Day 1
My first trip to Asia. I got through security so I’m in that time between then and boarding when part of me wants to lie on the floor and take a nap. I’m not sure why I get so stressed out by that whole process. And trek to get here. And the arranging for someone to take care of the cat and move the car in the event of a snow emergency. And the packing the night before. And all the trip planning that I do (something I’m always glad I did when I get there). Being a Libra is not helpful in these processes. Do I take the plane/train/bus at 9am or the one at 2pm? I’ll deliberate for hours on this when the fact is, I will have no idea until I get there and oftentimes it’s not fully clear which option is better even then. It involves a certain element of letting go that doesn’t always come easy to me. I’m also experiencing the same sense of nervousness that I seem to always experience when I go somewhere new – something that I almost always look back on in hindsight and wonder why about as I’m always glad to have explored the place. More updates and likely many pictures to come after the seeming thousands of hours of flight and layovers that lie in front of me.
Day 2
Can we talk about airports? Oh my god did I have some doozie experiences in the LAX and the Guangzhou airports. I think all that would have been needed was a little (or any) signage and some direction – any direction that wouldn’t leave travelers frantically and repeatedly asking about where is the right terminal or shuttle bus or whatever. To be fair, everyone has pointed me in the right direction but it’d be nice to get a little more confirmation and certainty than to always have to be taking someone’s word for it – especially when one wrong decision can mean the difference between you getting on a flight or sitting there for who knows how long until it’s rectified. I felt bad for these young French girls/women who appeared to possibly be on their first international trip. They had way too much stuff on them and were totally freaking out and not knowing where the shuttle bus was taking them and there was no announcement when it stopped (and when there are announcements, I find the volume to be so low that they might as well not be on at all). I felt bad for them and tried to reassure them that they were on the right bus and that the first stop was in fact the correct one but they were so hysterical by that point that I don’t even think they noticed that I was speaking to them in French. Somehow they ended up at the gate across from where I had to go and I got the hunch that one of them either didn’t make it or had lost something or something else was going on because she was having a full-on meltdown. I actually felt bad for her. I used to be like that but have learned to realize that I can only do what I can do. I still get anxiety but it leads more to instances like me repeatedly pestering the airline employee about the Guangzhou connection to Bangkok because I wasn’t convinced that the one man stamping passports was going to be able to work through the couple hundred that were in line before I needed to get to the gate. Luckily a few more people showed up so it started to flow. There was an Australian from Melbourne whom I sat next to in the LAX shuttle. He was mocking the French college girls and I said that I thought they were just anxious about getting to the right place. Geez, have some compassion, guy. He later pointed out that I was being a typical American when I said that I was surprised when I learned how big Melbourne is. He said I needed to travel more… I wanted to be like, “honey, you’re not representin’ too well for your country, either” but instead just smiled politely. First impressions of Bangkok – a lot of urban grit. I didn’t like it at first but the deeper I dig, the stranger the place seems. I love that. It seems like it’s really more about experiences here, maybe. And temples. Really looking forward to checking those out – probably tomorrow. Just taking it easy this afternoon after chatting with my misterb&b (gay Airbnb) host. Will probably go for a stroll and familiarize myself a little with the place.
Oh, interesting side note… we flew on the China side of the North Korean border. My window was looking in that direction and as usual, I was the only one on the plane with my shade open. You couldn’t see but an occasional light here and there. No speckles of lights here or there like usual. It really intrigued me to be so close to such a place that has such a stranglehold on its citizens. Seems unbelievable that they are still able to pull that off in this day and age. I noticed our flight path shimmied over a bit when we approached the border. Don’t know if that was coincidental or what.
Oh and PPS: you haven’t lived until you’ve spent more than 24 hours in transport somewhere, including a 15+ hour flight and two others averaging about 3+ hours a piece. I don’t know what day it is or even if it’s day or night, anymore! How can a flight seem like just a few hours and weeks-long at the same time??
Day 3
Woke up to many interesting tropical bird sounds this morning. I could get used to that. That’s one of the audial experiences I miss most about winter in Minnesota. That and the sounds of wind wrestling leaves in trees. I was too tired to do too much yesterday so I just wandered around and explored a bit and found an amazing Hindu temple that was so fascinating that I may return to experience it again. It was so intricately decorated with multiple shrines and was playing hauntingly trance-like music while a bell was rung in a slow, steady, constant rhythm. A small group of three men in religious dress consisting of draped cloth walked around to all the various shrines. One man had a smaller, more high-pitched bell that he rang at a quicker pace for short stretches during the period which another of the men held up a flame and incense smoke to the shrine and another pushed the air toward the shrine. Everyone, including me, was barefoot, and worshippers were lighting incense candles, buying plates of fruit and intentionally placing them at the shrines while seemingly praying and meditating, and having dust and oil placed on their foreheads. This was so mesmerizing to me as there were dozens of moving parts all taking place at the same time. Also this was literally just inside the wide-open doors and anyone could come in – which is a stark contrast from many places of worship where one is not welcomed so unquestioningly. It was just requested that you remove your hat and shoes. I really made an effort to stay out of the way, which required a lot of moving, and hoped that I wasn’t coming across disrespectful as I was probably obviously not worshipping – at least in the way they were – and more observing. I did really feel put in a more meditative place just observing them, though. I was tempted to not stay long but something held me there and even when I left I felt like I had not had enough of the place. I wanted so badly to take pictures of the shrines as they were unlike anything I had ever seen but it was requested that not be done so I deferred out of respect. I did get some pictures from outside the place, though. The doorways were also incredibly ornate and I got a picture of one but tried not to capture anything on the inside out of respect. I had to call off the evening after finally being overwhelmed with fatigue as well as achy feet and an achy back (thanks, uncomfortable airplane seats I got to sit in for hours and hours!!). I thought dinner and a beer would take care of it but alas, it didn’t. I was so tempted to get a massage but wasn’t ready for one yet. I’m kind of weird about people touching me unless they are hugging me or otherwise expressing a stronger form of friendship (which I love), expressing an interest (which I sometimes really dig), or being mutually intimate (which I of course love). Beyond those instances, it tends to feel weird to me. And I was afraid that I’d fall asleep literally within a minute or two and miss it all. lol. I purchased a ticket on the excellent train system to get back to where I was staying. I felt bad because my Thai is so limited. The person behind the kiosk gave me change to go purchase a ticket but I didn’t understand what she had done. She was clearly annoyed with me as I, in English, asked for clarification. Luckily some kind man who spoke English stepped in and explained. Makes me think of how linguistically privileged English speakers are. Even the airport train announces its stops first in English, then in Thai, which seems backwards to me being in this country. Seems more respectful to have their language first.
