Last post from SEAsia! Its been quite a journey, quite a time. Before I started this seemingly improbable and unforeseeable adventure I was mostly unable to comprehend the scope of what lay ahead, and now I'm at the cusp of the end and wondering what I use to think.
Where I first started on my first day to SEAsia: sitting in my room in Pui O Beach Hong Kong. Sharing a completely new world with people from around the world, living and sharing under the same roof, and forced to get to know one another...ah many months ago that was indeed...
Another 15 + hour plane ride awaits me, 8 hours until boarding and 2 am now. The coffee static in my brain winding down to a dulled tiredness that I'm sure a could ween it out for another couple hours before any further decisions are needed...bags are packed, and quite full, I'll be pushing the limits of the carry on and checked baggage: a 49 pound suitcase, about a 45 pound backpack with a skateboard, a painting and a mandolin surrounding it and clutching with clear packing tape, another 35 pound backpack for a carry on, a laptop, and a guitar. I've tried my best...everything should clear except for the guitar. I believe the only way to bring it is to issue it as an extra checked bag for something like $50 or $100 extra. If this be the case then I'll simple send it back with Meagan and sell it or just let Adam continue to borrow it. Having paid only $100 for the guitar in the Cebu, I really have no choice....then again I probably would pay $200 for that guitar given the chance....but phew...the spending has got to stop somewhere. Right now just really hoping that they let me an extra carry on for it.......
.........so that's it! Back to B-lo, to do what exactly I'm not sure. But at least now I know there's really another world out there, and that I can get to it whenever I wish! .......quite tired of the travel at this point though, and a part of me is really yearning to get back, at least for little while, need to home base it for a spell.....what's next? ....quite curious to find out...one thing I know is that the family will need me for sure these next couple of months, so I'm grateful to be able to help out, to remember what's important, and to make that next trip given to it's proper time. I suppose I have learned some things these last months, but what I'd really like to think I'll take away is the enforcement of a feeling that I've already known: knowing that at anytime you really can make choices, and that as obvious as it may sound your making choices all the time no matter what anyway, you just might as well be conscious of it - that's all..............................ah, but sometimes....easy and nice and comfortable to just forget this. And in all honesty I feel I need a little rest from it myself, need a good sleep, a new fresh cleansing breath of air, a little exercise, and flat table to lay my cards down and see what I got!.....well, I think I better cut this one off. I feel my train of consciousness starting to meander.....It's been fun, and it's been great to meet everyone that I was fortunate enough to have had the pleasure to. Keep traveling, travel safe, and always see you further down the road....and already much to tell since our last meeting....but up' time for to get going again...........................................
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Greetings from Sagada Philippines....
Mountain town in dead center Luzon, surrounded by vast valleys filled with rice terraces, and looming stone cragged spires. The weather a chilly tingle, and the breeze of a fresh mountain morning variety for the whole of the day. Most of this area was home to Animistic tribes, and most of the interior of Northern Luzon for that matter as I understand. Easy 20 minute hikes to the most of Sagada tourist attractions: waterfalls, cemeteries, underground rivers, caves, jaw dropping views...and most with the eerie presence of hanging coffins and ancient burial areas looming here and there.
Trying to make it down to Cebu with 12 days left might be a little more difficult then I originally thought, so tomorrow we are planning to try to get all the way back down to Manila, and hoping that's not a terrible idea.
Definitely have more to report when I go back through Manila. Then onto I'm thinking to Batangas and start the island hopping portion of this journey. 12 days to get to Cebu...
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Greetings from Phuket Town.
Beaches, pools, sleeping late, and motorbiking around the Island...Been here for 6 nights and now another 12 bus ride overnight back to Bangkok. (They way down here was a 24 hour bus ride). Once in Bangkok, 2 nights and then an overnight flight on wednesday night to Manila, Philippines, one way. See what happens when Kyi Kyi and I get there...then figure it out. Maybe head back down to Cebu for a spell and hit up some of the remote tropical islands, a motorbike and an island...gonna kill time untill coming back to Bangkok for Kyi Kyi schooling Oct 12th, then back up to Chiang Mai for about a week, maybe a quick trip over to Mae Hong Son, and that should just about round out the trip before having to be back in Bangkok on Oct 26 for a flight back to Hong Kong and then a flight on the 28th back to Buffalo....and that's the way it goes. Definitely excited about going to Manila, no idea what to expect there....as for right now, catching the bus in 30 minutes, opted for the cheaper bus to save some cash so will see how that goes. Been spending a little time back in the same guest house I stayed when I was here some 3 months ago and catching back up with Sawet. Today he offered me a business deal to have a small stake in his leather and skins business in a beach community across the Island, $750....eh, maybe some day but not today. Well, again rushed for time, internet will time out any minute now and need to find a way yet to get to the bus station with all our bags. Next stop, Bangkok.
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Saturday, September 5, 2009
Prose from the DiscoTek (Bubble)
Lasers and strobe lights and the mindless beat that parades the mind.
Life's constructions distracted and suspended in disassembly...
and the girls go to work.
Knowing the bolts are always able to be loosened.
Another night after the Thailand heat subsides and the promise of another night begins.
The necessities of life layed like a gurney patient in an endless wait.
If the American dream has become a rhetorical footnote, then true enough that a Thailand promise is under the light of the knife.
The day's ferry tales of youth have crippled the earnest patient in his naivety...
and the girls go to work.
Your TV sets and bookazines.
Your coffee tables and polites.
Here life is a best guess, an experiment!
A lure of simple truths: a life better lived than planned, and an honesty as sure as food on the table ( let alone a possibility of a table existing}.
No psychiatrists required, only - The Bubble - and a stream of of blood.
No one knowing whether nutrients being fed or another patient being read.
I've found a new poison.
One that feed slowly can acclimate the pulse.
Can disengage the receptors, disentangle it's desires.
Life's last refugee...the secret quest of the starving mind,
an un - requisite of place or pattern....
and the girls go to work
The great thing about speaking your mind is that only the people that really listen will hear.
I venture this to be the safety that all truth tellers enjoy in the fog of plight.
A language limited and dispersed around talking points and heretics.
Life's constructions distracted and suspended in disassembly...
and the girls go to work.
Knowing the bolts are always able to be loosened.
Another night after the Thailand heat subsides and the promise of another night begins.
The necessities of life layed like a gurney patient in an endless wait.
If the American dream has become a rhetorical footnote, then true enough that a Thailand promise is under the light of the knife.
The day's ferry tales of youth have crippled the earnest patient in his naivety...
and the girls go to work.
Your TV sets and bookazines.
Your coffee tables and polites.
Here life is a best guess, an experiment!
A lure of simple truths: a life better lived than planned, and an honesty as sure as food on the table ( let alone a possibility of a table existing}.
No psychiatrists required, only - The Bubble - and a stream of of blood.
No one knowing whether nutrients being fed or another patient being read.
I've found a new poison.
One that feed slowly can acclimate the pulse.
Can disengage the receptors, disentangle it's desires.
Life's last refugee...the secret quest of the starving mind,
an un - requisite of place or pattern....
and the girls go to work
The great thing about speaking your mind is that only the people that really listen will hear.
I venture this to be the safety that all truth tellers enjoy in the fog of plight.
A language limited and dispersed around talking points and heretics.
Friday, September 4, 2009
hey y'all
Hello there world...haven't blogged in awhile...yes true....just got back from Guitar Man (jam restuarant)...played with my "band"....tum rast frontin' the show...wash tube bassist with a crutch for a stiff arm - Craig-, German rasta drummer - Marco - and yours truly on those sick leads........trying to be patient with myself....some songs good, some songs not as good. I little number called "Coming into Los Angelees", outro-d with this little puppy. Rip roared, snorted and unleashed the...hopefully made up for that song when I was playing that wrong cord...hmmmm....think I'll blame that one on lack of monitor...learning to become a musicians musician.
So sunday at 6 p.m. the band has it's first band practice, up until now it's been just walk up partakers in the Guitar Man jam experience....my refugee you may say. Something's that is wholly mine. When you walk into someone else's world it's good to find a bearing. If I have to pretend to be a lead guitarist to make it happen than so be it!
What else....living the dream...or so they say....Tune is back in town and the tri-fecta has been reinstated! Three to a motor bike and three to the dream. Just got back to the apartment and the gals are looking to hit the town...which means discoteks until one of god's miracles decides it's the end of the night. Already tied a slight down at the G. man and something tells me I'm going to be in for a long one tonight...laughter is flowing easy from the girls and I don't understand a damn word of what there saying......
What else...started teaching myself to read (and write maybe) Thai language...I figured waiting for Thai speakers to help me learn my craft was is too much to ask maybe from both of us...instead if I can read this billboards and signs that surround me I figure I have a teacher everywhere I look. Quite encouraging when I can transport some bizarre characters into a reasonable thought from another being...
What else...Kyi Kyi and I will be heading to MaeHongSon (?) in the next couple. M.H.S. is close to the roots for Kyi Kyi and I expect to get closer to the many many stories she has shared thus. Maybe a week or so..then back here for a very short spell and then take off for a month or so....
Bittersweet maybe...now with the "band" taking off! Well hopefully I'll get to practice with the boys before I ship out. Working on my muted leads and trying to reject the psychedelic impulses that apparently have embedded themselves in my 'flow'....
What else...living a day to day extravaganza, trying to figure out the meaning of everything, quickly to decide what's the best move...same same...just a new set of accessories and crazy ideas. Best to all. And best of luck to those who need it. Sometimes that all you get!
So sunday at 6 p.m. the band has it's first band practice, up until now it's been just walk up partakers in the Guitar Man jam experience....my refugee you may say. Something's that is wholly mine. When you walk into someone else's world it's good to find a bearing. If I have to pretend to be a lead guitarist to make it happen than so be it!
What else....living the dream...or so they say....Tune is back in town and the tri-fecta has been reinstated! Three to a motor bike and three to the dream. Just got back to the apartment and the gals are looking to hit the town...which means discoteks until one of god's miracles decides it's the end of the night. Already tied a slight down at the G. man and something tells me I'm going to be in for a long one tonight...laughter is flowing easy from the girls and I don't understand a damn word of what there saying......
What else...started teaching myself to read (and write maybe) Thai language...I figured waiting for Thai speakers to help me learn my craft was is too much to ask maybe from both of us...instead if I can read this billboards and signs that surround me I figure I have a teacher everywhere I look. Quite encouraging when I can transport some bizarre characters into a reasonable thought from another being...
What else...Kyi Kyi and I will be heading to MaeHongSon (?) in the next couple. M.H.S. is close to the roots for Kyi Kyi and I expect to get closer to the many many stories she has shared thus. Maybe a week or so..then back here for a very short spell and then take off for a month or so....
Bittersweet maybe...now with the "band" taking off! Well hopefully I'll get to practice with the boys before I ship out. Working on my muted leads and trying to reject the psychedelic impulses that apparently have embedded themselves in my 'flow'....
What else...living a day to day extravaganza, trying to figure out the meaning of everything, quickly to decide what's the best move...same same...just a new set of accessories and crazy ideas. Best to all. And best of luck to those who need it. Sometimes that all you get!
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Neither Dragon nor Gecko
Second 2 hour Thai language class and coming along swimmingly. Popped 150 Baht for my level two handbook, and crackin' the cover. Last night Kyi Kyi and I motored over to the YMCA to prime up on our salsa dancing. Hour class every saturday that we will no doubt be attending. Basic steps and rhythm already in the pocket more or less, now to pepper that shi-ot up with some spinnies and twirlies. Might hit out to Phuket in the upcoming however, and may have to put my new projects on the back burner for the short.
Recently I've slowly been uncovering a burgeoning music scene in Chiang Mai. Met a guy named Lance who plays lap guitar, who is working on putting up a website and making a little dough...www.learnlapslideguitar.com. A retired clinical pyscologist orignally from California but lived that last 30 is Aussie. He hipped me to the scene and introduced me to some locals: a banjo player and restaurant owner and some others. Slowly I'm learning of the characters Chiang Mai has to offer. One guy brings around a wash tub bass with a crutch as the standing arm. I actually played with him and Tum Rasta the night I sat in for the Tum's set. And there are these other otherworldly blues guitarist's that are easily sitting with anything I've ever heard. I think there is some what of a hush hush whisper surrounding around the local gin joints regarding their stellar abilities. I've seen one named Boy who plays at GuitarMan, but I've yet to see his legendary uncle Tuck. Tuck the untouchable...
