G'Day, Mate. How You Going?

I've been in Sydney Australia for a few days now. I have to say, I quite like it. Of course, it's quite a lot different from the places I've been visiting in Asia. Sydney is a very exciting, clean, happening city. I thought that I would be reminded of Vancouver, but it turns out that I it is more reminiscent of Seattle. This place is bigger. Much Bigger.

The Australians are a very unique people. They have their own distinct version of English. You can really see the English influence here, though. The housing looks very much like suburban England. They drive on the left (though, that is all over Asia). They have a very strong Pub culture. And they LOOK British. The men are either Soccer Hooligan types, or they are Bondi Beach Lifeguard types. Anything in between is a tourist.

I've spent the last few days wandering the city. Like most World Cities, it is one mall after after another after another. But, the charm of Sydney is the harbours. There are lots of them. The Sydney Opera House is spectacular, a marvel of architecture. I have not gotten close to it, or in it, but I plan to. The Sydney Harbour Bridge (very clever name, that) is the second most popular tourist attraction. They offer tours that allow you to walk to the top, then back down. But since you have to wear embarrassing outfits that make you look like a prisoner, I decided not to go. Plus, they give a breathalizer test before you start. I am sure I'd fail that.

Today, I went to Bondi Beach. It's one of the more famous beaches here, complete with the iconic Australian Lifeguards in skimpy Speedos. I looked for them, but sadly I didn't see them. It was seriously crowded, but it is summer so that's to be expected.

I've been learning the Ozzie slang, since it's pretty impossible to avoid it. I've often used the phrase "G'Day, Mate", but that's not the worst. I've found that I am following the local vernacular much more easily than I expected. Here is a list of terms I am encountering locally:

Arvo = Afternoon
Bottle Shop = Liquor store
Bushman's Hanky = hold one nostril closed, and blow out the other. (eww)
Crack a Fat = Get an erection
Dinkum, or Fair Dinkum = true, real
Grundies = underwear
Hotel = just a pub
Old Fella = penis
Slab = carton of beer
Sunnies = sunglasses
Thong = flipflops
Tinny = can of beer
White pointers = topless female sunbathers
Woggies = a person of Mediterranean origin.

Tomorrow, I am heading to the Blue Mountains. It's about 2 hours out of Sydney, and I will get to see Koalas and Kangaroos. Should be a fun way to spend the end of 2008. See you next year!

Bali, Hi.

Bali is lovely. It's always been. I know there is a lot of bad things in the press lately about the dangers here, but to me it's still a wonderful place to be. This is my third time here, and I would not hesitate to return. The weather has not been perfect, but by that I mean there's been a few clouds. It's a lot better than what North America is going through, that's for sure.

I am staying in a small villa called "Serene Villa Lotus", and serene it is. This is a small oasis amidst the bustling village of Seminyak. Like many villas, it's set quite far back from the road, with high walls and hedges. I don't really see or hear any outside traffic, except when taxi drops in and honks. The private villa that I am in is a small 2 person version, in a larger complex that contains villas that would hold 8 people comfortably. I have my own personal Butler that looks after me at the ring of a phone, 24/7. I order breakfast the night before, and he arrives at the requested time to cook it for me, then leaves. I've had dreams of this, only I assumed the houseboy would be younger. =)

One of the things that strikes me most about Bali, is how the outside view of Bali is different from the inside view. What I mean is that if you only see the streets of Seminyak, and not the Villa or shop interiors, you will not see the real Bali. Bali is widely known for what is cleverly called "Bali Style", which is a clean, simple design concept with little clutter, solid colours and a mix of old Indonesian relics with modern fixtures. But the streets are total chaos. Traffic is snarled all the time, the roads are just slightly better than horrible, and being a pedestrian is dangerous. It's a wonder people manage to stay so calm and serene.

Speaking of calm...what is it with the quality of wait staff in most of Asia? I guess I am pretty spoiled with the restaurant services in Vancouver that I take anything less than equal to be inferior. I know, I know. I should not do the comparison and complain thing, since I am emigrating to Asia somewhere. But the restaurant staff here are really inept. Bali is quite bad. It's impossible to get the attention of a waiter, in most cases. Once, in Sabah, I was eating a meal with Gil, and they brought his food, and after about 15 minutes of waiting for mine (and he finished his), the waitress said "Oh, did you want something too?". It's almost like you are an intrusion into their personal time.

I head to Sydney, Australia tomorrow. I have been to Sydney before, but that was in Nova Scotia. So this one might be a little different. I've never been to Australia before, but I have to say, I am really looking forward to it. It's never really attracted me in the past, but who knows? Maybe I will be pleasantly surprised and enjoy it very much. Of course, it is summer in Australia now, so that will add to it's splendour. I will be in Sydney for 8 days, then I may hop over to Melbourne, and then up to New Zealand for a weekend. After that, who knows?

The pic attached is of a guy here named Reza. He has a classic Indonesian look in his face, with strong features and soft eyes with big lashes. He was easy to photograph, and has a quiet demeanor that is typical of the Balinese people.

I've spent the last 5 days in Singapore. Has it been that long since I've written? I guess I am getting pretty lazy. Doing nothing all the time can be quite tiring.

I've heard that it's been snowing a lot in Vancouver. I can honestly say that I don't miss that. I like snow, but not in the city. It's been quite nice in Singapore. The last time I was here (2 years ago), it rained every freakin day. This time, it's been sunny and hot. It's a nice change.

Singapore is a strange city. It's strange because it's really quite unlike other cities in Asia. It almost feels un-Asian. It's so clean, and the people are so polite (well, a bit aggressive). The streets are wide, traffic is normal, and consumerism is rampant. Compared to other cities in Asia, like Hong Kong or Bangkok, this place is kinda boring. I rather like the grittiness of Bangkok, and the go-go-go attitude of Hong Kong. I think it'd be tough to live here. Singapore tries to hard to be a major world city, and it seems unimpressive.

My impression of Singapore is simple. People shop and eat. They eat 5 meals per day: breakfast, lunch, tea, dinner and supper. And the topics of conversation at every meal are what and where they will have their next meal, and how good/bad this meal is compared to the last one. And it's one mall after another after another. I know it's Christmas time, and the malls are naturally busy. But here, it's all year. And I think there are as many restaurants as there are people in Singapore.

I did some touristy things, when I was here. I went to the National Orchid Garden, which I've been to before. Many orchids and plants that you just won't see anywhere else. Plus, I went to see the Singapore Flyer, which is a giant ferris wheel a la London. It was a great way to see the city (which is permanently under construction). I should just say, to all my friends from Singapore...that it's the people here that make it worthwhile. If it weren't for the really nice guys I know here, I wouldn't visit.

I am at the Changi Airport in Singapore now, waiting for my flight to Bali. I will be spending 3 days in Bali, over Christmas, then I will head south to Sydney Australia. I've been to Bali a few times already, and I quite enjoyed it. I can't think of a better way to spend Christmas, than on a beach in Bali. OK, one better way would be to have all my friends there with me. =)

I am going to Australia for the first time, after Christmas. I will spend New Years there. Bali is about as close as you can get to Australia, from Asia, so it seems like a logical choice as a follow up destination. I have never really thought about going there before. It's never really attracted me. But...I am really looking forward to it, now that I am booked to go.

I hope all my friends that are reading this will have a wonderful Christmas. I will be thinking of you, and missing you. Ho, Ho, Ho.

OK in KK

The last few days in Sabah, East Malaysia, were really nice. Well, mostly nice. There was a LOT of rain, when I was in Sandakan, but otherwise it was beautiful. Sabah is a special place, with lots to see.

