Enjoying the last bit of warmth

Last few days in Bangkok: Shopping, eating, shopping, thai massage, eating, shopping, mani/pedicure, shopping, eating. Time well spent indeed.

Just touched down in Abu Dhabi and I relished the 1 minute walk to the airport bus shuttle in the warm open air, as it will probably be another 6 months until I feel it again. Flight was good. Thought of deep and profound insights to discuss in my lovely blog, but my flight's leaving in 5 minutes so I must boogie. Excited to get home!!!!

My Father warned me about men like this....

In Bangkok now. It was a very hot dfay and i busied myself by visiting Wat Pho, which is home to teh Reclining Buddha, an enormous Buddha statue (I'm talking HUGE) that's, well, reclining. they have 108 little bowls set up along his backside (literally) and you drop coins into them and pray. Which I did. it was very nice.

I found myself frolicking down Khao San and I got approached by a man i'd seen before when i was in the city. A psychic. Just the night before, my family had reminded me to BE CAREFUL with others, as my father has this great story he likes to tell about how he got hypnotized by this woman with big eyes in Malaysia. Anyhooo, being a well seasoned traveller and suffering from a lack of mental capacity from the heat, I found myself in a session with him getting my palm read. He told me some amazing things about myself. I was floored. FLOORED I TELL YOU! Then he asked for his payment. Oh mercy. I was having dinner at Ethos and made friends with the owners, and told them my story (and of course I took a photo of Mr. Singh for the memories) and they told me that he's been reported before and it's likely a scam and described how David Blaine could do all the same things. Let's just say that I will live and learn from this experience. And will try to remember what my dad tells me more often. Part of me still believes it though.

Oh Bangkok. You crazy crazy town.

It's a bird, it's a plane, it's crazy ass Nelu Parasailing!

Yes, it's true. I forked over some bahts and quickly found myself being strapped into a harness, then a life jacket, then was barked instructions by a thai man on what to do to ensure I survive the experience. He was speeding through his monologue and I had to stop him continuously and ask him to repeat himself (hey, I'm good with accents, but this was a life and death-ish kind of activity that I needed to make sure about). So after confirming that I had to pull on the red strap when coming down, he nudged my shoulder and told me to RUN. So there I was, hoisted up into the air after running 3 paces into the water. I quickly found myself oh, let's say 40 feet above the water, being pulled by a speedboat around Jomtien Beach. I waved at some people on boats, looked at the scenery and wished that I had brought my camera with me. It was kind of hurty to be in the harness, quite a lot of downward pressure, but the warm wind and the fact that I was flying was pretty damn cool. A marvelous 3 minutes indeed.

Being my last day in Pattaya, I spent most of my time on the beach. I'm going to miss all the obese European men in speedos. Ah, memories. A lady approached me and asked if I want my fortune told using the tarot cards in her hand. "Yeah, I tell you your love life, working, your future"...I politely declined as I've determined that it's much more fun to see how it happens in real time. And I went to the local market to buy some key Thai food ingredients. Smuggling is fun. I'm practicing my "Oh, I don't know how that got in there, must have been a mixup with the grocery bags!" to the customs agent should I be discovered. Oh, I'm such a bad liar.

I've also determined that I'm ridiculously addicted to facebook. It's unneccesary really.

Puttin' around in Pattaya

I've been checking thestar.com daily to find out what the weather is like in Toronto, which is a bit of a defeatist move on my part. I'm here in the sweltering 30 degree heat with a looming future of -6 degrees with snowfall in a week's time. Which, my dear Reader, is not a favourable change in weather for me after effectively having a 7 month summer. But one should not dwell on the not-so-niceties of life, for I am returning to the warmth and love of my family and friends. Plus I have a closet full of winter clothes waiting to see the light of day (although my roommate informs me she's been giving them plenty of exercise). And, I look forward to continuing my independent study project of learning how to ice skate, which I'm sure the harbourfront ice rink will be primed for upon my return. So I shall continue to look on the bright side and be utterly greatful for this amazing journey I've had over the past 80 some days.

But since it's not over yet, I have been taking advantage of the environment. I spent the day in a lounge chair on the beach in front of my Uncle's shop, reading a 2005 GQ Men of the Year issue, which gave me new found insights on Simon Cowell, Daniel Craig and Pierce Brosnan. Feeling I needed to have a bit of activity, I decided to rent a jet ski, which if you've been keeping up with my blog, I had already done a few weeks ago. But this time was different. I splurged and got one of the high powered Yamaha monsters that had me crashing over the waves at a reported 70 miles (MILES!) per hour. Salt water spraying into my eyes, the gulf brilliantly sparkling with the mid-day sun, the sound of the wind screaming in my ears as I revved the engine...and me laughing maniacaly the whole time, drunk with power. It brought me joy.

I've been taking walks up and down the strip, taking pictures of sights that I've grown accustomed to, but know are anomalies in Canada. Vendors selling creatures from the sea, thousands of beach umbrellas lined up down the beach, and brightly coloured buildings side by side...you know that kind of stuff.

Tomorrow will be my last day in Pattaya, then I'll be heading to Bangkok from Saturday until I leave on Monday evening. There's a few more Wats (=temple) I need to see in the capital. Plus, I will likely have a bit of space in my new suitcase (Backpacking, who was I joking!) so I needs to get my shoppin on! It's really weird that I'm leaving. It's also really weird that I've been away for this long. Feeling very blessed.

Sea-dooing to ice skating in 5 days. wow.

Ooooh, pictures!

Behold the last day and a half in picture form. In no particular order: Petronas Towers, Roller Coaster, view of Penang from plane...and me and my surf board!

Surf and the City

I currently find myself in Kuala Lumpur. Seems that all the buses from Kuantan to Penang are filled until Monday night, which would have been an unfavourable choice for me, as I'm flying from Penang to Bangkok early Tuesday morning. By the powers of the universe, my family is in KL today for a wedding and I'll be hitching a ride back to Penang with my Aunt. See how everything just has a magical way of working out? Smashing really.

When I got in via bus last night, I could see the Petronas Towers all light up and pretty looking. It was quite nice, but unfortunately I couldn't take a picture because my battery is almost dead and I wanted to save the last shot in case I saw Whitney Houston walking down the street....or trying to make a deal in an alley.

I'm in Chinatown, which is home to a discount shopping mecca road and I've managed to buy more things. I don't have room for them, but that's not really a concern. I'll figure it out er something.

So the day after I surfed for the first time (this would be Friday), I made friends with some weekend surfers and since the weather was not very good for strong waves, we went into town and watched Mr. Magoriums Magic Emporium. I typically would not want to catch that movie at the theatre, but since it was my first movie in 3 months, filmed in Toronto and only 6 Ringitt ($2), I found myself looking forward to it. Indeed, I spotted a bunch of the Toronto locations (Natalie Portman is playing piano in the lobby of the Fairmont Royal York in one scene, and the Wonder Emporium seems to be at Wellington and Simcoe) and it made me long for my city. Ohhh, we shall meet soon my beloved.

Saturday proved to be much better weather and I went out with Mad Mat in the afternoon. For those precious 2 hours, I was one with the sea and a surf goddess in my own right. I rode 5 or 6 waves for a good 20 seconds, and was quite pleased by the euphoric feeling that overcame me. The current was very strong and I probably got about 1 km away from where I started by the end of the first set of runs. Joyous, joyous fun.

Well, I should go frolick about the city now and see some stuff or something. Haha, I've got a bit of travellers fatigue today, plus it's dammmn hot, guesstimating 35-ish.

Eat, Surf, Sleep

Cherating Village is a very small place, with a concentration of guesthouses, souvenir shops and restaurants along the main pot-holed street. On a scale of charming, it ranks about 2.5 Hugh Grants out of 5. I have a "chalet" on the beach, which is a simple hut-type room that has a great view of the South China Sea. I'm not gonna lie, it brings me joy.

