Wow, I am in Cambodia. I left Laos a few days ago planning on spending time in Bangkok, like longer than two hours, but then ended up on a bus to Siem Reap... funny how traveling works sometimes. Three countries in just over 24 hours. Wow.
Laos is great, I don't even know where to begin. Best place ever. Luang Prabang is probably my favorite city in the world right now, I LOVE IT SO MUCH. I didn't mean to capitolize that last part but this janky keyboard keeps making me yell....
Traveling is amazing I dont' even know what to say. I feel more alive now than I ever have in my life. So centered, so grounded, so "in the moment." I just formulated a plan to travel from SE Asia to India and Nepal and then South America. Wow. I keep saying that but being in Cambodia is really a trip. You can't understand it until you come here. Especially right after spending so much time in Laos, which is so laid back and gorgeous. I am so going back to Laos asap. Literally. Maybe in a week or so. To the south where I have not been yet. And then maybe Viet Nam or the Thaislands (i just made that up) for the holidays. Not sure yet. Hard to plan further than one week or even 2 days ahead.
Okay this keyboard is getting to me and I am exhausted and will try to get up to see the sunrise in Angkor, so I bid you all farewell and lots of love!
Thursday, December 6, 2007
Sunday, November 18, 2007
same same but different
so if you have ever been to SEA you will be very familiar with that phrase...everything is same same but different. even if it is really different. like laos and thailand. laos is what thailand used to be, and it's scary to see what it might become. i'm totally going to be one of those people sayin "laos was so much better 5/10/15 years ago."
i spent a great few days in luang prabang. the trip there was rather intense. the slow boat from thailand is something beyond explanation. it is rough. being squished on this boat with so many people for so long, you can't help but forge friendships with your fellow captives. i almost went crazy, especially when the tripped out old hippy dude started telling me he was taken over by an evil spirit back in 1975, and this was barely an hour into the first of a two days 14 hr boat ride.
luckily i had some canadian and british folk all around to keep my sane. i seem to keep finding dudes to travel with. after leaving the first group of four back in thailand, i immediately found three more. luckily i was saved by four girls, two welsh and two irish, and had a big transition into the land if girlyness. that only lasted for a few days, then they headed south and i headed north with one of the guys i met in thailand (found him again in luang prabang) and spent a week with him, trekking out of muang sing, and now i'm off on my own again over to the east and do some more trekking. maybe not the intense 3 days 45km trek that i've done a couple times now, but who knows. keeps me in good shape.
there are mosquitos the size of butterflies about, so i need to put on some more repellant and not forget to take my doxy! that is the malaria prevention of choice, apparently. i'm taking it, dad!
i will be in more places w/o internet so my next submission might not be for a while and emails will be few and far between. but happy thanksgiving to you all and happy birthday dad!
i spent a great few days in luang prabang. the trip there was rather intense. the slow boat from thailand is something beyond explanation. it is rough. being squished on this boat with so many people for so long, you can't help but forge friendships with your fellow captives. i almost went crazy, especially when the tripped out old hippy dude started telling me he was taken over by an evil spirit back in 1975, and this was barely an hour into the first of a two days 14 hr boat ride.
luckily i had some canadian and british folk all around to keep my sane. i seem to keep finding dudes to travel with. after leaving the first group of four back in thailand, i immediately found three more. luckily i was saved by four girls, two welsh and two irish, and had a big transition into the land if girlyness. that only lasted for a few days, then they headed south and i headed north with one of the guys i met in thailand (found him again in luang prabang) and spent a week with him, trekking out of muang sing, and now i'm off on my own again over to the east and do some more trekking. maybe not the intense 3 days 45km trek that i've done a couple times now, but who knows. keeps me in good shape.
there are mosquitos the size of butterflies about, so i need to put on some more repellant and not forget to take my doxy! that is the malaria prevention of choice, apparently. i'm taking it, dad!
i will be in more places w/o internet so my next submission might not be for a while and emails will be few and far between. but happy thanksgiving to you all and happy birthday dad!
Saturday, November 3, 2007
Goodbye Thailand, Hello Laos
okay so still no pics, but i will try to post some as soon as i get to laos. i head out of thailand tomorrow and i'm on my way to luang prabang. not really sure why i booked the package that gets me from pai straight to luang prabang...but i did. sometimes these decisions just make themselves.
i was thinking about heading back to chiang mai for a few days, and checking out some temples i didn't get to see b/c i was lost on my bike down by the airport and it took a little while of walking along a highway until i ended up back in the walls surrounding central chiang mai and bought a cool skirt for 50 Baht (about $1.30). the next day was the jungle trek that was absolutely amazing.
four days in the jungles of NE Thailand with a jungle master. We met this guide named Had that is from the hills and has spent the last 20 years guiding tourists around his homeland. We spent the first day driving a few hours into the park, stopping at a market to buy provisions where we were accosted by some hilltribes women and i bought a cool water bottle holder that goes over your shoulder (only moments before i was hoping to have such an item, and $0.90 you can't complain). I wondered how long they last and mine is still functional but Tash's lasted about ten minutes.
we sat by the road and at some pad thai take-away, each boy had two while us girls had one, then headed into the jungle. we hiked about 10km that day, saw a huge cave where a monk has lived by himself for 10 years or so, and he goes down the the village each morning to get his daily food. we stayed at the village that night, our first introduction to thai moonshine, some sort of rice liquor that they call whiskey but is more like vodka or something. anyway it was awesome. we were famished so the food we were given was absolutely delicious. fresh rice, veggies, garlic chicken, and lots of fresh chillies. we passed around the one shot glass and whiskey and played some sort of card game, i don't really remember what it was but we had a blast. the other guide came out and was smoking this huge cigarette made with banana leaf papers so it was really really big. he also sang "no woman no cry" with the added lyric "no whiskey i die." we just about died laughing.
going to the outdoor toilet was fun, tash and i met a cow named Mooella the second. she even had her own song. i was absolutely freezing that night b/c we bathed in the river and my was wet, and i was not prepared for the cold. it's thailand, you don't need clothes! in the south, that is. even in chiang mai it was hot and sweaty. but up in the jungle it was easily 50 (F). my little skimpy borrowed sleeping bag did me not much good, luckily dan lent me his -15 (C) bag the next night, although i bled into it from my leech bite that i managed to acquire while using the real outdoor toilet the next night (i.e. the grass).
day two we began with a strong cup of instant coffee, some eggs and toast, and a pig in labor! i also got licked by a cow...we didn't see any piglets being born, but we squealed like one when the mother stepped on the first one (no broken bones b/c babies are almost all cartilage). i think we were stressing her out so we left her alone.
then we headed up and up and up and up (15km that day).....straight up for so long, by the time we reached the waterfall we needed a break and some more good food. although it was a bit like top ramen, thai style, in awesome bamboo bowls. bamboo plants are good for everything: plates, cups, silverware, weapons, walking sticks, ropes, weaving material. and banana leaves are great seats, tablecloths, and rolling papers. oh and food wrappers! and it's all biodegradable. Jungle Life! the boys went to making a damn, crazy boys are always doing something "manly."
then we went back uphill, me with my sarong being worn like obi won kanobe. we finished up in a little hut by the river (always stay by moving water so mosquitos are pretty rare) that our guide had stayed at the year before, while helping a scientist plant rice. so there were huge rice fields across the river, along with mint, some oranges, limes, chilis, and peanuts. we used them all, some for eating but mostly for making jungle mojitos! that is right folks, i was about two days away from "civilization" but i was drinking the best damn mojito anyone has had in the jungle. we used up the sugar, the whiskey, and the limes, but it was worth it. a game of "i went to the waterfall and i brought" went on far too long. we had a german leather queen, a tricycle, some nailclippers, and the game was finally stopped by some more good thai food.
day three we hiked 18km, with a lunch by the river that consisted of some awesome pumpkin curry and egg fried rice. that night we ended up at another village where the children had probably never seen a farang before, they sat with us and stared at us for hours. we had a great time of drawing pics of and for them, and taking their pics and showing them the screen. some relaxing that night helped me out a lot, i was exhausted and kinda sick. i'm still coughing a bit and we got back four days ago.
the last day we rafted down the river, on bamboo rafts and used bamboo sticks as our paddles. i was sitting at first but quickly grew tired of it, so i helped steer our boat. not much whitewater but it was nice to see all the buffalo everywhere.
