dwell comfortably in the midst of profound uncertainty...

Living Out of a Backpack...

2014-11-04T06:40:00.004+11:00

If you haven't already figured it out, discovering the best ways to travel on a budget is one of my favorite challenges. So, when I heard about housesitting a couple of years ago, I knew immediately that I had to give it a try. After receiving a recommendation from friends, Dan and I signed up for a website called TrustedHouseSitters.com. Every day, the website has new postings of houses that need to be “housesat” as the owners travel. The houses range from farms in the middle of nowhere, to beautiful beach houses, to apartments in cities all throughout the world. They usually all have pets that need to be taken care of (some cats and dogs, others horses and pigs).

In order to get some experience under our belt, Dan and I found a housesit in the (rural) suburbs of Pennsylvania for ten days over the summer. Our duties entailed looking after a dog, two rabbits, a hamster and some fish. The experience taught us that looking after a needy dog is tougher than we thought, and that living in the suburbs, in a large house with a nice big yard, essentially the “American dream”, might not be all it's cracked up to be.

Istanbul, Turkey

Thanks to my obsessive website checking and need to reply to emails immediately after they are received (one of my greatest strengths, according to Dan), we were able to snag a housesit in Istanbul for the month of September. We spent one month living in a beautiful 13^th floor apartment overlooking the city, and taking care of three cats. Istanbul is a beautiful, culturally diverse city. We experienced some strange (but delicious) foods, the scariest taxi ride of our lives, the inside of a mosque, and witnessed the kindness of a city towards stray cats.

Brussels, Belgium
Soon after our housesit ended in Istanbul, we were off to our next housesit in Brussels, a city that we later learned was given the title “the most boring city in Europe,” two years in a row…

It’s the home of the European Union and NATO, so the residents are from all over the world. The streets are clean, the cars always stop for you at the crosswalks, the people are very environmentally friendly, and it seems as if there’s just one homogenous social class (which is pretty well-off and speaks three languages). It’s hard to explain exactly what was missing (Graffiti? Garbage? Homeless people?), but I just felt as if the city was lacking some character. But what it was lacking in character it made up for with delicious chocolate, waffles and beer. Also, the close proximity to other major cities makes Brussels a good hub.

Southern France
From Brussels, we made our way to Southern France to visit Dan’s friend in Montpellier, a smaller university city, known for having “the sexiest trams” in Europe. Spending the week with Dan’s friends, recent parents, I realized the importance of some of the benefits given to Europeans, that Americans don’t have-- more vacation time, longer maternity leave, cheaper childcare services. In exchange for these benefits, workers accept lower earning potential (leading to less of a gap between the rich and the poor). After much observation and discussion, I'm beginning to think that the quality of life in France (and many other European countries) is just plain better.

From there, we were lucky enough to find a housesit about an hour away in a small village, home to 800 people. There is one small shop, one au de pain (bakery) and one restaurant in the town. The house is surrounded by mountains and vineyards, and the roads filled with bikers. Every direction we walk is breathtaking, but walking and riding bikes are pretty much the only things we can do. The nearest supermarket is 8km away (at the bottom of the hill), and as a result going to the supermarket (or rather, returning from the supermarket up the hill with our groceries) has become a full day event.

The ability to experience someone’s life for a few weeks at a time has taught me a lot.

I’ve learned some simple things about myself. I’ve seen how much happier I am when there is a lot of light; I’ve learned about the way light wood can disguise dirt; I’ve learned the value of drinkable tap water, a non-stick pan, and a gas stove…

But at the same time, I have learned much more valuable things.

I have been able to experience a small glimpse into the lives of others, and imagine the vast possibilities for my own life.

I have learned that the best way to truly learn about yourself is to put yourself in uncomfortable situations. At the same time, I've learned how to make myself comfortable in new settings.

I have learned that people throughout the world are all different in small ways, but share the same fundamental nature.

I have realized that one perfect place doesn’t exist.

I have learned just how lucky I am to be able to travel anywhere in the world and have English as my native language (and to have been born in one of the richest countries in the world).

But most importantly, I have learned how important the things are that I have to give up in order to live a lifestyle like I do.

Long-term travel can be lonely sometimes (even with Dan!). After years of hellos and goodbyes, I feel like I have developed less of a desire to meet new people, and a sense of detachment from the people I meet. Constantly moving and spending just a short amount of time in different cities makes it quite difficult to cultivate real relationships.

My experiences over the last two years have made me both more understanding and tolerant of people, but at the same time, more unable to relate to them. Over these past few years of living out of a backpack, I've learned that living a lifestyle that is so different than the norm is exciting, but also isolating.

I’ve learned that although I enjoy change, there is a large part of me that craves routine. Initially, moving to a new place and being confronted with the challenge of finding a new supermarket, meeting new people, or discovering a way to exercise was a fun challenge, but now more and more I miss just having simple routines.

I can’t believe that I’m actually writing this, but I think that I’m almost ready to settle down, or at least something close to it.

Will I stop traveling completely?

No.

But, I want to create a homebase. I want to be near family and friends. I want some routines.

I think I’ve learned that to truly appreciate travel, I need to take a break from it every once in a while.

Welcome to the future...two weeks in Seoul, South Korea

2014-04-14T23:59:00.001+10:00

Last week Dan and I visited Seoul. Going from Thailand from Seoul felt like we had traveled into the future...high-speed Internet connections, eyes glued to smart phones, automated everything, motion-sensored escalators, heated floors,...definitely quite the change.

Here are some of the things I found most interesting about South Korea...

Imagine a typical cafe; coffee, tea, pastries and comfortable chairs and tables scattered with people reading or working on their laptops. Now, throw in twenty or so cats, some cat furniture, and cat toys. Now you have a cat cafe, a completely normal finding in Seoul. Apparently there are dog cafes and even a sheep cafe too, but cat cafes are by far the most popular.

A job as a professional video game player is a reputable job in Korea. And going to e-stadiums to watch a live competition is a completely normal weeknight outing. Being surrounded by hundreds of Korean teenage boys cheering on their favorite team was quite the experience.

Koreans know how to drink. From soju (Korean distilled rice liquor) to makgeolli (Korean rice wine), there is an alcohol that goes with every meal!

It's completely normal to eat octopus legs while they are still alive and suctioning. Dosed in sesame oil, I have to admit, it wasn't too bad.

Korean BBQ is delicious (although I haven't yet developed a liking for kimchi), but the best part is the sucking tube that sucks away all the excess smoke!

In Korean the word for room is "bang." Koreans have a bang for everything. A DVD bang for watching movies, karaoke bangs, wii bangs, and the most popular of all, PC bangs.

