Planes, Trains, Automobiles…..and Buses

Is it silly that one of my favourite parts of travelling is just that, travelling?  I guess I am lucky considering that we spend many, many hours each week in transit, somewhere in between point A and B.  I have had time to reflect and I know now that train travel is my absolute favourite way to see places and to get anywhere, but unfortunately since we have left India, train travel just isn’t the same.  India may have train travel down pat but Asia defiantly has them beat with their bus system- which is my second favourite way of getting around.  Generally it’s the same routine, made different by one deciding factor: if we are taking a VIP or a Local bus.  Regardless of the level of comfort, every trip starts the same. I dehydrate myself for the journey, we buy our tickets, arm ourselves with various snack foods, which happily have become more sophisticated with practise and no longer resemble my Halloween loot but more like a light trail blazing snack.  We arrive half an hour early, take our seats and get comfortable for the ride.  If we are riding VIP, this is made much easier, as the seats are reserved and numbered and much like a Greyhound, minus the bathroom- VIP is the more comfortable way to ride, as I am sure you already assumed.  These buses get about as comfortable as you can get when you’re taking a bus, armed with newly upholstered seats (of which I am sure they got the fabric from an arcade or laser bowling alley) that often recline ever so slightly offering the much need relief for the lower back, that, coupled with the leg room made more vast and comfortable by the overhead compartment and we are talking sublime bus travel here.  The shocks are new, so if we happen to score a seat at the front, we will be rewarded with a relatively smooth ride allowing us to dabble in our carefully planned bus ride survival kit- music, reading, or in my case, writing.  These are the times that I love- the easy going surrender that the bus trip allows.  When you ride VIP, a person can just sit back while the driver takes you where you need to go, stopping at various street stalls where just enough English is spoken for us to order some noodle soup and a beverage.  I drink my water and my broth, knowing that every 2 hours the bus will pull over for a potty break, so I arrive hydrated, rested and happy to reflect on the scenery.  Which is always made better by the music that I carefully select to match the passing story I see outside my window.  These are the times I am able to relax and reflect on our travels, when my mind wanders to past memories and my hopes for bright futures.  I get lost in my experiences and frustrations, or just lose myself in a good book or some great tunes.

 Dan and I met this lovely lady on our trip from Vientiane to Phonsovanh.  She looks kinda mean in the picture but on the contrary, she was awesome.

Our local bus parked beside a VIP.  See the difference :)

On the flipside, at times you can be lucky enough to ride on a local bus.  The ride will always be uncomfortable in comparison but your experience will always be that much more rewarding.  When Dan and I take a trip on a local bus, I’m always slightly fearful of the journey ahead, my fear is always enhanced knowing that the ride will be long, as the local bus rides usually are.  Since these buses are smaller, which allow them to better manoeuvre the windy, narrow, muddy roads, we arrive an hour early to get a good seat as they leave when they are full and I mean FULL.  Though they only seat 24, on one of our previous journeys the driver was able to squeeze in 36 people, a motorbike, enough bags of rice to feed a village, a box of ducks and a chicken – just to give you a mental picture.  Dan and I sat on plastic lawn chairs that tipped in sharper corners making our ride more like a balancing act.  Yes, it was uncomfortable but we all laughed when one of us lost control of our chair and tipped one way or the other.  These rides generally don’t allow the luxuries of reading or writing but ducks in a box are pretty entertaining and we often walk away with a local friend or two.  I would like a few more potty breaks so that I wouldn’t have to refrain from liquids for 16 hours, but that is just a minor detail.  The ride lets you be a part of local life for a short time and on these journeys I feel less like I am sitting safely behind glass windows watching the countryside go by but more like I am part of that country side.   They feel all that more human and they are worth all the discomforts that come with them because you will often walk away with a great story and a sense of accomplishment, knowing that you have survived yet another local bus trip.

