It sounds contradictory, I know. I often think about those experiences I may have missed on the road or things I got myself involved in that looking back, I wish I hadn’t. I’m not one of those people who think that everything happens for a reason or that there is any rhyme or reason at all to what we do in this world. That being said, I think it is good to look for positives in the negative experiences we go through, as well as inspiration from those missed chances.
Such a beautiful canal. Too bad I missed it.
1. Sleeping on the tour bus during our stop at the Corinth Canal: In 1996 my mom took me on a two week tour of Italy and Greece. This was my first real travel experience. We did a whirlwind tour of Rome, Florence and Venice before heading off to Greece. I loved Greek mythology and couldn’t wait to get to Athens to see the Parthenon. The only problem was, by this time I was already starting to get worn down from the long bus rides between cities and since the tour bus was generally pretty empty there was plenty of room to spread out and take naps. As a teenager, and still today, there was nothing I loved more than a nice long afternoon nap. I took that nap right through our stop at one of the most impressive ancient engineering feats the world has seen. The canal that separated mainland Greece and Peloponnesia. My mom tried waking me up but I refused as if the canal was my first period math class that I didn’t want to go to. To this day my mom never lets me forget how incredibly lazy I was that afternoon.
Why I don’t regret it: If it wasn’t for that day festering in the back of my mind all the time, I would have missed out on a lot of experiences because I was too tired to get motivated. I would have missed out on the St. Charles Bridge in Prague at sunrise. I would never have woken up at 4am to catch a train into the city center to enjoy the bridge virtually by myself as the sun rose above the spirals of the old town. Who knows, I might have also missed a flight or two by now if sleep was more important than making it to the next city.
2. Getting on that moped in Ko Pha Ngan: I arrived to the party island of Ko Pha Ngan at night after a three hour ferry ride from the mainland of Thailand. Ko Pha Ngan is known for its Full Moon parties which are basically giant raves on the beach. The island is also known for its moped accidents. I arrived three days before the next Full Moon party started so most of the accommodation right on the party beaches were full. I ended up staying a few miles down the coast of the island which were accessible by either rickshaws or moped. I actually went out to the moped rental shop pretty shortly after arriving but since I had a few beers on the ferry, and I have absolutely no experience on a moped, I decided to wait till the morning. The next morning I headed back to the rental shop and picked out a nice red moped and headed off for Hat Ryn Beach to check it out. Ko Pha Ngan is a beautiful island but it the roads are dangerous. I kind of had an idea of what to expect but due to my lack of experience on a moped I was still very careful. I think my over carefulness and stiffness is what did me. Just after about ten minutes of some of the most beautiful scenery I’ve ever seen and feeling on top of the world, I turned a corner going down hill and essentially froze up my hands and broke too hard, flying off the front end of the moped and sliding over some dirt, sand and concrete only stopping as I inched towards a rock. I suffered second degree burns on my legs which are scarred to this day. I had to pay for the damages on the moped. I spent the remainder of my time in Ko Pha Ngan miserable and hot getting only short breaks from the pain while I was in the doctor’s office being cared for by the incredibly sweet Thai nurses who would re-wrap my bandages. I eventually left the island and headed for the mainland to Bangkok and on to Chiang Mai where I spent most of my recovery time. Only problems is, I really never recovered. Because I was in the tropics and constantly on foot, in danger of getting the wounds wet, they never really healed fully. It wasn’t until I returned home that the sores closed up entirely. All in all, I could have looked back at this and said it ruined my entire trip.
How could I regret being looked after by these two nurses?
Why I don’t regret it: Chicks dig scars. Seriously though, I think this experience has given me a healthy dose of reality. I’m not invincible. In a kind of eerie way, my last blog post the day before the accident was about how I’m not afraid of anything and how dangers are often only perceived. While that post was more about the dangers I can’t control, like random acts of violence or terrorism, it still hit close to home when I looked back at how arrogant I might have been. While I will never shy away from an activity just because it might be a little dangerous, I will at least have a little more hesitation and assess a situation closer before diving in. Getting on a moped for the first time on an island notorious for taking out travelers was certainly reckless on my part. That being said, It is an experience that may save my life some day.
