ktmcq143's TravelStream™ — Recent TravelPod.com entries

ktmcq143's TravelStream™ — Recent TravelPod.com entries TravelStream™ news feed for member ktmcq143 on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/ktmcq143 en-us Copyright ©2009 TravelPod.com Wed, 06 Aug 2008 12:54:11 -0400 http://www.travelpod.com You know it's time to go home when... — Bangkok, Thailand http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ktmcq143/2/1218040080/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ktmcq143/2/1218040080/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ktmcq143/2/1218040080/tpod.html Wed, 06 Aug 2008 12:54:11 -0400 Looks like Thailand!

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Bangkok, Thailand

(Katrina, remember when were in my kitchen and I said I didn't know how often I was going to actually blog... maybe once, twice a week... I've done it excessively.  I needed to go to computers frequently anyway to get memory space on my camera, but also, this has helped me remember everything so well, and I've liked writing much more than I thought I would.  Welcome to my goodbye entry).I've been in Thailand 8 weeks.  I'm ready to go.  I know people travel the world for 6 months, a year, several years, and bless them, but I'm ready to go back home.  I know that it's time, for several interesting reasons: -When I was in Chiang Mai and still had my mobile, a traveling friend texted me and asked me where I was.  In composing the response, I only got as far as "Hey! I'm in..." and had to pause for a long time.  Which city am I in right now?  I forgot; there have been so many (I just counted: 15 cities/towns/islands).-I've started considering my 7-11 runs "grocery shopping."  These are not groceries.-12 Indian men ask me every day if I need a tailor, as I walk past the tailor shops.  Each time, my thought has been no.  Lately, I've actually been wondering if I DO need a tailor.  A nice dress, perhaps?  ...no.  That is not necessary, I've been peer pressured by too many tailors, but I don't even really want one.-It's been 8 weeks since I used a hair dryer.  Or a straightener.  Or knit, or did anything crafty (except for mending some falling-apart clothes).  Or worn jeans.  Or worn heels.  Or made any money, or salsa danced, or cooked, really.  Or had Ethiopian food or Mexican food.  I do all of these things on a fairly regular basis in my real life, and I miss them.  Time to do those activities again. There are a lot of things that I won't miss about Thailand.  I won't miss: Thai basil; everyone smoking; being a size Large-Large in underwear (tiny Thai women!); non-flush toilets, squat toilets, toilet paper-less toilets; bear poop; the absence of seatbelts; the smell, crowd and pollution of Bangkok; scorpions, huge spiders, rats, cockroaches; living out of a bag; and having to lug my bag up three or four flights of stairs at each guest house (I'm always on the 3rd or 4th floor). But here's what I will miss: geckos climbing the walls everywhere, especially 1 inch long baby geckos; the smell of incense in the wats; traveling in general: moving around, exploring, planning a little so that I get excited and feel somewhat competent, but leaving other things to chance and spontaneity; low season: no wait or line, ever, for restaurants, bars, boats, buses, trains; the exchange rate and how everything, everything is inexpensive; bargaining and buying everything off the street; eating outside at night markets where they make your noodles right in front of you; the easy attitude of meeting other travelers; having Lonely Planet to consult and give me answers; kind chit chat from Thai coffee shop owners who just want to know something about me; saying a cheerful sawatdeekha; being called 'Sir' instead of 'Miss;' Nee and Dum Dum, two gibbons from the center, and lots of the international volunteers I made friends with; the smell of kaffir lime leaves; guest houses and free book exchanges. It surprised me that when I come back, summer will almost be over.  