I don't know why, but I was brooding on this last night...
I'm still walking on crutches and in a walking boot from my ankle surgery in December. When people ask me what happened and I tell them the story about getting hit by a motorbike, nine times out of ten they always ask me if I got money for it. No, I didn't. I got a $2.50 taxi ride home from the hospital. [insert their shocked expressions here].
In hindsight, obviously I should have received a little more compensation than a $2.50 taxi ride. But let me explain my reasoning why I didn't pursue anything.
First of all, I'm a solo, white, female traveler. I was alone at the time of my accident...I was taking a walk before meeting up with my friend later in the day. Thai people have an extremely narrow view of the world. Nothing against it, it's just how they are taught, it's part of their culture. They believe that any foreign person that comes to their country must surely be wealthy because wealthy people can afford to get on a big plane and fly half way around the world. Foreigners are overcharged for pretty much everything. I call it Skin Tax. My first week in Thailand, a guy that was on my TEFL course was involved in an accident. He was on a motorbike, merging onto the highway when a young lady in a car hit him. He was lucky to be alive. When the police showed up, although it was ENTIRELY the Thai person's fault, the police made my friend pay her 1,000 baht for damages to her car. This was the first thought that went through my head when I was hit. Fuck you if you make me pay three underage, irresponsible girls for hitting me with a motorbike because I'm foreign. Reason #1 why I didn't request to call the (corrupt) police.
Secondly, thinking rationally is pretty difficult to do after something like that happens to you. I was in shock, in severe pain, and downright scared. All rationality went flying out the window as fast as Indiana Jones goes running through a jungle being chased by a bunch of pissed of indigenous tribe members with spears, only to come back after it was too late to do anything about it.
Finally, I didn't know the rules of the game. That sounds, and is, completely naive and foolish. I should have known better or at least had the knowledge that there are police for tourists. I should have taken the girl's name and number. I should have called a friend when I got to the hospital. I should have...I should have...I should have....You can say "I should have" about a number of things. But the fact remains that I didn't and it is a lesson learned. I can't change it, so I must move on.
Those girls got off cheap. A $2.50 taxi fare when they should have fronted the $250 doctor bill and paid my substitute teacher for the time I had to take off from work (many schools don't give you sick time...if you're out, you have to pay the substitute out of your pocket...bullshit I know, but that's been my experience with teaching in Asia, so far). When I pulled my insurance card at the hospital, those girls should have come forth and said it was their duty to pay. But they didn't. Maybe Karma will come back to them eventually. It is what it is.
So no, I didn't get a big payday from any of this. I'm still broke like a joke. But invaluable lessons were learned.
My advice: know who is in your corner when you're traveling to a new country, especially a non-English speaking country. Hopefully nothing will happen to you, but no one is invincible. Make sure you have the right tools in your pocket!
Happy Trails!
Saturday, April 5, 2014
Friday, March 28, 2014
What's Your Tribe?
I realized I've only written about three posts in the last five months. I do have a lot of excuses for this, but the main one is the fact that I'm in limbo right now. The "next stage of my life" limbo. So I haven't really been feeling like sharing a lot right now, because I'm trying to sort out everything in my head that has seemly gone to the madhouse!
However, I was listening to a podcast last month and a "tribal" topic came up (yes, I've been thinking about and writing a few shit drafts of this blog for the last month as well). I found this topic interesting because I've always felt I've had a problem with "belonging" - even during my childhood. I was the youngest and nerdiest in my family, so when we were all together for some family function or another, no one ever really talked to me. I always felt like a bit of an outcast of sorts. (That's all changed now, and I love my family dearly and I always look forward to seeing them when I'm home, but as a kid, man, I felt rough!) So, I really like the idea of belonging to a tribe based on an idea of something that I and a group of people are really interested in. This idea has made me feel less alone recently knowing that I actually do belong to something.
Since moving to Asia two years ago, I've found that I've had a very difficult time making friends. I have a few friends here and there (some better than others), but I think I've only made one or two real connections with people. The connections and friends that I made while living in England were far more abundant and deeper than they've been in Thailand and Korea, for sure. I was making my life in England with the locals whereas here, I'm making my life with other nomadic foreigners (purely based on language barriers). We all have our own separate and temporary plans that may or may not take us around the world, so it seems many of the people I've met, myself included, don't invest as much in friendships. Not developing deeper friendships has left me with a deeper sense of loneliness than ever before. So this idea of belonging to a tribe has, in this last month, helped to alleviate some of those feelings.
So what tribes do I belong to?
The most obvious one - if you know me - is the Broncos Country Tribe.
I was born a Bronco and I will die a Bronco. Cut me and I bleed orange. I was having a conversation with a friend the other day who I met last year during the off season. I had told her then that I'm a football fan and Bronco lover and was telling her, if she was interested, where are the places to go to watch football in Chaing Mai. She told me that last year, she didn't realize how insanely crazy I get during the NFL season. If you follow me on Twitter, you'll notice that between August and December, 90% of the things I tweet about are Bronco related. I'm kind of close to the fandom level of the Boston Red Sox fan Jimmy Fallon plays in Fever Pitch (I would use Raider toilet paper if I could find it...and now, I would most DEFINITELY use Seahawk toilet paper during a severe case of diarrhea). The Broncos are my thing. It's the only thing that makes me truly homesick. Yeah, I miss things from home, but I get sick about the Broncos. Yes, I'm definitely a Broncos Country Tribe Member. Since 1981.
Although I don't live there anymore, I'm a member of the Colorado Native Tribe.
Back in my England days, I remember having a conversation with someone who mentioned that every American she had met is very "State proud". I had never realized before then that when people asked me where I was from, I would never say I was from America. It was always "Colorado". To which they would normally reply, "Canada? Nice!". Really? Canada? Nope. I got that so many times! A drunk guy once spent an hour trying to convince me that Colorado was in Canada...Like I didn't know where I really came from. Anyways, I digress. I am proud to be from Colorado. In my mind, it really is THE greatest of the American States. I even wrote a Rocky Mountain High in Colorado blog on great things to do if you find yourself in the west. My lifelong membership to the Colorado Native Tribe began, again, in 1981.
