My sights are set on Killington, Vermont for next week as I take my next road trip with my nephew Cody and Cousin Nick. I'll be skiing for four days up in one of my favorite corners of New England...and I here the snow is epic for so early in the season. Looking forward to carving some turns on Devil's Fiddle and The Glades! And perhaps sipping a few micro brews at the Wobbly Barn.
I'm off today and won't be thinking about work till January 5, 2008 when I return to the classroom. Much needed break!!
Merry Christmas everyone!!
Keith
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Monday, November 24, 2008
Bocas del Toro or BUST, baby!!
I decided to venture south...way south deep into Central America this spring with my intrepid cousin Nick to explore Panama City and some islands off its stunning Caribbean coast. We'll fly into Panama City where we'll spend a few nights exploring that energetic, tropical capital. From there, we'll take a one-hour puddle jumper to an archipilago called Bocas del Toro. The warm, clear waters and dense, virginal jungles are the main draw here and we'll take full advantage of both with snorkel gear and sturdy hiking boots.
Until then, there's the more immediate pleasure of a short work week with the T-Day holiday looming on Thursday. Looking forward to some good food and football and some down town this long weekend. Go Giants!!
Until then, there's the more immediate pleasure of a short work week with the T-Day holiday looming on Thursday. Looking forward to some good food and football and some down town this long weekend. Go Giants!!
Monday, August 4, 2008
August 4 - Bloomfield, NJ
Hi all:
I'm back home now in New Jersey and have just about recoverd from jet lag. What a month! My first instinct is to declare how incredibly fortunate I feel to have experienced such an adventure. From my perch here in Jersey, my trip has the feel of a great dream. Each stop had its special sounds, colors, people, tastes that it would be impossible to describe it with one broad stroke. It's funny, but this trip confirmed for me that I feel most alive when I'm on the road. Every step was a new discovery. Every turn of the corner revealed a fresh face, a mysterious smell, a captivating sight. One of my favorite travel writers, Paul Theroux, titled his adventures by train across Asia in the 70s, "The Great Railway Bizarre." My trip was also a "bizarre" of sorts--different languages, smiling faces, shouting merchants, oppressive heat, culinary delights, explosions of every conceivable color known to man, myriad religions, spirituality, and lifes struggles to survive. My South Asian "bizarre" was exhilarating, humbling, depressing.
Travel is also about meeting people and sharing stories. Here are a few of the people I encountered from Singapore, to Malaysia, through Vietnam and Cambodia.
There was Peter Nelson from outside of Perth, Australia. We traveled up the Mekong River in Vietnam into Cambodia and shared a taxi upon arrival in Phenom Pehn. His hearty laugh still echoes in my ears. He told me his children dismissed his adventurous spirit as a "mid-life crisis." He said he preferred the road less travelled. He also told me that if I got tired of his chattiness, to just tell him to shut up. A cool bloke.
The Mekong River also revealed Philippa--a fifty-something New Zealander teaching in Shangai, China. She confessed her first marriage was a "mistake" and that she had no regrets about her choice of careers. We chatted about teaching philosophies and life from our window seats on the wooden houseboat as the sun faded over the Mekong River. She urged me to consider teaching in China. I smiled, and nestled her business card in my wallet.
There were the random Vietnamese children jumping naked from the banks of the Mekong River screaming "hello!" as they met the brown water. Their shouts will forevever reverberate in my ears.
My "tuk tuk" driver in Phenom Pehn, Cambodia whisked me around to various parts of the city...accepting as payment whatever I deemed fair. He was hard working and carried his gas canister right behind his seat--a troubling fact considering his insanely risky maneuvers on the road.
Litte India in Singapore revealed a slim, middle aged wood worker in the nascent stages of designing a wooden door--meticulously chipping away at his creation with his instrument.
There was the Frantic young French woman who shared our shuttle van to the airport in Kuala Lumpur. Her repeated pleas to the driver of "Come on...Come on..." were hilarious...and seemingly ignored by the driver. No word on whether she made her plane.
With South Asia now behind me, it's time to begin plotting my next adventure. As to where I'm heading, or "Why" I'm going there...stay tuned.
Cheers,
Keith
I'm back home now in New Jersey and have just about recoverd from jet lag. What a month! My first instinct is to declare how incredibly fortunate I feel to have experienced such an adventure. From my perch here in Jersey, my trip has the feel of a great dream. Each stop had its special sounds, colors, people, tastes that it would be impossible to describe it with one broad stroke. It's funny, but this trip confirmed for me that I feel most alive when I'm on the road. Every step was a new discovery. Every turn of the corner revealed a fresh face, a mysterious smell, a captivating sight. One of my favorite travel writers, Paul Theroux, titled his adventures by train across Asia in the 70s, "The Great Railway Bizarre." My trip was also a "bizarre" of sorts--different languages, smiling faces, shouting merchants, oppressive heat, culinary delights, explosions of every conceivable color known to man, myriad religions, spirituality, and lifes struggles to survive. My South Asian "bizarre" was exhilarating, humbling, depressing.
Travel is also about meeting people and sharing stories. Here are a few of the people I encountered from Singapore, to Malaysia, through Vietnam and Cambodia.