Where did the summer go?  I didn't have a summer.  I didn't do any of my normal summer things.  No Ravinia, Taste of Chicago, outdoor movies in the park, music in the park, beer gardens, fireworks... well, I did beer gardens, but I was drinking Singha and Chang, not Blue Moon.  I had a summer, it was just in Thailand.  I got to be up close and personal with abused animals: their moods, their meals, their poop.  I got to go on a night safari and see wild elephants.  I got to see temples, temples, and more temples.  Hot springs, emerald pools, white water river rafting, beaching it up.  Spas, massages, BBQs, Full Moon Party, lots of dancing.  Night ferry, night buses, night trains.  Lots of Thai and international food, beautiful sunsets, kayaking.  Bazaars, markets, inexpensive shopping and bargaining.  A prison massage.  A muay thai boxing match.  National parks and the highest mountain peak in the whole country.  Three silent days of Buddhist meditation.  The Grand Palace and a ladyboy cabaret show.  Staying up all night, vegetarian cooking class all day, and drinks on the tallest rooftop bar in Bangkok.  Yes, it has been good. In honor of my earlier entry, a few more concluding tallies: Thai word/phrases learned and committed to memory: 42Postcards sent: 24, to anyone who had asked for one, including my hair dresser, my travel vaccine nurse, and my favorite DA at the Santa Clara County District Attorney's officePlaces visited: I said this earlier, but 15.  Thayang, Cha-Am, Hua Hin, Phetchaburi, Krabi, Phang-nga, Phi Phi, Railey, Ao Nang, Surat Thani, Koh Pha-ngan, Koh Tao, Chumphon, Chiang Mai, and BangkokNew facebook friends: 42Sicknesses: Still 0, really.  Well, I've had sunburn, blisters, bug bites, a few cuts, and heat rashes.  Only 2 small bouts of motion sickness.  But no stomach problems, and that was what I anticipated.  Amazing, really, especially since as time went on I got more and more lax with the tap water for brushing teeth, salads, street food, and ice...Books read: 7.  Love it.Starbucks beverages: Only 1, though I've had plenty of opportunity.Pens gone through and used up: 4.  I'm on my 4th.Massages: 6.  Oh, those were nice.Journals written: 3.  But they're smallish.Sunrises: 5.  My first morning, Full Moon Party, night out in Bangkok, and then 2 on the retreat.  I suppose each WFFT morning with the 6 am wake-up call, but I couldn't enjoy the sunrise-there were monkeys to feed. Plenty of my friends haven't wanted to leave.  I'm ok with it.  I'm soooo satisfied with my journey, but also, guess what I have to go home to?  A week with friends in San Jose, seeing my family in Chicago, my cousin's wedding, and then moving to one of the best cities in the world to do a Master's in something I'm passionate about, at one of the most respected institutions in the country.  Oh man, I'm excited.  Only bad part: it's a 24 hour journey from Bangkok to LA, with all my stops.  Good news: that's four hours shorter than my intense boat-bus-train journey from Koh Tao to Chiang Mai.  I can do it.  Thanks for reading!PS- a few mentions... thank you to RAHUL who was the very special sole contributor to my volunteering fund by way of the PayPal account I set up and linked to from my blog.   And love to my MOM, who, in all her internet savviness, checked my blog daily and wrote me the most comments.  Love love love.
]]> I didn't mean to call you a monkey! — Bangkok, Thailand http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ktmcq143/2/1218034440/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ktmcq143/2/1218034440/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ktmcq143/2/1218034440/tpod.html Wed, 06 Aug 2008 12:28:34 -0400 Looks like Thailand!