Now, as nostalgic and as comforting as I find bus journeys, there is always that breaking point.  When I have dirt in my eyes from open windows, I can’t get comfortable, my bum is numb and my ankles and feet are so swollen they look as if they might pop.  It is then that I hate bus travel and count the seconds until we reach our destination.  These feelings are inevitable but luckily surface later and later as we become more practiced with long distance travel.  I have to mention that I am rather nervous.  Dan and I have our longest bus trip yet coming up; we leave tomorrow morning bright and early on a local bus bound for Luang Prabang.  Dependant on road conditions, this bus can take up to 18 hours!!!  Think of all that you can do in 18 hours.  So, as you read this, go to work, come home and have dinner (or whatever routine you might have) Dan and I will be on a bus that whole time- tragic.  Two days from now my love for bus rides might change just a touch :)   Wish us luck!

Air Travel Should Be Easy

AHH- now that I am all showered up, squeaky clean and comfortably plopped in front of a fan, I am ready to share our flight ordeal with you all.  I will try not to rant, but I’m making no promises.  Oh, and one more thing- I have a potty mouth.  Sorry, but I’m pissed off and I can think of no other way to convey this tale to you than to use expletives.  Yes, my Mom and Dad did teach me better than that, but understand my frustration…
It all started in Red Deer after a quick Google search for flights back to Laos.  I have to mention that I am a rather skilled at Google searching, and after all our travelling, I have become fantastic at finding cheap flights.  Something else I should mention- flying to Laos isn’t easy, nor is it cheap:(  I threw up my hands and after some deliberation, Dan and I decided it was best to call a travel agent to take care of the details as we wanted to spend our free time with family- not scouring to internet for deals.  We decided to call the Flight Centre in Red Deer.  I have to give a special shout out to Flight Centre…. Hey Flight Centre….. I hate you and will never, ever use your services again!!!!!!  Now that that is out of the way… :(  We met with our travel consultant (who's name I possess but will not be so immature as to print it on my Blog- though I am tempted) and after some work on her part we found a flight that would leave at a perfect time.  The layovers were nice and because we were looking forward to getting back on the road we decided to book it.  Oh wait- funny thing is that Flight Centre doesn’t have Travel Visa information and because we weren’t 100% sure of Laos Visa requirements, we missed out on that particular flight.  Dan spent days, literally days phoning every Laos consulate to find out if we would be allowed to fly into Laos without a return ticket.  The only Embassy to even answer their phone was in Tokyo- Now for my special shout out to Japan… Hey Japan, you are bloody brilliant.   Your people are so helpful and pleasant and when we have the funds we will travel to your amazing country and spend loads of tourist dollars.  We love you Japan!!  Armed with the appropriate knowledge we went back to Flight Centre and sat down again as our travel consultant looked for a new flight – after some waiting, she found a few that would work for us.  Here it a simple question for you- Don’t you think travel agents should have some travel experience?  I was slightly alarmed when she not only had no idea where Laos was but proceeded to try and sell us tickets with layovers that where impossibly short and would be impossible to make.  I’m not even sure that she had ever flown before- maybe to Mexico :(  URG!  We settled on a slightly more expensive route that would fly us to Tokyo, Japan then to Hanoi, Vietnam and finally to Vientiane, Laos.  Perfect.
Fast forward one week.  After saying our goodbyes, Dan and I boarded our Air Canada flight from Calgary to Tokyo.  Upon our arrival, we made our way to the Transfer counter, which was easily pointed out by a large, ominous sign (picture below). 

