geewhizbob

Death and Self Loathing in Ma Sariang, Thailand

noreply@blogger.com (Bob) — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 03:51:00 +0000

The most intense encounters are often the ones we would never, ever choose to get ourselves into…

I had just come down from the mountains of NW Thailand that afternoon in mid February. I had been in the beautiful town of Mae Hong Son for over a week. Ma Sariang was lower, and therefore hotter. The cool, pleasant dry season was now turning over to the unbearably hot summer.

Screaming motorbikes kicked up dust and everything would turn hazy for a moment, then clear. The sun scorched my scalp under a tangled mess of long hair. I loathed the sun in SE Asia. A warm wind dried my mouth and left me gasping and I felt like a beer and a bar with music. I walked around the lazy little town as the sun set and the night turned cool, but there was nothing to be found. I grabbed a beer at a small roadside store and walked toward the hotel.

So I walked, and drank. Eventually, I came back to the bridge separating the main part of town from where I was staying. I recognized a farang couple with shaved heads that I had seen twice in a smoothie restaurant in Mae Hong Son. We had never exchanged greetings, but feeling lonely and at the end of my beer maybe a bit more sociable, I introduced myself. It was the standard conversation:

Hi! I recognize you from the last town. Did you get here today? By the way, where are you from? Wow, Italy (They had the thick, flowing beautiful accents). What city? Ohhh. Milan is nice? Yeah, I guess I’ve heard that it’s dangerous from other people, too. I’m from America. Ohio. It’s kind of in the middle. I don’t speak any Italian, but a little Spanish, the languages are close, right?.

Our little discussion was soon interrupted by a splashing in the shallow river below us. Two motorbikes whipped past us and turned down the dirt road to the riverside. The river was languid and low from months without rain. A man jumped off of the bike and ran splashing into the water. A moment later he was dragging a limp body to the bank. He hoisted it over his shoulder, stomach down, and bounced him there. He repeated this a few times. With each thrust, the limp body’s arms would fling outwards and the chest would cave in, but the head hung low, lifeless.

After a few bounces, he threw it onto the back of one of the motorbikes. He hopped on behind it so that there were three people on the bike, while the driver began to move out. The two men were not able to keep the body from falling off the side, though. They tried again and failed. At this point I realized what was going on to some extent and asked my Italian friends if they knew CPR. They looked at me blankly, clearly not understanding me. I put my beer down and ran down the dirt road to the scene.

I had learned CPR in school, but hadn’t paid as close of attention as I should have. I didn’t really think about it as I rushed down the hill towards all this chaos. I motioned for the man who was throwing the body around to put it on the ground. He did. As I examined it now face-up, lying down, I could see that it was a young Thai man, probably in his late teens, same as me. His eyes were slightly opened, jaw locked with his tongue jutted out slightly. He was limp and cold to the touch. Dead weight. Was he gone? I couldn’t tell. I checked for a pulse but couldn’t find it. I wasn’t sure I knew what I was doing. I had never experienced a real dead body, not like that. This was raw and fresh, not beautified and puffed up by some mortician.

I stared at him for a moment. What to do? Just pound. I started slamming his chest with my palms. After a few thrusts I remembered the solar plexus, then to lock my fingers over each other for more concentrated power. I was getting it. As I stared closer into his face I had to hesitate. I felt stupidly uncomfortable with the idea of mouth to mouth.

I decided to try. I plugged his nose, and then pried his locked jaw open. This made me think that maybe this was all pointless, but I didn’t know for sure so I went on. His mouth was slimy and cold on my hand. I took a deep breath and blew into his gaping mouth. It was ineffective. I couldn’t bring myself to bring my mouth to his tight. I felt childish about it and tried again with better effect.

I could feel the slime from his mouth on my face and a wretched smell all over me. I wanted to vomit. I went back to the thrusts, one through fifteen. I tried the breathing again, but only managed to get more covered by the slime and more frustrated at my inability to do it right. It was like trying to blow up a balloon without touching it, impossible and ridiculous. I was very, very frustrated.

I took it out on the next fifteen thrusts. Pounding and pounding, watching his chest cave in and his head rock limply. After every thrust the body would relax. I inhaled deeply and finally filled his mouth with air, if not his lungs. One time was too much, though and the foul slime from his mouth now covered half my face and my entire left hand that I had been using to peel his jaw back.

Realizing that it was probably useless, I asked one of the dozen or so Thai men standing over me if they had a lighter (I motioned using hand gestures and a clicking sound). Someone handed me one and I put it to the young man’s face. It was stone. His eyes were slightly opened, his tongue protruding and his jaw locked closed. I examined his eyes. His pupils didn’t dilate. There was no point in going on now. About that time, a pickup truck backed up to where we were and I helped the other men put the teenager in the bed of the truck. A few of them hopped on after and the truck sped off.

I was numb with adrenaline and shock at having my first close-up experience with death. I felt strangely excited, exhausted and repulsed all at the same time. I couldn’t speak. I couldn’t see. I walked back up to the bridge, vaguely thinking that I should wash my face and hands—wash off this death. I felt disgusting, in so many ways.

As I walked past a group of Thai women who had watched everything from the bridge, one of them stepped forward and thanked me in English. I couldn’t respond. I kept walking along the bridge. Finally, about halfway across, I buried my face in my hands and shuddered. I would have reflected, maybe even hurt or cared, but I felt nothing. I was empty and alone.

After a minute or so, I looked up with blurry eyes to see my two Italian friends walking towards me. I told them that I needed a beer and would be happy if they joined me. They tried to convince me that the boy might be alive, and that we should go to the hospital. I knew that he was dead, but followed them. I couldn’t stand to be alone. I had been traveling alone for months and was used to it, but I just didn’t want to be alone that night.

We walked to the hospital, and I found out what I had already known. I had another drink with the Italians, and then they left to go back to their hotel. I became very depressed and guilty for not having tried harder, and began to blame myself for the teenager’s death. I don’t know how much more I drank, but I vaguely remember lying on a sidewalk on an empty street in the middle of the night looking up at a streetlight laughing. I don’t know how I made it back to the hotel.

