Well... it was bound to happen sooner or later. I've been bragging about how I never get sick. In the past two years, I've been to Peru, Bolivia, China, Jordan, Turkey, Egypt, Doha, and Israel and had zero stomach problems. Street food... no problems. Dirty dishes... no problems. Tap water in Jordan... no problems. Three weeks in India... no problems. Then... disaster hit. On the morning Steph was supposed to depart for China and I was supposed to head to the meditation stay, we both woke up with a massive case of travel sickness. Not your run of the mill runs... I'm talking fever, chills, stomach cramps, diarrhea, vomit... the works. The kind of sick when you are stuck in the bathroom and your only worry is which end the sickness is gonna come out of next... up top or down bottom... and you spend the entire day alternating between sitting on the porcelaine throne and praying on your knees to the porcelaine god. The best part was that both of us were sick and had to take turns in the bathroom. When I wasn't in the bathroom I was in the hotel room, curled into the fetal positioning, sweating, shivering, and wimpering (yes, literally wimpering) from the stomach cramps. Can't remember the last time I've had stomach cramps that bad. When I was in the bathroom, I could hear Steph waiting at the door desparately trying to hold it all in.
Damn you India...YOU WIN... I was cocky and thought my stomach was invincible, but you proved me wrong. You defeated me and left me crying like a little girl. Next time I go to India, I'm only going to eat street food... I figure if I'm gonna get sick, I might as well go out in a blaze of glory. Maybe next time I'll end up getting Giardia or some other glorious travel ailment.
So my trip has changed once again. I didn't get to do the 2 weeks in silence that I planned, because I wasn't able to leave my bathroom to get on the train. Perhaps it was a good thing. I was already having second thoughts about staying at the ashram during the summer. When the coordinator emails you to specifically remind you that the temperature is 110 during the day and 90 at night, it kinda makes one have doubts about "finding yourself" while you are battling dehydration and various other heat related ailments. So, of the three top things that I wanted to do on this trip - dive the Red Sea, meditate at an ashram, and see Tibet - only one came through.... but not for a lack of effort or good intentions. I guess I'll just have to save the spiritual stuff for another trip when Olympic protests blocking the way to Tibet and my stomach isn't exploding.
Obviously, there are no pictures for this part of the trip, but if are curious I can give you a very detailed description of what everything looked like and you can create your own in mental images.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Friday, June 13, 2008
India Travel - Text
(sorry for the lame pix on the other post... having a hard time finding USB ports around here... and the computers are annoyingly slow!!! I had better photos, but no time to search for them).
I hate to get too cliche, but the best way to describe India is "different". Its completely different from anywhere else I've ever been... including China. It can be the most vibrant and energetic place on earth... with people and action humming on every street corner for hundreds of miles. That activity, however, makes it the most chaotic place on earth as well. I guess one way to put it is that its both travel heaven and travel hell. Just some examples of what I mean...
TRANSPORTATION
Heaven: For the bargain price of $15/day, Steph, Ariele, and I were able to afford a car and driver to take us throughout Rajasthan... that is less than the cost of taking the trains, rickshaws, etc around. Our driver took us everywhere for the first 10 days, waited for us while we visited the different monuments, and gave us itinerary suggestions. It was a little bit (just a little) of luxury during our otherwise difficult trip.
Hell: After we ditched the driver for the more local experience, we had the joy of taking the train. Our first overnight train was 5 hours late, and we spent the 5 hours waiting in the train station... in the the 100+ degree heat and humidity, which created a general layer of funk over everyone. We passed the time swatting away flies, mosquitos, and crickets and watching the rats run around the tracks. I was truly amazed at the sheer quantity of rats running around the tracks... but not surprised after seeing everyone throw their trash onto the tracks and realizing that the train toilets empty out on the tracks. There were people all over the train station... a sea of humanity, flesh, and sweat. Most people brought blankets to lay down on, and the three of us shared the two seats that we could find. After 5 hours, I wasn't sure what smelled worse... the funk from all the bodies or the stink of fresh urine on the tracks. After fighting the funk, we finally got on to our sleeper train, which luckily was air conditioned!!! Unfortunately... the Japanese guy that was sharing our berth was also waiting in the heat for 5 hours... and his foot funk clogged up our compartment and I had to sleep with the curtain open for fresh air.
Conclusion: I don't think that I could travel by train for 6 months straight, but it is an experience. The sights and smells are unreal... I can't begin to describe the chaos we saw during some of the other train trips we've taken... monsoons pouring down on hundreds of people with bags and sacks strapped to their heads and necks, naked kids running around, dogs and cows everywhere, food carts running for cover, and kids and men urinating everywhere. I'm not saying that all of India is like this... the train station is definitely its own little world... and I'm glad to get a taste of it.
