Passport Stamps

Travel and Friendship

2012-02-09T12:51:00.000-08:00

The thrill of meeting new people is one of the most exciting components of travel. For a quick second or minute or day or week, I can forget about the realities of my life and assume the role of a fearless adventurer. I can shake off all the restrictions that tie me down in the real world and fully connect with another human being. The friends you make while traveling, however, rarely become life long friends. Once all parties return home, a break in communication slowly builds because everyone has to deal with the realities of their physical lives. Two summers ago, I backpacked and volunteered in South East Asia. You can read about my experience here, here,here and here. While I was at a hostel in Bangkok, on an unsuspecting night, this guy from Chicago who lives New York City joined our international group on the balcony. He was a pretty cool and laid back guy so we decided to travel to Cambodia together.

My buddy at I with our new friends.
Angkor Wat? bar, Siem reap, Cambodia.
Summer 2010

You can read more about the experience in this post. I think we traveled together for about five days or less but we instantly became good friends. When we were done exploring Siem Reap, he left Cambodia and I continued exploring southward. Because of the nature of travel friendships, I really didn't expect to see him again. However, we kept in contact every now and then via email.

With Canadian backpackers at the same bar.
I met them again in the Southern region of Cambodia
Summer 2010

I visit New York City regularly so whenever I'm in town, we try to hang out. When we first met in South East Asia, he had talked about visiting Cameroon. Yes! in case you were wondering about my nationality, I am from Cameroon. There is a post about my blog on yahoo answers saying I am Nigerian. As much as I love Naija, Cameroon has claimed me lol.

On our way to the see the magnificent Angkor Wat temples
Siem Reap, Cambodia
Summer 2010

Anyways, back to the story. So my friend said he wanted to visit Cameroon. I never took him seriously until he purchased his plane ticket. He ended up visiting me in Cameroon about a month ago and it was, without the doubt, the best travel experience of my life. This is the first time a foreigner has ever visited me in Cameroon so it felt like I was also rediscovering a new Cameroon for the first time. At this point, we are more than just friends. I would proudly call him my brother. We got to know each other better, he was jokingly adopted by my parents, my friends love him and my siblings get along with him very well.

Chutes de la Lobé,
Kribi, Cameroon
January 2012

The moral of the story is the next time you travel, you might find family. When I bounce back from blogging laziness, I will chronicle my adventures in Cameroon. I will also do posts about the do's and don'ts of traveling to Africa. Cheers mates!

Sondre Lerche does Beyonce

2012-02-04T12:42:00.000-08:00

Happy 2012 everyone. I hope the new year is living up to your wildest expectations. Let's get right into this shall we? My favourite Norwegian artist Sondre Lerche decided to do a cover of Beyonce's hit song Countdown. The result? EXPLOSIVE. I absolutely love his indie interpretation of such a classic r/b song. Below is a clip of Beyonce performing Countdown on Jimmy Fallon live.

Sondre's cover

Brilliant ain't it? soothes the soul like warm tea. To download a free copy of the song on Sondre's website, click here...and that's all folks, for now anyways. I spent the last month in THE MOTHERLAND aka mama Africa so I will be back soon with some proper travel posts. My last visit was over 2 years ago so this was a very special voyage for me.

Cheers!

Washington DC in a week

2011-12-01T14:40:00.000-08:00

Legendary cupcakes

Seasoned to perfection

I attempted to crash a private screening of Tinker Tailor Soldier spy because Gary Oldman himself was in attendance...didn't work out so well.

Chinatown

At the French Embassy

My new kicks. Totes dope! I'm in love.

Cannot wait for this movie. Fassbender, Virgo and Keira Knightley? Talk about the holy trinity.

I was fascinated by the glow of this electric water purifying system.

This is not DC. This was taken today, in my disheveled office on campus. I should be writing research papers not taking pictures. Oh well...

Shingai Shoniwa bikes for breast cancer

2011-10-30T21:53:00.000-07:00

Shingai is currently the face of Nike Training club. It's the perfect gig for Shing because the gal is fit and gorgeous. Her mum was inspired to start a charity organisation called Ponayi after recovering from breast cancer last year. To raise money for Ponayi, Shing biked from London to Brighton (a whopping 70 miles) fully bedecked in Nike gear and a customised African headdress inspired helmet. Only you Shingai, only you. Check out the full Glam UK piece when you have a chance. Also check out this informative interview Shing did with planetnotion.

video platform video management video solutions video player

Reason number 1,984,984,382,678,302,987,567 why I am hopelessly in love in Shingai. This post is making me yearn for a chilly London afternoon. Who wants to travel to London with me? let's book our plane ticket, fly over and bike from London to Brighton. We can camp on a mountain top, start a fireplace, drink booze and watch the stars. Let's do it. Now!!!

