As Myths and Mountains approaches its 25th anniversary, Founder and President Toni Neubauer looks back at the early days and the continually evolving journey of bringing her dream to life.

How did it all begin?

It was 1983 or so when my friend Nancy phoned and said, “I’m going to Nepal. Are you coming?” I said, “I guess if you’re going, I’m going.” We phoned another friend, and she decided to go, too. Four of us ended up going, and we all had an incredible trip.

At the time I spoke five languages and taught French, Spanish, and English, but knew nothing about Nepal – a place where the most basic things of life - how you eat, how you say “hello,” or how you go to the bathroom – are different. On that first trip, a temple guard almost shot me for sitting on Vishnu – He looked like a rock to me! Returning to the States, I found a freshman from Nepal at Bryn Mawr and said, “Okay, you teach me Nepali, and I’ll teach you how to use a washing machine!” She became my adopted “Nepali daughter,” and her parents adopted me in Nepal. After  learning Nepali, I returned to the country. People asked if they could go with me, and then, “Where are we going next?” That was the beginning.

What made Myths and Mountains different from what other travel companies were doing?

Back then, people were doing destinations and activities, but they weren’t doing concepts. I was an academic, so the goal was to figure out what a country was about, and design itineraries around these ideas. We focused on four areas – religions and pilgrimage sites, cultures and crafts, traditional medicine and natural healing, and environment and natural history.

This was also about the time of the Gulf War, and there had been a real problem with flights to Asia over Arab areas. Several travel companies had major problems, so it seemed logical  to have a foot in two hemispheres, Asia and South America. I had family in Ecuador, and had done some traveling there, so Ecuador became our first South American destination.

Then we started looking at hubs. If you go to Nepal, it’s important to also understand India, Bhutan, and Tibet. From there it was logical to branch out into Southeast Asia. In South America it was very much the same thing: If we were going to work in Ecuador it made sense to work in Peru, then Chile, then Argentina and Brazil. Those were the mechanics of expansion.

I was also very lucky, because I did a lot of writing and had had several things published in magazines. As I was starting to organize Myths and Mountains, Backpacker asked me to do a story on some of the founders of early travel companies. I consider myself sort of the second generation, and just interviewing these pioneers about how they got started and what they did taught me a huge amount and gave me many ideas.

I always liked small groups, I love to be able to customize things, and I love to be able to get inside a culture. All of those things were fundamental to what Myths and Mountains was and is about. Myths and Mountains was never designed to be a company where we would just pull itineraries off a shelf.

We have a very clear mission – to offer signature itineraries for discerning travelers based on their unique travel preferences, to give something back to the communities we visit, and to make people come back to travel with us again and again. I think that combination of quality and giving back is why we have been recognized as a premier provider of unique custom travel experiences.

What’s it been like to bring this dream to fruition?

I love it. For me, Myths and Mountains is everything I ever did before, combined into one company, but in an international setting. If you take someone on a trip you teach a class, in the best possible way, through experiential learning. Designing a program is really like designing a curriculum. Running a company is running a school, and creating the nonprofit organization READ Global is an amalgam of all of my nonprofit work. One thing I love about Myths and Mountains is that you really change people’s lives on both sides of the world, not just the travelers but the other people involved as well.

Myths and Mountains is truly the sum of all the people who work with us and have helped build the organization, and the passion the entire team shares. Allie Almario, our vice president, is a marvelous example of this devotion. Half the fun of coming into the office is the people and how much they love what they’re doing. The other thing is the friendships we’ve made over the years with travelers and operators. We really begin to know them, to care about their families, their health, and their lives.

I think by establishing READ Global as a nonprofit arm of Myths and Mountains there’s no question that we’ve really given back to some of these countries in a way that is totally meaningful. That doesn’t always happen with travel. In some cases “giving,” despite the best of intentions, becomes charity and creates dependence. READ is the antithesis of charity and we consistently tell people not to hand out money in ways that create beggars. That’s so important. 

If you’re going to do anything for 25 years you really have to love it. You never stop learning about people, countries, cultures, religions, and places.

How has Myths and Mountains changed over the years?

In the early days people thought of us as a trekking company and identified us with Nepal. It took time to really go beyond that. Now we really do more touring than trekking. In those days, too, adventure travel was really for a select group. Now it’s a much broader concept, and everyone’s an adventure traveler.

I have to laugh when I think about changes. In the early days people wrote letters and you booked trips two years out. In emergencies you sent telexes and no one understood anything you wanted to say because it was all abbreviated. Then came fax machines, which were just fascinating. And then along came computers. Now everything has to be done yesterday. That’s been a huge, huge change in 25 years.