In Korea, almost every restaurant will deliver (even fast food restaurants like McDonald's). But, that's not the interesting part. The delivery man will provide the customer with plates and cutlery, that he will late come back again an hour or two later to pick up.

Plastic surgery is surprisingly cheap, and very common in South Korea. According to a survey 1 in 5 Korean women has had plastic surgery. Eyelid surgery to create a double lid and nose jobs to lengthen and thin the nose are the most popular surgeries. I hadn't even known that eyelid surgery existed!

It's very common for Koreans to meet their husband or wife with the help of a matchmaker. Many Koreans are brought to a matchmaker by their parents, hoping to find a match belonging to a similar social class. The matchmaker arranges a meeting-- typically the man pays for the date, and the woman pays the matchmaker a fee in advance. If the match is a success, and the couple decides to get married, the matchmaker receives a hefty bonus (anywhere from $2000 - $10,000).

Koreans are born being one year old. And everyone turns a year older as the year changes. So, if a baby is born on December 31st, they become 2 years old on January 1st.

People in South Korea stereotype one another based on their blood type. In case you're wondering, type A's tend to be conservative, punctual, loyal, introverted and a bit uptight. Type B's are creative and passionate, but also lazy and impatient. Type AB, cool and calm, although a little elitist and judgmental; type O, ambitious and athletic, but also egotistical.

Burning season is here!

2014-03-21T13:24:00.000+11:00

We first learned about the burning season a few months ago. Apparently, every year around March, the plantations in Southeast Asia use controlled fires to clear the land of vegetation and make space for crops.

This results in the "Southeast Asian haze," an air pollution problem that affects much of Asia. I have read that "slash-and-burn" agriculture is heavily regulated, but this doesn't seem to deter farmers from doing it in mass amounts.

Unfortunately, Chiang Mai sits in a bowl-like valley surrounded by mountains, which traps the polluted air. Dan and I have recently started to notice the effects. Due to decreased visibility, we can no longer see the mountains that surround the city, nor can we completely see stretches of road that were once visible to us. Walking along the streets has become much less enjoyable, and working out a little more labored (or perhaps this is just a reverse placebo effect, or nocebo effect (yes, that phrase actually exists)).

The past few days, Chiang Mai has been in the "Moderate" zone, but today it has made it to the "Unhealthy" zone, which according to http://aqicn.org/ means that "Everyone may begin to experience health effects; members of sensitive groups may experience more serious health effects."

Where is Chiang Mai?

I guess it's good timing that we're leaving Thailand on March 30th. I'm definitely going to miss Chiang Mai, but I don't even want to imagine what the "Hazardous" zone is like...

Miracle Fruit

2014-03-15T23:04:00.000+11:00

While browsing the Internet, Dan came across something called the Miracle fruit. The miracle fruit is a berry that, when eaten, causes sour foods to taste sweet.

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synsepalum_dulcificum)

Quite intrigued upon learning about this (and surprised that I hadn't known about it before), I began searching for where this fruit is found. I soon learned that the miracle plant could be found in Chiang Mai at one of the local flower markets.

After a couple of hours spent wandering around the market, hopelessly trying to communicate with a lot of mimicking of sour and sweet faces, I finally found the plant.

We read online that the most effective way to do it is to put the berry in your mouth for one minute and move it around your tongue. For the next hour, lemons, limes, grapefruits and sour candies tasted amazing!

Coaching CMIS

2014-03-15T22:56:00.000+11:00

Coaching soccer has been something that I've always wanted to try. I started training young girls when I was 16 years old, but had never coached before. So, when I was offered the opportunity to coach the Chiang Mai International School U14 girls team, I jumped at the opportunity.

Showing up at practice the first day, I was unsure what to expect. But, I know what I definitely wasn't expecting-- girls to show up for practice with their hair down, jeans and normal tennis shoes.

"Are you on the soccer team?" I asked a girl dressed in jeans who hopped into the songtaew headed to the field.
"Yes," she responded.
"Do you want to change before we go to the field?" I asked.
"Change?" she replied confused.

The team consisted of girls aged 11-13, some of whom had never before touched a soccer ball, and others who were quite good. A good portion of the girls were from Thailand, and the rest from the US, South Korea, the UK, and South Africa. There were 15 girls on the team, more than double what we needed for their 7v7 games.

In the beginning, practices were difficult, as better players would become frustrated with some of the girls who had never played before. It was tough to find drills that were simple enough for beginners, challenging for the better players, yet fun for everyone. And what was even tougher was trying to fit 15 girls into a 40-minute game.

But, I made it through the season, with an undefeated record, far surpassing my initial expectations, and even won the final conference tournament.

I have a feeling that this won't be my last time coaching...

Hong Kong

2014-03-15T22:21:00.002+11:00

I pride myself in my flight searching abilities, so when I found a round-trip flight for $250 directly to Hong Kong from Chiang Mai for the Chinese New Year, I gave myself a hefty pat on the back. One of my good friends is currently living in Hong Kong, and this seemed like a perfect opportunity to visit. Only later did I learn that my flight was actually during the New Year celebrations, and that it arrived at 12:50am, just two minutes after the Express train stopped running for the night. Luckily, I was able to easily find a cab from the airport.

Arriving to Steph's apartment at 1:30am, I felt fully awake, and full of excitement. But, my actions might tell otherwise. I paid the driver and subconsciously swung the door open...right as a bus was driving by.

"No, no, no, no, no..." the driver yelled, wincing in his seat. For what might be the longest three seconds of my life, the taxi door skidded along the bus, until the bus came to a halt.

Amused passengers on the bus made sure to document the incident with their iPhones, as I stammered to find some words that might make the situation any better. As traffic piled up behind the bus, I apologized profusely to the cab driver, while waiting to see what would happen next. Police officers arrived at the scene a few minutes later chattering away in Cantonese as I stood there awkwardly. To make a long story short, my first night in Hong Kong was a memorable one.

*In case you're wondering, the taxi had insurance to cover its repair, but I had to partially cover the damage to the bus. Well, technically I'm sure I could have easily gotten out of it since they really had no way to contact me, but $250 wasn't such a terrible price to pay.

Hong Kong was basically as expected: an overcrowded international city with small apartments, the longest skyline I've ever seen, delicious pork buns and egg custard buns...and really nice beaches!

Phuket

2013-12-12T02:05:00.001+11:00

Phuket

This past week Dan and I ventured out of Chiang Mai for the first time in three months, to Phuket, a city a bit more well-known. When imagining Thailand, I (like most people) had always pictured picturesque beaches with transparent turquoise water, white sand and long wooden boats. Phuket is definitely the place to see this. However, you have to venture to the nearby islands to see the really beautiful beaches (and endure an hour of a potentially vomit-inducing boat ride to get there).

