 We started off our Cambodian adventure in the capital city, Phnom Penh. We did a few walking tours and explored night markets, but the most unforgettable experiences were visiting the Killing Fields of Choeung Ek and the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, also known as S-21. The Killing Fields of Choeung Ek In 1975, the Khmer Rouge (communists) came to Phnom Penh and started forcing everyone out of the city. Some people were sent to work on farms and labor camps, others were sent to the killing fields because of their intelligence, and some were accused of being traitors. Around 2 million people died from overwork, starvation, disease, and the killing fields. We visited Choeung Ek, the most well-known of the Killing Fields, located about 17 km south of Phnom Penh. This site was once an orchard, but between 1975 and 1979, it became a place where over 8,000 people were executed and buried in mass graves. Many of the victims were former prisoners from the S-21 prison. Walking through Choeung Ek was chilling. We saw the Buddhist memorial stupa, a tall tower filled with over 5,000 human skulls, some of which showed signs of trauma. The stupa has glass sides, so you can see the skulls stacked inside. It’s a powerful reminder of the atrocities that happened here. Around the site, there are pits where the mass graves were excavated. Even today, after heavy rains, bones and clothing fragments sometimes surface from the ground. We could see pieces of bones still in the ground as we silently walked through the site. It’s a stark reminder of the lives lost. One of the most disturbing sights was the “Killing Tree”, where executioners would kill children by smashing them against the trunk before throwing their bodies into the nearby pit. It’s hard to imagine such cruelty, but it’s important to learn about these events to ensure they never happen again. Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (S-21) After the Killing Fields, we returned to Phnom Phen to visit the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, which was once a high school before the Khmer Rouge turned it into Security Prison 21 (S-21). Between 1975 and 1979, this place became one of the most notorious prisons in Cambodia. Walking through the old classrooms, we saw tiny brick cells where prisoners were kept. The walls were covered with black-and-white photos of the people who were imprisoned there. Out of the estimated 20,000 people who were detained at S-21, only 12 are known to have survived. One of the most shocking parts was seeing the rusted bed frames with shackles still attached. In some rooms, there were photographs showing how the rooms looked when the Vietnamese army discovered the prison in 1979. Even though it was a very sad and heavy experience, visiting S-21 helped me understand more about Cambodia’s history.  Fun Times in Phnom Penh Phnom Penh wasn’t all serious stuff—we had a blast exploring the city’s fun side too! We spent the first afternoon on a walking tour which took us all around the center of Phnom Penh to see different monuments, the royal palace, a night market, and some temples. Another evening, we visited the Phnom Penh Night Market, which was buzzing with energy. We sat on mats under the stars, choosing plates of sizzling noodle and grilled meats. The best part? Sipping on fresh sugarcane juice that was crushed right there at the stall—it was super sweet, green, and refreshing! Another highlight was taking a night cruise on the Mekong River. As the sun set, we boarded one of the large wooden boats docked on the Mekong river. The hour cruise started as the city lights sparkled, and we got to see the Royal Palace and other landmarks glowing in the dark. It was a great way to see the city without a million people everywhere. Getting around the city was fun too—we loved hopping into colorful tuk-tuks, the three-wheeled taxis that zoom through traffic. It is amazing how they slip through the traffic without getting into crashes. We couldn’t get enough of the delicious Cambodian food and my mom even tried the crickets and tarantulas (they eat insects and spiders in Cambodia). From savory noodles to local Lok Lak with lemon pepper sauce, every meal was delicious. 🏝️ Week 2: Koh Rong Island This week, we traveled from the busy capital city of Phnom Penh to a small, quiet island called Koh Rong, off the southern coast of Cambodia. Koh Rong is the second-largest island in Cambodia, covering about 78 square kilometers, and it’s known for its pristine white sandy beaches and crystal-clear waters. We drove for about 4 hours to reach the coast, then hopped on a boat to the island. The boat ride was super bumpy—kind of like a Disneyland ride! But once we arrived, the water was so clear and perfect for swimming. My dad and I rented a motorcycle to explore the island. The roads were a mix of paved and dirt paths, making the ride feel like an adventure. We discovered hidden beaches and saw some local villages along the way. One day, we went on a tour that included fishing, snorkeling, and swimming with bioluminescent plankton. Snorkeling was fun, but the coral was so close to the surface that it almost touched our feet! For fishing, we didn’t use regular fishing poles—instead, we had plastic cylinders with string attached. I caught one small fish, which was exciting and the chef even cooked it up as apart of our dinner even though it wasn’t a big catch. After dinner, we went for a night swim to see the bioluminescence. It was amazing! We jumped into the ocean, even though