I've been here for three days, doing very little. Luang Prabang is just a gorgeous (yes that's right, I said "gorgeous" and I'm not taking it back!) little city. The city is basically a peninsula, with rivers on three sides. The river banks themselves are scenic, as they are covered in small farm plots for various crops. There is an interesting multi-cultural feel to this place that immediately stands out. The french influence is apparent both in the architecture and the foods, as there are sandwich stands (bread! dear god they have BREAD!) every 10 metres. The power either cuts out or is shut off at nighttime, so the nightlife is rather sedated. That's fine by me though, being the early bird that I am.
Though it is so nice here, I've decided to head northeast to the mountain village of Nong Khiaw tomorrow. I'm not sure what to expect there, but that isn't surprising given how little I know about Asia in general.
On a side note, I've just gotten word from Sam that he will be meeting me in Bangkok on March 4. Although this requires me to modify my travel "plans" (ha! as if I'm remotely organized!), it is a really great turn of events and I'm looking forward to adventuring with him for 10 days or so.
Monday, January 29, 2007
Sunday, January 28, 2007
What a ride
(Written 25 January, 2007)
6 hours aboard a very overbooked slow boat cruising down the Mekong river put me in a peaceful state of mind despite the crowded conditions. Once I got off the boat though, it was a very different story. We arrived at the halfway point between Chiang Khong(Thailand) and Luang Prabang (Laos) as the sun was setting, only to be greeted ("swarmed" is probably a more accurate term) by about 50 guys trying to get us to stay at their guesthouses. While they are each scrabbling over each other to get your business ("Don't stay with him, they have crazy dog every room!"), 50 other guys are climbing back onto the boat you just came in on to grab the bags and bring them to the shore. "How nice", we thought, "they're bringing our bags over for us". I quickly found out that while we were all being distracted by everything happening around us ("You have guest house?", "Where you go?", "We have spaghetti!"), the porters are quietly walking up the hill and away from the boats. You see, if nobody stops them to claim their bag the guys just keep on walking, not stopping until they get home. It's nearly dark, and 300 clueless tourists are spinning around in circles trying to find their bags, secure a guesthouse (the night before, 150 tourists had to sleep outside on balconies because the town ran out of rooms), and make dinner plans with the friends they made on the boat ride. Good times!
I'm not sure how, but I wound up in a group with a lovely Danish couple (Anders and Edde), a Canadian/French guy, and a Israeli who I soon found out was an absolute penny pincher and rude to boot. Can you guess who I wound up sharing not only a room with, but in fact a slab of concrete posing as a bed too? I guess bartering is a part of daily life in Israel, but I wouldn't have imagined someone spending so much effort to hedge twenty cents off the price of his dinner. Oy vay!
It was all very worth it though, if not for the adventure alone than for the truly magnificent views down the Mekong river. Unbelievable. I'm actually looking forward to the 8 hour stretch tomorrow.
6 hours aboard a very overbooked slow boat cruising down the Mekong river put me in a peaceful state of mind despite the crowded conditions. Once I got off the boat though, it was a very different story. We arrived at the halfway point between Chiang Khong(Thailand) and Luang Prabang (Laos) as the sun was setting, only to be greeted ("swarmed" is probably a more accurate term) by about 50 guys trying to get us to stay at their guesthouses. While they are each scrabbling over each other to get your business ("Don't stay with him, they have crazy dog every room!"), 50 other guys are climbing back onto the boat you just came in on to grab the bags and bring them to the shore. "How nice", we thought, "they're bringing our bags over for us". I quickly found out that while we were all being distracted by everything happening around us ("You have guest house?", "Where you go?", "We have spaghetti!"), the porters are quietly walking up the hill and away from the boats. You see, if nobody stops them to claim their bag the guys just keep on walking, not stopping until they get home. It's nearly dark, and 300 clueless tourists are spinning around in circles trying to find their bags, secure a guesthouse (the night before, 150 tourists had to sleep outside on balconies because the town ran out of rooms), and make dinner plans with the friends they made on the boat ride. Good times!