There is much more to Phuket than just the beaches. There are many different parts of Phuket Island. Dan and I chose to stay in Patong to be in the center of the action. Patong is by far the most touristy place I have ever visited. Most of the tourists seemed to hail from Russia, Australia and other parts of Europe. In fact, the only Thai people I spotted in the city were the ones working in the tourism industry.

In the center of Patong lies Bangla Road. Bangla Road is home to the nightlife that Thailand is famous for. Imagine a road closed off to cars after dark, littered with drunken tourists, bars, nightclubs, half-naked pole dancers, and ladyboys (some flamboyant, and some in disguise). Now, throw in some Thai people trying to sell you pictures with giant, heavily-sedated reptiles and miniature monkeys, and more Thai people pushing signs into your face advertising ping-pong and "sexy lady" shows.

"What is a ping-pong show?" you might ask. Or perhaps I was the only one completely oblivious to the existence of ping-pong shows before visiting Phuket. Apparently if you've seen the movie Hangover II, you know what this is (I haven't seen this movie). If you're not sure what a ping-pong show is, switch on your dirtiest mind and let it wander…and wander some more…and yeah, keep going…I still don't know if you're there yet. If you're curious, google it. Although I am usually enticed by new experiences, Dan and I opted against the ping-pong show because of some of the horror stories we had heard about the sex trade and treatment of the women performing the shows.

These are some of the options of shows we could choose from:

As would be expected from any tourist destination the price of things was quadruple the price in Chiang Mai. Okay, I'll admit $5-8 for a meal is still a good price, but Dan and I took it upon ourselves to try to avoid the tourist trap and venture around until we found a restaurant where Thai people were eating. That restaurant happened to be in the parking garage at the local mall, so most of our lunches were spent alongside mall employees.

Alongside Bangla Road are tons of markets selling your typical clothing, souvenirs, and accessories. One afternoon I thought that it might be a good idea to search for sundresses in the local market. The moment I walked into the market, the vendors immediately latched onto me and began pestering. As I browsed their shops, and they followed just inches behind me, the dialogue went something like this:

Vendor: "Hello. Where you from?"

Me: "Sawadeeka." My eyes scan the sundresses.

Vendor: "You like dress. I get for you."

I wonder what dress they are talking about because I have not yet expressed interest in any of the dresses.

Me: "Mai, kop khun ka." (No, thank you.)

The vendor reaches for a dress and takes it off the rack to show to me.

Me: "Mai, kop khun ka." (No, thank you.) "I can look by myself."

Vendor: "No like? Try this one." Vendor proceeds to grab a different dress off the wall and put directly in front of me.

Me: "Mai, kop khun ka.." (No, thank you.) "I will look alone"

Vendor: "I know! This one for you. I give you. 700 baht. Here you go…" The vendor goes to the corner to grab a plastic bag.

Me: "Mai, kop khun ka." (No, thank you.)

The dialogue continues like that until I eventually manage to maneuver my way out of the shop or I decide to make a purchase (after bargaining them down to about ⅓ of their initial ludicrous price).

Once I asked the woman if I could try the dress on over my clothes, and she replied yes. Before the dress was fully on my body, the women was complimenting it. "Perfect! You beautiful. You buy dress." When I tried to tell her that I didn't like it (for a good reason: it was obviously too big even on top of my jean shorts and t-shirt), she proceeded to yell at me. "One size for all. You try, you buy." I couldn't help but laugh as I walked away…

Visa run
Dan and I knew when planning our trip to Phuket that we would have to squeeze in a visa run. We were approaching our 90 day mark, and our 3 time re-entry tourist visa requires us to leave the country after 90 days for a 60 day extension (We can get a 30 day extension from inside Thailand). The fastest visa run from Phuket is a 4 hour drive and a 30 minute boat ride across the border into Burma. The van service informed us that we'd be picked up at 5:40am, driven to Burma, fed both breakfast and lunch, and be back to our hostel by 6pm. Our driver was an hour late to pick us up, but by being outside at 5:40am I was given the chance to satisfy my extreme desire of people watching, as ladyboys and drunken men stumbled towards their hostels to end their night.

If I disregard the fact that our driver didn't speak a word of English, insisted upon holding onto our passports for a large portion of the journey, and drove as if it were tryouts for the Olympic race car team, I guess I can say that the visa run went smoothly. Luckily, we're only planning to stay in Thailand until early March, so we won't have to do it again!

Some things I learned:

All my life I have looked at young people covered in tattoos and body piercings and wondered what might happen to them when they became older and…well, saggier. I now know the answer. They go to Phuket.

Thai beaches really are as beautiful as the pictures.

Beware of sea urchins. And don't itch microscopic jellyfish bites.

Ladyboys can easily pass as beautiful Thai women. I was unable to tell the difference when I was sober, so I can imagine how easy it might be to make this mistake when drunk.

More streets should be closed off to cars at night. It's pretty great to be able to walk down the center of the street and not have to worry about a car zooming by.

Thai performers struggle with lip-syncing American songs.

All restaurants should have menus like the restaurant below:

Celebrating Loi Krathong

2013-12-03T21:28:00.001+11:00

I was lucky enough to be in Chiang Mai during the famous Loi Krathong festival. Loi Krathong is a festival celebrated annually on the full moon of the twelfth month in the traditional Thai lunar calendar.

"Loi" means to float, and "krathong" means a leaf cup. On the night of the full moon, Thai people gather near the river to release small, decorated, floating banana-leaf structures. The Thai people say that this symbolizes the washing away of last year's misfortunes.

Often coinciding with this, or at a very close date is "Yi Peng," another festival where thousands of sky lanterns are released into the sky. This year, the two events fell at the same time. During this festival, thousands of Thai people gather at temples, private homes or open fields and release giant lanterns into the night sky. On the lanterns, many Thai people write their hopes for the future.

Watching the lanterns float off into the sky is one of the most amazing sights I have ever witnessed...

Some other things I learned:

Be weary of crowded festivals when you have a slight case of claustrophobia. (I guess I already knew this, but I often forget...)

In the the United States, events are a lot better planned and structured than in Thailand. When trying to exit the festival and make our way back to our transportation, there were no signs directing people as to which way to walk to get to the exit. This resulted in complete chaos as people pushed one another, walking in opposite directions, but all attempting to get to the same place.

It's difficult to sit through a 30-minute Buddhist ceremony on your knees, while not understanding one word of what was being said.

Cost of Living in Chiang Mai

2013-12-03T21:04:00.001+11:00

It's hard to believe that I've been in Thailand for three months now.