The sky was overcast all day and there was a 3 hour storm that lasted most of the afternoon. Fortunately for me, I got my first 2 hour surfing lesson after a luscious 2 hour nap when I arrived at 7 am (sleeping on the 8 hour bus rides is a pipe dream that I should just let go of). My instructor was a 19 year old who'd been surfing for 11 years and goes by the name of Mad Mat (I don't know how you derive that from his real name of Muhamed Daud Bin Muhamed, but that's just me). He was great, I'm learning how to talk like a Malay, replacing my beloved "eh's" with "lah's" at the end of every sentence. We were in a spot that had very big waves crashing on the rocks 20 feet away, but most of the smaller waves were doable, and do I did. I was able to get up to standing on most of the runs although I have this nasty habit of falling into the water as soon as I do. Tomorrow will be better I think. I slept for most of the afternoon during the aforementioned storm which was good because surfing is a very tiring exercise. I've got quite a few sore spots and rashes from the board, which is only fitting considering that injuring myself continues a proud tradition from this trip.

Ate at a very good restaurant recommended by Lonely Planet...fresh lychee juice makes me happy. I was watching America's Funniest Videos' on one of the 3 channels on the tv in my room. I don't know when crashing a car into a crowd got so funny.

Sleepless in Penang

I haven't been sleeping properly lately. Can't manage to fall asleep before 3 or 4 (I assure you that there's no night out precursor to justify said insomnia). My mind is racing with thoughts of what's next for me and the meaning of life. And by the meaning of life, I mean the fact that I'll be spending this weekend surfing in Cherating. Am I excited? In a word, Heckya. One final bake-off of my skin before I head back to Thailand and wrap things up.

I'll be home this time in 2 weeks. I'm rather excited by that prospect. I have these moments of thought that I'm an ideal candidate to pack it all up and live like a nomad for a few years. And then I think of my bed. My luscious aww inspiring kitty cat super stretch bed. I miss it so. Plus all my family and friends and so on and so forth...;).

I've been shopping lately. Lots of shopping. Can't stop a woman from shoppin! Things are not particularily cheap here (not compared to Thailand anyhow), but the quality of clothes are great and very fashionable. The mall Pooja (it's not Puja as I previously wrote) works in is full of the same stores in Canada and a few local chains that are filled with gorgeous finds. I'm trying to behave myself, but it feels too good not to. A long standing personal philosophy that will prevent me from becoming a Buddhist anytime soon.

I've been trying to wrap my head around how I will describe this trip when I get back to Canada. On the surface it's been an incredible experience and a perfect blend of adventure, self-sufficiency and family time. I'm very fortunate to have all this family who've welcomed me with open arms. I'm also lucky to be able to have had such great experiences with Claire and the other friends I've made along the way. This trip to Cherating will kind of be the first time I'm actually on my own, and I welcome it...have a feeling I'll meet lots of people along the way though...surfing classes are good like that :) At a deeper level, it's opened my eyes to all the experiences and lifestyles and opportunities in the world and the fact that we're all the same. For instance: Crazy in Love will set a dancefloor on fire in any city. Parents just want their children to be happy. Children just want their parents to let them make their own decisions. And my age group adamantly refuses to live a mediocre life as the majority of us embrace the fact that this moment is very fleeting and the absolute best thing you can do is whatever you want to do. And this is why I surf.

I would have never imagined this is the life that I get to lead 5 years ago. But now it's mine. And I love every minute of it.

Malaysia vs Canada

Here are the following similarities and differences I've noted between my homeland and my current location of presence.

1. SIMILAR: Bowling is a popular pasttime that is beloved by young and old for its stinky communal shoes and good clean fun type of atmosphere. Smack-talkery, gutterballs and after-strike dancing are also practiced here (all by me of course). Also similar, I still suck at bowling in Malaysia (I thought the change in longitude/lattitude might help me get an advantage. No such luck).

2. DIFFERENT: Hair stylists don't care to listen to you when you say you want 2 inches trimmed and your layers redone. Something barring the effective communication may be the fact that I only know how to say "Thank You" in Malay. She must have thought she was doing a damn good job with all those thank you's I was throwing out. It'll grow out soon I'm sure.

3. SIMILAR: McSteamy still beats out McDreamy by popular vote. CSI is on 24 hours a day. Fixing Dinner, License to Grill, and Family Restaurant are apparently the Canadian flagship programs that represent us to our global neighbours. Please note that Fixing Dinner in no way represents the creativity of most Canadian household cusine. Who the hell makes that many casseroles in a week?

4: DIFFERENT: Protests in the capital city will shut down the entire town and prevent tourists from wanting to enter. In Canada, the cops throw out some tear gas at the 30 protesters, grab a Timmies and call it a day. Here, a few people die (including a cop), hundreds are thrown in prison and my parents give me a call first thing in the morning to tell me not to go to Kuala Lumpur. Oh Whitney, we'll meet one day.

5. DIFFERENT: Snake Temples. Need I say more?

Editor's Note

I mistyped in the previous entry. Thank you in Thai isn't "Swadee Ka", it should be "Kaap kun kaa". Silly me.

I'm currently sandwiched between Sonia and Puja on the bed, as they furiously text message unknown hotties somewhere in the world. Kids today, I tell you. That's a pic of us on the beach last night.

Spent the day with my Aunt's family, 3 cousins that I met for the first time. They took me up to the dam which was a very lovely walk in the jungle and then we saw the Chinese pagoda which was very colourful and of course the key attraction, the 40 foot statue of the goddess was covered in scaffolding. Such is life. And I saw lots and lots of turtles who were trying to find their way to freedom from the scum filled little holding tank they are forced to live in- it's ironcially called the "redemption pond". Le sigh. Then we went to an aquarium where I learned that lobsters are cannibalistic (I saw one eating another, quite disturbing actually). Went out for dosa (or thosai as they say here) with all of em. It was nummy. It's a gorgeous full moon out tonight.

What else...Puja tells me to write "You're hanging out with the coolest and hottest people in Malaysia, that's all they need to know". Thank you for your profound contribution Puja.

Family Fun

Terima Kasih= Thank you
Makan= Eat

I've been learning some Malay, the above two words being of utmost importance as the maid doesn't understand English. I realize how hoighty-toighty that sounds, but every family home I visit has help of some sort. I'd like to take this moment to thank all the housekeepers who have helped me along my journey. Daniyavad, Swadee Ka, and Terima Kasih.

Day 2.5 of my Malaysian adventure. I'm staying on Penang island with relatives...it's my cousins family, and the kids range in age from 21-27, so I guess they are my second cousins, but I'm insisting that they call me "Auntie"... and the one that's a month younger than me tells me where to go. Oh, kids these days. My cousin (their father) sadly passed aways a couple of years ago, but it's very nice to see how well adjusted the family is, the 2 sons are looking after their famiy business and go jet-setting around the world (one is in China right now) and they live very comfortably in an area called Bayan Lepas. They're quite entertaining and get all my jokes. What's not to love!

I've been out and about frolicking with the kids, we stopped by Penang Road yesterday and I met my dad's youngest sister for the first time at her shop, that was nice, she looks exactly like my Vijay Uncle, a bit uncanny really.

Puja (the 27 year old) took me to her health club at a hotel yesterday and we spent a couple hours swimming in a lovely outdoor pool and talking about the trials and tribulations that we indo-malaysian/canadian girls face in this day and age. She used to take care of the family business when her father passed away and told me some great stories about how the lawyers/accountants tried to take advantage of her newbie-ness...I would not want to get on the girls bad-side in the boardroom. She's got a lot of sass...I can understand why my parents told me I'd get along with her.

Last night, Sonia (21), Manoj (23), and Puja took me to a shopping area and we had a great dinner at a place called Passion of Kerala, which specializes in Banana Leaf cuisine. I don't particularily know what that meant, but instead of bowls and plates, our food was poured on a banana leaf. And I had a very exquisite glass of mango lassi. And the best chicken I've had all trip (deep fried don't ya know!). Then we went to the beach and the water was very warm and pleasant on my barefeet. I'm savouring each moment as I know the first great snowstorm happened this week in tdot...note to family, please bring me a coat at the airport, all I have is a backpack full of tshirts and flipflops.

I've been taking pictures of all the crazy signs around the area...they are all quite humourous and I hope to set up a page of insane asian signage that will be featured on digg.com one of these days.

