Photos...

I think this is about the point where I admit that most of you would be better off if my brother were the one taking the pictures. He as a better eye than I do. So you'll see a few shots that look similar, largely because I can't tell which is better...

But there are some new Thailand photos up... This isn't all of them. Some day when I'm feeling antisocial and I find a good internet cafe, I promise that I'll catch up to where I am...

MH

Shockingly pleased...

So there is a certain Indian cookbook with profound emotional and educational attributes. It's not in print in the US. When I was here a year ago, a book store in New Delhi had dozens of copies. I didn't know that anyone really needed the book, so I didn't stock up.

This morning, I rectified that. I purchased the four copies the Cosmos seemed to indicate were needed. (This is a great cookbook.) But it is heavy. So I really didn't want to carry it any further than necessary. I was directed to the nearest post office, some 150 feet away.

I had one other experience with the Indian Post. It was quite the ordeal, and no one ever received their post card to boot. So I was a bit worried about this. But it turned out surprisingly well.

There is a media rate to the US. But you must show that only media is shipped; books, papers, magazines, etc. I stood at the most popular counter, and was directed to someone else, then someone else.

Now mind you, I have walked in with a sack of books. NO box, nothing else. I am directed to the most physically active man in the office. He proceeds to tightly fold the bag around the books, tape the bag securly, and then stitch a bag for the books. No kidding. My four books were bound in cotton for a $1. I just write the "To:" address, and off it goes. (The cotton sack is open on one side to show only books are sent, but it deters anyone from trying to remove one of the books.)

It should be there in a week.

Camel ride...

So the camel ride was much better than the elephant ride. There were many more smells involved, none good, and still I say that. Let's say that I have a good idea of what the camel ate for lunch...

There is sort of a rocking motion that you can do with your body to ease the gate of the camel. There are no stirrups, so your feet sort of swing in front of you. About half way through the ride, the guide told me to lean back as the camel moves down hill. This is actually a natural reaction. Leaning back while the camel is on level ground would result in straightening your body at roughly a 60 degree angle. There were certain downhills that I felt like I was standing straight up. It's a once in a lifetime experience. What people usually leave unstated about such things is that once in a lifetime is usually enough...

We went out to a remote village, as well as watched the sunset from the dunes. I have pictures that don't really do justice to the event. Later that night, they put on a dancing/music program. I got to sleep in a hut. The stars were beautiful and plentiful...

Merry Christmas

Hey all! I hope you're all having a Merry Christmas! There does seem to be some kind of festival here in Jaiselmer. I have not yet investigated it. It seems to involve a parade with music...

I will try to arrange a camel trek for tomorrow night. With my opinion of the elephant trek so low, you might wonder why I'm bothering... The main attraction is that they take you out into the middle of nowhere and you camp out. The views of the stars at night are supposed to be amazing...

Hope all is well with you...

Hey all!

I am indeed alive and well in India. The 80/20 rule: Things are going to go right 80% of the time. It's the 20% of the time you have to worry about. And the 20% has a way of unexpectedly appearing when you're certain you're in the 80%.

I have a new mobile. The existing service was quite expensive for India. I had to give Airtel my passport. They copied the passport page, the visa page, and the entry card. They also took a copy of the information of the hotel I was staying in. And one passport sized photo is required per government regulations.


Contrast this to Indonesia. I show up at a corner office where there is a bank of phones. I give the guy some money, and I'm off. No paperwork at all. The Indonesian government has mandated that prepaid users register, or have their number shut off. It appears that there have been instances of using these cell phones to trigger explosive devices...

Anyway. I hope all is well...

India...

So I arrived yesterday, safe and sound. The Air India flight was about an hour late. The Indian food was good, ironically, catered by Thai Airways food services.

I took a pre-paid taxi from the airport to my hotel. I had to get into three taxis before one could actually take me from the airport. The first had a flat, the second driver didn't know where to go. It turns out that the third driver didn't either, but he eventually found it.

When depositing my articles in the safe, I met the proprietor. A most auspicious thing. We spent a good 15 minutes itemizing my valuables, and another 10 over a cup of tea. It turns out that he was originally from what is now Pakistan, but came to New Delhi after the partitioning. He is retired from the police force, so he assured me that my articles would be safe. And knowing him made it significantly easier to get my breakfast this morning.

The shops in Connaught Place (think "open air mall") are closed on Sunday. I am in search of a SIM card for my phone, as the current one has very high rates...

Here is the rough schedule for the next two weeks:

19 Dec: Overnight train to Jodhpur
20 Dec-24 Dec, PM: Aunt's house in Jodhpur
25 Dec-27: Jaiselmer
27th or 28th, depending on if train tix comes through: Return to Jodhpur
29 Dec: Overnight train to New Delhi, day in New Delhi
30 Dec: Overnight train to Varanasi
31 Dec-4 Jan: With family, at my cousin's house

My cousin will go over the next four weeks while I'm in Varanasi. I'll post a rough schedule then...

Hope all is well...

MH

Photos

I have posted new photos. Click on link at right. The update covers the last of Bali - a few beach photos, through Chaing Mai.

Bear with the cooking class ones. I wanted to remember all of the steps to the lotus and the leaf, so there are probably more photos that you care to see...

I'm tired of sitting in front of a computer, so I'm going to enjoy the rest of my day...

MH

Houston, we have an image problem...

I'm used to taking a bit of guff for being an American abroad. For instance, when I was in Bali, I was mistaken for Canadian. I corrected the man and said that I was from The States. He replied, "Well, we all have our problems."

I can laugh that off.

I was in a conversation with a few Europeans. The discussion centered on Thailand. I wanted to explain that Thailand was a Peace Corps country, but first, I had to explain what the Peace Corps was.

I explained that it was a program run by the US government to do work in developing nations. I listed a few countries, and a few general projects that they work on. The Spaniard was "AMAZED that the US government" would do something like that. The only message he ever received was about bombs and guns. The thought of the US doing some good never entered his mind.

I can understand not liking US policy, and expressing this opinion. But it's the narrowness of the view that really bothered me. Even China sent aid to the US after Hurricane Katrina. There's good and bad.

Let us flash forward to the next day. Bear with this story, as it contains details only the medical community is interested in. If I left them out, I would surely be questioned by one of the many readers from that profession.

I was on a boat with five Europeans and two Thai. We pull up on a beach for lunch. We can swim or sit, and I choose solid ground. The Spaniard from the previous night goes swimming, and cuts his foot and hand.

This, being a good tour company, has a first aid kit in the boat, complete with bandages, cotton balls, and iodine. The guide proceeds to clean the wounds, and the Spaniard lays down, and closes his eyes. He jerks his leg as the iodine is applied to the toe, and I tell him, "Hold still, he's about to put the band aid on your toe."

Getting no response, I become suspicious. I look at his eyes, and pupils are fixed and constricted. OK. I check the ABC's - airway, breathing, circulation, for the uninitiated. He's ok. He starts to "seize", but that stops after maybe five seconds. It's more like individual muscles contracting, not the whole body.

I start to tell him, "Ishmael. Ishmael. Come back. Wake up." etc. I don't actually get to take c-spine before he snaps to it. He starts looking around. Not postictal at all. Hmmm...