We made our jokes- laughing and thinking we were so special, until it became apparent why it was posted.  Surprise, surprise, Air Canada fucked up.  Now, I am blessing my stars that they did, but it still pisses me off that they are incapable of providing a consistent, reliable service.  I hate Air Canada.  We were standing there, at the ticket booth, dumbfounded by what we were being told. Air Canada neglected to check our tickets properly when we boarded in Calgary, and thus missed the fact that for Dan and I to fly through Vietnam on a connecting flight, we would need a Transit Visa!  WTF?????!!!!!!!!!  Now, I haven’t been to Vietnam yet but I am beginning to hate them and their government too.  The first incident after trying to enter Vietnam (see previous post titled As the Wind Takes Us) was completely our fault and I take total responsibility for that but I’m just curious… what kind of backwards, money-grabbing country requires a Transit Visa to get off one airplane and onto another?? (Other than China of course.)  Seriously, AHHHHHH, so frustrated.  We felt like we were being fucked three ways- one by Flight Centre for selling us a ticket with a connection we couldn’t make, two by Air Canada for letting us fly out of Canada, knowing we would be stuck in Tokyo and finally by Vietnam for all their over the top border restrictions.  We were utterly shocked that all these factors had added up to the stupid, stupid situation we were in.  Luckily, for whatever reason, Dan and I have horse shoes up our asses and were blessed enough to have landed in Tokyo- the home of efficiency and organization.  Since Air Canada had made such a huge mistake in flying us half way around the world, it was up to them to fix the situation.  Our Tokyo, Air Canada representative spent hours sorting out our options and was able to change our flight path, allowing us to fly through Thailand and not Vietnam. Not only did we not have to fly back to Canada and forfeit our flight (one of our only options) our baggage was diverted, we made our new flight by the skin of our teeth and we arrived in Laos on the same day as previously scheduled.  Again, we love Tokyo.
Drama, Drama- why do we attract all this drama?  Oh well….. at least we made it safe and sound.  I do feel sorry for the supervisor at Flight Centre in Red Deer though- I am gonna tear them a new one.

Dan catching some ZZZZ at the Bangkok airport.  We have become very, very good at sleeping

anywhere we can find the space to lie down.

Three Flights and a Funeral

I contemplated whether I should write this blog or not, in the end I decided to go for it.  I am sorry if it comes across as insensitive or selfish to some of my readers- I don’t want to give that impression and in the end the decision to document my travels outweighed my moral dilemma.  I suppose when you travel for an extended period of time, things come up and this is what my travel blog is about.
Dan and I are beginning to come close to the half way point of our journey.   I am going to be completely honest in that I am starting to miss some superficial comforts of home (stay tuned for my Xmas list!) but at the end of the day, I am neither ready nor am I wanting to go home.  I am immersed in this life now.  I love being a gypsy, making decisions every day that could mean going to new countries, meeting new people or just relaxing and enjoying our time together.  Our decisions mean so much more to me than the ones that I would be making back home.  It is difficult to explain.  So when we received some bad news from home and had to make flight arrangements to return for a week or so to be with family in Calgary, I wasn’t prepared for the feelings that came to the surface.  Obviously, we are going for personal reasons and the situation in itself has occupied my mind but I have been utterly surprised by my reaction to the news of my short stopover in my home country.  I am scared…..there you go, I said it.  For reasons I cannot even begin to explain, I am afraid to go back home.  I am nervous to see my family again (weird, I know), and on top of that I am very much not looking forward to entering the western world again.  My bubble has been popped.
I could go on and on about how I feel, but this isn’t a journal, it is a travel blog so instead I will tell you about our journey home.  It has been a long one to say the least- not bad but long.  As always, a person should purchase travel insurance before embarking on a trip, and I can say that our company in particular has been fabulous.  It all started when Dan and I arrived in Luang Nam Tha, which is a 6 hour bus ride from the boarder town of Huay Xai.  After spending only one night we had decided to move on and continue South (Laos only grants a 28 day Visa).  We made our way back on the same bus, stayed overnight in Huay Xai before boarding a two day slow boat to Luang Prabang.  I do have one comment about the slow boat that I have to make; take it, it is a beautiful way to meet friends and see the Mekong River.  That being said, the trip takes two days and in hindsight I would have only taken the boat the first day, then a bus the rest of the way.  Two days is a long time, it is uncomfortable and the pace becomes tiresome after so many hours- just my opinion.   After checking into our guesthouse, meeting new friends and spending one night in Luang Prabang, we woke early the next morning to board a 10 hour bus ride to the Laos capital- Vientiene.  It doesn’t stop there, but I don’t want to bore you with the details, but if our math is correct, Dan and I have been travelling for more than 2 1/2 days out of 5- that’s too much!! Vientiene to Bangkok, Bangkok to Tokyo, Tokyo to Calgary. My legs are swollen like sausages and I can no longer feel my ass, but at the end of the day I am still happy that we are living the life we are.  I have realized something great that we have learned along the way- stress control.  After all these stressful days, full of exhausting travel at no time did either of us lose our cool.  We remained relatively calm through the whole ordeal, and it all worked out in the end (oops, knock on wood…I’m still on an Air Canada flight as I write this).  Not only that, but I am on a plane with a bunch of Japanese school kids, I am assuming they are making their way to Toronto for the first time.  When the plane took off, all the girlies started squealing and giggling, like nothing I have ever heard before and it reminded me just why I am doing what I do everyday.  Ha- it was like I was in a real life anime :)
So there you go- I guess what I have learned is that there is always a bright side if you take the time to notice.  Hmmmm, or maybe I am just brain dead from all the travel time.  I’m gonna go with the former.

