It's about freedom. That's what makes vacation so lovely. You can do whatever you want whenever you want and however you want. (And I think traveling alone allows for even more of that.) Granted, there are impediments, of course. For instance, the rain today was a huge impediment for me. Quite inconvenient. There were several activities that I missed today because of a few random downpours. I've been told that this type of weather is entirely atypical for this time of year and today, I was actually accused of bringing the rain with me. Trust me, if I had my choice …

I have three separate outfits hanging to dry in the closet as we speak. Getting caught in the rain in NYC on my mountain bike is one of my least favorite things. But being a newbie on the motor bike while rarely knowing where exactly I'm headed and how exactly I'm going to get there — that makes things so much more burdensome. But the rain didn't stop be from starting my day at a nearby lake which is a destination for the locals. It was early in the day so I was literally the only one there. Peaceful and tranquil. I drove the circumference of the lake along the windy, jungle road. Then it was off to breakfast. Again, I have no idea what I ate but it was delicious. The cook came out at one point and was flattered when I went back up for a second helping. Little does he know that I always go back for seconds. I didn't let on though; I allowed him to delight in the moment.

Next, I was off to Kathu Waterfall. It paled in scale to some of the other waterfalls I've seen yet it was still nice to be enveloped by the sounds of nature: the water, the locusts, the fogs. (In yoga, we have Frog Pose and Locust Pose but no Water Pose. I'll work on that one.) Following the waterfall, I made it through some of the rain before stopping in for a coffee and some shelter. In the rain on the bike, my vision is obstructed, I have a hard time breathing as I'm being pelted with drops, the wind sends chills through my bones, and I'm drenched. There's only so much that I can bear before seeking refuge. But stopping for coffee every hour can cause issues for this caffeine-sensitive boy.

Determined, I continued on to Phuket Town which reminds me a lot of Chiang Mai. It definitely bears more of an urban feel than most of the island. Chinese shrines are much more prevalent here than the typical Buddhist temple. I managed to find a traditional Buddhist temple where there was some sort of ceremony in action. I was reluctant to take a photo because I thought that it may have been a funeral. However, I decided that the guests were enjoying themselves entirely too much for it to be a gathering of mourning. Besides … when you die, do you want your life to be celebrated with three huge roast pigs under a tent in the rain?

I discovered an awesome night market where you can find all sorts of food and wares … even chicken feet. I mean, that's what those are in the photo above, right? [Click on the image for a closer look.] What else could they be? Do people really eat those? I promise you that I will not purchase anything from a vendor who also sells chicken feet. I also stumbled upon a few incredible viewpoints which overlook the entire city. It was impressive at night but I can't wait to wake up early tomorrow morning in order to get a daytime taste of the visuals. I stopped in at the mountaintop restaurant for Green Papaya Salad.

I have to pack things up again tonight. Four nights in Kathu and tomorrow I'm off to my next destination. It's only thirty minutes south of here but I'm transferring to a place which is a bit more luxurious and a bit more conveniently located for the beach. I'll be paying twice what I'm paying here but I managed to negotiate $13 less per night than what the owner was originally asking. That knocked 25% off the price. I can hear the rain outside; it's pouring. While I'm on my bike in the rain, I find myself audibly pleading with the rain to stop. "Okay, give me a break; please stop raining." "Alright, just wait. Give me ten minutes. That's all it will take before I'm home. Ten minutes. Come on, you can do that." The locals must think I'm nuts.

What a terrific day today. I started off with a trip on the scooter in order to watch the sunrise. Granted, things did not go as planned, I was still able to find a nice spot to enjoy the spectacle. I didn't make it to the View Point that's listed on the map but it's probably better that I didn't. It likely would have been crowded with other tourists if I had. But rather, I veered off of the road and found a spot that was completely secluded and I had it entirely to myself. I mean, it smelled absolutely rancid (… that seems to happen from time to time in Thailand,) but the sites were well worth it. The fleet of old, run-down long-tail boats made for nice foreground subjects. I also found a cozy little swing that had been attached to the branch of a tree: perfect front row seat.
Another benefit of getting a bit lost is that I discovered a vegetarian place. See, things are hard once again. I was so into the groove of where to go and what to order in Chiang Mai. Now, in a new location, it's back to square one. Plus, people tend to speak less English in Phuket than they do up north. I'm not sure exactly what I ate but it was yummy and I was promised that it contained meat or fish sauce. Sometimes I just have to take their word for it. Then, it was on to Wat Chalong which houses thirty-six individual Buddha's. I witnessed some fantastic views as the morning prayers echoed through the valley as they were being pumped through loudspeakers throughout the temple grounds. One of my favorite temple activities is to catch glimpses of shimmering sunshine off of the mirrored mosaic rooftop serpants. I got some good ones this morning.
Situated nearby, is the famous "Big Buddha." Known as the best viewpoint in Phuket, I was able to enjoy some of the surrounding scenery both during the windy trip up the mountain as well as once I reached the summit. But the sun was hot as hell so I underwent several additional applications of sunscreen. The 60-million Baht Buddha image is (after twenty years,) still undergoing completion so it's fascinating to see the project partially finished. There's a smaller Buddha image — behind the main one — which appears to be completely supported by a few cables strapped to its larger counterpart. I'm not sure if the added support is necessary due to the recent flood damage or if this is simply an intended phase of completion.
Continuing further south, Clare introduced me to Jungle Curry (a blend of curry which has a water consistency because it contains no coconut milk. Traditionally it's made with wild boar but certainly not my veggie version.) Accompanying lunch was a tour of the luxurious amenities of Sri Panwa Resort located on the Panwa Cape. No words could possibly describe the magnitude of beauty inherent in this setting. The facilities are so well-designed and beautifully maintained. The lighting, the audio, the horticulture: every detail has been met. After lunch, I was treated to a dip in a private salt-water pool, a nap in the sunshine, and an outdoor shower suspended over a pond with lily-pads and fish. Incredible.
The plan was to finish off the day with a Bikram class but the 7pm class was canceled for some holiday. Of which holiday prevented me from attempting to mend my unusually short hamsrtings, I'm unsure. In place of yoga, I spent the evening further exploring Patong which is known as one of the most tourist-infused beaches in the country.

