Man I hate it when things don't publish properly.
After making my goodbyes to all the staff that have cared for and fed me (this lamb stew, man alive!!!!!!!!!!!) in the Cameron Highlands I made my way to the island of Penang and Georgetown. Because Penang is an island and the bus companies sell tickets to it but also to Butterworth and other places on the mainland after a certain toll gate there is a horse trade that goes on in passengers. Buses stop and the drivers try to homogenize their loads.
I find the whole thing kind of funny, and today I had to switch buses, I was traded for an old lady, good deal for both sides I think. My new bus mus have been the plushest I have ever seen, unfortunately 40 minutes did not allow for full enjoyment. (No washroom though, odd).
I have a train ticket to Bangkok leaving at 220PM tomorrow so my next ommunique will be from there. Bet you can't wait!
I think the postings I did today were quite coherent, good for me! (except maybe this last one, but I had to rewrite it so you can forgive me)
Tuesday, March 29, 2005
This one really needs more thought
I'm just writing this so I don't forget later, but I really need to write some serious stuff on different kinds of travellers. Early on in my trip I was critical of various people for the way they travelled. Evetually I realized travel is what it is and different people do it in different ways. Everyone wants something different out of it and there is no right or wrong way.
That doesn't mean I can't laugh or shake my head at some people of course.
There's a certain traveller romance that I tend towards, one of eating like a local, low budget, learn the language and travel light. I have achieved some of this, and failed miserably elsewhere. BUt there are so many different types. I didn't consider a CD player and yet people have MP3 players, CDs, even a few portable DVD players. Lately I've come acros quite a few people travelling around with laptops. Backp[acks and all that but buried deep in their pack they have thousands worth of electronics. Hopefully if a thief has the choice between that and my smelly socks he makes the right choice, and leaves both our bags alone.
Something to think about to be sure.
And there is something strangely off about a full blown hippy, with bare feet and craazy huge dreadlocks, carrying a brand new briught yellow lonely Planet guidebook. Hippies are supposed to go with the flow. RIght? WHo knows anymore.
That doesn't mean I can't laugh or shake my head at some people of course.
There's a certain traveller romance that I tend towards, one of eating like a local, low budget, learn the language and travel light. I have achieved some of this, and failed miserably elsewhere. BUt there are so many different types. I didn't consider a CD player and yet people have MP3 players, CDs, even a few portable DVD players. Lately I've come acros quite a few people travelling around with laptops. Backp[acks and all that but buried deep in their pack they have thousands worth of electronics. Hopefully if a thief has the choice between that and my smelly socks he makes the right choice, and leaves both our bags alone.
Something to think about to be sure.
And there is something strangely off about a full blown hippy, with bare feet and craazy huge dreadlocks, carrying a brand new briught yellow lonely Planet guidebook. Hippies are supposed to go with the flow. RIght? WHo knows anymore.
sandal tans, spiders and tiny bananas
I found the tiniest banana ever in a bunch I bought the other day. Perfectly formed but only a few inches long. Unfortunately before I thought to take a picture I'd already eaten it. Tasted like a full sized one.
I was looking at this cool spider web last night and trying to get a moth to fly into it when another one did. POW! That spider was on him like nobody's business. It's one thing to see it on the TV but watching him/her lay into the moth upclose and personal was something else.
I hjave been wearing my sandals pretty much non stop for teh past 5 months (except for a few treks or when I was up a mountain and it was cold). The result is a sandal tan that is so firmly in place....well it's pretty ridiculous. I don't know why any of this interests you, and if it doesn't skip this, but I was sitting an writing the other day then later I noted the white part of my foot had turned red. Eventually I clued in my one foot was in the sun under the table and had only burned the part that hadn't been exposed to much sun in months. It's like I'm part chamaeleon, part zebra and ALL JAMES! Yah! I'm a nerd.
I was looking at this cool spider web last night and trying to get a moth to fly into it when another one did. POW! That spider was on him like nobody's business. It's one thing to see it on the TV but watching him/her lay into the moth upclose and personal was something else.
I hjave been wearing my sandals pretty much non stop for teh past 5 months (except for a few treks or when I was up a mountain and it was cold). The result is a sandal tan that is so firmly in place....well it's pretty ridiculous. I don't know why any of this interests you, and if it doesn't skip this, but I was sitting an writing the other day then later I noted the white part of my foot had turned red. Eventually I clued in my one foot was in the sun under the table and had only burned the part that hadn't been exposed to much sun in months. It's like I'm part chamaeleon, part zebra and ALL JAMES! Yah! I'm a nerd.
Modernity and socializing
I have been a mmuch more personable person on this trip, at certain points. I noticed while I was in Indonesia I was the most social and outgoing. This was also the time when I was in the most self perceived danger. (Just me worrying about this that and the opther thing).
It got me thinking though, and I'm sure others have formed this better than I am about to, but so be it...early stages. Modernity allows people to be anti social brutes. Back in the cave man days you needed all your friends if you were going to bring down that wooly mammoth for supper. Now, no one is needed so people can fall back into their hidy holes and never come out.
Hmmm, I thought I had more there, oh well.
I noticed when I got back to Malaysia I fell back into less talking. I'm still doing alright and socializing but not to the same degree as I was in INdonesia. Malaysia is much easier to get around, with so much English spoken, and there isn't the same urge to find protection. Also the numbers of travellers are larger...maybe that makes it easier to hide.
In Bangkok, especially Khao San Road, there are sooo many travellers I wouldn't know where to begin as far as making friends. The guesthouses just don't have the same a shelter from the real worlds outside. The whole khao san area is a shelter from the real Bangkok and it's tough to make the personal connections.
One of many long winded essays to consider in the next while
It got me thinking though, and I'm sure others have formed this better than I am about to, but so be it...early stages. Modernity allows people to be anti social brutes. Back in the cave man days you needed all your friends if you were going to bring down that wooly mammoth for supper. Now, no one is needed so people can fall back into their hidy holes and never come out.
Hmmm, I thought I had more there, oh well.
I noticed when I got back to Malaysia I fell back into less talking. I'm still doing alright and socializing but not to the same degree as I was in INdonesia. Malaysia is much easier to get around, with so much English spoken, and there isn't the same urge to find protection. Also the numbers of travellers are larger...maybe that makes it easier to hide.
In Bangkok, especially Khao San Road, there are sooo many travellers I wouldn't know where to begin as far as making friends. The guesthouses just don't have the same a shelter from the real worlds outside. The whole khao san area is a shelter from the real Bangkok and it's tough to make the personal connections.
One of many long winded essays to consider in the next while
Big Fish
If you have not yet seen this movie, I highly reccomend it. I saw it in Kingston and enjoyed it and I saw it last night and still enjoyed it. Great for all ages (younger people may need a bit of patience).
Rent it!
Rent it!
OKay, I'm okay
I felt this earthquake. I was awake at just after midnight local time and suddenly I was wondering why I was rocking. I checked under the bed and there were no large rodents or anything like that so I figured earthquake, and the next day (today) on the news I was right. Hopefully the earth will decide it's shaken Aceh enough and move off to somewhere else. Somewhere else that is preferably unpopulated.
This trip has really shown me some interesting what ifs. For instance I usually am not awake at midnight, but some people were being loud outside the dorm. I wasn't mad at them, I'm all zen these days, or at least I try to be, and it turns out they (and my head cold) kept me awake to feel my first earthquake. Also when I moved into my bed I was trying to decide to take the one I took whose joints were a bit loose, or a more solid one. Again, why pick loosy goosey? WHo knows but on my last night in the Cameron Highlands it all became apparent.
This trip has really shown me some interesting what ifs. For instance I usually am not awake at midnight, but some people were being loud outside the dorm. I wasn't mad at them, I'm all zen these days, or at least I try to be, and it turns out they (and my head cold) kept me awake to feel my first earthquake. Also when I moved into my bed I was trying to decide to take the one I took whose joints were a bit loose, or a more solid one. Again, why pick loosy goosey? WHo knows but on my last night in the Cameron Highlands it all became apparent.
Tuesday, March 22, 2005
yep
I just noticed I used "ding dong" in two recent titles.
It has been a long strange journey.
And that's my excuse.
It has been a long strange journey.
And that's my excuse.
