**230 Days 2015-2016 Travel 3 Continents South America to Asia (One Roll Finish)**



**Note:**





A woman traveling alone to South America? If you tell anyone, they'll say you're crazy. But that's not all. This globetrotting woman has also traveled to two other continents. What can you do? Once you've made a decision, you have to take responsibility for it. If you ask me if I'm scared, I'll tell you, very much so.



I never thought I would one day decide to fly solo to South America, a land that everyone says is scary and dangerous, with a high crime rate. The inspiration for this decision came from this one picture.



Cr: http://travel.kapook.com/view30725.html



The world's largest salt lake is located in Bolivia.

The first time I saw this picture, I was like, "Wow, where is that? I really want to see it with my own eyes."





Upon realizing it was South America, my mind raced with thoughts like, "Will anyone join me?", "Do I have enough money?", "Just the flight ticket is expensive, I'll be broke for sure!", "Can I survive alone?", "Will I get robbed a lot?". I already anticipated that I might get robbed.



In the end, we decided to buy the tickets. The sole reason was to overcome our fears. We didn't want to be held back by them. We worked hard to save money and received some sponsorship from my mother. This trip was born out of that. I want to be upfront and say that we're not wealthy. We saved money from part-time jobs while studying, and my mother helped us out. We mostly traveled as backpackers. Initially, we planned for a 120-day trip, but it ended up being 230 days.



Don't Be Afraid To Travel On Your Own - Don't be afraid to travel alone



Interested in reading other reviews, follow us at

http://a-muaytravelblog.com/



https://www.facebook.com/A-Muay-Travel-1406602899599132/?fref=ts







And then the travel day arrived.



Chapter 1 Georgia & Armenia: Off the Beaten Path




Start your trip in Georgia

These two countries were off our radar, but after experiencing them firsthand, I have to say, go back again.



Georgia

Another country with a generous spirit, delicious food, and unique landscapes.




Armenia

This country is unexpected. I thought there would be nothing, but just the distance from Georgia to Armenia made us excited.


We had the opportunity to meet an Armenian actress. We have been friends on Facebook for a very long time, but we only recently found out that she is an actress because a fan page sent us information to look at. We met by chance. We paid for a taxi with the actress from Georgia to Armenia. The actress and her friend volunteered to take us on a tour of the city of Tatev in Armenia. We spent the whole day with her, but we had no idea that she was an actress.



We had a very open and honest conversation.



Here is a snippet of the conversation:





**Ah Mui Travels the World**: I searched the internet for information, but there wasn't much. However, many people wrote that this country was interesting, so I decided to come and see for myself.



Actress: So, do you like it here?



Ah Mui Travels the World: Of course! I've been planning to write a review about your country so that Thai people can learn more about Armenia.





Actress: Thank you so much, I really appreciate it.





We also received kindness from other locals.


What made these people help this Asian woman, both volunteering as a free tour guide and taking us to the van station, chatting, and explaining the route? The answer is kindness and friendship.




The kindness of strangers is my travel inspiration - The kindness of strangers is my travel inspiration


But it's not without its challenges. The first obstacle was the scorching heat, 41 degrees Celsius, with the sun blazing down. I had to walk around 20 kilometers every day. I won't be coming back to Georgia or Armenia during the summer again. I'm a little traumatized. The second obstacle was my first attempt at hitchhiking, which wasn't a pleasant experience. But I'll take it as a lesson for next time.

Please find more information at http://pantip.com/topic/34050243


Chapter 2


South America - We'll meet again



"If you encounter a thief, don't fight him. Let him take everything. We must survive and return. Fight!" These were the words I told myself before embarking on the journey.





The closer I get, the more fear overwhelms me. I ended up reading the experiences of foreigners who encountered thieves in South America to study all forms of risk. The more I read, the more afraid I become, and the more afraid I am, the more I read. I'm crazy.



Ok, here is the translation:

Ready to go, let's go. Let's try carrying a backpack like a Westerner. My back will break this time.





Prepare well, carry as few valuables as possible, hide a waist bag under your stomach, hide money in every spot, have a hidden money bag tied to your underwear, and also have several supermarket bags to carry around to deceive thieves (the bags only contain tissues, which you are ready to offer if a thief approaches). (Feel free to use this method if you like, I came up with it myself.) Pepper spray, a portable alarm, and several thick chains to secure your bag when sitting on the bus or leaving it at the hostel.





I also stopped by Paraguay and met a Colombian friend who volunteered to take me around.