When speaking to people back home, I am often asked the question, "How can you afford to travel so much?"

Here's the answer...

A breakdown of my monthly expenses:

Rent: $400 or $200 per person (We are splurging for a one-bedroom apartment in the nicest part of the city to keep our sanity since Dan doesn't really want to listen to me teaching English for 4 hours a day. Many travelers spend about $150 a month on a studio.)

Food: $230 per person (About $7 per person per day-- Breakfast (oatmeal or granola & milk) $1-2 per day, Lunch $1-2 per day, Dinner $2-3 per day, Late night snacks $1-2 per day, occasional splurges $20)

Our favorite local Thai restaurant also happens to be the cheapest! Lunch usually consists of either Pad Thai or Khao Soi (Chicken and curry noodle soup), my two favorite dishes totaling in at a whopping $1 a piece.

Cell phone: $10 or $5 per person (Including initial fee-- We don't have too many friends, and often resort to email when making plans)

Internet: $34 or $17 per person (Including one-time initial set-up and router fee)

Electricity and Water: $50 or $25 per person

Drinking Water: $1 or 50 cents per person (3 cents every time we fill up 2 huge bottles)

Transportation: approx. $20 or $10 per person (occasional taxi and tuktuk rides, motorbike rental)

CrossFit: $70 per person

Back in the US, I was opposed to CrossFit merely because I could not convince myself that any exercise was worth the hefty fee bordering on $250 a month (especially with limited equipment). But, in Ecuador, at about 15% of the price, I couldn't resist giving it a try. And, it grew on me...a little too much...So, when Dan and I found a CrossFit in Chiang Mai for $70 a month, I couldn't resist.

Bridge Club: $6 ($1.25 per week + initial club fee)

Extras: $20 (Occasional massages $6 an hour, small purchases (shampoo, soap, etc...), movie tickets $4...)

Visa fees: $40 (Initial visa fee $100, 30-day visa extension fee $60, visa run to Burma $60)

US Health Insurance: $170 (Thanks to Obamacare)

TOTAL: approx. $795 a month

If I add in Travel and Entertainment: $250 (RT flight to Thailand- $400 (Thanks to my awesome flight benefits!), trip to Phuket $500, trip to Hong Kong $600, trips to nearby destinations $40), I am still spending only about $1000 a month!

On another note, did you know that elephants can be taught to paint?

New experiences

2013-10-24T14:09:00.002+11:00

My first time driving a motorbike:

Chiang Mai is one of the few cities I've ever visited without a public transportation system, and with a limited number of sidewalks. As a result, motorbikes are the common mode of transportation.

Some might think it's odd that I have gone skydiving and bungee jumping without so much as thinking twice, but that I would be afraid to ride a motorbike. I, however, think it's completely logical.

According to the Public Health Ministry, motorcycle accidents claim the lives of 27 Thais and injure 438 every day. And from observing the motorbikes zig-zagging through traffic, cars changing lanes without signaling, and the complete oblivion to traffic rules, I'm honestly shocked it's not more than that. Also, Thais drive on the left side of the road, which can get a bit confusing at times when crossing the street, let alone driving.

Luckily, after a few friends taught me the basics of the motorbike (such as how to turn it on) I built up enough confidence (and Dan, enough trust in me) to try renting an actual bike for a day. Yesterday we drove around Chiang Mai for a few hours, and to be honest, it was quite exhilarating. We made it back alive, and although I don't think we'll be buying a motorbike for the remainder of our time here, I'm sure we'll rent again in the future!

Frozen in time:

I have read that every day at 8am and 6pm the Thai National Anthem plays and everyone stops what they are doing and stands with their hands to the side. I had yet to actually see this happen until this past weekend when I was in the market. At 6pm on the dot, everyone froze in place. Food vendors stopped selling foods, street performers stopped performing, everything came to a complete stop. It was quite a strange feeling being frozen in time...especially in the middle of a market.

Some other things I learned:

Thailand has reverse osmosis water vending machines which release filtered water for as cheap as 1 cent to fill 2 water bottles. They are pretty great.

Sushi is cheap in Thailand. I can actually eat enough sushi to make me feel full for less than $4!

Thai food is ridiculously delicious (I guess I knew this already). I don't know how I'm going to return to eating regular food ever again.

Thai massage

2013-09-30T21:52:00.001+10:00

In just two weeks in Thailand, I have walk passed more massage shops than I have in all my life. Getting a Thai massage was one of the things about Thailand, I was most looking forward to, but once I arrived, I felt overwhelmed by the countless number of massage shops, and unsure of which place to choose.

I finally opted for a Thai massage shop close to my apartment because it seemed to always be full of Thai people, but also had some signs with English words. As I hesitantly walked through the door, I was faced with an overflow of signs advertising the different packages ranging from 1 hour to 4 hours. I decided to go with the one-hour traditional Thai massage for $6.

Unsure what to expect, I followed the woman into a room where she gave me what seemed to be an extra-large pair of scrubs to change into. Once in my hospital attire, she led me to a bed and gestured for me to lie down. She rinsed my feet off with a warm cloth and went to work.

From that point on, what I experienced was a mix of extreme pain and pleasure, as she positioned me in a variety of yoga-like poses and went to work jabbing her elbow, forearm, feet and hands into every part of my body.

I learned that anything goes in Thai massage, from cracking my toe knuckles, massaging the top of my head, to straight up walking on my back.

I learned that parts of my quads are ticklish, that I have "computer shoulders," and that a tiny little Thai woman can use her entire body weight to give a surprisingly strong massage.

My first time in a Buddhist temple

2013-09-29T18:04:00.000+10:00

There are temples scattered all throughout Chiang Mai. But, before Dan and I ventured into our first temple, I decided to do a bit of research about proper temple etiquette. Good thing I did, because I learned a lot.

Of course we learned the somewhat obvious-- shoes and hats should be removed before entering a temple; women should cover up both their shoulders and knees (which is difficult since it's still quite hot here). This was not surprising. But in addition, we learned that you should never turn your back to the Buddha statues, but rather back away slowly. And women may never touch a monk or his robes (even brushing up against a monk by accident requires the monk to perform a lengthy cleansing process).

We decided to visit Wat Chiang Man, the oldest temple in Chiang Mai. Buddhist temples in Thailand are located in temple compounds (otherwise known as 'wat') and consists of a number of buildings with different architecture, function and importance.

Almost immediately upon entering the temple, you see the main Buddha statue, front and center, painted in gold. Smaller Buddha statues surround you, along with extremely bright, intricate, showy artwork and sculptures.

