For Real, For Real

If yesterday--swimming with the sharks--I was only "pretend" scared, then today I was "for real" scared. I was finishing up my last dive today on Koh Tao when I felt something pull hard on my right fin. I looked back, and swear on everything holy, that I saw exactly what you see in the picture on the left! Although probably only 2-2.5 feet long, all I could see was this guy's teeth. I only later learned that it was a titan triggerfish and that they are very territorial (thanks for warning me Ban's diving shop....). I felt like a Crypt in a Blood's neighborhood and hightailed it out of there. The only problem was that this guy chased me, within inches of my legs (with teeth bared) for what seemed like 20 minutes, but was probably only 45 seconds. Everybody else seemed to get a good laugh out of it as they saw me kick, squirm, and swim with all my bodily might. The way he was chasing me, you would have thought that I smote his first-born. I was really, really scared. Needless to say, I depleted almost my entire tank of oxygen in an effort to get away and with the resulting heart palpitations. Not cool, Mr. Triggerman, not cool.

If you want to learn more about the titan triggerfish, then click on: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titan_triggerfish

Swimming with the (Big) Fishies

The morning started off with a reminder of how small this world is. Yesterday, I came over to scuba dive on Koh Tao because I was getting tired of laying on a beautiful beach, getting massages, and eating gourmet food. Wouldn't you?

After arriving on the island, I hopped on the back of some guy's pick-up truck, and ended up at Ban's, the biggest dive shop in the entire world. (Koh Tao is so popular because the waters are crystal clear and the diving is the cheapest in the world.) Having spent the last 10 years breathing without a machine hooked on my back, the shop thankfully made me take a short refresher course. I say its a small world because my instructor went to the same high school as my girlfriend and many of my U of M friends. I-banking? Consulting? Medicine? No way....a New Trier education will allow you to land one of the sweetest jobs in the world--a dive instructor in Thailand!

This afternnoon, a Dutch guy, two Brits and I were led on two 45-minute dives by an Austrian dive master. (This whole trip feels like being a delegate at the United Nations.) The highlight of both dives was swimming within several yards of grey reef sharks. (The picture of the grey reef shark on the right is from a website--since my Casio doesn't work underwater--but it does show exactly how far away the sharks were.) The sharks, perhaps a dozen, were about 7 to 8 feet long. Swimming with the sharks, all I could think about was Police Chief Martin Brody, Amity Island circa 1975, and a certain movie by Steven Spielberg...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SARAH!

Sarah, happy 28th birthday! Know that I am thinking about you every day, whether its on top of the Himalayas or on a Thai beach. I love you for your huge smile, your huge personality, and most importantly for your huge heart. Continue to make this world a better place. I wish I was there to celebrate with you.

Quick Update

I am still in southern Thailand. I decided to visit a different island, Ko Tao for two days before going back to Ko Pha Nagn on Friday for the full moon party. Ko Tao is famous for its snorkeling and diving. Although I haven't been under for almost 11 years, I am going on two dives tomorrow. You have to love countries where lawyers, disclaimers, and waivers haven't taken over yet.

Another Funny Sign

I think I can safely say what this pharmacy does NOT sell....

Taxis of the World III

I never thought that I would actually become part of my "taxis of the world" series! I spent several hours the other night hanging out with, and getting to know, some of the island's taxi boat drivers. Eck is hiding behind the sign.

The No-Tell Motel

Several of you have asked about where I have been sleeping over the last 92 nights. Most of those nights have been spent in youth hostels, which range from the seediest of the seedy (Paraty, Brazil) to the downright luxurious (Cusco, Peru). Although most places have averaged about 10 dollars a night, the cheapest was 75 cents (Nepal) and the most expensive was almost 20 dollars (Rio). Of course, sleeping under the stars was the best (riverside in Chapada Diamantina, Brazil and on the beach in Ilha Grande, Brazil).

