A New Way to Travel

Entry #20. November 30, 2013, 8:25 am. Living room, Parents’ House, Naples, FL, USA. The integrity (or traces of) of my blog wouldn’t be preserved if I didn’t insert a post about my most recent and final trip through SE Asia. Other superlatives for this trip include the most expensive, longest, least people traveled with (=0), and BEST. For my last ‘hoorah’ in Asia and after I officially quit my job at my English school, I spent 10 days in Thailand and then 10 days in Myanmar (formally known as Burma, if that helps... or if you’re like my mother or sister, just go with it).  I traveled alone, for which at first I was a bit worried, but it turned out to be an incredibly enriching experience. Although I believe “life-changing” is a phrase that is terribly overused and underappreciated, this is the trip that is most worthy of the tag.

I knew it would be criminal to leave SE Asia without exploring Thailand. So I did. But beforehand, I felt that the country was overplayed, too modernized, and had lost its allure. But these are dangerous assumptions and should never be taken seriously. Even if it wasn’t my favorite country, I’m still glad I saw some of it and I can’t say I didn’t have a great time or didn’t see some beautiful places.

I first flew to Bangkok (for $45 oh yeah) and spent 2 days in a quaint guesthouse on the river. Many people blatantly hate Bangkok and I was going in without any serious expectations. But, I loved it. I did a few touristy things, but mostly I just wandered, took the ferry to random stops, ate at the busiest restaurants, and did a lot of day-drinking. I spent a night on the famous Khaosan Road (where the partiers go to take part in all forms of obnoxious debaucheries) and although it represents many of the things I despise about travelers, it gave me a great comparison to Vietnam. Basically, it confirmed my suspicions that Thailand is 10 years ahead of Vietnam, concerning rules, development, and breeds of tourists. Then, after a surprisingly pleasant time in Bangkok, I flew down to Nakhon Si Thammarat, a small town in southern Thailand, to visit my only remaining friend from my original Language Corps group (the program I enrolled in to gain my teaching certificate). She lasted as long as I did in Asia and loves her town equally. It was really cool to visit her and witness the parallels of her “English teacher” life. We both found an amazing group of friends, loved our jobs, and most importantly, developed into worldly citizens.  I also got to see what my life would have been like if I had chosen to go to Thailand instead of Vietnam… and although she had a perfect set-up, for her, I’m very glad I picked Vietnam (but I’m biased, of course). After that visit, I logged in my beach time by traveling to Koh Phi Phi, most famously known as an idyllic Thai island and where they filmed “The Beach” with Leonardo DiCaprio. (Actually, I missed the last ferry to the island by about 10 minutes so I spent one night in the transit city of Krabi, Thailand.) Koh Phi Phi is your imagined version of paradise come to real life, but it’s certainly been used and abused by the party backpackers (them again).  For example, one side of the island houses an ideal beach surrounded by whimsical mountains that frame a perfectly oval harbor. BUT, it’s been turned into the “party beach” and the water is no longer clear and has floating beer cans, the sand is no longer white and is filled with cigarette buds, and the surroundings are no longer silent and are polluted with blasted techno music.  Such a shame.  This seems to be an unfortunate, recurring trend throughout the world, as travel becomes much easier.  Tourists flock to the most beautiful places in the world, and consequently, these places turn into exotic playgrounds for people to do whatever they want.  However, once I got over that, I found some untouched spots to enjoy happy hour, just a short hike through the jungle or up a hill. And I went scuba diving with over 30 Black Tip Reef Sharks, which was an all-time highlight.  Although the young Western ‘gap-year’ backpack travelers may have ruined the place in my opinion, I got what I wanted from the island: a tan, a belly full of seafood and beer, ideal diving, and spectacular sunsets.

