|
|
E-mails that I sent to friends and family throughout the year-long trip.
Intro
Starting a new adventure always carries with it a certain amount of fear of the unknown. At the same time, that unknown is why you choose the adventure. On Jan 16th, I’m setting off with a little of that fear in tow, as I pursue a yearlong journey around the world.
Fiji and New Zealand:
"We learn a great deal by new experiences"- printed on a Sushi food cart in Nelson, New Zealand.
New experiences are what travelling is all about. Trying to embrace a country's culture is becoming harder than ever because of the saturation of American popular culture. In the past month, I've been able to sample a small flavor of Fiji and New Zealand ranging from the throat numbing Fiji root drink Kava to New Zealand McDonalds' Kiwi Burger (a quarter pounder cheesburger with beets and eggs).
Australia:
Dear Mom & Dad,
I know I haven't written in a while, so I'm sure the speculation of my travel in Australia has been greatly exaggerated. Right from the start I would like to diminish some of your worries.
1. The next time you see me, the bleached blond hair will have grown out.
2. The sun exposure to my baby-skin buttocks was very brief during Australia's Annual Nudist Festival.
3. The wild dingoes rumored to steal babies were only successful in running off with a sleeping bag.
4. No one, male or female, hit on me during the Annual Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade. Even if a girl did hit on me, it was common practice on that day to squint your eyes with concentration while looking for an Adam's apple.
Bali, Indonesia:
There I was, stuck in a traffic jam miles from the largest temple in Bali. Half of the bus wanted to turn around and leave, the other half wanted to wait out the traffic jam. Our guide said we had two hours before we left, so if we wanted to hike up the road, maybe we could get a glimpse of the temple. C'ya! I was out the door, joining in the trek to the Temple Besakih.
Java, Indonesia and Singapore:
SIN-Each Airport destination in the world has a three-letter abbreviation for its location. LAX LEX ATL. It's funny that SIN is the abbreviation for Singapore, a country prided in the fact that its citizens are the most law abiding in the world. This is impressive considering that the rigorously enforced laws range from no spitting, no feeding birds, no jaywalking, and the imposing hefty fine for not flushing. (That simply has to be the worst police patrol of all.)
Malaysia:
In certain places there are always certain expectations. So there I stood at the base of the world's tallest building in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, with the expectation of taking a ride to the sky- 88 floors above the ground. However, security in a few broken-English words explained that the building was not open to the public. How could this be?
Thailand I:
Within 48 hours of entering Thailand, I was staring at the ceiling while a lady had me in a backbreaking position, lifting me off the ground. If she had a little more strength, I would have been screaming for mercy. Instead, I was trying to come to terms with the fact that I was paying her to do this to me and more importantly, that this was supposed to be relaxing. Well, this was relaxing compared to the two instances in Indonesia that left me hobbling off in pain. Just an hour earlier I thought I had found the paradise I was searching for, as I lay back watching MTV while receiving a very long foot massage. Of course, that was until the "Thailand Terror" decided she wanted to do a little WWF on my body. It was amazing to see the giddiness come over her as different bones of my body made loud popping sounds.
Thailand II and Laos:
Hopelessly lost in another big city, a friendly Buddhist monk offered to lead me to my evening entertainment. Since arriving in Thailand, I've been mesmerized by the large population of monks. Shaven heads and robed in earth-toned sheets, these keepers of the temples intrigued me even in their everyday activities.
Europe I:
Editor's note: Jonathan has been consumed transforming himself into a European for the past 4 months which in certain countries required siestas in the middle of the day and in other countries, required months off of work during August and September. The past four months have been a busy time for Jonathan, requiring endless hours of becoming cultured in the areas of art history, architecture, and shmoozing in 11 languages. Please forgive his tardiness.
|
|
