WanderingWhy…

As we prepare to leave Thailand, you know the question. Where to? Do these look familiar to anyone?

Post your guesses on the comments section of this website, and we will see you soon!  This clue is way too easy….

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One year on the road.  I guess I should have something thought provoking or profound to say, but truthfully I don’t so I won’t force it.  I’ll just share some reflection.

Honestly when we left I still wondered: Could we really travel for an entire year? I still can’t believe we have.  After about 6 months in it doesn’t even seem real anymore; it’s like a movie of someone else’s life I’ve been watching.

I’ve read stories of so many other travelers who embark on a trip like this out of some kind of anger.  Fed up with work, routine, the consumerist American lifestyle–chuck it all and go see the world.  As Americans I think we are all a bit fed up with things right now, but a trip like this doesn’t have to be that dramatic. Travel won’t solve all your problems and whatever it is you are running from–it may help you find some answers though.  Some time spent unplugged and thinking about life can only be good for anyone.

Although I was frustrated at times trying to make this trip a reality, looking back now I never left home because I hated it.  We worked and saved our asses off to make this happen but life doesn’t owe me anything–I’m still extremely grateful for each day we get to spend exploring the world. I love my country and my life back home–I just wanted to see what lays beyond my backyard and wanted more than a two or three week window in which to do it.

I don’t know that I’ll fully understand what I have learned out here until I return home.  But if anything this trip has taught me just how much I really do have.  I didn’t spend my childhood begging for food on the streets or selling trinkets to pay for school.  I live in a country where it may not be easy to get ahead, but at least it’s a possibility.  If I were to become disabled (god forbid), I would not be on the street begging for food due to complete lack of a social system.

I have a great life and more than I need back home, maybe too much.  I thought we got rid of a lot of stuff before we embarked on this journey, but after living out of a bag for a year now I know we still have quite a bit that can go.  I’m not saying we need to live a spartan existence, but just have what you want and want what you have–the rest is all clutter and just adds stress and steals your time.

Also, the more we travel the more I find myself thinking about the environment.  No, I haven’t become a tree-hugging, sandal wearing, save the penguins, granola eating hippie.  The hippies were all full of shit anyway (remember they are the generation running our country now–running it into the ground lately). But even living without a home or a car for the last year I realize how wasteful I am and there seems to be no alternative sometimes. I’ll save my full blown rant here for another post, but travel has opened my eyes to this a bit more.  When I throw something “away” I wonder just where “away” is now.

This past year has been long dream in the making that has finally come true.  I guess our friends can figure out by now that we are not coming home anytime soon.  Keeping finances tight has given us more freedom to keep traveling for a while, and with the state of affairs back home right now, that’s just what we’ll do.  This is the best dream I have ever had so I’m sleeping in.

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Five years ago we started with a dream of long term travel, a what if.  In that time, the what if became a when.  And then the when became soon, tomorrow, now.

If you would have asked me a year ago what I expected from this trip, I would have said that I hoped I would learn to slow down.  To not be so Type “A”, to be more in the present.

I have realized during this trip that changing yourself is not that easy.  But the road changes you in its own way, in its own time.

I have learned to be more patient during 17 hour bus rides, delayed and missed flights, and canceled legs of flights you have tickets for.

I have learned that keeping in touch across the miles is not so hard in this day and age.  I have learned that our blog which was started as a postcard home, is read by people I will never meet, but keep in touch with like an old friend.

I learned how to say thank you in six different languages, and how to tread lightly in a new culture.

I learned that the world is so small, but so vast at the same time.  I learned that the day is what I make of it, and sometimes doing nothing is just as rewarding as doing something.

I learned that most other countries do not throw toilet paper in the toilet, and it is an important thing to remember.  I learned that my level of cleanliness is not the norm, and I better get used to people touching my food.

I learned in Central and South America that Spanish is not the same Spanish in every country, and if you ask for a napkin in Argentina, you better add a “Z” sound to it or they will look at you like you have two heads.  I learned in Asia that words are often repeated twice, and I have developed that habit as well.

