The Final Entry

There is sand in my notebook, and I’m starting to think my transition back to “reality” is perhaps more of a transition to unreality. I came back to America happy to eat Taco Bell and sleep in a familiar place. I smiled at the sight of free toilet paper in public restrooms and was thankful for the lack of ever present insects. I stood tall as I entered doorways and took comfort in the company of fellow English speakers. But I have now found a sense of emptiness within all these conveniences. In the past nine weeks, I had no life altering realizations. I didn’t see the light or get a tattoo (though I almost did) or find some new calling. I didn’t “find myself” or change the world. If anything, I found my current (and always held) world view to be quite on point. But again, not in any surprising sort of way. I faced fears of water, of insects, of heights, animals, allergies, germs, children and various forms of transportation. And lived to tell about it with all my limbs still in tact. But that wasn’t the highlight for me. At some point I found myself sitting barefoot by a fire in a bamboo bar, sheltered from the rain and overlooking a river. And I felt good. There ended up being little writing in this blog. I didn’t have the overwhelming need to record and release. And maybe that is why I felt reality never had to be forced during those nine weeks. But now I am back in this world, finishing out this log of my epic South East Asia adventure. I am content with having my words finally attached to my name. Till the next mish… Shelley

The Philippines

I will keep it simple and to the point. The beaches are gorgeous. But for reasons better left to disclosure in private conversation, I will never return to that god-forsaken country ever again.

Cambodia

I left my 400 baht/night room at 730 am. Took a taxi to Mochit station and caught the 830 bus to Aranya Prathet. Four and a half hours later, I was in a tuk-tuk headed for the border and trying my best to avoid all the well-known scams. Got stuck behind all the Khao San Road buses at immigration, so I chilled to the tunes of American pop music being blasted at the border. Wandered through the no man’s land between Thailand and Cambodia and found an unofficial looking official to get my visa for an extra 100 baht. Then to Cambodian immigration, where I received multiple smirks at the sight of my ridiculous new American passport. While waiting in line, I picked up a Brazilian boy to share the taxi ride to Siem Reap. A bus to the transport center, a taxi to the edge of town and another tuk-tuk to the hotel and I was finally enjoying a refreshing beverage at 630pm.

I had met a lovely kiwi boy in Pai two weeks earlier. He shared my love of zombies, first person shooters and vegetarianism, and he reminded me of something I had lost a long time ago. He taught me about perma-culture and meditative breathing, and I invited him for a jaunt in Cambodia. He accepted, and we were soon drinking fifty cent beers and scaling ancient ruins. I enjoyed the best baguette of my life in Cambodia. But soon had to bid adieu to both the country and my lovely NZ boy. Back to Bangkok and then off to Manila.

My First Time – Philippines Edition

• Riding in a sidecar (AKA a tricycle)
• Getting a pedicure from a lady who comes to you
• Tripping out on malaria meds
• Drinking San Miguel (*the only beer that fosters true Filipino friendships*)
• Riding a carnival rollercoaster that makes the Cyclone look safe
• Snorkeling
• Taking a (very rusty) tractor to the beach (and being grateful for my tetanus shot)
• Walking into a bar staffed entirely be Filipino midgets
• Riding in a jeepney
• Witnessing various animal slaughters
• Eating out of a 7-11 for three weeks
• Island hopping on a banca
• Purposefully having flesh eating fish digest my skin

My First Time – Cambodia Edition

• Getting a salt scrub (which, btw, was rather messy, invasive and a bit
painful)
• Eating Khmer food
• Drinking Angkor beer (at $.50 a pop)
• Doing something not quite appropriate for disclosure on a public forum
• Scaling the ruins of Angkor Wat
• Bribing a government official (or being extorted, however you want to look
at it)
• Almost getting mugged (and I don’t mean in a mean muggin’ gangsta sort of
way, but rather, in a band of hoodlums sort of way)
• Attempting to decipher Celsius readings (and accidentally setting my room
temperature to 30 deg C)
• Happy pizza (yes, happy pizza… dude)
• Playing foosball

My First Time – Thailand Edition

• Ziplining through the jungle
• Riding in a tuk-tuk
• Taking a shower with a lizard
• Eating a pomelo
• Drinking a bucket of booze
• Living with roommates (of the female variety)
• Visiting a temple (and then many, many subsequent temples)
• Getting a Thai massage (every week)
• Teaching English
• Driving a motorbike
• Passing an elephant on the highway while driving a motorbike
• Chillin’ with children (ages 2-12)
• Grantwriting
• Eating dragonfruit
• Wearing fisherman’s pants
• Taking a river ferry
• Taking an 18 hour train ride
• Drinking sangsom, a lot of sangsom
• Eating a popsicle that turns into jelly
• Looking at a hotel room before booking it
• Seeing (and smelling) a deep-friend insects food cart
• Having weekly “family” dinner
• Riding in a songteau
• Riding in a songteau with twenty other people
• Hitting my head on something every single day
• Shopping at a night bazaar
• Attempting to master the fine art of squat toilets
• Being mistaken for a lady boy (well, that’s the first that I know of)
• Showering over a toilet

Thanksgiving on the beach... Sans tofurkey unfortunately.

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry