So, after 10 days of Yoga, I decided to stay 1 more day in Chiang Mai Town, to explore, shop, and celebrate. It was well worth it. I booked a hotel near town, based on Trip Advisor, it was rated #6 out of many hotels in the City and was reasonably priced, by American Standards and a bit expensive for Thai Standards. I wanted a place with service and luxury for my last night there, and much like everything else in Chiang Mai, the ride getting there is quite a nerve racking experience, but the place once I arrived was out of this world. No complaints there at all, service was superb, room was very clean, up-to-date, unique, and well kept, and the staff was just excellent.
I arrived to Chiang Mai Town in the morning, after checking out of my previous resort hotel where we had our Yoga Retreat. I spent the afternoon resting and taking it easy, knowing that I was going to stay out late that night. So, after getting rested up, I geared up and hit the Night Bazaar with full force. I still had a lot of shopping to do for my family and such, and although I spent a couple of hours at the market with our Yoga Group, I usually like to take my time, look around and explore, and I got the chance to do so. It's funny, I ran into a lot of the same vendors that night, and they all remembered me. I guess it's because I drive a hard bargain, and they're so easy to bargain with. I was joking with my group and what we were actually bargaining for, because the amounts were just so small, relative to U.S. dollars, but hey, it's all part of the experience. I always look for unique things, stuff I don't see twice in a large market setting, but I ended up with a mix of things after racing through all of the people I wanted to get something for. Of course, my daughters are foremost on my list, and I showered them with stuff, just because. :)
Okay, so after that shopping spree, I needed something to carry all of the stuff I bought, so I picked up a 'throw-away' luggage for few dollars, threw everything in, and rolled it back to my hotel room to drop off.
After getting cleaned up, changed, etc. and freeing myself from the massive shopping take, I headed back to the Night Bazaar area, because the "Loy Krathong" or "Yee Ping" Festival of Lights was taking place. It was awesome. Parades down the main street, fireworks and firecrackers going non-stop, masses of people, cars, tuk-tuks, taxis, scooters, and motorbikes lining the streets, and hundreds of sky lanterns dotting the night sky, being launched from all over town. It was probably the single most festive event I've ever partaken in, and I had no expectation or history or knowledge of the festival prior to going to Thailand. I didn't get back to my hotel until very late, just soaking in everything the town had to offer.
The following morning, I got up early and decided to take a long walk down the main streets and check out the top-rated restaurant on Trip Advisor, a place called "The Peppermint Coffee Shop". It was a few miles from my hotel, and I decided to walk it. One thing I noticed, several monks were walking barefoot in the streets, holding large golden bowls, some alone and some in groups. Dotted amongst them were some older folks offering food wrapped up in plastic bags, while the monks prayed and blessed them. This happened for the duration of my walk that early morning, and as it turns out, happens weekly (or maybe daily) early in the mornings. Well, I finally make it my way to the Peppermint Cafe, and before I get there, I find the most beautiful temple I've seen so far. And, of course, I left my camera back at the hotel, so not only did I miss the pictures of the monks in the morning, I missed this opportunity to take pictures of this temple. To make matters worse, I get the restaurant, and uh, it's closed ... until much later that morning. I guess Thai are not early morning people. So I walked back to my hotel and decided to bring my camera this time, and at least get pictures of that beautiful temple.
As I got back to the hotel, a breakfast was waiting for me there, and the staff was up early getting everything ready. After a nice breakfast, I started my long trek back to the temple, when I found a Tuk-Tuk driver to take me. Why not? It was getting hot and humid, and I hadn't been on a Tuk-Tuk this whole trip, make it part of the experience. So, I get there and the driver, in all his hustle, suggests he take me to all of the temples around town. Sure, why not? I know it would cost very little to do so, and it likely negotiatiable, so I decided to go for it, and it was a good decision. 5-6 temples, and 2-3 sites where the Festival of Lights (and Lanterns) were being held brought about some great pictures, and an impromptu tour of the City. I arrived back at my hotel just in time to catch my taxi to the airport, and then begin my long journey home.
It was just 24 hours or so in Chiang Mai, and it felt like a lifetime of experiences. I felt at ease there, with a sense of belonging, even though I know it wasn't home. I feel I could stay longer next time, and enjoy it more not for just 24 hours, but longer for sure. I also discovered that I have seen so little of the world, and probably know as little. I need to travel more, and see the beauty the world has to offer.
