I may be in the jungle now, but it doesn’t feel so long ago that I was in the desert.

It was a truly unique trip, one of the most curious I’ve ever been on. A whirlwind of travel, an actually free lunch and a group of strangers who felt like family by the end. Intense in a myriad of ways. Striking in more. We started in Tel Aviv, looped up through the Golan Heights, peeked into Syria and Lebanon, strolled through Tsfat, and headed south to Jerusalem and the Negev.

We explored ruins, met soldiers, counted stars, floated in the Dead Sea, learned a thousand things new, and attempted (well, some of us) to stay unbiased.

Below are just a few of the highlights!

Quite a far cry from the rainforest!

El Nido, the Philippines

So, that next test I briefly alluded to in the last post?

Well, I better hope that I’m really over my broken leg, because I’m about to tackle much harsher terrain than the city streets of Japan…

Third largest island on the planet. One of the oldest rainforests on Earth. Home to kingfishers, crocodiles, hawks the size of your fist, flying squirrels, proboscis monkeys, pygmy elephants, and orangutans (just to name a few).

Future site of Naomi’s adventures in wilderness treks and SCUBA certification.

Yep, I better damn well hope that I’m over my broken leg, because I’m finally tackling the jungle.

I survived!

No-one is more surprised than me….but first, let me explain.

Japan, to say the least, was an impromptu trip. As of mid-January, I’d been on crutches for almost two and a half months, which had whittled my social life down to the movie nights, dinner parties and booze fests that I could host in my shoebox. Gone were the dinners out, the nights dancing, the days exploring Seoul.

It was lame.

So imagine my reaction when my doctor, for the third time, told me that I’d have to stay crutches on for an additional few weeks.

THE THIRD TIME.

I was ready to assault something, most likely with the crutches themselves.

Instead, I angrily swooped on the computer, looked up the cheapest tickets out of Seoul, and booked a trip to Japan. I may have had to deal with crutches for three months, but the moment I was given the OK to start walking again, I was going on an adventure.*

(Or, at least, a practice adventure.)

Now, I realise this may not have been the most prudent decision. But I can be pretty stubborn sometimes. And I was frustrated and suffering from serious cabin-fever! Even if I only got the go-ahead to start walking a day before my flight, I was determined to go.

Foolish, maybe. Reckless, probably. But as it turns out…

Japan was exactly what I needed. It was close enough that I could get there in the span of a morning, developed enough that I could travel without over-thinking logistics, and similar enough to Korea that I didn’t have to worry about navigating a completely alien culture in addition to dealing with a gimpy leg.

Best of all, Osaka – where I based my stay – is a huge bike town, which wound up being the perfect way for me to get around!

The trip wound up being a lot of relaxed exploring. Cafe neighborhoods, long meals out, gallery hopping, and simple hanging out constituted the majority of my time in Japan. I stayed with some amazing people and had some pretty novel experiences (staying in the red light district and learning Japanese drinking games over hotpot stand out in particular).

I took it easy, never rushed, and simply focused on exploring at my own pace.

I got stronger, more steady back on two legs, and regained the confidence that, yes, I can do this. I can walk. (and that I hadn’t made a dire medical mistake)

So thank you, Japan, for being the best kind of medicine! For getting me walking again, for reminding me how to explore, for showing me how to move on from three months of stupifying stagnation!

Because in just two days, I’m going somewhere that will test me much harsher than an East Asia neighbour…

* this mentality not suggested for everyone. but hey, all’s well that ends well!

There’s one thing that I really, really miss here in Korea.

Y’see, I can be a bit of a hippie sometimes, especially when it comes to food. It’s the Californian influence. Slap the words organic, local, free-range, macrobiotic, or raw vegan on something and I helplessly gravitate towards it.

And where can all of those things converge?

In Oakland, stopping by a farmers market was a weekly habit, and I was drawn to the opportunity to check out the stalls of local farms, talk to the sellers, salivate over the tables of specialty bread and honey and teas and icecream (three twins!) and watch the produce change with the seasons.

I think there’s a real pleasure in picking up something made locally, in small batches, by the very people who produce it.

Here in Seoul, we have wet markets with produce sold by middle-men, and old ladies parked on the sidewalk with a few bowls of veggies for sale, but of Western-style farmers markets? None.

So during my trek up through the Pacific Northwest, there were more than a few occasions when I found myself checking out the local markets.

In Portland, there was a Saturday market made up mostly of those ubiquitous food carts.

In Seattle, my host took me to one in his neighborhood with an abundance of artisanal products.

(and some of the best raincoats ever!)

Of course, there’s also Pike’s Place, with miles of candy stores and the biggest crowd of camera-ready bystanders I’ve ever seen in front of a fish stall.