PEOPLE
Heaven: Everything about the people here is bold and vibrant. I am constantly amazed to see how bright the saris are. Even the poorest women in the villages have bright pink, yellow, and blue saris. We can't quite figure out how they keep the colors so bright... especially the women that wash in the river. The ganges is a nasty, funky mess with cremated bodies, water buffalos, and bathers floating everywhere... I can't understand how the women wash their clothes in there and still walk away with bright, almost fluorescent, colored outfits. That's some definite skill. My blue tshirt turns brown from the dust and sweat after being out all day... and their bright colored outfits never seem to change. The men and children are all so friendly. You can't walk down the street without someone coming up to talk to you... and the little boys are the best... they always want their picture taken and are so eager to meet the tourists. With the amount of tourists that India gets, I would think they would be tired of seeing us, but they never seem to lose interest.
Hell: That same outgoing nature leads to some of the worst touts on earth. You can't walk down the street without someone talking to you... but unfortunately that someone is usually trying to sell you something. Also the amount of people is just overwhelming... Its just people everwhere... the bazaars are absolutely packed and the streets are ALWAYS crowded. India seems like New York City Times Square on New Years Eve... but everyday and in every city.
Conclusion: I like it. The crowds and touts are frustrating and I find myself getting really feisty (Yesterday I screamed at a driver over 10 rupees, which is the equivalent of 25 cents), BUT I think that's part of the experience. It just created this energy and excitement that is different from anything else I've ever experienced.
FOOD
Heaven: India is amazing when it comes to food. This is the first place that I've visited that I really feel like I'm able to get a taste of the local food... without the locals! Even more amazing is that after two weeks, I'm still finding new dishes every meal. The variey here is incredibly... its definitely foodie heaven.
Hell: We took two cooking classes - One with a woman during a home stay (very very cool experience) and the other at a small school in Udaipur. The first thing we discovered was that our stomachs were not hurting from the "new" bacteria... but from the oil. When the recipe starts with 4 CUPS (not tablespoons) of oil, you know its gonna be pepto time baby. The Lonely Planet always has a section on travelers diarrhea... but I think they should include a section for oil diarrhea... gross but true. Side note: Daily 100 degree heat mixed with hot, heavy, spicy Indian food is the ultimate recipe for food coma.
Conclusion: I loved Indian food before I came... and I love it even more now. I can't wait to get home to try out some of the stuff I learned in cooking class. I'm still not sure how people are able to eat this style food everyday, but its tasty as hell... its probably the 4 cups of oil they use.
HOTELS
Heaven: During our first two weeks we made an effort to stay at some havelis... which are historical homes/buildings. Our most unique stay was at a private home with a woman named Bhavana. We hung out with her and her son and learned to cook... and she had the most beautiful guest rooms ever. My favorite spot was at Udaipur... where we stayed a historical haveli turned guesthouse with a beautiful view of the lake. I'll write more about that later, so I don't want to spoil it now, but we unamimously agree that was our best stop. The price for these stays... about $12.50/night/person.
Hell: We also stayed at a haveli for $2.50 per person... which probably wasn't worth the $2.50 we payed. We stayed at several places where we had to use our mosquito nets... and not just to keep mosquitos out. We've grown accustomed to picking up crickets and escorting them out, showering in stank prison-esque showers, and hoping that we can't see won't hurt us.
Conclusion: I could really do without the $2.50/night guesthouses. Its part of the adventure now... but not a positive memory.
ANIMALS
Heaven: India is just teeming with animals. I know I've mentioned this already, but it just blows my mind how many cows are out on the streets. Its crazy to be stuck in traffice behind a cow who is moo-ing at a rickshaw to "hurry up already with that left turn". Monkies can easily be spotted near any market (where they usually steal food), wild pigs near the trash pile, dogs anywhere you look, and goats are almost anywhere you see cows.
Hell: I've also said this before, but its worth mentioning again... animals make waste. Lots of animals make lots of waste. Not picking it up makes a huge mess... enough said.
Conclusion: Animals are cool, but the city governments should assign more people to picking up that crap.
I hate to get too cliche, but the best way to describe India is "different". Its completely different from anywhere else I've ever been... including China. It can be the most vibrant and energetic place on earth... with people and action humming on every street corner for hundreds of miles. That activity, however, makes it the most chaotic place on earth as well. I guess one way to put it is that its both travel heaven and travel hell. Just some examples of what I mean...
TRANSPORTATION
Heaven: For the bargain price of $15/day, Steph, Ariele, and I were able to afford a car and driver to take us throughout Rajasthan... that is less than the cost of taking the trains, rickshaws, etc around. Our driver took us everywhere for the first 10 days, waited for us while we visited the different monuments, and gave us itinerary suggestions. It was a little bit (just a little) of luxury during our otherwise difficult trip.