Then the Rains Came

I think that the saying actually goes, then the war came, but for whatever reason I think of that phrase when it starts to pour.  I think it is because it is so epic, that the rains have a complete life of their own.  They invoke a dance that is unlike anything I have ever seen; the rains have the ability to change things, to crank things up a notch, then slow them down to a complete halt.    I had this feeling tonight when the evening rains blew in- I thought to myself that if I was a writer, I could write a whole book about rain and the dance that it inspires.  Since I am not, I will try my best to explain just how the South East Asian rain makes me feel but like I said previously, I could write for days, so what I will do is pick 2 instances that stood out in my mind.
I will begin with our adventure, just the other day.  Dan and I along with a few others, were in the back of a pickup truck on our way to a Jungle Villa, here in Northern Thailand.  We had loaded our packs into the back of the truck, hopped up and took our places alongside the cases of Chang beer, bags of cabbage and the packs that belonged to the other travellers in our party.  What we thought would be a 20 minute drive tops, ended up being a lushly scenic and awesomely bumpy ride.  We stood holding the roll bars, ducking tree branches that threatened to impale us as we took in the cool breeze and gorgeous scenery.  We drove and drove, closer and closer and higher and higher to what looked like quite the menacing rain cloud in the distance.  I was beginning to get nervous- our bags were out in the elements, uncovered and up until then the rain was something to fear and be avoided at all costs.  It often meant adjusting travel times so as to avoid the morning, afternoon or evening rain- no easy feat (have I mentioned that we are here during Rainy Season?).   Thankfully, our driver yelled out that we were only one kilometre to our destination- we would beat the rain- ha ha.  Wrong.  We each felt a rain drop, looked at each other, laughed and exchanged our chosen curse word  ‘cause at that point what else could a person do.  You see, over here when you feel a raindrop you take cover because a few short seconds later, what was a drizzle will have turned into a torrential downpour.  Sheets of rain turn light to dark and if you are out in the open, you are drenched.  Sure-as-shit.  When it came, it was unlike anything I have ever experienced.  Maybe it had to do with our elevation or that we were speeding through a rainstorm in the back of a pickup- I guess it was a combination of the two.  We tried to laugh but that would mean opening your mouths, which would quickly fill with water, alone refreshing but combined with the water making its way up our noses, it added up to a choking hazard.  I soon forgot about my pack- and my passport, which were surely soaked through and just gave in to mother nature- like I had a choice :)  It ended up being a highlight of my trip- a strange feeling of swimming while out of water and a free amusement park ride- YEAH- so fun :)   Racing through dark green jungle, speeding through mud puddles, fresh clean air with sheer astonishment at just how soaked a person could get- good times!!!!!