Day 4
Yesterday I decided to check out the temples. There are no buses or train lines that I am aware of that I could use to get there directly. Buses are harder to research for some reason. But I was informed of a different, more interesting way to get there – by a boat on the river! The train line took me right to the docking station. Not knowing anything about it, I bought a ticket from one of the outfits and then noticed afterwards that it had by far the smallest boats in its “fleet”. I’d be dishonest if I didn’t say that I was a bit terrified – of getting on one, which seemed very precarious (they just held the boat to the side of the dock while it bobbed up and down and you stepped on a tire and then onto a seat) and we were instructed to put on the life jackets that were on the seats. Ultimately it was fine, adventurous – fun, even, but I didn’t know that scurrying onto the boat. Went to Wat Pho, which was amazing. I walked around for hours and took so many pictures. It’ll be difficult to whittle them down and not have a gazillion posts. Afterwards I needed to sit for a while so sought out a late lunch and ended up chatting with this older, married couple originally from England who now live in Cyprus. Boy, what a life they’ve had and continued to have. I asked what they did that allowed them to travel around so much but never really got the scoop beyond being retired. Lots of interesting stories and laughs, though. I even took their picture. These are the types of moments/connections I love experiencing while traveling. I saw they had a beer and thought that looked good so I ordered one but the waitress never brought one out, despite repeated asking. I finally asked another and was informed that they’re really not supposed to because they are so close to the Grand Palace and Wat Pho but she brought me one and asked if I would pour it into a coffee mug right away. Afternoon “coffee” in Bangkok! I didn’t time things right and unfortunately the Grand Palace, which closes earlier than the other places, was about to close. I’ll have to come back another day. So I meandered around and got pictures from many of the other “Wats” (temples, I think) in the area, which are all gorgeous in some way. I love the little Zen gardens here and there. It was starting to be later in the afternoon and I didn’t want to be in this unfamiliar area after dark so I decided to take either a tuk tuk or taxi. I’ll have to be honest, my preference is to take something with a solid schedule and a set rate like a bus or train. Taxi drivers in many countries are like used car salesmen to me – a tad bit slimy and always trying to cut deals that never work in your favor. Some are fine but it’s hard when unfamiliar with a place to know the strategies to find them. I first approached a tuk tuk driver who first asked me how much I wanted to pay. I was so tempted to say “nothing” but didn’t. I know these people are trying to make a living, too. Anyhow, I got a bad feeling and just walked away. Another taxi driver quoted the same rate that the tuk tuk driver quoted. I said that I’d like him to use a meter (as the guide books say to do) but he said the traffic was horrible this time of day and quoted the same rate. I said no thanks and walked away, not responding to his protestations. I found still another who also gave me a quoted rate, which was half what the others quoted. While still not metered, it seemed fairer to me and so I went with it. I think I’ll do some researching on bus lines there – probably when I get back from my side trips I’m taking. Came back and my back and feet were killing me again so I laid down for a while and putzed online. I went to the gay area for dinner. I’ve never understood what is so appealing about gay bar culture. It bores and even saddens me a little. Maybe it’s the constant playing of the same dance tunes you’ve heard a million times over. I did strike up a conversation with this nice couple from New Zealand (one of whom was Finnish) who were sitting next to me. They were in Bangkok, meeting the Finnish guy’s parents. He informed me that Bangkok was the half way point, which blew my mind! I had no idea. I imagined Bangkok to be much closer to New Zealand than Finland. I told him I was going to have to go home to look at a map, which I haven’t yet done because I was zonked when I got back to where I’m staying and immediately passed out. It’s funny. I usually stay up late back home but here I can’t even make it to midnight.