The entire purpose of going to Sandakan, was to go see the Orang Utans in the Sepilok Sanctuary. The day I had set aside to do this, was VERY rainy. When we got to the sanctuary, it was raining so hard, that it was impossible to stay dry. It was one of those tropical rain storms that seem so violent, and there is no shelter when you're caught in it. The sanctuary feeds the apes twice per day, and that is the time you can easily spot the animals. They all come to the feeding platform, to get their daily ration of bananas and oranges. When the 10 am feeding was taking place, the rain let up for a short time, thankfully.

The apes were wonderful to watch. Although, it was so crowded with tourist taking photos, it felt like a zoo. Oh well, it was still fun. Orang Utans are special creatures. I learned that the name Orang Utan means 'people of the forest' (or something like that). All along, I thought it had something to do with them having orange hair. I took lots of photos, but they were so far away, it was challenging to get anything good.

After Sandakan, I flew to Kota Kinabalu. KK, as it's known, is a pretty nice place. I stayed at a beautiful resort on the harbour front. It was certainly the nicest place I've stayed in Malaysia. It was a large complex with thousands of suites and many pools, a beach, golf course, lots of restaurants, etc. Really, there was very little reason to leave the place. The pool was pretty quite pleasant to lounge around.

Unbeknown to me, there was a huge Badminton tournament taking place in KK when I was there. And many of the star players were staying at the same resort. There was quite a lot of fuss and attention paid to them. I don't know much about badminton, but in Malaysia it is the ruling sport. Gil was quite excited to see many of the players, and he knew them all by name. He knew their standing, their history, everything. All his favourite players where there. In the restaurant, the players didn't have a moments peace, because everyone wanted to have their photos taken with them. They were sports celebrities. But not to me.

Yesterday, Gil and I attended the first round of play for this tournament. It was fun to watch, even if I don't know the game. Of course, it looks pretty simple: hit the bird, get it over the net, in the court. Though we could not stay for all 4 days of the tournament, we did get to see some of his favourite players compete.

I am in Singapore now, back at the Scarlet hotel. I've stayed here many times, because I cannot find a nicer hotel in the area. I will be meeting up with my friend Luke today. Luke and I have known each other for many years now, and keep meeting in Asia or North America, as often as we can. I am not too sure how long I will stay here in Singapore (yah, I know...I never plan more than a week in advance). But Christmas is just around the corner, and I have to decide where I will be for it. I am pretty sure Bali and Jakarta are next on the list. Just not sure when.

Fantasy Island

I spent the last few days on a beautiful island called Mataking, with my friend Gil. This island is about 45 minutes by speedboat from the mainland. It is a small island with one resort on it. I knew it was going to be good, when on the boat ride out, we passed Bum Bum Island. I am not kidding.

The resort was pretty empty, with only about 4 chalets being occupied from what I could see. The primary purpose of the resort is for scuba diving (I know I should learn some time), and most of the guests there were there for that purpose. But it's a nice place to relax and do nothing. It's very casual in the resort. Shoes are not allowed in any of the buildings, so you have to remove then whenever you arrive at the restaurant or reception. The food was included, and was pretty decent.

One of the things that Mataking Island is famous for, is that there is a smaller island that you can walk to, during low tide. They call it the Moses Walk. We did that on the day we arrived, and had to wade through thigh-high water on the return, as the tide was coming in quickly.

I wanted to snorkel while I was there, so we signed up for some lessons and a guided tour of the local reefs. After a brief introductory lesson we started off to explore. It was not long before we snorkeled into a school of jellyfish. They were beautiful to look at, but their beauty was far outweighed by their sting. I think I got 6 stings. Gil got 5, and the guide got several too. Back to the dive centre for some antiseptic, then back in the water. This time, we avoided the jellyfish, and found some amazing reefs and fish. The guide pointed out many beautiful sea creatures, including a barracuda.

One night, we went on a Jungle Trek, in search of turtles and coconut crabs. The crabs are large and climb palm trees in search of the coconut. We came across one, but it was a baby, and not the large adult one we sought out. And, no turtles to be found, either.

This morning, we left the island, and headed to Sandakan. Sandakan is the 2nd largest city in Eastern Malaysia, on the island of Borneo. It's quite developed, compared to Tawau. The trip to Sandakan was challenging, at best. There was no choice of transportation other than bus or private car. Getting the bus was difficult, but we finally got it. It was a horrible ride on a stinky non-air conditioned bus for 6 hours. The bus stopped many times to pick up people from the side of the road, and we pulled over to replace a flat tired. It was not a fun trip.

Tomorrow, we will be visiting Sepilok, where there is a sanctuary for Orang Utan apes. I am looking forward to seeing them. Orang Utans were my father's favourite primates, so I am happy to go see them in his honour. Later tomorrow, I will fly on to Kota Kinabalu, the largest city on the island.

Tawau, East Malaysia, Borneo

It's been raining a lot since I got to Tawau. The locals tell me "You should have been here yesterday. It was beautiful!". There is not a lot to this little town. There are a few hotels, some small shops and some banks. Other than that, it's pretty sleepy.

When I arrived, I found a small hotel and checked in. Then I quickly checked out. I should know better by now, to preview the room before I sign the forms. It was pretty bad. I never really can figure out the terms that hotels use to describe their rooms. You'd think a 'Superior King" would have some qualities about it that make superior in some way. This room had no redeeming qualities. I had a small disagreement with the Reception desk about whether or not I should pay for a night, if I was not going to stay. I resolved that today. They saw my way, eventually.

The hotel I am staying in now, the Marco Polo, seems to be lacking in guests. It's nice, but pretty empty. The lobby lounge has a Piano Player that plays for no one. The restaurant was empty when I was in it last night. I had my choice of rooms. There is no view to speak of, so it was a pretty easy decision.

On Saturday, I will be heading to Mataking Island. It is about 45 minutes by boat from the mainland. It has only one resort on the island, but it looks idyllic. Azure blue seas, white sandy beaches, turtles, coconut crabs, snorkeling. Sounds nice. I hope the weather report is true, and it clears up on Saturday.

Sunny Day in KL

The rain finally stopped in Kuala Lumpur today. Not all day, but for most of it. I was out in the heat and humidity for a good portion of the day. It was great to have at least one nice day in KL before I leave for Borneo.

I spent the day with a fellow photographer I know here: Terrence. Terrence has skills in Photo Shop that I will never have. I wanted to see the 'photographers view' of KL, and he was my guide. KL is not at big as I thought it was. I visited Chinatown, and a few other places I can't remember the names of. My ability to read and remember Malay is pretty weak.

I quite like Kuala Lumpur. It doesn't have the go-go-go feel like Hong Kong, or the fun/excitement of Bangkok, but it has a distinct flavour that is all it's own. All the people I've met have been quite nice and polite. The malls are world-class, and there are plenty of Starbucks. And you can't beat Malaysian food. I learned today that you CAN get pork here, just not in all areas. When I was in Chinatown, pork was in every restaurant shop window. That made me feel a lot better. =)

Tomorrow, I fly to Tawau. It is a small city in Sabah, Malaysia on the island of Borneo (the 3 largest island in the world). I am looking forward to a wide variety of experiences. There are great beaches, and huge forests that are home to hundreds of bird species, Orangutans, and the worlds largest flower. Should be fun. After Sabah, I will head to either Singapore or Jakarta. I need to decide soon. Christmas and New Years is coming up, so I should decide where to spend them.

Where are the Kuala bears?

