Adrenaline Junkie

I wrote in my last post that I might be an adventure junkie and I realize that may also mean I am an adrenaline junkie. For as far back as I can remember, I have been one to push the envelope. I like to see how close I can come to the deadline without being late, seeing how far I can put off studying before I prep for the test, etc. I love the rush of cutting it close, and having to figure things out on the fly. I work well under pressure and always feel a lot more accomplished than if I had done it ahead of time. (Actually, I can't confirm that last statement since I can't remember ever completing something well ahead of time!) Maybe I am simply justifying my procrastination and laziness? Nah.

A few days ago was no different. For my international flight from Fort Lauderdale International to Cartagena, Colombia, I decided two hours was more than enough time even though the airline said "arrive at least three hours prior". The luggage weight limit was 40lbs, and I had managed to get it to exactly that. After standing in line for about 15 minutes, a lady with a walkie talkie asked where I was going, and when I said Cartagena she immediately pulled me out of line and put me into a speed lane. Awesome, I like short lines. It turned out to be a very good thing that she had done that because when I got the the counter, Miss Terry with Spirit Airlines asked about my "proof of return or onward journey". Uhhh... oops. I knew that this was a "requirement" but I had done some research and decided it was more of a "suggestion". Wrong answer. None of my charm worked on Terry, so I had to either buy a non-refundable ticket from her, or go sit down with my computer and book something on my own and email it to her. I decided to take the latter route since I didn't feel like throwing away $250 on a ticket I wasn't planning on using. Luckily, the Fort Lauderdale International Airport has free WIFI in terminal 4 so I was able to search for stuff. I had 30 minutes until the baggage cut-off and 45 minutes until they began boarding. Plenty of time.

As it turned out however, that was barely enough time. I couldn't find a bus journey, and it took me a while to find a refundable ticket. With three minutes to cut-off I ran back to Terry and asked her ever-so-kindly to check my bag in while I finished purchasing the ticket. She agreed that was a good idea. But I still needed to email her proof before she would give me my boarding pass. When I finally got back to the counter she was helping a thin, middle-aged man with shoulder length silver hair, adorned in gold jewelry (think Mr. T) and paying for three additional bags from a roll of cash. He described himself as an Independent Business Owner (he left Terry a business card that I was able to see) and he was on his way to Medellín. Hmmm...

By the time I finally got my boarding pass, they had already begun boarding and I still needed to get through security. Thankfully the line was short and there were only three people in front of me to go through the metal detector. Unfortunately, one of them was Mr. Medellín. Between his 15 gold chains, 8 rings, and wrist-full of bracelets, there was no way he was going to make it through. Each time the machine beeped he seemed confused and removed something else from his pocket - a small key, a pack of gum. Finally, after four slow unsuccessful attempts they pulled him aside for additional screening. And off I go! I had just enough time to grab a muffin and a coffee at a kiosk before boarding my plane. Made it again! :)

To date, I have never yet missed a flight, whether traveling for work or for pleasure (knock on wood!) despite many  close calls. Why do I continue to do this to myself? How hard would it be to arrive thirty minutes earlier, or spend ten minutes booking a fake onward journey? Perhaps it's just that I love to travel, and that it is so much more fun when my heart is racing thinking that this just might be the day when I finally miss a flight. :)

(By the way, they never did ask me for any proof of onward travel when I arrived in Cartagena like Terry said they would. I guess it was it was more of a "suggestion" after all!)

On the road again...

Hello again everyone! After three and a half months at home, (and even longer since the last post) I am once again hitting the road. Three and a half months now seems like a long time to have been home, but thankfully it was pretty eventful. I arrived in time for my mother's birthday, I attended two weddings (one being my youngest brother's wedding), I traveled to North Carolina twice - once to visit my new baby niece, and the other to attend my other brother's graduation. I also went to UofA Homecoming, (too bad we couldn't win the game!) partied with a bunch of old friends for Halloween in Phoenix, and attended my dad's big seventies-themed 65th Birthday Bash! I caught up with many old friends and family and even made some new friends. All in all, three and a half months well spent!

Now it is time to hit the road again, destination: South America! I begin the trip in Cartagena, Colombia, and as usual, I haven't planned much. In fact, I arrive to Cartagena not knowing where I will sleep the first night. I will take either the bus or a collective taxi to the center of town and then walk around until I find a good place. I've employed this tactic many times before and it has rarely failed - except that one time in Norway. If I am lucky, I will meet someone on the bus that takes me home with them like the time in Austria! We shall see! I believe adventure is what happens when things don't go according to planned, and if I don't plan anything, then I will ALWAYS have an adventure because it never goes according to planned! :) I might be an adventure junkie.

