Recap

It has been months now since I've returned from Asia and I'm just now getting to update this blog for the last time. Three months and 21 days was all it took to fit it in. :)

What have I learned from this experience?

My life is fantastic and a blessing. Through this trip I started to journal about every li'l step of the way in addition to posting my entries here. I have read it through twice now and I'm amazing myself at the level of introspection and attention to every minute detail. I spent so much time anguishing over what to do next, having the next *thing*, and mounting pressure on myself to perfect everything. You know what? I was italicizing all the wrong things and breezing over the right ones.

We have so very much... all of us, myself more than many. I have a deeper sense of gratitude and appreciation for all the ways in which my life is truly rich. The Cambodian people are so very poor, they can't drink their own water, and things like healthcare are nonexistent to the vast majority of the citizens. You know what? They are happy! They smile all the time! They have their families and a sense of laughter that is sometimes too easy to lose in day-to-day monotony.

Hot showers are still one of the most fantastic things ever... hands down. I think I will always have a sense of relish associated with them from now on.

Even before I left, friends and family were projecting ideas on me. First it was about whether they thought I should go (which totally wasn't up for discussion). Then, it morphed into ideas about how I should or shouldn't be preparing to go (ie. selling things and housecleaning for extra bucks). When I returned, many of those who love me pushed and harped on me about the next step... getting "sensible"... worrying that I wouldn't find a new job or have a sofa to sit on. I have found that somewhere along the way I've developed a quiet assurance inside of me that life is as it should be... and will continue to be so. I have a sense of self that I was only able to find by relying completely on me in a crazy, totally foreign situation. My life will be and is as I have created it to be.

Charity. We all have something to give of ourselves and whether or not it's big to us, it's big to someone. I remind myself of how lucky I am. I'm so lucky it hurts sometimes.

Through my travels I've been reconnected with how much I love to read and learn. I need to make time to enrich my life like that.

I adore photography and I've let myself get pulled away from this also. My once high school pasttime has taken on new importance and I just bought a new camera to cherish.

Things aren't as important to me any more. Sure, wine glasses and matching living room furniture are nice, but I also know I don't miss them at all. I'm making room for other things to come into my life by letting go the ones that aren't really important to me. I think it's kind of like the idea of cleaning out our basement, only applied to your life. Once it's emptier there's room for more fabulous. :)

I guess that's my wrap up. In my head it felt more powerful or profound and once in writing it seems less poignant. Thanks for reading along and sharing with me.

One last thing - everyone has been asking me about the best part of my trip... so I'm going to tell you all here, too. I loved Cambodia - everything about it changed from a dismal place of sadness to a joyous and wonderful journey of discovery. It wasn't the splendor of the Temples of Angkor or The Royal Palace... it was the orphanage... the orphanage that will always be unnamed in my memory. I just wish I had words and intellect that could measure with the feeling of that day. I would give anything for the words.

Check out pictures at: www.flickr.com/photos/jcarte/
They should all be up in a couple days.

Ciao -
Janice :)

News Flash

I've been trying to post to my blog... and then in transit so much... and now...

I'm coming home early. I land at 8pm on Christmas Day...
See you soon!

Love, J

Flowers Fit For The King

It has been three days since I've posted and... can you feel it? I'm in yet another country! Presently I'm at an internet cafe in Luang Prabang in Laos, but I have to do some typing in retro to get things caught up. Where did I last leave the tale...?

When I left the internet cafe in Chaing Mai and returned back to my room where I found Stacy fresh from her cooking extravaganza that day. I was still feeling a world of lousy, but wanted to get out and DO something so we went to wander the night market and met up with Steven. Steven is a Brit whom I met the night before in the lobby of the guesthouse. I was looking for the desk girl and he came down and asked if I had a card... I told him that I'd be happy to give him one, but I didn't work there. For a moment I thought he was the owner's son myself and he laughed at that. He's one-quarter Chinese and half... well, something else. He's from an island that I'd never heard of next to Moritius. His accent, however, is charmingly English.