I took these pictures while we walked to a villiage, 45 minutes down the mountain from our guesthouse.

The main crop grown in this region of Northern Thailand is tea.

Dan at the shop we stopped at for fried noodles.  I just love these shops, they are always full of random foods and other treasures.

Dan and our Australian friend Dave on our stroll back up the mountain.

The next story is more of an observation than an experience.  Dan and I decided to head out for a early dinner at the Saturday market, here in Chiang Rai.  The market only takes place on this scale once a week, vendors start setting up in the early afternoon and go until the early morning hours.  It is an eclectic mixture of handicrafts, clothing, street food, jewellery, etc.  After making our rounds, we picked out our meals, found some covered stairs to sit, eat and enjoy some people watching.  I have to mention that this meal was one of my favourite street dinners to date.  I scored some vegetarian glass noodle soup,  a massive bag of edamame, and a coke.  Dan had a cup of buttered corn kernels, pad thai, mini doughnuts for dessert, and a fanta- all of which came to under $2.50, a sweet and tasty bargain.  So there we sat, experiencing a moment of travel euphoria, a moment when I was perfectly happy enjoying the absolute moment.  Street markets are a brilliant way to experience life out here, the movements, sounds, smells and colours are enticing and pleasurable in themselves.  Listening and observing I noticed the time in which the music moved people along, I found it comforting and I was enjoying myself.  Then I noticed the vendors directly beside me looking to my left, up at the sky.  We made eye contact and they motioned to the impossibly dark, menacing cloud in the distance.  You could tell that this particular couple had been in this line of work for a long time- their pace rapidly picked up as they packed up the leather shoes they were selling into tupperware containers and began to hang their tarp, which would eventually surround their tent, keeping them safe and dry inside.  One moment I was wondering if they had started a premature panic, the next moment the wind picked up – an obvious  sign of the impending heavy rain shower- man they’re good!  Once the wind came, the pace picked up one notch.  Everyone continued to shop, eat and buy but there was a hurriedness in the air that wasn’t there before.  Then the drops started to fall and the pace turned from mellow, to Western- that’s all it takes.  I then got to enjoy the chaotic jig that ensued- when everyone knows  the sheets of rain are only moments away.  The stall owners began to pack, put up umbrellas and tarps, and the die hard shoppers began to pick up their pace.  Haggling was more intense, food was being ordered and eaten at a speed I have yet to see here in Asia.  I am having a hard time describing the change- it was beautiful.  When the rain began to fall harder, the establishments with awnings filled up with the people that had forgotten their umbrellas or ponchos, the sea of movement in the streets came to an abrupt halt.  That is the beauty of mother nature, one moment we think we are in control, the next we are ducking for cover.  She is in control, no matter how much we try to pretend otherwise.

If I had a Million Dollars…

 

  I know that all of us have played this game more times than we would care to admit.  I am almost certain the fantasy of endless wealth entered my mind on a weekly basis while I was back home.  Now that I am living my dream life, I can safely say that it hasn’t entered my mind in months.  I think differently now.  That was until Dan and I were sitting and enjoying our Thai Foot Massages- which in reality isn’t only a foot massage but in fact a full body massage.  Brilliant!  So my mind was relaxed and it started to wander.  Dan and I have had many discussions about where we see ourselves when we return home and I was starting get a pretty clear idea.  That was until I found myself playing the “if I won the lottery” game- blast, I thought I was past this.  It is interesting, my “rich Elise” life has changed since I began my travels.  I always imagined that I would use a large chunk of my money to travel the world for long periods of time- that I would just wander endlessly with not a care in the world.  Now, I realize that I like having a home.  I enjoy my routine, to an extent and understand that a year is a very long time.  I can’t imagine ever stopping and staying still in one place, never travelling again, but if I had endless funds, instead of a year, it would be months at a time.  I don’t know how many people could travel for a year more than once in a lifetime.  Running with the same thought, along the same lines- I am a Canadian Girl, I LOVE Canada!  Dan and I have had the pleasure of seeing some amazing places, and are scheduled to see more.  I have fantasized about raising children on an island in Malaysia, or being a dive instructor somewhere in South East Asia- the life here has it’s strong points.  The pace is slower, more intimate at times.  Life seems more organic.  All that aside, I don’t know if I could ever leave the West Coast.  We have beautiful lush forests, clean air and a laid back attitude that is somewhere between island life and the fast, stressed pace of the western world.  So, I have decided on a compromise. If Dan and I were to ever win the lottery we would buy houses in foreign places.  We can live there if we want, of just visit when we want.  I think I will start with a bungalow on a cliff side somewhere on the Malaysian islands.  Oh yeah, I can picture it now.

