Note: I have been posting a bit out of order, as I want to get my thoughts out on the meditation, but I am also a bit behind on things from earlier in the trip. So please bare with me. Thanks! -------- Vipassana meditation is, pardon my French, a total mind fuck. You are asked to focus your attention on observing your respiration, or sensations on your body, but your mind doesn’t like to focus. In fact, it REALLY doesn’t like to focus. Yup, those voices in your head that may come out … [Read more...]
October 19, 2013 5 Comments
October 15, 2013 2 Comments
9/22 – On a whim, I decide to head to Malaysia
Upon leaving Koh Tao, I had originally planned to head up into northern Thailand, but on a whim, decided instead to head south into Malaysia for a week. That is one great benefit of not setting your itinerary in stone ahead of time by booking flights, accommodations, etc. So instead of heading towards northern Thailand, I caught a ferry in the afternoon from Koh Tao to Chumpon on the eastern coast of Thailand. There I took a bus to the train station and on the way met 3 guys from Boulder, who … [Read more...]
October 15, 2013 Leave a Comment
9/18 – 9/21 – Diving in Koh Tao
For the next four days, I had a whirlwind of scuba diving training. The PADI “open-water diver” course includes a combination of readings from a coursebook, classroom style lectures, “pool dives” (which we did in the ocean, but in shallow water) where we would learn different techniques, and ocean dives (where we went to greater depth) for further practice of diving techniques. Scuba diving may seem dangerous if you have never done it before, but the safety instruction is very comprehensive … [Read more...]
October 14, 2013 5 Comments
A life change in perspective in 10 days of silent meditation
What is the most worthwhile experience you have ever had in your life? What is the most challenging thing you have ever done in your life? 2 weeks ago I would have found it difficult to answer these questions definitively. Well actually, that is not exactly true - marrying my wife was of course an important decision for me (relating to the former question above, not the latter, in case you were wondering :) ). But taking that out of the equation, though still difficult questions to answer, … [Read more...]
September 29, 2013 2 Comments
Recognizing your power to choose … and the choice of travel
“Your life is the sum result of all the choices you make, both consciously and unconsciously. If you can control the process of choosing, you can take control of all aspects of your life. You can find the freedom that comes from being in charge of yourself" -- Robert Bennett // Why don’t you join me and take a trip across the globe? Really, I’m serious. I know, I know. You’ve got a job and not enough vacation time, you’re paying back loans, don’t have a lot of money, have other commitments … [Read more...]
September 29, 2013 3 Comments
How to get over your concerns with long-term travel
“Decide that you want it more than you are afraid of it.” -- Bill Cosby When I first made the decision to travel to Southeast Asia for 3 months on my own, I was excited. Excited about exploring the world on my own. Excited about eating wonderful food. Excited about meeting new people and learning about different cultures. As the trip approached, however, my excitement was joined by another emotion; an emotion that didn’t seem to belong and was quite unexpected. Fear. Fear? Yup! My mind … [Read more...]
September 24, 2013 Leave a Comment
9/23 – Quick update on where I have been and where I am going
It has been awhile since I have posted. A month into my trip, I have spent time in Singapore, Indonesia (Yogyakarta, Mt Bromo, and Bali) and Southern Thailand (Koh Tao). I am now enroute to Malaysia via train, where I'll spend a week traveling through Penang, Cameron Highlands, and Kuala Lumpur. I've sketched out a rough outline for the rest of my trip as well: --Malaysia for 1 week: Penang, Cameroon Highlands, Kuala Lumpur --Fly to Northern Thailand, spend 3 weeks in Chiang Mai, Pai, Chiang … [Read more...]
September 17, 2013 4 Comments
9/16-9/17 – My overnight bus in Bangkok leaked … during monsoon rains
I would be flying to Bangkok, Thailand today, to catch an overnight bus into southern Thailand and on to the island of Koh Tao off the eastern coast of Thailand in the Gulf of Thailand, where I planned to get PADI certified for scuba diving. I arrived from Kuta to Bali Airport (Ngurah Rai) Denpasar, and went through 3 separate security processes exiting Indonesia including payment of a departure tax but was still early, so killed some time at the airport, waiting for the departure screen to … [Read more...]
September 15, 2013 1 Comment
9/14-9/15 – Lounging in Kuta, Bali
After 2 very active days in Ubud, I decided to take a few days to relax in Kuta. You may have heard of Kuta beach; besides being one of the popular tourist spots in Bali with a long beachfront, surfing, 5-star resorts, and top-notch restaurants, it was the target of terrorist bombing in 2002 and 2005. The effects of those events are seen even today, with many police visible throughout the area and bomb inspections on all cars going into major facilities such as hotels. I walked along the … [Read more...]
September 13, 2013 3 Comments
Singapore – The price of safety and efficiency
Immediately upon arriving in Singapore I got my first taste of how serious Singapore takes efficiency. Literally, I walked off the plane to go to the bathroom and was greeted by a touch screen TV in the bathroom asking me to rate its cleanliness on a scale from 1 to 5. A nearby sign noted that the touch screen was sanitized regularly. A nearby information desk had a similar touch screen, asking to rate the level of service at that desk. Efficiency, and safety, are two attributes emphasized … [Read more...]