To the man who left a comment
AS far as playing in Hong Kong. That is one of the very good reasons I am interested in returning there for some time. The rugby is ridiculously well organized and looks like a grand time for all. However, for the time being I will not be playing in Hong Kong and will be back in Canada at the start of April.
Sorry once again for my confusing ramblings.
Don't know what I'll be getting up to over the next few days. A few walks and hopefully a lot of writing. Not much you folks would want to read so I'll save my internet pennies for the next little while.
Goodnight folks!
Sorry once again for my confusing ramblings.
Don't know what I'll be getting up to over the next few days. A few walks and hopefully a lot of writing. Not much you folks would want to read so I'll save my internet pennies for the next little while.
Goodnight folks!
And now
Flew back on Cathay...no chocolate bar but they gave me lots of rolls and butter. MMMMMM that'll get a body bloated.
Then one night in KL, after asking at the airport if they had a lost and found...the lady was pretty useless so I figured I'd let the watch and watch band go. The watch band had been my keen army one with McRae 796 still written on the back. Oh well.
But this makes me think.
WHat is with information counters around these parts? Hong Kong's people at the tourneys always looked lost whenever I asked them something. "Are there Canada jerseys anywhere? I looked at the souvenier stand but none there." "The souvenier stand". Then at the airport, lost and found, and she pointed me towards the Malaysian Airlines luggage office. Maybe she just didn't know, or maybe that's a Malaysian idea of keeping customers happy.
I'm sure part of it is language and all that, but I feel there's also a certain level of not quite on the ball as far as customer relations go. Oh well. Maybe that's why Cathay was great. The customer is always right, even when the customer is a schmuck like me.
SO then I bought my train ticket to Bangkok, and I leave on that in one week. Until then I'm hunkered down in the Cameron Highlands once again. Felt a little warmer this time and the smells were a little more lovely. Last night upon having a 1AM stroll because I'd been woken by something it was very much a camping in Algonquin or at the cottage night smell. That's part of why I love it here so much, the smells remind me of all sorts of good things.
VERY VERY pleased that I have a train ticket booked all the way to Bangkok. Did it cost a bit more? Don't know, but I've come to realize $10 is a small price to pay for state of mind. But for about $37US in a sleeper on a 21 hour train ride....I don't feel ripped off.
Then one night in KL, after asking at the airport if they had a lost and found...the lady was pretty useless so I figured I'd let the watch and watch band go. The watch band had been my keen army one with McRae 796 still written on the back. Oh well.
But this makes me think.
WHat is with information counters around these parts? Hong Kong's people at the tourneys always looked lost whenever I asked them something. "Are there Canada jerseys anywhere? I looked at the souvenier stand but none there." "The souvenier stand". Then at the airport, lost and found, and she pointed me towards the Malaysian Airlines luggage office. Maybe she just didn't know, or maybe that's a Malaysian idea of keeping customers happy.
I'm sure part of it is language and all that, but I feel there's also a certain level of not quite on the ball as far as customer relations go. Oh well. Maybe that's why Cathay was great. The customer is always right, even when the customer is a schmuck like me.
SO then I bought my train ticket to Bangkok, and I leave on that in one week. Until then I'm hunkered down in the Cameron Highlands once again. Felt a little warmer this time and the smells were a little more lovely. Last night upon having a 1AM stroll because I'd been woken by something it was very much a camping in Algonquin or at the cottage night smell. That's part of why I love it here so much, the smells remind me of all sorts of good things.
VERY VERY pleased that I have a train ticket booked all the way to Bangkok. Did it cost a bit more? Don't know, but I've come to realize $10 is a small price to pay for state of mind. But for about $37US in a sleeper on a 21 hour train ride....I don't feel ripped off.
Bits and bobs
My first day at the tourney I happened to be sitting near some Canadians. A visiting brother and his sister who had been recruited to Hing Kong 3 years before to teach yoga. Later in the day I also met the hubby and daughter. ANyway, they were a valuable resource on Hong Kong and where I got much of the information on previous tournaments etc etc.
The security guards. The sorriest bunch of security guards I've ever seens. Frail and not quite there people, men and women (out of shape, older etc.) that sat on their little stools staring at the crowd, not even flinching when things came close to them. I didn't see one do anything. There were some supervisors wandering who seemed to do things but that was it. The reason I mention them is they are symblomatic of something prevalent in Hong Kong, little people who think they have a big job. They take it very seriously and they DO NOT bend for anything. Most were too lazy but as I said the supervisors took this attitude to the extreme. Some inflatable toy bounces into their realm and BANGO! they snatch and the look I see on their face, like taking pleasure in stealing a child's favourite toy (a good analogy for drunk rugby fans).
Hong Kong is an expat centre without a doubt. Chinese things are around, but on the island most of the set up is for expats. Bars and pubs and restaurants all just like home. I think the whole sevens tournament is there as an excuse to invite other white folks over for a visit. Or at least originally. Pretty cool though, and once that whole school thing is out of the way maybe I'll have a look at Hong Kong for a job (teaching English or something) over Japan. It's a place that undoubtedly needs to be lived in to get a clue, like so many others no doubt.
It's kinda like Singapore but withan edge, and more road level pollution (good and bad respectively).
I'm losing my focus here.
Hong Kong, intereing. There are lots of explores within the SAR (HAHAHAHA Special Administrative Region) many of which I didn't get to. There's a giant Buddha walk I could have done, and on that same island (Lantau Hing Kong's biggest) they are currently building a new Disney Land. Yahoo! I guess they're looking for the Chinese market.
Again, since my thoughts are so muddled I'll tell you when I talk to you, or you can ask specific questions.
The security guards. The sorriest bunch of security guards I've ever seens. Frail and not quite there people, men and women (out of shape, older etc.) that sat on their little stools staring at the crowd, not even flinching when things came close to them. I didn't see one do anything. There were some supervisors wandering who seemed to do things but that was it. The reason I mention them is they are symblomatic of something prevalent in Hong Kong, little people who think they have a big job. They take it very seriously and they DO NOT bend for anything. Most were too lazy but as I said the supervisors took this attitude to the extreme. Some inflatable toy bounces into their realm and BANGO! they snatch and the look I see on their face, like taking pleasure in stealing a child's favourite toy (a good analogy for drunk rugby fans).
Hong Kong is an expat centre without a doubt. Chinese things are around, but on the island most of the set up is for expats. Bars and pubs and restaurants all just like home. I think the whole sevens tournament is there as an excuse to invite other white folks over for a visit. Or at least originally. Pretty cool though, and once that whole school thing is out of the way maybe I'll have a look at Hong Kong for a job (teaching English or something) over Japan. It's a place that undoubtedly needs to be lived in to get a clue, like so many others no doubt.
It's kinda like Singapore but withan edge, and more road level pollution (good and bad respectively).
I'm losing my focus here.
Hong Kong, intereing. There are lots of explores within the SAR (HAHAHAHA Special Administrative Region) many of which I didn't get to. There's a giant Buddha walk I could have done, and on that same island (Lantau Hing Kong's biggest) they are currently building a new Disney Land. Yahoo! I guess they're looking for the Chinese market.
Again, since my thoughts are so muddled I'll tell you when I talk to you, or you can ask specific questions.
Jersey
I'm at the tourney, I'm for Canada I think I'll get a jersey. It would have cost a chunk but figured it'd be worth it. Of course it turned out it was impossible. previous years teh tournament sold all team jerseys, this year it was only World Cup merchandise and Hong Kong jerseys. Not terribly logical but maybe it was to remain impartial as the "World CUp" no idea. But wait. I was told of a rugby store in Stanley, on the other side of the island. I get on a bus, go through a mountain to Stanley, and the geniuses running the store had decided this would be a good time for renovations. Hmmmm.
When I was outside the store for all of one minute I saw three groups walk up specifically looking for the store. Oh well, I'm not their business manager.
Then I had to decide whether I should get a world cup jersey or something. After much soul searching I decided the only reason for the shirt was so people would know I'd been and I could tell them just as easily. I bought a toque because I lost mine earleir on in the journey and it was cheaper.
Oh the tortuous life I lead. The best way to make decisions on things like those jerseys is to put it off, eventually they only have sizes xxs-s available and the dedcision has been made for me. Some of you might ask, what about xxxxl won't there be that end of the spectrum available??? At a rugby tourney with a bunch of former prop forwards walking around??? I don't think so.
