KELLY'S GONE AGAIN
…AND HERE'S WHERE I'M AT!Archive for Southeast Asia
#32. Back in Seminyak: I Miss You
Is anyone else exhausted?? I am, and as a result today’s update is purely off-the-cuff — no edits, no revisions, no rethinking.
That said, the thought for today is this: I miss you. I miss you, New York, I miss you, Washington. I miss you, friends, families, colleagues and acquaintances, tap water, washer/dryer, high heels, salad, Western toilets… and, I ask, exactly what does a girl have to do around here to get soymilk in a latte?
#31. Gunung Batur: Morning on the Mountain
One of my favorite phrases in Indonesian is “selamat pagi,” which means “good morning.” I find that I say it, on average, about 800 times before noon to pretty much anyone, but it had particular importance today. Last night, after paying a visit to the Green School (a new, environmentally-sustainable international school here, made mostly of bamboo and fueled by a micro hydro-power generator) I decided to go on an early morning trek up one of Bali’s active volcanos.
What better way to celebrate the fact that I still have both of my legs after swimming with sharks this weekend, right?
#30. Candidasa: Back to Business
I’m back in Ubud now, but let’s get caught up on the last few days, shall we?
So, all of that beach decadence made me feel like I really oughta’ up the devotional practice, which fit in perfectly with my already-organized trip out to the Gedong Gandhi Ashram in Candidasa. I’d wanted an excuse to get to the east side of Bali anyway, so the location was an added bonus. My purpose there was to learn more about the ashram, understand how it fits in within the larger community structure and, naturally, provide a little bit of service while I’m at it (it *is* named after Gandhi, after all).
#29. Gili Islands: Really? Really.
Over the last 3 days, I’ve spent my waking hours as follows: approximately 1/3 on the beach, another 1/3 in a freshwater pool, and the last 1/3 sitting on the side a wooden diving boat riding across the sea, every now and then actually doing the diving, walking along the ocean floor and gently swimming next to sea turtles.
I mean, really?
I’m on the Gili Islands, northwest of Lombok, Indonesia, undergoing a PADI open water diving certification. The Gilis — each with their own distinct personalities — are my substitute for the original island retreat plan, the famed southern Thai islands, Ko Tao, Ko Samui and Ko Pha Ngan. Being here is, in case you might not have guessed, absolutely brilliant.
#28. Kuta, Legian and Seminyak: An Intro to Bali; Ubud: Settling In
To be honest, Bali wasn’t my first choice of last places to go on this trip. Worried about overtouristing (given its exceptional popularity), I wasn’t sure it was “sexy” enough; instead I’d considered Fiji, the Maldives, even Borneo. But, in the end, a recommendation from resident homegirl and recent Bali visitor, Alicia, won out. And for the record, AI, thank you.
#14. Pai: The Motorcycle Diaries; Chiang Mai: Goodbye
Yesterday after a breakfast of spicy udon at a local noodle shop, I boarded a 7 a.m., $1.50 local public bus to Pai, a town in the Mae Hong Son province, about 4 hours north of Chiang Mai and about as close to Myanmar as I’m going to get. Some describe the ride as a series of motion sickness-inducing sharp turns all the way up into the mountains, and the payoff is a laid-back, do-nothing-except-drink-coffee-and-hang-out-at-waterfalls sort of place. It’s been described as “hippyish,” and I couldn’t think of a better way to spend my last full day in Thailand.
#13. Lampang: Yoga for Elephants
So I completed my amateur mahout course this afternoon, and it was fantastic. I’d be perfectly happy to have done a longer training, though my thighs and side body are probably happier to be done.
#12. Border Crossing: Laos to Thailand; Lampang: Thai Elephant Conservation Center
Hey friends. So, I started my journey into northern Thailand on Friday. From Luang Prabang, it went like this: slow [cargo] boat up the Mekong to Pak Beng, slow [cargo] boat up the Mekong to Huay Xai, ferry across the Mekong to Chiang Khong, mototaxi to bus station, bus to Chiang Rei, bus to Lampang, mototaxi back to Lampang after missing Lampang bus station, bus towards Chiang Mai with an exit at “Km 37″ road mark, and walk 1/2 mile towards Thai Elephant Conservation Center (TECC). It’s Monday. How was *your* weekend?
#11. Luang Prabang: Love/Love
I reserve the right to change my mind, and though I haven’t totally (overtourism still gets a thumbs down), I’m happy to share some positive news: today, I got out of Disneyland.
A ways down from my guesthouse is a NGO-type organization called Big Brother Mouse (“Mouse”). It’s dedicated to improving both English and Lao language literacy among children. Apparently schools here are good and kids can learn how to read, but there just are not enough books for them to actually do it.
#10. Luang Prabang: Love/Hate
Yesterday I got up at 5:15 a.m. By 6, I was a block away on the main street, sticky rice and bananas in hand, to feed the monks. Locals call this “giving alms.” It is a type of charitable act, and common in Buddhist tradition. There are a lot of monks here, and a lot showed up that morning. They aren’t allowed to look at or speak to women, so it was a relatively quiet process, but still an absolutely awesome one.
#9. Siem Reap: Angkor Temples; Luang Prabang: Morning
Yesterday I woke up at O-dark-thirty (specifically around 4 a.m.) to go out to the Angkor temples by sunrise. It’s said to be a peaceful, magical time there, the world’s largest religious site, and I can confirm that as true.
#8. Siem Reap: Landmines Museum
Most people who know me know that Human Rights Watch holds a special place in my heart. Most people who know HRW knows that its focus on landmines — and the significant role it played in banning them — is one of the organization’s landmark victories. Accordingly, I went to the Landmines Museum in Cambodia, a country largely affected by the indiscriminate weapon.
