Load Shedding

In Nepal, the power shuts off at scheduled intervals and everyone breaks out candles or solar powered flashlights. The poetically bureaucratic name for this is "load shedding". It's the halfway point of my journey and things have started to go a bit pear-shaped so I'm letting this place teach me how to shed my load. As my condo in Seattle falls apart at the seams, bouts of tummy troubles set in, and the belongings in my bag become more and more shabby, my inclination is to retreat into meditation. I generally resist any sort of new age nonsense but it's just part of the buddhist-hindu-all love program. The plan is to start a 10-day Vipassana course on April 15th in Lumbini and I will be spending the interim trying to come up with a valid reason to back out of it.

I'm reminded of Seattle every day here since most of my fellow travelers look like they just stepped out of an REI store. I feel guilty about the fact that I don't truly enjoy trekking or camping and yet here I am, at the epicenter of all of that summit-seeking and treehugging.

I was quite excited to break out my long-neglected fleece jacket our first cold night in Kathmandu. I hunkered down under the duvet and tried to ignore the sound of rats scurrying in our walls. The sunny but still mild days were perfect for wandering the narrow and winding streets of Thamel, trying to avoid being mowed down by various modes of transit from rickshaws to giant Land Rovers. We met a sweet kid named Max from Salisbury and a brooding photographer named Viktor from Budapest. Both of them had lots of traveler wisdom to share. We also met up with Kenna's friend Beth, who lives in Nepal for part of the year. She's the real deal, giving herself entirely to the cause of improving the quality of life for Nepalese children.

In Pokhara, I'm settling into a mellow routine. The fact that my bathroom has the odd cockroach and a cold shower is bothersome but totally acceptable for $6 per night.* I've been helping out at a preschool, painting a hilarious acid trip mural in the traditional Nepalese colors. I also did the little pictures that accompany the English alphabet (Jug for J, Orange for O, Yak for Y, etc.)

Strong winds blow through town every afternoon, signaling the arrival of dramatic thunderstorms and pummeling rain. They amplify the tension in the air surrounding the upcoming Constituent Assembly elections. We can't get a consensus on whether or not there will be widespread violence relating to this historic event but it seems quite likely. There are a couple of UN election monitoring fellas staying at our hotel, which is both reassuring and not.

I had a traditional Salwar Kameez garment custom sewn for me (much giggling from the seamstress when my measurements were taken). It's a knee-length tunic with short sleeves and side slits up to the hips. MC Hammer-style pants are worn underneath and a shawl or scarf completes the look. I went to pick it up during an afternoon thunderstorm and there were no lights inside the tiny shop. I wriggled into the snug fitting top and modeled it for the shopkeeper and his wife. "Ah, very beautiful" and then after a bright flash of lightning, "The environment is taking your photo".

I love it here.

Pokhara Photos

Kathmandu Photos

* Side Note: If you're ever in Pokhara, I highly recommend a corner room at the Hotel Gorkha Li Dee. The staff is super nice and I'm sure they will have fixed the pest/water issues by then.

Nitrogen Shots

10 meters = 1 shot
20 meters = 2 shots
30 meters = 3 shots

I'm normally more of a watered-down vodka drink kinda girl but I do love the nitrogen narcosis. In case you're unmoved by being able to swim through underwater canyons and hover over anemones filled with clownfish, the happy gas in your body creates a mild giddiness similar to alcohol intoxication.

I recognize that a person in love can be extremely tedious so I won't say much more about the diving. But try it. You'll like it. I promise.


We headed out from Khao Lak to the Similan Islands on a liveaboard boat called the Amarpon. This is the most famous dive site in Thailand and it certainly lived up to its reputation. Although we didn't encounter any whale sharks or manta rays, we did see multitudes of moray eels, lionfish, and stingrays. The fan corals and underwater statues of the Chinese zodiac gave the place a distinctly Asian flavor.

The next stop in our Andaman adventure was Railay beach, a place where people get really baked and then free climb above shallow lagoons. Those people are not me - I just watched in mild horror from the safety of my sea kayak. We indulged in some serious beach time in preparation for our next few weeks (or months?) of crazy travel in Nepal and India.

The last night in southern Thailand was spent in Phuket Town, which is pretty great. It's just a regular Thai city with few tourists and lots of bedraggled sino-portuguese buildings. Most of my time was spent at the Thai Airways office getting my new routing to Kathmandu sorted out. Um, TOTAL nightmare. If you're considering a RTW ticket and you have any plans to change your plans, I strongly suggest using a travel agent. Altering a Star Alliance ticket is an extremely unpleasant business.

And speaking of unpleasant, I'm considering doing a 10-day Vipassana course in Nepal. Silent meditation beginning at 4:30 am. No talking. No touching. No slouching. No meat. No coffee.

So that should be pretty fun.

More Southern Thailand Photos

Mahout 101

Riding an elephant is like riding a very tall and hairy massage chair. The neck muscles (tendons?) of the mighty creature undulate beneath your bottom making it tricky to stay upright. There's no bridle of any kind so you just rest your hands on the head, which is covered in coarse hairs. The commands of "Pai! (Go)" or "Hau! (Stop)" are largely unnoticed when uttered by a novice girl Mahout from Bellingham. You place bent knees on the tops of the giant ears, which cover your legs and regularly flap to and fro. Deep breathing is not recommended because the potent odor is the secondary reason an elephant will never be considered stealthy.

Our time in Laos was too short and just involved a visit to the lovely town of Luang Prabang and a nearby elephant camp. No shortage of monks or hippie backpackers in LP in case anyone happens to be running low. The town has old colonial buildings and a temple down every side street. Wonderfully mellow vendors sell local crafts (mostly textiles) on cobbled roads decorated with little white lights. The power kept going out, contributing to the sleepy vibe of the place.