Hell: After we ditched the driver for the more local experience, we had the joy of taking the train. Our first overnight train was 5 hours late, and we spent the 5 hours waiting in the train station... in the the 100+ degree heat and humidity, which created a general layer of funk over everyone. We passed the time swatting away flies, mosquitos, and crickets and watching the rats run around the tracks. I was truly amazed at the sheer quantity of rats running around the tracks... but not surprised after seeing everyone throw their trash onto the tracks and realizing that the train toilets empty out on the tracks. There were people all over the train station... a sea of humanity, flesh, and sweat. Most people brought blankets to lay down on, and the three of us shared the two seats that we could find. After 5 hours, I wasn't sure what smelled worse... the funk from all the bodies or the stink of fresh urine on the tracks. After fighting the funk, we finally got on to our sleeper train, which luckily was air conditioned!!! Unfortunately... the Japanese guy that was sharing our berth was also waiting in the heat for 5 hours... and his foot funk clogged up our compartment and I had to sleep with the curtain open for fresh air.
Conclusion: I don't think that I could travel by train for 6 months straight, but it is an experience. The sights and smells are unreal... I can't begin to describe the chaos we saw during some of the other train trips we've taken... monsoons pouring down on hundreds of people with bags and sacks strapped to their heads and necks, naked kids running around, dogs and cows everywhere, food carts running for cover, and kids and men urinating everywhere. I'm not saying that all of India is like this... the train station is definitely its own little world... and I'm glad to get a taste of it.
PEOPLE
Heaven: Everything about the people here is bold and vibrant. I am constantly amazed to see how bright the saris are. Even the poorest women in the villages have bright pink, yellow, and blue saris. We can't quite figure out how they keep the colors so bright... especially the women that wash in the river. The ganges is a nasty, funky mess with cremated bodies, water buffalos, and bathers floating everywhere... I can't understand how the women wash their clothes in there and still walk away with bright, almost fluorescent, colored outfits. That's some definite skill. My blue tshirt turns brown from the dust and sweat after being out all day... and their bright colored outfits never seem to change. The men and children are all so friendly. You can't walk down the street without someone coming up to talk to you... and the little boys are the best... they always want their picture taken and are so eager to meet the tourists. With the amount of tourists that India gets, I would think they would be tired of seeing us, but they never seem to lose interest.
Hell: That same outgoing nature leads to some of the worst touts on earth. You can't walk down the street without someone talking to you... but unfortunately that someone is usually trying to sell you something. Also the amount of people is just overwhelming... Its just people everwhere... the bazaars are absolutely packed and the streets are ALWAYS crowded. India seems like New York City Times Square on New Years Eve... but everyday and in every city.
Conclusion: I like it. The crowds and touts are frustrating and I find myself getting really feisty (Yesterday I screamed at a driver over 10 rupees, which is the equivalent of 25 cents), BUT I think that's part of the experience. It just created this energy and excitement that is different from anything else I've ever experienced.
FOOD
Heaven: India is amazing when it comes to food. This is the first place that I've visited that I really feel like I'm able to get a taste of the local food... without the locals! Even more amazing is that after two weeks, I'm still finding new dishes every meal. The variey here is incredibly... its definitely foodie heaven.
Hell: We took two cooking classes - One with a woman during a home stay (very very cool experience) and the other at a small school in Udaipur. The first thing we discovered was that our stomachs were not hurting from the "new" bacteria... but from the oil. When the recipe starts with 4 CUPS (not tablespoons) of oil, you know its gonna be pepto time baby. The Lonely Planet always has a section on travelers diarrhea... but I think they should include a section for oil diarrhea... gross but true. Side note: Daily 100 degree heat mixed with hot, heavy, spicy Indian food is the ultimate recipe for food coma.
Conclusion: I loved Indian food before I came... and I love it even more now. I can't wait to get home to try out some of the stuff I learned in cooking class. I'm still not sure how people are able to eat this style food everyday, but its tasty as hell... its probably the 4 cups of oil they use.
HOTELS
Heaven: During our first two weeks we made an effort to stay at some havelis... which are historical homes/buildings. Our most unique stay was at a private home with a woman named Bhavana. We hung out with her and her son and learned to cook... and she had the most beautiful guest rooms ever. My favorite spot was at Udaipur... where we stayed a historical haveli turned guesthouse with a beautiful view of the lake. I'll write more about that later, so I don't want to spoil it now, but we unamimously agree that was our best stop. The price for these stays... about $12.50/night/person.
Hell: We also stayed at a haveli for $2.50 per person... which probably wasn't worth the $2.50 we payed. We stayed at several places where we had to use our mosquito nets... and not just to keep mosquitos out. We've grown accustomed to picking up crickets and escorting them out, showering in stank prison-esque showers, and hoping that we can't see won't hurt us.
Conclusion: I could really do without the $2.50/night guesthouses. Its part of the adventure now... but not a positive memory.
ANIMALS
Heaven: India is just teeming with animals. I know I've mentioned this already, but it just blows my mind how many cows are out on the streets. Its crazy to be stuck in traffice behind a cow who is moo-ing at a rickshaw to "hurry up already with that left turn". Monkies can easily be spotted near any market (where they usually steal food), wild pigs near the trash pile, dogs anywhere you look, and goats are almost anywhere you see cows.
