Greetings and salutations, everyone:
Well, I finally got away from the Thai islands after a second full moon party and another stay on the developing, but still rustic, island of Koh Tao ... I had only been planning a two week stay, but the water was crystal blue, volleyball in the air every day and the nights usually seemed to work themselves into mornings before I knew what happened:):)
Made my way up to Bangkok and stayed in a "luxury" apartment with a friend of mine from England -- you know who you are:) - luxury in quotes because anything would have been luxury compared to my previous accommodations -- not saying it wasn't a nice place, "C"
... Then for some unknown reason, even to this day, I decided to hop off the beat and path and go to bangladesh, a country whose own people say India is at least 50 years ahead of them technologically ...
Since it is a Muslim country, I've forgotten two things -- what alcohol tastes like and if a woman has anything other body parts besides the eyes that keep peeking out of their tightly-wrapped bodies ... I have gone from a nude beach to a prude beach:) - but the people here have been incredible to me ...
My quote of this part of the trip is "I finally know what it's like to be a pretty blonde girl," as every five minutes people come up to me, offer me presents (marbles, calendars, a rubber band necklace, a cross for my neck -- you get the idea) or food and drink at the local restaurant ... if I stop walking at any time, a crowd of 30-40 people surround me and wait for me to do something, anything ...
I do believe I could scratch my head and go "Duh!" and they would all look at me, their mouths agape, thinking whatever it is they think ... they honestly believe America is paved with gold and I am richer than Rockefeller -- everyone dies of shock when they find out I don't stay at the $150 a night Sonargeon Hotel ("But you are rich," they exclaim to a man - a man becase women do not really walk the streets here ... or eat ... or drink ... or ...)
Ladies of America and various other countries -- thank your lucky stars you live where you do ...
I've become an expert cricketer -- actually only accounted for a run (my friends in England will understand:), but tried my best ...
Best nature part was hiking up to the top of a tea plantation in Syhlet and being able to see the mountains of northern India dangling in the clouds ... it was a travelling moment I will not forget ...
Also, hung out on the world's longest beach in Cox Bazaar (and also the dirtiest, I do believe - that's not official now:)
And I also learned the native language -- at least enough for everyone to get a kcik out of my efforts and make me count 1-20 in their native tongue ... since I am one of two tourists I have seen hee in the last three weeks and they don't really specialize in English here, it was a necessary thing to do!!!
Tomorrow, I am off to Calcutta and then three weeks later down to Sri Lanka to see if the beaches there are what the guide book says ... also want to visit the elephant orphanage for unwanted elephants who don't have a mommy or daddy ... should be a kick ...
Well, that's all for now ... hope everyone has a great 4th of July (I don't think it is as heavily celebrated in these other countries -- although one of the hotels in Bangladesh is giving away free hot dogs -- what could be more American than that, I ask you???:))
Take it slow, AaA
Hello everyone,
Long time, no write, but it's hard to drag yourself away from the "nude" beaches out here in Thailand ... they're not really nude, but it seems like every girl out here is trying to see how little clothing she can wear within the rules of the game ...
I had only planned on a few weeks, but seeing as India and Bangladesh are next and they are not exactly social, tropical climates, I decided to stay here ... It is like being a kid in a candy store here ... Went to a Full Moon Party on the 7th of the month (ask Rob about that -- I'm sure he's heard of it and can share details) -- everyone dresses up, goes down to the beach and gets pissed -- fire jugglers and other assorted weirdoes on Ko Pha-Ngan get together ... and they sell buckets for $3 -- (thai whiskey, coke and red bull in a sand pail -- guaranteed to send you to a happy place) ... Met some interesting people (check with Larry or Al for details about England, Austria, Norway and Isreal) and am now in the process of becoming an advanced diver on Koh Tao (I'll still suck, but it means I can go down to 130 feet legally now:) ... was attacked by a triggerfish -- very small, lots of teeth -- for five minutes and was driven to the surface in a panic:) Going back to Pha-Ngan for a volleyball tourney in two days, along with one more Full Moon before moving on ... Did I see right, by the way? Are Larry and Al a double play combination? Tinker and Evers better watch their backs ... actually, I think they might turn more double plays this year from the grave (did I say that?:) Hope all is well ... I am now black enough to attain minority status in the US ... looking forward to flying out to the warning track for the Winkmen one of these days ... take care ... until next time ... AAA
Greetings and salutations,
The past month or so has frazzled my nerves so as of tonight, I am heading down to the Thai islands to catch a full moon party, do some diving and generally chill out underneath the sun and beside the crystal blue waters ....
