Chennai, India

I arrived in Chennai this morning and after haggling desperatly with autorickshaw drivers to agree on a fair price, I made my way to Broadland's Hotel, 'a backpacker favorite since 1951.' The crumbling walls of the French colonial era building give it plenty of old world charm and the multitude of courtyards filled with trees and a constant ocean breeze, enjoyed by cats and journal-writing travelers, makes it the perfect place to wait out the thick, sweaty afternoon heat. I spent the morning and early part of the afternoon walking around Chennai, which turned out to be another big, crazy, dirty, Indian city. This one however is right on the ocean, so at least it has location going for it. Hundreds if not thousands of people were down on the beach. Kids playing in the waves, teenagers flirting with eachother, and everyone trying to shake my hand. I so desperatly wanted to jump in the water and ride the waves on a piece of styrofoam like a few of the local kids, but figured that my passport, camera, and credit cards were worth more to me than a few minutes in the waves.

Tomorrow I'm heading south for Pondicherry and staying with Sebastian, a French guy who I met on couchsurfing. He's invited me to a BBQ with his friends tomorrow night and then to go diving on Sunday! I've never been diving before, so I may just stick to snorkeling or hanging out on the boat unless I can get a crash course in diving before hand. Either way, it sounds like fun!

I Love India!

I love India! I love the craziness and the chaos and the dirtiness of the streets, the trains, and the buses. I love the people, their beauty and elegance amid thier harsh living conditions. I love the food, the inticing smells of fried foods on every street, the lure of sweets and the refreshing fruit juices and lassis spilling from street stalls. I love the masses of people and their genuine curiosity and excitement to see me. I love the gentle nature of people that is often hidden beneath a rough, crude exterior. But most of all, I love how comfortable I am here, how easily India has taken me in her arms and welcomed me.

India is a developing country through and through, and there's something about that which is familiar and comforting. I feel like I fit in here, like I belong despite the fact that its impossible for me to blend in. There is chaos everywhere, but amongst the chaos are smiles, friendly hellos, and people with the same hopes, dreams, and desires as me. It's easy to put up a barrier, to keep my head down, to ignore the hellos, and to walk quickly from point A to point B. But why? What am I trying to hide from? Saying hello and waving to everyone is not realistic, giving money to every beggar will make me just as poor as them, but there is no harm in slowing down just a little, throwing out a few smiles, waving to the women and children, and acknowledging at least some of the hellos from the men. The attention is not given with harrasing motives, but out of genuine curiosity and shock for seeing a white person. The simple act of walking down the street can be exhausting and as much as I want to engage with the people, there are just far too many of them, and only one of me. I just hope I don't come across as offensive or rude when I ignore people.

Call me!

My phone is up and running again...I just had to find an adapter that worked!
(91)983-086-9658

Just Killing Time...

While I was staying in Kanha I became friends with Jay, the son of the guest house owner. Actually it was more along the lines of him having a crush on me, but on my last day there he offered to show me around the neighboring villages and take me to his favorite spot on the river, so I figured I'd take him up on it. We spent the morning touring villages, tasting homemade liquor, playing with kids, and exploring the foot trails created by locals. After taking a break for lunch (Palak Paneer and roti!), Jay and I went out on his motorbike in search of elephants at the nearby watering holes. Instead of elephants, we saw local villagers bathing and washing their clothes in the water, oh well. Next if was off to the river where I would have loved to have gone swimming, but seeing as I was alone with an Indian guy who wanted nothing more than to kiss me, I definitely wasn't about to hop in the water. We walked along the river bank, went rock hopping over to the other side of the river, and sat on the sandy banks chatting. We talked extensively about love and marriages, the pressures he faces from his family, and how deeply the caste system effects his life. Hearing about arranged marriages from someone who lives with its reality on a daily basis is much different that reading about it in a text book. All three of Jay's sisters have already been married, and only one was given the luxury of speaking with her husband to be for 15 minutes before the ceremony. The others saw their husbands for the first time as they took their oaths. Jay told me that he would be happy marrying a girl he had only known for a few hours, so long as she was truthful, honest, and being fresh would be nice too (aka a virgin). In fact, by the end of the day he said that if I were Indian, he would have already proposed. I told him I wouldn't marry someone unless I'd known them for at least a year. He couldn't comprehend why I would waste so much time getting to know someone. He kept reiterating, 2 months should be more than enough time, don't you think?

I took a less than pleasant overnight bus from Kanha to Nagpur and read later the advise in my guidebook to stay away from the buses in Madhya Pradesh because the roads are so bad...ooops. Having not updated my blog since Calcutta, I spent close to 3 hours writing posts, sending emails home, and looking for some couch surfers to stay with in the coming weeks. I also finally found an adapter for my phone and MP3 player, so I can receive calls and listen to music again! And now, I'm sitting at the train station waiting for my 19-hour journey to Chennai to begin. I had to check out of my hotel by 6:30am (24 hour room policy!) so I've spent the last 2 hours hanging out here, and still have 3.5 hours before my train departs. There's nowhere safe to leave my bag, so straying too far is out of the question--I guess I'll just have to pass the time with chais and samosas!

Kanha National Park

I spent the morning exploring Kanha National Park on the back of a gypsy (an exotic sounding open-air jeep). We started out at 5:30am, driving into the park as the sun made its ascent over the meadows. The first sighting of wildlife was an Indian owl perched high in a ghost tree--a creamy, off white tree that gets its name from its eerie appearance in the darkness of night. Soon after, white-spotted deer, peacocks, monitor lizards, and hundreds of monkeys entertained us as they ate, wandered, and played. Kanha National Park claims to be the inspiration for Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book, and as such, people come here to see the tigers. Home to India's largest number of tigers, I too had my hopes up. Hopeful to see a tiger, we kept alert as the dirt road twisted and turned, winding up through the forests, meadows, and jungles of the park. But with the sun rising quickly and the cool of the night air giving way to the intensity of the sun, our hopes slowly dwindled. While we never did spot one of the elusive tigers, the plethora of flora and fauna was enough to excite any nature lover and the adventure of exploring untamed India in a jeep rivaled that of any Indiana Jones adventure!