Hell: I've also said this before, but its worth mentioning again... animals make waste. Lots of animals make lots of waste. Not picking it up makes a huge mess... enough said.
Conclusion: Animals are cool, but the city governments should assign more people to picking up that crap.
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Indian Adventures
Just finished my first week in India and finally found time to sit down and write. BTW... I just skipped over Turkey and doha, and I'll just have to come back to those two trips sometime later! As for India its been a busy trip so far... Steph and Ariele joined me on the road and its been good to finally get some company! Our plan was to see Rajasthan, Delhi, and Agra... but now we also found time in our itinerary to squeeze in a trip to Bhodgaya (spelling?) and Varanasi.
The trip has been good so far. We were able to hire a driver and car for 2 weeks to take us all around Rajasthan and Agra! The car, driver, and gas are actually cheaper than the buying train tickets for the three of us! Crazy, huh? Who woulda thought that a car and driver would be cheaper than a train... especially with gas prices as high as they are! Well, I was definitely surprised by this, but jumped at the opportunity which has turned out to be money well spent. Our driver also doubles as a guide, telling us which monuments are good and which ones are not... hotel choices, however, usually depend on where he can get a good commission and don't always exude a feeling of quality, comfort, or service, so we've learned to stick to the lonely planet for hotels and our driver for other tourist advice. Traveling with a driver has also proved handy because getting around can be a total mess. I knew that Delhi was a bit chaotic, but I was surprised to find that the other cities were not much better... on any given city street one has to be able to navigate through cars, trucks, bikes, rickshaws, cows, donkeys, goats, people, cow droppings, goat droppings, pigs, dogs, dog droppings, and worst of all... the evil touts. Indian touts have definitely been the worst on my trip... not as aggressive or rude as Egyptian touts but much more persistent and annoying. Its difficult to just walk down the street without being followed by a rickshaw driver or a store owner... I actually had one driver follow me for at least 20 minutes on my first afternoon. Walking around forever with all the obstacles... the only word that I can use to describe it is... gauntlet. With all the chaos, I'm definitely happy that we have a driver and I can just sit in the car and sleep while he has to battle the traffic, people, and farm animals that crowd the city streets.
Minus the traffic and crowds... India has been a great trip so far. We spent most of our time visiting palaces, forts, and temples, my favorite of which were the fort in Jodhpur and the Jain temple in Ranakpur. The Meharanger (that is definitely spelled wrong) fort in Jodhpur was the most impressive site yet... its absolutely huge and sits high up on the high top overlooking the nearby city. Best of all, it is owned by the Maharaja of Jodhpur so its better kept and maintained than the other forts which are mostly owned by the government. It also overlooks Jodhpur, which is the "Blue City" as you can see by the pictures. In any case the pictures of the fort and the city are at the top (2 of them together). The picture of the Jain temple is the last picture of the 4... the temple was absolutely breathtaking. Every pillar, ceiling tile, and square inch of wall space was covered with detailed and intricate carvings.
Aside from sightseeing, we've also had the time to partake in some great food. Almost every meal has been different from the rest, which is amazing after 10 days. I was a bit disappointed with the food in Delhi (probably cuz I was stuck in a bunch of tourist traps) but have been very happy since we left... I've sampled 6-7 different types of bread (naan, chapati, parantha, roti, puri... etc), countless types of rice (byranis, pilaus, etc), and endless curries... most of which have been tasty, but a bit on the heavy side. Its especially heavy when you are sitting in 105-110 degree heat... which has happened to us quite a few days. The heat really kills your appetite. I knew that summer was the off-season for tourism and now I'm seeing why. There have been 2-3 days where I ran from shady spot to shady spot on the streets trying to avoid the intense heat of the sun. Its difficult visiting palaces and forts when you are constantly trying to stand in a shady spot while listening to your audio guide and taking pictures. Sadly enough the heat will be one my most enduring memories of India... I'm sure of that and its only my second week here!
Well... I guess anyone who is reading this is probably wondering what the hell is going on with the rats in the first picture... I saved this story for the end so you would have to read the rest of my blabber before getting the good one. We went to a temple in the city of Deshnook where the rats are considered holy. They are a reincarnation of a god (i forget which one) and they have free run of the entire temple. The locals feed them and keep them happy (they are drinking from a bowl of milk in the picture) and there are just hundreds, if not thousands, of nasty, filthy, diseased rats just running around the temple. The best part is that you have to take your shoes off to go inside the temple and so you are walking around rats with your bare feet. It was a strangely disgusting yet quirky and fun experience.... memorable to say the least. I'm surprised there are more tourists that come here or that the temple isn't more famous than it is... I've never heard of it, but would recommend it to anyone in Rajasthan who wants to see something "different".