The next morning was surreal. It was all so normal, like nothing had happened the night before. The farmers were still hauling their cattle along the riverbank. Motorbikes buzzed along with smiling passengers. Everything was the same as the afternoon before, for a moment I could almost imagine that it hadn’t happened at all. As I walked along the bridge I greeted a cute girl in Thai. She tried to respond, but could only choke back tears and look back over to the river where someone she’d loved had died the night before. I lowered my head and walked straight to the bus station. I boarded the next second-class bus back to Chiang Mai.

M.J Lloyd was born and raised on a small farm in rural Ohio. At the age of 18 he hit the road to Alaska with a meager savings and no plan. Over the next 2 years he wandered in search of real answers and a livable life. The journey has taken him through three continents, various loves, battles with the loneliness and insanity of the road, and extreme poverty. Though the lessons haven’t been easy, he has learned much from the trail, and has reached a much happier and more peaceful understanding on the nature of his life.

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Eating Snake in Saigon

noreply@blogger.com (Bob) — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 21:11:00 +0000

Lunch?

Americans in Vietnam prove themselves to be total pussies and perhaps explain why they lost the war…

My decision to eat snake in Vietnam was entirely spontaneous. There it was, right in front of me on the menu, in clear and correct English, wedged between entries for garlic chicken stir-fry and beef noodle soup: FRIED SNAKE.

As far as I knew, this was a real snake, cut up, spiced, cooked to tender perfection, and served with rice – or at least an attempt at the feat

Hiking and Backpacking

noreply@blogger.com (Bob) — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 14:31:00 +0000

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We have been nomadic by nature (read: humans). From the early man to even now, we always look for newer places, newer avenues, etc. The only difference is that we do not change settlements as frequent as the early man did. He did that to find a better place/a better shelter to lead his life and where the availability of food was abundant and unhindered.

A Change of Environment

These days, the problem of food availability has almost died down but finding a better alternative to the place we live is always an option, provided we have the money and resources for it. We also have been looking to do something, some activities that transcend the daily routine and the career we are involved in. Hiking is therefore acknowledged as one of the best outdoor activities ever. Very few are lucky enough to take it up as their career; and fewer still are lucky to have made a fortune out of it - talking of celebrity hikers and backpackers.

This activity's exclusivity lies in the fact that not many take up this as an adventure activity or even a fun outdoor activity. The earth is a huge place where diversity can be found in nature almost everywhere. Man has built cities and made them look alike but the fact remains that the fun, peace and solace we find in hiking or outdoor activities is immense and immeasurable. It is not that everyone takes it up and that ups its mysterious, adventure quotient.

Advantages of Backpacking and Hiking

Starting off with backpacking - it teaches you how to be ready at all times. It teaches you to be independent and adapt to environment fast. It makes you more disciplined than you'd ever thought. It makes you strong like a mountain and disciplined like the Marines. If ever you loved to be a part of the men in uniform, you must know that they are excellent backpackers and hikers.

Hiking benefits you in more ways than anything else:

How to Pack a Backpack for a 3 Day Hike

noreply@blogger.com (Bob) — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 07:51:00 +0000

Leanne Arnott
Level: Platinum

Leanne has been camping since before she could run and hiking with her family from a very early age. Now she takes her family camping ... Article Word Count: 459

What Toiletries Should You Bring Hiking?

noreply@blogger.com (Bob) — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 01:11:00 +0000

Leanne Arnott
Level: Platinum

Leanne has been camping since before she could run and hiking with her family from a very early age. Now she takes her family camping ... Article Word Count: 467

5 Great Tips for Making Camp

noreply@blogger.com (Bob) — Sun, 20 Mar 2011 18:31:00 +0000

Leanne Arnott
Level: Platinum

Leanne has been camping since before she could run and hiking with her family from a very early age. Now she takes her family camping ... Article Word Count: 441

5 Hiking Fashion No Nos!

noreply@blogger.com (Bob) — Sun, 20 Mar 2011 11:51:00 +0000

Leanne Arnott
Level: Platinum

Leanne has been camping since before she could run and hiking with her family from a very early age. Now she takes her family camping ... Article Word Count: 466

5 Tips to Picking Out the Best Survival Gear

noreply@blogger.com (Bob) — Sun, 20 Mar 2011 05:11:00 +0000

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You've taken a wrong turn, the car breaks down, and you're lost in the woods with your survival gear. Do you have the equipment and training to survive? Many people wouldn't be, even those who had some type of emergency pack or gear just in case an accident happened. A person in this situation requires two things: the right type of equipment and knowledge of how to use it.

Tip 1: Build around your strengths. Too many people look for a kit that is built already made to be the best, but there's no good way of determining this. A kit is only as good as its user. If you don't know how to use a Swedish fire starter, it doesn't matter if it's "state of the art." Find survival kits that have items you actually know how to use.

Tip 2: Add in extra gear to customize. These types of outdoor survival kits aren't going to come with an epinephrine shot, so if you have an allergic reaction to bees or other outdoor creatures, make sure to add that. No one else is going to make sure you're prepared before an emergency.

Tip 3: Consider your habits. An arctic survival kit built for Alaska doesn't make sense if you live in the south and tromp through the swamps. Likewise, if you're taking a long road trip, make sure that the survival gear you choose matches the destination or the environments being traveled through. Each environment makes certain outdoor gear more or less important in a survival situation.

Tip 4: Ask a lot of questions. When you're choosing between two pairs of pants, the differences might not be a big deal but when it comes to fire starters, emergency shelters, tactical knives, or any other important outdoor gear for survival then you need to be thorough. Don't make a hasty purchase and search around for reviews or recommendations. This is one purchase that you need to get right.

Tip 5: Buy two and practice with one. This is the most overlooked step, but it might be the most important. The best way to be prepared for the worst case scenario is to use it. Go camping one weekend in a public campground and practice fire starting without matches, practice setting up a shelter, make sure you know how to use all the first aid material.

Follow these tips and you will find the best survival gear for you.