Here's to the next adventure!

People-watching

I love people-watching. It is probably my favorite sport. Some people hunt crocodiles for fun, I watch people. You can watch the human beast in it's natural habitat, doing things that may not be that interesting at first glance, but upon analysis, can give good insight into the normal practices of the species, and the creature's tribe.

People watching in Paris

People-watching is generally a sport practiced at places with high foot traffic, and with few hiding places. You don't want the creature to simply hide in it's cave the whole time, like the gorillas at the zoo have a tendency to do. Airports and other transit stations are great places for this, but here you may be seeing many foreign species that have been introduced to the location, and are not in fact natives to the region. I like spots where there is a good mix of native and non-native creature-traffic. City centers are often the best for this. I am a huge fan of sitting at an outdoor cafe/restaurant and watching for a few hours while enjoying my food and beverage.

People watching in Morocco

It can be a very cheap sport to practice, but lately, it is getting more and more costly. No, I don't need a new uniform or gear, but the best people watching is done outside, and here in Spain you actually pay MORE to sit outside. You can order the same exact coffee, beer, water, or food, and if you eat it on the terrace, you pay up to 25% more. (In Marrakech, there was one place we had to pay an entrance fee!) At first I found this a little strange. I could go inside, and have nice air conditioning, or pay more to sit in the heat. Hmmm... But it actually makes perfect sense. We are animals that don't like to be caged. If I have to pay a few dollars more to be rid of the bars and chains, it will be done. Not only that, I get to be outside with all the other liberated creatures and watch them carrying out their normal routines.

As I sit here in Seville, Spain, outside a restaurant in 97F/ 36C with 40% humidity, sweating profusely and listening to the construction 30 feet away, I think: those few extra dollars are totally worth it!

Nude Beach Etiquette

One of the coves in Cabo de Gata

Growing up, I learned a lot of etiquette. From my parents, from TV, in university, and at work. Traveling around I've been exposed to cultural differences with regards to etiquette. For example, in the states, people usually order their own meals, and eat from their own plates, however in many countries, communal dishes are ordered and shared, sometimes eating with the hands. In fact, it would be rude to want a plate for yourself. In the last few days, I have been made aware of my ignorance in a whole new area: nude beach etiquette.

The "glamorous" world of hitch-hiking

Hitching in Poland

The first time I hitch-hiked (or autostop as it is known in Spanish) was in Poland. Correction: the first time I attempted hitch-hiking, was in Poland back in September of last year. It was a really strange experience. My host at the time had recommended I do it to get to Prague and he knew a good spot to do it. Although he wasn't going to travel with me, he "escorted" me to the location and stood by providing moral support - which I definitely needed. In certain parts of Europe, hitching is a viable mode of transportation. It is somewhat romanticized among the backpackers and I figured since I was backpacking in Europe I should try it. However, in my memory, I had a very different stigma about hitch-hiking. Growing up in Southern California, I don't recall seeing what I would have classified as "backpackers" trying to hitch a ride. What I remember is middle aged men sitting at freeway on-ramps looking disheveled and stinky.  Surely I've seen younger cleaner versions, but those don't stick out in my mind.  Perhaps it's because they always got picked up quickly before I saw them?

Regardless, my first hitching experience was a tough one. I stood out there for nearly two hours without a single offer. Discouraged but still upbeat, I ran back to the train station to catch the last train of the day that would have gotten me all the way to Prague without missing the connecting train at the border, leaving me stranded in the middle of nowhere. The day was not a complete failure because for I learned a lot. I learned what it felt like to be on that end of the hitching sign, and it wasn't as easy as I thought. Since then, I have hitched a number of times in various countries, and each has been a great experience.

Make mistakes? Time to quit.

I have gotten sloppy and made mistakes. It may be time for me to quit traveling. Ha! If I took the approach that some people take in life (if you screw up, give up) then I would probably hang up my trekking shoes and call it quits. But I prefer to take a different approach!

In nearly 10 months, I had gone with only losing one article of clothing. A long sleeve Columbia Sportswear zip-top thing that I left that on a bus in Poland. That was in September. Since then, I hadn't lost anything else… until a few weeks ago. That’s when everything started turning south.