Tallgrass Film Festival

2011-10-24T18:52:00.000-07:00

This weekend was the annual Tallgrass Film Festival held in Wichita, Kansas. Yes! a film festival in the nucleus of America's Bible belt. Your eyes are not deceiving you. Founded in 2003 by Timothy Gruver, it screens over 100 movies every year. For what its worth, Tallgrass is decent. The diversity of movies is impressive and the turn out encouraging. In case you haven't noticed, I'm a huge fan of cinema so what do you do on a weekend with no homework or student papers to grade? crash a film festival.

9 in the morning, ready for the first feature

The first movie I watched was Circumstance (Sharayet), an Iran-based movie written and directed by Iranian-American filmmaker Maryam Keshavarz. The movie was released to critical acclaim and won the audience award at the 2011 Sundance film festival. The performances are astounding and the soundtrack beautifully heartbreaking. It is definitely a side of Iran the Western media has tried laboriously to hide from the public. Check it out and be wowed. Here's the trailer.

Off to the iconic Orpheum Theatre for the next movie.

Ticket purchase booth.

The ceiling of the Theatre.

An original 1951 poster used to market A Street Car Named Desire. The theatre opened in 1922 so it has tons of historic pieces lying around. You can't even begin to fathom how excited I was to see this poster. To say I'm a huge Brando fan would be understatement.

The theatre bathroom was heaps cool

Had my tallgrass ale beer ready for the next feature. The movie is called Tyrannosaur by British actor-screenwriter-turned-director Paddy Considine. To be completely honest, this movie is the only reason why I came to this festival. I'm a huge fan of Paddy's work so it was impossible for me miss his feature film debut. The movie did not disappoint, Paddy did not disappoint. He, together with his phenomenal actors, delivered. I was a little bumped he was not present with his crew for a Q&A session but then again, I'm sure they have better things to do than coming to Wichita. When the closing credits rolled, I was speechless. There was so much emotion in me, I could not speak or breathe. It is that good of a movie. Tyrannosaur has been picking up some major Oscar buzz especially for Olivia Colman in the best actress category. My British readers probably recognise Olivia from the comedy series Peep Show. Trust me, there is no sign of a comedy in her performance. Olivia will leave you heartbroken, shattered, devastated and ultimately destroyed. I know I'm just an amateur blogger and what not but if I had a vote, Olivia Colman will be my choice for best actress Oscar 2012 (that is until I see Meryl Streep in The Iron Lady which, coincidentally, also stars Colman in a supporting role). Here's the trailer.

Ingenious! Here's a bonus video of Paddy, the amazing Peter Mullan and Colman at the Sundance Film Festival.

After such an intense cinematic experience, I needed alcohol. You know me ;-)
My beverage of choice? Caipirinha, a true Brazilian delight.

Next up? Tostones. After my summer in Puerto Rico, I can't get enough of this plantain dish. I have to confess though, I do make better Tostones than this restaurant.

Salad to top it all off and that was it for the day. On Sunday, I checked out a documentary called Elevate and later enjoyed limitless free wine and snacks at the closing Tallgrass Film Festival gala. I was too intoxicated to take any pictures so let your imagination roam wild.

That's all folks
Hasta Luego

^ ^

The Tattoos

2011-10-16T10:55:00.000-07:00

Recycle sign. I was dumb enough to get my first two tats on two of the most sensitive parts of the body. Not pleasant. Not pleasant at all but my tat artist took very good care of me.

From Arthur Rimbaud's Une Sainson en enfer.

“Elle est retrouvée.
Quoi? - L’Éternité.
C’est la mer allée
Avec le soleil.”

Translating poetry can be tricky. Many a time, translators focus on language and ignore the essence. I think the below translation does justice to the original text.

“It has been found again.
What? – Eternity.
It is the sea
Mingled with the sun.”

Tats recovery stage. My skin smelt like animal flesh when I took those wraps off.

More recovery.

I got the tats over the summer at this place called Harisumi in San Juan, Puerto Rico. It is a little pricey but you get seasoned tattoo artists and unrivaled service. All in all, a remarkable experience. I promise to be back soon with an epic post. Stay safe.

P.S
Passport Stamps is finally on twitter. Spread the love lovely people
^ ^

RIP Wangari Maathai

2011-09-26T08:12:00.000-07:00

I woke up to unsettling news today: The death of Wangari Maathi. For a budding environmentalist like myself, mama Maathi was not only an inspiration but a role model. Her fearless environmental and humanitarian work in Africa and the world at large is truly unmatched. Death is, ironically, part of life. As cruel as it sounds, we are doing ourselves a great disfavour if we think otherwise. I'm heaps gutted that mama Maathi is no longer with us but I'm happy too, happy that she left us with so much legacy. She left us with the reality of what we are, what we have done, what we are doing and most importantly, what we could do. Mama Maathi, you have been through a lot. Go now and rest in peace. We love you.