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
The Spa Resort Chiang Mai Yoga Retreat
I must say, this is a once-in-a-lifetime feeling for me, to experience this level of serenity, calm, and peace for this extended amount of time. To be away from my family, my kids, and my loved ones is difficult, but I do know my reasons for coming here have a lot to do with them.
Chiang Mai, Thailand is a wondrous place, especially the resort we're staying at. Lush greenery, a wonderful Raw Vegan/Vegetarian restaurant, a Yoga Shala atop a mountainside, farms chalk full of fresh fruits and herbs, a Spa where massages are so affordable and yet so skillfully crafted you'd want several per day, beautiful architecture and residences nestled alongside the resort premises, and a tolerable climate which changes slightly throughout the day.
The sunrises and sunsets frame our Yoga and Meditation practices, and our teacher is simply amazing. She is from Thailand, hence my desire to join, and she brings such a centered nature to her classes and practice, that it permeates us all. My retreat-mates are some of the nicest, most down-to-earth, humble, respectful, and just plain "good" people you've ever met. We're all so different, yet we all get along so well, tied together by Yoga and our quest for self realization and improvement. I know I'll be in touch with them in some form or another when I get back home.
The several days of practice have been similar. We get up very early in the morning and trek up the mountainside to the Yoga Shala, a massive open structure on the hillside, overlooking the valley. You can hear birds signing, crickets chirping, and music playing from the temples. You can smell the fresh fruit trees, and sometimes the smoke of excess harvest. And you see the subtle and radiant colors of the sunrise, sunset, and landscape, as you go morning and afternoon. In the morning, we start off with meditation, a deep form of prayer where we go inside and find stillness and peace, often searching for answers to difficult questions, or simply staying silent and still, letting the body and mind come together at rest. We have different themes each day, going over each of the "Chakras" or energy centers or wheels of the body. And we meditate on each one. After that, we have a journal where our teacher asks us a few simple, yet deep questions about ourselves and how they relate to the Chakra we're studying. And we write down our answers in our journals to reflect further on them. One, in particular, was haunting to me. The questions were "What do you like and dislike about yourself?" So I wrote down a few things for each. Then, she mentioned that those things can be attachments or rejections, and in order to free yourself from them, you need to learn to love them both. Well, that begs the question, "How do you love something you don't like?" I mean, to love an attachment is easy, I suppose, but the message there is that you love it, without having an attachment to it, which is more subtle. But, the other side, was tough for me. I almost cried out loud when it hit, because I've heard this before many times, but not in this way. "To love something you don't like, is what God does."
Okay ... deep moment there, let me take a breath.
After meditation, we practice our morning Yoga, usually a vigorous "Yang" practice, which brings heat to the body, pushes you a bit to your edge, and stretches your body to make it strong and supple. It's great, and the morning is the perfect time to do so. And my teacher is so skilled and detailed, and cares so much about the practice, it's never the same moves twice, and always put together with much thought and love.
Then we eat! Breakfast here is glorious. Always healthy, always nutritious and whole. We have fresh fruit, fresh whole-grain breads, a porridge to die-for made of oats, grains, apples, and non-dairy milk, usually a scrambled egg/tofu dish, some cooked veggies, and some red rice that's out of this world.
After breakfast, we have a few hours of downtime before we have a daily massage at the spa. Glorious! I know, it's a tough life. We choose either a basic oil or thai massage, or upgrade to one of the premium ones. Man, it's so affordable you can literally get a massage a day for a whole week, and it'll set you back less that $70. I tip 100 Baht per massage, which is high, but I don't care, it's totally worth it. My favorite premium massages were the "Abiyanga" massage, an Ayurvedic massage where two therapists coordinate to give a scripted massage, and it makes you feel like it's one person. And a "Head, Shoulders, and Stomach" massage which is just ridiculously delicious, probably one of the best massages I've ever had. This one therapist nicknamed "Tam" is the guru of the group, and she gave me this massage, where she presses into my stomach to massage my internal organs. Good thing I practice this weekly in my other Yoga class, because it was hardcore. But, without any spoken words, Tam and I had perfect coordination and she pressed and followed my breath and rhythm to a tee. I felt amazing after that.