There was Peter Nelson from outside of Perth, Australia. We traveled up the Mekong River in Vietnam into Cambodia and shared a taxi upon arrival in Phenom Pehn. His hearty laugh still echoes in my ears. He told me his children dismissed his adventurous spirit as a "mid-life crisis." He said he preferred the road less travelled. He also told me that if I got tired of his chattiness, to just tell him to shut up. A cool bloke.
The Mekong River also revealed Philippa--a fifty-something New Zealander teaching in Shangai, China. She confessed her first marriage was a "mistake" and that she had no regrets about her choice of careers. We chatted about teaching philosophies and life from our window seats on the wooden houseboat as the sun faded over the Mekong River. She urged me to consider teaching in China. I smiled, and nestled her business card in my wallet.
There were the random Vietnamese children jumping naked from the banks of the Mekong River screaming "hello!" as they met the brown water. Their shouts will forevever reverberate in my ears.
My "tuk tuk" driver in Phenom Pehn, Cambodia whisked me around to various parts of the city...accepting as payment whatever I deemed fair. He was hard working and carried his gas canister right behind his seat--a troubling fact considering his insanely risky maneuvers on the road.
Litte India in Singapore revealed a slim, middle aged wood worker in the nascent stages of designing a wooden door--meticulously chipping away at his creation with his instrument.
There was the Frantic young French woman who shared our shuttle van to the airport in Kuala Lumpur. Her repeated pleas to the driver of "Come on...Come on..." were hilarious...and seemingly ignored by the driver. No word on whether she made her plane.
With South Asia now behind me, it's time to begin plotting my next adventure. As to where I'm heading, or "Why" I'm going there...stay tuned.
Cheers,
Keith
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Day 21 Phnom Pehn, Cambodia to Ho Chi Mihn City, Vietnam
I had breakfast in Cambodia and dinner in Vietnam. Woke in Phnom Pehn and organized my stuff at my guesthouse before venturing out for a quick breakfast of an omelette at a nearby cafe. I then retrieved my backpack and boarded a direct bus to Ho Chi Mihn City, where I am now writing this entry. When I say "direct bus", I do not mean fast. The journey should have taken about 4 hours or so...but the final tally was 7 hours. At one point after we crossed the border into Vietnam, our driver simply stopped the bus and crossed the street to have a quick chat with a roadside merchant. That's really the pace of life here...
My three days in Cambodia were haunting, uplifting, depressing, exhilarating...the gamut of emotions were experienced. As I left the country this morning, I marveled at the fact that the millions of people residing in that troubled city today manage to move, exist, survive despite the magnitude of the horrors that touched them not so long ago. Almost every Cambodian, I would suppose, has a link to the horrors of Pol Pot...as I was walking the grounds of infamous prison in the capital a few days ago, I overheard a young guy, neatly dressed, in his 30s, tell a western couple that "my mother went to this place...my father went to that place..." His parents were likely victims of the madness. There are millions of other similar stories that are difficult to fathom.
I'll be spending two days here in Ho Chi Mihn city for my second "tour"...and will fly out for Malaysia on Tuesday...then on to my final city of Singapore, where I'll fly hom on Thursday. Tomorrow, I'll likely just wander the city and soak up its energy...
Miss you all...see you soon.
Keith
My three days in Cambodia were haunting, uplifting, depressing, exhilarating...the gamut of emotions were experienced. As I left the country this morning, I marveled at the fact that the millions of people residing in that troubled city today manage to move, exist, survive despite the magnitude of the horrors that touched them not so long ago. Almost every Cambodian, I would suppose, has a link to the horrors of Pol Pot...as I was walking the grounds of infamous prison in the capital a few days ago, I overheard a young guy, neatly dressed, in his 30s, tell a western couple that "my mother went to this place...my father went to that place..." His parents were likely victims of the madness. There are millions of other similar stories that are difficult to fathom.
I'll be spending two days here in Ho Chi Mihn city for my second "tour"...and will fly out for Malaysia on Tuesday...then on to my final city of Singapore, where I'll fly hom on Thursday. Tomorrow, I'll likely just wander the city and soak up its energy...
Miss you all...see you soon.
Keith
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Day 20 - Phnom Pehn, Cambodia
Sizzling mid-afternoon heat has driven indoors to an internet cafe with AC...it's 2:45 pm sat (you're all sleeping...probably...) Cambodia once again has left me with few words to describe the horror and shock of what I saw just a few miles outside Phnom Pehn this morning. About a half-hour moto ride found me in a bucolic field of a few acres just off the main road where I began wandering around the grounds of the Pol Pot's killing fields of Choeung Ek. I made my way down a dirt path and was instantly confronted by a tall, white momunent to the more than 2 million Cambodians killed by Pol Pot's regime from 1975-1979. A sign on the large white edifice urged visitors to keep silent and take off their shoes. Rising about 100 feet in the air and fronted by glass on all sides, the memorial had shelf after shelf of human skulls piled high. I mounted the steps towards these shelves in utter disbelief...they are on display for the world to see.