His buddy is so freaked out that I can not get him to talk to Ishmael in Spanish. After a few tries, he gives me his name, and knows that he's in Thailand. I don't bother with time, as no backpacker can really tell you that without looking at a watch and having a five minute conversation with his friend.

Pulse is 60 and strong, resps are a solid 16. He's wet because he's been swimming, but doesn't feel hot nor cold. Body temp is as expected to the touch. Hmmm.

I rule out any neurotoxins from sea creatures by questioning the guide about the area.

At this point, I'm pretty sure this is psychosomatic. Not that he doesn't feel bad, but it was more his mind having a problem and taking it out on the body instead of the body going into shock.

So I'm not surprised when he feels well enough to explain that this has happened before. He just gets queasy at the sight of his own blood.

Now, back to the point. The guy who can't imagine the US government doing any good in the world also never thanked anyone for helping him.

So I have to ask, is the shock that the US can do some good a result of his outlook on life? If he can't be appreciative of the help he received, maybe he's not receptive to the good things that happen elsewhere.

India...

For most international flights, you call at least 72 hours in advance to reconfirm... I didn't know that Indian Air requires you to call seven days in advance.

So the bottom line is that I'm leaving Thailand a day early. I fly out around 2 PM on Saturday, instead of Sunday.

This is not an auspicious beginning to the Indian leg of my journey.

Hope all is well...

MH

When last we spoke...

It's been a bit... So that means I have a bit to say, of course.

Elephant ride: I should have known that it wasn't for me when they told me to step on the elephant to get on the rider's seat. I felt a bit queasy about that.

And it was raining. A lot. I had on a poncho with hood, covering me and my day pack. Through a regretable confluence of fluid dynamics and gravity, my upper butt was soaked, while my legs and upper body were dry.

The elephant driver, and I use that term literally, sat on the elephant's head, with one leg wrapped behind the animal's ear. He was constantly urging the animal onwards. We were walking on well worn, muddy paths. Up and down hills. I really wanted the driver to let the elephant seriously STOP and THINK about where he was going to put his feet. He has four of them to consider, after all.

The ride itself was a bit bumpy. It also subjected me to several precarious tilts on the hills. So overall, I can't say I really liked the ride, but I do suppose it is a life enriching experience on some level.

Quick note

Just a quick note to say I'm alive. I left Khao Sok, after an elephant ride in the park. I'm in Phannga now. I'm taking an overnight tour - Tues night - to James Bond Island. Then I'll take an overnight bus to Bangkok (Wed), where I'll stay until Sunday.

Hope all is well.

The lake...

So I returned to my original guesthouse to take the tour I had booked. I couldn't get my money back. I spoke with some of the people staying there, and no one else had the negative experiences that I had. So I guess that it's my luck here in Thailand...

The tour consists of an hour's ride to a local dam, an hour's boat ride, then an hour's walk to the cave. You're in the cave for, you guessed it, an hour. There's a lot of running water, and a section you have to swim. Not something they would let you do in the US. Too many would sue for injuries.

True to form, I fell down three times, though none of them were in the cave. I have a cut I'm watching. The guides didn't carry the first aid kit. We weren't allowed to carry our bags to the cave, as they'd end up soaked, so it was several hours before I could get the cut cleaned.

I was talking with one of the people staying at the guesthouse. He was saying that it was really friendly, and they were very welcoming. In fairness, they did buy us dinner on the way home, when it was not included in the tour. This guy really appreciated that. And I can respect that.

But I find that I'm at the point where I care less about the warm fuzzy feeling from the people running the place, than I do about the exact standards of the place. For instance, they took us to the dam in a pick up truck, not the minivans used by other guesthouses. It's not safe to ride in the bed of a truck at highway speeds. (I was in the cab.) Everyone else liked the views of Thailand.

Maybe I'm more conservative. Maybe some of this is age. Having made it to 30, I'd like to see 40...

The night of four rooms...

This is a long story, so bear with me...

So I arrived in Khao Sok without reservations. There is a road, about 2 km long, leading to the park from the highway, and it is lined with places to stay. I had spoken with a couple of travelers, and they assured me that I would be met by a tout or two at the highway, and no reservations were necessary. To the uninitiated, a tout is one who comes up to you when disembarking a mode of transport, be it rail, bus, or even airport, and offers a service. Sometimes it's transport, sometimes it's a room, sometimes a tour. You need to be wary, as these people receive a kickback from the place they take you. So it's something in their interest, not yours. With that said, they are not all bad, as they can find you a room, and sometimes it's what you're looking for.

I was met by a tout who offered to take me to Jungle Huts. I figure that it's an easy way to get at least part of the 2 km down the road, so I say that I'll look. I'm shown a couple of places, and choose one that seems ok.

The room is a place on stilts, with stairs leading up to the room. The place has a mosquito net, and a Western style flush toilet. It's at or above what you expect for this area. The area is a bit rustic, and air conditioning can not be had at any price. I sign in, and book a tour to the nearby lake for the next day.

I return to my room, and wash my hands, and notice that the seat is not on the toilet. I go to pick up the towel placed on the bed, and as I do so, dead bugs come out of the blanket. I go to reception, and request new linens, and a toilet fix. She will take care of the linens at once, but the seat will be fixed at 6 PM, as she has a "man coming then."

I return to reception at 6 PM, and enquire about the status of my toilet fixer. Then she tells me that the toilet works, it's just the seat. I explain that the seat is a key part of the experience.

They move me to room number two of the evening. It's a bit nicer, with a brighter light and toilet with seat intact. I shake the towels, and that seems to be in order. I move my stuff in, and notice that the bathroom floor isn't clean. I take the shower head to spray down the floor. (In this type of room, there is no separate shower stall, it's just a shower hose attached to the wall. It's quite common.) It's then that I notice that the water from the shower is brown. I repeat the process with the sink, with the same results. I'm guessing that it's pulled directly from the adjacent river.

Anyone who knows me knows that my biggest fear is of very small things. I am clearly not going to shower here. I just don't think that I would end up any cleaner.

I walk out to the main road to look for a new place. I stop two people on the road, and ask about their accommodations. They indicate clear water is to be had at Nula House, so I'm all about that. I take the walk there, and explain my situation to the proprietor. This is a familiar story. I select room number three of the evening.

He drives me back to the original place to get my main pack. He also secures my safety box belongings, and also arranges for me to not have to pay for the room at the original establishment.

The new proprietor drives me back to my room, and helps me unload my belongings. I go to lock the door, and have difficulty actually swinging the bolt and having it match up with the lock mechanism. I move to room number four of the evening, where I finally sleep.

And yes, the next night, I switched rooms yet again, to upgrade to one with hot water.

Where I am/ Where I'm going

So, as predicted, the sinuses did not get any better. So I'm not on a boat. I'm in Khao Lak, soon to head to Khao Sok. Khao Sok is a national park, home to a rain forest that is supposed to be older than those found in the Amazon. There is supposed to be an amazing lake with some caves and a waterfall. And I think that I'll go on an elephant ride.