it was pitch black, and when we hit the water- light exploded around us! When we moved our arms and legs in the water, tiny glowing dots surrounded us, like swimming through a sea of stars. It was my favorite part of the tour. Koh Rong was such a cool place to visit, with its beautiful beaches, adventurous activities, and glowing night swims. I had a blast exploring the island! After a week of splashing in the waves at Koh Rong, we packed our bags and set off for Battambang, a quiet town in Cambodia’s countryside. “Battambang” means “Lost Stick” in Khmer. Legend says a prince lost his magical staff here, and there’s even a statue of him holding a stick in the city! To get there, first, we had to return to the mainland so we jumped on a 45-minute speedboat—it was so bumpy that it had my mom looking for the life jackets (just in case!) ! Then came a 7-hour drive through the country. Thankfully, the roads were super smooth and on a modern highway. After a long day of travel, we signed up for a tuk-tuk tour of the area for the next morning. First, we hopped on the famous Bamboo Train. It’s basically a flat bamboo platform on wheels with a small engine underneath. It was super hot and sunny, so we wrapped ourselves in colorful sarongs to protect from the sun. The ride was fast and bumpy, like a roller coaster made of bamboo! We zipped past green rice fields, saw cows chilling by the tracks, and even crossed a little wooden bridge over a river. Fun fact: these trains can go up to 30–40 km/h—faster than you’d think for something made of bamboo! Later, we visited the Lakhan Killing Cave of Phnom Sampeau, a place with a very sad history. During the Khmer Rouge’s rule from 1975 to 1979, many people were killed here and their bodies were thrown into the caves. Inside, we saw glass cases filled with human skulls and bones—a haunting reminder of the past. It was eerie and made me think about how brave the Cambodian people are to remember and honor their history. As we left, hundreds of thousands of bats flew out of nearby caves at sunset, creating a black cloud in the sky. Rat Barbecue One of the most unique things we did was try rat barbecue! In Cambodia, especially in rural areas like Battambang, grilled field rats are a common snack . They eat healthy diets of rice and crops, so their meat is considered clean and tasty. We found a street vendor grilling them over charcoal, and I decided to get out of my comfort zone and try it out. The meat was juicy and tasted like chicken, especially with the spicy dipping sauce. When it came to the brain and liver… nope! I passed on those. Still, trying rat was an experience I’ll never forget. After two exciting days in Battambang, it was time to head to our final destination: Siem Reap, the cultural capital of Cambodia and home to the famous Angkor Wat temples. I couldn’t wait to see what adventures awaited us there! Final Week: Siem Reap Our main reason for visiting Siem Reap was to see the legendary Angkor Wat—the biggest temple complex in the world! It’s even larger than Karnak Temple in Egypt, which we visited earlier on our trip. Built in the 1100s by King Suryavarman II, Angkor Wat was originally a Hindu temple dedicated to Vishnu but later became a Buddhist temple. The temple is massive—about 5,100 feet (1,554 meters) long and 4,498 feet (1,371 meters) wide—and is surrounded by a moat and a wall. The five towers at the center are designed to represent Mount Meru, the home of the gods in Hindu mythology. One of the coolest things we learned is that Angkor Wat is so important to Cambodia that it’s featured on the national flag! Another amazing temple we explored was Ta Prohm, also known as the “Tomb Raider Temple” because it was featured in the movie Lara Croft: Tomb Raider. This temple is famous for the giant trees growing out of its ruins. Their roots twist and turn over the stone walls, making it look like the jungle is swallowing the temple! The trees are mostly strangler figs and silk-cotton trees, which have massive roots that snake over the temple walls. It’s like nature and history are hugging each other! Walking through Ta Prohm felt like stepping into a real-life adventure movie. After 2 days of exploring temples, we booked a tour to visit the APOPO Visitor Center in Siem Reap and learned about the amazing “HeroRATs”—giant African pouched rats trained to sniff out landmines. These rats are super smart and have an incredible sense of smell, which helps them detect explosives buried underground. They are very lightweight so they can walk over landmines without setting them off, making them perfect for this dangerous job. At the center, we watched a live demonstration where a rat found a hidden landmine and signaled its location by scratching the ground. It was so cool to see them in action! We also learned about Magawa, one of the most famous HeroRATs, who sniffed out over 100 landmines in Cambodia during his five-year career. He even received a gold medal for his bravery! Visiting the APOPO center was both fun and educational, and it showed us how even small animals can make a big difference in making the world a safer place. Happy Khmer New Year! With so much to do, we didn’t realize that we arrived in Siem Reap right before the Khmer New Year, and it turned out to be one of my favorite experiences on this whole trip! The best part? A city-wide, giant water fight! People lined the sidewalks armed with buckets of icy water, hoses, and water guns, ready to soak anyone passing by. On our first day, we didn’t expect it to be too crazy, so