Here we go again

    A few years have passed since my last posting, but here comes another adventure. I can't seem to keep myself in one location. As of right now, I am about to head to Moscow. But lets play a little catchup:

• so far I have moved to Washington DC and left;
• lost loved ones, but gained a sister-in-law, 2 nieces, and amazing friends;
• started and finished my M.S. program at American University in Environmental Science;
• worked for the DC government followed immediately by an extended unemployment history;
• got married to the girl of my dreams;
• began a vagabond life nearly a month and a half ago... still continues; and
• finally began my honeymoon and move to Thailand.

 That about brings us up to the present.

    Helsinki, Finland (about 36 hours) was a beautiful place. My first trip to a real European city and my first step on the continent. As a friend of mine would surly agree, Helsinki is the best  European city - granted my only one. And for those who like fish, you can't go wrong in Finland. They have fresh fish, salted fish, pickled fish, cured fish, smoked fish, fish all sorts of ways - think "Bubba gump shrimp" situation here. Food was good!

    We took a 3 hour archipelago tour of along Finland's coast from Helsinki to the second oldest town in Finland (Porvoo), spent a few hours wondering the streets and eating food, then took a 3 hour tour back by boat to eat an amazing buffet.

    Some things to remember about Finland, the sun almost never sets in the summer. We had 18 and 1/2 hours of sun with the rest being a constant twilight. Also, if walking through old town, be ready to trip constantly on cobble stone streets, don't wear high heals (not that I do), and look out for bikers, drivers, and trams. They each have their own lanes and one can quickly find oneself in a perilous situation.

    We left Helsinki and trained to St. Petersburg, Russia. I'm not going to lie, at first I felt intimidated. I guess the cold war propaganda still lived strong in my view of Russia. We arrived mid-day simply to realize we didn't know where the Hotel was or how to speak Russian to find where to go. Fortunately, we found a coffee shop with internet and these fascinating brochette things that were clearly meant for the Russian palate.

    St. Petersburg is a vary curious place. On a walk home at sunset (2:30ish) we were witness to a revers high speed chase. Picture this, St. Petersburg police pull over beside a car with red and blue ablaze. A man quickly flees out of the back of the police vehicle, flies into the parked car, exchange a few yells in Russian (which I am assuming were 'I'll catch you!') with the officers and then speeds forwards. If this wasn't weird enough, the police do a quick U-turn and speed off with lights and sirens going crazy. And right behind them... that driver from the back of the police car, chasing as if in a high speed pursuit. Ohhhh Russia.

    I do like it here. The people have been very pleasant, and the food is better than the expected main courses of potatoes and vodka. Beet soup, salmon crap things, potato bread, and other delicious foods have been a treat.

Next... the train to Moscow, visiting the red square(whose meaning is different that I thought), and the 6 day journey to Beijing!!!!

Cheers

  

For those traveling to Thailand

I have been asked by many people what I suggest doing in Thailand. So here you go. To anyone going to Thailand, this is what I recommend doing:


   Learning about the best places in Thailand really depends on what part of Thailand you plan on visiting and what it is you want to do.  So first, I suggestion picking up a Lonely Planet travel guide.  I have found that to be the best the guides.  You can expect the exchange rate to fluctuate between 26 -22 baht to 1 USD.  Not quite sure where it stands today. One word of caution, avoid the government sponsored tourist agencies (Tourism Agency of Thailand aka TAT).  They over charge for everything (nearly 80%) and don't guarantee what they offer.  If you are wanting to set those types of trips they set up; such as elephant rides/visits, canoe trips, indigenous village tours, etc... it's better to go directly to the companies that are offering the tours. Your best bet, when arriving in Bangkok, is going to Khaosan Road (the travel/tourist section of Bangkok), and simply striking up a conversion with the hostel owners and other visitors there.  Traveling throughout Thailand is really easy. I suggest taking overnight sleeper trains. Simply go to the train station because they have people there that speak English to help you get where you want.  And it is cheaper than buying from the hotels/hostels or the TAT, hostel owners are very helpful too.

There are a few places I recommend visiting:

Of course, you will be seeing Bangkok.  That is where the international flights fly into.  It is crazy, hectic, loud, and has an amazing night life (mostly around the Khaoson Road area).  You will be tempted to spend all your money and time in this amazingly wild place - do not do it!  There is so much more.  Do, however, take the orange flagged boat taxis up and down the river, visit the palace and some of the temples, and eat anything crazy and exotic you find.  They are usually good.  Oh, and to see most temples you will need to have either long pants or a long skirt and they frown on sleeveless shirts... don't worry that goes for men as well.

