Splendid Laos

   As I sit here in Luang Prabang, Laos, at a location overlooking the Nam Khan river which flows directly into the Mighty Mekong, I'm still waiting for someone to pinch me to wake me up from this delightful dream that I'm in. This dream consists of wide flowing rivers, coconut trees, cheap Beer Lao, and the best croissants I've ever had. Just a couple minutes away by foot are French-Laos villas with shutters and balconies that have been transformed into guesthouses, cafes, restaurants, boutique shops, and art galleries. This is Luang Prabang, a city that has been transformed from a former Kingdom to a modern day tourists utopia.

  Heading north from Chiang Mai, Thailand, I was on a minibus bound for Chiang Khong which borders the Laos town of Huay Xai. On the bus I met some cool people from Canada and the Netherlands. The ride to the hinterlands of Thailand took about 6 hours, the final of which was through thick jungle, karst mountains, and a bumpy dirt road. Upon arrival, there I saw it, the mighty Mekong river, life support for millions of people in this part of the world.

  With my passport in hand, I went through Thai immigration and boarded a long tail boat that would take me across the river, about a two minute ride. The short, but magical ride across one of the world's great rivers was amazing. Big white fluffy clouds were in the sky as the sun was a vibrant red color as it set in the west. With the wind in my face and sound of the motor in behind me, I felt as though my trip had truly began - a new adventure, land to be conquered, people to meet and understand. Laos it seemed, was going to be a whole other cookie from Thailand.

 After going through Laos Immigration, I boarded a bus that would take 12-14 hours to arrive in Luang Prabang, the paradisaical town that I described above. The ride was an intense roller coaster through mountains, jungle, and cliffs in the heat of the night with two funny Laos drivers periodically changing turns at the wheel. All the while, I'm not getting sleep while the guy from Amsterdam is snoring away stretched out across his seat. To put it plainly, it was chaos, and I loved every minute of it.

 Arriving into Luang Prabang, the Canadian, named Mitch, went in search of a place to stay and booked into a guesthouse down an alleyway just around the bar area of town. My room, which has a private bathroom, costs me 8000 Kip per night, that's roughly $10 US. For the first day, I just walked around town and got my bearings as to where everything was. I noticed the beautiful French style villas that were crumbling and others that have been restored and look brand new. There were also many Buddhist monks walking around willing to talk to anyone who had a smile and something to say. While not Buddhist, the kindness and hospitality of this town is incredible.

 Later at night, I found myself having a beer at a bar called Hive. I met Mitch there and made friends with a couple other people from Australia and the U.K. Together we all went to a bar called Utopia, which is where I am now, sitting on a comfy couch overlooking Nam Khan river and sipping on a tamarind juice. Since Laos is a communist government, things here are quite strict. Bars must close at 11:30 PM and the only place open after that time is the local bowling alley, which is where we and four Dutch girls that we met all went to hangout at. After talking down my bowling skills, I somehow managed to score two strikes on my first two sets! After that, my bad bowling luck returned to me and I didn't win. With a Beer Lao in my hand and with good company, the night passed away swimmingly and the first full day in Laos was a great success. I had new friends, cheap beer, and was in a mythical paradise in the center of a communist state. What more could a guy want?

 Day two was even better than day one. Having a sense of adventure, Mitch and I decided to rent 125cc motorbikes and go see some local caves and waterfalls. Each site was about 35 kilometers from town. First, we went to Pak Ou caves, which houses unwanted Buddha statues that people no longer want. The road to get to the caves is potholed, full of people with bikes, and herds of cattle. The ride was brilliant, if not crazy to take. The scenery that I saw is impossible to describe. I crossed bridges which flowed along the Mekong and from a point to see it running into the mountains that make up this part of the country. One of the bridges was a little sketchy as we were forced to ride 2x4's that made up the 'road' over the Nam Khan river just out of town.

 The caves themselves were nothings special. They had a lot of old statues in them and was overcrowded with French tourists with guides. The ride to the waterfalls was really cool. This winding road that goes through lush tropical forests is in the middle of the mountains and consists of many cascading pools that are of a minty-lime color where people can go swimming. Swimming in these pools of amazing water was refreshing. The main waterfall had a steep, rocky trail for one to climb and Mitch and me did that. I got some good pictures from the top of the fall the view was spectacular. Never have I seen such a stunning view in all of my travels. On the way down, there are a set of stairs that run right through one of the main falls coming down from the limestone cliff. Feeling hot and sticky, I went off the staircase and under the fall. The water was very cool this made the climb worth the effort I put in to get my fat butt up that hill.

 That night, I found myself back at Utopia having another Beer Lao with my friends. Feeling tired, I called it an early night (11:30) and called it a day. Waking up this morning, I returned my motorbike and did a self tour of Luang Prabang. I climbed Phousi Hill, and visited the old royal palace of this onetime mystical kingdom. Afterwards, I walked along the shores of the Mekong River and had lunch at a Korean restaurant. It's safe to say that that lunch was the best Korean food I had since living Korea, and by far the cheapest. For the rest of today I'm chilling here back at Utopia and am enjoying the slow life while watching the Nam Khan river flow by while lounging back on a couch. The sun is shining, birds are chirping, the music is good, and there's barely anyone here.

 Greetings from paradise. I'm going to have another juice now...

   Cheers to you all!

 -  Jesse

 

And I'm off....

  So the time has come to leave Kabul... YAY!!!! While I find this experience and journey that I"m on in Afghanistan fascinating, it's definitely a place that you need a break from every few months. I fly out at 2:50 PM tomorrow afternoon and will land in Delhi, India where I'll spend 11 hours before flying to Bangkok, Thailand.

 The plan is to spend the day in BKK and then taking a train at 10PM to Chiang Mai, Thailand. I'll be going to the Yi Peng festival on the 24th when I arrive. I'm sharing a 'taxi' with some people from Couchsurfing and will then just relax over the course of the week. I'll eventually make my way to Laos. That's the plan as of now.

 I will not be checking Facebook for two weeks!!! If you need to contact me, please email me at jessekimchi@gmail.com. If you'd also like to subscribe to my six week email updates, also let me know at the same address.

 I'll be away from 22nd of November through the 6th of January. Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas, and Happy New Years to all of you fine people!

 Bon Voyage!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 -  Jesse

How the other 'half' live.

  Things are looking up for me in Afghanistan. I've been going out more, hanging around new people, and spending a little bit of money on myself. I'm going to start volunteering and work is going pretty well. October has turned out to be a great month for weather and the sun has been shining for days, with the exception of one gloomy day. Overall, not that bad of a time for a war torn country.