I can guarantee you that 4 out of 5 doctors at the American Medical Association would not approve of this trip. I have gone long long stretches without taking showers (a nearly two-week span in Peru and another 12-day stint in Nepal). I have sh*t in the most unhygienic of places (explosively on the trail-side up to Machu Picchu, hovering exhaustedly over a pop-a-squat in a Sherpa cottage, and quite comfortably, actually, between two cold boulders in the Cordillera Blanca). I have eaten more fried, but delicious, food than I can recall. I have been served food from Bangkok street vendors. And considering the number of mosquitos that have feasted on me, I am amazed that I haven't contracted malaria, dengue fever, or Japanese encephalitis.

That said, I am off to sleep on my 1/4" mattress, under a mosquito net, in a 90 degree room, shared with 8 other people. Thankfully, if needed, I can wake up tomorrow and get my chakra rebalanced at one of The Sanctuary's "healing sessions."

A few pictures from southern Thailand

Not doing much on the island besides eating, sleeping, and reading. Therefore no new stories to tell. But I do have a few new pictures. Enjoy.

Ko Pha Ngan

The Sanctuary doesn't take American Express

I am staying at The Sanctuary in Ko Pha Nagn, in southern Thailand. The island is famous for its full moon parties, drug-fueled parties on the beach that last all night. I came to The Sanctuary because one of my good friends from Michigan, Sasha, is here on a week-long retreat before her July wedding. This "alternative island resort" emphasizes raw food, daily yoga sessions, spiritual healing, and my favorite--colonics (colon cleansing!).

Ferry boat ride to Ko Pha Nagn. 12 dollars.

Amazing one-hour Thai massage overlooking the beach. 8 dollars.

Fresh fish right out of the ocean. Two dollars.

Arriving in paradise. Priceless.

A Few Bangkok Observations

I have been in Bangkok for several days now. I have some observations of a city for which I am developing quite a fondness.

Yellow Shirts. My first day of walking in Bangkok happened to be a Monday. I didn't know that Mondays=Yellow Shirt Days. I felt like I was in a parallel universe because hundreds of thousands of people were wearing the exact same yellow polo shirt. It was only later that I found out that every Monday people wear yellow shirts to show their admiration for Thailand's King. What I wouldn't give to be the owner of that yellow shirt factory....

7-Elevens. They have 7-11's everywhere here. I don't know why there are so many in Bangkok, but the city must have several hundred of these Slurpee-dispensing establishments. They tell me--no joke--that everybody goes to 7-11 to pay their home phone bills. Who knew?

Food Carts. Sorry grandma, but I've violated (repeatedly) the cardinal rule of traveling, "Never Eat Food Off the Street!" I know I am playing Russian roulette here, but its impossible not to get food from the street vendors. Imagine the best pad thai you've ever had. Now imagine it costs 45 cents. Now imagine you are starving. Now you know what its like to be a pedestrian in Bangkok.

Plastic Bag Drinks. This is perhaps the most confusing thing that I've seen in Bangkok. Yesterday I bought a bottle of Sprite--from a street vendor of course--and the guy whips out a plastic bag. I told him that he didn't need to wrap it up for me and that he should instead save the plastic bag. He ignored me, proceeded to dump a handful of ice in the bag, and then poured the whole Sprite out of the bottle and into the bag. I wish somebody took a picture of me at that moment because I was almost in shock. A few questions leaped to mind: Why the hell did he just pour a perfectly good bottle of Sprite into a possibly dirty plastic bag? What happens if I want to save the Sprite for later? How can I set my drink down if I need both hands? Am I on candid camera? Ever since, I have noticed people drinking bagged sodas everywhere.

Prostitution. When I first got to Bangkok I thought it was cute that all these middle-age Western men were bringing their Thai wives back home for a summer vacation. How naive. I quickly realized that all these hundreds of men and their companions--strolling in parks, eating in restaurants, going to the movies, grocery shopping--were sexual tourists with prostitutes. Unfortunately, I have been walking around Bangkok by myself and I look 45 years old (and a little bit sketchy too), so naturally I have been propositioned by everybody in the city: cab drivers wanting to drop me off at "massage parlors", pimps working their section of sidewalk, even the clerk at 7-11!