we went out to lunch and got completely drenched. After that, we bought our own water guns to join in the fun. Some people stood on the sidewalks and dumped full buckets of water on random strangers as they walked or drove by. It was super hot outside, so getting wet actually felt really nice. Others rode around in trucks with huge jugs of water, spraying anyone they passed. It was wild! Another big part of the celebration was baby powder. People would walk up to you and gently rub powder on your face as you walked by. By the end of the day, everyone was soaking wet and covered in white powder. It was messy, crazy, and super fun! Our month in Cambodia went by in a flash! Even though it was super hot the entire time, I really liked Cambodia. Each place we visited was different, and we got to do a lot of cool things. We learned about some really sad history, swam in sparkling water, and got soaked every day during the New Year. It was a fun few weeks and definitely one of the most exciting countries we’ve been to!
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This was our second time visiting Vietnam! A few years ago, in the summer of 2023, we traveled through the northern part of the country, visiting places like Hanoi, Tam Coc/Ninh Binh, Halong Bay, Hoi An and Da Nang. But this time, we explored the south—and it was totally different! We started in the bustling city of Ho Chi Minh City and then ended our trip relaxing on a quiet little island called Con Dao. Our first stop was Ho Chi Minh City, which used to be called Saigon. Even though the official name changed after the Vietnam War, a lot of people still call it Saigon today. It’s a huge, modern city now, filled with tall skyscrapers, fancy malls, tasty restaurants, and more motorbikes than I’ve ever seen in one place. Seriously—there were so many motorbikes, it felt like the streets were rivers of scooters! Saigon was once part of French Indochina, and the French ruled it from 1859 until 1954. You can still see the influence in some of the buildings, like the old post office and the Notre-Dame Cathedral, which look super European. After the French left, the American military got involved in the Vietnam War, supporting the South Vietnamese government against the Communist North. Saigon was the capital of South Vietnam until 1975, when the North took over and the war ended. After that, the city was renamed Ho Chi Minh City, after the leader of the North, Ho Chi Minh. One of the coolest (and kind of scariest) things we did was visit the Cu Chi Tunnels. These tunnels were used by the Viet Cong—the Communist fighters in the South—during the war. They hid underground to stay safe, travel secretly, and store weapons and food. Some people even lived in the tunnels for years! There are over 150 miles of tunnels, and some go down three levels deep, up to 33 feet underground. There were tiny hidden entrances covered with leaves so enemies couldn’t find them. They even had underground kitchens and hospitals! We visited a less crowded section of the tunnels about two hours outside the city, which was great because there weren’t huge crowds. Only the top level of the tunnels is open to tourists, and they made them 30% wider than the originals—but they were still super narrow. It was SO hot down there, and my dad almost got stuck halfway through! I had to crawl through parts on my hands and knees, and when we finally popped out into the sunlight, I was so happy. After the tunnels, we learned about some of the traps used during the war and wow, they were intense: -Bamboo Sticks: Sharp bamboo sticks hidden in holes to injure soldiers who stepped on them. -Tiger Traps: Deep pits filled with spikes, covered with leaves to hide them. -Swinging Spike Traps: Spikes that would swing down when someone triggered them. - Trip Wires: Thin wires that set off things like explosions or other traps. It was kind of spooky, but also really interesting to see how the Viet Cong defended themselves with stuff they made from the jungle. After a week of exploring war tunnels and learning about history, we were ready for some relaxing time. So we flew to a peaceful island called Con Dao. Con Dao is off the southern coast of Vietnam, and it’s part of a group of islands called the Con Dao Archipelago. At first, we thought it would just be a chill island with nice beaches (which it totally was), but what surprised us was how important this island is in Vietnam’s history. Con Dao Prison, also known as the Con Son Prison (known to the locals as “hell on Earth”), was used by the French and later by the Americans to hold political prisoners. It was built in the 1800s and became super well-known because of how terrible the conditions were. Prisoners were tortured and kept in tiny, hot cells called “tiger cages”—iron-barred roof cells where they couldn’t stand up straight or lie down properly. It was really sad to learn about, but also powerful, because many of the people imprisoned there later became leaders in Vietnam’s fight for independence. We didn’t expect to learn so much on this little island, and it was kind of crazy to realize how much history it held. For many Vietnamese people, Con Dao is a symbol of strength, resistance, and sacrifice. After learning all that, we spent the rest of our time just soaking in the island’s peaceful side. The best part was riding a motorbike around. We rented one for a few days, and it was my first time ever riding on a motorbike—and it was awesome! We circled the whole island in just three hours. The roads were