we ended up back in chiang mai that night, exhausted and starving. the boys went to an all you can eat steak place and i headed to the best veggie restaurant in chiang mai, blue diamone. so freaking good. i talked to my parents briefly, passed out, and headed to pai the next morning. i've been in pai for three days and love it! i totally see how people get stuck here...i could stay for a month. but i decided to definitely make it to india and hopefully up to tibet, so i need to leave before i spend all my money in thailand.
we stayed at these awesome huts along the river, pretty cheap for our own hut each with a big bed and private attached bathroom with hot water shower. the last night (tonight) they raised the prices b/c of high season and i think it's a thai holiday weekend. i'm staying at another place that is not so nice but i leave early in the morning and my room is really big and the bathroom is right next door and no one else is staying around me.
pai has been really fun, when i've been alone. the first day (halloween) i was so tired i just took a shower, a nap, and went to dinner for nick's birthday. had some drinks at buffalo exchange (the same font on the sign for the store back in the states, but no clothes to be seen) and went to a halloween party at a bar that ended right when dan and i showed up. so we had a quick drink and a roti and went to bed. the next day we rented motorbikes and went to a waterfall nearby (i know i know it was dangerous but i'm okay!) i did manage to fall on the bike and scrape up my knee a bit, but it's totally fine and some people are on crutches and/or seriously scratched up all over their side. so i got off quite easily. don't know when i'll rent one again, i think push bikes are more my style. or bicycles, as we call them.
the next day i hung out, read in my little bungalow for a while in the morning, headed out to this great cafe that has a lounge seat for people to sit around or lay down while eating/reading/chatting. after spending a week or so with four boys (that are total "boys", even the gay one was super testosterone_filled) it was nice to have some feminine energy around me. some artists were there to chat with and then i wandered around, had some tea, some more conversations, bought some books, read while watching the clouds moved across the sky over the intense green of the jungle mountain, all above the river passing next to my deck.... then i had dinner and drinks with the boys again and retired to my room for some more reading and a big fat mosquito...
i'm excited for some alone time. i find that i have a better time when not stuck in a group of people. I love the boys but it was too much for me after a while. We all split up today and I might see them later on (especially Dan b/c he left his trunks outside of my hut). i spent the day arranging tomorrow, finding another room, and chatting with a fellow californian yogi who gave me some great advice/ideas about india. i'm so excited.
oh and i just finished "life of pi" and it was good, thanks ali! i almost traded it for the red tent but ended up with something i haven't read yet, we'll see how it goes. it's funny, i keep reading books about india while in thailand, and now the i'm leaving thailand i'm starting to read "the beach"...
goodbye thailand! i'll be back soon :)
i was thinking about heading back to chiang mai for a few days, and checking out some temples i didn't get to see b/c i was lost on my bike down by the airport and it took a little while of walking along a highway until i ended up back in the walls surrounding central chiang mai and bought a cool skirt for 50 Baht (about $1.30). the next day was the jungle trek that was absolutely amazing.
four days in the jungles of NE Thailand with a jungle master. We met this guide named Had that is from the hills and has spent the last 20 years guiding tourists around his homeland. We spent the first day driving a few hours into the park, stopping at a market to buy provisions where we were accosted by some hilltribes women and i bought a cool water bottle holder that goes over your shoulder (only moments before i was hoping to have such an item, and $0.90 you can't complain). I wondered how long they last and mine is still functional but Tash's lasted about ten minutes.
we sat by the road and at some pad thai take-away, each boy had two while us girls had one, then headed into the jungle. we hiked about 10km that day, saw a huge cave where a monk has lived by himself for 10 years or so, and he goes down the the village each morning to get his daily food. we stayed at the village that night, our first introduction to thai moonshine, some sort of rice liquor that they call whiskey but is more like vodka or something. anyway it was awesome. we were famished so the food we were given was absolutely delicious. fresh rice, veggies, garlic chicken, and lots of fresh chillies. we passed around the one shot glass and whiskey and played some sort of card game, i don't really remember what it was but we had a blast. the other guide came out and was smoking this huge cigarette made with banana leaf papers so it was really really big. he also sang "no woman no cry" with the added lyric "no whiskey i die." we just about died laughing.
going to the outdoor toilet was fun, tash and i met a cow named Mooella the second. she even had her own song. i was absolutely freezing that night b/c we bathed in the river and my was wet, and i was not prepared for the cold. it's thailand, you don't need clothes! in the south, that is. even in chiang mai it was hot and sweaty. but up in the jungle it was easily 50 (F). my little skimpy borrowed sleeping bag did me not much good, luckily dan lent me his -15 (C) bag the next night, although i bled into it from my leech bite that i managed to acquire while using the real outdoor toilet the next night (i.e. the grass).
day two we began with a strong cup of instant coffee, some eggs and toast, and a pig in labor! i also got licked by a cow...we didn't see any piglets being born, but we squealed like one when the mother stepped on the first one (no broken bones b/c babies are almost all cartilage). i think we were stressing her out so we left her alone.
then we headed up and up and up and up (15km that day).....straight up for so long, by the time we reached the waterfall we needed a break and some more good food. although it was a bit like top ramen, thai style, in awesome bamboo bowls. bamboo plants are good for everything: plates, cups, silverware, weapons, walking sticks, ropes, weaving material. and banana leaves are great seats, tablecloths, and rolling papers. oh and food wrappers! and it's all biodegradable. Jungle Life! the boys went to making a damn, crazy boys are always doing something "manly."
then we went back uphill, me with my sarong being worn like obi won kanobe. we finished up in a little hut by the river (always stay by moving water so mosquitos are pretty rare) that our guide had stayed at the year before, while helping a scientist plant rice. so there were huge rice fields across the river, along with mint, some oranges, limes, chilis, and peanuts. we used them all, some for eating but mostly for making jungle mojitos! that is right folks, i was about two days away from "civilization" but i was drinking the best damn mojito anyone has had in the jungle. we used up the sugar, the whiskey, and the limes, but it was worth it. a game of "i went to the waterfall and i brought" went on far too long. we had a german leather queen, a tricycle, some nailclippers, and the game was finally stopped by some more good thai food.
day three we hiked 18km, with a lunch by the river that consisted of some awesome pumpkin curry and egg fried rice. that night we ended up at another village where the children had probably never seen a farang before, they sat with us and stared at us for hours. we had a great time of drawing pics of and for them, and taking their pics and showing them the screen. some relaxing that night helped me out a lot, i was exhausted and kinda sick. i'm still coughing a bit and we got back four days ago.
the last day we rafted down the river, on bamboo rafts and used bamboo sticks as our paddles. i was sitting at first but quickly grew tired of it, so i helped steer our boat. not much whitewater but it was nice to see all the buffalo everywhere.
we ended up back in chiang mai that night, exhausted and starving. the boys went to an all you can eat steak place and i headed to the best veggie restaurant in chiang mai, blue diamone. so freaking good. i talked to my parents briefly, passed out, and headed to pai the next morning. i've been in pai for three days and love it! i totally see how people get stuck here...i could stay for a month. but i decided to definitely make it to india and hopefully up to tibet, so i need to leave before i spend all my money in thailand.
we stayed at these awesome huts along the river, pretty cheap for our own hut each with a big bed and private attached bathroom with hot water shower. the last night (tonight) they raised the prices b/c of high season and i think it's a thai holiday weekend. i'm staying at another place that is not so nice but i leave early in the morning and my room is really big and the bathroom is right next door and no one else is staying around me.
pai has been really fun, when i've been alone. the first day (halloween) i was so tired i just took a shower, a nap, and went to dinner for nick's birthday. had some drinks at buffalo exchange (the same font on the sign for the store back in the states, but no clothes to be seen) and went to a halloween party at a bar that ended right when dan and i showed up. so we had a quick drink and a roti and went to bed. the next day we rented motorbikes and went to a waterfall nearby (i know i know it was dangerous but i'm okay!) i did manage to fall on the bike and scrape up my knee a bit, but it's totally fine and some people are on crutches and/or seriously scratched up all over their side. so i got off quite easily. don't know when i'll rent one again, i think push bikes are more my style. or bicycles, as we call them.
the next day i hung out, read in my little bungalow for a while in the morning, headed out to this great cafe that has a lounge seat for people to sit around or lay down while eating/reading/chatting. after spending a week or so with four boys (that are total "boys", even the gay one was super testosterone_filled) it was nice to have some feminine energy around me. some artists were there to chat with and then i wandered around, had some tea, some more conversations, bought some books, read while watching the clouds moved across the sky over the intense green of the jungle mountain, all above the river passing next to my deck.... then i had dinner and drinks with the boys again and retired to my room for some more reading and a big fat mosquito...
i'm excited for some alone time. i find that i have a better time when not stuck in a group of people. I love the boys but it was too much for me after a while. We all split up today and I might see them later on (especially Dan b/c he left his trunks outside of my hut). i spent the day arranging tomorrow, finding another room, and chatting with a fellow californian yogi who gave me some great advice/ideas about india. i'm so excited.
oh and i just finished "life of pi" and it was good, thanks ali! i almost traded it for the red tent but ended up with something i haven't read yet, we'll see how it goes. it's funny, i keep reading books about india while in thailand, and now the i'm leaving thailand i'm starting to read "the beach"...
goodbye thailand! i'll be back soon :)
Thursday, October 25, 2007
i will post pics soon
i just haven't gotten around to it yet, this lazy land has kept me busy.... maybe later tonight as today seems rather chill in preparation for the trek tomorrow.