What else, what else...oh, I'm planning on going to Cherating Island on the east side of the malaysian peninsula, I understand the surfing is quite good there...it's a toss up between that or getting tickets to see Whitney, but I figure I'll let her work out the kinks first and let her wow me in Toronto (if she makes it there). Wanted to go to Bali, but dont' thihnk there's enough time for that. Oh well, next time. And I assure myself there shall be a next time!

I'll take Potpourri for $400, Alex

Here's a hodgepodge of randomness. Enjoy.

I'm in Hua Hin right now, waiting to catch an overnight-tomorrow afternoon bus to Penang, Malaysia. I have family who live there, my dad's youngest sister and some cousins that I've never met before. Pumped to have the inside opinion on good shopping and sites. I'd like to get to Kuala Lumpur as well, partly because it's a bustling urban centre and partly because Whitney Houston is performing her comeback concert there on December 1st (I believe she's calling the tour, "Seriously folks, Crack IS Whack!"). Not sure how many days I'll spend there, but I figure if I make it back to Pattaya by Early December, I'll be fine. I'll try to get to Singapore for a day or two. Such is the life of a quasi-backpacker.

I totally forgot my camera battery charger in Pattaya which means that a) I'll have to conserve on my pictures or 2. I'll have to buy another charger. We all know which one it's going to be.

This week has been delightfully uneventful, as I have been battling a cold for most of it. *Insert sympathy here*

The night I got back from Cambodia, I called home and my mom gave Ariya the phone. As soon as I said Hi, she started bawling for 10 solid minutes and saying she wanted to come to me. I have a lot of making up to do. Then I talked to Harleen. Then I saw pics from my friends of a crazy night out in the tdot. I felt a bit homesick after that. But the end of the trip is near and I can't focus on wishing time away...too much left to see. As Ferris Bueller would say "Life moves fast, if you don't slow down once in a while, you may miss it" mmm bow bow, chick chick chick chicka chicka.

On Tuesday night, I stumbled upon the real Pattaya when I ventured out of the mall I was shopping at (to peacemaking gifts for my neice). Walking Street is a pedestrian only promenade that is light up like the Vegas strip with all the "A-Go-Go" bars you can handle. The streets are lined with scantily clad girls waiting for customers, bar employees handing out fliers for "performances" and the same couple over and over- overweight European Man with 20-something Thai girl. I was on a mission to find a bootleg copy of Superbad, which I found and watched last night. Quite a brilliant film and I picked up a lot of things that I missed in the theatre due to the thunderous laughter. When Evan sang "These Eyes" I think I pee'd a little.

I went for a walk with my Aunt yesterday around the neighbourhood and the homes here are jaw droppingly gorgeous. Almost makes me want to find a job and work hard so that one day I can have one of these homes. Almost.

I got a pedicure today. And a good cup of coffee from starbucks. And uploaded songs to the mp3 player my Uncle is letting me borrow from him. It's days like these that test your ability to be satisfied if your biggest acheivement in the day is personal grooming. I have passed said test with flying colours.

Hmmmm, somber mood, not very creative, didn't want to get behind on the blog, blahness justified.

I *heart* Temples!

Cambodia, Kampuchea, Cambodge, Angelinaville. Whatever you call it, Cambodia has been quite the experience thus far. Where to start...

Something I won't be doing ever again #24: Feeling that I was a seasoned traveller by now, I booked a bus from Pattaya to Siem Reap for Thursday, which is the city closest to Angkor (home of about 100 ancient temples scattered around the area). It was supposed to take from 7 am until 5 pm to reach here, which was certainly doable. LIES ALL LIES! Take it from me, if your lonely Planet/Rough Guides/ Fodders/ Uncle Fred tells you not to take the bus directly from Thailand to Siem Reap, they're right. It took about 3 hours to get to the Cambodia border at Poi Pet, which was fine, particularily because I shared the van with this highly highly entertaining UHMERICAN from Flordah...story to come..., anyhow then we stopped off at a Äuthorised Agency to process our visas, where the processing charge was 2x the price of what the guide books stated. I was assured that the extra money was going to be worth it since we got to bypass the lineups at the border. A HOUSE BUILT ON LIES! We waited 3 hours to get over to the border so that other tour groups could cross with us and it ended up taking another hour to get over the border because of the long line of tourists. THEN, the 200 km trip from the border to Siem Reap took 7 hours instead of the 2 hours that I had dreamed about- it was the ghetto-est bus I've ever been on and the road was PURE pot holes the entire way, I'm lucky I wasn't feeling nauseous at any point. Then of course, the bus driver drops us off at HIS guesthouse,which had salivating front desk employees awaiting the exhausted travellers who will pay any price. The price turned out to be $3 a night, but out of principle, 5 of us jumped into a Tuk Tuk and headed to a better part of town to stay at a hostel I'd read about in Lonely Planet (I will never doubt you again beloved guide book!) I met some fun people on the bus who I've still been hanging out with, but let me tell you, it's a loooong looong way to spend a day. But I survived, and just finished booking a plane ticket to go back tomorrow, I just can't put my butt through that uncomfortableness again!

My American Friend Timothy: Think George Bush's accent, with a slight bit less twang

A true Conversation:

The restaurant we are stopped at is out of chicken, so Timothy orders a beef dish and I change my order to a vegetarian dish.

Timothy: You don't eat beef?

Me: No, I stay away for religious reasons.

T-bone: Yeah, I was in Thailand and I ordered this deeeluxe pizza, and the girls I was with asked "Ïs there Beef on that?'" and I said "Hell yeah there's beef on it". Then they said they wouldn't have a peice cause of Buddha er somethin, and I'm thinking- God, there's so many cows around here and so many hungry people WHY DON"T YOU JUST EAT EM? JUST EAT THE COWS! DON"T MAKE SENSE TO ME!

Me: *picking up my jaw from off the floor*

I've perfected his accent and will reenact said story for anyone who wants to listen.

The past few days have been temple-tastic, saw the sunrise at Angkor Wat this morning which was beautiful, although packed with oodles and oodles of tourists who kept talking loudly. And did a boat tour of the floating villages on Tongle Sap lake. I saw crocodiles in this holding pit and there was a little boy and girl with pythons around their necks for tourists to hold..yeah no thanks! I've been spending time with some friends I made from Chiang Mai and the bus, so it's been entertaining, although I don't really enjoy the city here, I feel a bit sick from all the fumes. I don't know how Brangelina does it when they come here.

Okay, i should go now.

Elephunk...and more

Now that I figured out how to upload pictures (all the Blogger navigation is written in Thai!), here's another goody...from my trip to the Elephant show on Monday...he's not eating me, but he did put me into his mouth to hold me up there...craziest 10 seconds of my life! loved it!

I was over at cousins' house tonight, Kaku and Ripu, who both are married to lovely ladies and have little kids who are wonderfully precocious 1.5 year olds. Great conversation and company. Ripu and family took me out for ice cream afterwards (very nummy cappuccino gelato) and we check out a Pattaya view point- it was quite nice seeing the city of extremes light up like a Christmas tree.

Heading to Cambodia in 7 hours, so I should get some sleep. I'm very excited to reach Siem Reap and visit Angkor, which is home to Angkor Wat (Wat = temple), the largest religious monument in the world, me thinks it's one of the 7 world wonders...if anyone can find me that official list, it would be super...it's come up a hundred times in conversation here...

Monkey Love

As described in the previous entry...

Peeling: It's not just for fruit anymore!

So the sun worshipping has caught up with me and I'm now witnessing my skin peeling from my shoulders and upper arms. I know, too much information, but in the essence of investigatory self-journalism, these are important events to chronicle. It's really gross. Okay, I'm done now.