Argentina We traveled from north to south of Argentina for more than 20 nights in Argentina


The man is very handsome, I can confirm that he is so handsome that cows die and buffaloes fall over. And I met another kind person. On the first day I arrived, a teenager paid for my ticket. On the bus, the driver called me over and gave me a free ticket. When I got off the bus, I asked for directions and he kindly walked me to the hostel, which I considered him not to be a criminal, so I followed him. On the intercity bus, I met an aunt who came to talk to me. Although she couldn't speak much English, she tried to talk to me and kept giving me snacks. She asked people if they could speak English so that they could translate for me when the driver announced something because I couldn't speak Spanish. I would like to say that I am very impressed with Argentina and would like to go back again.






The friendships we made along the way, we went trekking together, it was our first time trekking, 4 days, almost 70 kilometers.




Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world, was a long wait for a boat ride through the Beagle Channel. The weather was extremely cold, and the strong wind made our faces dry and cracked. No amount of cream could help.








Trekking on glaciers or through mountain forests on a day when the weather wasn't cooperating, we also got to try









The first time I saw a glacier in my life, the sky wasn't open.





I also tried riding a Siberian sleigh.





To the north of Argentina.



For more information on tracking at El Chaten, please see http://pantip.com/topic/34346687. Then we made our way to the Chilean border to enter Bolivia, in search of our dream destination. At first we were going to stop by the Chilean capital, but the border between Argentina and Chile was closed, so we couldn't go. I found out later that after we left for the Chilean border, an earthquake occurred in the city we left. Many people were stuck there and couldn't go anywhere. I thought to myself, I was so lucky not to go to the Chilean capital.





Bolivia



5 days and 4 nights on the hunt for the salt lake, my dream destination. It was a bumpy and grueling journey, with only one night to bathe and little sleep. The dry air left my skin cracked and no cream could help. But luckily, I didn't get High Altitude Sickness, a condition to be wary of at high altitudes (since Uyuni is located about 3,600 meters above sea level).





Despite the obstacles, fatigue, and exhaustion, we persevere because we know what we're doing. We are travelers, backpackers, on a journey to find the salt lake. When our hearts are determined, all obstacles become insignificant.



Until now, I still remember the first feeling I had when I saw the salt lake. I looked around with joy and said to myself, "Finally, I've found you." I can't believe that someone like me would dare to travel alone to find you. I've made it!






South America opened up a whole new world for us. Before we came, we were stressed and worried. We even thought about canceling our own tickets. But in the end, we chose to travel. On this trip, not only did we not encounter any thieves, but we also made new friends and experienced the friendliness of the local people. Everyone was very kind and helpful to this Asian girl. We want to say that we don't regret coming at all. Moreover, the most important thing is that we have jumped over our own fear, conquered our own hearts, and from here, we have decided to travel to other places. We are hooked on traveling!

If you are not conquering some fear every day, you have not learned the secret of life.

Cr: Julian Bialowas





Episode 3 Russia & Siberia - Extreme Fun, Extreme Cold



This trip to Russia covered many seasons, including summer, fall, and winter.





I have reviewed Moscow before. You can see it at http://pantip.com/topic/33956691



During the summer, we chose to go to various cities in Russia. We loved Saint Petersburg, it's beautiful. We enjoyed walking along the Neva River. The Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood is considered a masterpiece of architecture here.





We also go to other cities.








Autumn leaves fall, flying to the Kamchatka Peninsula, a land of volcanoes.

We went fishing, took a boat trip to see the volcanoes, went trekking on the snowy mountains, and took a helicopter ride to see the hot springs.




Fishing boat trip amidst volcanoes. These volcanoes are still active, some of them erupted just last year, but they are not dangerous, according to the locals.






The first time I caught a fish, I was so excited that I shouted, "I caught it! I caught it!" But I couldn't pull it up because it was too heavy. My uncle had to help me pull it up. (My uncle is a very good fisherman. He always catches fish.)




Hiking on the glacier and visiting the hot springs was very difficult because the path was slippery, covered in ice, and the snow was very thick. It was my first time trekking on snow, and it was very tiring. I even slipped and fell once, but I managed to get through it thanks to the help of two Russian adults. They demonstrated and taught me how to walk, one in front and one behind, walking and watching me as I walked. I have to thank them for their kindness. I made it through because of them.






It's time to say goodbye to Kamchatka and continue on to Siberia. It's winter, so let's see how cold it is.

I'm off to Siberia now.







The essentials are instant noodles and Rosa.




Various trains


The Moscow-Ulaanbaatar-Beijing train takes you to Ulan-Bator. I slept alone in the carriage because there were few tourists.



Let's take a look at the Russian-style train procession.




This train journey from Mongolia, I've tried every single train this time.





The view from the Trans-Siberian Railway is amazing. I had the opportunity to ride it twice, round trip, from Russia to Mongolia. The scenery is breathtaking, and I could have watched it for hours.






