A Year Without Ice Cubes

Good Bye World...

sylvia_aiko — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 13:11:00 GMT

Fly to Hawaii in the morning. Quick goodbye to the rest of the world. Borneo was fantastic. Sad to leave. Will write more/post photos and videos when I'm settled on the islands. Until then...

Borneo

sylvia_aiko — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 07:21:00 GMT

"If you've spent years dreaming of Borneo, of longboat trips down murky rivers, of jungle trails green in tooth and claw, of smoky longhouses and drunken dances, of strange creatures and hidden caverns, of blowpipes and head hunters, rest easy. You've just found what you're looking. Sarawak is 'classic' Borneo par excellence, and few other places will reward a little adventurous spirit so grandly."

AH, Lonely Planet. How did you know I've spent years dreaming of Borneo, why do you use such lofty language, and why are you always saying 'par excellence' ? Today a self-described skinny Asian man told us the popular guidebooks should be called "Lying Planet." Okay, I haven’t spent years dreaming of Borneo, until I got here I think I only associated it with the orangutans (which we saw, btw, and they were awesome…although also really touristy). One of the only reasons we even came to Malaysia was because we saw a commercial in Nepal produced by the Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board, and it looked cool. So we booked a flight and bought a Lonely Planet guide. Then when I was too overwhelmed by Kuala Lumpur, we booked a flight to Malaysian Borneo, because it sounded more exotic and less developed than its peninsular counterpart. So here we are in Sarawak, paying $9 a night each for a bed in a 12-person dorm (it may sound cheap, but we’re used to paying $2 a night each for a double room with attached bath in Nepal), using the free wireless, and dodging high-speed traffic whenever we venture out of our hostel. We did just come back from 4 days in Bako National Park where we experienced ‘jungle trails green in tooth and claw’, and we saw a lot of wildlife, but the park was basically overrun by tourists during the day. Which is fine, it’s great that tourism is doing so well here, but I’m still adjusting. I don’t even know where I’m going with this blog entry, I guess I’m just complaining, and I should stop… all I know is I’ve spent way too much money in the past 2 weeks, eaten way to much food and junk food (Malaysia is the first country since the US where we’ve observed rampant obesity), and complained way too much about such things as spending money and the excesses of modernity. SO, I’m hoping this little blog entry will get it all out of my system and I can just enjoy my last weeks abroad before returning to the US and really having to deal with spending too much money and being overwhelmed by consumerism. In fact, maybe I should view Malaysia as a kind of transition back home…okay, will do.

I think I feel better know. Not that I didn’t feel good before, I think I just felt like making fun of Lonely Planet in solidarity with the skinny Asian man and then started blabbing. We are making one last attempt at escape from overdevelopment and have booked a flight to the Kelabit Highlands in Borneo, where the rest of the dreams Lonely Planet projected onto me should come to fruition. I hope to hang out with tribal people in their longhouses, drink their rice wine and dance drunkenly with them, and avoid at all costs McDonalds, KFC, and Pizzahut (coming in the near future: a video montage of Michelle singing a childhood song about these fast food joints in front of various fast food joints around Malaysia...hey, if we weren’t laughing, we’d be crying…). The Kelabit Highlands has no banks or ATMs, and supposedly it’s possible to hire a guide (granted, an expensive guide) and disappear into the jungle for a few days, staying at various longhouses. So that’s the plan. Wish me luck in the wilderness again…

Back from the Jungle...

sylvia_aiko — Sun, 9 Aug 2009 09:49:00 GMT

and into the concrete jungle of Kuala Lumpur. Which I've grown accustomed to and don't freak out at anymore. I've grown so much in the jungle...

Taman Negara was cool, we basically trekked through the jungle for 4 days, each day getting dirtier and sweatier than the previous, or so it seemed. My first impressions of the national park was that it was like an outdoorsy amusement park, with lots of people, long lines for the canopy walkway, and even park attendants. But that was just the first day, after that we left the crowds and went further into the wilderness, spent a night in a bumbun (dorm/cabin shelter in the middle of the jungle that accomodates 12, but there were 14 of us...Jonathan from France slept on the ground, and a Dutch family's guide slept outside...good on 'em), hiked 5 hours back to the park headquarters the next day with minimal food and water because we thought we'd be able to get a boat back, but noooooo...got eaten by leaches, tripped over roots, climbed over fallen trees, waded through rivers, and had a great time.

Our last day in Taman Negara we hiked to a bat cave, which Michelle spelunked through while I just hung out with the hundreds of bats flying all around my head. My favorite part of the trip...Malaysia redeemed itself thanks to its hyper little bats...guess it doesn't take much for me...

