Living In Sydney

I arrived in Sydney semi-broke, exhausted, with a hint of a cold. Thankfully Tina, whom I met in Thailand, offered to both pick me up from the airport and her home for 2 weeks. In those 2 weeks I was able to arrange 2 interviews, but by the end I was sick as a dog. My goal was to find a job and a flat as soon as possible. I wanted to save some money, travel west, then - possibly - New Zealand. The only little nick in my plan was that 1)I needed a job quickly, 2)My mother had planned a family trip to visit family in Rio in December, and 3)I was still broker than a joker.

Starting a Life
Being the mostly optimistic person that I am, I searched for a flat whilst still searching for a job. I didn't want to be a bother in anyone elses house anymore. I was committed to living a life in Sydney for at least a few months and I needed lodging.

The first flat I viewed was in Cremone, near my very dear friend Minea. The occupants were 2 boys: Theo, an overly muscly English boy in his mid 20s; and Rhod, a kooky Welsh fella of about 23. The flat was small, the room for lent was large, the rent was cheap, and all parts of the flat were filthy. The toilet room (yes, that's 1 room for the toilet alone) floor was sticky with God knows how old of dripped pee. I don't even want to comment on the kitchen.

I viewed a few other flats, however, the room size, location, and price of the room in Cremorne won me over. I picked 2 Gerard St and it became my new home!

My first 2 weeks in residence consisted of searching for jobs online and watching movies. 3 months partying in South East Asia killed my immune system. I had a cold that lasted nearly a month. I slept early and woke up late.

After the disastrous immune system dilemma I started going out again and meeting up with friends in Sydney. We met Chris' family Di and Ed for dinner; Alex and Sammy came back from Thailand (thank God); my lovely and amazing Cyprian friend Caroline came back to Sydney; my cousin's friend Helen from the states stayed with me for a bit and my Swedish friend Karine stayed with us for a week.

Meanwhile I was busy searching for jobs. I interviewed every other day, but most company's were reluctant to hire a gal on a 6 month work visa restriction. I decided to apply for anything and everything. Why do what I do back home? Why not just throw luck to the wind and apply for anything and see what happens? I then began to interview at coffee shops - due to my new found love for gourmet Aussie coffee. I also saw an add for a Sale Representative for a wine distributor. WINE? I am knowledgeable on anything that contains alcohol. I may not be a guru, but my many trips to Napa have taught me a little about the complexities and differences of wine.

I was contacted right away. They wanted me to interview me for a position in Melbourne. I was open to anything. The interview went great and the Sales Manager wanted me to start right away IN SYDNEY. He wanted me on his team. Who knew being a lush would be so beneficial some day!?

My new job was to conduct wine tastings in an attempt to promote a wine distributor that distributed wine all over the country for 400 different vineyards. It was a sales job, but I have to admit that it was pretty fun... and I got pretty good at it. Chatting all day about wine isn't a bad gig.

One of our flatmates was to leave us. Theo felt it was time to go home, and Rhod was a little sad puppy because of it. They were close and the day Theo left I felt so sad for our poor little Welshy. It was a Tuesday and that night was their weekly quiz night at our local pub. Rhod asked me to go in Theo's absence. I couldn't say no... and that's when I met the melange of nationalities there were to become my friends.

First off there is Rhod. Welsh, young, funny, and extremely charismatic. Rhod could hook up with the prettiest woman in any club with his gift of the gabber. Terry, Rhod's English friend, is a pretty brunette. She has the most amazing London accent, can drink any man under the table, and is probably one of the strongest women I have met at her age. It took awhile to warm up to her, as her strength can be perceived incorrectly and can be a bit intimidating. Mike and James were roommates. Mike, a quiet Kiwi with a love of rugby; James a 34 year old awkward English ladies man with the funniest laugh. A couple of other people joined our group later... but we will get to them later.

While Karine was staying with me Tina had told me that a Welsh girl she had met in Thailand was in trouble. She had met a boy, moved in with him, and it had gone very sour. Left practically penniless and homeless she was in despair tottering on going back home. I had met this girl once at a barbecue and so I invited her to our quiz night to meet the gang. That is when I began my crazy life in Sydney with Jessica.