The next destination was the one where I enjoyed every second and that permanently enhanced my outlook on the world and its people. It’s been a lifelong dream of mine to visit Myanmar.  Even before I moved to Asia it was at the top of my list (along with Indonesia, which is ironically my second-favorite place I’ve been (not including Vietnam)). I wanted to go because from what I’ve read and watched on TV, it’s an untainted, raw country that has a fantastically complicated history, both recent and archaic. Plus, it’s an ancient Buddhist Mecca (are those cross-religion metaphors allowed? Hey, what the Hell) and it hosts some of the most beautiful pagodas and stupas in the world. Please Google Image search “Bagan, Myanmar” and your jaw will drop. Leaving Asia, I think that Vietnam may have captured my heart, but it was Myanmar to hold onto my soul. (This is so cheesy and accurate at the same time, so please allow it.)

This country is still horribly corrupt and has a laundry list of problems; it only opened up to the rest of the world about two years ago. They just got ATMs this past year, and hotels are now allowed to utilize internet bookings, for example. You may have heard of Aung San Suu Kyi (or would recognize a picture of her), who is a famous opposition leader and champion of human rights. In 1989 she became the icon for democracy in a country that was closed off and brutally dictated by the military. However, in a place run by a fanatical, paranoid junta, she never had a fair chance and spent 15 years under house arrest, only to be released in 2010.  She is the Nelson Mandela and Mother Theresa of SE Asia, and after reading a biography of her by Peter Popham, she’s become a personal hero of mine. In fact, I have a new answer for that same job/school interview question. She is still fighting to change the ubiquitous corruption in the country and at nearly 70 years old, she aims to be president. What a lady.

I could write an entire book on my experiences in Myanmar, as I deem it to be a “cultural explosion”. But for the sake of brevity, I’ve compiled a list of the things I accomplished on this trip:

In Myanmar, I

-smoked a cigar with an 80 year old lady

-ate dinner with a large family in their bamboo hut with no electricity or running water

-danced on an ancient temple under the stars

-drank beer with 10 old men in a small restaurant

-was invited to Hamburg by two awesome German tourists

-was walking down the street in two different cities when groups of locals I previously met shouted my name, to come join them

-bought dinner for a small, young vendor-boy

-had tea with a family during a sunrise

-drank beer with a random taxi driver and almost missed my bus

-gave an English lesson to a group of waiters

-allowed three separate women to apply the local, natural sun tan lotion all of my face

-was given a small, clay cup by my very poor boat driver

-was invited to eat lunch in a monastery and watch a concert

-witnessed the “procession of donating rice” by local villagers to their community's monks

-was hit by a firework during a massive festival that included a firework competition (it hurt)

-played volleyball with 15 Burmese men on a makeshift volleyball court

-fell in love with my Burmese tour guide in Kalaw, and saw her twice in a different city—fate?

-got drunk by noon because I thought I was going to a tea house, which turned out to be a whiskey and rum house
-was told the country needed people like me
-learned more about traveling in 10 days than I have in 10 years

None of these things involve the beauty or serenity of the places I saw, but rather revolve around the people I met. I was able to have many of these sensational experiences because I was traveling alone and therefore forced to talk to new people, but more so because I’ve learned to travel in a way that enriches myself as well as the people around me. Traveling does not need to be and should not be a selfish act.  If I decide to write a book, this will be its theme. By integrating yourself into the culture around you, the experience becomes one of human interaction. From unique and illuminating human interaction, rare and meaningful emotions are evoked that trigger your senses and last in your memory.  It really isn't the magnificent sunset or serene mountain or crystal beach that you will remember, but it's the friendly, interesting people that you meet who make the lasting impression. This is what happened in Myanmar, and this is what I hope will happen on every future trip I take.  Perhaps it’s easier said than done, but I’ve learned to travel not to the place, but rather to travel to the people.

Bangkok, Thailand

Koh Phi Phi, Thailand

Yangon, Myanmar (Yes that is me wearing the traditional "longyi" in the foreground)

Bagan, Myanmar

Mandalay, Myanmar

Kalaw, Myanmar

Inle Lake, Myanmar

One funny story: In another post I mentioned how important and beneficial it is to know some of the local language when traveling.  But don't expect this to come easily or without tribulation.  For example, in Burmese, "la day" means beautiful or handsome (for people and sights) and "con day" means beautiful or delicious (for food).  However, I mixed these two up constantly, which is why I received strange looks when I called my lunch "handsome" and a Burmese baby "delicious".