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...
29 November 2005
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.
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.
28 November 2005
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
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.
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.
26 November 2005
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...
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.
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.
25 November 2005
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...
23 November 2005
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...
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...
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?
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.
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.
19 November 2005
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.
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.
17 November 2005
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...
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.
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.
15 November 2005
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
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
14 November 2005
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...
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...
12 November 2005
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.
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.
11 November 2005
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...
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...
10 November 2005
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.
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!
09 November 2005
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.
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.
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.
07 November 2005
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.
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.
06 November 2005
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...
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 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...
05 November 2005
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
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.
- 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...
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...
04 November 2005
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
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
02 November 2005
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.
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.
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.
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.
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