Slowly peeling back the lid and gretting into the subtle side of a foriegn land...may not be as many fancy pictures coming, maybe only words will be of any service here on out....
hopefully much more to come....salut
Recently I've slowly been uncovering a burgeoning music scene in Chiang Mai. Met a guy named Lance who plays lap guitar, who is working on putting up a website and making a little dough...www.learnlapslideguitar.com. A retired clinical pyscologist orignally from California but lived that last 30 is Aussie. He hipped me to the scene and introduced me to some locals: a banjo player and restaurant owner and some others. Slowly I'm learning of the characters Chiang Mai has to offer. One guy brings around a wash tub bass with a crutch as the standing arm. I actually played with him and Tum Rasta the night I sat in for the Tum's set. And there are these other otherworldly blues guitarist's that are easily sitting with anything I've ever heard. I think there is some what of a hush hush whisper surrounding around the local gin joints regarding their stellar abilities. I've seen one named Boy who plays at GuitarMan, but I've yet to see his legendary uncle Tuck. Tuck the untouchable...
Slowly peeling back the lid and gretting into the subtle side of a foriegn land...may not be as many fancy pictures coming, maybe only words will be of any service here on out....
hopefully much more to come....salut
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
a nod to tuk - tuk drivers of the world
last night kicked it with Khan, tuk-tuk driver by trade. "where's the local music", as I mimic, the essential musical elements of how to rock! Wasn't long until I was in a shady alley of a place called On the Rock pub watching a four piece; reverb, distortion, sick leads...yep, this will do. As I have slowly tired of sitting in the back of a tuk-tuk, I now ask to sit up front, which leads me to get to know Khan a little before we got to On the Rock...long story short Khan and I cruised tuk-tuk style to a bunch of hot spots of local music in Vientiane, beerlaos flowing, tradition lao dancing and singing, crazy lao girl wanting to slow dance, Sabai Sabai - easy easy. Manage to slightly tie one on nothing major, handful of 'go down easies', and my plan to bed myself down easy was more or less achieved.
Thai visa, check, shit, no idea it was that easy, and free. 3 month thai visa with double entry and only catch is you just have a wait a day for it. I feel a little silly now that I had made three visa runs (to cambodia, to laos, to burma) to get just another 2 week visa each time....ah learning the little secrets now.
All's well and really looking forward to getting back to Chiang Mai, via a 16 hour bus ride.... I definately miss the monkey...so yeah all in all, take time to get to know your local tuk-tuk driver, they want to hang and they want to have a good time...and they know all the spots! and more than not they know more english than you average local. In the end we ended up speaking more thai together than english...yes my thai is coming along, started taking lessons in Chiang Mai. Kyi Kyi's not to thrilled by it though, she'd rather me learn Shan, or Myanmar, and she's not the biggest fan of Thailand.....wow, how's that for a ramble!...........................
Phone Pasueth Guest House 160,000 kip....less than $20 bucks
$16,000 kip egg sandwich $2
tuk-tuk from friendship bridge to Vientiene - 100 baht.
bus ride from vientiene to Chaing mai - 1,250 baht
phone call to thailand 4,000kip a minute.
Today while waiting for the thai embassy to open a german girl living in thailand asked to play kyi kyi's classical that I've been lugging around. She asked me to play, so I ended up playing three songs in front of about 30-40 people waiting in line, pretty fun experience, some guy gave me a quarter baht afterwords...played a couple fo the new hits...mostly lazy days not knowing what's gonna happen or what I'm going to do, the tourist feeling is really wearing off and I'm losing the gung-ho, see all type of travel...but then, random little gems pop up here and there, more quality things I suppose. Again, like learning thai and being able to cominicate with a lao tuk-tuk driver better than in english....hmmm- what's next....
be well
Thai visa, check, shit, no idea it was that easy, and free. 3 month thai visa with double entry and only catch is you just have a wait a day for it. I feel a little silly now that I had made three visa runs (to cambodia, to laos, to burma) to get just another 2 week visa each time....ah learning the little secrets now.
All's well and really looking forward to getting back to Chiang Mai, via a 16 hour bus ride.... I definately miss the monkey...so yeah all in all, take time to get to know your local tuk-tuk driver, they want to hang and they want to have a good time...and they know all the spots! and more than not they know more english than you average local. In the end we ended up speaking more thai together than english...yes my thai is coming along, started taking lessons in Chiang Mai. Kyi Kyi's not to thrilled by it though, she'd rather me learn Shan, or Myanmar, and she's not the biggest fan of Thailand.....wow, how's that for a ramble!...........................
Phone Pasueth Guest House 160,000 kip....less than $20 bucks
$16,000 kip egg sandwich $2
tuk-tuk from friendship bridge to Vientiene - 100 baht.
bus ride from vientiene to Chaing mai - 1,250 baht
phone call to thailand 4,000kip a minute.
Today while waiting for the thai embassy to open a german girl living in thailand asked to play kyi kyi's classical that I've been lugging around. She asked me to play, so I ended up playing three songs in front of about 30-40 people waiting in line, pretty fun experience, some guy gave me a quarter baht afterwords...played a couple fo the new hits...mostly lazy days not knowing what's gonna happen or what I'm going to do, the tourist feeling is really wearing off and I'm losing the gung-ho, see all type of travel...but then, random little gems pop up here and there, more quality things I suppose. Again, like learning thai and being able to cominicate with a lao tuk-tuk driver better than in english....hmmm- what's next....
be well
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Vientiane
Lazy days in Vientiane. Splurged for a nice pad for the two day wait to get a new and improved Thai visa. 160,000 lao kip with at an exchange of some where around 8,000+ kip per dollar, puts it less than $20 us. Not bad for air con, private balcony, fan, stocked refrigerator, hot shower, double bed, cable tv including H-Bo and other faves. After that bus ride last night I knew I'd be spending a fair amount of time in the room anyhow...just putting a new batch of photos up, nothing of a wide ranging caliber but worth what it may. Kyi Kyi's (pronounced GG)Japanesse father was in town for about 4 days or so, and we at least all went out to dinner almost everyday. For the Queens birthday (mothers day in Thailand) he got a surprise day off and we all hopped in a renta car and hit some of tourist attractions around Chiang Mai, Elephant camp, monkey show, a trip to the lake, back home for a little R and R and then back out into the night for dinner at place called Good View down on the Nam Ping (ping river that is).
blah blah....ready to go back to the room and watch some more bad movies...funny...first night alone in months and to think that I've never said that before. Always the good with the bad, aye?
Everybody take care, especially those I know residing in the A-town. Remember when Bob says to take it easy, takin' it slow, excuse me while I light my spliff.....maybe just the first part is good enough advice. Sometimes change is good, actually most of time change is good. Jobs come and go, but experience stays, girls come and go, benders soon fade away, and clarity is always somewhere to be found, if wanted...blah blah....
good night from Vientiane Laos. Tomorrow to the Thai Emabassy and then another day to wait for the visa approval, only one page left in the passport and hopefully it will be filled be Tuesday with a 2-month re-entry visa for Thailand, albeit my passport will be full....what to do.
blah blah....ready to go back to the room and watch some more bad movies...funny...first night alone in months and to think that I've never said that before. Always the good with the bad, aye?
Everybody take care, especially those I know residing in the A-town. Remember when Bob says to take it easy, takin' it slow, excuse me while I light my spliff.....maybe just the first part is good enough advice. Sometimes change is good, actually most of time change is good. Jobs come and go, but experience stays, girls come and go, benders soon fade away, and clarity is always somewhere to be found, if wanted...blah blah....
good night from Vientiane Laos. Tomorrow to the Thai Emabassy and then another day to wait for the visa approval, only one page left in the passport and hopefully it will be filled be Tuesday with a 2-month re-entry visa for Thailand, albeit my passport will be full....what to do.
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Another Visa Run
Gearing up for another visa run...12 hour overnight bus trip from Chiang Mai over to western Thailand, then have to get another bus there to take me over the border back into Laos and the city of Vientiane. It being sunday and immigration closed I'll have to wait another day to go to the office. Gonna try to get a 2 month double entry visa at the Thai embassy and put this visa run crap to bed to for awhile. Disclaimer here for the wild mind: doesn't mean I'm staying for 2 months.
Last night played a set with Tum Rasta at Guitar Man. Such tunes as "comin into Los angelees" an arlo guthrie hit, Simple man, No woman (sung in Thai and in Key of D), and another 10 or so......
oop, got to go, Kyi Kyi gives me a ride to bus station and on the road in a half hour....
goodnight
Last night played a set with Tum Rasta at Guitar Man. Such tunes as "comin into Los angelees" an arlo guthrie hit, Simple man, No woman (sung in Thai and in Key of D), and another 10 or so......
oop, got to go, Kyi Kyi gives me a ride to bus station and on the road in a half hour....
goodnight
Friday, August 7, 2009
I guess I know who reads this now!
Alright...I just toke a - I don't even know how long bus trip - from Bangkok overnight to Chiang Mai. Left at 9 pm got here somewhere maybe around 7 am. Little sleep and tired but thought I check my email. I feel slightly apologethic for any miss leading comments I made in the last post, but SHIT can't I have a little fun with 'the reader'. I just reread what I wrote thinking that I may be more at fault than I thought, and gee wiz, all I said is that I was going to apply for the engagement visa. (and yes a little comment after that... : o) for comic effect ). I feel sorry but at the same time a little startled by the complete run away of rumor. Talk soon.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Ah....Bangkok Air.....cough, cough and post number 40!
Yes...Back in Bangkok. And I done saying phrases like 'last days' somewhere or 'back again'.
Too exhausting, I give up trying to keep track like that anymore...
Yesterday.. quite the day, sat outside the US Embassy in Bangkok for a couple of hours waiting for Kyi Kyi to come out of her interview...DENIED! What shit. Insufficient evidence to prove that she has strong enough ties here that see wouldn't go AWOL in the U.S. Hmmm...I'll show them! Craziness...and like none other I have known. Right now were staying in 'Little Arabia', which is a little pocket inside Bangkok where all the Arabs go to hang/live/hock...whatever. I thought I had seen diversity in Hong Kong, like for example at the tradition African bar, but nothing like this: fully blanketed black sheets with only the eyes showing are not the exception here, Muslim pray chants going off every so many hours, an arrow in our hotel room pointing the way to Mecca... Asians, Africans, Arabs, Europeans, Americans...maybe not so many South Americans to put it fairly, but nonetheless point made. Walking down the back alleys is quite a speckled culture.
Right now Kyi Kyi is meeting up with some Shan Burmese friends that she made yesterday in her Thai language class, and I took the opportunity to head over the Visa and Immigration services building to see if I couldn't find another way to get her over to the US. The US, quite an amazing response these two syllables can ilicite, and in such different ways for so many people...one thing about the US though is that there very hard lined, aren't they. There's no 'talking to them', like I suppose you may feel like you can do with other people/countries. Maybe there stubborn, or maybe just efficient...blah blah.
Anyways...things are completely upside down for me presently, and I've found myself in quite a pickle, and it appears that there will now be no safe escape or a quick get away back to the states for me. My luck held out for longer than maybe most people's, and I can't say I'm not fortunate enough for that...
In other news and in a lighter tone - been to Northern Laos for the last week with Kyi Kyi and what a place it is. Maybe it would be hard for you to believe me when I say that you can order a bag of opium, a happy pizza, or a mushroom shake off the special menu. Will leave my own specifics out of this for caution to younger readers but I can tell you that in Vang Vieng Laos there are loy of f-d up people. Some Canadian guy at the table next to us wouldn't stop standing where he was suppose to be sitting. A friend we made told him to sit down and that he was making him nervous. The Canadian guy looked at him very sincerely and tried to explain that he had drunk a mushroom shake and now was having difficultly sitting down because apparently he was going a little stir crazy with his cohorts..
Also in Vang Vieng and what most tourists all do there is to tube down the lazy muddy river and stop at the river bars along the way. Gigundo swings flinging you out in the murky depths, huge slides, food, music, and of course the ubiquitious staple Lao diet of BeerLao, probably the biggest industry in the Nation of Laos. (many pictures to come - facebook). Met a bunch of good folks, shared some tales, and hopped a bunch of buses.
oh, yeah almost forgot about the Slow Boat! When we first arrived in Laos we took a 2 day Slow boat trip over to the center of Laos at Luang Prabaung. Try to imagine 100 tourists in there 20's from all over stuck on a slow wooden boat for 8 hours a day on little wooden benches. And yes they had beerlao on the boat, and also some local produce to give 'praise to jah' with. Mayhem, uncomfortableness, drunken muddy river cruise. A must do really...
Anyway...yes pictures to come of this a well....