3. Not going to the Colombian national soccer final in Medellin while I was there: This one hurt pretty bad. I had spent the two days prior to the “Catergoria Premier A” championship game between Independiente Medellín and Atletico Huila. The second leg of the aggregate final (two legs with scores combined) was held at the national stadium in Medellin on Sunday night during my week stay in the City of Eternal Spring. Two nights earlier Medellin took a lead over Huila and the city was in shutdown party mode. I had originally thought the tournament was over because of how electrified the city became after the first match. Myself and a couple of other guys took to the streets to find a place to join the festivities. The streets were filled with Medellin youth waving their flags, singing, and chanting. I kept thinking back at when my Tampa Bay Buccaneers won the Super Bowl in 2003 and how we partied in the streets. It was a different vibe this night though. It was so intense and the streets were literally flooded with the red and blue of Independiente’s colors. Mind you, this was only the first match still.
Colombians Love Their Football!
Fast forward to Sunday night and we watched the final at the bar of Tiger Paw Hostel in El Poblado (an upscale and safe district of Medellin). A couple of us had talked about going to the final but things never really panned out. Later that night, once Independiente put the nail in the coffin of Huila, Medellin erupted. I thought Friday night was intense but it was nothing close. The sounds of fireworks, whistles and horns that reverberated through the valley were awesome. I was already a bit tired from the Thursday to Saturday stretch in Medellin that kept me up till the late hours either dancing to house music or Latin rock-n-roll. Those Paisas in Medellin LOVE house music.
A few hours passed and a couple of other guests at the hostel I was staying out came back in jerseys they purchased at the match. A whole group of them made it out to the stadium, bought tickets and experienced the excitement first hand. I was disappointed in myself for not being more vocal around the hostel to let people know I was interested. I didn’t really build a relationship with the guys that ended up going but that shouldn’t have stopped me. I shouldn’t have been so hesitant to spear-head my own mission to the stadium. It isn’t like I’ve never shown up to a sporting event minutes before and gotten a ticket. I guess the idea of football in South America gave me a bit of hesitation. Especially considering Colombia was the country that was so angry at a 1994 World Cup own goal that someone murdered a player. OK, in all fairness that is not and should not be a representation of Colombia. In fact, out of all the places I’ve been Colombia has to rank towards the top for the generosity and kindness of the people.
Why I don’t regret it: Are you kidding me? Of course I regret it. That being said, this article is about finding the positives in perceived regrets. I don’t know, I’ve always considered myself pretty spontaneous and I was disappointed, after the fact, that I didn’t do more to get it done I had it in my head that it wasn’t a smart idea and it would be too difficult to pull off, yet only hours after a ton of other travelers went and did it and had a story to tell. Next time I’m in that position I’m going to have to dig a little deeper. I do not ever want to miss another opportunity to experience something unique. So often we follow the same trails blazed by travelers before us, either laid out for us in a guide book or through word of mouth. I had an opportunity to attend the biggest match of the year in the city that was hosting it for what would have amounted to maybe $100 total, and I passed it up. Never again. Lesson learned.
4. Spending a weekend at Chungking Mansions in Hong Kong:
What a terribly wonderful place. Chungking Mansions, located at the southern tip of Kowloon in the Tsim Sha Tsui district, is well known for its cross cultural, diverse and seedy atmosphere. Chungking is a mostly residential complex but is also well known on the travel route as the cheapest accommodation you can find in Hong Kong. There is a reason this place comes as cheap as it does. It is an absolute fire hazard and the room you find yourself sleeping in is rarely larger than the bed itself. My first night was spent in a room no larger than a walk-in closet. Upon exiting the elevator to the floor my guest house was on I was greeted with writing on the wall that said, “No Jews, U.S.A., U.K.” Chungking Mansions were also featured in an episode of Locked Up Abroad where some travelers were caught up in a Nepalese gold smuggling scheme. Chungking is a miserable yet endearing bottleneck of travelers, transients and immigrants. There is a large presence of Africans, Indians and Arabs alongside Chinese and other South Asian nationalities. It can be quite intimidating upon first arrival and I imagine some travelers turn back immediately and opt for a more pleasant resting spot during their stay in Hong Kong.