On my last night in Sydney, I went out to the bars and wore my one and only rain coat - that I had actually purchased in Estonia when I finally got tired of being wet. When I got back to the hostel, I joined the few remaining drunkards still up playing guitar and singing in the lounge. I took off my wet coat and set it on the back of the chair to dry while I hung out with the gang. My poor coat was never to be seen again. Now, I’m sure that one of my “hostel buddies” took it to their room for “safe keeping” intending to deliver it to me the next day, but alas, I went to the airport without ever giving them the opportunity. Just the other day, I lost my Oakley sunglasses (real ones!) that had lasted me from Africa in 2008 until now, and my coolio hat that my brother gave me. Both were lost on the same day, at two different locations. I lost them both while hitch-hiking, so the lucky drivers got a parting gift. I then lost my bright yellow "party" Ray-Ban sunglasses (totally fake) so now I am left with NO eye or face protection. Finally, this morning, I left my host with my quick-dry shammy towel. Time to air dry!

At this point, I would say that I  am a very experienced traveler; some would even call me an “expert”. However, (and here comes the moral!) no matter how expert you get at something, how naturally something comes, or how easy it is, you can still screw it up. It is important to pay attention to what you do every time, because when you slip into a rut of routine, you are bound to make mistakes! And in some careers, when you get sloppy and make mistakes it may be taken as a sign to take a break or retire from the game, but in most cases, it can, and should, be taken as a sign to wake up and refocus. It's as easy as taking 10 seconds to double check before walking away. But ugh, that's such a long time!

Is social media making us smarter or more stupider...

Just to be clear, the grammatical error in the title is intentional; however, fifty percent of people wouldn't realize it. All of MY readers did though I'm sure! ;) I thought of this question the other day when I was walking around town (I generally get my blog inspirations during general wanderings) thinking of my next blog post. I had recently tried posting a Status in Facebook and was informed that I had surpassed the 420 character limit. I then remembered that Twitter limits to a mere 140 characters. That got me to thinking: if we are limiting our  thoughts to think in short bursts are we making our brains more efficient and concise, or are we stymieing our creativity and deep thought? One could argue that we do in fact still have those deep thoughts and creativity, it's just that we pull out the nuggets and what's important. That could be, but if you browse through Facebook's Live Feed, or Twitters Tweets, how much of that stuff is "important nuggets"? "Really craving a blueberry muffin" "Wish the kids would go to bed"... and so on. 

There is another power at play here: accessibility to information. No doubt, social media has helped spread important information globally in just minutes. Take for example the uprisings in the Middle East. Facebook not only helped with the organization of demonstrations, but it also brought the event to the world. Previously, we would have had to wait for the reporters to tell us something on the evening news. Now, we simply look at the status updates and the articles and pictures being uploaded, shared and "liked" around the world in REAL TIME. The internet allows everyone the opportunity to be heard; that includes people that have nothing of value to say, or that can barely speak. It is my thought that reading should bring me "something": either make me smarter, make me ponder something new, or stimulate my brain in fun ways. Too much of the crap I read does none of the above. In fact, with all the grammar and spelling mistakes that I am inundated with, I might in fact be getting "stupider"! 

Truly, I have no right to be preaching here. When I write, I surely make grammatical errors, and if I don't, then it is just dumb luck. I can't tell you the rules of when to use who vs. whom, or when to use a semicolon vs. a simple comma or basically any English writing rules. The bottom line is this: In the "olden" days, there was a professional editor that was responsible for reading anything that came to the public's eyes. Now, we are constantly bombarded with raw, unedited, often pointless material every minute of every day. It's a double edged sword, and I'm not sure which side is sharper. Are we getting smarter or stupider? Did this post stimulate your brain, or was it just a waste of time? 

One week in Thailand

During my three months in South East Asia, I spent a total of nearly a month in Thailand. During one week up North, in Chiang Mai, I was extremely productive - from a touristy standpoint anyway. I became a Master Chef (that's what my certificate says anyway!), I studied the art of Thai Massage and can now put someone through a very painful 2 hour massage, and I went on an overnight jungle trek where I became a mahout. OK, that last part is a little exaggeration, I learned how to ride an elephant, and got to pet a baby elephant so that counts for something. 