Learn more about Emergency Survival Kit and Gun Cleaning System by visiting the website of Special Forces today.

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Backpacker Youth Hostels: Various Types For Diverse Traveler Needs

noreply@blogger.com (Bob) — Sat, 19 Mar 2011 22:31:00 +0000

ByDean OrbellDean Orbell
Level: Basic PLUS

Travel Document Systems, Inc. is the leading travel agency for visas and US passports. For nearly 30 years we have served travel professionals, tour operators, ... Article Word Count: 452

Journey to the Holy Land

noreply@blogger.com (Bob) — Sat, 19 Mar 2011 15:51:00 +0000

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2 years ago, in the cultural exchange program of South-East Asia youth (SSEAYP), I had a chance to experience the life with Muslim and Christian families; and now, I have more opportunities to explore the lives of the Jews.

Climbing mountains in the middle of Tiberias desert.

After 2 hours walking under the hot sun light on Tiberias desert, although I had already put the sun cream on and used umbrella, I still felt my skin burning. Each 20 minutes, I had to stop and drink water in order to keep out of the dehydration.

Our group stopped at a high cliff (about 200 meters high) which there were only barren rock deep down the cliff. Here, they provided the adventurous hiking service for travelers with the price of 50 Skekel/time (equivalent to around 13 USD). This game is not for those who have weak heart or afraid of height; just looked down to the bottom of the deep desert, you might feel dizziness, and vertigo.

Our climbing instructor was a professional athlete who had nearly ten years of experience. He led us the way to tie the belt securely around the stomach then round to the legs; we also had to wear helmet, and got ready for hiking posture.

I had to stretch my legs, and lean my back at a 120 degree behind, and slowly drop down. My initial fears were lowered, and I started to feel more pleasure climbing down to this high cliff. The photo of me climbing the mountain in the middle of Tiberias desert was set as a profile picture on my Facebook, and then I received a lot of comments and "like" from my friends. I realized that I not only conquered the highest mountain in the middle of this barren desert, but also trained my courage.

Sleep in the "numberless star" hotel

I went from Tel Aviv to the Southernmost point of Israel which is Eliat. After a long journey through the harsh heat of the desert, I set my foot on the highest point in Eliat - the connection of Israel, Egypt, and Jordan. The night temperature in the middle of the desert was very cold. At this destination, behind the bared wire fence was Egypt territory. According to the Naday - my friend from Israel, although the Egyptian Military post was near here, there were many Israel people still walked a hundred of miles in this hot desert in order to immigrate illegally to Israel.

Eliat is considered a traveling place for high-class travelers, thus, the price for a room in the hotel is every expensive. Instead of hundreds of US dollars per night in Hilton hotel like our first plan, our group decided to experienced the "numberless star" hotel. For a girl who used to live a convenient life, it would be a challenge to sleep in the small tent on the beach; but I was still very eager to experience this feeling.

Everybody in my group made tents on the beach, and then we organize a BBQ party. At the mid-night, the sound of sea waves was whispering, some Arabs in the next tent were smoking shisha. Outdoor, the temperature was very low. Naday pointed across the Red Sea Coast, where lights twinkled like diamonds, it was Jordan.

If Eliat was sparkling in the night, seeing the sunrise over the Red Sea would be the most impressive thing. Diving into the sea, surrounding me were small colorful fishes like int the animated cartoon "Finding Nemo". About 20 meters far away, the sea water was very clear; this was also an ideal place for tourists to enjoy watching the coral. After diving, I found the relaxed feeling by floating on the sea surface because the salt concentration was very high.

Floating on the Dead Sea

The Jews had a statement "Coming to Israel without swimming in the Dead Sea, it is considered not to Israel." We called it Sea, but actually it was a big lake located in the desert at the Southeast of Israel. The sea is very salty. The reason for the name as Dead Sea is that the salt concentration is very high and it is also the lowest place in the world (400 meters depth below sea level).

If the salinity in sea water is usually about 2.5%, the water in Dead Sea has the salt concentration of 38%. In Hebrew, it is called "Salty Sea". Naday told me unhappily "Now, the Dead Sea area is narrowed to only 1/3 compared to the past; and around 30 years later, Dead Sea will disappear completely".

When I arrived at the DeadSea, the temperature is 24 degrees. On the surface of my skin, there was slightly feeling of greasy and stinging because of the high salt concentration. Dead Sea water contains about 21 minerals, some create the feeling of relaxation and good for skin. The Israel said that people who are suffering from skin diseases should come here, take bathing by this water and they will overcome these diseases.

The more I went far away, the more my body lost weight and floating. At that time, I knew one part of the no-gravity feeling of the astronauts. All my try to dive under the sea was failed because my body automatically floated on the surface of the water; I could even not swim like a normal way.

I rolled on the sea, crossing my legs, and floating like a boats. Each time I changed the positions, I found it very difficult if I did not want to roll a round and put my face into the salty water.

Although I had been warned that I had better not let the sea water into the eyes because I would easily get burn, but unfortunately, I put my face into the water, and then I felt like my eyes had just been boiled. I could not open my eyes until my friend took me to the coast and washed my eye by fresh water.

Taking the advantage of minerals here, there are many cosmetics shops around Dead Sea area. Dead Sea Cosmetic products are considered high-class products which are extracted from the salt and minerals at the bottom of the sea. These products are very good for the skin. Almost all the people come here and buy some products as gift items.

More information about travel - tips, destinations, and review: http://travelbookguide.blogspot.com.
Facebook fan page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Traveling-Lovers/176886355683511.

- Axl Lee -

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Getting In Shape For Hiking

noreply@blogger.com (Bob) — Sat, 19 Mar 2011 09:11:00 +0000

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Hiking is meant to be an enjoyable outing in the great outdoors. A hiker doesn't necessarily need to develop a heavy workout schedule to get in top form, but he does need to be in reasonably good shape so he's enjoys the experience. Following a simple plan to shape up will improve overall health and happiness, plus it will come in handy when tackling our mountains.