Chang Mai is a must. Be sure to be there during the weekend markets, and rent a scooter to drive up the mountains! It is absolutely BEAUTIFUL!!!  And if you are thinking about getting custom dresses or clothing Chang Mai is the best place to do it.  I recommend a gentleman named Mr. Somboon.  He owns a shop called S.B. Tailor in the old city.  His e-mail is sunny_sbb@thaimail.com.  He is wonderful, funny, and very very good.  Just an idea of the cost: I got 2 full suits and 5 shirts for under $200ish USD.  All custom made and my girlfriend got a beautiful silk dress, 2 suits, 1 skirt and shirts for about $250 USD. That was a little over a year ago.

Kanchanaburi (romanized in many different ways) is the same location as the WWII story Bridge Over the River Kwai.  It's a charming and beautiful little town.  But the real treasure is what they call the 7 tiered waterfalls of Erawan National Park.  Be careful of food and valuables though.  The monkeys will steal it and throw them down from the trees!!!  The water is the most beautiful I've ever seen anywhere in the world, and you can swim in it.  The only problem is getting there.  You can take a tourist bus, but again, I recommend renting a scooter and driving there.  It's a beautiful drive though a bit long.  It makes for a great day trip.  Suggestion: find a travel buddy at the hostels or on the train.

Sukhothai and Ayutthaya are two ancient temples that you must go see.  Sukhothai was probably my favorite temple to visit.  much of it was destroyed during the many invasions, but the parts that remain are beautiful.  On my first trip to Thailand, I visited Ayutthaya.  It is still a fully functioning city with remnants of the ancient Ayutthaya temple everywhere.  Although it is a bit better preserved than Sukhothai, I recommend this as a day trip on the trains from Bangkok rather than staying over night.  To get here, take the train.  Then you'll walk a very short distance to a small ferry (fits maybe 10 people and a few bicycles).  This ferry takes you across the ancient moat which is only a stones throw wide... it isn't recommended to try and swim across it.

Pai is a very tiny little village in northern Thailand past Chang Mai and only accessible by bus.  The only reason I would recommend this place is because it is rustic, tiny and quiet... unlike most places you'll probably see.  There are amazing food/bar places.  One such place is the Bamboo bar off the river and built partially over the water.  Everything here is walkable and very safe.  The other reason I recommend Pai is because it is the only place I found that allows you to go from one city to another using the scooters.  So when going to Chang Mai, see if there is a hostel that will let you stow your luggage there while you go to Pai.  Catch the bus to Pai and scooter back to Chang Mai.  It was the best part of my third visit to Thailand (and the best part for my two other friends who did that drive as well).  It is about a three hour scooter ride, with sweeping views of mountains and jungles, and small villages.  One down side of Pai is because it is so small, tourism is Pai's main source of income.  You'll find that the night life is very tourist centered. 

Finally, if you are looking for beaches, Thailand has some of the most beautiful beaches in the world.  I have only been to the east coast beaches of Thailand.  Here the water tends to be calmer and less visited by tourists.  Chumphon is a beach protected by the King, and has probably the most beautiful sand and relaxing atmosphere I've ever experienced.  However, Phuket is supposed to be very nice but heavily visited.  There are beaches and islands near there that are stunning and are typically the source of beach photos on tourist web sites.  These other places are harder to get to but much calmer than Phuket.

Bridge over troubled water? Where is that bridge...

    Sometimes I feel it necessary to re-assess my life.  I find that when I stay stagnant, I begin to lose a bit of my sanity.  Stagnant, according to Merriam-Webster, is exactly my state of existence.  I know what must be done - I need to go out and explore the world do something.  I to working out a bit more and eat a little less, study some philosophy or at the least flex the gray matter upstairs. I should read something new, play some guitar, I should...debate the finer points of life. 

    This list is daunting.  As one can tell, I have a plan for change.  I know what needs to be done.  But sometimes simply knowing is not enough.  I need inspiration.  I need a drive to accomplish those goals.  Alas, I have been left here in D.C. to my own devices with close friends too far away and motivation for change even farther.
 

