Here are the links to the photo albums:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=15397&l=7e018&id=500271591
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=15215&l=8eef4&id=500271591
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=15210&l=76c82&id=500271591
Also, Holiday Photos from home are here:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=14640&l=4f2df&id=500271591
12.31.2007
How I Feel
There is something about being on the water continuing to move further away from the coast that makes me feel so small. So far away from the comfort I am used to and the purpose I fulfill in my everyday life at home. I am in the middle of some amazing Sea in Thailand in Southeast Asia. And while I know that this moment and experience is grand- I know that more greatness waits and that is the part that I find drawing my dreaming-what if I did?-paint the future as I go- personality back into what home is. What home life could be. My dad made a point recently to me about sharing your life with someone and saving somethings for later- in that relationship. Posing the question to me in a matter of terms, "Kari, why so fast, and so much?". I replied with "because this is the time, and I can". I can appreciate that one day I will get married and be in a relationship that is so intense I cannot imagine right now, and how wonderful it will be to travel and to experience life with someone. Will the running end? Will I always want to keep moving so quickly, to squeeze it all in? How unrealistic am I?
But what I do know is that home, my home in Virginia that the closeness I feel to my community is enough for now. The balancing act and struggle at this point for me, being so far away is: how to connect those loved ones to this moment on the water? Connecting any sight seen beyond a photograph, any conversation to anyone besides reciting it back in stories are important, but they are always different. No true articulation, no true accurate description, will bring to life the green I see in the water, or the size of the bubbles in the surf can be conveyed to them or anyone who is not sitting along side me on this boat. I am thankful that on this adventure and journey I am sharing this ride with Mark, BC, and Tiffany. How to include you all? The sights, the sounds. I suppose what matters in the end is: how we feel., how we grow and how we change.
So dear loved ones across the plant: I feel small. I feel far away. I feel like I never could have planned this moment on my own. My imagination may never have dared to dream it into reality. I feel like the past 6 months have gone by in such a blur, and yet the times/days I spent driving into camp on a daily basis exist only in a different life. I miss home. I miss Gracie (oh puppy). And yet if given the option to travel from here to there in this moment I dare say I would choose to sit here, along port side of this boat watching the mainland drift further and further away and each small island slip past as we head to our destination: Phi Phi Island.
I feel like I see your faces in crowds of strangers. And I am remembering conversation I have had in the not so recent past about what this time in Thailand was going to be like. Hearing your insights to the intention behind the days and the things packing the itinerary seem like lifetimes ago. When joking about not wanting to return home in January or wanting to continue my time travel beyond what was originally planned- instead of feeding into to the gypsy and daydreamer in my heart you simply replied in your own way that I would return, that I would lay roots. That this time would come to an end.
I have prayed about that transition and I have tried to vision what that will look like...and today on this boat in this great big world, I feel small. I feel significant and challenged. I feel inspired and changed. I feel the Lord's mighty hand and master plan in my life and heart. My skin is damp from the salt water surf that sprays up in the breeze...I wish for little more than this.
Except perhaps to reach my hand out to yours, or to see the reflection of what I am seeing in your eyes. But this letter to you my dear friends with have to suffice.
Love.Love.
But what I do know is that home, my home in Virginia that the closeness I feel to my community is enough for now. The balancing act and struggle at this point for me, being so far away is: how to connect those loved ones to this moment on the water? Connecting any sight seen beyond a photograph, any conversation to anyone besides reciting it back in stories are important, but they are always different. No true articulation, no true accurate description, will bring to life the green I see in the water, or the size of the bubbles in the surf can be conveyed to them or anyone who is not sitting along side me on this boat. I am thankful that on this adventure and journey I am sharing this ride with Mark, BC, and Tiffany. How to include you all? The sights, the sounds. I suppose what matters in the end is: how we feel., how we grow and how we change.
So dear loved ones across the plant: I feel small. I feel far away. I feel like I never could have planned this moment on my own. My imagination may never have dared to dream it into reality. I feel like the past 6 months have gone by in such a blur, and yet the times/days I spent driving into camp on a daily basis exist only in a different life. I miss home. I miss Gracie (oh puppy). And yet if given the option to travel from here to there in this moment I dare say I would choose to sit here, along port side of this boat watching the mainland drift further and further away and each small island slip past as we head to our destination: Phi Phi Island.
I feel like I see your faces in crowds of strangers. And I am remembering conversation I have had in the not so recent past about what this time in Thailand was going to be like. Hearing your insights to the intention behind the days and the things packing the itinerary seem like lifetimes ago. When joking about not wanting to return home in January or wanting to continue my time travel beyond what was originally planned- instead of feeding into to the gypsy and daydreamer in my heart you simply replied in your own way that I would return, that I would lay roots. That this time would come to an end.