So we found Steven and walked around together and before we knew it we had lost Stacy to yet MORE shopping (she bought 17 necklaces, 9 bracelets, 12 rings, 18 t-shirts, and 25 purses in the time we were together - I'M SERIOUS!). Steven and I went for a drink and to watch some of the Thai Boxing. Now Thai Boxing is like everything else in Thailand - not necessarily regulated and highly subject to fluxuating levels of safety. The fighters do not wear anything on their heads and are allowed to kick... eachother... in the head, if they like. As the night wears on and the *professionals* have their fight, others are welcome to pay to test out their alcohol induced self-esteem out. I think most of these foreign behemoth's see the li'l Asian dude and think, "I can surely take him."

It's painful to watch, really... and oddly satisfying at the same time. The cockiest of men fall to the hands of small, deft, fly-like heroes.

Before I knew it the clock read 2:30A and it was high time to get back to the guesthouse like respectable people. Steven had booked the long route to Luang Prabang for the next day. There's a three day trek to Laos which involves a minibus to the river, an overnight there, and two full days on a boat with a night over inbetween. He's set to roll in this afternoon, in fact. I've heard things about this trip, not good things, but things. People talk about being stuffed into boats for 8 hours at a stretch where you can do nothing but sit next to the other people... there's no room to stand or walk at all. While the Bratwurst treatment does sound like an experience to me, I rather enjoyed my 50 minute jaunt yesterday via Lao Airlines, thank you very much.

I said goodbye to Steven the next day after eating breakfast together (Yay! Oatmeal!) and made plans to meet up this evening. So, this was Sunday.

Stacy went to the pool again and I went on an adventure. I took a tuk tuk to the Central Airport Plaza to buy a ticket to the Royal Flora 2006 show. I'll be honest with you... I wasn't that interested. Most of you know that I notoriously have a hideous black thumb which is disguised as an otherwise normal looking digit. I had heard from too many people, though, about how great it was and I had a few thoughts:

• This King rocks... and he just had a birthday and is celebrating his 60th year in power. The people love him, and it's devoted to the guy!
• God help me, but the only flowers I can recognize are the kinds you mainly see in bouquets and Forsythia (which I'm sure I'm grossly misspelling). I only know Forsythia from years of garage saleing with my botanically gifted Aunties and Gram who tried to bestow some horticultural knowledge upon me.
• There are 33 countries participating and over 20 corporations that have set up eleborate gardens, structures, and exhibitions... there are plants there that I've never seen before.
• I was longing to cure the boredom of my last afternoon in Chiang Mai with something new and different.
• I thought of Auntie Cin, who wouldn't miss this.

I was riled up. I was ready. I was at the ticket counter. I was... DENIED!

Tickets were sold out for the day so I played my "But I'm a tourist, and I'll smile, and I leave tomorrow, and you'll make my lifetime" Card. It worked. Another 20 minutes via red taxi dropped me at the front gate and it was spectacular!

I walked for hours into the International Gardens, Corporate Gardens, Royal Pavillion, Orchid Exhibition, Tropical Gardens, Expo Center... on and on and on. Here are some pictures which aren't nearly as good as the disk of professionally captured images that I mailed home last week. There were sculptures of elephants and people, towers of drying corn (they were showing conversion to Bio fuels), gazebos, traditional dancers, foreign dignitaries, animals, and all in one place. I was so dig tired when I got back to the guesthouse, but it was a great afternoon - all in all. The only thing is... I still mainly only know Forsythia.

I left Chiang Mai yesterday and my flight was delayed into Lao... which was, at first, annoying, but then a good thing. I got to see the sun setting over the Mekong River from the plane. By the by, I'm a danger in the skies - did you know? I left my pocket knife in my carry on bag by mistake. (I should re-name it my mango knife, as that is all it has been used for...) Nestled safely next to my pepper spray I made it though two security checks before they saw it, made me re-scan my bag, and then had me remove it. They looked at it, opened it up, felt that yes, the blade is very sharp, and handed it back to me. I suppose as long as the threat has been identified they're willing to gamble with lives in S.E.A..

The airport in Lao was hysterical... I wish it was easier to get a picture of it. It was seriously about 15' square with two desks (one to apply for your visa and one to stamp your passport) and one turnstile for luggage that they didn't even use. They put the bags all into an oversized shopping cart and let people rifle through them. I don't think I've ever been on a plane with propellers before, either.