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Bangkok, Thailand

Bangkok is interesting.  I liked it the first time around, back in June, but that was when I stayed in the Sukhumvit area, not Khao San Rd... I don't like it as much this time.  Parts I do, yes, and it was great when Liz was here.  It's unfortunate that I'm coming here after Chiang Mai--I loved Chiang Mai, it's the nice version of Bangkok.  With flowers.  I see similar types of flowers here in BKK, but they're all withered and brown from the pollution.  BKK has a major problem with pollution, crowds, etc... but honestly?  I leave tonight and I'm trading it in for a week in smog-free California and then 2 years in non-crowded NYC?  Right.I've received the shady offers from the shady tuk-tuk drivers (I'll take you to 3 temples, only 10B... really, they take you to one temple and then jewelry/silk/tailor shops and pressure you to buy)... the sketchy 'advice' from the well-dressed, English-speaking Thai man (Oh, didn't you hear, that attraction is closed today, let me take you somewhere else, even better... and really it's the same ruse as above)... and several invited to go see ping-pong shows (no comment).  Because I read the guidebook that warned me of all these things, I didn't accept any, but I know so many aquaintances who have, usually to bad outcomes.  It felt sort of like 'real' Bangkok to get the offers, though!I woke up this morning, too early.  Had dreams of both monks and monkeys, (two key features to my Thailand trip, and only today I'm noticing their nominal similarities) as well as colorful Thai currency, shopping, motorbikes, and Thai iced tea.  I tried to sleep more but couldn't--too much energy.It is my last day in Thailand and I spent it in a mall.  MBK, a huge air conditioned 7 floor mall.  A cop-out, you say?  Where's the culture in that?  My defensive answer is already planned out: there were more Thais there than foreigners, so that in my head deems it an authentic experience.  Plus I saw a Thai comedy in the movie theatre, which also featured the Thai National Anthem being played in the theatre before the movie started... AND the national anthem was played in tandem with this really cool photo montage of the King's life, which was worth the goofy film, which was about a silly village that's scared of a rabid dog.When I was taking a taxi there, I got to have almost a whole conversation in Thai with the driver.  It went like this:Me: Sawatdeekha (hello, from a female)Him: Sawatdeekhrap (hello, from a male)Me: MBK? (the name of the mall)Him: OK Me: Meter na kha (put the meter on please?)Him: OK...Him: Sooai mah mah (you are very, very pretty)Me: Haha, khap khun mah kha (haha, thank you very much)Him: Shopping? (this was in English)Me: Chai (yes)Him: hahaMe: Nit noi (just a little)Him: hahaMe: khap khun kha (thank you!)Him: khrap (ditto)Me: Sawatdeekha, choke dee kha! (goodbye, good luck!)Him: khap khun khrap, sawatdeekhrap (thanks, bye)It was exciting to understand what he was saying and have him understand me as well.  If only the conversation had somehow veered to animal species and vegetarian diets, I could have exercised my whole Thai vocabulary ;)Really, my main point in going to MBK was to finally spend a day not being sweaty.  And I succeeded, just this one day.  Plus, I got a manicure, pedicure, and foot massage, and I've been planning on doing that on my last day the whole time.  It was a really good goal to look forward to while I was in Phetchaburi getting animal poop on my feet from hauling the 30 pound compost bin into the forest.  It's ok, in 8/7/6/5/4 weeks I can get a pedicure...Oh, the monkey thing.  So a French mom was also in the salon with her 2 kids and the three of them were laying about getting a foot massage.  12 year old girl, 10 year old boy.  The three Thai masseuses were friendly with them.  At the end, the masseuse asked the little boy what his name was.  My masseuse was listening and laughed, answering the question with "Monkey."  I said "Haha... ling."  She laughed at me even more that I knew the word.  I didn't mean to agree and call him a monkey--I was just showing off that I knew the word.  I don't think anyone took offense :)I finished off the night by going to the Moon Bar in Vertigo restaurant, all of which is in the Banyan Tree Hotel.  Super swanky.  When I got there, on the ground floor, I saw a dress code sign, which I read and then ignored--I didn't have anything else with me.  When I got to the top top top floor, where the bar was, the friendly Thai people took away my Reef sandals and gave me these quirky white loafers to wear.  No open toed shoes, you see.  They looked kind of dumb--Lonely Planet had not said anything about a dress code.  I saw several other girls wearing them too, though.So I sat on the open-air rooftop bar of this hotel and just looked at the city.  Watched the sun go down.  It was smoggy and cloudy, so the sunset wasn't that wonderful, but it was awe-inspiring to look out at the whole city, especially with all the bright lights once it got dark.  I said my goodbyes to Bangkok.
]]> Cooking with Thailand's famous vegetarian chef — Bangkok, Thailand http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ktmcq143/2/1217931960/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ktmcq143/2/1217931960/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ktmcq143/2/1217931960/tpod.html Tue, 05 Aug 2008 06:45:14 -0400 Looks like Thailand!