  Looking back on the last few postings I've written, one may be tempted by the allusion that all is well here. That this is where the rainbow ends and where the pot of gold is waiting to be taken. The mountains are beautiful, the people amazing, and the food so far isn't dull. I have admittedly tried to portray my experience here in the land of the pomegranate, as one that is different from the war infested country that has come across the television screen for about ten years now. Now it's time to really set things straight and tell you how the other 'half', more like 75% + live. Nothing that I have to say is surprising, but I think it's important to contrast all the good with the reality, that just happens to be bad for many innocent people.

 Kabul was founded along the river that once flowed through the central part of the city. Sadly, it's become the cities sewer, dump, and bathing pool. It is not uncommon to see people walking in the cesspool that it has become or to be seen washing there car with the fecal infested water in the sewer drains that align the road. The smell is something that should be a punishment for certain criminals.

 Cutting across the Kabul river are several busy roads that act as the cities markets for many thousands of people. I go shopping on one such street every week and have my preferred venders that know me well enough. To get to these places, one must first battle the cities horrendous traffic and try to find a place among the street carts that frequent the sewer drains. After this, there are the numerous, and i'm talking numerous street children and mothers in burkas holding babies clinging to life to get through.

 The UN estimates that there are over 60,000 street children here in Kabul. Many of them work the streets begging for money while carrying rusted out tin cans which burn some herb that they say casts the 'evil eye' away people. Such a boy can be seen in the movie, Buzkashi Boys, by director Sam French. I see such children everyday, day after day. They're not in school, they probably don't have a home, and for sure do not get to keep the money that they get. Then, there are the mothers with babies, or two to three children following them saying 'baksheesh' while grabbing your arm, poking you, or getting way too comfortable with your personal space. You can't blame them, I'd probably do the same thing. If by the time you've circumvented the real people of Afghanistan you still have cash by not giving it all away, you probably won't want to buy most of your food that you originally wanted. Now re-read the paragraph you just read, and imagine returning to the vehicle you just came int.

 Kabul at night is a beautiful sight. The mountains are lighted with thousands of houses on the mountainsides. These are the people who are poor, but at least have a home up in the hills. They're living the good life, you see. The now have electricity, which until a couple of years ago, didn't exist for these people. So now they can look down at you from the hills while you look up in wonder asking yourself "who's up there?"

 Remember that road I mentioned above with all the beggers? I forgot to mention the ones with no arms or legs. They're probably the victims of land mines or harsh punishments from the Taliban, or the mujahadeen. One such fellow, who has no legs, lies in the middle of the road holding his arms up asking for money when cars are stopped in traffic. Another person just stands in the on the side of the road with their hands out willingly taking whatever comes their way. There are countless dozens of people like this and it's all part of the reality that has and is shaping the Afghanistan of today.

 I could go on, but I think I've made my point. Afghanistan is a great country, one of beauty and wonder. For every horrible thing that I just mentioned, I could easily name something good that is taking place. These are the birthing pangs of an ancient nation trying to find it's way in a modern world. The question is whether or not that world accept it's rising or tear it down again like it has during the last four decades. 

 Lastly, I've mentioned on Facebook that I will be volunteering at a local orphanage starting next week. I plan on teaching English and hopefully doing something else that is of help. I'm not sure how the whole thing will work out and am admittedly a bit nervous. However, I feel that this experience will be something to contribute in order to prevent these kids from experiencing more of what I just described above. If you'd like to help out in any way, financially, or by sending a package, please contact me at jgreenleaf@auaf.edu.af or visit www.afghanrelieffund.org. I'll be updating how this volunteer segment of my year in Afghanistan goes over the next five weeks.

 -  Jesse 

Common Sightings

   Watching television news is very depressing, especially if you're in America. I could get rich predicting the day-to-day news reports. "New housing crisis, Iran warned against nuclear program, unemployment up in Europe, US economy not growing as fast as predicted, 2 soldiers killed in southern Afghanistan." The happiness goes on....

  Talking about Afghanistan, all people ever see are the negative stories. While a lot of bad things do happen here here is what I've become use to seeing on a daily basis that you won't see on cable news.

 - A crowd of school children waiting for school to open while they buy snacks near my house.

 - A man selling coconuts and breaking them open.

 - A donkey pulling a carriage with an old man with a long beard along Darul Aman road.

 - University students of both sexes mingling in the school courtyard as if no war had ever happened.

 - Mothers dressed in a burka or a scarf walking with their children along the streets.

 - Men and women working in tailor shops, produce shops, grocery stores, hair salons, and outdoor markets.

 - People bargaining over prices of melons and freshly picked pomegranates or 'anaar' as they say in Dari.

 - School boy in their teens playing soccer at night in the road with rocks acting as goal posts.

 - The overwhelming beauty of the smiles that people have despite living in poverty in a country with no certain future beyond 2014.

 - Police officers and army personnel with Klashkinov riffles guarding the city while shaking hands with other people as if forgetting their duty at times.

 - Traffic officers directing traffic in a hopeless and thankless job in a city with jam packed roads.

 - The smile and grace of a street girl or boy begging and seeing their faces light up at any slight offering that you give them, or game that you play such as 'paper, rock, scissors'.

 - The emerald eyes of some of the people here, rumored to be from the Greek invasions of Alexander the Great.

 - The endless offerings of tea or 'chai' being offered to me from any local I meet.

 - The 'naan' (flat bread) store workers who sit next to a tandoori oven and sell some of the most delicious and cheapest (20 cents) naan I've ever had.

 - The hard work of a Kabul butcher hacking away at meat while smiling at me with a big grin on his face because I'm a foreigner.

 - The delicate needle work of local tailors as they make the baggy pants and shirts that Afghans are known for.

 - The sight of a carpet shop owner laying out his rugs, kilims, and mixed hybrids in hopes of striking a big deal while carefully explaining the intricate work and mastery of how each one was made by hand while simultaneously serving you chai.

 The list goes on. The point that I want to make is this country is just like anywhere else, minus the war. People live normal lives and go about their day like anyone back home. As I continue to live here, I will make an increased effort to do the same.

 -  Jesse

Jesse's Afghan Shopping Spree!

    Another week has passed here in Kabul, the war torn capital that one couldn't help mistaking for a ghost town from an old John Wayne film. This week however, was more exciting than most because of the Fall Bazaar that seemingly sprung up on campus over night.

   For two days the school gym was transformed to a mini Afghan market full of carpet venders, jewelry salesmen, antique dealers, and local artists. It was a welcome addition to my ordinarily boring routine of work, eat, sleep, and repeat that I've become use to. In a moment of self-righteousness, I convinced myself that I deserved to spend a little cash on for a change, considering that I normally don't buy much and when I do, it's usually for someone back home. I took this moment of humility to heart and whipped out a crisp Benjamin and went on a bargain hunt.

