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17 Unforgettable Times of 2017

12/17/2017

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The year flew by in whips of whimsy and fun. 2017 hosted a lot of dear lasts and oh, so many sweet firsts. A few BIG events happened that will forever be stamped on our live’s map but there were also hundreds of miniscule choices that created so much joy each and every day. Lots of travel ensued of course, from Asia to South America and many places in between. We said goodbye to our first home away from home, Yangon, and hello to our new love, Istanbul. There was many days of work and plenty of nights of fun. I got to travel with two of my siblings and spend a summer with the rest of them. We packed up our bags and unpacked them so many times, in so many places; sometimes for a night and other times for good (ish). To celebrate it all I have a very VERY special treat for you: One Second a Day - Our 2017 video. Every single day of 2017 I took a one second (or one and a half seconds) video and compiled them all here. I just love the special atmosphere that videos can bring that even the most stunning photograph lacks. Have a watch:
Before we get into the 17 Unforgettable Times of 2017 I want to take a pause and acknowledge the unexpected passing of Robin Ellicott, Kim’s mother. I don’t think I can say it better now, a year later, than I did when she first left us:

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Robin was a soul made of laughter, honesty, and pride. She loved her family, both blood and chosen, with a fierce passion. Always generous, she enjoyed giving to others just to see them joyful. Humor came to her as often as breathing always bringing everyone around her to laughter as well. She welcomed anyone and everyone into her home like family, without judgement or question, including myself. All of my heart and thoughts are with Kimberly, Stan, and the rest of the family today. May you rest in peace dear.”

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Words have left me as I try to explain the impact that this loss has had on Kim and the entire family so instead I will share a few photos of this beautiful soul.

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We are so lucky that Robin and Sonny were always in support of our crazy travels so here go, trying to live our best lives with them in mind. 

17. Sister Trip in Thailand

Not only am I lucky to be living the life I love of travel and art, but I also was able to travel with TWO of my siblings this year! The first of which involved my little sister Sam who took a gap year to do a bit of traveling. April vacation in SouthEast Asia always aligns with the new year, Thingyan in Burmese or Songkran in Thailand, which means massive city wide water fights. I am not a fan of water and wanted to make sure I was far away from this. Kim however wanted to be sure to experience Thingyan in its full capacity. So for April break Kim stayed in Myanmar and partied the week away getting drenched and splashing water. Meanwhile I met up with Sam in Chiang Mai, Thailand where we explored and then escaped even further to the mountain town of Pai. We spent the days lounging and avoiding the water fights and the evenings eating Pad Thai and drinking mojitos. It was the best.
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16. A Day With the Elephants

While Sam and I were in Thailand we took a day to visit an Elephant rescue sanctuary. We spent the day learning how to take care of these massive creatures. There was even a one year old “baby” named Dumbo! We fed them, walked in the woods with them, and took them to the river to bathe them. This was certainly one of my favorite experiences!
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15. Saying Goodbye to Myanmar

After three years in Myanmar it was time for Kim and me to move on. Both sad and excited we were ready for the next chapter of our lives. After April break ended it became real; Sam returned from Thailand with me and spent a month in Myanmar. It was great playing tourist again as we visited all the same locations that looked so foreign to me not so long ago. I checked off the list of last things to do like visit a palm reader, get more dresses made from Lady Phoo, one last night on 19th street, and so many massages. We also took a weekend to visit Bagan because there’s no way Sam could come all the way and not see this Myanmar gem. As always, it was the people that were the hardest to say goodbye to, but luckily I am certain I will see most of them again someday. To process this time I challenged myself to spend time every day for the last 30 days I was there journalling or drawing or otherwise creating. This is one of my favorite consistent journaling times to look back on now as it strongly reflects this time in my life. The very last weekend in Myanmar was rough and I was grateful when I finally sat down on the plane to have my very last look at the country that was my first home away from home.
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14. A Breath in New York