Finally, I'd say the other tribe I belong to is the Expat Tribe.
I really hate the term "ex-patriot". Can't stand it. Just because I live outside of the United States does not make me an ex-"patriot". I'm still very patriotic about my homeland. Actually, living outside of the US has made me more of a patriot than I was before. Seeing how (some) of the rest of the world lives definitely helps me appreciate how easy and comfortable life is in the US. It's something that I wish more people would try to understand, then maybe there would be less of a governmental rift that is happening in the US right now. Travelling changes a person. It opens minds, it makes you stronger and more brave (especially doing it solo), it unleashes a wanderlusting beast within us. It's changed me. I've been in limbo for the last few months (which is part of the reason why I haven't written much) because I'm not sure what my next steps are in life. I've been toying with the idea of moving back to the States, but that idea is not satisfying. I feel I've been too far gone to go back now. And there are too many, WAY too many places yet to see. Yes. I have been a member of the Expat Tribe since 2004 (although I wish they would change the name to "Traveller Who Lives Outside of Their Home Country Tribe").
There are probably a few smaller tribes I feel I belong to (like the Game of Thrones Tribe, or the Death Cab For Cutie Tribe), but these are the three tribes that give me a sense of pride and really make my soul gleam. They're who I am and what I belong to.
What tribes do you belong to?
Happy Tribal Trails!
For all of you other Rambler's out there...
However, I was listening to a podcast last month and a "tribal" topic came up (yes, I've been thinking about and writing a few shit drafts of this blog for the last month as well). I found this topic interesting because I've always felt I've had a problem with "belonging" - even during my childhood. I was the youngest and nerdiest in my family, so when we were all together for some family function or another, no one ever really talked to me. I always felt like a bit of an outcast of sorts. (That's all changed now, and I love my family dearly and I always look forward to seeing them when I'm home, but as a kid, man, I felt rough!) So, I really like the idea of belonging to a tribe based on an idea of something that I and a group of people are really interested in. This idea has made me feel less alone recently knowing that I actually do belong to something.
Since moving to Asia two years ago, I've found that I've had a very difficult time making friends. I have a few friends here and there (some better than others), but I think I've only made one or two real connections with people. The connections and friends that I made while living in England were far more abundant and deeper than they've been in Thailand and Korea, for sure. I was making my life in England with the locals whereas here, I'm making my life with other nomadic foreigners (purely based on language barriers). We all have our own separate and temporary plans that may or may not take us around the world, so it seems many of the people I've met, myself included, don't invest as much in friendships. Not developing deeper friendships has left me with a deeper sense of loneliness than ever before. So this idea of belonging to a tribe has, in this last month, helped to alleviate some of those feelings.
So what tribes do I belong to?
The most obvious one - if you know me - is the Broncos Country Tribe.
I was born a Bronco and I will die a Bronco. Cut me and I bleed orange. I was having a conversation with a friend the other day who I met last year during the off season. I had told her then that I'm a football fan and Bronco lover and was telling her, if she was interested, where are the places to go to watch football in Chaing Mai. She told me that last year, she didn't realize how insanely crazy I get during the NFL season. If you follow me on Twitter, you'll notice that between August and December, 90% of the things I tweet about are Bronco related. I'm kind of close to the fandom level of the Boston Red Sox fan Jimmy Fallon plays in Fever Pitch (I would use Raider toilet paper if I could find it...and now, I would most DEFINITELY use Seahawk toilet paper during a severe case of diarrhea). The Broncos are my thing. It's the only thing that makes me truly homesick. Yeah, I miss things from home, but I get sick about the Broncos. Yes, I'm definitely a Broncos Country Tribe Member. Since 1981.
Although I don't live there anymore, I'm a member of the Colorado Native Tribe.
Back in my England days, I remember having a conversation with someone who mentioned that every American she had met is very "State proud". I had never realized before then that when people asked me where I was from, I would never say I was from America. It was always "Colorado". To which they would normally reply, "Canada? Nice!". Really? Canada? Nope. I got that so many times! A drunk guy once spent an hour trying to convince me that Colorado was in Canada...Like I didn't know where I really came from. Anyways, I digress. I am proud to be from Colorado. In my mind, it really is THE greatest of the American States. I even wrote a Rocky Mountain High in Colorado blog on great things to do if you find yourself in the west. My lifelong membership to the Colorado Native Tribe began, again, in 1981.
Finally, I'd say the other tribe I belong to is the Expat Tribe.
I really hate the term "ex-patriot". Can't stand it. Just because I live outside of the United States does not make me an ex-"patriot". I'm still very patriotic about my homeland. Actually, living outside of the US has made me more of a patriot than I was before. Seeing how (some) of the rest of the world lives definitely helps me appreciate how easy and comfortable life is in the US. It's something that I wish more people would try to understand, then maybe there would be less of a governmental rift that is happening in the US right now. Travelling changes a person. It opens minds, it makes you stronger and more brave (especially doing it solo), it unleashes a wanderlusting beast within us. It's changed me. I've been in limbo for the last few months (which is part of the reason why I haven't written much) because I'm not sure what my next steps are in life. I've been toying with the idea of moving back to the States, but that idea is not satisfying. I feel I've been too far gone to go back now. And there are too many, WAY too many places yet to see. Yes. I have been a member of the Expat Tribe since 2004 (although I wish they would change the name to "Traveller Who Lives Outside of Their Home Country Tribe").
There are probably a few smaller tribes I feel I belong to (like the Game of Thrones Tribe, or the Death Cab For Cutie Tribe), but these are the three tribes that give me a sense of pride and really make my soul gleam. They're who I am and what I belong to.
What tribes do you belong to?
Happy Tribal Trails!
For all of you other Rambler's out there...
Monday, February 24, 2014
The Mac Dad'll Make ya Jump Jump!