   After a quick look through what was available, I stumbled across a local hat that some of the locals wear. It's a brown, flat hat that covers the head only slightly and goes along well with the local clothes that I had made. Deciding that I wanted to buy it, I asked the dealer 'chan ast?' (how much is it?), prepared to bargain down the price that was suppose to be over priced. Afghans, by the way, are known for bargaining. Always bargain when in the market. To my astonishment, the hat was only $6. Being a little disappointed that I couldn't practice my haggling skills, I reluctantly handed over 300 Afghanis ($6) to the merchant and went on my way.

 Next stop on my rare shopping trip was a table selling rugs and jewelry. I noticed that there were these long strips of woven fabric in the shape of squares. I inquired as to what they were and was told that they were handmade coffee coasters. Intrigued, and thinking that they would make a nice souvenir for the family back home, and a good wall decoration for my room, I picked up five for the price of 500 Afghanis ($10). The gentleman selling them was also gracious enough to include a sixth coaster for free. These lovely, woven coasters are currently hanging on my wall next to my desk to add some vibrancy to my room. They're a small addition, but I like looking at them.

  Growing tired of buying these small items, I aimed a little higher and strolled on over to one of the antique dealers on hand. My eyes rolled over the fascinating tea pots made out of bronze and silver, the old guns that were there, and finally landed my eyes on a copper made shield. The salesman said he thought it was 80-90 years old, but I doubt it is. Regardless of its age, I am intrigued by the design which includes intricately drawn deer and swirls of all sorts. The man said it was $70, but I got him down to $60. I think it was a fair price. It is now hanging on my coat rack until I decide on a better place to display it.

  Next, I meandered over to a crafts table and my interests were peaked by a set of wood baskets that were on display. The 'baskets' have a handle that folds horizontally, enabling the 'basket' to be pushed downwards until it forms a flat surface. Feeling careless with my Afghanis, I decided to purchase three with varying sizes and to put them on display in my room. The total price was only $30 for three handmade wood crafts. To end the first day of shopping, I picked up a lamb-leather jacket for $50. The man wanted $70, but sensing he was desperate for a sail, I began to walk away knowing that he would finally agree.

 The next day, I returned to the market with a couple hundred more dollars, fully intending on buying a handmade wool rug. The 'killium or quiliyum' cost me $110 and is handmade out of wool. The primary colors are burgundy, yellow gold, and dark brown. I love it! The guy wanted $150, but with the help of a Filipino friend, we struck a deal. It now sits in the middle of my floor and is the main attention getter of my living space. I'm not sure what the difference between a killiyum and a carpet is, but the killiyum is not as thick as a carpet and retains the rough, itchy texture of the wool.

 The next item up for grabs was a painting that I had my eye one since the first day. It was a representation of the green hills of Afghanistan and from a distance, it looked really cool. However, when I went up to it, there were certain details about it that I didn't like and I decided not to entertain the thought of buying it. Hoping for one last painting to catch my eye, I stumbled upon another painting that was more fascinating than the first. It's a representation of a game from Mozar-e-Sharif called Buskashi. In this game, people on horses try to pick up a dead sheep carcass and throw it or put it somewhere else. The painting has dark undertones of gray, green, and brown and is a fascinating addition to my room. It now sits on top of my dresser drawing my attention away from the white wall that it lies against. Total price was only $35.

   Feeling my money escaping me, I decided to purchase on last item that caught my eye. It was a dark blue stone box. The stone is called lapis lazuli and comes from Badakshan province up north. The stone is dark blue with shimmering gold specks in it. It's quite heavy and cost me about $38 dollars. I'm not sure if it's a jewelry box, as it is just one hollow space. Being that blue is my favorite color, I dropped the last bit of money that I had and called it a day.

 All in all, I'm happy with what I purchased and all of my pieces make my room in Peach House feel much more at home. What I'm happiest with the most is that I got a really nice rug and a kick ass painting. And what's more is that I whole heartily plan on keeping most of this stuff for ME! Sorry, fam....

 -  Jesse

Random Ramblings

   Since writing the last blog post, I've remembered how much fun it can be to write even if what I have to say isn't exciting or particularly noteworthy to anyone other than myself.

  Today I find myself at work drinking the same chai - tea and preparing for my ELC 220 class from 5-7PM.    I'm currently only teaching two classes at the moment, both in the evening hours. The students in these classes are particularly nice and I even have some old ones who advanced from the last lower level class that I finished a couple weeks ago. This week I've also been subbing for a co-worker who was on leave and taught her classes at the British Embassy. This is the class that I taught when I first arrived to Kabul for about  one month. It was nice to see some of the old faces again, but the class was really informal chat this week for those who did show up.

 Lately I've found myself picking up the strange habit of drinking Perrier water. I've been buying the stuff when I've been grocery shopping. I enjoy the fizziness in my mouth. I just wish that they had a lemon flavor that I could find. That would be the perfect combination I think. Anyways, I think I'll survive.

 The weather has been slowly getting cooler over the last week or two. I'm looking forward to the cooler weather, just not the snow and chills that follow the autumn breeze. Last winter was one for the record books, apparently. Judging from the picture that I've seen, there will be lots of snow. I'm glad I brought a couple of pairs of warm clothes. I think the local suits I had made will also work good in defending me against the elements of Central Asia. Time will tell.

 Life is continuing as normal following the bombing two days ago. The rooster woke me up to another normal day today, followed shortly by the ice cream cart that plays a loud song from a megaphone-like device. All of this before 7 AM. After a few more cockle-doodle-doos, I finally get out of bed to an inspiring scene of a couple of hundred school children buying stuff in the local market just down the road from me. The school is about a block away and is visible from my second floor balcony. At 7:30 I got picked up by transport and began my half hour journey to the British Embassy. Along the way I passed a legion of guys heading the work on bikes, police officers guarding the roads, and lots of people waiting in line to get water from the local water pumps that exist on the road sides here.

 Before getting dropped off, I had the driver stop at Finest, the foreign supermarket, so I could pick up a coupe days worth of Perrier. In feel quite elitist buying such things in fancy green glass bottles. Following this, I arrive at the embassy and do my thing there. After my class I was dropped off at Peach House and fiddled around my room for a couple of hours. At 12:35 I was picked up and brought to work and had a nice lunch with two of my Spanish speaking colleagues here on campus. It's been a good day, overall.

 Now I'm at my desk with 1:44 minutes left before class. I still have to print some things out and look over the lesson plan in the book. It's the usual routine, but at least the bills are getting paid year ahead in advance. I just have to remember that. Work now, play later.... or maybe a bit of both?! I like that last idea.

