Gettin down in Kuala Lumpur

On my quest to hit 4 continents in 9 days I have arrived (and will soon be leaving) Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia.
I sensed that I was slightly overdressed in my jeans, longsleeve shirt, and down vest after my long and arduous plane ride from Sweden. To my excuse, Sweden was really cold and winter clothing was necessary. It was NOT necessary in KL however, as the temperature at 7am was easily 90 degrees, total humidity.

I arrived to a distant friend, Eric, who greeted me in the Sentral Train Station. As we loaded my bags into his car, I casually walked in stride to the passengers door. He stopped me midway and asked me where I was going. Than he quickly informed and reminded me that they drive on the opposite side here, and what is known as the passenger side is the driver. Oops. My bad. Good start. Feeling slightly silly with a person I've only known for 6 minutes.

Kuala Lumpur is the meeting point of cultures. The diversity is tremendous and this is apparant as you stroll around the city streets. Malay's, Chinese, and Indians all pack the street as they coexist in Malaysia's capital city. Muslims, Buddhists, and Arabics all have their seperate worshipping sites in a variety of locations. If the United States is known as a "melting pot" of races and religions, KL is up there in competition for their diversity in culture.

2 things that will come to the immediate attention of a new arrival into KL are the abundance of malls and shopping centers, and the KL twin towers.
There are about 7 malls within a 10 minute walk from my hotel. And these aren't small malls. They are enormous. Overwhelming. Obtrusively large. These monstrocities are asking you to get lost. 7 stories and endless turns and nooks to walk through. How does anyone have money here? It's tempting to indulge yourself in retail therapy.
The other site, which is still somewhat obtrusive but much more pleasant on the eyes are the KL twin towers. These are the largest twin towers in the world. There is a quick recognition upon first glance. This is because you have seen them in movies such as "Entrapment", with Sean Connery and catherine Zeta-Jones. They try to cross the two towers via cable-wire on newyears. Not so smart.
At night the city lights turn on and the streets are filled with noise and glowing neons. It's actually quite beautiful to look at. The hustle and bustle never stops which sounds worse than it is. Although it can be somewhat overwhelming, its actually quite a spectacle.
And than there is the food...
This is not a place to go if watching your waist. As the diversity in culture is wide, so is the availability of different types of food. Indian, Thai, Japanese, Chinese, Malay.... you name it, they have it. It's beyond delicious and the food alone could keep you here for days on end.

But I don't have days on end. And it's probably a good thing. Tomorrow I leave for Australia. The land down under is my next stop in this quick 9 day trip that has already landed me from New York to Sweden, to Malaysia...and now to Australia.

they don't speak spanish in sweden

(I thought this picture was funny. Don't hold your child's hand while crossing the street sign... just dropkick them instead. Go Sweden)

After a brief trip back to NY where I spent 3 weeks innundated with TDO (things to do), such as..selling my car, acquiring a working visa, and the other oddball chores that must be attended to while home..I have left.

I arrived in Stockholm, Sweden this morning after a pleasant overnight plane ride. Pleasant, minus waking up stifling hot and trying to turn on my overhead light to find out that it would only shine directly on the girl sleeping next to me. No help at all for me.

So now I am in the country of Pippi Longstocking, Abba, Volvo, the Vikings (although I don't see any walking around) H&M, and of course, Blue eyed Blonde babes.
Did I forget to mention its freezing here? I leave New York enroute to Australia. When I think of a trip to Australia, I think of warm breezes, beautiful beaches, greatwhite sharks and crocodiles. I certaintly don't think about stopping off in Sweden where I freeze my butt off while walking around this afternoon. I had to return to the hostel to put an additional 3 layers of clothing on. I look homeless. As usual.
I took the hostel up on its free walking tour offer late this afternoon. Perhaps if I wasn't concentrated on my nose freezing off and my inability to smile because my face was frozen, I would have enjoyed it more. But I did pass the house where the red hair, pigtailed child who was the first in childrens stories to be a rebel was created. I have a special bond with Pippi. Perhaps because I dressed up as her when I was 7, and 19, for Halloween. I don't think at the age of 7 I realized that she was so rambunctious and disorderly. And than at the age of 19 I was disappointed I couldn't have followed in her shoes, or stockings, when I was younger so I was living vicariously through the character. Whatever it is, I like her.