I fly to southern Thailand tomorrow for beaches and scuba diving. If you don't see any blog updates from me in the next few days its for good reason...

Bangkok Pictures

Some of these two dozen pictures didn't come out very well, but hopefully you can still enjoy them. Click on the traffic to see the Bangkok pictures.

Bangkok

Taxis of the World--Part II

The second in a series of pictures of cabs from around the world. The first few are from Nepal, the last two are from Thailand. Enjoy.

Elephant Safari

After trekking to Everest Base Camp (but before going to Thailand), I took a bus to southern Nepal, which is tropical (i.e. hotter than hell). My body wasn't sure what I was doing to it, going from the Top of the World to a jungle within a few days. I traveled to southern Nepal with several of the same Mesa State folks that I met in the Himalayas. We went canoeing, hiking, and best of all, we got to play with elephants.

These were the best trained animals you've EVER seen. A few examples:
1) Steering. I got to drive one of the elephants. You push on the back of one ear a little bit with your foot and it turns right. Push a little on the other ear and it turns left.
2) Super Soaker. The elephants can gather water in their trunks and spray people with a simple verbal command.
3) Sunglass Retrieval. One of the girls I was with dropped her sunglasses in the river. One of the elephant drivers told the elephant to retrieve the sunglasses, which it did promptly. The elephant put its trunk under the water, grabbed the sunglasses, and then handed them to the girl. Amazing.

If you want to see more pictures of the excursion to Chitwan and more of the elephants, click on the album below. Good times.

Elephant Safari-Chitwan, Nepal

God Save the King...in theaters everywhere

So I arrived safely in Bangkok last night...just in time for the monsoon season. This city is like Vegas, but only bigger. Anything goes here.

A funny story from this afternoon. I went to see Ocean's Thirteen during one of the today's biblical-sized downpours (showers would be a gross understatement). The trailers come to an end and then all of a sudden everybody in the theater stands up, as if on cue. I am thinking to myself, "what the hell is going on? Is there a fire? Are people protesting? Did they cancel the movie? In any event, I better stand up in case I need to run." It turns out that everybody stands up for a two-minute propaganda piece they play before every movie here heaping praises on the King and showing how great/strong/charitable/short a leader he is. Unfortunately, I looked around and noticed that I was the only one in the theater who was amused by it, which made me laugh even harder and out loud. Apparently, laughing during the King's propaganda promo is not well received...

Then I started thinking if anybody in the States would ever stand at attention in a movie theater for George W. Bush. Not a chance in hell. Not even in the Crawford, Texas Cineplex 14. Must be nice to be King.

Marriage Congratulations

Congratulations to my Michigan friends Matt Schloop and Kelly LaBash who are both getting married (not to each other) this weekend. I hope you enjoyed the celebrations and you are looking forward to your new lives with your spouses. Sorry I couldn't be there to share in your happiness.

Everest Pictures!

Click on the picture of Everest to see my pictures of the trek to Base Camp. (The pictures actually start on the trek's third day.) I keep finding myself saying that these pictures don't do the place justice. Hopefully, you'll enjoy them nonetheless. And thanks again to my Aunt Nicki, whose graduation gift allowed me to share these pictures with you.

Top of the World

Sherpalicious

Believe everything you've ever heard or read about Sherpas. There is no way in hell Edmund Hillary, or any other gringo for that matter, could have summitted Mt. Everest without the support of the local Sherpa community. You think its hard carrying a 6-pack of beer home from your local grocery store in your SUV??? These guys carry up to 8 CASES of beer on their backs for several days, up and down mountains for 40 miles, just to make 15 dollars in salary. All so a few thirsty climbers can enjoy some suds at the end of the day. But its not just beer. The sherpas carry 100+ pound packs of firewood, tiles, rice, Cokes, stones, windows, kitchen sinks (literally), oxygen bottles, and everything else you can think of.

And they don't wear hiking boots. Their footwear of choice? Camouflage keds. I am not kidding. I have the pictures to prove it.

Half-Full or Half-Empty?