Wifey
I knew Jessica was like me right away. Even weeks before when I had only chatted with her at a barbecue, I could just tell. Jessica is Welsh, opinionated, fire-y, energetic, funny, and caring. She was beginning to learn what I had recently discovered: you don't have to accept the 'normal,' most traveled life path. I felt like I was seeing myself 2 years earlier when I left California and went off to Europe with a broken heart and a fear of what was next. When Karine left Sydney I offered Jessica stay with me until she got on her feet. Quickly we both noticed that living together was a fabulous idea and she moved in indefinitely. I won't say we were like an old married couple, because old married couples fight and bicker. We were more like soul mates. When one of us was sad we would go to the veranda with ciggies and cheap wine and talk it out. When one of us was happy or excited we would go to the veranda with ciggies and cheap wine and talk it out. In either situation we ended up with the giggles. Sometimes we would go to bed singing songs at the top of our lungs.

Due to the fact that we both wanted to save as much money as possible - and we ARE both boarder line alcoholics, we worked and played HARD. We became regulars at our local pub as well as a backpackers pub in town. Our 3 am visits to Hungry Jacks (Burger King) resulted in sharing a bed with french fries and chicken nuggets some nights. We met interesting 'people' from all over. Like Irish boys that seemed so much better looking and sweeter at the pub. Or a group of army Australian men that we unfortunately identified as such AFTER an anti-war rant. Our room always looked like 5 hobos and a pony lived in it. Not to mention the time SOMEONE came home drunk and decided to have a little self tanning session and then sleep on the white sheets! The combination of support, trust, love, debauchery, and friendship transformed us into sisters.

Alex: A side note on an awesome Aussie friend
Once Alex returned from Thailand I was able to spend lots of one on one time with him. While in Thailand I knew he was a great guy, once I got to know him better I saw that he is an AMAZING human being. Alex in one of my soul mates. I know, I mentioned Jessica as a soul mate, and she is. I have many of them and they are scattered all over the world. Alex is my Aussie/Malaysian soul mate. Alex is my cool tech-y alch-y soul mate. Alex is my i-can-do-anything-and-have-a-fraking-kick-ass-time-with-him soul mate. He is my brother and days spent with him drinking at the roof top bar, wondering the streets of Sydney, recovering from all the aforementioned activities are some of the most memorable days in my life thus far. I love you Alex!

I met a boy
Jessica and I both dated a variety of men in Sydney. Being that we are both ballsy young ladies we went for the blokes we liked.We both met our share of douche-bags, continually supporting each other after each douche-baged discovery. I even dated James, the 34 year old divorce from our group of friends.

James is a great guy. He is funny, caring, giving, and - unfortunately - pessimistic when it comes to love. I suppose if you are married and it doesn't work out it is difficult to be optimistic about love. I can imagine that divorce can change your view on a lot of things. James is strong, but he is also extremely hurt. It was a hurt I recognized, but could not fix. I tried to be with James, but it didn't take long for me to realize that it wasn't right. He was not really in it, nor would he ever be. It stung a bit, but I've been through enough where I'm a bit numb to that sort of loss. Life goes on.

After a short stunt with a cute Brazilian cook that I just didn't click with I met Mark. My work was hosting a wine tasting/education meeting. A wine show judge was coming in to show us some of the new wines we were getting. The sensible employees where tasting and spitting. If you haven't already noticed - I am not so sensible. Mark was one of the top selling wine agents. He had worked late that night and came in with a few others a bit late. By the time he walked in I was 3 tastings in.

I had seen Mark before. He had come to work the late afternoon shift after one of my morning shifts. He introduced himself and after I had explained that I had broken down some boxes and didn't know where the bins where, he offered to show me. This was extremely unusually because you are not to simply leave your post for such a silly reason. He could have simply told me where they were, but instead walked me over AND carried over the broken down boxes. I thought it was bizarre, but didn't read too much into it. Months later he confessed that he just wanted to talk to me.

Needless to say that after the numerous tastings that night at the meeting, I was a bit tipsy. We were invited to drink the rest of the wines and the cheese platters after the meetings had ended. Mark and I instantly went to each other and started chatting. We spoke until we were kicked out and the night ended in a blur - but I knew that I was interested.

We went on our first date about a week later. I met him at The Oaks, one of my favorite spots for some beers. He kissed me right when he saw me, which I thought was a bit different. Usually, first dates are awkward because of that looming kiss. You drink and until you can find just enough liquid courage to go for it - or ask for one. We talked, played pool, and danced. It didn't feel very much like a first date because although a little unsure of his thoughts and feelings, I felt comfortable. I knew that I liked him.

Mark left to Byron Bay to visit his friend the day after our first date. He was gone 2 weeks. When he came back we started spending more time together. We didn't have to do very much at all in order to have fun. We were happy with a case a beer or a bottle of wine (okay, maybe a few). I can talk to Mark for hours and its not because we always agree; it is because we can comprehend and even expand each others knowledge. He has a big heart and believes that doing the right thing should be done because it is the right thing and not for the virtuous nature of it. He is a lush - like me. He is really good at frying eggs. He sucks at cooking pork chops. He is a beautiful human being and I'm lucky to spend time with him.