To be honest, if I weren't actually in Thailand, I might have described the temple as "gaudy" or even, "fake looking" since most of the gold-painted sculptures were chipping away, and most of the decorations seemed like knick-knacks one might buy at a garage sale. But, at the same time, there was something decidedly beautiful and serene about it.

Thai people believe that Buddha spent 7 days following his enlightenment thinking of all the suffering of living creatures, and these seven days are represented in the temple with images of Buddha in different poses.

Thai people believe that the day of the week in which you were born is very important in shaping your personality. I don't exactly agree with my Wednesday morning description, but here goes:

Sunday: respectable, wise, loved by friends and family

Monday: serious with a good memory and a love of travel

Tuesday: serious, brave and active most probably in the services

Wednesday morning: polite, artistic and emotional

Wednesday evening: hard working and honest

Thursday: peaceful, calm and honest –likely to be a teacher or in the legal profession

Friday: fun loving, friendly and ambitious, probably an entertainer or public figure

Saturday: calm, logical and a bit of a recluse; very likely engaged in manual work of a skilled nature

I'm excited to continue to visit temples and learn more...

Learning a little more each day...

2013-09-22T22:28:00.003+10:00

Images of the Thai King and Queen are everywhere. Thai people have a deep admiration for the King and Queen and adhere to very strict laws that prohibit speaking badly about them. Those unfortunate enough to be found guilty of such a crime can be sentenced to up to 15 years in prison!

In many parts of the world light skin equates with wealth and class. The same holds true in Thailand. Thai women don't want to be confused with laborers or street food sellers. These groups work outside all day, and are often poor. So Thai women often go to extremes in the way they dress and behave to avoid getting dark.

While browsing the drugstore for sunscreen, I noticed that all of the sunscreens have a whitening agent in them. So, don't be surprised if I return from Thailand whiter than when I came!

Some noticeable differences...

2013-09-20T12:39:00.002+10:00

An interesting breakfast
A few days ago I ordered a bowl of granola with milk and fruit for breakfast. I was quite surprised when my bowl of granola arrived with random fruits floating around in the milk. I guess I have seen people put bananas in cereal, but mangos and watermelon? I was surprised, but it was better than expected.

Shower time
The bathrooms in Thailand are a little different than what I am used to. First, the shower IS the bathroom, meaning the entire bathroom is one giant shower. The shower head is mounted to the wall, which by default means that the sink and the toilet bowl are in the shower. You can go to the bathroom while taking a shower-- talk about multi-tasking!

The bathroom experience
Next to every toilet bowl there is something that Dan and I call, "the butt sprayer." Basically, it is a hand-held water sprayer that is used after you go to the bathroom to clean up. At first I was surprised by this set-up, but after doing some research (perhaps I should delete my google search history) I've learned that this is used in many other countries as well (the Arab world, the Philippines and parts of Asia), and might in fact be a better method of cleaning up than toilet paper.

Sometimes there isn't a butt sprayer, but rather a bucket of water that will do the trick.

And oh yeah, this is a picture of a squat toilet. According to research, humans are naturally designed to squat when going to the bathroom.

First impressions

2013-09-17T10:00:00.003+10:00

First impressions can often be deceiving, but here is my first impression of Thailand...

One thing that I have learned about Dan from over four years of dating is that he is a man of extremes. His friend once described him with the quote, "When I'm cold, I set myself on fire," and this could not have been more accurate. When he doesn't like something, he not only fixes it, but he changes it completely. Perhaps we have both subconsciously done this on our trip...

In Ecuador, both Dan and I thought the majority of food was bland and lacking on spices. Here in Thailand, the food has yet to disappoint us.

On the other hand, the weather in Cuenca was beautiful-- 65 to 70 degrees every day with a bout of rain here and there (but not enough to put a damper on the day). Here in Thailand it is rainy season with temperatures near 90s and humidity at about the same numbers. Rainy season should be over soon, and according to online sources the temperature and humidity should slowly decrease.

Cuenca was a walking city. Chiang Mai barely has any sidewalks.

Cuenca was easy to get around with good maps and readable street names. Chiang Mai doesn't have a public transport system, and the streets have Thai names, or no names at all. A lot of the streets are called "soi" which we have come to learn means, "a side street branching off a major street."

Most of the people drive around on motorbikes. Dan and I find these quite intimidating (although Thai woman seem perfectly comfortable riding around on them with their children on their laps). But, I'm going to give one a try soon!

There are these red trucks here that basically act as multi-person taxis-- you tell the driver where you are going, and hop in if by chance, the people already in the truck are headed in that same direction. The only problem, the drivers speak barely any English.

Cuencanos communicated in Spanish, a language that was easy to get by in. Thai is quite the opposite.

Some other things I've learned:

Once again I am taller than almost every person in the city (males included). While I had expected this, it is still strange to view an apartment with two Thai women who ask me to lie down in a bed to see if I can fit.

Almost every large house and business has a "spirit house" placed in an auspicious spot, most often in the front corner of the property. A "spirit house" is basically a miniature model of a house that is mounted on a pillar. The purpose is to provide shelter to the spirits who could cause problems if they are not happy.

Sa-was-de (Hello) Thailand!

2013-09-16T22:09:00.001+10:00

A lot has happened since the last time I wrote. Let's see, I returned from Ecuador, spent some time in the US, and now here I am in Thailand.

Dan and I left New York on Wednesday at 2pm, and after 3 flights, long layovers, and numerous failed attempts at sleeping, we arrived in Chiang Mai at 11am (local time) on Friday.

In case you're wondering, yes, we managed to get some sushi on our layover in Tokyo...

Our goal was to find a hostel, check-in and relax for a bit while forcing ourselves to stay awake until a reasonable bedtime hour. However, an attempt at a one-hour nap quickly turned into five hours. So much for beating the jet lag...It's Monday now, and I think I have finally adjusted to the time difference, but Dan is still struggling quite a bit.

So, we could live anywhere in the world (with good Internet), so why did we choose Chiang Mai? Well, for one thing, neither of us had ever been to Asia, so now seemed like a good time. For another, who can deny the deliciousness of Thai food? Not to mention the cheap cost of living, elephant rides and Thai massages...

Chiang Mai is the third biggest city in Thailand, and I think that for some odd reason, I like "third biggest" cities...They are big enough that the people speak English, but small enough to easily get around and not feel completely like a "farong" (Thai word for gringo).

This is the first time I have ever arrived in a place not knowing even one word. I've had to remind myself at least twenty times already how to say "thank you," "yes" and "no." Next week I'll try to master "hello" and "goodbye." The Thai language is so foreign to my brain, and unfortunately nothing sticks (I wish the random song lyrics would move aside and make space for Thai words). So, Dan and I have resorted to pointing at things and smiling, and for some odd reason, sometimes communicating in Spanish.