I'm in Chiang Mai!
i can see the moon so strongly, it makes me think of my moon sisters. some thai man told me if i pray to the moon my wishes will be granted, i smiled and said, "yeah...i know." i love you and wish you the best! i am off to bikeride around chiang mai tomorrow and go on a four day trek the following day through the north of thailand, complete with 6-7 hour hikes, 6 hour rafting (bamboo and rubber rafts), waterfalls, staying with a hilltribe, checking out some caves, and having a blast. this is off the books, no other tourists around, we talked to the trek leader, he's been doing it for 20 years and knows the area like the back of his hand, it's his people that we will be seeing. we talked to him and basically put our trip together and need to find a few other people, 8 total. it's going to be great. and super cheap. my exact budget for the four days, with food and everything provided. great way to keep a budget!
the previous days were spent in sukhothai, visiting some ruins, and making friends :) i have been traveling with the same crew for a bit, super nice people. a brit girl, a german boy, and of course a reggae lovin american that just lived in cali and is heading to seattle next year. leave it to me... last night and the night before we went to some reggae bars and heard live thai reggae, a lot of bob covers. some good some better. there is a reggae festival in Pai on nov 10 that i'm trying to make it to.
sukhothai was cool, we biked around the ruins and saw some cows super close. the next day we took an 18km (i'm learning the metric system!) bike ride to see this cool buddhist sculpture park/temple that was only in the rough guide thailand book, which is better than lonely planet for actual information about the sights of a city. L.P. is better for time tables and maps. best to find travelers with each so we can combine forces. the ride was brilliant (can you tell i've been hanging around a brit?), it was along the river, across a few drawbridges where my sunglasses were swept from my hand into the river, and every kid we rode by yelled out "hello hello!" they are so cute.
then we made it back just in time for a quick rinse off, then hopped on a bus to chiang mai. our driver went pretty quick and we made it just under five hours, normally takes five and a half. then we found an awesome guesthouse, with a private room, bathroom, and hot shower. all for just under $5 a night. and quiet. the next day we biked around the center of chiang mai, saw a bunch of temples and took a lot of pics of buddhas. then we went outside the walls and tried to get to the mountains, ended up at this gorgeous temple where nobody was and ended up having an amazing discussion on buddhism with a monk from cambodia, whose father managed to escape the wrath of the khmer regime. amazing. the lighting was perfect for the golden stupa which apparently houses a small piece of bone from the buddha. so f'n amazing. i was blown away. my new american travel buddy has a knack for finding all this cool stuff, he has amazing travel karma. probably racked up from his many years of traveling around the world. good person to know. not to mention he plays his guitar and loves bob marley!
yesterday i took it easy and walked around the city, checked out the night market which was super touristy, and got a drink with my friends, then saw the reggae band. we have been hitting up this bar around the corner from our guesthouse, run by a thai that lived in french switzerland for 10 years, so all the french people hang out there and he has a special going for 50 Baht mojitos, which is about $1.50 USD. and they are good.
today i took a thai cooking class and learned to make 8 dishes and their associate sauces, so when i come back i can make a proper thai meal! i'm properly fed and have some food back in my room. then went out for a beer and then hit up the trekking place and set up the sweetest trek ever. it's really just b/c the guide loves to trek and wants to do something different, to get away from the typical tourist b.s. we are all super excited about it. i can't believe our luck.
i've barely used my guide book and have managed to have a great trip. fantastic, even. i mean i have gotten lonely at times and hearing about the fires in san diego nearly had me in tears a few times yesterday (especially when telling people about it and they look at you with the obvious thought "i hope everything is okay but i'm glad it's not my family"). but i'm better today and can't wait for the days to come! but i am definitely living in the moment and learning to not fret about every little thing. chill out and life works the way it is supposed to. be a good person and good things will happen for you.
i haven't had a chance to shop, i'll do that tomorrow or when i come back from the trek. i need to get some skirts and tops that are long but thin cotton. perfect for this weather and keeping the mossies at bay. it's funny though, it is soon going to be the "cold season" but for us "farangs" (it is the thai term for white foreigners) it is perfect. i can't imagine what it is like here when it's the summer time. 45 deg C! wow. i would melt. it's really the perfect time to be here. the rainy season just ended so the river is super high and strong, great for rafting. there aren't many farangs about (well there are but to imagine it in a month or so is scary), and it's not too hot!
i'm learning thai phrases rather quickly, and i'm glad that they will work in laos, as well. i can say hello, thank you, how much, can i have the bill, where is (blank)?, is it far?....
i'm thinking of extending my trip into china, which is supposed to be awesome. and then i'm planning on going through laos, cambodia, viet nam, the phillipines, and end up in bali for my birthday and the yoga retreat with chris. although i might not be able to afford it by then...maybe they will give me a discount! hint hint.
i'm definitely going to head into india at some point, just not sure when. when the time is right i will know. more than that, the opportunity will present itself.
backpacking is so awesome. i could do this forever. i could see needing to just get away to a beach somewhere and chill for a few days or a week. i've only been here for a week and it feels like a lot longer, but i need to realize that i still have a lot of adjusting to do. first time backpacking, first time alone for so long, first time in asia....the list goes on. but i'm doing so well :) having the most amazing and beautiful time.
i'm getting good at washing clothes in the sink, showering five times a day, keeping my valuables safe (the travel safe is a godsend, it really is), and finding my way around places where i have no idea where anything is. i'm much more street-smart than i realized. and my smile helps! we are slowly figuring out the cheap (but good) way to do everything, where the cheap water is, the cheap but fast internet, the cheap but good thai massage, the cheap but nice rooms, etc... we could write out own lonely planet. that way not everyone would follow each other around as we are doing now. it's a great way to meet people b/c everyone does what l.p. tells you, but they are wrong in many of their opinions of towns and suggestions for hostels. new sukhothai was way better to stay in if you are going to the old city. great little market nearby and the sculpture park was so awesome and nobody was there. it's not even in l.p.
i keep hearing about places to travel to from fellow backpackers. my list goes on and on. i'm really going to travel for the rest of my life. and according to that sikh fortune teller i will live until i'm 87.
so i'm getting a thai massage tomorrow, i can't wait. my bed isn't the softest thing in the world, but i wouldn't trade it for my bed back home if i had the choice. not at all. so far this trip rocks. so much to see, so many people to meet, so many people to visit in the future! wow.
so tonight i might just go back to my room, read a bit, and go to bed early. the last few nights were late night reggae nights. my buddy is going to jam with the band we saw last night, but i'm pretty beat and dont' want to spend money on more drinks. only drink to kill the bugs in the stomach! chilis are great for that too. good thing i like spicy food. i've already surprised thais with my spice tolerance. thanks for the help in building that tolerance, vicki!
the previous days were spent in sukhothai, visiting some ruins, and making friends :) i have been traveling with the same crew for a bit, super nice people. a brit girl, a german boy, and of course a reggae lovin american that just lived in cali and is heading to seattle next year. leave it to me... last night and the night before we went to some reggae bars and heard live thai reggae, a lot of bob covers. some good some better. there is a reggae festival in Pai on nov 10 that i'm trying to make it to.
sukhothai was cool, we biked around the ruins and saw some cows super close. the next day we took an 18km (i'm learning the metric system!) bike ride to see this cool buddhist sculpture park/temple that was only in the rough guide thailand book, which is better than lonely planet for actual information about the sights of a city. L.P. is better for time tables and maps. best to find travelers with each so we can combine forces. the ride was brilliant (can you tell i've been hanging around a brit?), it was along the river, across a few drawbridges where my sunglasses were swept from my hand into the river, and every kid we rode by yelled out "hello hello!" they are so cute.