When I was outside the store for all of one minute I saw three groups walk up specifically looking for the store. Oh well, I'm not their business manager.
Then I had to decide whether I should get a world cup jersey or something. After much soul searching I decided the only reason for the shirt was so people would know I'd been and I could tell them just as easily. I bought a toque because I lost mine earleir on in the journey and it was cheaper.
Oh the tortuous life I lead. The best way to make decisions on things like those jerseys is to put it off, eventually they only have sizes xxs-s available and the dedcision has been made for me. Some of you might ask, what about xxxxl won't there be that end of the spectrum available??? At a rugby tourney with a bunch of former prop forwards walking around??? I don't think so.
Canada's efforts
Started out great with a blow out of Hong Kong, but then we just didn't perform to expectations. It's very frustrating to watch the same pattern happen, game after game. Against a good team or one we should beat we start well. We look good and like we know what we're doing. But we always seem to have one mistake, generally one that takes what is a glorious scoring chance away from us. Then we start thinking about the mistake and bing bang boom, the score is way gone.
We made it to the bowl final (the bracket for teh losers after teh round robin) but lost to Italy in that. Oh well. If I can see what the problems are and teh coach seemed to be steamed and aware of it I'm sure it will be sorted out eventually. I don't want to have to lace 'em up and show how it's done but if I have too....
Did I mention I bumped into some of the team a couple days before the tourney started? Well I wished them luck, but I guess it only lasted the first game.
We made it to the bowl final (the bracket for teh losers after teh round robin) but lost to Italy in that. Oh well. If I can see what the problems are and teh coach seemed to be steamed and aware of it I'm sure it will be sorted out eventually. I don't want to have to lace 'em up and show how it's done but if I have too....
Did I mention I bumped into some of the team a couple days before the tourney started? Well I wished them luck, but I guess it only lasted the first game.
The tourney
The Hong Kong Sevens, an international and annual tournament which this year was also the World Cup. My first ever international sporting event. Tonnes of fun, but I feel not neccessarily a good example of an international tournament.
The reason I say this is the party atmosphere is a touch more prevelant in this tourney. Although it's a world cup, the whole thing only takes 3 days, because games are only 14 minutes long. It's a boom boom boom scenario and to tell yourself you're going to watch every game intently is a lie (or you're insane). You need food and washroom, and a lot of people suplement that with beer.
I came prepared with lots of snacks (and snuck in pop top tins of baked beans although cans are banned) so I wouldn't have to pay any of the exorbitant (expensive) food prices. And fruit and stuff too, but that apparently isn't banned. Why ban such things? Well this tournament has a tendency to encourage the throwing of items on the field from what I was told and heard. The corporate sponsors give out little soft rugby balls and various sift edged flying discs, not to mention various giant inflatable things that bounce around the crowds. These sometimes intentionally sometimes by chance make the field. Usually not aimed at players, but more likely the weiner security guards (more on them later). My personal fave things that were flying around the stadium though were the paper airplanes. People were refining designs over the course of teh tourney and it was fun to watch them float down from the upper decks, or sometimes dive straight into the fans below. If a game was particularly boring and a plane made it particularly far the fans would give a round of applause for its efforts.
From what I read in the paper this tourney was a bit tamer than most. Probably because it was the world cup. The "south stand" where the party is really supposed to be centred was apparently tamer, and the corporate boxes apparently had more of an exclusivity to them. Not that I was even allowed to go up the special escalator which gives access to the corporate areas. Thos guys gave out tonnes of swag though. There is nothing more frustratiing than watching people emerge with FREE rugby jerseys and scarves. I mean they're rich and important and therefor in the box, they don't need mopre free stuff. If I could have actually gotten a few jerseys I could wear them to practice in, not tshirts that risk being getting torn asunder at a moments notcie. Ah well. Some people didn't even get to go to the tourney so why do I complain.
Definitely a lot of fun had by all. But the tournament is very much an expat thing that some of the Chinese resdients take part in.
The reason I say this is the party atmosphere is a touch more prevelant in this tourney. Although it's a world cup, the whole thing only takes 3 days, because games are only 14 minutes long. It's a boom boom boom scenario and to tell yourself you're going to watch every game intently is a lie (or you're insane). You need food and washroom, and a lot of people suplement that with beer.
I came prepared with lots of snacks (and snuck in pop top tins of baked beans although cans are banned) so I wouldn't have to pay any of the exorbitant (expensive) food prices. And fruit and stuff too, but that apparently isn't banned. Why ban such things? Well this tournament has a tendency to encourage the throwing of items on the field from what I was told and heard. The corporate sponsors give out little soft rugby balls and various sift edged flying discs, not to mention various giant inflatable things that bounce around the crowds. These sometimes intentionally sometimes by chance make the field. Usually not aimed at players, but more likely the weiner security guards (more on them later). My personal fave things that were flying around the stadium though were the paper airplanes. People were refining designs over the course of teh tourney and it was fun to watch them float down from the upper decks, or sometimes dive straight into the fans below. If a game was particularly boring and a plane made it particularly far the fans would give a round of applause for its efforts.
From what I read in the paper this tourney was a bit tamer than most. Probably because it was the world cup. The "south stand" where the party is really supposed to be centred was apparently tamer, and the corporate boxes apparently had more of an exclusivity to them. Not that I was even allowed to go up the special escalator which gives access to the corporate areas. Thos guys gave out tonnes of swag though. There is nothing more frustratiing than watching people emerge with FREE rugby jerseys and scarves. I mean they're rich and important and therefor in the box, they don't need mopre free stuff. If I could have actually gotten a few jerseys I could wear them to practice in, not tshirts that risk being getting torn asunder at a moments notcie. Ah well. Some people didn't even get to go to the tourney so why do I complain.
Definitely a lot of fun had by all. But the tournament is very much an expat thing that some of the Chinese resdients take part in.
ding dong Hong Kong (heh heh that rhymed)
These blog things are getting to be such a chore. Wouldn't it be more fun if I just disappeared? No? Okay. I'll keep going.
Saw various sights in Hong Kong. Went up THe Peak again because it was sunny the day after my last post. Had to get that picture you know. Also went around Kowloon, the place right across the water from Victoria Island, and saw some neat things. I really like the markets they set up. It's a mall but in tents along the street. The bird market however is a little different. This particular bird market is in a park made especially for it. They sell birds and cages and all that jazz of course, but some people bring their birds to the park, just to take 'em for a walk and hang out with other birdies. I think they have singoffs some times but I didn't see any. Very pretty birds though. ANd all their dishes are like the blue and white porcelain one normally associates with China, but in ministuire for the birds. The fish market, and all its fish in plastic bags wasn't quite as cool. They didn't sing as well. The markets for fish and flowers and some other stuff are just clusters of stores along streets, all selling the same thing. At least you know where to go when you need something.
For some strange reason I really enjoyed the wholsale fruit market. Didn't buy a crate of oranges or anything like that, but it was cool.
I did various other things in Hong Kong and enjoyed a great Chinese restaurant I found night after night. Even tried to stick with vegetarianism as much as I could. But it's tough, salads stink, and one of the reasons I stuck with this Chinese place is because it had various delicious veggie options in LARGE quantities. I'm still eating meat, but if there's a viable veggie option I try to go with that.
I haven't been eating a lot of pasta dishes, instead I find rice is the ideal thing to go down with the veggies, just to make sure you feel full.
But back to Hong Kong. My sign off comment about British engineering a few days ago...the place is undoubtedly British and feels Vancouvery too. Probably because they're BOTH BRITISH! Genius. The trams and roads wedged in here and there between mountain and water are just great. When I went to Stanley on the ther side of the island, the narrow streets, and grocery stores in old buidlings gave me the Britain feel. Vancouver received its thoughts (maybe North and West V.) from the roads wedge between mountain and ocean and the beaches here and there. I know I'm not making too much sense but thems the breaks. I'm actually writing this paragraph after writing the rest of this entry and all the others so I'm a little mentally fatigued, or something.