In closing... big shout out to my boy Kobe Bryant... love my Lakers and I can't believe I'm not at home to watch them destroy the Celtics.
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Pictures
Well... I think that most everyone got my email... so this is redundant. Sorry if I missed anyone on the email. Here are my pictures. Sorry that the posts have been so sporadic lately but they will be more regular now that I finished editing all my photos... that was a lot of work. Also, for those that got my email, I just realized that I forgot to put the link to my Turkey pix, so here it is again
Turkey
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jhui_02/sets/72157605224330425/
Egypt
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jhui_02/sets/72157605197971662/
Diving in Sharm el Sheikh
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jhui_02/sets/72157604153504691/
Jordan
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jhui_02/sets/72157605217685643/
Tel Aviv
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jhui_02/sets/72157604836293866/
Doha
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jhui_02/sets/72157604849748339/
And a couple of my photos made it on TV. Yay CNN!! Here is the link... they said that they were going to use my two photos of Shai and Yafit's cat drink water with her paw. Its the May 24th episode, so it might not be online yet. YAY, I'm almost famous!!!!
Turkey
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jhui_02/sets/72157605224330425/
Egypt
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jhui_02/sets/72157605197971662/
Diving in Sharm el Sheikh
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jhui_02/sets/72157604153504691/
Jordan
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jhui_02/sets/72157605217685643/
Tel Aviv
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jhui_02/sets/72157604836293866/
Doha
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jhui_02/sets/72157604849748339/
And a couple of my photos made it on TV. Yay CNN!! Here is the link... they said that they were going to use my two photos of Shai and Yafit's cat drink water with her paw. Its the May 24th episode, so it might not be online yet. YAY, I'm almost famous!!!!
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Exotic Tel Aviv
for more Tel Aviv pix... http://www.flickr.com/photos/jhui_02/sets/72157604836293866/
Sorry that I've been M.I.A. for the past few weeks. I'm way behind on my posts! I got caught up in Turkey where I was on overnight buses for several days then to Doha where I was too lazy to get off the couch to post! Once you fall behind for two weeks, its hard to catch up, but I'll make an effort to catch up this week.
Also, my plans have changed a bit… First of all, I can’t go to my primary destination… TIBET! I had to cut Tibet and Nepal out of my trip because of the recent violence, which will only get worse as the Olympics get closer. Usually I’m not afraid of that stuff but this time is different. I didn’t want to get turned away at the Tibetan border or get stuck in there. My plan was to travel over land from India through Nepal and into Tibet. The worst thing that could happen is to be turned away at the border and have to go back overland to India… especially with the limited time I have. So Tibet is out of the question, can’t go to Europe/Russia because its too expensive (damn that appreciating Euro), and can’t go to Africa because that’s also too expensive. So, I just decided to cut out a month of my trip. Long story short… spontaneous traveling doesn't always work out perfectly.
Well, when I last left off I was in Jordan and heading to Tel Aviv. Tel Aviv has a special place in my heart, because Israel was my first taste of the middle east (in 2004). Both times I stayed with Shai (THANKS SHAI!!), which was great because I really get to see the local side of Israel. As with any country, the local life is always much better than the tourist life. I titled this post “Exotic Tel Aviv”, because most Americans think of Israel as this crazy place where bombs are going off every 5 minutes and “Zohan” roams the streets with an uzi (actually they second part is true). With that picture in mind… it might be kind of disappointing to hear that I participated in such crazy activities as bowling, renting movies, shopping, and people watching at cafes. Actually most of my time was spent eating and sleeping… here is just an excerpt from my first day’s activities…
9am - wake up and have croissants and cappucino's at the coffee shop next door.
10am-1pm - play with the cat
1pm - lunch at the other coffee shop next door.
2pm-6pm - sleep
6pm - sit in front of computer and catch up on sports news
7pm - Shai and Yafit come home and we eat again.
I wish I had more fun stories from Tel Aviv… but unfortunately that’s it. I did enjoy a lot of great food! Tel Aviv has some great restaurants… including my favorite, Dr. Shoukshouka. Last time I was in Israel, Shai took me to Dr. Shoukshouka and I ended up going back twice by myself! We only went once this time… but that was enough to satisfy my craving. FYI shoukshouka is a dish of tomato and herbs with a giant egg yolk unbroken and uncooked in the middle. Aside from shoukshouka, it was nice to trade in shewarma and felafal for pasta, croissants, and salads. Shai and Yafit turned my stay a mini food-fest... and we sampled the best Italian and Arabic food that Tel Aviv has to offer... we also had some time to try some awesome treats like Moroccan-French fusion... which was very New American-esque to me. Well... for an amateur/wannabe foodie like myself, Tel Aviv definitely hit the spot (as you can see by all the pictures of food and shopping for food in my Tel Aviv pix).
