Sapa ● Vietnam

After a quick flight from Laos and a not-so-quick overnight sleeper train, we arrived in northern Vietnam. I expected Sapa to be a sleepy little town set up in the clouds, but it was bustling. We spent the first day exploring and getting a cheap stone massage (to avoid the rain). The second day, it was time to trek through rice terraces -- the actual attraction in Sapa.

Our awesome Vietnamese guide led us through three villages and kept us entertained with jokes. Oh, and right before we stopped for lunch, we watched a water buffalo giving birth. You know, just a casual Monday in the countryside. The first half of the day was relaxing as we fell in love with the landscape while walking a flat, paved path. Then all of sudden, we were slipping and sliding down muddy hills and jumping from rock to rock to make it across little creeks. Luckily, we had the Sapa Sisters (women of the local tribes) to literally hold our hands at times. One wrong move and you could be sliding into the bamboo forest.

The trek was intense, but the views from the highest points were incredible. When I was planning this trip back in May, I looked at tons of pics of Sapa, creating mental postcards. But seeing it in person was beyond surreal. The land is groomed to support a certain agricultural lifestyle, but it still appears pristine and unbothered. Sapa represents a careful balance between humans and nature, and the ability for the two to create something undeniably beautiful.

Luang Prabang ● Laos: Tak Bat

On our final day in  Laos, we started our morning with a 5 AM wake-up call. At sunrise, Buddhist monks leave the monastery in Luang Prabang for a ceremony called Tak Bat that occurs each day. Locals line the streets to give alms to the monks, which usually means offering cooked rice, crackers, bananas or money.

When we arrived at the center of town, a nice local helped us find a place on the side of the street and provided food we could give. In recent years, tourists who are rather disrespectful (for example, taking pictures in the monks' faces) have turned the ceremony into a bit of a spectacle. However, I found that it was actually very peaceful and while tourists did take pictures, they were on their best behavior. It truly was a unique experience as these young monks proceeded and silence filled the busy street.

Once the ceremony ended about 30 minutes later, we climbed more than 300 steps to the top of Mount Phousi for an amazing view of the entire surrounding area. In my final hours in Laos, I was reminded how incredible this country had been for me the past few days. Swimming in waterfalls, participating in a sacred religious and cultural experience, interacting with some of the friendliest people I've ever met -- all things I'll never forget thanks to Luang Prabang.

Luang Prabang ● Laos: Kuang Si Falls

My first full day in Luang Prabang was surreal, and quite the physical challenge. Before we arrived in Laos, we knew we wanted to see Kuang Si Falls. The waterfalls are about an hour from the center of the town, so in the morning we rented a tuk tuk driver.

Luckily we got there before crowds of fellow tourists and backpackers. After starting at the base of the falls, we worked our way up a very slippery and steep trail. I had read about a natural infinity pool at Kuang Si and I was determined to find it. That meant avoiding tons of massive spiders and bugs, taking off my shoes to get a better grip and make it up a nearly vertical slope, and balancing across makeshift log bridges. 

Near the drop-off, we met a nice Laotian who took us on a quick raft ride to a more secluded part of the jungle area. We were trying to find larger waterfall that we thought existed (obviously we had no success). We literally hiked dirt trails for two hours before we gave up and returned to the lower falls for swimming. By then, the really cold water felt amazing. Kuang Si was definitely worth the trip.

Luang Prabang ● Laos: The Views

Three passport stamps in one day, and I'm exhausted. After leaving Singapore and passing through Chiang Mai, Thailand, I touched down in beautiful Luang Prabang just in time to see the sun setting.

I met up with my friends Sameera and Allyson, who I'll be spending the next week traveling with through Laos and Vietnam. My expectations for Luang Prabang were pretty high (I'd heard amazing things from others who had backpacked through) but the arrival sealed the deal.It may have been the perfect color of the sky, but Luang Prabang seems out of this world already.

Since we didn't have much time left in the day, we checked into Vangsavath Hotel and headed to a small restaurant called Coconut Garden. A dinner of chicken fried rice, garlic pork ribs, curry spring rolls, chicken skewers, chocolate cake and ice cream for three people came to $12 a person. A very pleasant change from prices in Singapore. To end the night, we shopped through the night market full of handmade Laotian crafts and textiles, and then rode a tuk tuk back to the hotel.

Singapore ● Singapore: Landmarks

With only one full day in Singapore, we had to fit in as much sightseeing as possible. Mission accomplished. And my legs are feeling it.

First stop was Orchard Road where we "looked but didn't touch" at the ritzy shops. From there, we headed to the historic Raffles Hotel for a modified version of a Singapore Sling (when in Rome, right?). We more than walked off the drink as we made our way to the main landmarks of the city: Merlion Park (complete with a water-shooting Merlion), Gardens By The Bay, and Marina Bay Sands.

Marina Bay Sands, which has the most incredible view of the skyline, is a massive 55-floor hotel with a complex in the shape of a boat sitting on top. In that top structure is Ku De Ta, a nightclub where we grabbed post-dinner drinks.

For dinner, we went to Lau Pa Sat Festival Market on the recommendation of our cab driver. The Hawker-style street food was amazing. For about $35 total, we split steamed scallops dim sum, hot squid, chicken tikka masala, naan and two Tiger beers. Having only spent two days here, let me explain that that is a bargain. Singapore is hands down one of the most beautiful cities I've ever visited, but it is also ridiculously expensive. The cost of living here is unreal, and as much as I would love to spend more time here, I don't think my bank account would survive. With any luck, I'll be back again someday.

In the morning it's off to Laos!

Singapore ● Singapore: Arrival

By late afternoon, Bali was in the rear view mirror and we were on our way to Singapore. Honestly, when I added this stop to the itinerary a few months ago, I really didn't know much about it. I simply knew I wanted to visit a major international city, and pictures of Singapore looked really cool. 

We checked into the amazing Royal Park on Pickering and headed straight to Robertson Quay (love it) along the river for dinner. After walking around for only a few hours, I'm in awe of the city. It's so clean and quiet along the backstreets, and it truly comes alive at the waterfront. Considering this year marks Singapore's 49th birthday, it's a very modern city. One of the biggest signs of this is in the architecture and height of all the buildings. Most are tall skyscrapers, with some of the most unique designs I've ever seen -- including our hotel.