Letting go

I woke up early this morning. Yeah, there's certainly a lot going on in my head at the moment. Today is the very last morning that I'll wake up here at Ban Ruan Jai. It's the last time that I'll wake up to the nocturnal noises of the city. It's the last time to experience all of the wonderful attributes of this city.

I'm going to miss it all quite a bit but I think I'll especially miss some of the terrific people whom I've met over the course of the month. I'll miss everyone from school, both staff and peers. I'll miss my reliable Green Papaya Salad master. I'll miss my spunky kombucha brewer. I'll miss the guy who runs my guesthouse (and his adorable mother and father who always greet me with a language-shattering morning smile.) I'll miss my bicycle buddy. I'll miss the bell on my bicycle and how I ring it with the intentions of just saying "Bring-bring … good morning" rather than "Bring-bring … get the hell out of my way!" I'll miss my acupuncturist. I'll miss the wise and caring guy at the herb shop. I'll miss the random people on the street whom I recognize and see over and over again. I'll miss the incidental people whom I meet in the park who tell me that I look familiar before realizing that they've taken my Bikram class on the Upper East Side. (Small world example number one-thousand, three hundred and sixty-four.) I'll miss serendipity. I'll miss what's become of four weeks of research and exploration of this city. In such a short time, I've created quite a little network for myself. I was tempted to skip the beach altogether and to just stay here for my remaining two weeks in Thailand but I've been promised how much I'm going to love the beaches. So, off I go.

I wonder how similar things will be in the south. I wonder how prepared I'll feel based on my experiences up here. I wonder if my myriad travel-lessons will come in handy. In an earlier blog post (from February 6th … almost exactly one month ago,) I mentioned my train-mates and their attitude toward the four-hour delay in the train arrival into Chiang Mai. There's just an easy mentality, in this city, surrounding expectations and outcomes. It's a nice lesson in yoga. It's an easy life … an easy way of living.

There's a particular energy here in this city. Perhaps it's due to the fact that there are so many explorers. There are so many people, away from their respective homes, seeking new experiences. There's a certain mentality here. I see it in NYC among the tourists … the people who are on vacation. You know that mentality: the people in Times Square who are pointing and gauging, completely oblivious to the agitated New Yorkers who are aggressively trying to get to where they need to go. That same lightness is present here among everyone: both travelers and locals, alike. The natives don't necessarily have a lot here but they're happy. They're happy to wake up early and work hard for seemingly very little monetary reward. Though their lives are filled with obstacles and hurdles, they make it all look quite easy. They make it work. They don't let things eat away at them. Perhaps it's because this city is packed with so much inherent spirituality. People seem genuinely happy. This trip must be doing something for me because one friend thinks I'm "relaxed" and the "travel-type." She was surprised to hear that it's my first trip and that I have truly no previous travel experience. Another friend was convinced that I was lying about being from New York. She saw some sort of easy-going spirit which she swore had come from the opposite coast of the United States. She said "You've got to be from California." I've been riding my bike a little bit slower. I've been surviving without the use of a cell phone. I've been taking things as they come. It feels nice. I suppose the trick is to either make travel accessible (so that we can experience things like this more often in life,) or to make the benefits last upon returning home … to incorporate some of this fantasy life into our real lives.

So, I'm leaving all that I've created and all that I've discovered. But that's OK. It was three weeks ago, that I was sitting at dinner with a peer who mentioned how nice it was to reach an age where one has finally unearthed the ability to be alone ... without being bored. Obviously, I'm sharing this with all of you and clearly, you're all in my thoughts often. But I'm alone; I'm on my own. So I must leave this city and move on to Phase II of my trip: VACATION!!

Flight info: Thai Airways #129 (CNX) Chiang Mai ➤ (HKT) Phuket Monday, March 5th: 1:40 PM - 3:35PM. And now, back to packing. I'm already five kilos over my permitted baggage allowance so I've got to figure out how to bring some of that light mentality home with me … but without contributing to the weight of my luggage.