From here, I'm starting my journey south, with hopes of reaching Chennai by Thursday or Friday. Travel is slow here and the country is huge, so its no wonder that I can potentially eat up the better part of a week en route to my next destination!

Public Bathrooms and Clumsy Me

Somewhere between Jabalpur and Kanha the bus stops for a lunch break and I head straight from the bathroom. In developing countries there are 4 basic types of bathrooms, holes in the ground, troughs, ceramic squat toilets, or cement slabs. This one was of the cement slab variety. Basically how it works is that there is a large slabe of cement which slants slightly downwards intot an open gutter. The women squat and do their business directly onto the slab, and all fo the human waste eventually slides its way down into the gutter. This is my least favorite of the four bathroom options, as I still haven't figured out how to use it without making a total mess of myself, and this time was no different.

So there I am, squatting alongside a few other women, pee splashing my feet and ankles before it begins its journey down the cement in a mad race to the gutter. Somehow I lose my footing. My left foot begins to slip when it comes into contact with some unknown bodily fluid, and I start to fall. It happened in slow motion, just as most moments like this do--my foot sliding out form under me, my eyes examining my surroundings, looking for the cleanist (can I even say clean when talking about a public toilet, a slab of cement at a bus stop in rural India where people defecate?) spot to catch my fall, profanity running through my mind. My hand finds a relatvely dry patch, but my purse lands in a nasty puddle, and somehow my foot ends up soaking wet. The smells were rechid and I couldn't believe I'd just come into contact with the collective sources of the nauesating smell. Without even fully comprehending what had just happened, I hurridely got out of there and washed off the best I could at the spicket. But with no soap, I had to manage with a good scrubbing and a whole lot of hand sanitizer. My purse well, with the bottom soaked, there wasn't much I could do until I got to the hotel, but trust me I scrubbed the crap (litterally) out of that thing once I checked into my hotel a few hours later!

Breakfast with a Cow

Turns out the 7am bus to Kanha has been cancelled. The next bus doesn't leave for 4 hours, so now I'm sitting at the bus station, trying to ignore the stares, the incesant calls of Hello beautiful!, and the endless stream of beggars asking for a few rupees. I picked up some breakfast from one of the street stalls and sat in the bus station's outdoor waiting hall eating with my fingers from the little newspaper sack, when I felt a presence behind me. A cow, with diarreah looking snot running from its nose. Nedging close trying to get a bite of my breakfast, I try to play it cool, knowing that cows are sacred here, I didn't want to look like I was bothered by the snot-nosed cow. But he just got a little too close, and I definely didn't want any of his brown goop dropping into my breakfast. I casually moved further into the waiting hall and finished my breakfast, of couse, under the constant surveillance of everyone around me.

Mice

Around 1am I was awakened by the sound of mice. Hoping it was simple paranoia left over from dinner, I tried to ingore the sounds of the little creatures and go back to sleep. But I couldn't. The sounds of squeaking, nibbling, and scurrying were too close for comfort. Typically sharing a toom with little critters doesn't bother me too much, so long as there is a bed net to provide a physical barrier between me and my roommates. But last night, I didn't have the comfort of a bednet to provide speraration. I curled up tight, tucked inside my sleep sheet, turned on some music and tried desperately not to think of the mice. And then one ran across my head. I screamed so loud that I could hear the people begin to stir in the next room over. I jumped out of bed, switched on the lights, and stood frozen, my eyes fixed on the bed, scanning the floorboards for the devious little mouse. Not sure what to do, I stood there, contemplating my options. I needed to change rooms. I quickly packed up my things, careful not to find a mouse tucked in my purse or hidden in a pocket of my bag, when I noticed my contact solution had somehow moved from the shelf by the side of the bed all the way to the other side of the room. Damn mice.

The man at the front desk was understanding of the situation, although I don't think he really understood that mice were the problem, not mosquitos. He moved me across the hall to room 107, gave me a mosquito coil, fresh sheets, and some air freshener, and sent me on my way. I slept like a baby for the next 4 hours until my alarm told me it was time to catch the bus.

Jabalpur, India

I have finally arrived in my hotel room in Jabalpur after a long 26 hours on the train and over an hour of walking through this seedy town looking for a decent place to stay. I settled on one of the first places I looked at, despite its high price tag, simply because its rooms were enclosed within the hotel rather than open to the streets. I get the feeling that I'm going to have to be much more careful here--I've started carrying my pepper spray again! A few minutes after settling into my room, two young boys ring the bell, and when I open the door they enthusiastically ask me if I'd prefer a chai or a coffee. Not really in the mood for either, but thinking it was compliments of the hotel for arriving guests, I accept a chai. After enjoying the tea while flipping through the Hindi TV stations, taking a quick and very cold shower, the boys ring my bell again, this time they hand me a bill. 51 rupees. What's this for? I ask perplexed. Turns out the tea wasn't compliments of the hotel, but what's worse, is that a tea just outside costs only 2 rupees. I'm appalled at the outrageous price markup, but since I didn't have exact change and he couldn't break my bill, I told him I'd pay for it later. Maybe they'll forget about it? Doubtful. Annoyed, I walk to find dinner, but by this point its already dark so I look for someplace close. While restaurant hunting a group of 5 or 6 Hijras approach me as they parade down the street, singing, dancing, and beating on a drum. They call out to me, but I do my best to avoid the oncoming sauntering ladies, and while trying to go around them, they surround me and begin to serenade me. Nervous laughter spills from my mouth, blush rises on my cheeks. I do my best not to look completely uncomfortable, but what are you supposed to do when you find yourself surrounded by 6 burly transvestites swirling and dancing around you?