The interior of the monuent only allowed for about 6 visitors or so to make their way around inside. The cramped quarters meant that we all were within inches of thousands of skulls of executed Cambodians stacked in heaps all the way to the monuments top shelf. My horror was only compounded by the fact that this massacre happened during my lifetime. Pretty tough to digest. The few acres surrounding the momunent were open green fields that looked like a moonscape. Huge craters littered the grounds marking the spots were millions of Cambodians were killed and dumped in mass graves. It was a largely quiet and surreal place--the only occasional sound coming from a poor Cambodian boy or girl begging for some change.
I left the grounds and was driven by mot rickshaw back to the Central Market of Phenom Pehn where I browsed a bit and had some lunch in the teeming bazaar...
That's it for now...time to leave the comfort of the AC for a bit...
Keith
The interior of the monuent only allowed for about 6 visitors or so to make their way around inside. The cramped quarters meant that we all were within inches of thousands of skulls of executed Cambodians stacked in heaps all the way to the monuments top shelf. My horror was only compounded by the fact that this massacre happened during my lifetime. Pretty tough to digest. The few acres surrounding the momunent were open green fields that looked like a moonscape. Huge craters littered the grounds marking the spots were millions of Cambodians were killed and dumped in mass graves. It was a largely quiet and surreal place--the only occasional sound coming from a poor Cambodian boy or girl begging for some change.
I left the grounds and was driven by mot rickshaw back to the Central Market of Phenom Pehn where I browsed a bit and had some lunch in the teeming bazaar...
That's it for now...time to leave the comfort of the AC for a bit...
Keith
Friday, July 25, 2008
Day 19 - Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Hi all...just ducked in this internet caft to escape a wicked downpour...it's 4pm and I had a good day here in Cambodia's capital...I took a motor scooter...or rather a ride behind a young local driver (he would never pass a driving test in the U.S.) We darted in and out of traffic and finally arrived in 10 minutes or so from my guesthouse at Tuol Sleng Museum. This was an incredibly moving few hours for me as I toured one of the former Cambodian dictator's most notorious security prisons...Pol Pot turned these school grounds into a veritable torture chamber and detention center...classrooms were made into prison cells. I silently made my way around the grounds...becoming more and more horrified as I moved along...there were a series of rooms with the pictures of all the innocent Cambodian victims who were tortured and executed for no other reason than they were either too "educated" or didn't fit into Pol Pot's vision of the "new"Cambodia he wanted in 1975. One room even had a display of dozens or skulls behind a glass encasement...truly a horror that I will never forget...and I think that has to be the principle message behind the museum...because I've never witnessed something so graphic and disturbing...
After a few chilling few hours there, I took my moto ride again...(with consistent--and unsuccessful--sales pitches from my driver to buy fruit, check out a hotel...ect...) back to my guesthouse...
I managed to post a few pics from the trip...back to Vietnam on Sunday...then Malaysia for a day...then Singapore for a night...then back to NY...I'm dizzy...but loving it...
After a few chilling few hours there, I took my moto ride again...(with consistent--and unsuccessful--sales pitches from my driver to buy fruit, check out a hotel...ect...) back to my guesthouse...
I managed to post a few pics from the trip...back to Vietnam on Sunday...then Malaysia for a day...then Singapore for a night...then back to NY...I'm dizzy...but loving it...
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Day 18 - Phnom Pehn, Cambodia!
Hi all:
A quick note from Cambodia's captial city of Phnom Pehn...made a last minute decision to cross the border and don't regret it at all. Within view over the past 24 hours as we cruised up the Mekong River were smiling children laughing and screaming "Hello" from the rivers edge.
Poverty is firmly entrenched here...but the spirit of the people is amazing. We toured the small border village of Chau Doc this morning...simple huts of thatched bamboo make up most homes. Tricky border crossing as we had to get off the boat at two points before we continued our boat trip up the Mekong River into Cambodia...stunning green rice fields stretch to the horizon...cows wade in the water at the rivers edge...naked children dive into the murky waters...trying to gain a response from the dozen or so tourists who are with me on this boat...their screams of "hello" echo from the banks as we head towards the border...
Phnom Pehn, like Ho Chi Mihn City, is chaotic, bursting at the seams with energy...the oppressive heat makes travelling here more of a project...it really saps you...I'm staying in a clean, comfortable hotel in the "backpacker" district...$17 bucks night. Tomorrow, I begin exploring this city...more to come...
See you soon,
Keith
A quick note from Cambodia's captial city of Phnom Pehn...made a last minute decision to cross the border and don't regret it at all. Within view over the past 24 hours as we cruised up the Mekong River were smiling children laughing and screaming "Hello" from the rivers edge.
Poverty is firmly entrenched here...but the spirit of the people is amazing. We toured the small border village of Chau Doc this morning...simple huts of thatched bamboo make up most homes. Tricky border crossing as we had to get off the boat at two points before we continued our boat trip up the Mekong River into Cambodia...stunning green rice fields stretch to the horizon...cows wade in the water at the rivers edge...naked children dive into the murky waters...trying to gain a response from the dozen or so tourists who are with me on this boat...their screams of "hello" echo from the banks as we head towards the border...