An Organic Puerto Rican Summer

2011-08-16T15:44:00.000-07:00

I'm back in the hostel, the same hostel that welcomed me to Puerto Rico. It's been about two and a half months since I last slept under this roof but it doesn't feel like it; physically, the environment looks different but the essence hasn't changed. I am sitting by balcony, typing on this laptop of course, and watching rain fall from the beautifully gloomy sky. The wind is wrestling with humidity and judging by the gentle coolness caressing my back, the former is winning.

San Juan International Hostel

As I said in this post, I had no major expectations about the trip but nothing, absolutely nothing, could have prepared me for how drastically my life was going of change. I began the trip in this hostel on Calle America, a street with a very latin flavor. I met a guy from New Zealand who was embarking on a year-long journey across the globe and we did some exploring together.

San Juan. This was put up by the political party that wants independence/self-determination for Puerto Rico. In case you didn't know Puerto Rico is a colony, um I mean territory of the USA.

San Juan is a beautiful city, it really is but I won't recommend staying there for more than a week; the best of Puerto Rico is definitely NOT in the big cities. After the fourth day, I hopped on the metro to the city Bayamon to catch my ride to the Central Western mountains of Utuado. Why Utuado? to volunteer on an organic farming. www.living-organic.net defines organic farming as "...the process of producing food naturally. This method avoids the use of synthetic chemical fertilizers and genetically modified organisms to influence the growth of crops. The main idea behind organic farming is ‘zero impact’ on the environment. The motto of the organic farmer is to protect the earth’s resources and produce safe, healthy food." Sounds easy and practical right? it actually isn't. With the ever looming presence of gigantic food co-operations, with the sole goal of making profit regardless of health effects, the job of the organic farmer is an extraordinarily difficult one. I will talk about more this in another poster dedicated to this subject. Back to Utuado. I stayed in Utuado for over a month, in my humble little tent next to the vegetable garden.

The irony is I didn't learn a lot about organic farming while there. The organisation I was volunteering with had a natural building project in the city of Arecibo so I had to help with that. I spent three weeks helping on the project and my feelings about the experience are mixed. Can I just say that I have gained a new found respect for construction workers? the next time to see a construction worker, please stop him or her and shake his or her hand. Construction is tough work; very tough and it entails a lot of science. People look down on construction workers but they are certainly more skilled and educated than most of us.

The natural building project in Arecibo

What made the project even more special was that it was natural building. Natural building is basically a range of building systems emphasizing sustainability. The goal is to use recycled materials, renewable resources and other minimally processed materials to build durable and eco-friendly buildings. Working on this project made me to start thinking about self-sustainability.

The building's exterior

Why do I need to pay a ridiculous amount of money for a house when I can build a more durable one myself which is not only better for the environment but it's also more comfortable (natural buildings have better indoor air quality). While I was learning a lot, I came to Puerto Rico for organic farming and not construction.

So I didn't learn very much about organic farming in Utuado but I learned other valuable things, I learned to appreciate nature, see her in her purest form, respect her, adore her and apologize, on behalf of mankind, for all the insanely maddening things we are doing to her. I know, I know, I am starting to sound like a keep-peace-alive hippie but you do get a different perspective when you live in nature, completely detached from technology and her distractions.

What I am most grateful for about my time in Utuado are all the friends I made, Katie in particular. She studies horticulture and was also volunteering on the farm. Katie is heaps cool and we had an amazing time together. In between the natural building project at Arecibo and Utuado, we squeezed in time for some sight seeing and other unexpected adventures.

When the opportunity came for me to volunteer with thirty-something couple from the city of Camuy. I did not hesitate to grab it. I had met them on couple of occasions before while in Utuado and I knew they were good people. I was willing to volunteer with them because I knew they were both agronomists and I was guaranteed a learn something sizable about organic farming with them. As usual, I had very little expectations. In fact, I was only planning to spend a week or two with them and return to Utuado. After my first day with them, I knew I wasn't going back. They taught me everything I wanted to know about organic farming and more.

Me. Hard at work.

They have a little farm behind their house and I learned heaps from working on it. Not only are these guys remarkable organic farmers, they are remarkable people. They welcomed me into their lives with honesty and open arms and for that, I will forever be grateful. I am going to do a more detailed post sometime later about this amazing couple and my experience on their farm and also about volunteering abroad on organic farms.

The next time you see an organic farmer, please shake his or her hand. It's tough work. It's tough because they work in an industry dominated by food co-operations with pesticides and factory farms and high fructose corn syrup and most importantly low prices (as a result of mass production and government subsidies). I mean how do they compete with that? Isn't it ironic that the people who supply healthy food have been marginalised not only by their governments but the consumers too?