 Speaking of play, I'm getting excited about my vacation in November. I know it's two months away yet, but six weeks is a good stretch of time to see some seriously cool stuff. Halong Bay, Vietnam, Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Luang Prabong, Laos, Saigon, Vietnam, etc...  October's Eid vacation is turning out to be a dilemma. Officially I don't have a week off, however everyone except me is taking time off at this time to go away on holiday. I'm being encouraged to do the same. The problem is that I would like to have a month off next year before my first contract ends in June. I'm up in the air about the whole thing. Going to Istanbul for a week or to Sri Lanka would be great and big relief, however with my big vacation shortly after, I'm tempted just to bear with the time and save the money for my big trip. What do ya'll think, spend now & worry later, or wait and enjoy more in Thailand, etc...? Remember that I did stay here during the last holiday and it was UBER boring. This one would be even longer and probably more stressful since I've been here for a while now.

-  J.

The Situation

   It's been a long time since I've done a blog post. For the most part my life here in Kabul has become boringly routine. I'm still living in Peach house which is where I am voluntarily serving my year long house arrest, lol. And I am still going to work at the University. Most of my morning classes at private institutions have ceased for the time being.

 There's been a lot of news coming out of Kabul lately, especially with the video called 'Innocence of Muslims'. By now you've all heard about the tragic riots that caused the death of the US Ambassador to Libya, which have now spread all over Muslim world, including Afghanistan.

 First and foremost the video is incredibly poor quality and quite offensive to the host country and people where I now call home. I had the unique opportunity to watch the trailer for this video with two fellow Afghan coworkers on campus and there reaction to it was very surprising. Not only did they not lynch the foreigner in the room, me. But they were quite calm when I asked them what they thought of it. They were only concerned about the 'other peoples' reactions.

 There have been some protests here in Kabul over the last week, during which some police cars were burned. On one day this week I couldn't go home because there was a protest near my house, so I had to take a back way to campus coming back from the British Embassy class I had been covering for a colleague on leave, but it was peaceful.

 A couple of weeks ago there was a suicide bomber near the Italian Embassy that caused the deaths of four young children who were part of the Skatistan project which teaches kids how to skateboard. And of course yesterday there was the big attack that targeted foreigners on the Airport Road. Apparently a women driver *which is quite rare* rammed a bus full of contract workers and detonated herself causing the deaths many people. This is the first attack that has actually targeted foreigners and has rattled some nerves on campus among the foreign population.

 Due to all of these sad events, many people from home have been asking (telling?) me to come home and find another job. I respect and appreciate the concern that many people have for me over here. It really shows you who cares about you. However, I do not believe that the security situation here in Kabul is to the point where I feel in danger and ready to leave.

 I can say that ever since I've been here I have been very careful and watchful in my movements, which are few. I literally just go to and from work on a daily basis, with a side trip once a week to the grocery store. Very rarely do I go out with friends to restaurants for dinner in town or to other places. And when I do, it's always with University transport or in a private taxi used bay all of the university employees.

 I'd like to take this time to suggest to many people back in the United States to shut off the television and to put down the newspaper. The stories that you read about this part of the world are so narrowly slanted and bias towards a wrongful portrayal of the culture and society of the people who live here. Afghans, for the most part, are  a very gracious and generous people who do not seek violence against foreigners, but rather peace and stability in a country that has known nothing but war for forty years. The people I work with day in and day out in the office, my classroom, in the transport I take, and stores that I frequent are all beautiful people who yes, are different, but still people. Period. End. Of. Discussion.

 For whatever reason, I am not scared to be here and do not fear for my security when I go out. Maybe I should, but I don't. I take the necessary precautions when I do decide to have a little fun and am very watchful when in the streets of Kabul, which is rare, sadly. So please stop and think for a moment before sending me demands of returning home or quitting my job.

 At the end of the day, it was me who chose to come here, well aware of the situations I would most likely experience. I'm not about to give up and quit just because a couple of crazies decided to play fireworks with themselves and do some stupid acts. I enjoy my job and have set very strict financial goals for myself in the months ahead. I'm totally committed to achieving everything I've come here to do, so long as the situation doesn't get too dicey.

 On a positive note, everyone can take a sigh of relief in knowing that I will be leaving Afghanistan for six weeks from November 23rd - January 5th for my first paid leave. I'll be heading to Southeast Asia for a whirlwind tour of Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Singapore, and Malaysia. It's going to be stellar!

 -  Jesse

Month 1, check!

  Hey everyone,

 Sorry for slacking off on the blog. I either forget about it or I don't feel that I have anything interesting to write about. I think it's more the latter.

 I have now been in Kabul for over one month. The time hasn't gone by fast nor has it gone by slow. Week to week seems to be pretty steady with work, grocery shopping, and going to my morning classes. The weekends are still dreadfully dull. One of these days I'll get out and sight see, it's organizing the transport from AUAF that I don't like doing.

 It is Ramadan now, which means all of the people don't eat or drink anything from sunrise until sunset. This has caused a lot of people to become sluggish, grumpy, and just more irritable. For the most part, my classes have remained unchanged and if anything, my schedule has improved since I teach earlier in the afternoon rather than at night. Yay for fasting-holiday.

 I'm still liking my job. I have been meeting some more people at the university, which is still really slow due to summer. I was invited to a birthday party the other night from a colleague in the English department. It was the first night that I honestly had some fun. His wife, a Cambodian, cooked a lovely meal of barbecued meet, chicken, and rice. The meat was marinated in lemon grass and the chicken was perfect. After the meal, everyone let their hair down and started dancing to some good music, including me. And I even had a cocktail or two, which was nice. By the end of the night, I had myself convinced that Cambodia was the best place on earth. I still plan on hitting it up again in December when I get just over five weeks of PAID vacation. I just like rubbing it in, sorry!

 About that, I plan on returning to Thailand and doing a loop of SEA (Southeast Asia) heading north to Laos, into Vietnam, and then Cambodia. A side trip to Singapore might be in order depending on how I'm going for time. I'm going to let my stomach be my guide and eat my way through paradise. I'm pumped.

 My class at the UK Embassy has finished. One of my colleagues returned from vacation and other work and took over the class. I'm not working at the Ministry of Agriculture two days per week and teaching an intermediate class. It's a nice change, but the commute is longer than before, which I don't like.

 I'm also starting to plan a trip somewhere for this October. I get a week off and have ambitions of going to Tajikistan or Kyrgyzstan. If I get a friend to come along, I may go camping in a yurt, if it's not too cold yet here in Central Asia. The other possibility is going to Sri Lanka and enjoying a week on the beach and taking in a national park or two. I'm leaving this one wide open and probably wont decide until last minute.