Dream destination in Russia - Lake Baikal - the deepest lake in the world


The weather is extremely cold in mid-November. The temperature has dropped to -30 degrees Celsius.






Another act of kindness from the Russian people. We booked a dorm room, but the owner let us sleep in a single room for the price of a dorm room.



Take a look at other cities that the Trans-Siberian Railway passes through. If you are someone who gets cold easily, I wouldn't recommend visiting Siberia during the winter because it's extremely cold. You can't take your hands out of your gloves for long periods of time, it feels like your hands will fall off. It's really that cold.




The text you provided is already in English. Therefore, no translation is required.




I met another kind Russian who volunteered to show me around the city. ]



If you have any other text you would like me to translate, please provide it and I will be happy to help.


One day, I wanted to go for a walk and explore the city. I took the bus to the outskirts of the city and got off halfway. I walked around, admiring the houses and the city, even though it was -15 degrees Celsius. It was cold, but I wanted to keep walking. Before I knew it, I was standing on this bridge. I had been walking outside for about 6 hours. It was a small pleasure of traveling alone. It's so free. I thought that if I came with a friend and invited them to do this, they might refuse. They would probably say, "Let me go crazy alone." 555+




The last light of that day


**The ultimate thrill, the ultimate cold, that's how we define Russia and Siberia.**






**Chapter 4 Mongolia - Trying out the Nomadic life**



When visiting Mongolia, one of the must-do experiences is to live the Nomad Life and set foot in the Gobi Desert. While others might only stay for a night or visit the mini-desert (a smaller desert than the Gobi, not far from the capital, making it possible for a 2-day, 1-night trip), the Gobi Desert is much more beautiful in comparison. A Gobi Desert trip should be at least 5 days long. However, Ah Muay Travel ventured into the Gobi Desert and lived the Nomad Life for a full 8 days and 7 nights. Afterwards, they enjoyed a Slow Life in the Mongolian capital for 12 days, exploring the city's food, walking around, visiting markets, and observing the daily lives and activities of the people. It was a very relaxing program.









The Gobi Desert is really high. I could only climb halfway up before I couldn't go any further. I sat down and watched my friends climb the rest of the way. Maybe it was the weight of the camera, or maybe it was my own weight. Or maybe it was because I have short legs. Anyway, I'll have to go back and try again next time.






I have reviewed the nomadic lifestyle of the Mongolian tribe. You can see it at http://pantip.com/topic/34437703







Link to a Thai forum discussion

**Episode 5 Crimea - 50 Baht in Pocket**





I took the Trans-Siberian Railway from Mongolia back to Moscow and then flew on to Crimea. I had an adventure from the day I arrived, but from this incident, I also received a lot of kindness from the local people. I want to know what kind of adventure it was and how it went. Please read on for more information.



http://pantip.com/topic/34526541

(Part 2+3 will probably be released soon, right?)





On the flight back to Moscow, the staff changed our tickets to Business Class. I was so confused! They didn't ask why we wanted to change, they just asked if we had to pay extra. Haha, that was the most important part for me!


Despite facing numerous challenges in Crimea, including city-wide power outages, lack of internet and phone signals, and the inability to withdraw money from ATMs, there were still some fortunate moments. In retrospect, the experience in Crimea was enjoyable in its own unique way. A smile can brighten the world.



No journey is without obstacles, but within those obstacles, there is often some good fortune.



Crimea Review Part 1 http://pantip.com/topic/34526541





Originally, I planned to take the Trans-Siberian Railway from Mongolia to China and then continue to Vietnam. However, at that time, China was experiencing severe pollution problems from factories, and we were starting to miss home. We were craving spicy Thai food, so we decided to fly from Moscow to Vietnam.



Episode 6: Vietnam + Laos



My original plan was to visit only Hanoi and Sapa. But when I arrived, my plans changed completely. I didn't go to Sapa, but instead I traveled from Hanoi (northern Vietnam) to southern Vietnam. I traveled at a slow pace, enjoying the journey for over three weeks.

I love many cities in Vietnam, such as Hanoi, Hue, Hoi An, Da Nang, Da Lat, Mui Ne, and Nha Trang. However, I wasn't very impressed with Ho Chi Minh City.



I have friends in both North and South Vietnam, so they volunteered to take me on a trip to Hanoi, Hoi An, Da Nang, and Mui Ne.



Let's invite Vietnamese friends to take pictures. Hoi An city is like a photo studio.






Other cities as well





I had to ride through the desert. When I got off, I said, "I can't do it. My heart is going to explode." I had to ask my brother to help me get down. It was so high.