Tomorrow we fly to Malaysian Borneo, not sure what we'll do there for 3 weeks but probably more of the same, tramping through the jungle. And alas, I bought my final plane ticket for this crazy trip of ours, flying to Hawaii on September 1st. Back to the good US of A...well, island style anyway...

Malaysia is truly...modern...

sylvia_aiko — Mon, 3 Aug 2009 13:38:00 GMT

...and I'm having a hard time adjusting. Been in Kuala Lumpur for a few days, been completely overwhelmed with the modernity and consumerism and traffic, it feels like an Asian NYC. I actually wrote a really whiney, stream of conciousness blog entry while using wireless at Starbucks the other day, about how I can't deal with using wireless at Starbucks at this point in my life, but (probably fortunately) it didn't get saved for some reason. So I've calmed down a bit and now I'm in a slightly better place emotionally...yesterday we took a bus to Kuala Selangor to see the famous synchronized fireflies of peninsular Malaysia, and we stayed in an A-frame in a nature park and got to go out on a rowboat at night and it was really really nice to get away from the big city; but it was still really touristy and not quite how I had romanticized it to be after first hearing about said fireflies on Radiolab (take a listen here and have your mind blown because Radiolab is the best!!! http://www.wnyc.org/shows/radiolab/episodes/2005/02/18 ). Then it was back to KL, which at one point during our conjested bus ride into the city Michelle realized, "It's like Rockville Pike on steroids."

But we're planning our next escape, this time to Taman Negara about 4 hours away, the self-proclaimed oldest rainforest in the world, and according to the author of the book I'm reading now, "As long as there is wilderness, there is hope." Let's hope so...

All for now, I'll write more when we get back from the jungle in a few days, then it's off to Borneo for more wilderness.

And another...

sylvia_aiko — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 06:27:00 GMT

My camera was lost/stolen while we were trekking in the Annapurnas, so I had to buy a new one...which has a video TIMELAPSE option! COOOOOOOOOL!!! Mountain flight with Buddha Air over the Everest/Himalayas, and trekking around the Kathmandu valley.

Another video

sylvia_aiko — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 06:19:00 GMT

This is what happens in Nepal and India: tourists are constantly accosted by holy men (or sometimes fake holy men in real holy men costumes.) Who then proceed to face paint you and ask for money. Ah, the way to spiritual enlightenment...

Hmm...maybe India WAS incredible...

sylvia_aiko — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 06:02:00 GMT

Old school vid. Mostly featuring Michelle and Becs and their adventures in India.

Trekking in the Annapurnas

sylvia_aiko — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 05:59:00 GMT

And another vlog we made a long time ago, about our trekking adventures.

Raj's Villages

sylvia_aiko — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 05:56:00 GMT

Video we made a long, long time ago after visiting our friend Raj's villages outside Kathmandu. ENJOY

I'm baaaack

sylvia_aiko — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 05:33:00 GMT

It's been a long long time, but finally videos have been uploaded, we are leaving Nepal, and I'm back on this here blog. I think I've had writers block or something, plus we've been visiting villages and trekking where internet is not an option, but in anycase, there are a couple 'vlogs' up now to give you all an idea of what we've been up to.

Next (and probably final) stop: Malaysia. Kind of impulsive decision, China didn't work out so we bought a flight ticket for Kuala Lumpur. Not sure what to expect...we shall see...

Ah, but I will miss Nepal...

Kathmandu and internet woes

sylvia_aiko — Mon, 1 Jun 2009 17:30:00 GMT

We've been having an amazing time in Kathmandu, visited our friend's family's villages, visited some amazing temples and monasteries, and just over all have really been enjoying ourselves and meeting really great people. We've stayed a bit longer than we planned, and actually bought a bus ticket for this morning to go to Pokhara to start trekking, but we had to delay one more day because there is a nation-wide strike and no transportation. But supposedly we're all set to go tomorrow, so tonight I went on the interweb with the intention of uploading videos and photos (and a pseudo-vlog), but the Silver Home Hotel is clever and I can't connect my laptop to the ethernet cable nor plug in my usb flashdrive. SO, the super awesome photos and videos will have to wait. I'm leaving my laptop in storage in Kathmandu but bringing the flashdrive to Pokhara, so if I find fast internet I'll try again there, if not it will just have to wait a few weeks...

Okay, this was pretty much the most fascinating, culturally-insightful blog entry I've ever written, no?

