The following morning I awoke early and knew from experience that the boys would sleep for several more hours. I usually enjoyed this time by myself reading or wandering around, maybe getting breakfast. But I felt an odd surge of energy and curiosity and took flight into the jungle to find me a cave. I got my hands on a poor hand drawn map and bought a bottle of water on the way out of town. According to the map I would come to a bridge on the … [Read more...]
Going Home
A traveler from Singapore finds his country's colorful past in present-day Kuala Lumpur. It's 9.50pm in Kuala Lumpur. Our 'time-travel machine' is here to take us home to 2003 Singapore. And for once, the KTM railway train arrived on the dot. 36 hours ago, we were standing at the tail of a long queue snaking from the departure gate to the main entrance of the Tanjong Pagar Railway Station in Singapore. The gate opened slightly after … [Read more...]
Annapurna Circuit
I'd always fancied myself as a bit of an outdoors-type, and what better way to prove it than a trek through the Himalayas. "Why would I want to walk for that long?" said a startled friend when I asked if he wanted to come along. Obviously he hadn't pictured it in his mind like I had. There it was; snow-capped peaks looming over pine-forests, twinkling stars dancing across the dark Northern skies, Tibetan prayer flags fluttering in the wind, … [Read more...]
On the Prowl
I walked through the narrow streets of people and cars, brick and concrete. I shuffled between bicycles and taxis, steered clear of oncoming hawkers and dodged madmen on motorcycles. I peered upward at all the buildings and all the signs on all the buildings and felt dizzy, drunk on the moment. My nose absorbed every odor, strange spices, exhaust fumes, the smell of rain. My ears rang with sounds of bells and horns, of foreign chatter and … [Read more...]
Lahore
If you take a fact file about Pakistan you will see the Islamabad is the official capital with its planned streets and neatly organized suburbs. You will also find Karachi mentioned as the economical and industrial capital with its huge twelve million people, bustling streets and polluted atmosphere. A city you may not find mentioned in that book is Lahore the cultural and spiritual heart of Pakistan. This ancient city on the bank of river Ravi … [Read more...]
Wacky Packi Northern Pakistan
The mere notion of coming to this country might send shudders up ones spine. But after my 2 months in Pakistan, the chills would be be because I'm so excited about the prospect of returning to one of the most beautiful countries one Earth. The initial excitement of entering the country via the dramatic Karakoram Highway subsides eventually, but a contentedness of being amidst the cool climes, stunning geography & welcoming locals sets in. … [Read more...]
7 Years in Tibet
Tashi Delek from Lhasa, The Holy City, at the heart of the Rooftop of the World! A wild & wacky week of travel covering maybe 2000 miles, countless mountain passes, and some of the planet's most beautiful terrain brought me here over a week ago. My route to Lhasa took me from the NW reaches of Yunnan north thru areas which are officially closed to foreigners by the oppressive Communist imperialists which have occupied Tibet for the past 53 … [Read more...]
Siberia, Russia – Here I Come!
"You must really hate this job." That's what my boss said when I told him I was moving from San Diego to Siberia for a year. In reality, I was bored and looking for something that would be completely and utterly new. Whether it was sunstroke or a developing tolerance to margaritas, San Diego just wasn't cutting it anymore. Heck, I hadn't even gone to the beach in nine months and it was only a few blocks away. Time to rediscover a zest for life. … [Read more...]
A Thai Wedding Story
Sawasdee kha friends! Part I I find myself writing this email several hours after my brother's village Thai wedding, while sitting in the comfortably air-conditioned "business center" of our hotel. It's not often on my travels that I am left without words to describe my experiences, but for once I feel that this email can never fully articulate the feel of the last 24 hours. When we left Bangkok yesterday I was eager to return to the … [Read more...]
Welcome to Thailand: Where taxis, tuk-tuks, boats, elephants, sky train, motorbikes, and mini-buses merge for your convenient transportation.
December 7, 2002 Greetings all from Bangkok, Thailand!!! Bangkok leaves me speechless because it is so utterly different and fascinating. I have no words to describe it, but I'll do my best. The 30-hour trip began by wandering the solitary back roads of Oregon and ended in the heart of crowded, congested, and polluted Bangkok. We were met by Syy and Jim in the airport and whisked away to our "hotel." Outside of this hotel were the slums of … [Read more...]