Phnom Pehn, like Ho Chi Mihn City, is chaotic, bursting at the seams with energy...the oppressive heat makes travelling here more of a project...it really saps you...I'm staying in a clean, comfortable hotel in the "backpacker" district...$17 bucks night. Tomorrow, I begin exploring this city...more to come...
See you soon,
Keith
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Day 15 - Ho Chi Mihn City, Vietnam
Hi all:
Flew into Ho Chi Mihn City last night from Kuala Lumpur with lightning filling the skies as we touched down. It will be difficult for my words to convey the utter chaos that looms in the streets here...as I drove from the airport to my small hotel in the center of the city, my driver weaved in and out of insane traffic. The roads are thick with mopeds and motorcycles here...the young, and old ride them...not uncommon to even see infants in the mix, clutched precariously by their mom or sibling as they speed ahead without a helmet.
Slept well last night and after breakfast, made the sweltering mile or so walk to the Independence Palace...the sight where North Vietname tanks broke through the gates as the Viet Cong overtook the city in 1975. As I was leaving the grounds, I passed a Vietnamese couple...and the man said in clear English, "We won..." and then smiled. I smiled back at him and moved on...
Then wandered over a short distance to the War Remnants Museum...an unbelievably moving chronicle of what the country endured during the Vietnam War...there are three or so large rooms which shockingly display photos from the war--some truly horrific...there are also a few American planes and other war relics scattered about the premises.
It's now 2pm and I'm inside the lobby of my hotel, which is situated in what is known as "backpacker alley"--a dense, congested labyrinth of streets with hotels and food stalls...
The heat here is oppressive...I''m drenched the moment I step outside...for some reason, I feel it much more here than in Kuala Lumpur or Singapre, which are actually further south...
I'll spend one more night here, then I'm taking a boat tour of the Mekong Delta region...a tour organized by my hotel. I'll be ushered out of town with a few other tourists and we'll see the Vietnamese countrysidea and go so far up the Mekong as the village of Chau Doc--which hugs the border with Cambodia. Should be interesting...After a few days there...I'll head back to Ho Chi Mign City and fly out next week for Singapore for the long flight home...
Hope all is well...miss you all!
Keith
Flew into Ho Chi Mihn City last night from Kuala Lumpur with lightning filling the skies as we touched down. It will be difficult for my words to convey the utter chaos that looms in the streets here...as I drove from the airport to my small hotel in the center of the city, my driver weaved in and out of insane traffic. The roads are thick with mopeds and motorcycles here...the young, and old ride them...not uncommon to even see infants in the mix, clutched precariously by their mom or sibling as they speed ahead without a helmet.
Slept well last night and after breakfast, made the sweltering mile or so walk to the Independence Palace...the sight where North Vietname tanks broke through the gates as the Viet Cong overtook the city in 1975. As I was leaving the grounds, I passed a Vietnamese couple...and the man said in clear English, "We won..." and then smiled. I smiled back at him and moved on...
Then wandered over a short distance to the War Remnants Museum...an unbelievably moving chronicle of what the country endured during the Vietnam War...there are three or so large rooms which shockingly display photos from the war--some truly horrific...there are also a few American planes and other war relics scattered about the premises.
It's now 2pm and I'm inside the lobby of my hotel, which is situated in what is known as "backpacker alley"--a dense, congested labyrinth of streets with hotels and food stalls...
The heat here is oppressive...I''m drenched the moment I step outside...for some reason, I feel it much more here than in Kuala Lumpur or Singapre, which are actually further south...
I'll spend one more night here, then I'm taking a boat tour of the Mekong Delta region...a tour organized by my hotel. I'll be ushered out of town with a few other tourists and we'll see the Vietnamese countrysidea and go so far up the Mekong as the village of Chau Doc--which hugs the border with Cambodia. Should be interesting...After a few days there...I'll head back to Ho Chi Mign City and fly out next week for Singapore for the long flight home...
Hope all is well...miss you all!
Keith
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Day 14 (Monday, 7/21/08) Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Hi all:
It's another hot one here in Malaysia's capital city...maybe matching the heat wave that I hear is hitting the New York area. Just finished my cup of coffee and Chinese donut (not an oxymoron...actually rivals a glazed Dunkin donut...) and am just hanging for a few hours until I catch a taxi to the KL airport for the final leg of my journey, which will take me to Ho Chi Mihn City, Vietnam for a week. we spent the weekend here in Kuala Lumpur criss crossing the city to catch the important sights. Yesterday, we spent an unbelievable few hours exploring the Batu Caves just outside the city limits...It's a series of caves carved into the mountainside and home to a few important Hindu shrines and temples. The main draw is a seemingly endless set of 272 steps which lead tourits the entrance to the caves. I made it up, but had to stop a few times... the intense sun and occasional aggressive monkey the main culprits. Within the caves, monkeys run wild--we saw one even grab a bag from an unsuspecting young kid...causing him to cry...you have to watch out!