then we made it back just in time for a quick rinse off, then hopped on a bus to chiang mai. our driver went pretty quick and we made it just under five hours, normally takes five and a half. then we found an awesome guesthouse, with a private room, bathroom, and hot shower. all for just under $5 a night. and quiet. the next day we biked around the center of chiang mai, saw a bunch of temples and took a lot of pics of buddhas. then we went outside the walls and tried to get to the mountains, ended up at this gorgeous temple where nobody was and ended up having an amazing discussion on buddhism with a monk from cambodia, whose father managed to escape the wrath of the khmer regime. amazing. the lighting was perfect for the golden stupa which apparently houses a small piece of bone from the buddha. so f'n amazing. i was blown away. my new american travel buddy has a knack for finding all this cool stuff, he has amazing travel karma. probably racked up from his many years of traveling around the world. good person to know. not to mention he plays his guitar and loves bob marley!
yesterday i took it easy and walked around the city, checked out the night market which was super touristy, and got a drink with my friends, then saw the reggae band. we have been hitting up this bar around the corner from our guesthouse, run by a thai that lived in french switzerland for 10 years, so all the french people hang out there and he has a special going for 50 Baht mojitos, which is about $1.50 USD. and they are good.
today i took a thai cooking class and learned to make 8 dishes and their associate sauces, so when i come back i can make a proper thai meal! i'm properly fed and have some food back in my room. then went out for a beer and then hit up the trekking place and set up the sweetest trek ever. it's really just b/c the guide loves to trek and wants to do something different, to get away from the typical tourist b.s. we are all super excited about it. i can't believe our luck.
i've barely used my guide book and have managed to have a great trip. fantastic, even. i mean i have gotten lonely at times and hearing about the fires in san diego nearly had me in tears a few times yesterday (especially when telling people about it and they look at you with the obvious thought "i hope everything is okay but i'm glad it's not my family"). but i'm better today and can't wait for the days to come! but i am definitely living in the moment and learning to not fret about every little thing. chill out and life works the way it is supposed to. be a good person and good things will happen for you.
i haven't had a chance to shop, i'll do that tomorrow or when i come back from the trek. i need to get some skirts and tops that are long but thin cotton. perfect for this weather and keeping the mossies at bay. it's funny though, it is soon going to be the "cold season" but for us "farangs" (it is the thai term for white foreigners) it is perfect. i can't imagine what it is like here when it's the summer time. 45 deg C! wow. i would melt. it's really the perfect time to be here. the rainy season just ended so the river is super high and strong, great for rafting. there aren't many farangs about (well there are but to imagine it in a month or so is scary), and it's not too hot!
i'm learning thai phrases rather quickly, and i'm glad that they will work in laos, as well. i can say hello, thank you, how much, can i have the bill, where is (blank)?, is it far?....
i'm thinking of extending my trip into china, which is supposed to be awesome. and then i'm planning on going through laos, cambodia, viet nam, the phillipines, and end up in bali for my birthday and the yoga retreat with chris. although i might not be able to afford it by then...maybe they will give me a discount! hint hint.
i'm definitely going to head into india at some point, just not sure when. when the time is right i will know. more than that, the opportunity will present itself.
backpacking is so awesome. i could do this forever. i could see needing to just get away to a beach somewhere and chill for a few days or a week. i've only been here for a week and it feels like a lot longer, but i need to realize that i still have a lot of adjusting to do. first time backpacking, first time alone for so long, first time in asia....the list goes on. but i'm doing so well :) having the most amazing and beautiful time.
i'm getting good at washing clothes in the sink, showering five times a day, keeping my valuables safe (the travel safe is a godsend, it really is), and finding my way around places where i have no idea where anything is. i'm much more street-smart than i realized. and my smile helps! we are slowly figuring out the cheap (but good) way to do everything, where the cheap water is, the cheap but fast internet, the cheap but good thai massage, the cheap but nice rooms, etc... we could write out own lonely planet. that way not everyone would follow each other around as we are doing now. it's a great way to meet people b/c everyone does what l.p. tells you, but they are wrong in many of their opinions of towns and suggestions for hostels. new sukhothai was way better to stay in if you are going to the old city. great little market nearby and the sculpture park was so awesome and nobody was there. it's not even in l.p.
i keep hearing about places to travel to from fellow backpackers. my list goes on and on. i'm really going to travel for the rest of my life. and according to that sikh fortune teller i will live until i'm 87.
so i'm getting a thai massage tomorrow, i can't wait. my bed isn't the softest thing in the world, but i wouldn't trade it for my bed back home if i had the choice. not at all. so far this trip rocks. so much to see, so many people to meet, so many people to visit in the future! wow.
so tonight i might just go back to my room, read a bit, and go to bed early. the last few nights were late night reggae nights. my buddy is going to jam with the band we saw last night, but i'm pretty beat and dont' want to spend money on more drinks. only drink to kill the bugs in the stomach! chilis are great for that too. good thing i like spicy food. i've already surprised thais with my spice tolerance. thanks for the help in building that tolerance, vicki!
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
I'm in Thailand!!
I am in Bangkok! I arrived at 3am on Rambuttri Road (just behind Khao San Road) and now I am chilling (literally b/c it's freezing in the aircon internet cafe) on Soi Rambuttri checking emails and about to pass out. I'm hoping to check into my next guesthouse soon, I am in desperate need of a nap. My body is pretty confused as to what day/time it is b/c I've been sleeping on and off for the past 30 hours? My flight from LAX to TaiPei (Taiwan) was 14 hours, then hopped right on a flight to Bangkok that was a little less than 4 hours. I think I slept for about 8 hours on the first flight and maybe 1.5 or 2 on the second flight. I was a bit annoyed to be woken up for a meal on the second flight, usually they just let you sleep! Maybe we are too polite in the states. I had the "indian vegetarian" meal which was pretty good for the two meals on the first leg, but the second leg had a very questionable looking dish and I was glad I was anything but hungry at that point.
EVA air is rather nice, the first place was bigger and newer, it had individual touch screens on the back of the seats in front of you, instead of one big screen for entire portions of the plane. I watched a very interesting National Geographic program on natural disasters and it was really weird to see them predicting the future Hurricane Katrina. They said that New Orleans was way overdue for a massive hurricane, and boy were they on target. Anyway, the touch screens were pretty cool, especially with little remotes that popped out of the armrests, and were phones on the other side. I didn't meet anyone on my plane as just about everyone was Taiwanese or Thai (families) and not looking for a backpacker buddy. I know it will happen when it's supposed to. My brain is way too fried to talk to people anyway.
Well i guess that isn't true. I've chatted up a few people but they weren't looking for new buddies, either. I'm not taking it personally b/c I think everyone around here is hung over from last night or traveling with big groups of friends. This is a huge party scene. I think I'll meet people when I get out of Bangkok, like on trains and in small towns.
The Thai people are super nice, I love Thailand already. They are awesome when they aren't trying to scam you, but I know that will lessen greatly when I get out of Bangkok. There is just so much to see/do here! There is a girl on Thorntree who keeps telling me cool stuff to do, like go to a cafe with huge bean bags that you can hang out on. Or Thai coffeehouses with free internet (and computers) with books and magazines, for long term chillin'. And good cheap massages, facials, shopping, etc... Not to mention all the Wats (temples) and street vendors that surround me. I really just need to sleep, take a nice long shower, and prepare myself for all my sightseeing.
It's funny, Lonely Planet warns you about all these scams and you don't think they will happen that often, but I think I've managed to escape from 3 so far in less than 9 hours. To think that I was only in the streets for 2 of those hours... Thanks LP!
EVA air is rather nice, the first place was bigger and newer, it had individual touch screens on the back of the seats in front of you, instead of one big screen for entire portions of the plane. I watched a very interesting National Geographic program on natural disasters and it was really weird to see them predicting the future Hurricane Katrina. They said that New Orleans was way overdue for a massive hurricane, and boy were they on target. Anyway, the touch screens were pretty cool, especially with little remotes that popped out of the armrests, and were phones on the other side. I didn't meet anyone on my plane as just about everyone was Taiwanese or Thai (families) and not looking for a backpacker buddy. I know it will happen when it's supposed to. My brain is way too fried to talk to people anyway.
