Asiatic

Notes from Varanasi

2009-01-31T02:51:00.008+05:30

A post-hospital email I sent from Varanasi:

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I think I'm gaining some weight back.

Homeopathic dietary remedies are indeed universal. I'm back to full capacity, all heroics having been avoided. Just a crazy place to experience being sick (and very sick) on my own for the first time.

Diwali consisted of too many fireworks going off, and cheap ones exploding loudly and too close to the ground. One took off straight at me, singing off some hair; although it's not noticeable, the smell was for a few minutes.

Election is soon. I'm really optimistic and reading way too much about it given my location, but whatever.

I'm good...taking both tabla and sitar lessons out here until Tuesday, at which point I head to Delhi and eagerly anticipate the election results that will come in Wednesday around 5am.

Tabla lessons for 150 minutes each day...I started sitar today, so we'll see how often I take those. Still, I'm making serious progress on the tabla. Bought one, and although it's heavy, it's insanely good quality and very happy about it. I'll lug it around with me so I can practice...it might be a burden, but it's one I'm willing to carry.

Things have definitely taken a great turn for the better since I've recouped. I was supposed to leave on Thursday (yesterday), but after finding this tabla teacher (who has his Ph. D in the instrument and lectures at the local university) who is all of 31 or so, things clicked, I started making progress and changed my flight until Tuesday so I could pack in as much learning as possible without spending too much time in Varanasi (there's still so much I want to see and so much I will not see...but all is good). What was planned as 3.5 days turned into 12 with a hospital stint as long as the original itinerary. Oh, how things change. Isn't it wonderful?

Met some foreigners who I've spent some time with. Still mainly doing my own thing, however. I'm pretty cool and happy on my own. I have things to do, things to see, tabla to practice, food to eat, and hours to sleep. I'm not being inactive...actually, sometimes I really am. Sometimes, I just don't feel like going to "that" museum today, and you know what - fine with me. Whatever I do is great, cause this is my time and I'm enjoying how I want to enjoy it when I want to. I'm getting a healthy mix of busyness and laziness, doing what feels right at the moment. Reading a lot, having fun, everything. All I've wanted it to be.

Scary thing: I'm more than halfway done. I have 5 months. Left 15 August, coming back around 15 Jan. Insanity. I'm not stressing, it's just crazy to think how the time has gone. I've done so much, but Beijing still kind of feels like yesterday, until I start counting all the things I've done since. But still...

If you don't mind, I kind of like some of the things I've written, and I need to make a post-hospital post...can I pull some of this email and repurpose it for the blog? Know that I'm writing this to you first, off the cuff, here at 1:30 am, at the computer in my guesthouse's office.

Sterling

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Last post abroad

2009-01-17T14:32:00.003+05:30

But I will be sure to get back on here and write more in the US. Below is the text of an email I sent out to those who requested it:

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This email had to come.

Air Canada flight 002 departs Tokyo Narita Airport tomorrow evening at 5:20. Barring any surprises, I'm on it. I arrive in LaGuardia at 9:48, making it the longest 4.5 hours of my life. Maybe it's symbolic, given that I can savor my last 4.5 for 18 hours. How fortunate is that?

Shortly after I land I'll be heading to DC for 44's inauguration. On January 22 I fly back to LA, then on February 6 I take that final flight from the west unto the east, to my new home in NYC.

I write this to you all after having fallen off the radar for some period, though I'd call it a withdrawal. However you see it, I will be sure to write a few more posts and load many more pictures. Granted, updates after the fact are a bit anticlimactic, but I'll share them anyway. And what I do not share online I hope to share with you in person.

I return with all my limbs plus a few cuts and scars, but on the whole intact. I've made many friends, created and collected countless experiences, read voraciously, written profusely, and taken over 20 gigs of photos. All of that, both process and result, will stay with me for the rest of my life. These five months will be a part of my own personal history. Still, in my return I will find that the adventure is not yet over, only different.

New York City will be quite a test. In all of its intensity, it will challenge me to remember to breathe. In all of its distractions, it will challenge me not to forget the lessons and experiences of these five months. And in all of its demands, it will force me to persevere, to avoid the invitation to back down.

It will also be a lot of fun.

I am excited for what is to come. I am so happy that I will be able to see my family and friends so soon. I am also so thankful that I've been able to take these months to explore what is important to me in such an incredible part of the world. But what is most important is not the experiences I've had, but the awareness and appreciation for the people who have allowed me to have them.

So I say this to my family, my old friends and new friends: thank you for making this the most unreal dose of reality I've ever had.

I look forward to seeing you.

Sterling
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Sumo Tokyo

2009-01-16T06:10:00.002+05:30

Going to a match this afternoon. Luckily I'm here during tournament time. I will take pictures and post them soon. Most likely the same day I post the other few hundred photos that are still not up.

Coming home Sunday. Feelings run across the spectrum, as expected.

Osaka, Kobe, Kyoto

2009-01-04T22:10:00.002+05:30

I love this part of Japan. This area, in southwest Japan, is called Kansai, and with the rail pass I got I can just bounce around. I’m based in Osaka in a capsule hotel, which serves two functions: hilarious and cheap. But, from here, I can make it to Kobe in 23 minutes and Kyoto in 45 (or 20 on the bullet train).

So what have I done with all of this opportunity? Well, Friday night I got in and found a bar. Saturday I went to the Osaka aquarium. Can’t wait to post those pictures. They have two whale sharks in the world’s largest single aquarium tank, along with a manta ray with at least a 20 ft wingspan and tons more. And the spider crabs look kind of like the aliens in the new War of the Worlds. That evening I took the train to Kobe in search of the real deal – Kobe beef. Had to do it. Struggled to find something trustworthy until I happened upon the concierge at the Hotel Okura, where Johanna, the Aussie manager, made a reservation for me at the ideal spot. Dinner was mindblowing. Thankfully I could afford to buy myself dinner with the money I made playing blackjack on the cruise.

Went to a bar in Kobe, played darts with a guy from New York and his fiancé when that same (did I mention she was good looking?) girl from the hotel came in to the bar to meet the people I was playing darts with. Small world.

The night was fantastic although I almost missed the last train back to Osaka. Upon my return I realized I was a long way from the hotel. Tired and not with all my wits about me, I started walking in what I thought was the right direction. Thankfully, I was right. Still quite a few kilometers away with no chance for a taxi (no cash, I’ll explain in a minute), I asked two locals in their car how to get to Shinsaibashi and they told me to hop in. Lucky me. Even better that they, like many locals in this area, are dressed straight out of cartoons. Made it back to my capsule where I passed out until this morning, at which point I hopped over to Kyoto to walk around the temples. Took tons of pictures, relaxed at a perfect rock garden, walked around the geisha district, ate sashimi and duck shabu-shabu.

No snow on the ground, granted, but still an impossibly beautiful site. I’m going back tomorrow to see more, but Kyoto is so rich I could spend weeks and not see it all. Trying to get a good taste of Japan in the limited time I have here. I’ll definitely be coming back to Japan one day. Came back and went to the Umeda Sky Building in downtown Osaka. The building looks like the Grande Arche in Paris on drugs. It’s joined like the arch, but it is actually two complete and separate buildings with a “sky garden” connecting the two. On top of that, the middle of the connecting arch has a giant open circle in the center. Just look it up online. When you get to the top, the walkway around is lit with blacklights and has those funny reflective multicolored specks on the ground. Taking it all in, the only thing I could think was “only in Japan.”

After I post this I’m going back into my capsule. Funny, right? Like I mentioned, tomorrow will be Kyoto round 2. Tuesday I think I will go see the castle at Himeji, then maybe go all the way to Hiroshima. I think that would be a very important thing for me to do. Also, I have some friends at the Marine base 40 minutes from there, so that might just work out. Regardless of what I do, I need to be in Tokyo by Thursday afternoon for my flight to Hokkaido. The base is over 7 feet at the top. So pumped. Fresh fresh fresh powder, tons of backcountry and a brand new park.