I would have to mention for anyone interested in visiting Israel that it has changed a lot since my last trip. The main difference I noticed was TOURISTS! I actually saw other tourists on this trip… last time I came the only people I saw were a busload of JAPs (Jewish American Princess) on their birthright Israel tour. This time there were tons of tourists in Tel Aviv… which made me think about WHY there were no tourists last time… which made me realize that it was much more dangerous last in 2004 … which brought me to the conclusion that I was kind of stupid for going at that time… SORRY MOM AND DAD!
Saturday, April 5, 2008
Life on the Road... and some horror stories
I guess I'll start off with the underwear update. As I predicted, 5 pairs has been more than enough. I could easily last 2 weeks with that supply. I've realized that my longest underwear extension is about 3 days... I remember traveling in China during college when it was more like 5 days... but I'm soooooo over that grungy phase. Three days max for me and usually its more like 1-2 days, because I wash my clothes pretty regularly. Although, nothing ever seems to get really clean. Even though I try to wash everything as often as possible... my bag just kinda smells like funk. Not just any funk, but funk that's been fermenting in a closed bag for 5-6 weeks. And my "whites" are more like earthy tones now.
Worst horror story so far... not so bad, but it might make you gag. I'm alway very careless with my sunglasses... I hang them on my collar when not wearing them and they always drop when I lean over. Well, when I was in the Wadi Rum desert using the squatty outhouse... I leaned over to flush (translation: flushing = turning on near by faucet and washing the "stuff" down into the hole) and my glassed dropped into the squatty hole. I didn't know what to do... I definitely didn't want to stick my hand in there and get them out, but I was in the middle of the desert where the sun just beats down on you like a heat lamp in an interrogation room. I ended up reaching into the hole, which thankfully was mostly liquid based with minimal solids, and retrieved my glasses. I spent the next 30 minutes gagging while I washed off my glasses a combination of water, purel, and baby wipes. I've been wearing them for over a week now and still no pink eye... so I guess everything turned out okay. The only hazard is that every time I stop to take a photo, I automatically take off my sunglasses to look at the LCD screen and put them in my mouth. Either I have the strongest stomach in the world or purel is magic, cuz I have yet to get sick even though I spend half the day sticking outhouse remains in my mouth.
The best part of traveling is meeting people along the way. Its a lot easier to meet people as a single traveler... cuz you dont' have any other choice! I try to meet people or talk to strangers at every stop I can, sometimes for 5 minutes and sometimes for a few days (I even met two dudes from Brea... which is right next door to my parents in Yorba Linda... crazy). I naturally just start talking to anyone that speaks English and looks interesting and most people are responsive. Its a chicken-egg scenario... I'm not sure if traveling makes you more open or if travelers are just naturally more outgoing people. The most interesting people I've met are Stephanie and Bailey... a mother daughter combo that are spending a year on the road together. Bailey does her high school courses online... while working in the Wadi Rum desert. What an amazing life experience that must be for her, I'm definitely envious. People always tell me that I've traveled a lot for my age, but how great would it be to take a life changing trip like this... in high school. That's an education that definitely can't be found in the classroom.
As for my accommodations... I've come to the realization that I'm an "upper budget" traveler... as the lonely planet describes me. That means that I do hostels or cheap hotels, but I must have a clean shower and toilet, preferably my own. My definition of clean is simple... (1) I want to feel cleaner when I get out of the shower than when I got in, (2) the toilet must look cleaner than the one at the restaurant down the street, and (3) slightly dirty sheets are okay... but no obvious odor allowed. Gone are the days where I found the cheapest hostel in the LP ... now I usually look for the more expensive options in the budget range... sometimes I might even bump it up to the mid range. Yup, I'm definitely moving up in the world...
I have also realized that there are several distinct types of travelers... and all travelers fall into at least one or more of these categories.
"Fresh from College"
- usually prefers the lowest of the budget accommodations
- won't spend money on a real dinner, but can somehow find money for beer and other extra-curricular activities.
- can usually smell this person from across the room and they seem to go out of there way to NOT shower or wash their clothes.
- fortunately I'm not at the right time of the year or place in the world to find too many of these guys. BUT, I imagine that summertime in India will be full of these smelly, soul searching hippies.
"Know-it-All"
- Thinks they know everything about the world or the particular area that you are in.
- Thinks that the locals are all stupid and inefficient and complains all the time
- Spends a lot of time telling other travelers how great he/she is and dishing out unwanted advice.
- Only eats at local joints, because he/she is too cool for tourist traps.
"Shoulda-Spent-The-Money-For-A-Tour"
- This traveler didn't spend the money on a tour, because it was too pricey or he/she thought it would be more adventurous to do it solo. Unfortunately, he/she spends the entire time complaining about poor service, delays, and inconveniences.
- Always seems to deserve (not just want) 5 star service for hostel prices.
- Always thinks that locals are ripping him/her off
- Always has an opinion about world events... usually expresses that opinion by starting off with criticizing the particular world event and telling how the "right" way to do it is.