I almost forgot to mention something very important. I've heard the theory that we store our deepest and strongest emotions in our tissues, and they are often the cause of tightness, stress, or disease. I've heard this, but was very skeptical and really in my heart and mind, didn't really believe it. But, during my massage with "Tam," when she was working my neck and shoulder, I had a moment. I called it "The Dragon". It was a deep, scary emotion or event. I can't put it into words very well, but let's just say I wanted to get up and run as fast as I could and get away from it. That's when I remembered out teacher telling us to love that which you dislike or reject, so that's what I kept telling myself to calm down. And then, all of a sudden ... it was gone. The Dragon had left. And my natural mind came about, in all of it's peaceful, playful, and splendid glory. So, maybe it is true. Some of our deep, strong emotions are held in our bodies, and a combination of factors led to it releasing and going away. Whew!
Okay, after massage, we have lunch (yummy, same style of food, very healthy and wholesome) and then some downtime. I usually choose to go back to my room and rest, reflect, read, or just watch tv and take it easy.
Then, we're off to our afternoon class, which is a "Yin/Restorative" Yoga class. "Yin" can be tough, especially for me. It's a class of yoga where you learn to relax your muscles completely, hold poses for a long time, and allow the connective non-muscular tissue to open up. Restorative is probably my favorite style of yoga, where you use props to support your body in very cool and loving poses, held for a long time. It's like sleeping on pillows, but with an active and purposeful tilt.
And after that, it's dinner time! Yummy, same good food as breakfast and lunch.
And this repeats for 6 days. On the 7th, we rested, took in a festival and spent the day celebrating a wonderful retreat. I will look back at all of this, this experience, the friends I've met, the moments I'll cherish, with fondness and joy. It'll be wonderful if I could make it back here again someday.
Chiang Mai, Thailand is a wondrous place, especially the resort we're staying at. Lush greenery, a wonderful Raw Vegan/Vegetarian restaurant, a Yoga Shala atop a mountainside, farms chalk full of fresh fruits and herbs, a Spa where massages are so affordable and yet so skillfully crafted you'd want several per day, beautiful architecture and residences nestled alongside the resort premises, and a tolerable climate which changes slightly throughout the day.
The sunrises and sunsets frame our Yoga and Meditation practices, and our teacher is simply amazing. She is from Thailand, hence my desire to join, and she brings such a centered nature to her classes and practice, that it permeates us all. My retreat-mates are some of the nicest, most down-to-earth, humble, respectful, and just plain "good" people you've ever met. We're all so different, yet we all get along so well, tied together by Yoga and our quest for self realization and improvement. I know I'll be in touch with them in some form or another when I get back home.
The several days of practice have been similar. We get up very early in the morning and trek up the mountainside to the Yoga Shala, a massive open structure on the hillside, overlooking the valley. You can hear birds signing, crickets chirping, and music playing from the temples. You can smell the fresh fruit trees, and sometimes the smoke of excess harvest. And you see the subtle and radiant colors of the sunrise, sunset, and landscape, as you go morning and afternoon. In the morning, we start off with meditation, a deep form of prayer where we go inside and find stillness and peace, often searching for answers to difficult questions, or simply staying silent and still, letting the body and mind come together at rest. We have different themes each day, going over each of the "Chakras" or energy centers or wheels of the body. And we meditate on each one. After that, we have a journal where our teacher asks us a few simple, yet deep questions about ourselves and how they relate to the Chakra we're studying. And we write down our answers in our journals to reflect further on them. One, in particular, was haunting to me. The questions were "What do you like and dislike about yourself?" So I wrote down a few things for each. Then, she mentioned that those things can be attachments or rejections, and in order to free yourself from them, you need to learn to love them both. Well, that begs the question, "How do you love something you don't like?" I mean, to love an attachment is easy, I suppose, but the message there is that you love it, without having an attachment to it, which is more subtle. But, the other side, was tough for me. I almost cried out loud when it hit, because I've heard this before many times, but not in this way. "To love something you don't like, is what God does."
Okay ... deep moment there, let me take a breath.
After meditation, we practice our morning Yoga, usually a vigorous "Yang" practice, which brings heat to the body, pushes you a bit to your edge, and stretches your body to make it strong and supple. It's great, and the morning is the perfect time to do so. And my teacher is so skilled and detailed, and cares so much about the practice, it's never the same moves twice, and always put together with much thought and love.
