Continue reading »]]> Our time in Bali is coming to a close. Soon we’ll be on a plane heading to Australia, by way of Malaysia. We’ve spent 3 weeks on the Island of Gods. Someone shared the following quote on Twitter, and I felt like it really summed our stay well.

“Travel is very subjective. What one person loves, another loathes.” – Robin Leach

Before we headed to Bali most of the information I had read and heard from others was quite glowing. I kept thinking Really? because it sounded so incredibly touristy to me. But a couple of travelers I know and respect really liked it, and I decided to go and find out for myself.

Ubud

We decided to begin our journey here because it is appropriately referred to as the art and culture capital of Bali. One of my main goals was to take a painting class while there.

I really enjoyed all the sculptures and carvings that are virtually everywhere around Ubud. We also enjoyed the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary. It was really fun to see monkeys close up and not have to be looking through a cage.

We had a little bit of excitement during our second visit when one of the monkeys decide to climb up my leg and back. He thoroughly searched my camera for any signs of food before settling down on my shoulder. It was a bit nerve wracking as they tell you not to make any sudden movements or get excited if a monkey climbs on you. “Their behavior can be unpredictable.” Not encouraging!

Things got even more interesting when a second monkey decided to join his friend where they promptly had a bit of a disagreement. When they finally decided to move on, I was no worse for the wear. Although I wasn’t too fond of the parting fecal gift they left on my shirt.

After 3-4 days, though, I was completely over Ubud.

I kept trying to find the hidden charm, but, well. . . I couldn’t find it. Sure, the countryside is quite beautiful with the rice paddies and small villages, but that’s nothing special to southeast Asia. Ubud seems mostly for people who are yoga nuts, on an alternative spiritual path, or people who want to live like royalty while paying very little.

Besides that not being a way of life I enjoy, I have all kinds of ethical issues with that kind of lifestyle in less-developed areas. Don’t get me started.

Overall, the Ubud area felt . . . “put on” to me. I will say, though, their touts are some of the least annoying. Generally, a shake of the head or a no thank you is all it takes.

If you do go to Ubud, I’d recommend Gunung Merta Bungalows. It’s one of the best places we’ve ever stayed. Ask for an upstairs room. They’re absolutely wonderful.

Padang Padang Beach/Uluwatu

Tigger wanted to surf, and we were both ready for some beach time. We headed here on a friend’s recommendation. The beach was lovely, and the waves were perfect for a beginning surfer like my son. Unfortunately, it’s an area that really requires motorized transportation for any stay more than a few days.

Legian

We headed to the tourist-packed beaches of the Kuta area next. Mostly we came here so Tigger could spend more time on the waves while being within walking distance of more food options and areas to explore.

Since we had arrived prior to high season, it wasn’t as bad as it could’ve been, but OH MY! The beach and waves are pretty decent, but the touts are incredibly annoying. Laying on the sand with your eyes closed will not stop them. They don’t accept the word “no,” and the same people will come back 5000 times to try to sell you the same thing.

Walking around town is even worse.

This area has the most aggressive touts I’ve come across yet. They will grab onto you and/or your kid, follow you, and will even try to block the narrow sidewalk so that you can’t get past them. Thankfully, I’m a big guy. When my pace didn’t alter, they thought it wise to move out of my way.

I understand they’re trying to make a living, but at least be respectful. Had this just been a peculiar part of Balinese culture, I could’ve handled it more, but we hadn’t experienced this type of behavior anywhere else in Bali. It got to the point where I had to clench my jaws when walking through the unavoidable tout gauntlet to keep from yelling I SAID NO! or body slamming the next person who tried to block the way.

Sanur

Having heard that the tourists were easier to escape here, and that the general vibe was better, we headed to Sanur with high hopes. We found a place that was outside of the tourist zone but still within walking distance of the beaches. This area has a lovely boardwalk along the beach, and it was really fun to walk along it.

Until the time we decided to head in the other direction on the boardwalk and ended up in the resort area. While the touts weren’t as aggressive as those in Legian, they were only a step below.

The night market is wonderful! This was probably the best food we’ve had during our whole time in Bali. We also found a nice Japanese restaurant with a great ambiance. The food was really good, even for my finicky child. He even asked to go back!

We stayed at Dewi Dewi Villas and really liked it. It’s very quiet, and there is a cultural center just down the street where they have frequent performances and is all locals. The room is large, has a refrigerator, hot water with good pressure, and the pool is literally 2 steps from your door. They serve a nice breakfast in the morning, and their WiFi was the best we’ve experienced in Bali.

Bottom line

Generally speaking, the food in Bali is nothing special. Especially after spending time in Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam. I found it to be pretty boring.

I basically can’t encourage people to come to the island. Indonesia has some truly amazing areas, and I think a person’s time and money are better spent exploring other parts of the country.

If you do plan on spending time in Bali, I would recommend only planning on 3-5 days. Alternatively, head away from the southern part of the island. All the locals I spoke to recommended going up north to Amed and Munduk where you’ll more likely get a better experience of all that is the Island of Gods.

Have you spent time in Bali? What are your recommendations?

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Continue reading »]]> I recently realized that for some odd reason I’ve missed writing about a lot of places in Latin America. Since I saw a photo from the Tulum ruins while I was looking through some of my pictures, I decided to start there. And because I also get a lot of questions about this city.

Tulum is a town in Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. It tends to be one of the Yucatan’s more popular areas. I suppose its close proximity to Playa del Carmen doesn’t hurt. It is known for white sand beaches and some of the most gorgeous blue waters in the Caribbean.

But we didn’t like it.

We missed seeing the ruins during our first visit, so when friends came to Playa del Carmen, we accompanied them to visit the remnants of the walled Mayan port city.

Still didn’t like it.

I mean on one hand you have to admire the Mayans who lived and worked here. This has to be one of the best views for any city. But compared to other Mayan ruins on the Peninsula. . . well, Tulum doesn’t compare.

