What Am I Doing in Koh Phangan?

Before leaving Japan, I looked in the mirror and promised myself that I would never be a slave again. That probably sounds melodramatic, but that how I've felt for most of my life. Not only because of working for someone else, and implicitly consenting to a socio-economic system which I loath. It goes deeper though. It's also a slavery of the mind. And it's not enough to try and reprogram myself. The problem goes beyond social constructs. I think that ultimately the only way to really be free is to transcend the mind.

Well, originally, the plan was to go to Koh Tao, which is small and boring, and to just sit there and meditate, contemplation, and generally zen out. But I after chatting with a Ukranian guy named Arsen on the mini bus there, I thought Koh Phangan must be a much more interesting place, and why don't I go there? So I did, and it's a really nice island.

It could be a little too nice. There are probably half a dozen 7/11s, and a Tesco. Even though we have crossed into the low season, there are plenty of people buzzing around on their scooters, visiting waterfalls, getting massages, drinking beer, doing yoga retreats, riding elephants, etc. In addition, Koh Phangan is famous for it's full moon parties. So, next Friday, by all accounts, the island's population is going to become bloated, and it's going to absolute madness. Of course, I could just stay in my house and meditate, but the odds of that actually happening are slim to none.

Did I mention I've found a house? I'll be renting it for the next eleven days for about ten dollars per day. It's in an area of the island remote enough that it's quite, but only a twenty minute scooter ride from Thong Salah--the port town and hub of the island. It's got  a big balcony and a kitchen. There is even internet access--and it's not bad by local standards. Ungh, what have I gotten myself into?

There is really a lot to enjoy here. So, I haven't gotten into a regular meditation routing...but at least I'm getting into shape. I've been getting plenty of exercise. This morning I did yoga and a bit of jogging, then later I got lost on a mountain trail for two hours. There weren't any maps or anything. Oh well, at least I got to see two monkeys "making love". 

So, I haven't achieved enlightenment yet. But I have found a nice place to settle in for a week and a half, and I've dropped around four kilos in the last fortnight. Maybe I'll have realized my divine nature by next week. Until then, here are your monkeys. (I've decided to post a family-friendly photo, but you can PM me for the real pics). 

Return to Thailand

I know this is somewhat anachronistic of me, but this entry will mostly be about my last few days in Malaysia as opposed to my first few in Thailand. Sure, I could have entitled this post Last Couple Days in Malaysia, but it doesn't have the same ring to it. This way it sounds like an India Jones movie. 

Simon and I met a couple of Canucks in the Cameron Highlands named Andrew and Angel. As it turned out, they had both been participants in the now defunct leadership/language/coming of age traveling government bursary program called Katimavik, of which I had been a participant, many moons ago. Their Katimavik experience was only six months (three shorter than mine), because they were participants during the very last year of the program.


I thought it was a wonderful coincidence to run into fellow Canadians, and "Katimavictims" to boot. They were good spirited and kept us laughing all day long. We hung out for a couple of days, hiking around the highlands, and it turned out we were going to the same place so we agreed to meet up in Penang.

I set out with Simon once again, taking a highway bus. The Canadians decided to try their luck hitch hiking, and we didn't see them until our third day there. We took dorm beds in a cheap hostel on Love Lane recommended to us by the proprietor of Jungle Bar in Tanah Rata. The next day we rented motorcycles, checked out a couple of temples, and cruised around the islands. It was great fun. The day after that, we doubled up on bikes with the Canadians and did a hike in a national park to Turtle Beach. 

 

Most people go to Monkey Beach, but not us! I guess we're hard core. It was a pretty grueling trek, and it took about an hour to get there. Turtle Beach is super nice, and quiet too, since you either have to trek through jungle for an hour or else hire a boat to sail you there. We didn't see any turtles, but I did kill my phone by wading into salt water with it in my pocket. Also, on the way back, we saw some Monkeys.  

Penang was great for a couple of days, but I felt an urge to get a little bit more remote, and find someplace where I could enjoy solitude for a while, and get down to the serious business of finding my spirit animal. So, I parted ways with Simon and the Canucks. I woke up at four thirty yesterday morning and fourteen hours later found myself on Koh Phangan. I can already say that my Thailand experience this time around is much different than the one I had four years ago.      

I've only been here just over twenty four hours, but already I have a lot to say about Koh Phangnan. But alas, it's getting late, and if I'm to go out on the town and have a drink I better do it now.  In keeping with tradition, I leave you with this monkey:

Why Not Malaysia?

So, I decided to start my journey in Malaysia. I know very little about Malaysia, but much more than I did a week ago, when I landed here--which was basically nothing.

I decided to come to Malaysia because it's was the cheapest ticket out of Osaka. Air Asia, a low cost carrier and godsend to backpackers all over South East Asia is a Malaysian company and has it's main hub in Kuala Lumpur. The flight from Osaka, all told cost me some $250 (CAD). Actually, that's a lot for Air Asia. More about that later.

Malaysia happens to be a pretty great place for a backpacker. It's clean, it's civilized and modern...but it's still cheap. I pay and average of about 10 MYR ($3.50) for a meal, and about twice that for a room in a guest house. You can go even lower than that, but I guess I'm addicted to the high life.


I've never been to a place quite like Malaysia. It's predominantly Muslim, but they don't lord it over everyone. People are free to practice whatever religion they want, and aren't forced to live by the rules of Islam. The people here, Muslim or otherwise are genuine and friendly. It's a very pleasant and easy-going country. This is evidenced by how absurdly easy it is to hitch hike here. There's really no reason to hire a taxi, if you're anywhere remotely rural.