Then we eat! Breakfast here is glorious. Always healthy, always nutritious and whole. We have fresh fruit, fresh whole-grain breads, a porridge to die-for made of oats, grains, apples, and non-dairy milk, usually a scrambled egg/tofu dish, some cooked veggies, and some red rice that's out of this world.
After breakfast, we have a few hours of downtime before we have a daily massage at the spa. Glorious! I know, it's a tough life. We choose either a basic oil or thai massage, or upgrade to one of the premium ones. Man, it's so affordable you can literally get a massage a day for a whole week, and it'll set you back less that $70. I tip 100 Baht per massage, which is high, but I don't care, it's totally worth it. My favorite premium massages were the "Abiyanga" massage, an Ayurvedic massage where two therapists coordinate to give a scripted massage, and it makes you feel like it's one person. And a "Head, Shoulders, and Stomach" massage which is just ridiculously delicious, probably one of the best massages I've ever had. This one therapist nicknamed "Tam" is the guru of the group, and she gave me this massage, where she presses into my stomach to massage my internal organs. Good thing I practice this weekly in my other Yoga class, because it was hardcore. But, without any spoken words, Tam and I had perfect coordination and she pressed and followed my breath and rhythm to a tee. I felt amazing after that.
I almost forgot to mention something very important. I've heard the theory that we store our deepest and strongest emotions in our tissues, and they are often the cause of tightness, stress, or disease. I've heard this, but was very skeptical and really in my heart and mind, didn't really believe it. But, during my massage with "Tam," when she was working my neck and shoulder, I had a moment. I called it "The Dragon". It was a deep, scary emotion or event. I can't put it into words very well, but let's just say I wanted to get up and run as fast as I could and get away from it. That's when I remembered out teacher telling us to love that which you dislike or reject, so that's what I kept telling myself to calm down. And then, all of a sudden ... it was gone. The Dragon had left. And my natural mind came about, in all of it's peaceful, playful, and splendid glory. So, maybe it is true. Some of our deep, strong emotions are held in our bodies, and a combination of factors led to it releasing and going away. Whew!
Okay, after massage, we have lunch (yummy, same style of food, very healthy and wholesome) and then some downtime. I usually choose to go back to my room and rest, reflect, read, or just watch tv and take it easy.
Then, we're off to our afternoon class, which is a "Yin/Restorative" Yoga class. "Yin" can be tough, especially for me. It's a class of yoga where you learn to relax your muscles completely, hold poses for a long time, and allow the connective non-muscular tissue to open up. Restorative is probably my favorite style of yoga, where you use props to support your body in very cool and loving poses, held for a long time. It's like sleeping on pillows, but with an active and purposeful tilt.
And after that, it's dinner time! Yummy, same good food as breakfast and lunch.
And this repeats for 6 days. On the 7th, we rested, took in a festival and spent the day celebrating a wonderful retreat. I will look back at all of this, this experience, the friends I've met, the moments I'll cherish, with fondness and joy. It'll be wonderful if I could make it back here again someday.
Friday, November 12, 2010
International Travel and Adventure
I think I'm spoiled. When I was a very young professional, I had the opportunity to travel all over the United States. I was the technical part of a sales team, and our territory was everything West of the Mississippi River, which turned out to be a wide and vast number of customers. I got used to the different airports, procedures, rental cars, hotels, shuttle busses, and the like. Unfortunately, all of that experience was domestic, and I have rarely traveled internationally. Boy, I was in for a wake-up call during my trip to Chiang Mai, Thailand.
25+ hours of travel time later, and my journey from San Francisco to Chiang Mai was complete. But, what an adventure.
I left San Francisco at 12:05am on TH morning. I remember my brother and his family making the mistake of thinking that was the ‘next’ day, and then they paid massive penalties to re-issue their tickets, so I made sure early and was good to go. I’m usually well prepared, have checklists and such together, and have my things packed, all my paperwork stashed away, and of course, have all my gadgets and gizmos, and fancy stuff as well.
One thing I absolutely love is my PacSafe 300 Messenger Bag. It’s one of those anti-theft travel bags, with lots of security features, and it made it really easy to put everything of value (laptop, noise canceling headphones, passport, and such) safely tucked away. By the way, I also got some Audio Technica Noise Canceling Headphones ... uh, worth their weight in gold. Next time, my ignorant self won’t forget the ‘airline adapter’ that came with it, should’ve been brought also. I ended up with monaural or no audio for some legs of the flight, or just used the generic headphones.