I am back in Kuala Lumpur now. I can tell I am getting closer to the Equator, as the humidity has spiked, and the vegetation is thick. Even the grass is more like moss.

I had my first experience with the budget airline "Air Asia", when I flew from Phuket to Kuala Lumpur. It was a new experience for me. Everything about it was budget. When I bought the ticket, they charged for all the items that would normally be considered as part of a regular ticket price. You want to check luggage? There is a fee for that (even for one bag). Want seat selection? That's extra. What anything like water or coffee? That's not free, either. And in fact, when it came time to serve snacks to my row, they ran out of everything but rice. And I was in row 4.

When I was in line for check-in, which was agonizingly slow, I was informed that my luggage was 7kg over the impossible 15kg limit. I was told by the grinning check-in girl that my penalty would be about equal to the cost of my flight. I asked if I could buy a ticket for my luggage, as it would be cheaper. She didn't get it, and said the flight was full. I will get to experience the joy that is Air Asia again, as I fly with them to my next destination: Sabah. Sabah in in East Malaysia on the island of Borneo.

KL is a nice place. I quite like it here. The people are quite nice, and the city is very modern. This seems to be a 'shopping city' like Hong Kong or Singapore. So many malls, always crowded. I am not sure if I could live here, though. I think I would miss pork too much. This morning, I had chicken sausage and turkey bacon with my breakfast. Pork is my main meat, you know. Mmm....pork.

I was hoping to spend more time outdoors shooting photos of KL, since I didn't really get to shoot much on my last visit. But it's been raining a lot here, and today it's quite heavy. The weather report is not too promising. It might be a mall day.

The King and I

Today is the King of Thailand's 81st birthday, and I've learned a lot about him. The Thai people as a whole, are a very loyal and patriotic bunch. They revere their King as a deity. It's really something to see. Coming from Canada, I am not really used to seeing such widespread devotion to a ruler. Though, in actual fact, the King has very little political power. He wields significant influence, though. His Subjects hang on his every word.

Considering the massive political issues here in Thailand, the King's annual birthday speech was widely anticipated as a panacea to the crisis that is taking place now. The King, Bhumibol Adulyadej, looked very frail recently. He missed his annual speech, and this has caused great concern in a country that desperately needs a soothing voice. Instead, a short statement was given by his son, the Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn. The Prince, who would normally be a natural ascendant to the thrown, is not very popular. He's not considered to be the Statesman and Humanitarian that his Father is. The Crown Prince has married 3 times and fathered 7 children. The King has the power to choose his successor, and it is widely assumed be may pass over his first Son, and hand the crown to his Daughter, Princess Chakri Sirindhorn. Talks of succession are pretty big now.

I have been seeing a lot of tributes to the King in the last week. Interestingly, the King was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts. I've learned that he is an accomplished Jazz music composer, painter and photographer. I've seen and heard samples of his arts, and I am impressed. I am used to seeing Thai people wear yellow shirts every Monday (Yellow is the King's colour). And the King's portrait is on pretty much every business and website in Thailand. In movie theatres, patrons stand at attention before the movie begins, to watch a patriotic video of the King (that looks like it was shot in the 50's). Every morning, loudspeakers blare out the National Anthem, and people stand up and sing. This week though, devotion to the King has reached a fevered pitch, with large gatherings to celebrate his reign. Here in Phuket, the city has really shut down in his honour. Only restaurants and hungry souvenir shops on Beach road are open.

All the head shots of the King look like they were shot in the 60's. I've seen recent photos of the King, and he looks like he could pass any day now. He looks like my father did shortly before he died. If/when the King dies, it will throw this fragile nation into further chaos when they need it the least. If I have to guess, I think he'll pass within the year.

As for Thailand, I am saddened by all the turmoil that has taken place recently. I consider Thailand as one of my favourite countries in the world. The people are genuinely nice, the food is amazing, the city and beaches are fabulous, etc. I've assumed for a long time that I would retire in Thailand. It means that much to me. But, it's sad to see how it suffers now. The tourism industry will be decimated because of the recent occupation of the airports. Millions of people in the tourism industry will lose their jobs, as visitation to the Kingdom will drop by 60% by next year. It's a tough time to be Thai. But on the plus side, it's a great time to visit Thailand and buy property here. Hmmm.....

A day at the beach

There is not a lot to do in Phuket, other than hang out at the beach. Not that I am complaining, or anything. It's a lovely beach, and the weather couldn't be better. It's sunny every day, and it's not too hot (only about +30 or so).

Of course, you see all manner of humanity at the beach in Phuket. Since this is Thailand, there are plenty of Europeans here. It's mostly Germans, Belgians and Dutch from what I could discern. I suspect every country in the Union is represented here, but those are the ones that I keep meeting. Indeed, the hotel I am staying in is owned by Belgians and Dutch. And I seem to be the only one staying here that isn't one of those nationalities.

The other subset of humanity represented at the beach are the local merchants. The beaches in Patong are basically an extension of the markets across the road. Pretty much everything that you can buy on the way to or from the beach, will be paraded by you as you sit in the lounge chair under the palapa. And you can't walk 10 feet along the beach without being asked if you want a massage. Many of you know that I have a tattoo on my arm, with Thai letters on it. It's my last name, in Thai (pronounced "Asa win). So, if I am wearing a sleeveless shirt and my tattoo is visible, I am being called by every vendor within viewing distance. "Hey, Asawin!! T-shirt?" "Want a massage, Asawin? It's happy hour, so happy ending!" "Nice to meet you, Asawin! Come buy a suit! Special price, just for you!". For the first time, I regret getting a Thai tattoo.

I've seen my share of boobs and bare asses these days, too. Pretty much every European woman, regardless of age, parades around topless on the beach. They seem proud of their leathery skin and wrinkles. Good for them. But I can do without seeing the old men in thongs. No one should be subjected to that. You know how old men (senior citizen - old) hike up their pants near their armpits? Well, I saw a man who must be in his 60's, with an oversized thong that was pulled up quite high. It didn't quite reach the armpits, but you could see that was his goal. And to make it complete, the old guy had a nice long ponytail too.

Luckily, there were enough cute guys on the beach to keep me from looking at the old guys in thongs.

In Poo Ket

I've escaped the madness and mayhem that is Bangkok. I am comfortably settled in to Phuket now. (That's pronounced "Poo Ket" to all of you non-Thai-speakers, not the way it looks.) Phuket is considered Thailand's answer to Bali, and in many ways it is. The beaches here are world-class. And there are dozens of 5 star hotels near them. Of course this is still Thailand, so there are plenty of aggressive tuk-tuk drivers, t-shirt and DVD vendors and Massage hawkers begging you to stop and shop. But other than that, it's pretty nice here.
The hotel I am staying in is definitely the nicest I've EVER stayed in. Period. You can see from the photo, that this place is pretty swanky. And it's not that pricey too. That's one of the nice things about Thailand - that the properties are pretty inexpensive. This place is much bigger than my last condo in Vancouver, at 1000 sf. It's a shame I don't have someone to share it with.

I had to endure a 12 hour overnight bus trip to get here. I got the last seat on a "VIP Bus" to Phuket. It left at 8pm last night, and got in here early this morning. I am not too sure what constitutes it as "VIP", other than it had two Stewardesses dressed like KLM staff handing out little snacks and water bottles. The seats were uncomfortable, and I barely slept. Thailand really needs to figure out their political struggles, and get back to making it nice for tourists to come here again. I am not a bus traveler. I felt like I should be lugging a backpack instead of a suitcase.