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Bangkok, Thailand

The best thing I've done today was to go to my cooking class.  Chiang Mai has lots of Thai cooking schools, but I held out until Bangkok--in BKK there is May Kaidee, a vegetarian Thai lady who owns several vegetarian Thai restaurants.  The one a few blocks away from my guest house also hosts cooking courses that are strictly vegetarian, and lucky us!!  May had returned from Moscow yesterday so she herself was there to teach our course.  She travels all over the world, teaching, and has owned these restaurants for 20 years, so I classify her as Thailand's most famous vegetarian chef. http://www.maykaidee.com/site/ My class consisted of me, Annette and Aoifa from Ireland, Paul from Laos, Lauren from USA, and Sarah from Belgium.  Sarah was my partner.  We began with a trip to the market, where we bought some local produce, locally made rice paper, learned about all sorts of types of food, and so forth.  We had to wear our red aprons and hats during the walk :)Back at the restaurant, we began.  May's staff had cut up everything for us, so it was so convenient and easy.  We made Tom Yam soup (with a Tom Kah variation and another spicier variation), Isaan vegetables and tofu, and then Ginger and cashew fried vegetables.  Then we had a break, so May taught us the May Kaidee song.  It goes:Sap sap sap sap sapSap sap sap sap sapMun pet mun sab sap kaothung shaongTom thai tom lao hat hungPat thai tom pai hat hungTom yam tom kang aroySud may kaidee nun sep elee eleeIt's basically a song about delicious food.Then we made pad thai and peanut sauce.  After we made each dish we ate small portions of it from little bowls.  We got full very fast.  We also made massaman curry and ate that with some brown rice... and then green thai curry.  I was finally able to realize that the spice that I really, really dislike (and have had several times over the past 8 weeks) is Thai basil.  No more, no more, I just can't stand it.  And now I know what it is!Then we moved to the inside, sat, and made our spring rolls (rolled them up like little burritos!  I haven't had a burrito in forever!).  We dipped those in our previously made peanut sauce.  After, we made pumpkin hummus with mortar and pestle and green papaya salad.  Paul owns a restaurant in Laos so he made beautiful garnishes, seen in the photos.Last... we ended with our mango, banana and sticky rice with coconut milk dessert.  This is probably my favorite Thai dessert and May makes it uniquely with black rice.  Soooooooo good.Funnily enough, we ended the day with May teaching us how to dance, in the traditional Thai style.  So much more than I paid for!  It was lovely.  :)
]]> Trip to the hospital (museum)... Dead Bodies — Bangkok, Thailand http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ktmcq143/2/1217930400/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ktmcq143/2/1217930400/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ktmcq143/2/1217930400/tpod.html Tue, 05 Aug 2008 06:21:56 -0400 Looks like Thailand!

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Bangkok, Thailand

Yesterday, Liz and I were basically what one might call "wastes of space."  I slept til 11 am and then wandered off to find water and a bland, safe breakfast of mashed potatoes and yogurt.  Liz slept til 1 pm and then she woke up and we laughed for ages, while lying in our bunk beds, over the night before.  We didn't do anything until 2:30 pm.At 2:30 we decided to try to find the Medical Forensic Museum at Siriraj Hospital in Bangkok.  It really wasn't too far from our guest house, but it took ages to get there.  Our guest house owner tried to help us find a taxi that knew how to get there--even by looking at a map--and two taxis couldn't figure it out.  So instead we took a tuk-tuk.That tuk-tuk had a slight collision with a taxi cab while we were in it... no one was hurt, nothing was really damaged, and the two drivers talked it out in relative peace from their seats.  How interesting.  The tuk-tuk driver had to stop and ask questions and directions about 4 times and he took us to the wrong place twice.  We did ultimately find the museum, on the hospital's campus, after an hour and 20 minutes.  It was 3:50.  My guidebook said the museum closed at 4:30, but no, it closed at 4.  We had 10 minutes.This museum is awful.  Not bad quality, but just horrifying.  Dead bodies.  Pictures of dead bodies from traumatic deaths.  The dead body of one of Thailand's worst serial killers.  Bloodied clothes and weapons from his victims.  We weren't allowed to take photos, so I didn't, but somehow this guy took a whole video and put it up on YouTube, so look here if you want--but viewer discretion advised.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AmuH_DLVNZs&feature=related  If you don't want to watch the video, here's a short newspaper article about the museum: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/610343/visit_bangkoks_forensic_museum_its.htmlThe whole time I was walking around with my hand over my mouth, saying, Why did we try so hard to get here?  This is awful.  But it was really, really interesting, and we wanted to see something quirkly Bangkok, and it was sort of like the Body Worlds exhibits in the US.The taxi ride was probably 10 minutes back.  It really wasn't that far.  Liz packed and we went out to her last dinner--Nepalese food, actually.  She left at 9:30 and I hung about Khao San and then got a proper good night's sleep!
]]> Meditation Photos — Bangkok, Thailand http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ktmcq143/2/1217929500/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ktmcq143/2/1217929500/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ktmcq143/2/1217929500/tpod.html Tue, 05 Aug 2008 05:47:22 -0400 Looks like Thailand!

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Bangkok, Thailand

MCU Buddhist University made good on its promise to post our meditation retreat photos this week.  Here are some--can you find me?  It's like Where's Waldo with all of our white baggy clothes...
]]> In honor and memory of my traveling companion Liz — Bangkok, Thailand http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ktmcq143/2/1217925060/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ktmcq143/2/1217925060/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ktmcq143/2/1217925060/tpod.html Tue, 05 Aug 2008 04:45:13 -0400 Looks like Thailand!

