I was born in Detroit, Michigan, under the sign of Cancer. It’s believed that people born under that sign weave between the sea and shore. My first shoreline was along the edge of the Detroit River. It flows from Lake St. Clair to Lake Erie. As a young child, I was drawn to the section directly across from Windsor, Canada. I saw it as my escape, the main terminus of my personal Underground Railroad.

On November 30, 2022, I booked a flight from Los Angeles to Guam and spent the layover, in Honolulu, at the home of an old Returned Peace Corps Volunteer friend. We served, in Kenya, back in the mid 1980s. The following morning, I continued my journey, on the “Bucket List” worthy Island Hopper. The United Airlines flight makes stops in the Federated States of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, and Kwajalein Atolls (an active USA military base), before finally landing in Guam. My hotel choice was the Dusit Beach Resort. It was the perfect first stop, for a trip around the world.

From Guam, I flew to Thailand. In 2006, I spent my 50th birthday at the Koyao Island Resort, in Phang-nga. This time around, I revisited Bangkok and Chiang Mai, then added in Chiang Rai. The latter was the perfect example of a Peace Corps volunteer hub town. I felt right at home. I booked the Estia Boutique Hotel and The Chaya Resort and Spa, in Chiang Mai. For Chiang Rai, I stayed in the amazing Nak Nakara Hotel. I would soon need to make a visa run, but I’ll get to that later.

Laos was the first new country, on this adventure. I viewed YouTube videos and ended up flying to Vientiane, rather than taking the two day backpackers “approved” slow boat from Thailand. I stayed in a perfectly located IBIS hotel and was able to walk almost everywhere. Next, I hopped aboard the new Lao–China Railway to Vang Vieng and made my way to the Jasmine Vangvieng Hotel. The city was magical. It’s why people leave home for international travel. Finally, I rode the rails to Luang Prabang and stayed at Cold Water, a French boutique hotel. My second hotel, The View Pavilion, was directly across from the Alms Giving ceremony.

I booked a flight from Laos to Vietnam, giving myself wiggle room for the visa process. When I was denied, I resubmitted the online visa form. I still had time. By the second denial notification, I’d missed my flight to Hanoi and my Laos visa was expiring. So, I did a famous visa run to Thailand. Once there, I headed to Phuket and stayed at IBIS Styles Hotel. It was far away from the beach and the crowds. I was able to walk downtown. As for the beach, I booked a day trip to James Bond Island that included hotel transportation. With still no word from Vietnam, I headed to Cambodia.

Although I had never played the video game, I joined the rest of the planet, in 2001, and saw Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, at my local theater. Once in Cambodia, I booked a few days at the Lotus Blanc Hotel and Resort and signed up for a private tour of Angkor Wat. Tour day, I was picked up and driven to the ticket office. The lines were long and my driver told me to follow him. As he walked to the right, the lines grew shorter and shorter. The tourists had all just stopped behind the first line they saw. It took less than five minutes to pay, have my picture taken, and my entry ticket printed. That process alone was well worth the price of the private car service.

I was back in Bangkok, when my Vietnam visa application was approved. I booked a one way ticket to Hanoi. I loved the city. Next, I made my way to Sapa, followed by Ha Long Bay, then Da Nang and nearby Hoi An. Then, I took a train to Ho Chi Minh City. My favorite spot was Da Nang. It’s where US and Australian troops did their R&R, at My Khe beach, during the war. I remember watching the US tv show China Beach (1988/1991), set at an evacuation hospital/USO center. Everyone I met in Vietnam was simply amazing. The people are focused on today and not the past. I felt very welcomed, in spite of the visa mixup.

Next, I headed for Singapore and booked the Village Hotel Changi by Far East Hospitality. The hotel was a hot mess, but it’s near the airport and across the street from the Pulau Ubin Island ferry terminal. I made the most of my time, visiting Pulau Ubin and dining at the nearby Changi Village Hawker Center. I also figured out how to take local transport to and from downtown. My next flight was to Indonesia. I picked the amazing Discovery Kartika Plaza beachfront hotel, in Bali. I did next to nothing. There was no need to ever leave that hotel! My final three day stop was in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. I selected the Ascott Kuala Lumpur hotel. It’s just a ten minute walk from the Petronas Twin Towers.