You'd like me to turn back now wouldn't you?
Why I don’t regret it: This is exactly why I travel. I want to experience things that put me outside of my comfort zone. I’ll admit, I was shocked by my guidebook’s recommendation of Chungking Mansions as a decent spot to find accommodation. The welcome, “no U.S.A.” graffiti on the wall of my floor made it clear that at some point someone didn’t want me. It was unnerving but eye-opening at the same time. As a white male now entering my 30′s, it is rare that I get to experience race or nationality based discrimination. That’s an experience I probably won’t ever experience again at home in the United States. I spent a total of four nights in Chungking Mansions and did eventually find a more roomy guesthouse. I value the experience and I hope to return to Hong Kong to teach someday. And who knows, I may end up back at Chungking Mansions for a few weeks while I get on my feet. Everyone should experience it at least once!
I finally did it! This weekend I graduated from college! I set out in 2007 with a serious effort to go back to school and complete my undergraduate studies and I pulled it off by going straight through with no breaks, full time every semester. I started out with my sights on an education degree, but ended up going for International Studies. The community college portion of my four year degree felt like it took the longest amount of time but once I transferred to the University of South Florida it seemed to fly by. It feels like just yesterday I was at orientation feeling nervous about the next year and a half ahead of me.
Success!
There were a few bumps in the road and a couple stressful times but all-in-all it was a pretty painless experience. I am happy to have been able to finally take the graduation walk for my mother. High school was not the best of times and unfortunately, I dropped out early and earned my GED never giving my mom the pleasure of seeing me finish a level of education. Better late than never! I kept my GPA above 3.6 so I graduated with honors as cum laude, which I’m sure made my parents really proud.
Paving the way for me was a friend of mine, Ashley Hoffenberg, who has her own blog and just recently got back from a trip to Europe. Ash was one of the reasons I switched my degree to International Studies, so she was an inspiration in going down the path I did. While our reasoning for the degrees differ, it was nice to have someone to talk to about professors and classes before I made any decisions on coursework. Ash is on a fast track towards doing some really great things in social work, while my path will take me overseas to teach English as a way to learn more about myself and what I’m capable of accomplishing, as well as a means in which to see more of the world.
I’m excited to start the next chapter of my life and I’m very happy to have my four year degree behind me, so now when things come into better focus I will have the B.A. out of the way and will have the freedom to jump into other areas of study very quickly. For now though, it will be traveling and experiencing the world. I do expect that I will eventually want more than just personal growth and experience and will want to contribute and when that time comes I’ll be ready for whatever goals I set for myself.
(From my 2007 trip to Ethiopia)
Bus Ride From Addis Ababa to Bahir Dar
Well, I’ve arrived in Bahir Dar. Think Daytona Beach, but set in Africa. It lies on the southern end of Ethiopia’s largest lake. Lake Tana. The journey here was long but well worth it. I finally left the dusty, sprawling and noisy confines of the capital and have arrived at my lake side hotel. It is a rather large room with twin beds sitting next to the hotel’s terrace restaurant. It seems like just when I’m getting down about everything and feeling like I’m going to suffocate in my own travels, along comes an experience like today. Four days in two of Africa’s largest cities (Nairobi, Addis Ababa) was enough for me and now I can relax.
The journey started very early this morning at 4:30am. I was told that a driver would be in front of the hotel to pick me up. A 4WD arrived at about 5am and we took off. I thought I was going to be the only one on this trip but that is not the African way. The vehicle was soon packed with 7 Ethiopian’s all on a journey north to the city of Gondar. I was to be let off in the town of Bahir Dar before they continued on. At the time I didn’t know it but the journey took about nine hours. We left Addis Ababa and after only about a three minute drive we were suddenly in the mountains. The sun crept up after an hour or so and I finally got to see the countryside I had been waiting for. Rolling hills with huts scattered along the landscape. Although I thought it would be greener than it was, apparently it is dry season right now.