These days you have to be skilled at helping people get off the beaten path, while still staying in a luxury hotel room at night. That’s an art.

What does the future hold?

I don’t think we ever want to grow into a really huge company. That’s not who we are. If we can maintain the quality that we’ve always had while expanding to about three million in sales, that would be a fine goal. Also key is becoming better business people and better humanitarians – very important in these times. Taking people out of our comfort zone into foreign cultures, and helping them understand and value how others live and think – this one of the best ways of fostering peace. I can’t think of anything else we could do to better promote global peace and understanding.

For photographer Don Vilfer, viewing the world through a camera lens is a way to not only take home indelible images of people and places, but also to deepen his experience of each destination he visits.

A former FBI Supervisory Special Agent in charge of Sacramento's Computer Crimes and White Collar Crimes squad, Don has traveled a lot over the years. He left the Bureau 10 years ago and now runs a company that does computer forensics and electronic discovery. Pursuing his photographic interest while traveling is much easier now that he’s a civilian. He recalls, “Once while traveling with the FBI I was in another country – I can’t say where – and I just wanted to go out and exercise my photography interest, but it caused concern with foreign officials that this FBI agent had a particular interest in going to photograph some area. That area was only of interest as a cultural area, but it kind of caused some incident.”

Don, his wife, Pam Hanback, and their two sons recently traveled on a Myths and Mountains trip to Bhutan. “We had been promising our kids since they were five that when they graduated high school, they could pick someplace as a travel destination,” Don explains. “This was what my younger son picked. He was totally absorbed in the culture, the destination. He really had an appreciation for the way of life.”

Meanwhile, Don found ample scope for his photography. “For the whole trip you’re surrounded by interesting people. Their faces, their setting, and their clothing are all obviously different from what you normally see anywhere in a Western country,” he says. “That makes it immediately appealing and gives you photo opportunities around you all day long.”

One of the great things about photography, Don adds, is that it “gives you the mechanism to force yourself to see everything, to see what’s around you. It’s making you see things while you’re traveling.”

Don also found that his photography had an impact on how the Bhutanese saw themselves. He recalls, “Our guide even commented, ‘We don’t even see that because it’s so normal to us, but when I look at it in your photo the people are more interesting, the setting is more interesting, and I begin to see things differently.’ He began to appreciate things that he basically takes for granted.”

Photography can also open doors through the sense of connection that often links photographers around the world. “Sometimes if you’re doing photography and have the appearance of being serious about it, other photographers will engage you in conversation about it,” Don reflects. “They could be local photographers, and then you can learn a lot about the area and get invitations to places you might not otherwise have gone, like people’s homes. Even through casual conversations – watching sunsets with other photographers, for example – you can learn some interesting things about places to go at certain times.”

For travelers who do want to make the most of the photographic opportunities during their trip, Don offers several pieces of advice. First, it’s important to remember that “the people around you are people first and subjects second.” Interacting with people on a personal level before taking their picture makes the experience more rewarding and almost always results in better pictures. “In Bhutan I could have taken pictures of people walking down the trail with their heads down ignoring the guy with the camera. Or I could stop them, have a conversation, show them the camera, ask them if I could take their pictures, laugh with them, and capture some personality.”

Don also recommends considering your shots in advance so that you are ready to get the photos you want when the time comes. “Look at other pictures from the area, not necessarily to emulate – I don’t like to emulate – and previsualize what you want to get and how you want to capture it, and then plan. Getting the picture you want may involve being in a particular place at a particular time, with no people around or with certain light.”

Don also offers a simple but important technical tip: Back up your photos – not just once, but several times. He always makes sure to bring enough data cards that he doesn’t have to write over the cards. “I can shoot 4,000 pictures without a wiping a card and then copy all that to a laptop, and then back up that to an external hard drive, which I always keep separate from the laptop in case my luggage gets stolen,” he explains. “Hard drives are cheap. It’s just a matter of taking the time to do the backups as you’re moving along.”

Of course, there are challenges. In remote destinations, access to electricity can be a major issue, making it essential to plan ahead by bringing converters, plenty of fully charged batteries, or even a solar battery charger.

In Bhutan, one of Don’s most memorable experiences was the climb up to the Tiger’s Nest Monastery. “That’s an example of previsualizing,” Don notes. “I wanted to get a shot across to the temple and also one looking up at the temple to get a sense of the height and the sheer cliff below. A lot of times when you’re there you’re seeing the whole scene, so if you don’t previsualize you’re inclined to shoot the whole scene. If you previsualize you might focus in and get more interesting photos.”