Here in Osaka

2009-01-02T18:53:00.005+05:30

Lately I've been a man of few words, I know. As I've said multiple times over the course of the last two months or so, I think that will change.

But until that point, I want to wish everyone a very happy and healthy new year. I spent mine watching the fireworks over the Sydney Harbour, drinking champagne smuggled into our spot on the grass at Ms. Macquerie's Point. Stayed up all night for my 8:35 a.m. flight back to Hong Kong, where I had a great day running around Central with my friend and his kids, then coming back for a killer Thai dinner made by his fiance. While he and I went out for a few drinks, she put together an apple crumble even better than the last one she made. A few beers later, we returned to eat and watch "The Death of Bruce Lee," starring some guy named La Pantera and the most ridiculous suits out of the 70s I've ever seen.

This morning I picked up the suits I had made and caught my flight to the place in which I reside, Osaka.

I've finally made it to the last country on the last leg of my tour. It really is a crazy feeling and I don't quite know how to describe it yet. All I know is that I'm really elated and I need to fill you all in on what's been happening.

For the moment let me give you my 16-day forecast. 5 days here between Osaka, Kyoto and Nara, then taking the bullet train to Tokyo (2.5 hours) to catch a flight up to Sapporo on the island of Hokkaido. From there I take a 3 hour bus to Niseko, where I'll be snowboarding and/or skiing in waist-high powder, based on the current conditions. After that it's back to Tokyo for 5 more days where I'll soak in the last days with tons of sushi and maybe a drink or two at the top of the Park Hyatt so I can feel like Bill Murray.

From there it's a long flight on Air Canada to NYC, where I stay for maybe one or two nights before Gorode, myself, and maybe a few others head down to DC for the inauguration. Epic. Then it's back to NYC for a flight to LA to see the family that might've forgotten I exist. But, on February 6th, it's the one-way flight back to New York City, my final destination. At that point, this chapter of my life will officially be over, and I'll be ready for the next one to begin. Granted, the adventure is going to be a bit different now, but I still know it'll be an adventure.

I'm not going to write about my reflections on the past 4.5 months yet. I need to do that in private first. But I will write. About the past, about what's next, about it all. I just need to take some time to think it out. Currently, I'm just rambling, but I figured that rambling may be a bit better than another day of a void at the top of my blog.

I can't believe I'm in Japan. This is going to be incredible. This has all been incredible. I know the schedule of this last month is a bit over-the-top, I realize that. I'm so incredibly lucky to be able to do this. So now I'm in Japan. You know what's great about Japan? I get to see all the celebrity endorsements that they don't talk about in the US. What brought this to mind is that right next to this computer terminal is a vending machine selling coffee. On the bottom of the machine is an advertisement for BOSS coffee, with a picture of Tommy Lee Jones staring right at you. Perfect.

Lack of posts

2008-12-12T07:30:00.003+05:30

Arrived in Sydney after about a week in Hong Kong. Incredible. Off to Tahiti tomorrow for a week of surf, then cruising with the family around the islands the next week for my dad's birthday.

Yes, this is the ridiculous sounding part of the trip, just in case the previous months haven't been crazy enough.

Just wanted to say hi...I'm alive. I'll write sometime, I think.

The constant change

2008-12-02T19:12:00.006+05:30

Oh man...

I'm in Mumbai now. Things are fine. I was supposed to leave on Friday for a 24 hour layover in Bangkok before getting to Hong Kong for the week.

Considering there were thousands of people in my way (or one now ex-PM, depending on how you see the situation), Bangkok was no longer an option, and Thai Air had canceled my flight.

So, after arriving in Mumbai last night, I had to find a decent place to sleep, find some food, and get some rest, moving slowly and deliberately through the thick Mumbai air. A massive difference from the thin, crisp and clean air of the Himalayan north.

Today I had to figure it all out. Find a flight back to the US (now booked) and deal with how I'd deal with Thailand.

Sounds all too much like the troubles and travails of an all-too-lucky kid, ridiculously fortunate to even be able to have these problems. I know that. Still, I feel perfectly comfortable saying it's been a little frustrating.

It's the beauty of India. I love it here. I will miss it when I leave this Friday morning. Two great months of my life will be finished, wrapped up as I fly over the celebratory protestors of Bangkok on my non-stop flight to Hong Kong.

I've been off the radar for quite some time now. It's actually been really wonderful. And while I've posted some pictures, the lack of prose presents a great opportunity for me to sit down with you and share some of my experiences, including those which I wouldn't have written about anyway.

I'm flying back January 18th into NYC, then back in LA for a few weeks, then finally moving to NYC on February 6. Pretty pretty pretty soon. A friend asked me last night if I was sad about coming back. I replied that I'm not. First of all, it's still pretty far off, so some of this talk is quite premature. But, I know that the time I've spent out here has made a real and signficant impact on me in every conceivable way. I'm actually pretty excited to return. When I do, I will head into things with quite a different perspective. Had I left school and headed straight to work, I know I would have been highly susceptible to the myopia of "your job is your life." Now, and hopefully into the indeterminate future, I will experience life in a different way, having built up enough sense of self to resist the pressures of that mentality. That mentality which, it is sad to say, is all too pervasive, exaggerated in a place like Manhattan.

I don't know where to begin with recounting of my experiences. So, for the moment, I'll put it off. I've been doing a lot of that lately. But I'm perfectly fine with it. I hope you are. Let's just see it as an opportunity for us to sit down and spend some time.

I'm safe

2008-11-27T10:30:00.002+05:30

Things are horrific in Mumbai. I am so sad to hear about what is happening. As for me, I am safe in northern India, far from the current situation.

I am supposed to travel to Mumbai by plane on Monday, but the plans are obviously tentative at this point.

My next destination after Mumbai is Bangkok (albeit for 24 hours), and there seems to be some serious unrest there as well.

I'm not going to shoot out some massive email, but if you happen to check this out then you will know I'm ok.

If you aren't aware of what's going on...

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/11/26/india.attacks/index.html
http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/11/26/thailand.protests.airport/index.html

Reminders

2008-11-13T12:41:00.004+05:30

Write about:

Varanasi, Bablu, Tarak, recording the show, dinner, Sarnath
getting to Delhi, watching election, staying in decent accomodations, Ghandi (both of em)
Pushkar camel fair, Dave and Chris, mustache competition
the overall hectic nature of Delhi: dirty, intense, crazy, last minute (could also be used to describe me at moments）
the trip to Agra, working it out, driver falling asleep, dealing with FedEx, packing things, etc.
figuring out trip to the north (HP)
living life by the skin of my teeth

Maybe I just gave you all what you want to hear anyway. Hopefully I've left it oblique enough so that you'll actually read my explanations. I'll entice you with pictures. Pictures are good for enticing.

There are a lot of things that I should go back and write about. I haven't been as diligent as I'd like to have been. On the other hand, I've been just as diligent as I want to be, right? We'll see how much I recount from days past on the blog. Some things I might just write in my journal. Maybe I shouldn't get all anachronistic. We'll see.

YES WE DID.

2008-11-05T10:19:00.001+05:30

Bungy jumping in Nepal

2008-11-02T22:16:00.005+05:30

So this is a bridge I jumped off of on my last day in Nepal. The next day I left Nepal en route to Darjeeling, India. The trip was 3 hours from Kathmandu, north toward Tibet. The drop from the bridge to the base of the gorge is 160 m, roughly 445 ft.

Maybe I'll elaborate more on the experience when the cafe isn't closing in five minutes, but I wanted to get these pictures posted.

Mongolia Redux

2008-10-30T23:53:00.004+05:30

I never really wrote that much about Mongolia, but Gill took some wonderful pictures and Sally wrote as eloquently as she always does. If you want to see some photos and read about my time there (now just about two months ago, which I can't believe), please just click the link below.

http://gillandsally.blogspot.com/2008/09/mongolia.html

Sharing hospital joy and misery

2008-10-27T22:19:00.003+05:30

The hospital kept me a day longer than I anticipated/previously suggested, but I am now free.