I saw a little bit of the night market here last night and there were actually some new things that I haven't seen before - mainly quilted bedspreads that were GORGEOUS! It was very cold here last night and I'm thinking I don't want to stay here too long... it's beautiful though - in a way Thailand is not. I'm going to show you a picture from this morning of the farms along the Nam Kham River... they build steps into the riverside and if you look at the lower left you can see three young monks in orange whom are playing in the dirt.

I've pretty much decided to come home on schedule and not prolong my trip - for one main reason. I have been sick for weeks and just cutting back and eating Western food hasn't helped much, if any. I'm psyched at the idea of seeing Malaysia and Singapore while I'm here, but I also want to get my body feeling normal again. Additionally, I miss work. Yep. Sad but true...

Holiday Love to All from Laos!
xoxo
Janice

***1:13p Tuesday, Internet Cafe, Luang Prabang, Laos

Sicker Than A Dog

It was bound to happen, and to be completely honest with you - I haven't been *right* in the stomach for over two weeks now...

Two days ago Stacy and I decided we needed some quality R&R after our trek and hunted around town for a swimming pool to go sunning by. It was a harrowed search which yielded an amazing pool and lounge in the center of many large city buildings. We happily spread out for a few hours of sun and swim and at around 3:30p we got up to head back to the guesthouse. Well, I was lightheaded... and then pounding headed... and then just about incapacitated. I thought it was dehydration, but water didn't help and the sun hurt so much. We took a songtao back to our room where I popped too many Advil and hoped the feeling would pass. For the next 6 hours I was in agony on my bed - thinking that surely I would have to go to the hospital. I think this was my first *real* migraine.

Like a trooper I popped back to life late that evening and was psyched for the first of my three days of Thai cooking classes that was slated to start the next day (this was yesterday). I got picked up in a beat up truck with my other four classmates for the day and after picking the menu we headed to a local market. I really envy the way people can buy fresh produce here - it's just not the same at home. Even if the meat and fish jeeve you out you know it's fresh when you watch them bash the poor Nemo over the head and rip his scales off while his brothers are still swimming in a plastic tub. I had chosen to make Massaman Curry, Chicken with Cashews, Pad Thai, Green Papaya Salad, Glass Noodle Soup, and Fish Cakes. (Yes, Arpre, I know the secret to the fishcakes in Trat! - And JP, I forgot to tell you that I got you the recipe for the chicken and ginger in Cambodia, too!)

I'm sorry to say that I didn't bring my camera with me on the first day because I thought I would take it all in and enjoy capturing the moment today and tomorrow, but that didn't happen. I'll explain in a bit.

The chef and her husband had owned a restaurant in Bangkok for 20 years before moving their family to the countryside outside Chiang Mai... and you could tell by their house. It was the loveliest house I've seen and had a most elaborate wooden gate. The kitchen area was separated by a small garden and there were two high-top tables for food prep, 10 gas burner stations, and a small area with bamboo tables and chairs where we could sit to sample our expertise. Two young women were employed there and they washed dishes and prepped some of the things we cooked. We made curry paste, laughed and laughed, and learned Thai techniques of cooking. I had such a great time!

When I got back, though, I was in a world of upset and my stomach was freaking out. As I type I have just resurfaced from 24 hours of severe stomach illness. In that time I went to the bathroom over 15 times... not that you want to know, but it's amazing how travellers talk to one another about their toilet habits. Between the migraine and the past day I was ready to call it a day and just jump home on the next flight - back to a real bed, an actual HOT shower (I like 'em as hot as I can stand), and some real, western food. I think that there might be something I ate yesterday that I was really allergic to. Normally nothing bothers my system like that.

(Celine Dion is playing right now in the cafe - I just had to throw that in for a laugh!)

It's still a bit up in the air, but I think I'm extending my travels by at least a couple weeks to do Malaysia and Singapore before heading home mid-January. The other option is that I'm looking into working in Australia for a couple months and then doing Vietnam before returning home in about three months or so. That's the scoop.

I can't believe it's December 16th already... I just keep reminding myself and it still doesn't sink in.