My biggest problem of the day? I keep trying to speak spanish to these people when they speak swedish to me. They don't speak spanish in sweden. So i've learned. This is a difficult concept for me to grasp as the last dozen of so countries I have visited all share the same language which makes traveling and communicating REALLY easy. Its not easy here and I feel somewhat stupid. Luckily, I head to Northern Sweden tomorrow to visit my swede boys, and I will no longer need to fend for myself. Although, its even colder up there than Stockholm.

Choose your own adventure

It´s like reading a classic CYOA book. You begin the novel with all the opportunities imaginable, right at your fingertips.
Do you go with instinct, safety, greed?
Each decision you make has a significant consequence, and all lead to a new direction in your travels (or life). Each opens up new opportunity and possibilities.

I have come to the end of the chapter where I now choose my own, and next, adventure.

Choice A: I could continue my original plans-- go to Utila, Honduras (the Bay Islands) and complete my dive-master course for the next 2 months. This is no specific plan or outcome upon finishing, and I don´t know where it will lead me next. Although, as part of all ¨choose your own adventure¨books, you never really know what´s ahead.
A majority of the time, playing it safe in Choose Your Own Adventure never brings you to the lions den, you never get robbed, thrown into the eye of a hurricane, or break your leg. However, you also never have much thrill. The kids who play the safe route in CYOA books always end up somewhat bored and unattached. Not that taking my divemaster is boring, but it is following the ordinary plan. The intended route. Not deviating from the schedule.

or I could go with Choice B: Take a leap of faith and chance it. Put a kebosh on my Honduras plans and go home early. Try something totally new and perhaps risky. Not dangerous, but certainly different. There is only one way to move on from the constant normalcy of life, you have to take chances. You take risks with hopes that they will pay off. The kids who enjoy CYOA books the most where the kids who were living in the now. They weren´t thinking the rationality of the future, they were taking each opportunity as it came.

Choice B is certaintly the bigger gamble. Higher risk. However, high risk pays off high reward, if you hit the pot. It could go sour and you can lose drastically as well. But isn´t it better to try and fail, than to fail to try?

Solution? In this case, take the risk. When normally siding with safety and taking a sure bet, the risk can often be worth it. Without taking a chance you never have the opportunity to win big. Who wants to sit around with mediocrity and no spark forever? Settling with average is no way to live.

We now choose choice B. Take the risky option that looks like fun and has potential for rewards.

It looks like I´m going to the land of Oz.

Our individuality is all, all that we have. There are those who barter it for security, those who repress it for what they believe is the betterment of the whole society, but blessed in the twinkle of the morning star is the one who nurtures it and rides it, in grace and love and wit, from peculiar station to peculiar station along life's bitersweet route --Jitterbug Perfume

It´s always just one more day...

It´s never easy getting to a new destination. The constant desire to spend ¨just one more day¨ in your current location is overwhelming and always an obstacle. However, we all know that it´s never one more day and it´s easy to get stuck in a town that you never imagined you would spend more than 5 hours in.
It happens, and in reality, it happens all the time when you are traveling.

I had expectations of arriving to the Bay Islands in Honduras 2 weeks ago. I am still not there, but I am really close in location! Belize was a convenient stop on my route to Honduras after leaving Mexico. After all, I didn have to go THROUGH Belize to get to Honduras, so it only made sense to spend a few days. A few days turned into 8, but I am now close to my original destination.