Well i guess that isn't true. I've chatted up a few people but they weren't looking for new buddies, either. I'm not taking it personally b/c I think everyone around here is hung over from last night or traveling with big groups of friends. This is a huge party scene. I think I'll meet people when I get out of Bangkok, like on trains and in small towns.
The Thai people are super nice, I love Thailand already. They are awesome when they aren't trying to scam you, but I know that will lessen greatly when I get out of Bangkok. There is just so much to see/do here! There is a girl on Thorntree who keeps telling me cool stuff to do, like go to a cafe with huge bean bags that you can hang out on. Or Thai coffeehouses with free internet (and computers) with books and magazines, for long term chillin'. And good cheap massages, facials, shopping, etc... Not to mention all the Wats (temples) and street vendors that surround me. I really just need to sleep, take a nice long shower, and prepare myself for all my sightseeing.
It's funny, Lonely Planet warns you about all these scams and you don't think they will happen that often, but I think I've managed to escape from 3 so far in less than 9 hours. To think that I was only in the streets for 2 of those hours... Thanks LP!
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Almost there
I leave tomorrow for Thailand!! Finally...I fly from San Diego to LAX, then to Tai Pei, then to Bangkok.
And from there? Who knows?! Yeahyeahyeahyeah I'm so excited. So prepared, the only thing I'm not sure about it clothing...but I will figure out what I really need when I get there.
I will keep you posted as to how I'm getting along :)
Pray for my safe travels and enjoyable experiences!! Thanks!! I love you all.
And from there? Who knows?! Yeahyeahyeahyeah I'm so excited. So prepared, the only thing I'm not sure about it clothing...but I will figure out what I really need when I get there.
I will keep you posted as to how I'm getting along :)
Pray for my safe travels and enjoyable experiences!! Thanks!! I love you all.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
i'm on the right track
so apparently writing about how i'm feeling is a good thing, helps me process my thoughts and allows me to move forward in a healthy manner... b/c today not only did i do things that are good for me, but i had to make myself do them and now i know that i will benefit from them in the long run. so i did more of a sustainable form of happy-making.
i walked around del mar beach and town, taking hundreds of pictures. seriously. 415. i was rather surprised. but it was so fun! i was laying on the grass while shooting clouds through tree leaves, with the sun peaking through...i was standing in the middle of the street to get a perfect shot of some gorgeous bouganvilla flowers... i was in love with palm trees. i seriously have like a hundred pics of palm trees... i was standing in the water taking pics of the waves, the rocks, the sand under the water and just sparkling from it's recent descent.... it was so amazing. such a great creative outlet. same with writing. i just need to do it more.
so i spent hours taking pics after making myself eat a good breakfast, then almost stayed home instead of going to yoga. but i made myself go down and hang out in a park and read this book on india that i've been meaning to puruse, i meditated, and then i went to yoga. now i'm sitting in a coffee shop (surprise surprise) and i feel great. taking pics always makes me feel great and so does yoga. especially with this one teacher, he always kicks my ass. but today wasn't as hard, i think i'm getting stronger! yeah! i have another class with him tomorrow. i'm excited.
yoga makes me feel so great, i seriously have begun to really see the beauty in myself. it's great. i moved down here and felt so ugly (just about everyone in southern california is great looking) but now i'm feeling very centered and appreciative of my physical self. i'm strong, not sick, not extremely ugly but luckily not extremely gorgeous. i couldn't travel safely if i were just super duper hot. guys would be crawling all over me. not so good in random parts of the world. i'm just me and i am really truly beginning to love myself! it's great. i still get really hard on myself (as i described in the previous post) but by being balanced and knowing when to push myself and when to lay off, i cultivate happiness. i know meditation is key for my sanity. and reiki. i did some self-reiki last night and i think that helped. i felt sad all yesterday but haven't felt sad today! meditation is awesome. i can kinda meditate while doing reiki, but also need at least ten separate minutes to sit and just calm my mind down. there is a quote i found on the '8 limbs' newsletter (it's an ashtanga yoga studio in seattle, check it out if you live up there):
There is nothing so disobedient as an undisciplined mind, and nothing so obedient as a disciplined mind.
of course it's from the Buddha. Gotama, the Buddha, to be exact. There are many Buddhas (past, present, and future). But Gotama is the one we all know about. Side note about him, he would freak out if he knew what has happened since his death. He was so not into organized religion and would not have wanted one named after him.
you know i think i'm not spending enough time planning my india trip, but for some reason i don't feel the need to. i think i would be fine just making sure i'm aware of major festivals and sights to be seen, and let the rest happen organically. too much planning leads to stress and feeling like you have to hold to your plan. this way i can just do whatever and have an idea of what to do in places that i end up in.
wow i'm tired. i'm getting way too much sleep. it's hard when you don't work and don't have to be anywhere before the afternoon. and even then, it's yoga class. i'm so lucky.
so i'm going to upload my pics to a website thing like snapfish and post the site here on the blog (there is a list of "my favorite sites" underneath the butterfly pic) so you call can enjoy my random attempt at being a photographer!
i walked around del mar beach and town, taking hundreds of pictures. seriously. 415. i was rather surprised. but it was so fun! i was laying on the grass while shooting clouds through tree leaves, with the sun peaking through...i was standing in the middle of the street to get a perfect shot of some gorgeous bouganvilla flowers... i was in love with palm trees. i seriously have like a hundred pics of palm trees... i was standing in the water taking pics of the waves, the rocks, the sand under the water and just sparkling from it's recent descent.... it was so amazing. such a great creative outlet. same with writing. i just need to do it more.
so i spent hours taking pics after making myself eat a good breakfast, then almost stayed home instead of going to yoga. but i made myself go down and hang out in a park and read this book on india that i've been meaning to puruse, i meditated, and then i went to yoga. now i'm sitting in a coffee shop (surprise surprise) and i feel great. taking pics always makes me feel great and so does yoga. especially with this one teacher, he always kicks my ass. but today wasn't as hard, i think i'm getting stronger! yeah! i have another class with him tomorrow. i'm excited.
yoga makes me feel so great, i seriously have begun to really see the beauty in myself. it's great. i moved down here and felt so ugly (just about everyone in southern california is great looking) but now i'm feeling very centered and appreciative of my physical self. i'm strong, not sick, not extremely ugly but luckily not extremely gorgeous. i couldn't travel safely if i were just super duper hot. guys would be crawling all over me. not so good in random parts of the world. i'm just me and i am really truly beginning to love myself! it's great. i still get really hard on myself (as i described in the previous post) but by being balanced and knowing when to push myself and when to lay off, i cultivate happiness. i know meditation is key for my sanity. and reiki. i did some self-reiki last night and i think that helped. i felt sad all yesterday but haven't felt sad today! meditation is awesome. i can kinda meditate while doing reiki, but also need at least ten separate minutes to sit and just calm my mind down. there is a quote i found on the '8 limbs' newsletter (it's an ashtanga yoga studio in seattle, check it out if you live up there):
There is nothing so disobedient as an undisciplined mind, and nothing so obedient as a disciplined mind.
of course it's from the Buddha. Gotama, the Buddha, to be exact. There are many Buddhas (past, present, and future). But Gotama is the one we all know about. Side note about him, he would freak out if he knew what has happened since his death. He was so not into organized religion and would not have wanted one named after him.
you know i think i'm not spending enough time planning my india trip, but for some reason i don't feel the need to. i think i would be fine just making sure i'm aware of major festivals and sights to be seen, and let the rest happen organically. too much planning leads to stress and feeling like you have to hold to your plan. this way i can just do whatever and have an idea of what to do in places that i end up in.
wow i'm tired. i'm getting way too much sleep. it's hard when you don't work and don't have to be anywhere before the afternoon. and even then, it's yoga class. i'm so lucky.
so i'm going to upload my pics to a website thing like snapfish and post the site here on the blog (there is a list of "my favorite sites" underneath the butterfly pic) so you call can enjoy my random attempt at being a photographer!