I've been extremely negligent about writing these last few months, but I've really had nothing to say travel-wise as I've been cooped up, recovering from surgery (new spring-time adventures are on the horizon, my friends!)
However, I was listening to the Nerdist Podcast over the weekend and a few un-nerdy, travel topics peaked my interest.
Chris Hardwick, the host of Nerdist and a person who I find to be fucking hilarious, was interviewing Kit Harington, who plays Jon Snow on Game of Thrones. They were on the topic of GoT film locations and what it's like to be shooting a scene in Iceland, walking backwards, in a blizzard, on the edge of a 500 ft cliff. Chris asked Kit if he was ever afraid of falling off the cliff, to which Kit responded that he has more a fear of jumping off the cliff.
I find this absolutely fascinating...mainly because I'm not the only weirdo who feels like this.
I've never had a fear of heights. There's something about standing on the edge of a cliff or a mountain that's completely exhilarating. I've also never been afraid of falling if you get too close to the edge. But I have had that feeling of just wanting to jump from it...(not at all in a suicidal manner).
In particular, I'm thinking of trips my to the Cliffs of Moher in Ireland, or driving over steep mountain passes in the Rockies (for my fellow Coloradans, driving over Monarch Pass between September through May...yikes!). Surely, you would more than likely die if you jumped, or veered your car off the side of the mountain, but there's still this weird curiosity of what would happen...
I've never brought this topic up because I never wanted people to assume I was suicidal, when I'm 100% NOT (I like living - please read that in the voice of Tyrion Lannister). But, now that I know I'm not the only one who feels like this...what is it? What part of our brain gives us this urge to do something that would surely either cause us a tremendous deal of pain or potentially kill us? Is it really some crazy mortality obsession within ourselves, or does it have to do with the fragility of life? Over the past two years, I've become all too aware of how fragile our bodies are. One misstep can change your life a little, or even drastically - physically and mentally.
I find it endlessly interesting.
This "fear of jumping", I believe, can also be applied to our lives in general. I find many people, myself included, deny themselves a full life because of a fear of what would happen if they took that plunge. (I actually wrote a blog on how fear can keep people from traveling. Read it here.)
Now, I'm not encouraging you to jump of an insane cliff or drive off of the side of a mountain if you get that urge, but try something new if you have that feeling. Travel to a new place - be it a city in your home state that you've never been to or a city in a different country. Try the local food, at least once. You might like it, and if you don't, at least now you know. Get up and dance if a song is making you tap your toes! Don't let a fear of jumping take over your life...just don't let it go so far as to actually jump off a cliff ;)
Listen to the full Nerdist Postcast here.
Happy Trails!
P.S. The fear of jumping is like wiggity wiggity wiggity whack.
However, I was listening to the Nerdist Podcast over the weekend and a few un-nerdy, travel topics peaked my interest.
Chris Hardwick, the host of Nerdist and a person who I find to be fucking hilarious, was interviewing Kit Harington, who plays Jon Snow on Game of Thrones. They were on the topic of GoT film locations and what it's like to be shooting a scene in Iceland, walking backwards, in a blizzard, on the edge of a 500 ft cliff. Chris asked Kit if he was ever afraid of falling off the cliff, to which Kit responded that he has more a fear of jumping off the cliff.
I find this absolutely fascinating...mainly because I'm not the only weirdo who feels like this.
I've never had a fear of heights. There's something about standing on the edge of a cliff or a mountain that's completely exhilarating. I've also never been afraid of falling if you get too close to the edge. But I have had that feeling of just wanting to jump from it...(not at all in a suicidal manner).
 |
| The Cliffs of Moher |
In particular, I'm thinking of trips my to the Cliffs of Moher in Ireland, or driving over steep mountain passes in the Rockies (for my fellow Coloradans, driving over Monarch Pass between September through May...yikes!). Surely, you would more than likely die if you jumped, or veered your car off the side of the mountain, but there's still this weird curiosity of what would happen...
 |
| A jump that would surely bludgeon you |
 |
| A loooong way down! |
I've never brought this topic up because I never wanted people to assume I was suicidal, when I'm 100% NOT (I like living - please read that in the voice of Tyrion Lannister). But, now that I know I'm not the only one who feels like this...what is it? What part of our brain gives us this urge to do something that would surely either cause us a tremendous deal of pain or potentially kill us? Is it really some crazy mortality obsession within ourselves, or does it have to do with the fragility of life? Over the past two years, I've become all too aware of how fragile our bodies are. One misstep can change your life a little, or even drastically - physically and mentally.
I find it endlessly interesting.
This "fear of jumping", I believe, can also be applied to our lives in general. I find many people, myself included, deny themselves a full life because of a fear of what would happen if they took that plunge. (I actually wrote a blog on how fear can keep people from traveling. Read it here.)
Now, I'm not encouraging you to jump of an insane cliff or drive off of the side of a mountain if you get that urge, but try something new if you have that feeling. Travel to a new place - be it a city in your home state that you've never been to or a city in a different country. Try the local food, at least once. You might like it, and if you don't, at least now you know. Get up and dance if a song is making you tap your toes! Don't let a fear of jumping take over your life...just don't let it go so far as to actually jump off a cliff ;)
 |
| I went beyond the point. Because that's how I roll. |
Listen to the full Nerdist Postcast here.
Happy Trails!
P.S. The fear of jumping is like wiggity wiggity wiggity whack.
Saturday, January 11, 2014
Korean hospitals and the road to recovery!
I know it's a bit late (and it's been a while since my last post), but Happy New Year! I am making 2014 a year of new adventures, as I will hopefully be back in full adventure-form in a few months.
I have been quite negligent on my blog recently as I've had a lot to sort out in my head. The final few games of the Broncos regular season and getting my ankle sorted were my two main preoccupations. Now that my Broncos have clinched the top seed in the playoffs and I've finally had surgery on my ankle, I can focus on getting more blogs out there while I'm off from work recovering this month.
I don't really have anything to compare it to since the last time I had surgery in America I was in kindergarten. But I would say my experience in the Korean hospital was as pleasant as it could be, considering. I feel, as well as my doctor, my surgery went well and in three to six months (pushing for three!), I'll be off on painless, never-ending adventures once again! Roll on spring!