I've been in Pattaya since Sunday night, enjoying a very laid back few days of doing not much...Saw Bourne Ultimatum, which was fabulous and sat on the beach for a few hours today reading my book (Lolita by Nabakov...wonderfully twisted mind he had). I did get up to some fun yesterday, I went to the Nongnooch Botancial Gardens, which was home to some beautiful flora and fauna that I photographed endlessly (orchids up close are quite incredible). AND I got my photo taken with a couple of crazy orangutans who were very touchy feely (the smaller one laid a big wet one on my cheek!). I've tried to upload the image...fingers crossed. And there was an elephant entertainment show where the beautiful creatures showcased the traditional habits of playing soccer, basketball, darts, and of course riding bicycles. I felt bad for them, but the handlers didn't have any of those metal poking rods I'd seen used on ellies before...plus they did a happy dance when they'd score a goal, so you gotta think they're having some fun. On my tour was a nice family from Kazakstan, and they were very not Borat-like at all (Blonde haired and blue eyed and no mention of the sexy-time whatsoever). This trip is definitely breaking down the stereotypes in my head!

I'm spending time in the shop, hanging out with Koi, my uncle's sister-in-law who's a hoot and a half...and the maid's baby, Sandhya, who's about 6 months old and smiles when she sees me...she's a button :)

Anyhoo, too ta loo!

Misty Watercoloured Memories...

It's funny how in the last four months since I left the working world, every day has the same feel..no Monday malaise, no Thursday energy surge, no Friday anticipation...just an even keel of "today". And this has been the case moreso while out of Canada (seriously, who parties that much on a Tuesday?). Anyhoo, right now I'm sitting in Hua Hin and while the weather is warm and pleasant, the overcast dusk sky makes me feel so very Sunday evening. So now I will take this opportunity to reminsce on some fond memories of my adventures and try to encapsulate this mellow Sunday night mood through my extensive prose. And here we go...

Joe and Amara "Marlboro" of Joe's Maboro Guest House in Chiang Mai. I don't think I ever wrote about this couple, but Claire and I will never forget them. When we first arrived in Bangkok we decided very quickly to head to Chiang Mai for the trekking adventures. I did a quick asiarooms/hostelworld/lonelyplanet search and came up with a few hostels that had so-so reviews, and then found Joe's. The named clicked wiht me because I remembered that my friend Tania had stayed there when she visited the year before. So I called to make the reservation, and Amara picked up the other end. The conversation went something like this:

Me: Hi, do you have a double room available for tonight?
Amara: Yeah, you want fan or A/C?
Me: Fan is fine.
Amara: yeah, I think so, weather getting cold anyway (note to reader: the temperature was hovering around 25 when we got there)
Me: Sure okay...say, can we also get someone to pick us up from the airport?
Amara: Yeah, you come and handsome man, VERY handsome man, he wait for you, he have long hair...VERY HANDSOME! *AMARA LAUGHTER*

A short sidebar: Amara's laughter is something like the sound of a car engine trying to start...an old car that's smoked 2 packs a day for 20 years that is...

Me: *laughter* okay, sounds good- see you tomorrow!

When we got to the airport, indeed Joe was waiting for us and he was a very cool and laid back guy. The room itself was a dark little prison cell and we thought that we'd likely stay for the night then find something after we came back from our trek. We'll I'm glad we avoided such high-maintenence tendancies. When we got back, they asked us how it went, if we needed anything, they told us to take a rest, and it was a really cool feeling of 'coming home' for both of us...quite parental of them. Whenever we'd be heading out, we'd get an invitation from J&A to sit down with them, have a drink and sample some of Joe's cooking (spicy squid soup anyone?) and the best part, to hear Amara's stories. Joe would always ask her "These girls just shower, why you tell them dirty jokes???". That woman was hilarious...she is in her 40's, married with 3 kids, wears heavy rouge on her cheeks and parties like a rockstar...typical conversation in the morning:

Me: Good morning Amara, have a fun night last night?

Amara: Yeah, I go to bubble dancebar, I go dance on stage, the falung (foreigners) ask me if I married, I say he not here, you no worry *AMARA LAUGHTER* . My friend they give me too much to drink so I dance *shakes about in a hokey-pokey style*.

Me: *Laughter, Laughter, Laughter*

So, if you should ever find yourself in Chiang Mai, look up Joe's. It's a bit of a hole, the other guests are quite questionable (older men travelling by themselves...instant giveaway), but make friends with those two and you'll have hilarious memories for life! Now that's worth $8 a night!!!

Ahhhh, well, I have to head back to Pattaya now, so that's about it. My weekend in Hua HIn was nice btw, went with my Uncle to the golf course yesterday, we talked a bit of business while he played a round and I drove the golf cart...haulin butt at 7 km/hour! The course was spectacular and the day was gorgeously warm with a nice wind. Good times indeed :)

One night in Bangkok

So after a satisfyingly lazy 2 days in Pattaya, I got myself to Bangkok on Thursday to see Claire before she left back for Canada on Friday. We'd been apart for 5 days, but for both of us it seemed like sooo much had happened. She had befriended a Scotsman named Seb in the airport (poor bloke lost his passport and she, being the wonderful "get 'er done" Claire, helped him in his frantic panic...call the embassy, file a police report, get an emergency passport, etc). Anyhoo, he came out with us to a rooftop patio, which was a lot of fun. There was a live band playing, a man and a woman who did a fantastic job performing all the great standards (Give me one reason, Iris, everything by the beatles, etc...). The woman's name was Earth and was only eager to tell us when we offered to buy her a drink "I'm 100% lesbian!"...haha...hoo boy. Seb left and Claire and I spent the next few hours talking until the magical twilight and had a fun time getting home down Khao San Road (Toronto seriously needs to get some street Pad Thai carts...street meat got nothing on this stuff!)

On Friday we went shopping and I dropped a GRAND on a new wardrobe. A 1000 bhat of course connverting to somewhere btw $30-$40 cdn. 3 new shirts, 3 new capris...how can you go wrong! love it! I decided to catch the bus to Huahin in the early afternoon so we said our goodbyes *single tear* and I reached here after an uneventful 3 hour bus ride...I've come to appreciate uneventful travelling on public transportation...you don't want events to happen in the Thai countryside...

We had a prayer for Diwali when I got here and it was great chatting for a few hours with everyone...getting used to this pace of life :)

Extreme City Indeed! And an important update...

I got a good chuckle when driving through Pattaya last night and seeing the welcome sign:

"Welcome to Pattaya: the extreme city"

God bless em for laying all the cards down upfront.

It's been great so far. Ashu's shop is right on Jomtien beach and I spent the late afternoon on the beach...I'm trying to stay out of the mid-day sun, on account of my tendancy to blacken like a cajun chicken. Anyhoo, I had walked by a bunch of Jet Ski rental guys and after some intense negotiation (I squeezed out 20 minutes for the price of 15 BOO YAH!) I got my first taste of being on a Jet Ski. I love that there's no stop lights in the sea. It was SUCH a rush, i love those bad boys!!!!

When I got back home, Uncle told me I had 10 minutes to get ready, as he'd got me a ticket to see the Tiffany's Show. What is that you ask? Well, I will tell you. It's an internationally acclaimed all trans-women dancing show that's packed with elaborate costumes, sets, and all the trans women you could ever hope for.  My favourite performance was the rendition of "Proud Mary" featuring "Tina Turner"...it was hilarious- he/she was rollin' down the river with reckless abandon!

When I got back, we went out for a very long dinner where I was quick to jump on stage for the Karaoke part of the evening. Hey Jude, I love Rock and Roll, and Play that Funky Music White Boy will never be the same again (I was hoping that there was a frog I could play, but to no avail).

I had a great conversation with my Uncle, we're very similar people in our outlook on life so it was a very animated and entertianing night. I guess I made sense about the things I was talking about to him because he offered me a job to work on the marketing for his tailoring businesses. As such, I've decided to extend my ticket until December 10th-ish. We've negotiated that I'll work on his marcom and still have time to travel more...I'm looking to get to Cambodia, Malaysia & Singapore, and Indonesia, which seem to be doable. Who's coming to meet me? :)

When Monkeys Attack

Alternate Title: Hey, I don't know where I'm going....Can you take me there?