I learned that a country like Japan can intimidate me with its culture, but fascinate me at the same time.  I learned that Cambodia could bring me to my knees with its orphans and its history, but make me smile at its optimism.

I have met people who are fascinated by our trip, intimidated by the thought of long term travel,  critical of the choice we have made, and those who we inspired to take the plunge as well.  I have met those who have been traveling for much longer than us, with our trip a drop in their travel bucket.  I have met new friends from all over the world, and friends in our own back yard of the US.

I have changed, and learned, and grown, but not in ways I could have ever imagined.  And I think that is the best gift I could have received on this trip.

So I wish WS a Happy One Year Wandering Anniversary- We Did It.  Can we keep going now??  It’s time to move on again and keep wandering.

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So what does the title of this post mean?  This is a saying in Thailand that I want to single handedly bring to the US.

In Thailand, things are often repeated twice.  “Yeah Yeah”, “No No”, “Same Same”.  In Thai language, for example, if you want to say in a Thai massage to go easy or be soft, you say “Bow Bow”.

So what does the phrase mean?  In order for me to guarantee that it will be easy to use in the US, I will give you some examples.

For instance, Jeanine and I each have black flip flops.  But mine have flowers on the base, and hers has stripes.  Same same, but different.

If I order Pad Thai with tofu, and WS orders his with chicken, the Pad Thai is same same but different.

If there are two gold Buddahs for sale, and one has his hand in a gesture, and the other is in prayer, the Buddahs are same same but different.

Get it?  Pretty cool saying, huh?  Now think of your own example, then after you do, say “X” is same same but different.  Repeat this until the saying flows off your tongue.  Then start to say it in front of your friends and family.  Explain to them what it means when they look at you like you have lost your mind.

By the time we return to the states I expect this phrase to have caught on.  Please help me spread the word.

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Everyone who knows me knows how much I love to cook.  I would rather eat cereal or ice cream for dinner versus actually cooking something (or even reheating something).  WS, on the other hand, likes to cook.  More so, I think he just likes to eat, and being married to me means if you want to eat, you gotta cook.

In Thailand, the food has been just exceptional.  So when Richard and Jeanine expressed interest in a cooking class, I was actually excited about going.

We signed up for a day class with “The Best Thai Cookery School” in Chiang Mai.  With a name like that, it had to be good.  And we were not disappointed.

We had an all day class where we learned to make two types of soup, three curries, spring rolls, mango and sticky rice, papaya salad, three stir fry dishes, and three noodle dishes.  We started in the market to learn what everything was and then went back to Perm’s house (the chef) to cook.  His whole back patio area was converted into a cooking school complete with individual burners and cooking utensils.

Class started out well enough until Perm told us that we were going to do some adventure cooking.  This would involve flaming woks.  We watched him demonstrate.  No problem, right?  Have a look:

Yup, that’s right, mine would not go out, and had to be doused in water.  Jeanine and I were laughing so hard we could not cook.  We had a great time, though, and would recommend this experience if you are in Thailand.  Just the cooking part, the flaming wok, not so much.

So next time we invite you over for dinner, assume WS is the one cooking.  It is for your own safety.

P.S. on the previous post, the tattoos were henna.

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Back in 1980’s, on the island of Ko Phangan, a birthday party was thrown.  No one remembers when exactly it was held, but it was under a full moon.  It was such a great party, that they did it again the next full moon.  And again.  And again.  And so began the world famous Full Moon Party.  And lucky for the wanderers, we had two friends in town during the full moon to share it with.

The party is directly on the beach, although some of the fun spills into the streets of Haad Rin.  The party consists of multiple bars setting up sound systems on the beach.  There are bottled drinks, buckets of drinks, food stalls, body paint, fire dancers, and stages for dancing set up all along the beach.  Transport is by boat or by taxi, with the brave renting a scooter (We opted for the speedboat).