We did a cooking course through the Tamarind Cafe which included a trip to the local produce market. I've never been particularly squeamish about exotic foods but the baggies of bile, fly-ridden slabs of pig parts, and congealed blood made me eternally grateful for my local QFC. We prepared sticky rice, Lao-style salsa, fish steamed in banana leaves, lemongrass-wrapped fried chicken, and laap with buffalo meat. All the prep work was done with fingers, knives and a giant mortar and pestle. I somehow managed to survive the day with only a mild burn on my thumb from a ferociously hot tea glass.

It was seductively pleasant in Laos and I'd love to go back for an extended stay but the reefs of southern Thailand were shouting my name.

Lots More Photos

Get Yer Bayon

Sunrise
It was the beginning of the third month of our trip. We had heard that the sunrise at Angkor Wat was choked with people but decided to brave it. When we showed up at 6 am there were indeed a gazillion tourists lining every balustrade and the reflecting lake in front was particularly popular.

I briefly mingled with the hoi polloi and then decided to check out the inner courtyard area. Susan and Kenna were already back there and we had the entire place to ourselves. It was odd but I guess everyone just wants to get "the shot" of the sun coming up over the three towers.

After the sunrise, we ziggied over to Bayon temple in Angkor Thom. It's famous for the giant faces carved into its towers. Even though several fellow travelers had told us we'd be blown away by it, I was completely unprepared for the effect it had on me. I must have circled the upper terrace fifteen times just gaping up at the beatific profiles. I actually wept at one point when I peeked my head in a dark passageway and saw a small shrine with candles and golden sunlight shining through the ancient stone doorways. Incredible. Go there now before they turn it into a full blown amusement park.

Our next stop was a jungle temple about an hour from Siem Reap. I loved it almost as much as Bayon - remote, empty, charmingly decrepit and strangled with tree roots.

I was already well impressed with Cambodia but then we went to a very cool artisan center and the floating village, Ton Le Sap. There was an interesting contrast between these two major tourist attractions. The former is rather posh with well-scrubbed craftspeople making lacquer bowls and carving delicate wooden figurines. The latter is a dramatic illustration of survival in a tenuous environment. You drift by homes, schools, churches, and even a basketball court, peering with curiosity at the inhabitants of this very damp world.

Sunset
Fiji had nice beaches, New Zealand had dramatic scenery, Australia had the Great Barrier Reef, Indonesia had Mie Goreng, Singapore and Bangkok had great people watching but Cambodia was the highlight of my trip so far.

More Photos

The Pearls Ain't Free

And socks ain't cheap. It turns out that people in SE Asia generally prefer to go sockless. I spent a good portion of one of my three days in Bangkok searching in vain for a thin, moisture-wicking pair and finally ended up buying them at the airport on the way out of town (and almost left my passport at the counter - oops).

I also checked out some temples, ate some Tom Yum (because, YUM!), cruised the river, and inhaled several ounces of delicious smog.

We added an honorary ho to our crew: Lori, an old friend of Kenna's from Philly, met up with us at the airport. She recovered quickly from her long flight and we all tooled around the dazzling and smelly red light district near our hotel.

As luck would have it, my dad and stepmom were on the Bangkok segment of their West to East round the world journey so Susan and I met up with them at their fancy shmancy, peacock-infested hotel. We had a mellow afternoon by the pool avoiding the congestion and chaos of the city. I didn't feel guilty about it since February 29th is basically a bonus day.

I enjoyed Wat Phra Kaew (missed it last time around because of my poor sense of direction) but the emerald buddha was a letdown. He's tiny, like the Mona Lisa, and wearing a gold chain mail overcoat which hides most of his emerald-ness. It's only 95 degrees so I guess the little guy gets chilly.

Suksma for the Mie Goreng

Suksma = thank you in Bali. Mie Goreng is basically Top Ramen noodles in a savory sauce with veggies, chicken or seafood, and a fried egg on top. Best when served with a cold beer and prawn crackers. I had it every single day in Indonesia.

The monkey forest certainly lived up to its name. It was lousy with the little banana eaters.

We spent a few days in Ubud, of Eat, Pray, Love fame. Our first hotel was called Ketut's Place but the manager was a grumpy lady, not a wizened medicine man. It had lovely grounds but there was a huge swarm of bees right outside our door.

Most of our time was spent trudging up and down Monkey Forest road dodging the constant offers of transport and knick knacks. I tried to purchase a sarong but none of them were worth the precious space in my tiny suitcase. The ones I liked were deemed "mannish" by Kenna and Susan and the ones in the fabric I wanted were covered in geckos or hot pink hibiscus flowers. Yuck. Such are the tribulations of a full-time wanderer.

Despite our negative feelings towards "programs" (see Kenna's blog post re: Yoga and the terrible night in Senaru), we tried again with a Temples n' Rice Paddies driving tour up to Lovina. It was much better, despite the wet weather. I really enjoyed the Ulun Danu temple on the lake, especially the bit where I hung out and watched CSI with all the drivers.

Our last few days in Bali were spent at the beaches in Lovina and Sanur. Not much excitement there other than a cremation ceremony, some decent snorkeling, and a night spent pool sharking and quoting Streets lyrics after too many Bintangs.

While we were enjoying a sunset dip in our Lovina hotel pool, we met some nice Brits who gave us great travel tips for India. It was totally worth the seven mosquito bites. On my face.

More Indonesia Photos (New Ones at the Bottom)