 In other news, I've paid off the first of three student loans that I have accumulated from my studies at NMU and in Argentina from the Universidad de Belgrano. I'm happy to say that my Sallie Mae loan with an interest rate of 6.25% has been paid in full, $13,355 to be exact. Yay for tax-free income in the Middle East and Central Asia!

 On that high note, I'll say good bye.

 Suerte,


 - Jesse

General Update...

     Well, another weekend in Kabul has come and gone. I did my usual grocery shopping at Finest and Spinneys with an added stop at a street vegetable stand to get some radishes. My classes at the British Embassy and the other NGO where I teach are going well. I'm finally used to the early schedule and am appreciating the couple hour break I give myself from about ten o'clock til noon when I go to campus to prepare for my evening courses.

   I found out last week that there is a possibility to go work in another city here in Afghanistan for two weeks every month. It's called, Herat, and is near the Iranian border in the far west of Afghanistan. I have spoken my interest in giving it a try and look forward to possibly going to another place.

   Another fellow I met, Dr. Rod, who teaches business here at AUAF, is encouraging me to travel outside of Kabul if I get the chance. This past weekend he went to some pristine valley north of Kabul by two or three hours. Apparently, the security is really strict there and it is very safe. To my parents and/or my sister's ire, I thin I'll do that come September when more people show up who want to do things.

   The air in Kabul today was horrible. The plume of smog on the street was so thick, I couldn't see the large Afghan palace that lies directly at the end of Darul Aman road, a major street in Kabul. I'm surprised to say that I'm not coughing like I though I would; although the rumor is that after awhile you get 'Kabul cough' from here for too long. Knock on wood!

   I'm started to feel a it cooped up in the house,  nowadays. I think this upcoming weekend I'll venture out into the center of town to do some exploring. At the very least, I want to go get a beer with some of the other foreign teachers here who seem to know different places.

  Today, I had a nice lunch with a couple of Afghan coworkers in the cafeteria. We had an interesting conversation about their lives in Iran during the Taliban era. I found it intriguing. The lunch today was rice, chicken, salad, and more Nan. Nan here is the staple food and it only costs twenty cents for a nice, hot piece of bread measuring more than one foot in circumference. Apparently, the price of it is subsidized by the Afghan Government.

  The talk on the street today is all about a suicide bombing that took place yesterday in the north part of the country. Some imbecile blew himself up at a wedding reception of a prominent politicians daughter's wedding. The MP who was killed was a political ally of Hamid Karzai and a former commander during Afghanistan's Civil War in the 1980's. Around twenty people were killed. The Taliban did not claim responsibility and it is thought that a personal enemy of the MP may have arranged this to happen, but who knows?

 Well, that's all I have today.

 

Siem Reap and Angkor Wat

  This post is a continuation to one I did regarding traveling in Cambodia a few months ago. It was after this that my blog dropped off from the face of the Internet due to laziness on my part. 


 Siem Reap, Cambodia: It's Cambodia's second largest city and easily the most developed for handle throngs of tourists from all over the world. What they all come to see is the famed temples of Angkor Wat, a massive city complex built about one thousand years ago in honor of the pagan god Vishnu. Built by the Khmer Empire, the city is Southeast Asia's best preserved ruins from a time long past. Having survived centuries lost in the thick jungles, the ruins luckily escaped numerous wars and modern-day skirmishes relatively untouched. Today, Angkor Wat is to Cambodia what the Mayan Ruins are to Mexico.

 After bidding Adieu to Valentina and Fabio, my travel companions from Italy, I started looking for hotel to stay at in Siem Reap. It turned out that the reservation at a local hostel I had made didn't go through and as such, there was no more room. With the help of a local Tuk Tuk driver, I found a place in the center of town for about $25 per night, very expensive in Cambodia. The room was nice and clean with a very comfortable bed. Being in the center of town, I walked around the riverside and through the market for a bit before returning to my room to take a nap. I was still tired from traveling from Bahrain and reminded myself that I was on vacation and in no hurry to see anything. The rest of that day was spent relaxing and just taking strolls through market places and trying to meet up with people.

 Luckily enough, I was met a German fellow on Couch Surfing who was willing to share a Tuk Tuk with me to see Angkor Wat. His name was Jens and he was from Berlin. The ride to Angkor was stunning, you drive through the poor parts of Siem Reap and come into a thick lush forest right out of Tomb Raider. You eventually pass by a lake and some big trees and there it is, the first glimpse of Angkor Wat, except it's not it, it's really the gateway leading to it! The Tuk Tuk stopped among the throngs of tourists already at the ancient marvel. Hundred of people were trying to get that famous picture in front of the gateway and the mobs of tour guides trying to get you to hire them was hard to ignore.

 Jens and I were happy to see Angkor on our own as not to be rushed. Walking up to the gate are two lakes or big ponds on both sides of you with people walking around them and even some Buddhist monks in their traditional orange robes. I got a picture of them and I considered myself lucky to get it.When you reach the gate, you have to ascend steep stairs, which are being renovated, as if you had to bow so far just to pay tribute to the ancient civilization. While constructed well before Buddhism came to Cambodia, Ankor Wat now serves as a sort of Buddhist pilgrimage of sorts. Inside the gate is a statue of Buddha to make offerings to and long hallway corridors with walls that contain carvings from a millennium ago. This part took long to get through as I took plenty of pictures (see FB).

 Once your through the gateway, it's still a fair distance before you hit Angkor. You have to tread carefully through a grass field of ancient building and stones that once adorned magnificent architectural wonders the world can only image looked like in their full glory and context. All of Angkor is now a dark black and gray color, but it still holds its own beauty from the hands of the designers who made the complex so long ago. Near the forest, there are make shift restaurants where you can buy coconuts and basic food to enjoy being in the presence of history. I proudly did so after our tour was finished. After all, this place is Cambodia's piggy bank for tourism, they want you to drop a dollar anywhere you can.

 Once your in the main temple of Angkor, you can climb all the way up to the main tower (for lack of a better word) and have a grand view of the forest. To ascend it was no easy task. One can easily fall to their doom should you take one wrong step on the ancient stone stairways covered in plywood for safety concerns. Jens and I explored this place like it was none other on earth. It was a fascinating experience to see hundreds of people and the expressions on their faces as they gazed into magnificence. During the trip, we also saw some monkeys on the ground and in trees which added a bit of excitement to the day.

 On the way out, I couldn't help but think of what I had just saw. My mind went back to that old CNN commercial that first got me interested in Cambodia and to the gateway where I entered the country. For the rest of the day, Jens and I went to many other ancient temples and buildings just as old, if not older, than Angkor Wat. I also spent three more days after this in Siem Reap just to enjoy the local people and the company of my new German friend. It was a great place and I look forward to returning one day to pay Cambodia more travel justice than what I gave it at first.