Hope all is well with everyone and everybody is doing there duty to suck the most out of summer! On my way back to Chiang Mai, or should I just say to chiang mai and try to discover what the next week or two will reveal. Quick stop off at the visa department to start the engagement visa process and then off from there. Oh yeah, didn't mention that...well got to go, don't want to give it all away.
God Bless America.
Too exhausting, I give up trying to keep track like that anymore...
Yesterday.. quite the day, sat outside the US Embassy in Bangkok for a couple of hours waiting for Kyi Kyi to come out of her interview...DENIED! What shit. Insufficient evidence to prove that she has strong enough ties here that see wouldn't go AWOL in the U.S. Hmmm...I'll show them! Craziness...and like none other I have known. Right now were staying in 'Little Arabia', which is a little pocket inside Bangkok where all the Arabs go to hang/live/hock...whatever. I thought I had seen diversity in Hong Kong, like for example at the tradition African bar, but nothing like this: fully blanketed black sheets with only the eyes showing are not the exception here, Muslim pray chants going off every so many hours, an arrow in our hotel room pointing the way to Mecca... Asians, Africans, Arabs, Europeans, Americans...maybe not so many South Americans to put it fairly, but nonetheless point made. Walking down the back alleys is quite a speckled culture.
Right now Kyi Kyi is meeting up with some Shan Burmese friends that she made yesterday in her Thai language class, and I took the opportunity to head over the Visa and Immigration services building to see if I couldn't find another way to get her over to the US. The US, quite an amazing response these two syllables can ilicite, and in such different ways for so many people...one thing about the US though is that there very hard lined, aren't they. There's no 'talking to them', like I suppose you may feel like you can do with other people/countries. Maybe there stubborn, or maybe just efficient...blah blah.
Anyways...things are completely upside down for me presently, and I've found myself in quite a pickle, and it appears that there will now be no safe escape or a quick get away back to the states for me. My luck held out for longer than maybe most people's, and I can't say I'm not fortunate enough for that...
In other news and in a lighter tone - been to Northern Laos for the last week with Kyi Kyi and what a place it is. Maybe it would be hard for you to believe me when I say that you can order a bag of opium, a happy pizza, or a mushroom shake off the special menu. Will leave my own specifics out of this for caution to younger readers but I can tell you that in Vang Vieng Laos there are loy of f-d up people. Some Canadian guy at the table next to us wouldn't stop standing where he was suppose to be sitting. A friend we made told him to sit down and that he was making him nervous. The Canadian guy looked at him very sincerely and tried to explain that he had drunk a mushroom shake and now was having difficultly sitting down because apparently he was going a little stir crazy with his cohorts..
Also in Vang Vieng and what most tourists all do there is to tube down the lazy muddy river and stop at the river bars along the way. Gigundo swings flinging you out in the murky depths, huge slides, food, music, and of course the ubiquitious staple Lao diet of BeerLao, probably the biggest industry in the Nation of Laos. (many pictures to come - facebook). Met a bunch of good folks, shared some tales, and hopped a bunch of buses.
oh, yeah almost forgot about the Slow Boat! When we first arrived in Laos we took a 2 day Slow boat trip over to the center of Laos at Luang Prabaung. Try to imagine 100 tourists in there 20's from all over stuck on a slow wooden boat for 8 hours a day on little wooden benches. And yes they had beerlao on the boat, and also some local produce to give 'praise to jah' with. Mayhem, uncomfortableness, drunken muddy river cruise. A must do really...
Anyway...yes pictures to come of this a well....
Hope all is well with everyone and everybody is doing there duty to suck the most out of summer! On my way back to Chiang Mai, or should I just say to chiang mai and try to discover what the next week or two will reveal. Quick stop off at the visa department to start the engagement visa process and then off from there. Oh yeah, didn't mention that...well got to go, don't want to give it all away.
God Bless America.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Luang Prabuang (sp?)
forth night tonight... lazy days in northern Laos! Kyi Kyi and I veering more from the travel motif on over the 'vacation' side of life, not a great feeling when your reserves are an issue. Tomorrow though, over and down to Vien Vieng, (I would like to at this point kindly ask you to excuse spelling of all the names). Praising jah long into the night and sleeping long into the day, today though set the alarm for 6 am and watched all the monks walk the city and collect alms.
until then....
until then....
Friday, July 24, 2009
spotted consciousness
Back to Chiang Rai (2nd time)
huh, I just realized that the last four posts have all had Chiang Mai in the title. I guess I really was getting sucked in there....phew, good to be out. Been in Chiang Rai now for last two days with Kyi Kyi and Tune. Kyi Kyi and I were going to split up to a northern most city and slow boat it over into to Laos...but ah how things change. I don't think I've had a plan that's fully held up past a day or two max.
Tune was going to split for Chiang Rai on her lonesome and Kyi Kyi and I were going to try to get a package deal: bus to Chiang Kong, next morning slow boat over into Laos, spend a night on the river and then slow boat over to the city of Luang Prabaung, Laos... Package deal ends up being fully booked, and just to do anything to get moving and get the hell out of Chiang Mai we reassemble the team and decide to all head to Chiang Rai, and considering it's in the same direction, wasn't much of a decision.
Right now I'm using Tune's computer in one of her two rental houses that her and her husband shares, connected by a car port made of some type of corrugated aluminum I suppose. I gather that the 'H' is back in France working. Easily the nicest and place if stayed, big ceilings, tiled porches, all the amenities, all emmaculately clean. Yesterday the girls made use of the kitchen to whip up some Shan (Myanmar) food. I'm getting the impression that a big big staple of the Shan diet is the yellow bean. Scrumpcous! Last night I made two separate missions to the kitchen to make eggs and toast with a side of the yellow bean chili stuff. Granted there were other reasons for my sudden spike in appetite.
I feel like I really should shake my head sometimes. Living with two exotic and beautiful girls in a huge beautiful house that a France computer engineer who slaves away back in France pays for, gourmet authentic food cooked before my eyes, a next to new vespa in the car park to go anywhere, music to be jammed at the local rasta bars, cheap food and beer, etc, etc...simply amazing, mind blowing really. I think the reason I can't shake my head at it is because I am just unable to get my head around it. It just continues and continues to get more and more interesting, and at anyone time when I really think to shake my head at it, there's just too much still waiting! pointless.
For instance: tonight big jam night at the peace house (rasta bar), making Shan food and other food for fishing trip tomorrow, need to get bus ticket over near Laos in order to catch a slow boat in a day or two, visa almost up. Will travel with Kyi Kyi for a week or two, last night out late and slept late. There's just to much...
Even in Chiang Mai, for days it would just be Kyi Kyi, Tune and I. Hanging out into the wee hours of the night, waking in the long afternoon, looking for food run an errand or two, maybe take it easy and watch a movie, or maybe back out the endless hours of that northern Thai night life. I scene that really brings it home for me, is how we ride everywhere together on one vespa, Kyi Kyi folded in front of me and Tune behind. I negotiate the road, reminding myself often to take great care in keeping these two amazing girls with me safe. I peer around Kyi Kyi head of flaring black hair trying to see what gear I'm presently in and once in a while making sure that Kyi Kyi isn't sliding to far forward. What a sight we must be to certain people!
oops...got to go, forgot I have sandals getting made today...
huh, I just realized that the last four posts have all had Chiang Mai in the title. I guess I really was getting sucked in there....phew, good to be out. Been in Chiang Rai now for last two days with Kyi Kyi and Tune. Kyi Kyi and I were going to split up to a northern most city and slow boat it over into to Laos...but ah how things change. I don't think I've had a plan that's fully held up past a day or two max.
Tune was going to split for Chiang Rai on her lonesome and Kyi Kyi and I were going to try to get a package deal: bus to Chiang Kong, next morning slow boat over into Laos, spend a night on the river and then slow boat over to the city of Luang Prabaung, Laos... Package deal ends up being fully booked, and just to do anything to get moving and get the hell out of Chiang Mai we reassemble the team and decide to all head to Chiang Rai, and considering it's in the same direction, wasn't much of a decision.
Right now I'm using Tune's computer in one of her two rental houses that her and her husband shares, connected by a car port made of some type of corrugated aluminum I suppose. I gather that the 'H' is back in France working. Easily the nicest and place if stayed, big ceilings, tiled porches, all the amenities, all emmaculately clean. Yesterday the girls made use of the kitchen to whip up some Shan (Myanmar) food. I'm getting the impression that a big big staple of the Shan diet is the yellow bean. Scrumpcous! Last night I made two separate missions to the kitchen to make eggs and toast with a side of the yellow bean chili stuff. Granted there were other reasons for my sudden spike in appetite.
I feel like I really should shake my head sometimes. Living with two exotic and beautiful girls in a huge beautiful house that a France computer engineer who slaves away back in France pays for, gourmet authentic food cooked before my eyes, a next to new vespa in the car park to go anywhere, music to be jammed at the local rasta bars, cheap food and beer, etc, etc...simply amazing, mind blowing really. I think the reason I can't shake my head at it is because I am just unable to get my head around it. It just continues and continues to get more and more interesting, and at anyone time when I really think to shake my head at it, there's just too much still waiting! pointless.
For instance: tonight big jam night at the peace house (rasta bar), making Shan food and other food for fishing trip tomorrow, need to get bus ticket over near Laos in order to catch a slow boat in a day or two, visa almost up. Will travel with Kyi Kyi for a week or two, last night out late and slept late. There's just to much...
Even in Chiang Mai, for days it would just be Kyi Kyi, Tune and I. Hanging out into the wee hours of the night, waking in the long afternoon, looking for food run an errand or two, maybe take it easy and watch a movie, or maybe back out the endless hours of that northern Thai night life. I scene that really brings it home for me, is how we ride everywhere together on one vespa, Kyi Kyi folded in front of me and Tune behind. I negotiate the road, reminding myself often to take great care in keeping these two amazing girls with me safe. I peer around Kyi Kyi head of flaring black hair trying to see what gear I'm presently in and once in a while making sure that Kyi Kyi isn't sliding to far forward. What a sight we must be to certain people!
oops...got to go, forgot I have sandals getting made today...
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Back to Chiang Mai.
Hmmm....where to start.
Played a three day set with Nate up in Pai at a place called Buffalo Exchange. Tom Rasta down at the ol' Guitar Man bar/restaurant/jam spot hipped us to this joint the night before we hit out for a 4 hour minivan trip to Pai. As maybe you might know, when Nate and I get together - we go big. Praising Jah well into the morning hours, I remember a once full bottle of whiskey with a case of the drip, drip....drip. Apparently Tom Rasta took quite easily to Nate and I, he kept laughing at me when I smiled and he said I reminded him of a little kid. Early this night I got to jam with Tom Rasta at Guitar Man, haven't played an electric guitar in a long time.
Funny, I just stepped out of the Internet shop here to have a smoke and wait for facebook pictures to upload, and who do i see, a one Tom Rasta on his signature Honda, speeding like a crazied biker coming out of a Sturgis weekend, guitar backpack pointing high above his flaring dread locks as he bounces over the rolling road. It must be pretty radical to have one of the only 'real' motorcycles in town. Too late to flag him down. I was meaning to get over there today to sell Nate's ukulele to him...
Where was I...oh yes...Tom must be one of the hippest cats in town. Nate and I sat long into the night with him talking shop, smoking a very unhealthy amount of cigarettes and drinking piss beer beyond the point of achieving any further effects from such. It getting quite early, somebodies got to call it. We fallow Tom back to his pad where he bestowed apon us a very generous gift and Nate and proceed through the Chiang Mai streets two to a vespa. With the luck of a God we gingerly idle past the random police check point blocking the entire road and head to get another pack of smokes. Lady boys scattered to the sides of road pleading with us to stop. Bare silicon chest staring us right in the headlights, we get a pack and he/she says "pleeeeaaasse", apparently she likes us too. And the night goes on. Songs traded back and forth through to the early hours. A couple of hours of sleep and off to catch that bus to Pai. 762 curves they say, Chiang Mai to Pai, up in to the mountains, stomach telling its own stories and reminding me of some I had forgotten. Needless to say I had to spend a far amount of time in strange squatters and bucket flushes.
To much to say, to much to forget. That was all some 4 -5 days ago, and I left Nate at the departure security check yesterday morning for his flight to Singapore via a 4 hour stop over in Bangkok. Strange. As quickly as I see him come, we waste little time, and as quickly I see him go. I joke that I'll see him in an hour, but we both know this time will be different. Don't know when I'll see my friend Nate again, but I figure for sure it would be in the mist of some other adventure, where easy come easy go are the ways its good to be, making the the most, minus a banjo player - Lapsap String Band style. After Singapore he's back to Hong Kong for day, the place where this little tale originated.