super quiet, and sometimes it felt like we had the whole island to ourselves. There were gorgeous beaches, green mountains, and barely any traffic. After driving around, we always went back to our favorite restaurant—May Bistro. We seriously ate there almost every single day. The food was amazing! Our favorite dish was Bún Thịt Nướng, which is grilled pork served over rice noodles. It comes with fresh herbs, crunchy peanuts, pickled veggies, and this sweet and tangy fish sauce that you pour on top. I could eat that dish forever. Oman is a beautiful country with lots to see and lots to do. From the hot sandy dunes, to the beautiful Grand Mosque and wadis, it’s truly breathtaking. We did a bit of everything, and each place was special in its own way. My top 3 experiences in Oman 1: Grand Mosque The Grand Mosque was a gift to the people of Oman from Sultan Qaboos and was created in 2001. It is the biggest mosque in Oman and has a stunning chandelier that weighs over 8 tons- mostly in Swarovski crystals. The Grand Mosque is easily the most impressive mosque I have ever seen. It has 5 minarets, which symbolize the five pillars of Islam. We were very fortunate to go inside the mosque because most mosques in Oman are only open to Muslim worshipers. We made sure to leave plenty of time to explore the mosque before the call to prayer indicated that all non-worshipping visitors had to leave. 2: Wadis A wadi is a dry riverbed that fills up with water during the rainy season, mostly found in Oman. In the past, travelers and traders used wadis as a natural pathway through the mountains and desert. With the hot weather of Oman, it’s a perfect way to cool down while still exploring Oman. Some wadis even have tiny fish that nibble at your feet. It tickles a lot, but it’s super fun to get a “free pedicure”. We swam in some of the wadis and on others just put our feet in. 3: Desert Camp We drove about 2 hours outside of Muscat to once again experience the desert! Before beginning our drive, we let the air out of our tires, preparing for our drive through the sand. The ride was rough and a little scary especially without a 4x4, but we made it safely. We made it just in time for sunset and started tracking up the high dunes. It was incredibly difficult walking up the dunes because your feet would sink in the sand and start sinking down. When we finally made it up, we found a few sleds and slid down the dunes. It was super fun, if only we didn’t have to climb back up again. My favorite thing about the desert? Dune Bashing! The dune bashing wasn’t as intense as in Egypt, but the experience of staying at the desert camp made up for it. It was so much fun to climb, slide, and then we even watched a movie in the desert before dinner. After the exhausting day in the dunes, we headed off to bed, getting ready to drive back in the morning. Oman was such an awesome adventure! There was so much to see and do, and every place we visited felt completely different from the last. The Grand Mosque was huge and super fancy, the wadis were perfect for cooling off, and the desert was just pure fun—especially the sledding! I loved how every experience was exciting in its own way. I never thought I’d get a fish pedicure, climb giant sand dunes, and explore a massive mosque all in the same trip! Oman is definitely a place I’d love to visit again someday. India is one of the most colorful and exciting countries in the world. From the spicy street food to the crazy traffic, everything feels like an adventure. My family and I traveled through different parts of India, and I got to experience some of the coolest things—from riding in tuk-tuks to visiting the world-famous Taj Mahal. Here are some of my favorite moments from our trip! 1: Street Food in Chennai Walking through the streets of Chennai felt like playing Crossy Road in real life. Tuk-tuks, cars, and motorcycles zoomed past us, and we had to be quick to dodge them—it was both terrifying and fun! Chennai is famous for its street food, and my parents were excited to try everything. Did you know that Chennai is known as the food capital of South India? The city is famous for dishes like idli, dosa, and spicy Chettinad cuisine. Unfortunately, most of the food was way too spicy for me, so I stuck to drinking fresh coconut water and some of the milder foods. But seeing all the different foods, colorful stalls, and street vendors was really cool. If you ever visit Chennai, I’d definitely recommend doing a food tour—just be ready for the heat! 2: Riding in Tuk-Tuks If you think Indian traffic is wild, wait until you ride in a tuk-tuk! These tiny three-wheeled vehicles are one of the most common (and most fun) ways to get around. Riding in a tuk-tuk feels like being in a real-life video game—dodging cars, squeezing through tiny streets, and zipping past buses. My favorite part? Bargaining for the price! I love arguing with tuk-tuk drivers, and their reactions are hilarious when you offer them a ridiculously low price. It’s all part of the fun. Pro tip: Always negotiate, or you’ll probably end up paying double what a ride actually costs! 