Schedule for Asia 2012

I think, finally, my plans for SE Asia in January/February are firm.  Amazingly enough!  So, loyal blog readers, here is my schedule. 

January 5th, 2012:  depart Ottawa with Glenn and Ralph, meet up with Andy in the Toronto airport, fly to Bangkok via Hong Kong

January 6th, 2012:  arrive in Bangkok, Thailand

January 7th - 10th, 2012:  tour Bangkok and area with mineralogy friends

January 10th - 14th, 2012:  Burapha University near ThaMai (Chanthaburi area) to visit with friends and colleagues, visit gem mines, gem market, fruit market, and eat copious seafood

January 15th, 2012:  travel by train from Bangkok to Aryan Prathet and walk across the Thailand-Cambodia border to Poipet, Cambodia.  Take taxi from Poipet to Siem Reap, Cambodia

January 16th - 17th, 2012:  visit Angkor Wat

January 18th, 2012:  travel by boat down the Tonle Sap to Phnom Penh

January 19th - 20th, 2012:  meetings with staff at Hanuman Travel to organize trip to Ratanakiri

January 21st - 30th, 2012:  visit zircon mines in Ratanakiri province, visit Kratie river dolphins as a side-trip, visit topaz mine near Phnom Penh

January 31st - February 4th, 2012:  Put Andy on a plane back to Toronto; Rockin4Tabitha House Build in Koh Kong province (stay in Sihanoukville)

February 6th, 2012:  back to Bangkok

February 7th - 16th, 2012:  Put Glenn and Ralph on a plane back to Ottawa; Hua Hin, Thailand for some beach time and Muay Thai at Por Promin Muay Thai

February 18th, 2012:  fly back to Canada

I think that's it so far.  And accommodations are pretty much organized and booked.  With only a month and a bit to go, I think we are on our way!  All my boys have their shots (or are booked to get them) and know what they need to pack (or NOT pack!).  With the amount of overland travel we're going to do, they have been advised to travel lightly!  It's way too difficult to walk across borders and chuck bags into the back of a bus/train/boat/car/tuk-tuk when you have a massive suitcase.  Much easier with a 45 L backpack or the like. 

My bag of choice is my trusty, well-worn and well-loved 45 L Millet pack that I bought when I lived in Paris.  It's my pride and joy, has been everywhere with me and has survived, even when being used as a rock bag and flung down a hillside.  It's been to northern Ontario to a fly-in camp to haul fenites, syenites and carbonatites around for a week through the bush and in a fishing boat, been up and down the French Alps for hiking and skiing, been to Scotland to collect various rocks during an IMA field trip to the Isle of Skye, been to Thailand many times, and all across Canada including Nunavut.  It's logged many miles!! 

It's been a long week.  It's the end of the semester and that means preparation of final exams, lab exams, take-home assignments, marking, etc.  On top of it, my plan is to submit two manuscripts before leaving for Asia (fingers crossed).  I also want to get all the "maintenance" stuff out of the way - stocking up on dogfood, dentist appointment, doctor's appointment, optometrist appointment, truck in for its regular maintenance.  All pre-trip planning that needs to happen.  Christmas?  Ya, that's in there somewhere, but it's easier to handle since I'm not heading north.