THE MAP

I'm starting with a map of the places I have lived in and visited. 



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Hanoi, Feb2109

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BEGINNING NOTES:  This was a trip for the extended Chinese New Year break. I made it last minute and got an amazing deal on an airfare. Not sure how I landed on Hanoi, but I knew that I wanted to go Vietnam eventually and for some reason chose Hanoi. Very happy that I did. I needed away from the cold and dreariness of Beijing.  The cheap flight meant that I would be getting into to Hanoi very late in the evening or very early in the morning. One downfall: the imigration process at the airport. I had all my paperwork read to go, but it was a slow MOVING PROCESS. Not sure if that was normal or because there were so few workers that time of night. Not a fun thing to wait for when you are tired tired tired. Anyway, the driver from the hotel was ready and waiting to make me to the hotel. I arrived a few days after the end of the Lunar New Year... side note: interesting to compare with the new year celebrations in China. I had no  VND dong. I usually don't worry too mu...
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Tibet: Roof of the World

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     "People take different roads seeking fulfillment and happiness. Just because they're not on your road doesn't mean they've gotten lost."  Dalai Lama     So, 2 years without traveling and I finally get to leave Beijing! And I chose … Tibet. My only options for traveling were to places in China and those without any hint of Covid. Didn’t want my green arrow code to turn yellow or red. So, since Tibet kindasorta belongs to China, that meant a trip to the Roof of the World. Won’t get in to the politics of visiting Tibet, but I definitely have them. The chance to see Mt. Everest and the Himalayas was an incredible pull. The only way to get to Tibet was through a tour company and lots and lots and lots of paperwork and multiple covid tests. But the thought of Christmas alone was enough for me to say “&*^^&^ it! I’m going to Tibet!”        The prep for the trip took weeks and weeks of me pestering the tour liaison. Visiting Tibet i...
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The Maldives

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This trip was sort of a last minute journey for me to see friends. I was reluctant because of the cost and length and how many people were going: me, the 2 dear friends and 3 more people I didn’t know.  That, for me, is way too many people. But I forged ahead and decided that I could travel to see them, but there was no real need to stay at the same hotel ... which was a tad on the dumpy side. And the island of Dhiffushi is very small. It was about a 15 minute walk between the hotels. So, the Maldives. Wow... from first glance, I was thinking paradise. Hmmm...not so much. There ARE indeed paradise resorts. Not our island! So my friend was all about seeing the local culture but the local culture included no booze, and lots of dirt and garbage. I suppose the island of Dhiffushi is no different from any other poor fishing village that you might find around the globe. I had a vision of paradise but found less than that. I got over my initial disappointment and enjoyed what was at...
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