The beach was packed with people from all over the world.  We met some guys from France, who sang a French song with us, although I cannot identify any of it as French.

We wandered around for hours, soaking up the atmosphere, drinking the alcohol, getting tattoos….

By the end of the night everyone was pretty drunk.  People were sleeping it off right on the beach.

Some people just slept with the dogs.

As we left the party, looking back on the boat, I couldn’t help think we had attended one of the world’s greatest parties.  And have the scars to prove it.

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One thing you notice right away about Southeast Asia are all the food stalls.  In Vietnam they seemed more prevalent than Cambodia, but in Bangkok, they are a downright staple.  This of course is good news for WS, as he can wander and eat at the same time.  I think I saw a tear in his eye when we first saw a food stall with pad thai.

The food stalls, or carts, sell everything you can imagine.  There are soup stalls, fruit stalls, coffee stands, juice stands, grills, papaya salads.  There are carts with chicken, carts with pad thai and spring rolls, ice cream carts complete with music like the ice cream truck when you were a kid, and even carts with bugs.  Grasshoppers, anyone?

These meals are also very cheap.  A plate of pad thai will run you about $1.  Mango and sticky rice (the new love of my life) is less than $1.  And the bugs?  Well, I am not sure how much they are, but if you really want to try them, I can’t imagine they are more than $1.

So come to Thailand, wander the streets of Bangkok, and eat yourself silly.  WS does.

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On Monday night I returned to Bangkok to find my husband in the airport waiting for me.  I knew I had been gone a long time, but did not realize it as much as I did in that moment.  Although my first thought was, wow, he looks really skinny!  WS eats, but has a super metabolism that we would all kill for.

The time change has been a challenge for me.  I am writing this post at 6am, but have been up since 4am thinking about it.  Not because it will be awe-inspiring, more like I just can’t sleep.  My body is still fighting the clock.

When I went home a month ago, I went with a job to do.  I was pretty focused on what I was going to the US for, and how my brother and I needed to work together to settle things for my father.  And with that focus, I forgot about a lot of things that make our country what it is, and make me who I am.

The first thing that I noticed when I returned to the US was that everyone understood me.  When I asked a question, I was answered in a way I could comprehend.  I could get from A to B without getting too lost.  It was clean, organized, with an excellent infrastructure.  Things made sense.

The next thing I underwent was sticker shock.  We went out to dinner the first night I was home, and my salad and drink was over $10, not including tip.  For $10 in Thailand I can eat, Sean can eat double, for three meals.  And snacks.

The escalators in stores are on the opposite side from Australia, Japan, and Thailand.  People pass you on the opposite side as well.  And the stores themselves, don’t get me started!  I spent two hours in Target with my cart going up and down the aisles.  Two different associates asked me if I needed help I was there so long.  But I was relishing all the choices I had, and taking my time to enjoy it.

Other things that I missed were bagels, Starbucks Chai tea, and cereal.  And the biggie?  Driving.  I went where I wanted, when I wanted.  No bus schedule, no renting a bike, no taxi, no haggling with a tuk tuk driver.  I drove to the store.  I drove back.  I drove to Starbucks.  I drove back.  I spent just as much time in my brother’s car as I did his house.  And while I was driving, people stopped at lights and signs, drove on their side of the street, and did not use the horn incessantly as a greeting, warning, and turn signal.

Going home made me realize how Western I really am.  But that is okay.  I love our country, I love where we live, I love our opportunities.  I am proud of who I am and where I am from.  Sometimes it takes a trip like this to appreciate just how good we have it at home.  Even if my appreciation began on a Chai Tea Level.

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If you’ve been following this site for a while, you may recall my near robbery on a bus in Quito, Ecuador. My PacSafe daybag saved the day but it did get a bit damaged in the fiasco.  Although it is not something they normally do, PacSafe kindly offered to send me a new bag(after much begging, pleading and crying).