I'm out, feeling good, enjoying Varanasi. I arrived Thursday afternoon and went in to the hospital Thursday night and left of Sunday. That was supposed to be my entire trip here. I obviously changed my flight and am now leaving Thursday.

Varanasi is a city that takes a highlighter to the concept of life and death, putting each on display in a very in-your-face kind of way.

Tomorrow is Diwali, India's Hanukkah...I say that only because it's a festival of lights. I believe that is where the similarities end.

To be continued...

I'll want to remember this

2008-10-24T19:35:00.004+05:30

I'm in a hospital right now in Varanasi. Just wanted to capture this moment in time.
It started right before I went to bed during my last night in Kolkata. I thought something was up, but didn't give it much thought. Went to bed too late only to wake up at 4am for my 5:55 flight to Varanasi (connecting in Dehli). Felt miserable the entire time.
Finally arrived in Varnasi and took my hour long cab ride into the town, after giving myself about 20 minutes to catch my breath. I knew I had a fever, but didn't know how bad.
Once I arrived at my hostel (luckily owned by an Ayurvedic doctor, who unluckily was not there), his daughter and her husband took incredibly good care of me, sitting in my room for hours, putting a cold compress on my head, covering me with blankets, and tending to my every request. These people are so incredibly nice, I couldn't express my appreciation enough.
When I finally mustered the strength to dig through my bag to get my first aid kit, the thermometer read 103. This is about 6 or 7 hours after trying to ride it out in the guesthouse. At this point, after repeated suggestions from the owners, we took a cycle rickshaw to the hospital, where I currently sit.
I thought malaria, but the blood test they worked overnight said it was negative. I then put two and two together and realized that I had fish at my wonderful Bengali meal two nights ago. As soon as I said this, they told me that they don't serve fish fresh here...they freeze it. It definitely was infected, even though the place I went to was top quality (with prices to match).
They hooked me up to an IV after I had arrived. I've been a bit nervous throughout this experience, making sure I look that each needle used is unwrapped for the first time, etc. Too many horror stories. But, this hospital seems to be good quality, practicing western medicine.
The fever has since broke (why do they stick the needle in your ass?), but I'm still sweating it out. I'm on the IV until they let me out of here, but I've been cleared to eat plain rice and bananas. I'm so excited!
They plan to discharge me tomorrow morning. What a wonderful start to Varanasi with two nights in a hospital!
Obviously, I'll be delaying my flight back to Dehli to make sure that once I am good I can actually see this crazy crazy city.
I'm really happy it's not malaria...I definitely won't be eating any fish until I get to Japan. Naturally, I'm well enough to check my email, which they've so graciously allowed me to do (dealing with insurance sucks). I decided to steal a few minutes to document this moment in time. Not feeling too hot, but it could be much worse.
All part of the process, right? Take the low with the high. It's really unavoidable in an environment where one switches to the other almost instantaneously.

Kolkata to Varanasi

2008-10-23T01:46:00.004+05:30

I've been in Kolkata (was Calcutta) for the past 4 days and am leaving for my flight in 4 hours. Flying to Dehli first then doubling back to Varanasi. Why? Because all of the trains are booked on account of Diwali, which just happens to be basically India's biggest holiday.

Of course I didn't know. I do now and am adjusting accordingly.

I actually feel a little feverish, which isn't so good. Had some of those shivers that you know shouldn't happen when it's room temp.

Still, I had some incredible Bengali food tonight.

I'd like to go to sleep but I fear I'd sleep through every wake up call.

Kolkata is crazy, but really nice. Oh, the paradox of India.

So fresh, so clean

2008-10-16T18:48:00.007+05:30

I got a haircut today. I also shaved the mass/mess off of my face that has accumulated over the last six weeks. Jon Lebe looked at my pictures on Flickr and said I looked Irish.

The place was super small, the barber super Indian. The haircut is horribly awesome. Everything was ideal. I will post pictures soon. Maybe Saturday.

He also proceeded to give me a massage...scalp, shoulders, back & neck. A little unexpected, but not unwelcome. Not bad when it all cost me less than $3.

Now, without the hair on my head and face, I do notice the 15+ pounds I lost while trekking. I should eat, but my credit card isn't working, leaving me with no way to pull out money at the moment. I'm working on it.

Darjeeling is great so far. I'm staying at a Tibetan-owned homestay (they insist I call it home) called the Snow Lion Homestay. Tenzing and his wife have given me a wonderful student/birthday discount, provided that I bring back a cake tomorrow in celebration of the anniversary of my birth. Works for me. Order's in with the bakery.

I should be seeing the sunrise at Tiger Hill tomorrow. After that, I'm not so sure, except for cake at 7pm. For all that want to know, the tea is great and so am I.

I've posted tons of new photos on Flickr, including most of my Beijing photos (finally). I have some more Olympic stuff to post, so I'll update you all when that happens.

For now, know that all is good here on my end. I went bungee jumping off of a 550 foot bridge two days ago. I'll post those pictures when I get them from the photographer. I have a DVD of the whole thing. Hectic is all I can say right now.

I also had my first home-cooked meal (incredible) since I've been away thanks to my friend Geordie introducing me to his cousin and her Nepali husband. Thank you again, Geordie, Lisa and Chandra.

I know I'm seriously behind with keeping you informed, but such is life. Just a few highlights so far.

C-SPAN posted the debate on YouTube. First one I've watched - I am quite pleased to see that Obama doesn't need to fly me back to stump for him. He can take care of himself, which is a nice quality to see in a President, don't you think?

Off to see if I can put on some weight.

Everest, Sagarmatha National Park

2008-10-14T22:39:00.001+05:30

There's so much to say about this. I guess I will continually update this until I really finish it. Right now I've said nothing.

Musings and Ruminations, pt. 1

2008-10-13T16:41:00.002+05:30

Sometimes you strive for something, care for something, go after it, and find it. It's an unbelievable feeling of elation, pride and joy. Sometimes, you do the same thing and fail. The subsequent sadness. And other times, you follow your desires only to find that there was nothing there at all, tricked by a mirage, having seen only what you wanted to see. That's an unbelievable feeling of disappointment, a feeling of time and effort exhausted without consolation.

What has this taught me? Well, you only learn through experience. You don't learn from not trying. Failure hurts. Disappointment hurts more. Expectations, and even hopes for that matter, can seem like exercises in futility, tossing coins into a pond. But even these seemingly useless activities can help create an environment for new, better opportunities.

So what has that taught me? Well, that all proverbs are entirely silly, given that each has its equal and opposite pairing. And that means that no one can sum up an experience, a place, a person in one way. Everything runs the gamut. It's everything all of the time. Yes, we each experience the world individually, and each breath we take is entirely subjective.

You see it 15,000 feet in the air, as some people struggle to keep their heart from playing double-time while others cruise along without a care in the world. You see it in certain movies, books, politicians and religions that people swear by while others swear at. And you see it in people, where they can treat some with such love and respect, others with such disdain and disregard.

I won't quite drop the Hobbesian bomb of "nasty, brutish, and short," but life is interesting out here. For those who live here, for those who pass through, and for me.

The hours of walking through Sagarmatha National Park have given me a lot of time to think, to reflect. Maybe too much, given my penchant for overanalysis.

Below is a short list of conflicting proverbs to illustrate my point.

All good things come to those who wait.
Time and tide wait for no man.

The pen is mightier than the sword.
Actions speak louder than words.

Great minds think alike.
Fools seldom differ.

Practice makes perfect.
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.

Silence is golden.
The squeaky wheel gets the grease.

You're never too old to learn.
You can't teach an old dog new tricks

Absence makes the heart grow fonder.
Out of sight, out of mind.