Flying into New York I was so relieved and grateful to be back with my wife and in a country that I understood. We decided to take a few days to explore and root down before heading back to Maine. The first stop was obviously a bagel shop and I nearly cried when the lady behind the counter asked if there was anything else she could help me with *sigh* how I missed US customer service. We visited Central Park and Times Square, ate a hot dog from a street cart (Kim of course, who was majorly disappointed), and drove way too far to find a chocolate covered key lime pie on a stick (so NOT disappointing!!!). We were also able to meet up with some of my favorite Canadians who were also on their way back from Myanmar and stopping to see the big apple too (see, I told you it wouldn’t be long!).
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13. Friends Week in Atlanta

After only a beat in Maine we jumped on a plane to Atlanta where our Myanmar tribe was getting together. Shelly, Sharon, Steven, and the kids were our family while in Myanmar and all of them left after the two years while Kim and I stayed for a third. We were also joined briefly by our dear friends Daniel and Tati, who are still living and working in Myanmar. It was a week of catching up, saying all the little things that seem too insignificant to write in an email and getting to the heart of the big things that often can’t be written down at all. Plus lots of laughter, fun, and love. You know those people who just get you? Who always make you a better person while appreciating who you are at the same time? These ladies are those people for me and a week with them was far from enough time. Until next summer, xoxo
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12. Straddling the Equator 

Our next big adventure came before we even set our bags down in Maine, my little brother Drew, Kim and I were off to South America to spend a month backpacking Ecuador. Drew has been itching to travel for ages and finally we managed to plan this trip. When Kim and I were looking for a new place to move to this year we set our sights on Eastern Europe or South America and since we happily landed in Eastern Europe that left South America to explore. We choose Ecuador the same way we choose a lot of our travel locations: it was the cheapest flight. Plus our friends Steven and Sharon had just spent a year living there and we wanted to see what all the fuss was about. So we got out our travel bags, Phoebe and Roxanne, a trusty guidebook and set off. The first epic place we landed was Quito, the capital city that is smack in the middle of the Equator.
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11. Ziplining in Banos

After some exploring of the capital and a cute mountain town called Otavalo (known for its huge market) we went searching for some thrills in Banos - we were not disappointed! Banos has everything to offer adrenalin seekers and I was quick to sign us up for a ziplining, cable bridge crossing, and rock climbing excursion (a few mojitos might have helped with the courage). It was terrifying but a blast! We also went to the top of the mountains and had fun at the Swing at the End of the World, as well as another even bigger and crazier swing that we got strapped into. One day Drew and I went on a bike ride down Ruta de la Cascadas, the Road of the Waterfalls. It was gorgeous and we saw so many waterfalls along the way. We also stopped and ziplined across the canyon because it was $10 (#nobrainer). Banos was exhilarating!
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10. Hiking Through the Amazon Rainforest

Our next stop took us into the Amazon Rainforest. We hiked to a secluded waterfall, swung on a rope off a cliff (well drew did, I definitely did not), visited a local tribe, took a ride down the river in a carved out canoe (which ended up being more like white water rafting), and made some friends with some local birds. I wish we could have explored deeper but am so glad we got to experience some of this spectacular environment.
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09. Parasailing Off the Beach & Galapagos

After shopping for hats in Cuenca it was time to head to the beach. The little town of Montanita is usually a huge beach attraction but was a little quieter in the off season. We still had heaps of fun lounging about, drinking coconuts, and trying parasailing for the first time - one of the best $10 that I almost didn’t spend! We chose this location in particular to be sure that we got a chance to experience the Galapagos. This chain of islands are known to have species that can’t be found anywhere else on earth, it is where Darwin developed his theory of evolution. Unfortunately a trip to the islands costs several thousand dollars, so we took the alternative trip to Isla de la Plata, known as the “poor man’s Galapagos.” We spent the day waddling around with the Blue Footed Boobies, snorkeling with giant turtles, and watching whales leaping out of the water on our boat ride back to shore.
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08. Quitola Loop

To wrap up our time in Ecuador we took another day trip to the Quitola Loop, a volcano that erupted some 600 years ago, leaving a pristine turquoise lake in the center. Many visitors choose to hike around the crest of the crater but with our visit we choose to walk down into the center. The lake was stunning and we were sure to take full advantage of it by enjoying a kayak trip on it’s calm surface. The hike back up to the edge however, was one of the hardest things I have ever physically done in my life. We (stupidly) denied taking a horse ride back up and slowly ascended on foot - a decision I regretted every step of the way due to the 12,700 ft altitude. But we conquered it with a stunning view along the way!
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07. Summer in Maine