Saw various sights in Hong Kong. Went up THe Peak again because it was sunny the day after my last post. Had to get that picture you know. Also went around Kowloon, the place right across the water from Victoria Island, and saw some neat things. I really like the markets they set up. It's a mall but in tents along the street. The bird market however is a little different. This particular bird market is in a park made especially for it. They sell birds and cages and all that jazz of course, but some people bring their birds to the park, just to take 'em for a walk and hang out with other birdies. I think they have singoffs some times but I didn't see any. Very pretty birds though. ANd all their dishes are like the blue and white porcelain one normally associates with China, but in ministuire for the birds. The fish market, and all its fish in plastic bags wasn't quite as cool. They didn't sing as well. The markets for fish and flowers and some other stuff are just clusters of stores along streets, all selling the same thing. At least you know where to go when you need something.
For some strange reason I really enjoyed the wholsale fruit market. Didn't buy a crate of oranges or anything like that, but it was cool.
I did various other things in Hong Kong and enjoyed a great Chinese restaurant I found night after night. Even tried to stick with vegetarianism as much as I could. But it's tough, salads stink, and one of the reasons I stuck with this Chinese place is because it had various delicious veggie options in LARGE quantities. I'm still eating meat, but if there's a viable veggie option I try to go with that.
I haven't been eating a lot of pasta dishes, instead I find rice is the ideal thing to go down with the veggies, just to make sure you feel full.
But back to Hong Kong. My sign off comment about British engineering a few days ago...the place is undoubtedly British and feels Vancouvery too. Probably because they're BOTH BRITISH! Genius. The trams and roads wedged in here and there between mountain and water are just great. When I went to Stanley on the ther side of the island, the narrow streets, and grocery stores in old buidlings gave me the Britain feel. Vancouver received its thoughts (maybe North and West V.) from the roads wedge between mountain and ocean and the beaches here and there. I know I'm not making too much sense but thems the breaks. I'm actually writing this paragraph after writing the rest of this entry and all the others so I'm a little mentally fatigued, or something.
Tuesday, March 15, 2005
Cathay Pacific
Okay, a flight under 4 hours and they gave me all sorts of goodies.
I had actual ice cream with my meal. A tub of Hagen Daze. Yummy. And that was after the meal with fruit and a chocolate bar.
My only complaint, isn't their fault at all. I forgot my watch in teh KL airport. I think it might be a bit of a pain, but hopefully only a bit. I only use it to check the time when I'm in a dorm room and can't tell what time it is. Should I get up or not...always a big issue. Or when I'm on a bus I can look at it and stress about arrival times.
Still it would have been much more helpful, NOT to lose it.
I had actual ice cream with my meal. A tub of Hagen Daze. Yummy. And that was after the meal with fruit and a chocolate bar.
My only complaint, isn't their fault at all. I forgot my watch in teh KL airport. I think it might be a bit of a pain, but hopefully only a bit. I only use it to check the time when I'm in a dorm room and can't tell what time it is. Should I get up or not...always a big issue. Or when I'm on a bus I can look at it and stress about arrival times.
Still it would have been much more helpful, NOT to lose it.
Hong Kong here
I know I wasn't going to use the internet, but my budget mindset has flown RIGHT out the window. I'm at a Pacific Coffee shop and they have free internet for customers. I bought a tea, but I think I should have gone with hot chocolate.
Heh, oh well.
Lovely city, reminds me a lot of vancouver. What with the mountains, water taxis, mist and temperate climate. I'm on top of "The Peak" which is not actually the peak, but simply the area they've decided to flatten out and develop on teh main mountain on the island itself. Because I only have 2 days to explore before rugby starts I've been wandering the city today and tomorrow I'll hit up Kowloon. SHould be peachy.
There are oodles of curio shops, if you're into ancient Chinese treasures, or even ones that are acssociated with Mao and friends. Lots of those too. I'm a particular fan of the China dolls (hahaha China) of various worker heroes, riding rockets and waving joyfully. The escalator is pretty fun. And SOOOOOOOOOOO long. I think it's the longest one in the world. It isn't all one huge escalator just a whole whack of smaller ones slowly making their way up the hill. Honk Kong is a really steep city in places, with some interesting views down,through all the Chinese shop and restaurant signs.
Of course given the choice of riding the tram up or walking I'd prefer the tram, but budget haasn't left me totally so, I hiked up the hill, uggh. Love that old British engineering though.
Heh, oh well.
Lovely city, reminds me a lot of vancouver. What with the mountains, water taxis, mist and temperate climate. I'm on top of "The Peak" which is not actually the peak, but simply the area they've decided to flatten out and develop on teh main mountain on the island itself. Because I only have 2 days to explore before rugby starts I've been wandering the city today and tomorrow I'll hit up Kowloon. SHould be peachy.
There are oodles of curio shops, if you're into ancient Chinese treasures, or even ones that are acssociated with Mao and friends. Lots of those too. I'm a particular fan of the China dolls (hahaha China) of various worker heroes, riding rockets and waving joyfully. The escalator is pretty fun. And SOOOOOOOOOOO long. I think it's the longest one in the world. It isn't all one huge escalator just a whole whack of smaller ones slowly making their way up the hill. Honk Kong is a really steep city in places, with some interesting views down,through all the Chinese shop and restaurant signs.
Of course given the choice of riding the tram up or walking I'd prefer the tram, but budget haasn't left me totally so, I hiked up the hill, uggh. Love that old British engineering though.
Sunday, March 13, 2005
Hong Kong bound
That's where I'm going tomorrow. I think I might skip internet from there, unless I have some excess currency to deal with. If I do skip expect no updates until one week tomorrow. Tuesday the whatever that turns out to be (22nd?)
Hrrrm. ANything else? No? Okay, have a nice day.
Hrrrm. ANything else? No? Okay, have a nice day.
Melacca, Malaka, Ding dong
Lovely place this. ALl sorts of history, as one would expect giving how many times the place changed hands. Malakan to Potuguese to Dutch to British to Dutch to British to Malaysian, to James. Uh oh. Don't worry I'll give it back.
Nice town, and although I thought I wold run out of things to do I managed to walk slow enough to spread things out the whole time I was here. Having the crazy Italian helped too.
I shouldn't say crazy, I should just say Italian, because we are talking serious stereotype. I'll specify even more, southern Italian. Mother loving, bachelor for life rich playboy whose gotten old kinda fella. He's quite a person. Tough to follow and even harder to get away from but he takes up time. I now know too many details of his life to go into it now but yikes. Formerly received a few thousand a month from teh family businesds, since bankrupt. His new allowance has forced him to stay in Malacca for three months, saving enought o fly out. He has an ear problem, toe problem, robbed by a fake tourist, lost his prized negatives and finds backpackers here very standoffish. He thinks that why he's been talking so much. It's all been bottled up, a feeling that I'm familiar with. But since in 4 days he's showed no signs of slowing down, I think it must be a pretty big bottle.
That vegetarian restaurant I've been eating at is the bee's knees. At RM1 a meal it's kept costs down but it's also pretty darn healthy. If there was something like that at home I'd be a vegetarian in a second (except for once in a while). I honestly thing the reason I don't consider a change like that is simply laziness.
It's run by Buddhists who just think vegetarianism is super! Now that I've been going there for a while the people that run the place know me and we chat most times I come in. It's very nice.
It also has had some other...interesting??? consequences. Now I'm not saying my shit doesn't stink, but it's kinda nice these days. Like there's a flowery hint to it, very pleasant. How do I know what my poop smells like? Well, I just do okay. ;)
Nice town, and although I thought I wold run out of things to do I managed to walk slow enough to spread things out the whole time I was here. Having the crazy Italian helped too.
I shouldn't say crazy, I should just say Italian, because we are talking serious stereotype. I'll specify even more, southern Italian. Mother loving, bachelor for life rich playboy whose gotten old kinda fella. He's quite a person. Tough to follow and even harder to get away from but he takes up time. I now know too many details of his life to go into it now but yikes. Formerly received a few thousand a month from teh family businesds, since bankrupt. His new allowance has forced him to stay in Malacca for three months, saving enought o fly out. He has an ear problem, toe problem, robbed by a fake tourist, lost his prized negatives and finds backpackers here very standoffish. He thinks that why he's been talking so much. It's all been bottled up, a feeling that I'm familiar with. But since in 4 days he's showed no signs of slowing down, I think it must be a pretty big bottle.
That vegetarian restaurant I've been eating at is the bee's knees. At RM1 a meal it's kept costs down but it's also pretty darn healthy. If there was something like that at home I'd be a vegetarian in a second (except for once in a while). I honestly thing the reason I don't consider a change like that is simply laziness.