In lovely Nepal...

sylvia_aiko — Mon, 25 May 2009 14:33:00 GMT

Lovely Kathmandu, Nepal. Sorry I never wrote a final 'Goodbye, India...for now' entry, but Delhi belly hit again, this time actually in Delhi, and I pretty much spent the last 2 days lying on a bed in a hotel room. No vomiting this time, though, so I guess my immune system is worth something. This morning Becs flew back to Kenya where her tour company is partly based out of, and Michelle and I flew to Nepal (I know, I know, we were supposed to take a bus over the border through the Himalayas because it would be the most amazing bus ride ever at the top of the world, but hey, we can still take a bus back into India, right?)
We've only been in Nepal for a few hours, but already Michelle and I are all smiles and saying, "I LOVE it here!" Which is funny, because it's grey and drizzly outside, but I think the most important thing is, it's not BAKING like India was...it's a very pleasant, cool temperature outside, and Idon't feel like dying as soon as I step out the door. Also, people have been sooo nice and we haven't felt like anyone's trying to rip us off or harrass us...which, sorry to say, but happened all the time in India. But time will tell... in any case, it's nice to get away from the heat and the touts, even if just for the day. I really loved my time in Kerala at the cultural center, but when you're on the tourist route in the touristy cities, and being female tourists at that, it can get pretty trying...and then top it all off with Delhi belly!

We're planning on hanging out in Kathmandu for a few days, meet up with our Nepali friend Raj who we met in Goa while he was working at a restaurant there, and hopefully arranging a trekking trip. Not the best season for it, but less tourists atleast!

All for now, until next time...

Video and Photos

sylvia_aiko — Thu, 21 May 2009 07:14:00 GMT

Video here, photos over there...

Varanasty and Agra

sylvia_aiko — Mon, 18 May 2009 10:04:00 GMT

Oops, I mean Varanasi and Agra. Haha, just a little running joke, due to the uncleanliness of India's holiest city. Despite the dirtiness, Varanasi was really really cool, we stayed in Old Town at a guesthouse hidden within the maze-like alleys, with a rooftop restaurant overlooking the Ganges next to one of the two burning ghats (where cremations take place). Cows, piles of cow poo, dogs, bikes, motorbikes, Hindu pilgrims, kids playing cricket, and lots and lots of other people share the tiny alleys, where taxis and autorickshaws can't fit... we had to walk 1 kilometer from the main road to get to the guesthouse, which was none too easy for Becs and her rolley suitcase, particularly due to the cow poop. I was exhausted and slept through the sunrise over the Ganges, but we did a sunset boat ride, saw the remains of a dead body on the opposite shore (6 categories of people are tied to a slab of rock and dropped into the river, rather than being cremated: sadhus (holy men), pregnant women, children, lepers, people with smallpox...and one other I can't remember...) watched a couple cremations (couldn't see the bodies, just the fire), realized I'm not really comfortable with death (everything I saw bobbing in the river I was afraid would be a dead body...), but in Varanasi it's just a part of life.

Then to Agra, and let me just say, the Taj Mahal is amazing. This time I didn't sleep through the sunrise, we got to the booking office at 5:15 am, I tried to pretend I was Indian so I could pay 20 rupees instead of 750, but alas, I'm just too white. Or Japanese. We were the first to enter for the day, so we got some amazing photos without the throngs of tourists. It really is an incredible building, almost surreal, I've seen so many pictures of it in books and on TV, and then to be standing right in front of it with the sun rising...very cool. Now it's off to Jaipur for a few days before our final destination (for this part of the trip) in Delhi.

So yea, North India is pretty cool...except for the temperature, which is ridiculously hot.

INDIA PHOTOS!

sylvia_aiko — Sun, 10 May 2009 15:19:00 GMT

In honor of Mother's Day I've decided to get off my lazy butt and put some photos of India up. So please enjoy in the photo gallery "Assorted India". Sorry for my long absence, it seems that whenever I'm stationary I just don't update the blog. But never fear, I will be leaving the Vijnanakalavedi Center on Tuesday evening, taking an overnight train to Chennai, checking out the city for a day, and then flying up to Varanasi to meet up with Michelle and Becs for our North India part of the tour. We only have until the 25th before Michelle and I fly to Nepal, but as of now the two of us are planning on coming back to North India after trekking in Nepal for about 3 weeks, since we have a multiple entry visa and all. So we'll probably be back for most of July, too. In any case, I'm sure that as soon as I leave the center I'll be updating much more often, I'm planning on making a little video of my time here singing and tabla-ing (when am I not planning on making a little video of something? haha). Enjoy the photos, and HAPPY HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!!!!!!