Day 5
Took more of a “down day” yesterday but still ended up pretty busy somehow. A few observations that I’ve had or experienced. Crossing streets. If you’re lucky, you stumble across an intersection with a walk/don’t walk sign. These are unfortunately pretty rare, which makes me wonder if installing them isn’t a more recent phenomenon. Oftentimes what you encounter is the indicated striped crosswalks like what you would see in most places. Sometimes there is an accompanying sign. And that’s it. This is even on major thoroughfares. There is no light indicating “ok, walk now” and cars and mopeds and buses seem to be coming from every direction. I still don’t understand how but you just kind of know when to make the plunge and hope for the best. I haven’t even figured out how the /traffic/ knows when to stop. My strategy has been to wait for other people to show up and then cross with them. Strength in numbers, right? I’m not sure how anyone who is older, slower, or disabled in any way would ever get anywhere. In fact, now that I think about it, I haven’t seen many people who fit those descriptions out and about. Maybe they stay in their neighborhoods? Another strategy I have adopted is using the elevated and sometimes subterraneous train stations to cut across busy roads. This city is an odd mix of both very cosmopolitan and undeveloped at the same time. The food has been good, although I haven’t had anything yet that is strikingly different than what I’ve had at Thai places in Minneapolis, beyond a coconut water (drinking from the coconut itself) drink and a strange “wing” bean I’ve never seen before. The difference, I think has been the freshness of the vegetables. Our restaurants don’t come close to comparing in that regard. But otherwise, I think they do a pretty good job of representing the food here. I went to a swanky rooftop bar with amazing views of the city last night. Very “jet setter”, which I am so not but it was fun nonetheless. I listened to some American talking about a company he formed – had something to do with competing with Amazon – because he didn’t want to have to go into an office or have a boss. Literally that was the premise. He didn’t even have any particular fondness or connection for doing whatever he does with the products he deals with. He also specifically chose products lighter in weight so as not to have high shipping costs. Then I lost interest in eavesdropping and started chatting it up with a couple from Austria, whose place overlooking the skyline I had taken while they were getting another glass of wine. Afterwards I meandered back and stopped at a Turkish restaurant for dinner. My waiter was Burmese. Cute little thing. I had him teach me how to say “thank you” in Burmese, which I think people get a kick out of. It’s nice to be acknowledged as a person and not just a waiter, I think. I observed and he seemed to be working so hard so I told him so afterwards and thanked him in Burmese. And he seemed appreciative – even teaching me shorter, slangish ways of saying thanks – and then he smiled his cute smile. Went back to where I’m staying before 10:00, thinking I’d actually do some reading or possibly chat with my misterbnb host, and the next thing I knew I was waking up at 1:30am. I guess I was tired. Not sure if this is jet lag or what but I actually don’t mind. It’s nice to get the needed rest.
Day 6
Greetings from Cambodia! This place is so fascinating in a way I have never before experienced. I tried two new things yesterday. My awesome misterbnb host persuaded me to jump on the back of his moped to go to the train station. I was leery at first but honestly, it was actually quite fun and a fraction of the time it normally took me to walk there. Then, upon arriving at the Siem Reap airport, I had arranged for a tuk tuk to take me to the hostel/hotel where I am staying and that in my opinion is the perfect way to be introduced Cambodia. It in many ways feels like a throwback to a hundred years ago here with unpaved roads and make-shift restaurants and markets and traffic literally going in all directions at once. There’s no rhyme or reason to it. It makes Bangkok’s traffic seem organized to precision. This is what I imagine that travelers must have experienced in exotic locations pre-internet when going to a different country really meant you were in a different country. Still, you see the changes creeping in. While exploring ruins today, there was a whole line of tuk tuk drivers and they were all scrolling on their phones. I pointed that out to the guide I’ve hired and he responded with one word: “Facebook.” That humorous note aside, you really do sense the poverty here and people’s willingness to do whatever to try to make a buck. The guide stopped by a woman’s shed (her house, maybe?) on the side of the road who was making sugar derived from palm fruit. The guide explained how it was made and It was yummy so I decided to buy a small canister and it was literally only $1. A lot of Westerners would glorify the cheap deal and maybe try to whittle it down further but there’s a part of it all that makes me sad and want to buy more. I can see the macro, systemic exploitation of these people in ways I hadn’t before. We stopped at a little museum about land mines in Cambodia and I didn’t think much of it at first but found the articles from that era interesting and was fascinated to learn that none of the Khmer Rouge leaders were executed but were rather just given long sentences and put in jail. “The government was already dead,” the guide said when I brought it up. I thought of the restraint that must have taken when literally millions of people – mostly intellectuals and city dwellers as the leader Pol Pot had tried to create an agrarian “utopia” – were tortured and murdered. The extent of all the mines and unexploded bombs dropped in the country became apparent as you see display case after display case and then realize that an estimated only half of the mines laid in the country have been cleared. Sobering. A man from New Zealand was explaining to his little boy about an old prosthetic leg that was on display and why one would need one and as the child processed this information, I actually got teary-eyed. It’s like it all finally came together for me in that moment. The place was interestingly experiential.
I’ve heard so much English on this trip. I really try to at least learn words like “thank you” and “excuse me” or “hello” in the language of a place where I’m visiting although I’ll admit that I’ve struggled to remember the Thai and Khmer. I was just starting to catch on to Thai phrases before coming here. One thing that I’ve noticed. People really do clasp their hands together and bow when expressing thanks. I had seen people doing that at a meditation center I’ve gone to back home and just figured they were being all new agey or something. That’s something I really enjoy about taking this trips – making connections with things back home so that it gels and I understand it on a new level. Any movie, book, song, or experience that does so is what I crave in life. Tomorrow we /leave the hotel/ at 4:45am to go see sunrise at Angkor Wat. I’m really excited because I didn’t think I’d have the chance to do this initially and it looks pretty cool but 4:45… Anyone who knows me knows how excited I am for that! 