I told Mark about my plan to continue to travel... and of my lack of an actual plan. Mark was finishing up school and was unsure between a beginning a career or travel. When I first met him I got the impression from him that he was leaning towards the former.

The looming issue was that I had been planing to leave Sydney and go north to Cairns to get my dive masters in 4 weeks. Due to financial reasons, I extended my stay to 6 weeks. After those 6, I found that I no longer wanted to go that very moment. I know that changing plans for a boy is one of my 'rules', however, the only other rule is that I live by no rules. I knew that I was in love.

Honestly, I am a difficult person to be with. I mean, not to get along with, but there aren't many people that actually want a partner that is not career driven or prefers wondering vs stability. I thought that perhaps some day a hippie with dreadlocks and a few piercings would recognize my values and accept them as a valid life choice. I didn't go out into the world looking for such, and knew that any relationship might die at the prospect of the next destination. Mark understands my choice because he does not accept norms and he bases rationality on truths.

After extending my stay in Australia and 5 months of getting to know Mark, I had to leave to meet my family in Rio for the holidays. My plan was to quickly pass through the US to tie up any loose ends and spend time with loved ones. Mark and I have decided to travel together through SE Asia in a few months time, and then try to start a life (semi-perm or how ever it goes) in the UK.

Goodbye Sydney
I had a life in Sydney. I built a life from nothing. Have you ever wondered how you would do if you had to start life all over in a different town where you didn't really know anybody? Well, I always did. In Sydney I proved to myself that not only can I survive, but I can thrive. I loved my life there and it has made the top of my list for possible future residence.

Next stop... Rio.

Meeting Up With Chris & Crew... & The Rest of South East Asia

From Pai I took a van to Chaing-Mai and a train to Bangkok. The train from
Chaing-Mai to Bangkok was 13 odd hours and I went 2nd class with the locals. I
brought all kinds of yummy Thai treats with me and a sleeping pill courtesy of
Pierre. I was worried at first as I didn't see any beds. The landscape was
beautiful and people watching the locals on the train also made for great
entertainment. Four hours after our journey began a conductor came to our car
and moved the seats into make-shift beds. My bed was on top and I climbed up and
took my sleeping pill as soon as I could.

I woke up what felt like 5 minutes later. We were in Bangkok, at about 5am. I was to met my friend Chris along with some of his friends at a designated guest house they had selected the night before.

Side note: A little about how I met Chris
Chris is one of my best friends. We met about 3 years ago in Ios, Greece. I was
coming back to my guest house half drunk at about 6am when I spotted him and another gentlemen sitting at a table in the guest house's common area. I sat at their table, and chatted wildly about the crazy mishaps of the night before. I will never forget how he looked at me wide-eyed and smiling - marveled at my craziness. From that moment he joined our little group and we all went out that night and many nights following for many a debauchery.

I met up with Chris a few months after Greece in London. After that I didn't see him until about two years later in Australia, but by then we had already developed an amazing friendship.We are extremely alike and our love of travel and hate of conformity keeps us connected. We keep in contact as much as possible and try to
mesh travel plans whenever plausible.

Now I was to met him in Bangkok and to do some traveling. He was to spend 3 months in SE Asia traveling through Thailand, Vietnam,and Laos. My plan was 1 month in Thailand.

After a bit of an adventure, I found a guesthouse near the one Chris had mentioned (his was booked) and decided to take a shower. I was in my room when I heard Chris' voice asking reception about me. I ran out and the group was formed: Chris; Alex, Chris' friend from London and fellow Aussie - definitely one of us; Sammy, Chris'
younger brother and my future diving buddie; and Tina, Chris' German-Aussie childhood friend.

Bangkok is so crazy. Its packed, dirty, beautiful, crazy, and drunk. Koh San Road
is open 24 hours a day. Trannies in the streets, hookers, food stalls, and gringos. We did the turist spots and dank buckets in Koh San Road at night. We even went to a ping pong show in the red light district where naked gals threw ping pongs across the room and pulled things out of their hairy vagingos. Ew. We even had a little bit of a scare when I argued with their pimp because he tried to over charge us for the show. Note to self: arguing with Thai pimps in the middle of the red light district might not be the smartest thing. After 3 days in Bangkok we headed to Koh Tao for some sun.

