So I hope you will travel along and see where things went right or wrong. Grab your back-pack and come along we are going to cross the border from Thailand to Cambodia. 

I had been traveling in Thailand for over two months. I had started in Bangkok ,of course and traveled down the coast to Puket, back and forth through the islands, back to Bangkok, down the other coast and I needed a place to just hang out for awhile. I got lucky and discovered Ko Chang, it was just what I was hoping to find. It had great beaches,super food, first-run movies at night, not that many tourists, and best of all cheap, clean rooms. I loved Ko Chang, and I just stayed and stayed. One fine day I happened to look at my visa and to my great disappointment I only had ten days before I either had to go back to Bangkok or cross the border and go into Cambodia. Crossing the border and going in Cambodia certainly sounded more interesting than returning to Bangkok, as I was getting pretty  sick of bus travel.  I was lucky as there was a lady from Korea staying at the same hotel as I was, and she also needed to renew her visa, so we made plans to go together  the following week. We planned to take the ferry to Trat then just catch a bus to the border at Had Lek. We both wanted to spend a week or two in Cambodia  and then we would return to Ko Chang.

The next day the big news on the island was that in Phnom Penh the Cambodians had burned the Thai embassy and all the borderswere closed and the hai army was being called out to protect the borders. This was the talk of the day and continued for several days. I still had a few days left on my visa, but I´d have to lave for Bangkok if this situation didn´t change soon.

We had good T.V. coverage but of course it was in Thai so we needed it interputed, but everyone agreed the border was open. The lady from Korea and I made plans to rent a jeep with a driver, because the buses weren´t going to the border until next week. No one was sure why the buses weren´t running but everyone thought that it was just that not many people wanted to go to Cambodia right now as the country was still a little mad at the Cambodians for burning their embassy. Well want to or not ,we had to go and we only had two days left . We had some great help finding a good safe driver and super jeep and everything was in order for us to go tomorrow.

The next day our driver, Phan, arrived on time, and we caught the ferry to the mainland. Phan, said “ it would only take about three hours to drive there, but that this was such a busy border we may have to stand in line for a hour or more”. It seems that this is where all the Thai people cross into Cambodia to do their gambling. He told us “ that he loved to go to the casinos in Cambodia as he was always lucky with the cards and the women”.

There were no lines of people. There were only hundreds of empty little stands usually full of vendors selling their fruit, vegetables, or crafts. All of the main stores were also closed...

As Phan pulled up to Immigrations he said “Oh, my God I don´t think this is good, it is just too strange I think we need to go home, now”.The lady from Korea asked “if I wanted to go back or just keep going”. My thought was hey, neither side was angry at either of us or our countries, lets just keep going and see how it goes. I was a little nervous because Phan was white nuckled and didn´t think it was a good idea..The Thai border guards knew why we were there, as many foreigners do this visa run, the guards were used to this routine. They quickly stamped our passports, opened the make-shift barbed-wire gate and told us we had to walk across the bridge then we would see the Cambodian border. Normally there was a shuttle bus, but not today because no one was crossing the border, no-one but the two of us.We started our walk and I looked back at the barbed-wire blockade. Then I got really scared. There were at least twenty or twenty-five Thai military men with machine-guns raised, and it sure looked like they were aimed right at us. I walked as fast as I could, thinking Cambodia had to be better, if we didn´t get shot first. As we crossed this very, very long bridge I could see the same thing at the Cambodian border. More machine-guns pointed at us. We kept going because we had to go somewhere. As we approached their barbed-wire blockade, the Cambodian soldiers were all smiling and nudging each other. I´m not sure but I think this was a lot of fun for a usually boring job.They quickly stamped our passports, opened the horrid looking gate and now the hardest part for me was, we had to walk the long, long, bridge back to Thailand with guns from both borders pointed at us, again. These boys from both countries looked maybe sixteen-eighteen years old. As I walked across the bridge I hoped that one of them wouldn´t think it might be fun to shoot us and just throw us in the river, because who would ever know if a woman from Korea and a woman from the US just disappeared.