I will hang out here until Saturday, when I will fly down to Kuala Lumpur. I hope that the Phuket airport doesn't close by then. I will use the time to relax, sit by the pool, and relax in the oversized apartment. Maybe I will set up a photo blog that you can see some of my other photos.

The last few days I was in Bangkok, I spent with a new friend Anthony. I met him through some of the other people I know there. Anthony is a Dentist in Bangkok. He is Thai, but grew up in Paris and London. We spent time doing 'normal things' like seeing a movie and bowling. It was like I actually lived in Bangkok.

Stranded

As of Sunday morning, the Airports in Thailand are still shut down. I am not too sure how long the protests are going to last, but it looks like it might be a while. I have a flight scheduled for today, but it won't be taking off. I was scheduled to go to Chiang Mai, but it's not gonna happen. Usually, this sort of thing would upset me, because I get anxious about meeting flights on time. But this time, I am taking it all in stride. Since I don't have a strict schedule of places to be and times to be there, I will just find another another location and method to get there.

I read in the news this morning, that there was a bomb explosion at the Government House, with about 45 injured - many seriously. I am not anywhere near this area, and I am staying away purposely. So none of you need to worry about it. Right now, I am thinking I may take a train down to Phuket and stay there for a few days, and then head down to Kuala Lumpur from there. It's time to get out of Thailand, I think.

Yesterday, I went to my Personal Mecca. For those that know me well, it means I went to see the puppies at Chatuchak Market in Bangkok. There is a brisk trade in puppies at this market. I suspect it is where most people in Bangkok buy their dogs. Most of the popular breeds are represented, and the crowds are thick. I have to pull all my strength together to resist the temptation to buy all of them.

I saw a few lucky kids walk away with small dogs in little baskets. It was strange to see the transactions take place. Once, after the money changed hands, the seller tapped the heads of all the remaining dogs with the wad of bills. I guess it was to give them good luck in an early sell?

The market sells all manner of other animals too, of course. There were cats, birds, rabbits, Guinea pigs, squirrels, reptiles, fish, hedgehogs. And probably more. I noticed that the vendors selling fish were also eating fish for lunch. I dare not look at what the dog sellers were eating.

Today, I will spend some time trying to figure out how to get out of Thailand. Stay tuned!

Boney M is everywhere

I am a bit surprised at how much Christmas is visible here in Asia. Here in Thailand, the population are about 90% Buddhist. The remaining balance are Christian and Muslim. But even in this largely Buddhist country, there are a lot of Christmas references. I was in a mall yesterday (yah, big surprise) and they were playing Boney M Christmas Music on the intercom. And there were Christmas trees everywhere, and garlands, Santa Clauses, etc. Since when is that Buddhist? I asked Ou about it, and he told me that the religious aspect of Christmas is not really observed - it's largely a commercial event. I guess that's pretty true back in the Old Country, too.

I know there is a lot of stuff in the news about the protests in Bangkok. I've been following it as best as I can. But it's not really affecting me. As far as I know, it's two opposing 'pro-government' and 'anti-government' groups that are battling it out. Both the Suvarnabhumi Airport (the International) and the Don Mueang Airport (domestic flights) are closed to incoming and outgoing flights. It's a major blow to tourism in this country. Even the Canadian Government is suggesting that citizens stay out of Thailand. I have a flight planned on Sunday to Chiang Mai on Thai Airways. Thai Airways is saying that the airports may reopen by the weekend. I may have to change my plans or go by train. Something for me to figure out. I will know more tomorrow.

Yesterday, I got a haircut. Ordinarily, this would not be a big news item. But this is a monumental event for me. It signals that I am living in Asia. I mean, who gets their haircut on a vacation? Choosing a place to get my haircut was part of the challenge. I was having coffee with some new friends Pomer and Allan, and they made a recommendation. It turned out to be a great choice. It was a very busy Salon near my apartment in Silom. And it was super cheap. I paid 250 baht (roughly $8.50) for a wash and cut. And I am quite happy with results (sorry Chau - I can't fly you in for a haircut).

One Week in Bangkok

I am comfortably settled in Bangkok now. Those of you who know me well, will remember that Bangkok is one of my favourite cities in Asia - nay, the World. I can't quite pinpoint what it is about the place, that makes me think this way. I guess there are so many things that add up to make it such a great place. I am staying at the Bandara Suites hotel, in the Silom area. I am pretty sure the brochure said that Antonio would tuck me in at night. But I have not seen him. =p

I've decided to spend a week here. Originally, I thought I would only be here for 4 days or so. But I've extended my stay until Sunday, at which point I will head north to Chiang Mai. Since I have decided to stay, I thought I'd go to the Market today, to stock up on snacks and such. It's really something to see the differences between the Safeway back home, and the large supermarkets here. And it's not just the food choices. It's the way they approach food vending that is remarkable.

The market I went to was admittedly upscale, in a nice mall. But the experience is not duplicated in Canada, regardless. There was a very large amount of staff on duty, even for a Monday night. I saw so many people sweeping and mopping the floors eveywhere. In the coffee bean aisle, there was a person standing there to help you grind the beans, at the self-serve grinding machine. There were 2 staff at every register, and oodles of staff all around the store sampling products.

I wanted to buy a few bananas. But like all produce here, it is shrink-wrapped for my protection. So, I couldn't really sniff and squeeze the produce like I am used to. And I was forced to buy LOTS of bananas, since they are pre-wrapped in bundles. And diet pop? No such thing. I guess people here don't care about sugar content? I strolled down the potato chip aisle (yes, a whole aisle), and spied so many choices. Kimchi flavoured, German sausage flavoured, Japanese seaweed flavoured. Burger King and TGI Fridays have their own brands of chips. So many choices - it took forever to even see them all before I decided. All kinds of liquor for sale, displayed everywhere.

Yesterday, I spend some time with my friend Ou. Like most Thais, he has a nickname. And most of them are one syllable words - some of which resemble English words. Ou's proper Thai name is Theerawit. Ou is easier. Ou is a nice softspoken guy that is getting a science degree at one of the large Universities here. I photographed him last year, when we met previously, and I had the opportunity to photograph him again yesterday. I am quite happy with the work we achieved.

Can I get a Wat, what?

I've spent the last few days in Siem Reap. It's quite a lovely little place. Sure, there are the incumbent bumpy dirt roads, street beggars and aggressive tuk-tuk drivers. But overall, I quite like it here. I will come back some day, and explore more of it.

Of course the whole reason to visit this part of Cambodia is for Angkor Wat. That's what I did yesterday. I sent an email to a well known photographer here, as he is known to provide excursions to the area. He was not available for a private guided tour, but he was generous enough to send along a well prepared list of places to go, what to look for, and when to be there to avoid most of the crowds. It was quite useful, and to him I will be forever grateful. Thanks John McDermott!

So, Angkor Wat is actually just one of the temples in the whole complex. I don't really know how large it all is, but some people buy a 7 day pass so they can explore it all. After having just one day to see it, I understand why people would want to take a week. Maybe I will do that next time. Overall, the Wat was pretty damn impressive. Of course, it was seriously crowded in some places, and getting a photo without people in it took a lot of patience. Sometimes I just gave up, thinking it would not take too much effort to remove one little person in Photoshop. I think I have a lot of Photoshop to do.

The guide that we had was fairly knowledgeable and provided a lot of contextual information while we toured the ruins. I was surprised that we were able to actually climb all over most of the temples. Considering how bad some of the temples are, you'd think they would not want any foot traffic climbing all over the place. In some places, the crowds were quite large. I can see that one day, they may stop tourist access in a last minute effort to slow down the decay.