It's quite surreal to be walking past temples that I had seen in images online and in books. I don't think my brain has fully comprehended that I am actually here. I feel as if I am still in the US, paying a visit to "Thai-town" (the Thai equivalent of Chinatown).

So far the food has lived up to expectations. Dan and I went to a restaurant near our hostel last night for dinner-- I didn't have my camera with me, so I'll do my best to describe it. Imagine a live band playing music in the corner, tables overlooking the river, lights hanging from the trees, Dan eating a pad thai dish with water and me a pork noodle soup with lemonade. All for $8. Is this real life?

I was looking for a place that was different than what I was used to; a place where I could learn something new every day; a place where traveling would once again become an adventure...and I'm pretty sure that I found it.

Learning "poco a poco"

2013-04-30T03:29:00.000+10:00

So, we've been in Cuenca over two months now, and have established quite the routine. I try so hard to rebel against establishing routines, but for some reason, it's the first thing I want to do when I get to a new place.

To be honest, my life isn't too much different than normal, aside from the fact that every day is sunny here and most things are 1/4th of the price in the US. And oh yeah, I have a kitten named *Perrito, meaning "puppy" in Spanish (well, a temporary kitten-- we're cat-sitting for 3 months)!

*Just so you know, I did not choose that name.

Some other differences that I have noticed:

- When on the bus in Ecuador, the window seat is often left open, while Ecuadorians sit in the aisle. This might be considered rude in the United States, but here it's apparently normal.

- Restaurants advertise food using pictures outside of the restaurant. However, the picture is not of a meal they have created in their restaurant, but rather, a completely random picture. Once Dan ordered an ice cream sundae that was shown in the picture to have nuts, chocolate, and crumbled cookie toppings. When it arrived, it was a plain cup with sprinkles.

- Lighter skin is admired in Ecuador. It probably doesn't make sense to them why Americans would go tanning.

- Ecuadorians often interrupt bus rides to try to sell items to you. First, they will walk down the aisle and give everyone an item, which those unfamiliar with this trend might assume to be free. Then they will advertise. After they finish their advertising spiel, they walk around to either collect back the item or to collect your cash in exchange for the item. This forces you to directly reject their item, rather than just politely look away in an attempt to avoid eye contact (my usual technique). The odd thing is, at least 25% of the bus always buys the item for sale!

Some Interesting Facts about Ecuador:
- Ecuador exports more bananas than any other country in the world. That's probably why you can buy 16 bananas here for $1.

- Ecuador is a little smaller than the state of Nevada. That puts things into perspective a bit. And now it makes a little more sense why Ecuador has won only one Olympic gold medal (the Men's 20km walk in 1996).

- Panama hats are of Ecuadorian origin. Not sure why they are called "Panama" hats.

- Ecuador is home to the highest active volcano in the world, Cotapaxi Volcano. I hope to visit there before I leave!

Cuenca, Ecuador

2013-03-19T00:47:00.002+11:00

Wow, I can’t believe it’s been over a month already since I last updated. I am currently in Cuenca, Ecuador as I write this, and have been here for the past two weeks.

We decided to move away from Canoa; the major reason being the lack of reliable Internet. There were several times where the entire town of Canoa lost electricity for hours for no apparent reason. During these times, no one seemed to be the least bit affected as they continued about their normal lives knowing that the electricity would come back…eventually.

My online business has been growing more quickly than anticipated and the random electricity outages were putting quite a damper on it. In our three weeks on the coast, we learned that the coast of a third world country in a town of 600 people might not be the best place for me to work on my business.

So, here we are in Cuenca, the third largest city in Ecuador and one of the cheapest cities in the world. If you google Cuenca, you will come across a ton of websites with advice on how to retire here. There are tons of over-65 year old ex-pats roaming the city (and tons of businesses that cater directly to them!)

Just to put things in perspective a bit: we are living in a 1 BR apartment in the center of the city, within walking distance from everything we could possibly need for $350 a month ($175 each).

A typical lunch or “almuerzo” costs about $2 and consists of a small appetizer (typically a bowl of popcorn or roasted maize kernels), a hearty soup, a meal of rice and meat, fruit juice (my favorite!) and sometimes a small dessert. Dinner is not much more expensive. At the market I can buy 18 bananas for $1 (I have become obsessed with plantains), or 4 mangos or avocados for the same price. And did I mention that the market is right across the street? Dan and I have even joined a Cross-fit gym for $35 a month (the same gym would cost $200 a month in the US!)

Luckily, Ecuador uses the US dollar, but nobody ever seems to have change for anything larger than a $10. It’s almost impossible to buy something with a $20 bill that costs less than $18.

The bus costs 25 cents, so collecting change has become a hobby of ours. However, I have noticed that it is common for passengers to pay with 50 cent coins and then stand in the front of the bus awaiting the next passenger who will give their 25 cent coin directly to them. Quite a system.

The weather here is the same every day: about 60-65 degrees in the morning, and 65-75 degrees at noon. We came during rainy season so it usually rains for about an hour from 3pm-4pm. Not the best weather for the wardrobe I packed (which consists of bathing suits and sundresses), but I’ve made due.

Cuenca is a very colonial-esque town, with cobblestone streets and tons of cathedrals. Apparently there are 52 churches in Cuenca, one for each Sunday of the week. We happen to live directly across from the largest Cathedral in the city, which provides for gorgeous views and terrible 6am Sunday church bell alarm clocks. For some odd reason the church enjoys playing the Titanic theme song, and for some even odder reason, I can never seem to stop humming it.

The city is surrounded on all sides by mountains, which make hiking pretty convenient. El Cajas National Park, a national park in the highlands full of mountains, lagoons and hovering clouds is just 40 minutes away by bus.

Other things I’ve learned:

In Ecuador the soap used as laundry detergent and the soap used for bathing look almost identical. Yep, we’ve been washing ourselves with laundry detergent...

The search for Internet...

2013-02-18T00:01:00.002+11:00

Our first week in Ecuador has definitely been different than anticipated. After Carnaval the hostel we were staying at almost cleared out and the population of Canoa dropped by at least 50%. The streets have quieted down and the true beauty of this small town has begun to shine through. However, so have the downsides. The main downside being the lack of Internet.

I had originally thought that I could live anywhere in the world. I have recently learned that that statement should be clarified-- I can live anywhere in the world that has a working Internet connection.

Dan and my first few days here were spent traveling around the town to every hostel to check the Internet speeds. I feel like a spoiled American endlessly searching to find an Internet connection equivalent to the one I had in the States. Ecuadorians here don't seem to understand the importance of Internet since most of them or either vacationing or don't rely solely on the Internet as their source of income.