I'm sure they is lots to do and see here (an assumption which is reinforced daily) but I have planned nothing, and continue to plan nothing. However, I always find myself sufficiently busy. I met three very nice young fellows at the guest house I was staying at in Kuala Lumpur who graciously invited me to tag along with them on their various outings, for example, to the Batu Caves (pictured below). 

After a few days in KL, I was ready to get on with my journey, so I accompanied one of them, a Danish lad named Simon to the Cameron Highlands, where we have been enjoying nature and the cool climate. This is predominantly a tourist area, but there are two main agricultural products: tea and strawberries. Both of which we have been enjoying abundantly. In addition, we've been hiking the glorious rain forest trails. Daily. They tend to be a bit challenging, so were getting good exercise. With some luck, I'll be fit and trim after a month of the backpacker lifestyle!

As pleasant as it is up here, I do feel like a bit of a shark these days; if stop moving surely I will die. So, two more sleeps, and I will be traveling with Simon once again, this time to a city called Georgetown, which is on a large island on the west coast called Penang. I assume I will bum around there for three or four days before moving on to Thailand. Then I'll have to make a decision, as to how to Phuket: whether by air or by land.


Air Asia, as I mentioned earlier is absurdly cheap. I can get ticket to Phuket from Georgetown, which happens to have an airport, to Phuket for under two hundred ringgits (divide by three to get the CAD amount). And if  you think that's good, if I were taking the flight direct out of KL, it would be less than one hundred ringgits!  The only problem is that I'll have to transfer in KL, and the journey by air, all told will take just less time than going over land. So, it's a matter of saving a few dollars or a few hours. Yeah, I know, it's a tough life.

Stay tuned: I'll be coming at you next, live from Georgetown. Until then, enjoy this monkey:

Greetings from Kuala Lumpur

It’s a warm day in Kuala Lumpur. The skies are clear blue. It’s an excellent day for sight-seeing but, I’m not in the mood just now. I imagine I’ll be traveling for some months, and I don’t want it to feel like a job.

I didn’t expect to be in Malaysia. I thought I would be in Japan teaching English. I had always wanted to teach English in Japan, but when I got there, it wasn’t what I expected. I was unhappy with the job, the city and my colleagues. Luckily I have a bit of money in the bank from my year in Saudi, so I can afford to travel for a while...and “loaf” as Maughum’s Larry Darnell would put it.

I haven’t been travelling a week, and already, and sort of rough itinerary is starting to form—more because of chatting with people and learning about their experiences, than actually planning stuff out on my own.  

Horrifying realization—literally every guest in this hostel is staring a glowing screen, including myself, of course. Also, the TV is on, but nobody is watching it...which means someone must have turned in on sometime in the last forty-five minutes, while I was upstairs. (I had turned it off earlier).  Someone turned on the TV just to have it on. 

This is troubling. I decided to go on this journey to get away from the hi-fi. And yet, it’s all around me. Even worse, I’ve been quite immersed in video games!

So, why didn’t I get rid of my laptop, you might ask? I was indeed planning to, but I wasn’t able to book my flight before needing to vacate my accommodation in Niihama, so I thought twice about shipping it off for safe keeping with the rest of my superlative objects. Also, it will enable me to write this blog, and perhaps be an aid for any temporary employment I might take up to supplement my travels. None the less, on this quest of mine, it will have to remain in the bag for days at a time. God willing I will have the discipline. If not, I’ll have to find myself a heavy rock and a garbage bag. 

My purpose was to have a journey of spiritual discovery and I know I need to strip down life to its barest elements. In addition to my quest for wisdom, I have a secondary aim: to get fit and healthy. And, if time and circumstance allow, a tertiary one: to improve my foreign language skills. As I mentioned, an itinerary is starting to materialize, which seems to have very little to do with any active planning on my part. I’m booked up in KL for another two nights. From there I’ll most likely be going north to the highlands with a Danish lad, with whom I’m sharing my hostel room. From there, I’ll either spend some time on the island of Pinyang or Langkawi. If not, I’ll take a train across the Thai border and go to either Koh Lanta, or Koh Samui. Wherever I end up for this period, I plan on finding the most isolated beach bungalow I can and devoting the bulk of my days to yoga, exercise and meditation. I’m not sure how long I expect to follow this routine, but I expect I’ll know when it’s time to move on. 

I’m not sure what else I will do in Thailand, and I’ve been there before, so I may make a short run of it. If I can, I will take a train into Cambodia and head to Siem Reap, and take a week-long meditation and yoga retreat, recommended by another backpacker. From there, I may take a ferry to Phnom Penh via the Tonle Sap, which I have done before, but which boasts some of the most beautiful scenery I have ever seen. From Phnom Penh, I hope to cross over into Vietnam and hang out in Saigon. I met a girl in a hostel in Osaka that lives there, and she offered to show me around. As per her recommendation, I may do some copy editing or other miscellaneous English-language related work. Or perhaps, I will do the same in Hanoi, which I plan on making my way to by driving a motorcycle up the coast.

From Hanoi, it’s decision making time—whether to go through Laos in to Burma, where I’ve been recommended a Buddhist monastery, or into China, where another of my current roommates has recommended I go, and take free room and board at hostel in Chengdu in exchange for English lessons. From there I could make my way into Tibet...

It starts to get hazy from there, but I have some ideas about what to do after that. For now this is enough. Who knows if I’ll get past Thailand? Maybe I’ll turn around and go to India, or somewhere else. Maybe I’ll take a job teaching ESL in Singapore—I have a friend who can get me a job there.

Anyway, I have options and feel an immense degree of freedom just now. Stay tuned for the next chapter, coming to you live from...