Monday, September 24, 2007
instant gratification, a favorite american pasttime
so today i figured out that i am totally human and ashamedly american. instead of going to the gym and spending time at home and online doing responsible things, i elected to hightail it down to university heights (near downtown san diego) and hang out at a coffee shop drinking iced coffee and eating a delectable cornmeal blueberry muffin. then go to yoga this evening. not only am i human, but i am way more into the immediate satisfaction than the other kind. at least right now. but i figure that if your level of happiness or sadness is any kind of way to determine your life, then you should listen to how you feel. the thought of being alone all day was really depressing, and the thought of hanging out down here made me happier, so went with the latter. even though it is totally unhealthy to sit here and enjoy my non-organic cafe goodies...
so that brings me to a point of contention that i'm having with myself. it seems that my organic lifestyle was so easy to keep up in seattle, but isn't so easy here. at least not if i want to hang out with other people and not be shut up in my house or whole foods. let's take last night as an example, i was super lonely and bored, and wanted to spend time with my oldest friend in the world, so i did just that. but instead of being good and healthy by detoxing and meditating alone at my house, i got slightly intoxicated, and ate not-so-good-but-still-expensive mexican food and some apple pie. totally unhealthy and non-organic. and spent money. BUT i wasn't lonely...i actually had a good time. my body didn't, but my heart and head did. but then i end up kicking myself for being "bad." maybe i just need to realize that I can't be so pure in an unpure world. and i shouldn't be so hard on myself. i have been really hard on myself lately. i think my mom is harsh but i am really my own worst critic.
side note: i just drank water out of a nalgene that has been sitting in my car for two days...and it tastes like plastic. i can't help but thinking of all the chemicals i'm putting into my body right now. gross. i forgot my kleen kanteen at home....man i'm way to aware of all the environmental toxins around me. ignorance was bliss...
but back to what i was saying, is it better to be lonely and have my body feel good, or not be lonely and do things my body doesn't like? is balance the key?
something else i realized lately: money can buy happiness, in this country, anyway. i spent money this weekend to keep myself happy. i bought yoga classes, gas to shuttle myself to and from the happy part of town and depressing north county, books to read to get me excited about traveling to india (and not get caught up in my current and very temporary boredom), coffee/tea at coffee shops so i can sit in them for hours and not feel lonely, good organic foodstuffs so when i eat at home i know i'm getting nourished, and i spent money to have some company. so money did buy me some happiness. but again, is it just the temporary kind? how do you know? will my current happiness keep me open to longer-lasting satiation, or will it keep me in this endless cycle of up and down and up and down.... i think by being happy now i do open myself to more opportunities to be sustainably happy.
about being intoxicated: it is a communal activity. especially in my peers. people get together for a beer or a smoke. and if you don't drink or smoke, what do you do? i remember meeting this guy in Seattle that didn't do either, he didn't even drink coffee. i found this out b/c he owed me $5 and i was thinking of a way he could pay me back (he was really worried about owing me money. he was a super nice guy, i met him at an Ama gathering. she's the hugging guru from India. he gave his earlier ticket to my friend b/c she had to wake up super early, and he walked me to my bus at 2am so i wouldn't be alone. like i said, just super duper nice. i missed my bus and we ended up taking a cab to my house then i drove him home, which is how he ended up owing me money) if he didn't do anything "bad" i wondered what the heck he did for fun so i actually asked him that. it turned out that he volunteered at lot at this rather unknown free restaurant aimed towards helping the homeless and students, run by Hare Krishnas. so for fun he hung out with Hare Krishnas. wtf. i definitely do not want to hang out with a spiritual cult, but i don't want to drink or smoke just to have friends... i need new friends. ones that aren't just into numbing themselves. only living in SD for a few weeks makes that difficult. oh well, i will sleep in the bed that i made for myself. i am here b/c i made the decision to come down here. no one made me do it. i keep reminding myself of that...
the gas thing is really getting to me. i have tried not to drive too much, but that just keeps me in del mar, i don't like to walk around there too much b/c it gets old really quickly and the people around there don't take kindly to "hippies." they think i'm weird b/c i don't drive a BMW or wear Armani or drink Starbucks. i get sick of being stared at. i realize that i'm going to deal with that in india but it'll be easier to be stared at in another part of the world than being stared at by my american neighbors. so i drive down to where my sister-in-law and brother live, the awesome part of san diego that has the urban/suburban mix that i adore. sunshine, coffee shops, yoga studios, museums, parks, gay bars, pubs, all surrounded by cute houses. i even look better up here. at my parents house i look like crap but then i look at myself here and i'm like, hey good lookin' ;) my favorite times in SD so far (aside from KT's visit) have been riding bikes with my sister-in-law to and from yoga and breakfast. i seriously love it. i can't wait to be able to ride a bike around thailand and laos.
i recently tried to buy a cheap used beach cruiser but didn't find one cheap enough. but i would still have to drive to get out of north county. so it's either, use up gas or be unhappy. for a week i had a good balance of spending every other day here, but now i'm finding that on the days i'm not here i am so much more sad. so is it okay for me to put my desires ahead of taking responsibility for the earth? at least i'm not driving an hour, just 20-30min. but i'm still driving. and i'm still making myself happy now...but will it make me happy in the long run? it's hard for me to live in the now and not worry about the future. i know i shouldn't worry about anything but i am way too compassionate not to worry about the earth.
one good way of looking at this situtation, is that the earth is going to be fine. in the long run. we are the ones that have to worry. we will be kicked off at some point. and the earth will be fine. so i'm not really hurting the earth, i'm hurting the human race. and i'm soooooooo careful to not throw out anything that could be re-used or recycled, and i am an avid composter (so much that i even save things when i'm out so that i can compost them at home), and i buy mostly in bulk and don't buy lots of plastic, i try to buy stuff i glass containers and save them to store my bulk items... so i can use this little bit of gas to keep myself happy. i'm no good to anyone when i'm sad.
it's like in yoga class when the teacher asked us why we do yoga, and i agreed with her that i do yoga b/c it makes me a better person and that benefits the whole world, not just me. when i'm happy and centered, i'm a better Liz. so i might be using up gas but i hope the cost:benefit ratio is really low. much more benefit than cost.
i really need to stop kicking myself about making poor decisions. hindsight is 20/20. bottom line: increase meditation and lifestyle balance, decrease self-deprecation and money worries. no more "should-ing all over myself."
we'll see how i will keep all this up whilst traveling...
so that brings me to a point of contention that i'm having with myself. it seems that my organic lifestyle was so easy to keep up in seattle, but isn't so easy here. at least not if i want to hang out with other people and not be shut up in my house or whole foods. let's take last night as an example, i was super lonely and bored, and wanted to spend time with my oldest friend in the world, so i did just that. but instead of being good and healthy by detoxing and meditating alone at my house, i got slightly intoxicated, and ate not-so-good-but-still-expensive mexican food and some apple pie. totally unhealthy and non-organic. and spent money. BUT i wasn't lonely...i actually had a good time. my body didn't, but my heart and head did. but then i end up kicking myself for being "bad." maybe i just need to realize that I can't be so pure in an unpure world. and i shouldn't be so hard on myself. i have been really hard on myself lately. i think my mom is harsh but i am really my own worst critic.
side note: i just drank water out of a nalgene that has been sitting in my car for two days...and it tastes like plastic. i can't help but thinking of all the chemicals i'm putting into my body right now. gross. i forgot my kleen kanteen at home....man i'm way to aware of all the environmental toxins around me. ignorance was bliss...
but back to what i was saying, is it better to be lonely and have my body feel good, or not be lonely and do things my body doesn't like? is balance the key?
something else i realized lately: money can buy happiness, in this country, anyway. i spent money this weekend to keep myself happy. i bought yoga classes, gas to shuttle myself to and from the happy part of town and depressing north county, books to read to get me excited about traveling to india (and not get caught up in my current and very temporary boredom), coffee/tea at coffee shops so i can sit in them for hours and not feel lonely, good organic foodstuffs so when i eat at home i know i'm getting nourished, and i spent money to have some company. so money did buy me some happiness. but again, is it just the temporary kind? how do you know? will my current happiness keep me open to longer-lasting satiation, or will it keep me in this endless cycle of up and down and up and down.... i think by being happy now i do open myself to more opportunities to be sustainably happy.