I took quite a lot of photos, and it will take some time for me to go through them all. Despite the crowds, I think I got some great images. It was a full day, climbing around as many temples as we could fit in. We broke for lunch in a small restaurant near the Wat, called "Chez Sophea". It was a little piece of Paris, nestled amongst all the t-shirt and map sellers. The owner, Matthieu, was a great host, and the food was excellent. I think it was the best meal I had in Cambodia. My wine glass was taken care of too. "Just a few more drops for you..." he says, as he fills my glass a second time. Ordering an espresso also resulted in 2 cups.

One thing that bothers me about Cambodia, is the rampant sex trade. I've been offered girls pretty much by everyone. I've been asked if I want a girl by tour guides, tuk-tuk drivers, strangers on the street, and even the Hotel reception. Clearly, that part of the Cambodian economy is thriving.

Last night, as I was wandering the streets, I came across what is the only Gay bar in town. It's a nice little place called "Linga". Clever name for a Gay bar. This place was very modern, owned by a foreigner, and designed to NA standards. I met some nice people there, and the drinks were cheap. It is directly across from a small boutique hotel called "The One". It's called that, because it has only one suite. Pretty exclusive, I guess. Maybe next time.

Today, I head to Bangkok. I will be there until mid-week, and then head north to Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai. Maybe into Laos after that. I look forward to being back in Bangkok, one of my favourite cities in the world. I know there is some violence and demonstrations going on now, but I don't think it will be in the tourist areas.

I'll upload some more photos, when I am settled in BKK.

Cambod-Ian

I am feeling a bit sad, after my first full day in Cambodia. I'm not lonely or depressed or anything. It's just that I've spent a good portion of the day touring museums and monuments to the Cambodian genocide that occurred under the Pol Pot regime.

Once again, I arrived in a new country, not knowing a heckuva lot about the history. I knew a little bit about the Killing Fields, and some about the genocide. But I was not really prepared for what I saw today. I've never seen so many real skulls in all my life.

As you know, I was booked for a tour in Cambodia. Today was the Phnom Penh tour. Basically, it consisted of a variety of monuments, palaces, temples and other historical elements. First stop on the tour (and a lovely way to start the day) was the notorious Killing Fields. This was where the systematic genocide of millions of innocent Cambodians took place. Basically, if you were a Cambodian that resisted the Pol Pot regime, or were an intellectual, artist, wore glasses, read a book, etc, you were tortured and then executed. I saw thousands of photographs of people that were killed. Strangely enough, the KR photographed each and every person before they were killed. Sort of like an inventory list. Then after they died, they were photographed again. So many of the victims were young children and mothers. If you were a relative of someone that was about to be killed, you got rounded up and killed too. So sad.

After this portion of the tour, we were taken to the Royal Palace (much more my style). It reminded me of the Royal Palace in Bangkok. Very similar architecture, with somewhat less gold. Most of the places we went to today forbid photography, so it was not all that worthwhile for me. But, I still obtained a large amount of photos from the architecture of the places, even if I couldn't go inside for photos. The rest of the tour group (3 Americans) went in to ooh and ahh about the various and sundry Buddhas, while I spent time outside photographing the buildings. While I appreciate that other people like to marvel at the religious artifacts, I am only interested in the buildings and the history. You've seen one Buddha, you've seen them all.

Overall, I like Phnom Penh. It's a fairly cosmopolitan city. I am writing this in an upscale restaurant called K West. There is a very western feel to it. Great food, good wine list. Many of the restaurants here are quite modern. I was surprised and impressed. I think that Cambodia is ahead of Vietnam that way.

Tomorrow, I head to Siem Reap, the gateway city to Angkor Wat. I am anticipating that it will be the highlight of the tour in Cambodia. Well really, it's the REASON to visit this country. Anything else is just fodder. The bus ride tomorrow is another 6 hours, and it starts at 7 am. Ugh.

I'm Gonna Miss Saigon

I left HCMC this morning, and I am writing this from the hotel lobby where I am staying in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. It was a decent bus ride, which I will discuss in a bit. First, my final impressions of Vietnam.

1. All the people I met in HCMC were really, really nice people. I got the impression that they were just interested in getting to know me, and not trying to see how much money I have. I know that sounds crass, but in many places in Asia, there is a lot of that going on. With the exception of one unscrupulous Cylco driver, I really think people in VN are super nice and genuinely friendly.
   
2. Food. You can't beat street stall food for quality vs. price. I think most of the best meals I had were in tiny little roadside restaurants. Quite cheap, and quite tasty.
   
3. Motorbikes carry more than just people here. I saw all sorts of things being carried on a simple little Honda Dream. Quite often, I've seen two people on a bike, with some large signage wedged in between them, so that the passenger can't see at all. I've seen 5 people on one little bike. I saw one guy with what appeared to be a mobile fire pit on the back seat. I am not too sure what it would be for, but the fire was ablaze.
   
4. Police on motorbikes, ride two to a bike. That must be quite the power struggle every day, choosing who gets to be the driver, and who gets to ride shotgun and make siren noises (just kidding).

My trip to Cambodia was slow, and interesting. The bus ride itself was normal (regular bus, regular seats), but the process of getting out of Vietnam and getting into Cambodia was kinda weird. Part way through the trip, the driver slowed the bus down (didn't stop - just slowed down), and some guy hopped on through the open door. He seemed 'official', as he was asking for our VN departure card and $25 USD for the Cambodian Visa. We eventually arrived at the VN border about an hour later. We were marshalled off the bus, and sent in to the Customs room, with our luggage. Our passports were surrendered, and our luggage was x-rayed. We emerged through 'the other side', and took our luggage and passports, and got back on the bus.

The bus was moved about 100 metres further, and we all got off again, at the Cambodian border. Passports in hand, we all march off the bus and hand over the passports again. About 20% of the luggage was x-rayed (a sample?) and then we all got back on the bus. We were driven to a roadside food stall for a lunch break (Cambodian street food is good too!). A half hour later, we hop back on the bus and are given our passports back, with a new Visa attached.

A few hours later, I was woken up from my little snooze, to be informed that my stop was coming up. My luggage was rustled up from the back of the bus (when did it come IN to the bus? It was in the luggage storage area to begin with) and the bus pulled over. I hopped off, and was greeted by some scruffy old man shouting "Mr. Robert? Mr. Robert?". I looked around, and was unhappy to not see a hotel or a taxi. He grabbed my suitcase, and told me to hop on to the back of his vintage motorbike. And I am sure most of you know, I don't pack too light. So, there I was scurrying down the busy rush hour streets of Phnom Penh, on a bike with some old guy, a large suitcase squeezed in between us, and a camera back pack on my back. It must have been a great site.

I checked in to the Castle Hotel (finally, the Knight returns to the Castle). It's pretty nice. They claim 4 stars, but I think it's in a scale of 7. I usually judge a hotel on the bathroom, and whether or not it provides a nice comfy robe. Robe, check. Bathroom, not too bad. The area around the hotel is pretty good, from what I can see. I walked around a little while, and was swarmed by street urchins. The city seems quite nice, and English is spoken everywhere. And the USD reigns supreme. When you buy something, they tell you the price in USD, but only provide Cambodian Riel in change. Sneaky.

Tomorrow, I will do a city tour, with a private tour guide. Hopefully, it's not on the back of a vintage motorbike, driven by a septegenarian.