Day 7
So I managed to not only get myself up but be on time for the 4:45 departure from my hotel to go see the sunrise at Angkor Wat – something I didn’t think I’d get a chance to see. Naturally, it ended up being cloudy and rainy. Wah, wah. The guide said that it almost never rains in the dry season. But there are silver linings to everything if one is open to them, I think. The rain caused there to be fewer people there, which made it easier to move around without the long lines one would normally encounter. Save for the Russian woman prima dona, who, despite it being rather obvious that we were patiently waiting for her, was having an extended fashion shoot by where you could get a picture of the Angkor Wat reflected in water, we were able to easily get the pictures we wanted to get and see what we wanted to see without the swarms of intolerable, incessant selfie-takers and people deciding that the backed up staircase that descends from an upper level of a temple is a perfect place to pause to take a series of pictures or a group photo. The clouds also kept things cooler than they would have been and the occasional drizzle was even pretty at times. The guide has altered the plan a few times and I’ve been happy to just go along. Today another person joined, whose company I greatly enjoyed, and for lunch our guide took us to a local food stand where we picked up some meat cooked on a grill right there in front of us, rice, and some beer, and we headed back to his little garden/farm and ate. Because of all the rains, we didn’t take the car down the road for fear that it would get stuck in the mud, so we walked down a dirt alley to get there. Such an awesome, authentic experience that I wouldn’t at all have had had I been insistent that we stick to the pre-determined program. And the food was amazing. Reminded me of times when I have eaten fish that had just been caught and cooked on the grill. There’s a certain taste you get from that that never seems to be captured by food prepared in a restaurant. Afterwards, we went to go check out the English-language school that the guide has set up as a way of paying forward the assistance he got when travelers he had met through his tour work offered to pay for his schooling that he couldn’t afford otherwise. It was an amazing school. I’m not the hugest fan of little children but these kids were admittedly very cute and so excited to see us and try out their English, which was really quite good. It wasn’t something I would have initially chosen to do from a list but I’m ultimately glad we went. It gave me even more respect for the guide. He seems like a really great guy and asset to his community.
One thing I’ve come to realize when the guide is educating about the stories behind the temple ruins, is that it ends up being not only a history lesson of sorts, but also oftentimes a “spiritual” one in that the basis of the intent behind the art displayed in the ruins is mindfulness and being clear headed and present. It’s a great message to keep hearing again and again as I ponder not only the art but my own life. Who knew? I’ve really found this experience in Cambodia to be very profound in a way that the pictures don’t capture. I’m so glad that this has been a part of this trip.
Day 8
After a couple of frustrating days, I’ve got things rolling again. And my Krabi segment is off and running – different than I was imagining but I’m enjoying it. When I arrived, I thought a shuttle would be provided and was informed of a price when I called the hotel that was much steeper than I was expecting (nothing). They suggested taking this shuttle service at the airport. While a tad annoying, I am very patient and have no problems shifting gears if it will get me where I need to go (the me of a few years ago would have had a full-on panic attack and inner breakdown). So I took this loosey-goosey shuttle service with what seemed like a hundred other people (ok, maybe it was more like 15-ish…) and we drove and drove and drove. I know nothing about this area. It didn’t /seem/ that far from the airport on the map but one thing I learned from my Cambodia experience is that road conditions and others’ driving habits and no general accepted “rules of the road” greatly add to what would probably just be a quick connection to be this very long, ongoing journey. Add to that the fact that nothing was ever really explained to us – largely because the people running the service have limited English and not everyone on the bus were English speakers, even (and we are in, well, Thailand). Half of France and a third of Russia (but surprisingly few Chinese in contrast to Siem Reap, where my tour guide spoke of a growing geopolitical influence from them in the past few years) seem to be here. I was getting tired and the bus driver had what I believe to be her child on board and she was playing kid’s music, which I find to be one of the most obnoxious forms of music of all time – it ranks up there with speed metal for me. I was dropped off at my place and when I was checking in, I asked the woman at the reception about the Tiger Cave Temple, shuttle to Railay Bay, other tours, and where an ATM was. I sat staring forward as she told me the most out of control, ridiculously complicated, 3-part journey that was well beyond what I was imagining cost-wise. She also said I could go stand on some road and wait for the bus that dropped me off to come by and flag it down but when I asked where exactly I should stand, she didn’t know. Then I asked when and how often this bus went by. She didn’t know that, either. As for the ATM, she told me I’d have to go to a neighboring town accessible via a shuttle that ran every three hours for free, for a charge outside of that. I asked if the other destinations I’m looking at going to had one. She didn’t know. So I was shown to my room and I’m thinking, crap – I should have booked a place in one of the common tourist areas. At least I wouldn’t be in this predicament. I was annoyed because the stuff listed on the website is in my opinion a bit misleading. It’s like a politician wrote it. It’s technically true in some sense if you parse it out and look at it a certain way, but… So I was not in my usual vacation travel mood and my writing muse took an apparently much-needed vacation for a couple days but happily decided to return. I got up today, the sun was shining, the grounds for this hotel are beautiful, right on the sea and next to these mountainous topographical features covered in lush vegetation. I was going to bite the bullet and just pay out the wazoo for the Tiger Temple because I really do want to see it and experience it. I’ve been chatting online with someone who coincidentally, is here with his partner staying in the hotel next door. He informed that one can get to Railay Bay via this boat shuttle that is a 15-minute walk away. I went in again to the office and got a guy who was a million times more helpful than that woman last night. He informed that the taxi would be more in line with what I was expecting and that it would drop me off right at the temple and how to order it and the return. He also said that Railay Bay had ATMs and that there was even one by that dock I walked to about 15 minutes away. I sent a note to the person I’ve been chatting with to see if he and his partner would like to split a cab with me as they are interested in going as well. If I haven’t heard, I’ll likely just go on my own, knowing that it won’t break my bank. So I shifted gears and went to Railay Bay, which, I might add, had about five or six ATMs that are indicated /on every reference map there/.