Ethiopian Countryside
Along the side of the road you could see small villages, farmers and herders getting to work early. We stopped to stretch our legs in a small town near the Blue Nile Gorge. Here comes the “faranji frenzy” (or “foreigner frenzy”). I was warned about it but you really don’t expect it to be as uncomfortable as it is till you experience it. We stepped out of the car and immediately a crowd of Ethiopian children came up to it and looked inside, around, and underneath the car then all eyes turned to me. It seems as though every person on this specific block was staring at me. This is not the polite glance back and forth type either. One teenager stood no more than five feet away stared endlessly at me. I looked off in the distance and the same for the elders. I was strange. I am sure I was not the first white person to pass through this town because it is on the way to some places frequented by tourists but I guess the novelty never wears off. It is uncomfortable at first but after a few stops I decide to make sure I kept a smile on my face and waved. The small kids LOVE to wave.
The scenery on the way was fantastic. Although, while it was similar to, it does not have the colors that Morocco had. Our driver was driving fast and a few times I thought we were going to collide head on with buses traveling the other direction. This another one of those things that you learn to get used to after enough time traveling in the developing world.
After the Blue Nile Gorge the trip can be taken two different ways. A smooth paved road that takes longer or a bumpy back road that is much quicker but still several hours. Our driver took the bumpy, and I imagine, more scenic route. It seemed like we were passing through backyards and I swear some of the roads were paved in dung. We did not go more than a minute or two without seeing people. Civilization is everywhere in Ethiopia, however limited and poor it may seem. And that is just the thing, they don’t LOOK poor. It is just rural farming and very basic housing. I imagine it is not much worse than having a nice little shack to camp in. The problem is that is how it looks superficially and when the rains don’t fall and crops don’t grow, the people suffer.
I came to the conclusion that I enjoy rural Ethiopia much more. We stopped to use the bathroom (pee off a cliff on the side of a road) right near these huts. It was no development, no neighborhood, just a family who lived in that area. The children that came up to us didn’t stare but they smiled and played and laughed and tried to talk to me. It seemed I got more attention than the others in the vehicle but even they were stared at. Imagine living a simple life herding sheep and every couple of hours a huge, loud and dusty white monster comes barrel-assing down the hills then suddenly seven people jump out. I would be curious too.
Lake Tana
Fast forward a few more hours and we arrived in the last town before Bahir Dar. The driver was apparently supposed to pick up his manager and bring him here but he never showed up so we were hanging out for about twenty minutes. I was a bit uncomfortable at first because this was the type of area where the people just stared. Then one of them came up to me. He was probably in his early 20’s or late teens. He asked me where I came from. Of course, as I tell everyone, without shame “the U.S.A.” He introduced himself with a hand shake and a name I can’t remember and told me that he is muslim but doesn’t like what Bin Laden is doing and that he and his friends were on our side. I didn’t know how to respond to it really other than to say thank you. He then ran off with his friends chewing on sugar cane like all of them seem to do.
We finally arrived where I am now and it is so refreshing. I haven’t gotten around to taking many photos, but as soon as I do, and when I can get to a connection that is faster than here, I will show you. Tomorrow I should be visiting some of the island Christian monasteries scattered on Lake Tana. I’m excited to be able to use my mosquito net for the first time, I heard the bugs here are vicious.
Time for some more macchiatos (Italy occupied Ethiopia for a few years so they have great cafes)
(From my 2007 trip to South East Asia)
The main attraction of Cambodia and the cause for the boom in tourism in Siem Reap are the temples of Angkor just outside of the city. They are centuries old and were uncovered in the early 1900’s. Personally, they are more impressive than any other group of ruins that I have seen in my travels and the best part is, the sites are not overcrowded.
I had met a British couple at the airport on the way into town and we grouped up to keep the price of the driver down. We all got a 3-day pass for $40 each and headed to the temple complex. It is really huge so a driver of some sort is a must, unless you rent a bicycle.
Bayon Temples
After passing by Angkor Wat which is the main temple we came across Bayon which is famous for massive face carvings cut into large towers. Describing everything in Angkor is pretty difficult to do and is something that actually needs to be seen in order to grasp the full experience. Even pictures don’t capture the full colors.