....................anti climatic on this one. Completely tired from putting facebook pictures up, it's 2:45 in the morning and I think I've already been here for some 4 hours. Off to Northern Laos tomorrow for the forseeable, with Kyi Kyi.
oh well, still pulling some luck and it'll be good to head down the road, way to long in Chiang Mai, getting way to serious for my liking. But then again I won't be free of Chiang Mai, but I've heard Northern Laos works wonders.
Played a three day set with Nate up in Pai at a place called Buffalo Exchange. Tom Rasta down at the ol' Guitar Man bar/restaurant/jam spot hipped us to this joint the night before we hit out for a 4 hour minivan trip to Pai. As maybe you might know, when Nate and I get together - we go big. Praising Jah well into the morning hours, I remember a once full bottle of whiskey with a case of the drip, drip....drip. Apparently Tom Rasta took quite easily to Nate and I, he kept laughing at me when I smiled and he said I reminded him of a little kid. Early this night I got to jam with Tom Rasta at Guitar Man, haven't played an electric guitar in a long time.
Funny, I just stepped out of the Internet shop here to have a smoke and wait for facebook pictures to upload, and who do i see, a one Tom Rasta on his signature Honda, speeding like a crazied biker coming out of a Sturgis weekend, guitar backpack pointing high above his flaring dread locks as he bounces over the rolling road. It must be pretty radical to have one of the only 'real' motorcycles in town. Too late to flag him down. I was meaning to get over there today to sell Nate's ukulele to him...
Where was I...oh yes...Tom must be one of the hippest cats in town. Nate and I sat long into the night with him talking shop, smoking a very unhealthy amount of cigarettes and drinking piss beer beyond the point of achieving any further effects from such. It getting quite early, somebodies got to call it. We fallow Tom back to his pad where he bestowed apon us a very generous gift and Nate and proceed through the Chiang Mai streets two to a vespa. With the luck of a God we gingerly idle past the random police check point blocking the entire road and head to get another pack of smokes. Lady boys scattered to the sides of road pleading with us to stop. Bare silicon chest staring us right in the headlights, we get a pack and he/she says "pleeeeaaasse", apparently she likes us too. And the night goes on. Songs traded back and forth through to the early hours. A couple of hours of sleep and off to catch that bus to Pai. 762 curves they say, Chiang Mai to Pai, up in to the mountains, stomach telling its own stories and reminding me of some I had forgotten. Needless to say I had to spend a far amount of time in strange squatters and bucket flushes.
To much to say, to much to forget. That was all some 4 -5 days ago, and I left Nate at the departure security check yesterday morning for his flight to Singapore via a 4 hour stop over in Bangkok. Strange. As quickly as I see him come, we waste little time, and as quickly I see him go. I joke that I'll see him in an hour, but we both know this time will be different. Don't know when I'll see my friend Nate again, but I figure for sure it would be in the mist of some other adventure, where easy come easy go are the ways its good to be, making the the most, minus a banjo player - Lapsap String Band style. After Singapore he's back to Hong Kong for day, the place where this little tale originated.
....................anti climatic on this one. Completely tired from putting facebook pictures up, it's 2:45 in the morning and I think I've already been here for some 4 hours. Off to Northern Laos tomorrow for the forseeable, with Kyi Kyi.
oh well, still pulling some luck and it'll be good to head down the road, way to long in Chiang Mai, getting way to serious for my liking. But then again I won't be free of Chiang Mai, but I've heard Northern Laos works wonders.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
back to chiang mai
Back to Chiang Mai and met back up with Nate and Tune last night. Today Nate and I try to get off to Phi for few days before he has to get back to Singapore for a first aid/first responder course. Kyi Kyi and Tune head down to Bangkok so Kyi Kyi and go work on her student visa and goes to school for a couple of days to learn more of the Thai language. Jay is probably soon to be over in Laos-slow boat style and maybe meet up with the Aussie couple Cameron and Sarah over in Phi. After that, anybodies guess. I assume Nate and I will be taking it pretty easy over in Phi, find some guitars, "praise jah", kick back and drink some Chang Beers and watch a new world unfold.
Yesterday....quite the day. Went to Myanmar and talked hush hush about the dictatorship presently in power. He gave me some insider info that I promised not to reveal. Only told 2 people so far, figure its a technicality if I don't mention his name. Then on the motor scooter trip back from the boarder to remeet Kyi Kyi in Chiang Rai, busted a flat and had to ride the rim for about a mile or two until I came to a rinky dink little repair shop. 15 minutes, good as new - 120 baht - 4 bucks - not to shabby. Two days in Chiang Rai, hanging out with Kyi Kyi's friends at all the Rasta bars throughout town. Playing guitars and jamming out well into the night, sleeping until dark the next day and doing the same same circuit again. Quite the time!
Off to find bus tickets and put a bean in the ol' gulley.
Yesterday....quite the day. Went to Myanmar and talked hush hush about the dictatorship presently in power. He gave me some insider info that I promised not to reveal. Only told 2 people so far, figure its a technicality if I don't mention his name. Then on the motor scooter trip back from the boarder to remeet Kyi Kyi in Chiang Rai, busted a flat and had to ride the rim for about a mile or two until I came to a rinky dink little repair shop. 15 minutes, good as new - 120 baht - 4 bucks - not to shabby. Two days in Chiang Rai, hanging out with Kyi Kyi's friends at all the Rasta bars throughout town. Playing guitars and jamming out well into the night, sleeping until dark the next day and doing the same same circuit again. Quite the time!
Off to find bus tickets and put a bean in the ol' gulley.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Still Alive in Chiang Mai
Crazy tales from Chaing Mai... trying to leave, and hopefully tomorrow that will be a reality.
Just ate Japanese food at the Fuji restaurant with Kyi Kyi, and now spending my day listening to her talk to all her friends in Thai/Burmese/Chan, etc. Trying to be interested for a little bit but then I just drift off into some day dream or another...Got a call from Nate today. He's still over in Vientiane Laos with Tune. Last time I saw him he had said "see you in an hour", and now it's been about 3 days since I saw him last, racing down the streets of Chiang Mai with Tune in a Tuk Tuk heading to check bus tickets . He lucked out and got the "very last" seat on the bus - a wet unreclinable seat next to the toilet. On a overnight 12 hours bus trip through northern Thailand, probably not going to be the most comfortable way to travel. Tune had to do a visa run, and last minute Nate split too. As for Jay he split for Pai before I had the chance to see him after his 3 days of volunteering on a kayaking trip. Maybe I'll see him down the road in a couple of weeks. As for me all's well, got a free place to stay and classical guitar to play whenever I want. Even got a couple of songs in the making...
As stands now, I'll head up to Chaing Rai tomorrow morning for a 4 hour bus trip and then spend a couple of days up there. Convieniently I be pretty close to Burma so I'll be able to do a quick visa run over there. Hard to believe another 2 weeks will be up in 3 days. Not sure what or where to go after that, probably just come back down the Chaing Mai to hang out with Nate before he heads out next week enroute to be flyfishing guide in Alaska. Then again, maybe he'll decide to stay in Thailand. I think that might be the last I'll see of Nate for a spell considering we won't be meeting back up in Hong Kong.
Just ate Japanese food at the Fuji restaurant with Kyi Kyi, and now spending my day listening to her talk to all her friends in Thai/Burmese/Chan, etc. Trying to be interested for a little bit but then I just drift off into some day dream or another...Got a call from Nate today. He's still over in Vientiane Laos with Tune. Last time I saw him he had said "see you in an hour", and now it's been about 3 days since I saw him last, racing down the streets of Chiang Mai with Tune in a Tuk Tuk heading to check bus tickets . He lucked out and got the "very last" seat on the bus - a wet unreclinable seat next to the toilet. On a overnight 12 hours bus trip through northern Thailand, probably not going to be the most comfortable way to travel. Tune had to do a visa run, and last minute Nate split too. As for Jay he split for Pai before I had the chance to see him after his 3 days of volunteering on a kayaking trip. Maybe I'll see him down the road in a couple of weeks. As for me all's well, got a free place to stay and classical guitar to play whenever I want. Even got a couple of songs in the making...
As stands now, I'll head up to Chaing Rai tomorrow morning for a 4 hour bus trip and then spend a couple of days up there. Convieniently I be pretty close to Burma so I'll be able to do a quick visa run over there. Hard to believe another 2 weeks will be up in 3 days. Not sure what or where to go after that, probably just come back down the Chaing Mai to hang out with Nate before he heads out next week enroute to be flyfishing guide in Alaska. Then again, maybe he'll decide to stay in Thailand. I think that might be the last I'll see of Nate for a spell considering we won't be meeting back up in Hong Kong.
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Chiang Mai
Been here for two nights now - third day. Seen some real Muay Thai boxing the first night, biked all over with Nate yesterday. Going on Jungle Trek and to meet and stay with the hill-side tribes in the next couple of days.
- 250 baht room
Today going to hit up the oldest temple in Chiang Mai from 1296 a.d.
- 250 baht room
Today going to hit up the oldest temple in Chiang Mai from 1296 a.d.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
I believe I will leave.
I'm outta here, 3 hours to kill and I can start to crush some miles - another 12 hour bus ride north! Chiang Mai. Seems I really ended up staying in Bangkok for long time, never really had that in the plans. Been fun but I"m definitely ready to go. When you stay to long in one place those serious question start popping up into your head - like "what I'm I doing with my life?"... Phew, I'll be glad to get away from that one again. Hmm, wonder if that ones going to catch up with me...eh, anyway. Nate and Jay have already been up there for a day or two, and I'll probably just go straight to catch up with them. Ah, back to basics, leave this city livin' behind.
- 300 Baht 12 hours bus ride
- 300 Baht knock off MatLab 2008 DVD
- 30 Baht shave ( still doesn't top that Filipino shave and cut for 50 piso ($1)
Toured the school yesterday with Dave. Quite the experience, I think a full on western teacher would have a really hard time trying to adjust the buearocracy of teaching here, considering there is none.
- 300 Baht 12 hours bus ride
- 300 Baht knock off MatLab 2008 DVD
- 30 Baht shave ( still doesn't top that Filipino shave and cut for 50 piso ($1)
Toured the school yesterday with Dave. Quite the experience, I think a full on western teacher would have a really hard time trying to adjust the buearocracy of teaching here, considering there is none.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Tuesday
Going to check out Ramkamhaeng University today.
Yesterday met up with Dave Taylor and his teaching crew out at a Lebanese Restuarant down on Soi 5 off of Sukumvit (downtown). Earlier in the day I finally got over to the Grand Palace with Yo (times before either not the proper attire or monks had taken it over), and walked around for 2-3 hours. Past kings (Ramas) use to live there but not presently as Rama lV lives in a stand alone palace some 30 minutes away. Must have been quite the scene when he was there though, temples everywhere and cream of the crop variety - even a minature replica of Angkor Wat. One of the temples house's the famed 'Emerald Buddha', which is a sitting green Buddha about 4 feet high. Dating back I believe to 14 36 from the old capital of Ayuttya it was subsequentely takin to Lao when the Laotians captured it, and then later returned when Rama 1 'The Great' brought it back. The most interesting part is that somewhere along the the line they were cleaning it or repairing it and they discovered that the thin exterior housed a completely solid jade carved block. Apparently though they first thought it was emerald and the name stuck.
Heading up to Chang Mai probably tomorrow. Last night I ran into Cameron and Sarah, an Aussie couple that I first met in a minivan in southern Thailand and then a handful of days later on Ko Phi Phi. Looks like I'll run into them at least once more up in Chang Mai along with Nate and Jay. Maybe Chris and Natalie from Penang Malaysia too, as I remember them saying they were headed that way too.
Alright, now to try to find this school.
Yesterday met up with Dave Taylor and his teaching crew out at a Lebanese Restuarant down on Soi 5 off of Sukumvit (downtown). Earlier in the day I finally got over to the Grand Palace with Yo (times before either not the proper attire or monks had taken it over), and walked around for 2-3 hours. Past kings (Ramas) use to live there but not presently as Rama lV lives in a stand alone palace some 30 minutes away. Must have been quite the scene when he was there though, temples everywhere and cream of the crop variety - even a minature replica of Angkor Wat. One of the temples house's the famed 'Emerald Buddha', which is a sitting green Buddha about 4 feet high. Dating back I believe to 14 36 from the old capital of Ayuttya it was subsequentely takin to Lao when the Laotians captured it, and then later returned when Rama 1 'The Great' brought it back. The most interesting part is that somewhere along the the line they were cleaning it or repairing it and they discovered that the thin exterior housed a completely solid jade carved block. Apparently though they first thought it was emerald and the name stuck.