The only person that knew where we were was Phan, and I thought maybe he was so scared that he might have just left and quietly gone home. Well, obviously it didn´t happen, we walked back to Thailand with guns from both countries pointed at us, our passports once again stamped. Then we both ran for the bath-room before we wet our pants. I then found a store that was open and bought a bottle of Thai whiskey and coke and we had a much needed celebration. Phan told us" he thought we were either very brave or very stupid and that he was really scared for us". He saw all the guns raised and asked the guards "what was going on¨? They told him “they were protecting us from the terrible men in Cambodia”. I guess the Cambodians were protecting us from the terrible men in Thailand. Oh, please, please, never protect me again..

Do an online research

Take the time to research your destination so you won't make impulse buys. Heavy travelers can log on to Wotif.com and Orbitz.com to research for luxurious hotel and travel packages at attractive rates. Otherwise, why not join online community bazaars such as "coupon Connection" on Flyertalk.com - where travel aficionados exchange gift cards, memberships or anything imaginable to provide each other better travel experiences.

Think out of the box to get extras

Who wouldn't love a room with a view and VIP treatment? It doesn't hurt as ask for it. Having a good personal relationship with the staff is key. So when you make your reservation, tell the reservationist that you want to make this trip special (maybe it's your anniversary, hubby's birthday, etc), and that you're hoping for a nice room as part of the celebration. Follow it up with a fax - they are more likely to comply with your request. The timing is also crucial. If you check in very late, you'll have a better change of snagging a better room. More often than not, hotels would rather fill up a suite with a guest not paying the full rate, that not filling it at all.

Opt for travel packages

It's cheaper to choose an airline or hotel chain package for a new exotic destination. Apart from not burning a hole in your pocket, you also get to visit many new city in just a few days. Another option is to go during low-peak season. You might be able to get a further discount on the low-season rate, if you ask nicely.

I would like to address this anyone who is thinking about the pros and cons of spending time in the RV.

If your RV has a trailer hitch you might be trailering a car, small truck or SUV behind for easy access to sightseeing or picking up that loaf of bread you forgot to buy before hooking up to utilities at the camp site. some people are bringing bikes or small motor scooters for just that need, rather than unhook often. If you have this convenience, you might think the coming statements are so helpful. Just in case you do not h ave a hitch with a second vehicle at your disposal, I KNOW the following will assist you greatly. The spaces that are rented have options in most RV parks. Some of those are: water, sewer, and electric. If you will be living in the RV full time and renting a space for a month or more, you will also possibly be given garbage included in the monthly fee.

The pros of living in an RV are numerous in comparison to house or apartment. The fees, especially on a monthly basis, are considerably lower. Another attribute is that you have all or some utilities included in that monthly check.. Plus, all the maintenance is done by someone else, leaving all your time for fun. RV's are much smaller than homes, so house cleaning is a breeze taking only a small amount of time to do everything. Since they are not stationary, there are no taxes on your motor home. Yes, you have licensing fees, however they are a drop in the bucket in comparison to land taxes.

Let us talk about traveling rather than staying in one place permanently.

If the weather is inclement, pack up and go to a better climate instead of waiting out the storm. Generally people will come see you and not expect you to put them up for the night when you are living in a motor home. You will get invited to their homes for celebration dinners and special holidays.

When you want to visit anyone in another state, you get to sleep in a bed in which you know who was in it last. If you are thirsty or hungry, those are easily satisfied by pulling off the side of the road . Some places like some Wal-Marts allow you to stay in the parking lots for free. In my state of Oregon, anyone can pull off the side of the road and stay overnight unless it is specifically marked “no overnight parking”. Check out your state.

Have a great trip!

So, when our professor explained to my study abroad group that Morocco also has a bathhouse tradition, it was just about all I could do to keep my mind focused for the rest of the class period. The first month of my semester in Morocco had been tough and a sauna was just what my tense body needed. My professor explained the hammam is an important and unique aspect of Moroccan community life and the best way to understand exactly how one works was to visit. I was sold. With visions of steamy baths flooding my head, I asked my homestay mother, Farida, if we could take a trip to the local hammam.