Vera

During my time in Camuy, we were able to squeeze in some adventures too like an electrifying Damian Marley concert in San Juan ( his back-up singers/dancers were FIRE!!!! those girls literally SHUT IT DOWN), the waterfalls in San Sebastian, indian cave in Arecibo etc etc and sometime in between all of this, I had two tattoos and became a vegetarian.

Sunrise. Utuado.

Salsa in the salon.

Working hard at a vegetarian workshop.

Planting beans in Camuy. This was taken about a week or less after planting.

And back to this hostel. It has stopped raining and humidity is stealthily creeping in. Backpackers are returning from the day's adventure and the fans are whirring louder than before. I catch a plane out of Puerto Rico tomorrow and it's back to school. I'm not excited about that of course but I have a year left to complete my Masters degree so I'll try to make the best of it. Preparations for my December/January travel plans are already on the way and it is going to be major. I am beyond excited but you know I won't spill any details, at least for now.

I'm done, finally. Now! how was your summer????

Saludos desde Puerto Rico

2011-06-04T14:16:00.000-07:00

More updates coming soon.
XoXo

Fort Myers, Florida's best kept secret

2011-05-27T11:57:00.000-07:00

If you are ever looking for a different side of Florida, something outside the radar of tourist traps, then Fort Myers is your place. What Fort Myers has to offer is a unique and excitingly different realm of Southern culture. The city is inexpensive, the people are compassionate and the food is good. Where to stay?

The River District Hostel. One thing I have noticed about traveling in America is that outside the big cities (Chicago, NYC etc), hostel culture is nonexistent. River District is an exception.It has that hostel ambiance but feels like a home at the same time. There is a huge TV with an array of DVDS, a home-style living room, comfortable beds and a fully stacked kitchen and when I say fully stacked, I mean FULLY STACKED with everything: from a rice cooker to frying pans to Southern spices, it has everything. All of these free amenities are at insanely affordable prices. I spent $27 per night. Still don't believe me? head over to Trip Advisor or Hostelworld or travellerspoint.com and read the reviews by travelers.

It was also the top rated hostel of 2009 on hostelworld.com. When it comes to booking hostels, hostelworld.com is the most legit site and before you book a hostel always make sure you read the reviews by other travelers.

The hostel is also within walking distance from the main downtown area

The streets around the area, like the one above, are beautiful and serene. The only negative thing about the hostel's location is its distance from the beach. The beach is about a 30 minutes drive away (much less if there is no traffic). I didn't have a vehicle so the bus was one of our options. The bus ride to the beach takes much longer because it makes multiple stops. This is a very inexpensive option if you are patient. Make sure you check the bus schedules so you know when to catch the returning bus from the beach. You can also consider taking a cab if you are with friends. You can arrange a fare with the cab driver. My friend and I negotiated a 20$ fare ($10 per person) and then took the bus for our return trip.

Reading Butcher Boy by Patrick McCabe, a very disturbingly good book

Beautiful sunset

New year 2011 celebration downtown

This band is called No Way Jose and we jammed to their music the entire night. They played everything: rock n' roll, salsa, reggae, everything. You name it, they played it.

And here I am doing tree-assisted headstands on the streets. I don't recall if I was intoxicated at this point (I probably was).

In the hostel the following day, making wonderful Happy New Year food. You buy your own food but all the kitchen utensils are provided by the hostel. Didn't I tell you the kitchen was FULLY STACKED?

My headstands once again, using the jacuzzi for support. Did I also forget to tell you that the hostel has a free jacuzzi? oh my god, it is remarkably relaxing. I wanted to stay in there forever.

And that's all folks. I'll leave you with a picture of this big guy, warmly inviting you to Fort Myers. But before I go, I was just wondering if anyone is having problems logging into their blogger account on Google chrome? the most curious thing. I am not a tech person so I'll be chilling over here at Firefox until the people at blogger or Google accounts sort out their issues. Furthermore, summer is here. Are you guys excited? any travelers out there? what are your plans? any tips on summer travel? I'm thinking about doing something collaborative with other travel blogs but my mind is too soggy at this moment. I will be doing something very different this summer and I can barely contain my excitement. I don't have any major expectations so I'm just going to let myself soak the experience. I will keep you guys updated.