A few of my lessons had to be cancelled and others tested not only English skills, but also the patience of my students. After a few days of searching, we decided that we'd have to pay up for our own connection, or leave this town.

That's when an opportunity was offered to us. The couple managing our hostel told us that they were leaving for a month and asked if Dan and I would run the hostel while they were gone. They told us that they'd try their best to get a router and Internet connection installed before they left. Our sole responsibilities would be to tidy up the rooms, refill the water jugs, empty the trash, and feed the dogs. In exchange we'd have a free place to stay, and the pretty cool experience of running a hostel. At first this idea sounded great...but soon we began to learn more.

The hostel was not registered and not legally allowed to be operating. No wonder all Ecuadorians were turned away! The owners were drug dealers. Last year there was some sort of fight in the hostel that led to things being set on fire. After doing some research and learning that the punishment for being caught with drugs could be twelve years in an Ecuadorian prison and that Ecuadorians were guilty until proven innocent, Dan and I decided to decline the offer.

Instead we moved into a beautiful condo complex 15 minutes down the road with Internet already installed. We're renting the condo for 2 weeks until we decide what to do next...

Our current home...

Things I've learned so far about Ecuador:

Getting about 20 small bug bites on each elbow is a normal occurrence and something not to be worried about.

The drug trade is quite rampant on the coast.

It is normal for giant lizards (slash miniature crocodiles) and fist-sized crabs to run around hostels.

It is possible to eat a meal containing shrimp for $2.

I've learned the definition of the slang term "square" and that Dan and I are as square as they come.

Salt-water showers don't do wonders for the skin. And salt-water teeth brushing isn't so great, either.

I can tell almost the exact humidity level by the curliness of my hair.

I have no self-restraint when it comes to itching my mosquito bites. This has and will continue to result in scars developing on my legs. But at the time, it's worth it.

Wi-fi is pronounced "wee-fee" and I love to say it.

We made it to Canoa, Ecador!

2013-02-13T12:34:00.000+11:00

We made it. And it was definitely a blog-worthy journey.

We spent our first day in Quito wandering around aimlessly trying to take as much of the city in as possible in just one day. I learned that Quito is the highest elevated capital city in the world, making me feel a little less embarrassed about how out of breath I was walking up the stairs to our hostel room.

Quito was oddly similar to how I imagined it would be: a typical South American city surrounded by mountains partially hidden by clouds.

Most of our afternoon was spent in an attempt to find Terminal Terrestre, what we thought was the main bus terminal in Quito, and where we would need to get a bus to Canoa. After several people gave us different directions, we came to the realization that “Terminal Terrestre” was in fact not a bus-hub, but rather the name of every bus station in Quito. After hours spent searching, we found the bus we needed and discovered it only left once per day, at 10:45pm.

We decided to buy a ticket for that night and by 10:45pm we were on the bus headed for Canoa. The person who sold us the ticket told us that we’d arrive to Canoa at 6am, so you could imagine our surprise when the bus came to a stop at 4am and everyone got off. “Canoa,” the bus driver announced. We had arrived…at four in the morning…to a town we knew nothing about…without any place to stay for what was left of the night.

Everyone grabbed their backpacks and went off on their way while Dan and I stood there in a half-awake state of confusion. Turns out this weekend is Carnaval in Ecuador and Canoa just happens to be one of the places where Ecuadorians flock to celebrate. So, the streets were bustling with people.

As Dan and I wandered around, we might as well have had “GRINGOS” stamped across our foreheads. If our huge backpacks didn't give us away, Dan's baseball hat and my yoga pants sure did. We knocked on some hostel doors and were met with the same response, “No hay habitaciones.”

And just when we thought we were out of luck, a man dressed in all white, with a Ecuadorian style hat (which I will most likely think is stylish in a couple of weeks) approached us.

“Hola,” he said with a large smile.

“Hola,” we replied.

“No hablamos,” (“We no speak”) Dan replied.

(For some reason Dan always forgets to include “Espanol” at the end of this statement).

We made our best attempt at a conversation with this man (in a terrible mix of butchered Spanish and English), who we later learned was named Christian.

Pretty soon he was calling us his "amigos."

He told us that all of the hostels were full because of Carnaval and offered us his car to sleep in. We took him up on his offer and spent the early morning sprawled out in his car (Sorry mom, but I was surprisingly more hesitant than Dan!) We slept about 3 hours before the sun was glaring through the windows.

We decided that it was best not to wait for Christian to return. We left him a “thank you” note and were on our way…

Walking down the streets carrying all of our belongings and dripping sweat, we were lucky enough to run into some English speakers who offered us a place to stay for the rest of Carnaval. The rates are a bit higher than usual ($40 a night) because of the holiday, but they told us they'd be dropping once the holiday was over...

Ecuador, here we come!

2013-02-10T01:07:00.003+11:00

So, a lot has happened in the last two months. I quit my job. I said goodbye to Chicago. I started my own online English teaching business (with the help of Dan designing my website). I got stuck in a blizzard in the middle of Pennsylvania. And I packed up all my belongings into a backpack, and booked a one-way ticket to Ecuador with Dan. Gosh, it seems crazy when I write it out. Then again, maybe it is…

I’m traveling once again so my blog will be updated regularly. For some reason I only think my life is interesting enough to write about when I am traveling.

Our flight leaves today at 5:35pm. I could choose any place in the world to move to, so how did I make up my extremely indecisive mind? I’m glad you asked.

My primary goal is to learn Spanish and to live somewhere inexpensive, so my choices were quickly narrowed down to South American countries. From there, I relied upon Google. My Google searches were phrases such as, “Cheap places to live in South America,” “Best surfing towns in South America,” “Best beaches in South America”…And one place seemed to match up quite well: Canoa, Ecuador, a small fishing village on the coast of Ecuador, about 7 hours west of Quito (the nearest airport).

According to Internet sources (which oddly haven’t been updated since 2007), Canoa is a peaceful village where you can go fishing, surfing, hang gliding, mountain biking or horseback riding. All while living in an apartment on the beach for $350 a month (split with Dan!) and eating seafood dinners for $1.50. The weather varies from 70 to 90 degrees all year long. How had I not known that places like this exist?

It seems too good to be true. We’ll see if it is.

"I haven’t been everywhere, but it’s on my list"

2012-12-07T15:01:00.005+11:00

Okay, so it has been a year since I last wrote...I have spent the last two years teaching at an international language school in downtown Chicago. During those two years I have met some amazing people from all around the world.

So what have I learned? Well, I've learned a ton about English grammar.

