Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Monday, April 22, 2013
Saturday, April 20, 2013
Koh Tao
I spent $3.00 on a train ticket to get me 6 hours north of Hat Yai. My seat was comparable to a park bench. This is called at third class ticket.
A vendor walked up and down the aisles with a bucket of beer fueling the drunkards for a mere 30 baht ($1) per can till they couldn't open their eyes anymore. Some curled up on the bench in what had to be a very uncomfortable ball to catch a few zz's. Others slept on straw mats under the benches when the sun went down. This wasn't just the third class, this was the third class sleeper car.
I stayed up talking to a German traveler by the name of Christoph. Christoph was another solo traveler on his way to a small island in the gulf of Thailand to get his scuba certification. I said "gee Christoph, that sounds like a good idea." The next day we took a ferry to Koh Tao and started the open water divers course.
Koh Tao is a picturesque little island swarming with young international travelers and a never ending party scene. Not quite the cultural experience I seek but an experience none-the-less. Ban's dive resort, where I am staying, runs like clockwork. My instructor Jimmy said Bans certifies more people in a year than all of Mexico. I'm not sure what the Mexican dive scene is like but I'm guessing that's pretty good.
Tomorrow is another ferry ride to the mainland then a bus to the countries capital. You guessed it, Bangkok.
A vendor walked up and down the aisles with a bucket of beer fueling the drunkards for a mere 30 baht ($1) per can till they couldn't open their eyes anymore. Some curled up on the bench in what had to be a very uncomfortable ball to catch a few zz's. Others slept on straw mats under the benches when the sun went down. This wasn't just the third class, this was the third class sleeper car.
I stayed up talking to a German traveler by the name of Christoph. Christoph was another solo traveler on his way to a small island in the gulf of Thailand to get his scuba certification. I said "gee Christoph, that sounds like a good idea." The next day we took a ferry to Koh Tao and started the open water divers course.
Koh Tao is a picturesque little island swarming with young international travelers and a never ending party scene. Not quite the cultural experience I seek but an experience none-the-less. Ban's dive resort, where I am staying, runs like clockwork. My instructor Jimmy said Bans certifies more people in a year than all of Mexico. I'm not sure what the Mexican dive scene is like but I'm guessing that's pretty good.
Tomorrow is another ferry ride to the mainland then a bus to the countries capital. You guessed it, Bangkok.
Saturday, April 13, 2013
Muddy Junction
Mom joined me on the trip to Malaysia. She flew for 23 hours from New York to Hong Kong to Kuala Lumpur. I guess you could say she missed me...
Beryl spent a good portion of her childhood here actually. From age 12 to 18 she was a certified Kuala Lumpurian with Batik sarongs and a pet monkey named Solomon. After graduating from the International School of Kuala Lumpur she went off to college in California and hasn't looked back until 12 days ago. "A lot has changed in 40 years," she says. Skyscrapers are EVERYWHERE, the Petronas towers keep two watchful eyes over the city. A massive influx of expats clogs the streets and sidewalks. It's a metropolis in the tropics with shopping malls, street vendors, a monorail and the occasional homeless guy sleeping on a cardboard box.
One thing mom did remember was how to speak Malay. Growing up she would always yell out "makan!" meaning eat, when dinner was served. That was the extent of my Malay but when we sat down to have dinner she was having full blown conversations with the whole wait staff! I was impressed and so were the locals. Next thing you know everyone was speaking Malay to me and all I can reply is "makan!" After that, she taught me the basics and I could at least say "thank you."
We shopped for silk scarves, saw the sites, met with some of moms teachers from high school, ate heaps and heaps at the all-you-can-eat-and-then-some-buffet, and kicked it poolside from time to time. A wonderful hiatus from the pb&j's and hostels if you ask me. Thanks for everything Ma!
As I waved goodbye to Beryl I quickly realized that I'm alone now on the opposite side of the world from where I'm trying to go. Where are my all inspiring Bike & Build riders? Where is Robert C. Seamans? Where are the Kaiwiki boys and Uncle Micah? What ever happened to Kegan?! All this time I've been away I've been able to thrive on the comfort of having a partner in crime or at least a familiar face to experience this all with. Now I sit in a food court in KL and see nothing but Asians. Friendly faces none-the-less, but foreign to me.
Ive got a train booked to Thailand tonight. That's about all I've got booked but it's a start. I'm going to finish what I started. I have to. Looks like I'll just need to make some new friends.
P.S. if anyone is interested in coming to Africa in May please email me at cschmitt586@g.rwu.edu
Mahalos
Beryl spent a good portion of her childhood here actually. From age 12 to 18 she was a certified Kuala Lumpurian with Batik sarongs and a pet monkey named Solomon. After graduating from the International School of Kuala Lumpur she went off to college in California and hasn't looked back until 12 days ago. "A lot has changed in 40 years," she says. Skyscrapers are EVERYWHERE, the Petronas towers keep two watchful eyes over the city. A massive influx of expats clogs the streets and sidewalks. It's a metropolis in the tropics with shopping malls, street vendors, a monorail and the occasional homeless guy sleeping on a cardboard box.