Heading up to Chang Mai probably tomorrow. Last night I ran into Cameron and Sarah, an Aussie couple that I first met in a minivan in southern Thailand and then a handful of days later on Ko Phi Phi. Looks like I'll run into them at least once more up in Chang Mai along with Nate and Jay. Maybe Chris and Natalie from Penang Malaysia too, as I remember them saying they were headed that way too.
Alright, now to try to find this school.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
another 180 in Thailand
Cambodia and back to Bangkok today.
I'm not sure what it is but when Natey Dread and I get together we always go big. Second night in row, and another morning watching the sun break on the streets of Bangkok. Straight to the bus at 7:30 am, and then strange glimpses of a day. I definitely waited in a lot of lines, one to get out of Thailand, one to get into Cambodia, quick one to get back out of Cambodia and then another long one to get back into Thailand. Been in and out of sleep all day until now, solid sleep when I got back to the guesthouse at around 6 pm and now eerily reminiscent of the last of the LapSap String Band days, I'm a 180 off schedule again.
Didn't have to be in Cambodia long to recollect what a poor country it is. Lost of people acting as mules and pulling the most rickety of carts you can imagine back and across the boarder. The immigration building to get into Cambodia had a giant tree inside it, and they had spliced the roof around it - pretty great stuff! Met an Irish guy on the bus with last name Murray, who was telling me about some family history. Says the name Murray is actually Scottish, and then he gave me some other names that it arose from, said he had done a far amount of research on this. Then he explained the famines and when and who of us were shipped off the new world. Meant to get him to write some of this stuff down, but didn't work out.
So I flipped my visa and I'm good to go - but in the mean time I also flipped my sleep schedule. Good sign maybe, a good solid marker between the last 14 days in southern Thailand to the next 14 looking to the north.
14 more days in Thailand. Heading up north soon.
I'm not sure what it is but when Natey Dread and I get together we always go big. Second night in row, and another morning watching the sun break on the streets of Bangkok. Straight to the bus at 7:30 am, and then strange glimpses of a day. I definitely waited in a lot of lines, one to get out of Thailand, one to get into Cambodia, quick one to get back out of Cambodia and then another long one to get back into Thailand. Been in and out of sleep all day until now, solid sleep when I got back to the guesthouse at around 6 pm and now eerily reminiscent of the last of the LapSap String Band days, I'm a 180 off schedule again.
Didn't have to be in Cambodia long to recollect what a poor country it is. Lost of people acting as mules and pulling the most rickety of carts you can imagine back and across the boarder. The immigration building to get into Cambodia had a giant tree inside it, and they had spliced the roof around it - pretty great stuff! Met an Irish guy on the bus with last name Murray, who was telling me about some family history. Says the name Murray is actually Scottish, and then he gave me some other names that it arose from, said he had done a far amount of research on this. Then he explained the famines and when and who of us were shipped off the new world. Meant to get him to write some of this stuff down, but didn't work out.
So I flipped my visa and I'm good to go - but in the mean time I also flipped my sleep schedule. Good sign maybe, a good solid marker between the last 14 days in southern Thailand to the next 14 looking to the north.
14 more days in Thailand. Heading up north soon.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
More days in Bangkok
Urg!...Oh brother...must be late.
As much as I'm curious, the grimness of an undesired reality decides me against picking up that watch to find the time.
I do clearly remember buying beer from a vendor's cooler and haggling on the price to get a 40 Baht Chang.
"Make that two", and walked the ten paces back to the wet curb that seems moments earlier I had been craning my calves to the impossible not to have to sit on the worst of possibilities of what the 'wetness' was. I don't remember now thinking twice about about it once the conversations went blundering along and after I somehow ended up sitting there.
Nate at the end of his chain, sitting, as I remember on the only dry spot of that curb - still a half a' Chang between his feet as I hand him a frigid and ultra perspiring new one. The heat still thick at somewhere around 4 in the morning and radiating off the pavement. The smells, the smells may be the one of most remarkable things about Bangkok; from the street vendors - on the spot - cook you a Thai dinner carts, to the sweltering sewers.
This throbbing in my head is proof of something, but not for lack of sleep. The hour hand laying somewhere in between, 3 and 4, or 4 and 5, as it seems in vain to even do my continual hour correction. Someday I'll figure out this new watch and get off Malaysian time.
My sanctuary lay 5 ft away in a hot shower and peeling the covers away, the start of another day in Bangkok. And as I look to my feet I see its already starting as a perplexing one. The logistics of this are quite allusive; somewhere in the dead of sleep I apparently put on my swimming trunks over my boxers....hmm, and backwards on that!
And finally the rain comes. I was just wondering yesterday if it ever rained here. The thunder is exploding and the down poring drenching. I'm always glad to see the rain in places like this. It reminds me that even the most squalid and putrid of places can be cleansed - at least a little. I hope it rains and rains...so much so that the awnings over the sides walks and stalls becomes useless. I hope that it soaks and runs down the sidewalks, up the stoops and crashes against the sides of the buildings. Maybe then even that one lady who lives on the street will agree. What will she think when she is startled from that riveting debate she's having with herself as sits Indian style and stares wide eyed and the sidewalk that is her living room. The piles of different foods that have sat spilled in piles around her slowly washing further from her. The bile and puke budging and finally racing after their counterparts. And her blackend skin and tattered cloths becoming heavier with wetness, cool and refreshing. I imagine she might smile, and start ranting something crazy at the Gods, and then maybe something perplexing might hit her as she swivels her head to see herself - a quick flicker of a strange clarity.
__________________________________________________________________
Alright....to speed it up, and get myself to up to speed:
Last night met up with Natey Dread and Jay down in some back alley at some Reggae Bar. Didn't think I was going to make it out but I also didn't know if the circumstances were going to align again to 'kick it wid' da boyz'.
Yesterday I spent most of the day with a small moist wad of toilet paper next to my left nostril, running like a leaky faucet and t.p. running low - it wasn't looking to be a pretty sight. All your classic flu symptons - and I was glad to be back at the guest house about midway through the day. I pulled out "A Thousand Spendid Suns" and spent most of the rest of the day on the mat. Yo came by for spell before she went off with her friends on a river boat dinner cruise and she helped me get to pharmacy for some psueda-fed stuff. (quick observation here: do all french people sound like their pissed off, and constantly arguing with each other?).
Earlier yesterday I made it to the National Museum and boned up on my Thai history - I was determined. I went forward from the Neanderthals and through history to the present, turned around, went back through time and then sped through one more time the other way. I think I have a decent grasp of the whole Rama king stuff now. Then I headed over to the Golden Mount which is basically a giant golden spire that juts up in the center of Bangkok atop of a small man made mountain/hill. Excellent view of the entire city, and quite a special place for the Thai Buddhists considering it houses some of Buddha relics.
Sawet has come and gone today, he didn't take to the whole Veintiane plan of mine, and he instead continued on over to Savannakhet, Laos. I talked to him earlier today and exchanged some vague ideas/plans of maybe meeting up in weeks to come. As for me, as time ticks by it looks less and less like I going to make the bus to Ventiane that leaves in two hours at 7 pm. And having to be out of the country by tomorrow it looks like by last option is going to be to do a visa run over to Cambodia at 7 am. 4 hours to the border - bus drops me off - wait 4 hours for the return bus and be back my 7 pm.
As much as I'm curious, the grimness of an undesired reality decides me against picking up that watch to find the time.
I do clearly remember buying beer from a vendor's cooler and haggling on the price to get a 40 Baht Chang.
"Make that two", and walked the ten paces back to the wet curb that seems moments earlier I had been craning my calves to the impossible not to have to sit on the worst of possibilities of what the 'wetness' was. I don't remember now thinking twice about about it once the conversations went blundering along and after I somehow ended up sitting there.
Nate at the end of his chain, sitting, as I remember on the only dry spot of that curb - still a half a' Chang between his feet as I hand him a frigid and ultra perspiring new one. The heat still thick at somewhere around 4 in the morning and radiating off the pavement. The smells, the smells may be the one of most remarkable things about Bangkok; from the street vendors - on the spot - cook you a Thai dinner carts, to the sweltering sewers.
This throbbing in my head is proof of something, but not for lack of sleep. The hour hand laying somewhere in between, 3 and 4, or 4 and 5, as it seems in vain to even do my continual hour correction. Someday I'll figure out this new watch and get off Malaysian time.
My sanctuary lay 5 ft away in a hot shower and peeling the covers away, the start of another day in Bangkok. And as I look to my feet I see its already starting as a perplexing one. The logistics of this are quite allusive; somewhere in the dead of sleep I apparently put on my swimming trunks over my boxers....hmm, and backwards on that!
And finally the rain comes. I was just wondering yesterday if it ever rained here. The thunder is exploding and the down poring drenching. I'm always glad to see the rain in places like this. It reminds me that even the most squalid and putrid of places can be cleansed - at least a little. I hope it rains and rains...so much so that the awnings over the sides walks and stalls becomes useless. I hope that it soaks and runs down the sidewalks, up the stoops and crashes against the sides of the buildings. Maybe then even that one lady who lives on the street will agree. What will she think when she is startled from that riveting debate she's having with herself as sits Indian style and stares wide eyed and the sidewalk that is her living room. The piles of different foods that have sat spilled in piles around her slowly washing further from her. The bile and puke budging and finally racing after their counterparts. And her blackend skin and tattered cloths becoming heavier with wetness, cool and refreshing. I imagine she might smile, and start ranting something crazy at the Gods, and then maybe something perplexing might hit her as she swivels her head to see herself - a quick flicker of a strange clarity.
__________________________________________________________________
Alright....to speed it up, and get myself to up to speed:
Last night met up with Natey Dread and Jay down in some back alley at some Reggae Bar. Didn't think I was going to make it out but I also didn't know if the circumstances were going to align again to 'kick it wid' da boyz'.
Yesterday I spent most of the day with a small moist wad of toilet paper next to my left nostril, running like a leaky faucet and t.p. running low - it wasn't looking to be a pretty sight. All your classic flu symptons - and I was glad to be back at the guest house about midway through the day. I pulled out "A Thousand Spendid Suns" and spent most of the rest of the day on the mat. Yo came by for spell before she went off with her friends on a river boat dinner cruise and she helped me get to pharmacy for some psueda-fed stuff. (quick observation here: do all french people sound like their pissed off, and constantly arguing with each other?).
Earlier yesterday I made it to the National Museum and boned up on my Thai history - I was determined. I went forward from the Neanderthals and through history to the present, turned around, went back through time and then sped through one more time the other way. I think I have a decent grasp of the whole Rama king stuff now. Then I headed over to the Golden Mount which is basically a giant golden spire that juts up in the center of Bangkok atop of a small man made mountain/hill. Excellent view of the entire city, and quite a special place for the Thai Buddhists considering it houses some of Buddha relics.
Sawet has come and gone today, he didn't take to the whole Veintiane plan of mine, and he instead continued on over to Savannakhet, Laos. I talked to him earlier today and exchanged some vague ideas/plans of maybe meeting up in weeks to come. As for me, as time ticks by it looks less and less like I going to make the bus to Ventiane that leaves in two hours at 7 pm. And having to be out of the country by tomorrow it looks like by last option is going to be to do a visa run over to Cambodia at 7 am. 4 hours to the border - bus drops me off - wait 4 hours for the return bus and be back my 7 pm.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Couple of days on Khao San.
Khao San road a night or two later.
Flu symptoms setting in...might be the hini! -; which, lately I'm figuring could be good thing.... So the big fear about the hini right now is not necessarily how deadly it is but more in how quickly and easily this thing spreads. Now, if I can get this thing before it mutates into a potentially more lethal version, maybe, just maybe, the immunities the I've created to fight off this previous strain might be able to prepare and mutate in their own right, readying themselves for battles to come... or I suppose some version of the opposite could be true.
Been touring Bangkok for the last couple of days - 4 to be exact. Yesterday went to the old capital of Thailand called Ayuttuya (I definitely spelled this wrong, but its pronounced I-U-T-ah). Largest sitting Buddha statue in the world, ancient temples, .... day before - long tail boat ride through back water canals of Bangkok, then caught the new Transformers movie. Day before walked Khao San area.
