Waking up early for breakfast my friend Maud and I waited for our friend Pinoit, the tattoo artist to meet us for breakfast. He was running late so we decided to just walk over to his shop. Of course we missed each other so breakfast happened an hour later than we thought but it was none the less great. We had spent the night with Pinoit and his friend Julian from Montreal the night before and learned a lot about what they were doing in Thailand and about their religious and moral values. We learned about their tattoos and the meanings of them and a lot of the symbolism and ceremony that goes into getting some of them. Some wild stuff involving samurai swords and chanting and being bulletproof and just wild stuff that they truly believe in. Anyway we talked a lot about the benefits of being a vegetarian too and so that next day Maud and I decided to eat entirely vegetarian. Travis would be proud. Basically those two guys believed that vegetable eating was extremely good luck and pleasing to buddah and that is why they did it. They said I didn’t have to give up meat everyday but I should try and give it up on the day of the week was born. (Sunday) intresting thought. Ill let you know how it goes next week.
Anyway for breakfast we had rice and vegetables and tofu. (kind of like every other meal time but regardless) Maud and I decided that we would rent motorbikes that day and go explore as much as we can. She had never ridden one so she was pretty excited but also nervous. That morning I also said goodbye to Lindsey, my bikeing partner and rafting guide. She was running out of baht and wanted to get to laos even though she wasn’t too sure what she would do once she crossed the border. I was extremely extremely tempted to go with her but I again I wasn’t ready o leave the country yet. Little things like having my batteries charged, laundry cleaned and blogs updated trumped the fact that it would have been nice to have a partner on unplanned adventure to a foreign country. When I finally made my decision I thought back to the fact that my friend sent me a message earlier that day asking me where I was and that she was glad I didn’t have a home base because I could end up anywhere in the world the next day. Proof! Anyway, back to the bike adventure.
After some annoying bargaining with my hostel, (if you rent for an entire day, and for the hour why don’t you rent for half a day?!) we were finally off by around 1pm. Late start but we had a good morning otherwise so it was ok. Maud picked up the scooter super quick and was a pro by the end of the day. Our adventure took us out to a waterfall about 25 km away via a map that Pinoit had drew us. He had drawn the same map the day earlier but I couldn’t figure it out but for some reason today it was perfect and the settings we rode through were tremendous.
The waterfall was pretty epic and definitely the best one I have seen since I have been traveling. Maud and I took a great self timer shot (2 actually that had my camera on an incredibly secure homemade tripod of bamboo and twine, resting in sand and mud, covered with paper in case of a fall, while it rested on a slippery rock. This thing was a beautiful piece of engineering and some of you know how much I love the self timer shots. The story of them! So much better than a stranger! (which was non existent regardless) I also bought some of my first souvenirs for when I arrive home. One person I know reads this (and always has) has there name checked off, after a older woman was just too persistent and sincere for me not to help her out. I have been holding off getting any kind of trinkets or gifts because I thus have to carry them on my back for the next 4 weeks but im over that because the journey is the destination, even if that journey is in the bottom of my backpack traveling s.e. asia, the gifts get some miles on them. 
After the waterfall, which we had to get to via some crazy crazy roads ( I nearly ended up in a 10 meter ditch when I thought offroad for a few minutes would be ok..probably my closest call to danger but don’t worry I learned a lesson) , we stopped for some lunch of papaya salad at a small road side stand. A woman with a child swaddled on her back and 3 kids doing homework on the floor cooked it for us atmosphere of the place was great and we enjoyed our break. Fresh papaya salad and tomatoes served in a heaping portion was a great treat. i also rocked the macro lense when i took a picture nad i think it looks pretty yummy on the screen in front of me.
It was also really great to hang out with Maud. A 32 y/o from Amsterdam she was an avid traveler and had a great personality. She really enjoys edm (electronic dance music) and feels the love for the dubstep, especially considering how big it is where she lives. She is super positive person and has an infectious laugh that just makes you smile whenever you see her or look at her. A beautiful person, yet again part of my life by the narrowest margin, as I saw her with a backpack on the day earlier and had directed her to the Chat House hostel because of how cheap and what a great environment it was. So cool. Someone that I will certainly say goodbye to soon but that I know will be an ally for life and a great person to visit next time I am over in Europe.
Our ride back was supposed to take us to the beautiful White Temple but due to darkness and other unknown reasons the temple was closed that night. Too bad because we really wanted to see it all lit up at night with the reflective and beautiful glass pieces. Maud bought an iced cappuccino from a shop though and I will say that it was one of the best I have ever had and I thoroughly enjoyed the sip she let me share. (although she was probably a little annoyed because it was more of a few gulps than a small sip:/ )
Upon entering the city again we went straight to our favorite hangout at the tattoo shop to hang out with Pinoit and eat our vegetarian dinner he ordered us. Super cool.
He loves talking to us and sharing his philosophys and its great. Such a unique personality Pinoit is not someone I will soon, or ever forever.
After eating dinner I also had a moment of depression as my camera fell off a bicycle seat and onto the cement ground.
^the last picture it ever took. ^
(dont worry though...im getting a new one today...some things just need to be replaced asap, and I found someone who will sell me a used one relatively cheap...another couchsurfing hookup!!)
I saw it happen in slow motion and when I picked it up I could see the lens bent majorly, so that it could not close in on itself. A moment of clarity? Decision making? Regardless, I'll embrace the turn of events. I didn’t want to go on without a camera so I decided that the next day I would do my best to make it right. It would also allow me to do some laundry, catch up on all these blog posts, and spend more time with my friend Caty, who I met on couchsurfing. (from long island, reggae bar meet up) I really wanted to help her paint her new studio/artspace/thing and the moment the camera dropped that was the first thing that came to mind before I started over analyzing the fall of the nearly new Nikon. Cest La Vie. This kind of stuff can only bother you if you let it. Luckily, Im typing this from a beautiful apartment and art space studio about to take a shower, and do laundry before heading out camera hunting and painting. Funny how that works out. She graciously let me stay at her place for the night (and hopefully the next before my early wake up for laos) and we had an awesome night listening to each others ipods and trying to figure out what lil wayne song it is that she liked. She had searched for it for hours the night earlier but can only remember that it has the word world in it and that it has another guest rapper in it. Needle in a hay stack, but a fun project none the less. Unsuccessful obviously but regardless. Before we went to sleep she wooed me with tales of burning man and showed me all her friends pictures and told me all about her experiences after going for the last 5 years (it’s the only reason shes left Thailand in 3 years) I slept on a few comforters and my sleeping bag with a sheet over me and it was one of the more cool and better sleeps I have gotten since I have been traveling. Couch surfing is so rad.
No comments:
Post a Comment