I'll go to Phang Nga after that. If you've seen The Man with the Golden Gun then you've seen this island. I got a few tips from some divers who did all of this before heading out on the boat this morning...

Anyway. Hope all is well. I'll keep my sinuses in check.

So, I'm 30...

Ummm... I still want to pummel my brother. (See previous post.) So that's not changed in the last 30 years.

I think I'll be ok with this. Maybe I just need to say goodbye to an eventful decade. I graduated, twice. I quit my job, twice. I traveled, more than twice.

I had pad thai and a Heineken for dinner.

Unrelated note: I'm having some sinus pain. The dives we did today were only to 12 meters or so (40 ft), and I had some pain. The ears equalized, but I had to work a bit more on the sinus. So I'm having a huge internal debate about getting on the boat tomorrow. It's two nights and three days. I could snorkel if I don't dive, but I'm not sure I want to end up in the middle of nowhere with a sinus infection. Really, I just started having sinus problems again in Sept. I had 3 years free of sinus pain. Anyway. I'll see how I feel in the morning. So don't freak out if you don't hear from me for the next four days or so - I'm on a boat. If I don't go, I'll check in sooner with new "where I am" details...

Hope all is well. Many thanks for all of the birthday wishes!!

Interactions...

English is the language to know. If anyone here knows another language, it will be English. But conversational English is about as good as it gets. I can get directions, I can order food, I can make a phone call. But there's no going beyond that. So it's very hard to find out what a Thai is actually thinking, or how someone here actually lives, or what they think of Americans.

The other reason for this is that I'm automatically suspicious of anyone who starts a conversation with me. Or rather, anyone who starts a conversation without an immediate purpose, ie directions. I was visiting a wat yesterday. I was taking a few pictures, and someone came up to me and asked if I was from India. I replied that my mother was, but I was from The States. This gentleman was Thai, living in Australia while boxing. He had two kids who were here. He was visiting his grandparents/parents. He got me to sit down by showing me a picture of one of his kids with his wife. (This is all in the span of two minutes.) He said that he was going to the exposition to get something for his wife at home. He showed me where it was on the map, and indicated that it would be ok if I were to go with him. He asks me where I've been, where I'm going. It's all very smooth. But I feel a scam, and am not about to go anywhere with anyone I just met. So maybe he was legit, but I'm not the one who will find out. I'm the one who continues on my walk.

So, with some irony, I admit most of my actual conversations have been with Europeans. I don't meet Americans. (I have met, at most, five on the entire trip.) Australians were common in Bali, but most were not of the personality that would discuss the state of the world. It's the Europeans I talk with...

Any questions?

I feel it's again time to give you the chance to ask me random questions. Is there something that I'm not answering, something you want to know? Remember that my parents read this...

Fast Food Nation...

So I finished Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser. (He also wrote Reefer Madness, which I also read and enjoyed.) I won't get into a lot of the details. I can say that it seems well researched (references in the back), explores a lot of the effects of fast food. I'll leave the details to the book, which I highly recommend. I am quite reluctant to eat at McDonald's now.

Part of the book discussed the expansion of fast food outside of the US. I can very directly see that. Out of all the places I've been, I have stayed in exactly one town that did not have a McDonald's (Ubud, in Bali). Everywhere else, Mickey D's, KFC, and sometimes Pizza Hut were all beacons in the night.

We tend to eat fast food because it's so convenient. It seems as if the rest of the world sits down to eat. You go to a restaurant, order, stay there, and eat. The idea of "take out" is foreign. The meal seems to be more than a way to not be hungry anymore.

Reading Material...

As I've indicated before, I do a lot of reading on this trip. I finished Fast Food Nation, Around the World in 80 Days (I found it oddly fitting), and a couple Dan Brown novels.

My purchases in Chaing Mai include The Communist Manifesto, Common Sense by Thomas Paine, Video Night in Kathmandu by Pico Iyer, A History of Asia, and The Tailor from Panama by John La Carre. I also picked up a copy of this week's Economist magazine. And I finally found Walden as well.

I talked about Pico Iyer in the last book post. This book talks about how Western trends move through Asia. It should be an appropriate read.

I've always thought about reading the Communist Manifesto. I just wanted to know what it was that sparked a whole way of life for, at its time, about half the world. I thought Common Sense was necessary for some balance.

So I'm set for the rest of Thailand and couple of weeks or so of India. But, I would like some suggestions for future picks.

Criteria:
- In press long enough to be in paperback; It's lighter, and I'll be more likely to find it used.
- Should not be excessively long; Please, no War and Peace. It gets difficult to pack the big books.
- Mainstream that I would probably find it used. This is not so difficult as it sounds, but would preclude Beowulf in original Old English.
- No Russian authors. I read a few in high school, and found them depressing. I don't need that on this trip.
- No poetry. Just not in the mood.

Thanks for the help...

Cooking class

I took a Thai cooking class today. I chose the class offered on this particular day because they were teaching knife skills. I learned how to make a rose from a tomato peel, and a lotus blossom from a tomato. And I made a nice leaf from a carrot. They have much bigger carrots here.

I have a feeling that I will be investing in a nice knife for this purpose once I get back home. It was actually an odd knife. It was curved, but the sharp edge was on the inside of the curve, instead of the expected outside. There are pictures of all the creations. I had to learn about the "macro" function on my camera.

The afternoon was spent making five different dishes. Yes, Roxy, I did get a cookbook. I am quite pleased with the course.

Pictures will follow.

Transport...

It occurs to me that I haven't really been sharing the details of my transportation. I think you'd be slightly intrigued.

I was finished with my time in Kanchanaburi, and by that, I mean that since I had gotten there, things had seemed a bit off at every turn. This happens from time to time. Nothing bad, but always something slightly unexpected, and so slightly disappointing. For breakfast, I didn't get what I ordered. I assume I didn't point at the menu correctly. The day had been full of things like that.

So I started off to the bus station. I accepted an offer to be taken there in a rickshaw. (That's its name in India, I'm not sure of the correct term in Thailand.) Think of a bicycle, but with two wheels in the back sharing an axle. There's a platform to sit on. Someone pedals, and you go. Something about a person moving me along bothers me, so I tip well to assuage some guilt.

The driver asked me what city I was headed to, and proceeded to take me towards the bus station. He tells me a bit about the town when we are stopped at the light. He stops a bit before we get to the bus station, and tells me that the bus in front of us is the bus I want. I look at it, and it does have the expected number painted on the side. I do have to say that the rickshaw driver was the best part of Kanchanaburi. The conductor gets me on board, and even finds me a seat on the very packed bus.

I'm not sure how to describe this bus. Think school bus, complete with windows that come down, and you get close. They also have curtains to keep the sun out, and fans on the ceiling.

About 12:45, I start to get hungry, and hope that the ride is almost over. We are stopped at a semi-major town center, waiting for the proper time to leave. All of a sudden, there appear food vendors on the bus. A man shows up with BBQ chicken. I automatically have a huge grin on my face, and he knows he has a customer. I get four pieces for about $.50. I also get a bag filled with ice, water, and coconut flavor for about a quarter. My faith in Thailand is restored.