The town itself doesn’t offer much. There doesn’t seem to be a lot of mid range accommodations. You’re either lodging in interesting hostels or forking out some serious pesos for more luxury. Regrettably, the amazing beach is also not easily accessed unless you’re staying in one of the more luxurious beachside places.

If you love sitting for hours and hours on the beach, though, Tulum could well be one of your favorites. It is generally more quiet and less crowded than some of the tourist meccas nearby. The beach is pretty good for families (as long as you don’t have to trek to get to it) as there are sandbars and reef breaking up rough water.

Feel like you just have to see it? I would recommend doing it as a day trip from Playa del Carmen. You can catch a mini van for super cheap, and they run back and forth frequently throughout the day. You can also grab an ADO bus if the mini vans don’t appeal to you.

If you come to Tulum, I’d suggest skipping the ruins and hitting the beach instead. There is little to no relief from the sun in the ruins complex, and to me they just weren’t worth the effort and heat. When we were there, the access to the beach from within the ruins was also cut off. That may be repaired by now.

The nearby town of Akumal, however, is most definitely worth a visit! There is even less to do here, but the beach is nice, and you can snorkel with sea turtles! They are found in the waters off Akumal’s coast year round. It is an absolutely incredible experience to be able to swim with these creatures.

If you can’t do both Tulum and Akumal, skip the Tulum ruins, beaches, etc., and head straight for Akumal!

Have you been to Tulum? What are your thoughts?

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Continue reading »]]> If you’ve looked for information on visas for Vietnam, you may have found an important piece of information missing, especially from the State Department and Vietnam Embassy websites: If you’re flying into Vietnam, you can get a visa on arrival (VOA). And if you’re not sure about visiting Vietnam, I thoroughly encourage it!

Overland or by Cruise

If you’re coming into Vietnam by land or sea, you must have a visa in advance (for most countries). These are obtained by visiting a Vietnam embassy or consulate prior to your trip to Vietnam. The process is relatively painless, but it does take time. Typically, you’ll have to come in the morning, stand in line, turn in documents, etc. Usually you return the next day to pick up the documents granting you entry into the country.

The easy way

Airfares to Vietnam from its neighboring countries is quite often extremely reasonable, and when you consider how many hours bus or train travel will require, along with border crossing wait times, etc., it’s often to your advantage to fly into the country.

If you choose to fly, you can save yourself a lot of time and repeated trips to an embassy by doing the visa on arrival program. When you factor in the time and transportation costs, you’ll save a good deal of money by doing a VOA. Furthermore, the fees are the same whether you’re visiting the embassy or doing a VOA.

The visa on arrival is a lot cheaper in the long run.

When we prepared to fly into Vietnam, I used My Vietnam Visa to process our visas. However, there are several companies out there charging anywhere from $7 to $19 per person (for a 30-day, single-entry visa; other visas have different fees associated with them). Even though this company charges more than the cheaper ones, it had been recommended to me and that was worth the extra money in my mind. Another traveling family I know used Vietnam Visa Pro and had good success with them. They charge the least.

The process is pretty simple:

• Go online and fill out the minimal required information.
• Enter your credit card information and submit.
• Within 48 business hours, you’ll get an email with the letter of authorization. Print this letter and bring it with you on your trip. The email will include links to another form you’ll need. To save time, print these (2 per adult applicant, children under 14 can be included on the adult’s form) and fill them out before you arrive. You will also need 2 passport-sized photos per person.
• Upon arrival in Vietnam, go the visa on arrival desk. Submit the letter, forms, passport photos and $45 USD per person in cash. (There is no discounted fee for children.) It doesn’t have to be exact change, and they will usually accept other “strong” currencies such as euros and Australian dollars.
• Once you have your passports back (about 5-15 minutes), head to immigration control and that’s it!

Preparation

Make sure you have the following items ready before you head to the airport for departure to Vietnam.

• Printed letter of approval to enter Vietnam. Keep this handy as you’ll most likely need this when you check-in at the airport.
• $45 USD per person in cash.
• 2 copies of the Application for Entry and Exit Visa filled out per adult and child over the age of 14.
• 2 passport-sized photos per person.

I hope that’s helpful! Is there any information on visas you’re still looking for?

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Continue reading »]]> The Perhentian Islands are a highly sought after place to visit both as a tropical island getaway as well as for scuba diving. Are they worth the effort to go there?

Ever since I had read about these islands during my days as a novice diver, I have wanted to go there. The Perhentian Islands had been ranked highly for scuba diving. When I was discussing our upcoming visit with the Bohemian Travelers clan in Penang, Malaysia, I had mentioned doing her eldest son’s scuba certification for his 14th birthday. I also convinced her to join him. Penang is not an ideal place for diving, so we discussed the Perhentians, and a plan was hatched.

After finishing the confined portion of their dive training in an incredible pool, they were even more excited about the idea. I could barely wait for the day to arrive! We rented a car since it would end up being cheaper, and a lot easier, than taking a bus.

The ride from the mainland to the islands was rather interesting and, thankfully, easier then the crossing we used to take between Utila and the mainland. Although it was quite a bit more bumpy, and I was relieved that my back didn’t decide to start giving me problems after the journey.

My initial impression of the Perhentians was. . . well, meh.

We’ve lived on plenty of islands throughout the world. Perhaps we’ve become spoiled by it, but to say I was underwhelmed by these islands would be putting it nicely. But, there was diving to be done, so that was promising. And at least our room had air conditioning.

My first introduction to diving on the Perhentians came with our water taxi ride further down the island where the dive center was. That seemed kind of cool, an extra fun piece to the adventure. Until we arrived at the dive shop where we discovered we would have to get out of the boat and walk over a large section of dead coral.

Not knowing this ahead of time, none of us had reef shoes. I swore silently as I carefully walked over the sharp coral hoping I wouldn’t end up with a deep gash in my foot.

We got our equipment together while we waited to find out where we were going. That’s when we discovered we would get to walk back over those same sharp objects while carrying all of our gear, including the heavy tanks. My swearing was about to become less silent.