It's run by Buddhists who just think vegetarianism is super! Now that I've been going there for a while the people that run the place know me and we chat most times I come in. It's very nice.
It also has had some other...interesting??? consequences. Now I'm not saying my shit doesn't stink, but it's kinda nice these days. Like there's a flowery hint to it, very pleasant. How do I know what my poop smells like? Well, I just do okay. ;)
Wednesday, March 09, 2005
apologies
I once again need to apologize for how difficult my entries are to follow sometimes. I think the main cause behind this is the space between entries means a lot of info needs to be written and, well, I just get a little crazy.
If there is anything people need clarification on, please feel free to use the feedback functiona s I do generally have a quick peak at my more recent entries to see if anyone has left a comment.
If there is anything people need clarification on, please feel free to use the feedback functiona s I do generally have a quick peak at my more recent entries to see if anyone has left a comment.
Where am I now
I'm in Melacca (or some other variant on that spelling). Seems like nice place, but I have a feeling I'll run out of things to do before my time here is up. Oh well, at least I'm saving money. There's a vegetyarian restaurant here that cost NOTHING. Pay by donation actually, and I shall, but it will still be kind to the bottom line.
There's an old crazy Italian in my dorm, and it gets cool here at night.
Hmmm, anything else.
Oh and some random guy on a bike offered me a position as a lecturer in English Literature at Southern College, in Johor Bahru, on the souther tip of Malaysia. I had to politely decline.
There's an old crazy Italian in my dorm, and it gets cool here at night.
Hmmm, anything else.
Oh and some random guy on a bike offered me a position as a lecturer in English Literature at Southern College, in Johor Bahru, on the souther tip of Malaysia. I had to politely decline.
Maple leaf
I'm going to think more and write soomething more in depth on this later, but you are privileged to witness a sneak preview working paper.
The maple leaf on a travelling Canadians pack is a tried and true sterotype that needs to be brought to a close. Travel to meet people and experience things and by wearing the flag you automatically open yourself up to preconceived Canadianisms befoire you can establiush yourself. People might think you;re an American??? ALl the better, when the person finds you're Canadian they have to blast apart all of what they thought you were when you were a Yank, and they won't be able to slot all the Canadianisams in because you'll have become a person.
It just seems to me that people should meet people. Common humanity and all that. Denmark doesn't need to meet Canada, that's what politicians are for.
It's okay to be a proud Canadian but a flag can't demonstarte that as well as you can.
I met a Vancouver roofer named Rees (who apaprently can make 80-120000 a year depending how hard he wants to work) and discussed this and other things with him on a brief bus ride. During this talk I relaized so many of the travelling Cdn stereotypes, the type more liekly to appear in Bangkok and Singapore than the back woods of Java, complete with silly coral necklace, Cdn hoickey hat etc etc. or what I will have to call of the beer ad school of nationalism. That is they were Canadian before the I AM molson ads started, but now they're CANADIAN, involved in an ongoing struggle against the American cousins who don't even know of the conflict.
Perhaps that made no sense, but some day it really will. Canadians aren't Americans it's true, but like them we are VERY loud people. We just don't think so because of how loud the lads down south are. (something like that was expressed in the book "Why I Hate Canadians" written by a proud Canadian upon his return from a 5 year stint in Japan. Somrhting I will read again)
The maple leaf on a travelling Canadians pack is a tried and true sterotype that needs to be brought to a close. Travel to meet people and experience things and by wearing the flag you automatically open yourself up to preconceived Canadianisms befoire you can establiush yourself. People might think you;re an American??? ALl the better, when the person finds you're Canadian they have to blast apart all of what they thought you were when you were a Yank, and they won't be able to slot all the Canadianisams in because you'll have become a person.
It just seems to me that people should meet people. Common humanity and all that. Denmark doesn't need to meet Canada, that's what politicians are for.
It's okay to be a proud Canadian but a flag can't demonstarte that as well as you can.
I met a Vancouver roofer named Rees (who apaprently can make 80-120000 a year depending how hard he wants to work) and discussed this and other things with him on a brief bus ride. During this talk I relaized so many of the travelling Cdn stereotypes, the type more liekly to appear in Bangkok and Singapore than the back woods of Java, complete with silly coral necklace, Cdn hoickey hat etc etc. or what I will have to call of the beer ad school of nationalism. That is they were Canadian before the I AM molson ads started, but now they're CANADIAN, involved in an ongoing struggle against the American cousins who don't even know of the conflict.
Perhaps that made no sense, but some day it really will. Canadians aren't Americans it's true, but like them we are VERY loud people. We just don't think so because of how loud the lads down south are. (something like that was expressed in the book "Why I Hate Canadians" written by a proud Canadian upon his return from a 5 year stint in Japan. Somrhting I will read again)
Indonesia, again, but really quick
I was thinking while having a shower the other day, and maybe Titanic (the movie)and its remarkable worldwide success came about from Celine's popularity and the heavy use of her song for advertising the movie in ASia???? HMMMM.
Also, in Indonesia there are all sorts of random little jobs. Guys will stand at parking areas and intersections doing at times necessary, and at other times not, actions of assisting drivers do whatever they're trying to do. Drivers then roll down windows and drop a few ruppiaj their way. As Agung said, it's better than them doing nothing.
Also, in Indonesia there are all sorts of random little jobs. Guys will stand at parking areas and intersections doing at times necessary, and at other times not, actions of assisting drivers do whatever they're trying to do. Drivers then roll down windows and drop a few ruppiaj their way. As Agung said, it's better than them doing nothing.
Thoughts part 2
Dang. I think something failed to go through so I have to type this again. No patience the second go round.
Nope it worked.
Pennies, I think they may exist in Singapore, but when I bought two items that should have come to 5.76 they came to 5.75 because they automatically dropped the cent, at least at that store. I support it! Reinvest the money used to make pennies elsewhere!!!
Nope it worked.
Pennies, I think they may exist in Singapore, but when I bought two items that should have come to 5.76 they came to 5.75 because they automatically dropped the cent, at least at that store. I support it! Reinvest the money used to make pennies elsewhere!!!
Thoughts (technology, newspapers, supermarkets, and movies)
It's nice to look at skyscrapers that aren't all concrete rectangles. Also, I was thinking how boring the domestic baggage collection area is in Toronto. It really is bland. Yes it's just for bags but a little extra effort in architecture can go a long way to making a good first impression on a new arrival. MAybe the international area is pimped out, but I don't remember it being particulalry nice.
Back to Singapore
Well Singapore does have some hitech stuff, but a lot of it is just cleaner and newer than what we have at home. The subway and buses can be paid for with a card that you put money on. I only mention this because I got a kick out of being able to swipe it without removing it from my wallet, and watching some of teh smaller ladies hoist their big bags to the sensors was also mildly amusing.
The car park at one mall had a constantly updates sign at the entrance that showed how many spots were available on each level and which ones were full. Of course I didn't have a car and don't know if it was digital sensors or man/lady keeping track of things but I watched it for a while and I think it must have been digital Very cool. And yes, I am a doofus standing there watching a car park readout change.
In the mall there were things called travellators. An escalator, but it's a ramp!!! I had never seen this before and it's actually not terribly good for the dpwn direction. Pressure oin the joints and the thing moves so slowly it feels like you might fall over your feet before you reach the bottom if you arenb't careful. Stiull, fun, and the shopping cart jockeys can wheel their carts down here rather than...who knows what.
Going to a supermarket, like one at home, not one of the crowded odd ones I've been to in Phnom Pehn orBangkok is a bad idea when you're on a budget. Unless you find the free samples. I can't believe I never noticed THAT before. Of course after scarfing as much bread and chicken on toothpicks as possible I actually bought a loaf instead of the planned box of cookies, so I guess their scam worked! It was good though, and filling.
The Straits Times, Singapore's main Englkish paper is solid. It seemed to have balanced coverage on the country region and the world as a whole. It even had mention of the Mountie shootings at home. If only all papers could be so well maintained....
I went to see a movie in Singapore. I figured it's an urban place and urban people see movies. And It was AC and I wqanted to see a movie. Constantine...it was pretty good. But the really weird thing for me was the assigned seats. I bought my ticket and the girl told me she'd put me in seat F5. Oh! She assured me it was a good seat and she was right. It even had an overweight fellow sitting beside me scarfing nachos, and finishing the whole plate before the movie had even begun. Just like home.