about being intoxicated: it is a communal activity. especially in my peers. people get together for a beer or a smoke. and if you don't drink or smoke, what do you do? i remember meeting this guy in Seattle that didn't do either, he didn't even drink coffee. i found this out b/c he owed me $5 and i was thinking of a way he could pay me back (he was really worried about owing me money. he was a super nice guy, i met him at an Ama gathering. she's the hugging guru from India. he gave his earlier ticket to my friend b/c she had to wake up super early, and he walked me to my bus at 2am so i wouldn't be alone. like i said, just super duper nice. i missed my bus and we ended up taking a cab to my house then i drove him home, which is how he ended up owing me money) if he didn't do anything "bad" i wondered what the heck he did for fun so i actually asked him that. it turned out that he volunteered at lot at this rather unknown free restaurant aimed towards helping the homeless and students, run by Hare Krishnas. so for fun he hung out with Hare Krishnas. wtf. i definitely do not want to hang out with a spiritual cult, but i don't want to drink or smoke just to have friends... i need new friends. ones that aren't just into numbing themselves. only living in SD for a few weeks makes that difficult. oh well, i will sleep in the bed that i made for myself. i am here b/c i made the decision to come down here. no one made me do it. i keep reminding myself of that...
the gas thing is really getting to me. i have tried not to drive too much, but that just keeps me in del mar, i don't like to walk around there too much b/c it gets old really quickly and the people around there don't take kindly to "hippies." they think i'm weird b/c i don't drive a BMW or wear Armani or drink Starbucks. i get sick of being stared at. i realize that i'm going to deal with that in india but it'll be easier to be stared at in another part of the world than being stared at by my american neighbors. so i drive down to where my sister-in-law and brother live, the awesome part of san diego that has the urban/suburban mix that i adore. sunshine, coffee shops, yoga studios, museums, parks, gay bars, pubs, all surrounded by cute houses. i even look better up here. at my parents house i look like crap but then i look at myself here and i'm like, hey good lookin' ;) my favorite times in SD so far (aside from KT's visit) have been riding bikes with my sister-in-law to and from yoga and breakfast. i seriously love it. i can't wait to be able to ride a bike around thailand and laos.
i recently tried to buy a cheap used beach cruiser but didn't find one cheap enough. but i would still have to drive to get out of north county. so it's either, use up gas or be unhappy. for a week i had a good balance of spending every other day here, but now i'm finding that on the days i'm not here i am so much more sad. so is it okay for me to put my desires ahead of taking responsibility for the earth? at least i'm not driving an hour, just 20-30min. but i'm still driving. and i'm still making myself happy now...but will it make me happy in the long run? it's hard for me to live in the now and not worry about the future. i know i shouldn't worry about anything but i am way too compassionate not to worry about the earth.
one good way of looking at this situtation, is that the earth is going to be fine. in the long run. we are the ones that have to worry. we will be kicked off at some point. and the earth will be fine. so i'm not really hurting the earth, i'm hurting the human race. and i'm soooooooo careful to not throw out anything that could be re-used or recycled, and i am an avid composter (so much that i even save things when i'm out so that i can compost them at home), and i buy mostly in bulk and don't buy lots of plastic, i try to buy stuff i glass containers and save them to store my bulk items... so i can use this little bit of gas to keep myself happy. i'm no good to anyone when i'm sad.
it's like in yoga class when the teacher asked us why we do yoga, and i agreed with her that i do yoga b/c it makes me a better person and that benefits the whole world, not just me. when i'm happy and centered, i'm a better Liz. so i might be using up gas but i hope the cost:benefit ratio is really low. much more benefit than cost.
i really need to stop kicking myself about making poor decisions. hindsight is 20/20. bottom line: increase meditation and lifestyle balance, decrease self-deprecation and money worries. no more "should-ing all over myself."
we'll see how i will keep all this up whilst traveling...
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
good price for hippies
i had a dear friend come stay with me for a few days and it was a most fantastic time :) the first half i was running around doing san diego stuff, attending family functions, but then it ended with a trip to tijuana, mexico... most unexpected. a good introduction to 3rd world countries. well, it wasn't so representative of anywhere except TJ b/c mexico is shady as hell. the government and the police force will F you over w/o a doubt. but it was a good practice in ignoring the throngs of shopkeeps trying to sell you their wares. and if you did want to buy something, you had to barter. my friend scored a ring for $5 when other people might have paid twice as much, just b/c she kept walking away and didn't really want it and he thought she was just a tough bargainer. he said that she must be a lawyer. it was very pretty ring, a "mexican ring." as we walked past some people one guy shouted at us, "good price for hippies!" he was original, but too bad for him, we laughed and kept walking.
i'm kinda wishing we did take that pic with those poor donkeys painted like zebras. but i wouldn't have sat on it for anything. so sad and really gross. at least they had water and food. we were offered all sorts of medications, free massages, jewelry for a dollar, it was crazy. there was even this strange arch that totally looked like the st. louis arch. i need to get a pic of that one... i have to admit i hate TJ so i was a bit freaked out at first. but then i actually started to enjoy myself. we weren't there for that long and then headed back up to my house and walked to the beach. slid down some cliffs and sunbathed. ran around the water for a bit, then headed back up here for some yummy food. salmon burger salads with pita chip croutons and trader joe's peanut sauce dressing. mmmmmmmm tasty.
i was definitely sad to see her go, she is such an awesome human being and she really reminded me of my fam back in seattle. such amazing, open, aware, beautiful people. so real. so down to earth. i miss them all and i was a bit hormonal but also nostalgic/sad most of the day. i'm so glad i had a chance to share this last bit of summer with such a wonderful soul. it's easy to get caught up in the current state of your life, but remembering and appreciating where you came from (or recently left) is important. i learned so much while living in seattle and met the most amazing people. i made friends for life. i love you all dearly and miss you so much it hurts. that is kinda why i started this blog. so people know i care about them even if i don't call or email a ton.
happy birthday to you all (recent past and near future). i wish you all the best!!
i'm kinda wishing we did take that pic with those poor donkeys painted like zebras. but i wouldn't have sat on it for anything. so sad and really gross. at least they had water and food. we were offered all sorts of medications, free massages, jewelry for a dollar, it was crazy. there was even this strange arch that totally looked like the st. louis arch. i need to get a pic of that one... i have to admit i hate TJ so i was a bit freaked out at first. but then i actually started to enjoy myself. we weren't there for that long and then headed back up to my house and walked to the beach. slid down some cliffs and sunbathed. ran around the water for a bit, then headed back up here for some yummy food. salmon burger salads with pita chip croutons and trader joe's peanut sauce dressing. mmmmmmmm tasty.
i was definitely sad to see her go, she is such an awesome human being and she really reminded me of my fam back in seattle. such amazing, open, aware, beautiful people. so real. so down to earth. i miss them all and i was a bit hormonal but also nostalgic/sad most of the day. i'm so glad i had a chance to share this last bit of summer with such a wonderful soul. it's easy to get caught up in the current state of your life, but remembering and appreciating where you came from (or recently left) is important. i learned so much while living in seattle and met the most amazing people. i made friends for life. i love you all dearly and miss you so much it hurts. that is kinda why i started this blog. so people know i care about them even if i don't call or email a ton.
happy birthday to you all (recent past and near future). i wish you all the best!!
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Life is Good
so this is how i plan to ring in 2008: http://www.sivananda.org/neyyardam/yacp.html
How awesome is that? after spending 9 weeks backpacking around thailand, laos, and cambodia, i head to the southern coast of india for this program, then it's off the nearby beaches and into the heart of the country!
man oh man i'm freaking excited. after spending two weeks down here in SD, i'm finally getting the hang of it all. it took a little getting used to, but i love it here now. i spend my days planning my trip, walking on the beach, doing yoga (i started taking astanga classes with my sister-in-law and feel freakin GREAT), working out, eating super healthy (it's so sunny and warm that all i want is a very clean diet of veggies, legumes, nuts, and some whole grains), hanging out with old and new friends, kickin it at cool coffee shops near downtown, playing with my cats, sleeping in...**sigh** rough life, huh ;) oh yeah and i water the plants. heh, so much sun here i'm turning brown and blonde!
Astanga yoga is so great. I adore yoga. And meditation. Makes me feel like a million bucks and so happy and balanced. Yoga is so awesome. It really, really, is. I don't know if I want to teach someday but I will never not practice. Nothing has ever made me feel so strong, centered, and clear-headed. And above all, healthy!
My trip planning is also coming along quite nicely. I decided to skip Viet Nam this time b/c 9 weeks just isn't enough to do four countries w/o rushing and going insane. So 3 weeks each in Northern Thailand, Northern Laos, and Western Cambodia. Then over to India. Then Nepal. Then...I dunno. But I found a great site: http://www.travelfish.org/ which is freaking amazing for trip planning. Sooooo helpful.