Our pad for the weekend was the D'Orient Hotel situated in the Chinatown section of the city. It's a labryinth of criss-crossing streets that burst with energy...stalls selling every conceivable Asian food...to clothes, trinkets, watches...you name it. The city has an unbelievably clean subway system that is really efficient. People are generally gracious...but the merchants can be somewhat oppressive at times. We also explored the Little India neighborhood, a smaller, but similarly boisterous section, with silk, saris, and countless other Indian products. With Desiree's encouragement, I got a henna design on my left arm...some sort of intricate Hindu sun motif...it will probably be worn off by the time I get home next week though...but it looks pretty cool for now.
I have tons of pics and even some video clips, but can't post them for the moment...but I'll share as soon as I'm able...
I'll send some thoughts from Vietnam. Miss you all...Go Mets!! Here they've hit a hot streak!!
Keith
It's another hot one here in Malaysia's capital city...maybe matching the heat wave that I hear is hitting the New York area. Just finished my cup of coffee and Chinese donut (not an oxymoron...actually rivals a glazed Dunkin donut...) and am just hanging for a few hours until I catch a taxi to the KL airport for the final leg of my journey, which will take me to Ho Chi Mihn City, Vietnam for a week. we spent the weekend here in Kuala Lumpur criss crossing the city to catch the important sights. Yesterday, we spent an unbelievable few hours exploring the Batu Caves just outside the city limits...It's a series of caves carved into the mountainside and home to a few important Hindu shrines and temples. The main draw is a seemingly endless set of 272 steps which lead tourits the entrance to the caves. I made it up, but had to stop a few times... the intense sun and occasional aggressive monkey the main culprits. Within the caves, monkeys run wild--we saw one even grab a bag from an unsuspecting young kid...causing him to cry...you have to watch out!
Our pad for the weekend was the D'Orient Hotel situated in the Chinatown section of the city. It's a labryinth of criss-crossing streets that burst with energy...stalls selling every conceivable Asian food...to clothes, trinkets, watches...you name it. The city has an unbelievably clean subway system that is really efficient. People are generally gracious...but the merchants can be somewhat oppressive at times. We also explored the Little India neighborhood, a smaller, but similarly boisterous section, with silk, saris, and countless other Indian products. With Desiree's encouragement, I got a henna design on my left arm...some sort of intricate Hindu sun motif...it will probably be worn off by the time I get home next week though...but it looks pretty cool for now.
I have tons of pics and even some video clips, but can't post them for the moment...but I'll share as soon as I'm able...
I'll send some thoughts from Vietnam. Miss you all...Go Mets!! Here they've hit a hot streak!!
Keith
Friday, July 18, 2008
Day 10 - Perhentian Besar Island - Malaysia
Hi all:
Just finished a surprisingly good dinner of brick oven pizza here beachside on Besar Island...it's 8:25pm and the South China Sea behind me is serenely calm...young Malaysian waiters and waitresses scurry around me delivering plates of food to mostly European customers sitting at tables just feet from the waters edge. Today (7/18/08) was yet another gem...after a good breakfast, I boarded a speedboat a few resorts to the north of our chalet and spent a few hours snorkeling, along with a few other tourists, at pre-selected locations around this island. On our last stop, which was only about 1/2 mile or so from the shore, there was some excitement as we all saw two huge sea turtles lazily moving along on the sea floor some 10 feet or so below us...it was really a cool sight.
The experience to date has been really amazing...Singapore assaulted us with varied smells, tastes, sounds and different languages from all over the world. Tioman Island, situated off the south east coast of Malaysia was stunning...and now we're a few hundred miles north...off the same easter shore of Malaysia and we continue to be spellbound by the beauty of this corner of the world. The colors are stark...rich greens cover the hillsides...then give way to deep hues of blue as the South China sea touches the powdery white beaches.
Tomorrow, we take our ferry from the front of our resort for the approximately one hour journey back to mainland Malaysia where we will catch a flight back to Kuala Lumpur. We have two nights in that city to soak up its many wonders...including Little India, the Bhatu Caves and the many neighborhoods. Next Monday, I fly off to Ho Chi Mihn City, Vietnam where I'll spend one week exploring that teaming city where I'm told crossing the street is a collosal adventures...(I'll be careful...).
A few random notes on Malaysia: it's a major triumph if you find a bathroom that actually flushes...almost reason to celebrate...also, you have to have patience as the locals move to their own unique timetable. Fast service, for example, at dinner, is virtually non-existent...and if you think you'll be served your meals at the same time...think again...we have yet get our meals together.
As for creature sightings, there are lots of bats on this island that seem to come to life at dusk...darting around in a frenzied state for an hour or so before retiring to wherever they spend the night. There are also several groups of roosters and their shrill cackle can be heard in the morning over the hum of our AC unit. No sightings of monitor lizards or monkeys on this island, but they were in abundance on Tioman.
No pics until at least mid next week as our camera isn't jiving with this computer...I have lots more stories to share...miss you guys!
Cheers,
Keith
Just finished a surprisingly good dinner of brick oven pizza here beachside on Besar Island...it's 8:25pm and the South China Sea behind me is serenely calm...young Malaysian waiters and waitresses scurry around me delivering plates of food to mostly European customers sitting at tables just feet from the waters edge. Today (7/18/08) was yet another gem...after a good breakfast, I boarded a speedboat a few resorts to the north of our chalet and spent a few hours snorkeling, along with a few other tourists, at pre-selected locations around this island. On our last stop, which was only about 1/2 mile or so from the shore, there was some excitement as we all saw two huge sea turtles lazily moving along on the sea floor some 10 feet or so below us...it was really a cool sight.