Another highlight of the trip owed more to chance. The family was visiting a dzong (fortress) when Pam spotted a monkey climbing up the building. Naturally, Don wanted to get a photo, but he had left the appropriate lens in the car. The guide called the driver, who brought Don’s camera bag. By then, of course, the monkey had moved. “The guide escorted me into the building and we climbed over the rafters until I was in the attic looking across at the monkey on the roof,” Don remembers.

Some of Don’s Bhutan photos appear in the new Myths and Mountains catalog. He is also creating his first-ever e-book using photos from the trip, with details on all the camera settings used and the locations where the images were taken. He hopes to have the book ready in October; interested travelers will find a link on his website, www.vilferphoto.com.

Bhutan and Myanmar are wildly popular destinations these days with their beautiful landscapes and fascinating culture and heritage. If you plan to visit either of these countries, we recommend booking your trip as far in advance as possible to ensure availability of hotels and guides, particularly if you plan to visit during one of the many festivals taking place throughout the year.

 

One of Peru’s classic experiences, the Inca Trail passes through scenic valleys, remote villages, high cloud forest, and lesser-known Inca ruins en route to majestic Machu Picchu. If you’ve always wanted to hike the Inca Trail but worried it might be too difficult, a new Myths and Mountains trip may be for you. “The Inca Trail for Beginners: Easy Does It” adds an extra day to the typical four-day trek, allowing us to break up the journey into smaller chunks. With extra time to go slowly and rest, you don’t have to be an experienced trekker or a super-athlete to complete and enjoy this hike!

 

Myths and Mountains is expanding to Africa! This amazing continent offers incomparable wildlife experiences and luxury camping in some of the world’s most spectacular wild places. Add to that vibrant traditional cultures, cosmopolitan cities, and a warm African welcome, and you have a part of the world not to be missed. In 2013 we’ll be offering three inaugural adventures to East and Southern Africa. We hope you’ll join us!

 

Travelers visiting India will soon have improved transportation infrastructure between some of the country’s most popular cities. New high-speed rail service is scheduled to begin operation between Delhi and Jaipur, while a new road between Delhi and Agra will shorten then driving time on that route by as much as two hours. We’ll keep you posted.

     The woman's thin lips were chalk white next to her brown skin as she slid down under her bus seat.  Hands reached out to drag her up.  "Birami chha", "she is sick," someone said, opening her window.  A man hung her out the window, holding on to her red sari, while she proceeded to throw up continuously for the next hour and a half.  "Her first time on a bus," the man noted sourly.

     Three seats back, a small baby, naked from the waist down, his tiny body girded by strings tied at birth by the Brahmin priest, nursed feverishly at his mother's breast, oblivious to the chaos and slightly sickening smell of vomit that began to pervade the bus. 

     Behind the baby, a rooster, tucked into a basket, squawked mournfully, perhaps aware that tonight he was to be the main ingredient in someone's chicken curry.  Near the rooster was my seat - a large wooden suitcase perched in the aisle that I shared with three other people.  The suitcase belonged to a lovely Nepali couple who had taken pity on a foreigner with no place to sit.  As our bus lurched downhill over the rutted roads and around hairpin (and hair-raising) curves, we all slid into each other constantly, bouncing mercilessly on the hard timbers of the box and skidding precariously up and down the narrow aisles.

     This was Nepal by bus - a two hour ride from beautiful, cool, hilly Tansen in the west to hot, crowded Butwal in the Terai, where we would get a second bus for our ten hour return trip to Kathmandu; a slice of the real life of the country; an opportunity to literally rub shoulders with Nepalis of all castes, ages, sexes and smells... not to mention assorted goats, chickens and sheep.  This was also a ride that would see a flat tire outside the dusty town of Mugling in 90 degree heat, several stops by rivers so we could water down or cool off, and a complete breakdown about half an hour from the Kathmandu bus station.

     "Go Greyhound.  Leave the driving to us!"   

     Nepal is famous for its trekking and mountain climbing opportunities, but little has been written about any other ways of seeing the country, particularly by road.  Yet road travel in this area is extremely exciting, to say the very least!  Over the past eight years, I have bused a good part of mountainous Nepal, often as the lone westerner, and each trip has been a true happening - a far cry from the sheltered world of the trekker, solicitously cared for by Sherpa guides. 