Granville Island in Vancouver has a permanent market as well, with all the gourmet offerings sandwiched between artist studios and cheesy souvenir shops.

Although by far, my favourite was the local market in Vancouver.

My Couchsurfing host (a photographer and all-around awesome person) took me out to one in her old neighborhood, where we met up with some of her friends, bought crepes from a painted caravan and chilled in the grass to eat.

Not a bad way to spend a weekend afternoon.

But who knows? We might not have anything like this in Korea yet, but it could be the next trend.

I’ll take it up with the old ladies on the sidewalk.

I was thirteen the first time I went, armed with a free ticket, a film camera, and one of my closest friends. This time, I’ve got a cheap ticket, a digital camera (or two), and a smattering of old and new acquaintances. And slightly better vegetarian survival phrases!

Highlights to include:
. seeing temples, and shrines, and misty green woods!
. devouring all manner of deliciousness (mochi, onigiri, and okonomiyaki, oh my!)
. hanging out with supposedly tame bowing deer (and hopefully not getting bitten too badly)
. spotting eccentric fashionistas (i hope!)
. working in a bar & trading travel adventure stories
. riding bikes and chilling, chilling, chilling…

So sayonara, y’all…it’s off to Japan!

There was one thing I had to do before leaving California.

This trip had been a fantasy for years upon years, something I always wanted and figured that I’d do, but that had continually fallen by the wayside while I planned bigger adventures. In fact, that was why it took me so long to finally do it – it was but a domestic trip, and all my energy kept going to international endeavours. But even after coming back from abroad, this adventure was always in the back of my mind.

A big roadtrip up through the Pacific Northwest, to hit the coastal culture capital triad of Portland, Seattle and Vancouver.

Once it was certain that I’d be moving to Asia and permanently leaving the West Coast, it became a now-or-never situation. I absolutely had to do this trip before I moved to Seoul. However, there was a small snag: because I was moving my entire life to a different continent, I had little to no budget for a seperate trip.

What followed was a week and a half of firsts – first time ridesharing, first time hitching, and first time Couchsurfing. I slept on couches in old Victorian houses, spent 9 hours driving through the night with a stranger from Craigslist, got rides with touring musicians who made pitstops in small towns to catch their friends’ shows, serendipitously ran into old classmates at art walks, and passed more than a few afternoons sitting on porches with a glass of sangria and a group of new acquaintances.

I wasn’t always certain if I’d get to a city on time, or if I’d get there at all, or even if I’d have a place to crash once I arrived. But there wasn’t much room for change, as I didn’t want to spend my Asian-resettlement money on hotel rooms or train tickets. In the end, this trip was an experiment in submitting to the will of the universe, in letting go of firm plans and absolute timelines, and just letting things unfold how they may.

It wound up changing my travel style irreversibly. (and, I think, for the better!)

Below are just some of the highlights :)

Proof that lack of funds doesn’t mean a lack of travel!

It hasn’t been that cold this winter, unlike last year, but the chill is still enough to make me miss warmer weather (just a bit).

The other day I came across some photos from a perfect summer weekend I had once, with hot, sunny weather and an abundance of free time.

My boyfriend at the time was working in Munich, so I took the train to visit him.

It was routinely hot, up in the 30s, which made for perfect evenings outside at the Biergarten ;)

Afternoons were for the ever idyllic English Garden.

The English Garden (der Englische Garten) is a massive park in the middle of the city, ideal for those who want to spend languorous hours in Arcadian surroundings.

Multiple rivers cut through the fields, and swimmers would hop in at the mouths and be lazily carried from one end of the park to another.

Surfers have even found a particularly active spot to practice where one river comes out from under a bridge.

Dark, overhanging trees and old painted gazebos cast shade for a break from the sun.

People lay on blankets reading, sunbathing, or just talking with friends. And somewhere, there was a requisite drum circle.

I’ve never seen an urban jungle quite like the English Garden, and there’s nothing in Korea that even comes close…

…and Seoul won’t be green again for another 4 months!

Beware the tourism industry.

Anytime we travel, we’re constantly told that we need to both do and buy something to truly experience the place we visit.

Entrance tickets. Outdoor activities. Quintessential meals. Packaged day trips. Organised tours.

Gone to Paris and didn’t visit the Eiffel Tower? Visited Peru and didn’t hike Macchu Picchu? Made it to Beijing and didn’t go to the Forbidden City? Who are you?!

Rarely are we encouraged to simply walk around the block.

As soon as you arrive in Puerto Princesa, you’re informed of the best way to leave.

Island hopping in Honda Bay? A day tour to the famous Underground River in Sabang? Or maybe a firefly watching excursion down the Iwahig River?

Puerto, you will be told, is only the jumping off point for all of the other adventures you can have on the island of Palawan.