I have also realized just how much I enjoy working- but not the 9-5 kind.  When Dan and I started planning our trip and spreading the news of our extended departure, our friends and family had mixed reactions.  One that I do remember was jealousy, envy that we were taking a year off work for an extended vacation.  Wrong!!  Dan and I aren’t on vacation, we are just experiencing a different form of work.  Every waking moment presents a challenge that is invigorating, though difficult to escape from when exhausted.  I wouldn’t trade it for a 9-5 any day- so now I know.  I like to work and I love a challenge, not only that but I know now that not only do I love challenge, but I am better for it.  Mark my words, when I get home I will not fall right back into my old routine but find a challenging, difficult and exciting way to make my money.  That is only if I don’t win the lottery, if we win Dan and I will open our own business.  We have many ideas, now we just need the funds.

Another thing that has changed considerably from my previous wealthy  picture is my home life.  No longer do I want a housekeeper  to come clean for me because that is something I have come to miss about having a home.  OK, maybe someone can come in once a month and do a overhaul but weekly, there is no chance.  I miss cooking everyday- eating out for three meals a day, for a whole year is completely ridiculous.  I hate menus, and I miss washing dishes with my husband.  There is something to be said about making a meal with your friends, then cleaning up after yourself.  I think that is something that humans or maybe just women need in their life.  A house to clean, a family or friends to cook for- that’s happiness.

OK.  Since I have decided to cross off some expensive items for my rich Elise life, I think it is safe to say that I could afford some luxuries.  I need a private Thai masseuse.  Just three days a week- that’s all.  I picture her and I being friends- her and I would gossip over my weekly massages, we would be friends- is that so bad?  Not only would it bring me peace of mind and clear my blocked Chakras, it would also help my tired legs after long days working, travelling and running marathons.  Yes, rich Elise runs marathons.

So, that is my evolved picture.  Of course it has many more aspects, though these are the only few that have changed.  What are your wishes if you won the lottery?  I know you have perfect picture of how your life would be.  Come on, play with me ;)

Another Picture Post

OK, so I thought it was time to post some more photos.  Dan and I have picked up our pace since moving off the islands of Southern Thailand.  We have made our way through Bangkok, Ayutthaya, Sukhothai, and finally Chiang Mai.

Here is a little snip of what we have been up to.......

 Sorry for the blurry photo but I was literally shaking with rage.  While Dan and I were in Bangkok we decided to make our way to the Chinese Night Market in Chinatown to eat some cheap food and find some cheap clothes to refresh my backpack.  Once we found the place we made our way to the busiest part of the area in hopes of finding some eats before doing our shopping.  I wasn't prepared for what I was about to see.  Dan and I have spent our fair share of time in China Towns since we left home and I have yet to witness what I was seeing here in Bangkok.  The busiest road was in fact a street devoted entirely to various shark fin products- shark fin soup, shark fin pills, dried shark fin..... it was alarming.  Some of you might not know about the shark fin industry in Asia; if you don't then please take a few moments to educate yourself (Shark Water is a great, informative and award-winning film on the subject).  It is a uneccessary practise that is destroying our oceans at a extremely rapid pace.  I feel very strongly about the issue- on top of that, sharks are my favourite animal.  Here I was, on a street where every other shop had dried fins in the windows, fluorescent lights advertised 'The Best Shark Fin In Town', even the cheap stall venders sold only shark fin soup.  I was in a panic/rage, so strong that I needed to beeline out of there before I started yelling at the locals for their ignorance.  Please educate yourselves on Shark Finning and support organizations that strive to stop it.