Well, I'm in Bangkok now after a few days stopover in Krabi town. In Krabi, I climbed another mountain to reach the "Tiger Temple" (which houses NO tigers by the way! False advertising if I ever heard it!). It was 1236 steps (give or take) and there was tonnes of monkeys (playing in the water which was very cute), wheezing and many breaks to catch my breath along the way...the staircase was absolutely insane in parts, practically 90 degrees. The view from the top was stunning (Andaman Sea, tonnes of rockface mountains, etc...) and there was a giant Buddha statue, as well as a shrine to Ganesha, who is everywhere in Thailand (they love their elephants here). On the way down, I was chatting with a girl from Chicago (who thought she was hearing an English accent from me?) when a sly little monkey grabbed my camera that was hanging from my wrist and held on for dear life to get it from me. After a few screams (I swear the monkey and I were screaming the same way) I got him off the camera and had a red mark from the cord as a reminder of the bugger's force. I can laugh about the ridiculousness of the scene now (what's a monkey going to do with a camera??), but I was a bit shaky after that...damn dirty apes.

Today was another day on Pranang Beach which was great- It's fantastic how much enjoyment can be dervived from eating chicken on a stick while sitting on a beach with good company. The swimming was great, mmmm floating in salt water.....

I flew to Bangkok without a hotel booking, which was one way to go. Luckily I met this great girl from New Zealand (who had been on a few days of a bender by the looks of her) and she helped me find a place...although the cabbie didn't know how to get to this hostel, so that was a bit questionable. But like everything as of late, the universe has delivered and I've got a nice room for the night (and free internet! score!).

Tomorrow morning I'm getting on a bus to Pattaya to see my Uncle, which should be good shopping and beach time. Apparently it's the "Sex Tourist" capital of the world, so I'm prepared to be a bit sketched out by the comings and goings around me. Ahhh,maybe not...once you've seen 400 tranny hookers, you've seen em all....

Only 7 minutes left on this computer...

Here's a quick run down of the joys as of late:

Halloween Night: spent it on Ao Nang at this very cool Tiki beach bar...met a human buzz lightyear. Very entertaining.

Nov 1: Got an oil massage, and somewhere between the shop and my hostel, lost my watch. Devestated for the rest of the day. Spent the afternoon at a cooking school, learning all my favourites-curries of every colour, chicken coconut soup and papaya salad. The owner was hilarious and instructed us by saying "Bang Bang" or "Chop Chop".

Nov 2: Went to Phi Phi with Claire for the day, had a mai thai on the beach,met a fun guy from Vancouver named Jordanm, went to a restaurant shaped like a boat for dinner and met some more fun people from Norway, New Zealand. Went to sunset Yoga in a studio overlooking an infinity pool that overlooked the beach...breathtaking. Great Yoga class and awesome instructor (I could totally see myself doing that one day!)

Today, in Krabi. it's daaaaamn hot! loving it!

Darky McDarkerson

oh yeah, waaaaay too much time out in the sun the last 2 days. Claire was off diving and I got up and took a longboat out to Railay beach for the day. On the boat were 2 families travelling together from Sweden, they were great to hang out with- love the Leafs because of Mats Sundin! We were on the main beach for a bit and I pulled a Nelu by getting beached on some very sharp rocks and cutting the bottom of my foot and hand (Claire told me later it looks like a minor flesh wound, but I beg to differ!). I clawed my way back to the beach where the roaming masseuse lady told me that I should get a foot massage to fix my bloody foot...my Swedish friends were a bit more practical by handing me a clean napkin and a bandaid! No worries, I'm all fine now...between the bites from the jungle trek, the cuts and bruises from the rock climbing, and my newest debauchary, I'm a walking war wound....and I wear it all with pride!

Me, Peter and Mans (with 2 little dots above the a so it sounds like "Mooons", as he explained) explored the rest of the beach, got lost for a bit, then found the hold grail...I think it's called Phranag beach and Mans told me it was voted the 2nd best beach in the world (#1 in my books though!). It was absolutely stunning (the kind with the big huge rock mountains jutting out of the sea) and I spent the rest of the afternoon there, there were some really cool caves to swim in and bbq chicken on a stick...and I got that foot massage afterall!

When I made it back to the hotel, Claire and I enjoyed a round of making fun of each other for our sun exploits, I'm looking more like burnt toast and she's as red as a lobster...I guess we can just ask to enjoy it while we can :)

Me: Now with 1000% More Sodium!

Salt water is my friend. We spent the day taking a tour around a bunch of the Phi Phi islands with stops to snorkel, lounge on beaches (including "The Beach" Beach- quite lovely, but loads of people make it not so much the Utopia it was in the movie), and we fed monkeys on "Monkey Island". Snorkeling was fun, although unbenownst to me, Claire threw a piece of bread to the school of fish behind me and told me to turn around with a look of fear on her face. Of course I didn't, because I was petrified that a shark was behind me. The fish were cute, but it's creepy swimming through a bunch of them. The ride out on the speed boat was on choppy water this morning, I can compare it to riding in a car with square wheels...not nice after a late night out!

It's pouring rain now, but we've made use of the many Tuk Tuk's that are happy to serve us. They have these fun ones that are motorcycles with side benches...hard to explain, but it's quite cool. Tomorrow Claire is off for a scuba dive and I'm going to busy myself by finding trouble in town. We are thinking of going to Surat Thani, a city on the Gulf of Thailand Coast, then ferrying to Ko Phanang or Ko Samui...there's better diving there for Claire and I'm up for seeing as much as I can.

Nelu: 4, Gorgeous Mountain Rock-face: 0

Boo Yah!!! We went Rock climbing today and it was so much fun...half the time I thought I was going to die, but much like my philosophy has been lately, i just let go and let god. I've never been outdoor climbing before and we did a few of our climbs right off of Railay beach in Krabi...quite a stunning view when I finally got to the top (4 climbs in total). Tomorrow we're touring Phi Phi islands and checking out the beach that Leo DiCaprio made famous...very excited!

We're in some back alley in Ao Nang right now that's packed with bars and clubs...I've had quite a few gay hookers men proposition me...I think once I hear "Brickhouse" I'm in for a dance...

loving everything right now...

So we walk into a bar...

I could seriously get used to this life. I'm at my Ashu Uncle's resort home in Hua Hin, it's been 3 days of rest, relaxation, and lots of red wine. We got here from Bangkok on Friday night and had a delicious dinner with the family (and a couple of Danish customers of my Uncle- a very nice lady with a name I can't pronounce and a man who is the very essence of sarcasm and quite entertaining with one-liners).

After dinner, Ashu took us out to the bar a the Hilton- that was hilarious...partly because I've never partied with an Uncle before (albeit he's very young at heart and refuses to get old, much to the amusement of his wife) and partly because it was filled with many peculiar people. It's quite uncomfortable to see the old European men trying to keep up with their escorts dance moves (I have never seen hips move like that). Well, when in Rome...I just sipped my drink and kept dancing to the funky wu-tang like live band...they sang that popular hip hop Punjabi song, it was a riot. We got home very late and had a solid night's sleep (the first in many, many, many days). When we got up (at 2!), my Aunt suggested we go into town for massages, so I got a 2 hour massage, that was fantastic...and my masseusse was a blind woman! We came home, and had a bbq that lasted for 5 hours over many glasses of red wine...quite a lovely night.

Today we swam in the pool (one of those cool infinity ones) and we're heading to the village market shortly. I can't believe how quickly time is passing...we're going to go to Krabi tomorrow and island hopping, then probably up to Pattaya where Ashu has another home, then Bangkok...only 12 days left...I might just have to extend my ticket...

Sabai Sabai in Chiang Mai

Sabai Sabai (phrase, thai): meaning 1) to take to the Thai way of life and chill out and take things easy 2) pure happiness for indo-canadian female tourist.

The past few days have been a blast, including such activities as: driving a scooter up the mountain, shopping in the Night Bazaar, and becoming a lead singer for a live band. Explanations as follows:

Yesterday, Claire, Mark (a fellow trekker and the first Saskatchewan-ite I've met) and I were wandering the city looking for trouble, when we built up the courage to brave the roads to get up to the mountain and check out the temples and sights of the city...Claire was very reluctant, and I was iffy, but didn't want to show any weakness to Claire for fear of her "You've got to be kidding me, there's no way we're doing this" look (I've gotten it a few times). SO after I convinced her and myself that we'd be perfectly fine since I'd driven a scooter before (um, like 14 years ago), we headed up the mountain, which was soooo much fun....I definitely see a Vespa in my near future!