Mui ne and the Dunes

On Friday night, I headed to the seaside resort town of Mui Ne. This little resort town is reminiscent of many others I've been to, like Bali, Cancun, Puerto Vallarta, etc. Beautiful in the resorts themselves, but kinda desperate outside.

Here in Vietnam, they really have the buses figured out. I booked a trip with one of the better known travel agencies here, Sinh Cafe. They have a whole fleet of buses that carry people all over SE Asia. I will also be traveling with the same company when I head to Cambodia tomorrow. The bus that I traveled on to Mui Ne was what is known as a 'sleeping bus'. Imagine 3 long rows of bunk beds, stretched along the length of the bus, and you get the idea. When you enter the bus, you have to take your shoes off, just like home. I have to say though, that calling it a 'sleeping bus' is a bit of a misnomer. It's more like a reclining seat bus, or a lay-down-while-you're-hurtled-across-the-country-feet-first bus. The notion of actually sleeping on the bus is ambitious. All the roads are seriously bumpy, and when you're laying down, you feel each and every one of them. Still, it was a pretty cool way to go.

One other thing about the buses here, is that while they may leave relatively on time, getting to your destination at a time close to the estimate is pretty unlikely. In both directions, the arrival time was close to 2 hours later than posted. That's about 50% longer than promised.

One of the reasons I went to Mui Ne was to photograph the white sand dunes that they are famous for. It was pretty cool, to be sure. The only thing missing was the camels and pyramids. It was super hot and toasty, but surprisingly, the sand was not too hot to walk in barefoot. I shot a lot of photos, but they all look the same. White sand, blue sky. It's kinda hard to make sand look like anything other than sand. But, I still enjoyed the trip.

The Resort I stayed in seemed to have a bit of an identity crisis. I don't think the owners really knew who they wanted to be. It was called the Swiss Village Inn. All the buildings were built in the Chinese architecture style. It was all Vietnamese staff. And all of the communications were in Russian. In the restaurant, they played Russian music, it was Russian channels on the TV, and the daily info sheets and boards were all in Russian. I really felt out of place speaking only English.

Tomorrow, I begin a journey to Cambodia. I don't know a lot about the country, so I am going against my normal routine, and going on an organized tour. Although the tour itself is in group, all the actual sightseeing is done individually. My city tour of Phnom Penh and Ankor Wat will be just me and my guide. I like that idea. When I go to a place for the first time, I like to shoot a lot of photos, and when traveling as a group, that's kind of dificult. I will be in Phnom Penh on Tuesday and Wednesday, then on to Siem Reap (and Ankor Wat) on Thursday and Friday. On Saturday afternoon, I head to Bangkok.

Coffee troubles

I think you all know I like my Starbucks. Well, there is no such thing as a Starbucks in Vietnam. It's one part of the world they have not conquered. I wonder what's taking them so long? Speaking of American fast foods in Vietnam...Kentucky Fried Chicken is here (but not McDonald's). I think KFC is here, because Colonel Sanders looks vaguely like Ho Chi Minh. Just an observation.

Anyways, back to coffee. You'd think it would be simple to get a regular cup of coffee here. After all, it is the single most popular drink in the world (I heard that somewhere). It's more popular than beer, tea or water. But here in Vietnam, they have their own special version, appropriately called 'Vietnamese Coffee'. Clever. This version of coffee is a super thick espresso-type coffee that takes about 10 minutes to seep through a sieve into the cup. You add sweet condensed milk and ice if you want it, and then drink. So, when you order a black coffee, that's what you get.

When I try to explain that I want a 'regular' coffee, I am met with a lot of puzzled looks and need to give long explanations. They just don't brew coffee here. It's either Vietnamese coffee, or if you're lucky, espresso. Today, I was in a small cafe that seemed pretty westernized. Nice, trendy place - with lots of smokers, of course. I ordered a black coffee, and got the Vietnamese coffee. Send it back, and ask for a 'regular black drip coffee'. No such thing. Americano? No to that, too. I can have a latte or cappuccino, but not espresso with water. So strange.

I found one coffee shop that understands the western version of coffee. It's called Highlands Coffee, and it's popular with the Tourist Set. They make Americanos here, and have free WiFi (which is where I am writing this from). I realize that I am not in Canada anymore. And I should adapt to the way things are done 'over here'. But, when it comes to coffee, I think Vietnam stands alone. Of all the other countries I've been to in Asia, getting a regular cup of coffee is pretty easy.

My Vietnam History Lesson

Over the last few days, I've been doing city tours. It should come as no surprise to anyone that Vietnam has a lot of history, and they take pride in showing it to anyone that wishes to see. On Wednesday, I did what could be described as the Monuments and Pagodas Tour. I think I saw every temple and pagoda in the city (I am sure there are more, but...). As luck would have it, it was "Buddhist Day" or something like that this day. On the 1st and 15th of every month (in the Lunar Calendar), it is Buddhist Day, and the faithful flock to the temples to pray. It was a busy time, but great for photos. I visited what must be the only pink cathedral in the world, too.

I also visited some of the Vietnam War monuments here in HCMC. I purposely avoided the ones that are known to show the photos of chemical warfare waged by the US. I am aware it happened, but not too sure I want to see it. I toured the building known as the Reunification Palace. It was originally built as the home and workplace for the President of South Vietnam during the war, and then served as the site of the official handover of power during the Fall of Saigon in 1975. There are tanks on the front lawn, and a helicopter on the roof of the building to provide some historical context. In the basement of the palace, there are holdovers from the war, including radio rooms, presidential bunkers and provisions rooms. It was pretty interesting.

Also interesting, was the Notre Dame cathedral and the General Post office. Generally post offices would not get me too excited, but this one was designed by Eiffel himself. It was amazing, both on the outside and the inside. It was full of traditional French architecture and style. Today, I visited the Opera House. It was a beautiful sight. In the midst of a country that looks like it is still under construction, and all the workers went home, the Opera House is spectacular.

This weekend, I am going to a seaside resort called Mui Ne. It is well known for it's sand dunes, and nice beaches. I will come back to HCMC on Sunday, for a few days, and then head to Cambodia for a week.

Vietnam, second day.

So, I've moved to a new hotel. The first one I was in, was pretty creepy. Very small, and full of bugs. I woke up the first morning, to find my water glass crawling with little bugs. It was an easy decision to pick up and move out. I am staying in a 3-star now. It's much nicer, to be sure.

So, I want to talk about traffic in HCMC. My first experience was pretty frightening, but now, I am pretty comfortable with it. Previously, I was a pedestrian, gingerly crossing the streets. Over the last few days, I've been able to be a passenger on the back of a motorbike. And it's not as bad as I thought. Actually, I am kind of impressed.

When I fist experienced it, I just didn't understand how it worked. The more I see it and experience it, the more it makes sense to me. The regular traffic rules that I am used to in Canada just don't seem to apply here, but that's OK. For instance - sidewalks are not really for walking. Pedestrians walk on the streets, along with the motorbikes and buses and cars. The sidewalk is where people park their motorbikes. There is no room to walk.


What I've learned about the traffic flow is that its very rhythmic and fluid. There is a natural hierarchy that applies (buses, cars, motorbikes, bicycles, pedestrians), but everyone knows it. It's very common to get to an intersection where literally hundreds of motorbikes will converge at once - and they all merge together, in an orchestrated blend of commuters. It's really something to see. If you need to turn at an intersection, you just slowly move your way over there. Signals are not needed. It's pretty clear you want to go there, cause people see you coming. If you need to enter traffic, and you're not on the right side of the road, you just go head first into the opposing traffic, and slowly work your way over to the opposite flow. It seems so crazy when you think about it, but having been on the back of a few motorbikes and experience it, it's really not that bad.