After Bayon we spent the morning hopping around from temple to temple with lots of interesting carvings and stories being told on the walls. Being in the low season it was quite dead at most of the temples but at Ta Promh the tourists were about. This site is famous for the overgrown trees that intertwine the temple ruins. If you either play the video game Tomb Raider or have seen the movies, some of it was filmed here or themed after this and it is the classic image of the temples of Angkor. This was my favorite temple so far and it is unfortunate that we showed up at the same time as a few tour group buses but it was still interesting and as you can see I was still able to get photos with out people in it.
Ta Promh
We visited several more temples throughout the afternoon and every one had a unique characteristic for itself. Some were set with huge towers, others were more focused on detailed carvings and some were just basic and not much to look at.
The driver took us around to each area and one of the annoying, but at the same time, unbelievably cute things about temple viewing are the tons of local children that run up to you and try and sell you stuff. These kids are really sharp and pick up on a lot from tourists that come through. They are usually better communicators than their parents. One child will come up and try and sell you a cold drink while the next will have a fist full of postcards for $1. Their sales pitches are usually similar but occasionally vary.
Little girl: ‘Hello Mr. where you from?’
Me: ‘America?’
Little girl: ‘Washington DC it is the capital. What state you from?’
Me: ‘Florida’
Little girl: ‘Tallahassee is the capital you buy postcards from me?’
Me: ‘no thank you’
Little girl: ‘maybe you buy later if you buy you buy from me’
Me: ‘no thank you really’
Little girls: ‘if you buy you buy from me’
Kids Love to Hang Around the Temples
Repeat a similar conversation over and over and you have your experience walking up to the temples. Thankfully, they have set up ropes on the ground that the children are not allowed to cross so that you aren’t bugged the entire time. The kids like to sing songs to you or even show off their ability to count to ten in twenty different languages. They do what they can to win the hearts of the tourists but the whole thing is just not good. Unfortunately, their parents forcing them into labor and most likely punishing them harshly if they don’t sell. This little girl was just sitting in the window of a pretty abandoned temple. She wasn’t a beggar.
The final temple of the day was Angkor Wat which is the most recognizable, and the main temple of the entire complex. It was also, in my opinion, a pretty big let down. It is impressive just for its massiveness but other than that it was no more to look at than any of the other temples. It is the largest religious complex in the world and I have heard calls to add it to the list of the Wonders of the World. (2010 UPDATE: It looks like it failed in its bid for New World Wonder status)
Once we finished off here and had enough of the temples for the day we headed back into Siem Reap to get some rest. The first day was a lot of fun and I was impressed with what I saw. A lot of times when you travel, you go places that you think will be great but are usually a let down; however, the temples of Angkor stand as one of the best experiences to live up to the anticipation. To think that it took hundreds of years for them to be rediscovered in the jungles of Cambodia and just imagining what it would have felt like to see it for the first time. I joke a lot about feeling like Indiana Jones when I travel but this is the first time I actually could picture him going through the ruins with a torch and fighting off the Khmer Rouge on his way to find a hidden relic. It was definitely worth the trip to Cambodia itself.
Angkor Wat: The Main Temple
I’ll have to take the first piece of advice I learned when I was in Thailand for the first time…. MAI PEN RAI! Roughly translated to “It’s nothing!” or “Don’t worry!” and no worries is what I’ll have to have….
It looks like my plans to be in Chiang Mai, Thailand next year for my TEFL certification course are going to have to be slightly adjusted. TEFL Internatonal isn’t offering a course in the northern Thai city anymore so I’ve adjusted my plan to the next closet thing, which is a small beach and fishing town about 3 hours south of Bangkok called Ban Phe. This is the flagship institute for TEFL International and is highly regarded in the English teaching community. I’ve done some research, and while it wasn’t my first choice of locations, it will certainly do!
Mai Pen Rai! Thailand!
I sent in my application online and I almost immediately got a response from an advisor. They’re going to send my application through so I can get an official acceptance letter. I put in for April of next year so I can keep working where I am now and saving more money. I’ll probably arrive in Thailand a good month or so before to start getting myself settled in. After that, the school itself will help prepare my resume and assist me in looking for work. I’ve decided to keep my options open and not be tied to any single country. I’ll still have my eyes set on Hong Kong, Thailand and Indonesia as top destinations but I won’t hesitate to get going anywhere that wants me.