I ended up eating at a nice restaurant and managed to avoid another meal comprised of all things fried. Thrilled that I had finally found some vegetables, I scarfed down my meal, and while sitting back to admire the white table clothes, fresh flowers, and napkins, I noticed a little mouse scurrying out from the kitchen. Gross, I thought to myself, I guess you can't trust appearances as much as I thought you could.

Surviving the Train

I've survived my first night on an Indian train. Just like most everything else in India so far, it was crowded, dirty, and there were far more men than women. In fact I only ever saw 1 other woman, well that is unless you count the 3 Hijras, transvestites, who sauntered through my rail car asking for money. The train was decently comfortable, although my feet hung off the end of the sleeper berth into the walkway, so it was hard to avoid constantly knocking people with my feet. The lights were constantly being turned on and off as people boarded and got off for their stops, which caused expected noise and commotion that my body eventually acclimated. At one point though I was startled awake by loud male voices. I peered over my shoulder to see 4 men in turbans with rilfes flung over their shoulders. Holy shit! I screamed to myself, What is going on?!? They stood around for a while, talking loudly, seemingly trying to explain something to another passenger. I stayed as still as possible, my face towards the wall and pretended to be asleep. They eventually left and I dozed back to sleep. I found out later that those men weren't the terrorists I initially suspected them to be, but armed guards partolling the train.

I spent 26 hours on the train, and during that time I tried all sorts of unknown foods that were being hawked at every stop.Puffed rice served in newspaper, seasonsed with ginger, peanuts, chilies, and salt; homemade potato chips that tasted alomost like salt and vinegar chips from home; rotis served in ingenious dried leaf bowls with potato curry for dipping; samosas served in these same eco-friendly leaf bowls, and of course, many, many cups of chai--the sweet, creamy goodness served in great little clay cups. Its so nice that they haven't abandoned their traditional serving methods and moved to styrofoam!

Exhausting India

Calcutta is a loud, hectic, and dirty place. People are everywhere, men primarily though. I'd guss I see at least 4 men to every woman, and they all stare at me. I forgot how exhausting it can be. And here in India, making eye contact is basically an open invitation to approach, so by yesterday afternoon, I walked through the city with my eyes glued to the pavement. I stayed with Anubhav, a couchsurfer and lawyer, which was nice, but that too was exhausting. He is one of the most intellectual people I have ever met and also one of the most talkative. Last night all I wanted to do was go to bed, but he just kept talking. I felt my eyes getting heavy, the yawns becoming deeper, and my lack of concentration on his stories, economic theories, and political views intensify. I sat nodding, throwing in the occasional, really? That's interesting, just so I didn't seem totally bored. Then he started showing me pictures on his laptop of places in India he'd been. But they weren't pictures of interesting people, or beautiful places, or even of exciting adventures, but of forts. I think I did an entire tour of Indian forts last night. Boring, I really don't care! is what I wanted so desperately to tell him, but felt obligated to humor my host. And to make it even worse, 75% of his pictures were blurry. Blurry to the point that I had to keep checking to make sure my contacts were still in. And his commentary was endless, it was that intellectual, academic babbling too, history, important people, war time theories, etc. It was painful. He was a nice guy, but a little smothering and intense.

So now, I'm sitting in a restaurant at Howrah train station, enjoying a cup of coffee. Every time I look up from my journal, there are eyes staring at me. When I meet their intent gaze, they don't flinch, they just continue staring. There's no shame here. At 2:30pm I'm boarding a train headed for Jabalpur, a town in the state of Madhya Pradesh, smack dab in the middle of India. I was planning of going down to the Sundarbans National Park first, but it was becoming too difficult to secure the necessary permits on my own, so I nixed that plan. Instead, I am going to head west and then south. I'd really like to see Southern India and in a few months its just going to be too hot. Aside from the heat, civil unrest has taken a strong hold on Nepal and its surrounding borders, and I've been advised to steer clear of the north for a while.

Nepal's king is considered a tyrant by the majority of Nepalese people and as such, they have scheduled elections for April in hopes of ousting their current leader. The king however doesn't want to lose his power and is going to great lengths to ensure that the elections don't happen. Currently, he is paying civilians to start rioting and fighting in the streets, creating enough civil unrest and chaos to prevent an election in April. Many of the Nepal-India borders have become inaccessible, and I've heard reports from other travellers of people getting stranded in Nepal, unable to get out. So, I think its best to avoid Nepal for a while. Its so unfortunate that so many countries seem to be collapsing before our very, falling victim to the corruption and greed that money and power create. And why do they have to be the countries that I was hoping to visit? Nepal, Sri Lanka, Kenya...who's next?

So after Kanha National Park, I'll probably head to the south, Chennai, Pondicherry, Kerala, etc. There's an Ashram in Kerala that comes highly recommended from a fellow Californian so I might give yoga and meditation a shot for a week or two. Originally I was thinking of volunteering somewhere for a while, but right now I really just feel like exploring and seeing as much of India as I can!

Phone troubles...

For some reason my phone isn't charging, so the battery is really really low. I'll try to get it fixed today, but if not, then I may be unreachable for a while. I'm leaving Calcutta this afternoon for Jabalpur, which is in the center of India. There's a big national park there that I'm really looking forward to visiting, so that's where I'll be for the next few days and who knows what the phone and internet situation will be out there...so don't worry if I don't post for a while. Hugs.

Dona

New Phone Number

I've made it to Calcutta, or Kolkata as they say here. The first thing I did once I got through customs was to buy a new SIM card which turned out to be much more challenging than in Thailand. But I now have a working phone number! The time difference from California is 13.5 hours and from the East Coast (and for Beatriz down in Chile), 10.5 hours. Feel free to give me a call whenever you feel like chatting, but try to remember the time difference...I've gotten more than a few calls way too early in the morning!