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Bangkok, Thailand

I say "in memory" just because Liz left last night to go back to England.  She should be there soon, unless there was a major fiasco at the airport a la Broke Down Palace (http://www.fandango.com/brokedownpalace_v180411/summary), which was one of Liz's worst fears.  :)  I'm sure everything is fine!Liz is a girl who hates losing at pool and Connect-4... she's a Newcastle, England girl and proud of it... a very casual, flexible traveler who most enjoyed our river rafting excursion and nights out til sunrise.  And these are some of her photos from the past 2 months!  (the ones I didn't have)
]]> At 6 am, both the monks and rats come out in BKK! — Bangkok, Thailand http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ktmcq143/2/1217846340/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ktmcq143/2/1217846340/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ktmcq143/2/1217846340/tpod.html Mon, 04 Aug 2008 07:29:13 -0400 Looks like Thailand!

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Bangkok, Thailand

Yesterday was a little bit crazy.  We "had a lie in," aka slept in, did breakfast/laundry/bookstore/internet... then took a taxi to the Chatuchak market.  This is the BIG big weekend market outside of Bangkok.  Meant to be massive and hot and crowded.  I thought I'd be way bothered by the crowd, but I wasn't so much.  Liz thought she wouldn't mind it, but she did, more than she thought.  Bought some good things.  Saw, of all things, Jordan Bulls 23 jerseys... and Chicago Cubs tshirts.  But really, most of the market is genuine Thai, not tourist.  Taxi back to Khao San Rd (backpacker ghetto of Bangkok, near where we're staying) and bought some more things for our friends/family in that street market there.  Cleaned ourselves up then had a wonderful dinner and drinks at this Mayomburi garden restaurant.  Food was actually only mediocre but the atmosphere was wonderful.  Except for the 2 kittens that were hiding in the bushes, meowing pitifully, possibly lost... that part made me sad.The night commenced and Liz and I went up and down Khao San in search of a fun time.  We had drinks at 1 bar and left.  We found a roof top bar with Thai bands (but doing western music...) and stayed there for a long time.  We were sitting at a table for 4, so at various points in the night, we were sitting and chatting with an unnamed Austrian couple, two London girls Priya and Veronica (one of which who is moving to NYC at about the same time as me), and then also Gus from London.  I don't know, really good times, fun music, lots of loud talking and laughing and drinking.At some point we left there and went to Shamrock Pub... there was a great band playing and we danced a ton.  The band left and there was a DJ spinning some fun stuff, including Elvis' "Jail House Rock."  We met a group of people who all work at Hard Rock Cafe in Pattaya (2 hrs away)... got to know them... did some swing dancing.  That bar closed at 2 am, so Liz, Gus and I found our way to GaZebo.  (I just had to tell Liz to show me her arm, so I could see the stamp of the name of the place and remember it.)  At this place there literally was dancing all night.  I mean, we stayed until it closed at 6 am.  It was Liz's last night--she leaves tonight at 930pm--so we had to make it a good one.  We met more cool people and just danced, danced, danced.  Some Thai girl that I made friends with gave me a bracelet.  We met Stephen from Ghana and Alfred from Canada and (somethingsomething) from Israel... he was really hard to understand.  The real serious low point of the night came at 5 am when they began playing The Macarena... I said no, I refuse, we're leaving.  But then the next song was the Thai summer song (http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2sjlo_job2do-thai-reggae-band-from-krabi_music) and we've heard that song all summer and love it so we stayed... most of the music was better.  Hip-hop and such.A bunch of us walked back to our guest houses at 6 am when the club closed.  I probably lost about 20 decibels of my hearing but I had such a good time dancing and being out with Liz and the others that we met.  At 6 am, walking back, I saw the monks out making their alms routs (wandering the streets, barefoot, in their orange robes and bowl, collecting food)... and I was shocked.  Just last week I was waking up at 5 am on the retreat to give alms to the monks, and now, this time, I haven't even gone to bed yet.  We also saw incredibly massive rats coming out of the sewers on our walk.  I mean, really big ones, long tails.  This is Bangkok.
]]> Bangkok... ladyboys — Bangkok, Thailand http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ktmcq143/2/1217742900/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ktmcq143/2/1217742900/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ktmcq143/2/1217742900/tpod.html Sun, 03 Aug 2008 02:20:11 -0400 Looks like Thailand!