3: Staying Overnight on a Houseboat In Allepey, Kerala, we got to stay on a houseboat, which was one of the most unique things I’ve ever done. Houseboats were originally used to transport rice, spices, and goods through the backwaters, but now they’re mostly for tourists. Our boat was small but super cozy, and we spent most of our time on the deck, watching the peaceful jungle scenery pass by. The best part? The ice cream boat! A tiny canoe pulled up next to us, selling different flavors of ice cream, including kulfi, a creamy Indian dessert made from milk, sugar, and cardamom. Eating ice cream while floating through the backwaters was definitely a highlight of the trip! 4: Visiting the Taj Mahal (and other sites in Agra) The Taj Mahal is one of the most famous landmarks in the world, and after seeing it in person, I understand why. Built in the 1600s by Emperor Shah Jahan as a tomb for his wife, the Taj Mahal is made entirely of white marble that changes color depending on the time of day. It was even more beautiful than I expected, with massive gardens and intricate designs on the walls. The only downside? The three-hour drive from New Delhi felt like forever. But once we got there, it was totally worth it. The Taj Mahal is definitely one of the coolest places I’ve ever been! 5: Exploring a Spice Farm & Tea Plantation India has been known for its spices for centuries—in fact, 70% of the world’s spices come from India! In Munnar (in the state of Kerala), we visited a local spice farm where we got to see, touch, smell, and even taste different spice plants. I loved tasting the fresh cinnamon and smelling the jasmine flowers. We also visited the Lockhart Tea Company plantation, where we saw how tea leaves are hand-picked, dried, and processed. It was crazy to see how much work goes into making a single cup of tea! India was full of surprises, from the delicious food to the chaotic streets and beautiful scenery. While some parts were overwhelming (like the traffic and spice levels), everything we did was an adventure. Whether it was bargaining for tuk-tuk rides, eating ice cream on a houseboat, or standing in front of the Taj Mahal, every experience was something I’ll never forget. More Photos from India: Egypt was an adventure like no other. From the massive pyramids of Giza to the incredible desert dunes, every day was packed with something new and exciting. Here’s a breakdown of what we did on our incredible journey. Day 1: We started our trip with a visit to the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization in Cairo, and it was so cool! The museum covers the entire history of Egypt, from prehistoric times to modern day. The building itself was really modern, and inside, there were tons of ancient artifacts, statues, and even jewelry from thousands of years ago. The best part was the Royal Mummies Hall, where we saw the actual mummies of famous pharaohs like Ramses II and Hatshepsut. It was crazy to think that these rulers lived thousands of years ago, yet their bodies were still so well-preserved! Day 2: We started off this morning early at 8:00 am. We first went to the Great Pyramid and went inside which was very cool. There were stairs inside the pyramid that we climbed and it was very interesting to see but it was also extremely hot. After, we visited the Great Sphinx of Giza which is an enormous statue made of lime stone with the body of a lion and the head of a human. After visiting these cool sites we went to eat a traditional food called Koshary- it has pasta, rice, tomato sauce, chickpeas, fried onions, and lime. It was really delicious but it didn’t look very appealing. We then went back to the hotel to end off the night. Day 3: We didn’t do much today besides driving. We drove from Cairo to Siwa which was about a 10 hour drive. We stoped half way for some food which was chicken, rice, and soup. When we finally arrived to Siwa we went to the beach for sunset, fresh fruit juices, and dinner. Day 4: Today was our first day in Siwa. We went to the lakes which was saltier than the Dead Sea in Israel. We are here in Egypt in the winter so it was absolutely frigid but we had to go in and float. We went in and floated until we needed to move on but we found that we didn’t want to get out after acclimating to the water. After the salt lake we had some juices, a quick shower, and changed into our clothes. Later, we had lamb with couscous for lunch and returned to our hotel to relax for the evening. Day 5: Today was one of the funnest days ever. We went sand boarding and drove a 4X4 car up and down these massive sand dunes which was so fun. It felt like we were on a roller coaster. We stopped to see many fossils which were pretty cool and very satisfying to crack. After we ended our day of the sand dunes, we headed back to eat dinner and pack up to drive back the next day. Day 6: Today, we did the 10 hour car drive, again. We stopped at the same spot to eat lunch which was lamb, soup, and rice this time which was delicious. When we made it to our hotel we ate at the lounge and went to sleep. Day 7: This day was a long day. We ate some breakfast at our hotel and then we immediately drove to the is brand new museum in Cairo, The Grand Egyptian Museum. It is the biggest museum I have ever been to. We learned about the pharaohs, reincarnation, mummification, and their beliefs. It was so big you could probably spend a whole day reading and seeing the artifacts. We spent a few hours at the museum then made a quick stop at Starbucks for some drinks then headed to the Red and Bent pyramids. We climbed up the Bent pyramid which was super cool and had so many bats alll over the walls and roof. There was a great breeze through this pyramid and so it was much cooler than the Great Pyramid. After this long exhausting day we went back to our hotel to pack up for our early 6:45 am flight tomorrow to go to Aswan. Day 8: Today was utterly exhausting. We woke up for our 6:45 am flight at 4am and the drive