Settling in... to constant motion
I haven't been on the ground for 48 hours yet already I am fully in backpacker mode. It is a unique lifestyle. It is the idea of not having anywhere that is permanent, nothing slowing you down, nothing holding you back. It is the satisfying feeling of walking away from a hostel (or hovel) after a night with everything you need in a small pack, not sure where you're going but sure you're going there.
Through this the true value of every moment is revealed. The people that you meet you will never see again, yet each person is respected and valued for what they can offer, nothing more nothing less, for there is no expectation or sense of being used.
Okay, what most of you probably want to know is: "like, where are you and what have you done."
So I hung out in Bangkok yesterday, went to Wat Pho (huge temples with some huge budda's (it reminded me of the statue of Nebacanezar)), wandered the markets (not the tourists ones, I was the only blonde guy), walked (probably 6 hours worth), and went to a Muay Thai fight (insane). The food here is excellent! Fresh fruit at roadside stands, spicy stuff everywhere. I learned to be careful when eating at a restaurant (and I use the term liberally to describe a dirty alley with some chairs and a rolling wok) where yours is the only occidental face and you just point to someone elses food and say something you hope is interpreted as, "I'll have what he's having." You can end up with some pretty potent stuff! I'm not sure whether the soup steams because they heat it or because of what's in it. Now that I've burned off my taste buds - I really like it!
Met a cool Dutch guy named Han at the fight. That's a great part of traveling alone, you are free to meet people. We had a good time crammed in among lots of sweaty excited Thai men that rival the enthusiasm of UT fans (though not fans at a UNC/Duke game). There's certainly a reason God brought me out alone as already it was worth it to be used in Han's life. Well, now I'm on Ko Samui and there's some Norweigian girls and an old Aussie named Brian waiting on me to take a ferry...
Through this the true value of every moment is revealed. The people that you meet you will never see again, yet each person is respected and valued for what they can offer, nothing more nothing less, for there is no expectation or sense of being used.
Okay, what most of you probably want to know is: "like, where are you and what have you done."
So I hung out in Bangkok yesterday, went to Wat Pho (huge temples with some huge budda's (it reminded me of the statue of Nebacanezar)), wandered the markets (not the tourists ones, I was the only blonde guy), walked (probably 6 hours worth), and went to a Muay Thai fight (insane). The food here is excellent! Fresh fruit at roadside stands, spicy stuff everywhere. I learned to be careful when eating at a restaurant (and I use the term liberally to describe a dirty alley with some chairs and a rolling wok) where yours is the only occidental face and you just point to someone elses food and say something you hope is interpreted as, "I'll have what he's having." You can end up with some pretty potent stuff! I'm not sure whether the soup steams because they heat it or because of what's in it. Now that I've burned off my taste buds - I really like it!
Met a cool Dutch guy named Han at the fight. That's a great part of traveling alone, you are free to meet people. We had a good time crammed in among lots of sweaty excited Thai men that rival the enthusiasm of UT fans (though not fans at a UNC/Duke game). There's certainly a reason God brought me out alone as already it was worth it to be used in Han's life. Well, now I'm on Ko Samui and there's some Norweigian girls and an old Aussie named Brian waiting on me to take a ferry...
posted by Jonathan Hassell at 17:36
3 Comments:
jh, i wish i was you. no fair. have fun!!! emery
what's 300 characters anyways? it erases anything i type!
24Feb05
JonD,
We miss you so much.
Mav is almost, sort of, a little bit, kinda' house trained. That is to say: He let's out one little squelly bark right before he dumps on the rug. Progress back on Planet Earth.
Have an awesome time.
Dad
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