Hello reader,

Welcome back! After we visited South Africa, we needed to get to Vienna for my Dad’s job. However, my mom and I were not on the same strict schedule as him. Since we had no commitments besides school, we found a way to sneak in another country while my Dad went to Austria.

Huge rounded red rocks surrounded us, as the hot desert sun was beating down. We walked through the sandy-bottomed valley, which once had water flowing through this ravine many, many years ago.

Shuffling my feet forward, my loud breathing fills my ears. I look up, snow covered mountains are surrounding me, tall and jagged. Mountains with names like Everest and Lhotse--towering with intimidating heights over 8,000 meters, or 26,000 feet. Looking in the distance, I see people. I see Everest Base Camp. Suddenly, it feels, not like a dream, but like a reality.

A high pitched whistle let me know it was ready. I poured steaming water in a porcelain cup. After a few minutes, I removed the Orange Pekoe leaves resting at the bottom. Steam billowing in my face, I took a sip. It smelled so good and earthy. It was a rich copper color. I removed the cup from my lips. I coughed and sputtered.

“Is this supposed to taste good?”

My heart skipped a beat. I gasped. We found one, I thought.

Three Hours Earlier:

Trekking outside of Chiang Mai, a banana leaf hat atop my head and a bamboo walking stick in hand, I stumbled through the woods, with one of our guides singing “In the Jungle, the Mighty Jungle” for the 700th time.

Sugar cane, banana stalks, and elephants oh my!

Why did the mosquito cross the road? To get to the giant dinosaur lizard and the monkey on the other side, to you this might sound like a joke but to motorcyclists in Koh Lanta this is reality.