There is nothing as good as coming home again. Having a place to drop your bags and familiar faces all around. Maine is such a gorgeous state and I spent a good chunk of summer soaking it up. Between swinging in my Ecuadorian rainbow hammock strung between two pine trees in the front lawn, to family cookouts in the yard surrounding the fire, it was a peaceful, happy time. There are few things sweeter than being with family and my family is the absolute best.
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Andrea Simmons Photography

06. Moved to Istanbul

Although every summer I return home it seems to get harder to leave, it was time to head off on the next chapter of our lives - moving to Istanbul, Turkey. When I was in my second interview for the position I ended up taking, the director asked me “Why do you want to come to Istanbul?” Before I could think about the answer the words were spilling out of my mouth, “Because I always knew it would be a part of my story. Istanbul has always been on the back of my tongue waiting for it’s time. I didn’t know when, or how, or how long, or why, but I somehow always knew that Istanbul and I were meant to be.” Fast forward to August and there we were, meeting my principal at the Istanbul airport and getting settled into our new apartment. Starting my new position as the Middle Years Art teacher for an international school involved a lot of orientation, curriculum planning, and meetings but my enthusiasm was high and both my and Kim’s excitement of exploring this new place kept our spirits light. And boy is there lots to explore! Istanbul is the perfect blend of exotic, new, fascinating finds, mixed with modern, western amenities. There is so much to love about this beautiful place I feel like it will take us a while to truly get to know it. Having lived here for six months at the time of writing this we are still just as happy with our decision and are loving this life we are living.
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05. ​Ferry Rides to the Prince Islands

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I don’t think there are stairs to heaven, instead I believe there must be a ferry ride to the pearly gates. Ferry rides are the single best way to travel. There is just something about the smooth rocking of the boat, sitting on the balcony watching the European side of Istanbul fade away while the Asian side comes into view, sipping a chia with the wind whipping your hair around, it just fills me with bliss. One weekend we took a longer ferry ride to a small collection of islands not far from Istanbul. Originally, the Prince Islands were a place of exile for the naughty royals but they have evolved to become a popular way to escape the city life. The islands have no motorized vehicles and were a wonderful day out of the city. We took a bumpy horse and cart ride around the small island and enjoyed being back in nature for a bit. 
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04. Turkey Road Trip

On a four day weekend in November Kim and I took off with our friend Katie to explore a bit of Turkey. We rented a car and drove south with some general destinations in mind. Our first stop was at Pamukkale, a hill layered with white calcite pools filled with volcano water. The name translates to Cotton Castle reflecting on the poofy white snow-looking texture of the terraces. Our next stop was the great ruins of Ephesus, a nearly 3,000 year old city and the most well preserved archaeological site on the Mediterranean. The Library there was definitely my favorite! We made a few other spontaneous road trip stops like Sirince, a little wine village up in the mountains. It was so nice to get out of Istanbul and see some of what Turkey has to offer!
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03. Sea and Sun in Dahab, Egypt

For winter break Kim and I headed south to Egypt. My sister, Renee, is a freediver in Dahab and with a quick 3 hour direct flight it was an easy choice to spend a few weeks in the sun with her. We took advantage of the low rates and hung out at an all-inclusive hotel in Sharm el Sheikh for a few days which was just the absolute perfect way to rest from a crazy semester. Then we lounged around in Dahab, enjoying the relaxed atmosphere. We took a Discover Scuba course, went on a 4-wheeling tour through the desert, had a bedouin Christmas dinner cooked under the sand, snorkeled at the Blue Hole, and had some family time. What more could we ask for?
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02. The Great Pyramids 