Best regards,
XoXo

Les Chansons D'amour, un film de Christophe Honoré

2011-05-05T16:04:00.000-07:00

I'm anxiously staring at my laptop, biting my finger nails and wondering how I could possibly write a fitting tribute to the genius that is Christophe Honoré. I honestly can't because sometimes words are not enough. His unique vision for storytelling sets him apart from anything else in french cinema. Although he is influenced by great French directors of the Nouvelle Vague movement like Jean Luc Godard, his emotionally-engrossing characters capture the beauty and gloom of modern France. His movies want you to authentically experience the human condition, not quantify it. Les Chansons D'amour is my favorite Christophe Honoré movie for a number of reasons. It is the most unexpected musical you will ever watch. Yes! you heard me right, a musical but not your average American musical. It is a deeply moving intelligent musical with songs that whistle like poetry. In fact, it is poetry, brilliantly written by composer Alex Beaupain. Also, the screenplay is impeccable and the arc of the story will shock you, in a beautiful way. Last but not least, the performances are, for lack of a better word, amazing.

"Je n'aime que toi" is performed by Louis Garrel, Ludivine Sagnier and Clotilde Hesme. The movie focuses on the roller-coaster relationship between these three lovers in Paris. Louis Garrel is a thinking leading man: intelligent, handsome, vulnerable and real. He pretty much puts all 20 something leading actors in Hollywood to shame; truly a tour-de-force performance. Ludivine and Clotilde are super talented and gorgeous.

"As tu deja aime" performed by Gregoire Leprince-Ringuet and Louis Garrel. I have to say, Gregoire gave one of the best performances in the movie. He really captured the naivety of youthful enthusiasm. It is also worthy to note that between 2004 and 2011, Gregoire has garnered an impressive four Cesar nominations for most promising actor. The Cesar awards are the French equivalent of the Oscars.

The cast performing songs from the movie at Divan du Monde. Isn't Clotilde super cute? I just want to hug her and kiss her adorable cheeks. I also love when she calls Louis "parfait diva." Ludivine's voice is divine, pun intended. They have amazing chemistry.

The composer Alex Beaupain performs "Je n'aime que toi" live with Louis and Clotilde

Gregoire and Louis peform "As tu deja aime" live.

"Au Parc" is my personal favorite; Chiara Mastroianni singing a melancholic and beautiful melody. What can I say man? these are talented actors who can act, sing and do it all. So do yourself a favor and watch Les Chansons D'amour. If you genuinely love movies, you won't regret it; a true cinematic experience. Below are photos of the cast at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival

Christophe and Chiara Mastroianni

Clotilde and Louis

Christophe and Ludivine

Louis, Chiara, Alex Beaupain, Clotilde, Ludivine and Monsieur Gregoire

A bonus picture of Gregoire and Ludivine promoting the movie at the same festival

Kam-sam-nida : A summer in South Korea

2011-04-28T08:34:00.000-07:00

A sun ray is lightly heating the surface of my skin and I can smell the exuberance of fresh flowers. You know what that means? summer is here. I spent the summer of 2008 in South Korea and it is an experience I would never forget. Below is an assortment of my favorite pictures.

View of the city Gyeongju from the summit of a hill

Hiking

A traditional Korean performance

Gampo beach

The beautiful city of Busan. I consulted a fortune teller for the first time in this city. I did it just for a few laughs but I have to say, it was quite the experience.

On Busan's crowded beach. People are sitting beneath those orange shades in the background. I have never seen so many people on a single beach before.

Crab munching in the city of Pohang

California Beach in Gyeongju.

Taking shots as a penalty for losing in a drinking game. I'm drinking a beautifully lethal Korean liquor called soju. It's smooth but, um, very effective if you know what I mean. I got massively drunk that night and the truly absurd ensued.

So I got this shirt from someone in Korea. The writing on it is something hilarious or maybe even vulgar. The person who gave me the shirt articulated what it meant but I was too drunk to retain the information. If any of my readers are fluent in Korean or know someone who is can you please help me translate? I'll be forever indebted. Ok! enough about me. What about you guys? do you have any memorable summers or are you planning exciting adventures this summer? I'll love to know. Cheers!!

What's the difference between tourists and guests?

2011-04-04T10:52:00.000-07:00

Courtesy of the Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, USA

Road trip in the US OF A : Kansas, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas and Oklahoma

2011-03-28T12:14:00.000-07:00

Can I just preface this post by saying America is extraordinarily massive? I can't comprehend how the settlers were able to traverse such a huge chunk of the earth with nothing but feet and carriages. Last week Wednesday, I went on a road trip. The drive through Kansas was interesting. Because we avoided the highways, we had to put up with the foul stench of farms, beef industries and slaughterhouses. The car smelt like cow shit but we were too excited to be bothered.

Colorado Springs, Colorado. We stopped at Colorado Springs because we were presenting academic papers at a conference. My paper was Alfonso Cuaron's Y Tu Mama Tambien

At Pikes Peek in Colorado. The scenery was breathtaking.

Ascending Pikes Peek (with a vehicle of course). I felt really nauseous because we were at an incredibly high altitude. So if you are planning on undertaking a similar journey and your body is not familiar with high altitudes, make sure you bring medicine for headache or nausea.