I have prayed about that transition and I have tried to vision what that will look like...and today on this boat in this great big world, I feel small. I feel significant and challenged. I feel inspired and changed. I feel the Lord's mighty hand and master plan in my life and heart. My skin is damp from the salt water surf that sprays up in the breeze...I wish for little more than this.
Except perhaps to reach my hand out to yours, or to see the reflection of what I am seeing in your eyes. But this letter to you my dear friends with have to suffice.
Love.Love.
Island Life Is For Me 12/28-29
Gilligan's Island.
Lost.
The Beach.
Blue Crush.
The countless pop culture images come to mind as I have walked around this Island here in Thailand. The film "The Beach" was filmed in this island family and tomorrow we are going snorkeling around this area and will finish on Maya Bay, which is where Leonardo DiCaprio filmed his movie, which was not a great movie- but I do remember thinking when seeing it "Gosh, I wish to see something that beautiful someday". And look, here I am- its crazy.
Yesterday we took a hike to The Viewpoint. Ladies and Gentleman, even on a good day it would've kicked my butt, but STILL recovering from the leftover bronchitis left my lungs at such a depleted lung capacity I was sure I was not going to make it. Tiffany was great and kept pace with me so we could take breaks as we continued up the mountain, and upon Summit I did agree it was worth the pain. The view of the Island was pristine and seeing it from the perspective one has from up there was something I'll always remember. The point was also to reach the other side of the island to a sparsely populated beach where we spent the rest of the day enjoying lunch, swimming, and reading. The rocks that were strewn across the beach were beautiful, and I loved being able to see the bottom of the Sea because of the clarity in the water. It was fantastic. Last night we went to dinner on the water, saw Fire Dancers, and a little bit of Fireworks. It was really just a teaser for tonight.
We have spent hours floating and talking in the water which is not an Ocean here, its the Andaman Sea. The water is pristine, warm, and so blue you can't think of a single word to describe its illusions of depth and clarity. We've gone to the beach in the day, and have enjoyed meals on the beach in the evening. Tonight is New Years Eve, and its funny to think about the crowd that will be lining up in Times Square in the cold, while I sip a fun beverage in the middle of this tropical island. Of course it will be 2008 for me before the rest of you, so I think this means we get to celebrate twice here, again tomorrow at noon.
Today is my day of rest from the socialization that has dominated the itinerary. I wanted to update this blog and respond to messages in a more meaningful way, so I nestled in this Internet cafe with a bunch of others foreigners seeking a connection to home. I will go to the beach next and continue to soak up this island, and then get ready for the big party tonight.
Lost.
The Beach.
Blue Crush.
The countless pop culture images come to mind as I have walked around this Island here in Thailand. The film "The Beach" was filmed in this island family and tomorrow we are going snorkeling around this area and will finish on Maya Bay, which is where Leonardo DiCaprio filmed his movie, which was not a great movie- but I do remember thinking when seeing it "Gosh, I wish to see something that beautiful someday". And look, here I am- its crazy.
Yesterday we took a hike to The Viewpoint. Ladies and Gentleman, even on a good day it would've kicked my butt, but STILL recovering from the leftover bronchitis left my lungs at such a depleted lung capacity I was sure I was not going to make it. Tiffany was great and kept pace with me so we could take breaks as we continued up the mountain, and upon Summit I did agree it was worth the pain. The view of the Island was pristine and seeing it from the perspective one has from up there was something I'll always remember. The point was also to reach the other side of the island to a sparsely populated beach where we spent the rest of the day enjoying lunch, swimming, and reading. The rocks that were strewn across the beach were beautiful, and I loved being able to see the bottom of the Sea because of the clarity in the water. It was fantastic. Last night we went to dinner on the water, saw Fire Dancers, and a little bit of Fireworks. It was really just a teaser for tonight.
We have spent hours floating and talking in the water which is not an Ocean here, its the Andaman Sea. The water is pristine, warm, and so blue you can't think of a single word to describe its illusions of depth and clarity. We've gone to the beach in the day, and have enjoyed meals on the beach in the evening. Tonight is New Years Eve, and its funny to think about the crowd that will be lining up in Times Square in the cold, while I sip a fun beverage in the middle of this tropical island. Of course it will be 2008 for me before the rest of you, so I think this means we get to celebrate twice here, again tomorrow at noon.