We boarded the boat, which was no small effort, and headed to our first site. I was so excited to introduce my friends to the underwater world! Tigger snorkeled above while we descended and began our dive. Which is when my heart fell a little.

The coral was very unhealthy and quite probably overdove. We did get to see lots of clownfish, some of which were quite tiny, but apart from them and the overprotective damselfish, the Chihuahuas of the ocean, we didn’t see much interesting sea life.

I was so disappointed! I wanted to wow them! Especially Mary because, well, certain aspects of the training required a lot more . . . effort from both of us. I wanted her to be so amazed that she felt like it had all been worth it. Maybe on the 2nd dive.

We returned to the dive center where I discovered this outfit has an unusual scheduling method. We had to sit around for almost 2 hours until our second dive! The kids took it in stride, and after lunch they went snorkeling.

Walking back to the shop from the boat proved to be even more dangerous in the afternoons when there were other boats anchored in the same area. You often had little room to move around their lines, and twice I almost stepped on the sharp end of an anchor while I stumbled over the coral and rocks.

Our 2nd day of diving wasn’t much better, except this time we knew we’d have a long wait between dives. And, actually, their last dive had some of the worst visibility I’ve been in. (We were there at the tail of the monsoon season up north, and this could have affected visibility.) It was good enough for us to finish the dive, but, once again, there just wasn’t much beyond the occasional sea cucumber and clownfish.

I was so disappointed for them. In spite of it, though, they’re still addicted to scuba.

The rest of our stay in the Perhentians just didn’t do much to change my mind. There was a pretty sunset, but I’ve seen better.

On the way back to Penang, we did get a highly unusual treat, though. We had seen the wild elephant crossing signs plenty of times but hadn’t seen any elephants. As we got closer to our turnoff, though, Mary spotted some! We were all jumping in our seats.

We got a little adrenaline rush when my friend apparently got a little too close for the bull’s comfort, and he began a charge. I was honestly surprised my body could move that fast!

He stopped as soon as we jumped back into the car and stood there with his ears unfolded, waving his head from side to side. Once he was assured we knew our place, the cow and young elephant came back out from the bushes, and we enjoyed some more time watching them.

What a way to end a trip!

My 2 cents

There are much better islands to visit while in Malaysia. Aim for Redang if you still want to be in this region. It’s far less touristed, and the reef is in better shape.

If you do go to the Perhentian Islands, I can’t recommend spending the money to dive there. There are much better spots in Malaysia and nearby Thailand and Indonesia. And if you do go, I’d suggest diving with one of the operations that uses an actual dock.

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Continue reading »]]> The book Eat, Pray, Love made the Indonesian island of Bali an even more popular place to come and find oneself. It has morphed into a yoga and spirituality buffet. But this is not why we came. And my story isn’t probably a common one you’ll find coming from the island. What I learned about myself had nothing to do with Bali, really.

Friends and people who have been following along on our journey were probably surprised we came to Bali. After all, I make it no secret I’m not fond of ultra touristy spots. Some you just have to see for yourself (Paris and Marrakech for starters), but generally I avoid them. So why the Island of the Gods?

Curiosity.

Yes, that’s right. I had absolutely no plans to visit the island until two fellow bloggers who I respect shared their love for it. We tend to have some similar travel styles, so I figured it was worth checking out. We began in Ubud which is supposed to be more tolerable and the island’s seat for culture and cuisine.

I liked it. For the first few days.

About day 4 or 5 I was over it and trying to figure out where else to go. Our flight to Australia begins in Bali, so we have to be on the island. At first I understood why so many people really like it. But it wasn’t long before I was thinking “People really like this place?”

Don’t get me wrong. Ubud is quite beautiful. We had a lot of fun in the Monkey Forest Sanctuary, even if one did leave me a rather rude present on my shirt. Like we usually do, we stayed outside of the tourist zone, which is probably how I could handle it for as many days as I did.

By day 9, though, I was ready to scream at the next person who asked if I wanted a taxi or a massage.

Food was also disappointing. We did find a great burrito place, which Tigger was craving, and we ended up eating there 3 times. However, the Balinese and Indonesian food we had just couldn’t compare to the food trifecta of Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam. I ended up not taking a cooking class because I just didn’t find the food interesting enough.

One of the things I wanted to do when we came here was take a painting class. I’ve taken a couple of watercolor classes, and I really enjoy painting and drawing. I haven’t worked with acrylics yet, and when fellow travel blogger Val shared her experience of taking a painting class, I thought “That’s what I want to do when I’m there!” Bali has a plethora of artists, and I figured this would be the perfect place.

I found this teacher while Tigger and I were doing our best to get lost. There was a small gallery with a sign in the window for painting lessons.

I had expected to learn a few techniques and that would be it. While he’s an accomplished traditional Balinese painter, he loves doing abstract paintings. I sat down in front of an empty canvas as he asked me what colors I wanted.

What?

I figured he’d put something in front of me like a bowl of fruit or something, hand me a brush, and away we’d go. I was going to do abstract art? Not normally my cup of tea.

“Ummm.” I had no clue what colors I wanted to work with. How was I supposed to know? I just went with the first 2 colors that came to mind and picked green and blue.

He set some things up, handed me a palette knife, and showed me some techniques. I stared at my canvas.

“Pick a point of focus and begin there.”

Yeah. A point of focus. That makes sense. A point of focus. Yeah. Right.

That’s when I discovered something I never really realized about myself: I have a very ordered mind. Sure, I easily “think outside the box.” It’s something past employers have always commented on. And, I do love writing fantasy and even wrote a fantasy novel! But when I write, I don’t use outlines. I have a thought, I let the flow begin, and off I go! And I’m very open-minded about things. Ordered minds don’t work that way do they?

But to just paint. . . nothing?

Perhaps I have a structured mind. Maybe that’s a better descriptor.