Before embarking on any exercise routine or venturing outdoors, be sure to speak with your health care provider about your unique health considerations. Pay attention to your cardiac health and make sure your body can handle the rigors of exercise and mountain hiking. Increasing your activity is good for you in almost all cases, but make sure you speak with your doctor first.

To start, go for a walk. If you want to go hiking, start by taking daily walks. Increase the distance over time. Many hiking trails in Colorado are 5-15 miles long so build your mileage up to where you can handle the distance. If you live in a city, remember that your daily walks are most likely on level terrain at lower elevations. If you plan to hike 5 miles in mountainous terrain at high elevations, be able to walk 10 miles on flat ground at lower elevations. This isn't "absolutely required", but instead is a good strategy to build your capabilities and prepare for the adventure ahead. Nobody wants to take the time & trouble to go hiking only to find out the primary experience consisted of sucking wind and feeling awful.

Also, it would be a good idea to carry a backpack with the approximate weight of what you will carry outdoors. Carrying a backpack changes your posture and puts stress on different areas of your body. Be used to carrying a backpack and it will be second nature when you go on that hike.

A side note about starting an exercise routine. People often discover that starting a routine makes them feel worse in the short term. Their muscles hurt, they struggle, etc. This author has found that the first two weeks are the worst and the best strategy is to "grin and bear it". In about two weeks you will notice an improvement in both capability and how you feel overall. That improvement will provide motivation to keep going. Endure the first couple of weeks and the rest will take care of itself. Beyond the generalities, there are specific things you can do to improve your hiking ability. As noted above, be sure to talk with your health care provider before starting any exercise routine.

Start by stretching: Stretching adds muscle elasticity which in turn prevents injury. It also warms up your muscles, further reducing the chance of injury. A side note about stretching. A LOT of people have low back pain. If you do and your doctors tells you "nothing is damaged or broken", then the likely cause is poor flexibility. People are often surprised to learn that a common reason for low back pain is poor hip flexibility. This author had terrible low back pain which was cured through yoga. Don't underestimate the importance of flexibility to overall health and wellness.

Aerobic Capacity: Nothing raises aerobic capacity like jogging. A great side benefit is increased leg and back strength which you will need when tackling mountainous terrain. Cycling is also very good, but jogging is better. This author actually prefers cycling because the greater change of scenery provides more enjoyment and a richer experience. If you choose cycling, note that you will need to do a little more than if you were jogging, which to someone like this author is actually easier because of the enjoyment of seeing more places.

Instead of recommending daily aerobic exercise, which is clearly best, our position is to be mindful of the fact most of us have busy lives. Go as often as you can and try to go 4-5 times each week. As for distance, go as far as you can and build up distance over time. Novice runners can start with a walk that includes light running, then run a little more each time until it's a run and not a walk-run. As you improve, see if you can find some uphill terrain. Some prefer mornings while others like mid-day or evenings. There are plenty of experts that advocate one time of day as better. Our position is to go when you want to go and it fits with your personal schedule, because that strategy is more likely to result in going regularly.

Leg Strength: Squats, lunges, running, cycling, weightlifting that targets your low back and legs
Back Strength: Rows (stand up, bend forward, lift weights both up and out); Extensions (lay on your stomach and lift head & legs), sit ups
Core Strength: Sit ups, crunches, running, yoga cat & cow poses, lunges
Shoulder Strength: Overhead press with weights, lateral raises with weights, push-ups, chin-ups

Bottom Line: Hiking can be a chore or a pleasure depending on your physical conditioning. This article isn't meant to be a catch-all of everything you should do. Our goal is to outline some basic, common sense strategies to improve aerobic capacity and strength, which will make your outing an enjoyable experience. Consult your doctor, join a health club and let the experts recommend more targeted exercises, join a class like aerobics or yoga, pay attention to your body and note where improvement is needed. Then get out there and enjoy our beautiful mountains.

Outdoor-Colorado.com is an Colorado outdoor adventure website with hiking trails, outdoor recreation information and knowledge articles related to outdoor adventure. The author is an experienced adventurer, hiker and mountaineer who offers his experience and knowledge to like minded adventurers and those wanting to learn and experience the outdoor adventure lifestyle.

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A response to a postcard

noreply@blogger.com (Bob) — Wed, 19 May 2010 13:19:00 +0000

Its been awhile since i've done this, but like clint eastwood would say, its time to get back on the horse.

thought i wouldn't say i've been through trying times. things sure have changed since the time i lost wrote on this blog. as i've probably mentioned a billion times to anyone who'd listen, and some who wouldnt, ultimately i want to end up in some mystical foreign country of lepers and msg-free soup.

though this bout of wanderlust reigns strong in my paladium-free heart, a certain number of unforeseen (maybe i was just oblivious to them) circumstances have curbed this carefree soul.

my younger brother has finally made the big leap from melaka up to KL, though i'm glad he broke free from my mum's overly protective grasp, i am also peeved that he's leapt straight on to my plate. with the added responsibility of playing a 'good brother' and a 'good human' in general, gone are the days of sudden weekend getaways on pretty islands around the peninsular.

however, like diplomat, i feel the need to end this post on a good note, so - he's a nice guy la.

bike jostling in Saigon

noreply@blogger.com (Bob) — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 15:46:00 +0000

i was supposed to upload my photos awhile back, but with work starting, as anyone will tell you, you begin to lose enthusiasm for life.

i touched down in saigon, giddy as a little girl in the face of beckham in the evening. i set out towards the tourist district pham mu lao (not too sure whether that’s how you spell it). probably the first thing you’ll notice in saigon is the roads belong to the kap chai. little motorbikes zooming in and out of intersections with no regard for traffic or life as they load on board the family tree in a seat that is about 5 inches wide.

a bunch of indian guys we met at a roadside bar watching their lives pass them by.

generally, i’m not a big fan of museums. its not that i’m not a history buff, it’s just that most museums have nothing of interest on show, a bunch of cardboard cut outs of a propagandist's story. however, the saigon war museum was a delight, airplanes, bombs and guns all on display. even the reading material was suprisingly good, it skewed towards being anti-american but who could blame them after 30 years of aggression (the propaganda has gotten to me).