But than you meet these great people on the boat ride, or the bus ride, and with a snap of the fingers, you have a new plan or destination. Everyone told me La Ceiba was a grungy, undesireable place in Honduras and I should only use it as the jump'off point to get to the Bay Islands. They were wrong.
La Ceiba has character and vibrance ringing from the center. We were lucky enough to meet a canadian fellow doing volunteer work on our bus here. He has become our unofficial tour guide.
Last evening we attended the soccer match with the local team, Victoria. Luckily for us, it wasn´t as insane as some of the games get here. However, I don´t know any sporting event in the USA where fireworks are lit within the fan section. We were standing in the heart of the crazies. Big drums surround us (which not only did I get to assist in holding, but I got to play them as well!!) as the locals chant and scream the songs that I couldn´t understand any words to. They run to the left, than push to the right. Keep a watchful eye at all times or else you may get caught offguard, and falling off these bleachers won´t be pleasant. When Victoria finally scored, the entire section runs down the bleachers to the bottom, and than back up. Imagine hundreds, thousands of rowdy fans in a giant mosh storming around the benches. Insanity I tell you.
The center of the stadium is the Revolutionary section, so I am told. Here, a group of truly insane fellows with no shirts sit. They are impartial to a team. They are fenced in. Their only purpose is to be loud and rowdy. They scream for both teams. They harass both teams. They are the Revolutionaries and I am in awe of them.

Today was a brilliant afternoon.
Tour Guide Dan took my friend and I on a hike. We went through the mountains 2 hours to a magnificient waterfall. It was a stunning site, and after a long and sweaty trip to arrive we were given the best refreshment by standing at the bottom and taking in the heavy water flowing on our head. The other amazement? When you stood halfway up the waterfall in the jungle, you could see the ocean in the distance.
Our walk back was a continuance of a terrific day. After hitching a ride we arrived at the school that TourGuide Dan volunteers for. The school is located 1 hour out of La Ceiba, in the middle of the mountains for the children that live in the forest area. The majority of these children have never attended any type of school before because the distance is too far. The newly designed one-room school is the first opportunity for these people to have an education. In the 3 months since its implementation, they have almost 30 kids attending, ranging in age from 5 to 15.
What an opportunity this has created for these children living in the mountains.
Dan showed us around the school, which isn´t much to see being its only one room. We also stopped by one of the houses of his student where we were greeted by 5 excited children, and 2 lovely parents.
The people in Honduras have been so kind and friendly which creates a positive vibe for traveling.
It always amazes me that the countries with the toughest reputation on crime and poverty tend to be the most welcoming and friendly.

and than there were 2...

It´s that time when saying goodbyes starts having an impact. Although part of the fun and thrill of traveling is the people you meet along the way, you always know that you will part ways eventually...whether it be in 3 days or 3 weeks.
To think that I arrived with Jess in Mexico City 2 months ago seems like eternity. We had a brilliant experience throughout Southern Mexico during that time, with extended stays on the West coast where we met the first Aussie gang. Leaving them was definitely sad and we wondered when we´d find another group. And as Ive mentioned in previous posts, it didn´t take long to form a new 7 point-posse in the Yucutan, composing of 2 more Aussie boys, 2 Swedes, and our Irish mate Paul who we met a month earlier. And quickly enough, the group has dissipated.
Jess finally has left. She is enroute to London where she will be working and living for the next year. It´s been 7 months with that girl and there is something special to say about that. Its been a wondrous and unexpected friendship and I couldn´t have asked for a better traveling buddy.
So than there were 3- Jeremy, Paul, and Lisa.
Jeremy left today...flying back to Australia via Los Angeles. Another sad departure.
And now, there is 2.
I am still with Irish Paul and we will be making our way to Belize tomorrow. After some consideration on how I will be getting to Honduras, I was easily convinced to come through Belize for a few days and revisit the old country that I spent a semester at 3 years ago.