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Bangkok, Thailand

Only a brief bit of time to write.  The train to BKK was fine--I saw Sarah, but we only talked briefly, and she wasn't planning on staying in Bangkok, so unfortunately we didn't make any plans together.  This time, instead of a car full of Western backpackers, it was full of Thais traveling.  So it was a completely different vibe.  I read my book and then slept in my little sleeper.  On the train, you usually leave the window mostly up, but then cover the top part with kind of like a mosquito net screen, to get some breeze.  Around 1 am it began to rain and I got all wet from the rain coming in the window.  After I fixed that and went back to sleep, I was woken up at 5 am by the Thai grandma (who was on the top bunk to my lower) to get up and let the porters fix the beds back into sitting chairs.  Funny thing--the waiter/porter who took my dinner order remembered me from the week prior, when I went the other way on the route, and he even remembered what I had ordered.  We got in to BKK around 5:30am and I had a frustrating taxi ride that eventually culminated in landing me at Ruen Mok guesthouse, where Liz was staying.I lugged my awful heavy bag up three flights of stairs, knocked on Liz's door at 6:30am, said hello, and then promptly fell asleep on the lower bunk.  The room is super tiny and has bunk beds, but is gloriously air conditioned.  In Bangkok later that day, we:-ran into Sophie and Joe, two UK 18 year olds who had volunteerd with us for a short time at the animal sanctuary.  They were getting a suit made for Joe and we were using the internet, and yes, these things do happen in the same establishment in Thailand.-walked a very, very long way to Wat Po and saw the famous, largest, reclining Buddha.  Then we walked more to the Grand Palace and saw the famous, though quite small, Emerald Buddha.  Things were pretty, but it was quite hot.-Rested for a bit, then found a taxi to take us to the Sukhumvit part of Bangkok, where we were to eat and then go out.  Something weird happened with my health--the traffic, the pollution, food?--and I had to lean out the window of the taxi and vomit.  Three times.  In my fancy dress, too.  It was unpleasant but the taxi driver was really nice about it!  I felt better afterwards.-However, immediately following, my mobile phone disappeared.  Either it fell out of my bag in the taxi--though we didn't see anything left in the car when we exited..... or someone stole it out of my bag right after getting out--but we didn't see anyone getting close enough to us.  It's sort of a mystery, but the phone definitely is gone.  Sad, but at least it happened at the very end of the trip.  And if it was stolen, I'm glad it was the phone and not the camera or wallet.  Frankly, in 4 days time I was going to give the phone away or try to sell it back somewhere anyway.  So, worse things have happened.-After a brief respite, we did still go to dinner (Little Italy--the fanciest place I've been in all of Thailand) and our night plans.  The plans included going to Mambo Cabaret, a 'ladyboy' cabaret show with pop music as well as Asian ballads.  Think Destiny's Child and Pussycat Dolls... but then also randoms like Blues Brothers "Everybody Needs Somebody."  All dancing and lip-syncing was done by ladyboys, or men who are pre-op or post-op transgendered (male to female).  Thailand has a much more open and tolerant attitude towards them than most other countries I've been in, and they're all around, not only working in cabarets, but the guest houses I've stayed in, restaurants, etc.  Link here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ladyboys .  Really, really interesting, check the article out!-Had some wine at a bar to top off the night.  A very interesting day, indeed.  Today we're going to try to make it to the huuuuuge weekend market... and then tomorrow is actually Liz's last day!  Everything really is wrapping up quite soon.
]]> Last bits of Chiang Mai — Chiang Mai, Thailand http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ktmcq143/2/1217571720/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ktmcq143/2/1217571720/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ktmcq143/2/1217571720/tpod.html Fri, 01 Aug 2008 02:41:02 -0400 Looks like Thailand!

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Chiang Mai, Thailand

I have photos that haven't yet been put into any entry... so here we go :)Unfortunately, I leave tonight to take the overnight train to Bangkok.  It should be ok--long, but hopefully there isn't an accident like last time, and I have my books and music.  I'm going to look for Sarah on the next car over from me.  I'll get in around 5:30am and then find my way to Khao San Rd, the backpacker area where Liz is staying, and then I'll hang out with her again for a few days, until she leaves.  And then shortly after that, I leave as well!  My dad wrote me an email and he ended it by saying "have a great last week of your trip."  Last week?!  This is shocking!!  I've done amazing things, though, and I'm so happy that I've been able to do it all.Anyway.  I now own an "I (heart) Chiang Mai" tshirt... because I do :)  I'll write from  Bangkok!
]]> Meditation Retreat — Chiang Mai, Thailand http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ktmcq143/2/1217568780/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ktmcq143/2/1217568780/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ktmcq143/2/1217568780/tpod.html Fri, 01 Aug 2008 02:18:45 -0400 Looks like Thailand!