I looked at his smiling face and glanced back at my almost bare canvas. What the hell do I do now! I wondered. Why was this so freaking hard? I can take a blank page and write like crazy. When I have a camera in my hand, I can see all kinds of things. Put some ingredients in front of me, and I can usually turn them into something delicious.

But this. . . this was different.

And I have no idea why.

I decided to just go ahead and follow the same principle I use in writing: Just write. I picked up the knife, slapped some color on the canvas, and made a shape. Boring! I thought. Then I did it again. And again. Suddenly, something opened up. I started feeling what colors I needed. I let my hand just do its own thing and removed myself from the process.

Then it was fun. A smile crept onto my face, and I loosened up. As my painting began to take shape, I started feeling it more. I felt like I was actually creating something, and my spirit soared.

I have always loved how art can take us into the deep recesses of our core and expose us to ourselves. The act of creating is something powerful. Whether that be cooking, writing, drawing, photography, or painting. Art brings healing and frees us from our self-inflicted prisons. Drawing was pivotal to my healing process after my suicide attempt.

What I learned about myself is that I need to pursue this passion more. I need to dedicate more time to practice the various forms of art that I enjoy. To create. And I need to help my mind break out from structure more.

Bali may not be responsible for this epiphany, but I’m kind of glad it happened here.

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Continue reading »]]> My Living in the Darkness series about dealing with depression continues with traveler Trever Clark.

What was your experience with depression before you began travel?

I’ve lived with depression, anxiety and OCD since I was 15 years old. At the ripe old age of 32, that’s over half of my life now. In high school, I had days where I just couldn’t face school. Luckily my parents understood and, after talking to them honestly about what was going on, so did the school administrators. I graduated with a horrible attendance record, but managed to eek out a decent GPA.

I had a child and got married pretty young, in my early 20s. I had wanted to travel since childhood, but somehow fell into the trap of cubicle jobs, a mortgage, and a meaningless consumption-driven lifestyle by my mid-twenties. My travel dreams seemed out of the question. My depression led to poor work performance and an unhealthy lifestyle. I coped with long days in a cubicle under fluorescent lights by smoking heavily, drinking every night, and surfing the web reading travelogues while I should have been working.

My only succor was in dreaming about escape. I would fantasize about just leaving everything behind and going, with or without my family, to some remote part of the world to start fresh.

I believe that the standard debt and consumption-driven American lifestyle contributes to depression in even people who would otherwise be healthy.

How has living with depression impacted your life?

I spent most of my 20s in a state of perpetual depression. It really robbed me of that decade of my life. I think that there’s a genetic component to it, and that I was born with a dearth of certain brain chemicals. But then, due to the depression, I made poor decisions early on and fell into bad habits which made things worse.

I believe that the standard debt and consumption-driven American lifestyle contributes to depression in even people who would otherwise be healthy. And in someone who’s prone to depression, it can lead you eventually to a breaking point.

Luckily, I reached that breaking point when I was 28, rather than, say, 50. I was making decent money as a Network Engineer. But I was working 50-hour weeks and had spent the past 5 years finishing my bachelor’s degree on top of it. My marriage had become toxic, my health was a wreck, and I had no mental energy for my child, for friends, or for hobbies.

As I said, it all finally came to a head. My wife and I split up after a series of particularly nasty fights. I was suddenly in the midst of a bitter, knock-down, drag-out divorce. Three weeks after the divorce proceedings began in earnest, I lost my job due to my poor performance, attitude, and attendance. I could no longer keep up with our mountain of debt on top of the legal fees.

So I had a decision to make. Continue to wallow in the downward spiral of depression, which would probably have led to suicide, or decide at that moment to see the loss of my job and my marriage as a blessing and to make some changes.

I chose the latter.

I began exercising. I quit smoking. I cut down on drinking. I vowed to never again work in a cubicle, even if it meant that I had to live under a bridge. For awhile, I lived with friends and family. But the lifestyle choices that I was making started to ameliorate the depression after all those long years.

I started working for myself, online, running a couple of websites and doing part-time tech support. I met someone else who shared my vision of a less conventional, lower stress lifestyle.

And I finally started to travel. In 2009, when I was 29, I took a leave from my online work, and we took a long 3 and a half week trip backpacking through the Yucatan peninsula of Mexico. I felt like I was being reborn. Those 3+ weeks were some of the best of my life and, although we’ve continued to travel steadily since then, I’ll never forget that first trip and the sense of possibility that it engendered in me.

What types of medications or medication alternatives have you used to try to treat it?

I’ve been on various medications since I was first diagnosed at age 15. Through my teenaged years and early 20s, I tried a variety of SSRIs. I was on Zoloft for most of my 20s, and my dose just kept going up year after year. I peaked out at 200 mg a day.

They also put me on 0.5 mg daily of Haldol for the OCD and intrusive thoughts when I was 23.

We think that we can live an unhealthy, unfulfilling lifestyle, and just take a pill to cope with it.

I really had no idea whether these were still doing anything for me, or whether I was just dependent on them. So after my “renaissance” a few years ago, I spent 6 months weaning myself off of the Zoloft. The result? Higher highs, but lower lows. I realize now that the high dose of Zoloft had dulled my emotions for years. My happy moments are so thrilling now that I’m able to feel them fully. I actually cry during sad movies now. Of course, the corollary is that I feed sad moments more fiercely also, but it’s worth it to me to be able to “own” my emotions and feel the entire range of them.

I also tried getting off the of the Haldol, but discovered that my OCD was really out of control when I did so. I would love to get off of it eventually but, for the time being I feel that the pros outweigh the cons.

I’ve come to believe that SSRIs are overprescribed for a variety of reasons. We, as Americans, want a magic bullet solution. We think that we can live an unhealthy, unfulfilling lifestyle, and just take a pill to cope with it. While some people truly need SSRIs for a short time to cope with a mental health crisis, taking them long term deadens our spirit, and prevents us from dealing with the lifestyle issues that cause depression in the first place.

