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Touring Kompong Cham With A Cambodian Road Map

Last year my friend and I spent a wonderful week exploring Chile, ‘the longest country in the world’. With the help of our Chile road map we felt independent and free and could see everything at our leisure. That’s the only way to travel in my opinion.  We enjoyed the gorgeous view of Santiago, the capital of Chile, from the Cerro San Cristóbal cable car, visiting the penguins at the Los Pingüinos Natural Monument in the south of the country, moving with the vibrant rhythms of life in Valparaiso, a city which charmed us with its colorful houses and lovely beaches, and venturing into the Valley of the Moon in the Atacama Desert, the driest desert in the world.  We finished off our trip with a weekend on the Chilean Island of Rapa Nui, also known as Eastern Island.  Rapa Nui is famous for its Moai: hundreds of monumental statues created more than 700 years ago by the Rapanui people. Surely you’ve seen them – they’re everywhere on the web.

The 5-hour flight from Santiago to the local airport at Hanga Roa on Easter Island, left us pretty tired, but we were all bubbling with excitement to see the Moai and to explore one of the most remote and mysterious islands on Earth. The first Moai we saw were about the size of the gnomes back in our home garden. They greeted us on the alleyway leading to the quiet Taura’s Hotel in Hanga Roa, the only major settlement on the island. The hotel turned out to be a nice, quiet place that provided us with the comfortable amenities we needed while retaining an authentic feel. After check-in, we left our bags in our rooms and took by storm a local Chilean restaurant serving traditional food, where we devoured beef empanadas, stuffed potatoes, Chilean corn pie, and the delicious cookies the Chileans call concadas.

The utter absence of trees on Rapa Nui struck us as very strange; this, too, was one of the mysteries of the island. Rounded extinct volcanoes came in sight every now and then, a feature which we soon discovered was a characteristic of the island. We soon reached Ahu Tongariki, the ceremonial stone platform upon which 15 Moai rise proudly above a low valley, their gazes inscrutable. They were breathtaking. The chatter in the car subsided, giving way to a silent fascination.

The Moai before us were monolithic, but despite their size and their stern countenances, there was something sublime and inviting about them. We left our car and walked toward them, our footsteps muffled by the low vegetation carpeting the ground. They were not smiling at our arrival but kept brooding in their quiet, stony way, and we didn’t smile either. They may have been sculptures, but we felt as if we were in the presence of something ancient and powerful. I’m not sure how to describe how I felt... It was like being in a cathedral, before a sacred relic. We went round them, touching their rugged softness with our curious eyes, discussing them. They were certainly exquisite works of art.

We lingered for a time near the Moai, and then we headed back to our car. We knew that the Moai at Ahu Tongariki were not the only attraction on Rapa Nui, that there were sandy beaches fringing the island, and several inactive volcanoes worth climbing, and the Moai at Anakena and Ahu Akivi, on the north coast, and the Rano Raraku volcanic crater quarry where we would find more Moai sleeping upon the rock of the mountain, and lots of cycling and hiking about the island, and the ceremonial village of Orango on top of the exciting Rano Kau volcano, and hundreds of other Moai scattered all over the island, always ready to make our acquaintance.

If you would like to experience this wonderful island, I would suggest using a good map like the one found at Great Journeys.  It is fully indexed with lots of travel/tourist information included in the map.

!Buen viaje!

ITALIAN REPUBLIC… PARADISO… became synonyms when I stepped on the Leonardo da Vinci International airport Rome, Italy. The sublime climate of autumn morning of Mediterranean evoked the feeling of Renaissance and standing upon the birthplace of Western Civilization, it felt like David embarking a journey to a new world where there was no anxiety lurking beneath but only the delight of exploring the land of world’s greatest Classics. Hence without rest I immediately started my journey through Italy.

With a road map of Italy, which was the silver lining in travelling Rome that otherwise appeared like Pandora’s Box with all chaos and confusion, I headed to Vatican City by Rome Metro.  I reached the ancient center of Rome, St. Peter’s Basilica, St. Peter’s Square and Vatican Museums. Surrounded by the world’s most extensive collection of arts brimming with treasures and history, I stride through the 2000 rooms that stretch over almost nine miles, and share the stories and secrets contained within Vatican’s wall. Adam’s Fresco, Sistine Chapel, Raphael’s Rooms, La Pieta fettered my eyes and resurrected Michelangelo before me. Rome also materialized the Great Julius Caesar at the Temple of Comet Star.

I used my broken Italian while exploring the land of Classics and even more for saving my Roman currency, otherwise Rome would have left me to melt in Tiber, out of money. Knowledge of native language is the top most survival instinct which should be mastered before travelling, so I already prepared myself with Italian Language Course.