It took a few days for Farida to find the time. Morocco is still a very patriarchal society and the majority of my homestay mother's day was spent cooking, cleaning, serving, or shopping for her husband and two children. If anyone needed something to eat Farida made it. If someone needed something washed Farida cleaned it. If someone got sick Farida cared for him. In addition to her own family, she also spent a good deal of time visiting and helping her mother who was widowed. Somehow she managed to fit in her five daily prayers and that was about the only personal time she got. A trip to the hammam is a welcome break from her daily routine. The first afternoon she had available, Farida, her three-year-old daughter, Samira, and I loaded up buckets with soaps, shampoo, razors, washcloths and headed down the street to the local hammam.

The beautiful, steam-filled Turkish bathhouse I had been imagining is in fact related to a Moroccan hammam only as its polar opposite. Moroccan hammams are not Turkish baths. The hammam was definitely not built over thermal springs. There were no beautiful tile mosaics beneath my feet. The hammam had no pools or saunas, just a brown tile floor, concrete walls, and faucets built into the walls. Instead of marble benches along the wall, people dropped their small plastic stools or rubber mats on the floor and proceeded to wash, shave, color their hair, and socialize. Imagine being told you're getting a dream vacation to a tropical island, -- the ultimate in luxury -- and then plane tickets to Alcatraz show up in your mailbox.

The single greatest difference between the bathhouse in Budapest and the hammam was their dress codes. The Budapest bathhouse had one. The Moroccan hammam did not. And, to my very great surprise and horror, while the plastic stool is a necessity in the hammam, clothing is optional. On the afternoon I went, most of the women were opting out. The bright, tropical print bikini I was wearing could not have been more inappropriate. Having just walk off a street where the majority of women were meticulously covered from the neck down, I didn't expect to step into a room full of uninhibited, naked women.

Through the most awesome display of self-control I have ever exhibited, I kept my facial expression under control as I confronted the most nakedness I have ever experienced in my life. A few women had on white cotton underwear but they were the minority. As I followed Farida into the next room, I observed the naked bodies ranged in age from those that toddled to those that stooped and they all seemed to be enjoying themselves.
The same could not be said of me. I was not enjoying myself. I had seen a naked person before.

I just hadn't seen thirty of them in the same room. Back in my high school gym class, changing into a sports bra had taken a series of body contortions that could have put us all in Cirque du Soleil just so we wouldn't have to take our shirts off. Even if we had all changed freely in class, it would not have prepared me for the hammam. At the gym, clothes come off and go right back on. In the hammam, we all sat together in a big communal bath. I wondered if the men were as familiar with each other over in their hammam.

Because I was the only foreigner in the place, every single pair of eyes watched my family and me come in and pick a place on the floor. I began to mechanically unpack my bucket while keeping my stomach sucked in and clenched. I figured there was no reason to look terrified and fat. I was fully aware I was being scrutinized, and for this reason I struggled to keep my lips from curling in disgust as I realized we were going to be sitting in a giant Petri dish. The water that had rinsed the dirt, henna, and hair off of every woman in the room covered the floor under our bare feet. The only thing between colonies of bacteria I imagined spreading across the floor and me was a tiny plastic mat and stool about six inches off the floor.

In order to take my mind off the fungus I believed was now spreading underneath my toenails, I took my first good look around the room. There was a group of teenagers in one corner, heads bowed, engaged in an intense gossip session. There were families, mothers bathing their young daughters, and several groups of older women engaged in less boisterous but equally intense gossip. Looking at the older women, I concluded under-wire was the greatest invention ever. I also realized that one advantage of not having much for the under-wire to lift in the first place means less for gravity to pull down later. I might not be able to fill bikinis now but at least I won't have my chest resting at my waist line later.
One of these older women sitting near us, leaned over, and began talking to Farida. She gestured to me and I heard my mom say I was taking Arabic classes.

This prompted the woman to turn and, in Arabic, ask where I was from. My immediate reaction was that of a cornered animal. I was sitting in a room full of nakedness, speaking to a woman whose naked breasts grazed the tops of her knees and she wanted me to conjugate verbs in Arabic? I couldn't do it. Even after witnessing gay pride parades in Dupont Circle and buying every Michael Moore movie, I was really only a pair of buckle shoes away from being a Puritan whose eyes burned at the sight of so much nudity. Trying to speak in Arabic was the last straw and this Puritan was ready to take her bonnet and go.