One of the main differences about staying in a hospital in Korea is that a family member stays with you at all times to take care of the basic care-giving that nurses in the US otherwise take care of. Your family member is there to help you with jaunts to the restroom, changing clothes if assistance is needed, bring you your meals - from what I understand, the hospital catering leaves it outside your room. You know, just the basic care-giving. Per each bed in the hospital, there is a cot next to it for your family member to sleep on. I think, because I was the family-less foreigner, the nurses were doing more for me than what they would normally do. Lucky for them, after the first two days from my surgery, I was more capable of some things.
I feel that the main problem with having a family member guest per each patient is that the rooms become quite crowded...and noisy. I was unfortunate enough to have as my first two roommates, some serious snorers. I kid you not, the lady's husband shook the windows when he snored. And she wasn't much quieter. So, not much sleep at night! And I couldn't get sleep during the day since their entire family decided to come and visit all day, every day. There was between six to ten people by her bed every single day. That wasn't annoying or anything. It would be nice if there was a limit on how many people can visit a person at once, and with shorter visiting hours so patients can get rest. (My second roommates were quite alright! They didn't snore and they gave me some juice...so I gave them some chocolate!)
The food was, well, hospital food. My first meal was a Korean meal. I'm not too fond of Korean food, so I'm sure you can imagine how I felt about Korean hospital food. Lucky enough, the nurse asked me if I would like Western meals, so that was at least more edible for me.
Overall, my experience was well enough. There were no communication problems. The nurses and doctors spoke enough English.
All that truly matters now is that I'm on the road to a successful recovery. My boss helped me get home once I was discharged from the hospital. He couldn't believe how expensive my bill was...I couldn't believe how cheap it was. I'm sure it would have been three or four times as much had I had the surgery in the US.
Here's to an adventurous 2014...when the spring arrives ;)
Happy Trails!
A grand song about a non-surgical recovery!
I have been quite negligent on my blog recently as I've had a lot to sort out in my head. The final few games of the Broncos regular season and getting my ankle sorted were my two main preoccupations. Now that my Broncos have clinched the top seed in the playoffs and I've finally had surgery on my ankle, I can focus on getting more blogs out there while I'm off from work recovering this month.
I don't really have anything to compare it to since the last time I had surgery in America I was in kindergarten. But I would say my experience in the Korean hospital was as pleasant as it could be, considering. I feel, as well as my doctor, my surgery went well and in three to six months (pushing for three!), I'll be off on painless, never-ending adventures once again! Roll on spring!
One of the main differences about staying in a hospital in Korea is that a family member stays with you at all times to take care of the basic care-giving that nurses in the US otherwise take care of. Your family member is there to help you with jaunts to the restroom, changing clothes if assistance is needed, bring you your meals - from what I understand, the hospital catering leaves it outside your room. You know, just the basic care-giving. Per each bed in the hospital, there is a cot next to it for your family member to sleep on. I think, because I was the family-less foreigner, the nurses were doing more for me than what they would normally do. Lucky for them, after the first two days from my surgery, I was more capable of some things.
 |
| Poor wee poppet! |
I feel that the main problem with having a family member guest per each patient is that the rooms become quite crowded...and noisy. I was unfortunate enough to have as my first two roommates, some serious snorers. I kid you not, the lady's husband shook the windows when he snored. And she wasn't much quieter. So, not much sleep at night! And I couldn't get sleep during the day since their entire family decided to come and visit all day, every day. There was between six to ten people by her bed every single day. That wasn't annoying or anything. It would be nice if there was a limit on how many people can visit a person at once, and with shorter visiting hours so patients can get rest. (My second roommates were quite alright! They didn't snore and they gave me some juice...so I gave them some chocolate!)
The food was, well, hospital food. My first meal was a Korean meal. I'm not too fond of Korean food, so I'm sure you can imagine how I felt about Korean hospital food. Lucky enough, the nurse asked me if I would like Western meals, so that was at least more edible for me.
 |
| Korean hospital food o_O |
Overall, my experience was well enough. There were no communication problems. The nurses and doctors spoke enough English.
 |
| 5 screws and the bone of a Korean man later... Now, I'm part Korean! |
All that truly matters now is that I'm on the road to a successful recovery. My boss helped me get home once I was discharged from the hospital. He couldn't believe how expensive my bill was...I couldn't believe how cheap it was. I'm sure it would have been three or four times as much had I had the surgery in the US.
 |
| On the road to recovery with a Bronco-blue cast and United In Orange toes! Go Broncos!! |
Here's to an adventurous 2014...when the spring arrives ;)
Happy Trails!
A grand song about a non-surgical recovery!
Sunday, November 24, 2013
Top 12 of Chiang Mai
I was thinking about coffee this morning and realized I never wrote a Top 10 Chiang Mai blog. Why did I realize this while thinking about coffee, you ask? Because the greatest cup of coffee I've ever had was in Chiang Mai...and I could seriously go for that spicy, glorious cuppa Joe right about now!
So, for any of you travellers or adventurers out there that are heading to Chiang Mai, here is my Top 12 (yep, you lucky dog...I added 2 extra!) of Chiang Mai, in no real particular order...
12. Wat Pan Tao
Wat Pan Tao is one of the only teak wood temples in Chiang Mai, and although it's small, it's stunning! The first time I stumbled on this temple, the sun was setting and there was this beautiful golden Buddha nestled in a patch of colourful tulips, surrounded by a koi-filled stream. Many of the travel sites suggest visiting Wat Phra Singh just down the road, but Phra Singh is full of tourists and in my opinion, isn't nearly as beautiful as Wat Pan Tao. Wat Pan Tao is easy to find in the Old City and it's right next to Wat Chedi Luang, another really lovely - and popular - temple (make sure to walk around the back of Chedi Luang!).