I had stones in my pockets to prevent the wind from knocking me over. I kid, I kid. The winds were pretty tough though. Vehicles were prevented from further ascension because the breeze was out of control.

Jubilating in New Mexico. I am wearing a five year old rubber sandal thingie from Cameroon (Central Africa). In Cameroon, we called them "Nchang" shoes. Some people consider them to be somewhat archaic but I personally think they are stylish and comfortable; I wear them any chance I get. I used the word "them" too much in this paragraph.

Grand Canyon, Arizona.

Shitting a fully-developed human being at the Grand Canyon

We also did a bit of camping in Arizona. If you are ever going camping in Arizona, around the Grand Canyon or Phoenix area, I highly recommend Seven Springs Campground. They have beautiful views, clearly marked hiking trails and nearby rivers. It is also the most inexpensive option; the cost per night is 6 dollars. If you are lucky like us, you won't even pay a dime. There was no rancher or toll gate present when we camped so we stayed there for free. The ride is a little bumpy but it is definitely worth it. So yeah, definitely check out Seven Springs Campground.

Another recommendation; while driving to or from Seven Springs Campground, you'll pass a little town called Cave Creek. There's a gloriously tasty coffee shop in this little town called The Village Coffee shop. Make sure you stop there and enjoy one of the best crepes you will ever have in your life. The beverages will equally massage your taste buds; they use only home-made milk in their coffee and tea. They have a massive sign by the road so you won't miss it.

At a flea market in Cave Creek, Arizona.

Beautiful sky at Cave Creek

Hiking mountains around the Cave Creek area.

Descending

Pool side. Phoenix, Arizona. A generous friend of one of our friends, let us crash at her place. She took time off work to show us all the hot spots around the city.

Palm trees by the pool.

Because my camera is waterproof, I've become a tad bit obsessed underwater photography. I used my fellow travelers as models. This is probably my favorite.

This is also one of my favorites. I wasn't intending to capture her facial exit from the water but it ended up looking tres cool, if I might say so myself. Ok! this post is going on forever so I'll stop here. We drove through Texas and Oklahoma on our way back.

This is the farewell picture of this post. In summary, the road trip was fun. We encountered bad weather in the Grand Canyon on our second day out there so we couldn't hike down the mountains. If you are heading over to the Grand Canyon anytime soon, regularly check weather updates. If you are going to be living in big cities, do lots of research about hostels or hotels and book in advance. Don't drive to Denver, Colorado without reservations like we did and spend hours finding a place to sleep. For the small towns and counties, you don't need any reservations; cheap motels are in abundance. If the weather is nice, I recommend camping; you spend less money and communion with nature. What more could you ask for?

Follow my blog with bloglovin

Trekking in Chiang Mai, Thailand

2011-02-07T11:00:00.000-08:00

Glistening temples, verdant vegetation, bustling nightlife and mouth-watering food makes Chiang Mai one of the most alluring cities in Thailand. Chiang Mai is also seductive to tourists and backpackers because of its top rated physical activity programs at very affordable prices. Some of these activities include trekking, yoga classes, zip lining and bungee jumping.

A motorcyclist driving past a temple

The trekking experience is arguably the most popular and that is exactly why I visited Chiang Mai. If you plan on visiting Chiang Mai, I highly recommend Julie's hostel. It is clean, safe, spacious and criminally affordable. You can get a comfortable bed in a four bed bedroom for as low as 80 baht per night (which is about 2 USD and 60 cents). They also sell ridiculously cheap alcohol(the cheapest you will find in the area) and decently-priced food. Julie's hostel is the quintessential backpacker hotel so you will definitely meet a lot of people. They have a wide open space with chairs, tables, sofas, pool tables etc and everyone sits, drinks, chats and just basically hangs out. At Julie's hostel, you can also book a three day trekking adventure for about 30 USD and I am not even kidding. The 30 USD covers everything: food, transportation, everything. It is one of the cheapest trekking programs in Thailand. However, bring some money with you so that you can buy water, drinks, snacks and souvenirs.

Elephant riding

On the first day of the trekking tour, our tour guide came to the hostel and picked us up very early in the morning. We jumped into the truck and the journey began. We stopped at a beautiful butterfly garden and then at a market to buy food supplies. After a long ride into the jungle, we arrived at the elephant riding center. What is great about this center is they nurture their elephants with great care and even rehabilitate abused elephants.

Elephants getting their drink on

Elephant riding is not as fun as I thought it was going to be. I had my first elephant riding experience in Cambodia and it was uncomfortable and scary. The elephant dawdled on the edge of a hill and our seat tilted downwards everytime. I honestly thought I was going to die haha.