With that being said, I DO still maintain a prescription for Zoloft and take it on an occasional basis, but never for a month at a stretch. In particular, I always take a bottle with me when I travel. I find that with the stress of travel and the loneliness that can come from extended periods in a foreign land away from close family and friends, there are times when I need to use it as a crutch. But at those times, I take the minimum dose, and plan from the start to get back off of it as soon as I feel able.

Was it hard to consider travel during depressive episodes?

Depressive episodes are when I most intensely feel the need for travel! I’m still especially prone to depression during the long, cold, grey winters in Michigan. So I plan most of my travel for those months. The planning gives me something to focus on, other than the way that I’m feeling. It gives me a purpose; a goal. I find that planning for travel when I’m depressed is almost as much a tonic as the travel itself.

What have you noticed about how depression has affected you during your travels?

On short trips – 3 weeks or less – I find that the change of pace and the sense of adventure completely washes the depression away. And I find that the rejuvenating effect lasts for weeks once I get home.

On longer trips, especially when I’m staying in one spot and working, I find that depression is something that I have to account for. When you’re on the road for many weeks or months at a time, it just becomes your life. When the initial excitement wears off, depression can sometimes rear its ugly head at inopportune times.

I find this to be especially true when I’m traveling alone, and find myself in stressful travel situations without anyone who’s close to me to turn to.

A couple of examples:

Last year, I flew into Costa Rica and ended up traveling overland through Nicaragua, with the intention of flying from Managua to the Corn Islands. As a small town Midwestern boy at heart, I wasn’t prepared for handling the chaos of Managua on my own. I came into downtown Managua on a bus, and was swarmed by vendors and shady characters when I stepped out into the market area where non-locals seldom venture. I jumped into a taxi to go to the airport.

On the way there, at a traffic light, I was solicited by a child prostitute, which I found intensely depressing. At the airport, I found out that I had to wait until the following morning to fly out. After another taxi ride through this grimy, crazy Central American metropolis to get to my hotel, the taxi driver doubled his fee at the last minute because he had provided the “additional service of putting my luggage into the trunk.”

The stress, the sadness about the child prostitute, and the knowledge that I was completely on my own led to a profound sense of depression and isolation. It just washed over me. I went to my room at the guest house, locked my door, and just sobbed for 10 minutes.

My saving grace was the excitement over getting to the idyllic Corn Islands the next day.

Another example was the trip that I just returned from last week. I had spent almost 3 months in Costa Rica, where I rented a house near the beach and did my online work part time. I had my niece with me this trip, and my current wife was able to spend about half of the trip down there with me.

At first, it was paradise. But after awhile, I started having my down days, just like I do at home. It’s just a part of life for me. Even in the perpetual tropical sunshine, I had days where I felt despair and started questioning every choice I had ever made. Most days were great. I had far fewer “down days” than I would have had at home. But as someone who tends toward depression, these days are just a fact of life, and they don’t disappear just because you’re in a tropical paradise.

I find that I have to engage the same coping mechanisms on the road as I do at home. I need to exercise regularly to keep my serotonin up. I need to eat right. I have to try and keep the partying to a minimum (not always easy when traveling). And I have to get past my introversion and reach out and make connections with other people who I meet locally. On my “dark days”, I baby myself. I’ll treat myself to a meal out. I’ll sit on the beach. I’ll lose myself in a good book. Anything to keep my mind off of the feelings and remind myself that they will pass, as they always do.

If you have long time periods when you don’t travel, do you tend to experience a relapse?

It’s very seasonal for me. Summer time in Michigan is beautiful, and there’s enough to do to keep busy with seeing friends, traveling regionally, and maintaining my garden that I don’t feel the intense drive to travel during the warm months.

Winter in Michigan, though, isn’t like winter most other places. And without travel, I always experience a prolonged relapse at some point during the winter. What’s different about Michigan in winter is the lack of sunshine. It’s some kind of effect related to being surrounded by the Great Lakes. Other places may have colder winters, or snowier winters. But I’ve never been anywhere else where winter means not seeing sunshine for 10 days at a stretch. The grey skies can be suffocating.

So rather than deal with prolonged depression during Michigan winters when I don’t want to get out of bed for weeks at a time, I travel. Now that I’ve tasted it, I feel like I don’t have a choice anymore. As I said above, I’ll still have “dark days” while I’m in the tropics. But I don’t experience the debilitating weeks or months long ruts like I do during Michigan winters.

Does living with depression change how frequently you travel?

Travel is something that I feel driven to do nowadays. And I feel that drive whether I’m feeling depressed or not. If I’m going to have depressive episodes, I’d rather work through them on a beach in the Caribbean, or while exploring Mayan ruins, than sitting at home on my couch.

Have you found any non-travel-related activities that have a similar impact for you?

Yes, but very few. The things in life that give me the most satisfaction and stave off depression are deep connections with other people, a connection to the land, and the excitement of travel. When I’m not traveling, I find that deepening my connections with family and old friends has a tonic effect. My gardening addiction provides a great deal of relief in my struggle against depression as well. When I’m working in my garden during the warm months, I feel a connection to the planet and to all life on earth that’s similar to what I feel in my best travel moments.

I guess I see my ideal lifestyle as one that combines those things. As a result, we’re considering a permanent move to the tropics in the coming years. We’ve got close friends now in Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica. A move there would allow me to continue to connect with friends and the community and provide for year-round tropical gardening, while allowing for frequent and affordable trips exploring the rest of Central/South America and the Caribbean.

What advice do you have for other people who are dealing with depression?

• Get away from the default American lifestyle. It’s destroying the planet, it’s destroying our bodies, and it’s destroying our souls. There are so many other options aside from the default that’s been forced on us since we were kids.
• Get out of the cubicle.
• Get out of debt – just walk away from it and file for bankruptcy if you have to.
• Eat organic, non-GMO, local foods.
• Get off of the Internet and away from your TV and meet your neighbors.
• Exercise – it’s a revolutionary act in our sedentary, car-based culture, and I promise that it’s 100 times more effective than any antidepressant.
• Get off of all of the unnecessary medications to the degree that it’s possible for you.
• Do meaningful work.
• Learn to live with less. Do you really need that huge house and expensive car that you’re working a toxic job to be able to afford?
• Know your limitations, but practice going beyond them. Treat yourself right.
• Travel. Explore. Have adventures. Even if it’s only in your own region or city.