Upon arrival at the transfer point, the conductor finds and directs me to the next bus to take me to Ayuthaya. I'm feeling grateful.

I took the train here to Chaing Mai. I was waiting at the train station. A train pulls in about 15 minutes before I'm supposed to board. So I ask someone in uniform if this is the train to Chaing Mai. Someone else offers assistance to translate. The bottom line is that when my train does arrive, the station manager signals to me, and then sends someone over to get me and take me to the correct compartment. I am truly grateful.

Where I am/will be...

OK. So I've been hard at work the last two hours or so, and have nailed down some details.

I'll be in Chaing Mai until Thurs, 8 Dec. I'm taking a Thai cooking class tomorrow, and then visiting the highest peak in Thailand, Doi Inthanon, on Tuesday. Wednesday, I'll see some of the wats (temples) in Chaing Mai itself.

On Thursday, I'll fly to Phuket. I'll head north to Khao Lak, where I'll be doing more diving. You probably won't hear much from me at this point. I dive during the day on Friday, but then do a liveaboard Sat-Mon. This means I go out on a boat and don't come back for awhile. We'll see how that goes. I'm going through Sea Dragon Dive Center.

After that, I plan to head north to Khao Sok. It's a national park. A rainforest, actually. I think that I can ride an elephant there. We'll see. After that, I have another day or so before I have to head back to Bangkok. Again, I head to India on 18 December.

Please let me know if you need any more details.

The Bridge...

I rented a bicycle from my guesthouse yesterday. I rode to The Bridge Over The River Kwai. I couldn't help but start to whistle the "theme" song. There's a museum nearby. They had a video showing an interview with the former POW that started singing the song. It's an old British fight song. They had lyrics that insulted the Japanese, but the Japanese lacked the English vocabulary to realize it was an insult. The captors were amused every time the POWs would start to sing.

Over 100,000 people died building the railway from Thailand to Burma. The Japanese needed this railway to move supplies to Burma and stage an attack on India. The seas were not a safe option for the Japanese, so they had to build a railroad through the mountains. Most of the POWs that died were British, Australian, or Dutch. There are about 6,500 of them buried in a cemetery in Kanchanaburi.

The museum explained that had the Japanese provided proper food, water, and medical care, the death rate would not have been so high. So I found it odd that the Japanese were very respectful of deceased POWs. They allowed the POWs to hold funerals, and would sometimes attend. In 1944, the Japanese even built a monument to all those who died while building the railroad.

The POWs used this respect for the dead to their advantage. They would independently keep records of who died, and periodically would bury it with a POW. These records were then uncovered by the Allied Powers after the country was liberated. During liberation, most of the bodies were exhumed and placed in one of three cemeteries. The British Commonwealth still attends to these sites.

High Season...

So this is really the first time I've been traveling in High Season. It's been nice enough in the other places I've been, but there was a dearth of fellow travelers. Not so here.

So it's bit me a bit. The first couple of places that I tried, here in Ayuthaya, were booked. The third place is a bit basic. A bed, a chair, a fan. Bathroom downstairs. So I'm shortening my time here and heading to Chaing Mai early. Saturday night I'll take an overnight train.

And yes, I have, after many telecommunications difficulties, made a reservation with a place in Chaing Mai.

Itinerary

So here we go:

Tomorrow, I head to Kanchanaburi- It's the location of the Bridge Over the River Kwai. I;I'll be there for a couple of days.

Friday afternoon, I'll go to Auythaya, home to ruins, and I've heard, not much else.

Sunday night, I'll take a train or a bus to Chiang Mai. I'll take a cooking class, see some ruins, and visit a park. And perhaps speak to a monk. I'll be there until the 8th or so. I'm still working on this part.

I will fly to Phuket to go diving in the Similan Islands. It will probably be a live aboard - so I'm on a boat for four days in the middle of the Andaman Sea. I'm still trying to work out the exact dates/times for this. It does mean that I'll spend my 30th birthday (9th - Happy Birthday to Dawn K!) sober, as diving after drinking is not allowed.

I'll hit another national park before heading back to Bangkok. I fly to India on 18 Dec.

You'll continue to receive updates, but that's the master plan as I have it now. Subject to change, but knowing me, not subject to much change...

Last test, hopefully...

I think this should be the last test post to make sure everything is going ok. And next time you stop receiving notices to the inbox, please don't wait a month to tell me...

Thailand is still good. I haven't done much today except read the guidebook to figure out where I want to go. No exact plans yet, but I'll let you know soon.

Testing part two...

This is a random post to test the autoupdate feature... This is the second part of the test. Google.com seems to be holding up its end of the bargin, so we'll see about blogger...

MH

I'm ok...

I'm in Thailand. I have learned a lot about Austria this evening, as I spent it with Jacob and Bernie. They gave me the lowdown on Thailand as well.

Anyway. Why was it that no one saw it fit to tell me that there is a new Harry Potter movie out? I almost fell out of my airplane seat when I saw the ad. Needless to say, it was placed at the top of today's to-do list.

Hope all is well. I have no plans yet for Thailand, as I just got the guide book today. I will keep you all informed before any moves out of Bangkok.

Reading material...

So I have a lot of time to catch up on reading, and I figured I'd give you an update on that...

I brought A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson with me. Quite good. Bill Bryson normally does a lot of travel writing, not guidebooks, but things that happen to him while he travels. That's how I became acquainted with his writing. But this is more about science. Stay with me!! It's science the way that you should have learned it. Every few pages there is a fact that will just astound you, like the fact that the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans have different salinity levels. If they didn't, the current in the Atlantic would flow north to the Artic and melt the pole instead of warming Europe. You don't need a science background for it, but it does answer a lot of questions they should have answered in school...

My other books have been purchases at used book stores. So you can see what everyone else is reading. Interesting, as I have never read Sydney Shelton, but she seems quite popular. I've been wanted to read Walden, but have yet to find that. (Bali also seems to lack large bookstores of the type you'd find in the US. One's found in airports seem far better.)

So in the selections Ubud Library was selling, I stumbled upon Global Soul by Pico Iyer. The author has Indian parents, was educated in England, but is a permanent resident of the US, in California, and now lives in Japan. (He's a writer for Time.) The book discusses the fact that he's not the only one in the world with such a conglomeration of backgrounds. Good read, made more meaningful because I had been to many of the places he traveled to in search of answers. Some of it is about the difficulty faced when flying from one place to another. What do you put down for nationality, address, which form do you get. He talks about airports being the one place he feels at home. This I can wholeheartedly agree with. The least stressful times for me are in airports. I know the system, I know what should happen. There are always English signs. It's only when I exit that I have to worry about putting a roof over my head and feeding myself. The airport is a brief respite from the stress of having to figure out another culture. (I think my brother would like this book.)

Other parts of the book talk about mixing cultures. Toronto has many different cultures living together in mostly harmony. There's little actual mixing however. Most of it is groups living with each other. Which seems to be true for a lot of places...

The current read is Fast Food Nation, but more on that later...

Thailand...

So I'm off to Thailand today. My flight leaves around 6 PM, and gets into Bangkok at 9 PM. I will be 12 hours off of Eastern Standard Time.