My discomfort had by this point turned into full-blown panic. I could feel the adrenaline send blood pulsing to my head as my fight or flight instinct kicked in. Since I wasn't going to body slam the old woman for asking a simple question, I considered a full retreat to the safety of the locker room. I considered -- but only for a moment. I had chosen to study in Morocco as opposed to, say, England precisely because it would be more challenging. I wanted to be pushed out of my comfort zone and understand things that had previously been foreign to me. Running out of the hammam would constitute a major defeat in my eyes. I was embarrassed and uncomfortable. I was not in physical danger. Fleeing because of discomfort would make me a bit of a coward and a really big hypocrite. I would not be chased away by a pair of saggy breasts.

Since I was going to stay, I decided I might as well enjoy getting to bathe with hot water. I still hadn't quite mastered the luke-warm bucket bath over the toilet in my family's house and had several weeks' worth of unrinsed conditioner coating my hair. I turned my attention to bathing and shampooing, two things I had considered myself proficient at for some time. My Moroccan mom disagreed. When I finished rinsing the conditioner out of my hair and sat back clean and more than ready to leave, she stopped scrubbing Samira and looked me over from head to toe. She asked me if I was finished. When I said yes she shook her head, poured some soap like substance into her hand, and proceeded to rub it all over me.

If the nakedness had made me uncomfortable, the nakedness plus the manhandling made me want to jump out of my skin. Farida must have sensed this and wanted to help because when she finished with the soap she picked up what felt like the Moroccan equivalent of a Brillow pad and proceeded to scrub my skin off. I think I would have been mortified if my attention had not been diverted by raw pain. Believe me, having the top six layers of your skin scrubbed off with steel wool will effectively distract you from just about any emotional discomfort you might be experiencing.

With raw nerves and now, raw skin, I was done with the hammam. Farida and Samira were not. We stayed an additional two and a half hours. As Samira played in the buckets of water, and Farida talked to another mom, I tried to keep any part of my body from making direct contact with the floor, I figured out why we weren't leaving right away. In all the places I had been in Morocco, other than the kitchen, this was the one place where women were free to set their own rules.

In Morocco, men control the streets, offices, even the majority of rooms in the home. For women, the hammam is an oasis in the midst of strict patriarchy. Here they don't have to worry about getting harassed or tending to the needs of everyone else. For women who used the hijab, the hammam is also the only public venue where they can literally let their hair down. In the end, I had to concede that, while the hammam had nearly given me an anxiety attack, everyone else seemed to be enjoying herself. In all likelihood, if I had to live here and follow the same gender norms, I probably would never leave the hammam.
But the truth is, on future trips to Morocco I won't be going back to any hammams. When it comes to being scrubbed with steel wool by a naked woman I barely know, once is enough for me. I do, however, understand why many Moroccan women keep going back. For me a large communal bath is a mild form of purgatory but for the other women in the hammam, it is a sanctuary. And even I can agree that everyone needs a sanctuary.

Part of getting ready to visit an unknown country is doing my homework stating the places of interest of the people traveling. My daughter and I put on a piece of paper which points of interest we desired to see and then compared notes.

Needless to say, many of the same ideas were on both lists. After compiling the final agenda, we had more to do. Locating the contents of the list on the map of Ireland, was next in line to schedule.

Since the entire country was to be seen, we decided to rent a car, so nothing was left out on our travels. It took 2 of us to drive the car. No kidding! One to sit in the driver's seat that is opposite from our cars and the other to shift and remind the pilot of the car to remain on the “wrong side of the road”. We are such creatures of habit; we determined early on, that the motoring was a 2 person venture. Signs were in the native tongue with some sporadic English language on the street signs too. We both learned much from our enjoyable mistakes.

Cliffs of Mohr, is splendid, but takes some getting to before you view the beauty. The trip to the cliffs was pleasant and enlightening. We passed many tourists, who were seeing the country from mini campers. Yes, they were on the roadway. Animals are permitted to roam free, so an occasional cow or goat alerted the co-pilot to inform the captain of the vessel to be alarmed to animal in the road. Bed and Breakfasts are plentiful and our selected rest and relaxation at the close of each day's events. We got to visit with locals and see interiors of some homes as well. We were fed very well in some, while others were skimpy for the first meal of the day. A Castle had to be one night's stay, which we were glad we only did for one night. The price was extremely high and the abode was cold. Everything was a-la-carte which meant no free breakfast during that one evening of feeling like Princesses.