Definitiley more people able to eat more food in Singapore.
Back to Singapore
Well Singapore does have some hitech stuff, but a lot of it is just cleaner and newer than what we have at home. The subway and buses can be paid for with a card that you put money on. I only mention this because I got a kick out of being able to swipe it without removing it from my wallet, and watching some of teh smaller ladies hoist their big bags to the sensors was also mildly amusing.
The car park at one mall had a constantly updates sign at the entrance that showed how many spots were available on each level and which ones were full. Of course I didn't have a car and don't know if it was digital sensors or man/lady keeping track of things but I watched it for a while and I think it must have been digital Very cool. And yes, I am a doofus standing there watching a car park readout change.
In the mall there were things called travellators. An escalator, but it's a ramp!!! I had never seen this before and it's actually not terribly good for the dpwn direction. Pressure oin the joints and the thing moves so slowly it feels like you might fall over your feet before you reach the bottom if you arenb't careful. Stiull, fun, and the shopping cart jockeys can wheel their carts down here rather than...who knows what.
Going to a supermarket, like one at home, not one of the crowded odd ones I've been to in Phnom Pehn orBangkok is a bad idea when you're on a budget. Unless you find the free samples. I can't believe I never noticed THAT before. Of course after scarfing as much bread and chicken on toothpicks as possible I actually bought a loaf instead of the planned box of cookies, so I guess their scam worked! It was good though, and filling.
The Straits Times, Singapore's main Englkish paper is solid. It seemed to have balanced coverage on the country region and the world as a whole. It even had mention of the Mountie shootings at home. If only all papers could be so well maintained....
I went to see a movie in Singapore. I figured it's an urban place and urban people see movies. And It was AC and I wqanted to see a movie. Constantine...it was pretty good. But the really weird thing for me was the assigned seats. I bought my ticket and the girl told me she'd put me in seat F5. Oh! She assured me it was a good seat and she was right. It even had an overweight fellow sitting beside me scarfing nachos, and finishing the whole plate before the movie had even begun. Just like home.
Definitiley more people able to eat more food in Singapore.
Singapore
Well it is certainly something else. But because of it's very western nature there's only so much I can say about it.
The various attractions are, how shall I put this, more refined than what I've seen elsewhere. Kinda like the white bread they fed me at my guesthouse fopr breakfast every morning. Fills you up for a bit but in the end it plugs you up and gives you gas and the runs. How's that for weird, the most significant stomach troubles I've has on the trip so far start when I'm in the cleanest and health wise safest place I've been. Don't worry though aside from feeling blkoated after eating and teh occassional sitdown in the evenings (not even particularly urgent opf course) it wasn't much.
I think that's all you want to hear about me and the old bowels.
The food in Singapore, I didn't like it as much. Maybe the above had something to do with it but I think it's the fact when I ate in a food court I was eating massed produced foods, complete with chemical sauces and garnishes. Something I haven't seen in a long time. Just didn't taste right. There wqas some good stuff too, but the stuffed \Indian breads were too far for me to enjoy regularly.
Ya, the sights. I went to some very new, very high tech museums, but opted out of some toiurist attractions, because of the costs buit also just because they didn't appeal that much. Yes, I like history and military history in particular, but paying $8 to look at mannequines posed just as the soldiers would have been when the Japanese were invading just didn't seem right. Also, the city is set up with so many information boards on various sites and events that one can just walk around and find out everything they would if they went to one of these places. So I was able to keep costs fairly low.
As far as some walking tours, I believe gentrification is the word to use here. China town was row after row of lovely Chinese houses, refurbiushed and freshly painted and full of restaurants,boutiques and various professional offices. Still, lovely to look at. Apparently one of the streets I was on used to have a roaring prostitution trade, but they seemed to have cleaned that up. I can't beliueve this place used to be so rough around the edges, and only 30 years ago.
Perhaps the best example of gentrification is in the CHIJMES complex. This little beauty is an old Catholic orphanage and nunnery that was slated to be torn down but instead was redeveloped into expensive stores and restaurants. This place is FANCY! Now this kind oif thing used to make me go ape, but I suppose it's better to have the architecture preserved. Not everything can be kept "as it was" forever. Seemed like a nice plkace when I walked through.
That another thing I noted, there are many many restaurants and places to get a drink, here, there, along the waterfront. Whereever it is picturesque. At home I never went in fdor that kind of stuff, or at least very rarely. Due to lonerdom, but also cheapness, but seeing it in Singapore I could think of nothing nicer than to sit down with some friends. This might siimply be me looking towards Canada all the more excitedly????
The various attractions are, how shall I put this, more refined than what I've seen elsewhere. Kinda like the white bread they fed me at my guesthouse fopr breakfast every morning. Fills you up for a bit but in the end it plugs you up and gives you gas and the runs. How's that for weird, the most significant stomach troubles I've has on the trip so far start when I'm in the cleanest and health wise safest place I've been. Don't worry though aside from feeling blkoated after eating and teh occassional sitdown in the evenings (not even particularly urgent opf course) it wasn't much.
I think that's all you want to hear about me and the old bowels.
The food in Singapore, I didn't like it as much. Maybe the above had something to do with it but I think it's the fact when I ate in a food court I was eating massed produced foods, complete with chemical sauces and garnishes. Something I haven't seen in a long time. Just didn't taste right. There wqas some good stuff too, but the stuffed \Indian breads were too far for me to enjoy regularly.
Ya, the sights. I went to some very new, very high tech museums, but opted out of some toiurist attractions, because of the costs buit also just because they didn't appeal that much. Yes, I like history and military history in particular, but paying $8 to look at mannequines posed just as the soldiers would have been when the Japanese were invading just didn't seem right. Also, the city is set up with so many information boards on various sites and events that one can just walk around and find out everything they would if they went to one of these places. So I was able to keep costs fairly low.
As far as some walking tours, I believe gentrification is the word to use here. China town was row after row of lovely Chinese houses, refurbiushed and freshly painted and full of restaurants,boutiques and various professional offices. Still, lovely to look at. Apparently one of the streets I was on used to have a roaring prostitution trade, but they seemed to have cleaned that up. I can't beliueve this place used to be so rough around the edges, and only 30 years ago.
Perhaps the best example of gentrification is in the CHIJMES complex. This little beauty is an old Catholic orphanage and nunnery that was slated to be torn down but instead was redeveloped into expensive stores and restaurants. This place is FANCY! Now this kind oif thing used to make me go ape, but I suppose it's better to have the architecture preserved. Not everything can be kept "as it was" forever. Seemed like a nice plkace when I walked through.
That another thing I noted, there are many many restaurants and places to get a drink, here, there, along the waterfront. Whereever it is picturesque. At home I never went in fdor that kind of stuff, or at least very rarely. Due to lonerdom, but also cheapness, but seeing it in Singapore I could think of nothing nicer than to sit down with some friends. This might siimply be me looking towards Canada all the more excitedly????
Thursday, March 03, 2005
one and two
1) I did NOT win the CBC Literary Award this year. That's okay, just my first kick at the can. Thank you to all who lent their editing skills, dining room tables, basement bedrooms and supreme culinary skills to my efforts. They were not in vain.
2) I have been accepted to Queen's University in Kingston Ontario (again). This time it's for a Masters of Arts degree within the faculty of Geography (cartographic history). Sounds like a gas.
2) I have been accepted to Queen's University in Kingston Ontario (again). This time it's for a Masters of Arts degree within the faculty of Geography (cartographic history). Sounds like a gas.
Travelling and Singapore
I'm still having lots of fun, but I've gotten off the hyper extreme super duper crazy budget thing. It's not that I'm spending more money, it's just that when I have to take a cab because it's after dark, and I'm 10km from where I want to be I don't get as worried about it.
Also I'm still happy to be on the road, but my moments of reflecting upon home seem to be a little more warm each time I have them. One month to go...
Hrrrrm, what else to say. My skills at travelling although surely superior than most from the start have improved. Destressing is the key.