     Nepalis love their buses.  Where there are roads, Nepalis jam into their buses, whether to travel short distances to school or to markets or long distances to visit family or friends.  For the naive westerner, however, buses do pose some problems.  The first obstacle is simply selecting the best bus for your destination from the myriad of companies running vehicles at all times of the day and night.  In Kathmandu, the major bus station, Ratna Park, covers several street corners and is a model of diesel fumes and confusion.  The best solution to finding the best bus is to ask a Nepali for help.  Only a Nepali, and not everyone at that, truly understands the system.  A knowledgeable Nepali can choose the bus company with the newest buses or better time schedules and tell you how the  night bus drivers tend to get drunk and have accidents.

     Depending on what town you are in and where you are going, you can buy seats for different parts of the bus - the cab with the driver and his cronies, the first seats behind the cab, or even the roof of the bus, with the chickens, goats, and passengers who either get car sick or hate the stuffy inside of the bus.  Of course you have to hang on tightly around the sharp curves and over bumps when you are on the roof in order to not fall off; but it's easier to jump off the bus in case of accidents.  Note that in Nepal, just because you have reserved a seat does not mean you will always be the seat's sole occupant.  Nepalis have a different sense of personal space from Westerners.  When we touch each other accidently, we apologize profusely and try and keep our distance.  Nepalis will sit on top of you with no compunction.  I will never forget the 15 - hour bus trip from Jiri, the jumping off point for Everest trekkers, to Kathmandu,  in our "reserved seats" by the door.  At one point, three men and myself were scrunched on a two-person seat; a woman was asleep with her head on my lap and her feet out the door; and Ang Pasang, my travel companion was trying hard not to be car sick through the open window.

     The Jiri route taught me a lot  about the ticketing system.  Passengers going from Jiri to Kathmandu support the bus service and must pay full fare.  Yet all the people who live along the route and want to travel from village to village can ride for free.  This makes for a very crowded bus, as everyone wants a free ride - wives going to markets, students traveling to and from school, people going to visit friends. 

     On the other hand, if you ride the local bus, as I did recently from Bertamod to Biratnagar in the eastern Terai, the fare structure is different.  Here, the locals support the bus route with their rupees.  In a car, the trip between the cities should take only about 45 minutes, but on a bus time is irrelevant.  The bus  trip can take up to five hours, while bus staff waits for a sufficient number of local patrons  to clamber on and pay enough to cover the bus costs.  Fortunately, the Bertamod route has tons of fruit and vegetable markets, so one can drink tea and nibble bananas while waiting.  On this last trip, I sat next to the owner of five buses on the Bertamod route.  While sharing his delicious fresh lichees with me, he lamented the expenses of gas and bus repairs and told me he was going into film making.  Of course he wanted to know if I knew any American producers who would be interested in the cassette he just happened to have with him in his briefcase!

     Nepali buses are a trip -  running the gamut of new Japanese-made, very luxurious night buses to some amazing rattletraps with bald tires that hardly belong on the road.  Most are decorated with Indian paintings and wonderful signs, although Nepalis are beginning to do their own artwork.  One of my favorite vehicles was a jumble of metal and wires that ran between Lumbini, Buddha's birthplace and the airport at Bhairava.  There was no hood on the bus, just a metal stump with some wires and tubes that the driver connected when he was ready to start.  Once the wires were connected, three people pushed hard from behind to get the bus and engine rolling, then leapt aboard.  The whole trip to the airport was not more than ten kilometers; but it took us almost two hours,  with several tea stops for the driver and subsequent complicated start-ups in this Rube Goldberg contraption.

     Nepali bus staff differs a bit from our typical lone Greyhound driver.  On non-local trips there are usually at least two more people - one person takes the tickets and sees to it that the reserved seats go to the reservers.  A second oversees when the bus can leave, pushes people into crowded buses and helps the driver navigate through spaces he cannot see.  Nepalis have a whole code of banging on bus sides  to help drivers back up, turn around, or even squeeze through narrow spaces.  Extra friends of the driver or ticket takers also often ride along and  can be very useful in breakdown situations or if there are flat tires.

     I'm not sure which I prefer more in Nepal these days, the good roads or the bad ones!  The bad roads scare you to death as the bus perches over precipices, but the drivers must drive slowly.  On the newer, paved roads, you still hang over precipices, but  people drive faster!  Nowadays, on the beautifully paved Pokhara road, it is not unusual to see people staring over a cliff at the ruins of a bus, clucking in disapproval about the driver who probably had too much of the local brew en route.  Actually, road building in this country that rises from 100 feet above sea level to Mount Everest at nearly 30,000 feet, is somewhat of an amazing feat.  The Chinese do the best job, and are presently expanding the Pokhara road to three truck lanes.  Sometimes they are blasting into the mountains, and sometimes they are building concrete supports up from the river.  Unfortunately, contracting with the Chinese for this southern highway, so near the Indian border in the Terai, was a prime cause of the Indian embargo of Nepal in 1990.  The Indians were furious with the Nepalis about the number of Chinese so close to their territory, and tried, unsuccessfully, to stop the road project.