All these experiences cost me a total of just over $100. The massage course was 5 days long and included lunch everyday, the cooking class was 1 day and I got to eat all six dishes I prepared (which actually tasted amazing), got a cookbook, and DVD showing how to carve food things like in the picture below. The trek was a two day hike that included all meals, an elephant ride, and an overnight stay in a village hut. Now, if you can do all this for so cheap, why would anyone NOT want to stay there? Good question. I love Thailand! The food is delicious, the people are friendly, and everything is cheap - even when it is expensive. And when people say they can't "afford" to travel, often it is just the plane ticket that costs a lot. You probably spend more staying at home! I certainly have! So book a flight and go to Thailand, you won't regret it! :D

Called out

The beauty of writing down your goals/resolutions/dreams is not only that you have something to shoot for, but you have something to look back on and measure progress. The beauty (and subsequent challenge) of sharing this with others is that they can now "call you out" if you are falling short. And that's what family and friends SHOULD do. They should support and applaud you when you are achieving; and help to push you forward when you are stumbling. I've heard many a person say: "well, they are an adult, they can do what they want", but I say "Rubbish!" If a friend tells me they are going to do something or want to do something, then I will do my best to ensure they reach that goal - keeping them in check when necessary. I have frequently torn cigarettes out of the hands of friends that are "quitting" only to face argument and excuses - there is always the occasional "thank you" as well. If you didn't mean it and you don't want help, then don't tell anyone.

I have been called out. In my New Years post, I said that I wanted to stay in touch with people more than I had been, and that I wanted to post four blog posts a month. Well, I have sent many more emails than I had in the past, but I haven't come close to my goal on posting four times a month. At the time, one a week didn't sound like much, but now it seems like a workload! However, even taking measure of my current situation I refuse to say that my goal was unrealistic - YET. Granted I have been working on other things at the same time, but I have still had plenty of opportunity to keep good on my pledges. So to the people that have the guts to call out your family and friends, thank you. I appreciate it, and your other friends will too, even if they don't admit it! :)

Addiction to connectivity

How many times a day do you find yourself checking emails or or thinking that you NEED to check emails. If you sit in front of a computer all day, that probably isn't even a thought, it is simply an automatic action. Also, since nearly everyone has a "smart" phone, you don't have to think about it, because it automatically comes through! But seriously, how many lives would be lost if you ignored your emails, text messages, phone calls and (God forbid) Facebook for a day? What about a week?

On my travels I am one of the few that still does not have an iPod/iTouch to carry around in my pocket, I still travel with a small netbook (my big clumsy fingers aren't adapted to the small touch screens), so it requires a little extra effort to get out the computer and get online - granted, not a big deterrent. I notice myself often asking "Do you have Wifi?" before getting a place for the night or even for a meal. The other day I talked to a guy who had been traveling for months, that had TWO iPods - one for data, one for media - and admitted he is addicted.

The point is, even if you break away from the "real world", and leave everything behind to travel the world, the desire to get online doesn't always follow; it still requires extra effort. Even though I automatically ask for Wifi a lot, I can easily go without it. I have been on boats for a couple of days at a time, or villages with absolutely no internet distractions and I don't miss it one bit, but when it is there, it is tough to ignore. It is like going on a diet and having a piece of chocolate cake (or whatever your vice) put in front of you.

So now, I am going into the jungle for a couple of days, we'll see how many lives are lost when I don't check Facebook for that time! :) Could you do it too??

Small stools and dirty floors

When walking around in Vietnam, it seems that every few feet there is food to be eaten. There are normal restaurants as in any other place of the world, but the more common and popular places to eat are rickety looking, sometimes mobile eateries that set up small plastic tables and tiny plastic stools. Sometimes they are set up in front of someone's home and they use an inside kitchen, but other times their whole set up is right there in the street: the pots to cook in, and lukewarm buckets of water to wash the just-used dishes in.  Now, some people may be turned off by such an experience, especially considering this is all happening on the side of the sidewalk, very low to the ground, where thousands of cars, motos, and people (and animals!) are passing by each hour kicking up who knows what. But to someone who just loves food as much as I do, I just want to know which one has the best food! And that's when I met Hoan.

Tet

For many Westerners (particularly Americans) the word Tet was made famous during the Tet Offensive in the Vietnam/American war. The attack took place on the first day of the Lunar New Year known in Vietnam as Tet. It would be like saying the "New Year's Offensive". On January 31st, 1968, the North Vietnamese Army (NVA) and the National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam (NLF; also commonly referred to as the Vietcong) launched the largest scale attack by either side of the war to that point. The widespread reporting of the Tet Offensive had a huge psychological impact on the world and marked a turning point in the public's perception of the war.