The places I'm most excited about are: Chiang Mai and Pai in Thailand, Luang Prabang and Vang Vieng in Laos, and Siem Reap (Angkor Wat) and Sihanoukville in Cambodia. I was hoping to volunteer on an organic farm in Vang Vieng but I'm not sure if I will have time...
Still have to plan India, but I think that will be a less planned venture, and more of a wandering exploration.
How awesome is that? after spending 9 weeks backpacking around thailand, laos, and cambodia, i head to the southern coast of india for this program, then it's off the nearby beaches and into the heart of the country!
man oh man i'm freaking excited. after spending two weeks down here in SD, i'm finally getting the hang of it all. it took a little getting used to, but i love it here now. i spend my days planning my trip, walking on the beach, doing yoga (i started taking astanga classes with my sister-in-law and feel freakin GREAT), working out, eating super healthy (it's so sunny and warm that all i want is a very clean diet of veggies, legumes, nuts, and some whole grains), hanging out with old and new friends, kickin it at cool coffee shops near downtown, playing with my cats, sleeping in...**sigh** rough life, huh ;) oh yeah and i water the plants. heh, so much sun here i'm turning brown and blonde!
Astanga yoga is so great. I adore yoga. And meditation. Makes me feel like a million bucks and so happy and balanced. Yoga is so awesome. It really, really, is. I don't know if I want to teach someday but I will never not practice. Nothing has ever made me feel so strong, centered, and clear-headed. And above all, healthy!
My trip planning is also coming along quite nicely. I decided to skip Viet Nam this time b/c 9 weeks just isn't enough to do four countries w/o rushing and going insane. So 3 weeks each in Northern Thailand, Northern Laos, and Western Cambodia. Then over to India. Then Nepal. Then...I dunno. But I found a great site: http://www.travelfish.org/ which is freaking amazing for trip planning. Sooooo helpful.
The places I'm most excited about are: Chiang Mai and Pai in Thailand, Luang Prabang and Vang Vieng in Laos, and Siem Reap (Angkor Wat) and Sihanoukville in Cambodia. I was hoping to volunteer on an organic farm in Vang Vieng but I'm not sure if I will have time...
Still have to plan India, but I think that will be a less planned venture, and more of a wandering exploration.
Monday, September 10, 2007
best chai ever!
so in my preparations for my trip to india, i've been attempting to make a decent cup of chai for the past week or so. After many so'so attempts, I made a cup that I was proud of! even the chai nazis of "taste of india" in seattle would be proud. it sucks b/c i only made this small amount so i can't refill it fast enough. always make a small amount until you get it right, no sense in wasting good ingredients! here is the recipe and note my changes/additions at the very bottom.
I got this from a website: http://www.odie.org/chai/recipes.html#recmenu1
note that it only makes about 2 (small) cups. Scale it up for more:
Masala Chai
1-1/2 cups water
1 inch stick of cinnamon
8 cardomom pods
8 whole cloves
2/3 cup milk
6 tsp. sugar (or to taste)
3 teaspoons any unperfumed loose black tea
Put 1-1/2 cups water in saucepan.
Add the cinnamon, cardomom, and cloves and bring to a boil. Cover, turn heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add the milk and sugar and bring to a simmer again.
Throw in the tea leaves, cover, and turn off the heat. After 2 minutes, strain the tea into two cups and serve immediately.
From Madhur Jaffrey's Indian Cooking, Barron's, New York, p. 196 (1983).
I added about 1 tsp of chopped fresh ginger, and 8 black peppercorns. I also mashed the cardamom pods. I used 1/3 cup of rice milk and 1/3 cup of organic half'n'half, and instead of sugar I used about two tsp of agave nectar. It was freaking amazing. Oh, and I used two teabags and just broke them open and poured them in.
Happy chai making! It is really important to use whole spices, the ground stuff just is not the same. Now to learn how to make proper Palaak Paneer...
I got this from a website: http://www.odie.org/chai/recipes.html#recmenu1
note that it only makes about 2 (small) cups. Scale it up for more:
Masala Chai
1-1/2 cups water
1 inch stick of cinnamon
8 cardomom pods
8 whole cloves
2/3 cup milk
6 tsp. sugar (or to taste)
3 teaspoons any unperfumed loose black tea
Put 1-1/2 cups water in saucepan.
Add the cinnamon, cardomom, and cloves and bring to a boil. Cover, turn heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add the milk and sugar and bring to a simmer again.
Throw in the tea leaves, cover, and turn off the heat. After 2 minutes, strain the tea into two cups and serve immediately.
From Madhur Jaffrey's Indian Cooking, Barron's, New York, p. 196 (1983).
I added about 1 tsp of chopped fresh ginger, and 8 black peppercorns. I also mashed the cardamom pods. I used 1/3 cup of rice milk and 1/3 cup of organic half'n'half, and instead of sugar I used about two tsp of agave nectar. It was freaking amazing. Oh, and I used two teabags and just broke them open and poured them in.
Happy chai making! It is really important to use whole spices, the ground stuff just is not the same. Now to learn how to make proper Palaak Paneer...
Friday, September 7, 2007
Do we still have First Amendment rights?
watch this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5EAfPgX7gs0
This is amazing. I can't believe they actually arrested those people. The best part is the cop on the horse (power trip, much?). Talk about a deadly weapon, that horse could have easily kicked or shat on someone... all for posting some flyers. I seriously hope my friend is going to that september 15 march, b/c she lives in DC.
I am so glad that I am about to leave the country, but I am a bit unknowing of how people will treat me b/c I am American. We have invaded Iraq for how long now? And there is no progress. Only progress we've made is in terms of casualties. Wtf.
Watch this video, too: http://pol.moveon.org/troopshome/?id=11198-7871595-VpiaXb&t=2
This is amazing. I can't believe they actually arrested those people. The best part is the cop on the horse (power trip, much?). Talk about a deadly weapon, that horse could have easily kicked or shat on someone... all for posting some flyers. I seriously hope my friend is going to that september 15 march, b/c she lives in DC.
I am so glad that I am about to leave the country, but I am a bit unknowing of how people will treat me b/c I am American. We have invaded Iraq for how long now? And there is no progress. Only progress we've made is in terms of casualties. Wtf.
Watch this video, too: http://pol.moveon.org/troopshome/?id=11198-7871595-VpiaXb&t=2
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
Yogananda is awesome
हे! ई कैन टाईप इन हिंदी!
Hey! I can type in Hindi! This is so cool. I'm not even in India yet...although I did go to a temple for a kirtan/meditation program. Close to my house, too. I'm going to the meditation gardens at some point. The overlook the gorgeous beach. I have felt like a fish out of water for the past week, so I'm glad that I can find some common ground with this strange and unfamiliar area.
I have been posting on thorn tree and it looks like I already have some fellow backpackers to meet up with in Thailand as soon as I get there! And some are just coming from India so hopefully they will give me some good fresh advice. Man oh man I can't freakin wait!!!!
Hey! I can type in Hindi! This is so cool. I'm not even in India yet...although I did go to a temple for a kirtan/meditation program. Close to my house, too. I'm going to the meditation gardens at some point. The overlook the gorgeous beach. I have felt like a fish out of water for the past week, so I'm glad that I can find some common ground with this strange and unfamiliar area.
I have been posting on thorn tree and it looks like I already have some fellow backpackers to meet up with in Thailand as soon as I get there! And some are just coming from India so hopefully they will give me some good fresh advice. Man oh man I can't freakin wait!!!!
the trip of my dreams
I am in a holding pattern right now, in between my road trip down the west coast of the u.s. and taking off for asia. Very difficult to remain patient. I do have a ton of planning and research to do, so 6 weeks doesn't seem like that long. But I miss the Pacific NW already, it's been pretty hard to adjust to Southern California. It is so drastically different than everything I've known for the past 8 years.
I must keep my eye on the future and just get done what I have to get done. I'm on to somewhere full of possibilities and endless adventures.
I must keep my eye on the future and just get done what I have to get done. I'm on to somewhere full of possibilities and endless adventures.
Getting ready to leave the Pacific NW
written on thursday, 26 july, 2007
So this is my first post, i'm still here in Seattle, and I can't freakin wait until the end of August when I drive down the West Coast, back to San Diego where I will be living for a month and a half....then I take off for the beginning of the rest of my life! SE Asia, here I come!!
So this is my first post, i'm still here in Seattle, and I can't freakin wait until the end of August when I drive down the West Coast, back to San Diego where I will be living for a month and a half....then I take off for the beginning of the rest of my life! SE Asia, here I come!!
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