Love, sans illness -
Janice
***3:50p, Saturday, Triple N Cafe, Chiang Mai, Thailand

Kissing Solid Ground

I know this probably means very little to most of you, but I was away for the past three days - well, even more away than I am in general. I've just returned from a three day trek and I've had such a magnificent time.

On Monday morning we left the guesthouse at 10A in a Songtao with our other trekkers in tow. Our motley crew consisted of me, Stacy (the girl from England I'm bunking with), Lucy and Laura (two Brits on holiday post-college), Conor and Jillian (a lovely young Irish couple - he just finished grad school), and Jan (a Dutch Undertaker!). We headed to the market to pick up supplies and food for three days and then drove into the jungle along one of the bumpiest roads I've ever been on. Although I was nearly sick when we arrived, I happily jumped out and landed on my feet by a river.

We had a bit of lunch and trapsed into the jungle for a good hour or so and then we had an elephant ride! It was an hour long and honestly, it was really hard work. We weren't strapped in or anything, so you're holding on for dear life and the beast you're on is just lumbering all over the place. Stacy and I rode together on Noy. The other twosomes had a guide on with them, but we didn't so I got to sit on the head with my legs tucked behind her ears. I was shaking so hard at first and when we dipped down to cross the river I thought I was going to tumble off the ol' girl! Because I couldn't take pictures of myself, everyone else took them of eachother. In all the pictures my mouth is agape because I laughed the whole time. It was such good fun!

(My camera battery died after the elephants, so you'll have to wait for pictures of this until I get some from Jan.)

We walked for a couple more hours and ended up in a hill tribe village for the night. Our bamboo hut had three areas: a kitchen, a central common room, and sleeping quarters. The common room had a spot for a fire right in the center and the roof had no ventilation and the whole structure was on stilts. I think at home this would never pass code!

Once we got there I sat on top of the most amazing mountain and rested with my journal. A village woman and five young children came to me and sat to *talk*. We introduced ourselves and the little girl was amazed at my fingernails. She showed the other children and they took turns holding my hands and rubbing my fingernails on their cheeks - laughing the whole time! They pulled my toe ring off and put it on each little finger in turn, and then the smallest girl opened my journal and flipped each page. She marvelled at my writing and when I took her little hands and traced them in my book to show her the size of her fingers on paper, she smiled the most beautiful smile with her whole body - her tiny eyes just glowed with delight.

Our *beds* were mats on bamboo and our bathrooms...? Well...? They were holes in the ground and a spigot with the iciest water I've ever experienced. Our tourguide, Kai, and his wife, Honey (Naka), treated us very well. Honey did the cooking and Kai was the only one who spoke English. After our meal we sat around the fire and sang songs as Kai attempted to play the guitar - he was really, really bad! :) Kai was really proud of his wife and kept telling us how he met her in this particular hill tribe only two months ago - and she's 20 (he's 36) - and they got married straight away. They really do adore eachother though, it's so easy to tell.

Children came and danced and sang traditional songs and we all slept pretty terribly in our makeshift beds...

The next day we trekked for a couple hours and went to a waterfall for a swim - and then another hour to a second waterfall. The water was cold, but heavenly as it's so very hot here! After another couple hours we were at the second night's camp and this time we were pretty much alone.

There were two sisters there who lived in the camp and (I think) their brother, too. We had dinner and then sat around the campfire talking until late in the evening. There were three little puppies there who wanted to sleep in our laps and one of the women taught me the coolest trick with just a loop of string. (I'll look forward to amazing you once I get back!)

This morning we left camp and after a short hike we went whitewater rafting. I wasn't scared at all to go, but just after we got on (yes, we were wearing helmets!) the boat flipped and I got caught underneath it. I couldn't really get out and swallowed a whole bunch of water, but once I did resurface and choked for a bit, I was fine but shaken. I got back on the horse and rode the rest of the time - it ended up being so wonderful! Stacy is a bit of a hypochondriac (sp?) and yelled at Jan for paddling and talked the whole time about her "near death" experience. It drove me a bit batty!