My first time in Manila was in 1979. Like Guam, I landed at an Air Force base, walked around the flight line, during refueling, and then flew out again. On my recent trip, I was there to see the Omniverse Museum. It’s located, in Japan Town, at the Glorietta 3 Shopping Mall. Omniverse is the first stop for any Marvel or DC comic book fan, in Manila. An error in judgement had me staying at the Ascott Makati Hotel and then at Dusit Thani Manila. The two hotels are a five minute walk from each other. Luckily, the Ascott Makati was in the same complex as the Omniverse Museum. So, although I didn’t see much of Manila, I still had a great time.

I have three Returned Peace Corps friends in Taiwan. I served with Mike, in Kenya, back in 1986/88. I served with both Marty and Sol, in Ethiopia, 2019/2020. After Peace Corps closed down, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Marty immediately took a job in Taiwan. Sol arrived there a year or two later. She’s the only friend still single and living in Taipei. So, she ended up being the only friend I saw. I booked the charming Madison Taipei hotel. From Taipei, I headed to the coastal town of Touchang. The Qi Hua Zhen Ju Homestay guesthouse loaned me a used bicycle, without a lock. “No one steals, in Taiwan!” Mind blown! I was back in Taipei, in time for Sol’s birthday. We hit a local spa and then celebrate with her friends. The next day, I checked out of the City Suites Taipei Nanxi hotel and headed to the airport.

“We just purchased our tickets!” The email announced. Two friends had decided to meet me in Italy. One small problem, I was in South Korea. Once in Seoul, I realized that the Dongdaemun Hotel was a big mistake. It’s a hotel and a residential complex. The hotel felt like an afterthought. I decided to be a tourist and do a DMZ tour. The tour and the hotel are tied for last place. There was a lot of “busy” walking, while waiting for the time slot to actually drive into the DMZ. I had a much better time on Jeju Island. The flight was very short. My hotel, the Jeju Hotel and Casino, was near the airport and in a good location. And, bonus points, the local Hop on/Hop off tour bus stop was just across the street from the hotel.

I arrived in Israel, on Memorial Day. I stood silent, when the one-minute siren sounded, at 8:00 pm. Then, I took the train to Tel Aviv and taxied to The O Pod Hotel. The following morning was Independence Day. I watched the military flyovers, from the hotel’s beachfront patio. I had two goals, finding a laundromat and visiting Saint Nicholas Monastery. The latter is the Armenian monastery, built in the first millennium AD, in nearby Old Jaffa. Then, a friend touring around Israel, messaged me that her final stop was Tel Aviv. After she arrived, we made our way to Jaffa. Then, I was off to Dubai. I slept in nearby airport hotel. The next morning, I took a taxi from Terminal 3 to Terminal 2, (long story) and made my way to Tbilisi, Georgia.

A Returned Peace Corps Armenia friend mentioned that she was currently working in Georgia. I had never visited the country, during my entire two years of service in Armenia. I booked the flight from Dubai and decided to stay for a few days and then take the overnight train to Yerevan. My hotel was the wonderfully amazing IBIS Styles Tbilisi Center. It’s located in the heart of downtown, steps away Freedom Square (Liberty Square). The Hop on Hop off bus starts at the square. Walking to the hotel, I noticed a shopping mall and access to the metro. The hotel felt far removed, as it’s situated up a quiet side road, lined with local shops and restaurants. The hotel’s breakfast was amazing. Their rooftop restaurant was my go to spot and the free coffee/tea station, in the lobby, was perfection.

My overnight train ride to Yerevan seems like the perfect place to end part one of this year long adventure. I did a lot of traveling from November 30th to my arrival in Armenia on May 8th. Part two, including my walking the Camino de Santiago is next! Many thanks to all of you, both new and old followers!

Thanks for being part of GhettoGirlTravels! XOXO— GGT