I'm not sure how, but I wound up in a group with a lovely Danish couple (Anders and Edde), a Canadian/French guy, and a Israeli who I soon found out was an absolute penny pincher and rude to boot. Can you guess who I wound up sharing not only a room with, but in fact a slab of concrete posing as a bed too? I guess bartering is a part of daily life in Israel, but I wouldn't have imagined someone spending so much effort to hedge twenty cents off the price of his dinner. Oy vay!
It was all very worth it though, if not for the adventure alone than for the truly magnificent views down the Mekong river. Unbelievable. I'm actually looking forward to the 8 hour stretch tomorrow.
At the border
(Written 24 January, 2007)
After escaping the headache that is Chiang Mai and battling a cold in Chiang Rai for three days, I've arrived at Thailand/Laos border. I've been quite surprised by Chiang Khong, in that I heard nothing about it except as a gateway to Laos and yet it is quite a charming little town. One of the first things I noticed was that there seems to be lots of people out exercising in the form of futball, ta kraew, volleyball, and biking. The last is perhaps the most noteworthy, as I get the impression that this would be a road bikers heaven. There are seemingly endless stretches of rural roads that lead to beautiful countryside. I explored such a road for just a few kilometres outside of Chiang Khong and wound up riding through a Hmong village made up of about 30 bamboo houses.
Though it is a nice place, the time has come to cross over into Laos. Tomorrow I begin a two-day boat trip down the Mekong to Luang Prabang.
After escaping the headache that is Chiang Mai and battling a cold in Chiang Rai for three days, I've arrived at Thailand/Laos border. I've been quite surprised by Chiang Khong, in that I heard nothing about it except as a gateway to Laos and yet it is quite a charming little town. One of the first things I noticed was that there seems to be lots of people out exercising in the form of futball, ta kraew, volleyball, and biking. The last is perhaps the most noteworthy, as I get the impression that this would be a road bikers heaven. There are seemingly endless stretches of rural roads that lead to beautiful countryside. I explored such a road for just a few kilometres outside of Chiang Khong and wound up riding through a Hmong village made up of about 30 bamboo houses.
Though it is a nice place, the time has come to cross over into Laos. Tomorrow I begin a two-day boat trip down the Mekong to Luang Prabang.
Saturday, January 20, 2007
Nearly at the top.
I couldn't take it anymore. I had to get out of Chiang Mai. If ever there were a tourist trap, that place is it. I checked out of a guest house this morning, then took a bus three hours north east to Chiang Rai. It's only been a couple of hours, but so far I'm glad I came here.
On a lower note, I've been feeling a bit down since yesterday. I don't know if it's the cold (don't know where I picked it up) or the loneliness, but I hope to get back on a high note soon.
On a lower note, I've been feeling a bit down since yesterday. I don't know if it's the cold (don't know where I picked it up) or the loneliness, but I hope to get back on a high note soon.
Monday, January 15, 2007
Laa Kawn, Ayuthaya!
I'll be leaving Ayuthaya by train tomorrow night, heading 12 hours north to Chiang Mai. I may have alluded to the friendliness of Thai people, but in the mere 2.5 days that I've been in Ayuthaya I have been offered 2 jobs, been taken to see the sunset at a famous wat by a woman who I suspect might be the wealthiest person on the island, shared a watermelon with her hilarious twin daughters, been given 30 oranges, and played a speaking role in a Thai student film. Oh, and I ran into a baby elephant at a night market. Literally. He won.
(written 1/14/07
(written 1/14/07
Ayuthaya
(written 1/12/07)
After a 1.5 hour train ride from Bangkok (costing a mere 15 baht!), I arrived here in Ayuthaya not really knowing what to expect. It is basically an island-city, with one side (closest to the travellers getting off the train) very busy, and the other half full of very old wats (temples) and prangs (ummm, yeah prangs). Without planning to, I stumbled upon a nearly perfect sunset at one such place. There were two games of pickup football (soccer) happening at the base of the prang in question and it was just such a serene moment. I think I'll hire a bicycle tomorrow to have a better look around.