When we got off that raft, we went bamboo rafting and I took the piece of bamboo from one of the guides and directed the boat. They were really amused by this and kept trying to tip the thing over, making Stacy shout out.

After lunch and a long truck ride back, we arrived at the guesthouse and the first thing I did was shower, put on deoderant and Jasmine oil, and CLEAN CLOTHES! I dropped off some laundry and came here, to the Internet Cafe, to check in with life.

I can't tell you how great this experience was and hey, I'm a master at peeing in the woods now! Anyone who likes to hike should try to do this because it was challenging enough to be fun, but also really relaxed at times. I felt like an explorer... and the group of people I shared this experience were just the best. We sang Christmas carols in the jungle of Thailand!

I don't know if I'll give my sore muscles a day of rest or go to start my cooking course tomorrow - I've decided to do three days of it and that way I'll get to learn the fruit carving, too. There has been talk between Stacy and I of finding a pool to lay... and I must admit that it does sound heavenly!

***6:17P, Wednesday, Internet Cafe, Chiang Mai, Thailand

On The Road Again

Good Afternoon, All -

Where in the world is Waldo, er, Janice...? I'm in Chaing Mai, Thailand which is almost as far north as you can get. After a rather intense bus ride here that lasted about 13 hours, I have made it safely and found a new friend to experience parts of this city with. Her name is Stacy and she's from the UK. I think we bonded somewhere between Bangkok and having our knees fused with the seats in front of us. :)

Last night was difficult for me as it was time to say g'bye to Tony and Apres. Apres went back to Australia and left us at 5p, Tony headed back down to Koh Phangan at 5:30p, and I was last to sit alone and wait until just after 6p to catch my bus. I hate being the last one and having to wait by myself!

I was really getting down with being alone and it's kind of a void to go from four people to just me in a few days, but it's also a good thing. Tony and I may meet up for the holidays and I might bump into Jo before she flies back to Melbourne on Christmas Day (her birthday!). Don't feel sad for me though, because being alone again is a welcome change... and I will (and have already) met other people along the way.

While here in CM I will be taking a cooking course (I think for several days), doing some hiking, kyaking, elephant trekking, and exploring the local zoo and waterfalls. From here I don't know where I'll go next - perhaps Chaing Rai or maybe I'll fly into Laos next.

Dad isn't coming to S.E.A. to play, but that's okay, too. I'm thinking of extending my trip to include some time in Vietnam going solo - or maybe Malaysia. I'm here and it's not like I'll be able to belly up to the cost of a plane ticket again any time soon... plus, I've already done the hard part and disconnected from life at home - so now it's just pushing things back longer.

I'm missing the holiday buzz and all, but being back in Bangkok for a day before catching the bus was good for me. I saw Christmas trees and all the major roads are DRAPED in cascading lights... more than I've ever seen up and down the streets. The whole place twinkles and although it's just about as far as you can get from a white Christmas buildup, it's pretty good. The one thing I miss is baking Christmas cookies!

What else am I missing? My friends and family, of course... my favorite down blanket, the Gilmore Girls, brushing my teeth like a normal person (with tap water, not bottled), haircuts from Emmy, driving my car, and work - believe it or not.

Holiday love to you all - I can't believe it's about two weeks until Chrismas!
Janice

***2:44p, Friday, Internet Cafe, Chaing Mai, Thailand***

Spiders n' Bugs, Francois, and Being the Queen

Can I just tell you that you don't, in fact, need to DO anything to do something...? Let me explain.

The past few days since the last post have not been filled with agenda-type things, but more of finding what will happen along the journey. I had planned to head into Bangkok and then to Northern Thailand right from Battembang, Cambodia - but was easily persuaded to join in on the fun of stewing a bit longer in C. Apres, Tony, Jo and I went to Phnom Penh and stayed for one night while en-route to Shianoukville (which is on the southern coast of Cambodia). This is the crew I've tricked into friendship along the way (Jo, Tony, and Apres - respectively).

We rolled into PP quite late in the day and after a quick drop-off of things we headed out to the riverfront to see what was happening. Being a Saturday night, the town was out in all it's splendor and we got popcorn (YAY!) and walked the boardwalk. I bought Jo a present of this blow-up frog which we named Francois. (He is shown here at the Foreign Corrospondent's Club having a cocktail with us).