The experience to date has been really amazing...Singapore assaulted us with varied smells, tastes, sounds and different languages from all over the world. Tioman Island, situated off the south east coast of Malaysia was stunning...and now we're a few hundred miles north...off the same easter shore of Malaysia and we continue to be spellbound by the beauty of this corner of the world. The colors are stark...rich greens cover the hillsides...then give way to deep hues of blue as the South China sea touches the powdery white beaches.
Tomorrow, we take our ferry from the front of our resort for the approximately one hour journey back to mainland Malaysia where we will catch a flight back to Kuala Lumpur. We have two nights in that city to soak up its many wonders...including Little India, the Bhatu Caves and the many neighborhoods. Next Monday, I fly off to Ho Chi Mihn City, Vietnam where I'll spend one week exploring that teaming city where I'm told crossing the street is a collosal adventures...(I'll be careful...).
A few random notes on Malaysia: it's a major triumph if you find a bathroom that actually flushes...almost reason to celebrate...also, you have to have patience as the locals move to their own unique timetable. Fast service, for example, at dinner, is virtually non-existent...and if you think you'll be served your meals at the same time...think again...we have yet get our meals together.
As for creature sightings, there are lots of bats on this island that seem to come to life at dusk...darting around in a frenzied state for an hour or so before retiring to wherever they spend the night. There are also several groups of roosters and their shrill cackle can be heard in the morning over the hum of our AC unit. No sightings of monitor lizards or monkeys on this island, but they were in abundance on Tioman.
No pics until at least mid next week as our camera isn't jiving with this computer...I have lots more stories to share...miss you guys!
Cheers,
Keith
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Day 8 - Perhentian Besar Island - Malaysia
Hi all: It's 8:30 pm and we just finished dinner on the beach here on the stunning Malaysian island of Perhentian Besar...It's a true jewel about 15 miles or so off the north Malaysian coast...but before I divulge today's beatiful vista...let me share my journal entry of two days ago.
July 15, 2008:
As I write this, we're about to take off from Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia's capital city...) on our way to Kota Bharu in northeast Malaysia. There, we will board a ferry which will take us to the island of Perhentian Besar. Last night, (Monday 7/14), we flew to Kuala Lumpur from Tioman Island, Malaysia...a truly beautiful jungle island off of Malaysia's southeast coast. We snorkeled there, hiked, swam and just enjoyed the incredible vista from our wooden chalet perched on a jungle hillside overlooking the South China Sea. Monkeys, monitor lizards and other noisy creatures made their presence known. A few uninvited guests even made their way into our chalet (I'll leave it at that for now...) The Malaysia people are gracious and unassuming...smiles are common and adherence to stricte schedules is rare...at least on Tioman Island. In response to my inquiry as to "when our water taxi would be leaving for the airport", the worker at our resort heartily laughed and responded, "Whenever they want..." That pretty much sums up the pace of life here. To get to Kuala Lumpur, we flew on a 50 seater turbo prop from Tioman Island. We opted for the flight at the last minute after enduring a somewhat arduous bus ride from Singapore a few days prior...As our small plane got ready for takeoff, I noticed outside my window a group of monkeys playing on airport perimeter fence...thankfully they didn't wander onto the tarmac. As for the flight...I prayed heartily and often--particularly upon takeoff as the prop--with its four propellors buzzing--had to veer sharply left to avoid the rapidly approaching jungle hillside.
l
July 16, 2008 - Perhentian Besar Island (Wednesday evening - 8:45 pm)
I'm writing this entry about 50 feet from the crytal clear blue/green waters of our resort here...
There are three wireless computers here under a wooden veranda with open sides, allowing the breeze to creep in from the South China Sea. It would be tough for any of my words to do justice to magnifent, stark beauty of this place...we spent the day today a few resorts north of here on Turtle Beach...an absolutely stunning stretch of sand that opens to the most stunning, deep, crystal clear blue waters imaginable...a very relaxing day--one of those rare, truly serene days that rejuvenates the soul....swaying palms finish this idyllic postcard setting...it's really the stuff of Eden...
Tomorrow, we're renting kayaks and paddling around Besar island--hoping to spot some of the giant turtles that we're told populate the waters here...I snorkeled a few days ago on Tioman and was told I may encounter some reef sharks...but no sightings to date...maybe tomorrow or Friday...oh, as for my future scuba buddy, Scott...well, let's just say bring it on man...I'm totally ready to get my scuba certification and explore some underwater sights...