Heading to Koh Tao
Our train ride to the port to Koh Tao was a bit longer than planned, but I was able to get some shut eye. When we arrived at the port we found that we had 2 options: to stay at a hostel in the port town and get to Koh Tao on a ferry the next day OR to stay up all night on a cargo ship. My vote, as you can imagine, was to stay up all night. The group was in consensus and so we did. Sammy took a moped with a local to get us some captian morgan so we could drink some cap and cokes on the ship. We
spent the whole night on the top deck dancing and drinking!

Sammy and I decided to get our Open Water Diving course done in Koh Tao so we negotiated with a sales guy and got free rooms for the whole group. We stayed at Coral Grand Resort at the end of one of the beaches in Koh Tao.

The diving course was amazing and as soon as I was done I was okay to drink and I had a few days to make up for! The various bars on the beach allow people to either have a chill night or a big night, depending on your mood.

One night after my open water course and many a bucket we decided to jump through a ring of fire. Chris dislocated his shoulder and I melted 2 bracelets. The full moon party in Koh Phangnan was coming close and we had to get accommodation. I wanted to stay to get my advanced open water certification and Chris couldnt carry his bag because of his shoulder.

So Chris and I stayed behind while Alex, Sammy, and Tina went searching for accomo.
Chris hung out during the days on the beach while I did the course. At night we had drinks and some food. We got THE best Thai massage I have ever had to date (Thai foot message) on the beach one of the days after "drinking some beers" ;).

One night we were starving and all the cheaper food places were closed. We walked to a little side street and next to a trannie cabaret we found a little food kitchen run by one of the performers. The trannie created one of the best Thai food experiences of my life! We went there every night after that whilst in Koh Tao. Who knew Thai trannies can NOT ONLY perfectly imulate Liza Menilli, but also cook some mad green curry?

Koh Phangnan
After a peaceful few days in Koh Tao we were a bit reluctant to see what awaited
in Koh Phangnan. The full moon party was that very night, so we couldn't wait any longer. We relaxed all day and at night we got a huge group together of people we had met in Koh Tao. Some of the girls I had done my advance course with were staying at the guest house in front of us so we all got together there for a few pre-drinks
before the festival.

After a bit of a dress mishap one of the boys gave me a shirt and one of the girls let me borrow a belt for the festival. We went in a packed truck-taxi and I was already a bit tipsy when we arrived on the beach.

The festival in Feb had about 12,000 people. I got lost and found a few times, however I didnt mind much because the vibe was so great that it didn't matter. It was one of the times that I was lost that fate stepped in once more.

Someone was hugging me and I wasn't sure who. When I he let me go I saw that it was Manu, Pierre's Swiss friend from Pai. He called Pierre over and we reunited! I hung out with Pierre the rest of the night and for 2 months after that.

I woke up in his bungalow on the other side of the island. We had beers for breakfast and another 4 days past as if they were an afternoon. I went to
Chris' guesthouse and got my stuff. They were going to Koh Phi Phi on the
west side of Thailand. My intention was to meet up with them... but I ended
up moving to the north side of the island with Pierre and Manu. I haven't seen
Chris since.

My Swissys: Pierre-Tell & Manu
The days with Pierre and Manu were sporadic, adventurous, interesting, tumultuous, and fun. They both spoke little english, so I got to practice my french. Pierre and I had a little love connection, but Manu and I became great friends. They are my
friends and my brothers. Some nights Pierre got too drunk so Manu and I would chat about everything and anything. One day Pierre and Manu's Thai visas were going to
expire, so we decided to go to Singapore. From there, we randomly decided to go
to Bali. From there we randomly decided to go to Java, then Sumatra. I canceled
flight upon flight as I didnt want it to end.

Traveling with Pierre and Manu was an amazing experience that I will never forget.
We met people along the way, made friends with locals, discovered a little about ourselves and each other. There is so much to say about our experiences and our days in Thailand, Singapore, Bali, Java, and Sumatra together. I could write a book on those 2 months alone. We woke up and smoked cigarettes on our balcony every morning - no matter what country we were in. We fought about random things, cried about the past, struggled to find our way, and found it. I cried on the day we parted ways as I felt so close to the both of them. I feel like they effected me and have evolved in a way because of them. I am sure someday we will sit on a porch somewhere in Switzerland smoking cigaretts.

Im running behind

Okay, so I am a year or so behind on my posts. Please do not note the dates as they are dates posted and not dates of the events themselves. ;)

My Soul is in Pai

Arriving in Pai
I arrived in Pai around 6 PM, when the sun was coming down. The ride from Chiang Mai was rough due to the Thai whiskey hangover. There were two hippies in my van that kept talking about a reggae festival - which I had already heard about from a young, broke English couple in Chiang Mai. The youngins had warned me that if I loved Bob Marley, I had to get to the Reggae festival in Chiang Mai and that it was too bad that I was leaving. They were wrong, the festival was in Pai and it just happened to be scheduled to begin the very week I showed up.