I've learned a lot about different cultures...I've learned that Chinese people don't actually eat fortune cookies, nor do they even know what they are. And they like to make hardboiled eggs, marinate them in gravy and preserve them in plastic as a snack. I've learned that Saudi Arabians have licenses that they must carry around declaring whom they are married to. And that in the Middle East, it is unethical to eat with the left hand. I've learned to never write a Korean student's name in red pen, because it indicates that I want something terrible to happen to them. I've learned that in Russia an odd number of flowers is bad luck, and that a nod of the head actually means "no" in Bulgaria.

In addition, I've learned that first impressions are almost always inaccurate. And that different perspectives can be fascinating, and people open to hearing them are the best type of people. I've learned that teaching is one of the most life-consuming, but satisfying jobs there is. I've learned that there is so much more of the world left to see and experience firsthand.

And...I've learned that no matter how many times your brain tells your eye sockets not to cry, tears are not something that you can control.

It's been awhile...

2011-12-04T06:02:00.001+11:00

I know I haven't updated in a while. So what have I been up to for the past six months? Well, I'm still living in Chicago. For almost nine months now...

Oddly enough, it still feels new to me, and strange when I talk about it to other people. I guess because I never expected to spend even a small part of my life in a city colder than NYC. But aside from the weather, Chicago is a pretty great city, with blue water, clean streets, affordable rent and space to move around on the streets (four things that I'll be honest and admit NYC does not have...) I'm stuck in that awkward time when I go to New York and the people I know in Chicago tell me to have a safe trip "home." And then I leave New York and my family and friends tell me the same exact thing. It's hard for me to consider Chicago "home," but that's probably because I know I won't be here forever. In fact, I probably won't be anywhere forever. (The travel bug is a sickness that never seems to go away...) And you know what? I'm alright with that...

I am still teaching ESL. Yes, I know, it's hard to believe that I have stuck with the same job for a year and a half now. Quite the accomplishment.

The past seven months I have spent teaching at Education First, an international language school in downtown Chicago. My classes consist of students from all over the world. I spend three hours a day with each class, teaching them English (sometimes teaching myself before class), and in exchange learning about the customs and traditions from all around the world. That's more time than I spend with my family, my friends, and even Dan, who I live with.

Yesterday, my students graduated.

My speech to my students went something like this, "I am going to make this short and sweet, because I am trying not to cry. This was my first group of students...(first teardrop begins formation), and I'm going (trying so hard to contain myself)...to miss (oh no, I can't stop it)...you all (full on tears)." Due to an inability to call each student up by their name I gestured for the entire class to come up to the front of the room to receive their certificates. I have to admit that this was my first time crying in front of a group of 100 or so people. Embarrassing? I'd say so.

It might be because it's that time of the month, or because in saying "goodbye" to this group of students, I was also saying "goodbye" to a part of myself. Over the last seven months I have seen these students grow from timid foreigners with only a beginner's knowledge of English, into confident English speakers that I now consider to be friends. At first, they could barely understand a word I said. But by the end, we had shared stories about our lives, our passions, and our opinions on almost every topic imaginable. They know almost everything about me, and I know a darn lot about them too.

Some of my students live up to their stereotypes (some of the South American students are affectionate, the Asian students are studious, and the Russian students seem a bit cold), but what is amazing is that fact that so many don't.

Tomorrow I start again with a new class. A new group of students, who I'm sure will be much different than the first...

26 days, 1200 miles, on a bicycle...

2011-06-03T07:03:00.001+10:00

Sometimes out of the hardest challenges, come the greatest lessons learned.

As I sit at the airport writing this, I feel strange not having my bicycle alongside me. After 26 days and over 1200 miles of riding, my bicycle has become a home to me. The seat rubbing against my padded shorts, the noise of my un-oiled chains turning as I peddle, and the constant feeling of soreness in my legs, have all become familiar to me. My bicycle and I have developed a love/hate relationship, characteristic of two things that spend every waking moment together. I battled with the clip-ins at first, but I eventually developed a routine when it came to switching gears and manuvering through traffic. Biking quickly switched from being a casual hobby to my full time job, spending 7-8 hours a day leaning forward with arms outstretched and legs rotating almost unconsciously.

Before the trip I had never been to Canada nor the Pacific Northwest; now I can confidently say that I have.

When bicycle touring, life is fairly simple. I began to realize what things are truly important at the moment, typically being either food, water or finding a place to sleep. I learned that everything I need to survive can fit easily onto the back of a bicycle. I began to cherish the small things: moments of sunshine, clean clothes, dry towels, free food samples at the grocery store.

There were times that were rough; days filled with rain, falling over railroad tracks, moments when my entire body was cold and wet, never ending hills and even dog attacks (dogs leaped over streams and jumped through barbed wire fences to attack us). But, squeezed in between were some of the most memorable experiences I have ever had.

About half of our nights were spent camping, but the other half were spent staying at homes offered to us through couchsurfing.com and warmshowers.org (two of the best websites ever created). And those experiences truly defined our trip. To me, one of the best parts of traveling is your encounters with locals along the way.

We stayed with people from many different walks of life: fishermen who informed us about the wind speeds we'd encounter ahead, a nurse who worked purely to fund his windsurfing addiction, a tree cutter who started his own business in the heart of the California redwoods, a hippie who converted a schoolbus into a place for travelers to stay, a jobless, homeless engineer who gave up everything he had to hit the road, a physicist who supported himself and his family through solar energy and farming, a German couple who had toured ten countries and spent two hours helping us fix a broken spoke, a retired couple who decided to embark on a two year tandem bicycle ride, a park ranger whose cooking and drawing skills were unmatched, a yoga instructor, falconer, and horse back riding instructor who all followed their passions to end up where they are. The generousity of the people we met along the way is indescribable.

Along the way, I learned some things...

- The rumors are true; it rains a lot in the Pacific Northwest. But people are willing to accept it in exchange for the mountains and beautiful coastline.

- You say and do ridiculous things when your body is exhausted.

- Leaving food outside the tent while camping is not a good idea.

- Goats can get aggressive.

- Oatmeal can taste good when smothered in sugar.

- Sometimes the most terrible moments later make for the funniest.

- Changing a flat tire isn't too hard if you know what you're doing. Changing a spoke is.

- Getting stuck in an elevator is a lot less scary when the door is transparent, and also a lot more humorous.

- A lot can be learned about a person by entering into their home.

- Taking your helmet off when not riding might sound like the appropriate thing to do, but sometimes it's just more convenient to keep it on.

- Biking without sunscreen can cause really awkward tan lines.

Follow my bike trip!

2011-05-20T11:16:00.001+10:00