On the last days of the year we were traipsing around the Great Pyramids of Giza. We obviously couldn’t go to Egypt and not visit the Pyramids! Hearing lots about how crazy Cairo is we planned accordingly and booked a one day private tour of Memphis (the old kingdom) and the Pyramids. It was the ideal way to beat the crowds and get all the information about the area. We climbed inside a pyramid to see the burial chamber, “kissed” the great Sphinx, and danced around like an Egyptian. We also made sure to get in all the recommendations from others like staying in the coolest old style hotel, wandering around the Egyptian Museum, riding a boat down the Nile, and eating pigeon (that one was all Kim!). I love ending the year with adventure!
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01. Third Year Married

Three years ago Kim and I started a grand journey, one that has led us to places that have surprised us, frustrated us, and built us up. No, not the time we packed up our things and moved across the world, I’m talking about the day we stood in front of our favorite people and made promises to each other. This year came with sorrow, challenges, and heartache but we stood side by side and continued on and we also able to experienced countless joys, adventures, and so much love. I couldn’t imagine doing what we do without this woman along for the ride.
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If you made it all the way to the end of this post you are a trouper! I feel like I created these more for me than any of you, as a sort of scrapbook to look back on and remember our years, but I’m also so so so glad that you are here following with me. I’d love a comment below so I know you were here.

Until the next adventure,
Alisa
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Fire Balloon Festival | Taunggyi, Myanmar

11/4/2014

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The biggest Fire Balloon Festival in Myanmar is located in the mountain town of Taunggyi which is about a 12 hour drive north of Yangon. I took an over-night bus up for an impromptu weekend getaway with my friend Ashley to see the festival. Being the biggest, I knew it was going to be a lot of people at the festival but I have not been anywhere in Myanmar with quite that amount of people all in one place before. If I were to guess I would say that there were probably a couple thousand people all gathered for the festivities. As we walked up to the festival grounds we were greeted by our first sighting of a fire balloon - and this one had fireworks on it! It was quite the site shooting up in the sky. (If you are impatient and just want to get to the action scroll all the way down for the video)
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It was probably about a half a mile walk up to the main area of the festival and all the way up was lined with booths with vendors selling all sorts of things like clothing (traditional and modern), trinkets, gadgets, more clothing, accessories (purses and wallets), to name a few. There were a lot of warm clothing for sale especially hats and scarfs, although it was only about 50* or so people were dressed like it was freezing. I guess they are not quite as used to the cold as I am. 
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Of course there was food, all sorts of food. Mostly traditional barbecue (below), noodle dishes, lots of greasy fried things, and don't forget the rice! Along with the food were the beer stands. You could get beer just about anywhere and walk around with it. Or you could pop into one of the clubs that the beer/alcohol booths had set up behind. These closed in spaces had private DJs and lots of flashy lights. 
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There were lots of game booths also. There were the traditional prizes I was used to like stuffed animals or cheep plastic toys, but then there were the booths where you could win beer or cigarettes (above) or you could go straight for the bottles of liquor (below). Just make 2 baskets and it's yours! 
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Temporary tattoo anyone? This man had all sorts of stamps that he lines with thick black ink that supposedly lasts for about 5 days. I almost got one but I couldn't find a design I liked. 
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Two other types of booths were the monkey booth and the photo booths. When I peeked into the monkey booth I saw two monkeys sitting on hanging loops with a string attached to their legs. Ashley said that it was set up for people to pay money to see the monkeys to various tricks. The photo booth was kind of like glamor shots, where they dress you up in fancy or funny clothing, do your hair and makeup, then take your photo to be printed out and sent home with you. 
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And then there was the ride section. This looked like most carnivals that I knew, with kiddy rides, jumping houses, and a few bigger power rides. What was not so normal was the fact that the ferris wheels (there were three of them) were all human powered. By that I mean that there was no motor, instead amazingly skillful men would climb up the wheel and, when aligned, would all power it by leaning to one side and using their weight to spin it. To stop it they would jump back on to the bench parts of the wheel and use their weight to pull it the other way. It was quite the sight to see these men nimbly making their way all around the beams of the wheel and swinging around like acrobats. Check out the video below for the full effect.  
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Now off to the field to see some of the Fire Balloons up close. Fire Balloons are similar to Chinese lanterns in the way that they are lit using the hot air from fire and let off in the sky to burn. Yet this is like Fire Balloons to the extreme because these balloons were GIGANTIC!!! If I were to guess I would say they were somewhere between 10 and 20 feet in diameter. Each balloon is sponsored by a different village, organization, or company and these are represented on the sides of the balloon in writing or symbols. Besides just good fun the general idea is that you send a wish or good thoughts out into the world to get the universe to fulfill. 
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But the balloons are not the only things that are lit, they are also adorned with hundreds of small candles. These mini lanterns are colored so when arranged they reveal an image of sorts. They are hooked onto specific spots on the balloon, this has to be done very quickly as the balloon is filling but before it gets too full. Lots of helpers are needed for this part.
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Fire is slowly built up below the balloon and fills it with hot air to make it inflate. Many skilled people are needed to help with this part as to not burn the balloon itself. After it gets filled enough one main fire is lit under it and the sticks are removed, these are just placed aside within the crowd. The process of filling the whole balloon up takes only 10-20 minutes.
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While this is happening there is also a whole other section of the balloon being worked on. This section is completed by taping wooden frames together then placing more of the colored mini lanterns on it to show another symbol of sorts. The rows of lights here were quite stunning. 
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Finally the sections are attached together and lifted off. 
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Sometimes instead of the mini lanterns, the balloons are decorated. These specially decorated balloons are always accompanied by a box of fireworks underneath them (instead of the wooden frame with mini lanterns). The fireworks start shooting off almost immediately and stretch right above the heads of the crowd. As you can imagine this is extremely dangerous. I later found out that the night before there was a huge accident where one of the balloons fell back into the crowd. Apparently somewhere between 1 and 3 people died and somewhere between 15 and 30 people got injured. The news is all hearsay here so it is difficult to get the specifics. Luckily all was well and good the night I was there. 
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Here is the video of the full process: 
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Circular Train, Couchsurfers, & Cosmos | Week 5 Update