While I still get into a bit of a tizzy when I spend too much money, it's nowhere where it used to be. I bought an EZ link card for Singapore public transit, but I'd have to do about 50 trips to make back the $5 cost of the thing. Oh well, I am now able to say. At least I don't have to fiddle with coins IF I take a bus (subways are easy because you're in the station and at a machine when paying). It's a good lesson though. The Lonely Planet said it was a good deal so I bought it, although the price structure quoted had changed and the lady selling tried to warn me off. Don't get stuck in a book or it will be your downfall.
Singapore is rough, one slip up and it's a significant amount of money gone. The city is CLEAN and EFFICIENT and whatever any one has ever said about it. I haven't explored to much but I look forward too it, and hopefully won't be spending too much in the process.
I think I've scored the perfect digs, S$10 dorm bed (1 singapore dollar is about 1.3 CDN I think) and they have breakfast included. Unlike other places with an included breakfast (tea, bread and jam) they have bread and butter and jam and peanut butter and eggs and hot dogs and fruit and veggies....writing it like that sounds like a lot. It isn't but it's more than I'm used to and one fewer meal to pay for in the day (2 if I eat A LOT). Unfortunately it's those simple carbs that will get me, love their white breadd and biscuits over here.
Another thing I've noticed, which I haven't seen since Bangkok is people looking pretty. Like girls that have taken some time in the morning, and guys who have their clean caps and whatever style of necklace. Just people you'd see at home but they're here. For a while the people I have been seeing have a definite traveller's edge to them.
With that observation, and a few choice words from Agung, I've realized lately I need to watch my smell a bit more. I'm used to being with me in a room and I bathe everday so I'm fine. Well not if you're around sweet smellers and pretty people. Jeepers. They even give you a nasty look when you fart.
Also I'm still happy to be on the road, but my moments of reflecting upon home seem to be a little more warm each time I have them. One month to go...
Hrrrrm, what else to say. My skills at travelling although surely superior than most from the start have improved. Destressing is the key.
While I still get into a bit of a tizzy when I spend too much money, it's nowhere where it used to be. I bought an EZ link card for Singapore public transit, but I'd have to do about 50 trips to make back the $5 cost of the thing. Oh well, I am now able to say. At least I don't have to fiddle with coins IF I take a bus (subways are easy because you're in the station and at a machine when paying). It's a good lesson though. The Lonely Planet said it was a good deal so I bought it, although the price structure quoted had changed and the lady selling tried to warn me off. Don't get stuck in a book or it will be your downfall.
Singapore is rough, one slip up and it's a significant amount of money gone. The city is CLEAN and EFFICIENT and whatever any one has ever said about it. I haven't explored to much but I look forward too it, and hopefully won't be spending too much in the process.
I think I've scored the perfect digs, S$10 dorm bed (1 singapore dollar is about 1.3 CDN I think) and they have breakfast included. Unlike other places with an included breakfast (tea, bread and jam) they have bread and butter and jam and peanut butter and eggs and hot dogs and fruit and veggies....writing it like that sounds like a lot. It isn't but it's more than I'm used to and one fewer meal to pay for in the day (2 if I eat A LOT). Unfortunately it's those simple carbs that will get me, love their white breadd and biscuits over here.
Another thing I've noticed, which I haven't seen since Bangkok is people looking pretty. Like girls that have taken some time in the morning, and guys who have their clean caps and whatever style of necklace. Just people you'd see at home but they're here. For a while the people I have been seeing have a definite traveller's edge to them.
With that observation, and a few choice words from Agung, I've realized lately I need to watch my smell a bit more. I'm used to being with me in a room and I bathe everday so I'm fine. Well not if you're around sweet smellers and pretty people. Jeepers. They even give you a nasty look when you fart.
Tidy up INdonesia.
Agung's family had a servant, and so did his brother, they had 2 actually. Seems to be the thing to have if you can afford it. The servant, who Agung said was a "relative" made food. Agung must think giant westerners need to eat all teh time and in huge amounts. He kept putting stuff in front of me a giving me larger servings than himself. I really had to get mad and yell at him (not too loud) to stop. It was getting silly, and I felt bad only eating part of my food. Fortunately the food was usually served rice then a bunch of plates you picked from. If I had control I was fine.
Es Jalur and other delicious iced snacks. Those were good and I will miss them greatly.
Indonesia is NOT as dangerous as people sometimes (the government) thinks. I think it is near the top for favourite place on the trip. Battling it out with Laos perhaps. And I only saw Java, there's so much more.
I think that's it for now. A lot happened to me in Indonesia, life changing stuff that may have been on the way anyway, but that's where it happened so it gets the good memories.
Es Jalur and other delicious iced snacks. Those were good and I will miss them greatly.
Indonesia is NOT as dangerous as people sometimes (the government) thinks. I think it is near the top for favourite place on the trip. Battling it out with Laos perhaps. And I only saw Java, there's so much more.
I think that's it for now. A lot happened to me in Indonesia, life changing stuff that may have been on the way anyway, but that's where it happened so it gets the good memories.
Jakarta
So big scary Jakarta (which is te most dangerous place in Indonesia), is surviveable. The port is cool, and the maritime museum was fun.
The old Dutch buildings were just lovely.
The train ride, that was golden. I'm talking ekonomi, and all the locals who talked to me "why are you on this train? The other one is AC and faster and less crowded." I couldn't make them believe I was trying to save money.
It certainly was a hot ride once the people atarted piling in, but heh, it was fun. ALl the vendors walking the aisles selling everything! The toys and inflateable swim rings aimed at the kids to razors and nail clippers. Even atlases and dictionaries. Funny stuff. My favourite though was a pink cell phone with a barbie looking character on it called "benign girl" HMMMM.
And of course there were foods and drinks.
Leaving Bogor on teh airport bus, I hs some good views over Jakarta from teh toll road. It is on really packed place, and there's a lot of dirty stuff. Not much room so the power lines (big pylons) tip toe through housing areas (not along green belts or anything). People have set up houses underover passes. They look just like any other street, with a local store and what not, but it's under a road.
I nevr stayed there over night so I can't judge I suppose, but when I was there my lungs ugggggh. Not pleasant.
Oh, and a quick thing I went to the mall with Agung and his friend, they needed to get something. So clean and ACed and different from everywhere else (and it was the plain mall apparently). Agung's friend works for a discount airline that has been having a price war on domestic flights in Indonesia and is teetering on the edge of bankruptcy, he has a wife and an 8 month old son and is considering his employment options. Indonesia, Canada it's all the same.
The old Dutch buildings were just lovely.
The train ride, that was golden. I'm talking ekonomi, and all the locals who talked to me "why are you on this train? The other one is AC and faster and less crowded." I couldn't make them believe I was trying to save money.
It certainly was a hot ride once the people atarted piling in, but heh, it was fun. ALl the vendors walking the aisles selling everything! The toys and inflateable swim rings aimed at the kids to razors and nail clippers. Even atlases and dictionaries. Funny stuff. My favourite though was a pink cell phone with a barbie looking character on it called "benign girl" HMMMM.
And of course there were foods and drinks.
Leaving Bogor on teh airport bus, I hs some good views over Jakarta from teh toll road. It is on really packed place, and there's a lot of dirty stuff. Not much room so the power lines (big pylons) tip toe through housing areas (not along green belts or anything). People have set up houses underover passes. They look just like any other street, with a local store and what not, but it's under a road.
I nevr stayed there over night so I can't judge I suppose, but when I was there my lungs ugggggh. Not pleasant.
Oh, and a quick thing I went to the mall with Agung and his friend, they needed to get something. So clean and ACed and different from everywhere else (and it was the plain mall apparently). Agung's friend works for a discount airline that has been having a price war on domestic flights in Indonesia and is teetering on the edge of bankruptcy, he has a wife and an 8 month old son and is considering his employment options. Indonesia, Canada it's all the same.
bus to bogor
So this bus, the fancy AC kind was rolling along for a little while. I was pleased, having slept on the train (it is a BIG thing for me to be able to get sleep on a n anything while sitting up, at the start of the trip that just never would have happened), and was the fact that bus prices are PRINTED on the TICKETS so I know I'm not getting ripped off, it just warms my heart.
Unfortunately some belt broke and the us fillewd with smoke and we were stranded roadside for an hour until they decided they couldn't fix it and started putting us on other buses that were passing. A fella named Agung started chatting with me while we waited and we got put on abus together and the chat continued.