This is a picture of the Shark Fin road.  The streets and restaurants are packed with people consuming shark fin soup- even writing this post and seeing the photos again brings me to tears.  Ignorance.

While in Bangkok, we paid a visit to 'The Pride of Bangkok' a series of 3 huge, over the top luxury malls.

The main attraction was the Oceanaquarium.  At first I was really excited, it was only 4 years old and expansive.  Upon arriving Dan and I realized that it was more of an attraction than an aquarium.  The plant and coral life were all fake and the fish environments were nothing like they are in the wild.  It was sad to see but hopefully it educates people on the importance of sustainable fishing and environmental protection.  Above is a picture of a Cow Fish.  I was really hoping to encounter one in the ocean while diving- I guess this is the next best thing.

Some three year old Hammerhead Sharks!!!!!  Yeah- AWESOME and sooo cute :)

A model showing the jaw span of the Prehistoric Megalodon Shark- SCARY :)

Dan was pretty excited to get a picture with me in front of this car... I don't know which 'Elise' is his favorite!

A street vender setting up shop for the day.  This particular vender specialized in fake I.D's!

They were absolutely amazing... you could purchase any I.D, documentation or certification under the sun.

Have you ever wanted to be a plastic surgeon, a pilot or how about a press reporter?

For a fee you could be any of those things :)

Buddha images are EVERYWHERE in South East Asia.  After spending the day exploring ancient Wat ruins a person becomes pretty Buddha'd out very quickly.  This picture was taken at a Wat in Sukhothai. (Wat=Temple)

This temple was much different than the ones we had seen previously.  The Buddha was MASSIVE, stunning and completely serene.

I really, really wanted to sit on  Buddha- he looked so comfy and inviting but I am sure I took a serious hit to my Kharma for doing it.  Oh well, it was worth it.

Again, sorry for the blurry photo :(  Me, Dan and Lilli at a Muay Thai Boxing match in Chiang Mai!!

If boxing matches weren't so expensive on a backpackers budget, I think we would go every other night.

The crowd was energetic to say the least.  Muay Thai is the national sport in Thailand, so if you plan to make your way out here a match is a must see.  The card ranged from 8-30 yr olds (my guess) and all the fights were worthy in their own right.  Beers, Fighting, Screaming and Betting... can you think of a better way to spend the evening?

This was the temple at the Buddhist Uni- the jetting off point for my meditation retreat. 

The night market in Chaing Mai, where there are blocks and blocks of venders selling everything and anything a person could want.  Whiskey shake anyone?  Gross!

Dan and Lilli having quite the serious game of Connect 4 - awesome!  When was the last time you saw that game?

Some examples of the quirky, random stuff you can buy at the market.  These are hairclips made out of various candies- brilliant.

How about some dead bugs in a frame?

One of my favourite sections of the market was the art walk.  Oh if only I had $ to buy paintings because they were beautiful and original - lovely :)

Do you have a Monkey Mind?