The next set of images I would like to present more as a photo-montage. First we saw the bugs (crickets, beetles, grasshoppers, and spiders). Then Tony said he would eat another one (he'd already eaten three on previous trips to Cambodia) if Jo would pay - and for 1,000 riel she accepted the deal in short time (this is just under $.25). It was big. It was hairy.

Tony gave him loving glances... and bit into his abdomen. When asked, he said it was kind of like marzipan in texture, but with a very different taste. Here he's letting it *crawl* back out. Apres, who is not afraid of any cullinary experience, said he would eat a leg - and Jo, was weasled into it, too. I, however, did not partake - and before anyone haggles me for not doing it, NO I was not interested and YES, I'm still good with that decision. Thank you very much.



So here they are saying "cheers" with the legs and clinking them together. They actually didn't clink, but more... um, scratched (?).












In the morning we took another bus to Shianoukville and it was glorious. We arrived in the late afternoon and took a dip... we deserved it after the bus ride there! While in the water we watched the sunset and also the moon in the other half of the sky. It was the most ridiculous shade of blue... I loved it. After a shower we stepped back onto the beach in search of a fish dinner and ended up at the Happy Red Lion. The young man there was so exicited that we wanted a fish served whole and not a fillet. We got some prawns, too, and they grill everything on the beach right in front of you. People are twirling around fire and it's marvellous. Here's a shot of the grilling of the feast.

The only thing that's really strange in Cambodia is the begging. People here have very little and so they beg for money - which is nothing new. What's weird about it is that while you're eating your dinner they will come up to you and ask for money or food. You really don't want to turn them away, but there are so many and you can't give to everyone. It's best to set a daily limit and keep to it. Anyway, the hardest part of it is that many of them have been wounded by land mines and are missing arms, legs, hands... or have visible scars from the scrapnel spray. It's a dose of harsh reality while you're basking in the sun.

On a happier note - the day after was a complete hoot. We took so many pictures because we were laughing too hard, and then our stomachs so full that it hurt! The four of us had bunked down in a huge room in the Lucky Guesthouse. In the morning we walked down to the beach and set up camp for the day in some nice Pappazan (is that how you spell it?) chairs and loungers. The water is so clear there that you wouldn't believe it - you can see your toes when you're swimming! I wrote in the title that I was *being the queen* because that's what it felt like. All day people were walking by with lobster tails (10 large ones for $3!), squid grilled to order, and fresh fruit. Still others were coming by for massages, manicures and pedicures, and hair wraps. I had to partake.

For $3 I was in the middle of getting a manicure and pedicure when the girl was commenting on the hair on my legs. (Okay, it wasn't gross - really... AND I'm on vacation here...!) She pulled out a string and started taking them off my legs. I had never seen such a thing! It really didn't hurt that much at all and so I had her *wax* my legs. Here's a shot of the girls pampering me. Tony came back from the hotel and wanted in on the action... so Apres wanted to try to remove hair from his legs.

This is Apres torturing Tony. I think he maybe removed half of about three hairs, but I was laughing so hard I almost wet myself!












THEN Tony decided to have the professionals do it and it took three girls about two hours to complete his chest and underarms. I can't remember the last time I laughed so hard all day long - and the whole time this is going on we're getting people to stop with lobster tails and grilling us squid.





Mango shakes for all... this is Jo in heaven!
















In the morning we said goodbye to madame Jo and Tony, Apres, and I headed (via boat) to the Thailand border crossing and after a short ride we arrived in Trat. Since before I even met Apres I had heard from Jo about his obsession with the fishcakes in Trat and tonight we had to partake. They were marvellous, but I forgot to photograph them properly for you all. (Hopefully this photo-rich post will quench your thirst to see just EVERYTHING!) Tomorrow we're all headed to Bangkok and then I'm saying g'bye to the boys and heading north for a week or so.

We were all saying how it felt as though we had known eachother for quite some time - and everyone here remarks about how fantastic Vermont and New York sound to be. I've been doing us proud. :)

***10:04P, Internet Cafe, Trat, Thailand