I have a hostel reservation and an airport pickup already scheduled, so don't worry about that...

Oh - my Thanksgiving dinner consisted of a margarita and pad thai, along with a tiramisu like dessert. Not so traditional, but not at all bad...

Hope all is well.

photos...

I have posted the diving photos, and some pics of Amed. Let me know if you want any of these, as I only uploaded low res pictures...

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Enjoy the turkey and cranberry sauce for me!! I personally will miss my Aunt's samosas.

Hope all is well, and be thankful for what you have...

One more thing...

Can you tell that I've had a lot to say, but no way to say it??

Amed was the only place that I've been where it was arid and humid. There were cacti on the beach.

Bali is a volcanic island, and the range stops just short of Amed. So there are a lot of clouds that rise to pass over the range, but don't drop rain before they head out to sea.

They don't grow a lot of rice here, as it is too dry. I did see corn. I felt my Illinois roots...

Media...

Let's talk about the media now. As you may have guessed, it's hard for me to find out what is going on in the world. I have to have the English language papers. So that gives me the International Herald Tribune (put out by the NY Times) and the Jakarta Post.

The latter is a bit more common, but it's not what I expect out of the national paper. By that, I am comparing it to USA Today, not the NY Times, nor the Chicago Tribune. It also speaks with the Indonesian government's voice, a government ruled by the same party for 40 years. That has recently changed, but not very recently. So I'm not completely trusting of the Jakarta Post.

So I was shocked to find an article about the Pew Research Center. This is a well regarded organization that conducts all sorts of surveys on attitudes of various sets of people. The survey of discussion was the most recent from the Pew Global Attitudes Project.

The Jakarta Post indicated that most Western news sources have ignored this report, with the exception of the International Herald. Why the downplay?

It concerns China. 79% of Chinese are satisfied with "national conditions." Jordanians, 69%, and Pakistanis, 59%. The figure for the US is 39%. So the assumption is that Western media does not want to advertise the fact that people with oppressive governments are seemingly satisfied with them.

The fine print does say that the survey was overwhelmingly urban based, with an error of 2%. The rural tend to be less educated and less wealthy, factors that led to optimism.

I assume that I'll be reading newspapers from all over the world with the same grain of salt. It does lead me to wonder what I will read and think once I get back to the US media.

This link will take you to a list of all of the reports, some of which will make interesting reading as you avoid doing work...

Thoughts?

Hello again....

Sorry for the delay in posting. Chris was right on all three counts. I honestly tried to get on the internet last night, but it was "not possible." I am now back in Legian. I'll be hanging out here until I fly to Thailand on Sunday.

So I have received my Open Water Diver Certificate. So let's talk a bit about diving. Yes, I do have pics. They are high resolution, so I need to make some low resolution ones to post. I'll burn the high resolution ones, and mail that to the US, so if you see a print you want, contact me for further instructions.

The pictures are beautiful. I saw lots of fish, stingrays, eels, coral. The USS Liberty is sunk of the eastern coast of Bali. The WWII era ship has created quite the ecosystem. We went 15 meters (50 ft) deep for our dives. You can tell the color differences in the pictures. The deeper ones are more blue.

I'll explain the technology, of course. I stuck my memory card into my instructor's camera. The camera was placed in a watertight case. Cases are apparently available for most camera types. I took a some of the pictures. I won't even claim to have taken the best ones. I'll get them posted in the next few days.

In diving, you have to forget all you learned about swimming. Your arms shouldn't be doing much at all, and your legs certainly shouldn't be doing the swimming thing either.

Come to think of it, you really have to forget all you know about moving on land as well. It's a place where you move into a handstand, kick your legs to propel you forward, and you don't hit your head on the ground. Do you know how strange it is to have your legs flailing above your head, and yet you don't go crashing into anything? It's a different world down there.

Amed

So I'm in Amed, on the east coast of Bali. I decided to splurge a bit and get a room with A/C. I start my dive class tomorrow at 8:30. That might be a bit early for me these days. I know, I hear the unsympathetic howls....

I should be here until Thursday. I'll head back to Legian to take care of a few things, namely purchase a guidebook to Thailand, before I fly out on the 27th.

Hope all is well. Gotta run, as I'm on a dial up connection as expensive as the broadband I had in Ubud.

Yesterday's walk

So I went for a walk yesterday. It was nice. It was one of those days that I thought, "Yes, this is why I did this."

I walked out of Ubud and through some of the neighboring villages. I walked through the rice paddies. I had a whole 20 minutes when no one asked me if I wanted "transport" to anywhere else. I did get a little misplaced. I was following a route suggested by the Lonely Planet, and forgot to turn east. I ended up with a nice view of rice.

The paddies themselves are an engineering marvel. They flood the terraces, let the rice grow, drain them, and then burn the land after harvesting. All of this water is controlled without the use of huge water tanks. Just ditches.

So yes, there are new photos posted and commented on. So it's about rice, and there's a big spider for Rhonda, and a few misc. things as well.

Oh - tomorrow, I go to Amed, on the east coast. Hopefully, I will learn to dive there...

One month...

So I took off on 16 Oct, but by the time I arrived in Beijing, it was 18 Oct. So I consider today to be my "one month" mark.

Thoughts/feelings:

I'm not ready to come home yet. Before I left, I knew that if I got to the point that I wasn't enjoying myself, I could swipe the Amex, and roughly 24 hours later be at home. I'm still curious about the rest of the world.

I don't think the trip will offer any blinding flashes of insight as to what I should be doing with the rest of my life. I think that I'll figure out exactly what level of confort I need; hot water is a must, but I can live without the A/C.

How often do I need pizza? I try not to satisfy the cravings of home like that. The gazpacho can end up too spicy, the burger not at all right, the Coke completely different. So you've spent a lot of money, and the craving still isn't satisfied. Except the Snickers bar. Everywhere, it's been the same.

Hope all is well.

I'm in!

Marcia,

Finally, I have mastered signing up for posting on your blog. Bali looks incredible! Thursday night are the Jaycee elections for '06. Apparently your old roommate, Rhonda, is running for President! Wooohoo! Too bad you can't be here to vote...I already looked into it, no absentee voting. Thanks for the post card, the panda looks, well, satisfied.

Take care and see you in 9 months!

Rox

Bali Photos

I have posted some photos of Bali. None of the beach though. I wasn't feeling well the first few days, so I didn't take a lot of pics. I'll get a few in at the end of the trip.

There are some pics of traditional Bali dancers. I didn't really understand what was going on, other than the content in the provided brochures.

There are some pictures of random things on the streets.

And there is a "other" folder; as I just needed a catch all.

Link is to the right...

Ubud, part II

Lynne is correct in that there is only a title, and no text in the original Ubud post. I was on a dial up connection. It seems as if only part of the post made it.

In summary, I'm in Ubud, the cultural center of Bali. They have traditional dances nightly, a lot of artists are here. There's a lot of silver, gold, wood carving, painting, and textiles on offer.

There are still tourists here. In general, Ubud receives fewer visitors than the beaches at Kuta. You can tell that the place is used to seeing more people. But it also means that you can get some good bargains on the above art. It also has a very laid back feel to it.