Today is my day of rest from the socialization that has dominated the itinerary. I wanted to update this blog and respond to messages in a more meaningful way, so I nestled in this Internet cafe with a bunch of others foreigners seeking a connection to home. I will go to the beach next and continue to soak up this island, and then get ready for the big party tonight.
12.26.2007
Elephants and More: 12/25-12/27
BC, Mark, and I had our elephant dreams come true. After leaving the villages we were taken to the Elephant Camp, and took an hour tour. We crossed a river on the top of the elephants and we were giddy with joy. The trek up the side of the mountain and went along the side of the river bank and enjoyed conversation (BC and I shared), and would take photos of the scenery along the way. It was an amazing experience, words cannot describe.
After we had our rides we continued our trek back to Chiang Mai where we were able to stay out our driver's one room efficiency complex. Umm...it included a mattress, and a makeshift bathroom. The walls were bright blue, like the blue house in Goshen, VA, and it was probably the shadiest place I've ever stayed. If not for PLa's generosity and security the four of us never would have agreed to stay there, but it was safe, secure and most of all free.
He took us to the Night Market, and we chose to eat Western Fare: Pizza and French Fries. Um...the fries were good. Pizza not so much, but it wasn't rice and that was a good thing. The guy who owned the restaurant was from Ohio and spent his time in the service traveling, and fell in love with Thailand. He named his restaurant "Hell's Kitchen" and we read about his bio in the menu. He was definitely an interesting character that is for sure.
In the morning PLa and his wife made us a Thai breakfast in the morning which was delicious, although I picked out the pieces of squid in the soup! I am trying to get adjusted the food culture here, but no lie its a challenge.
The highlights of Chiang Mai come in the form of the touristy trap things, although they were fantastic to me. Ranging from where silver jewelry is made (scored a great pair of earrings and a ring at a fantastic price), umbrella making (so beautiful), and wood carving and furniture (I wanted an outdoor table and chairs so badly: for three grand it included freight to the States!...but no I did not buy it.).
The train ride was exponentially better for the way back because we had an air conditioned car, and boarded the train at 4pm instead of 10:30pm. Mark and I played Uno, had a Bacardi breezers, wrote postcards, and slept. We arrived back in Bangkok geared up for the day, and at 7am BC and I experienced something amazing: getting our hair washed and straightened for only 3 bucks! AMAZING, especially after 'roughing it' in the North!
Upon returning we had a day of pampering which included: the AM hair appt., manicure and pedicure, and a thai massage. No joke, the thai massage was the most unreal experience. While completely dressed you are worked on a room full of mats on tables and you are prodded and stretched by a blind Thai man. It was so painful, and I have bruises on my arms! How do you remember to say 'No' and 'Stop' in Thai when all you want to do is run away?? haha. All in all, the stretching was my favorite part and we all did it and survived.
The most special moment of the day came when we all went to the Orphanage that Tiffany volunteers at. The baby she was working with was adopted not too long ago so she was assigned a new one, and we got to meet him. I can't pronounce or really remember hisname right now, but I have refered to him as TBoo in pictures. He was precious, so little and was still enough to take photos of. I have uploaded several to facebook, and if you need a link to the blog I will post an entry of links to all photos here as a reference. It is difficult to upload photos sometimes online here.
Afterwards we headed to the Princess Sirivannavari's exhibit from her fashion runway show in Paris this year. It was beautifully presented and I really appreciated her aesthetic. She identifies much of herself to, and has adopted the Peacock as a visual point of reference for her art. She has also used more traditional Thai dress and translated that into a modern representation, and its all beautiful. It was a really neat thing to go see and I got a fruit smoothie on our way home which reminded me of Jamba Juice. I was delighted.
Baby Jesus and the Lisu Village
Christmas Eve was spent traveling north of Chiang Mai, with our guide Sarah and PLa our driver to the Lisu Village. We first stopped at the Orphanage where Sarah coordinates the safety and security of young children in the area. She has 10 or so children at the orphanage we visited, and we got to listen to them sing songs, and visited with them a bit. BC, Mark, Tiffany and I sang Silent Night and Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer to the children and taught them a game. Sarah was our translator as the lady working in the Orphanage, our driver, and the children included did not speak English.
After the stop with the kids we continued on our way to the Village. We arrived in the dark and followed the way down the hill to the hut we were staying in for the night. Three ladies cooked us a meal of rice, beans, black chicken, and fresh papaya. Black Chicken is typically used only for special occasions, so these tribe people really went all out for our arrival. We spent the night in one of their huts with cardboard for a ceiling, it was definitely not the most luxurious accommodations, but the gesture behind the offering was very moving.