Any thing else you’d like to add?

I feel like I’ve just written a novel. That pretty much covers it!

I’d like to think Trever for his willingness to be so open with us and share his story. I hope his story, and the others in this interview series, helps someone else who is dealing with depression or with a loved one suffering from the illness.

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Continue reading »]]> –by Gabrielle Yetter

Funny place, Phnom Penh. You either love it (like I do) or hate it (like I did when I first arrived).

If you’re looking for glamour, nightlife, or sophistication, it won’t be on your to-do list. But, if you want to step outside the pages of the travel brochures that suggest you visit the palace, museum, and killing fields, you’re likely to see a local side of Phnom Penh that is far more captivating and compelling. It’s what made me to fall in love with it.

7:30am or earlier – Start the day at Psaar Kandal, a local produce market which stretches from Street 154 to 136 two blocks west of the river. As the city comes to life, you’ll see vendors selling live frogs, flapping fish, and brightly coloured fruit and vegetables; you’ll inhale pungent aromas of fried noodle soup and coriander and watch as locals haggle over slabs of fresh meat hanging on hooks on the street.

8:30am – Have a local breakfast of bai saw saik chrook (a delicious dish of steamed rice with grilled pork and condiments) at a street side restaurant on Street 214 near Street 107 ($1, which includes a cup of tea).

9:30am – Walk over to Psaar Orrussey. This enormous three-story market is frequented by local Khmer people and is an aromatic, frenzied whirlwind of activity as women shop for groceries, vendors sit on the stairs with enormous baskets filled with desserts and bunches of morning glory, and storekeepers dangle in hammocks fanning themselves with pieces of cardboard until a buyer comes along. You’ll find plastic bags filled with 100 Chinese knickknacks, ceramic dishes and housewares, automotive parts, sequinned fabrics, flipflops, garden tools, and gold painted statues, among other things.

11am – Walk a few blocks to the Chinese herb shops surrounding the market on Street 166. There’s a traditional remedy for every ailment: dried plants which are said to soothe gastric issues, balms to ease muscular aches, and herbal teas to make you stronger or more virile. Most are displayed in dusty glass counters or spilling out of enormous straw baskets on the street.

2pm – Get a tuktuk to the riverside near NagaWorld Casino and take the ferry to the other side of the Tonle Sap (ferries run often and cost 12 cents). When you disembark, rent a bicycle for $4 at a roadside store and explore. You’re now in Kandal province, which is only 15 mins from the bustle of Phnom Penh but feels like a world away. Tiny children run to the road and shout “hello” as you ride by, herds of cows meander along the paths, and the dusty roads are almost empty save for an occasional motorbike or pick-up truck that rumbles by.

Within a mile of the ferry landing, you’ll find a temple (look out for the giant prawn sculptures on the exterior) with spectacular paintings over the walls and ceiling. At the end of the opposite path is a silk farm where you can drop by, see the mulberry trees, observe the silkworms, and watch as weavers spin shimmering scarves and sarongs. It’s a far cry from the sophisticated Silk Farm in Siem Reap which, while still fascinating, is set up more for tourists. This place is simple, rustic, and real.

4:30pm – Take the ferry back across to the city. You’ll need to shower, as you’re probably pretty dusty and definitely pretty hot.

5:30pm – Have a sunset cocktail at Phnom Penh’s most spectacular new rooftop bar – Eclipse, at the top of the Phnom Penh Tower on Monivong Blvd (near Street 240). Prices are western-style but for the price of a $6 cocktail, you’ll get a jaw-dropping view of the city that you won’t see anywhere else.

7pm – Soak up some Cambodian culture at the National Museum with Plae Pakaa – a programme consisting of three rotating shows of Cambodian dance, theatre, and music every night. Just show up at the museum to buy tickets or book in advance here.

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Continue reading »]]> We first experienced Kuala Lumpur (KL) during a 6-hour layover between Paris and Koh Samui, Thailand. Our brief time checking out the city impressed me enough that I knew we would need to come back and explore it more. I had heard that it was a great place for food, and I loved the general vibe I felt while walking around. I had expected a grungy city with really only a couple of monuments to be of interest. Boy was I wrong!

The nice air-conditioned train ride from the airport to the transportation hub of KL Sentral also sported free WiFi. Not a bad welcome at all.

On our 2nd visit to KL, we traveled by train from Ipoh, another city we really enjoyed. By the time we left, we were seriously considering skipping Songkran festivities in Thailand to stay in Malaysia longer. Since Malaysia gives most visitors an entry stamp for 90 days for free (the best in SE Asia!), it’s an even bigger temptation to stay.

Food

Be honest. You aren’t surprised this is the first category I’m listing, right?

KL is a wonderful place for food lovers. Malaysia is comprised of 3 ethnic groups, and the cultures have intertwined somewhat producing some excellent cuisine. Malay food has some very unique flavors. In fact, it’s the first time I’ve encountered a dessert containing dried shrimp.

Chinese food in Malaysia is quite varied. The descendants of the original immigrants to Malaysia from China are referred to as Nyonya. There are other groups of Chinese who immigrated later, and their food is different from Nyonya food, the latter focusing more on fresh ingredients and combining flavors. There is Chinese food, and then there is Nyonya food. Make sure to try them both.

Because of the Tamil culture, there is lots of Indian food to be discovered in KL. The Tamil are from southern India, and the food is different from most of the Indian cuisine typical Westerners have sampled. Though, you’ll find plenty of that, too. Make sure to try some roti tisu in a mamak.