took about 45 minutes. We went through security easily and then hoped on our flight. The flight was short and we all slept the entire time. We landed and got all of our stuff and started our Nile River Cruise tour. We met our tour guide named Ahmed who was very nice and we started our drive to the first destination, the Aswan Dam. We didn’t do too much at the dam besides taking a few photos and left. Next, we drove to a temple called Philae Temple. To reach it, we took a boat,which was very fun and relaxing. This temple is dedicated to the goddess Isis, the goddess of healing, motherhood, magic, and protection. The temple had many carvings on the walls that told stories about Isis and other gods. You could even see carvings from people who visited this temple all the way back to 1830. This was a cool site to visit and definitely very interesting to see the evidence of travelers here over the centuries. After the temple we went to check into our Nile cruise which didn’t look very nice at first but once we walked in it was very nice. We ate some food at the buffet and relaxed for the rest of the day. We were exhausted from our early morning wake-up so this was needed! Day 9: Today we visited Kom Ombo Temple which was really interesting because it’s actually two temples in one. It’s dedicated to two gods, Sobek the crocodile god, and Horus the falcon god. There were so many carvings in the walls of Horus and Sobek which were very detailed and very well preserved. After exploring the temple, we went to the Crocodile Museum nearby. It had mummified crocodiles, which were gross but cool. Afterward, we headed back to the cruise and spent the rest of the night relaxing on the Nile and enjoying the Christmas Eve dinner onboard. Day 10: Merry Christmas! Today we started the day bright and early at 6:00 am to go to Edfu Temple. We traveled there by a carridge that was pulled by horses, which was kind of fun but it didn’t smell the best. The temple is dedicated to Horus the falcon god and it’s one of the most well preserved temples in Egypt. Day 11: Today we saw what we have all been waiting for: Luxor, the Valley of the Kings, and finally, Karnak Temple. First, we visited Luxor Temple at night and it was amazing to see it all lit up in the dark. Before the Valley of the Kings we went on a hot air balloon ride. After the hot air balloon ride we went straight to The Valley of the Kings. I enjoyed looking around the tombs and seeing all the hieroglyphics but I think it is a bit overrated considering there are so many other cool tombs. Finally, it was time for our last stop— Karnak Temple. Karnak Temple in Luxor, Egypt, is one of the biggest religious sites in the world— and the 2nd largest temple complex in the world only after Angkor Wat in Cambodia! Built over 2,000 years, it was a sacred place for the gods, especially Amun-Ra. The temple has 134 massive columns, giant statues, and an ancient road lined with sphinxes. Pharaohs kept adding to it for centuries, making it a never-ending construction project. Walking through Karnak feels like stepping into a stone forest built for giants! This was the last day of our tour which was a bit sad to end but I was happy to sleep in the next few days by the Red Sea in Hurgada. Overall, I really liked Egypt. It was such a cool place to visit. The history, the temples, and even just driving through the Sahara desert made it such a unique experience. Seeing the pyramids in real life and exploring ancient tombs was definitely a highlight. It was a great trip to end 2024!  Athens is such a cool city, but the best part was definitely the Parthenon! It’s this huge ancient temple sitting way up on a giant rock called the Acropolis. We visited in the winter, which was perfect because there was a lot of walking to get to the top. I can’t imagine doing it in the summer heat! The Parthenon was built a really long time ago—between 447 and 438 BCE—for Athena, the goddess of war and wisdom. People used it to give her offerings and sacrifices, and there was even a massive gold statue of her inside! No one really knows what happened to it, which makes it even more interesting. I also learned that the Parthenon wasn’t always just a temple, it was actually turned into a church for almost 1,000 years when the Byzantine Empire took over. Then, when the Ottoman Empire invaded, they made it into a mosque. It was so cool to walk around and imagine what it must have been like in all those different time periods! Besides all the history, one of my favorite things about Greece was the food. Greek salads and gyros were everywhere, and I think I could eat gyros every day and never get tired of them. They’re pita wraps filled with meat, veggies, and tzatziki sauce, and they’re HUGE. The pita was always warm and soft, and every bite was amazing. But the absolute best surprise in Greece? The cats! There were so many, and they were everywhere—even at the Parthenon! The stray cats in Greece look so well-fed because people leave food and water outside their houses for them. I loved spotting them all over the city, and sometimes I even got to pet them, which was really exciting. Between the history, the food, and the adorable cats, Greece was definitely one of my favorite places we’ve visited so far. It’s 100% in my top three! After spending time in the busy streets of Athens, we headed north to the city of Thessaloniki—and it felt like a completely different world! Thessaloniki was so much calmer, WAY smaller, and had some of the best shopping and food. But the best part? My