As an interesting aside, the dogs here want to eat me. Well...not all of them, but there have been several instances where a pack of dogs sleeping literally in the middle of the road oblivious to the near proximity of tire treads to their stupid heads will suddenly leap to attention and come at me all fired up for a fight when I try to sneak by. But what they don't realize is that I refuse to become lunch meat for a bunch of ornery fur-faced mongrels! Back, you fiends!
After a 1.5 hour train ride from Bangkok (costing a mere 15 baht!), I arrived here in Ayuthaya not really knowing what to expect. It is basically an island-city, with one side (closest to the travellers getting off the train) very busy, and the other half full of very old wats (temples) and prangs (ummm, yeah prangs). Without planning to, I stumbled upon a nearly perfect sunset at one such place. There were two games of pickup football (soccer) happening at the base of the prang in question and it was just such a serene moment. I think I'll hire a bicycle tomorrow to have a better look around.
As an interesting aside, the dogs here want to eat me. Well...not all of them, but there have been several instances where a pack of dogs sleeping literally in the middle of the road oblivious to the near proximity of tire treads to their stupid heads will suddenly leap to attention and come at me all fired up for a fight when I try to sneak by. But what they don't realize is that I refuse to become lunch meat for a bunch of ornery fur-faced mongrels! Back, you fiends!
Thursday, January 11, 2007
The sense of Bangkok
I wish that I could conjure up an image of what I expected Bangkok to be like before I arrived here. The rushing tide of incoming sensory information that I’ve experienced in the last four days has completely washed out the details of whatever preconceived notions I might have had about the place beforehand. My ideas were undoubtedly both under and over the mark.
Here comes the understatement of the ages: I had expected to encounter many new sights and sounds in Bangkok. Ha! What I hadn’t expected was to experience a constant feeling of having all five senses electrified throughout the course of a day. The sheer volume of sounds here are enough to stun the senses for 24 hours or so. The snarling canal boats (going from 0 to 20 knots in just a few seconds) and roaring tuk-tuks are constant conversation-stoppers throughout the city. At the same time, the Thai who live here seem to have struck some sort of balance with their city such that they are able to go about the task of carrying on day-to-day conversations without shouting, despite being surrounded by the chaos of a large city on the move.
But why settle for only engaging the sense of hearing? The sights, sounds, and texture of this city are equally impressive. You are expected to remove your footwear in every Buddhist temple and in every home, and it quickly became apparent to me that the feel of clean, polished stones underfoot is a significant part of the experience. At every opportunity to do so, I take my sandals off just to savor the feeling of exploring the one part of our environment that we most often overlook despite its constant presence: the ground beneath our feet.
And the smells…where shall I begin! From the spicy aroma of what seems to be a million woks frying at all hours of the day and night, to the pungent smell of concentrated sewage water in the city’s canals, this place is a three-ring circus for the nose.
After staying her for longer than I had anticipated, it’s time to move on to new territory. I’m heading north to Ayuthaya as the first stop en route to Chiang Mai and eventually Chiang Rai. I am so very grateful to Ton and her family for being such wonderful hosts. Between the simply delicious food (aroi!) and Ton’s patience in teaching me how to get around in this city, I consider myself incredibly fortunate in being able to receive a small yet authentic sampling of the masterpiece that is Bangkok. Khawp Khun!
Here comes the understatement of the ages: I had expected to encounter many new sights and sounds in Bangkok. Ha! What I hadn’t expected was to experience a constant feeling of having all five senses electrified throughout the course of a day. The sheer volume of sounds here are enough to stun the senses for 24 hours or so. The snarling canal boats (going from 0 to 20 knots in just a few seconds) and roaring tuk-tuks are constant conversation-stoppers throughout the city. At the same time, the Thai who live here seem to have struck some sort of balance with their city such that they are able to go about the task of carrying on day-to-day conversations without shouting, despite being surrounded by the chaos of a large city on the move.