And so, assuming that there was little of interest in Puerto itself, I planned to spend my few full days there elsewhere.

Maybe a trip to the Iwahig Prison first, and then an afternoon out at a butterfly conservatory, and later swinging by the crocodile rehabilitation farm if time!

It didn’t work out that way.

I had a cut on my foot from cliff diving in Boracay that needed meds, so I spent my morning at the local clinic (hard wooden benches, yellowed file folders, many women staring, adorable toddlers baffled). Instead of grabbing a trike to take me from the hostel, I decided to take a walk. My doctor’s visit already knocked out my morning plans, so I had some time to kill before the afternoon excursions.

Along the way, I passed through the residential parts of Puerto, the little backstreets running between low houses, kiosks with sun-faded signs and dogs so skinny they disappear if you see them from the wrong angle.

And I saw children climbing trees, shaking tiny green calamansi from the branches, and met women who waved me over to try some. ‘Good for you… lots of vitamin C!’, they said with a grin.

I passed families chilling outside of kiosks, one matriarch sectioning an orange fruit I’d never seen before onto a broad plate, two of the younger generation giving each other pedicures on the sidewalk. We looked at each other with a mutually curious gaze, and they invited me to sit at the same time that I asked. Under the shade of the kiosk awning, we ate that strange orange fruit with a just pinch of salt. They told me about Puerto, I told them about Seoul.

Before I left, the matriarch pressed one of the fruits in my hand for the walk back.

It was deeper into the afternoon now. My plans for the day had evaporated and I was definitely going to miss the butterfly conservatory.

Further down the street, further into the city, I walked through a market with women sitting behind massive woven baskets of nuts, guava, cassava pudding and sliced mango. The fruit sellers were happy to chat, and I was happy to stop. And to eat. Oh, to eat!

And after the long walk, the lazy loops about the markets and the neighborhoods, all the shared fruit and the shy smiles, I missed every tour and activity I had planned.

But I’m thankful.

I didn’t go island hopping, but I did take a stroll around the neighborhood.
I didn’t visit the crocodile farm, but I did sit and eat with strangers.
And I didn’t go caving, but I did get to hear about Puerto from the people who lived there.

Without spending a cent on entrance fees, out-of-town excursions or adventure packages, I got to see a new city. That day, a long extended stroll from hostel to back alleys to market and back, was a well-needed reminder for me that when we travel, we don’t necessarily need to visit the sights. I got caught up in the idea of all of these packaged adventures, that I forgot we don’t really need to check things off of a Top 10 list. As fun as it is to visit museums, spend money on local dishes and check out the landmarks, it isn’t necessary to do so, to feel like you’ve been somewhere. You don’t need the qualified, the quantified, the standardised to experience a new place.

Sometimes, you just need a walk around the block.

It’s that retrospective time of year! 2011 has been amazing, to say the least, and as 2012 is just around the corner, I thought I’d take a minute to look back on some of the adventures that really stood out. This list is in no exact order, but all 11 of these experiences had their place in conspiring to make 2011 yet another fantastic ride.

So thank you, universe, for an amazing 2011…and onto 2012!!

11. Blissing out in El Nido (The Philippines)
There’s something about tiny island fishing towns, where there are only two main streets, an abundance of $10 massages and a shake shack stocked with fresh fruit, that forces you to slow down and just relax. The time I spent in El Nido was a welcome mental respite, when my biggest decisions of the day were whether to nap, read, or lay on the beach (or all three!). The slow pace and ridiculously chill vibe of El Nido are some of the reasons I walked away completely enamoured with the Philippines.

10. Partying in Boracay (The Philippines)
Of course, islands aren’t just for relaxing ;)
From the moment I landed in Boracay, I knew I was in trouble!!

9. Exploring Jeollanamdo with a girl I love ♥ (South Korea)
One of my best friends in the world visited me in Seoul, and (besides roping her into hilarious photos!) we spent a couple of days exploring the Boseong Tea Fields and Yeosu Island in the southern part of Korea. I was a bit worried that the trip wound be ruined by grey, rainy weather, but it wound up creating the most vibrant forest scenery.

8. Going to the Boryeong Mudfest (South Korea)
Oh yes, Korea’s answer to the Full Moon Party: Boryeong Mudfest. Every year, throngs of people descend on a small beach town on the west coast and spend their weekend drinking, dancing, and playing (somewhat haphazardly) in the water, all under the guise of celebrating the holistic qualities of local mud. Definitely an experience! A group of us got together and had a truly epic weekend on the beach, going down mudslides and swimming in the ocean and playing in the dirt!