"Rugged Adventurer"
- Wants to climb, scale, hike the entire world.
- Wears only dri-fit, cool-max, or UV protected clothing.
- Always wants to push it to the max, dude!
- Wakes up at annoyingly early hours and is always annoyingly perky and positive.
"Beach Cruiser"
- Vacations and trips are always of the beach and/or cruise type.
- Usually doesn't care to venture out of the hotel or away from the tourist hot spots
- Usually a hot chick
- I only ran into a few of these at Sharm el Sheik... too bad.
"The Paula Abdul of Travelors"
- Thinks everything is exotic and beautiful
- Dishes out more compliments to locals than Paula Abdul on American Idol... usually sounds like, "I love this food, its so exotic..." or "I love this place is so majestic/magical/inspiring" or "I love these paintings (can be replaced with any item of tourist crap), they have so much character...they speak to me"
- Usually ends up paying hundreds of dollars for some junk at the most obvious tourist trap right in front of the most famous monuments in the region.
I'll let you comment on where I fall into... but if anyone labels me as Paula Abdul category... I'm removing your comment!!!!!
The other thing I notice about travelers is that there is a distinct difference between European and American travelers. The Euros always seems to dressed fashionably functional... for the men its capri pants, pumas, tight polo shirt (pastel colors), aviator glasses and hat... for the women its linen, pastel t-shirts, and slippers or even short heels. I can never figure out how they survive while hiking around all day. The Americans are always in baggy, unisex, functional clothing with lots of pockets and footwear is always tevas, hiking boots, or trail shoes. Its no wonder those Frenchies think Americans lack class and culture... cuz when they see us on the road, we look their poor country cousins.
Finally, the one thing that I notice everywhere I go is the interest in American politics. Sometimes I forget how important American politics and policies are to the rest of the world. People here in the Middle East know just as much, if not more, than the average American about the current state of our politics... and everyone wants to know who's going to win the election. I was anticipating more animosity or disgust, but what I seem to encounter is more frustration and disappointment. I've been asked about Hillary vs. Obama at least 20 times... by locals and other tourists from Europe and the Middle East... and their parting thoughts usually end with something like, "well, whoever wins, please... no more war... this is not good for the world." Its kinda more of a frustrated feeling of submission rather than the bold, resilient anger that I anticipated. I'll save my opinions on American politics for another time... but I was just interested to see and hear this.
A parting gift... top 10 things I miss about home.
10. Clean showers, sheets, and toilets.
9. Dryers (clothes not hair)
8. free internet (well... unlimited internet)
7. clothes other than the 2 pants and 2 t-shirts that I've been "rotating"
6. not having to pack all my belongings into a bag every other day.
5.Good old fashioned LA smog (the middle east smog is more dusty... man made smog air pollution is way better)
4. Home made food
3. My Friends and Family... of course!!!
2. The Lakers
1. Work, Responsibility, and a daily routine....NOOOTTTTTTTTTTT!!!!! (that "not" was said with a humorous, borat-like accent)
Worst horror story so far... not so bad, but it might make you gag. I'm alway very careless with my sunglasses... I hang them on my collar when not wearing them and they always drop when I lean over. Well, when I was in the Wadi Rum desert using the squatty outhouse... I leaned over to flush (translation: flushing = turning on near by faucet and washing the "stuff" down into the hole) and my glassed dropped into the squatty hole. I didn't know what to do... I definitely didn't want to stick my hand in there and get them out, but I was in the middle of the desert where the sun just beats down on you like a heat lamp in an interrogation room. I ended up reaching into the hole, which thankfully was mostly liquid based with minimal solids, and retrieved my glasses. I spent the next 30 minutes gagging while I washed off my glasses a combination of water, purel, and baby wipes. I've been wearing them for over a week now and still no pink eye... so I guess everything turned out okay. The only hazard is that every time I stop to take a photo, I automatically take off my sunglasses to look at the LCD screen and put them in my mouth. Either I have the strongest stomach in the world or purel is magic, cuz I have yet to get sick even though I spend half the day sticking outhouse remains in my mouth.
The best part of traveling is meeting people along the way. Its a lot easier to meet people as a single traveler... cuz you dont' have any other choice! I try to meet people or talk to strangers at every stop I can, sometimes for 5 minutes and sometimes for a few days (I even met two dudes from Brea... which is right next door to my parents in Yorba Linda... crazy). I naturally just start talking to anyone that speaks English and looks interesting and most people are responsive. Its a chicken-egg scenario... I'm not sure if traveling makes you more open or if travelers are just naturally more outgoing people. The most interesting people I've met are Stephanie and Bailey... a mother daughter combo that are spending a year on the road together. Bailey does her high school courses online... while working in the Wadi Rum desert. What an amazing life experience that must be for her, I'm definitely envious. People always tell me that I've traveled a lot for my age, but how great would it be to take a life changing trip like this... in high school. That's an education that definitely can't be found in the classroom.