One other thing about the flow here of traffic in HCMC, is how noisy it is. Everyone honks their horns. In a non-stop cacophony. At first, I thought it was an aggressive thing. Like "get outta my way!". But, I've learned its more like "hey - I am here, look out - don't hit me!" sort of defensive honking. People honk all the time, but not to be mean, just to be helpful.

There are some traffic lights, but they are few and far between, and not really obeyed. "Sure, it's red...but that applies to all the people behind me!" And, honestly, I don't think they are really needed. People don't really believe them anyways.

Good Evening, Vietnam

So, here I am in Ho Chi Minh City. And what a place it is. I was greeted on arrival with a huge rain storm and lots of humidity. It's been raining here a lot, and will continue to do so for a while.

My friend Steven came to the airport to collect me. And I am glad he did. I was quite the 'target' once I exited the airport terminal. Taxi hawkers. Ugh. Steven helped me find a hotel in HCMC. There are LOTS of hotels here, and I don't really know the city well enough to know where to book. I will explore the city a bit tomorrow.

Motorcycles rule the roads here. 90% of the vehicles here are motorikes or scooters. And they are everywhere. Some hold 3 or 4 people, and some are used to cart all manner of goods. I saw one that had a bamboo tree on it, that must have been 10 ft tall. Since it was raining en route to my hotel, most bike riders were wearing plastic ponchos that covered them and the bike.

The taxi ride to the hotel took close to 3 hours. I am not exaggerating. No matter where the driver went, it was a massive traffic jam. Some times, we just sat in one spot for 15 or 2o minutes. The driver would get out of the car, and go chat with other taxi drivers. Only the motorbike drivers managed to move anywhere. It's no wonder that people drive them here. It is reminiscent of Bangkok that way.

We eventually arrived at the hotel (2-star, $33/night). It's one of those hotels where you have to hand in your room key when you go outside for any reason. They also hold your passport. The room here (and the hotel) looks like it was built in the 30's. Very 'authentic'. Wicker furniture. Rubber hose in the shower. Tiny little TV (but lots of channels).

Steven and I went to get some dinner (Pho, what else?) It was still raining a bit, so wee needed to wear flipflops, because of the many deep puddles. Crossing the streets here is an experience everyone should enjoy. Since there are really no traffic lights, and thousands of motorbikes, it's really just a casual stroll across the road. You basically step out on the street, and s l o w l y walk across the road. All the buses and bikes just swerve around you. It's quite frightening at first (OK, it's always frightening), but you just brave it, and it works. I thought Steven was trying to have me killed. He would say "follow me", and start walking across an 8 lane road. The bikes/buses/cars would honk to show they were boss, but they'd move out of your way anyways.

I went to an ATM to withdraw some cash. Gotta have the local coin, right? So I withdrew 1 million. The local currency, the Dong (I hear some of you snickering) has pretty high denominations. 1 Million Dong is about $76 CAD. I am finally a millionaire. Faster than I thought. =)

Tomorrow, I will look around 'the hood' and snap some photos. Not too sure what I will encounter, but I am looking forward to it.

It's different, but that's OK.

I am sometimes amazed at some of the differences in HKG and Vancouver.
I know it's not fair to compare cities. There is already enough rivalry out there, and I need not contribute. But it's hard not to say or think "in Vancouver, it's 'this' way", or "wow, you'd never see that in Canada."

Some recent observations (not complaints):

1. Everybody smokes. This is a smoker's paradise. Even the wait staff in restaurants smoke while they wait on you. Today, I was in a nice lounge, and 3 older Chinese men lit up nasty cigars and started puffing, and blowing smoke my way. My clothes stink of smoke every day.
   
2. Cockroaches. Everywhere. Nuff said.
   
3. There is a job for everyone. A few days ago, I saw one of those people that was power-washing the street pavement. Nothing unusual there, except while he was washing the pavement, he had 2 helpers holding up panels so that the water would not spray the pedestrians.
   
4. Clubs are super expensive. I visited a club tonight and paid $260 HKD. I didn't think much of it at the time, but later I did the math, ans I was shocked. That works out to $40. Sure you get a free drink. But come on! $40 for an entry? That's robbery.
   
5. Hurry up and wait. This city of Hong Kong has a lot of people. And the traffic moves quite slowly. Even the foot traffic moves slowly. Walking from the end of one block to the other requires careful navigation of slow grannies, delivery carts, large groups of friends that are oblivious to the size they occupy, and cars/taxis that wield supreme power.
   
6. Birds. Where are they? They seem quite absent here. In Vancouver, they are everywhere. Here they are very rare. Maybe the cockroaches ate them all.
   
7. Circle K and 7-11 are everywhere. Seriously. It seems on most streets, both stores are present, side by side. Then, directly across the street, there is another pair. I think there are 6 of them in a one block radius of my hotel.
   
8. Mass transit rules here. The MTR is super efficient and reliable. You can scoot across town (underground) in a few short minutes. The longest part of your journey would be winding you way down through the labyrinth of the MTR station, dropping 4 or 5 stories underground. The actual trip is merely minutes. And it's cheap. I really can't imagine why anyone would want to own a car here.
   

I like Hong Kong, don't get me wrong. It's a lovely city, and one that I could see myself living in, comfortably. And I know that when you leave the comfort zone of the existence you previously had, you need to learn to accept change. I am willing to do that. But sometimes, it's hard not to notice the small things, and realize how much I took for granted back in 'the old country'.

Hong Kong daze

Hello Loyal Readers...
I know it's been a few days since you've heard from me. And you're all very curious about what's going on - anxious, even.

Well, I wish I had some exciting stories to tell you. But, the reality is, that I've been pretty low-key for a few days. I've been getting some mundane tasks completed, and preparing for the real part of the journey. I finally worked out all the small details with my HKG bank account. It took much longer to get it resolved than I would have anticipated. It's a good thing that I had cash on hand for the week long period that it took.

I have my Visa for Vietnam, and my one-way ticket to Ho Chi Minh City. I leave Monday afternoon, and arrive a few hours later. My original plan was to fly over to Hanoi first. After all, it's much closer. But, they've had quite a lot of rain there in the last few weeks, and many of the streets are flooded. So, I will start in the south of Vietnam. If the weather improves in the north I will venture up to Hanoi, and visit Danang and Halong Bay as well. After that, I will head to Laos and then northern Thailand. If I stay in HCMC and not head north, then I will head to Cambodia next. I love not really knowing where I will be next.

On Wednesday, I met with a fellow photographer and inspiration, Norm Yip. Norm is a Canadian that moved to HK in the 90's. He was trained and worked as an architect, but preferred to work as an artist and photographer. Norm and I both like to photograph men, but Norm is more successful at it, with 2 published books, and several other publications.

It was a great conversation with Norm. I've always felt a bit intimidated of Norm (well of his skills and success), and look to him with admiration. But sitting down with him made me realize that he is just a normal guy with a passion for photography, like me. We spent a lot of time talking about each others career path, and our respective views of photography. Norm was generous with his time, and offered great advice and critique on my photography. I am glad I had the chance to meet him.

Norm is moving away from photography, and into publishing. He is starting a new magazine in HK called S8. It will focus on the art and photography scene in Hong Kong. Norm is also helping out with a Charity Auction, that I've agreed to participate in. The proceeds will help fund a local Hotline for troubled youth. I have submitted 3 photograhs from my collection. Here is a link to the site that describes the Auction: http://www.studio8hongkong.com/horizons/

The weather has been so amazing here in Hong Kong this week. Sunny and warm, and not humid at all. I went out to take some photos during the late afternoon and early evening. The city works quite late here every day. Most people are not done work until 7 or 8 at night. That makes the markets quite busy all night. I spent some time with my friend Alfie, as well. Alfie tells me that he will be moving to Germany next year to attend university there. I wish him well.