     Building the roads, however, is only half the job.  Maintenance in this rocky world that is subject to the fierce monsoon rains is a major task:  where foreign aid often goes for road building, little is designated for repairs.  Too frequently roads are built without proper drainage or grading.  Come the summer storms, cascades of dirt and rocks turn car tracks into impassable mud piles and rivulets.  In fact, the second major cause of erosion in Nepal, outside of the natural geography of the country, is road and dam building. 

     Tourist amenities along the bus routes in Nepal are somewhat lacking.  Usually, on long trips, the driver just stops periodically when he needs to go to the bathroom.  Then everyone hops off and scurries for the nearest bush, if there is one.  Life is easier for men on buses than women, who often have to be very creative in their search for a "charpi" or bathroom.  Sometimes I have to wait for all the men to go back into the bus, and then entreat the driver not to leave me in the lurch.  On other occasions, I  follow a Nepali woman down the path, hoping that she knows more than I do.  Also, if there are two women together, there is safety in numbers and the men tend to stay away.  Unquestionably, rest stops are truly a test of ingenuity or, at worst, of a strong stomach.

     Food too, en route, is basic.  Usually the driver has his favorite restaurants, places where he can get a free lunch of the country's staple dish - "dal bhat", or rice and lentils, served in metal plates with a daub of vegetables or "tarkari", an "achar" or relish, and perhaps some curried meat.  One of the main transit points is Mugling, at the confluence of the Trisuli and the Kali Gandaki rivers - a true truck stop for east-west travelers through the Terai of Nepal.  There one can see the local restaurants cooking up some huge pots of dal for travelers in hot, steamy, dirty kitchens.  Everyone on the bus just piles in for lunch while the families of the owners dole out as much as you can eat for about a dollar.  The miracle is that people don't seem to get sick.

     Other than official stops, one can occasionally hop off at a market to get some fruit, crackers, or a cup of tea while new passengers are boarding.  Each town also has its hawkers, selling soda, coconut, ice cream, bananas or cucumbers.  The Nepali word for cucumber is "cakra" - a sound that is hard to repeat ten times rapidly (try it!); but which doesn't seem to faze the cucumber sellers.  Often the hawkers are children, charming you with dirty faces and persistence.  One young cucumber sales girl noted she sometimes earned 130 rupees a day, or about $2.50.  In a country with an average yearly income of about $100/year, $2.50 a day is not bad.

     Given the vagaries of bus travel, then, wherein lies the charm?  Well, for the economy traveler, one can see Nepal quite cheaply.  For example, to go from Kathmandu clear across the country to Tansen/Palpa, a lovely Newari hill town in the west that figures prominently in recent Nepali history with the British East India Company, costs only about $4.00.  A plane to a nearby airport could cost about $77; and a private car, at least $50.

     Secondly, if you are not rushed, feel friendly, and can take things in your stride, buses are a delight.  People always ask who you are, what country you are from, and where you are going.  On most routes, there are few foreigners and a westerner is the "ramita" or spectacle, subject to intense scrutiny, the whispers of children, and furtive glances of babies, who have never seen the "white eyes" before.

     At the same time, on a bus, a world opens before your eyes - peasants who squat rather than sit on the seats, girls in fancy red saris returning to their parent's homes for the first time after a year of marriage, children who support their families hawking bananas on the bus, or a bus owner who wants to be a film star.  So next time, hang up your trekking boots, fill your water bottle, bring your sneakers, and leave the driving to a "bus chaalaune manche"!

Antonia Neubauer

July 23, 1992

Cambodia - Part 4

Today we headed to the Elephant Valley Project – which has been my favorite tour so far, I think … although everything has been great! I know I’ve said it more than once, but I’ll say it again, I love Cambodia!!!

Seeing and interacting with the elephants was life-changing experience. I thought we'd just be looking at the elephants, but we actually got to hang out with them, help bathe them and touch them. They were so friendly and they walked right up to you looking for bananas. They truly are gentle giants and every elephant really does have a different personality. All of them have been rescued from abuse and neglect, usually in tourism and logging. A few of the elephants are blind on their right side from getting hit with a stick – but now rest assured, they’re in a place where they are loved and properly cared for.  They really are in a much happier place now. 