Tet is the most important holiday in Vietnam with many customs both before and after the actual day. Since it is an extremely family oriented holiday, travel can be very difficult the week preceding and the week following Tet - which is why I am stuck in Hanoi until the 6th! Tet is a time to honor the ancestors by repainting their tombs (many are buried on the family's land, often in the rice patties); those that live in the city will hang pictures of their ancestors on the wall, or display them in front of their store front - sometimes there are over one hundred pictures! Last week, the streets were packed with people shopping for gifts as well as stocking up on food and necessities (as much will be closed after Tet), paying off debts (it is good luck to be debt free on the first day of the New Year), visiting the pagodas making prayers and offerings. I participated in this last ritual by throwing a few thousand Dong on a plate in one of the pagodas in town. I attribute this act with a big stroke of luck (or Karma!) the very following day.

Cambodia

Siem Reap

I began my Cambodian adventure with my friend Steve. We set out on bus from Bangkok, and with only moderate hassle at the border followed by hair-raising driving into oncoming traffic, we made it to Siem Reap. The very first evening, after our $1.50 dinner, we wandered into a street party accidentally as we were looking for our guesthouse. It was a combination New Years party (it was the 4th) and Hotel Grand Opening party right there in the dirt street. It looked blocked off at first, but the six cops that were outside the railing motioned us that it was OK to walk through. There were tables and chairs all around leading up to a dance floor. There was a band on stage, and people in the street dancing around a pot of flowers. As we made our way past the dance floor, one of the guys motioned for us to join them. Who am I to pass up a good time? Before long we found ourselves engulfed in this festival of fun with free beers being placed in our hands and laughing away with people who barely spoke English. A great first night!

The next day, for $12, we commissioned a driver to take us to Agkor Wat and many of the other surrounding temples. They are truly spectacular.  Built in the 12th and 13th century, they were first Hindu and then Buddhist. An amazing feat of construction in any day. Some of the temples have been used in the Tomb Raider movies with Angelina Jolie, and every guide can will tell you that!

New Years Resolutions

We have now entered 2011 and many people have gone through the annual ritual of making their New Year's resolutions.It might be catchy to have a short (let's say three: odd numbers are good luck after all!) list in a combination like, "More, More, Less." More working out, More saving, and Less time spent on Facebook perhaps?  It is easy to say, but More and Less are hard to measure unless you quantify them. The problem is that when we quantify a goal, we are more bound to it, and it is easier to say we "failed" if we don't hit the mark. When we use a wishy washy" More" or "Less", then there is more flexibility for us to play with.

For me, New Years is a fine time to reflect and goal-set, but it shouldn't be the only time. Just like Thanksgiving shouldn't be the only time we express thanks for what we have, we should constantly be goal-setting and reflecting. The New Year's ritual simply serves as a reminder for us to keep working on it. My current term resolutions or goals are as follows:

More blogging: writing has always been a struggle for me, but I like it when I do it. It's kind of like working out, you know it's good for you, yet it is easy to put off, and keep putting off. You can put in a partial effort, just to get it done, but you feel really amazing if you go for the hour long Bootcamp class and make it through! I pledge to write at least four blog posts a month.

More personal contact: I have many interactions on a daily basis, yet once the people are gone, then it is easy to fall out of contact. There are also many people back home that deserve more attention than they currently get. My goal is to write personal emails to at least 15 people per month. This may not sound like a lot in the connected world we live in, but I mean actual emails or messages - Facebook wall posts don't count and reply's don't count. Couple that with my limited internet connectivity and I'm happy with that goal.

More learning: Finally, simply as a function of my travels I am learning a tremendous amount about new cultures and histories. Unfortunately, I don't always take the time to visit museums or read more on the country. I vow to now either watch a movie, or read a book about each country that I visit. Lonely Planet doesn't count. For Cambodia, it will either be the Killing Fields, or Pol Pot's Regime.

That is my short list of goals for now, once it become habitual, I will move on to the next set of goals. You all can help keep me honest on at least one of those resolutions, and call me out when I fall short - after all, what are friends for if not to push you along when you need it! What are your resolutions??

Happy New year (they are still saying it here in Cambodia so I feel safe saying it as well), I hope everyone many solid resolutions and happy travels in this new year!

New Years in Bangkok