Vietnamese food is incredibly delicious. We had the chance to try some of the local favorites, thanks to the recommendations and guidance of our Vietnamese friend.

The most delicious Pho (Vietnamese noodle soup) in Hanoi, my Vietnamese friend took me there.










There are many more. Let's open a thread to recommend great restaurants in Vietnam.





Additional Information

On December 18th, we learned from the internet that there was frost in Dalat. We quickly showed the news to the hostel owner and said that we wanted to go there. The owner arranged a private guide for us. The guide suggested that we go early in the morning, as it would be much more beautiful. The guide picked us up at 5 am and drove us there on a motorbike. However, when we arrived, there was no frost. We were a little disappointed, but we understood that this is a normal part of traveling. We figured we would just enjoy the view.



Let's take a look at some pictures.



If I had known about the news of Mae Kaning's passing earlier, I would have been able to capture some images for you all to see. I only found out two days later.

This event in Vietnam reminds me of this sentence.



"A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving." – Lao Tzu
A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving.




I also visited Laos before entering Nong Khai.



Before reaching Laos, I had a terrifying experience. I took a sleeper bus from Hue to Vientiane. It took a long time to get there because the sleeper bus was also transporting goods along the way. I was the only foreigner on the bus. These things have passed, it's okay. I've seen it all, all forms of hardship.



But the horror is that the area around the bed is a cockroach nest. Cockroaches are on the side of the bed, by the window, under the bed, and behind the bed. Oh, scream! It's a good thing they're not as big as in Thailand. When it started to get dark, they came out in full force, swarming everywhere. I had to sprinkle water on the bed and around it to keep them away. Every time I woke up in the middle of the night, I had to keep sprinkling water until my clothes were soaked. Because they kept coming out.



This chilling experience will forever be etched in my memory.





Let's take a look at the city of Vientiane, shall we? Change the atmosphere.






Next, we will enter Thailand. Let's go sightseeing in Nong Khai.



**Episode 7 Nong Khai - The First Time I Saw the Sea of Mist**



We had a problem with accommodation because the homestay was full. All that was left were tents. We received a recommendation from the Phu Huai Isan fan page, which is how we found out about the Baan Muang Homestay. Actually, the Baan Muang Homestay was also full, but the owner was kind enough to find us a place to sleep. We stayed in the same house as the owner.



The first authentic Thai meal in I don't know how many million years. Believe it or not, I ordered stir-fried pork with crispy egg for 4 days in a row. It's delicious. Baan Muang Homestay cooks everything delicious.






The kind owner shared oranges with me.



Slow life in Nong Khai



This was my first time seeing a sea of fog in Thailand. I couldn't believe that Thailand had such beautiful places. It took me 3 days to capture the sea of fog. The first day, I didn't see any sea of fog because it was raining. The second day, I saw the sea of fog, but the sky was overcast. The third day, the sun was shining and the sky was clear, but there was no fog. Haha, I guess the sea of fog wanted me to come back again.








Chapter 7 Taiwan - Why did we just meet?



Borrowing a phrase from Kalaya, I truly feel the same way. The city is orderly, the people are lovely, and it's surrounded by pristine nature. I enjoyed shopping, the delicious food, even though the weather wasn't ideal during my visit. Overall, I loved it.



This trip, we went to find some cool, vintage-style places to practice taking pictures of our friends and ourselves. It was the only trip this time that we didn't go backpacking. It was a trip where we traveled with friends and got to dress up a bit. It was a trip where we got to be beautiful and love our work, just like the northern women.








Summary



I am not the same, having seen the moon shine on the other side of the world.
I am no longer the same after seeing the moon shine on the other side of the world.




We believe that no matter how you travel, where you go, or how long you stay, you will always gain something from your journey. Whether it's new friendships, laughter, or lessons learned from mistakes, travel will enrich your life. It will also build your resilience, the kind that allows you to overcome your limitations and fears. No matter what your limitations are, no matter how slow or fast you go, you need to step outside your comfort zone. You need to go out and get vaccinated against fear. For those of us who are afraid, the best vaccine is travel. Go out and explore, see the world, experience hardship, and feel it for yourself.



This trip changed me into a different person. From someone who was afraid, anxious, and unsure of myself, I was able to overcome my fears and limitations. I did things I never thought I would do, things I was afraid to do. I tried everything, from traveling to South America alone, trekking on mountains and glaciers, taking the Trans-Siberian Railway twice, round trip, living with nomadic tribes, to traveling to the Kamchatka Peninsula, where I have never seen any Thai people go before. This trip was like a vaccine that cured me and gave me new inspiration for living my life. Every time I think about this trip, my heart swells with joy.



Please stay tuned for trip reviews from each country.

Comments