(91) 983-086-9658

Miss you guys!

Arriving in Calcutta

Flying over the mangroves of southern India was like taking a rip through an abstract painting. Rivers and streams twisitng and turning in endless browns and greens creating a portrait reminicent of work hung on the walls of the MOMA. The scenery turned quickly to a patchwork of mismatched fields in every shade of green imaginable. The massive brown waterways gave way to clusters of homes surrounded by trees, which soon faded into the concrete of Calcutta. As we descended, gazing out the tiny airplane window, I couldn't help but think how much the view reminded me of flying into the Sacramento airport. It was comforting to know that on the otherside of the world I could so easily be reminded of home. As we got closer, the familiarity of home began to fade. Brightly colored saris navigated the streets, decaying houses and buildings are splattered with mold, and soon the piles of garbage reveal themselves too. The dirtiness of the city begins to emerge.

Farewell South East Asia

It's been 102 days, 5 countries, and a lifetime of memories. As I sit here on my last morning in Bangkok, trying to reflect on my time in South East Asia, its hard to pinpoint what to write about. My favorite places and experiences? That's easy, those are the time that I won't forget--eating happy pizza with Beatriz in Cambodia, cycling through the central highlands in Vietnam, relaxing in the tiny village of Mai Chau, the friendship and hospitality of Susan in Dalat, rockclimbing in Yangshuo, doing absolutely nothing in the presence of great company in Muong Ngoi, floating down a beautiful river in Vang Vieng, the beaches of Thailand, and of course, all of the food. But what about the hard times? The times I wanted to throw up my hands and book the next ticket home, the times when situations became so overwhelming that I was reduced to tears. The times of homesickness and loneliness, when I wanted nothing more than to talk to my family, to be comforted by their embrace. The times I was sick or just too exhausted to do anything at all. Will I remember those times too, in a year, 5 years, 20 years from now? Surely those are the moments that helped to shape my transformation into the person I am now more than the fun times. But we have a tendancy to block out the negative from memories. It's the best and worst times that I think will have a permanent fixture in my memory of Asia. But what about the mundane, the colors, the sounds, the smells? Those qualities that give a place its character, the ones that for the most part, go unnoticed? I don't want to forget the warmth of the sun at sunrise, or the intoxicating aromas that fill the streets on market day, the Asian pop music that I grew to appreciate, or the crowing of the roosters long before sunrise, the warm smiles of locals and the excitement of children, or the sound of shop owners calling out "Cheap cheap Massage for you, good price for you, good price for me!" in the high pitched, heavily accented tones that only a local could pull off. Or what about the wierd phases I went through, my obsession with icecream in Cambodia, my love for peanut butter in Vietnam, my need to eat mandarin oranges after every meal in China and my insistence to eat sticky rice at every meal in Laos, or my cravings for chocolate milk in Thailand. It's funny how much centers around food. And what about the times that I didn't write about, maybe I was too embarrased at the time, but they make me laugh now as I sit here and think back--like squatting over a garbage can in my room peeing into a plastic bottle because I was too tired to walk down to the bathroom, or the time that I didn't shower or change my clothes for nearly a week because I was too cold, the time I forgot to bring my towel with me to the shower and had to run back to my room soaking wet and naked because my clothes were too dirty to put back on, or the time that I had the runs so bad that I actually crapped my pants as I was running to the toilet! Funny how all of those memories involve bathrooms. But more than anything, I hope to retain the collective memory of Asia as a place that challenged me to rediscover the true, authentic Dona, to develop the confidence to be the person who I am most comfortable being, and to not sacrifice myself to please others. Its been a selfish 102 days, 3 1/2 months of doing nothing but what I wanted, when I wanted. I don't think I've really changed all that much, a little here and there, but for the most part its the same me, just a little, what's the word, fine-tuned? My confidence and self-esteem still stumble a bit in search of solid ground, but everyday I learn a little more, grow a little more, love myself a little more. Asia has helped me to redefine and solidify my most personal needs, wants, and desires. I wonder what India will have in store for me?

I leave tomorrow morning for Calcutta, a city that is a microcosm of the Indian subcontinent all smashed into a single city. Its going to be a shock, overwhelming, exciting, and a brillant way to start my travels in India, thrown right into the thick of things! Thanks for all of your support and words of encouragement, and be sure to keep it coming...I'm going to need you guys more than ever in India!

Another Day in Bangkok

It has been an incredibly long day. I picked up my camera first thing this morning and its working much better. The shutter has rusted due to the moisture in the air and also likey by far too laid back disregard for taking pictures with wet hands, but the technician was able to clean it enough that it works for now. I'll get it truly fixed in India/ After the camera shop, I was ready to head to the weekend market. I didn't know exactly what it was called, but when I spotted Chakawat Market on my map, I figured that had to be it. It sounded something along those lines, and was the only market on the map that started with a C. Feeling up for a decent walk, I walked down to the peir and boarded the ferry. Pointing to the name of the peir that I wanted to go to, the ferry driver, a morbidly obese Thai man dressed like a sailor, nodded and moitioned for me to board. A few minutes later we're slowly making out way across the river to the adjacent pier. All of the passengers get off, except me. I wait patiently as more people get on and find seats. Soon enough the sailor lookalike/ferry captian is backing up the ferry and manuevering the akward barge in the equivalent of a 3-point turn. COnfused, I look around, but no one else seems startled by the fact that we're putting across the river to the pier I just came from. Once again, the entire boat disembarks except for me. This time, the ferry driver motions to a passing long-tail boat, and nods enthusiastically, while pointing tot eh opposite bank of the river.So, once again I cross the river--third times a charm, right?--but this time I get off the ferry with the other passengers. I pay my fare, buy a ticket to Ratchawong Pier and wait for the long-tail boat that supposedly arrives every 20 minutes. Sure enough the boast arrived within 10 minutes and I was happy to see it loaded with camera-toting tourists. When I started overhearing snippets of conversations regarding the weekend market I knew I was on the right track. Once again, I was happy to see the other tourists disembark at Ratchawong Pier with me, however, according to my map, I needed to cross the river once more to get tot he market, Chakawat Market. But no one else was waiting for the ferry to the other side.Maybe they're hiring a taxi to take them to the other side, I thought to myself.