10/20/2014

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Another great weekend started with taking it easy and watching E & H so Sharon and Steven could have a night out. Saturday morning we met up with the four of them to go for a ride on the Circular Train. The Circular Train is a slow-moving train that makes a loop around Yangon over a three hour time period. 

Read, Watch, & View our experience on the Circle Line Here

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On the way back I managed to gu-estimate which stop to get off to be closest to the Shan noodle place that we love so it was only a very short walk before we were seated in front of some noodles and dumplings. Yum! Here is a video of the awesomness (don’t mind how incredibly hot and sweaty we were, three hours on an open-air train in the tropics will do that to you):

Still very hot, we tried to find some ice cream but ended up with this creation called a caterpillar that was so overly sweet and artificial. It was not good. Not good at all. 

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Couchsurfers

I had always admired the concept of couchsurfing, letting a fellow traveler crash on your couch (or spare bed or even floor) for a short time as they are passing though. Unlike airbnb or similar sites where you can rent out your spare room to visitors, couchsurfing is completely free for both the host and the guest. The only thing I expect to gain is meeting new friends and fellow travelers that can share their stories and advice, plus some good karma and hopefully some invites to other’s homes across the world. Seeing as we lived in the middle of Maine, we didn’t get a whole lot of travelers wondering though our neck of the woods; but here in Myanmar, the backpackers are flocking in now that the country is open to foreigners with the hopes to see this unknown land before it gets run over with modernization. With few foreigners that live here and even fewer ones that have extra space to offer guests, as soon as I signed up with couchsurfing.org I began receiving requests to stay. 

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This weekend we accepted our first couchsufers, two young backpackers from China, Rachel & Jo’di. We invited them out to join us for our Sunday tradition of dimsum and it was just as delicious as ever. Then we wandered around the mall area and found a $1.80 store where Jo’di explained this contraption to me that was designed to make your face slimmer. I also found a “lame mirror,” as well as a phone store that sounds like they take really good care of their customers.

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GOOD Mobile
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Betel Nut

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After dinner we decided to walk around the neighborhood where the dimsum restaurant is. We saw the usual street markets, which included selling produce, deep fried snacks, and gadgets. The girls came across a stand that was selling Betel Nut. 


