But imagine instead hiking for miles shin-deep in mud, fending off bloodsucking leeches and existing on a diet of tarantulas and cockroaches, while risking infection, heatstroke and malaria. Not exactly your typical camping trip. For most people, such an excursion would sound treacherous and even insane, but for young herpetologist Perry Wood Jr.  it’s simply a passionate pursuit of knowledge in the name of science.

When Perry (aka JR) Wood began studying Southeast Asian amphibians and reptiles more than eight years ago, he never imagined the rough trails and beautiful landscapes his fieldwork would lead him to. As a graduate biology student specializing in taxonomy and molecular systematics, Wood regularly makes trips to Malaysia, Thailand, and Cambodia in an effort to identify new species in what he explains is an understudied region for herpetological diversity.

Most recently, Wood traveled to Cambodia’s Cardamom Mountains to research a group of agamid lizards in the genus Acanthosaura (common name: mountain horned lizards).  “Before I started working on the group, there were only five species known,” he explains. “It’s quite rare to find new species of large agamid lizards in Southeast Asia, but with subsequent fieldwork and genetic studies, I have doubled the number of species in this group.”

Though Wood’s dedication to his work is unwavering, the risks of working in the jungles of Southeast Asia can be daunting. On his last expedition, where he and his team collected three new species, Wood explains, “The
hike was full of thorny bushes, leeches, and every other stinging bug that you can think of. At one point we found ourselves climbing on our hands and knees up a steep hill weaving our way through bamboo and rattan palms.”

Wood is no stranger to harsh conditions.  During a field expedition to Cambodia in 2004, he and his colleagues made the trek to the top of Phnom Aural, the highest mountain in Cambodia.  Although the trip was successful, Wood began to feel the symptoms of malaria during a three-hour boat ride to the Seribuat Archipelago.  After he was bedridden for three days, the effects of the disease began to wear off, but as bad luck would have it, the boat carrying Wood and his colleagues broke down leaving them stranded in the water for several hours while their infections baked in the glaring sun.  But this kind of physical challenge has yet to deter Wood from pursuing future expeditions; he returned the following year to climb the neighboring mountain.

With the exhaustion that comes from such fieldwork, it’s a wonder Wood ever finds time to be a tourist. But according to him, that’s the best part of a scientist’s travels. Every expedition allows him to explore two different Asias:
the Asia that houses unlimited possibilities for scientific discovery
and the Asia that is rich in culture, heritage and history.

“Thailand and Cambodia are filled with scenic temples, palaces, and attractions,” Wood said. “The contrasting boldness of colors (reds, blues, yellows, and greens) make it a very beautiful place.  On this last trip, I went to Siem Reap for a day and a half to see the temples of Angkor and the floating village. There is so much to see in these ancient ruins that it makes you really appreciate the history and the culture of Cambodia.”

And how do you appreciate Southeast Asia even more? Getting friendly with the locals. Wood tries to stay away from
the tourist-focused locations, opting instead to eat traditional foods alongside the locals and participate in their daily customs. “The people are very kind and are always inviting me to eat with them.  They enjoy talking to you and will try to teach you some local vocabulary.   I’ve even gotten up some mornings to find them inviting me to do shots of whiskey with them.”

In the field, he is usually restricted to a bland diet of rice three meals a day,  but when he has downtime at the
local villages, he is treated to a world of culinary delights. A typical meal for Wood might include fresh mangoes and pineapples from the street vendors, Tom Yam soup and a plate of Pad Thai washed down with a cold glass of Thai iced tea. At night, he swears by a mango sticky rice dessert drizzled with sweetened coconut sauce.

Of course, not every dish is always so pleasing, and when you’re eating with the locals, you’re bound to come across some interesting selections.  Wood, for instance, has found himself dining on regional delicacies such as fried tarantulas, frogs and cockroaches. Though they may not always suit his taste buds, he explains, “I never refuse a
dish offered to me out of respect to the locals.”

After so many expeditions, Wood still claims each trip is just as enthralling as the last. “The only thing that gets redundant is the long plane flights,” he says. “There are always new things to do in most of the major cities
that I have visited in Southeast Asia.  Between the zoos, museums, universities and the local wild life you never run out of things to do or places to go.”

And his philosophy on travel? “You can only learn so much from travel books, but once you are submersed in the
culture, there’s no limit to the amount you can learn about that country.”

Photos courtesy of Perry Wood, Jr.

Barry Jones from Time Shares Inc. explains that this is to “ensure that full occupancy occurs, keeping in mind that the relatively long average lead time between when a Journey passenger makes a reservation and the departure date, is over eight months.”

The trips aren’t cheap, but they are a serious throwback to the grand old days of railroad travel. You’ll feel like a robber baron in your own private car!

On a cruise honeymoon, you can sleep as late as you want, enjoy the sea air and the ship’s features and activities, see beautiful places. cruise honeymoon packages consist of amenities that spell romance. A cruise is not only affordable, but a great value. After all, your cruise price includes your cabin, all meals and entertainment, plus you’ll often get to sample multiple islands. At Blackcardvacations, you can get the perfect cruises honeymoon packages. Our extensive group of honeymoons and professionals will customize your Honeymoon and save you time and money. Our knowledgeable professionals provide world class expert advice, tips, and reviews, and will customize your honeymoon and travel. Most travel experts recommend dealing with an experienced honeymoon company before making a decision regarding honeymoons and Travel. Our discount cruises and honeymoons are packaged with great service.

For more iformation, Visit : http://www.blackcardvacations.com/about_us.aspx
               OR              
E-mail us: – info@blackcardvacations.com

Jill Wilkinson the owner of blackcardvacations, having worked in the travel industry for over 30 years, she is able to offer exceptional service to ensure that each and every trip meets your expectations. Saving you TIME, MONEY AND EFFORT by doing all the hard work for you.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/cruising-articles/expert-travel-advice-971700.html