Night Bazaar = shopping = happy Nelu.

The lead singer thing...haha, we met up with our trekking crew on Wednesday night at a place called Utopia, and that it was! Our friend Rene had purchased one of those wooden frogs that make the sound when you run the stick over its spine...anyhoo, a song the band was playing needed some cow bell, so I took my little frog friend up and joined in....which quickly turned into playing the tamborine, then doing a duet with the singer for "By the Way", and rounded out with me singing Oya Como Vah for the crowd. Red Bull does funny things to a girl...Thai Idol, here I come.

We're off to Huahin today to visit with my family friends...it's full moon party all weekend, but the islands are being hit by a severe storm so we're going to play things by ear...Huahin is a great beach resort town from what I hear, so some sabai sabi is definitely in our future!

Elephants, jungles, and market mayhem

SO if you ever find yourself in Northern Thailand, you must must must go on a trek into the jungles...we just did a 3 day tour and it was absolutely incredible! Lots of hiking in the hot weather, but it's balanced with visits to waterfalls and swimming areas, elephant rides, and crazy bamboo rafting down the river...Claire and I challenged the two dutchman on our raft (9 bamboo poles tied together!) to a water joust if you will, and only fell in the water 5 times...each. We had a great group to travel with and a really fun guide (named Kiki), conversations were entertaining as everyone is translating from English to French to Dutch...very educational! OH, and we had a Thai Massage at one of the camps...it was so very luscious after a day of hiking...divine...you just have to get used to a little lady tugging on your arms and using her foot to massage you! AND we played soccer in a village with some locals and got our butts handed to us on a platter...and they weren't even wearing shoes...very fancy foot work indeed. We're in Chiang Mai for 2 more days, this city is well known for the shopping, and I've been giving my debit card some very good exercise....when in Thailand...

Before we left Bangkok, we did a day trip to the Bridge over the River Kwai (the movie is now on my to do list), the amazing floating market (the traffic was like India, but in boats), and the tiger temple (Tigers that are raised by Buddhist Monks from birth so they are extremely docile and apporachable by humans), which was bittersweet because I played with some baby tigers, but they had the grown adults on chains in the "tiger Canyon" and they didn't look too happy.

Food is fantastic, meeting lots of fun people, Claire and I haven't killed each other yet...it's all good in this hood.

In need of learning how to say "No, I don't want to feed the pigeons!" in Thai...

The Kingdom of Thailand is quite enjoyable thus far. When we reached Bangkok, the first order of business was to take my big honking suitcase into long term storage at the airport...no problems (thank god for the blissfull ignorance that credit cards give a person). We took a bus to the popular backpackers area in toan, Khao San Road. Had to wait a while for some room a the inn, but the people watching is entertaining. Had some red curry. mmmmmmmmm.

We headed out to the City Palace, which is one of the King's residences...there is also the well known Emerald Buddha statue (actually made of Jade), and the whole place was great eye candy. Very colourful and ornate decorations expected of a Royal compound. On our way there, I was accosted by a woman with bags of corn kernals who wanted me to feed the pigeons. I read in the travel book that it's a way for Buddhists to earn merit, something along the lines of bettering their karma. In my books though, feeding pigeons is not high on my to do list. We politely declined, but they were insistent and rather annoying, and it became a bit of a hot potato game, she just kept giving me the bag, resting it on my arms when I wouldn't take it in my hand....I finally said yes and she asked for 120 bhat (which is equivalent to 4 meals here...) I gave her the coins in my pocket and ran...it was entertaining to watch Claire shreiking with her pigeon lady...haha, I think she's gun-shy from all the mayhem in India- hyper aggressive people on the streets!.

We've arranged a day trip tomorrow to a place called "K-something-beri" which is where the "bridge over the River Kwai" is and on the way we'll be going to a floating market (time to get my shop on...boop! boop!) AND the Tiger Temple, where you can pet the tigers since they've grown up around humans. Excited!

Incredible India!

Well, we've got a few more hours left in India until we hop on a plane to start our Thai adventure. This trip has been incredible so far, and both Claire and I are heartbroken to leave (who knew!). Rajasthan turned out to be so much more than I expected and it had a lot to do with the people we met (and the food of course!).

Khuri was great, it's a small community near the Pakistan border, where you can see every star in the sky when night falls (and i think I did). Our camel ride was quite an adventure, and we got to watch the sunset again- I made friends with a little boy who came around dancing for foreigners with his family playing back up instruments. Our hut turned out to be a mock-hut in a hotel...complete with ensuite bathroom, and no dirt floor in sight. After we got back from he camel rides we attended a music and dance show in the village, but it was all foreigners in attendance. Desert living, while chraming in some respects (one with nature and all that junk) is not something I think i could get used to...I have never been surrounded by so many grasshoppers in my life..they were everywhere and flew all over us. We had enough of it, so we returned to the "hutel" (hehe) and had dinner. I'm pretty sure a dish called "desert bean" was the same food that my camel had feasted on a few hours before. At least I can say I roughed it for a while!

The next day we were off to Jodhpur (the Blue city). It had a beautiful fort. I'm dizzy with all the forts we've seen. fort-tastic. But they're so very cool once you wrap your head around who conquered who and how many wives the king had (some had 200+ - busy guy!)...and they're mind bogglingly gigantic of course.

Then our last spot was Pushkar, a very holy Hindu town that was founded by Brahma, one of the big 3 gods in our religion (although he's been forgotten by most because his wife put a curse on him for marrying another woman...i love how it's all a soap opera). There's a holy lake that is surrounded by 52 ghats (steps leading to the lake for bathing, rituals, etc). I was excited to find out that Gandhi's ashes were scattered at the Gau Ghat, so we checked that out (although I'm not sure if all his ashes were scattered there, or just a few). We also had an individual puja conducted by some holy men, it was a beautiful ceremony,....until they started asking for $$$...we had read about it in our travel book, but I didn't see it coming until the end of it...anyhow, it was worth it...On Wednesday morning we got up early at 5 to climb a mountain where the Savitri temple is located (she's Brahma's wife who banished him...girl power!). I was doing well for the first 10 minutes, then it was all huffing and puffing to claw my way up the stairs/cobbled surface up the mountain (took about 40 of the longest minutes of my life). It was a breeze for Claire (damn her marathon running!)...and our dear driver Yogesh came with us as well. It was a stunning view once we got up there, simply incredible. I should mention that our hotel in Pushkar was absolutely amazing- Jagat Palace...Quite luxurious for a couple of dirty backpackers!

Yogesh had been updating his family about us the entire time via cell phone, we found out that we'd become quite the discussion peice for them and Yogesh invited us to his home to visit. We decided that we couldn't say no (Claire figured there might be a marriage proposal fo one of us involved haha), so we headed back to Jaipur (we were supposed to take the train from Ajmer, but there was a bomb blast a few days before at a Mosque, so i was like, um, how about no.). We met his family, it was hilarious, I couldn't tell who they were more amazed by, the white girl, or the brown girl that doesn't speak much hindi! They were extraordinarily nice and we spent a few hours looking through their photo albums and they prepared an excellent lunch for us (it was probably the hottest food I've had on this trip...nothing clears up the sinuses better)! Then we were on the bus back to Delhi after a semi-tearful goodbye from Yogesh (it was quite touching really).

It's hard to believe that we'll be leaving India in a few hours, it's really been so memorable and surprisingly welcoming at every turn. I'm glad that I got to discover a new place in the country for the first time and I really can see myself coming back to see more of it soon (Kerala is a must I keep hearing!).

Anyhoo, onwards and upwards. I have a feeling Thailand will be a very different experience than India (full moon party anyone?:)

Sand Castles, Camels, and punctured tires

So after Jaipur on Thursday, we went to Bikaner and saw some forts, stayed in a great hotel and had our waiter scratch himself inaapropriately right in front of us. Oh, how the Indian population ignores any sense of hygiene and manners in public. It's quite charming really. And by charming I mean nauseating. I thought Clarie was going to have a heart attack!!!