These little "coincidences" brought to us by fate is how I know that traveling is the right way to go. So many strange encounters and coincidences that confirm, to me - in my mind, that God is just trying to reaffirm that this is were I'm supposed to be.

The street was full of little knick-nac booths, food stalls, and hippies. Both Thai hippies and other world hippies. I walked off the bus dazed and a young French girl asked if I had accommodation and mentioned that she was staying in a lovely, cheap, and clean hut across the river. GOD I love the kindness of backpackers. So there I went, and after an amazing curry at The Curry Shack, I was out for the night.

Fate and exploring surrounding villages
The next morning I decided to walk around and explore. 5 minutes into my walk a French gentlemen named Adel came up to me. You see, I had seen Adel 2 nights before in Chiang Mai and had asked him for directions to a Reggae bar... and there he was now, in Pai, walking on the same street as me, at the same time. Adel asked if I had ever found the Reggae bar. We laughed and he asked if I wanted to explore with him. I said yes, and off we were, on his motor bike, to roam around Pai and Mae Hon Son.

The day consisted of us driving on the bike, stopping when we wanted, and continuing on. Riding on a motorbike in Northern Thailand with a French stranger... who knew I would ever be here? Just that very morning I had no clue. The unplanned surprises, the coincidences, meeting strangers that become great friends in an instant, and the situations which seem to always work out for the best. I feel so alive due to these reacquiring factors that are common daily. Isn't this how life should always be? It is difficult to imagine going back to life being any other way than this - clear, invigorating, thought provoking, unexpected, amazing, (dare I say it)... fun.

We found a little farmer's village and walked around with a few village kids. The inhabitants of the village lived in the simplest fashion. Their roosters, chickens, and ducks roamed the town. Their homes little wooden shacks surrounded by farm land - of which I assume where rice fields.

Adel and I became hungry and decided to eat in a little shack that was a make shift food stall next to their temple. We had a pork chicken soup and the lovely Thai cook brought us glasses of brown, sod-y water. I skipped on the water and ate the noodles alone in the soup. I hoped that leaving the chicken skin in the soup wasn't offensive.

We continued on to different view points up the hills near Mae Hon Son. As it was getting dark we headed back towards Pai and stopped in a little guesthouse that I was thinking about getting to in a few days. The guesthouse specialized in treks and I was attempting to plan a real trek with visits to real hill tribes.

Adel and I spent the first evening at one of the outdoor bars (Bamboo Bar) with large fire pits and hippie Thai guys. We drank our share of beers, as it was cold and we needed to get our beer jackets on.

Crossing the bridge to our huts at night was a bit of a scary experience - every night. It was made of braided bamboo and creaked and swayed every time you walked on it. Their wasn't much for lighting except for the people that left their hut lights on. You can hear the frogs and crickets. It was also cold. All of this, beautiful. Dawn was even more beautiful. You could see the mist over the neighboring fields, hear the monks chanting in the nearby temple, and the beautiful wild plants tickle your legs as you walk to the shower.

I had never lived as simply as I did in Pai. The toilet and showers were in a separate shack, on cement slabs with a sink outside. There were no mirrors anywhere and I rarely did much more as a beauty regimen other than shower and brush my hair. I ate great food at small food stalls and other meals at small mom and pop restaurants. The days were mostly spent exploring, the nights at the fire pit bars. I felt so at easy there, so beautiful. For the first week I was in Pai I could not confirm this feeling of beauty as there were no mirrors to be found. When I went into a restaurants' bathroom and finally saw my own reflection in a mirror, I giggled. I looked amazing. I think that inner happiness, the simplisaty of it all, was coming through. Who needs blush when you've got happiness!

The Reggae Festival

After spending a week together Adel and I went to the Reggae festival, unsure of what to expect. We watched some wonderful Thai reggae bands open up the festival and slowly the venue filled with both Thai reggae fans and foreign backpackers.

(Above: Adel and I with our Thai friends)
Adel and I got a few buckets, and spent most of the night in front of the stage. We met a wicked group of Thai boys from Chiang Mai who passed around their buckets benevolently and danced with us. My favorite group of the night? JOB TO DO! We had already heard his songs as his reggae sound is very popular all over Thailand.