grandma came with us! Since we were there during Christmas, we got to keep up one of our favorite traditions—baking Christmas sugar cookies. It felt so special to be in a different country but still doing something that reminded me of home. When we weren’t busy making (and eating) cookies, we spent our days walking around the city, trying delicious food, and just enjoying the slower pace of Thessaloniki. It’s not as popular as Athens, but that made it even better. It was such a fun and relaxing part of our trip, and I loved getting to experience a different side of Greece. After Italy we visited a very different place…different culturally, different foods, and even a different continent… Morocco! Morocco was one of my favorite countries we’ve been to so far. It had everything I love: cats, good food, and friendly people. The cats were so sweet and loving that I wanted to adopt every single one of them. We even fed some of the cats on the roof of our riad in Fez! Fez was a great place to visit and our Airbnb was in the perfect location, the Medina (old town). The Fez medina is the largest in the world with over 9300 streets! Every day in Fez, we explored the medina and discovered something new. The narrow streets were filled with cats and stalls, selling everything from fresh fruits and spices, to pottery and rugs. The medina was like a maze, we got lost many times but it was still so much fun walking around petting all of the cats. The Airbnb we stayed in was really cool. It was a 400 year old, traditional Moroccan house called a Riad which had a tiny pool at the entrance and so many stairs. There were 5 floors and a roof top deck! One of the best parts was our daily dinner in the riad. We had a home cooked, traditional Moroccan meal each evening starting with a vegetable or lentil soup, mezzes (dips, salads and breads), and a tagine main course. My favorite was the lamb and cous cous with vegetables. The house and location was perfect except we stayed next to a mosque and their minaret which announced a call to prayer every day at 6 a.m. for 30 minutes. Even with the early wake up, Fez was definitely one of my top cities in Morocco. After a great week in Fez, we needed to get to Marrakesh. We took a 5 day desert tour and drove from Fez all the way to Marrakesh. We went through the Merzouga desert dunes, stayed a night in a desert camp, hiked through the Dades gorge, passed the Atlas Mountains, visited an old Kasbah, and even toured a movie studio where many Hollywood movies have been filmed. Every night we and stayed in a differentI local riad, camp, or hotel. It was an amazing tour where we had so many unique experiences. We took camel rides, listened to live Berber music, had a desert ATV tour, and I had 2 delicious birthday cakes. I turned 12 on this desert tour which was pretty cool to spend my 12th birthday in the Sahara desert and the birthday cakes were delicious. The tour was 5 days long and after tons of driving and fun we finally arrived in Marrakesh. Marrakesh was a very different city experience. While we didn’t see many things there, I loved the Majorelle Garden and the lively Jemaa el-Fnaa square. The garden was very peaceful and so beautiful with all the plants and flowers. It did feel a little bit short but it was worth it. On the other hand, the square was busy and filled with stalls and street performers. The square was nice and all but we were harassed by many people trying to get us to buy from their stall. Besides from that, Marrakesh was a beautiful city. The last place we visited was Taghazout Bay on the northern coast of Morocco. The sandy beaches were beautiful and there were tons of surfers trying to catch the biggest waves. The water was way too cold for me but the weather was great! Overall, Morocco was a great country to visit and I would totally go back! After 2 weeks of exploring Italy, our visit to Pompeii was definitely the coolest. Pompeii was a city close to modern day Naples, Italy. Walking through Pompeii was like walking through the past. You can still see the roads, houses, and shops 2000 years later. Pompeii was my favorite activity in Italy and most fascinating ancient cites we have explored. Pompeii was a city in Ancient Rome that was home to many people and families. It was a city full of markets, people, and temples located near Mount Vesuvius. The people of ancient Pompeii did not know that Mount Vesuvius was actually a volcano that was close to eruption. In 79 AD, Mount Vesuvius erupted and killed everybody living there. First, there was tons of ash filling the air and rocks raining down on people for 20 hours. Almost all the roofs collapsed and the houses were destroyed. If you survived the rock fall more deadly events were bound to kill you. Hot ash and gasses filled the air quickly which when inhaled killed them slowly and painfully. Before this eruption, life in Pompeii was pretty good. Rich families lived in big homes with courtyards, gardens and fountains. The walls in the homes were decorated with mosaics which only wealthy families had. Middle class families lived in smaller homes above shops. Most families did not have kitchens in their homes and it was cool to see the remains of the “fast food” restaurants of the ancient city. Pompeii was a busy but nice place to live with people visiting the amphitheater for dramas, visiting the public bath houses and shopping in the busy markets. Our visit to Pompeii was the perfect way to end our two weeks in Italy!  