44 hours in Tokyo

Tokyo, Japan... We were blessed to meet up with good friends who generously made time for us with little notice.  We met Fukuko (above) at the ashram in north India and it was a delight to spend time with her again.  Then our friend Mitsuki (below), whom we met while volunteering on a small village farm in Turkey, came to find us.  Over the next 10 hours he guided us through several classic Japanese experiences, including: a lovely Japanese garden constructed in the 16th century, a fish market and sushi restaurant, a neighborhood temple where we made offerings and hung our wish alongside all the others, and an izakaya -- a bar where we enjoyed sake, oysters and variety of traditional foods new to us.  We enjoyed meeting Mitsuki's family as well.  There is no way we could have navigated the labyrinthian subway system without his help and generosity. 

Underwater Malaysia

After so many months of challenging travel, Danielle and I were ready for some actual vacation -- two very different endeavors.  We found Malaysia to be very easy to navigate, and the Perhentian Islands off the NE peninsular coast the quiet sanctuary we needed.  No roads (meaning no cars or motorbikes); just a few scattered beach bungalow operations and dive shops accessible by water taxi.  The verdant, unbroken jungle contrasted beautifully with the grey boulders and shallow turquoise water alongshore. 

I went diving most of our 10 days in the islands.  I sharpened my skills with a 3 day PADI Advanced Open Water course.  More importantly, it felt so good to do something purely for the fun of it.  The waters were rife with reef shark and a huge variety of fish.  I found the most joy in diving the three nearby shipwrecks, as well as a deep drift dive over sandy bottom in search of tiny seahorses and sea slugs. 

Danielle made the most of her time too, relaxing on the porch of our bungalow with her journal and books.  She even got in on a nightly volleyball game with the local guys (and kicked some butt). 

Afterwards we made are way back to the Kelantan mainland, staying outside the town of Kota Bharu.  In our brief time there we marveled at yet another boisterous market, visited the last of the traditional giant kite makers, and took a pleasant bike ride.  Local men send tethered, trained monkeys to the high tops of palms to twist off ripe coconuts (in exchange for a palm full of rice).  We were careful not to get underneath the falling fruit as we pedaled through the countryside. 

Travel Miscellanea #3: FOOD! (the real reason to travel)

TURKEY:  Where the art of lazy days, drinking strong tea and playing backgammon, has been refined over hundreds of years.

Pictured above:
1. The standard Turkish breakfast: nutritious bites of cucumber, tomato, olive, cheese, egg and bread.
2. Our favorite meal in quaint Safronbolu: saffron rice, lentil soup, stuffed grape leaves and tortilla with yoghurt and tomato sauce.
3. A heavenly dessert: Turkish Delights and Turkish coffee.

NORTHERN THAILAND:  A food oasis, hugely satisfying to us after India and Sri Lanka curries grew tiresome.  Watch out for the excessive sugar and MSG though! 

Pictured above:
1. Such variety of fresh fruit at the markets! Mangosteen and tamarind pictured.
2. Ah, the street stalls.  Here's a classic: $1 Pad Thai.
3. My favorite meal in Chiang Mai: duck noodle soup.  And a good book for dessert.

LAOS:  Rough-around-the-edges cuisine, with fly blown street stalls and markets full of unusual wild foods.  But Laos is also home to the best ultra-sticky glutinous rice to be found on the planet, and it's coffee -- though prepared similarly in Viet Nam -- is local and high quality. 

Pictured above:
1. Every kind of meat-on-a-stick you can imagine!
2. By far the best of Laos is fer, a noodle simple that has a lot in common with Vietnamese pho.
3. My constant gastronomic companions in Asia: beer and mangosteens.

SINGAPORE:  If Chiang Mai was a food oasis, Singapore is food heaven -- with every corner of Asia represented in the cheap and abundant food courts.

Pictured above:
1. Made by hand in front of us, Chinese dumplings with winter melon. 
2. Tasty Indian mutton bryani.  The most voluminous pile of food for $3 I will ever see in my life.
3. The signature dish: delicious spicy coconut soup, Laksa, and fish cakes steamed in banana leaf.

MALAYSIA:  Though we haven't been here long, we had to include this photo of the best grilled chicken I've ever had in my life.  Having lived in Louisiana, that's really saying something!  Also pictured are thin 'beef pancakes' and the ubiquitous tea with condensed milk. 

Travel Miscellanea #2: Packing Ultra Light

A rainy day of trekking in Sri Lanka.  Don't forget your leech socks.

Most people we met on the road were stunned and envious of our very small backpacks.  Indeed, the average backpacker was lugging around packs 2-3 times larger and heavier, and the average vacationer had several giant rolling bags in tow.  Why?  We had everything we needed.  After several requests, we are revealing our science...

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Danielle's backpack: Dueter Future Pro 34 Liter.

Contents (11-12 kilo; clockwise from top left): 
 Theives antiseptic spray, Arnica pain relief topical rub, deodorant, shampoo and conditioner, brush, pumice stone, Tide stain removal pen, shaver, bag of teeth cleaning supplies, bag of digestive aides (ginger pills, activated charcoal, essential oils), earplugs and eye covers, small candle, fully stocked first aid kit, collapsible bowls, thermoses and tea, medium compression bag of clothes, bandana and hat.