(above: JOB TO DO!)
Half way through one of the first acts I went to one of the booths to get a beer. While in line a drunk French boy who looks EXACTLY like my English friend Mikie, but only with thick glasses, looks at me and asks his friends "comment est-ce qu'on dire 'tu est tres jolie' en l'anglais?" (translation: how do you say 'you are very pretty' in english?). Instead of waiting for his friends to respond I respond to him. "AH! TU PARLE FRANCAIS!" I stayed and chatted with the group of boys and they wanted me to meet their other friends. We all went back to the crowd to watch the show together and they introduced me to all of their french speaking friends, one of which was a Swiss boy named Pierre.

Pierre is not the type of guy I would typically go gaga over at a bar. He is tall, with light brown hair and light eyes. He is thin and was a bit intoxicated when we met. He wore the most ridiculous hat I had ever seen but the moment we met, I knew I couldn't help myself. His french was a bit different, slower than the Frenchies. I could understand him a lot more and we chatted most the night. We spoke about everything... and although sometimes the bucket consumption and lack of french speaking practise left me a bit lost on the current subject of conversation, I was drawn to this strange Swiss bloke. By the end of the night he was gone and I didn't think I would see him again.

Getting home from the festival was an adventure in itself. I helped a girl that was on an LSD trip get to her guesthouse and although she trusted me, she looked at everyone else as if they were potential serial killers. We got on the back of a nice Thai mans truck with about 20 other people. Any of us could have fallen off the truck at any moment, but I knew that we all had the luck of the traveler and we would be okay.

(Above: Adel and I at the Reggae festival)
Adel went off for more beers, I went to my hut to go to bed. A few hours later Adel scared me when he drunkenly knocked on my door and said "zi cannot sleepa. may zi sleepa wis you?." I was furious and slammed the door in his french little face. How dare he spook me like that!

Hangover and the beginning
The next day I planned to go to one of the tourist offices and finally settle my trek details. I wanted to go elephant riding, I wanted to trek and camp in the northern hills, I wanted to eat dinner with a hill tribe. On my way to the office one of my hippie friends, Johnnie from Mendocino, sat in front of one of the liquor stores with beer. I sat and spoke to Johnnie about the crazy experience that was the night before. I decide that hair of the dog was the best way to go - as it always is - and had a beer with him. We drank right under the "no drinking here" sign surely posted by the owner. He told me about his psychedelic night and I told him how much I loved Thai reggae... and about an odd connection with an odd Swiss boy.

Just then who walks by but Pierre himself with his short blue eyed friend I had seen the previous night making out with anything that moved. I said "bonjour" and he hesitated a bit. Did he not remember me? They said "bonjour" and walked right by. Pierre came back 5 minutes later, asked if he could sit next to me, and admitted that he felt awkward because although he remembers my lovely face and our conversations he did not remember my name. We chatted some more, moved to the river with Johnnie and a few of his American friends, and then Pierre asked if I would like to go for a ride.

I loved riding the motorbike with Pierre SO much more than with Adel. There was really no comparison with the two experiences. I felt adventures and free on Adel's bike, but with Pierre I felt all of that and more. The smell of his hair and his neck. I could have stayed on that bike forever. Pheromones I guess.

We went to a nearby waterfall and chatted on a rock. Our conversations were mostly french as my french is a touch better than his English. On the way to the waterfall we saw some Gypsy looking women outside their shakes making fake cigarette signals. I told him that I felt sorry for them and i wanted him to stop so that I could give them some of my cigarettes. He laughed and explained that they did not want cigarettes, but were the Gypsy women that sold opium! How so very naive of me!

After we returned to town we went to dinner and by the end we were holding hands. The conversation was amazing, the energy between us - unmistakable. We sat at an outdoor bar and Adel spotted us. He came by and said an awkward hello and that was the last time I saw Adel. We bought a white balloon that was sold for the upcoming Chinese new year and let it go on the bridge.

Most days we hung out with a Quebec group and an American couple from Portland. The American couple was an amazing duo. The boy, Opossum (like the animal), and had short dread locks and piercings. He told me that he has lived in the street before, so he can handle backpacking. He was one of the nicest guys I have ever met - and extremely interesting.

Pierre and I spent every day and every night together after that - until it was time for me to go meet Chris and company in Bangkok. Him and his friend, the blue eyed Manu, where to go north to Laos and I didn't think I would ever see him again. I had come to terms with the one difficult situation about traveling - leaving the incredible people you meet. Little did I know that travelers fate would step in again, at the most unexpected place and moment.

(above: me finally riding an elephant on my last day in Pai)

Thailand - Phuket & Chiang Mai

Oh Thailand... sigh. Arriving in Thailand was a surreal experience. I flew into Phuket at 8 PM and the bus ride to the hostel was extreamly exciting. I could already tell that Thailand would be unlike anywhere I've ever traveled.