11. Warorot Market
Warorot Market is open 24/7 and if you need it, they have it. Seriously. If you need clothes, food, fruit/vegetables, teas, nicknack's, toiletries, furniture, ceramics...really, they have everything. And the best part is? It's the cheapest place in town! You'll find the same clothing and nicknack's at the Night Bazaar and Sunday Walking Street for 3-5 times the price because those markets are chock FULL of tourists asking to get ripped off. Warorot is always crowded with the locals, it's not touristy so you might be stared at, but the place is a bargain hunter's gem!
10. Food Market at Chiang Mai Gate (or North Gate)
The food in Thailand is just oh-so-amazing and I will take street food over restaurant food any day. Street food tastes better and is a lot cheaper than the latter. There are many street food markets around Chiang Mai, but this one in particular has the Cowboy Hat Lady. I couldn't tell you the name of her stall if I wanted to, but everyone in town knows the Cowboy Hat Lady. Every night she's there making the BEST roasted pork with rice I've ever had. Throw that down with a soft-boiled duck egg and this chili vinaigrette sauce...oh damn, my mouth is watering with memories of that delicious plate of food. What makes it even better? It's less than $1.
Make sure you save room for dessert, though. Just two stalls down from the Cowboy Hat Lady is the stall for beatoey...mouth watering rice pudding balls in warm coconut soup. Hot damn, it's time for a wee vacation to Chiang Mai, methinks!
9. Scootin' the Samoeng Loop
Sometimes, you just need to get out of town! It's easy enough to do, just rent yourself a motorbike and hit the road. Once you're out of the city, the Samoeng Loop takes you around Doi Suthep mountain on a peaceful, quiet road. If you drive without any stops, the route will take around 2-3 hours (if I'm remembering correctly...). I, however, made lots of stops and spent a good 5-6 hours enjoying the ride. Stop off at one of the many waterfalls (I enjoyed the Mae Sa waterfall), or the elephant camps, Tiger Kingdom, the monkey show, snake show - all of which I passed up...I'm not a fan of animal exploitation, but if it tickles your fancy, they're all there along the route! It's a beautiful ride, even when going in the height of the pollution season of Chiang Mai, which I don't really recommend because there is a LOT of smoke - try going between April-January. Read more about the Samoeng Loop here.
8. Lady Boy Cabaret Show - Night Bazaar
Lady Boy's are such an iconic part of Thailand. Thailand is one of those countries that is very open and accepting of anyone's sexuality - take note, Russia! The absolute first Thai that I met was a lady boy...she picked me up from the airport. I had absolutely NO idea that "she" was really a "he". She was absolutely gorgeous and I still find it hard to believe she was a dude. Anyways, I digress. There is a free (when you purchase a tasty beverage) Cabaret Show, every night (save for Sunday) at 9:30pm in the Night Bazaar. Combine glitz, glam, glitter, feather boas, stilettos, with lady boys lip-syncing pop music - like Whitney Houston, songs from Grease, Britney Spears, and you've got yourself a rollin' good time! I guarantee you will laugh your ass off. The lip-syncing is terrible, but that just makes it even better. Also, if you're a dude in the audience, prepare to get some Lady Boy lovin' during the hour long show! You're welcome.
P.S. If you don't want to purchase a tasty beverage, entrance is 200 baht - roughly $6. It's cheaper to buy a drink.
7. Saturday Walking Street
The Saturday Walking Street is the lesser known sister of the Sunday Walking Street, and much more pleasant in my eyes. It has more or less of the same stuff as the Sunday Walking Street, but it also has more authentic crafty items. It's also along the silversmith's road, so there is a lot more jewelry and silver carvings available. It's not as big as the Sunday Walking Street, but I feel the Sunday market is just repetitive - you see the same things throughout the market. The Saturday Walking street is still quite big and really, it's just more authentic feeling - and cheaper.
P.S. Stop by Wat Srisuphan while there - the Silver Temple!
6. Chiang Mai Women's Prison
Tired from all of your adventures? Need a relaxing, world famous Thai massage? Well then, look no further than the ladies of the women's prison! They will give you the massage of your life! It's a great rehabilitation program for incarcerated women due to be released within 6 months. Read all about getting a prison massage here.
5. Good Morning, Chiang Mai
Craving a damn good American breakfast? Look no further than Good Morning, Chiang Mai. A gorgeous, retro and rustic cafe in the heart of the Old City, which makes you feel like you're out in the middle of the countryside! Enjoy your breakfast or lunch inside, outside, or up in their loft. I would sit there for hours and just read a book and drink coffee. They've had a live band playing a time or two while I was there. And their food? Best damn American breakfast you'll find in Chiang Mai. Might I recommend their buttermilk pancakes and sausage? Holy shit, they will change your life.
4. The Lost Book Shop
Need a new book to read? I recommend the Lost Book Shop - a used book shop (most of them are used in Chiang Mai - at least I don't recall seeing any new book shops) run by this awesome Irish dude. LBS has a great selection of books, and if they don't have what you're looking for, they'll call up their sister book shop, Backstreet Books just down the road. One of the workers there, Joy, is just about as lovely of a person as you can get. I had been looking for months and months for the Game of Thrones series - in ALL of the bookshops around Chiang Mai - when Joy said she would lend me her personal copy of the books. I couldn't believe she would trust a complete, foreign stranger like that! She brought the first book for me the next day and told me to text her when I was done...she would bring the next book for me the day after I messaged her so I could trade them out. She become one of my greatest friends in Chiang Mai. Need a book? Go to the Lost Book Shop.
3. Loi Krathong at Maejo University
I saw a beautiful picture of floating lanterns in National Geographic Traveller and decided I needed to see that place for myself. That is what took me to Chiang Mai - Loi Krathong. If you want to experience Loi Krathong, head out to the "big release" of the lanterns at Maejo University - which actually has NOTHING to do with Loi Krathong - a giving-thanks/ask-for-forgiveness-to-the-river/water-gods holiday. Read my full blog about Loi Krathong here.