I arrive on the other side of the river and head towards the market. The streets are filled with vendors selling fried fish, curies, and endless sweets. The alley ways are packed with fabrics, toys, and household goods. Comforted by the fact that I had found the market, this self assurance quickly disappeared when I reached the end of the market within a few short minutes. This is supposed to be the biggest market in Asia, this can't be right. After checking and rechecking my map, I was 100 percent confident that I was at Chakawat Market. Utterly confused, I stop into an internet cafe and find directions online. I google Bangkok Weekend Market...Chatuchak pops up. Shoot. I've gone to not only the wrong market, but Chatuchak Market is no where to be found on my map. Who knows how far away this market is. It's amazing how the rearranging of just a few letters can take a few hours out of your day!

So I start walking, cross back over the river, wind through China Town, stop for lunch, share a beer with an old drunk, hire a tuk tuk to drive me to the SkyTrain (which I read online goes directly to the market), get suckered into stopping at a tailor shop in exchange for a half-price tuk tuk ride, look around the Indian run tailor with absolutely no intention to buy anything, get back in the tuk tuk only to be met with a very disappointed looking driver (apparently I didn't stay inside the shop for the required 5 minute minimum, so he won't get his free litre of gas from the tailor), and am told that if I still want a 20 baht fare instead of 40 baht, I'd have to go to see a bead factory to make up for my lack of enthusiasm at the tailor! Luckily I recognized where I was, paid him the 20 baht and walked the rest of the way. I eventually made it to the weekend market, which truly is massive and sure enough the very first thing I saw being sold were tie-dyed, second hand T-shirts from the US. I wnated to buy on so badly, but couldn't find one that I love in my size. Oh well. The next shop was selling cowboy boots, Wranglers, and bandanas,a ll to the tune of Garth Brooks. Next it was puppies--imported direct from the US--boxers, pugs, Alaskan huskies. Those poor puppies looked miserable in the Bangkok heat. And so it continued. I spent 4 hour wandering through, but enough was enough, my feet were aching, it was getting dark, it was time to go/ I never did find the bugs.

Back at Khao San Road, I met up with Angie (my German friend from Ko Chang) and while walking around the streets after dinner, we spotted a guy selling fried bugs! He gave us a sampling of his best sellers--maggots, silk worms, grasshopper, and a giat cockaroach looking thing. After stopping at 7-11 to buy post-critter munching treats (chocolate, chocolate, and more chocolate!) we settled down just outside our guest house and over nervous, excited laughter, bravely popped grasshoppers into our mouths. Crunchy, salty, greasy, not bad. The maggots and silk worms were next. Not so crunchy, not so tasty--a little mushy and buggy tasting. I braved the giant cockaroach first, taking a nice big bit boff its back end. My tongue and teeth were squirted with a bitter slim that turned out to be his green insides. The legs got caught in my teeth and the exoskeleton was tough to get through, but I managed ok. I handed what remained to Angie. She cautiously took a nibble, got the awful squirt, starting gagging, and while fumbling for her chocolate milk to wash down the unexpectedly gross taste, nearly lost her dinner. I think I'll lay off the bugs for a while, but the experience won't be one I'll forget!

What are YOU doing?

The issues of global warming and energy consumption have become one of our biggest concerns, and rightly so. With out planet's population continuing to increase, and the quality of life for millions in the developing world improving (okay, millions are slipping backwards as well), the demand for energy is growing. America and China are the biggest consumers of oil, and out habits, out way of life needs to change. We need to take responsibility for how our lifestyles are impacting those around the world. Yet despite our unabaiting consumption, I believe, as an eternal optimist, that the brilliant minds and ingenuity of humanity can overcome such monumental issues, or at least learn to adapt to our changing world. The human spirit has an amazing ability to flourish in the face of adversity, an inspiring ability to take on any issue. Through hard work, ingenuity, drive, courage, and immense commitment, we will find a solution. But this doesn't mean that while a select few are hard at work searching for answers, the masses sit back and wait--we each need to do our part, to contribute to slowing the demise of our natural resources and our only true asset. What is your contribution, how are you making a difference? As for me, I've stopped eating meat. The mass degregation that farms create on natural landscapes is horrific--millions of once fertile acres have been turned into dusty deserts, forests are clear cut to make room for the beef, pork, and chicken farms that feed the overly meat heavy American diet. This is, in part, what I've chosen to do, this is my commitment to our planet. What's yours? Maybe its using your own two feet a little more, choosing to walk, bike, skate, run, instead of jumping in your car. Maybe its reusing your shopping bags, recycling those plastic bags that are dolled out with hopeless abandon. Maybe its buying organic foods, or purchasing only free-range meat products from small farmers, or ridding your refrigerator and freezers of Foster Farms, Harris Ranch and whatever the pork equivalent is. It may cost more to support our local, independent farmers today, but what's the cost going to be to subsequent generations? Do a little research and make informed decisions. Think about the 6 billion other people that we share this planet with, how can you make a slightly less impactful footprint on our earth?

A Little Rambling...