One thing mom did remember was how to speak Malay. Growing up she would always yell out "makan!" meaning eat, when dinner was served. That was the extent of my Malay but when we sat down to have dinner she was having full blown conversations with the whole wait staff! I was impressed and so were the locals. Next thing you know everyone was speaking Malay to me and all I can reply is "makan!" After that, she taught me the basics and I could at least say "thank you."
We shopped for silk scarves, saw the sites, met with some of moms teachers from high school, ate heaps and heaps at the all-you-can-eat-and-then-some-buffet, and kicked it poolside from time to time. A wonderful hiatus from the pb&j's and hostels if you ask me. Thanks for everything Ma!
As I waved goodbye to Beryl I quickly realized that I'm alone now on the opposite side of the world from where I'm trying to go. Where are my all inspiring Bike & Build riders? Where is Robert C. Seamans? Where are the Kaiwiki boys and Uncle Micah? What ever happened to Kegan?! All this time I've been away I've been able to thrive on the comfort of having a partner in crime or at least a familiar face to experience this all with. Now I sit in a food court in KL and see nothing but Asians. Friendly faces none-the-less, but foreign to me.
Ive got a train booked to Thailand tonight. That's about all I've got booked but it's a start. I'm going to finish what I started. I have to. Looks like I'll just need to make some new friends.
P.S. if anyone is interested in coming to Africa in May please email me at cschmitt586@g.rwu.edu
Mahalos
Friday, April 12, 2013
Red Sox International
Walking through the Singapore airport, a familiar display case takes me on a trip down Yawkee Way. Go Sox!
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
Monday, April 1, 2013
The Bottom Of The World
"Ya, we quite like it down here at the bottom of the world." As you should Kiwis, as you should.
Ten months ago, New Zealand wasn't even a point of interest for me. It certainly wasn't a place to avoid but I really just didn't think anything of it. It was, speaking as a generality, an island off the coast of Australia. As true as that may be, New Zealand (at least the South Island) is a beautiful part of the world with some of the most hospitable and adventurous inhabitants. Truly a world of its own and yes, very close to the bottom of the world.
Kegan and I spent the last 27 days circumnavigating the South Island; Christchurch to Christchurch. Circumnavigation within a circumnavigation. A sort of "circumnavigation inception" as Kegan so fittingly put it.
We really made an effort to do as much as we could in the short time we had and yet there are still so many things we didn't have time to do. That small, semi-forgotten about island in the Tasman sea is packed with heaps of adventure that left me wanting more. I'll be back some day, New Zealand. Can't say when or with whom, but I will be back.
So what's next you might ask? Well any true followers might recall a certain post regarding a spontaneous plane ticket being purchased for a rather hefty price back in Honolulu. Well that ticket is for today and that destination is for Kuala Lumpur. In four hour and twenty six minutes I will touch down in Malaysia. This is the furthest I will be from Massachusetts but, ironically, also one step closer to the place I call home.
But as for now, I dab my face with a warm rosemary scented towel and eat braised pork with shiitake mushrooms. Loosened my belt, put my seat back and ordered a complimentary glass of cognac. I peered out over the never-ending stretch of clouds and raised my glass to the east. Cheers to you New Zealand. Cheers to the bottom of the world.
Ten months ago, New Zealand wasn't even a point of interest for me. It certainly wasn't a place to avoid but I really just didn't think anything of it. It was, speaking as a generality, an island off the coast of Australia. As true as that may be, New Zealand (at least the South Island) is a beautiful part of the world with some of the most hospitable and adventurous inhabitants. Truly a world of its own and yes, very close to the bottom of the world.
Kegan and I spent the last 27 days circumnavigating the South Island; Christchurch to Christchurch. Circumnavigation within a circumnavigation. A sort of "circumnavigation inception" as Kegan so fittingly put it.
We really made an effort to do as much as we could in the short time we had and yet there are still so many things we didn't have time to do. That small, semi-forgotten about island in the Tasman sea is packed with heaps of adventure that left me wanting more. I'll be back some day, New Zealand. Can't say when or with whom, but I will be back.
So what's next you might ask? Well any true followers might recall a certain post regarding a spontaneous plane ticket being purchased for a rather hefty price back in Honolulu. Well that ticket is for today and that destination is for Kuala Lumpur. In four hour and twenty six minutes I will touch down in Malaysia. This is the furthest I will be from Massachusetts but, ironically, also one step closer to the place I call home.
But as for now, I dab my face with a warm rosemary scented towel and eat braised pork with shiitake mushrooms. Loosened my belt, put my seat back and ordered a complimentary glass of cognac. I peered out over the never-ending stretch of clouds and raised my glass to the east. Cheers to you New Zealand. Cheers to the bottom of the world.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)