 Until then, I have the memories of that journey.

 - Jesse

The last couple of days...

    The last couple of days have been pretty routine here in Kabul. I went back to my NGO class on Wednesday and taught for the hour, I also got another ID card for when I enter there facility. The ride to and from classes is still pretty intriguing on the eyes. While the brown buildings and dusty mountain scenery are the same all around, the daily hustle and bustle of life of normal Afghans still is intriguing to me. Take for example the man who walks in front of Peach House at 7AM with an ice cream cart, yes, at 7 am... He

walks a short distance while spewing out the loudest version of the Happy Birthday song that you can imagine. I'm trying to decide who is worse, him or the rooster?

    On the way to work, I also pass by about one hundred school children dressed in blue-shirt uniforms just hanging out, eating, playing, and talking. It's a nice sight for a country where all you expect to see is bombs going off and Chinook helicopters overhead. There's also usually several school girls covered in white head scarfs walking down the streets with smiles on their faces, something that probably wasn't very common under the rule of the Taliban regime.

  What I really find fascinating every time I go out into the city are the houses that are built high up into the mountain with no way of reaching them via roads. I mean their almost vertical compared to the ground level. I don't know how people can stand living so high up. Imagine having to walk down and then up several times per day just to get water, because there is no indoor plumbing up there. The houses are brown and rundown usually. They look like something out of the Middle Ages or from the time of Christ.

  When I finally get to campus, security check the car for bombs and looks through my computer bag before I can officially enter the main campus. The university itself is quite serene. It's not very big, but for what it is, it's very pleasant. There a big courtyard with rosebushes everywhere and shrubs of all sorts. The buildings of the university aren't the most modern, but compared to the rest of Kabul, they may as well be new. Behind the campus is a mountain that is usually blurred by the smoggy air that plagues this town like a sickness that wont go away. The students are quite nice and usually well behaved. My first class I had at the university started off well and all them had a smile on their face. I only had nine show up out of sixteen.

  On Wednesday afternoon around lunch, I ordered takeout from a restaurant that caters to foreigners. I was craving something Middle Eastern so I ordered a lamb platter and some yogurt with cucumbers and mint (there was no mint). Later that night, Montezuma's revenge crept up on me and made me live in the bathroom for that night and the next day. I'm still battling some of whatever it is I have. At least Kabul has Imodium (thanks Bea!).

 It's the weekend now, which falls on Friday and Saturday here in most of the Islamic world. It's quiet and there is the occasional sound of a plane or helicopter flying overhead. I've been entertaining myself by playing the Price is Right game on Facebook. That gets old quickly, but hey, my high score for this week is $61000!

 I think I'll go play a game now!

 - Jesse

English class at the British Embassy in Kabul

   Today I had my first class at the British Embassy teaching a debate session on corruption with about 10 Afghani adults who work there. The class was quite rambunctious and were eager with opinions about a topic that plagues their country. Corruption as you know, has been widely reported in the US media as being rampant here in Afghanistan, something that many of the students agreed with.

 To get to the embassy, I had to wake up by 6:30 in the morning and ready to be picked up by a AUAF vehicle outside of Peach House. The drive normally takes about 25 minutes in good traffic. However, today it took about 40 minutes. The embassy itself is well guarded by numerous gates and armed guards. I didn't have any trouble getting in as I had my handy ID card on me which was exchanged for a visitors permit. I then had to wait for about half an hour so one of the students could sign me in.

 It was very intriguing seeing how Afghanis thought of such an issue that relates to them. They were very argumentative and eager to be heard, the women included. Instead of being a teacher, I felt more like a facilitator during a debate in British parliament. Overall, I think it went well. Now, I need to plan for next weeks lessons which will be on the same topic, but emphasizing different language skills.

 Today, I also have my true language course that I'll be teaching. I have to plan a curriculum based on a book I've been given and that's what I'm about to do as I sit here in my office at AUAF with a view of a smoggy sandy mountain, one of many, that surrounds Kabul.

 - Jesse

First class post evaluation

    I just finished my first class as an AUAF faculty member. My first class was held about an hour away from Peach House for a project that is contracted by the university. Watching out the window of a Ford vehicle, life for the typical Afghan appears to be rough; however, most people have a smile on their face. It's really an odd contradiction, if you ask me. I even saw a heard of goats eating in the middle of a rubbish pile in the road, and there are also many horse-drawn carriages driving alongside the traffic in the city. 

 Arriving at the client organization, my bag was searched and I was padded down, which I'm told will be a daily procedure. This also happens when I enter the university. There's security everywhere in Kabul, mostly Afghan military and police, but also private contractors who are hired by private organizations. Remember that ID card I wrote about last night? Well, it came in handy today when I had to turn an ID in in exchange for a visitor's card. 

 My class was held in a very basic room with a long oval table to sit about ten people. I had six students in the course, four men, and two women. Everyone was very nice and they all had a really good English repertoire. What they really need help in is in writing and basic grammar. Today we worked on writing prepositions in an email and how to choose the correct writing styles for such a business-like atmosphere. I also gave examples on how context is very important and how formal writing requires crystal clear understanding as to not be ambiguous and cause misunderstandings. In short, the class flew by and it was great! Tomorrow I start my class at the British Embassy. That'll be a two hour class, three days per week. 

 Now, I'm at the university trying to work out how to get my phone working and when I can go buy some eggs. I just can't walk out the front door you know! 

 -  Jesse 

Afghanistan: Here I go!

 Afghanistan: The name brings to mind images of Taliban soldiers, Muslim extremists, and a society suffering from more than three decades of war. It's a nation that brings fear, heartache, and misery to many people for many reasons. Being one of the poorest countries on earth isn't helping the country's already tarnished image, either. Corruption, poverty, terrorism, this place doesn't have much going for itself, but the people are nice, the mountains are unique, and just being in a place so obscure is kind of cool. And this is where I will call home for the next year. Am I crazy? Probably, but it's too late to go back to try and make sense as to why I came here. The fact is i'm in the heart of a war zone and i'm kind of liking the place. Is that odd?

 The journey to this place wasn't the best thing I've experienced. After a shuttle flight to Chicago, I took a twelve flight to Amman, Jordan, then another flight to Dubai, and a get-my-butt-to-the-departure-gate marathon run through Dubai Airport to make the last leg of the trip on an airliner that had ash trays on the arm chairs of the seats. Yeap, it was a long haul, but I made it alive. 