Phuket
I met a young German bloke at the airport and I soon learned that he was naive in the ways of backpacking. Our first meal cost about 330 bach each - which I thought was cheap. I only later discovered that meals in Thailand are usually between 20 and 150 bach a person. Thai lesson number one.

I stayed in Phuket for 2 days at a hostel called Phuket
Backpakers. The hostel was clean and in the center of Phuket town, but the pushy taxi drivers outside made it a bit annoying. One such driverswas Mr. Sawee. He was very persistant and made "deals" with us to visit a temple and a monkey school. My second discovery in Thaland: "deals" are most usually NOT deals.

Above: Mr. Sawee sings to us at a park in Phuket

Above: My route through Thailand

Chiang Mai

I took a flight north to Chiang Mai and stayed at a 400 bach a night hostel just inside the north gate of the city. I arrived in Chiang Mai on a Sunday afternoon - which happens to be the best day in Chiang Mai because of the abundant Chiang Mai Sunday Market. I spent one hour near the old town walls and thought I had seen all of it only to discover that I had only seen one tenth of the market. The market is blocks and blocks long and wide. I spent most of the time eating extreamly tasty street food snacks. I had shreded pork dumplings, spring rolls, pad tai, 5 bach sushi, and watermelon on a stick.
Above: one of many Buddahs in one of many temples.

Below: Girl dancing in Sunday Market

I spent most of my days in Chiang Mai exploring the various temples in town. I would set out in the mornings with a plan of which temples to visit, only to find many other temples on the way to the planned temples. I visited the oldest, largest, wisest, most educational, and most natural temples in Chiang Mai. By day 3, I was all templed out.

A side note on Fear: In Thailand I began reading "Why Is God Laughing" by Deepak Chopra. The story and principals are very enlightening and one main concept I took to heart is the concept of fear - or rather the non-existance of it. Deepak explains that fear does not exist. It is created in our minds. Growing up I felt afraid of everything. I thought that everything was going to hurt me and that the unknown was beter left that way. I have since gotten past most of my fears; however, I still felt fearful of perception. I lived in a constant fear of what others might think - even complete strangers. My mother calls this shyness, but in essence it is basic fear of people's perception of me. At 26 years old it is a difficult thing to admit, but that was my reality. As I entered one of the temples in Chiang Mai I saw a monk blessing a group of Thai worshipers. I badly wanted to walk over and be blessed by this monk, but had never participated in such a blessing. I watchted the Thai's as they bowed and clasped their hands, then repeated bows. As badly as I wanted to be blessed I was afraid that someone would see that I had no idea what I was doing and judge me. My throat closed up, my palms started to sweat, and my heart rased. I was trying to talk myself out of the potential embarasment of becoming a spectical to Thai strangers. I started walking away, but then realized that all of this was the fear. It took me what felt like hours to kneel down infront of the monk and get blessed. I bowed my head, clasped my hands, and repeated... all while feeling a huge sense of accomplishment of concoring a fear that did not exist in the first place.

I took a cooking class on an organic farm just outside of Chiang Mai. We visitied a local food market (where I had the most amazing Thai tea I've had since). We learned about Thai food culture as we roamed around the farm identifying Thai specific fruits and veggies and learned how to cook curries and other Thai dishes. Thai food is extreamly fast and easy to cook and with a little fish sauce, oaster sauce, and palm oil - you can make pretty much anything (note that olive oil is only used in Thailand for oil massages!).

After my Thai cooking class I changed to a more affordable guesthouse (lesson #3: always look around for accomo and bargain!). I found a great guesthouse called Same Same and I had my first Thai message, which is equivalent to message yoga (ouchie).

I spent the evening with a couple from my cooking class and a few expats. We sat outside a bar on a busy street and drank buckets - which is not the best thing for your liver (specially Samsung whiskey). We chated about what most backpackers chat about: politics, travel destinations, life epiphanies, and sports.

The next morning the Samsung was making me feel il, so I decided it was time to move on...
...to Pai.

Melbs

I took a trip to Melbourne for 5 days. Most Australians that know me say that they think I would like Melbourne more than Sydney. After exploring the city for just a few days, I know why they feel that way.

Melbourne is a planned city and is laid out so as not to overwhelm the pedestrian. It is a very European looking city and has a very laid back vibe. My favorite parts of the center of the city are little ally ways crammed with tasty restaurants, coffee houses, and boutiques. For someone that hates franchises as much as I do it is refreshing to see these little independently owned establishments with great food and a lot of personality.

