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Culture Shock and Frog Shows
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Oct 6,2008… Backtrack to the first day of my trip….Day One of my Adventure Extraordinaire! Visiting the country of Thailand a second time changes the perspective somewhat. I am more easily adapting to their style this time. I’m not stressed sitting in smoggy traffic and I no longer pee on my feet in the squat toilets. I’m not shy to fold my hands in front of my forehead, bow deeply with a sawadee-ka or kawpkoon-ka. (hello and thank you) I am slowly being reminded the intricate details of travel and how very different it is from vacationing. I have been here now for 3 sleeps, into my fourth day and its coming back to me in snippets and flashes. Keep Reading…
Bhutan Photos
The beautiful indigenous country of Bhutan is tucked high up in the Himalayas. There is no independent travel there, so this Buddhist country is virtually untouched by tourism.
Confused Drive in Morocco
I met my friend Simo in a market in Casablanca. He approached me very graciously and asked if he and his friend could walk with me to learn about my country and practice English. I agreed and a beautiful friendship was born. He invited me to stay with his family, and I quickly adopted them all. This beautiful family opened up their home to me for over a week. They taught me to cook Moroccan foods, taught me the art of henna, trips to the markets, trips to the sea. In this video, Simo asks me some questions that I’m clearly not getting. We’re on our way to the beach at Mohammadean when this confused exchange goes on.
Cobra Over-Reaction in Thailand
When I was in Bangkok, I was looking for a daytrip to the incredible Floating Markets. Being the beginning of my trip, I was easily suckered. I believed the drivers when they said “No, markets closed” (oldest trick in the book) But they had a better deal for me that included a snake farm. I’m really not a fan of zoos, even the environmentally-simulated, 10,000 ft2 roaming cages found in the west. Not thinking clearly with jet lag and innocence, I went along. The snake show was good, cobras and pythons and whatever else would impress a westerner. I was quietly keeping to myself when the handler started swinging the King Cobra into the crowd. I was glad I was alone and didn’t embarrass anyone close with my over reaction.
High Priestess
The costume was a playful day in a Thai mall where I donned the dress and headdress and posed with props. Same as we can do the “Wild West” in our malls, they do Asian Royalty. Not the tourist malls that have Chanel and Dior…the local malls where you buy meat on a stick. A beautiful transvestite did my make up. Nobody knows how to wield a mascara wand like a Thai lady boy!