Miss you all. Pics are a bit tough to post at the moment as our camera isn't compatible with the computers here...but I'll try again later...I have plenty great pics to share nonetheless...
talk soon,
Keith
July 15, 2008:
As I write this, we're about to take off from Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia's capital city...) on our way to Kota Bharu in northeast Malaysia. There, we will board a ferry which will take us to the island of Perhentian Besar. Last night, (Monday 7/14), we flew to Kuala Lumpur from Tioman Island, Malaysia...a truly beautiful jungle island off of Malaysia's southeast coast. We snorkeled there, hiked, swam and just enjoyed the incredible vista from our wooden chalet perched on a jungle hillside overlooking the South China Sea. Monkeys, monitor lizards and other noisy creatures made their presence known. A few uninvited guests even made their way into our chalet (I'll leave it at that for now...) The Malaysia people are gracious and unassuming...smiles are common and adherence to stricte schedules is rare...at least on Tioman Island. In response to my inquiry as to "when our water taxi would be leaving for the airport", the worker at our resort heartily laughed and responded, "Whenever they want..." That pretty much sums up the pace of life here. To get to Kuala Lumpur, we flew on a 50 seater turbo prop from Tioman Island. We opted for the flight at the last minute after enduring a somewhat arduous bus ride from Singapore a few days prior...As our small plane got ready for takeoff, I noticed outside my window a group of monkeys playing on airport perimeter fence...thankfully they didn't wander onto the tarmac. As for the flight...I prayed heartily and often--particularly upon takeoff as the prop--with its four propellors buzzing--had to veer sharply left to avoid the rapidly approaching jungle hillside.
l
July 16, 2008 - Perhentian Besar Island (Wednesday evening - 8:45 pm)
I'm writing this entry about 50 feet from the crytal clear blue/green waters of our resort here...
There are three wireless computers here under a wooden veranda with open sides, allowing the breeze to creep in from the South China Sea. It would be tough for any of my words to do justice to magnifent, stark beauty of this place...we spent the day today a few resorts north of here on Turtle Beach...an absolutely stunning stretch of sand that opens to the most stunning, deep, crystal clear blue waters imaginable...a very relaxing day--one of those rare, truly serene days that rejuvenates the soul....swaying palms finish this idyllic postcard setting...it's really the stuff of Eden...
Tomorrow, we're renting kayaks and paddling around Besar island--hoping to spot some of the giant turtles that we're told populate the waters here...I snorkeled a few days ago on Tioman and was told I may encounter some reef sharks...but no sightings to date...maybe tomorrow or Friday...oh, as for my future scuba buddy, Scott...well, let's just say bring it on man...I'm totally ready to get my scuba certification and explore some underwater sights...
Miss you all. Pics are a bit tough to post at the moment as our camera isn't compatible with the computers here...but I'll try again later...I have plenty great pics to share nonetheless...
talk soon,
Keith
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Day 6 - Tioman Island - Malaysia
Dear all:
Here's my journal entry from a few days ago:\
"Rose from our chalet bed here on Tioman Island at 7am and stumbled out to our balcony. About a hundred feet below, a few wooden fishing boats bob up and down just off the wide beach. There is the soft hum of the tide as it pushes itself in towards the wide beach. Thich jungle rises abruptly from the beach to form palm-fringed mountains that stand guardian over the South China Sea. Some peaks are just high enough to be obscured by some whispy morning clouds. The jungle around us is slowly transitioning from its nightime banter of cackles, chirps, sqeeks, screeches, and whoops to a more serene voice--broken only by the occasional chirping of a bird. We'll soon head down our perilously steep stone steps, down the jungle path to one of the beachside restaurants...little to stress about here...I wish you could see this vista...as well as the curious monkey who is eating his breakfast on one of the nearby palm trees...
keith
Here's my journal entry from a few days ago:\
"Rose from our chalet bed here on Tioman Island at 7am and stumbled out to our balcony. About a hundred feet below, a few wooden fishing boats bob up and down just off the wide beach. There is the soft hum of the tide as it pushes itself in towards the wide beach. Thich jungle rises abruptly from the beach to form palm-fringed mountains that stand guardian over the South China Sea. Some peaks are just high enough to be obscured by some whispy morning clouds. The jungle around us is slowly transitioning from its nightime banter of cackles, chirps, sqeeks, screeches, and whoops to a more serene voice--broken only by the occasional chirping of a bird. We'll soon head down our perilously steep stone steps, down the jungle path to one of the beachside restaurants...little to stress about here...I wish you could see this vista...as well as the curious monkey who is eating his breakfast on one of the nearby palm trees...
keith
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Singapore to Tioman Island - Day Three
As I write this...it's 6am and I can hear the call to prayers rippling through the neighborhood from the nearby mosque...we're packing up early this morning to catch a bus to the coast to head over to Tioman island in Malaysia. We saw a fair amount in Singapore considering we only spent a few days here...really diverse country...Indians, Thai, Chinese all nicely blend together on the crowded streets...very polite people overall...oh, took the subway yesterday to Chinatown and it was the cleanest, most beautiful mass transit system I've ever seen...probably wouldn't stay that way for long in NY. Probably won't update till later next week sometime...so I'll catch up with you then...
ciao...
Keith
ciao...