 Kabul International Airport isn't a real pretty site. It resembles a ware house with make-shift wood rooms for immigration to work in and only one conveyor belt for luggage, not that there's much airline traffic coming through to begin with. Flying into Kabul, I had a stunning view of the sandy, snow-capped mountains that make up the valley the city is in. It's a dusty place, with bad air, and the building resemble mud brick houses separated by what is known among the expat community as 'TV Mountain' where all of the reception antennas are located. 

 I was met at the airport by Wouter, my boss for the next year for the PDI program at the American University of Afghanistan. I was escorted to my accommodation which is known as the 'Peach House' and then taken to a Korean restaurant to have lunch after being given some time to unpack and shower. The house is big and has about seven to eight rooms. Since it's summer, it's half empty. My room is quite big, by my standards, and has enough furniture to make me want to call it a mini-studio. I was then given a tour of AUAF and I am happy to say that it is a delightful little campus with lots of rose gardens and trimmed hedges. 

 Today was officially my first day, although I didn't teach at all. I got my cell phone and was given the classes that I would be teaching. I'll be instructing for one month at the British Embassy in Kabul, as well as at a NGO about one hour away. I will also be starting a lower-intermediate class on Tuesday that will be taught on the university. Each class is only two to three days per week for one to two hours per class. And the best part is that I'm not required to do any office hours. But, since I'm here for the next year and since there's not much to do, yet. I'll probably be showing my face around, especially since I have access to a gym, which I wholeheartedly intend on using this time around like I wanted to in Saudi Arabia. 

 Wouter and me had lunch in the school cafeteria today and it was pretty good grub. I had grilled chicken on skewers, an eggplant stew dish, flavored rice, and some salad. For two dollars, you get a pretty good meal thanks to funding from USAID! Thanks, American tax payers! I also got my official university ID card today with a horrendous photo of me on it, again, I intend on using the gym! It proudly displays my name and says 'Faculty', which gets me off the hook on some checkpoints if I get stopped, I guess. 

 My first class starts in roughly six hours and I'm wide awake due to taking a five hour nap today. You see, I'm not allowed to leave my house on foot, which makes walking anywhere for any reason impossible. Given this odd predicament, I have done nothing all day and am wide awake writing this post of stuff that isn't that interesting to most people, probably. But, oh well, it's something to do. Anyways, I have to leave the house via vehicular travel and to do that I have to get the university's drivers to come get me, if they are available. If there are not, then I have to call Golden Taxi for a five dollar ride to where I want to go. So far, that has only been to the grocery store,

 Kabul is both cheap and expensive. There are lots of bakeries and local stores around, but most foreigners don't really go to these places. Instead, we get the option of going to way overpriced, air conditioned stores that cater to 'our food'. I spent eight-five dollars for groceries today and didn't really get much. I intend on shopping around the local veggie stands when I go on my outings with the university on a weekly basis. But for now, I have some food and found laundry soap, which I can hire the house cleaning guy to do my laundry for pretty cheap, or so I'm told. 

 Oh yeah, the first night I was here a bunch of us went out to a British restaurant in town to celebrate a fellow English teacher's belated-birthday (she was on vacation). The restaurant was a beautiful outdoor garden with a fellow playing the piano. But, since it caters to foreigners, it was quite expensive. A can of mildly cold Heineken was ten dollars! That's worse than Bahrain, which boggles this poor Yooper's mind. The gathering was fun and I just sort of took a back seat and listened to what people had to say. I look forward to getting to know my coworkers better. 

 Anyways, it's time for bed. That's all the monotonous stuff I have to write about now. I'm safe in Peach House and probably only have about three hours before the rooster that lives next door starts crowing. It's going to get ugly over here..... 

 -  Jesse

My Journey to Cambodia, Kingdom of Wonder

 Cambodia. The name conjures up memories of massacres from the Khmer Rouge in the 1970's, mass poverty, land mines, and the occasional visit of Angelina Jolie to do some volunteering. It's a place that I came to wonder about when I arrived in Korea to teach English as a foreign language. At that time, there was a commercial on CNN International picturing the mysterious Angkor Wat and a few other things to see all accompanied by a nice theme that made me feel 'awww cool!' inside. Since then, I've done my research on the place, watched to Globe Trekker series about it, and decided that this was just one of those places that I just had to go to. I mean, who goes to Cambodia? A lot of people, actually. It's becoming quite the tourist destination, but nothing like Thailand, China, or Japan. It's a very unique place to visit and get to know.

  Moving forward to 2012, I found myself flying into Bangkok, Thailand with immediate plans to bus all the way to the Thai/Cambodia border, which I did, after a crazy journey to the bus terminal. From the airport I took the Skytrain and subway to Mochit Station and from there a taxi to the bus terminal. After thirty minutes of gridlocked traffic, I paid the taxi guy and got my bag and started walking. A minute down the road, a motorbike stops and asks me where I'm going. After saying the bus station, he said he'd take me there for fifty baht (1.66 USD). With my travelers backpack strapped tightly to my back, I agreed and found myself at the bus station in ten minutes rather than waiting for another hour as the taxi driver had told me. It was a sketchy move, but I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

 From the bus terminal, I boarded a bus and found myself sitting with the only other foreigners there. They were from Italy and a were a cordial couple travelling on to Siem Reap, Cambodia like me. It didn't take too long to put 2 and 2 together before I asked if they would like to travel together from the border. They agreed and before I knew it, I was speaking Spanish and trying to understand Italiano with Valentina and Fabio.

 The bus ride to Aranya Prathet was a grueling five hour journey on Thai roads and various stops in small towns. Numerous people got on and off the bus and we didn't know exactly where our destination was. Once it was made clear to us that we had arrived, it was late and the border was closed, meaning that we had to spend the night in this little Thai town that used to be known as a refugee city during the Khmer Rought regime . It was here that I experienced my first Tuk Tuk ride, a three wheeled motor cart contraption that acts as a taxi. They run on diesel and are obnoxiously loud.

 The next morning, my new friend and I Tuk Tuked it (yes, I made a new verb) to the border and walked across the land bridge to Poipet, Cambodia. I was ecstatic! The feeling of being in a distant foreign land hit me as I saw the droves of Cambodians coming from the Thai side accompanied with the smell of incense from the local temples. As you walk into Cambodia, you walk underneath a replica of Angkor Wat, the megalithic monument that I was to visit on my journey.

 Prior to coming, I've read several scary stories about crossing this border. There are many pick pockets and dodgy people that try to hassle you out of a few dollars. It's also known that if you cross in the afternoon, it will take you hours due to the crowds of people trying to cross as well as the slow pace of work that goes on in this part of the world. However, since I crossed in the morning when it opened, I was through in no time and only had to wait for my Italian friends to get there visa. I did my eVisa online prior.