Well, after a public bus, some walking, a taxi ride, more walking, looking at a map at an internet cafe, a lot more walking, and bewildering looks from shop owners, I finally found the Sony Service Center. Located pretty farm from any place a tourist is typically found and seemingly in the vicinity of nothing, the lady at the Service Center was very helpful. She put in a job order for my camera, quoted me an estimate, and promised to have it back to me by Tuesday. So no all that's left to do is cross my fingers and wait. I made my way back to my guest house much more quickly than the time it took me to find the store, was just settling in to planning my trip to India when my phone rang. It's always a mystery as to who is calling--private, is all the little screen will produce at the announcement of an incoming call, but it was 2pm, practically the middle of the night at home, so I had no guesses. Irene!! I screamed into the phone when I heard her voice. We were still talking an hour later. I love the fact that Irene was just another Ghanaian, sitting in a lecture hall, Biology I think it was, way back in 2002. And here we are nearly 6 years later, and she is like a sister to me. Who would have thought? That reminds me, Bea called me last night, okay more like early early this morning, but she's all the way down in Patagonia, so how was she to know? I was sound asleep when she called at 1:30am and in my sleepy stupor I could barely carry on a conversation. I'm sorry Bea. It was great to hear your voice and I am so happy you called, sorry I wasn't more with it! Thanks to each and everyone of you who take the time out of your busy lives to post comments, to call me, and to email me. I look forward to reading the comments that come in just about everyday. It makes the world seem a whole lot smaller and its so nice to know that people actually care about what I'm doing out here!

Music!

I've never been so happy to hear music! I got my MP3 player back this evening. It's in perfect working order and filled with 400 new songs! I am absolutely elated. All I am going to do tonight is lay in my very small, but comfortable room and enjoy all of this new music. Tomorrow will no doubt be stressful with camera repairs at the top of my list, but at least I've found an official Sony Camera Repair shop nearby, and now that I've got an MP3 player, the stress of Bangkok will be at least slightly put off. Saturday I'm going to spend all day at Chatakuk Market, the massive weekend market that is famous throughout Asia, if not the world. It's the largest market in Asia and has everything from fried critters to electronics to an endless assortment of souvenirs to tasty Thai snacks. Maybe I'll finally get to try those spiders I swore I would try just once. Hopefully my camera will be fixed so that I can document it! I've got less than a week left in South East Asia, so its now or never!

Missing Ko Chang

I am really going to miss Ko Chang. Staying at Oasis Guest House has been perfect--clean, comfortable bungalows with the best semi-outdoor shower I've ever experienced. The shower was to die for. One of those giant shower heads that releases a massive amount of water, a waterfall shower head, I think is what they're called at home. There's nothing like a quick, refreshingly cool shower in the tropical heat, made just that much better by the stunning views of the jungles, alive with monkeys and birds. I wish my camera was working so that I could take a picture.

The owners of the guest house, a German man and his very pregnant Thai wife were hospitable beyond their duty, and the food they served never disappointed. I hardly ever ate at other restaurnats on the island because their food was so good, and very reasonably priced.

Lounging was what I did most during the past few days. In a hammock, on the beach, floating in the warm waters of the Gulf of Thailand. Arriving in Bangkok tomorrow will be a shock to my system. Noise, people, cars. I'm not looking forward to it. I am so going to miss Ko Chang and the sanctuary of Oasis. And where did the days go?!? When I got here, I thought a week on this island was going to drag on, that I would get bored. Never, not once was I bored here.

Everything is Breaking on Me!

Another terrible thing happened yesterday, my camera broke! It turns on just fine, but it won't take a picture. I tried to get it fixed today, but the man at the Kodak shop on the island said that they only sell film and put pictures on CD, no repairs. So, I'm going to leave Ko Chang a day early to see if I can get it fixed in Bangkok. I would be devestated if I have to buy a new camera, as this one is only 6 months old! But I figure this is the best place for me to have electronics problems since Bangkok is my best bet for finding a place to fix it. I'm so grateful this have happened in Thailand rather than Laos, or any of the other countries I've been to for that matter! And its good that I've got some extra time before flying to India, just in case the repair takes more than a day or two. Oh well, what can you do?!?

A fun-filled day of adventure on Ko Chang

A good friend once told me that my favorite days were the ones when I manage to completely exhaust myself with activity--today was one of those days. I got up early and after breakfast walked down to the beach to rent a kayak. Vicki and I paddled out to a neighboring island in search of a deserted beach. While the beach was quite deserted (there were two other people there), it was close enough. One of my favorite things to do on small islands is to see if I can make it all the way around the perimeter. I climbed, waded, and crawled about half way around the island before I was met with a 2 meter wide gap between 2 rock faces, between which were sharp, moss covered rocks and an incoming ocean tide. Not today, I decided. And so I made my way back, scampering up rocks, sliding down the otherside, often times slipping so fast that I'd plung into the water below. Up and over huge tree trunks, prevariously stepping through prickly vines, navigating my way around massive spiderwebs. I made it back to the white sandy beach where we'd left the kayak with only a few scrapes to show for my little mini-adventure. I spent the next few hours swimming in the warm, turquoise waters, and examining and admiring the shells washed up on shore. By the time we decided to head back to the main island, the ocean currents had picked up quite a bit, and Vicki and I struggled considerably to push the kayak back out to sea. Vicki got knocked over twice by the incoming waves and lost a flip flop in the process, I got my foot caught between two rocks, scraping the skin from a few of my toes. We eventually both managed to hop into the kayak and paddle hard enough to get out of the pull of the waves. Dark, ominous rain clouds spilled over the peaks of the surrounding islands, chasing away the sunshine. Rain looked immenent for sure. But the sun fought back, persistant and determined to shine through, and by the time we reached the main island, it was sunny and beautiful once again.

I got a phone call from Jen during my walk back to my bungalow which was a much welcomed surprise. Having a cell phone makes me feel so much closer to home. It's amazing what a brief chat with loved ones can do for you on those days when you're feeling down. Thanks Chhimi for insisting that I bring my cell phone with me!

Good Morning Ko Chang

I feel much more relxed and at ease today. I finished reading The Mermaid Chair yesterday, an ok, nothing special novel, and this morning started The Fourth Hand, by JOhn Irving, which is proving to be a hilarious, well written novel about a journalist who gets his hand chommped off by a circus lion in India. Not only do I get to enjoy this book from the comfort of a hammock, but from here I can watch the boats come in after a night of fishing, bringing in the delicious seafood that I've been enjoying nightly on the beach, red snapper, baracuda, squid..., and become immersed in the playful bantering of the monkeys just to my left. Bounding through the thick jungle, chasing each other, the playful monkeys are undoubtedly unaware of ho wlucky they are to live in such an exotic, endless, treetop island canopy!

Life at the Beach

I found myself anxious this morning and intot he afternoon hours, frustrated that I had to spend another 9 days in Thailand. I'm not good at sitting still, experiencing and enjoying the same sights and activities for too long just bores me. 9 days on a tropical island, as fantastic as that sounds, been there done that. There's only so much sitting on the beach, wading in the water I can do before I get bored. I want to be trying new things, seeing new sights, eating new food. I flet like this island, Thailand, South East Asia were closing in on me.

I'm not sure how long I'll stay out here. While on the surface it seems like there's lots to do, it all costs so much money. 500 baht for a cooking class, 600 baht for a snorkeling trip, 200 baht to rent a kayak. Unfortunately money isn't falling from the sky, and if I hope to make it to Africa, I simply cannot continue to indulge in all of the fun activities I'd like. But I'm better off staying out here than going back to Bangkok where money seems to disappear. Maybe being out here will teach me, force me, to relax...to spend an entire day laying in a hammock, devouring a novel, without going stircrazy. I don't know though, I just love to be on the go! Maybe tomorrow I'll see if I can swim of to the next island, it doesn't look too far...

Ko Chang

I woke up early this morning, too hot to sleep and too awake to bother lying in bed. So, I showered, packe dmy things and took an early morning stroll around Koa San Road. The drunks were stil drinking, beligerantly wandering the streets, tripping owver their own feet, sibling groups walking eachother to school and women setting up their food stall ready for their early-bird customers. Enjoying a big bowl of mixed fruit, yogurt, and muslei, I watched Koa San Road come to life, awakening from its few hours of quiet. By 6:30am the roads were alive and busling; amazing for a place that doesn't shut down until 4am, if at all. By 8am I was on the bus to Ko Chang. What was supposed to take 5 hours turned into 8, but once on the island, all the stress of Bangkok melted away as the rythym of Bob Marley breezed through the oceanside palms, and the sun set into the flistening turqoise sea. No worries.

On the bus ride, I met Angie from Germany, and Vicki from London. This is Angie's second time to Ko Chang, so she shared insiders' tips with us and led us to a great guesthouse up in the jungle overlooking the ocean. Vicki and I decided to share a bungalow to cut costs, so once again I have some travel buddies! There seems to be so much to do on the island from diving and snorkelling, to trekking and sunbathing, to taking to the skies in an ultalight, that I should have no trouble spending 9 days here. But tomorrow will be spent on the beach--swimming, reading, eating, and napping. I can't think of anything that sounds better than that!

Back in Bangkok

I've only been in Bangkok 12 hours and I'm ready to leave. It's muggy, sticky, and polluted, and the number of people is overwhelming. I arrived at 5am this morning, only to be turned down at nearly every guesthouse. Full. If they weren't full, the rooms wre over $20. After a fair amount of time wandering up and down the dark streets, I finally settled to drop by bag at a guesthouse and wait for someone to checkout. Breakfast at 6am. Still no check-outs. Internet cafe at 6:30am. Phone call from Chhimi and Elizabeth. 8am, sorry no rooms available yet. Feeling greasy, grimy, and utterly disgusting, I resigned to changing my clothes in a public bathroom, brushing my teeth in the guesthouse reception area, and splashing water on my face from a public fountain. What a way to start what was going to be a very long day. I eventually got to check-in and shower, a long 4 hours after being dropped on Khoa San Road. Having already done much of the touristy things in Bangkok during my previous visit in November, I decided today would be spent enjoying a movie at the Siam CinaPlex and getting all of the formalities sorted out for India. Easier said than done.

The Indian embassy turns out to be a good 1-hour cab ride out of town, so I had to go through a travel agent. Untrusting of their fees and the truthfulness of the information provided, I shopped around and eventually found a place that was charging the correct price and seemed to be a legitamite business. 4,900 Baht, ouch. Plus, the visa won't be ready until the 19th--nearly 2 weeks from now. Oh well, I'll just hang out on the beach I suppose. Indian Visa, check.

Movie at the theater. I decided on Sweeny Tod from a slim selection of English language flicks. I enjoyed it, but the gruesomeness of it could have been toned down a bit. More than anything I enjoyed sitting in an airconditioned theater devouring as much popcorn as my stomach could handle. My favorite part of going to the movies in Thailand is the part just after the previews, just before the feature begins, when the audience all stands, as required by law, to pay tribute to the King as a pictoral story of his life illuminates the screen. 120 Bhat well spent.

After the movie, it was back to Khoa San Road via public bus to book a flight to India. Well, the skies decided to descend upon the city and let out its wrath. A torrential downpour ensued, leaving the streets flooded with murky, grey, flithy water up past my ankles. Yes, a public health nightmare. It was fun though to watch all of the tourists take those token, cheesy pictures of themselves standing in the folloded streets of Bangkok. I got nowhere with Jet Airways and ended up wasting money at the internet cafe trying to talk to a representative on Skype. She couldn't hear me, I couldn't understand her. Another 100 Baht gone. Money flew through my fingers today.