the nightlife in vietnam is unparralled, i guess this could be attributed to their beautiful women prancing around in hot pants and low cut shirts but mostly it has to do with the relaxed lifestyles that the Vietnamese lead. naturally, you’d think that a place like pham mu lao (tourist central) would be jam-packed with white guys in their Hawaii floral shirts and justin timberlake hats but the clubs were full of local youths living it up. although i understand that the vietnamese people are conservative, they adhere to the rule “can see, never can touch”. they dance like mimes trying to find an opening on a big sheet of glass. the grind would destroy society here.

being by the river, saigon has some lovely views and places to relax. however, the country is being dragged through the mud of commercialization and is sure to lose its unique culture sooner than later.

ah and we’re back to the life watching indian twins.

this photo sums up almost everything about saigon, they’re in a hurry to relax. i personally loved saigon, although not as engaging and eye opening as phnom penh, saigon gives you that warm fuzzy feeling of being away from everything familiar and being thrown in a hot pot of culture.

touch down in kuala lumpur

noreply@blogger.com (Bob) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 16:18:00 +0000

that slow, long winded drive through the MRR2 highway evokes plenty of feelings, among them is 1. that i’m actually pretty glad to be back 2. that i’ll miss not being able to travel for a year and 3. that i’ve finally gone from growing up to grown up.

i just got back from vietnam and so much happened, i don’t even know where to begin. hell, i don’t think i even have any time to reminisce, i’m off to work tomorrow!

there are a few things that i realized about vietnam though

1. vietnamese girls are gorgeous and i’m not talking about the ones in the city with 24 inches of make up and 10 billion dong worth of clothes, i’m talking about every single vietnamese girl in the country. be it a pretty face or a fit body, they’ve got either one but mostly both. sure was a downer touching down in the airport to be greeted by the oversized mcd munching trolls we normally lavish compliments on.

2. traffic in vietnam is fucking insane. there are no rules, L-turns, S-turns from a distance it looks like motorbikes are spelling out their names in the middle of the road.

3. the country is really developed, forget the images of those farmers kneeling over on the padi fields with their triangle shaped hats. the modern day vietnamese are latte sipping, merc driving, iPhone touching technofreaks. the skyline of saigon is littered with skyscrapers and the vietnamese teens are cruising around tourist bars flashing big bucks for small lattes that’d make tourists like myself blush. and i’m not only talking abuot saigon, hell even the mekong delta is a modern day metropolitan.

4. vietnamese people have gotten this undeserved stigma for being mean and hell, who would blame them? after those fucking yankee doodles attacked their country for 3 decades, i’d have a little anglo- phobia myself. but generally, the vietnamese are a little stand offish, esp the motorbike drivers but once you break them down with some warm hearted banter and a couple of ciggerettes, they’re pretty funny to be around. slapstick is comedy here, forget all that smart alecky bullshit you see on seinfeld, accidently drop something – look up and raise your hands to the heavens while shouting an obscenity and you’ll be the next woody allen here.

anyways, i’m off to bed – i bid tiện đây to you all!

btw – i lost my phone while over in vietnam, so drop me an email with your number. thanks!

the vietnamese hiatus

noreply@blogger.com (Bob) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 19:50:00 +0000

this weekend i’ll be heading off to ho chi minh for a week or so. ho chi minh is the largest city in vietnam and hosts a population of 9 million people, that’s the equivilant to double the population of kuala lumpur. So double the amount of pretty women sprawled along the sidewalks, motorbikes and the number bowls of soup and you’ll come pretty close to what modern day ho chi minh is like

interestingly the vietnamese language originates from cantonese (or at least a part of it), meaning that if i understood cantonese i’d have a much easier time getting around.

taking some time off the working life, i’m glad to say that although slaving away in a pinstriped uniform is painstakingly dull, the monthly cash injection is a welcome addition to my rudimentary lifestyle.

landing in ho chi minh on the 14th, i’ll probably spend a couple of days there before heading down south to the mekong delta.

although not set in stone, i’ll probably be heading to ben tre for a couple of days before deciding whether to take the long, long ride to nha trang or take a scenic ferry ride across to phu quoc islands (from rach gia).

because of the limited number of days, i’m caught between trying to see as much as i can or simply taking it easy by the river. as much as i love roughing it out with the hobos, this is my last trip before i buckle down for a year and work towards the big one.

allowing myself the luxury of having a flexible itinerary, i’ll make up my mind when i’m there.

unlike my previous trip to laos, there has been no planning involved in this trip whatsoever, hoping to get by on sheer enthusiasm and a decade old guidebook to vietnam - i’ll either have a whirlwind of a time or spend most of it on the bus backtracking back to ho chi minh in a fetal position after being monetarily raped by those ever-so-lovable travel agents.

i’m looking forward to it!

on a personal note to tom and mr. meister i hear there is pink lady in ho chi minh as well ;-)

Ko Lanta: A Lonely, Romantic Getaway

noreply@blogger.com (Bob) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:27:00 +0000

ko lanta resides on the southern region of thailand in an area famed for its islands and coastlines. in any other country, ko lanta would be the first place on the itinerary for any traveler, but because its thailand – ko lanta is often overlooked for the more popular beach destinations (read: phuket, ko samui, ko phangan – take your pick).

this actually works out great for people who prefer a quieter, more relaxing countryside experience.

taking the bus in from khao sok national park, its about a 3 1/2 hour bus ride to krabi and a 2 hr bus ride to ko lanta.

made up of two islands, the smaller island – ko lanta noi if i’m not mistaken, is the more popular of the two. the other island, not too sure what its called now, was previously torn apart by the tsunami that hit thailand.

the great thing about ko lanta is that the beaches are long, meaning that the ground is flat and you can walk out to the sea for miles without drowning. they’re also empty – meaning the place is great for frisbees. i spent a couple of days in isolation on the beach, it was great for awhile but when you start muttering to yourself and laughing at your own jokes – you know the sirens have gone off.