I’ve also been looking at videos online of the school in Ban Phe. They put up videos of their teachers in training and it looks pretty exciting. The certification program is quite intensive and I’ll have to be prepared to really work at it but I’m looking forward to the big opportunity!
I know it has been awhile since I’ve posted. I have been extremely busy with working full time now and finishing up my degree. I graduate in 2 weeks!!!
[Image courtesty of http://srisawadisny.tripod.com]
I just thought I’d leave a note on my blog to let my readers know I’m still around but have been busy with work and school. I graduate in less than 3 weeks! I swear I’ll be back with more updates soon!
I’ve been pretty quiet lately as finals week for the Spring semester is coming up. I have two left and will be done by next Tuesday. Just wanted to give the heads up! My full time schedule starts next Monday as well. Also, I’m going on a fishing trip with my brother and a good friend the following weekend. Should be a good time! I’ll update soon!
I consider Spunky Girl to be my mentor in travel blogging. She jumped in head first awhile back and has motivated me to follow her ever since. She taught me it is OK to travel blog when you’re not travelling. I wanted to feature her blog this Friday so be sure to check it out at Spunky Girl Monologues! She does video updating as well as interviews with travel writers. She featured an interview with Julia Dimon earlier this month.
I’m missing Thailand today, big time. I was able to enjoy the Songkran festival celebrating the Thai new year a few years ago. Basically, the entire country enters into one big water gun fight. I loved it. Unfortunately, I was recovering from a moped accident I suffered in Ko Pha Ngan and had some open wounds that were not supposed to get wet. Because of this, I had to be careful where I went as the Thai’s, especially the children, are ruthless with their water attacks. They’ll get you regardless of what you are dressed in and of course my pleas to avoid my right leg where I had 2nd degree burn were not heard.
Bar girls dousing a passing motorist
Still, I tried to have as much fun as possible and bought a couple of guns from a local vendor and took to the streets of Pattaya. I think, Soi 11 1/2 was my strong hold at Mac’s Guesthouse. I hung around here mostly, but ventured out in search of victims. Pattaya is well known for the endless amounts of Go-Go Bars, so watching out for the Thai youth was just as important as keeping an eye on the Thai bar girls sniping you from the doorway of their bar.
In some areas, traffic was at a stand still with truck beds full of teenagers dumping entire buckets of water on passing motorists. No one is safe. Even motorcyclists with passengers on the back were doused with water.
I hear the festivities are going on pretty normal this year even with the increased political unrest in Bangkok. Reports from fellow bloggers and Tweeters in the area have confirmed that, for the most part, hot spots such as Khao San Rd. are in full songkran swing! I celebrated the Thai New Year myself today by hitting up my favorite Thai restaurant in Tampa and eating some green curry chicken. It was delicious!
I’m shifting gears a bit in my current situation and taking the dive back into full time employment a little earlier than expected. I only have 8 more credits left before graduation so that means I can take two, four credit online courses over the summer. I originally planned to go full time after graduation in August but instead I decided on May 1st to get the savings going even faster. My full time schedule was approved and I’ll be back to 40 hours per week right away.
I’m a bit nervous, as I haven’t worked full time since 2006, but it will be a much needed change of savings pace. I’ve done pretty well working part time and now I’ll be able to push my plans up a little closer than I originally anticipated. At this rate, I could see myself taking my TEFL certification as early as next March. I’ve already got some exciting travel plans in the works. I already know I will be returning to Colombia with my brother in August after graduation. A few other things are in the works for early 2011 before heading to Thailand for my TEFL certification. I’m leaning towards a trip to Central America as well as a return trip to the horn of Africa, including Ethiopia, Djibouti, Sudan and Somaliland (the northern self-proclaimed independent state in Somalia which enjoys a stable autonomous government)
With the full time pay I can afford to move out and my really good friend Brooke from Brooke Reviews and her boyfriend just got approved for a house they really wanted and are waiting on the closing date. They offered to let me move in with them for the remainder of 2010 until I’m ready to head overseas. I’m really excited about this because their house is going to be awesome and everyone is keeping their fingers crossed that the closing date comes and goes without a hitch, and that they’re able to move in with relative ease beginning in early May. I’m looking forward to BBQ pool parties during football season!