Today I did more of my traditional walk forever, get lost, walk another couple hours, get lost. Apparently I was quite entralled by this since I didn't decide to eat any food until around 8 pm.
Sawet called me today just as the engine of the Tuk-Tuk was heeving itself over the gear changes. Apparently the smaller your vehicle is the more liberties you take with traffic; and with only motor cycles higher on the chain of crazied traffic bees; it proved to be way too much for any type of communication with Sawet, considering I can barely understand him in the best of circumstances. I did however manage to gather that he'd call me back tomorrow, and something about him coming in on Saturday. Not sure whats suppose to happen then.
Whelp, 2 more days until my visa expires. I suppose I'll find myself in Laos one way or another in the next couple of days.
Flu symptoms setting in...might be the hini! -; which, lately I'm figuring could be good thing.... So the big fear about the hini right now is not necessarily how deadly it is but more in how quickly and easily this thing spreads. Now, if I can get this thing before it mutates into a potentially more lethal version, maybe, just maybe, the immunities the I've created to fight off this previous strain might be able to prepare and mutate in their own right, readying themselves for battles to come... or I suppose some version of the opposite could be true.Been touring Bangkok for the last couple of days - 4 to be exact. Yesterday went to the old capital of Thailand called Ayuttuya (I definitely spelled this wrong, but its pronounced I-U-T-ah). Largest sitting Buddha statue in the world, ancient temples, .... day before - long tail boat ride through back water canals of Bangkok, then caught the new Transformers movie. Day before walked Khao San area.
Today I did more of my traditional walk forever, get lost, walk another couple hours, get lost. Apparently I was quite entralled by this since I didn't decide to eat any food until around 8 pm.
Sawet called me today just as the engine of the Tuk-Tuk was heeving itself over the gear changes. Apparently the smaller your vehicle is the more liberties you take with traffic; and with only motor cycles higher on the chain of crazied traffic bees; it proved to be way too much for any type of communication with Sawet, considering I can barely understand him in the best of circumstances. I did however manage to gather that he'd call me back tomorrow, and something about him coming in on Saturday. Not sure whats suppose to happen then.
Whelp, 2 more days until my visa expires. I suppose I'll find myself in Laos one way or another in the next couple of days.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Bangkok: Khao San Street - My New Home
Made it to Bangkok, and my eyeballs hurt.
Not 3 minutes walking down the road where I'm staying and I already got my share of 'lady boy' admirers. Fuckin' 6:30 am and the road pubs are still full of gweis and thais lively chattin' it up over brewskamoes; all while the lady boys stand on the sides of road looking for freshies to proposition. What circus this street must have looked like 3 hours earlier, still closed on both ends the sun's heat beginning to humidify the cramped air stuffed between the city block, aided by the stagnant puddles of beer, puke, piss, water, etc . As I lug my sacks and tramp the center line, - keeping my eyes' resources honed for bargain hostels -the scenes of Khao San Street begin to appear: Shop owners purvey the atrocities of night before as they sweep their own territories of sludge and hose the filth to the guttered sides of the street; transients from some far off country, bug eyed with jet lag and left to the mercy 'this' to get them back on schedule; all the likes of taxi transport vehicles and personal waiting in clumps here and there for the either the well rested fare coming out some hostel entrance or one of the possible puke bags who just happen to stumble off their stool with their last inevitable act of the night; and of course all night bus jockeys who've been knocked and bounced around for twelve hours wondering if their one of the ones that will start the day or still try to end the last one; and then all the 'fringe': dirty travelers sitting and smoking with Thais in front of 7 11's, a city worker, etc.......home sweet home.
- 400 baht for the Khao San 'Palace' Hotel ( mattress with a ceiling fan, that sounds it my fly off it crank shaft)
Looking to maybe bed the head for minute and work a session at the old linoleum cubical. Then I'll try to get a hold of You, no not 'you', Yo (pronounced somewhere in the middle of the two), a Thai gal who I met in Ko Phi Phi. Then maybe today, tomorrow, - no rush -meet up with Dave Taylor to do a little international school tour.
6 days to go before they kick me out of Thailand....
Other News:
Yesterday, or I guess it would be the day before yesterday, I got to drive on the other side of the road - and this time legally! (still however - sidewalks and lawns also remain illegal) At only one point did I find myself back on the right side, or the wrong side for that matter. I moto-ed all over Phuket Island on my way to FantaSea. A must do recommendation for people who like to drive fast and disobey traffic laws. Winding roads switch backing up and over a small mountains, one moment you've got three lanes and the next your down to one simply because the other direction has taken their turn at wanting three. Hmm... red light, nah looks clear - Going for it! Cars to the inside and screaming motor scooters slicing the outside, mothers with children, old folks, crazy tourists who want a piece of the action...
- 150 Baht (24 hour motor scooter rental)
Note: As much I get accustom to these foreign lands something about motor scooter renters requiring a passport as collateral still doesn't sit right: A speeding foreigner, no international ID, no international driving license, no insurance; my new home might be the Bangkok Hilton if the wrong pissed off Thai nabs me.
- Still have some parasite living in my guts. I think I've traced it to a piece of chicken I ate three or four days ago in Ko Phi Phi. I remember it being on a Kabob and when I bit into it I sort of disintegrated like a stale donut. I also remember thinking that it might not be good to eat, but also remember that it seemed edible and I had my eye on the green pepper that was next in line.
The VIP bus' toilet turned out to be a bust. No possible way to do anything in there but try not to urinate all over the place, which apparently a lot of people had some difficulty.
- Another recommendation apparently is not to where yellow or red shirts as these are the colors of the two disputing parties that have raging protests of late and have inflicted mild violence...( darn, down to two shirts).
-Sawet just called. Turned out he couldn't come with me because he can't start his vacation until next week. He called to let me know when he'll be in Bangkok - Saturday. He still wants to talk me to Laos.
-Met some Aussie's on the overnight, told me about the Pig Pong Show back in Phuket - better to save the explanation of this one.
Sunday the 21st of June
"Jame, where you go...today"
I give him my staple line, and I"m gracious that the sincerity of it lines up with extend of my motivation to talk about it, having just woken up.
"Umm....I don't know"
Sawet the hostel keeper/worker replies with a rising accented question.
"Go Bangkok?"
"aaaaa....Bangkok?"
"We go Bangkok, and then we go Lao."
"aa...Laos, we?" - flashbacks of the interchangability of pronouns from Filipino english, the random bluntness of his we, starts me down that possibility.
But alas, Sawet has a plan, we will travel through the country and go to Laos. I tell him that I'm meeting people in Bangkok, and he says he will continue on alone then from there. I ask why he doesn't just go to Bangkok on his own. "Why do want to go with me?"
He just responds with a smile and says: "Better: Talking friend". I can't argue with that, I figure maybe its a sign. Ko Pangan will have to wait, sick of the island paradise stuff anyway....
Leaving for Bangkok, catching a bus in 40 minutes. 12 hours, which should put there at the crack of the a red dawn. Where exactly, I have no idea. I assume they'll drop me at bus stop but anything could happen...
- 975 Baht - Phuket to Bangkok bus ticket (VIP)
Opted for the VIP which was about 300 more because it has a toilet on board. It seems as though I have something living in my guts. Three days of alligator green splashing, and visit to the porcelin throne have been often. Shooting pains have slightly subsided, and may be partially due to a fail safe remedy of fighting fire with fire: cigarettes and beer. If only I can drown this sucker and send em' down the sewers.
Last night I really splurged and treated the jp to night out: FantaSea - The Ultimate Cultural Theme Park (and extra 400 for the grand buffet) - 2100 Baht total. Complete with Elephant stunts, illusions, pyrotechniques - a most "Spectacular Show".
up...18 minutes to get to the bus.....spelling and grammer be damned...off to bangkok!!
I give him my staple line, and I"m gracious that the sincerity of it lines up with extend of my motivation to talk about it, having just woken up.
"Umm....I don't know"
Sawet the hostel keeper/worker replies with a rising accented question.
"Go Bangkok?"
"aaaaa....Bangkok?"
"We go Bangkok, and then we go Lao."
"aa...Laos, we?" - flashbacks of the interchangability of pronouns from Filipino english, the random bluntness of his we, starts me down that possibility.
But alas, Sawet has a plan, we will travel through the country and go to Laos. I tell him that I'm meeting people in Bangkok, and he says he will continue on alone then from there. I ask why he doesn't just go to Bangkok on his own. "Why do want to go with me?"
He just responds with a smile and says: "Better: Talking friend". I can't argue with that, I figure maybe its a sign. Ko Pangan will have to wait, sick of the island paradise stuff anyway....
Leaving for Bangkok, catching a bus in 40 minutes. 12 hours, which should put there at the crack of the a red dawn. Where exactly, I have no idea. I assume they'll drop me at bus stop but anything could happen...
- 975 Baht - Phuket to Bangkok bus ticket (VIP)
Opted for the VIP which was about 300 more because it has a toilet on board. It seems as though I have something living in my guts. Three days of alligator green splashing, and visit to the porcelin throne have been often. Shooting pains have slightly subsided, and may be partially due to a fail safe remedy of fighting fire with fire: cigarettes and beer. If only I can drown this sucker and send em' down the sewers.
Last night I really splurged and treated the jp to night out: FantaSea - The Ultimate Cultural Theme Park (and extra 400 for the grand buffet) - 2100 Baht total. Complete with Elephant stunts, illusions, pyrotechniques - a most "Spectacular Show".
up...18 minutes to get to the bus.....spelling and grammer be damned...off to bangkok!!
Friday, June 19, 2009
Thai Boxing on Ko Phi Phi Island
Three of my first five evenings on Ko Phi Phi - slurping back some Chang beer and cutting bets on matchs with the Sweds, Samuel and David.
This first clip is the ceremonious introduction that they do before all the fights.
Alright. pretty anticlimatic on this one. Been waiting for over an hour to put one of these rounds up...wasn't meant to be. All these crazy Thai gamers in this place must be drowning me out.
Whelp...hope you enjoy that intro then...one of these days.
Made it to Phuket. Exhausted, somethings definitely on my back, and I'm beginning to realize that a 2 week Thai visa makes it impossible to do a swath of this country with any type of justice.
Crossing my fingers for a bedbug free night.
Last night was another romper. Went back to see the fire shows down at the beach side resorts. Hung out with the gals from the internet cafe again and watched all the crazy gweilo's try their hand at the various fire feats. Stick twirlers, fire ball swingers, flaming numb chuck things...A big hit at all the fire show beach bars is the flaming jump rope; about 35 ft long - two Thai guys standing on either end on table tops, the flames leaping with heat rushing off and back to outer lawn chairs. The night before, Nok from the cafe ran out to the center of the jope, slipped on her back and ended up taking some pretty nice burns on her arm and leg.
Another hit is the flaming limbo. Held my own on this one and got lower than any other gweilo - free shots of vodka - for anyone that even tried. The Thai's really build the whole episode and then they go under with about a foot and a half clearance..................
not feeling the blog fever right now, no infusion, only mindless recaps and running out of gas....
this might be the first night that I actually go to sleep at reasonable hour....
well, there is that blues bar around the corner that has a live band that started 17 minutes ago. Maybe I'll just pop in for a Chang...
This first clip is the ceremonious introduction that they do before all the fights.
Alright. pretty anticlimatic on this one. Been waiting for over an hour to put one of these rounds up...wasn't meant to be. All these crazy Thai gamers in this place must be drowning me out.
Whelp...hope you enjoy that intro then...one of these days.
Made it to Phuket. Exhausted, somethings definitely on my back, and I'm beginning to realize that a 2 week Thai visa makes it impossible to do a swath of this country with any type of justice.
Crossing my fingers for a bedbug free night.
Last night was another romper. Went back to see the fire shows down at the beach side resorts. Hung out with the gals from the internet cafe again and watched all the crazy gweilo's try their hand at the various fire feats. Stick twirlers, fire ball swingers, flaming numb chuck things...A big hit at all the fire show beach bars is the flaming jump rope; about 35 ft long - two Thai guys standing on either end on table tops, the flames leaping with heat rushing off and back to outer lawn chairs. The night before, Nok from the cafe ran out to the center of the jope, slipped on her back and ended up taking some pretty nice burns on her arm and leg.
Another hit is the flaming limbo. Held my own on this one and got lower than any other gweilo - free shots of vodka - for anyone that even tried. The Thai's really build the whole episode and then they go under with about a foot and a half clearance..................
not feeling the blog fever right now, no infusion, only mindless recaps and running out of gas....
this might be the first night that I actually go to sleep at reasonable hour....
well, there is that blues bar around the corner that has a live band that started 17 minutes ago. Maybe I'll just pop in for a Chang...