2. Songkran
A festival I had NO prior knowledge of before going to Chiang Mai. Songkran celebrates the Thai New Year and Chiang Mai is the place to be in Thailand! What starts as a cleaning of the Buddha statues with a sprinkling of water turns into an all-out, city-wide, 5 day water fight! Read about Songkran here. (The photos in that blog really do not convey the madness that is Songkran!)
1. The Bird's Nest Cafe
And finally, the Bird's Nest Cafe! The reason for starting this blog, back to that cup of coffee I was thinking of! The Bird's Nest is another gem of a cafe that I unfortunately only discovered in my last few months in Chiang Mai. It's a hippie'd out organic cafe, that comes with a hammock and great food made from super fresh and organic ingredients! Their food is good (although I prefer Good Morning's buttermilk pancakes), but it was their coffee that kept me coming back for more! Order up the Bird's Nest coffee and your life will change. It's made from an Arabica coffee and blended with four different spices including cardamon, star anise, cinnamon, and (I think) nutmeg and served in a french press. Add some packed brown sugar and milk - coconut if you like - and prepare yourself to be high on coffee! No, really...it's strong! You can easily spend the day just chillin' out, reading, eating, drinking...of which I did, many times! It can be a little difficult to find, check out their website for directions!
Happy Trails!
P.S. If you need a great place to stay, call my friend Stephen and his wife King! I lived in one of their apartment buildings (Sethee Court) for the last 5 months of my time in Thailand...they rent out rooms for daily rates and long-term, and they're AWESOME! Check out their website here.
So, for any of you travellers or adventurers out there that are heading to Chiang Mai, here is my Top 12 (yep, you lucky dog...I added 2 extra!) of Chiang Mai, in no real particular order...
12. Wat Pan Tao
Wat Pan Tao is one of the only teak wood temples in Chiang Mai, and although it's small, it's stunning! The first time I stumbled on this temple, the sun was setting and there was this beautiful golden Buddha nestled in a patch of colourful tulips, surrounded by a koi-filled stream. Many of the travel sites suggest visiting Wat Phra Singh just down the road, but Phra Singh is full of tourists and in my opinion, isn't nearly as beautiful as Wat Pan Tao. Wat Pan Tao is easy to find in the Old City and it's right next to Wat Chedi Luang, another really lovely - and popular - temple (make sure to walk around the back of Chedi Luang!).
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| The beautiful garden of Wat Pan Tao |
11. Warorot Market
Warorot Market is open 24/7 and if you need it, they have it. Seriously. If you need clothes, food, fruit/vegetables, teas, nicknack's, toiletries, furniture, ceramics...really, they have everything. And the best part is? It's the cheapest place in town! You'll find the same clothing and nicknack's at the Night Bazaar and Sunday Walking Street for 3-5 times the price because those markets are chock FULL of tourists asking to get ripped off. Warorot is always crowded with the locals, it's not touristy so you might be stared at, but the place is a bargain hunter's gem!
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| The chaotic and wonderful Warorot Market - this doesn't even convey the size of this market |
10. Food Market at Chiang Mai Gate (or North Gate)
The food in Thailand is just oh-so-amazing and I will take street food over restaurant food any day. Street food tastes better and is a lot cheaper than the latter. There are many street food markets around Chiang Mai, but this one in particular has the Cowboy Hat Lady. I couldn't tell you the name of her stall if I wanted to, but everyone in town knows the Cowboy Hat Lady. Every night she's there making the BEST roasted pork with rice I've ever had. Throw that down with a soft-boiled duck egg and this chili vinaigrette sauce...oh damn, my mouth is watering with memories of that delicious plate of food. What makes it even better? It's less than $1.
Make sure you save room for dessert, though. Just two stalls down from the Cowboy Hat Lady is the stall for beatoey...mouth watering rice pudding balls in warm coconut soup. Hot damn, it's time for a wee vacation to Chiang Mai, methinks!
9. Scootin' the Samoeng Loop
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| Map of the Mae Sa Valley - Samoeng Loop |
Sometimes, you just need to get out of town! It's easy enough to do, just rent yourself a motorbike and hit the road. Once you're out of the city, the Samoeng Loop takes you around Doi Suthep mountain on a peaceful, quiet road. If you drive without any stops, the route will take around 2-3 hours (if I'm remembering correctly...). I, however, made lots of stops and spent a good 5-6 hours enjoying the ride. Stop off at one of the many waterfalls (I enjoyed the Mae Sa waterfall), or the elephant camps, Tiger Kingdom, the monkey show, snake show - all of which I passed up...I'm not a fan of animal exploitation, but if it tickles your fancy, they're all there along the route! It's a beautiful ride, even when going in the height of the pollution season of Chiang Mai, which I don't really recommend because there is a LOT of smoke - try going between April-January. Read more about the Samoeng Loop here.
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| Overlooking the (smokey) Samoeng forest |
8. Lady Boy Cabaret Show - Night Bazaar
Lady Boy's are such an iconic part of Thailand. Thailand is one of those countries that is very open and accepting of anyone's sexuality - take note, Russia! The absolute first Thai that I met was a lady boy...she picked me up from the airport. I had absolutely NO idea that "she" was really a "he". She was absolutely gorgeous and I still find it hard to believe she was a dude. Anyways, I digress. There is a free (when you purchase a tasty beverage) Cabaret Show, every night (save for Sunday) at 9:30pm in the Night Bazaar. Combine glitz, glam, glitter, feather boas, stilettos, with lady boys lip-syncing pop music - like Whitney Houston, songs from Grease, Britney Spears, and you've got yourself a rollin' good time! I guarantee you will laugh your ass off. The lip-syncing is terrible, but that just makes it even better. Also, if you're a dude in the audience, prepare to get some Lady Boy lovin' during the hour long show! You're welcome.
P.S. If you don't want to purchase a tasty beverage, entrance is 200 baht - roughly $6. It's cheaper to buy a drink.