Micah's backpack: Osprey Talon 44 Liter.

Contents (15 kilo; clockwise from top left):

Small zip bags for power adapters and phone power cords; Teva sandals (2), small compression bag of clothes (2), trail shoes (2), miscellaneous books (guidebook and phrasebook, maps, pleasure reading), fold-able toiletries bag, flip flops, poncho and compressible raincoat, insect repellent and sunscreen, mini binoculars, yoga straps, and thin travel yoga mats (not pictured).  Shoes took up most of the room, but, then again, we do a lot of walking.

Micah's day-pack contents (roughly clockwise from top left):
hat, sunglasses, small headlamps, knife (except when flying), snacks, cheap phone for local SIM cards, calculator, wallet, money/passport belt, cable and lock for day-pack, small containers for the most essential power cords and toiletries, bag for ipods and headphones, portable speaker, journals, laptop and power cord, thumb drives, small digital camera, Kindle e-readers (2), bag of travel documents (including small notebook and calendar).   This was all the stuff we couldn't live without should our backpacks be lost by the airlines. 

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What you see here is our tropical packing system.  When we were in Bulgaria and India we were also carrying long underwear, fleeces, scarves and winter hats. 

Danielle's luggage was little more than a day-pack -- actually a tad small in hindsight.  Mine would normally be used for a very minimal 1-2 night camping trip.  We had zero room for souvenirs, but we did send some purchases back to the states along the way.  Our clothing rotation was rather limited, but more than once we donated or discarded worn clothes and shoes and replaced them easily and on the cheap.

Our method required diligence.  Everything was compartmentalized in small containers or zip-lock bags.  Everything had its exact place so we could get to it quickly.  We double and triple-checked every hotel or guesthouse we left to make sure we weren't leaving anything behind.  We very rarely let our luggage out of our sight when in transit.

All of this attention to detail paid off when we were walking down some dusty rural road towards a distant bus stop, or paying (less) airline fees, or simply feeling free.  Danielle and I are both worry about accumulating more stuff when we return home and can't seem to remember what we put into storage.

In the past we found a lot of satisfaction in a beautiful home and a bountiful garden.  This year the emphasis has been reversed -- an absolute minimum of stuff and a tightly monitored budget have allowed us a lifestyle rich in experiences.

Micah

Travel Miscellanea #1: Odd & Funny Signs

The height of fashion in Bulgaria.  

 The envy of all men in Sri Lanka.

"Waste not!" in Laos.

Singapore is not kidding around.  Ever.

Nothing says 'Pepsi' like these glowing blond locks and goatee. 

Micah & Danielle U.S. Reunion Tour: Tickets Going Fast!

Can you believe it's been nearly a year?!  We will soon be back stateside to see our family and friends in Portland and Astoria (late July-ish).  We will be in touch with more specifics as it approaches. 

In August we'll be in Tahoe with Danielle's Dad.  In September Danielle will be taking a travel therapy job in western Colorado (Grand Junction) so we can be near my aunt and cousins and experience a different landscape for a while. Beyond that, who knows.  The travel, the adventure continues...

Phantom Lessons & Yoga in Indonesia

Back in Ubud, this time to assist Eoin Finn with his Blissology Yoga Teacher Training.  We were so fortunate to stay with Made and his generous and welcoming family.  Our commute to the training was a mere 5 minute walk across these rice fields.  In Made's lush gardens we learned about his efforts to facilitate the training of local village kids in the nearly lost art of Balinese palm leaf writing.  He helped us understand the rituals of the island's Hindu families.  An image that will stay with me is of men and women gathering fallen blossoms for the three times daily offerings.  Made also made sure we knew about the royal cremation ceremony, a very rare event for which the community had been preparing for many months at tremendous cost.  Words can not describe what we witnessed, but the photos below give some idea of the awesome spectacle. 

The training itself was a great opportunity to refine our technique and become more confident as teachers.  All intensives such as these are energetically demanding, but equally rewarding.   We are happy to have made over 30 new and lasting friendships.   

Bali, I'm afraid, is not all meditating in warm breezes and umbrella drinks.   Throughout May I suffered through a very curious string of mishaps, most notably a hurt neck, a head cold, a fall down some stairs bruising my spine, 'Bali belly', and two centipede bites.  The people of Bali believe in light and dark spirits and there was general concern, myself included, that I was being harangued with an indecipherable supernatural lecture.  It wasn't until some ritual cleansing and some mental boundary setting that I began to feel well. Similar to our experience living in Hawaii, Bali is a powerful place, not an easy place.  But it can definitely get your attention and initiate some useful contemplation and self awareness.

The past few days, we have been on Nusa Lembongan for some relaxation and diving.  No streetlights, dirt roads, quiet beaches, seaweed farms, and waters chock full of coral gardens, manta rays, and a host of other creatures.  As we prepare to leave the country, it brought us back to our dream of Indonesia and provided inspiration to return for more.

For now, we are off to Malaysia and the Perhentian islands.  Best wishes for peace and contentment to all of you.

~Micah