Vijnanakalavedi Cultural Center

sylvia_aiko — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 04:59:00 GMT

I’M STUDYING KARNATIC VOCAL MUSIC WITH RAVI SIR! And tabla with some other Indian guy. But I’m pretty bad at tabla (granted, I’ve only had 2 lessons). But let’s talk about singing karnatically… So yea, there ended up being space for me and only me at the Vijnanakalavedi Cultural Center,so while I’m hanging out with artsy hippy types from around the world and eating delicious vegetarian food off of banana leaves with my hands and studying non-western musical traditions and rocking out with my sa-ri-ga-ma-pa-da-ni-sa singing scale, Michelle and Becs are taking crowded hot trains up to the north of the country, where it’s very crowded and hot (In case I never mentioned it, Becs was our tour leader in Africa when we were on the huge overland camping truck, and now she’s traveling with us for our 2 months in India. Well, traveling with Michelle, anyway.) I’m feeling pretty good right about now. I signed up for a week at the center, and this morning extended my stay to a month so I could get more out of Ravi Sir and the other Indian tabla guy and the yoga classes 3 days a week and the Kalari martial arts classes every evening. Man, I love it here. Maybe a little too much. But hey, it’s my year to do whatever I want, and I want to take a break from staying in a different hotel every few nights and instead concentrate on concentrating my mind in the ancient ways of India. With a bunch of artsy hippy types from around the world. Hey, everyone should do it once in their life, right?

Rather than give a long explanation about the Vijnanakalavedi Cultural Center, I will simply put the link to their website and those who are so inclined can peruse at their own pace. www.vijnanakalavedi.org It’s a pretty grand place. Thanks to Elizabeth Burguieres for the tip. Okay, gotta go practice my DHA DHADHA THI TU rhythm, more later…

Still kickin' in India

sylvia_aiko — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 18:05:00 GMT

Okay, I've finally emerged from my room to the big big world of India. Thanks for all the support and well wishes, I'm almost 100% better, back to eating delicious Indian food (probably a bad idea, but I just can't help myself), and doing tourist stuff again. We're in Kochin now, a coastal city in the southern state of Kerala, and it's not quite as unbearably hot down here as it was up in Mumbai. Been to some concerts, rented some bikes, traveled on some house boats and canoes on the backwaters, and made some friends, mostly Kashmiris trying to sell us gorgeous wall hangings at their awesome shops. Our plan is to start heading back up north along the west coast soon, but first we're trying to see if there is any availability at a cultural center/school in Kerala for us to take some classes in "Traditional Indian Art", aka music, cooking, and of course yoga. I really want to study Karnatic vocal music, because, you know, I sing and stuff. That's really it for now, feeling better, eating good food, and don't worry Uncle Larry, being sick has not ruined India for me. Man, I just love the head bobble, I can't get enough! No amount of diarrhea could ever take that away!

It finally happened...

sylvia_aiko — Mon, 6 Apr 2009 07:20:00 GMT

...I got sick. Delhi belly. Food poisoning. Traveler's diarrhea. Call it what you will, all I know is, it sucks. It especially sucked when it started during our overnight 10 hour train ride from Mumbai south to Goa. What a delightful experience, trying to use a squatter toilet on a fast-moving train in the middle of the night. Ah, India. Hopefully I'm almost over it, it's only supposed to last about 36 hours, right? Well, this is day 3, the vomiting was only on the first day (neon yellow, cool, huh?), but I still can't venture too far away from my bathroom. Luckily we're at the beach and have no itinerary so I've just been lying in my private beach hut ($6/night, not too shabby!) during the day with the fan on full blast, taking many many cold showers and occasionally venturing out for some food (prepared as bland as they can make it) from the restaurant next door. I've still managed to meet some nice friendly people, though, mostly drunk or stoned British men but also the occasional friendly Canadian and overly friendly Nepalese waiter. Maybe it's for the best, though, if you're gonna get sick, might as well do it at the party beach. It's keeping me away from the alcohol, anyway...

It was bound to happen. I couldn't push my luck any further, traveling for 6.5 months and never getting sick was just too good to be true. Sigh. Think I'm gonna run to the bathroom now.

In Ethiopia I...

sylvia_aiko — Fri, 3 Apr 2009 08:49:00 GMT

Remember those plastic dinner plates we made in 2nd grade? "In 2nd grade I... worked with antonyms and synonyms!"

Come visit beautiful Uganda!

sylvia_aiko — Fri, 3 Apr 2009 08:22:00 GMT

It's kind of like an ad from the Office of Tourism, huh?