My last big task for the day was to get music added to my new Creative Zen MP3 player. I chose 13 albums to be uploaded from a book of thousands and was told to come back in an hour. Easy enough. An hour later, I'm told that the player won't synch with Windows Media Player and is defective. Aweseome, just my luck. It turns out however, that there is a branch of the store where I purchased it in Bangkok, so at least I don't have to schlep back up to Chiang Mai to get it replaced. And so now, instead of going to Ko Chang tomorrow morning to enjoy the beach and protected jungles, I'm hanging out in my favorite city for one more day. At first I was bummed, but this will give me the opportunity to finish up some job applications, book a ticket to India, and start making a plan for my arrival in Calcutta. It's just so expensive here, money is stressing me out. At this rate, I'll be home by August!

New Phone Number

My cell phone is now working! I'll have this number (66-0876-376-569) until I leave Thailand which I'm guessing will be around the 20th of February. Calls on Skype are next to nothing and you know I'd love to hear from you!

New Pictures

I've added the rest of my pictures from Laos to the original album...



...and here are the ones from Baan Wasunthara Organic Farm

Day 7

I'm really going to miss all of these home cooked meals and all of the bananas I could ever hope to eat! Last night I made curry for dinner, and all of the ingredients, except for the coconut milk, were harvested by me. It was so cool! After I finished working, I walked around the garden gathering everything I needed to make a Thai curry--chilies, lemongrass, ginger, okra, onion, garlic, and even the rice. And tonight, I got to do the same thing, but this time prepared pad thai. I can't wait to have a garden of my own. I've learned how to make my own yogurt, my own bread, and even how to make shampoo and dish soap! Whhile I doubt I'll remember how to or even care to make my own shampoo in the future, I definetly am looking forward to making a lot more of my own staple foods. It's really easy, so much cheaper, and a whole heck of a lot healthier!

Tomorrow I'm heading into Chiang Mai after breakfast on the farm and have a few things that I absolutely MUST do:
1. Massage, manicure, pedicure, and fascial (Since November I've been promising myself the full treatment once I finished working on the farm, so I can't wait!!)
2. Dentist to get my teeth cleaned (my dental insurance ran out before I had a chance to go to the dentist before I left, so I'm long overdue)
3. Get my iPod fixed (keep your fingers crossed!)
4. Figure out what the heck I'm doing from here--Burma? Sri Lanka? India? So many choices!

Day 6

Day 6--another enjoyable, but exhausting day at Baan Wasunthara. Wilat had Chicka and I tilling away again today, which is ok in the mornings while it is still relatively cool, but after lunch, the task is brutal. Luckily, Wilat had a bunch of errands to do today in town, so we abused our lack of supervision by taking a 2 hour lunch break, and worked really slowly during the peak afternoon hours. I had a much better mental outlook today, due in large part to the surprise phone call I got from Michelle last night. We talked for almost 30 minutes and that contact with home was exactly what I needed. Plus, the day after tomorrow, I'm meeting Rachel Bikoff, a friend and ex-colleague (from California Department of Public Health) in Chiang Mai, which I am really looking forward to. It's like a little piece of home in Thailand! Tomorrow's my last day on the farm, and while I've grown accustomed to the work and appreciate the routine, love having a kitchen to prepare my own dinners, and the general sense of normalcy I've gained here, I'm ready to go. In truth, I think I'm ready to leave Asia. It's been a great 3 months, but I'm ready for something different.

Day 5

The banana bread turned out much better than expected and was a big hit at the breakfast table. Today was another day of really hard work, it was back to the old rice paddy to turn the soil. For some reason I felt funky this morning, just tired and a little dizzy. More than anything I think my body was just exhausted. My attitude was crap this morning too. I hate this. I don't want to be here. Maybe I should pretend that I'm sick to get out of doing this work. I want to go home. I am really homesick. I'm never going to make it all the way to Africa. These were teh thoughts running, no racing through my mind as I started the days work. How pathetic is that? This went on for a good 30 minutes until something inside me screamed over the loathing, Shut up! You are being stupid. You chose to be here. The work is good for your body, and you are learning a lot. Make the most of your time here. Stop feeling sorry for yourself. Ain't that the truth! And so, from then on, I decided to actively engage my mind while my body was hard at work. How am I going to use this experience in a month, in a year from now? What am I going to do when I go home? How can I possibly make enough money to be able to start a family, but not be tied to a 9-to-5? And then it hit me. Use all of these fantastic expereineces to write a children's book. People keep telling me I should write a book, but I don't particularly like reading travel books, so writing one was less than inspiring. But a children's book, I could do that.

Day 4 on the Farm

Geez, I can't believe its February--where has the time gone? Today was day 4 on the farm and I now have a new found appreciation for rice. What a labor intensive crop! Wilat has probably 10, 50-pound bags of rice that has been harvested from his field, and our task today, since it was pouring rain all day, was to husk a single bag. I figured this would be a fairly easy task considering he has a machine that does most of the work for you. But it took Chicka and I the entire day to get through those 50 pounds of rice. I don't want to even begin going through the details of the process, but I will say that the tedious amount of sorting of individual rice grains has left me never looking at rice the same again. My biggest question of the day is this: Why do we polish rice? All rice, regardless of its variety comes out of the ground as brown rice--in its most nutritious, nutrient-dense form. But the vast majority of the rice that is consumed around the world is white. White rice is simply polished brown rice. What's the point of taking this extra step to polish all of this perfectly good, far healthier brown rice into an empty carb, no nutritional value white rice? Maybe there'd be fewer children with nutrient deficiencies in developing countries if this last step was obliterated from practice.

In the midst of a downpour this morning, I made banana bread. Granted, I had no recipe and no measuring cups, the only oil I had access to was sesame, and had to substitute baking powder for baking soda! I have yet to taste it, as it is being reserved for tomorrow's breakfast, but Chicka and Wilat have never tried banana bread before, so I guess if its gross, they'll have nothing to compare it to! I can't imagine though that is going to be much good, but maybe with enough butter and honey on top, it will at least be edible.