Birds of a feather flock together.
Opposites attract.

The best things in life are free.
There's no such thing as a free lunch.

Slow and steady wins the race.
Time waits for no man.

Look before you leap.
Strike while the iron is hot.

Hey, if the glove fits...

Oh, Kathmandu

2008-10-12T15:28:00.004+05:30

I'm back in Kathmandu. Little kids walking across rusted steel bars, policemen demanding money from bus drivers, a child pointing a shiny blue plastic gun at everyone in sight. I am definitely back.

Driving from the airport back to Thamel, after being away in the wilderness for so long, I've truly noticed that cities are alive. They have a rhythm, a pacing, a life of their own. Maybe it just reflects the normalization of certain elements after you get after you reach a certain population.

Moreover, I think I've gotten good at Nepali negotiation; I've been getting Nepali rates on cabs all day. Oh, and Sting was right when he said that Thamel strangely resembles the streets of Blade Runner.

My first meal back here was decadent. Penne pasta salad with balsamic vinaigrette, a hamburger and a Coke. You'll understand with subsequent posts.

I've also claimed my certificate from the NMA. I'll post pictures soon. I know this is all a bit obscure, I know, but I have a lot of writing to do. And you're all probably asleep right now.

Capitulation: pictures of me

2008-09-26T20:29:00.010+05:30

For those that have told me that they like my pictures but would like to see what I look like...yes, I haven't shaved in 3 weeks. Oohhhhhhh mannnn, let's make a big deal.

1. In my guesthouse in Namche. Perfect if I didn't despise myspace.

2. On a hike today up to my first view of Everest. This isn't it, but it sure is purty.

3. First sighting of Everest. It's right above my head with the shallow slope covered in snow. You'd actually think it would look bigger, but it's much further back than you might think. I'm pretty happy at this point. Climbed over 1,000 ft from Namche to get to this view.
Maybe I'll find some more than three pictures, and maybe more than two with my face. To be honest, can't be bothered right now. Mom, I still love you very very much.

Lukla to Namche

2008-09-26T19:55:00.007+05:30

I am here in Namche. I arrived yesterday morning at 11am after 3 hours of serious walking (day 1 was 6 hours). At certain points I had to stop to catch my breath every ten steps. Not kidding. I'm actually going to load a few pictures here to give you an idea of where I am. There are so many more pictures I'd like to load, but the Internet here is quite expensive. I am planning to upload millions of photos once I get to India. I have little reason to doubt that it's both much cheaper and quicker out there. Sorry it's got to be a little all at once, but that's how it goes.

So, I don't know how long I've walked in the past two days. Some say 40k, but I have no clue. The point is it's all up and down. Oh yea, and it rained the first two days as well.

Waiting for the plane in Kathmandu:

The plane:

This is the airport in Lukla. Note the downward slant:

Typical trail (the very beginning...all too easy but never boring):

One of many bridges over the glacial river:

I really like this girl. She just finished drinking from the hose when I caught her:

Day 2 walking. Just passed a group of monks when I came upon this twin waterfall. I stopped to catch my breath and admire just how beautiful it was:

A view:

Beautiful:

A view of Namche from the top:

As you can tell I'm doing this a bit quickly. I just want to give you some idea of where I am before I bounce up to EBC.

Safe in Lukla

2008-09-24T10:39:00.003+05:30

Crazy flight. You come in right over the top of a mountain then land on an upward-facing slope that's less than the length of a football field...maybe way less, actually.

Off to start the trek. I'll see how far I can get. There's a chance I might try and go up one of the mountains around Everest. There's one called Island Peak. We'll see. I have until a place called Namche Bazaar to figure it out.

Lumbini and Everest

2008-09-23T22:15:00.004+05:30

I really wish I had a better internet connection. I want to upload photos so you can see what I've been doing. I'm sorry this is all so text heavy.

Well, the last 72 hours have been non-stop, whirlwind adventure. Headache, adventure, awesome, miserable, everything. But I believe that all of this is good, no matter what. With a little time, everything looks a little bit better.

In any case, I just started writing this and the manager of this Internet cafe tells me I have 5 minutes...go.

Let's just say, after getting to Lumbini, I took another motorcycle ride to my hostel (first one was to Chitwan, much better and more beautiful story that I will tell...later), where I spent the night and ate dinner with two Germans. Good guys. Next day went to the birthplace of the Buddha, saw the stone he was born on, relaxed, did some thinking outside the temple.

Maybe I'll elaborate more later...in fact, I will. It was a really special place, a really nice moment in time. I took the night bus that night back to Pokhara. Overcrowded, 90 minutes late, full of baggage in the aisle, people competing to see how loud their cell phones can play music, dinner at some random place in the middle of nowhere where we all had dal bhat (the only meal in Nepal), the guy next to me slept on my shoulder, super hot inside, and I'm the only white guy there. Slept the entire next day in Pokhara.

Weather was still off, so couldn't start a trek for fear of losing the mountain views. Tried to figure out what the hell to do. Weather is bad all the way east to Thailand. Weather is great out west in India, but if I went out there, I doubt I'd make it back to Nepal, therefore missing out on seeing the Himalayas. I bought a ticket on impulse back to Kathmandu for the next morning. Got here, where I sit now, and bought a ticket earlier today to Lukla. Lukla is the starting point for the trek to Everest Base Camp.

I'm on my way. Hopefully I'll arrive around 9am tomorrow, then maybe get started that day. If not, I'll get my permits together and start the next day. I have no idea what I'm getting into, but at least I'm getting into something.

Don't know how long I'll be gone. Doubt I'll have much, if any, access to communication. I want to write more, but I'm getting kicked out. Getting the ticket to Lukla was next to impossible. Capital One sucks. I took care of making sure they knew I was traveling before hand. Apparently they forgot and put a hold on my credit card. Took 2 hours to get someone on the phone, then they told me my dad needed to call and do it all. That meant I woke him up at 4am. He did it. He's a great dad, I'll tell ya.

Met 4 American women tonight. They were sitting at the table next to me at my guesthouse. I wanted some familiar company, so we all talked. 3 of 4 are from Seattle. 3 of 4 work in PR. They have two Syracuse people in their office. How about that? We went out to dinner at the great place that Tyler and I went to last time I was in Kathmandu. All of us ate for a little over a dollar a piece. Again, great.

The ringleader of the Seattle group is apparently going through a midlife crisis that she predicted 15 years ago. She's on sabbatical for 10 months, so some of her friends came out here to hang out...at least that's the impression I got.

That's all for now. So much more could be said.

Hope you are all just great.

The road to Lumbini

2008-09-20T21:26:00.004+05:30

5:30 a.m. + monsoon rain + windy roads + guy next to me throwing up everywhere + smell of vomit for hours + massive landslide + walking (sinking) around (through) landslide with my overweight backpack + walking for 5k + stuffed into a local bus over twice its capacity for another 30k = the thirteen hours from Pokhara to Lumbini, or a beautiful Saturday.

I love my iPod and I love Nepal.

Buddha, bicycles and backlogging

2008-09-19T22:26:00.003+05:30

I'm leaving in the morning for Lumbini, the birthplace of the Buddha. Should be there for a couple of days. Not exactly sure what I am going to do afterwards. Anyone with suggestions feel free to email me. The timing is perfect for me to see Lumbini, considering I just finished the first re-read of Siddhartha since it was assigned as ninth grade summer reading. I loved it then, yes, but I love it so much more now.

The jungle was really nice. I'll put down a more comprehensive post later. I do worry about getting backlogged, though. At some point I'll just have to write a day off and write it all down. After all, this blog isn't just for all of you - it's going to help me remember. Remember what I did, remember what I was thinking, and remember that this was a really special time in my life.