so i headed out into town – postcards, western food and massage parlors, the usual tourist fare was in order. as i walked around town, i realised that ko lanta was more popular than i envisioned it to be, with oversized white guys in speedos zooming around town on scooters and lonely planet evangelists glued to their books at every bakery, cafe and bar in sight.

walking further east of the town, i stumbled on a ‘crossing’ of sorts, where locals were lining up to hire boatmen to take them a cross to the big island. i approached the weary boatman and i asked him whether i could go across. of course, he didn’t understand a thing i said and turned to his friend muttered something and both of them burst out laughing. initially i tired laughing along, but that only seemed to make them laugh out even louder. i swear he must have said something about my feet being too small.

but as you learn, cigarettes is a common currency in thailand. its like one big jail really.

so after negotiating my way to 20 baht for the crossing, i hopped on the boat and headed out towards the big island.

on getting there, i realized that there wasn’t single foreigner in sight and the locals don’t care much for the beach meaning i was alone.

luckily for me, i loaded my rucksack full of beer and tidbits as there was nothing on the island except a tsunami watch centre and a couple of villages. i headed out towards an empty stretch of beach swinging my rucksack around like a cowboy trying to tassel a bull while singing dire strait’s money for nothing.

as much as i proclaim how i love the big empty spaces, even this was weird for me. granted the beaches weren’t as nice and had an eerie feeling that the lost souls of the victims from the tsunami were drifting around me, i eventually began to enjoy the peace and quiet normally not offered to us in this everyday big brother society we live in.

Siem Reap: broken buses, beautiful landscapes and great locals – goodbye Cambodia.

noreply@blogger.com (Bob) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 16:48:00 +0000

continuing where i left off before experimenting with slideshows, i left phnom penh and headed towards siem reap, for none other than the 8th wonder of the world – ang kor wat.

taking the morning bus there, i expected to arrive in town early to get the chance to look around and explore the city. so often referred to as cambodia’s other capital. the bus however, had other plans.

half way through our journey, our bus broke down. while napping, there was a sudden loud BAM! and the bus swerved a little off the road. the smell of burnt rubber slowly crept throughout the bus and the bus screeched to a halt by the side of the road.

i wont delve into it, but we ended up waiting for 5 hours before the company sent another bus to come get us. so if you’re wondering why i have a picture of kids bathing by the road, there you go.

driving into siem reap, i wondered how could the city that hosts the 8th wonder of the world be so run down. homes were built by the side of the road using rudimentary materials like plywood and metal shadings.

the front portion of the houses were turned into stalls where families would sell items like candy and biscuits.

the houses were badly located as our bus flew past, it picked up a huge gust of air and blew into the direction of the home. as the tenants turned their bodies into the opposite direction and covered their noses another bus behind us speeds past us to the same effect.

upon reaching the town, we’re greeted by a million touts pimping everything from tours around the temples to singing hermaphrodites.

the bus station is strategically located far out of the main town, giving tourists like us, sadly no choice but to take a tuk tuk into town.

carrying around an oversized bag in a country like cambodia is equivalent of wearing a jewish hat in germany during the holocaust.

i stayed at a place called No #10 guesthouse, it was a resort-styled hostel that provided clean rooms, free internet access and a pool table. i managed to score an apartment sized room with two beds for a mere USD$ 5, although not the cheapest place i’ve stayed at, it sure was nice to have a hot shower.

the next few days went by in a breeze, cycling through the temples during the day and walking through a tourist-catered city at night.

the temples are beautiful, however, the likelihood of you being temple sick by the end of the day is extremely high. with hordes of japanese tour buses and obese white couples staggering around with the temple-sized cameras hogging the trails and giving you the stink eye when you happen to walk within their camera’s shooting range, i found myself enjoying the lesser temples with the lesser crowds.

on our last day, we decided to check out the famed angkor sunset, which is almost as famous as the temples themselves and we weren't disappointed, they were famous. extremely famous. hell you’d think megan fox and kiera knightly were going it at on the skyline.

as we walked up the hill temple, we were pushed and shoved by hundred and hundred of tourists struggling up the trial with their oversized cameras and similarly oversized bellies trying to get up there on time.

the sunset however, wasn’t that great. sure it was beautiful, but all sunsets are beautiful and this ranks above most sunsets but stick me in the more serene, more ambient lake toba for a sunset any day.

ang kor wat is something, the sheer size of the temples is amazing (i’m running out of adjectives here) and the carvings are intricate as they are confusing, not to take away from joy of riding around the countryside soaking up a landscape of green with brown blotches and a bright blue sky that stretched on for miles. it really is something.

In Pictures: Laos

noreply@blogger.com (Bob) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 19:46:00 +0000

its funny how you can summarize 2 1/2 weeks of your life into 3 minutes.

i like slideshows, i gotta give credit to mr. meister for warming me to the idea of creating them.

anyways, i’ll be flying off to vietnam for a week and a half next month, so there's something to look forward to.

In Pictures: Bukit Lawang

noreply@blogger.com (Bob) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 15:26:00 +0000

alright, i’m gonna try something different today. i’ve made a slideshow of all the photos i’ve taken while in bukit lawang.

because of the sheer amount of photos i take while on my travels, i don’t think it would be feasible to upload them one by one. so in addition to lovely little feel good number from the crash test dummies, here’s my trip to bukit lawang in a nutshell. i hope you enjoy it.

note: for some reason the pictures look blurry, not too sure why but they looked fine on my computer. if anyone knows what i can do about it, i’d be extremely grateful.