So right now we're in Jaisalmer, at the foot of the major fort. The fort is incredible, it looks like a giant sand castle...they call Jaisalmer the Golden City because it's made out of sand stone. Claire and I were ambitious this morning and got up to watch the sunrise form the rooftop of our hotel. It was quite stunning to watch! We're staying at a hotel called Narayan Niwas Palace, which apparently by the photos hung around the hotel, Princess Anne stayed at once during the 70's...oooooh! Yesterday we were in the fort, looking at the Havellis- which are homes designed with many many windows to let the wind pass through for cooling (Hawa means wind...wow I'm learning stuff!). They're beautiful and have gorgeously carved details all around. We stopped in this antiques store and met the owner who was very entertaining...the store itself was great, the steps were knee high, and we had to climb 5 flights...it was a workout! He taught us never to put milk into a copper pot and then drink it. Apparently the copper turns the milk into poison. I will trust him on that. My learning continues...

Last night we went out ot the Sam Sand Dunes and watched the sunset, and I had my first experience riding a camel (maybe I'd done it once at African Lion Safari when I was a kid, but it's a whole different ball game when you're an adult). Getting on and getting off a camel is quite an adventure, they're not the most graceful creatures, and I imagine I didn't look that graceful myself trying to get off the thing. The thing about all the tourist spots is that you constantly get approached by people wanting money, they may be selling things or they may want to do a dance for you, or they may just be pleading for your generosity while holding a malnourished and sunburned baby at their side. It's quite difficult to see, and even harder not to give money to all of them. So it was tricky to watch the sunset last night because our view was getting blocked by the continuous flow of locals wanting our attention. But what else can I expect...it's better than resorting to other ways to make money.

This afternoon we are leaving for Khuri, which is a desert town 50 km from Jaisalmer. We are going on a nighttime camel safari and camping in a hut tonight. The days are very hot (probably 30+), but the night time is perfect in the low to mid 20's. We're spending the rest of this afternoon in search of real brewed coffee for Claire (India's kind of a tea country).

We've grown very fond of our driver Yogesh. He doesn't speak much English, but he puts in a good effort. He always brings us cold bottled water and we love him for it. And he always calls us "Yes ma'am". We had a moment of fear, when our tire got punctured and he had to pull over in the dark and 2 of his friends on a motorcycle showed up very soon after to help (I had seemingly missed the sudden deflation of the tire although I heard the phone conversation with his friends). I thought that this is it, this is the story all those travellers talk about , where everything was fine and great and then their trusted guide/driver/travel companions turned into a monster. So I'm in the front, freaking out, Claire's in the back oblivious, and Yogesh is at the trunk taking out our bags to get to the spare...or so he says. His friends then show up and I'm like, but they're in a motorcycle, how can they possibly steal our ginourmous backpacks? and why would they want to (althought I'm sure my dirty clothes could fetch something on the blackmarket). I grabbed the cell phone and somehow there was a set of heavy metal pliers in the little door next to me and I kept it under my leg just in case things turned ugly (by me swinging violently at the first sight of trouble of course). Claire got out and saw that the tire indeed was deflated and that they all were helping to fix the tire. I discreetly put the pliers back when Yogesh came into the car and asked who they other guys were and he said they work for the same travel agency (Jaisalmer branch) and were helping us find the hotel since this was Yogesh's first time in Jaisalmer. So not only was I prepared to serve a thrashing to our beloved Yogesh, but I was also terrified of our local tour guides who turned out to be very gracious and kind gentlemen. Ahh, paranoia, you are my best friend and worst enemy. I guess it's better to be aware than ignore the signs.

Part of me thinks I just wanted the story to tell :)

It's all a delightful blur...

Day ???, we're in Jaipur at a 3 star hotel, it's actually very nice, lots of other travellers so it's fun to watch them all try to navigate how to order food with the hotel waiters...

Where to start...we went to the Taj Mahal on Oct 5 (whatever the Saturday was). I can't even describe what it was like. Typically when I go to a famous landmark, the novelty wears off after a while, but this place was just beyond words. The inside of the tomb is actually quite modest, but the outside, the pictures I've seen a million times is something that I'm so grateful to have experienced. Claire and I could have spent the entireday there, but since it was mid afternoon and Hunny was getting dehydrated, we took the last of our 500 photographs and left. Oh, and it was great, because apparently I'm and "indian":...all the tourist attractions charge different prices for foreigners and Indians...indians being dirt cheap and foreigners being borderline goughing...so I ended up paying 50 cents to see the Taj, while Claire had to pay $20! Insanity. All i had to do was not speak (alhtough my Russell Peters accent is getting better by the day!).

We are in Jaipur right now, which is known as the Pink City...shopping is fun, as everything can be bargained down by at least 70% (UGH!). We were at Ranthambore National Park yesterday, on a wildlife safari, although we didn't see any tigers, the scenery and weather were absolutely perfect. Tomorrow is more tim in Jaipur until we head to Bikaner and then Jaisalmer (camel safari and sleeping in a hut (eeek!)). OH! and we went to this place called Chownki Dhani and I rode an Elephant. I named him Stampy. I loved him.

Oh and I had the best Dosa of my life in Delhi on Sunday. And we went to this very famous Gurudwara. Claire calls our travel agent Mr. Shawarma instaed of Mr. Sharma. I went to a templ today and had the red bindi smeared all over my face after I itched my forehead. I think I walked around like that for 5 minutes before I found out.

Many stories, all out of chronological order, but you get the jist. :)

Week 2: Golden Temples, Birthday fun, and having the car break down in Delhi traffic!

Oh if only I could get travellers miles for driving! Well the past week has been an adventure indeed! Last weekend I headed up to Amritsar where my mom's 2 sisters live. I spent 2 nights with my mom's younger sister and her family...my one cousin has 2 very cute kids, the younger one being a very rambunctous 2.5 year old who loved it when I'd take his picture. On Saturday night, we went to the Golden Temple which was very busy yet extrememly peaceful. I got some great photos of the temple and its reflection in the water around it. The water is used for bathing, drinking, and the home to many large fish (think gigantic goldfish)..it's said to have many healing properties- and I can vouch for that now! My contacts were driving me nuts all day long and I took some of the water and rubbed it over my eyelids...and I felt instantly better! The spirituality of the place was very powerful and people from all walks of life are there, Hindu, Sikh, poor, rich, and American tourists who I were only too glad to have a full conversation with after a week of constantly speaking broken Punjabi :).

Sunday was my birthday (thanks to everyone for the well wishes!) and I spent it at my older aunt's home. I got a surprise visit from my dad's brother and his wife from Batala...it was great to see them- funny how much my uncle and my dad are alike (made the same types of jokes, etc). Then my cousins wife made a feast for dinner- south indian food called Idly and Sambar (my fav!) and some macaroni and chinese noodles. We cut a birthday cake. It was yummy haha.

It's funny but somehow I don't feel like I'm on vacation...it just feels like I'm living my day to day life, albeit I'm far away from familiar surroundings...I guess that means I'm living in the moment. Yahoo for me!

ON Monday I went back to visit my cousin in Nikoder (it was going to be a 10 minute visit, but somehow turned into me staying there for 5 hours...I'm glad I did, I'll miss her a lot). Her husband dropped me off in Nurmahal and I spent the night showing my shopping conquests to my aunt and cousin...Apparently Jalandar is the best place to pick up indian clothes, etc, so I'm glad I went quasi-overboard :)

Tuesday I went back to Jalandhar to visit my sister's in-laws (in part to yet again switch my suitcase, and partly because they are super super nice people and I wanted to spend more time with them). When I got back to Nurmahal my Uncle swiftly took me via scooter ot the "bhag" they purchased 3 years ago. It was dark when we got there, but it's a gorgeous orchard full of all different types of fruits and night blooming jasmine which made it smell heavenly. At my uncle's insistance, he suggested I take a dip in the pool (which is more like a holding tank for water, but I was assured it was safe for swimming)...he said it would make for a great memory, and he was right...it was beautiful to be under the stars in the nice nighttime weather. I spent some time with my grandparents before going to bed, then was off to Ludhiana the next morning with my cousin Judge for my 7:10 train to New Delhi. The train was great and Hunny (my new Delhi saviour) was there to meet me.