Rode around the lake today. Uphill, downhill, paved, unpaved. It rained for a while. Nonetheless, it was beautiful. The little shops nestled against the hillside. The terraced rice paddies climbing up into the clouds. Locals rowing small wooden boats along the shore. The chicken, cattle, goats, dogs everywhere. At one point, a little girl asked if I would take her closer to her house. Out here in Asia, as I'm sure it is in many other places, the back fender of a bicycle operates as additional seating quite often. So, she sat on the back of the bike and held on as we (I) pedaled through the rain. Had to walk the bike across a stream that basically overtook the road. She sat, I pushed. At least she let me take a picture of her afterwards. Her stoicism was hilarious. She didn't crack a smile until I showed her the picture afterwards.

The bus to Lumbini leaves at 6:30 am. I need to be there by 6. It's just about 11, so it's time to pack and get some sleep.

My current predicament

2008-09-18T21:26:00.006+05:30

What to do while here...

Things could be worse. Prior to now, this has been my experience in Nepal (pictures will be uploaded tomorrow, given the stars aligning for a good Nepali Internet connection): The first 36 hours were in Kathmandu. The night I arrived, I found a quaint, authentic place to have a Nepali meal before settling into my room at the Pilgrim Guesthouse and writing my last entry. It was there that I met Tyler, a recent graduate of University of S. Carolina Law School, out here traveling before he starts practicing (contingent on those bar results, of course). He mentioned something about renting bicycles and riding out 15 km east of Kathmandu to a place called Bhaktapur. I knew nothing...sounded fun...why not? We met early the next day and headed out for an amazing ride. First, through so much dense traffic and smog that I thought I would die either from suffocation or from getting crushed between two cars. That is Kathmandu. Eventually, after multiple life-threatening experiences (of which Nepal seems to be full of), we made it out into the clear. With out mountain bikes, we pedaled up the hills, relishing the moments where we could cruise downhill, passing schoolchildren, intricately decorated buses, shops, cattle, and all the other hallmarks of a typical Nepali day. Bhaktapur itself is a beautiful city. My pictures will follow, but for the moment, take a look at what I've pulled from Google Images.

After learning a bit about the tabla from a craftsman, eating lunch, and getting a guided tour from a local, we headed back toward Kathmandu. The ride back was exhilarating. Exhilarating until we rode alongside the airport, stuck alongside a stretch of land that wasn't land so much as mud. Carefully holding on to the bike with one hand, a fence with the other, Tyler and I traversed the mudpit, fearing our loss of grip at any minute. Luckily, we made it through unscathed, dipped our bikes in the river bank to get the wheels spinning again, and found another temple to the north-east of downtown Kathmandu.

It was there that I saw two important things: monkeys everywhere and a little Nepali girl wearing a Melo jersey. I took a picture, and it will be up as soon as I get to it.

When we got back to the city, it was the premier night of the Yanya Punhi festival, a Newari celebration marked by massive crowds, tons of cotton candy, and hundreds of people pulling chariots across the town square.

That night, Tyler and I, at the recommendation of a local, found an incredible restaurant. The food was incredible. We ate as much as we wanted, drank as much as we wanted, and finished the evening with a hookah. By the way, this was the best attended-to hookah I've ever smoked. They came by every 20 seconds or so (yes, seconds) to look at the coals, blow on them, readjust them. At some point we just wanted to relax, but we appreciated the help. Perfect quality, too.

Oh yea, the whole thing, generous tip included, under 4 bucks a person.

Nonetheless, they kicked us out by 10:30, given the new rules put in place by the brand new government. Quite the interesting situation, if you ask me. They just got rid of their king, and the Maoists are running the show. Citywide curfew in Kathmandu of 11pm. It's intent is to eliminate crime by eliminating any life after dark. Apparently it's the same mentality as the teacher who says that because Johnnie was behaving badly, no one can go to recess today.

Problem is, I've always like recess.

Given the fact that I'm already overly verbose, I'm going to save the adventure of the next day for another post. But to hint...I left at 5am on an impulsive journey into the Nepali jungle, where I spent the next four days riding elephants, chasing rhino, startling monkeys and basking in the overwhelming sounds of the forest.

Currently, I write this from the following stop, Pokhara. See the first picture for details. More later.

In Nepal

2008-09-13T19:10:00.005+05:30

Coming in to Kathmandu, watching the massive high-altitude clouds just sit on top of these mountains like little pieces of cotton candy, took my breath away. I wanted to take a picture, but I knew I wouldn't get it right. And I didn't want to disrespect that captain's orders of "electronics off". Especially with rain on the tarmac.

I've already eaten. Food was wonderful. An incredibly nice and generous Nepalese man walked me around, showed me the most authentic restaurant in Thamel, ate with me, and led me to a map shop that his friend owns. He is a tour operator, but knows that I already have a tour booked elsewhere...just a really nice guy.

That made me feel a lot better, especially in light of my first experience outside of the airport. Literally 30 people were reaching for my bags, telling me to come with them to the city. A seemingly honest guy I had first encountered at an airport information booth wanted to charge me the equivalent of $10 for a taxi to downtown. Eventually, and I do not know how, I made it through the fray and into the free van provided by a hostel where I did not even have a reservation.

My journey here from Ulaanbaatar was an adventure. Arriving in Beijing Thursday night, I found out that they would give me a stamp good for 24 hours in the city. With that option, I quickly jettisoned the airport and made my way back to my old home, the Sanlitun Youth Hostel. Back in a familiar setting, I met my roommate for the night. Morrison had arrived in Beijing that day for a two-month internship with the Embassy of his country - Vanuatu. There was a season of Survivor there, apparently.

I figured that it might be nice to spend some more time with this guy. I told him I was going out to dinner and asked him if he wanted to join. It ended up being so nice (and slightly humorous) for me to act as his tour guide, helping orientate him to the city that is now his home for the next 60 days. We went to a restaurant I had been meaning to go to last time - Cafe Sambal. My food was spicier than anticipated, but the place had such a perfect setting. Really classy but still a little beat up...I don't know, see for yourself. After dinner, we walked down through the empty hutongs to the lake district of Hohai, where we could see a little bit more going on. I'm still overwhelmed by the neon of this Chinese foil to Amsterdam. The smell of domesticated animal will forever haunt me.

More about Morrison: He is doing this internship with the help of a government sponsorship, after which he returns to Hanoi to finish the his Masters in Int'l Government Cooperation. Once he finishes, he is going back to help his country develop, despite his desire to pursue another masters degree (comparative law) or a Ph. D. Vanutatu, with a population of 215,000, is an island chain in the south pacific, once colonized by both the British and the French. As a result, Morrison speaks English, French, his native tongue, a Creole language common to the region, and now some Vietnamese. It makes me feel horribly stupid.

According to him, only about 4% of the population has even attended university, much less finished, much less pursued second degrees. Needless to say, he is going to be a very important asset to his country when he returns. Despite his modest acknowledgement, I was really impressed. Drinking a beer lakeside, we started to talk about the palpable difference that he will be able to make in his country. So many of us in the US, with our college degrees in hand, feel that all of our work just goes to perpetuate a system that we have no direct control over...maybe I just sometimes feel that way. For Morrison, the situation couldn't be farther from the truth. He comes from a poor country where life really couldn't be simpler. His parents live on an island in the north, where they hunt their own wildlife, catch their own fish, grow their own crops, and spend money only to buy clothing. Now, to me, that life could sound pretty appealing at times. Still, he says that ventures like the New Millenium Fund, as well as foreign aid coming in from other nations, will bring the development that is so despereately needed for Vanuatu. We talked about so much more, and it was such a great experience.

The next morning I met up with my friend Julie at her apartment for breakfast. I had met Julie during one night out the first time around. Originally from Israel, Julie moved to Beijing, where she does security for El-Al, which means she's badass. She is going to see AIR at a tiny tiny venue in Beijing in a few days. Lucky her. We watched the Paralympics on TV until I had to catch a cab for my flight to Dehli.