The bag was shipped to my home in the US. Now I needed to figure out how to get this bag in our wanderings.  I found a hostel in Australia willing to hold a package for me until I arrived and spent a week with them.  I figured it would be easier to track down a package in an English speaking county and not have to deal with import taxes and such.  Thankfully it all worked out very well… although I guess that does not make for any humorous adventures to write about.  I apologize to our readers.

Anyhow, I’ve been road testing this new daybag for three months now.  My old bag was nice but they have made some fantastic improvements to the newer model.

The nicest feature by far is the removable locking interior bag.  On the old model, the slash-proof material pacsafe is known for was integrated into the entire bag.  The new model allows you to unzip the locking slashproof bag and use the daybag on its own.

I love being able to lock up my valuables in my room and not have to carry a separate daybag.  I sent my daybag home and kept my water bladder which the new Pacsafe is equipped to handle (although I wish they had a pouch to hold the bladder).

WD’s PacSafe baghas slash-proof straps and tamper resistant zippers.  I never understood why they did not incorporate these same features into my daybag.  Ask and ye shall receive.  All there on the newer model.

The new clipping shoulder strap is handy when you are seated at a café and want to a little extra security.  I just clip it in the seat next to me to prevent a snatch and run.

Given my tendency to carry to much weight, the new thick back padding is a super comfortable feature.  And the really large mesh side pockets are very nice to hold guidebooks, wet clothes, water bottles or what have you.

Again, nothing is foolproof but these bags are a great deterrent.  My old bag was great but Pacsafe just keeps getting better.  I can’t say enough good about this bag.  If you tend to carry more valuables than you should, invest a few bucks in this portable security system-or leave your stuff at home.

Update Tip: To protect your valuables from mother nature, who will no doubt rain down on you at some point in your travels, consider getting a drysack to line the inside of your daybag.  This one from Sea To Summit fits my PacSafe perfectly.  I am reminded of this as it pours down from the sky once again here in Bangkok.

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No, we haven’t been killed in the political situation here in Bangkok.  The media everywhere like to lead people to believe things are worse than they actually are.  I can hear the protests from our hotel, but really things are no different for tourists here.

My first couple of days in town I went tearing through the foodstands.  The street food is amazing and super cheap.  I was grazing through the city streets and decided to eat a late night meal of spicy basil chicken.  Big mistake.  They served it to me “Thai hot” and I was sick for almost 3 days.  “Thai hot”, although great, is not the thing to eat before bed.

Aside from being sick, we’ve been hanging around Bangkok for other reasons.  Before we left for this trip, we spent a lot of time planning and trying to cover every possible scenario.

One thing we discussed was possible reasons for going home.  What if a family member dies? We were thinking about our grandparents and I even went so far as to discuss it with them.  I already knew the answer, but it was nice to hear it from them they would want us to continue the trip.  We figured sickness or death (our own) would be the only thing that could stop us.

But, we never discussed or imagined losing a parent.  WD’s father, Jim, passed away a few days ago.  His passing was not a complete shock… yet it was.

When we left on this journey Jim’s health was still sound but in the last couple of months things have not been good.  We discussed what to do if something should happen and decided we could not afford for both of us to return home, so WD would go alone.  WD is in Arizona now (hopefully sleeping after 3 days of hellacious travel to get home) with her family.

It’s nice to think you can completely escape life and go see the world but it’s not realistic.  Although things are much the same back home, life does go on without you.  Since we’ve left several of our friends have had children we still have not met, my grandmother has passed away, and now another loss.  Some wonderful things and some terrible things–the kisses and ass kicking life will hand you.

WD was insistent this journey will not end before it’s time (my wife is a lot stronger than I), so the wandering team has been reduced to one for this month anyway.  I hope to find an apartment here in Bangkok and await for my lovely wife to return (I miss you already chic).

Our new and very awesome friend here in Bangkok, “Nomadic Matt,” has been a tremendous help to us during this difficult time.  A huge thank you to him from both of us.  Thanks to all our great readers out there and we will hopefully be back together with more mindless babble from the road soon.

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