One of the most memorable places in Poland was our trip to the Auschwitz’s-Birkenau concentration camp about 1.5 hours outside of Krakow. We learned a lot and saw things that are hard to imagine. This is what I learned from our guide. From 1939-1945 Nazi Germany sent millions of people to concentration and death camps. One of the biggest ones was Auschwitz-Birkenau in southern Poland. A concentration camp is a place where the Nazis forced millions of people to hard work and live with hardly any food or water. These people were not intended to survive. The first people who were sent were soviet political prisoners and progressed to the attempted extermination of the Jewish people in Europe. By the end of World War II, the Nazis had killed over 1.3 million people, mostly Jewish, at the Auschwitz camp alone. They took people from their homes and lied about relocating them just to send them to their deaths. They were loaded into train cars with no windows for air, no food, no water, and no bathrooms. Many people died on the journey and were left inside the cars with the other passengers. When they arrived at the Birkenau train platforms, the people were sorted by a Nazi doctor who told them either to go right or left. What they didn’t know is that they were either going to be sent to hard work or straight to the gas chambers. The people who were sent to the gas chambers were told they were going to take a shower after the long journey. Instead of showering they were thrown in the gas chambers to be killed after only 25 minutes. After they all were killed, the soldiers went in and cut off their hair, took out their gold fillings in their teeth if they had them, and then burned the bodies in a crematorium. The hair was they cut of was sold to German companies to make ‘hair cloth’ for blankets and clothes. In Auschwitz we saw all the hair in massive quantities as well as pots, pans, suitcases and shoes from the prisoners. If you were sent to work you worked all day without much food, water, or bathrooms. If you were sick, injured, too old to work, or too young, you immediately were killed when you arrived. The ones who managed to escape (which was very rare) told people what the Germans were doing. Nobody wanted to believe that these awful things were happening so they just ignored it until it was too late. The living conditions were also extremely poor. The prisoners had to sleep in overcrowded, unsanitary barracks on the floor with a light layer of straw but later on they had small mattresses and a thin blanket. During the winters the temperatures could go down to -25 degrees C and the cruelty didn’t stop there. The Nazis viewed the prisoners as less than human. The soldiers wouldn’t refer to prisoners with their names, but were referred to as numbers. This taking away of their identity was all apart of the Nazis plan to make them easier to control and take over. Even if they tried to speak up the prisoners would be punished by being beaten up, sent to the gas chambers, isolated, given no food, or hung. What the Nazis did was one of the most horrible events in history. I can’t believe that what happened at Auschwitz was only 80 years ago. We need to remember what happened in the past so it wont repeat in the future.  Going inside a Turkish Hamaam is a very unique experience that is exciting and relaxing at the same time. It is meant to purify the body as well as relax. We wanted to experience this traditional part of Turkish culture and I didn’t want to miss out! Earlier in the day we made an appointment at 6:45 pm for our Turkish Hammam. Close to 6:15 we headed down to the spa to relax, swim, and sauna before we were greeted by our natirs (female hammam therapists). At first glance the area was quiet and relaxing until we all realized there were no doors. As the ladies were preparing for the treatment we were all told to change into disposable underwear. We were all topless which was normal for my dad but a bit awkward for my mom and I. Next, we lay down on a stone table with towels and then were bombarded with bowls of warm water. Thankfully, there were drains on the ground because there was so much water going everywhere. As we lay there, the therapists started making mountains of bubbles with the towels. They whipped around the towels in circular motions and wrung out the bubbles as they started spilling out everywhere and put them on our bodies. After the bubbles were all over me, she started the massage. She massaged my back with the bubbles and then I flipped over and she finished on the front. After about 25 minutes, my natir told me that the massage was done. I was happy that the treatment wasn’t quite done. She then shampooed my hair and gave be an intense scalp massage. She rinsed me with more fresh, warm water and I felt squeaky clean! I was really bummed because the treatment was finished. The message felt really good but on the bright side, I was happy to have my bathing suit back on. She then escorted me to a spa relaxing room to wait for my parents. My parents’ treatment included a full body scrub with an exfoliating glove to vigorously remove dead skin cells but I was told I couldn’t do that because I was too young. As I was waiting in the relaxing room, I was greeted with some hot ginger tea. Then the relaxing music started playing in the room and I felt like I was going to fall asleep. Shortly after, my parents arrived in the room as well. We all sipped our tea and talked about the Hamaam . We all enjoyed our first Turkish hammam experience and now know what to expect! |
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