Lazy days in HK

It's been a couple of nice, lazy days in Hong Kong. Don't get me wrong, though. I haven't been sitting in the hotel watching TV. I've been oot and aboot (that's a Canadian reference for all you non-Canadians). It's just that I haven't been accomplishing a lot, and that's OK. It's nice to be semi-retired. All of the previous times I've been here in Asia, I've always had a looming deadline to return to Canada. So the pressure was on to get things done, and experience as much as I can in the allotted time. Now, I don't have that sense of urgency. I am taking things casually, and it's refreshing.

Yesterday, I spent time with more banking issues (still can't access my cash here), and worked on getting my Visa for Vietnam. The banking issues should be resolved tomorrow. HSBC keeps telling me to come back tomorrow. And then tomorrow. I hope it gets figured out, soon.

The Visa application for Vietnam was pretty uneventful. Basically, it's a revenue grab for The Socialist Republic of Vietnam. The queue for the application was out the lobby, and down the hall. But they processed the lineup at a decent speed. I should have my Visa on Thursday. I just have to brave the queue again.

I met my friend Mandy for drinks at the IFC. Mandy works as a relocation specialist. He makes a living helping companies move their staff to other countries. It was a good meeting, and informative. It might not be all that easy to obtain a working Visa in China. According to Mandy's sources, "At this time the Chinese authorities do not recognise "self employed" individuals for the purposes of obtaining Work Permits." So, this means that a company needs to sponsor me for a work permit. Hmm....

Today, I booked a flight to Ho Chi Minh City. I leave Hong Kong on Monday, and will be in HCMC on Monday night. I don't really have much of a plan for my time in VN. So far, I think I will start in HCMC, and then travel north up the coast to Danang and on to Hanoi. After that, I will enter Vientiane Laos, and then on to Chiangmai Thailand. That should finish up the month of November.

Weekend in Hongy

It's Sunday night now. I had a great first weekend in Hong Kong. The more time I spend here, the more I realize that I like it, and know it pretty well. However, there are a lot of differences compared to my previous home of Canada.

Some highlights:

I went to a movie last night. Movies are the typical Hollywood blockbusters, blended in with Chinese and Japanese movies. All have subtitles. Either English or Cantonese, or both. And, in Hong Kong, you select your seats when you buy the tickets. So, rather than lining up an hour in advance to get the best seats, your seats are reserved like in a concert or play. Smart.

I had my first experience with the Medical system in Hong Kong. My eczema was not behaving lately (all that stress?). So, I thought it might be best to seek some medical attention locally. I went to a Medical Centre in Tai Koo. I chose a Doctor (rather arbitrary, really). I went in and requested to see the Doctor (this was a Saturday afternoon, keep in mind). I was shown in right away. I explained the malady. He explained the solution. A medication was created for me, onsite. I paid the charge, and walked away with the medicine (which is working just fine, thanks). Try doing THAT in Canada. It would take WEEKS to get an appointment to see a doctor. And, he'd only give you a prescription for medication which you'd have to fill elsewhere.

Today, being Sunday, is "Maids Day Off". That means all the hundreds of thousands of maids and nannies that work here in HK are free to congregate with their comrades. So, basically, that means every but of flat ground in Central HK is overtaken with hordes of maids. They gather in groups of about 6 to 8 in a pod. They find a flat piece of ground, and spread their cardboard or bedsheets out, and eat Filipino or Indonesian foods and play cards and gossip. If you try to access bridge walkways or parks on a Sunday, good luck! You will need to wade through a sea of sitting nannies.

I am happy report that Starbucks is a constant comfort and familiar taste.

Is it November already?

So, last night was Halloween. Ordinarily, I don't care too much about the event. It all seems a bit too silly, to me. But, boy, do the Hong Kongers take it seriously! I was in the Lan Kwai Fong area, where all the bars are, and it was total mayhem. Many of the streets were blocked off, and costumed revelers were parading all over, drinks in hand.

Yesterday, I spend a good 3 hours at HSBC main branch getting all my banking sorted out. It turns out that my Canada debit card does not work here in Hong Kong. Thankfully, before I left, I initiated the process of setting up a HK account. When I went in to see the Banking People, they were only just getting the paperwork ready. They were informed by HSBC Canada that I was coming, but they only got the news an hour or so before I showed up. So, I have access to my money, but I have to transfer it, as needed, from Canada to HK. It's a hassle, but its not that too bad.

Today is November 1. I guess I have to start planning what I will be doing for the next few months. The end of the year is not that far away, right?

Hong Kong morning post

Good morning, dear readers.
I got up sooooper early this morning, about 5 am. I guess I am still not quite adjusted to the time diff yet. And you know, for a city that has a constant buzz like Hong Kong, you'd think there would be a coffee shop open at 5am. But where is it?

The streets are eerily quiet here at 5am (ok, probably in most cities). All I saw when I was walking the streets in search of that elusive coffee was the newspaper vendors. There were dozens of them on every street, all stuffing flyers into newspapers, and stacking them in piles.

Yesterday, I met up with my friend Woody. Woody and I spent the afternoon and evening doing what people do in HKG - eat and drink. Eating in small cafes in Hong Kong is always an interesting experience. You are usually seated with other people in the same booth, and you try to ignore them, even though they are sitting directly across from you a few feet away. And good luck getting your food to arrive at the same time - even if you order the same thing.

Dinner out in a nice restaurant is different, of course. Hong Kong has no shortage of great restaurants. The inside ambiance of most of the nice restaurants make you forget the chaos that is outside.

Almost there....

I am sitting in the Mabuhay Lounge of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. It's just after 6 in the morning here in Manila. I am waiting for my connecting flight to Hong Kong, in about one hour.

It's nice to be off the plane, of course. I like flying, particularly in Business Class. It's nice to stretch out and be able to sleep. The Philippines Air flight was not all that comfy, though. I had a bulkhead seat, so my legs were always up against a wall. But, I guess it was still better than Coach. And where were the handsome Filipino stewards I was expecting? All the crew were matronly women in their 50's. But they did take care of me. "Anything more you need, Mr. Knight?" "If that's not satisfactory, Mr. Knight, please let me know right away." etc.

The next leg of the journey is the short 2 hour flight to Hong Kong. It gets me in at about 10 am, and then I should be checked in to my hotel in Sheung Wan sometime about noon. It will be a day to relax, and acclimate myself to the time difference. The first few days will be spent reviewing flight options to Vietnam and Cambodia, and dealing with some banking and insurance requirements.

So, even though it's super early in the morning here, I still think I should have a drink. It's not morning for me, and this is a lounge.

It's about to start

So, readers...
Tomorrow, I will take the first step in my new journey. I fly to Hong Kong, and will be there by Thursday. I will spend the first few days getting time-adjusted, and doing some basic banking/logistical stuff.

My plans for the next few months will be to travel south through SE Asia, visiting Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore. I don't really have a set agenda, so I am going to go where it feels right, for as long as it continues to feel right. I expect to be back in Hong Kong in the new year, and then head to China sometime in January or February.

This Blog will be the best place to keep up with my journey and travel adventures. I plan to update it as I go along, where Internet permits. Check back here when you think of it, and see where I am, and view some photos.