Here's the skinny ... last we left, I was hanging in Saigon catching the sights ... decided drinking the blood of the Tiger snake wasn't enough, so I searched high and low, took a later night moto ride through the congested city streets and found myself in an alleyway "restuarant" with a live, dancing cobra next to my table and for the princely sum of $8 ("all dishes are $8, sir"), I had grilled cobra with garlic ... didn't taste like chicken -- think it tasted like snake, although since I have nothing to compare it to, this is just speculation on my part ...
Took in Easter Sunday at Notre Dame cathedral, zipped through Reunification Palace and checked out the exact spots bombs were dropped to end the war and also found out we were going to have to overstay our visa in Vietnam -- Cambodian New Year shut down the embassies for a week ... these people definitely know how to get out of work ...
Three day boat trip down the Mekong Delta put my mind at ease about this and I discovered you can make about 172 different types of food from rice and I love each and every one of them ... Vietamese dude running the trip, however, almost got into a punchup with a hotel clerk, however, who wouldn't let us in because our passports were waiting for clearance at the embassy and couldn't be presented that exact moment ... watching them lose their cool was a rare occurence indeed ...
Also met many tourists who had been robbed/beaten/intimidated/burned with the exhaust pipe of a moto by the locals in Nha Trang and Hoi An -- all I can say is I didn't see it when I was there ... by the grace of God go I .....
Finally took a speedboat over the border to Cambodia (two pack of Marlboros took care of our late visas:):) and then hopped another boat from Phonm Penh to Siem Reap --- locals down below for $5 with reserved seats, tourists on top baking in 95 degree heat for $21 ... you do the math ...
Rented a motorcycle (which I now know how to drive surprisingly enough) and toured the ancient ruins of Angkor Wat -- magnificent stuff, although it doesn't translate well in this e-mail -- if you've never heard of it before, join the club ... either had I until I got on a plane to start this journey ...
On the way back, encountered the worst road in the world -- 314km which took 20 hours to traverse ... two flat tires, a busted rear axle and a punched up radiator later ... a bonding experience for all involved ... made me want to get ripped off on the boat again:)
Phonm Penh was a blast -- stayed on a lake in Guesthouse #10, shot off some AK-47's and Colt 45's, danced the night away to celebrate some new friend's birthday at the Heart of Darkness (that's right, danced!!!), went on a Hash House Harriers run (look up their web site -- too complex and strange to explain) and watched the sun set over the Tonile Sap River having a beer at the Foreign Correspondents Club ...
Down to the deserted beachfront of Sihanoukville for a few days and took one motorcycle, one taxi, two types of speedboat, one full-sized bus, one mini-bus and a tuk-tuk yesterday to make it back into Thailand where I am now preparing for the 16 hour bus/boat trip to Ko Phan-Nang (sp?)
Hope you are all well ... I am a bit dizzy, but hanging on by the skin of my teeth ... maybe India will be easier and more relaxing, but somehow after all I've heard, I doubt it:):)
Peace, AAA
Welcome to Vietnam,
... so I was sitting there, as the lady who ran the shop quickly ran over to a large glass jar overlooking the cyclo-infested street, peered in at the frozen eyes of a curled-up tiger snake whose best days were clearly behind him, and slowly loosened the top. There was yet another crazy "big-nose" in her shop who wanted to do a shot of the snake's blood ... his reasons were unknown and irrelevant ... as long as he had the 7,000 dong, that was all that mattered to her.
She carefully poured the thick, clear liquid into a generous shotglass, placed it in front of the foreigner and backed away, happy she was not the one who was going to "sample the wares" ...
OK, enough of the third-rate storytelling ... I drank some snake blood, it was stronger than any alcohol I've ever had and since that day I've had a strong urge to jump into the tall grass and flick my tongue out at people:):)
Greetings from Vietnam ... took a 26 hour bus trip out to Hanoi from Laos in a mini-van filled with various foods and pieces our driver decided to transport with him ... would have been ok, save the potholes in the road, the Vietnamese border guards who seem to think an American passport is something to hold twice as long as everyone else's and the extremely low roof ...