That evening I stayed deep in the jungle in a bungalow (with a mosquito net, of course) and it was so serene, it truly was beautiful and an experience I’ve never had before. Most importantly, the hotel works sustainably with the local village – employing them, giving them healthcare, and in exchange for renting the land they would be using to farm with, they trade them rice instead of money. 

I really enjoyed seeing this and I think a certain type of our clients who are are looking for a really unusual experience would, too. It is a bit of walking, or hiking I should say, sometimes on more treacherous terrain over streams and creeks and was often slippery. It was like fancy camping if you will, but it was well worth the trek, which in no doubt took me into jungle paradise.

Good night from Cambodia,
Julie

Hello from Cambodia! - Part 3

I have fallen in love with this country - I absolutely love it.  Around every corner is something new to experience, to taste, to try. 

To say the least, everyone in Cambodia has kept me busy and each day is a new adventure. I just got back from dinner with my guides, Andy and Roth, both whom I adore very much. Andy is very engaging and we’ve shared some very interesting conversations and Roth is as sweet as can be. They showed me their office and introduced me to the staff – everyone was so friendly. I can’t say enough about how wonderful they really are. Having creative, amazing overseas partners like our land operators makes our job so much easier.

It's been incredible here and I'm having a fantastic and insightful journey. I'm in Phnom Penh tonight and off to the Rainbow Lodge tomorrow. From there, we will head to the beaches – can’t wait! 

As I continue my journey through Cambodia, I realize how great my Siem Reap guide was and how much he added to my experience as a "newbie" to this lovely country. 

Gosh, the days go by so fast, I feel like I got here yesterday (and it’s already been a week since I arrived)! Since I last had a chance to write you, I've visited Kratie – interesting little place. The hotel that I stayed in was remote, but I was so tired from my days of travel that I immediately passed out when I arrived. Of course, before resting my head, I enjoyed a fantastic sunset in the horizon.

The next morning, we went on a boat ride to see the dolphins, and we actually saw quite a few.  They were very active, but extremely difficult to photograph. Being able to see the dolphins in their element was so quiet and peaceful – it was really an interesting experience. It's kind of crazy that they are even here in a river environment.

After spending about an hour on the river watching them, we caught the local "ferry" over to the island of Koh Trong, and hopped on a pair of bicycles and rode around the island on the scenic route to check out the newest and greatest hotels in the area.  Let me tell you, it was a very interesting bike ride … you literally are riding through fields and villages, dodging children and cows. This mode of transportation was really neat and it allowed me to meet locals up close and personal along the way. Children wave and say hello as they pass on their bicycles or play by their homes. The people here are so friendly!

I have so many things to share with you when I return home! Until then, I’m off to bed, more to share soon…

Thanks,
Julie

Here's an update from our very own Julie Ganski, operations coordinator, who's roaming around Cambodia on a research trip for Myths and Mountains:

Part 2

Once you’ve traveled with a private guide, you’ll know that it’s worth paying for this special privilege. For most of our Myths trips, our clients do have private guides, and they enjoy the added benefits of having a guide who caters to their style of travel and their interests. We trust our guides to share insights into how local people live - it adds a wonderful flavor to our itineraries.

For instance, Sinat explained, “Julie, look, those sticks you see are their anchors” - pointing at the sticks coming from the water, which I wouldn’t even think to ask about. Driving down the road, he’ll say “Julie, look, they are boiling palm juice to make sugar.” I love that he sees details that lets me understand the local Cambodian culture even more!

Another example was when we were hiking to Kbeal Spean. He always would stop and notice the littlest things around us - like an army of termites marching up a tree or a giant centipede worth checking out. The butterflies took quite a liking to him and one landed on his hand and climbed a good portion of the hike with us just hanging out on his hand.

Obviously the Cambodian temples also are incredible. It's difficult to wrap one's head around the history here. It's mind blowing how much work was done to build these massive complexes so long ago, with very little tools or technology. The Khmer civilization must have been so intelligent, driven, and imaginative and obviously, dedicated people. All of the temples are so different in a special way -- Quite a sight. Almost makes you feel inadequate thinking about it all. Learning about the rich history here and how it relates to the neighboring countries is sobering when comparing it to American history. What a baby we are comparatively!