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Last day in Ko Phi Phi (pretty sure this time)
Man!...Adams blogger skills are truely of tip top caliber. I would be remiss not to mention them - yet again! He has recently updated a bunch more of the days that we spent together, complete with tons of picture, little anecdotes, neato details, slideshows, and a good jolly roll of that Petrashune humor .
http://docboneshk.blogspot.com
As for me...same same but different.
Exhaustion. Laying on the bed of my little santuary where I've spent the last three nights - drifting in and out of consciousness. This could be it, about 7 o'clock and looking like I could be down for the count. Nice cold shower after a sunset snorkeling cruise to the famed 'Beach' Island, memories of a groggy beaten self resurface from a morning that was more of an afternoon.
My sole amenity of comfort oscilating above me and sweeping a cold dampness of refreshment across my skin. Ahhhh...and then it begins, like everynight before, including and going all the way back through Malaysia - the little pestering, jumping, nipping and biting - BUGS! I still have not figured out what these annoyances are: fleas, bed bugs (what every these really are), combos, etc - everytime a see one it's either teleported somewhere else in a split instance; or, and more of the unlikelier case, quickly smushed under my finger and unabled to be scrutinized.
I begin the mental battle I must go through everynight, albeit this time without out the help a couple 'go down easies' and the helplessness of nightfall. One leg over the other, arms above head, laying on the side - to the eventual... eh, how many bites can they give - feast away you varmits, my options slowly running out.
A note here: I've been wondering what this bites are all over my ankles, they itch like mosquito bites, but I never recall every being bit by any. I've wrote them off as sand flies, but I'm beginning to reevalute this.
Sleep prevails, but hunger triumphs, and I'm soon off to find that place that serves the 'big greasy' (pizza that is).
________________________________________________________
Out for the last night in pee pee.
http://docboneshk.blogspot.com
As for me...same same but different.
Exhaustion. Laying on the bed of my little santuary where I've spent the last three nights - drifting in and out of consciousness. This could be it, about 7 o'clock and looking like I could be down for the count. Nice cold shower after a sunset snorkeling cruise to the famed 'Beach' Island, memories of a groggy beaten self resurface from a morning that was more of an afternoon.
My sole amenity of comfort oscilating above me and sweeping a cold dampness of refreshment across my skin. Ahhhh...and then it begins, like everynight before, including and going all the way back through Malaysia - the little pestering, jumping, nipping and biting - BUGS! I still have not figured out what these annoyances are: fleas, bed bugs (what every these really are), combos, etc - everytime a see one it's either teleported somewhere else in a split instance; or, and more of the unlikelier case, quickly smushed under my finger and unabled to be scrutinized.
I begin the mental battle I must go through everynight, albeit this time without out the help a couple 'go down easies' and the helplessness of nightfall. One leg over the other, arms above head, laying on the side - to the eventual... eh, how many bites can they give - feast away you varmits, my options slowly running out.
A note here: I've been wondering what this bites are all over my ankles, they itch like mosquito bites, but I never recall every being bit by any. I've wrote them off as sand flies, but I'm beginning to reevalute this.
Sleep prevails, but hunger triumphs, and I'm soon off to find that place that serves the 'big greasy' (pizza that is).
________________________________________________________
Out for the last night in pee pee.
Captive in Ko Phi Phi
Still in Ko Phi Phi. Can't seem to get out of here. Although I've said this that last two days - tomorrow - definitely out of here... Thailand only allows a 2 weeks visa stay if you arrive by land (4 weeks by air) - I completely forgot about this until about my third day here in Ko Phi Phi. I definitely need to start laying some tracks north if I plan on making it to the north country.
Other News:
Here's an interesting one: a 20 year old pregnant British girl gets arresting in Laos trying to smuggle some 600 odd grams of herion by plane into Thailand. Laos law holds that for over 500 grams of the 'horse' - penalty is death. The Brits hopped on this one, and I guess the Lao-ians realized that it wasn't going to be the best PR move for their country - instead they've opted for the life sentence.
When I first arrive 5 days ago H1N1 was at about 45 cases - today in the paper its up into the 3 to 4 hundreds. Many schools have closed in Bangkok, and pictures in the newpaper show about 10 - 20 workers scrubbing the streets. Suds and scrub brooms, complete with the masks and jumper suits.
Other News:
Here's an interesting one: a 20 year old pregnant British girl gets arresting in Laos trying to smuggle some 600 odd grams of herion by plane into Thailand. Laos law holds that for over 500 grams of the 'horse' - penalty is death. The Brits hopped on this one, and I guess the Lao-ians realized that it wasn't going to be the best PR move for their country - instead they've opted for the life sentence.
When I first arrive 5 days ago H1N1 was at about 45 cases - today in the paper its up into the 3 to 4 hundreds. Many schools have closed in Bangkok, and pictures in the newpaper show about 10 - 20 workers scrubbing the streets. Suds and scrub brooms, complete with the masks and jumper suits.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Rain and Gloom in Paradise.
Another day of crappy weather. I'm not sure how much longer I can really wait for this weather to clear up. Just checked the Ko Phi Phi 5 day - thunderstorms across the board. Seems like I may have to cut my losses.
Last night I got some excellent video from all three rounds of Thai Boxing match. Tried to upload them to this and facebook, but the upload time looked to be around 14 hours for one round. I'll probably have to wait until I get to mainland connection, maybe in Phuket, to get this up.
Definitely was into the red last night in my gamblings with the Sweds, Samuel and David. 20 to 40 Baht per bout.
Last night I got some excellent video from all three rounds of Thai Boxing match. Tried to upload them to this and facebook, but the upload time looked to be around 14 hours for one round. I'll probably have to wait until I get to mainland connection, maybe in Phuket, to get this up.
Definitely was into the red last night in my gamblings with the Sweds, Samuel and David. 20 to 40 Baht per bout.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Ko Phi Phi
Made it to Ko Phi Phi yesterday at 5 pm Thai time, one hour earlier than Malaysian time. Considering these two countries are right on top of each other there must be a noodle of time zone de-limiter between them. 13 hours: 2 buses, a pickup truck, a ferry, and then the ol' bi-pedalers.
Once in Krabi, the jumping off point for Phi Phi Island (pronounced peepee), I find out that the island right next store was the sight for the movie "The Beach". I'm thinking that Chris, the english guy from Penang has given me a pretty good tip in heading here.
... pooped from putting up all the pictures of philippines, malaysia, and thailand up on facebook. Check em' out. All up to date to the moment. first time, and going to owe some serious Baht to this internet joint.
Off to plan for a trip for tomorrow, and back to watch some Thai Boxing tonight. I'll have to definitely get some pictures of this. Last night a guy took a back of the heel to the face and got spatula'd on the mat ; lost another 20 Baht to Samuel from Sweden. Free mixed drink bucket to anyone who volunteers to fight. I joked with Samuel that I'd be training today to take him down tonight - hope he didn't take me serious. Some of the audience fights were pretty amusing. This Israeli guy kept running around the ring to get away from an English guy....
alright been here too long...
____________________________________________
- room 250 Baht
- brekers 200 baht (puke buffet)
- internet 2 baht per minute ... 400 baht ... yep time to go.
Friday, June 12, 2009
Last day in Penang (pretty sure this time)
I knew that from my three year old Lonely Planet book, that in Butterworth there were supposedly two buses that went up to Hat Yai Thailand, one in the early morning and one in the afternoon, but with little motivation, and as my wet clothes lay drying around the room at well past midnight, the logistics of execution lay elsewhere.
This morning I learn a helpful fact that 75 Travelers lodge has it's own laundry service. Instead of washing my clothes in the shower last night with a bar of soap, I could have gotten it done for under 5 RM ($1 USD). Good to know....(probably would be less mold spores following me back to Hong Kong).
I've been following the news in southern Thailand recently, and though I haven't quite changed any plans because of it, it's definitely creeping up into my consciousness. In the three southern most provinces of Thailand there are some truely serious and dangerous places that you do not want to go. Yesterday, reports of another murder, this time a 60 year old monk merely doing his dayly door to door alms requests. Day before that, a pregnant woman gunned down by AK 47's. Of recent and markedly represented by the mosque killings, these areas are going through a spike in their turmoiled history.
Bordering these three districts is the Songkhla to the North, supposed here there has been a much smaller degree of incidents. The district being where my the bus for Malaysia would drop me and where I would have to wait and get another bus to conitinue northward. Being not thrilled about the prospects of staying in this cross over point of Hat Yai any longer than I have to, it thus added to my lack of zeal to peal out of Pedang at the crack of dawn today.
All this being said, there is a contigincy of tourists that I've met through out south east asia who are quite surely traveling through these routes oblivious to these developments.
_______________________________________________________________
Yesterday, most of the day simply revolving around The Bus: trying to find the bus, waiting forthe bus, riding the bus, walking from/to bus stops - probably a good 7 hours.
Went to Snake Temple in the morning ( after a good deal of time in and around buses).
Snake temple is something to the effect of a simple Chinese temple that is home to a bunck of 'wild' snakes, mostly a very poisinous pit viper 
that is mostly flourescent green with a unmistakable arrow shaped skull. Snake temple being their home, they come and go as they please. 
Got a couple pictures of one on my head,
that had somehow been de-venomized, and marked to distinquish it from all the others with a smudge of red on its head 
(what a not funny joke it would be to switch this mark up). Most of these pit vipers were chilling out on picture frames and thickets of branches placed in various pots around the joint. I'm not sure exactly how it works but my impression is that all these pit vipers ( I saw about 10) do consider this there home and do come and go as they please but probably the snake guy or someone else who works there picks them off the floor in the morning and puts them certain places for the day.
To the side of the temple is a 5 RM entrance fee for the Snake Garden, filled with some 30 odd species of some of the most deadly snakes in the world and to my surprise most of the snake are local to south east asia and many native to malaysia itself. Various types of boas, vipers, cobras, pytons,
rat snakes, etc. The snakes are arranged sunked into the exterior wall in ten gallon fish tanks, with the roofless interior about maybe 15 square meters. Packed in the center: chained monkeys, caged monkeys, one cage filled with a 23 ft python, 
the next with three maybe 12 ft pythons in a heap half submerged in a small puddle in the corner, cages filled with bunnies and guinea pigs, turtles roaming... 
Slightly off to one side is the rather small snake stage for the 'shows'. The snake guy, pulls out about a 16 ft King Cobra and proceeds to try to piss it off, so that the small crowd of 6 of so with be sufficiently freaked out. The King Cob stands up about 4 ft and hissed and lunges a couple of times. 
A few times when it got a couple of feet off the stage, everybody would be tripping over the 2 x 4 benches and each other receeding into the monkeys den where he waits to snatch any loose article. He eventually kisses the King Cob on the forehead, and then leads it back to its box on the side of the platform.
Later the snake guy pulled out a mangroove cat snake, jet black with yellow stripes.
The English guy Chris who I traveled with to the snake temple, accepted the snake guy's offering to hold it so I thought I'd do the same, all the while slightly curious that the snake guy continued to hold the snakes head to his side.
Snake guy puts the Mangroove cat snake on top of a crate
and proceeds to smack it to get it riled up. 
The snake recoils ready to strike and the snake guy tries to sneak his hand to its back to smack it from behind. Just after he makes contact the snake turns and strikes. He jumps back to find the side of his hand with about 4 puncture wounds and small needle like teeth still lodged in his skin. He quickly remarks that its 'ok' - not poisinous, well, except for the 'back' fangs which are indeed quite poisinous. But he tells us that he was only bitin by the front fangs, 'they grow back very quicktly'. No sooner than he can put the Mangroove snake back than the caged monkeys start freaking out and hooting that they had stole a girls bracelet off her wrist. By the time we left, one of the monkeys had escaped and was toying with it's owner, but the braclet though chewed and broken was recovered.
More bus - eventually back to the bus depot, and with time to spare I splite from Chris and Natalie, the English couple I had met at the same spot hours earlier, and head to get a bite before having to make it down the road for the fishing trip. Mustafa had said it was a half hour ride, so to make it there at 5 pm and right on time I still had about an hour. I ate some really horrible tasting Thai food, and went back to the depot.
Apparently, I had been somewhat oblivious to the actual time it took to get to the national park yesterday. 'Maybe Mustafa said and hour and half', I think to my myself. None the less, I'm definitely almost an hour late, but luckily an Indonesian girl lets me use her phone to alert him of my lateness. Turns out however that Mustafa ends up being more than an hour late himself and no fishing guy in sight when I get there.