So, my outbound flight my SFO to Hong Kong was via Cathay Pacific. And I must say, that’s a great airline. It was founded post World War II by a couple of WWII fighter pilots, and “Cathay” means “China” (old ancient name) and “Pacific” because the founders envisioned flying across the Pacific Ocean, which wasn’t possible in the late 40s mind you. Service was great, food was decent, and the entertainment system was top-notch. I ended up watching Cyrus (great flick), Predators (yuck), and Despicable Me (lovely) and it really made the 14 hours go by without a hitch. I slept in between luckily and felt great heading into the next leg, Hong Kong to Bangkok, and that’s where the fun started.
Hong Kong International Airport is a trip. I’m a transfer passenger, going from one Cathay Pacific flight to another, and I (and everyone else transferring) have to go through security checkpoints again. Not that I mind that, I don’t. But, they were so undermanned that literally 1000 people lined up in a choke point to get through their security checks. One poor lady told me that she had the same plane/same gate, and they made her get, go in a circle, get in this long line, and reboard the plane. What’s up with that? So, anyway, I had a 3 hour layover in Hong Kong, got to my gate after an hour waiting in line, and just ate a little snack, got online, and sent messages home telling everyone I made it safely. A few things. One, cell phone roaming charges are outrageous. For me, it would cost $1.99/min talk, and $20/MB for data. WTH? Two, I made the mistake of not getting into the 1000 people choke point early on, when there was like 200, because I didn’t know where to go. By the time I got there, oops, 1000 people. Next time.
Okay, so the flight from Hong to Bangkok was about 3 hours, not too awful. I was a little tired, and they fed us a 2nd breakfast (had breakfast already on the SFO->HKK flight). When I boarded the flight and took my seat, I put down a copy of my boarding pass, then couldn’t find it. Usually I wouldn’t trip, but for some reason, my intuition told me I should probably find it. It turns out, the guy in the middle seat next to me was sitting on it, so I tapped him on the shoulder and retrieved it, and put it away. Okay, so now we’re close to Bangkok, and that’s when the stewardess asked if I needed an “Arrival Card”. I told her my final destination was not Bangkok, but Chiang Mai, so she said I didn’t need one. Oops, big mistake, more later.
Alright, so now I’m in Bangkok, and I purposely scheduled it so that I would have a very long layover here (4 hours). I could’ve done two, but I was changing airlines to a local carrier, I had to get my bags and re-check in, and yadda yadda. So, the first thing I need to do is go to baggage claim and get my bag. Well, there’s a “Passport Control” line (many of them actually) that I have to get through before I get to my luggage. So I wait in a long, long line, probably 50 people, and it’s slow, brutally slow. About an hour into it, it’s my turn. I tell the lady my final destination is Chiang Mai and she says “Arrival Card?” not really understand what I’m talking about. She tells me I need to fill one out and get back in line. Damn. So I fill one out, talk to the nice lady there and she explains to me that in order to get to baggage claim, I need to get through Passport Control, then I can step through get my bags, head upstairs, and go to my domestic flight. Ugh! I get back in line, thankfully a bit shorter, wait about 45 minutes, a new lady now checks my documents and says, "Do you have your boarding pass?" Uh, yes, and darn that was the same boarding pass I had almost lost and not worried about. Whew! I finally get my bag, which by this time is stacked up with all of the other ‘leftover’ luggage from my flight. No worries, I have 2 hours left (thank goodness I left extra time) to grab a bit to eat, and chill a bit.
So, now I need to make the last leg, from Bangkok to Chiang Mai. And I’m taking a local carrier called “Air Asia” a highly marketed outfit like Southwest Airlines (almost a clone), but with a huge difference. They nickel and dime you for everything, which I really didn’t like. If you want to take a carryon bag, no more that 7kg, else you can’t board. Want a bottled water, $1. Pick your seat, $5. Stuff like that. And then, there’s the line to check in. Much like the Passport Control line, there were about 20 people ahead of me and it was brutally slow. I finally got my stuff checked in, and had about 90 minutes to spare. So, I exchanged some money since the vendors at the Airport only take Thai Baht (their currency) or credit card. And my credit card company charges a hefty fee for any foreign purchase, so forget that. I went to a cell phone kiosk and tried to get a prepaid SIM card for my iPhone (very cheap, like 500 Baht, $15 or so) but it didn’t work because my iPhone is locked, oops! So, no cellular use for me on this trip. Thank goodness for my Netbook, it’s a godsend. Okay, then I finally sat down, had some Thai food, and I was good to go.