Hanoi is one heck of a crazy city ... your job as a pedestrian is to walk across the street extremely slowly, not making any sudden moves, so the driver's can avoid you (hopefully) ...p> Saw the dead body of Ho Chi Minh (and he is officially dead for any of you who care to know), the War Museum documenting the American Imperealist War (hope this e-mail is not checked by the Communist regime:) and took a three day, two night boat trip to Cat Ba island (surrounded by caves and thousands of other islands) with Caro ...
Was challenged to numerous arm-wrestling competitions with the locals and am still undeafeated (doesn't matter how small they are, I tell you!!!) -- they also have a habit of grabbing you ankle, arm, neck or any other body part (no, not that one) and comparing it to their own, as if I am from another planet -- definitely have an interesting view on personal space ...
Bussed down to the DMZ and checked out a combat base, some look-out points and crawled around in the Moc Bai tunnels ... people lived there for years -- I smashed my head twice in 10 minutes and almost rendered myself unconscious ...
Then down to Hoi An where I learned how to ride a manual motorcycle amonst the psycho drivers, drove everywhere, hit nothing -- had a $35 dollar tuxedo custom made and it came out perfect, along with satin pajamas for my Howard Hughes stage later in life:):)
Next was Nha Trang and Cam Ranh Bay -- $7 a night for a sixth floor ocan view hotel ... did a few scuba dives and went on an all-day party boat, complete with a floating bar in the ocean (use your imagination:)
Also, came across a street where the main food they serve is dog ... needless to say, I did not walk down the street for fear I might be in a Vietnamese prison moments later ...
Now, we are in Saigon, checking out the sights for a few days, before taking the Mekong River down and over into Kampuchea ...
Had my shoes shined for the first time in 31 years and I think I'll do it again in a shorter time, judging by the results ...
Happy Easter to everyone ... not exactly the holiday of the year over here, but I've found a place to celebrate nevertheless ...
I've forgotten a few things, but then again, snake blood will do that to you ... happiness and health to everyone ... till the next time ... AAA
Hello gentlemen,
I have enjoyed reading about your exploits, but there is just too much of a difference between Monday and Thursday nights -- can't blame the manager, as he's the same guy, isn't he??? I don't think I can truly enjoy myself unless botrh teams make the play-offs ... so if you must Wink, make some fake posts about the Thursday team winning a few games and ekeing into the play-offs for my peace of mind:):)
Long time, no write ... so I'll throw out the highlights -- took a 42 hour nine-deck cruise ship ride from Jakarta to Medan, Sumatra, complete with a window view and three meals a day for $24 -- met many drunken kareoke singers on board whose sole goal in life was to get the one white guy to sing -- so I did ... words cannot describe ...:)
Then took a speed boat over to Penang, Malaysia and spent a few days boozing at the Hard Life pub, snuck into a ritzy health club and took a steam and a jacuzzi and then climbed Penang Hill, more of a mountain, with monkeys flying over head and snakes running (actually slithering) over my feet:)
(Did I forget to mention the girls we met up with in Jakarta where playing backgammon and chess in the bar was their idea of foreplay?? -- Lost at the board games, but I fought through the pain ...)
Off to Bangkok and Khao San road -- drank, shopped and met up with Caroline ... did the massage, temples, tuk-tuk, Lumphini Park thing and then caught an overnight train up to the Friendship Bridge and Laos where we have spent the last week ...
Highlights here ... climbing in caves, up, down and all around -- at one point for several minutes on our stomachs through an opening not quite big enough for me:) -- tubed down the Nam Song river for 50 cents, biked 10 km or so to a watering hole to go swimming and jump in via a rope swing and a tree branch ... all in all, good, clean, I have a girlfriend fun:):):)
Tomorrow, we head off to Hanoi on another overnight bus and will make our way down Vietnam one step at a time ... four more weeks with the woman and then I am going to the Thai islands for some R&R -- far from backpacking that will be ...
Hope all is well with everyone and I look forward to seeing some more W's for Thursday's squad ... and Wink, try to stop lying in the stats about Larry hitting HR's -- this is not supposed to be a fantasy web site:)
till next time ... AAA
Greetings from Jakarta, the capital of Java ... I know, it all looks like gobbledy-gook to me too and I'm hanging out over here ...