Mustafa eventually shows up and then the fishing guy on a bike a couple of minutes later. Mustafa translates over if I need a pole. Thinking that I thought we had gone through all this yesterday, the fishing guy comes back in a couple minutes with an open face plastic spinner rod with the line all tangle around the reel. As Mustafa and I head to dock we meet an another older guy who takes us out in his 20 ft skift, never to see the 'fishing guy' again. I start to realize that, 'yep, got slightly hosed on this one'. Only one 'pole', and Mustafa hand lines it; with little to no tackle, at least there's a little bit of bait.
We head out a short distance, I set up the rod and get to work. Mustafa and the boat guy, keep a steady stream of Malay talk going and I resign myself to do a little fishing. The sun setting just behind the back of the Island looks quite stunning from what I can see, and to the opposite side over the expanse of water lies the mountain range that runs up the Malaysian mainland on up through Thailand and beyond. The heavy test line, no doubt a much higher rating then the reel and pole suggest, and with all its thick spiral twistes, never stops bobbing with bites. Apparently though the innards of drag crank had to have been completely removed or seperated from anything, just solid tension to pull up any type of fish... and pull up fish I surely did! Blowfish after blowfish after blowfish. Some quite large and once coming up to the boat they'd quickly and in thrusting breaths proceed to quadruple in size and hold, slowly releasing.
Gave the blowfish a break, had a smoke, and talked with Mustafa a little bit on the finer points of the Muslim religion, his family, and Malaysian in general. Boat guy relays something through Mustafa that we will have to go back before eight because the local fishermen are starting to set up their nets without the proper markers, and thus 'supposedly' makeing it very difficult if not near impossible to meander our way back to the pier. Feeling slightly sea sick, and pretty much done on the day, I aggree with no complaints, you can only catch so may blowfish before initial excited inflats and slowly releases.
Catch a quick drink with Mustafa at a local Muslim Indian (referred to as moema's) joint, and head to the bus stop to wait for the 101. Supposedly coming every 20 minutes I wonder what my luck will be to how soon it will come. An hour later I'm just glad that it eventually came at all. Another hour and a half to get back to the home base area, tired of doing anything, I eat Enchiladas at a 'mexican' joint and watch a Indian, and Malay band jam out some classic rock.
______________________________________________________________
This morning I find out that I can take a minibus from here all the way to Krabi, supposedly not having to stop in Hat Yai - 55 RM. Not bad considering they'll pick me up from my hostel at 5 a.m. I've more or less decided to go to Krabi and then ferry over to Ko Phi Phi. Ko Phi Phi is hailed as one of the 'most beautiful places in the world' (although touristy), so yeah, I should probably check it out. It doesn't seem right to just zip right through the whole of south and central thailand only to get to the congestion of Bangkok.
_________________________________________________________________
In other news:
-Three men caught back in November - 32, 36, 36 - where sentence by the high court for their possession of some 100 pounds of marijuana. The defense that they thought the merchandise they were selling was contraband cigarettes, was not bought - mandatory sentence - death.
I was talking to Chan my tour driver two days ago about the penalities for crimes, unregisterd guns, and illegal drugs, mandatory sentence - death by hanging.
-A poor Malay woman caught in China with possession of Meth. Her parents say that she is easily gullible, and not to smart, and that they is no way she had money to fund these trips on her own. Some source says that these types of easy tagets for drup running are all too suceptible. We'll have to see what the high court decides here.
- Thailands H1N1 cases just about doubled yesterday, something like 23 to 46.
- about 36 degree Celcius - 96.8 F
_________________________________________________________________
If whoever reads from the homeland could comment back, I'm curious to know how many cases of H1N1 are in the Buffalo area compared to these areas. It seems like everywhere I've been to there is H1N1 close by, and this being in places that completely dwarfed by US's statistics.
__________________________________________________________________
This morning I learn a helpful fact that 75 Travelers lodge has it's own laundry service. Instead of washing my clothes in the shower last night with a bar of soap, I could have gotten it done for under 5 RM ($1 USD). Good to know....(probably would be less mold spores following me back to Hong Kong).
I've been following the news in southern Thailand recently, and though I haven't quite changed any plans because of it, it's definitely creeping up into my consciousness. In the three southern most provinces of Thailand there are some truely serious and dangerous places that you do not want to go. Yesterday, reports of another murder, this time a 60 year old monk merely doing his dayly door to door alms requests. Day before that, a pregnant woman gunned down by AK 47's. Of recent and markedly represented by the mosque killings, these areas are going through a spike in their turmoiled history.
Bordering these three districts is the Songkhla to the North, supposed here there has been a much smaller degree of incidents. The district being where my the bus for Malaysia would drop me and where I would have to wait and get another bus to conitinue northward. Being not thrilled about the prospects of staying in this cross over point of Hat Yai any longer than I have to, it thus added to my lack of zeal to peal out of Pedang at the crack of dawn today.
All this being said, there is a contigincy of tourists that I've met through out south east asia who are quite surely traveling through these routes oblivious to these developments.
_______________________________________________________________
Yesterday, most of the day simply revolving around The Bus: trying to find the bus, waiting forthe bus, riding the bus, walking from/to bus stops - probably a good 7 hours.
Went to Snake Temple in the morning ( after a good deal of time in and around buses).
Snake temple is something to the effect of a simple Chinese temple that is home to a bunck of 'wild' snakes, mostly a very poisinous pit viper 
that is mostly flourescent green with a unmistakable arrow shaped skull. Snake temple being their home, they come and go as they please. 
Got a couple pictures of one on my head,
that had somehow been de-venomized, and marked to distinquish it from all the others with a smudge of red on its head 
(what a not funny joke it would be to switch this mark up). Most of these pit vipers were chilling out on picture frames and thickets of branches placed in various pots around the joint. I'm not sure exactly how it works but my impression is that all these pit vipers ( I saw about 10) do consider this there home and do come and go as they please but probably the snake guy or someone else who works there picks them off the floor in the morning and puts them certain places for the day.To the side of the temple is a 5 RM entrance fee for the Snake Garden, filled with some 30 odd species of some of the most deadly snakes in the world and to my surprise most of the snake are local to south east asia and many native to malaysia itself. Various types of boas, vipers, cobras, pytons,
rat snakes, etc. The snakes are arranged sunked into the exterior wall in ten gallon fish tanks, with the roofless interior about maybe 15 square meters. Packed in the center: chained monkeys, caged monkeys, one cage filled with a 23 ft python, 
the next with three maybe 12 ft pythons in a heap half submerged in a small puddle in the corner, cages filled with bunnies and guinea pigs, turtles roaming... 
Slightly off to one side is the rather small snake stage for the 'shows'. The snake guy, pulls out about a 16 ft King Cobra and proceeds to try to piss it off, so that the small crowd of 6 of so with be sufficiently freaked out. The King Cob stands up about 4 ft and hissed and lunges a couple of times. 
A few times when it got a couple of feet off the stage, everybody would be tripping over the 2 x 4 benches and each other receeding into the monkeys den where he waits to snatch any loose article. He eventually kisses the King Cob on the forehead, and then leads it back to its box on the side of the platform.Later the snake guy pulled out a mangroove cat snake, jet black with yellow stripes.
The English guy Chris who I traveled with to the snake temple, accepted the snake guy's offering to hold it so I thought I'd do the same, all the while slightly curious that the snake guy continued to hold the snakes head to his side.Snake guy puts the Mangroove cat snake on top of a crate
and proceeds to smack it to get it riled up. 
The snake recoils ready to strike and the snake guy tries to sneak his hand to its back to smack it from behind. Just after he makes contact the snake turns and strikes. He jumps back to find the side of his hand with about 4 puncture wounds and small needle like teeth still lodged in his skin. He quickly remarks that its 'ok' - not poisinous, well, except for the 'back' fangs which are indeed quite poisinous. But he tells us that he was only bitin by the front fangs, 'they grow back very quicktly'. No sooner than he can put the Mangroove snake back than the caged monkeys start freaking out and hooting that they had stole a girls bracelet off her wrist. By the time we left, one of the monkeys had escaped and was toying with it's owner, but the braclet though chewed and broken was recovered.
More bus - eventually back to the bus depot, and with time to spare I splite from Chris and Natalie, the English couple I had met at the same spot hours earlier, and head to get a bite before having to make it down the road for the fishing trip. Mustafa had said it was a half hour ride, so to make it there at 5 pm and right on time I still had about an hour. I ate some really horrible tasting Thai food, and went back to the depot.
Apparently, I had been somewhat oblivious to the actual time it took to get to the national park yesterday. 'Maybe Mustafa said and hour and half', I think to my myself. None the less, I'm definitely almost an hour late, but luckily an Indonesian girl lets me use her phone to alert him of my lateness. Turns out however that Mustafa ends up being more than an hour late himself and no fishing guy in sight when I get there.
Mustafa eventually shows up and then the fishing guy on a bike a couple of minutes later. Mustafa translates over if I need a pole. Thinking that I thought we had gone through all this yesterday, the fishing guy comes back in a couple minutes with an open face plastic spinner rod with the line all tangle around the reel. As Mustafa and I head to dock we meet an another older guy who takes us out in his 20 ft skift, never to see the 'fishing guy' again. I start to realize that, 'yep, got slightly hosed on this one'. Only one 'pole', and Mustafa hand lines it; with little to no tackle, at least there's a little bit of bait.
We head out a short distance, I set up the rod and get to work. Mustafa and the boat guy, keep a steady stream of Malay talk going and I resign myself to do a little fishing. The sun setting just behind the back of the Island looks quite stunning from what I can see, and to the opposite side over the expanse of water lies the mountain range that runs up the Malaysian mainland on up through Thailand and beyond. The heavy test line, no doubt a much higher rating then the reel and pole suggest, and with all its thick spiral twistes, never stops bobbing with bites. Apparently though the innards of drag crank had to have been completely removed or seperated from anything, just solid tension to pull up any type of fish... and pull up fish I surely did! Blowfish after blowfish after blowfish. Some quite large and once coming up to the boat they'd quickly and in thrusting breaths proceed to quadruple in size and hold, slowly releasing.
Gave the blowfish a break, had a smoke, and talked with Mustafa a little bit on the finer points of the Muslim religion, his family, and Malaysian in general. Boat guy relays something through Mustafa that we will have to go back before eight because the local fishermen are starting to set up their nets without the proper markers, and thus 'supposedly' makeing it very difficult if not near impossible to meander our way back to the pier. Feeling slightly sea sick, and pretty much done on the day, I aggree with no complaints, you can only catch so may blowfish before initial excited inflats and slowly releases.
Catch a quick drink with Mustafa at a local Muslim Indian (referred to as moema's) joint, and head to the bus stop to wait for the 101. Supposedly coming every 20 minutes I wonder what my luck will be to how soon it will come. An hour later I'm just glad that it eventually came at all. Another hour and a half to get back to the home base area, tired of doing anything, I eat Enchiladas at a 'mexican' joint and watch a Indian, and Malay band jam out some classic rock.
______________________________________________________________
This morning I find out that I can take a minibus from here all the way to Krabi, supposedly not having to stop in Hat Yai - 55 RM. Not bad considering they'll pick me up from my hostel at 5 a.m. I've more or less decided to go to Krabi and then ferry over to Ko Phi Phi. Ko Phi Phi is hailed as one of the 'most beautiful places in the world' (although touristy), so yeah, I should probably check it out. It doesn't seem right to just zip right through the whole of south and central thailand only to get to the congestion of Bangkok.
_________________________________________________________________
In other news:
-Three men caught back in November - 32, 36, 36 - where sentence by the high court for their possession of some 100 pounds of marijuana. The defense that they thought the merchandise they were selling was contraband cigarettes, was not bought - mandatory sentence - death.
I was talking to Chan my tour driver two days ago about the penalities for crimes, unregisterd guns, and illegal drugs, mandatory sentence - death by hanging.
-A poor Malay woman caught in China with possession of Meth. Her parents say that she is easily gullible, and not to smart, and that they is no way she had money to fund these trips on her own. Some source says that these types of easy tagets for drup running are all too suceptible. We'll have to see what the high court decides here.
- Thailands H1N1 cases just about doubled yesterday, something like 23 to 46.
- about 36 degree Celcius - 96.8 F
_________________________________________________________________
If whoever reads from the homeland could comment back, I'm curious to know how many cases of H1N1 are in the Buffalo area compared to these areas. It seems like everywhere I've been to there is H1N1 close by, and this being in places that completely dwarfed by US's statistics.
__________________________________________________________________
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