Alright, so now I’m in Chiang Mai and a driver is supposed to be there waiting for me. But, I don’t see anyone. Maybe he’s late or maybe they just forgot about me. I was beat, not thinking too much, and I ended up getting a cab myself. It was rather inexpensive 550 Baht (about $20) to go what seemed like an eternity to the resort. The sights and sounds of that cab ride are something I likely will never forget. I mentioned in the beginning that I think I’m spoiled. Well, seeing the sights and hearing the sounds of inner city of Chiang Mai was both humbling and eye-opening at the same time. It was beautiful, radiant, crazy, and surreal.
The first thing I noticed, of course, was the driver on the right hand side, and us driving on the left hand side of the road, took a while for the brain to adjust, and I’m glad I didn’t get a rental car and drive. The second thing I noticed were the signs, all in Thai, very little English. How in the world would I get around this place if I drove? I don’t even think my GPS, in all it’s glory would’ve helped me here, it was seriously confusing. Next, were the gates and the police guarding them. It wasn’t like they were stopping traffic and checking people, but near the airport, there were a series of these gates that we sped through. Traffic was heavy! And there were lots of cars, scooters, and motor bikes sharing the road. Young and old were on their motorbike and scooters, most without helmets, some in dresses, some riding as passengers, some even riding side-saddle. Many riding dangerously close to cars, going the wrong way when traffic was stopped, and just riding free. It was crazy to see that. The streets of Chiang Mai feel weird. Think, highway, mixed with neighborhood, mixed with outdoor shopping mall, and that’s what you get. There were little shops everywhere, most people seemed to make their homes their shops. Construction was shoddy at best, I think I saw a building being erected where the scaffolding was literally bamboo tied together and all odd angles imaginable. And many of the buildings looked old and run down, like a post-apocalyptic scene. And the people. Man, one image I will not forget is a little girl about my youngest daughter's age, sitting down cleaning out a plastic water bottle with a brush, dunking it water per Grandma’s instruction, and doing that again and again ... all while cars were speeding by her on the ‘highway’. It was surreal to say the least. I thought I saw it all, when we were stuck in traffic (it was very heavy) and two young Buddhist Monks were dancing across the highway, dodging cars to get to the other side. Man, I was thinking Frogger, as one of the them made it across and laughed, while the other was shaking his head waiting for an opening.
Ah, well. So after 25+ hours of travel, my cabby finally got me to the resort entrance. Man, I swear I was nervous he didn’t know where he was going, but he got me there. The price was 550 Baht, and I gave him 700 Baht (150 Baht is about $5), asked if that “was okay” and he was so incredibly happy. He put his hands in Namaste (as many Thai do) and wished me well. I’m glad that little money helped the guy out, that was a long drive! I finally met up with the hotel receptionist, who treated me like a king, and then I met up with my group here at the resort’s restaurant, grabbed a healthy meal, traded some stories with everyone, and headed back the best sleep I’ve had in a long while. The resort here in Chiang Mai is stunningly beautiful. I’m here to rest, relax, recharge, and get in tune with my inner being, my inner soul. After that long travel adventure, I’m ready to get started.
25+ hours of travel time later, and my journey from San Francisco to Chiang Mai was complete. But, what an adventure.
I left San Francisco at 12:05am on TH morning. I remember my brother and his family making the mistake of thinking that was the ‘next’ day, and then they paid massive penalties to re-issue their tickets, so I made sure early and was good to go. I’m usually well prepared, have checklists and such together, and have my things packed, all my paperwork stashed away, and of course, have all my gadgets and gizmos, and fancy stuff as well.
One thing I absolutely love is my PacSafe 300 Messenger Bag. It’s one of those anti-theft travel bags, with lots of security features, and it made it really easy to put everything of value (laptop, noise canceling headphones, passport, and such) safely tucked away. By the way, I also got some Audio Technica Noise Canceling Headphones ... uh, worth their weight in gold. Next time, my ignorant self won’t forget the ‘airline adapter’ that came with it, should’ve been brought also. I ended up with monaural or no audio for some legs of the flight, or just used the generic headphones.