I don’t know what’s been going on but I’ve been seeing a pattern on my plane rides. I for a few rides now have been placed in front of a kid that seems fond of kicking his or her feet into my seat throughout the whole flight. As far as I know their parents have not attempted to stop this. Luckily the flights have been short (I would be reduced to mad, raving, looney if this happened over that 15-hour flight). So I get on the plane ride to come here and I hear a screaming demon child and I was like, “oh no…” Guess where it was? My luck on this trip! Luckily the mother must have had ways with magic because I heard her a-bouncin’ that kid and it was out until we landed. I wanted so badly to recline my seat because I find it uncomfortable for it to be straight up but I didn’t dare! As long as momma was able to keep that kid quiet, I was going to cooperate fully!
Day 9
Whew, chil’… I am spent! This heat and humidity really wears me down, especially when climbing the 1260 steep steps that I climbed to get to the Tiger Cave Temple. I set off thinking I’d be finally slowing down after maybe 500 steps or something. Fat chance. I was huffing and puffing and heart was racing before I even hit 200. I learned that it was all about pacing. I was in no rush so I stopped at literally every landing and only slowly climbed between. I was so jealous of those descending. You end up walking up with a handful of people and mine included a guy from the French town of Nîmes, who had to go it alone because his girlfriend got vertigo as well as a guy named Edgar from San Diego, who is studying for a semester in Singapore. I learned that his trip there was his first ever on a plane and that he had never previously been out of the country save for a trip to Tijuana that he wasn’t counting. It didn’t look like he was going to make it as I passed him on the way up. He mentioned that his friends were already up there and that he shouldn’t have eaten a full meal just before. At one point another couple we were loosely grouped with approached and the girlfriend asked the French guy in English if the guy in black was his friend. He just looked confused at her and before I could reply in her language that I had been hanging out with him, she blurted, “he’s vomiting.” So much for Edgar. We kept climbing and climbing and the rests between climbs were growing more frequent for me until all of a sudden… I was there!! In a last minute sprint the French guy zoomed past me and out of site and as I arrived, again huffing and puffing, he was in the process of taking pictures and he said, “la preuve!” (“the proof!”) I was too tired to respond in any other way than to laugh. But the views. Wow. You get a taste on websites but to actually be there in front of that enormous golden Buddha statue with the most amazing, strange topography behind him. I hung out for quite a while and took it all in and rested. It was interesting observing all the types of people who make the trek. I don’t know that it’s on the top of people’s lists to come to this particular place as it’s not the easiest to get to, is steeped in Buddhist imagery, and is nearly 1300 steps up and up and up. But here they were. My people, in a way. The Americans, the Thai, the French, the Russians. The Asian women devoutly praying and offering thanks, kneeling and clasping their hands before the Buddha statue. Even the pretty young woman in a sun dress who said something like, “my legs are going to be awesome after this!” I laughed and she laughed at me laughing. And as I was taking one of my final laps before reluctantly leaving, who shows up but Edgar! “You made it!” I yelled. He apparently didn’t require as much time up there as I did because after taking a tour of the level below and preparing to descend, he was with me again. We walked down in tandem about 2/3 of the way, chatting here and there and reassuring the climbers on their way up that it’s not as bad as they were thinking at the moment and to take it slowly, and that the view at the top was worth it. I’m not sure everyone was convinced, especially those who hadn’t yet hit even 250 steps, but onward they persisted. Just like I did, and Edgar, and the French guy. At about 250 steps remaining, Edgar said his friends were texting him and for whatever reason, we exchanged names (we didn’t actually know each others’ names yet), and he sprinted down the stairs. This left a vacuum that was filled by a song I saw a drag queen perform at a cute little gay bar in Siem Reap “I Learned From The Best” by Whitney Houston. I’ve been singing it in my head off and on ever since. When I paid the cab driver for driving me out there, she did the usual clasping of the hands in thanks, saying, “kub cuhn kraaa” (thanks from a female) and I responded “kub cuhn krup” (thanks from a male) and was surprised to find myself reflexively clasping my hands in thanks back.