Kilarney should not be overlooked. The countryside ride in a one horse buggy is a must, not only to see the sights, but to enjoy someone else driving you along with other benefits. I won't spoil the other great things that ride provides so you can be surprised as we were.

The Blarney stone, Bunraty castle, a caveman meal, seeing the church where Christopher Columbus prayed before setting sail to discover America and your heart's desire might be on your Points of interest list. The Abbey, museums; large and small along with Waterford Crystal Factory might be included on your “Must See” agenda.

Even if you do not drink alcohol, going to a pub at about 11AM, is an experience I will never forget and perhaps you might not either. Plan on walking if you are going to

sample anything alcohol. The bartenders serve delicious tasting concoctions that go down easily, and then kick you in about 20 minutes. I recommend Mead wine and asking the bartender for suggestions. Plan a meal in the pub if at all possible. Enjoy the locals there.

Many happy memories are mine from my trip to Ireland. You can write about yours when you return.

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When driving by Red Deer on Highway #2 you would not expect that it is cultured or has major public works of art. In fact you may think all Red Deer has to offer is fast food restaurants, gas stations, and RV sales lots. This is because Red Deer's city planners, to avoid downtown congestion, created an area called Gasoline Alley. This strip effectively keeps Highway traffic out of its' downtown area. However, if you take the time to venture into downtown Red Deer there is a thriving cultural community and the city has invested in public works of art.

What I refer to are the statues affectionately referred to as The Ghosts of Red Deer. These incredibly well detailed, life size, sculptures are scattered throughout down town Red Deer. All these ghosts are of real people, with a couple of exceptions, which are real animals. There are plaques explaining the stories behind the statues.

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The first Ghost I saw was an older gentleman sitting on a bench downtown, he had a briefcase and was remarkably well done, I admired the sculpture, but until I saw another, I had not realized that this was a special feature in the city. I soon discovered many more. I have not included a photo of this chap, you will have to discover him for yourself.

There are two sculptures that I was especially drawn to, one because of its magnificent size, attention to detail in an action pose, and the other because of the story behind it.

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The Ghost of a horse drawn fire wagon is truly impressive. The expression on the horses as well as the two human figures is very strong. No question about it, this is an intense moment caught in time. It is the largest Ghost Sculpture, complete with two frightened horses, one driver in the fire wagon, and a man who is trying to control the horses. A rein has broke and they are loosing control of the team, who typically are used to charging full speed to the fire.

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Francis the Pig is my other favorite. This little guy made an escape on route to the slaughter yard, he evaded capture for quite some time. During this time Francis made himself a town celebrity and earned this statue from his days on the run.

All in all, seeing these lovely works of art, in an unexpected location gave me quite an thrill. Red Deer is about one hour north of Calgary, and one and a half hours south of Edmonton, should you find yourself passing through Red Deer, I suggest you turn off the highway, and go into the downtown area and look for these ghosts yourself. Bring a camera.

My wife and I just recently returned from our vacation in Las Vegas. We stayed at the Golden Nugget in downtown Las Vegas. It was a very enjoyable, and well needed trip. As I stated earlier, unless you are a big gambler, it can be a very rewarding inexpensive trip. Upon checking in at the hotel, we were given a $250.00 coupon book that has everything from 2 for 1 at the buffet to money for the slot machines.

Once we got up the next morning, we were approached by some people to go on a presentation for a timeshare. As you may know, you can receive some cool stuff when you go on these presentations. At first of course, we were apprehensive about going, but they offered us 2 show tickets for $25.00 a piece, which are $60.50 for the seats that we had, $200.00 in slot money at the hotel, and a 3 day/ 2 night cruise to the Bahamas. Well, this was an offer that we couldn't refuse for only 2 hours of our time, which came in handy because we won $300.00 with the slot money. We actually won back plus more than the money we spent on the whole trip.

Vegas is, of course, most known for its gambling, but has some of the most exquisite hotels, restaurants, buffets, and shopping. The sightseeing is amazing with the Rockie Mountains as its backdrop. The "City of Lights" is a must see for everyone. The only bad point of the trip was the heat. It was 105 - 109 degrees during the day, but the hotel pool with the shark tank was enough to keep cool during those times.

