Bali, Indonesia (04.08.2013)
Nina arrived this morning, hooray! We migrated across the island to Sanur and spent the afternoon chilling, beach strolling, and being massaged and manicured. Sanur is not the prettiest beach but it’s a good first stop on the road to her jet lag recovery.
Jakarta to Bali, Indonesia (03.08.2013)
It was one of those days.
I had a long wait at the airport for my domestic flight. It looked like it was going to leave on time. Then we had to wait on the runway for half an hour. Another half hour. Finally, we take off an hour and half late. Arriving at Denpasar airport some taxi driver tries to charge me 200,000 Rs to Kuta. Ha! I walk on. The next offers 100,000 Rs. Ha! Screw this. I walk out of the airport but it’s late at night and all the cabs are full. Finally I find a kind hotel with the sweet name Te Quiero (‘I love you’ in Spanish) and they call me a cab. The ride with a meter costs less than 25,000 Rs. Ha! Feeling vindicated. I arrive to my prebooked accommodation feeling smugly organised. They check me in. I explain that my friend will be arriving in the morning and just to send her through to my room. Now they explain that I am not staying in this hotel, the one I booked, but another one ‘just 5 minutes’ down the road. Double booked, darn it. After some back and forths on this development I acquiesce and hop on the back of a motor and they drive me to the new hotel. It looks okay. I check in. Go to the room. Bed bugs. Not even under the sheets, just sitting there in broad room light. Sigh. They show me another room. Evidence of previous bed bugs here too. Sorry, but I ain’t staying. Back to the first hotel. She refunds my money but I now have nowhere to go. Find a hotel but it’s too expensive. Almost in tears now. It’s getting late and I’m tired. The owner feels so sorry for me that she offers to pay the difference. I partially accept and finally end up spending the night in this odd little Pop! hotel with a shower bubble. It’s small but it’s clean and it feels like bloody luxury at the end of the day.
Just one of those days. Sigh.
Jakarta, Indonesia (02.08.2013)
My new favourite Indonesian food is Pecel Madiun – a mix of boiled vegetables, eggs, tempeh, and peanut sauce served with rice. It’s so good I’ve had it for dinner 4 nights in a row!
Jakarta, Indonesia (01.07.2013)
A Muslim woman walks down a graffitied alleyway in the Tebet neighbourhood of Jakarta.
Jakarta, Indonesia (31.07.2013)
A man talks on his phone outside the Kota Kasablanca mall in Jakarta.
Bangkok, Thailand to Jakarta, Indonesia (30.07.2013)
It took two and a half hours to drive from the airport to my hotel in Jakarta. Google maps estimated 40 minutes but clearly hasn’t accounted for the insane traffic in this city.
Traffic isn’t good anywhere in Southeast Asia but Jakarta (aka the Big Durian) manages to take it to another level of hell. It kind of puts you off going places.
Bangkok, Thailand (29.07.2013)
This woman at Or Tor Kor Market in Bangkok claims to sell the best Durian in Thailand. As I am not a fan of the smelly fruit I couldn’t tell you if the claims are founded.
For those who don’t know, the Durian is a popular local delicacy in Southeast Asia often referred to as the King of Fruits. People tend to love it or hate it.
Wikipedia explains, “The edible flesh emits a distinctive odour that is strong and penetrating even when the husk is intact. The smell evokes reactions from deep appreciation to intense disgust, and has been described variously as almonds, rotten onions, turpentine, raw sewage. The persistence of its odour has led to the fruit’s banishment from certain hotels and public transportation.”
My friend Alderina purchased some of this top quality Durian, which meant security wouldn’t let us on the subway. (Seriously, it smells that bad.) As a result we ended up taking a taxi ride with a man who turned out to be the most terrifying driver and one of the most crazed people I have ever encountered. *shudders at the memory*
Bangkok, Thailand (28.07.2013)
Took afternoon tea in a cat’s playground. Purr Cat Cafe near Thong Lor BTS in Bangkok is filled with cats sleeping, playing, and just generally living their lives. Sip your tea, eat your cake, pet a cat. Why not?
Chiang Mai to Bangkok, Thailand (27.07.2013)
I’ve travelled a lot in my life so I’ve started to take flying for granted. Yet it is so amazing really. How do they keep those metal birds afloat? It’s hard to compute. And to think only a couple of generations back flying would have been a once-in-a-lifetime adventure, an amazing experience to be feared and treasured in equal measure.
Today I took delight in the magic of flying, the wonder of being inside the clouds and far above it all.
Chiang Mai, Thailand (26.07.2013)
I tried to be a good tourist today, honestly. But it rained a lot.
Actually I’m starting to reach the limit of my enthusiasm for travelling. For me 3 months is perfect. Anything beyond that and I get tired and lose some of the excitement of new places. I’m in the beyond now, and really looking forward to ending the current adventure and planting roots in a new place. Just 4 weeks to go.
Did manage to have a lovely meditation in one of the most important temples in Chiang Mai old town, Wat Phra Singh. Out back there was a quiet, cool relaxation area for the monks with signs bearing motivational sayings (like the one pictured) posted in the trees.
Chiang Mai, Thailand (25.07.2013)
Thai cooking class. Pad thai, red curry, tom yum soup. All the Thai greats.
I actually managed to make not just barely edible but most delicious dishes. This leads me to believe that Thai cooking is more about the ingredients than cooking skill. Maybe it was beginners luck. Or maybe my standard is low.
Probably spent more time eating than cooking. I was very happy about this as I actually don’t like cooking, I like eating. Our teacher even gave us tips on how to enjoy spicy Thai food without the after effects (the trick is lining your stomach first).
Yum.
Chiang Mai, Thailand (24.07.2013)
Spent a good part of the day being scrubbed, rubbed, cleansed and pampered at a day spa. My first spa adventure was a relaxy success. Since I was naked and half-asleep most of the time I have no photos.
Here’s a cool golden horse instead.
Chiang Mai, Thailand (23.07.2013)
My first day in Chiang Mai. Just wandering the streets to catch the feel of the place.
Bangkok, Thailand (22.07.2013)
Have I mentioned that the food in Bangkok is amazing?
Bangkok, Thailand (21.07.2013)
After coming to the same coffee stall (pictured) on and off for the last couple of months and everyday for the last week, today the owner asked me where I was from and how long I’m staying.
I feel like I’ve been accepted as a regular.
They greet me with a smile each day and start making my coffee before I order. The coffee is amazing.
the wonders 