Day 10
Took a tour today. I much prefer to do things on my own and cobble together my own strange itinerary but sometimes it’s nice to just look up a package online and let them do the work, especially if it’s something that would otherwise be extremely complicated and/or expensive to do on one’s own. So I decided to book a tour of the Phi Phi Islands. Immediately, me being me, I started fretting about what should I wear or bring and was scouting not only their website but googling to make sure I didn’t look like a complete idiot or forget the most essential thing. I guess I should also mention that it took me the better part of a couple of hours, maybe more, to book the damn thing. One thing that made me nervous was a focus on snorkeling. Confession: as much as I love looking at and being around – even being on water – it terrifies me just a little bit. Always has. Not so much pools (as long as the water isn’t too deep) but more natural bodies of water, especially those that move or that can be insanely deep. I remember once taking a trip with a friend to the Anacapa Islands off of California and when the guide mention that the average depth had gone from 100 feet to 900 feet, I had a minor panic attack. Not that one would really know the difference if the boat capsized. At least hopefully not. Everyone in the reviews raved about the snorkeling and I was already wondering if maybe I could just sit on the boat and take pictures while they did that. Continued exploration led me to a travel website or blog with an entry entitled “Phi Phi Island Tours – why I would NEVER do one again!” (All-caps hers). She talked about the horrors of riding a high-speed boat. “I didn’t feel like I was going to die or anything…,” she said (that’s a plus), “…I just felt like I was going to break my neck or back or something.” (Oh…). This is partially what caused me to deliberate so long but I decided I wanted to see this so off I went. I even went to go buy a cheapie pair of flip flops for it. So we get on the boat and everything was fine. Their warning that it’s not good for people with back and neck problems (didn’t I have a sore back the other day??) ended up being for nought. The ride was fine. What you would expect for jetting across the water at high speed. I sometimes use trips to conquer fears in some way. Immediately upon arriving in these alcoves with gorgeous turquoise water where the boats stop and let people jump off to swim in the waters, I was faced with a decision. Granted this wasn’t snorkeling in the open seas but still. I felt like I needed to do it. It helped that I saw others donning life jackets. Ahh, I might be able to do it that way. I got off the boat via the two steps (two steps?? Shouldn’t there be a ladder that unfurls that allows you to just gradually float out into the water?). I let go of the ladder and bobbed down a bit before bobbing up and I immediately felt the pressure of the water on my chest and lungs and felt as if I might have a panic attack. Only I didn’t. It was still uncomfortable but I wasn’t dying or anything. I held on tight to the rope that jetted out from the boat, until… I didn’t feel I needed it anymore! I let go and actually started swimming around in this very strange setting. Another woman – also wearing a life jacket – was reluctant to enter and I started giving her advice to hang onto the rope until she got confidence. The day progressed and we took in the beaches and those strange significant mountain-like islands that jet straight out if the water up to the heavens. I need to read up on how those are formed. I wonder how many shipwrecks have occurred because of them, especially at night. There are usually no beaches to them at all, just a rocky cliff jetting out of the water 1,000+ feet. Seems like it would be treacherous to navigate when dark. We bopped around to a few spots, including a beach with sand that was literally like powder, then we came to the dreaded snorkeling. I was still on the fence about whether I’d do it. I decided I’d wait for everyone else to get out first. As I approached the back of the boat, I noticed the breathing tube was backward (I could have died!!). I had one of the crew fix it and then I went off and hoped for the best. Getting in the water was just like the first time I got off the boat so not so bad. Now time to try the snorkeling. Man, what a leap of faith that is. Everything about it seems counterintuitive. I put my face in the water and immediately was breathing 10 times as fast. I was fine until the first disturbance – a water swell, for example, and then my head was out of the water and I was breathing like I had just narrowly evaded death. I did it a few more times and realized that my mask probably needed to be adjusted because water was getting in. But I couldn’t be bothered. I tried to figure it out and then the band around the back of my head budged and I panicked a little. So I just pressed the mask into my face on my brave forays into the underworld. It was cool although the coral was mostly blanched, I think. I wasn’t wearing my glasses. The fish were really neat to see. After a period, I felt I had enough and headed back to the boat, glad that I had given it a whirl rather than passed on it. I totally didn’t think I would be doing it when thinking about it the night before. On the way back to the hotel, there were only three of us in the vehicle that was transporting us – a woman from Florida and the cutest little guy from a town I can’t pronounce in the Ural Mountains in Russia. I tried out my lame Russian to somewhat bridge the gap with his fractured but better English. He showed me a picture from his hometown and the dividing line between Europe and Asia runs right through it! He showed me the picture when I asked if his town was in Europe or Asia and mentioned that people get married there and oftentimes have pictures where the bride and groom are straddling the continents. Despite our limited knowledge of each other’s language, we shared a few laughs. I’m sitting here having my last dinner in Krabi. I’ve mostly just had dinner at the hotel restaurant next to its beautiful pool with cascading water sound and the sounds of the high tide coming in. It’s funny to see the same people over a period of a few days. One guy who sat at my same table the first night is here eating at a different one tonight. That first night feels like it was weeks ago. There’s the Russian family with the sexy dad and the table of slightly older but pre-retirement age American women. I would love to know their stories. I’ll miss the waiter. It would always fascinate me to give him my order in English and watch him write it in the Thai alphabet. I’m currently reading the book “A Little Life” – a 700+ page hardcover book I checked out from the library. He jokingly said once, “A little life, a big book!” which made me laugh.