Arriving in Bogor, I was invited to his house. Hmmmmm, what to do. At first I resisted mostly because as much as I'm not longer super loner I still have tendencies. But then I accepted. Once again I don't think I'll bother giving all the details here, but he's kinda middle class, has quite a few siblings many of whom seem to be involved in medicine and is just a fine fellow.
Hmmm, I kind of want to tell you all about the family and the observations and comparisons I made between his life my life, Endro's life. That can come in the debriefing I have upon return, or simply forward your list of questions to my email address and I will respond in time.
After the Botanical Gardens the next day Agung was heading to Jakarta so I went with. The pan was to drop me near the backpacker area, but because there were fuel price marches going on we went to his various family places first. Sister-in-laws mother and his brothers houses. At some point I or he suggested I stay with him until I left, so I did. That night we stayed in J at his brother's (a gynecologist who judging from his hours works very hard, and has a wonderful family). The next morning I was dropped at the harbour/old part of the city then caught a train to Bogor in the afternoon.
So many things I could say about what was talked about, and what I did with the kids and bserved. We discussed cultures and medicine and showed finger tricks to the kids and stuff........... I can't even get started.
VERY GOOD. I'll say that.
Unfortunately some belt broke and the us fillewd with smoke and we were stranded roadside for an hour until they decided they couldn't fix it and started putting us on other buses that were passing. A fella named Agung started chatting with me while we waited and we got put on abus together and the chat continued.
Arriving in Bogor, I was invited to his house. Hmmmmm, what to do. At first I resisted mostly because as much as I'm not longer super loner I still have tendencies. But then I accepted. Once again I don't think I'll bother giving all the details here, but he's kinda middle class, has quite a few siblings many of whom seem to be involved in medicine and is just a fine fellow.
Hmmm, I kind of want to tell you all about the family and the observations and comparisons I made between his life my life, Endro's life. That can come in the debriefing I have upon return, or simply forward your list of questions to my email address and I will respond in time.
After the Botanical Gardens the next day Agung was heading to Jakarta so I went with. The pan was to drop me near the backpacker area, but because there were fuel price marches going on we went to his various family places first. Sister-in-laws mother and his brothers houses. At some point I or he suggested I stay with him until I left, so I did. That night we stayed in J at his brother's (a gynecologist who judging from his hours works very hard, and has a wonderful family). The next morning I was dropped at the harbour/old part of the city then caught a train to Bogor in the afternoon.
So many things I could say about what was talked about, and what I did with the kids and bserved. We discussed cultures and medicine and showed finger tricks to the kids and stuff........... I can't even get started.
VERY GOOD. I'll say that.
So, when I left you.
I was in Yogya trying to decide whether I should call Endro. The opportunity to interact with the locals would have been cool but I decided against it.
However, get this. We all know James. Loner and anti-social man extraordinaire, well guess what. Change is in the air. I started talking to people at my Losmen and not burying my nose in a book. I chose to hang out with a few people there and particualr my new Swedish friend Freddie.
Tremendous fella, lots of fun.
We toured some of Yogya, including the Kraton (apparently they have a SHITTY part that I saw before and a good one in behind) and thje old water palace again. I missed the underground mosque cool tunnels, swimming pool and the king's meditation area. WHat was I doing there before? The meditation to y untrained eyes looked like a big washroom complex with bath stalls and fancy toilets, squatter toilets but fancy just the same.
Three days in Yogya, and we rode the train together to Bandung where we shook hands, embraced and went our separate ways, until I go to Sweden that is!!!!!
I'm very excited about this interacting with humans business.
From Bandung I took a bus to Bogor. First though I caught a bus to the bus station, I only mention this because that thing was PACKED!!!! Heh, fun! And no one picked my pocket. The warnings for that are constant but I just never was under threat.
However, get this. We all know James. Loner and anti-social man extraordinaire, well guess what. Change is in the air. I started talking to people at my Losmen and not burying my nose in a book. I chose to hang out with a few people there and particualr my new Swedish friend Freddie.
Tremendous fella, lots of fun.
We toured some of Yogya, including the Kraton (apparently they have a SHITTY part that I saw before and a good one in behind) and thje old water palace again. I missed the underground mosque cool tunnels, swimming pool and the king's meditation area. WHat was I doing there before? The meditation to y untrained eyes looked like a big washroom complex with bath stalls and fancy toilets, squatter toilets but fancy just the same.
Three days in Yogya, and we rode the train together to Bandung where we shook hands, embraced and went our separate ways, until I go to Sweden that is!!!!!
I'm very excited about this interacting with humans business.
From Bandung I took a bus to Bogor. First though I caught a bus to the bus station, I only mention this because that thing was PACKED!!!! Heh, fun! And no one picked my pocket. The warnings for that are constant but I just never was under threat.
Safe and sound
Well, I know, I've been safe and sound the whole trip but now I feel pretty good as the last month looks to be pretty smooth sailing. Places like Singapore (here now) and Hong Kong, and also Malaysia and Thailand. I've done them before so I'm rocking though.
So as I said I was pretty nervous about the whole Indonesia thing. Why? Well a quick look here might explain.
http://www.voyage.gc.ca/dest/report-en.asp?country=130000
The third paragraph of section 2 explains my nerves. It basically says Canadians shouldn't go to Indonesia at all. HA! I said. I emailed the embassy and although the guy couldn't o against the official vibe I got a definite feeling that it was okay, so I went. At least now I can say I've been somewhere on teh forbidden list!!!!!!
Didn't want to mention it until I was out, seeing as people might get worried.
These warnings must be part of (al;ong with the new pay visa requirements) that have knocked a lot of foreigners out of Indonesian tourism. Makes you think though, there are places in London that are really dangerous and sometimes there are bomb threats made against particular places, but no one says DON"T go to Britain!!!! Avoid the nasty bits and it's pretty safe.
And I had a tremendous time! As I will detail.
But to finsih up this entry, the Indonesian news as I was leaving was full of protests over the governments fuel price increases (and possible transportation cost and gereal inflation increases), Malaysians expelling illegal wqorkers (mostly Indo) and the Malay and INdo navy sending ships to some disputed oil rich area. I made it to the bus station for the right cost and flew between the two countries without incident. Maybe I left just in time?
HA! I'm going back tomorrow.
So as I said I was pretty nervous about the whole Indonesia thing. Why? Well a quick look here might explain.
http://www.voyage.gc.ca/dest/report-en.asp?country=130000
The third paragraph of section 2 explains my nerves. It basically says Canadians shouldn't go to Indonesia at all. HA! I said. I emailed the embassy and although the guy couldn't o against the official vibe I got a definite feeling that it was okay, so I went. At least now I can say I've been somewhere on teh forbidden list!!!!!!
Didn't want to mention it until I was out, seeing as people might get worried.
These warnings must be part of (al;ong with the new pay visa requirements) that have knocked a lot of foreigners out of Indonesian tourism. Makes you think though, there are places in London that are really dangerous and sometimes there are bomb threats made against particular places, but no one says DON"T go to Britain!!!! Avoid the nasty bits and it's pretty safe.
And I had a tremendous time! As I will detail.
But to finsih up this entry, the Indonesian news as I was leaving was full of protests over the governments fuel price increases (and possible transportation cost and gereal inflation increases), Malaysians expelling illegal wqorkers (mostly Indo) and the Malay and INdo navy sending ships to some disputed oil rich area. I made it to the bus station for the right cost and flew between the two countries without incident. Maybe I left just in time?
HA! I'm going back tomorrow.
Hmmmm
Just trying to read over some of those wonderful scattershot entries that I put in. They look a little out of order, and some might be missing. SO!
Here's what the order should be, and I'll try and straighten them out.
Indonesia, waited at train station, Yogya, Borobodur and Prambanan, Endro, Bromo, then back to Yogya.
-----
Well, I did it. Some of the entries are what I did and some are those pithy observations I'm so renowned for. I'll let you work out which are which, bottom up is the order. Contiunue to enjoy!
Here's what the order should be, and I'll try and straighten them out.
Indonesia, waited at train station, Yogya, Borobodur and Prambanan, Endro, Bromo, then back to Yogya.
-----
Well, I did it. Some of the entries are what I did and some are those pithy observations I'm so renowned for. I'll let you work out which are which, bottom up is the order. Contiunue to enjoy!
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