Having already rummaged through Italian Travel Videos, I board Le Frecce high speed train to Florence, the capital city of Italy’s Tuscany region, it is the birthplace and high concentration of Italian Renaissance art and architecture. Piazza Della Signori was my first destination in Florence. This town square is treasured storehouse of quintessential sculptures such as Michelangelo’s Statue of David, the Fountain of Neptune , Hercules and Cacus as well as Perseus with the Head Of Medusa. Florence perhaps has the most glorious manifestations of Greek Mythology. From Piazza I took taxi and sped to house of Medici, the Godfathers of Renaissance, Palazzo Vecchio. This artifact packs a wealth of beautiful frescoes, sculptures, painted ceilings, intricate carvings and tapestries all that reflects personification of Biblical events. Day was about to over and Florence still provoked me for exploration.

The idyllic panorama of Tuscany held my lenses and a localite rented me a bicycle which perhaps was the best way of snaking in Florence under its local color. The rustic life, hilly landscape, deserted lakes which perhaps were golden lakes made Italy like it’s old wine in a new bottle, which no doubt was mesmerizing. At 9 I reached my hotel, though completely exhausted, my mind and soul was captured by Hellenic ambience of Italy.

Next morning I woke up under blissful enigmatic spell of Italy and prepared to venture in Italy with my only beacon, road map. I took high speed AV train to Venice. Mediterranean food was first thing that caught my senses in Italian travel videos as well as in Venice. Rich in pasta, fish and vegetables and characterized by its extreme simplicity and variety, the Italian food undoubtedly wets your taste bud by their mere sight. Popularity of Italian cuisines solely rests upon its traditional products. Cheese, cold cuts, wine and coffee (especially espresso) make up a very important part of the Italian gastronomic culture. Desserts tastes of Italian roots with a tint of local flavours … citrus fruits, pistachio, almonds with sweet cheese like mascarpone and ricotta.

After a divine experience of Italian cuisines, I sailed on the Boat Tour of Grand Canal from Piazza San Marco to the Rialto Bridge. It was like travelling upon the Tigris in the Eden of medieval Italy. Reminded of Yeats’s Sailing To Byzantium, the Byzantine domes and 8500 sq meters of luminous mosaics, Venice’s Basilica is a jaw-dropping site. Apostles with the Madonna, mystical transfusions occur in the Dome of the Holy Spirit, where a dove’s blood streams onto the heads of saints. Words definitely would fall short to describe the enigmatic experience of Venice and largely Italy.

My time in Italy was getting over and my temptation for it was growing exponentially. Though I just started to feel Dante, Vinci, Vasari and the whole domain of Italian culture but my schedule clouded my sensations of them further. My two days trip to Italy was indeed Paradiso and returning was definitely Inferno. Being a lover of art Italy was a Utopian experience but still left unconquered. To this paradise I’ll certainly return and my journey became all more blissful because of the Italian road map, language courses, travel videos I got from www.maps2anywhere.com . So if you wanted to experience the same Italy with all luxury, comfort and convenience then click on this link and start your journey to the only artistic paradise on earth.

We were bone dry and dusty from working in the scorching desert heat of Hobbs, New Mexico. On a whim, we moved west, found a little security, and dried out. Every night we came home, our hands aching, our lips cracked, and our noses bloodied. One day it was too much, we had not seen water in a year and it was time to go find us the clearest, coolest, cleanest water we could find while on a budget. We tacked a Mexico road map up on a wall, stepped back, and stared. For 6 months we drooled over that map, looked at some Mexico travel videos, dreamed of the sun kissing our skin as the waves gently lapped at our feet. We’d doze off at lunch time under the sparse shade of a yucca and hallucinate about the drunk fishermen who would take us spear fishing, the bottles we’d share with strangers, and the miles crossed by busses, bikes, and on foot that would take us far away from this life and into the next. Six months of planning later, we folded that faded map up, stuffed it into a backpack, and flew it to Mexico where we poured over it every night in our hostel room with a headlamp, plotting our next move as if we were regular Indian Joneses. That map was our daily planner and our bible for our four weeks of adventure on the road.

 We flew into Cancun from Houston, TX. Took an ADO bus to Playa del Carmen where we stowed our packs in a dirty hostel dorm room and spent the night eating cheap street tacos and drinking tequila in celebration. After months of selling everything, we owned on Craigslist and in Facebook garage sale groups, giving up what we once thought were comforts, working overtime, and compiling a collection of change in a pickle jar, we were finally here in Mexico.

 We woke up too excited to be hung over. There was a whole world in front of us and like that, map tacked to our wall, it was just waiting to be explored. We hopped in a collectivo (a cheaper version of a communal taxi) driven by a lead foot who swerved through traffic as if there was a volcano erupting behind us.

 We used our broken Spanish the most while bartering with Taxis and Collectivos. If we hadn’t practiced a few numbers, phrases, and questions before arriving, we probably would have been duped out of a ton of money. Instead, we were able to bargain prices with drivers before we agreed to use their services. If you know some Spanish, you can barter on everything from taxi rides, trinkets, and even tours! Learn before you take off on your own adventure! Check out a full list of Spanish language courses, from beginner to advanced.