Day 12
Back in Bangkok for a few days. It’s funny how you can become so familiar with a place with time. It’s like it takes on a different feel or something. What seemed so exotic or even a tad bit scary (something to be cautious of) in a way, eventually becomes commonplace. What you for sure would have snapped a picture of upon arriving, you now sometimes just appreciate and move on. Or at least that’s how I am. I start focusing on what’s happening more. And start becoming more interested in things like checking out what interesting foods you can get at the grocery store or convenience mart – like the amazing potato chips I had last night that had the following flavors: shrimp, chilies, pineapple (I think), and lime. Oh my god… I’m going to have to stuff a few bags of those in my suitcase. I’ve also become a little more adventurous with my eating and have had some amazing spicy salads. Love those. I start to think about how back home it’s been cold and snowing but it is hot almost always here. What I’m experiencing now is what one experiences, except for rain in the rainy season. The city is so different from what I thought even riding in on the train from the airport. I notice that I start to focus in on the neighborhoods and notice the different things the vendors are selling here versus in another neighborhood. Went up to the Golden Mount on a weird whim. I actually didn’t set out to see it. I set out to see another temple. On the way I swung by a Chinese Buddhist worship area and it was so interesting to observe how their way of worshipping is different. They light wicks in these vats that have flames coming out (some people purchase oil and pour it in to keep it going). Then they take their wicks and go over to another shrine and put them up to their foreheads and pray, hands clasped together. Then they put the wicks into a pot standing up and they enter a temple. I took some pictures but tried to keep a respectful distance. Hoping the shots I took are more in honor of showing what they do. I wanted to go into the temple so badly but it didn’t seem appropriate. And I was seemingly the only white guy in the area. I continued and when I got to the temple I was intending to see, I saw a guy bowing his head and praying three times. He told me in an accent I struggled to understand, that you have to “bow three times for happy”. Then he told me the place was only for Thai people today (I knew there was some sort of holiday that I think was yesterday into today). He told me of certain tuk tuks that had a certain flag that would take you to all these places for 40 baht. This is one time where the guidebooks came in handy because they warn you about this scam. In one book it was written, “say goodbye to your day’s itinerary if you get into one of these tuk tuks.” as they take you to various shops hoping you’ll buy something. And quelle surprise! One of those tuk tuks showed up, almost on cue! The other guy had left and I waved the tuk tuk off. The temple did seem to not have travelers in it and one piece of useful information I had gotten from the guy was about the Golden Mount. He pointed to where it was and I saw it on the map nearby, so I went and it was awesome. So experiential with all the wind chimes and bells ringing and gongs gonging and chants on a speaker. It was really neat. And the walk up passes by a little Zen forest of sorts with mist. Really interesting. At the top are the most amazing panoramic views of the city. You really get a comprehensive idea of how enormous it is. Headed back and even knew the streets and didn’t have to consult my map as much. On the way back I stopped by a place and got a cantaloupe milk shake. Perfect end to that meandering, not as planned journey.
Day 14
My last day in Thailand. Decided, inadvertently, to save the most grandiose (with regard to Thai history and identity) for last. A couple nights ago I headed out to the edge of town to meet up with a friend of a friend. Traffic in Bangkok is a complete and utter nightmare. Makes Los Angeles seem like a breeze. They have a fairly extensive public transit system, which I have used frequently, but with a city that itself has nearly nine million people in it not counting outlying areas, it’s just simply not enough. So I went to this roundabout where this friend had instructed to go, only there were dozens and dozens of buses. Just looking out at the mass of buses and people or scurrying about, I was thinking it was going to be impossible. I had him send me the name of the destination in Thai and literally the first person I asked knew exactly where to go. I went to this other set of bus stops and just as I was approaching, my bus arrived. It was an interesting experience. The bus was unlike any other I have been on. Old, rickety thing with only floorboards as a floor. The woman came around with her pouch to take money and unless I misunderstood (she just grabbed from my extended palmful of coins), the ride was either 7 or 17 baht, which is roughly either 5 cents or 60 cents. The bus would stop at the bus stops for literally only a few seconds. I watched as people both got off and jumped on while the bus was still moving or had started moving. Stayed up that way and the next morning went with this friend to deliver fresh food picked up at a market to a school cafeteria. Not something we’re used to in the US! We then went to Ayutthaya, ruins of what used to be the Capitol of Thailand before the invading Burmese seized control and burned and looted the site. While there, he instructed me how to properly worship as I’ve seen others do with the incense, and flower offering and a piece of flaky gold that one places on the Buddha statue. Additionally, we made a donation and wrapped decorative nylon material around a piece that will be affixed to the temple while focusing on meaningful thoughts, intentions, or prayers. Afterwards we went to a great restaurant on the grounds of a temple much further upstream from the same river that eventually passes through Bangkok. Tried large cooked prawn with a spicy sauce that my friend feared would be to spicy but wasn’t (had an awesome, fresh taste, though), vegetables, and spicy tom yum. Dessert was coconut ice cream with red beans and lotus seeds on it. Sounds unusual but it was great. One interesting thing about this place. People throw the leftover food into the river and this horde of what seems like a thousand large fish goes crazy trying to be the first to eat it. I was wondering what would happen if a person fell in!!