7. Witnessing the sunset at Las Cabanas (The Philippines)
My last night in El Nido, a group of us got together and made a trek out to a deserted beach to watch the sunset. The scenery we saw that night made an impression on me, to say the least…

6. Participating in the Temple Stay programme (South Korea)
I spent two weekends away at Buddhist temples here in Korea, in which we woke up before dawn for the morning chants, practised meditation and the 108 bows, ate completely vegan meals, and sat down to afternoon tea with monks. Can’t I spend every weekend chilling like that?

5. Hiking the Jirisan Dulegil (South Korea)
This autumn, I spent the fall holiday hiking along the base of the Jirisan mountain range. The route took me through tiny villages, past hermitages and flowering fields, up into forests and down into valleys. I passed crops of pumpkin, apples, persimmons, red peppers, squash, and ginseng growing right along the trail. Tiny old ladies gave me smiles and rice drinks when I stopped to rest, and I spent the night in what can only be described as a Korean alpine village – high up in the forests, buried in mountain fog, not a neon sign in sight. And the country scenery that I saw was something I never thought I’d witness in such an industrial place like Korea!

4. Spending an afternoon with murderers, rapists, and drug dealers (The Philippines)
While in Palawan, some travel buddies and I went to visit the Iwahig Penal Colony, an open-air prison that allows visitors to come and hang out with the inmates. Gift shop (yes, there is one) hustling aside, it was by far one of the most fascinating things I did in the Philippines – and obviously an upcoming blog post! ;)

3. Participating in a raw food yoga detox retreat (The Philippines)
Are you one of those people that secretly dreams of disappearing into the jungle and joining an intentional community with organic gardens, resident energy workers and multiple yoga sessions a day? Because I definitely am (blame Berkeley!). While on Palawan, I found a centre that was hosting a raw food yoga retreat and went to check it out with one of my travel buddies from El Nido. We were only there for a short time, but the few days we spent were some of introspection and horizon-broadening. Time to plan some jungle adventures for next year!

2. Island hopping in the Bacuit Archipelago (The Philippines)
Maybe it was the colour of the water, the look of the cliffs, the green of the jungle or the sound of birdsong all around us, but at some point in the Philippines, I realised that I was vacationing in a National Geographic spread. Or, at least, my coworker’s desktop wallpaper.

1. Getting shot at with live fireworks during the Yenshui Fireworks Festival (Taiwan)
OK, OK, I know I said that this list wasn’t in any particular order, but this was definitely my top adventure of 2011. I happened to visit Taiwan right after the Lunar New Year, when certain cities began gearing up for their festivals of light. Unlike other towns which celebrate with floating paper lanterns or lighted sculptures, Yenshui likes to celebrate by rolling massive structures filled with fireworks out into the streets and firing them directly into the crowds. Apparently, the number of times you’re hit is the number of blessings for the new year. Everyone wears a motorcycle helmet and long sleeves as protection, but I still saw more than a few articles of clothing set on fire.
All in the name of good luck!

2012 has a lot to live up to…….but I have a feeling that it won’t disappoint!

A few years ago, Christmas found me here.

It was sort of an impromptu trip, devised when we came across cheap train deals from Berlin.

The first night I arrived, I came across an open tank of massive fish on the sidewalk. They were huge and dark, and thrashing in the water – why was a tub of them sitting outside in the middle of the night?!

The next day I walked past men with cleavers at pop-up tables next to them, carving up the giant carp for Christmas dinners!

I can’t quite remember exactly how long I spent there – 3 days, or maybe 4 – but I remember the lights, the wreathes on old buildings, and the graffiti.

I didn’t think much of this one at the time, but future sleuthing led me here –
‘We saw each other on tram 22. Call me at 62…533. -Honza’
A real missed encounter? A clever ad? Or something else?

Old Town was gorgeous but oppressive, overrun with visitors and the businesses catering to them. Cheap souvenir shops, tour guides, tourist restaurants, and painfully slow-moving crowds…

But I still couldn’t deny how picturesque the city was.

A friend of mine has always wanted to visit, so I carried around a cut-out picture to make an Amelie-esque Christmas gift for her.

(and somehow roped others into it as well ;)

It got dark so early that most of my memories are submerged in the twilight hour, a dull blue shading on buildings and streets.

Christmas day was spent wandering the markets, and Christmas night at the hostel – there was a big communal dinner in the cellar, and I learned the hard way to never join a drinking game with Australians ;)

And while there may be no Christmas markets for me this year, or carp dinner or red wine waterfalls (hopefully), from me in Seoul to you where-ever – happy holidays!

(Und herzlich Willkommen an alle Deutsche und -sprecher – hab ja keine Ahnung, woher ihr kommt, aber ich hab schon gemerkt, dass es mehrere und mehrere von euch gibt :) Ihr könnt immer was auf Deutsch schreiben, wenn ihr wollt – hier wirds verstanden!)