I had a bit of time to freshen up before we went back out ot the airport to get Claire. She came out looking like an exhausted traveller and I started to rattle off the things to expect in India (traffic conditions, public urination, abject poverty...that type of thing). It feels great to have her here...the next part of the journey is begining!

We ate a feast for breakfast on Thursday morning (probably a bad idea) then headed out on a tour of the city with Hunny and his brother Kavish. It was quite hot and they brought us to see the National zoo (probably a bad idea)...we saw tigers and bears, and stood alarmingly close to a jaguar (got to love Indian leniency on rules and safety). Then it happened. Due to the previous bad ideas detailed above, my dear Claire was a victim of a terrible episode, which involved her doubled over vomitting in close proximity to a soda vendor...a group of people were staring and we thought "we probably weren't meant to travel today". WE then returned home and passed out for a 3 hours. Then we thought, HEY, LET"S TRY THIS AGAIN!!! so off we went to see the Hare Krishna temple and Lotus temple...Hunny said the Lotus temple would turn off it's lights at 8, so I thought we were in pretty good standing when we were 10 minutes away at 730. and then it happened. OUR CAR BROKE DOWN AT A BUSY INTERSECTION! It took about an hour to get going again...after kind strangers helped them pull the car over to a safe side of the road and the mechanic came to fix the problem. Claire and I were in good spirits, since we were happy that the weak battery decided to give out during the cool night and not when we were in the dead heat during the daytime. Unfortunately the Lotus temple was long closed and we had about 15 minutes to run into the Hare Krishna temple and check it out....haha, we both looked at each other and said "we sooooo were not mean tot travel today"!

All part of the adventure. We're headin gto Akshar Dam temple today, which should be exciting (we're taking an auto richshaw this time!). Will keep you posted on the next adventures...going to Taj Mahal on Sunday then heading to Rajasthan early in the week. Happy Trails!

Week 1: family, food, bazaars, food, rickshaws, and food

I feel like a fish in slightly spicer water...everything has been great so far! I'm surprised that I haven't felt more of a culture shock (maybe that's one of the advantages of having family living in Brampton;). Things have been very gogogo since I only have a short time in Punjab. My family has been very accomodating and kind, I'm actually very humbled by how affectionate and attentive everyone has been (and I got a loooooot of family here!). Hightlights have included:

* Etihad flight- I ended up staying awake for the whole thing, butI had this fantastic little personal tv and sat next to very entertaining ladies...time passed quickly and no turbulence to deal with!
* Motorcycle ride in Delhi- if I ever think that traffic in Toronto is bad, I'll just think about Delhi...cows, cars, rickshaws, autorickshaws, trucks, dogs,people, bicycles, scooters, all sharing the same road! It's Insane how close all the vehicles get to one another! I was a passenger on the back of a motorcycle and it was an absolute thrill! you don't go fast, but dodging cows is a fun pasttime!
* Family- I've seen so many family members, and it's been great to talk to them (although I quickly realized that my punjabi skills are in dire need of advancement). My cousins' kids are all firecrackers and very sweet. It was very nice to see my grandparents, grandfather is quite weak now, and gramma has that same gramma feel I remember :) Everyone is very attentive and loving, it makes the "when are you getting married?" and "Why did you cut your hair so short" and "why don't you wear more jewellery?" questions bearable haha.
* Shopping- shopkeepers are very attentive,none of this "just browsing" business! You sit down, they get you a tea or water (no no for me!) or a pop and they show you peice after peice of clothing/shawl/jewellery/suitcase (yes I had to buy a suitcase for the things I've bought...haha, so much for backpacking!).
* Eye Candy- It's like the colours are put on ultrabright here...everything is so colourful- shop signs, clothing, vehicles, there's such vibrancy and hustle-bustle everywhere...takes some getting used to.
* Bingo- haha, my aunt took me to a "Kitty party" in a hotel which is just a meeting of women and they play this bingo type game and eat...and eat. I was asked to be the number caller (in english), and they couldn't understand my accent-I had to channel Russel Peter's accent- oh, if only my friends could've seen me ;)
* FOOOOOOD- Last time i came to India I honestly don't remember eating anything beyond mangos and cucumbers...not so this time...I've been eating so well here...all the home cooking is out of this world and I've indulged in some roadside food- *touchwood* I haven't had any serious "delhi belly" problems yet-haha, gross but true! I even went to McD's and had a McChicken samdwich, although it's made with mint chutney instead of mayo...they've also got McAloo Tikki burgers *insert giggle here if you know what Aloo Tikki is*

All in all,things have been "first class". I'm off to Amritsar in a couple of hours to visit my aunts for a couple of days...then Nurmahal for a day, and then back to Delhi for October 3 to pick up Claire and start our India adventure...there's just so much to take in!

Until next time...

I'm a desert rose in Abu Dhabi

The flight had to be rerouted to Al Ain airport for a couple hours because there was heavy fog in Abu Dhabi. I'm now in the Dhabi, the flight was great, Etihad has this personal entertainment system that makes time fly. I sat next to the great lady who is an OBGYN living here. She was fun to talk to. Didn't get any sleep though, it's now 12:30 am on Friday for me, but the local time is 9:30 am...my flight to delhi is boarding now, and it will take about 3 hours to get there. Hoping I get some sleep on this flight. This airport is cool, looks like a giant green and blue honeycomb dome...plus free internet so how can you go wrong.

I saw the desert, my seat mate told me I should come back one day and take a desert tour...wind surf on the sand...sounds like it will make my to do list. There are some sheiks here...very cool experience, althought shortlived....

On to the motherland!

Passport...CHECK....Toilet Paper....CHECK....I'm ready to go!

But first, Confessions of a Serial Aunt: It's hard to resist playing and hugging and kissing two little two year olds who have the onset of a cold. I think once you become an aunt, the sight of boogers and the sound of a hacking cough is no match to your "Oh, but you're still so cute!" mentality. Thusly, I have a slight tickle in my throat...it's my own fault and it was totally worth it.

Playing with the toddlers aside, the past few days have been crazy busy. I was previously nervous about staying in Delhi on our own...but now, thanks to the power of random strangers/distant relatives of even more distant friends, we are crashing with a family in central Delhi. My folks set it up for us and it's a sister of a childhood friend of my dad...he met her the last trip and says she's very sweet and has a couple of kids that will be good companions. It's nice to have that kind of generosity from strangers, and I trust that my parents aren't throwing us to some crazies (fingers crossed anyhow).

So, when I land, this family will pick me up and I'll spend the night with them, then be off on a train (5 hours by myself!) to Jalandhar, which is in Punjab and a family member (who I've actually met before) will be there to pick me up. Then it's family fun for 12 days before heading off to Delhi and starting our India a la carte adventure.

Looking forward to the flight tommorow (bulkhead aisle seat and a personal tv woohoo!). Hope I can get some sleep tonight.

Let the adventure begin...

Potlucks, Oprah, and Blanche Dubois

My dear friend Krissy hosted a going away party for me tonight in her home. We ate like gluttons and spoke at decibels that had the neighbourhood dogs yelping. It was awesome to have my friends in one room, sharing their best travel stories (Cappadocian Caveman anyone?) and other words of wisdom. Today's airplane crash in Phuket makes me queasy and tells me to be more cautious about my travel plans (which from this point on, is very flexible to delay a flight if the weather is severe). Tania gave me a very thoughful set of quotes to encourage me...of which the Oprah one is my favourite (of course).

"Breathe. Let Go. And remind yourself that this very moment is the only one you know you have for sure"

IS THERE ANYTHING OPRAH DOESN'T KNOW????

Tomorrow is going to be a busy day of packing and figuring out where I'm staying in Delhi. Crucial item: making sure Claire and I meet up on Oct 3rd. Sounds easy, but I am trying to avoid cow-initiated traffic jams in a mad dash from the train station to the airport. I've got a bunch of feelers out there with friends of friends and family of family friends...I always rely on the kindness of strangers...

82 hours till take off!