Today I got up and went to the Grand Palace. Amazing place. I had meant to go the first full day I was here but didn’t look at the hours and by the time I had gone through Wat Pho, and had lunch, chatting it up with this older English couple, it was nearly time for the Palace grounds to close. I actually walked there from a train stop. It’s quite a hike but about the same distance as the Golden Mount was. When I got there, some guy at an entrance told me only Thai people could go in. I knew this weekend was a holiday for them and I thought, “just my luck” – especially after walking as much as I did. But it was a nice day and I actually didn’t mind. He told me of other things to see and said they were just down the road. So I said, “great. I’ll walk to them.” And he suggested a tuk tuk and I said, “oh no, I’ll walk.” Then things got fishy. He mentioned that they could come back at 2pm and foreigners could then get in. I said, “great. I’ll walk back then.” He got visibly annoyed, so much so that he forgot I was holding his umbrella to block the sun. I kindly handed it back to him, smiled, and said “thank you.” As I got around the corner, I saw the lines to get in – and they included many foreigners. It was the good ol’ tuk tuk scam!! I tell you unless you absolutely must use them, avoid the tuk tuks like the plague if you come here. Slimy bunch. The only tuk tuk rides I took were in Siem Reap and that’s because they were affiliated with the hotel. So I got in after all and all the detail is mind blowing. A must see, really. And you could take pictures of far more stuff than I was thinking you could. I was there for hours. Loved it. I filmed a clip with chanting from a worship service. It was magical in a way. One thing I will say however is if you ever wanted to become a misanthrope. Or practice the most challenging form of loving kindness ever, go to one of these places when it’s crowded. Oy. The Chinese have surpassed, only slightly, the Russians as the most annoying people in these places. Whereas the Russians will have full-on, 15-minute photo shoots, without expressing the slightest concern for the dozens of people also wanting to look at and maybe photograph, even worship at a site, the Chinese don’t even acknowledge the existence of others and will literally barge right into you or jump right in front of you or walk and then stop right in your way when you are looking at something or trying to take a picture or walking or even trying to stand out of the way. Despite all that, it was still a great experience. All that’s left is to go get a massage and get dinner. Tomorrow I leave very early and despite the fact that I will be closing in on 30 hours of flying and layover-ing, I will arrive in Minneapolis on the same day less than 12 hours later.
Day 15
Greetings from the Vancouver airport! Started the long trek back much earlier today, which I guess was really yesterday. You really do lose all sense of time in those 24+ hour journeys, especially when you’re someone like me who can’t sleep on a plane more than an occasional 5-minute doze here and there. I’m admittedly not ready to return to the apparent snowstorm I’m coming back to, especially as I’ve been wearing shorts and actually seeking to dodge the heat as much as possible. Already, arriving at this airport I’ll have to admit that I feel deadened in some way. I went to Starbucks and got a small mocha, while hearing some awful corporate “alternative” music being piped in. I passed a little restaurant that serves bland soups and sandwiches. Even just the energy of the place makes me feel like lying on the floor and going to sleep. Gone from this airport are all the interesting, vibrant sights, smells, sounds, swirling crowds, chaotic commerce, etc. Instead, I’m sitting at the Minneapolis gate listening to some woman call all of her friends and tell them how she’s sitting in the /international/ section and then go down a list of banal, clichéd conversational talking points. Is this what people were talking about in Thailand, too but I just wasn’t in the know and was perceiving their lives to be so much more interesting? Or am I just in some sort of mood after only having gotten maybe a couple of hours’ sleep in the past 40-ish hours?
I rounded out my trip last night with a great, 90-minute, professional massage. It both felt like bliss and like torture. A blissful oil massage of my limbs, hands, feet, and head and a torturous, deep elbowing of my favored stress compartments in my back and shoulders. But admittedly they feel better today than they have in a long time. I may need to incorporate an occasional visit going forward, especially when I start to notice my back more easily getting out of whack. I so enjoyed my time in both Thailand and Cambodia. The people there are so nice. And even though Bangkok is an enormous city, I felt safe the entire time I was there. In fact, many times I found people would go out of their way to provide assistance when they could. They really do seem like a thankful people as well, whether that be a matter of practice or something that stems from their genuine nature (or both). I was reminded of the practice when I was at the airport and I saw a man clasp his hands together, seemingly reflexively, and bow to a Buddha shrine as he passed. And everyone expresses gratitude for even the slightest gesture. Now that I think about it, I don’t even recall seeing any conflict while there at all. The history and culture are very rich and I love the podiums outside of almost every business where offerings of thanks are given. And even in a place like Cambodia that has seen so much violence and poverty, everyone is so nice and seemingly has so much pride in their history. As an American, I was wondering if possibly there wouldn’t be some hostility I might encounter on some level given our historical involvement with violence and geopolitical influence in the region and given the disastrous, xenophobic group that currently runs both the executive and legislative branches of the US government but I never once sensed that. In fact, if anything, sympathy was expressed for the current state of affairs because they have experienced similar swings in their political pasts.
So I head back to Minneapolis again renewed with a whole list of things I would like to do differently with my life. One of my favorite aspects of travel is that it centers me like few other things do. I can get stuck and even feel hopeless on some level when I get in such ruts but going on vacation shakes my Etch-a-Sketch. I realize anew how great shifts and changes more often tend to stem from a whole series of smaller, incremental shifts that culminate. I always forget that and need to be reminded or rather for it to be re-realized. And of course, I’ll never forget the new friends I make along the way, whether something that stems from a chance conversation or someone from whom I booked a room for a few days and whether I remain in contact for years or just share a dinner or even a conversation that touched me in some way. I remain forever affected.
Scott Bilodeau's Meandering Babbles 