But why settle for only engaging the sense of hearing? The sights, sounds, and texture of this city are equally impressive. You are expected to remove your footwear in every Buddhist temple and in every home, and it quickly became apparent to me that the feel of clean, polished stones underfoot is a significant part of the experience. At every opportunity to do so, I take my sandals off just to savor the feeling of exploring the one part of our environment that we most often overlook despite its constant presence: the ground beneath our feet.
And the smells…where shall I begin! From the spicy aroma of what seems to be a million woks frying at all hours of the day and night, to the pungent smell of concentrated sewage water in the city’s canals, this place is a three-ring circus for the nose.
After staying her for longer than I had anticipated, it’s time to move on to new territory. I’m heading north to Ayuthaya as the first stop en route to Chiang Mai and eventually Chiang Rai. I am so very grateful to Ton and her family for being such wonderful hosts. Between the simply delicious food (aroi!) and Ton’s patience in teaching me how to get around in this city, I consider myself incredibly fortunate in being able to receive a small yet authentic sampling of the masterpiece that is Bangkok. Khawp Khun!
Southeast Asia on my mind.
In less than an hour, I'm going to Thailand. Me! When I think about the kind of person that would travel solo around the world and return with tales of adventure in foreign lands, I just don't see myself. I imagine them to be resourceful, savvy, and (most of all) fearless. Umm not me, not me, and yeah not me. It's as if my brain has made some very drastic decisions that affect my well-being, without consulting the rest of me for support. The irony of it all is that I probably won't develop confidence in my ability to handle such unfamiliar territory until it's all done with and I've survived, many months from now.
(written 1/7/07)
(written 1/7/07)
Monday, January 01, 2007
Happy New Year!
After watching the New Year ring in from the Yarra river's north shore in Melbourne last night, I now find myself comparing my future ambitions with my previous plans. Back in September, I had planned on travelling to Sydney and Darwin. Not longer after that, I decided (more or less on a whim) to fly instead up to Brisbane. I had never been there, and thought that it might be a good place to look for work in a dive boat. Four days in the city convinced me that I should move on. It is a nice enough city, but seemed rather dull to me. I decided to go down to Byron Bay to see what the fuss about the place is all about. For a small hippy town, it sure did have a strong sense of tourism. Although I worked for Sundive dive shop for a few days, I couldn't see myself settling there for any extended period of time. On a whim once again (are you sensing a pattern here?), I then flew up to Cairns with high hopes of finding a boat to work on.
After just a few days on the Esplanade, I felt comfortable enough in the town to move into an apartment building in the traditional Queenslander style. It was there that I spent the next two months or so. I did manage to find work stints on three different boats (RumRunner, Compass, and Spoilsport), but learned a few frustrating lessons about the dive industry in the process. While in Cairns, I also had the chance to meet a few interesting people, including Markus (my German roommate), Giulia (Italian housemate), and Zara (who works at the YHA Esplanade hostel). Also, I met a very talented young musician by the name of Simone Ellias. It wouldn't surprise me if her songs made it onto Australian music radio stations within a few years.
As I said, I'm back in Melbourne now. Well actually, I'm back at Mikey's place in Geelong with plans to hang out until it's time to fly off to Thailand on a week's time.
While the series of coordinated bombings in Bangkok last night are disturbing, I don't feel that the threat is great enough to warrant revising my plans.
After just a few days on the Esplanade, I felt comfortable enough in the town to move into an apartment building in the traditional Queenslander style. It was there that I spent the next two months or so. I did manage to find work stints on three different boats (RumRunner, Compass, and Spoilsport), but learned a few frustrating lessons about the dive industry in the process. While in Cairns, I also had the chance to meet a few interesting people, including Markus (my German roommate), Giulia (Italian housemate), and Zara (who works at the YHA Esplanade hostel). Also, I met a very talented young musician by the name of Simone Ellias. It wouldn't surprise me if her songs made it onto Australian music radio stations within a few years.
As I said, I'm back in Melbourne now. Well actually, I'm back at Mikey's place in Geelong with plans to hang out until it's time to fly off to Thailand on a week's time.
While the series of coordinated bombings in Bangkok last night are disturbing, I don't feel that the threat is great enough to warrant revising my plans.
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