Our elephant in Chiang Mai was hilariously stubborn; all he wanted to do was rest and eat. We bought him a ton of food supplies for the 30 something minute journey but he ate everything in less than five minutes. If we didn't feed him, he'll stop. Forward movement was only guaranteed if we obliged. I couldn't stop laughing at his schemes; he made the ride exceedingly enjoyable.After the elephant ride, we began our five hour trek up hill. I expected mosquitoes to ravage my skin the entire time but it wasn't so bad. We stopped sporadically to eat, chat and drink water.

Taking a break from trekking

After five hours of ascending, we arrived at the first village. Our home for the night was a very comfortable hut at the zenith of the mountain.After our sumptuous meal, we all sat outside, drank beer, played games and listened to our tour guide play the guitar.

At the summit

View from our hut

Toilet/bathroom :-)

We journeyed with two dutch families, two dutch girls and a dutch couple ( 10 Dutch people in general). The mothers embraced my buddy from England and I as if we were their own children; very nice people. Our tour guide was also a blast; words can't express how good of a guide he was. He had me in stitches the entire trip.

Waterfall at village numero 2

This kid swims like a fish.

On the second day, we trekked for about three hours to the second village. The second village was equally amazing. We ate, jumped into the waterfall, drank , relaxed and then continued our journey to third village. The third village was smaller and located downhill. We met some very interesting characters that night and had a splendid time.

Third Village. Vietnamese hats and waterproof ponchos

On the third and last day, we trekked to the river for the whitewater rafting. It was my first rafting experience and I was surprisingly good at it. I handled the paddle like a pro and screamed with excitement every time our boat was on the verge of capsizing.

Strapping up for the whitewater rafting

After that, we did the bamboo rafting which was harder than I predicted. You are basically float on a bamboo raft and then you use a long bamboo stick to paddle forward. I absolutely sucked at it.

Whitewater rafting. Contrary to what this picture is conveying, I was quite brave on the water :-)

After bamboo rafting, we had our final supper and then drove back into town. The trekking adventure in Chiang Mai was one of the highlights of my trip in South East Asia. So if you are ever in Chiang Mai, I recommend Julie's hostel as your choice of accomodation and the three day trekking tour program. Not only was it extrememly fun, I paid about 30 USD for the entire experience (food, accomodation, whitewater rafting, bamboo rafting etc). 30 dollars well spent if you ask me.

Volunteer abroad for free (Thailand, South East Asia)

2011-01-24T13:22:00.000-08:00

As some of you already know, finding a free volunteering program abroad these days is almost impossible. I've never understood the logic behind charging people exorbitant prices to volunteer for free. Before I traveled to South East Asia in the summer, I was fortunate enough to stumble on a volunteer organization called Isara in Nong Khai, North-East Thailand. If you are ever looking for a free and meaningful volunteer organization in Thailand, I highly and unequivocally recommend Isara. I'll tell you why.

Sculpture Park, Nong Khai

Firstly, it is absolutely free. Isara does not charge you a single penny. They provide you with a free place to stay; it is a nice house with a kitchen, bathroom, computers, beautiful backyard et cetera. I should warn you though, after working with Isara and seeing how this small organization is changing lives, you won't resist the urge to open your wallet and donate some money.

Volunteering with the kids at Ban Nong Jang school

In fact, I highly recommend making donations. Even something as small as $ 10 or 20 goes a long way. Secondly, the founder Kirk is an amazing guy. Words can't describe how inspirational Kirk is. He quit his well-paying corporate job in America, moved to Thailand and started Isara.

Volunteering at another school

He has a zero profit motive and all he cares about is the betterment of Nong Khai. There are other volunteer programs in the surrounding regions with massive sponsors but yet they still charge volunteers thousands of dollars. Kirk, on the other hand, is determined to be the moral voice in this wacky and scandal-prone world of volunteering abroad.

To Udon Thani (Thailand) and Vien Tiane (Laos)

Isara makes their money through their website and donations. Thirdly, you would absolutely love volunteering with Isara. Working with these wonderful Thai children will melt your heart. You can teach English, work on recycling projects, play games, assist in computer learning et cetera. There are so many fun things to do in this community.

Right across the river from Isara is the country Laos. If you squint, you can see the Laotian flag.

Last but not the least, you will fall in love with this little town called Nong Khai. The Natives are friendly and engaging; I felt like I was part of a family. I always, always, always bought my food(Somtam and Kao nyao. YUM!) from the same lady and we became good friends even though she spoke very little English and I spoke very little Thai. The food in this town is delicious; very authentic Thai food, not like the commercialised stuff you get in touristy cities like Bangkok and Chiang Mai.

The Isara compound where volunteers live and where some classes are taught

You will also learn a lot of Thai. Because Nong Khai is not a commercialised town, very few people speak English. This is a good thing because it forces you to learn some Thai. When you travel with backpackers from Europe, Australia and North America and you live in touristy hostels and cities, you learn absolutely NO THAI because you have no exposure to Thai people and the culture. Isara offers free Thai classes so you can go out to the street and practice your Thai by ordering food or buying something in the market.