Of course, as a foodie, I have been enjoying the cuisine around here quite a bit as well. Noodles and coffee for breakfast. Not what I'm used to, but what's adventure travel without an adventure in cuisine? I had dinner at Le Bistro last night after visiting the Central market and then a Khmer meal at Viroth (fantastic restaurant!) on a recommendation from Sinat tonight after visiting the old market. It was fun to take a tuk tuk and walk around a bit – I admit, it was very scary for me at first, but Sinat reassured me it was safe to go out and about at night there and I was glad I did!

I have another long day tomorrow -- off to Kratie to see dolphins! I’m not sure if I’ll have internet for the next couple days so I will write a follow up in a few days.

Cheers,
Julie Ganski, Operations Coordinator

One of the perks of working for an adventure travel company is… getting to go on an adventure! Our operations coordinator, Julie, arrived in Cambodia last week to do some research and development and to check out the newest in boutique hotels for our travelers. Here’s her first field report:

PART ONE

I made it to Cambodia! And I love Siem Reap!!!! Gosh I don't even know where to start. 

Today I said goodbye to my guide and driver Sinat and Sypha. I really loved them both so much, and felt they were more friends or big brothers looking out for me.

I went to Angkor Wat for sunrise the first morning, and had a lovely catered breakfast by the moat in the woods with a table set for one (just me!) with table cloths and flowers. I had a delicious quiet breakfast of coffee, pineapple juice, fresh fruit, a delicious rice noodle, chicken and vegetable soup and croissants. A very enjoyable way to begin the day and what a stunning backdrop. I feel so lucky to be have a job that lets me experience something so unique.

I enjoyed my time at Tonle Sap Lake the best by far. It was a glimpse into a completely different world that left me reflecting on my own life and counting my blessings. It's such a different world and one I know our travelers will also treasure.

We boarded a boat and headed down the river to the lake. Along the way we stopped at a fishing village, got out of the boat and walked by the tiny huts made of sticks where entire families were hanging out and working, painting boats, drying beans, fishing, etc. As I understand it, they have limited the fishing months even further, and now people can only fish to feed their own family (a restriction that usually begins in the fall) was put in effect at the beginning of June. It was very hot so Sinat said something to a family in Kmer, and they kindly welcomed us into their shade to hang out with them. Very sweet -- nobody trying to sell me anything, just smiling and looking at me like I was an alien (but I guess I was!).

Along our walk, there was a another hut which doubled as a shop with baskets of fried crickets, bags of individually wrapped cookies and candies, and other local goodies. I gave Sinat a dollar and he purchased about 25-30 packages of cookies, which we offered to the children in the village. Most were very shy and did not swarm us -- we had to go to them, and when they realized what was going on, they shyly approached us. It was touching, but that’s what I love about our trips – seeing how people live, being able to walk among them, and making new friends.

    

Really, it was quite an experience. I can’t even put it into words except to say it was the most moving thus far, and meant the most to me. More to come shortly!

Cheers,
Julie Ganski, Operations Coordinator

Visiting the Galapagos is an unforgettable experience for most travelers, but for the Malès family of McLean, Virginia, their Myths and Mountains trip to the Enchanted Islands had an impact that continues to echo through their lives.

Experienced adventure travelers, Eric and Barbara Malès, along with their daughter Billie, had already done a substantial amount of research on the Galapagos when they decided to work with Myths and Mountains. “We wanted someone with the expertise to guarantee that it would be a trip of a lifetime, but secondarily someone that really knew how to tailor the trip to our needs,” Eric explains. “Later as we got to know them we learned of their commitment to different areas of the world and discovered, for example, that they were very involved in organizing other travel companies to do conservation in the Galapagos.”

Barb adds, “Myths and Mountains has a special feeling – their drive to put you into the culture, to get you away from touristy places, to get you away from chain hotels, to really get you into the culture of the area and give you that unique experience.”

The Galapagos trip, which took place in February 2009, was everything the family had hoped for, as well as a pivotal experience for Billie, then a sixth grader. Although she had been intrigued by science since a young age, the Galapagos trip was the first real opportunity for Billie to explore this interest in depth. One of her favorite things about the trip was the Galapagos guide that accompanied the group. “We were on a really small boat, and the guide was available all the time for questions. I learned so much,” Billie says. “It was an amazing experience just because of how unique the wildlife is and how close you can get to what people are studying from worlds away.”

“Billie was like a sponge,” Barb remembers. “The Galapagos really highlighted in a very obvious way that this is living science. It was something you could do in life. It was life-changing in the sense that you can blossom in a trip like that.”

Coincidentally, Billie’s class at school began a unit on evolution shortly after the trip, giving her the opportunity to share much of what she had learned, as well as photos from the Galapagos. As she moved on to middle school, Billie continued to seek out opportunities to pursue her passion for science. With success in competitions such as the Science Olympiad, she realized she had the talent as well as the interest to do well in a scientific career.