Highlights (and lowlights) of the past two weeks ... after hanging in the Gili Islands for a week-and-a-half longer than intended, Matt and I went back to Bali (while our brassy Essex friend, Claire, made her way to Vietnam) ...
Spent the next nine days perfecting my surfing technique (HA!), my Bintang drinking and learning how to become good friends with people staying at ligh class hotels in order to have use of all of the facilities (since my place was $1 a night and I got what I paid for:)
Second to last day, I'm swimming in the ocean and notice everyone in front of me getting out ... look over my right shoulder and what do I see ... bing, bing, bing ... a dark fin circling around my area ... did not take time to admire its precision, just got the heck out of there fast and became one of the hundreds staring at it from the distance ... guess he wasn't hungry, lucky for me ...
Also rented motor bikes to explore the bottom of the island and was shaken down by the local authorities for 50,000 rupiah -- they had the "look like a tourist" checkpoint out on the way to Uluwatu temple and we were snagged ... price you pay ... Met a lot of great people, although anti-American sentiment is high -- never been told so much, "You are the first nice American I've met in my life" -- like saying "I'm king of the dips*&^%" or something -- but I keep smiling (unless the person is extra-annoying and then I live up to the reputation for a moment or two:):)
Just took a 29 hour bus ride from Bali to Java and it was L O N G ... taking a 42 hour boat trip tomorrow to the tip of Sumatra and then another high-speed boat over to Malaysia ... much travel just to save a few dollars ...
Met a Thai/German guy on the bus named Tom -- he is all of 5'3" and 130 so we sort of look like Mutt and Jeff:) -- heading to Thailand together to see what we can see ...
Winkman boys, check with Larry for any other updates ... time for me to have a drink and hang with the locals here ... they are friendly (perhaps a bit overly when you are being stared at for minutes at a time from a short distance:) and fun to hang with ...
Hope this finds everyone happy and healthy ... until the next mail (probably from Thailand or Laos) ...
Peace ... AAA
Hi Everyone,
Well, the past few weeks have been active to say the least ... I am currently in Ubud, the cultural capital and one of the most boring places in Indonesia on the whole, in the middle of Bali ... my friend, Matt, and I rented push bikes around town today and visited the monkey forest (where Japanese tourists had a habit of trying to grab them -- made for some interesting moments) and the elephant caves (where there were no elephants and precious few caves:) -- all in all, covered about 20 km and a swim in the pool afterwards was sorely needed ...
The past few weeks have been spent on the island of Gili Trawangan, a small island off the coast of northern Lombok -- it was hard to leave there, as I got a chance to know all of the locals (5 o'clock volleyball and bonfires on the beach), scuba dive with white tipped sharks, manta rays, lobsters and other assorted marine life (6 dives, including one night dive for $16 apiece) and the accomodations were great -- ocean view, breakfast for 15,000 rupiah (a dollar and a half to you and me:):)
Some friends and I took a four day four night boat trip to an island called Flores and it became the trip from hell -- after half that time, we needed to get off, as I was in the 103 range of temperature and the chills had become a way of life ... got dropped off on an island called Sumbawa where there were no white people or tourists -- we made our way in public buses, on top of the buses, hanging off the sides of the buses, on motorbikes, canoes and ships over a 48 hour, 1200 km trip costing us $6 back to where we started -- never been through such an exhausting experience in my life, but Claire and Matt made it bearable, even enjoyable ...
Four days later, Claire and I decided to climb Gunung Rinjani, an active volcano in the middle of Lombok ... got over to the rim (about 2800 meters) in two days of straight up hiking and amongst the tobacco-stealing monkeys and deer running up and down the hills, we were treated to scenery I couldn't believe ... the last three hours down, however, were a challenge, as we were in the dark with one Mickey Mouse flashlight between the four of us (porter and guide included) ... a warmup for Kilimangaro in July:):)
Tomorrow, we head over to Lovina to swim with the dolphins for a few days and then back down to Kuta to see if I can become a passable surfer before this first leg of the trip comes to a close ...
All is well ... a bit tired at the moment -- we're having dinner tonight with a few English girls, so I'll have to be ready to be outnumbered yet again ... if there are Americans travelling the world, they have been very careful to avoid stopping in Indonesia ...
Hope everyone is happy and healthy ... speak with you all soon ...
AAA