting with new friends as a storm blew past. Pai Circus Hostel is located higher up than the rest of the town, so we get amazing views of the area.

Continue reading →

Posted in Pai, SEA, Thailand | Tagged apps, Circus Hostel, clubs, connection, FB, internet, Pai, pai circus hostel, poi, rain, rainbow, South East Asia, storms, wifi | 4 Comments

Stranger in a Strange Land (Where I Met Someone I Knew…)

Posted on April 23, 2015 by juliamenn

I took a minibus to Pai (a small town secluded in the mountains, about 3hrs north of CM) yesterday afternoon and am staying at the Pai Circus Hostel. It’s not as awesome as pictures led me to believe, and last night I was feeling incredibly lonely and couldn’t bring myself to talk to anyone. I was wondering if I had made a mistake booking a week here.

On my way to find the Circus Hostel

Bamboo Bridge

Continue reading →

Posted in Pai, SEA, Thailand | Tagged Adventure, Blessing, Cafe, Circus Hostel, Friends, Kindness, Local, Lonely, Motorbiking, Mountains, New York, Pai, QotN, Queen of the Night, Strangers | 6 Comments

curioustravelertravelogues

Reverie on the Water

When Failure is Looming

The Dark Truth About Elephant Tourism

Well, let me explain why I didn’t ride an elephant, or buy a picture painted by an elephant, or go to a circus or event featuring elephants.

Do I have your attention?

#SmudgeIsSaved

Rule No. 1 – NEVER NAME THEM

#SaveSmudge

Elephant Love

My Time with the Elephants

Courage (Steal It If You Have To, but Try It)

My Unexpected Detox

After the first 24hrs in Pai, my time here improved significantly. The second night was spent sitting in the hostel common area chatting with new friends as a storm blew past. Pai Circus Hostel is located higher up than the rest of the town, so we get amazing views of the area.

Stranger in a Strange Land (Where I Met Someone I Knew…)

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