I arrived in Dehli at 2am. Everything was very Indian. I slept in the waiting area in about 30 minute intervals, holding my bags next to me until 9am rolled around. At that point I got my gear, checked in, and made my way to my present situation: staying at the Pilgrim Guesthouse in downtown Kathmandu.

Flight Updates

2008-09-11T14:53:00.004+05:30

Went back to the embassy this morning. Turns out that if I connect to Guangzhou from Beijing, I've officially entered China. That means I need a visa. Trouble.

Back to the travel agency, where the travel agent and I sat down and worked it out. End result, I'm flying to Beijing in an hour, where I then have a 23 hour layover until I fly to Dehli. I arrive in Dehli at 2am, where I do something until noon, at which point I catch the quick hop over to Kathmandu.

I'll be in KTM Saturday around 1:45.

At least now I know I won't get stuck in limbo, trapped in China without a visa, feeling like Tom Hanks in The Terminal. But those 23 hours...boy are they gonna be wild. Books, guitar, iPod, internet cafe and I'm golden.

Only three flights away

2008-09-09T13:27:00.004+05:30

Nepal is in my sights. Ulaanbaatar to Beijing, 15 hour layover in Beijing, Beijing to Guanzhou, 3 hour layover in Guanzhou, Guanzhou to Kathmandu. Yes, not ideal, but the cheapest I could find. Come Friday night, I'll be in Nepal, and I'll be very happy.

Risks: went to the Chinese Embassy today. They said I don't need a visa. They'll just stamp me. I should've had the guy write that down on some Chinese Embassy stationary. Too bad they're only open M/W/F from 9:30 until noon. Last thing I want is to get sent back to Ulaanbaatar. It's nice and all, but I'm ready for the Himalayas.

It seems that I need a bit of the Chinese luck just to make sure I can make it through. I'll let you know how it goes.

Mongolia, pt. 3

2008-09-09T06:20:00.015+05:30

This is a ridiculously long post. If you read it in one sitting then I am humbled and honored. Before we get started, I want to say that I miss you all very very much.

Part I: The Train from Beijing - Ulaanbaatar
I had been struggling to try and get out of Beijing (see here, here), but I finally did. The night before the train, after the bookstore, I went to a bar/restaurant called the Rickshaw, planning to do some writing. Maybe writing in a black notebook in public is inviting distraction, because two Austrian women began talking to me shortly thereafter. Granted, they thought I was passed out when my head was really just hunched over my notebook. I guess they were curious as to what I was dreaming about. Talked with them until the bar closed, headed back to the hostel, packed, and made it down to the train station by 6:45.

The train station was packed for my 7:40 train. It seemed as if even the employees didn't know which track the train was coming in on. They figured it out and I boarded. My ticket was for a "hard sleeper." Two bunks side by side in a room about 5 feet wide and 7 feet deep. Luckily, I only had one roommate. We used the other beds for storage space. He (I forgot his name) is 25 and Chinese and was headed up to Ulaanbaatar to bring his Mongolian girlfriend back to China so they could be married. Very happy for him. What I wasn't so happy about was his inclination to listen to music on the speakerphone of his cell. I've noticed a lot of Chinese doing this. It's annoying. What's worse is when the only song he seems to listen to is "Stan" by Eminem. My iPod came in handy. I hope that song doesn't remind him of his girlfriend or something. That wouldn't be right.

Made friends with the people in the compartment next to me. Incredible people. Gill and Sally, Grace and Ted. Gill and Sally are a British couple who basically have figured things out pretty well. They are a little more than a handful of years older than me and have spent the last three years living in Asia. They've traveled more than maybe I ever will, and have spent their last block of time living and working in advertising in Singapore. They just figured they'd see what was out there. With the talent they have (a lot, mind you), they found work doing art direction and copy writing, respectively. Their trip to Mongolia is just part of their passage back to London via the Trans-Siberian Railroad. They left yesterday and are currently headed towards Irkutsk, stopping by a lake containing more water than all the Great Lakes combined. A link to their blog is to your right, so please do yourself a favor and check it out. Their pictures are too good, their adventures too enviable. I am loving traveling by myself right now, but one day I think it would be incredible to do it the way they are.

Ted and Grace are friends from New Orleans. Grace is a few years older than me and freelances her way around the world, while Ted has lived in Barcelona for the last 25 years, where he translates Spanish into Catalan, rolls cigarettes and plays the keyboards in his band.

The train ride had some beautiful moments, as exhibited by the pictures that will eventually be below this text. The sunset was incredible.

(pictures)

Had a four hour stop at the border where they had to literally lift up the train (while we were on it) in order to change the gauge of the trucks. Apparently China and Mongolia didn't work out the standard weights & measures before they built their railways.

(pictures)

Part II: Ulaanbaatar and Central Mongolia
All five of us ended up going to the same hostel. We ended up deciding to get dinner together. We ended up deciding to go on a trek around the countryside together. We did. The pictures I've posted tell that story. But, to round it all out, here are some details...

Our driver is a true Mongolian. Ikme (his name) has an English vocabulary that consists of "no" and "good." His most repeated phrase is "yo-e, yo-e," which means "let's go...now." We drive out in an awesome van and head out into the wild. Roads are non-existent, and the van bounces up and down without fail for hours on end. The first day's drive was about nine hours. Nine hours of bouncing. The sun went down before we found the ger we were supposed to stay in. We were lost. Found out we needed to cross a river to get to our place. Our van could not ford the river. Luckily, vodka and my guitar helped quell the situation. Gill's pictures better document the drama, and I'll fill them in to this post when I can.

(reminder to insert Gill's pictures here)

The rest of the trip, like the first night, was pretty incredible. The countryside just blew my mind. Seriously blew my mind. Wild horses, yak blocking the road, gers with satellite dishes and solar panels, Mongolian cowboys with ridiculously awesome outfits (I swear they are Jedi), drinking airag (fermented horses milk...not tasty), eating nothing but mutton and noodles, all of it.

When we made it over the hill and got our first view of the White Lake, we were breathless. So incredible. It was there that we went on a six-hour horse ride along the lake. Ended up at our guide's ger, where we all watched him kill a sheep and skin it. Then the women got involved in cleaning it all out. Definitely one of the moments in my life I'll never forget. You can even see the adorable kids getting involved toward the end. A little different from what I'm used to in the states. This one girl was so sweet that I didn't even care that she was drooling all over me. I liked her so much that she's watching over my blog.

Met some kids outside a bar we went to a few days later. Turns out one of the kids loves to beatbox. I need to upload that video asap.

(sterling, upload that video)

Got a free guided tour at a Buddhist monastery because I have an id card that says I'm a student (thanks STA). Ended up buying some really old coins. Found a Mexican one peso coin from 1910...what was that doing there? I thought it might be fake, but who would go through that much trouble? Whatever the case may be, it's in my possession.

The entire trip was incredibly memorable, fun, exciting, new. All those adjectives. The five of us got along so well, it was almost too easy. Sometimes things just click.

Part III: Back in Ulaanbaatar
Came back, relaxed, went to a Mongolian folk art performance. Mongolian throat-singing is beyond comprehension. So were the 10-year-old female contortionists. Yesterday I met some people from the Arts Council of Mongolia, courtesy of a wonderful man by the name of Robert Ness (by way of Jerilyn Brusseau, by way of Judy Proffer). Thank you all very much for your help, because I got to see some very cool contemporary Mongolian art. It always really fulfills me to see the local, current art of an area. Art acts as both a catalyst and reflection of the current zeitgeist, and I know Mongolia has a lot more to contribute than the mass-produced "antiques" that go on sale in the black market and State Department Store. Still, I don't want to talk too poorly about the State Department Store...I got an amazing cashmere beanie for $20.

