Posts
Coming Soon .... ?
15 years ago
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
A Moment in the Sun.
Like the spiders that hang from the ceiling of my guest house, I swing back and forth in the air, trying to relax as I hang from the rope that is keeping me from falling 60 feet to the rocks below. I manuever myself to avoid banging into the tree that grows from the side of the mountain. It is my first attempt at rock climbing and I am going to get to the top if it kills me. This is what I am thinking at that very moment. Because after attempt number four to swing my leg to the next notch available, I am starting to get frustrated. My new friends below have already shimmied up a couple of different rock faces and here I am, swinging in the air, having fallen. Again. The sun is hot and the rocks feel like they are melting my fingertips. Only ten more feet and I'll hit the ring that signifies my success. Sweaty sunscreen trickles down my face, stinging my eyes. I am going to do this if it fucking kills me. The thoughts of anger and frustration run through my mind. Tapes that had started to feel unfamiliar come back more easily than I would like them to, creating cobwebs in my brain. I am tangled, trying to fight through to the positivity that seems to be winning over these days. With another curse under my breath, I gather up every ounce of strength and grip on to the small slippery ledge I have available to me. I heave my leg up and it catches. Oh my God! I did it! I am up to the top in a few short motions. I bounce off the side of the mountain as I work my way down. I think to myself, with a bit of self- satisfaction, It's about time I left the web weaving to the experts...
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
The North
Since my last entry, I've explored Chiang Mai where I went to a cooking class, learned how to make curry paste, pad thai, tum yum goong, and most importantly mango with sticky rice (get excited friends!)
I went to a jazz club with a friend of a friend the next night, listened to some incredible music and was surrounded by people who filled the room with the most contagious positive energy. I smiled so much my face hurt by the end of the night.
I then moved on to Pai for a couple of days-- definitely NOT enough time in case you were wondering-- and met a couple of people with whom I shared some great conversation(a rarity in travel companions.) We spent our days riding through Northern Thailand on motorbikes, watching the countryside pass by as we rode our way up to the Coffin Caves in Supong. Up until that point, I had never seen scenery so beautiful... Hugging the curves of mountain after mountain, we prayed for large rickety trucks filled with people to avoid hitting us as they flew past. I went solo to the waterfalls, trying to beat the setting of the sun. I watched it sink behind the huge fluffy clouds that looked almost cartoonish while people on the side of the road called out offering opium. You know, just in case I was interested... (for the record, I was not.) When I finally reached the waterfalls though, the fear of being stuck on a motorbike I wasn't super familiar with riding, particularly on a dirt road in the dark, dissapated. I jumped in the waterfall and swam around, the water cold, but envigorating.
I was sad to leave Pai, but Chiang Mai beckoned with the prospects of meeting my friend and finally staying in a hotel that didn't have blood stains and gecko poo on the bed. Who knew that my standards had dropped so significantly?? Toilet paper AND soap?? SIGN ME UP! We spent our time wandering around the city, exploring temples,
pushing our way through crowds and trying out random but delicious street foods. Taking chances with some interesting chip flavors (teriakyi chicken and sweet basil anyone?) and Archa, the PBR of Thai beers, we escaped the frequent downpours and watched some questionable (at best) Thai TV.
Saying our goodbyes at the end of the weekend as I moved on to Ko Phi Phi and he to Laos felt bittersweet as it often does with many of the people I have met along the way, but I suppose that is a post for another time. This has already gotten pretty long and my Internet time is running up. Until next time...
I went to a jazz club with a friend of a friend the next night, listened to some incredible music and was surrounded by people who filled the room with the most contagious positive energy. I smiled so much my face hurt by the end of the night.
I then moved on to Pai for a couple of days-- definitely NOT enough time in case you were wondering-- and met a couple of people with whom I shared some great conversation(a rarity in travel companions.) We spent our days riding through Northern Thailand on motorbikes, watching the countryside pass by as we rode our way up to the Coffin Caves in Supong. Up until that point, I had never seen scenery so beautiful... Hugging the curves of mountain after mountain, we prayed for large rickety trucks filled with people to avoid hitting us as they flew past. I went solo to the waterfalls, trying to beat the setting of the sun. I watched it sink behind the huge fluffy clouds that looked almost cartoonish while people on the side of the road called out offering opium. You know, just in case I was interested... (for the record, I was not.) When I finally reached the waterfalls though, the fear of being stuck on a motorbike I wasn't super familiar with riding, particularly on a dirt road in the dark, dissapated. I jumped in the waterfall and swam around, the water cold, but envigorating.
I was sad to leave Pai, but Chiang Mai beckoned with the prospects of meeting my friend and finally staying in a hotel that didn't have blood stains and gecko poo on the bed. Who knew that my standards had dropped so significantly?? Toilet paper AND soap?? SIGN ME UP! We spent our time wandering around the city, exploring temples,
pushing our way through crowds and trying out random but delicious street foods. Taking chances with some interesting chip flavors (teriakyi chicken and sweet basil anyone?) and Archa, the PBR of Thai beers, we escaped the frequent downpours and watched some questionable (at best) Thai TV.
Saying our goodbyes at the end of the weekend as I moved on to Ko Phi Phi and he to Laos felt bittersweet as it often does with many of the people I have met along the way, but I suppose that is a post for another time. This has already gotten pretty long and my Internet time is running up. Until next time...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