We all crashed quite early and I woke up a few times in the night and one time went outside and saw the brightest moon in the sky I have ever seen. I could see well into the valley and could make out the outline of the mountains before me. It was awe inspiring and one of those 'pinch me' moments that I have often found myself in as I have traveled this year. How did I end up in this place? What was I to learn from this particular stop in the journey? Would I be able to remember forever what the trees looked like in the moonlight? It was breathtaking. A perfect way to celebrate the birth of Christ.
Awaking to a rooster is not my favorite, but we all did around 8am and went outside to get warm. The man we were staying with put on the Backstreet Boys, which was classically funny. I think what struck me most about the Lisu village was the colliding of two worlds. They did not have elaborate homes, or a modern kitchen...but they did have a TV with a CD player and some electricity. No comfy mattresses, no built four walls- and yet they all walked around with cell phones. It was the strangest experience to watch.
Christmas morning breakfast included rice that combined with coconut milk and pan fried to be dipped in sugar, again a meal typically served once a year. With all of their gestures we were treated like royalty in their culture. It was a completely challenging experience- wanting comfort that is familiar, but accepting their offering with complete grace and appreciation.
After breakfast we went up to the playing field and welcomed the children of the village for treats we brought and games. We tried to teach them tag, it didn't quite go as we had planned. But 'Simon Says' was a true winner. We gave candy and cookies, and Tiffany made spiced apple cider- we sang songs, and we prayed for them. The Lisu people for the most part do practice Christianity so to celebrate Christmas with them was perfect.
We went to the village nearby that was 6 miles from Burma that was also celebrating the birth of Christ. There was a random Ferris wheel, and all of the food vendors were out and buzzing with their culinary creations. We met Amanda from Kansas who is in Thailand teaching at a local English School and is engaged to a Lisu man---the questions we all had were outstanding. "Why?" "Where are you getting married?" "How did you meet?" We tried to pace ourselves and not completely judge her, but it was just one of those things that I couldn't believe. But she seemed happy and excited!
Lunch where we stayed went well, and we packed up for the greatest thing ever: ELEPHANT RIDING!
Sunday 12/23 Day of Adjustment
Sunday was the day of adjustments...from the time change, to being off the airplanes, to culture I felt myself trying to catch up all day. For the most part we just hung out in the apartment of Tiffany's friend, and then went to the Train Station to board our 16 hour ride to Chaing Mai, which is a large city in Northern Thailand.
Stepping on the train I felt like I was in a scene from the movie "Darjeeling Express", although I did not see the movie, from what I understand from viewing of the preview of their transportation--I was on that train. It was surreal and completely not anything I have ever experienced, thus lending itself to the day of adjustment. We boarded the train at 10:30pm and slept through the night on it, waking up to another four hours on the train...I tried to sleep whenever I could but then felt so lazy. I suppose this was good in feeding the jet lag.
12.23.2007
Half Way Across the Globe and DUNKIN DONUTS
So to my joy and delight there was a Dunkin Donuts in the Seoul Airport. I successfully ordered an iced coffee and got a little bag of chocolate glazed munchkins. This brought a lot of comfort to me as I struggled to adjust myself to the different time zone and culture.
I ended up getting three hours of sleep the night before BC and I left for the Richmond airport...we were reunited with Mark in Atlanta and were able to begin the process of realization "we were finally on our way". All things considered the flight to Seoul wasn't that bad. We each had video monitors in the seats in front of us, so I watched three movies all at my own pace. There were games, digital music, etc... to keep us entertained and plenty of refreshments and meals along the way. By the end I was ready to be off the plane and walk around- so thankfully we had a few hours in the airport to gather our wits. BC slept for almost the entire lay over, Mark and I found the Dunkin Donuts and then took naps, and then we boarded for our 5 1/2 flight to Bangkok. At this point we had already been traveling for over 20 hours.
Korea Air- very friendly. I took my cough medicine and essentially went into deep sleep for the entire flight, it was fantastic. Not only was it sleep, it was restful sleep because of the extra pillows I scored, my soft blanket I had with me, and the empty row I was sitting in.
Arriving in Bangkok was a little like waking up in a strange dreamland. Tiffany met us on the other side of customs and the baggage claim- all of our bags arrived: Praise the Lord. The taxi ride to where we were staying was not eventful but it was great to hear about some things that are coming up in the next few days. I slept really well last night, again thanks in part to the cough medicine and the state of shear exhaustion.
Now we are just resting. Tonight we take a 12 hour train ride to Chiang Mai, Thailand. It's supposed to be cooler then the current 95 degree weather, and we're staying in a Village. There are not many known details as Tiffany has not been to this specific place before, but she is trusting her American friend to hook us up.
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