Death is the Road to Awe

It has been a while, and I apologize.  There has been a lot happening in the past few weeks:

     I got into Grad School for an MS in Environmental Science at American University.
     I left many good friends behind to move to Washington D.C.
    I saw my grandfather (Lolo) just days before his death.
    It was recently mothers day (the day we buried my grandfather) and then my mother's birthday.
    I saw my family almost whole, minus one member due to pregnancy, for the first in many years.
    Started job searches that have been fruitless thus far.
    And I recently found out that I may not be able to afford to go to Grad School.


So yes, I have officially moved from Salisbury NC to the D.C. area.  Was the move worth it?  To be with my girlfriend and go to Grad school, yes - to find a job and become a productive member of society??? I guess time will tell.


As I said above, my grandfather recently died.  I am torn - on one hand I am happy and on the other I feel the family and the world has lost a wonderful man.  In the last few days of his life, he suffered pain so server that he one could read in his eyes that he wanted it to end.  And yet, he was still lucid and fully mentally there even at 89 - just days away from his 90th birthday. So I am glad he is not suffering any more, however, I am saddened.  He left behind a wife of over 20 years (his second because his first passed away over 25 years ago).  He left behind daughters, grandchildren, friends, and a wonderful legacy.  He's a WWII vet, VMI graduate, influential Chief State Engineer,  avid musician and tennis player, and the creator of many recreational clubs in Richmond.  He lived a life worth remembering.

Clint Mansell composed a song called Death is the Road to Awe.   In any faith system death is a journey.  And although we can not understand fully where this journey takes us if anywhere, it is important, for me at least, to celebrate the life lived rather than the life lost.  


I hold my own beliefs about what happens upon death, one that is a bit of Eastern Theology met Western meet uniquely my own.  This is probably similar to what many people will find when their own belief structure varies slightly from their general institution.


I won't explain what I believe, not here at least, but I will say this, death is indeed the road to awe and a celebrated life is worth remembering.  


You will be missed and remembered Lolo.

Thailand

    Where does one begin when recounting a story? Do I first start with our food exploits? I could talk about how we feasted on locus, grasshopper and a local fruit called durian, a fruit that is illegal to eat on trains in Malaysia due to its smell and has been likened to skunk spray with a hint of sweetness. I could start with the elephant rides through the jungle. About how some places take great care of the magnificent creatures and then about how some places don’t. I could begin with the train rides. Here is where we met the only two American travelers on our entire journey and wonderful globe trotters from Holland, England, and France. Maybe I should start with the beautiful scooter rides through the mountains. Or I could begin with the riots, the violence that sprung up, and a country buckling down for the “Red-shirt” confrontation. No - I will start from the end. We flew to the States via Tokyo Japan. This was an adventure unto its own, never before had missing a flight turn into such good fortune.

    We sat on the runway waiting to be taxied into our off loading dock. We sat, and we sat and we continued to sit for well over an hour and a half. When we got off, the flight attendants were busily trying to find us new flights and we were joined by two very disgruntled fellow travelers. The two travelers were adamant about getting a flight within the hour – full or not. Having just arrived from Thailand, Joe and I took a different approach to the matter at hand. We insisted they take their time. After all, we were in Japan. Twenty minutes later, we suggested a flight leaving the next afternoon. They were pleasantly surprised and offered to give us free hotel stay, three free meals, a free upgrade to business class, and then because we looked cold, they gave us free fleece jackets. This was by far the best missed flight.
    When Joe and I left Thailand, we left behind life-long friends. Renee, Amy, and Audrey were people we met on our second day and we continued to travel with them during our stay. Like us, they were only visitors in that beautiful land.
    We also left behind a country on the eve of chaos. The red-shirts, the military, the police all massed together right beside the tourist district. Gun fire could be heard. Propaganda echoed down the alleyways. Blood filled the streets. And every few blocks, we were reminded of the ensuing confrontation by blockades and groups of protesters.

    Somehow, with the world crumbling around the Thai people, they still managed to inspire a great sense of awe. In the face of utter political disaster, the people continued to believe in the “soombai soombai” way of life. This is their version of go with the flow. That is exactly what we did. As the world behind the walls got crazier, we simply moved on from city to town and town to village. The chaos seeming to follow in our wake.
Although we were seasoned travelers, we returned changed. We gained a deep respect for the Thai people. To be as happy as they are in the situation they live in shows they have figured something out; something worth striving towards. And like any traveler, we cannot help but feel the longing to return, at least for a moment, to a place so majestic. As my friend would say “Saudade bate na coração.”