I've seen a couple of dances (pictures to come). Some of them suffer from the effects of low lighting and being too far away for the flash to be truely effective. Others, esp the firedancer, are cool even though you don't really know what's going on. (Don't worry, I didn't either.)

I'll be here until Sat (19th I think). There's a meditation class Mon-Fri. I went to the silent meditation last Thursday. I did successfully sit quietly for a whole hour. I'm not sure why I want to take the class, but it seems like a good use of my time.

Things I should know...

I'm feeling a bit out of touch. Unless something is in the headlines on Yahoo for the 30 seconds that I look at it, I am totally unaware. Last time I called Stateside, I was informed that you had snapped out of Daylight Savings Time. Whoops.

So I'd like to have a forum on things you think I need to know. Who won the World's Series? Is there a hurricane heading for me?

Thanks for the info...

Dogs...

There are a lot of dogs in Bali. None have been aggressive, some have been loud. If the dog has a collar, it has a home. Having a home does not mean that you don't get to roam freely. Roaming is a pleasure all dogs here seem to get. Aside to Ryan: Again, I have seen no one picking up dog crap, but I have also not found any.

This is, of course, background to my story:

I was waiting for the hour of silent meditation to start (see prev. post), and I was hungry. Sensing that the two states of being were incompatible, I went for a snack of juice and nuts. I stopped at the football field to watch kids playing soccer. Soon thereafter, a dog came bounding in. She was still a puppy, not even a year old, judging by her size. And, she was black and white.

I pay attention to all black and white dogs, as they remind me of Buster. And I have a special fascination with black and white puppies, as I did not have Buster at that age. So I like to think that there's a time machine, and I can see him as a puppy.

This particular puppy was carrying something black, flat, and foul looking. And she was looking pleased. Soon, she dropped the foulness, and began rolling all over it. This behavior is also a Buster activity. She had such a pleased look on her face. She stopped, looked at the foulness, and then proceeded to roll in it again. Then, she got up, picked up the foulness, and proceeded on.

And I am watching all of this with such joy. The dog had a great time; I have had a "walk down memory lane"; I do not have to give a dog a bath to remove the stench.

Congrats!

Congratulations to my cousin Tracy and her husband Matt! They are proud new parents of Baby Boy Logan. Best wishes to you all!

Ubud

So let's talk about Bali...

On the flight here, I sat next to an Aussie woman, probably four or five years younger than me. We were both marveling at the business class service. She lives in Bali. She said that traveling really doesn't help you figure out what to do with your life, but that is the topic of another post.

She said that a lot of Aussies don't vacation in Oz, as it's too expensive. They all seem to come to Bali. I should explain that most of the Balinese are Hindu, creating a different culture than the rest of the nation, predominantly Islamic.

I was talking with a man who runs The Corner Bar here in Legian. He told me that the most recent bombing occured on the day that the government raised the price of gasoline. It's subsidized by the government, so it's pretty cheap. (Not actually having purchased it, I can not quote a price.) So there is some thought that the bombings were a protest against the government raising the prices on something that was seen to most directly impact the poor in the nation. He said that the price of a lot of other things, like rice, have also gone up. (I am finding Bali to be more expensive than China, but not as expensive as Macau/Hong Kong.)

He went on to say that the government of Bali is starting to keep strict tabs on its immigration. Anyone from Java (next island west, mostly Islamic) who does not have a job or other valid reason to be in Bali, is sent back. The owner said that this is a Bali government initiative, not backed by Jakarta (nation's capital). There seems to be a lot of tension between the "state" and federal government.

It's a nice place. You can tell that it is used to seeing far more people. There is a monument to the original bombing, which is referred to as Black October. I went for a walk on the beach, and eventually wandered into the monument. It's essentially a list of the names of those who died. I then had dinner a few doors down. Anyone with a bag was wanded with a metal detector, just like in the airport. Maybe you felt a little safer. Maybe you felt a little sad that it's had to come to this.

So where are you from?

I get that question a lot. Strangely enough, the answer varies. I like to answer, "The States."

In China, this caused a blank stare, until I said, "America."

Here, I must say "United States," as neither "The States" nor "America" seem to get the job done.

Next steps...

I'm staying in Legian for another night.

Then, I'm heading to Ubud, about 30 miles north of the airport. It is the cultural center of the island. There are a lot of art galleries (painting, cloth, jewelry) in this area. I anticipate renting a bicycle taking a few day trips.

After that, I plan to head to the east coast, to Amed. I'll spend a week there learning to dive (I hope). The USS Liberty is just north of there, another great dive site. I'm going to investigate the availability of an underwater camera, but no promises.

I'll head back to the tourist areas a few days before my flight, 27 Nov.

I now have all of the pictures of China posted, rotated, and commented... As usual, let me know if you have any questions.

Pictures

The rest of the Beijing pics are up, including the Great Wall ones. They have comments. The Xi'an pictures are also loaded, but as of yet, have no comments. (This is where the Terracotta Warriors are.)

Click the link in the right to see them...

Bali...

Wow. It's hot here. It was about 90 F when we landed. I have found a place with A/C, and internet.

I'm in Legian, which is north of Kuta Beach. I'll be here three nights. I'm trying to formulate a plan. So far, it consists of some time in the A/C..

I should get the pics up in the next day or so...

I'm feeling good...

I checked in for my flight this morning. The woman informed me that the flight was very full, and she was upgrading me. I'm feeling good about the business class thing.

I'm also posting this for free, as Samsung has a little kiosk in the airport that lets you surf.

I do have a head cold bringing me down, but I know I'll get over it...


MH

Any questions?

OK. With one country down, I thought I'd answer those things people suggested that I keep track of:

- I found no Diet Pepsi. Even in a grocery store. Diet products in general were difficult. I only saw Diet Coke.

- Food: I was always able to acquire food, but there were many times I was unsure of ingredients. There was no answer key provided. A lot of times, I would point at a container of something, or point at something that someone else was having. So I never had to walk away hungry, just uncertain.

- Women travelling alone: I really had no issues here. No one was rude, no one stared at me, at least more than they would stare at any foreigner.

- The phrase book was worth its weight in gold. I could just point at a word, and things happened... This is how I bought a cell phone charger...

- Sex shop count: 6, with about 4 of them in Xi'an. I went in none of them. But you have to understand that shops here are a bit different than in the US. Imagine rows and rows and rows of garage doors, leading into single car garages. Fill them with A LOT of stuff, and you have stores in China. So these shops are really right there on the street, but some of them did have doors...

So - Is there a topic you want me to cover? A mystery not discussed/mentioned? Let me know. I reserve the right to delete your comments... But I'm feeling a bit libertarian after the censorship on the mainland, so I'll probably leave it be.

Pictures...

A few words about pictures, as I've had a few separate questions about this.

I have had issues finding a reasonalbly fast connection. It's taken an hour to upload 20 pictures. The guidebook for Bali assures me that there are a couple of places with broadband. So in the next couple of days, I intend to post the China pics. And probably a Bali picture or two that will make you want to jump on a plane.