It is probably safe to say that most of you take care of your body every day.  You shower, brush your teeth, eat and some of you even exercise.  How many of you can say that you take care of your mind?  Even though it is a part of your being and you use it every moment of every day- much like your bodies- have you cared for it?  Have you trained it to obey you or is your mind like a monkey- jumping this way and that- totally and sometimes dangerously unpredictable?
When Dan and I decided to embark on our trip of a lifetime I had a few goals in mind.  I had decided that I wanted to explore and experience all that came my way- to make the most of my journey.  I also had a small list of “to-do’s”:  I wanted to order off menus that I couldn’t read (not an easy feat when you are a vegetarian), learn conversational words in local languages, take time to learn guitar- the list goes on.  One thing that was particularly high on my list was meditation.  I had dabbled in some unsuccessful, and admittedly uninspired attempts over the past few years, but it is something I have always longed for.  I saw meditation as a way to still my overactive mind, a relaxation from the fast pace of my life and an all around pleasant club that I wanted to be a part of.
While in India I encountered some opportunities that fell through.  Mostly they were free guided meditations and that wasn’t really what I was looking for so I can’t say I was too upset.  I also had an opportunity while in northern India to sign Dan and I up for a 10 day Vispassana retreat.  I was stoked but after Dan read that it would require his total restraint from cigarettes and everything else (reading, writing, speaking, everything) he declined.  As eager as I was, I would be lying if I said I upset with his lack of interest- 10 days is a long time.
India came and went with no meditation.  I was feeling defeated; up until now I had been crossing off items from my list almost daily but I guess things seem to work out just when you stop trying.  My lovely friend and travel companion Lilli would be meeting up with us in Chiang Mai (Northern Thailand) and her hope was to attend a 2-day Buddhist Meditation Retreat.  Awesome.  Once we met up and with a little leg work on her end we were quickly on a Tuk Tuk to the Buddhist University in Chiang Mai to sign up for the retreat!
We purchased our modest white clothes that we were required to wear for the duration, paid our 500 baht and sat with the 20-odd westerners in a conference room, nervously and awkwardly awaiting instruction.  We were then introduced to our Master (a 30 yr old monk who had been wearing his robes for 20 years!) who commenced to deliver one of the most inspiring lectures I have ever had the pleasure to hear.  He took no less than two hours to explain the basics of Buddhism, including the history and a few basic beliefs, the history of the Monk Chat and the Meditation Retreat, the benefits of meditation and the techniques we would be practising over the next two days.
We all left excited and motivated to train our Monkey Minds into submission.  After an hour long drive to a peaceful, tranquil, remote location we filed off the bus and again, waited for instruction.  We signed up for our rooms (two of the same gender per room), got our keys and listened to our itinerary for the next two days.  It went something like this…..
- chanting before dinner.  Once dinner was served silence would commence until the end of the retreat.  Yes- complete silence- no talking.
-5 minute break
-chanting in the Meditation Hall followed by 45 mins of meditation practise.
- 9 pm bedtime
-5 am gong.  YUCK!
-5:30 am chanting in the Meditation Hall followed by 45 mins of meditation practise.
-offering of Alms to the Monks.
-chanting and breakfast…. remember, no talking!
-chanting and 45 mins of meditation practice.
-discussion and a temporary break from silence.
- silence resumes. chanting and 45 mins of meditation practise. 
- chanting and lunch.
-goodbyes and bus home.
AWESOME!!  I could write and write for hours about all that I learned over those two days.  Not only did I practise three methods of meditation (all of which are completely easy to do on your own) I learnt about the daily life of the Monks here in Thailand.  It was not only a fantastic way to get the tools I need for meditation practise, it was also a great way to learn more about the culture and beliefs of the Thai people.  By no means will I become Buddhist and at no time did I feel like I was being preached to but I did find beliefs that I know I will apply to my daily life.  I could write for hours and bore you with what I learned over those two days- I won’t.  I will say that the experience was something I would never trade and it changed my way of thinking.  Please, if you have any question about what I learned, just ask me or check out the Monk Chat website.
So now I have checked yet another item off my list!  Tonight I will do my meditation before bed and feel better for it :)  Yeah Me!!  Thanks Monk Chat, for asking me some important questions.
ps- photos of me and Lilli will be one the website shortly.

 Me and Lilli in our white clothes.  I can't recall the last time I wore all white.