To enjoy the fun in Vegas for under $800.00, go to HotWire It's best to book at leat 3 months in advance for the best price. Just click on Flight & Hotel, and get the best prices that Vegas has to offer. Out of all the sight that I have searched, this one has the best prices.

The country still faces a war and grave problem in the form of Taliban insurgents and other terrorist groups but hope is still what its people believe in.

In a country where three workers do work to construct a road and six policemen protect them, rebuilding must be a hard task. The insurgents frequently attack on road constructing companies, clinics, schools and laborers. Still the photos below shows a new look of different parts of different provinces including Kandahar, the former stronghold of the Taliban, which brings hope to people.

Reconstruction

A site near a famous shrine in Kandahar that is now beautifully constructed. Hundreds of people visit the shrine every day and then come here for a relaxation.

Beauty

This beautiful dam is in the Bamyan province where the Taliban had demolished two historical Buddha statues.

Greenery

A view of Nengrahar's Noor Valley which is located between Kunar and Jalalabad. This valley is famous for its greenery.

Dance

People enjoy traditional music and dance. Extremists had banned this during their rule.

Music

People enjoy the traditional Afghan music. Extremists had banned these activities during their widely condemned rule.

Women

Shukriya Barakzai, Member of Parliament, is speaking in a public meeting. Though there are still many barriers and problems for women, it is a very big development that they now can participate in every walk of life.

Afghanistan is probably the worst in how women live. Up until 1996 things were not so bad for women. They worked outside the home and they went to school. However, once the Islamic militia took leadership in this country everything changed. Women cannot leave the house without being accompanied by a man. When they leave the house they must wear a Burqa which allows only their eyes to show. The women that once went to school and once worked were forced to give up everything and were beaten and forced to immediately return home when they tried to continue with their daily routine.

Saudi Arabia is a bit different than Afghanistan. They do restrict their women from such things as voting or dressing as they wish, yet there is a different viewpoint to why the women are expected to do certain things. In Saudi Arabia women are expected to eat and shop away from men. They are expected to remain covered, but they do not have to wear a burqua. This is a place you must understand before ever going to it. Women are thought of as highly sexual beings that need to be away from the men in order for the men to concentrate. When a girl marries a man they are expected to remain together forever. The girl is expected to have many children but she is well taken care of at the same time.

There is going to be no thought of how she is going to survive even if her husband died. She inherits the money. Saudi Arabia is one of the richest countries in the world. The women may not be able to eat with the men at a restaurant or go shopping with the men, but when they are at home they are treated like gold. They are highly respected, but as an American woman, we do not see it that way. There are cases of abuse as there is everywhere. I would say Afghanistan is probably the worst place that a woman could ever live especially when it comes to abuse.

Egypt is far from the likes of Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan. Egypt gives women much more freedom. They prefer marriages that are set up between parents however, the children are free to marry whoever they wish. Since Egypt is primarily Muslim they do request women keep their heads covered by at least a scarf. As a tourist, women can dress as they wish but understand how the culture is. Respect how they see women in a respectful but desirable manner. You will want to keep your head covered and wear pants or a long dress. Women have the right to work, go to school, and they inherit all of the money from their husband in case of death. The women are looked after and highly respected. They are not separated from the men unless they are praying at the mosque. There are a number of Christian families in Egypt too and when the women go to church they dress like everyone else. They all will wear hats or scarves to cover their hair since the hair is considered a desirable part of the women.

Lebanon is a country filled with a variety cultures. Women there are not repressed at all and have numerous groups that fight for more rights to get involved in such things as political and economic issues of the country. Music is popular in Lebanon where female singers promote their songs with risqué videos. The women in Lebanon may not have as many rights as an American woman, but they are well on their way.

Basically, depending on where a woman lives in the Middle East will determine on how she is looked at, treated, and how independent she can be. She can either live a very good life or one that is hard and restrictive. It is not very easy to understand how women are treated in some of the Arab countries, but we must also recognize that they are not all the same. Each country should be seen separately and not clumped together as one group that treats women horribly. This simply is not fair to the Arab countries that don't treat women badly or are not highly restrictive.