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| Lady Boy's of the Cabaret! |
7. Saturday Walking Street
The Saturday Walking Street is the lesser known sister of the Sunday Walking Street, and much more pleasant in my eyes. It has more or less of the same stuff as the Sunday Walking Street, but it also has more authentic crafty items. It's also along the silversmith's road, so there is a lot more jewelry and silver carvings available. It's not as big as the Sunday Walking Street, but I feel the Sunday market is just repetitive - you see the same things throughout the market. The Saturday Walking street is still quite big and really, it's just more authentic feeling - and cheaper.
P.S. Stop by Wat Srisuphan while there - the Silver Temple!
6. Chiang Mai Women's Prison
Tired from all of your adventures? Need a relaxing, world famous Thai massage? Well then, look no further than the ladies of the women's prison! They will give you the massage of your life! It's a great rehabilitation program for incarcerated women due to be released within 6 months. Read all about getting a prison massage here.
5. Good Morning, Chiang Mai
Craving a damn good American breakfast? Look no further than Good Morning, Chiang Mai. A gorgeous, retro and rustic cafe in the heart of the Old City, which makes you feel like you're out in the middle of the countryside! Enjoy your breakfast or lunch inside, outside, or up in their loft. I would sit there for hours and just read a book and drink coffee. They've had a live band playing a time or two while I was there. And their food? Best damn American breakfast you'll find in Chiang Mai. Might I recommend their buttermilk pancakes and sausage? Holy shit, they will change your life.
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| The pancakes that will change your life. |
4. The Lost Book Shop
Need a new book to read? I recommend the Lost Book Shop - a used book shop (most of them are used in Chiang Mai - at least I don't recall seeing any new book shops) run by this awesome Irish dude. LBS has a great selection of books, and if they don't have what you're looking for, they'll call up their sister book shop, Backstreet Books just down the road. One of the workers there, Joy, is just about as lovely of a person as you can get. I had been looking for months and months for the Game of Thrones series - in ALL of the bookshops around Chiang Mai - when Joy said she would lend me her personal copy of the books. I couldn't believe she would trust a complete, foreign stranger like that! She brought the first book for me the next day and told me to text her when I was done...she would bring the next book for me the day after I messaged her so I could trade them out. She become one of my greatest friends in Chiang Mai. Need a book? Go to the Lost Book Shop.
3. Loi Krathong at Maejo University
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| Lanterns of Loi Krathong |
I saw a beautiful picture of floating lanterns in National Geographic Traveller and decided I needed to see that place for myself. That is what took me to Chiang Mai - Loi Krathong. If you want to experience Loi Krathong, head out to the "big release" of the lanterns at Maejo University - which actually has NOTHING to do with Loi Krathong - a giving-thanks/ask-for-forgiveness-to-the-river/water-gods holiday. Read my full blog about Loi Krathong here.
2. Songkran
A festival I had NO prior knowledge of before going to Chiang Mai. Songkran celebrates the Thai New Year and Chiang Mai is the place to be in Thailand! What starts as a cleaning of the Buddha statues with a sprinkling of water turns into an all-out, city-wide, 5 day water fight! Read about Songkran here. (The photos in that blog really do not convey the madness that is Songkran!)
1. The Bird's Nest Cafe
And finally, the Bird's Nest Cafe! The reason for starting this blog, back to that cup of coffee I was thinking of! The Bird's Nest is another gem of a cafe that I unfortunately only discovered in my last few months in Chiang Mai. It's a hippie'd out organic cafe, that comes with a hammock and great food made from super fresh and organic ingredients! Their food is good (although I prefer Good Morning's buttermilk pancakes), but it was their coffee that kept me coming back for more! Order up the Bird's Nest coffee and your life will change. It's made from an Arabica coffee and blended with four different spices including cardamon, star anise, cinnamon, and (I think) nutmeg and served in a french press. Add some packed brown sugar and milk - coconut if you like - and prepare yourself to be high on coffee! No, really...it's strong! You can easily spend the day just chillin' out, reading, eating, drinking...of which I did, many times! It can be a little difficult to find, check out their website for directions!
Happy Trails!
P.S. If you need a great place to stay, call my friend Stephen and his wife King! I lived in one of their apartment buildings (Sethee Court) for the last 5 months of my time in Thailand...they rent out rooms for daily rates and long-term, and they're AWESOME! Check out their website here.
Friday, November 8, 2013
Siem Reap and Angkor Wat - a photo blog
It's been just over a year since I set foot in, and fell in love with, Cambodia. My friend and I were only in Siem Reap for four days, but it was enough to steal my soul...hook, line, and sinker! Funny thing is, I didn't even want to visit Cambodia - I only went as my friend from home was visiting me in Thailand and wanted to go. (I'm kind of discovering that the countries I really didn't have a desire to visit have ended up being my favourite places - most recently, Japan - maybe that's due to not having any expectations for these places? Hmm...motivation to visit more, methinks!) The four days we spent in Cambodia left me wanting more. I want to know more about these beautiful people who wear heartfelt smiles, and are genuinely friendly - and about their gorgeous country.
Maybe I'll write more about my experience another time - for now, I still want to treasure it for myself - so until then, here's a wee photo blog of my wonderful experience in Siem Reap and Angkor.
If you like my photography, check out my website and what I have for sale with Art for Conservation - Race Photography. I also have a blog about AFC here, although I've added more pieces since writing it.
Also if you're interested, checkout my full blog about the floating village of Kampong Phluk - Rollin' on a River.
Happy Trails!
Maybe I'll write more about my experience another time - for now, I still want to treasure it for myself - so until then, here's a wee photo blog of my wonderful experience in Siem Reap and Angkor.