As this is a large, modern, very commercial city, you’ll also find plenty of Western restaurants in case you need a taste of home. Besides the standard fast food places, you’ll also find restaurants like Chili’s, Pizza Hut, Kenny Rogers Roasters, Baskin-Robbins, and even Godiva chocolate stores. Just don’t expect these to be very cheap. You’ll experience Western prices or higher.

While in KL, I highly recommend taking Food Tour Malaysia’s street food tour. They offer a lunchtime “food walk” tour, but the nighttime street food tour (called “off the eaten track”) gives you cultural insights that shouldn’t be missed. You’ll get to enjoy typical food and drinks from the dominant Malay, Chinese, and Tamil ethnic groups. Just make sure to eat light during the day and wear loose-fitting clothing at night. You’re going to need a lot of extra room. Even my normally very finicky son ate almost everything we were served, including seconds of some of it. I can’t think of a more potent recommendation!

Entertainment

There is so much to do in KL! The following are just a few suggestions. There is really a lot to do in this city.

The iconic Petronas Towers are a sight to behold. At the base of the towers is a large shopping center. Outside this shopping center you’ll find a small lake. It’s really worth visiting the towers at night when they are lit up. In addition to the gorgeous towers, there is a water show that takes place on the lake at night. The water is lit with a variety of colors and dances along with music. It’s really fun to watch and is free. My favorite price!

While you’re at the towers, it’s worth visiting the Petrosains Discovery Centre inside the shopping plaza. Additionally, you can take the underground walkway toward the convention center where you’ll find the Aquaria KLCC. This is one of the better small aquariums I’ve been to. Tigger enjoyed it so much he gave it an 8-9 helicopters out of 10 on his trademarked “toy flying helicopter” rating scale.

It can get quite hot in Asia, and especially so here. Because of the humid heat, you’ll find a lot to do in malls. Including at Berjaya Times Square, a good-sized mall with a New York City theme on some levels. Cruise around the indoor green area of Central Park before taking a trip through Tiny Taipei. But the real fun is upstairs where you’ll find an indoor amusement park, complete with a rollercoaster featuring a 360-degree loop.

And, of course, you’ll also find amazing cinemas featuring plenty of new-release films. Unless it’s a local film, the shows will be in English with Bahasa subtitles. Movie tickets and snacks are incredibly low priced (how does $7 USD sound for 2 tickets with advance-selected seats, 2 large drinks, an order of chicken nuggets, a hotdog, and a bag of popcorn?) and offer some impressive luxury seating arrangements.

Transportation

KL has a really good metro and monorail system which makes getting around the city quite easy. There are also commuter trains leaving from KL Sentral to most of the areas right outside the city limits, and often beyond.

Taxis are metered and easy to hail. Most shopping centers, and of course transportation hubs, have a taxi desk where you pay in advance based on your destination. If you despise having to barter with taxis, you’ll breathe a sigh of relief in KL.

Airport tip: There are a few airports in KL: KLIA is the large, very modern international airport; LCCT is the low-cost carrier terminal which is quite a distance from KLIA; and Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport, which is another low-cost carrier terminal on the other side of town (accessible only by taxi or bus, but taking the train to Sentral first will save you money). Getting to KLIA and the LCCT is pretty easy by commuter train. It’s inexpensive and runs about every 20-minutes during peak times from KL Sentral. If you’re going to LCCT, however, you’ll have to get off the train at the penultimate stop and take a shuttle bus (included in your fare) to that terminal. Generally speaking, you can get from KL Sentral to the LCCT in as little as 45 minutes. Obviously, it’s wise to plan for a longer journey just in case. When deciding between the train or a taxi, make sure to account for KL’s very congested traffic.

Technology

You’ll find free WiFi in almost every establishment. Celcom also has a really great 3G network. Data plans are a bit on the pricey side, so keep that in mind if you’re a heavy user.

Make sure to bring an adapter for plugs. Malaysia has a unique outlet. Don’t worry if you forget to bring one, though. It’s rather easy to find universal adapters, and they’re inexpensive.

Planning

I think people tend to underestimate everything that KL has to offer and don’t plan enough time. We stayed for just over a week, and it really wasn’t enough time. There were still some great places we didn’t get to visit. I’d say give yourself at least a week if at all possible, but 2 weeks would be even better.

Kuala Lumpur just might surprise you, too.

Have you been to KL? What were your impressions?

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Continue reading »]]> Someone asked a group of travelers if they had posts regarding this question. I went searching on this site, and while I talk about travel, long-term travel, why we’re doing the nomadic life, etc., I realized I’ve never addressed why I travel. I guess it’s about time!

How it all got started

When I was a child, we did lots of road trips within the US. I still love doing road trips, but traveling within my native country hasn’t been nearly as exciting for me as visiting other countries.

My first international experience, not counting a brief visit to Tijuana when I was a kid, was during a road trip with a foster family. I was 16, and we drove from California to Texas and down through all of Mexico to the state of Chiapas. We lived for a month in a small wood cabin in a village in the woods. I remember the milk boy who went from house to house while riding a donkey. He would dip a long ladle into the large canister and pour the milk into our container.

I also remember walking through a giant spider web while hiking in the woods. I have a thing about having cobwebs on my skin, and I freaked out. I saw a bush and started smacking it to get the sticky web off my hands. Until I noticed pain. I looked at my hands to see several cuts from thorns.

But no spider web!

I was relieved and brushed my hair with my hand. I thought I felt something fuzzy and ran my hand through my hair again. Nothing.

Then I noticed the gargantuan spider at my feet which promptly jumped into the air sending me almost screaming as I ran through the woods yet again. This time I was holding a stick out in front of me to catch any of those horrible webs hanging between trees.

Our stay was noticeable as well for the parasite I had to get treated for and for finding 4 ticks enjoying a nice meal from me after we swam in a pond. One of them had found a rather unique place to burrow into, and I was more than a little nervous about plucking it from an unmentionable part of my body.

I also remember buying pineapple that was as sweet as candy from a wizened old lady sitting on a colorful blanket.