Corporate Segregation

noreply@blogger.com (Bob) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 11:43:00 +0000

from my limited knowledge of the working life, there are generally three types of people you’ll meet in a corporate environment.

firstly, there is the jock, these are the guys in college who were not neccesarily popular, but were generally well liked and respected by their peers. buff burly men that quiver in the face of peer pressure. these guys are the funny ones, the fat kids of the corporate world. they get by on their wit and a look on their face that says “if you know no one, you are no one”. these are the guys who are obsessed about alcohol but have insane tolerance for the stuff unlike the popular kids.

secondly, there are the quiet ones. these specimens normally reside in the technical or lower ranks of the creative department. these guys are socially awkward and are about as good as holding a conversation as mahatir is at being democratic. all round very nice people that once you get to know you’ll love, its hard to break that ball barrier from sweet pleasantries to truthful, engaging conversations.

finally, there are the popular kids, these guys are generally expensively dressed and extremely sociable – within a certain context. walking around with the latest gadgets strapped to their belts like a modern day batman, they’re constantly on the move. these kids have gotten the phase of suffering from peer pressure but have developed what i’d like to call “stuck up the ass” where they don’t accept anyone else’s opinions. they’re good at playing the politking game and generally are well connected to whoever is upstairs. these kids love to talk about drink, yes, TALK. although they all have an alcohol tolerance that would make me drown, they’re generally poor drinkers and are normally the ones who say “eh you only drink one cup so far!”.

you can normally find these ones in the sales or business development departments of a office, coupled with their nice laptops and fancy stationary, these kids are on the up and up.

so where do i belong here?

well no where really, suffice to say, i’m stationed at the popular kids hang out so i don’t have much of a choice but to engage in superficial conversations about US$300 rooms in Bali and $1,812,131.32 gadgets.

is this really what darwin foresaw for the human race?

Fridays are happy days

noreply@blogger.com (Bob) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 19:59:00 +0000

working brings about plenty of changes in a person, the sudden boost in a persons ego, their increased spending habits and their rehearsed impressions of a wallstreet stock broker.

but the most common trait of the working man is the inherent love for all things friday.

and i, more than anyone have developed this trait after two short weeks at work.

4pm, i’m sitting at my desk rummaging through some old material for long forgotten facts about the stone age.

4.30pm, i’m still sitting at my desk rummaging through some work, i figure – what the hell, maybe i should take a load off and go for a smoke. as i walk towards the staircase in the sort of anticipation only scientologists feel when they see tom cruise i made my way across the room, i notice all these eyes peering over their cubicle walls. their eyeballs following me the mona lisa across the room.

4.45pm, i realize i’ve got a meeting, shit, no time to prepare, i grab my stuff and drop my boss a message before heading towards the conference room. as i try and shuffle quietly to the conference room, my uptight yuppie-like corporate uniform betrays my stealth with loud, banging klanks as i walk across the wooden flooring in the hall.

6.30pm, i’m still stuck in this damn room, this guy is somewhat of a moron and i think my boss is pissed. maybe this would be a good time to give some input.

6.35pm, i can’t take this anymore, this guy is oblivious to what we’re trying to tell him.

6.38pm, i announce in, what can only be described as an unnaturally assertive voice, what we intended to do with the product. clear, concise and to-the-point. these are words that would probably not describe my outburst as i stuttered through the sentence like elmer fudge with a lisp.

7.10pm, the meeting is finally over! As i head over to my desk to grab my stuff, before someone places their hand on my shoulder.

7.12pm, i finally turn around to see its the CEO of the company, he tells me that i did a good job today.

7.15pm, as i revel in my apparent triumph by smoking a solitary cigarette in a dingy staircase behind the office, i surprisingly feel satisfied at my efforts.

i guess this is how the corporate types get their kicks, but it is an uncanny feeling being appreciated for you efforts. especially by your seniors. as i walked home, i chewed on the thought and on the impact it left on me. after a week of tight deadlines and constant bickering, it was… worth it?

Phnom Penh: an authentic birthday experience

noreply@blogger.com (Bob) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 15:56:00 +0000

continuing where i left off – i’d been in shanoukville for about 4 days before i was on my way back to phnom penh. it was a relatively uneventful bus ride and after a quick nap and a shuffling through a couple of hundred songs on my ipod, i was there.

they say that you can never overstay your welcome at a place, however i wasn’t willing to take the risk. i had such a wonderful impression of phnom penh, i felt that if i rushed through it again to soak up some sights i missed, i might ruin the existing perception i had of the city.

so after touching down in the afternoon, i bought ticket to seam reap early the next day. i spend the rest of the day back at the Last Home guesthouse making small talk with the owners and taking a long walk around the city.

it happened to be my birthday that day. and although i complain incessantly about my travel buddy, she did something extraordinarily nice – she and the owners of the guesthouse planned a surprise party for me at the guesthouse’s restaurant.

it was extremely nice and at the time, i was lost for words.

i’d put up a photo of me and the cake, but i look like a twit with a creepy looking smirk on my face.

anyways, a big thank you to her is in order.

the locals chipped in as well and they made me a delicate flower carving out of what seemed like a potato… or carrot and a purple scarf. either way, having the coherency of monkey’s bloated prostate , i never got the chance to express how grateful i was.

anyways, it turned out to be a great night. we ordered plenty of beer and a couple of travelers joined us in the celebration. the locals were extremely accommodating and allowed us to drink and sing into the night. the cake tasted great, the company was amazing and the feel of it all was indescribable.

now, find that experience in a lonely planet!

My day out

noreply@blogger.com (Bob) — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 19:58:00 +0000

today i woke up with a sense of minimalism. i’m not really sure who, how, what or why i decided to get rid of the clutter in my life, it’s a gut feeling that i’ve decided to roll with.

as with everything, i’ve decided to change the layout of the blog to suit my new outlook on life.

i’ve never enjoyed the weekends more than i have since i’ve started work. the day seems brighter, the food tastes better and music sounds sweeter. i believe its how convicts feel about conjugal visits. anyways, i decided to spend the day catching up with a couple of old colleagues from the paper i used to work at. after making brief arrangements, we decided to meet up in hartamas for a drink and a dose of nostalgia.

after exchanging some sweet pleasantries, she informed me that one of her friends might be joining us. initially i wasn’t too thrilled at the idea of having to meet someone new on my holiday and make social.

however, after meeting her friend, i have to say, that she (her friend) was one of the coolest people i’ve ever met. an avid traveler that makes her living off traveling. working as a freelance photographer that sells the rights to her images through the internet, she’s been supporting her bohemian like lifestyle for over 2 years now and according to her, has no plans to “quit”. although she openly admitted that she wasn’t so much into photography as she was into roughing it out and delving in the moment, but it paid.

by this time, i totally forgot about my ex-colleague, who, at the time was fiddling with her hair and gnawing on a piece of gum like a prisoner in isolation while i was deep into conversation with her friend.

after another hour or so, i exchanged phone numbers with my colleague’s friend and we left.

on the way home, while stuck deepavalli traffic, i couldn’t help but be extremely impressed with how this girl lives her life. while i’d like to believe that i’m equally as driven as she is, i could have never imagined picking up a hobby just for me be able to support my hobby. i imagine it’s like marriage, you do what you must for what you love.