I just realized that my travels are already halfway over! The last three months have been amazing. I passed the bar. I graduated from law school. I visited the Amazon. I climbed to the base of Everest. I met people from all over the world. I slept on airport benches. I saw ancient ruins. I saw Rio de Janeiro. I tasted water straight off of a Peruvian glacier. I saw wine being made. I saw sonograms of my brother's soon-to-be-born son. My cup is neither half-full nor half-empty but instead doth runneth over.

"I am proud to be an American"

Never thought I would be humming the words to that song as I trekked up and down Himalayan mountains on my way to the base of Mt. Everest. But if there is one thing this trip has taught me, it is that I am proud to be an American. I might not always be proud of how our government acts, but I am proud of how our people act. I have seen the way Americans treat others on their travels. We are among the most courteous, most caring, most thoughtful, most generous, and most genuine people in the world.

I have been in Nepal for nearly three weeks and have loved every minute of it. As I wrote previously, Nepal is easily the most beautiful place I've ever visited. I spent two weeks climbing to the base of Mt. Everest and back: first flying to a 9,000 foot-high, mountainside landing strip (I don't recommend it for the weak-kneed crowd); then hiking 40 miles over 9 days up to 18,000 feet; then 40 miles back down to the same mountainside airstrip. I was at first a little nervous about spending two weeks alone with my guide. I knew it was going to be difficult to meet people because there are only 15-20 tourists per day on the Everest trek during low-season. But I got really lucky. On the first day of my trek, I met a group of 14 people from the Mesa State College (Grand Junction, Colorado) Outdoor Program. We had an absolute blast over our two weeks to Everest and back.

Everest is more beautiful than any photograph can reveal. Its more enticing than Mona Lisa's smile, even more perfect than Michealangelo's David, and more invigorating than a case of Red Bull. People instinctively have the urge to climb Everest as soon as they see it. (I was lucky enough to meet, and speak at length with, an American who summitted Everest at the end of May. Normal people--like me--only go to Base Camp, which is located at 18,000 feet. The Everest summit is another 11,000 feet above Base Camp.)

A normal treking day consisted of waking up at 5:30AM, having breakfast, and being on the trail by 6:00AM. We would normally hike/gasp/sweat/limp for 4-5 hours a day with lots of rice and lentils ("dal bhat" in Nepalese) for sustenance. At night, we would stay in Sherpas' tea houses, which were little more than stone cottages in small mountain communities for 75 cents a night. Good times.

Into Thin Air

I just got back from the two-week trek to Everest Base Camp. All I can say is that the Himalayas left me breathless. Everest and its surrounding peaks--Lhotse, Nupste, Ama Damblam--make up the most gorgeous place on earth, hands down. Although not quite as remote as the Amazon, you do get the feeling of being really, really small standing under 20-29,000 foot mountains. I have some pretty neat pictures of the peaks, the trek, and the sherpas that upstage all wannabe climbers. Unfortunately, you are going to have to wait another few days because I am leaving tomorrow for an elephant safari in southern Nepal. I know, I know, life is tough, but somebody has gotta support the Nepalese economy; I've taken it upon myself. Thinking of all of you in the world's most beautiful place.

It's Great to be a Michigan Wolverine

Never have I been prouder to be a University of Michigan alum. On the trek to Everest, we stayed the 8th night at a sherpa's cottage at 14,000 feet. (The nearest road is a 15-day walk...) I was with a group of people sitting around this sherpa's wood-fired stove--he barely spoke English--and I asked him if he had any games we could play. He was apologetic and said that he had only one game: MICHIGANOPOLY. I thought I was going to start crying as he started explaining that he got it from one of the climbers at Everest Base Camp. Picture this, I am halfway around the world, in the shadow of the earth's tallest mountain, and am looking at a board game with all my favorite places from college--Cottage Inn Pizza, State Street, Michgan Stadium, and the Diag. I was so happy to recall these places and know that my fellow alumni are taking on the world's toughest challenges.

I can assure you that Michigan State alumni don't summit Everest.