Asia Trip 2010

I'm so bad at keeping a blog. I guess my backpacking style isn't too conducive to active daily/weekly blogging. The way I figure, I'd much rather be out exploring a new destination than sitting at an internet cafe updating a blog. I can always think back and reflect on a trip later, which is what I'm doing right now. I'd rather exert all my daily energy to exploring than sitting around on a computer. And when I do get back to my hostel, I'm always much too physically and mentally exhausted to do anything but pass out or hang out with other backpackers. Figuring out local transportation, bartering with locals, drinking all night with new friends, and walking around all day in the hot Southeast Asian sun really takes a toll.

In Boracay, we'd start drinking on the beach during the day during happy hour and continue until the early morning hours. Aldrich also introduced me to balut, partially-cooked chicken embryo eaten while still in the egg. Very delicious, actually. Also, believe the hype. The week I spent in Boracay was the best week I've ever spent in the Philippines. Ever.

In Seoul, we'd go out to hit up bars until sunrise. Seoul is definitely the most high-tech and cleanest city I have ever been to, which appropriately reflects Korean society and culture as a whole. The Korean DMZ is also the most touristy DMZ in the world. It's definitely still tense and very hostile, but it's not up to the same level as the DMZs I've been to on the Israel/Lebanon and Israel/Syria borders. I also ate dog for the first time in Seoul. Very delicious with hot sauce.

In Indonesia, we'd stay up and chat with Muslim families eating as much as they could before their Ramadan fasting would start at dawn. I even managed to teach myself how to surf in Bali when I was in Indonesia. Even more exciting, I got a huge bloody gash above my left eye when I wiped out once and hit a rock under the water. I didn't even realize I had blood all over my face until another surfer asked if I needed help. I just went to the hospital (free moped ride from a lifeguard) to get it stitched up and I confused the hell out of the doctor when I asked if I could go back to the beach to go surfing again. I even scored a free beer from the lifeguards once I got back to the beach and they heard I wanted to head back out to surf more. If you're going to surf you may as well act the part. Traveling throughout Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim country, during the Islamic Holy Month of Ramadan, was another unique experience. In the more conservative Islamic parts of the country like Sumatra, eating/drinking/smoking in public is strictly illegal during the day (even as a non-Muslim tourist) and all restaurants have curtains on all their windows to make sure the inside is hidden from public view. In some cities, there are active Islamic religious police patrolling the streets to ensure everyone is properly fasting. Although everyone assumed I was Muslim since I look Indonesian enough to the locals. We'd break the day fasting at sunset with Muslim families and wake up early with them before dawn to join them in their last meal before the day's fasting. We also climbed a few volcanoes in Sumatra and Java. We climbed one before dawn and watched the sunrise from over 10,000 feet as another volcano in the distance erupted every 20 minutes. One volcano in Sumatra actually had a significant eruption since it had been dormant for 400 years. I remember waking up to an air raid siren in the middle of the night. I thought it was another earthquake but after a few minutes I just went back to sleep. The next morning at breakfast the waitress told me that a volcano had erupted on the island. Indonesia has the most volcanoes in the world. They say eruptions and earthquakes are infrequent enough for tourism to be safe but even if you do get caught up in one, it's just plain bad luck. I remember watching Al-Jazeera that day with all the locals about it and thinking how cool it was that I was actually there during an event that made international news, instead of being at home in the US and watching news coverage on something happening thousands of miles away. One of the reasons I love to travel. Also one of the reasons why I love being in the Middle East, except Jordan... or Oman.

Aug 7 - 17: Philippines (Manila and Boracay)
Aug 17 - 18: China (Guangzhou)
Aug 18 - 26: Korea (Seoul and DMZ)
Aug 26 - 27: Taiwan (Taipei)
Aug 27 - Sep 5: Indonesia (Sumatra, Java, Bali)

Pictures are on my Facebook. Check it.