As for my accommodations... I've come to the realization that I'm an "upper budget" traveler... as the lonely planet describes me. That means that I do hostels or cheap hotels, but I must have a clean shower and toilet, preferably my own. My definition of clean is simple... (1) I want to feel cleaner when I get out of the shower than when I got in, (2) the toilet must look cleaner than the one at the restaurant down the street, and (3) slightly dirty sheets are okay... but no obvious odor allowed. Gone are the days where I found the cheapest hostel in the LP ... now I usually look for the more expensive options in the budget range... sometimes I might even bump it up to the mid range. Yup, I'm definitely moving up in the world...
I have also realized that there are several distinct types of travelers... and all travelers fall into at least one or more of these categories.
"Fresh from College"
- usually prefers the lowest of the budget accommodations
- won't spend money on a real dinner, but can somehow find money for beer and other extra-curricular activities.
- can usually smell this person from across the room and they seem to go out of there way to NOT shower or wash their clothes.
- fortunately I'm not at the right time of the year or place in the world to find too many of these guys. BUT, I imagine that summertime in India will be full of these smelly, soul searching hippies.
"Know-it-All"
- Thinks they know everything about the world or the particular area that you are in.
- Thinks that the locals are all stupid and inefficient and complains all the time
- Spends a lot of time telling other travelers how great he/she is and dishing out unwanted advice.
- Only eats at local joints, because he/she is too cool for tourist traps.
"Shoulda-Spent-The-Money-For-A-Tour"
- This traveler didn't spend the money on a tour, because it was too pricey or he/she thought it would be more adventurous to do it solo. Unfortunately, he/she spends the entire time complaining about poor service, delays, and inconveniences.
- Always seems to deserve (not just want) 5 star service for hostel prices.
- Always thinks that locals are ripping him/her off
- Always has an opinion about world events... usually expresses that opinion by starting off with criticizing the particular world event and telling how the "right" way to do it is.
"Rugged Adventurer"
- Wants to climb, scale, hike the entire world.
- Wears only dri-fit, cool-max, or UV protected clothing.
- Always wants to push it to the max, dude!
- Wakes up at annoyingly early hours and is always annoyingly perky and positive.
"Beach Cruiser"
- Vacations and trips are always of the beach and/or cruise type.
- Usually doesn't care to venture out of the hotel or away from the tourist hot spots
- Usually a hot chick
- I only ran into a few of these at Sharm el Sheik... too bad.
"The Paula Abdul of Travelors"
- Thinks everything is exotic and beautiful
- Dishes out more compliments to locals than Paula Abdul on American Idol... usually sounds like, "I love this food, its so exotic..." or "I love this place is so majestic/magical/inspiring" or "I love these paintings (can be replaced with any item of tourist crap), they have so much character...they speak to me"
- Usually ends up paying hundreds of dollars for some junk at the most obvious tourist trap right in front of the most famous monuments in the region.
I'll let you comment on where I fall into... but if anyone labels me as Paula Abdul category... I'm removing your comment!!!!!
The other thing I notice about travelers is that there is a distinct difference between European and American travelers. The Euros always seems to dressed fashionably functional... for the men its capri pants, pumas, tight polo shirt (pastel colors), aviator glasses and hat... for the women its linen, pastel t-shirts, and slippers or even short heels. I can never figure out how they survive while hiking around all day. The Americans are always in baggy, unisex, functional clothing with lots of pockets and footwear is always tevas, hiking boots, or trail shoes. Its no wonder those Frenchies think Americans lack class and culture... cuz when they see us on the road, we look their poor country cousins.
Finally, the one thing that I notice everywhere I go is the interest in American politics. Sometimes I forget how important American politics and policies are to the rest of the world. People here in the Middle East know just as much, if not more, than the average American about the current state of our politics... and everyone wants to know who's going to win the election. I was anticipating more animosity or disgust, but what I seem to encounter is more frustration and disappointment. I've been asked about Hillary vs. Obama at least 20 times... by locals and other tourists from Europe and the Middle East... and their parting thoughts usually end with something like, "well, whoever wins, please... no more war... this is not good for the world." Its kinda more of a frustrated feeling of submission rather than the bold, resilient anger that I anticipated. I'll save my opinions on American politics for another time... but I was just interested to see and hear this.
A parting gift... top 10 things I miss about home.
10. Clean showers, sheets, and toilets.
9. Dryers (clothes not hair)
8. free internet (well... unlimited internet)
7. clothes other than the 2 pants and 2 t-shirts that I've been "rotating"
6. not having to pack all my belongings into a bag every other day.
5.Good old fashioned LA smog (the middle east smog is more dusty... man made smog air pollution is way better)
4. Home made food
3. My Friends and Family... of course!!!
2. The Lakers
1. Work, Responsibility, and a daily routine....NOOOTTTTTTTTTTT!!!!! (that "not" was said with a humorous, borat-like accent)
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