There is a link on the right side of the page labeled "photos" - you'll need to click here in order to access the website where I have uploaded them. If you have issues with the link, it's:

www.wheresmarcia.smugmug.com

There are some pandas and Beijing pics on there now...

By land, by air, bu sea

So I took a boat from Macau to Hong Kong today. That means that on this trip, I've crossed borders by land (Macau), air (Beijing), and now by sea...

Happy Birthday Buster!!

Buster turns four on 4 Nov. I think that makes him 28 in dog years. So we're about the same age...

I like to give him a cheeseburger for his birthday. Mom and Dad have threatened to pass on this. I think that with all the other ways that he is surely being spoiled, how can the burger hurt?

MH

China thoughts

Well, I'm glad I did this.

There is a lot of modernization in China, often at the expense of their environment. Something like 17 of the 20 most polluted cities are in China. This is their industrial revolution. Capitalism is here.

But so is the totalitarianism. And I worry about this. We know a lot of what we know through our media. You may complain that the media in the US is part of a multinational corporation, and subject to purchase. But at least someone can speak the truth and not go to jail. At least you can read my blog.

I worry. In the US, sometimes the only thing that keeps a corporation anywhere near the straight and narrow is the fact that someone could expose their wrong. I see a country subject to the ills of capitalism, without a check in place. Look at the damage to the environment...

On the upside, China is a very safe country. I never felt like I was in danger. There are police everywhere. I wasn't worried about terrorism. The country clearly values its elderly and its young.

And I do want to thank the good people of China. Without their goodwill and patience, I wouldn't have been able to eat a meal.

Macau

So I took a bus from Guangzhou to get here. I almost had issues getting out of the country. I don't look a lot like the photo in my passport, as I'm wearing contacts, and have lots of hair. The border guard had to consult with another guard, and made me take off my glasses... Anyway.

Macau is across the Pearl River delta from Hong Kong. It was a Portuguese settlement. Lots of temples, lots of churches. During one of the dynasties, the Emperor forbid Christianity. Whereas Macau was under Portuguese control, the churches there were allowed to remain open. There are also a lot of casinos - 15 on an island of roughly nine square miles.

Traffic seems to obey more of an order. They drive on the left, which means I'm ultraparanoid about crossing the street.

Many apologies....

I'm sorry that it's been four days since a direct update, but I was foiled by an unknown slacker employee, a border crossing, and a national holiday. (Someone didn't open the internet cafe on time in Guangzhou, I got busy, and then the cafe in Macau was closed yesterday for All Souls Day.)

Anyway. I have exited the People's Republic of China (PRC) proper. Macau, as I learned yesterday, was returned to the PRC on Dec 20th, 1999. The censors aren't as active, as I can now see my blog. I'm taking a catamaran to Hong Kong tomorrow, and fly to Bali on Sun.

Photos

Most of the panda pics are up...

You will NOT believe this...

So I signed up for a cooking class offered by the hostel. I thought, "Oh, I'm in Chengu, where else would I learn how to cook traditional Sichaun food?" So I jumped at the chance - It's $8, I get to eat the food, and I get a free beer.

It wasn't until about two minutes before the class started that I thought, "I'm going to have to touch raw meat."

I figured that it was time to just deal with it. I had to butterfly a piece of chicken before cubing it, and slice a piece of pork into very small pieces. I have survived... And I did like the little hats...

I did eat up afterwards...

email address...

OK. So my father has pointed out a quite large blunder... All of the cards that I handed out before I left have the wrong email address. My correct email address is

mshayes1 at gmail.com

Apologies if you've been using the other email address.

Pandas

I saw the pandas today. With a little work, I should have the pics posted in the next couple of days...

MH

Photos

I've put up some photos and added the captions. I'll try and do some more while I'm in Chendu. Connection isn't great, but the menus are in English. So I may try to compress and post...

Click on the "photo" link to the right...

Blog issues...

Since leaving Beijing, I have not actually been able to view the blog. I can access "blogger.com" to add posts, but I can't reach wheresmarcia.blogspot.com.

I get the traditional IE error message page about not being able to find a server.

I can't read any of the comments that you've left since last Friday, as I can only see these on the site. I have set it up to email only me when a comment is added to the site.

I'm not sure what to do about this. If you have an idea, please email it to me...

Next steps

I am currently in a hostel in Chengdu. There's a nice temple nearby. It's mostly just a place to hang out for a while before moving on. There seem to be a lot of people congregating here. I'll be here at least through Friday night.

Next two steps:
Guangzhou will be my next stop, as it's just across the "border" from Hong Kong. I plan at least two days in HK before I fly out on 6 Nov.

Hear no evil...

For those of you that don't know this, I was a sophomore in high school before I knew that there were only three "no evils" - hear no evil, say no evil, speak no evil.

Why would I have fostered such a misunderstanding? Growing up, my parents had a curio cabinet containing four monkeys sitting on a piece of wood. They demonstrated four evils - hear no evil, say no evil, speak no evil, and do no evil. "Hear no evil" monkey covered his eyes, "say no evil" monkey covered his ears, etc.

Walking through the market in Xi'an, I fulfilled a life long quest - to find a set of said four monkeys for myself.

Rambling....

Here's where my Western eyes really discuss what I think I see...

Capitalism has won. You walk down the streets of Beijing, and, other than the lack of Roman letters, its the same as any other large city. They are pioneering new (to me) methods of advertising. Imagine sitting in the subway, and having a series of TVs placed at such a distance from each other that your eye views them as one image. (There's some physics thing with the train velocity and eye imaging that I'll leave for someone else to comment on.) I saw Nestle advertising milk, and other things I personally didn't understand.

It's loud. Everywhere, it's loud.

The trains: Wow. It was like an out-of-China experience. The train to Xi'an left PROMPTLY. No one spit. No one could smoke (The Surgeon General apparently issues no warnings here.). The bathrooms were clean. They had toilet paper. They were quiet, at least more so than the ones in India. The speakers played classical Western music. At a reasonable volume.

I feel so lost in this country. The language thing. It's not like in Europe, where I would at least feel more at home with the Roman alphabet. It's frustrating that I can't even ask why there's such a long line. Or make small talk waiting in said line. The phrasebook has been indispensible.

I think that's all for now. Probably more will occur five minutes after I log off...

Eating

I always thought that I was an adventurous eater. Not that I wasn't fastidious about its preparation, but that there weren't a lot of things that I wouldn't try.

China has proved me wrong.

I was willing to eat the octapus on a stick (cooked in front of me at a roadside stand) but pidgeon, no. Not even the eggs. Shark fin, no. And those were the things identified on a menu. The things I see in convienance stores, not even close. I'm a little disappointed in myself.

I ate the green tea flavored potato chips. I didn't really care for them. The taste was just too incongruent with the food. I like green tea. But in a potato chip, it's just too disconcerting...

Duck

Being in Beijing, I had to try the Peking duck. It was quite the experience. Fortunately, they slice it for you. It comes in small pieces.

Imagine a thin tortilla, five inches in diameter. You dip the duck in plum sauce, spreading it on the wrap. This, I found, is key.