    We are only visitors on this floating island amongst the stars. This mortality, it seems, has always driven people of different eras and places to travel. The earliest people sought food for survival, others looked for the infamous fountain; still others ventured out to guide lost souls or find themselves. I am no different. I have realized my mortality. My moment upon this earth is indeed brief, and so I take my leave yet again. I do not seek survival. I do not quest for the fountain. I do not claim to save souls or even search to find myself. Instead I hope to strengthen old friendships and create new memories with my two companions: One, a fellow Catawba Alum Joe Brooks and the other, an old high school buddy, Ben McCreary. My next stop: the mysterious and beautiful Thailand.
    Be it the lush tropical jungles, quintessential beaches, or the under rated Thai cuisine; Thailand is by far the most impressive country I have come across. Situated just above Malaysia and in the heart of South East Asia, Thailand is a favorite destination among my once fellow foreign teachers. Eleven months ago I found myself departing South Korea three months earlier than my teaching contract said. A little miss communication between my school, headquarters, and the ROK Government (pronounced rock by the local ex-pats) lead to an expedient exit. A few days later I found myself spending nearly 30 days backpacking the country of Thailand. I traveled by boat, train, bus, and tuk tuk. I stayed in everything from hostels to bed bug infested shacks. And yet, Thailand still holds that special something in my heart.
    What is it about Thailand that makes me go back? Maybe it’s the architecture – the old world meets new look. One could find magnificent Buddhist temples towering above houses and local eaters or dives. Maybe it’s the “Thai spicy” food that surpasses any eatable heat rating of the Americas. What about the melting pot of culture Indian, Malay, Burma, Chinese, Filipino - the list goes on and on. Maybe it’s the attitude in which much of the county seems to live its life – what the French would call “c'est la vie” or the Costa Rican’s “pura vida” attitude. Could this be it?
    I just don’t know, but one thing is true. Whatever the reason, Thailand somehow satisfies the urge to travel and see the world. After all, I am only a visitor here, and there is still much to see.

~ Jon Rhodes
Catawba Alum 2008

A Promise Made and Not Forgotten

    There is something different about my friends tonight.  I can see it in their eyes, afire with life.  There is a glimmer of apprehension and exhilaration.  I notice the change in the way they speak rapidly -  excitement pushing forth words faster than their thoughts.  I can see it in the way Joe's fingers rhythmically tap the steering wheel. A nervous twitch made noticeable only today? And then there is the sudden prolonged silence of my ADHD, fast talking, easily excited, surf buddy Ben - a rather unusual change.  This was odd indeed!

     It is not often that one sees such changes to those so close.  I have been witness to such a change before, when first time travelers return from epic adventures.  They have the same giddiness as they recount tales of voyages to far away lands, as they describe mythical creatures they encountered, and cultures strange but wondrous.  This must be the difference I have noticed.  This is the reason they walk so swiftly onward to the airport check-in lines.

    You see, the farthest from home Ben has ever traveled is Florida, a trip from my freshman year.  And Joe is still fairly new to this international traveling.  He has South Korea and Costa Rica under his belt.  But what makes this trip so interesting is how it all came to be; a promise from long ago...

    Ever since I've known Ben, he has expressed incredible desire to experience the world.  He is smart, very friendly, and open to new things.  But, he lacked something, he didn't have the desire, the motivation to change his world.  So, I made him a promise.  I said, "Ben, I'll make you a deal.  If you ever get the courage to acquire a passport, I'll stop what I'm doing and join you."  That was three years ago.  I got a phone call in late January, Ben got his passport and fate came a calling.

    In less than a month we decided a destination and added another friend.  In my typical international travel preparations, I waited until the last moment to pack.  I throw enough clothes for 3 full days (a 10 day journey), the list of items my girlfriend requested, my wallet, and food.  On the way out the door, I realize a missing necessity, and run into the house for my passport.  Yes, my typical travel preparation...


   What was even greater is we arrived at the airport at 2 AM.  A message from earlier that day indicated we were leaving at 4.  I assumed this meant the flight.  However upon arrival at the empty kiosks I soon realize my error.  Our excitement peters-out when we learn that our flight is actually at 6:10 - a whole 4 hours later.  Well, at least we are on time...


    What a start, what a journey this will be.