playa del carmen and isla de mujeres

As a backpacker, traveling in tourist-spots can always be overwhelming. Maybe I had some of these thoughts in South America when we visited Cusco, Peru (Machu Picchu), or Patagonia in Chile. However, this is totally different. We arrived in tourist-central Playa del Carmen and although no one immediately said so, I think we all wished to turn around and head back to Tulum. We were on the main avenue in Playa surrounded by obnoxious vendors, tourists wearing stupid Mexico shirts and other paraphernalia, and there is a Walmart across the street from our hostel. This is not what we were looking for. The beaches are crowded and dirty. I can’t walk down the street without a store owner yelling at me to look at his necklaces. Why did we come here? Well, I have no idea why we did, but if we are here…we might as well take advantage and do what’s best…go Scuba Diving.
The diving was brilliant. There is something so special and amazing about Caribbean water. The visibility doesn’t get any better and the variety of marine life is astounding.
We saw about 8 giant sea-turtles which made the expensive dive worth it immediately. Our hostel is filled with a great international crowd and as usual we find ourselves having a blast with Israelis, Swedes, Serbians, and Aussies. After 3 days we decide to move on to Isla Mujeres, a small island off of Cancun. The 20 minute ferry ride takes us to another paradise-island…still touristy but not as bad as Cancun and Playa del Carmen. The entire island is 8kilometers so my new running pal, Aussie Jeremy and I take on the island. Everyone rides around in golf carts and I am just another American here in a Mexican resort town. More importantly, we watched the Giants game last night against GreenBay…and you know what that means…my GMen are going to the Superbowl! Epic night. Rough morning. Irish Paul and Aussie Jeremy and myself are heading to a new destination tomorrow. Where we are going I cannot say (although I DO know), because it may or may not be illegal. No worries though, Mom and Dad know where I will be and I have contacts. There will be updates next week after I return. Jess leaves next Sunday which is sad. We have been together for almost 6 months now and I think it will be really weird without her anymore. However, she is moving on and heading to London for work so after a long amazing time together, will be parting ways.

Tulum

Jan 10-14

Although we enjoyed our week in south-central Mexico, it has become clear to us (or maybe just me) that the coast is where I belong. After 7 days inland, I was craving the beach again. We quickly switched coasts and another night bus later, we have landed in Tulum, Mexico…the Caribbean- 2 hours south of Cancun.
The east coast of Mexico, also known as the Yucatan has an entirely different feel than the West coast. Here, American tourists take vacations and cruise-stops. The towns are much more tourist-oriented, and you don’t feel very far from home.
However, Tulum is different. The beaches have a fine white powder, the water is aqua blue, and there is actually silence. Granted, there are (more) Mayan Ruins here which are located ON the beach, making them quite a site (although I wouldn’t know because I never visited them even though they were 5 minutes from my hostel) for tourists, you can always find an isolated place on the beach without being bothered.

On our bus ride from Palenque we met 2 Swedish boys who come to the hostel with us. Within 2 days we also find 2 more Australian boys. The following day our Irish friend Paul, from Puerto Escondido finds us and once again, we have formed a new posse…quite quickly this time.
Jess and I spend our days renting bicycles and riding down the beach. We find secluded lagoons on walking paths where there is fresh water, completely still and clear amongst beautiful ferns and trees. We bike into nature reserves where turtles are being protected and there is silence for hours. I could live here. Eventually. Not now- I do realize that as much as I enjoy being on beach taking in the beautiful surroundings, I am certainly not ready to settle down and live the quiet life YET. I definitely have more of a purpose than that, but it IS nice.
Once again, Sunday rolls around and the Giants-Dallas game comes to attention. We spend the day at a tiny bar while I anxiously pace back and forth during the intense game. And to my disbelief, they win…what a great day it was.
Our 7-point-posse leaves Tulum together, not knowing that our next destination will bring overwhelming feelings of tourist-ville Mexico.

san cristobal to palenque

Jan 3-10
After 3 weeks of Puerto Escondido- Jess, Az, and I head to San Cristóbal. Originally our friend was supposed to join us instead of Az, however, complications arose when the boys sold the VW van and he had to drive to Guatemala with the new owners of Fred to transfer papers. Az joined us instead and it was a great little trio that we had for the following week.
San Cristobal is a beautiful town in the south-west of Mexico several hours inland. After spending 3 weeks at thebeach we thought it would be a good idea to find a real city and enjoy the sites. What we were not prepared for was the weather. Although the temperatures where chilly, we were freezing. 45 degrees at night was unbearable for us beach-goers and we were dressed in layers with hats, scarves, and sleeping in gloves with long-johns. The city has a great array of music and the streets are similar to those of Oaxaca- paved in cobblestone and artsy.
Unfortunately, the weather put us off and after 3 days (but of course waiting for Sunday Giants game) we head to Palenque.
Palenque is some of the more popular Mayan ruins in Mexico, located in the muggy-jungle area of the country. After a bumpy overnight bus ride, we take cab to El Ponchon, a little community of housing and restaurants right outside of the ruins.
We find a cute cabana for 2 days in the little hippie-town and head out first thing in the morning to the ruins. At this point, I have seen a lot of ruins. The intensity and amazement is lessening at each site that I visit which is somewhat disappointing. However, Palenque had its own charismatic feeling. Set in the middle of the jungle surrounded by waterfalls, the massive temples and structures stood out amongst the highlands. We spent the day exploring the site, walking through the jungle listening to monkeys, and sitting on top of these colossal formations in silence…taking in the brilliance.