Top it with garlic, cucumber, and purple lettuce, and youçre good to go. Imagine completing the following with chopsticksÑ

Fold the wrap over the contents to form a semicircle
Using your chopsticks, form a ÇVÇ over the contents.
I cheated, and used more plum sauce at the ends of the semicircle for use as spackle. Fold the ends over the middle, pick up, and eat.

Remember, this is ALL with chopsticks.

I was given a demo. Nothing ended up on my shirt, but it wasnçt pretty.

MH

Details...

So I found out today that the charger for my cell phone works in the US only, not the 100-220 V that I need. I really thought that I had looked at this, but obviously not.

A taxi ride later, I found myself in a mall. Or rather, a large department store. A few observationsÑ

?Forgive the punctuation, as I think the keyboard is set to some other language... AnywayÑ

- Signs that point the way ÇaheadÇ - ie bathroom this way, in the States, use an up arrow. Here, itçs a down arrow.
- There were no places to sit down.
- Outside, there was a display and presentation to encourage people to travel to Korea. That would be South Korea. Captialism is alive.

Great Wall

Today I took an organized tour offered by the hostel. It was complete with two stops for our purchasing pleasures.

For those of you not familar with this hustle, it works like this:

Start on tour with guide of questionable ability
Throw in system of kickbacks
Stop at various shops along the way. You get a little "educational" lecture on how difficult it is to produce the handicraft in question. Then you're set free to buy away.

This happened twice before we saw either site on the tour.

We saw the Ming Tomb, apparently the one that's really boring.

Then we went to the Great Wall. Let me just say that it is not ADA compliant. I did not roll down any sections of the wall. It was steep, and a lot of hard work.

Pictures and more explanation will be forthcoming once I overcome the language/computer issues (see previous post).

Geek help, please

I suffer from a SLOW internet connection. Therefore, I'm trying to compress the files for upload. HOWEVER, ALL menus on this computer are in Chinese Characters. It is "not possible" to change them to English. I've tried, but everywhere I turn, it's in Chinese.

So the question is... I need to find a way to compress all pictures in a folder, using only key strokes. Or, you can tell me to "choose the first column, second option down, right click here" type of directions. Is this possible?

Please advise....

Next steps

As promised, here are my next TWO steps:

I have booked a train (or rather, someone handled that for me) to Xi'an for Saturday night. This is roughly a 13-14 hour train ride. It is home to the Terracotta Warriors.

Once I get there, I will book a train to Chendu. There's a consulate there, so it can't be all bad. I'm hesitating a bit on this, as Chendu is way out there. The main reason to go there is to visit a park, which I am now able to pronounce, but not spell. That, apparently, takes a week. I fly from Hong Kong on 6 Nov, and want a few days there, so I'm not conviced I have time.

I'll let you know.

What I did today...

I wandered around. I decided to go to the Forbidden City. On my walk to the subway, I knew I needed breakfast, and had heard that there was a bakery on the way. I think I found said bakery, but it violated a rule.

Before I left, Yan advised me to find someplace small, with a LOT of people. No one was at the bakery, so I kept walking.

I found a nice hole in the wall with a line of people. Sounds good. I see people have soup and those white bread balls filled with tasty goodness. I don't know what exac form of tasty goodness was in the set I got, but it was good for me. I was complemented on my use of chopsticks. (Aside to Rhonda: I had soup made from that purple rice you have. It had no taste in the soup either.)

I did make it to the Forbidden City, and then to the Observatory. There was no admittance fee to the latter, as it was swarming with kids dressed in yellow sweatsuits. The kids seemed to perform; there was a dancer and a rap group. The adults seemed to take pictures.

Pictures should be up soon.

Pete- This Post's for you

So last night, I'm looking through the guidebook for a place to have dinner. I see the words "Belgian" and "beer" in close proximity, and feel blessed that such a place is within walking distance. It turns out that the street this place was on was demolished last year, but I did find a substitute. They serve Belgian beer and Belgian waffles. I had some of each.

They had Chimay, Duvel, Mort Subite, the Trappists, FOUR types of Hoegaarden, including the Grand Cru. They had many types of lambic in several flavors. They have the Hoegaarden on tap. Last night, however, the tap was out, and the keg stuck in customs. Such regulations.

I may go back.

Oh - please forgive the spelling. I want to point out that most of the web page is actually in Chinese. The help text, which normally indicates how I can check my abc's, is not so helpful.

Haircut

I got my hair cut today. I was wandering around some alley, and found someplace that looked like it would suffice. 10 Yuan later, I had shorter hair.

Hey All!

How's it going? I'm alive and well. I have found a hostel, found food, and even some oranges.

It was a bit odd. During my transit, I was freaked out, pretty much thinking that I had lost my mind. But then, when I landed, I sort of snapped out of it. I went into the "deal with the practicalities mode" that you all know and love.

I'll write more when I'm less jet lagged.

Automatic Emails

Most of you received an email with instructions concerning procedures to receive automatic updates on the contents of this blog. I've received reports of issues. Please cut and paste the email address:

MSH-Blog-update-subscribe@googlegroups.com

If you just click on the link in the email, it does not add the -subscribe and will give you an error message...

Marcia

The phone...

There seem to be a number of off line questions about the phone... Through a long trail, which I won't repeat here (I know it's shocking for me to leave out a detail), I found a web site that explained a lot of info about international phones in general - the frequencies, different companies, using an US based provider vs local SIM chips, etc.

I chose one of the two recommended providers. Incoming calls in Europe and China are free, outgoing is $0.50 per min. The other provider gave you a free SIM chip, but had much higher per minute charges.

The company that makes the sim chip is Riiing. I went to telestial.com to actually purchase the chip. They were mentioned in a few guide books as a SIM chip provider.

I purchased the phone on ebay for $85. It's a quadband unlocked Motorola V180. Nothing special, just does exactly what I want.

What do you want to know?

So I'm going to wander through far off lands. I want to know what you're curious about. What do I need to report on?

I already have one request to ascertain the availability of Diet Pepsi. I'm looking for things like that, or the "How did you figure out how to do..." kind of questions.

I'm thinking of collecting pictures of toilets and light switches, but I'm not sure if that will interest anyone else.

Let me know...

Maps

I've had a few requests to post a map of the places I'm visiting...

The X at the bottom is Bali...

Post Here...

Add a comment if you want to leave me a message...

Buster, The Dog...

Buster is a border collie/dalmation mix who has an amazing ability to endear himself to others, as well as get the last bite of my banana.

Buster will be residing in Ft. Wayne, IN, with my parents, while I am wandering the earth. I am required to check in weekly, and my parents are required to provide Buster updates with the same frequency.

I adopted Buster from the Champaign County Humane Society while I was in grad school. He had a prolonged bout of separation anxiety, but is better now.

Buster's hobbies include a morning run (He's faster than I am, and I admit I'm jealous.), chasing cats, and anything that involves food.

So where am I going? Roughly...

16 Oct 05: Chicago to Beijing
06 Nov 05: Hong Kong to Bali
27 Nov 05: Bali to Bangkok
18 Dec 05: Bangkok to New Delhi
29 Jan 06: Mumbai to Cairo
12 Feb 06: Cairo to Istanbul
03 Mar 06: Athens to Rome
?? Jun 06: London to US