Keith
Day One in Singapore
Hi all:
Presently relaxing for a few moments after a day spent wandering the packed alleys and streets of the Little India and Chinatown sections of this island country. Our hostel is situated ideally in the Little India neighborhood--a laybryinth of streets that criss-cross--each lined with countless shop stalls with eager merchants hawking their wares. Make eye contact and you'll be acosted with offers of anything from fine silk to intricately designed wooden baskets. Scents of spices and foods assault from seemingly every direction...Tonight...we're taking a bus to the Singapore zoo, where there is apparently a widely acclaimed "night safari"--with animals coming out to eat and explore under the watchful eyes of tourists...should be interesting. Tomorrow, we leave by bus over the border into the Malaysian border town of Johor Bharu...where we will catch another bus to the seaside village of Mersing. From there, we will catch a quick boat ride out to the island of Tioman, which will be our home until next Monday. Snorkeling and some jungle trekking are the island's main draw...so I'm looking forward to that. I'm hoping that we catch some of the coveted breezes there as the humidity and heat here can be taxing. Anyway, I'll try to send some pics later tonight from our first few days here. Amazing experience!
Cheers,
Keith
Presently relaxing for a few moments after a day spent wandering the packed alleys and streets of the Little India and Chinatown sections of this island country. Our hostel is situated ideally in the Little India neighborhood--a laybryinth of streets that criss-cross--each lined with countless shop stalls with eager merchants hawking their wares. Make eye contact and you'll be acosted with offers of anything from fine silk to intricately designed wooden baskets. Scents of spices and foods assault from seemingly every direction...Tonight...we're taking a bus to the Singapore zoo, where there is apparently a widely acclaimed "night safari"--with animals coming out to eat and explore under the watchful eyes of tourists...should be interesting. Tomorrow, we leave by bus over the border into the Malaysian border town of Johor Bharu...where we will catch another bus to the seaside village of Mersing. From there, we will catch a quick boat ride out to the island of Tioman, which will be our home until next Monday. Snorkeling and some jungle trekking are the island's main draw...so I'm looking forward to that. I'm hoping that we catch some of the coveted breezes there as the humidity and heat here can be taxing. Anyway, I'll try to send some pics later tonight from our first few days here. Amazing experience!
Cheers,
Keith
Monday, July 7, 2008
LITTLE Pit Stop in Tokyo
Hi ALL:
Well, WE landed in Tokyo within the past hour and now are wiling away the next four hours waiting for our connecting flight to Singapore!! From our vantage point in this FREE Yahoo internet airport cafe (YES...FREE!!) we can see the beautiful (not really) expanse of Tokyo's Narita Airport. AS I'm writing this...my mind is delerious with fatigue...so I'll catch up with you all about 7 hours south of here by plane in a few days or so...so far so good!!
CHEERS,
keith
Well, WE landed in Tokyo within the past hour and now are wiling away the next four hours waiting for our connecting flight to Singapore!! From our vantage point in this FREE Yahoo internet airport cafe (YES...FREE!!) we can see the beautiful (not really) expanse of Tokyo's Narita Airport. AS I'm writing this...my mind is delerious with fatigue...so I'll catch up with you all about 7 hours south of here by plane in a few days or so...so far so good!!
CHEERS,
keith
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Countdown to Asia
Hi all: chalk this brief entry up to my excitement to depart for South Asia...no other motive...no other excuse...school ended for the summer on Tuesday with little fanfare...teachers and students eagerly exiting the building...some destined for the halls of academia as freshman this fall while others left no clue as to their destination other than a rye smile and a discernible briskness of step.
My first two days of summer vacation allowed me to finish--at last--Silas Marner and I instantly felt the need to order three other Eliot novels to accompany me to Singapore. Other than that...navigated the crowded Point Pleasant boardwalk last night with three of my beautiful nieces and my sister Karin. I watched as they happily made the rounds of the kiddie rides and devoured with wide smiles some tasty ice cream to end the night...
My first two days of summer vacation allowed me to finish--at last--Silas Marner and I instantly felt the need to order three other Eliot novels to accompany me to Singapore. Other than that...navigated the crowded Point Pleasant boardwalk last night with three of my beautiful nieces and my sister Karin. I watched as they happily made the rounds of the kiddie rides and devoured with wide smiles some tasty ice cream to end the night...
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Ever since I first set eyes on Paul Theroux's book "The Great Railway Bizarre: By Train Through Asia " the idea of spending extended time hop scotching across South Asia with a backpack filled with the requisite light clothes and ample supply of blank notebooks has greatly appealed to me. That dream will come true this summer as I pack my bags and head for the Malaysian peninsula. The plan is to land in Singapore, get acclimated for a few days and then cross the border into Malaysia. Mersing, a small village on the east coast and some four hours or so by bus (God willing...) will be our gateway to a week or so of island hopping in the South China Sea. Kuala Lumpur will then beckon and a flight will be caught to the northeast part of Malaysia where we will settle on the island gem known as Perhentian Besar. More snorkeling, trekking, and reading will follow. The final portion of the journey will take me on a roughly two-hour long flight to Ho Chi Mihn City (Saigon), Vietnam where I will take a boat ride along the Mekong Delta and soak up the dizzying energy of South Vietnam's largest city. I'll try to post an entry with pics whenever I have computer access.We will be arriving in Singapore on July 8...so stay tuned for the first dispatch from that steamy, malaria-free (so I'm told...) south Asian country shortly thereafter.
Cheers,
Keith
Cheers,
Keith
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