See Kim Try Betel Nut Here
Amusement Park

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As we continued wandering the streets we stumbled on the very last thing I would expect on a random back road of Yangon – an Amusement Park. It was the creepiest, funniest, most strange find ever. As it was almost 9pm we expected it to be closed but the happily let us in to wander around and I could only think of one thing – that this would be the PERFECT place for a creepy serial killer movie. Let me set the scene for you.

Firstly it is pitch dark, the only lights coming from the off-colored bulbs on the rides that are almost all standing perfectly still except for the occasional merry-go-round which is spinning without anyone riding on it. In fact there is not one person there at all, visitor or worker. As you hesitantly walk around the plastic characters intended to entertain the children look anything but cute as their creepy eyes seem to follow you wherever you go. I continued to glance behind us to make sure we weren’t being followed by a man wielding a giant machete or something. When I turn back around a man appears out of the shadows motioning to an old, peeling sign that says “haunted house.” Always up for an adventure, the group decides to take him up for it and we hand him $700 kyat ($0.70 usd). With a low, menicing laugh he directs us to a dark doorway that I am unable to make anything out beyond the door frame and waves us a slow goodbye. That was the last time anyone every heard from Alisa, Kim, and their couchsurfers. 

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Hehehe, obviously not – but that is seriously what it felt like at this place. The haunted house was actually really good. It was just the right amount of scary/creepy and poorly constructed making it funny.  This is my favorite kind of adventure, when we wander around and stumble upon crazy random awesome things. 

Rainy Cosmos

Monday started off another school week, in the afternoon I joined a group for the first yoga lesson offered by another teacher (and yoga instructor) in one of the classrooms. I am so glad to have a yoga class again! On Tuesday I began my first meeting of Photo Club. The idea is to get a group of photographers (students, teachers, staff, ect) together to learn some new techniques and practice together. It was a small but interested group that joined, hopefully I will be able to have a great time in the club this year.

Wednesday, Shelly and I decided to go grab some dinner after school. I took the bus over to her apartment and we grabbed a taxi downtown. We didn’t have a real destination but decided to just wander around and see if we could find something tasty to eat. A short while after getting in the taxi we were stuck in the ever growing Yangon traffic – one of the most frustrating and most unavoidable parts of living in a city (especially one with no city planning). After sitting at a light for a good 15 minutes we decided to just get out and walk around that area to see if we could find something to eat. Of course as soon as we got out of the taxi the light turned green and it speed off. That’s okay, not a big deal, but looking around we realized that we were in the wrong part of town to find food because there were no restaurants –not even any stores- in sight. We did the only thing we could do, started walking. I kid you not, after only ten steps or so the skies opened and it started pouring. Now, of course it was not just sprinkling or raining a bit, oh no, it was one of the normal Myanmar monsoon rains that feels like buckets of water being dumped on you.

Shelly was smart enough to have a small folding umbrella with her but I hadn’t picked up the habit yet. Although she tried sharing, her attempt was in vain due to the miniature size of the umbrella and the massive amounts of rain. Since there was no where to duck into we did the only thing we could – kept walking. It looked like we were in the area of Vista Bar where I had gone over the weekend so I gave my best estimate at how to get there and we trudged on.

After taking a wrong turn we found ourselves at one of the entrances to the famous Shwedegon Pagoda. This entrance is unique in the way that it is split halfway through so a road could run through it. We turned left to take a shortcut through the other half of the entrance to reach the road below. As we were almost out of the entrance hall we were stopped by a middle-aged local lady who pointed to our shoes and said “no.” I realized that we hadn’t taken off our shoes when we came through the entrance because we were going backwards. Normally I try to be very respectful of the traditions and customs of the locals but we were literally only 10 feet from the street so we skirted around her saying “sorry” and pointing to the outside.

Normally I would have loved to take the time to curiously wander through the shops we found at the foot of the entrance but by now we were soaked, hungry, still unsure of how to get where we were going, and grumpy from being yelled at. So we hurried along and after another 20 or so minutes of walking finally, FINALLY, found ourselves at vista where we gladly welcomed some tasty drinks and happily munched on some western food as we watched Shwedegon’s lights turn on. 

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I don't think I'll ever get sick of this view, ah, Shwedegon
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    Alisa & Kim

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