Just bought a ticket to Kathmandu. Ready to make some serious moves. Thinking about Everest Base Camp, the Annapurna circuit and a whole lot more. Also ready to start using that Indian visa I worked so hard to procure. I'm incredibly excited, but I'd be dreaming if things went perfectly according to plan. Got a great deal on a ticket, although the routing sucks. That's all well and good. However, since I have to connect twice (once in Beijing, once in Guangzhou), turns out that I need a Chinese visa to do so. The travel agent didn't say so; in fact, she said I'd be just fine. But, word on the street/common sense suggests that I couldn't take a domestic flight within China without a visa. That puts me in a bind...this is how I'm going to deal with it.

Show up at the Chinese Embassy at 9:30 this morning. See if I can get a visa processed the same day. That'll set me back another $150, but at least this headache will be out of sight, out of mind. If they can't process it until Friday (most likely the case), then my Thursday flight to Kathmandu doesn't seem like it will work without some help from Doc Brown. If I get the visa Wednesday, I'm golden. If not, then it's back to the travel agency, where I either need to bump my flights back until after I've acquired the visa, or change my routing to some place that doesn't require me to have a visa (e.g. Seoul, Hong Kong). I know this is all terribly exciting to read, but this is the sweat that goes behind the fun. Obviously, I'm thankful to have these as my problems, as opposed to those that many others face. I got it good. But while I keep it all in context, it's still a pain. No change that's worthwhile is ever easy, right? I believe that to be one of the fundamental underpinnings of this trip.

Time to get "sorted," as Gill would say. Adam and Eli, I want to let you know in advance that I offered our new couch to Gill and Sally when they come to NYC at some point in the future.

If you've made it this far, I applaud and thank you. Have I ever mentioned a band called Ra Ra Riot? They're on tour right this very moment. Kind of like me, except with six members, and instruments, and lights, and amazing songs, and fans, and run-ins with Conan O'Brien.

Mongolia, pt. 2

2008-09-08T13:24:00.007+05:30

I have pictures to post and stories to tell. The slideshow below has my favorite shots of mine. Gill is an incredible photographer and I'll add his shots when I get them. Beijing and Tianjin shots will come later...

Take a look at the pictures for now...I have to go see some Mongolian throat singing. Stories are on their way.

Check out the entire set here.

Ra Ra Riot on Conan - Watch!

2008-09-08T13:11:00.004+05:30

Mongolia

2008-08-31T12:08:00.002+05:30

Here...safe...hungry.

Leaving Beijing

2008-08-29T20:51:00.007+05:30

Back from Tianjin...headed to a late-night bookstore here in Beijing to do some reading on Mongolia before the 7:40 train. It's 25 hours to Ulaanbaatar. Good thing I have an iPod, my guitar, and too many books. Yea, oxford comma, deal with it. I'll climb to Dharamsala soon enough.

I will be sans communication until further notice. If you want to call my Chinese cell, go for it...that's all I can offer right now. +86 135 526 69374. But, I mean, email will always be waiting for me. All subject to your patience.

NB: My iPod is on shuffle all songs right now and Limp Bizkit just came on. Maybe I need to refine my music library. Then again, I don't know if much else brings me back to the summer after 7th grade like Significant Other.

Outside

2008-08-29T09:06:00.007+05:30

I made it out, if at least temporarily. Took the 6:30 train to Tianjin. This definitely isn't Beijing. Asking a security guard for directions downtown, I turn around to see literally 20 Chinese men just sitting there...looking...staring. Novelty, even in this city. It's not like I'm in some remote village. This place has skyscrapers (that's the only criterion for a city, right?).

Ate dinner for less than a dollar, walked around, met some local kids who helped me out, found a hostel, went to a bar, spent some time writing. However, writing was interrupted when I met someone from SE D.C. and his friend from a farm in Australia. Quite the combo. Spent the next few hours together, where the Aussie made a very compelling and logical case for me to switch around my plans for the New Years holiday. I'm spending it in Sydney, but hostel requirements made me book for 9 nights in Sydney. I know realize that is completely idiotic. What could I accomplish with nine days in Australia? I could guarantee that it is a lot more than sitting around Sydney and it's suburbs.

I'm going to cancel the hostel. I've already made a few friends in Sydney...I'll find a bed for a night or two. With nine days there is a lot that I could do aside from watching the fireworks over the Harbour Bridge.

Time for Tianjin. On the train to Ulaanbaatar tomorrow. Won't have time to post/communicate. Therefore, Morgan, my brother, I wish you the happiest of 20th birthdays. I probably spent mine at some house party on Euclid. You get to spend yours making your last minute lists, prepping your first minute French pickup lines, and mentally gearing up for a year where the President marries a supermodel and crepes are still not be as good as Grandpa's. À bientôt mon frère.

News Flash

2008-08-28T12:15:00.000+05:30

I've been spending the last couple of hours on the Internet, writing and reading emails, as well as finding out what's been happening in the US.

I can't speak to your politics, but what a quote:

"People the world over have always been more impressed by the power of our example than by the example of our power." Bill Clinton, Wednesday's DNC address

Trust me, this didn't just become a political blog, but please vote. I am voting absentee from wherever I am over here.

But while I'm on the subject, I also found this little passage from a Peggy Noonan piece in the WSJ, which I happened to enjoy:

"By the way, the best line of the convention so far? Ted Strickland of Ohio, when he echoed the 1988 Democratic convention joke about George H.W. Bush, that he was born on third and thought he hit a triple. Strickland said of George W. Bush that he was born on third and then stole second. It didn't get much attention in any of the commentary, but it's all people were talking about in the bars of Denver that night."

You can find her piece at http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121988803885278541.html?mod=todays_columnists

Thanks Medved. You've got Seoul in a few days. Safe travels.

Escaping Beijing

2008-08-28T10:04:00.000+05:30

I love it here...really, I do. But, I also have a lot more I want to see.

I get back to the hostel two nights ago at about 2:30. I look up when the trains leave for Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Oh, the only one of the week leaves in 5 hours. I pack my bag frantically and cab it down to the train station. After navigating the ticket windows, the train station employee says I need to go to a hotel to buy tickets...a hotel? Apparently, the International Hotel is the only place in the city that sells international train tickets. It took me about 45 minutes just to find where it was (a quarter-mile away). Once I get there about 6 a.m., I learn that their ticket office doesn't open until 9:00 a.m., 1:20 after the train to UB leaves...the only train of the week. How about that? Please keep in mind this is all going down in Chinese, hand signals, and semaphore. Very little English spoken here, especially now that the Olympic vounteers are gone. And my bag weighs more than I'd like it to.

Went to sleep, woke up, made a day of it. Went to the Forbidden City (finally), then Jinshan Park to look down on Beijing from above. It was beautiful.

Ate scorpions on Wangfujing Market Street. Yea, I did it. No silkworm or cockroach for me. They kept trying to offer me starfish, but I just didn't feel like it.

Went back to the Int'l Hotel to buy the tickets around 3. I thought I was going to have to wait until next Wednesday, but I found out that there is a Mongolia-based train that leaves on Saturday. I'm on it. Spoke to my brother on the phone for the first time. Awesome. He's been really helpful to me, helping me take care of some things I forgot to back home (mailing, emailing, researching). Thanks, Morgan. He's a lucky boy himself...he's getting ready to go abroad to France for a full year. He leaves on Sunday (the day after his 20th birthday) to spend his first semester in Paris, his second in Nice. Am I allowed to be jealous?

After getting the ticket, at least I knew that I would be leaving sometime. Now I just have to find some way to get out of Beijing until then. I tried going back to the train station to take the night train down to Xingdao (Tsingtao for you beer lovers). After wading my way through the mass of over 3,000 people, tickets were sold out...unless I wanted to stand the entire time. O for 2 yesterday.

Well, 0 for 3 if you count me trying to sleep last night. I went to dinner with my friend Jennie to celebrate her last night here after an intense gig working for the Today show out here. We went out afterwards, met new people, etc. That was all part of the plan and fantastic. The problem was when I left them, I came back to the hostel so I could sleep and LEAVE. Apparently Scotsmen are very persuasive, especially once they grab your arms and push you along with them (all in good fun, of course). Stuart, Jeremy, Connor, et al. said there was no way I was making it past them to my bed. Vic's (some ridiculous bar) was less than five minutes away. Now it's past noon and I need to eat.