So, my outbound flight my SFO to Hong Kong was via Cathay Pacific. And I must say, that’s a great airline. It was founded post World War II by a couple of WWII fighter pilots, and “Cathay” means “China” (old ancient name) and “Pacific” because the founders envisioned flying across the Pacific Ocean, which wasn’t possible in the late 40s mind you. Service was great, food was decent, and the entertainment system was top-notch. I ended up watching Cyrus (great flick), Predators (yuck), and Despicable Me (lovely) and it really made the 14 hours go by without a hitch. I slept in between luckily and felt great heading into the next leg, Hong Kong to Bangkok, and that’s where the fun started.
Hong Kong International Airport is a trip. I’m a transfer passenger, going from one Cathay Pacific flight to another, and I (and everyone else transferring) have to go through security checkpoints again. Not that I mind that, I don’t. But, they were so undermanned that literally 1000 people lined up in a choke point to get through their security checks. One poor lady told me that she had the same plane/same gate, and they made her get, go in a circle, get in this long line, and reboard the plane. What’s up with that? So, anyway, I had a 3 hour layover in Hong Kong, got to my gate after an hour waiting in line, and just ate a little snack, got online, and sent messages home telling everyone I made it safely. A few things. One, cell phone roaming charges are outrageous. For me, it would cost $1.99/min talk, and $20/MB for data. WTH? Two, I made the mistake of not getting into the 1000 people choke point early on, when there was like 200, because I didn’t know where to go. By the time I got there, oops, 1000 people. Next time.
Okay, so the flight from Hong to Bangkok was about 3 hours, not too awful. I was a little tired, and they fed us a 2nd breakfast (had breakfast already on the SFO->HKK flight). When I boarded the flight and took my seat, I put down a copy of my boarding pass, then couldn’t find it. Usually I wouldn’t trip, but for some reason, my intuition told me I should probably find it. It turns out, the guy in the middle seat next to me was sitting on it, so I tapped him on the shoulder and retrieved it, and put it away. Okay, so now we’re close to Bangkok, and that’s when the stewardess asked if I needed an “Arrival Card”. I told her my final destination was not Bangkok, but Chiang Mai, so she said I didn’t need one. Oops, big mistake, more later.
Alright, so now I’m in Bangkok, and I purposely scheduled it so that I would have a very long layover here (4 hours). I could’ve done two, but I was changing airlines to a local carrier, I had to get my bags and re-check in, and yadda yadda. So, the first thing I need to do is go to baggage claim and get my bag. Well, there’s a “Passport Control” line (many of them actually) that I have to get through before I get to my luggage. So I wait in a long, long line, probably 50 people, and it’s slow, brutally slow. About an hour into it, it’s my turn. I tell the lady my final destination is Chiang Mai and she says “Arrival Card?” not really understand what I’m talking about. She tells me I need to fill one out and get back in line. Damn. So I fill one out, talk to the nice lady there and she explains to me that in order to get to baggage claim, I need to get through Passport Control, then I can step through get my bags, head upstairs, and go to my domestic flight. Ugh! I get back in line, thankfully a bit shorter, wait about 45 minutes, a new lady now checks my documents and says, "Do you have your boarding pass?" Uh, yes, and darn that was the same boarding pass I had almost lost and not worried about. Whew! I finally get my bag, which by this time is stacked up with all of the other ‘leftover’ luggage from my flight. No worries, I have 2 hours left (thank goodness I left extra time) to grab a bit to eat, and chill a bit.
So, now I need to make the last leg, from Bangkok to Chiang Mai. And I’m taking a local carrier called “Air Asia” a highly marketed outfit like Southwest Airlines (almost a clone), but with a huge difference. They nickel and dime you for everything, which I really didn’t like. If you want to take a carryon bag, no more that 7kg, else you can’t board. Want a bottled water, $1. Pick your seat, $5. Stuff like that. And then, there’s the line to check in. Much like the Passport Control line, there were about 20 people ahead of me and it was brutally slow. I finally got my stuff checked in, and had about 90 minutes to spare. So, I exchanged some money since the vendors at the Airport only take Thai Baht (their currency) or credit card. And my credit card company charges a hefty fee for any foreign purchase, so forget that. I went to a cell phone kiosk and tried to get a prepaid SIM card for my iPhone (very cheap, like 500 Baht, $15 or so) but it didn’t work because my iPhone is locked, oops! So, no cellular use for me on this trip. Thank goodness for my Netbook, it’s a godsend. Okay, then I finally sat down, had some Thai food, and I was good to go.