With this in mind, Billie applied and was accepted to the Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Alexandria, Virginia, a highly selective magnet school that routinely ranks at the top of lists of the best U.S. high schools. Now 15, she is just finishing up her freshman year.

“I have a lot of different interests, and I’ve done many different events in Olympiad, but I haven’t had courses in all the different subjects,” Billie says. “That’s one of the reasons I applied to T.J. Going there is going to help me specialize and get an idea of what I might want to do.”

Her Galapagos experience continues to come in handy. “I did an event called ornithology at Olympiad, and the Galapagos is one of the best places in the world for birds,” Billie says. “Things keep popping up.”

Travel has always been a priority for the Malès family, who try to get in one “journey of a lifetime” every year – each one a learning experience. Even more obviously “touristy” places can be surprisingly interesting. For example, after their Galapagos trip the family spent a few days in Quito, where they made a day trip to Mitad del Mundo, a tourist complex located right on the Equator.

“There was this sort of cool science thing that happened that day too,” Eric relates. “They had a portable sink right on the Equator, and they dumped in leaves and pulled the plug. Right on the Equator, the water went straight down. Then they moved it six feet and it went counterclockwise. Then they moved it back to the other side and it went the other direction. It was an old sink on legs. Very hokey but unbelievably cool.”

Eric, Barb, and Billie recently made their second trip with Myths and Mountains, to Peru, where they enjoyed getting to know the local culture and seeing the magnificent landscapes and archaeological sites such as Machu Picchu. “A lot of people spend their money on cars and TVs. We spend it on tickets and hotels,” says Eric. He recalls a discussion he had with his parents back when Barb first got pregnant with Billie. “Somewhere in the course of things I said, ‘I hope we’ll be able to keep up our travel schedules and our child will be part of that. My parents kind of said, ‘No, your lives will change,’” he remembers. “About five years ago my dad said, ‘You know when I said that way back when? I was wrong.”

Mention Cambodia, and most travelers’ first thought will be of the amazing temple complexes at Siem Reap. Yet there’s much more to Cambodia than Angkor Wat. “It’s a country that’s just getting on people’s radar, and it’s definitely worth going to see,” says Myths and Mountains President Toni Neubauer. “It has fairly good infrastructure and varied ecosystems and people. I think it should be up there on the hotlist.”

There are wonderful beach and jungle resorts, luxury tent safaris to magnificent but little-known temples, opportunities to see diverse wildlife, and of course a fascinating and welcoming culture. Yet most U.S. travelers experience only a fraction of Cambodia’s diverse attractions.

“You just don’t see a lot of American tourists doing any of this,” Neubauer says. “They’re missing out.”

High on Neubauer’s list of Cambodian favorites is the beach resort of Song Saa. One of Asia’s premier luxury resorts, Song Saa is set on two private islands in the pristine Koh Rong archipelago. “If you’re looking for a truly unique and beautiful beach experience you just can’t beat it. A tropical nirvana,” she says. Although expensive, the resort is good value because it includes all food and drink, as well as excursions and activities.

For those who don’t want to spend the money to stay at Song Saa, good alternatives include Kampot and Kep, two other beach resorts that get very few American visitors.

Another Cambodian experience not to be missed is a temple safari into the jungle. Guests sleep in safari tents, with excellent cooks and staff. “There are zero tourists,” Neubauer says. “You get to appreciate magnificent Khmer monuments that most people never see.” Highlights include the extraordinary sites of Preah Khan and Beng Melea.

Among Cambodia’s lesser-known draws are its varied nature and wildlife. As a good base for nature-based activities, Neubauer recommends 4 Rivers Floating Lodge on the Tatai River in the Cardamom Mountains. The Cardamoms are home to more than 550 species of birds and more than 100 mammal species, including such endangered species as the Malaysian sun bear and the clouded leopard, as well as rare rhinoceros, tiger, and elephant. From 4 Rivers, guests can visit local communities, go on kayaking tours and jungle hikes, visit waterfalls, and cruise on the river at sunset.

Another wildlife-related highlight that most Americans don’t experience is seeing the critically endangered Irawaddy dolphin. This freshwater species can be spotted in the Mekong River near the town of Kratie, several hours upriver from Phnom Penh.

“There’s a Cambodia that most people don’t get a chance to wander,” Neubauer says. “Now that mines are cleared and you don’t have to worry about any of the politics, it’s a wonderful, wonderful country to explore.”