I stayed with a friend who showed me around whenever he could (thanks T-Dog!). There is nothing better than experiencing a city through the eyes of a local. I got to meet his friends and check out his hangout spots which makes the experience unique.

We spent an afternoon at the botanical gardens. The gardens are lovely and it was an amazing spot to have lunch and a chat. I love to wonder in a city's gardens. It is something I don't do enough at home, yet spend entire days doing while traveling. It might be that at home we all have this 'go go' mentality and are unable to stop and have lunch in a garden or simply walk around and check out the seasons bloom. During the summers Melbourne hosts an outdoor cinema in the gardens - unfortunately for us, the only movies playing while I was there were Sex & The City and some lame-o action flick.

Saturday night was a big night out a Richmond local pub where T-Dogg's friend manages. The pub looked as if it could have been placed in Berlin or Seattle. The high wooden bar top (yeah, I could barely reach it myself), gorgeous patio, and 3 chandelers (y'all know how I feel about chandelers) made it beautifully novel. The excitement made me drink quickly and too much - which only made me more social.

On Sunday we went to St. Kilda, which is the closest beach town. It is a very cute area with a sea salt baths. On Sundays the baths host Latin music dancing lessons and its a great place to sit and people watch (specially the people trying to dance) while having a few beers.

My last night in Melbourne I met up with Jaime (a mate I met last year in Ios, Greece) and Cat (my flat mate in Sydney) and we went to an Australian comedy show! I have to say that Aussies are a bit more cheesy than I thought they would be. Melbs is known for their comedy shows, so it was a must do!

I'm back in Sydney now and I fly into Phuket, Thailand tomorrow! I can't wait for the next chapter in this adventure!

Exploring Sydney

I've been in Sydney for 3 weeks now and it has been a crazy few weeks!

I am staying with my friend Mattie and his 3 roommates and 4 flat guests. We are a total of 8, but the flat is large and we have the penthouse suite - so plenty of room on the roof! Most of our flat mates are boys, so the flat can get quite dirty.

We live in Bondi - 15 minutes away from the beach. It is a great spot - but a bit touristy. Most of the Bondi Beach population consists of Irish folk - most of whom I cannot understand!

Our neighbor is a crazy, kind hearted, CRAZY millionaire named Mary Anne. She sometimes just strolls into our flat at 6 am for a chat. She owns a restaurant in Paddington and always comes over with little treats for us.

I have explored the city a few days. China town is spectacular and I just love to take the 389 bus into town and just wonder around aimlessly. We have yet to check out some cute cafes in Paddington - but have already been around the CBD, Newtown, Suri Hills, The Rocks (my fav), Darling Harbour, and Manly.

We spent Christmas eve pub crawling around CBD (Central Bank District) and it was interesting to be in a group of travelers, drinking, in the hot weather on Christmas Eve. As amazing as it was, I did miss my mom's outrageous amounts of delicious food, hanging out with my dad watching 'Its A Wonderful Life,' and watching my older bro get overly excited to open presents. All us backpackers did band together and become each other's family for the holidays - which was nice.

I woke up Christmas day with 6 flat mates piled on top of me screaming "HAPPY CHRISTMAS!!" It was, of course, a rough morning after the debauchery of the previous night. I got off my lye low and started getting to work to get things ready for our party.

We had 20 people at our Christmas barbecue feast! I made 2 Brazilian treats (brigadeiro and habanada). We had turkey, ham, skewers, burgers, and all kinds of other snacks and things. Oh and don't forget the bathtub full of beer. We improvised. :)

I spent new years eve at darling harbour watching the famous Sydney harbour bridge fireworks. It was AMAZING! I met a group of Brazilians and an Irish boy and just danced through the whole fireworks experience. After the fireworks I hoped on the ferry and went to a bonfire party my friend Chris was throwing on Manly beach. I watched the sun come up in off the water and the surfers catching those 6 am waves. It took me 3 hours to get home - to finally arrive at 9:30 am - but was worth every step of that journey.

We have been just watching movies and recovering the last couple of days. Now that the holidays are over, I am getting ready to hit the road once again. I am going to spend a week in Melbourne and then I am off to Thailand for 6 weeks. Once I get back from Thailand I am going to get a flat in Sydney and a real job and settle down.

Quick observation: sometimes I am sitting around with our flat mates - 5 English boys, an English gal, a gal from Cypress and I feel like I'm in a movie! Sometimes we have Irish, Kiwi, or Aussie friends over and I feel like its the UN! So many people from all over the place with so many different backgrounds and experiences and here we are - sharing these little moments. Cheesy yes, but also very true. :)