Puerto Escondido- holidays

3 weeks in a sleepy coastal town on the West Coast of Mexico. 1 VW van named Fred covered in grafitti and the Australian Flag. 1 shared house with 8 Aussie residents and myself. The well-known Mexican Pipeline, famous for some of the heaviest breaking waves around. Isn`t this paradise?

Yes, it was.

When we first arrived in Puerto Escondido, we already had decided that we would be spending a few weeks there- we wanted to spend Christmas and New Years in a familiar town where we were comfortable with the surroundings and already knew some people. We never expected to leave with a family and such epic memories.

The town is a quiet little beach town with a main beach-avenue and not much else. The waves are intense..only those who are experiences surfers, or those who are thrill-seekers will take on the challenge of the Mexican Pipeline. The riptides are so intense that swimming is dangerous and one needs to exercise precaution at all times not to get pulled away with the currents.

Jess has a friend (Az) who we find our first night. As usual, he introduces us to some new friends that he met in the hostel. Before long, we have a posse of 9 crazy Australians, a random Brit, and myself. 2 of the Aussie boys have driven from Vancouver to Mexico in their VW van which we quickly adopt and take advantage of.

The next 2 weeks consist of loading people into Fred, while others are hanging off the back bumper, others out the door, and driving around the surrounding beaches looking for new activities.

The boys are all dedicated surfers and are intent on finding the RipCurl featured Wave of the year...in Barra de La Cruz, which is a few hours south of Puerto Esc.

We load the surfboards, stuff 6 of us into the van and take off south. We have no map, no directions...actually, we literally have nothing except the DVD of the Ripcurl search which is what we use as our naviagtional tool. 4 hours later we arrive to a tiny town. There is only one restaurant and the people are incredibly accomodating. After eating, they allow Jon to set up his hammock at the restuarant while we park the van next-door...Jess and I sleep atop of the combie and Hedge sleeps inside the Van. Az and Tony opt to rent a room. We wake up at sunrise and drive down to beach where the boys spend 2 glorious days filled of surfing the ^dreamwave^.

When we return back to town, the Christmas crowd has started to arrive and sleepy Puerto Esc has been transformed. We decided to drive around and find a quiet beach for the day. Shortly after we arrive at the isolated strip of sand, a young Mexican couple approach us. They take us to a tent nearby where we find that this is a turtle-hatchery. In front of us is over 100 baby sea-turtles that hatched the night before. They are being released that evening into the ocean. Next to us an old Mexican couple who look like they are in their 80`s have been sleeping in these tents for 5 months gathering turtle eggs and preserving them in a hatchery from poachers. They have over 1000 eggs that are ready to hatch this month. What an incredible thing to stumble upon.

As Christmas approaches we have already settled down in the best find of our trip. We found a split house that 6 of us officially sharing, (although we have 2 additional dwellers who sleep on the hammocks onthe roof) We have a heap of friends who we have met that are living in other houses as well. We decide to put on a massive Christmas lunch. We take Fred into town and assign everyone a duty at the market. We come back with 4 kilos of fresh fish, 2 kilos of fresh shrimp, a ton of fresh veggies, fruit, and other goodies.

We invite everyone and wake up at 10am on Christmas day with secret-santas, a full breakfast of fruit, and mimosas and champage flowing. By 2 in the afternoon we have accumulated over 20 people at the house. We spend the entire day lounging around, playing slip-and-slide, and enjoying the good company. It really doesn`t get much better.

We spend the following week recovering and soon enough New Years arrives which is filled with body-painting and more festivities. 3 weeks manages to fly by and before we know it..it`s time to leave our new friends and move on.

Sad goodbyes and always there is the doubt that you will never meet people that are quite so fabulous, but its time to continue the travels and soon enough, we will find a new group that we love oh so much.