I'm supposed to be here all of what, 22 weeks? Spending almost two of them in Beijing is a little much for me. I want to see India, Nepal, Japan, Thailand. Maybe even Bhutan? I know I probably won' be able to do it all, but the point is I feel there is a lot more waiting for me beyond the ring roads of Beijing.

I know that the difficulties of a trip like this help shape the experience of my time, but it can be very frustrating. I've had a lot of things going my way, falling into place. It was all starting to seem too easy. I'm sure I will be thankful in the long run.

Time to make some moves. I will make some retroactive posts soon. Just so I can remind myself...here's a list:

Track finals and USD
Ping Pong and Swedes
Yugong Yishan, Carsick Cars
Bud House/China Doll/Australia
Adventures with Marc (Hohai)
Closing Ceremonies
Forgetfulness and my journal
The weight of my backpack
Lama Temple, Plastered T's, Indian Food
DaDong and Andrew
Israelis, walking forever, and my notebook
Great Wall/zipline/waking up
Expensive Hot Pot

Sorry if it's a bit cryptic. I need notes.

Mongolia?

2008-08-27T01:23:00.000+05:30

I'm seeing what I can do. Found out a few hours ago that the only train headed there leaves in less than four hours.

Time to pack, then on my way to the train station. Tickets can't be bought over the phone since the Olympics started. Fingers crossed.

How about that?

2008-08-25T10:28:00.000+05:30

Well, now that I have a site that I can access, I think I might be able to migrate away from email. What this means is the following:

Please still send me emails - I like hearing from you
If you just want to post a comment, be my guest
I will post more often since now I don't have to bombard your inbox
You should probably RSS the site if you want to keep on top of things
I'll probably still send out emails when I've made any new big posts or added new photos

Hope everyone is just great. I think I'm going to leave Beijing pretty soon. Time to see a little more than the post-Olympic sigh. I will post pictures soon. Maybe I'll even write again.

Quickly - I did end up seeing ping pong. I feel content for years to come. And yes, I went to the closing ceremonies. I'll share more later. I need to get outside.

Estoy aqui. Beijing ain't too bad.

2008-08-25T09:35:00.000+05:30

This is a copy of the email I sent out after my first week in Beijing. If you've already read it, thanks.

************

Good morning.

Circumstances have required that I temporarily nix the blog and go with a more traditional, old fashioned way of communicating...email. Access to any wordpress blog (the site I'm using to host it) is completely blocked in China, as are many blogs and other sites. It's really weird, but that's why they call it the Great Firewall. I'm going to create a new blog on a website that I can actually post to, then we can abandon this archaic medium of human communication.

So, I am here. This is day six, and it's been insane. Nonetheless, I'll do my best to be brief (yea right...Bennett?).

Olympics:

There are scalpers everywhere. With some persistence and international negotiating tactics (i.e. shaking your head and/or walking away), you can find your way into some great events. This city is 100% Olympicized (my word unless it actually exists). It's pretty intense and everything one would expect. There's no way for me to describe other than to say that it's everywhere.

My hostel is next to two of the Olympic venues. As soon as I got here, I put down my gear and went for a walk to see what I could find. Within 10 minutes I had bought tickets to the flyweight boxing prelims for $12 from some American. Incredibly easy. Then, with all the chatter around the area, I found out the USA-Spain basketball game was on the other side of town. I immediately jumped in a cab to try my luck. No one was outside the venue. Turns out the night was a double-header and everyone had already gone in to see China play Germany. No scalpers, no luck. However, things changed drastically when China lost. A really nice guy left and offered me his ticket to go back in for the USA game. I ended up six rows back. Out of control. Luck reversed.

Two nights ago I was walking past the soccer stadium next to the hostel. I saw tons of Brazilian jerseys and kept walking. I then saw Argentine jerseys and knew that this was a game I had to go to. Tickets had a face value of about $30, but were going for around $150. There was no way I was going to pay that much. I mean, the game sounds good, but I'm American, and I don't care THAT much. Still, I wanted to go. I found a student who had gotten his ticket for $1.50 from his university. I paid the $30 face value, he made a nice profit, and I enjoyed the game. Kobe was there and everyone freaked out. Argentina won 3-0. They've never won a medal (so I hear), so this is their big opportunity. They should win it against Nigeria.

Tonight I'm going to head over to the Bird's Nest and try and catch some of the track & field finals. Anyone see that crazy Jamaican Bolt set the world record in both the 100m and 200m sprint? Insane. Some say his celebration was excessive. I say he's having an awesome time, as he should.

I really want to see ping pong. Just to say I did. We'll see.

Everything Else:

Most importantly, I'm really happy. I'm meeting really incredible people every day, and I'm not having a difficult time traveling on my own at all. Then again, things might change once I get out of a big city like Beijing. Although it's very Chinese, it's still familiar enough for a fairly easy transition. I mean, not too easy. I'm definitely forced to butcher the Chinese language on a fairly consistent basis. We'll see what happens when I get to Mongolia and beyond.

I spent two days riding a bike around the city. Beijing is massive, but I orientated myself pretty well. A nice Chinese lady saw me as we were stopped at a light. She just started talking to me in English. Turns out that Helen lives in Toronto and loves giving advice. We rode and talked until I stumbled upon a basketball court. She rode off and I played a few games with the locals. I have to say I started out feeling as out of place as Woody Harrelson in White Men Can't Jump. I laughed about it and had a great time.

Haven't done too many of the touristy things yet. I'm planning on going to the Forbidden City tomorrow. It's an all-day thing from what I hear. I've just been getting lost, meeting people, getting advice, and eating very inexpensively. A few days ago I went to the art distrcit (798), a very cool area full of galleries in the north-east part of Beijing. Originally the gov't was going to tear it down, but I hear that they are really showcasing it now to highlight the cultural diversity in China. An American girl working at one of the galleries told me that more money is flowing in and out of there than any other city in the world. That's crazy.

Met up with a friend from Syracuse who is interning for NBC during the Olympics. Brian Greene and I went to the USA House (many of the countries have a hq), which I have to say, sucked. Very private. You had to have a guest pass to go in. We could only see the store. That night I went with some people from the hostel to Holland House. There, everyone is welcome, the party lasts all night, and it's sponsored by Heineken (of course). Why doesn't the US want people to party?

I'm going to see Beijing's biggest punk band, Brain Failure, on Friday. Haha.

In the midst of all the crazy things going on, I am still definitely finding time to sit and relax. With this (incredibly lucky) moment in time that I have, the moments I keep to myself are just as, if not more, important than the ones I take pictures of and recount to you all.

As such, I made a rule the first day I explored the city on bike - no pictures. I didn't want to get wrapped up in trying to capture everything I saw as a .jpeg. It was actually pretty liberating to not keep reaching for a camera. I could just ride around, keep my eyes open, and enjoy how absolutely ridiculous this place really is. I'll definitely do a lot more days like that. I'll have enough pictures as is.

It's actually pretty difficult to write this email, deciding what to leave out for the sake of brevity...and I know, this isn't brief. Still, I'll just wrap up by saying that even less than a week in, I know this is going to be the greatest experience of my life.

Thank you so much to the people who have helped me prepare for this trip in any way. Advice, contacts, support, love, all of it. And a special thanks to Adam and Eli, whose generosity has let me call their couch my own. Family - I love you all very much.

I hope everyone is doing well.

Sterling

NB: Email me anytime if you want me to say hi, tell me I write too much, change the email address I'm using, or remove you. If you're getting this email for the first time, then I went through my contacts and decided to reach out to see if you might be interested in what I'm up to. If you are unaware, I am traveling through Asia for five months before moving to NYC in February.