My first post - Reminiscing my trip to SouthEast Asia

During my trip to South East Asia in November 2017, I thought about starting a blog to simply pen down my thoughts and experiences. So its only befitting that I start my blog with a post about the 10 things I learnt on my trip. I will post details about my trip later but here goes -

1. South East Asia (or whatever little I saw of it) is beautiful. The people, the sights, the culture, the streets, the food - There is so much to absorb and its all fascinating.
2. The food! OMG the food!  (Did I mention I love food?) It is just amazing - fresh, flavorful and delicious. Don't be scared of eating street food, just be smart about it. We only ate food that was prepared in front of us and made sure it was atleast lukewarm. Avoid cut fruits, only drink bottled water and most likely you will be fine and be able to experience some of the most lip smacking stuff ever.
3. This was the 1st time I flew Air China. I don't demand much of an airline - get me there safely, give me edible food and don't lose my baggage! Air China did get me there safely but the food was inedible and they also lost my baggage. So score 1/3 for them.
4. Typically on any trip, the touristy places make for the most faint memories. When you reminisce about your vacation, you think of many moments but the crowded, jam packed, overpriced monuments and places are not what come to mind first. Angkor Wat, however was an exception. Touristy - yes, overpriced food - yes, Memorable - Absolutely! The sheer grandeur and scale of the temple complex overwhelms you, the intricacies of the work and ruins absorb you and as you make your way through the passages, you feel like you are walking through time. My camera battery was exhausted with me constantly clicking every corner but it was a blessing in disguise since it gave me the opportunity to truly observe and absorb some of the energy of the place. 
   
5. The people are mostly warm, genuine and mostly content. Sitting on the beach at Koh Rong Samloem in Cambodia I observed one of the simplest joys of life - play. Some kids (teenagers?) were offloading the daily supplies from a boat and suddenly started kicking a ball around, laughing and taking in the moment. Although my camera could not capture their infectious smiles and just the simplicity of it all, I was so touched to just be there that I started laughing aloud to myself. No one noticed, the game continued and it was perfect.
   
6. It is quite difficult to find clothes or shoes of my size here. Lets leave it at that.
7. We (my husband and I) spent a lot of time just walking around the streets of Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Siem Reap and Hanoi. No goal in particular, just strolling around, experiencing, observing and being a part of it all. I always feel that this is what bonds you to a place and gives you a true feel of its intrinsic culture and these cities were no different in that regard. Especially in Hanoi we just walked around and ate where we could - sometimes eating at 4-5 places for a single meal (no judgement please) but we ate like the locals - sitting on the tiny kid-sized stools on the sidewalk. People would walk right through the maze of tables, some would help us translate when we needed help, some stories were exchanged, and indelible memories were made.
   
8. If you are travelling and fall sick, Amit (my husband) is a great person to have around! He will be so dedicated in giving you acupressure that you recover in record time!
9. The hospitality in Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam is top-notch whether you are staying in a fancy 5 star resort or an ordinary hotel (We did not stay at any hostels). They truly believe in service with a smile.
10. Anyone who lives in the US knows that massages are a luxury. We took massages in all 3 countries we visited and they were extremely relaxing and reinvigorating! Just be careful not to get too used to it :-)
11. I know i said 10 things but when you have just had the best vacation ever, you are entitled to a little bit of a bonus. I love travelling, there are no two ways about it. We traveled constantly for 3 weeks and loved every minute of it not feeling home sick even once. But when you actually do come back home and that first night of sleep in your warm comfortable cozy bed is extremely special. Like they say, no place like home sweet home!