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Chiang Mai, Thailand

I'm in Thailand, and I read in LP about a 2 or 3 day meditation retreat that one can do, with no actual charge- it's all run on donations.  I've had good meditation experiences in the past, with JVC, with Sheil, and with this Buddhist sangha (community) in Evanston I attended for a while for some SESP class... so I email and I sign up.  I learn through the website that we wear all white clothes, pretty much be silent all the time, that we wake up at 5 am every day, and basically learn how to meditate and then do that for hours.  A bit daunting, but I'm in Thailand, a major Buddhist kingdom, so why not?I say goodbye to the really nice Thai family that runs my guest house--called White House, find a tuk-tuk (have I explained what these are?  they're sort of like motorized rickshaws, with a roof but no doors or windows, driven by 1 guy in front, with seating for 1-6 people in back) and have him take me to Wat Suan Dok.  This temple is only the meeting grounds--after a 2 hour Introduction to Buddhism lecture (I take notes--I feel like a student.  Funny, in 4 weeks, I will be a student again) we all get transported to the International Meditation Center in the countryside of Chiang Mai.I met a really cool girl, Sarah, who's Danish, and traveling around Thailand before volunteering for 3 months in Pattaya, teaching English to formerly prostituted women.  This Sarah was so wonderful, I really wanted to be her friend, but then she left the retreat early.  Some people only stayed for 2 days, the other half stayed for 3--she had intended on staying for the whole time, but left early when given the chance.  I broke our silence and whispered, asking her if she was leaving early?  She whispered back yes, "This just isn't where I want to be right now."  I think it was really hard for some people to be there.  Hard for me at times, definitely, but I'm glad I stayed the 3 days.  Sarah and I are on the same train tonight to Bangkok, though, and only 1 car apart, so I'll most likely get to see her there  :)So we get to the actual meditation center and have a bit of free time.  I change into my newly purchased (huge) white clothes and furtively chat a little with my roommate, Rita, who is a Portuguese girl here with her boyfriend.  She actually broke out into hives on Day 2 from some unknown allergic reaction, and she also only stayed 1 night instead of 2.  I also begin re-reading the India portion of Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert--remember, that book I bought millions of years ago in the Chicago O'Hare airport, before I began my Thailand journey?--because while she's in India, she stays in an ashram for 4 months and practices yoga and meditation.  I figure she's good company for me, these days.Over the next few days, learn many different ways of meditating: sitting, laying, standing, and walking.  Laying meditation, for me, is also known as falling asleep on the cool blue tile floor.  Walking meditation I like a lot, especially when we did it at night in the dark, though I prefer to walking in circles to straight lines.  Sitting meditation is good, very good, though it gives me quite a bit of pain in my back and shoulders.  I especially like sitting meditation when we use meditation beads to help us focus.  There were a lot of different methods we learned, utilizing our breathing, chanting, counting, visualization, etc...In addition to meditation, we also chanted, did yoga each morning, gave the monks offerings of rice each morning for breakfast, and had monkchats.  Monkchats are just that--where we all sit in a circle and chat with the monks, mainly about Buddhism and meditation.  It provides us with knowledge and insight--it provides the monks an opportunity to better their English.  When I had chances, I asked my monk leader which kinds of meditation he finds the easiest/hardest, how Buddhists find that precarious balance between having love for people without attachment, and why teenage monks in cars, for example, will play songs like "Low" by Flo Rida/T-Pain.  You know, "apple bottom jeans, boots with the fur... she had the whole club lookin at herrr..."  It just doesn't seem very monk-like, does it?We basically lived like a monk would... the hours we kept, all the meditating, the simple, small portions of vegetarian food, which we sit and contemplate for 10 minutes before eating... except we still only had to follow 5 precepts, and monks always have to follow 227.  And at night, they would give us cookies and send us to bed at 9 pm.  They don't give monks cookies at night :)
]]>