 Once we arrived in Tulum, we rented a couple of bikes and searched for a camping spot. One hippie nude beach and an overpriced margarita later, we found Max’s campgrounds. Max, who didn’t speak a lick of English, charged us $7USD/night to set up our tiny two person tent not five steps from the beach. We stowed our packs, quickly set up our tent and rushed to the grocery store for a case of Sol’s and some limes.

We spent the night cooking, eating and drinking with the other campers and backpackers, wading into the water and watching the stars. We fell asleep around 9:00pm and woke violently to the sound of thunder and Max frantically shouting our names. We were the only tent that didn’t have a tarp above us and it was pouring rain. Our things would be ruined if we didn’t get under out neighbors tarp, and fast! In the haze of travel, tasty beer, and blindness (I didn’t have my contacts in) I bolted from the tent, confused of where I was in the darkness. In all the chaos R.L. woke and shouted over the noise for me to help move the tent while the rain came down in torrential sheets. Once we were safely out of the downpour, we collapsed back in the tent, our arms and legs sugar coated in sand, sticky with humidity and sweat. We listened to the rain and burst into laughter at the ridiculousness of it all. We were already onto something good.

 We slept until the rain subsided and then woke abruptly to, how do I say this delicately…Montezuma’s Revenge. We spent the morning crawling back and forth to the toilets which consisted of PVC piping and shoddy plumbing. Attempting to smile at each other in between the anguish.It’s true what they say, don’t drink the water unless it’s bottled, what we overlooked was the ice.

 Considering we were exhausted and grossly dehydrated, we decided to check into the Tulum Bike Hostel just down the road. For $40USD/night it included a cozy private bedroom and bathroom, two bike rentals, and a hearty breakfast every morning. From there we spent the rest of our third day sleeping it off in hammocks, eating at the restaurant next door, and generally taking it easy.

 The following week we explored the town of Tulum and its outlying areas; most notably the Cenotes. Cenotes as essentially sink holes in the lime stone consisting of half spring water, half salt water, making for a cool clear elixir of pure enjoyment. We were told that the Mayan people used to venture into Cenotes to recharge their “Carocal,” in essence their energy or batteries. Whether or not that’s true, we both agreed that when we jumped in to any Cenote, we immediately felt a surge of energy. The first Cenote we visited was Tortuga where we saw sea turtles and jumped from the cliff pictured below.

 We went to a ton of different Cenotes, but my favorite was Dos Ojos. Inside this crystal clear swimming hole we wove through a maze of stalactites with scuba divers blowing bubbles beneath us and bats flying above us. Sometimes the space was so small you were sure you’d bump your head against a stalactite, other times the cave was so massive, you felt insignificant in comparison.

 One day we went to the ruins of Coba, one of the last Mayan ruins you can hike up. We climbed on all fours like monkeys up the 120 steps to the top where we huffed and puffed while we took in the incredible view.

We also wandered around the Tulum ruins where they say was once the center of trade and commerce. These ruins were incredible, absolutely massive and the view from the top has a profound effect on the soul.

Pictures really do no justice to the majesty of Mayan ruins. The videos found in this LINK round out a better picture of what visiting these magnificent structures looks like. Take a gander and see for yourself the amazing architecture and rich cultural history Mayan ruins have to offer.

 Before we started this trip, we told ourselves we’d swim with sea turtles and learn as much as we could about them. We were fortunate enough to bump into a goofy guy by the name of Fernando while on a collectivo. He had just finished a shift at one of the resorts and was wearing the matching crisp attire. He had his flippers and snorkel with him and we asked where he was headed to. He said, “I get to go swim with the sea turtles today! Hehe!” His giggle made the entire van swoon with laughter. With our permanent smiles, we asked where the turtles were and he told us, “Akumal!” Akumal has a concentration of sea grass which in effect causes sea turtles to flock there and they even lay their eggs there. The whole operation is very legitimate, focused primarily around protected areas, respecting the turtles distance and not chasing them. As we swam with these gentle beings, I felt a weird calm overtake me. The subtle bobbing of a wave passing overhead, the faint laughter of children on the shore, and R.L. next to me with wide eyes.The turtles gazed at us, their eyes heavy, regard us momentarily and then move along. They possessed the tranquility of a monk in meditation and for this I loved them.

 In Tulum, we’d lock our bikes to a palm tree and walk in the waves. The sand tinted pink from the coral reef just off the shore, the water lapping at our feet pristine and romantic.

Tulum is a place unlike any other, in a class of its own beauty and prestige. I hope that someday you will have a chance to go there.  The food was outstanding and fresh, the people were welcoming, and the sights were unforgettable. All in all we stayed for a week in Tulum followed by three weeks in Belize. All because of the Mexico road map that we bought from www.maps2anywhere.com. Start your adventure the same way we did by clicking this LINK and take the first step in the beginning of an adventure of a life time.

 !Buenviaje!