Snippets of the Working Life

noreply@blogger.com (Bob) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 16:29:00 +0000

believing that i could ride the storm of enthusiasm, i decided to take up a lucrative offer as a copywriter for some hole-in-the-wall company to bide my time and fund my travels.

previously, i worked as a freelance writer for a bunch of local newspapers, the pay was decent but the freedom was great. nothing like waking up at 11 in the morning and heading to a local coffee shop for some buns and melodramatic commentary on malaysian youth.

however, i took the plunge and put on the suit and set the alarm at 8.

and it’s what you would expect, the movies were right. the office is ride with internal politicking and pretension. Day 2.

i believe the problem with most jobs related to writing or language in general is that everyone’s a smart ass. everyone has an opinion and everyone values it.

i spent the whole day trying to write a FAQ for some silly little facebook application that i’ve never heard of and that nobody bothered to explain to me.

after submitting a copy of the guide to my boss, he thought that one particular section should be changed, because he couldn’t understand it. So i changed the section and proceeded to submit it to the corporate higher ups, after which they criticized me for not having ‘international english’, whatever the hell that means.

so i showed them the original copy of that section that i wrote and they thought it was much better

but how am i supposed to convince my direct boss to accept the original copy when he wants the dumbed down version? and how am i supposed to get the higher ups to accept the dumbed down version when they want the original?

welcome to the real world, people tell me. i’d say it’s more like welcome to the matrix.

bad work’s all fine and dandy if it means you get to come home to a nice quite home that’s filled with all sorts of chocolate goodies and 1979 quietly rambling in the background.

but if you come home to a psychotic landowner that screams obscenities at his wife and his plants, the day really doesn’t end there for you. i get home a little later in the evening, hoping that these psychopaths have exhausted themselves out from shouting at each other. but today, i got home and there was a mad flurry of insults flying across the room, more so than usual. it became apparent to me why my landlord was shouting after 3 seconds.

a lady on the floor, a toothbrush in her hand and a bucket of soap next to her.

apparently, from my limited understanding of animal’s talking, my landlord was screaming at her for trying to wash our apartment floor with no less than a toothbrush and the giddy determination of a school girl. I felt sorry for my landlord’s wife, there was something oddly unsettling about a 45 year old woman sitting on the floor trying to scrub her floor with a toothbrush.

my landlord took it a step even further and begun insulting her and her parents. at one point, i believe i heard “the only reason i’m with you is because of my son!” and “you have no idea how stupid you are!”.

After traveling for 3 months, it’s difficult having to come back home and realize that you’ve been living this life for the past 5 years. all that riverside serenity and new world wonder is washed away in a sea of conformity and routine.

maybe this is the anticlimax that i’ve been worrying about.

Tad Lo: Jack Nicholson, Crash and a Pole

noreply@blogger.com (Bob) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 10:44:00 +0000

while nursing my wounds in tad lo, i met a bunch of really nice people. notably a hot polish girl and a guy who looked eerily similar to jack nicholson.

my first encounter with the hot polish girl, who’s name i didn’t get, was when i was checking in to one of mama pap’s huts. when i opened the door that led out to the balcony, i saw the shape of an amazingly well toned girl wrapped in an orange wrap by the side of the mekong. i was initially stunned but i some how managed to conjure up enough mental prowess to turn away. which was a good thing, because she turned to me and smiled.

the smile that made me forget about all my travels, about the road and about the fact that i was sleeping above a pigsty.

After that instance, i couldn’t help but picture the image of her by the river, in her orange wrap and her soaking wet hair. throughout the rest of the day, as best i could i tried to distract myself with the sounds of waterfalls and scenic walks by the countryside. it helped a little.

the next day, i decided to rent a motorbike, after which i crashed it. i took the bike out to a nearby town that had a gas station, when the rain started to come down hard and heavy. being natrually cautious, i decided to turn around and make my way back till the rain subsided.

as i turned the motorbike around, i lost control of the steering and out of panic, i kept my fists firmly wrapped around the accelerator, which resulted in me driving myself of a highly elevated road head first into the floor.

i think i passed out for a few seconds only to wake up to sound of rain spattering on my skull. as i lifted myself off the ground, the bike was pinned against my left leg and in a moment of blissful ignorance, i tried to pull my leg off the bike. a bad idea as most of my lecturers say, as a piece of the bike tore a huge cut in my thigh.

as i got up, i realized that i was bleeding all over, my shirt and my shorts were soaked in blood and i must’ve looked like a survivor from one of those saw movies.

it was a 8 km journey back to mama pap’s place, so i decided to walk it instead of risking another accident. after what seemed to be an eternity of walking through the downpour and having locals stare at me, i got home.

after what i’d like to call the trying-to-be-a-smartass incident, i stayed in my hut for a couple days to recuperate and to destroy the ant colony forming on my balcony.

On one of those many days i spent idling around mama pap’s restaurant, i met a guy who looked an awful lot like Jack Nicholson. apparently he’d been travelling for a number of years and used to work as a insurance salesman.

i’m not too sure what to make of it, he was a very interesting guy to be around and i think he even ended up sleeping with the polish girl.

Looks like jack nicholson, tick, talks like jack nicholson, tick, got into a hot chick’s pants on the third day… yeap, i’m pretty sure it was him.

at least that’s how the story is going to be told from now on!