Plastic bottles weren’t in use widely back then, and since the glass bottles were expensive and recycled, when you bought a soda it was poured into a plastic bag. Although, you could always drink from the bottle as long as you were staying there at the shop.

I remember seeing the black soil in Oaxaca and smiling at the friendliness of Mexicans.

Even more exciting was the day our yellow VW Bug was pulled over by either army or guerillas. They searched our vehicle while machine guns were pointed at us. One of the apparent leaders wouldn’t let me take photos, though. I was so bummed I wouldn’t have pics of this momentous experience to share with my classmates back home.

Everything was so different. So relaxed. There was so much life!

I was hooked.

Major culture shock

In my 20s, I traveled to Ecuador and lived in Quito for a few months. It was the first time I experienced true culture shock. Or at least that’s the closest description I have. I expected lots of rice and beans and instead constantly found corn, potatoes, and meat. I wasn’t complaining!

Boiling the water took forever, so we usually just added bleach to the large containers. That left a fairly nasty taste, so we were always armed with packets of Tang. Add a little of the powder to your drinks, and it had just enough flavor to hide the unsavory essence of Clorox.

I was overwhelmed by the children begging, though. It was incredibly challenging to have little 3- and 4-year-olds come up with their sad faces, their hands clasped in a begging position, mumbling words I couldn’t understand. What made it even worse were their parents (or some adult who was in charge) sitting in the shade of the building while the kids begged in the equatorial sun or during a torrential downpour.

By the time I left Ecuador, I was sick of South America, tired of cold showers, and completely over bleach/Tang-flavored water.

It would be a long time before I would have the opportunity to leave the country again, and by that time I looked back upon my time below the equator with fondness.

What I love about travel

I love the challenge of visiting a new country. Even if I know the language, there are different terms, and different usages. Such as the time I inadvertently asked someone to “f**k that book for me.” I assure you that verb has a totally appropriate, different meaning in Ecuador!

Then there was the moment I told my roommate it was going to be his turn to wash the dishes if he kept teasing me. When our Argentinean friend recovered from his fit of laughter, I was informed that in his country’s vernacular I had just informed my friend it was his turn to “wash the butts.”

Every place has its own vibe. Hanoi and I parted on reasonable terms, but I absolutely feel no need to go back. However, Saigon seduced me and left me wanting more time. Jakarta seemed like a huge waste of space to me, but Bali fills me with wonder, curiosity, joy, and inspiration.

When a person is open to it, travel transforms them. I’ve found healing, confusion, maddening frustration, and ideals that force me to reconsider my own notions, values, and views of society, religions, and cultures.

And, of course, there is the food. Different flavors, different animal parts, and even different kinds of animals for food. Fruits and vegetables that are delicious, exotic, and sometimes scary looking.

Travel is something that touches on all the senses. When you allow it, it reaches deep inside your core. I don’t believe I ever leave a place the same person as entered.

This is why I travel. Yes, for the experience, but also for the effect it has on me. The more I travel, the more connected I feel to the world, both physically and existentially.

Why do you travel or want to travel?

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Continue reading »]]> Actually, to be more honest, this post should probably be titled: The value of not having a bucket list. I don’t believe in them, and here’s why.

What is a bucket list?

In case you’re unfamiliar with this phrase, it is a list of things you want to do before you “kick the bucket.” (If that term is new, kicking the bucket means dying.)

On the surface, it may seem like a good idea to have a list such as this, but I can’t say that I really agree.

Why?

I have some different reasons for this, but I’ll try to highlight some of the big reasons I’m not a fan of these types of lists.

• Lists make you goal oriented. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. I like lists, especially as I’ve found my brain rejecting more and more items from my mental to-do list. It’s easier, helps keep me focused, and makes sure I don’t inadvertently forget something important or something from a quick conversation. However, I don’t think making one’s life wholly goal oriented is a happy or positive way to live. Have a dream, chase it down and make it your bitch, yes. But living your life around crossing things off a list? I don’t think so.
• When your attention gets focused on goals, you forget simple things. I have these posts I need to write, so I’ll just sit down and stay indoors for days writing them. Well, originally the idea was I’d get them done in half a day, but there was Facebook, Twitter, and oh look cute pics of kitties! and such to distract me from real productivity. Then I go through old emails and realize I agreed to do a post or send photos or something for another blogger “in a couple of days.” That was a month ago. *smacks forehead* I don’t want to get so focused on my goals that I don’t take time to watch the sunset or to test Tigger’s patience threshold by stopping to take 50 photos of a pretty little flower growing out of a log. “Don’t you already have a picture of a flower?”
• Dreams can get pushed aside. “You see, I have this list of 25 things I MUST do!” Who said! Yet I know people who keep shoving big dreams to the rear because they need to tick more items off their bucket list.
• The destination or event becomes the journey rather than the journey being, well, everything. I wanted to become a scuba instructor, and I did just that. But there was such an incredible journey getting there. I would’ve missed so much if I only had my eyes set on the end goal. I also know people who don’t really seem to relish these moments. They cross another item off their list, and they’re rushing off to try to complete the next one. I wonder what happens once they’ve crossed off all their items. Do you start with a new list?
• Takes you away from living in the present. When you have a bucket list, there’s that constant sense of “I haven’t done everything yet!” This is the main reason I don’t have this kind of list. I don’t want to spend my time focusing on the things I haven’t done yet. I’d rather focus on what I’m doing and what else I look forward to doing next.

I’d rather look back and think Wow! What a life!

A life somewhat lived

Dream big and pursue it, and have another dream waiting in the wing. I have plenty of dreams to keep me busy for a lifetime, but my life won’t feel unfulfilled if I don’t get to turn every single one of them into reality.

I wonder if I would feel the same if during my final days I still had a list that hadn’t been completely finished. An incomplete bucket list would just leave me feeling like I had somehow failed, even if just a tiny bit. I’ve been with those people in their final moments. I don’t want that for my life.

No thanks. I’d rather look back and think Wow! What a life I had! than to have any regrets.

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