 Once through, we boarded a free shuttle bus to the bus terminal and hired a private Toyota Camry taxi to take us to Siem Reap. The total cost between us was 48 USD, or about 16 dollars per person. The bus would have taken longer and I was tuckered out and just wanted to arrive. Along the way, we passed through very flat land that was once war torn. We drove by rice fields, oxen, and villages so poor it made you rethink why you had actually come to a place like this. Alas, this is all part of travelling, to get to know a place regardless of whether or not it's pleasant. I often find myself shaking my head when people go and stay at fancy resorts in other countries, many of whom stay there and don't venture out of their bubble that they live in at the Ritz Carlton or the Hilton. They're nice places, but venture out and see the real place you came to visit. Okay, enough ranting.

 While on the path to Siem Reap, our driver made one pit stop, not knowing why, we were watching him as he went over to a fence and did his business there. No public toilets in Cambodia, apparently. Welcome to life in the third world! It was just another reminder of where I had come and the beginning of an eyeopening adventure that I had laid for myself.

 After two hours of sightseeing pleasure, we eventually entered the city limits of Siem Reap, Cambodia. Not knowing where the bus station was, the taxi driver stopped at a Tuk Tuk place to try and get us to rent one of them (typical as they get a commission for business). We refused and he dropped us off in the middle of town. I bid farewell to my companions and threw my bag over my shoulder.

 I was in Cambodia. I had arrived. 

Winter Vacation Blogs

 Many people spend their entire lives dreaming about things that they wish they can or would do. For most people, these dreams remain that, dreams. Something that seems so great, yet unattainable for a myriad of reasons. There always seems to be something standing in the way of fulfilling whatever it is that is at the inner core of curiosity. For me, I feel quite privileged to have been able to do so much at the young age of 27. Looking back over the past decade, I've accomplished some things that I've wanted to do (graduate college, get a job) and many things that weren't even on my radar (going to Korea, Saudi Arabia, graduating from grad. school). All of these encompass steps in my life that have led me here today on this moderately comfortable bed in KSA.

 I find it impossible to believe that there is a person alive who doesn't have a list of places that they want to see before they day. This could be a list of your favorite US cities, or an arms-length recipe of countries that you've spent years developing just to find out that you have to reorder some of them because you've discovered an even better place that may beat out number thirty. 

For me, travel is something that I've always pondered and fascinated over since my early teens. I grew up watching the Travel Channel and would always find watching show about animals in Africa with my grandmother on a Friday night to be quite delightful, always musing over how nice it would be to see such places. For myself, this last trip to Southeast Asia was a dream come true, not only because I can mark two countries off of my proverbial list of places; but rather because of all the wonderful people I met a long the way and the kindness that shown two me from two very different cultures. These next series of posts will try to highlight the positives and negatives of my adventures to this strange land and to point out the reality that I see in this world from my point of view and context. 

 Let's begin.....

Thailand Winter Vacation 2012!!!!!!!!

   Hello everyone!

 It's been a while since my last post. All things are well here in KSA and I am happy to report that I am still breathing. As most of you know, I am going to Thailand for my winter vacation this year. I leave in one week and I am extremely excited about my trip.

 Thailand is one of those countries that you visit over and over again. This is what I am told and feel is what I will come to believe in the near future. Aside from the historical aspects of it, Thailand has an immense amount of beauty and culture to offer the world. From its food, picture perfect beaches, and historical architecture, Thailand is truly one of the world's original gems.

 My vacation, which will be 17 days, paid I might add ;-), will entail a little bit of culture, a few islands, and tons of beaches. My Southeast Asia extravaganza begins on January 9th when I will fly from Bahrain straight to Bangkok. Immediately I will book it to the Thai/Cambodia border and stay in the town of Aranya Prathet. Why go here you might be asking yourself? Because this is the route to one of history's most ancient civilizations, the Khmer Empire city of Angkor Wat. This city, known for its monolithic temples, architecture, and beauty, is the first stop on my destination which is in neighboring Cambodia. Here, I will stay in the town of Siem Reap from January 10th-12th. During this time I will hire a tuk tuk (motorbike cab) and will be touring an impossible amount of temples, jungles, and unfortunately, going around tourists. This is a place I have wanted to go since living in Korea and I cannot wait to check this world wonder off my list.

 From there, I will speed back to Bangkok and take an overnight train (14 hours) to the town of Trang, which is the gateway to the mystical Trang Islands. Thankfully, these islands remain pretty remote due to the face that some are part of a nature reserve and since they're kind of off the beaten path. From Trang, I will take a tuk tuk to a boat pier and hire a longboat (an 8m long boat with an engine) that will take me to the various islands that I will stay at.

 The first island is one of the least visited and most remote. The island of Ko Libong is part of a national marine wildlife refuge that is home to some of the world's few remaining dugongs. This porpoise-like creature survives around the island's mangroves, which I will tour in a kayak on my two day stay. This island is not so much known for it's beaches, but how can I possibly pass up a beach bungalow for 12 USD per night?!?!?!?!

 The next step will be to leave Ko Libong for the island of Ko Kradan or Ko Mook (haven't decided) and do  have two days on a more pristine island full of palm trees, white sand beaches, and yes, tourists... (it's Thailand, not Cambodia). Here, i'll truly relax and try to forget about time, Facebook, the internet, news, economy, and KSA.... It will be a truly zen-like experience.

 After four - five marvelous day in these karst islands, I will take another longboat to the big island of Ko Lanta which is much more touristy and larger. It makes a spot on my itinerary as it has a host of excellent beaches, swank towns, and, you guessed it, good beach bungalows! For two days I will rent a motorbike and tour the island and the sites that it has to offer. Surely, I will be a typical tourist and party hardy and kick back  without a worry in the world.

 After nearly a week of fun in the sun, I will bus it back to Bangkok from the town of Krabi and meet my friend Kyle on the 21st of January. From here on out I have no idea what we will do. I have until the 26th to let loose and do whatever presents itself as interesting, adventurous, and downright crazy.

 Sadly, on the 26th I return to Bahrain, where I will spend the day drowning my sorrows at Hunter's Lounge at the Ad Hari hotel in Manama. Having a 7 USD Heinekin draft will feel bittersweet the night before I head back to what has become known as the Kingdom.

 Alas at this time, a new countdown will commence until the next vacation appears eight weeks later during the last week of March.

 Don't expect to hear from me for about three weeks in January. This is my itinerary and this is about as 'official' of a warning of where I"m going anyone will get. It'll probably change, but that's just like me. One year I'm in Minnesota attending grad school and the next day I'm in Saudi Arabia in the largest oasis in the world. Next week it'll be Thailand and Cambodia. Bring it!

 - Jesse