A young schoolboy showing his appreciation to Kirk for the helmets donated by Isara. Motorcycles are the predominant means of transportation in Nong Khai so Kirk started the helmet campaign to ensure the safety of motorcyclists.

I'm starting to ramble so I'll stop but as I said, if you looking for a free and meaningful volunteer program in South East Asia, definitely check out www.isara.org. If you are ever traveling to Thailand or/and South East Asia, definitely stop at Isara. Even if you are only there for a week or two, you won't regret the experience. Their application process is very simple. You don't need any prior experience or degrees or anything like that; all Kirk cares about is your passion to make a difference. You can fill out an application on their website.

Posing with the exceptional students of Ban Nong Jang school. That is James sitting next to me. He's the smartest kid I know.

Before I go, I should tell you this little story. I received a facebook message from Kirk yesterday telling me that the young students I worked with at Bang Nong Jang school said they missed me. I'm not an emotional person but it made me feel all mushy inside. I guess I was surprised to discover that after four months, they still remember me.

On the back of truck with another amazing volunteer

It feels somewhat good to know that in this big, confusing mess of a world, I have somehow and in some obscure way positively contributed to the growth of these exceptional and beautiful children. I'm being cliche right now but fuck it! I'm having a rough week so I've earned my right to be cliche lol Ok! kids, I'm done for real this time. Spread the word and stay safe.

My final day at Isara, posing in front of the Isara logo

Bow Tie

2011-01-16T12:46:00.000-08:00

There is something very enigmatically alluring about bow ties on adult men. I got this little fellow at American Apparel and I decided to keep him. He looks decent, no?

In my little Bisayan town, the guitar strings are loose...

2010-12-24T19:23:00.000-08:00

Christmas at my sister's and I can't stop fondling with her guitar. I've been trying all day to play "Wonderwall" by Oasis and "Save Tonight" by Eagle Eye Cherry to no avail *shrugs* Happy holidays!!

"in my little Bisayan town
the guitar strings are loose
and the sound
becomes musically challenged...

surprisingly
i can sing alone and yet
still be in tune
without things
without so many people

yes, it is this solitude
and the rest becomes mere surplusage"

- Excerpt from "learning to live alone and be happy" by Ric S. Bastasa

Patriot

2010-12-24T01:09:00.000-08:00

Thai flags wagging above the sunset. This was a beautiful day. I took these pictures while waiting for our boat ride. Some days, I wake up wishing I was still backpacking through South East Asia and journeying into Australia and New Zealand. If it wasn't for school and other annoying obstacles, I would embark on a one year backpacking adventure. I'm the epitome of a restless soul.

Skies

2010-12-22T22:26:00.000-08:00

The state of Kansas in America has the best plane-filled skies

R.I.P Arthur Rimbaud

2010-11-10T21:52:00.000-08:00

My favorite poet Arthur Rimbaud died on this day (Novemeber 10th 1891). I am putting up this post to commemorate his exuberant and creative life.

“Elle est retrouvée.
Quoi? - L’Éternité.
C’est la mer allée
Avec le soleil.”

“It has been found again.
What? – Eternity.
It is the sea
Mingled with the sun”

First and last four lines of Eternity by Arthur Rimbaud. 20 October 1854 – 10 November 1891. R.I.P Monsieur Rimbaud.

Noisettes LIVE

2010-10-20T13:46:00.001-07:00

My favorite band Noisettes performing two of my favorite songs "Kilimanjaro" and "Never forget you." I have to say Shingai and the boys absolutely blew me away with their rendition of "Kilimanjaro." I really hope they achieve widespread commercial success with their next album, they deserve it. Here is the original video of Miriam Makeba singing "Kilimanjaro" live.

Phenomenal, absolutely phenomenal. Rest in peace Mama Makeba. As a bonus treat, here are some sexy pictures of Shingai and Dan I found online courtesy of kennaland.com

The Swamp

2010-10-18T08:16:00.000-07:00

The Swamp, Madagascar by Marsel Van Oosten. Mind blowing ain't it?

Meryl Streep is fucking fantastic

2010-10-01T12:37:00.000-07:00

The END!!

Lykke Li

2010-09-30T16:50:00.000-07:00

Why can't I stop listening to this song? Lykke Li sounds like a powerful soul vocalist from the 60s. There's something almost magical about her voice. She reminds me of Wendy Rene

...and in case you don't know who Wendy Rene is, here's a clip of her famous song "After Laughter (comes tears)" It was used in the movie Lucky Number Slevin starring Josh Hartnett and Lucy Liu.