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| The Original Bat Mobile - Pub Street, Siem Reap ©RacePhotography |
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| Monks walking around the massive complex that is Angkor Wat ©RacePhotography |
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| Angkor Wat silhouette ©RacePhotography |
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| On our way to the faces of Bayon ©RacePhotography |
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| Little tykes in the Bayon ©RacePhotography |
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| One of the many faces of the Bayon ©RacePhotography |
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| One of the many beautiful temples at Angkor ©RacePhotography |
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| Doors in doors in doors ©RacePhotography |
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| Another breath-taking temple of Angkor ©RacePhotography |
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| Taken back by the jungle - Ta Phrom. Just, wow. ©RacePhotography |
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| Angkor Wat ©RacePhotography |
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| Hungry little guy at Angkor Wat ©RacePhotography |
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| Angkor Wat temple carvings ©RacePhotography |
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| A drive through the countryside can give you a unique peek into the lives of the Cambodia people ©RacePhotography |
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| The floating village of Kampong Phluk ©RacePhotography |
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| A curious face in the floating village of Kampong Phluk ©RacePhotography |
If you like my photography, check out my website and what I have for sale with Art for Conservation - Race Photography. I also have a blog about AFC here, although I've added more pieces since writing it.
Also if you're interested, checkout my full blog about the floating village of Kampong Phluk - Rollin' on a River.
Happy Trails!
Saturday, October 12, 2013
A Horse With No Name
I've been on a diet since July. I hopped on the Herbalife train and I'm enjoying it so far. Without being very strict with it, I've lost 12lbs in about two and a half months. I know it would be more if I were more strict, but hey, I fully admit that I'm lazy.
Anyways, my Herbalife nutritionist guy has sort of become my therapist. I visit him every two weeks to check on my progress and stock up on product. Our visits usually last a good hour and half - we just talk about life and he tells me about Korean culture.
The main reason for finally kick starting losing weight was for my ankle. This last month, I've really struggled with what's been going on. I've been to specialists, had X-rays and an MRI, all of which have shown that my ankle was fractured during my accident last year and chronic arthritis is settling in like an unwelcome squatter taking up residence in my bones and joints. Arthritis is a dickhead. The orthopedic surgeon says I need surgery to remove the joint and fuse my bones together, rendering my ankle immobile for the rest of my days and always walk with a limp. For sure I'm getting a second and third opinion because I refuse to believe that in this day and age of technology, that is my only option.
I told this to my Herblife guy and he's such a positive person, he told me this Chinese story of Sae Ong Ji Ma.
"Sae Ong" means "old man" and "Ji Ma" means "the horse belongs", so relatively, Sae Ong Ji Ma means "the horse that belonged to the old man".
Sae Ong Ji Ma
Once there was an old man who owned a strong and powerful horse. One day, the horse was gone, it had run away. The old man's neighbors came to visit and said how sorry they were that the old man lost his horse. The old man replied humbly, saying there was no need to apologize because you never know what will happen.
A few weeks later, the horse returned to the old man, accompanied by a strong female horse. Now the old man had two strong horses. The old man's neighbors came to congratulate him on his new acquisition. The old man replied that there is no need for congratulations because you never know what will happen.
A while after that, the old man's son was riding the new female horse when he fell from the horse. The son broke both of his legs. The old man's neighbors came by to offer their condolences to which the old man replied they weren't necessary because you never know what will happen.
Two years later, there was a war. Many young men fought in the war and lost their lives, but not the old man's son. He couldn't fight in the war because of his injured legs, therefore his life was saved from the war.
The moral of the story is that you shouldn't be too sad when something bad happens and alternatively, not too happy when something good happens. Sae Ong Ji Ma is the Chinese "everything happens for a reason". It demonstrates how life gives us our ups and downs...good things happen, bad things happen, good, bad, good bad...like waves rolling in from the ocean. We just have to go with it and learn.
I apply this to my situation and I know it could be much, much worse. It happened, there's nothing I can do to change that, I can only move forward. Forward is the only way to go!
Happy Onwards and Upwards Trails!
Here's a tune that really has nothing to do with this blog, other than it being about a horse.
Anyways, my Herbalife nutritionist guy has sort of become my therapist. I visit him every two weeks to check on my progress and stock up on product. Our visits usually last a good hour and half - we just talk about life and he tells me about Korean culture.
The main reason for finally kick starting losing weight was for my ankle. This last month, I've really struggled with what's been going on. I've been to specialists, had X-rays and an MRI, all of which have shown that my ankle was fractured during my accident last year and chronic arthritis is settling in like an unwelcome squatter taking up residence in my bones and joints. Arthritis is a dickhead. The orthopedic surgeon says I need surgery to remove the joint and fuse my bones together, rendering my ankle immobile for the rest of my days and always walk with a limp. For sure I'm getting a second and third opinion because I refuse to believe that in this day and age of technology, that is my only option.
I told this to my Herblife guy and he's such a positive person, he told me this Chinese story of Sae Ong Ji Ma.
"Sae Ong" means "old man" and "Ji Ma" means "the horse belongs", so relatively, Sae Ong Ji Ma means "the horse that belonged to the old man".
Sae Ong Ji Ma
Once there was an old man who owned a strong and powerful horse. One day, the horse was gone, it had run away. The old man's neighbors came to visit and said how sorry they were that the old man lost his horse. The old man replied humbly, saying there was no need to apologize because you never know what will happen.
A few weeks later, the horse returned to the old man, accompanied by a strong female horse. Now the old man had two strong horses. The old man's neighbors came to congratulate him on his new acquisition. The old man replied that there is no need for congratulations because you never know what will happen.
A while after that, the old man's son was riding the new female horse when he fell from the horse. The son broke both of his legs. The old man's neighbors came by to offer their condolences to which the old man replied they weren't necessary because you never know what will happen.
Two years later, there was a war. Many young men fought in the war and lost their lives, but not the old man's son. He couldn't fight in the war because of his injured legs, therefore his life was saved from the war.
The moral of the story is that you shouldn't be too sad when something bad happens and alternatively, not too happy when something good happens. Sae Ong Ji Ma is the Chinese "everything happens for a reason". It demonstrates how life gives us our ups and downs...good things happen, bad things happen, good, bad, good bad...like waves rolling in from the ocean. We just have to go with it and learn.
I apply this to my situation and I know it could be much, much worse. It happened, there's nothing I can do to change that, I can only move forward. Forward is the only way to go!
Happy Onwards and Upwards Trails!
Here's a tune that really has nothing to do with this blog, other than it being about a horse.
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