Alright, so now I’m in Chiang Mai and a driver is supposed to be there waiting for me. But, I don’t see anyone. Maybe he’s late or maybe they just forgot about me. I was beat, not thinking too much, and I ended up getting a cab myself. It was rather inexpensive 550 Baht (about $20) to go what seemed like an eternity to the resort. The sights and sounds of that cab ride are something I likely will never forget. I mentioned in the beginning that I think I’m spoiled. Well, seeing the sights and hearing the sounds of inner city of Chiang Mai was both humbling and eye-opening at the same time. It was beautiful, radiant, crazy, and surreal.
The first thing I noticed, of course, was the driver on the right hand side, and us driving on the left hand side of the road, took a while for the brain to adjust, and I’m glad I didn’t get a rental car and drive. The second thing I noticed were the signs, all in Thai, very little English. How in the world would I get around this place if I drove? I don’t even think my GPS, in all it’s glory would’ve helped me here, it was seriously confusing. Next, were the gates and the police guarding them. It wasn’t like they were stopping traffic and checking people, but near the airport, there were a series of these gates that we sped through. Traffic was heavy! And there were lots of cars, scooters, and motor bikes sharing the road. Young and old were on their motorbike and scooters, most without helmets, some in dresses, some riding as passengers, some even riding side-saddle. Many riding dangerously close to cars, going the wrong way when traffic was stopped, and just riding free. It was crazy to see that. The streets of Chiang Mai feel weird. Think, highway, mixed with neighborhood, mixed with outdoor shopping mall, and that’s what you get. There were little shops everywhere, most people seemed to make their homes their shops. Construction was shoddy at best, I think I saw a building being erected where the scaffolding was literally bamboo tied together and all odd angles imaginable. And many of the buildings looked old and run down, like a post-apocalyptic scene. And the people. Man, one image I will not forget is a little girl about my youngest daughter's age, sitting down cleaning out a plastic water bottle with a brush, dunking it water per Grandma’s instruction, and doing that again and again ... all while cars were speeding by her on the ‘highway’. It was surreal to say the least. I thought I saw it all, when we were stuck in traffic (it was very heavy) and two young Buddhist Monks were dancing across the highway, dodging cars to get to the other side. Man, I was thinking Frogger, as one of the them made it across and laughed, while the other was shaking his head waiting for an opening.
Ah, well. So after 25+ hours of travel, my cabby finally got me to the resort entrance. Man, I swear I was nervous he didn’t know where he was going, but he got me there. The price was 550 Baht, and I gave him 700 Baht (150 Baht is about $5), asked if that “was okay” and he was so incredibly happy. He put his hands in Namaste (as many Thai do) and wished me well. I’m glad that little money helped the guy out, that was a long drive! I finally met up with the hotel receptionist, who treated me like a king, and then I met up with my group here at the resort’s restaurant, grabbed a healthy meal, traded some stories with everyone, and headed back the best sleep I’ve had in a long while. The resort here in Chiang Mai is stunningly beautiful. I’m here to rest, relax, recharge, and get in tune with my inner being, my inner soul. After that long travel adventure, I’m ready to get started.
Monday, November 8, 2010
The Giants
I love sports, it's been a passion of mine since I was a boy. I don't know why I love it so much, maybe it's just because it's what my friends and I did when were growing up. We didn't have fancy stuff, computers, video games, etc. So, life was very simple ... we played outside, played seasonal sports, and played all the time. Eventually it grew into organized competition, and then a fervor for the professional and college teams that would play the very same sports. For my childhood friends and I, Football, Basketball, and Baseball were our year-round entertainment, passion, and hobby all at once.
So, when the SF Giants won the World Series this year, it brought me back to when I was a kid. When I used to play baseball in the street with a tennis ball and the manhole cover as home plate, when we swapped baseball gloves when switching sides, and when we jumped fences to retrieve our tennis balls after a long home run. The Giants are a lovable bunch, not just because of the current team, but because of the players and teams past, because of the memories of childhood and neighborhood play, and because they've never won the World Series before (in SF) until this year.
I have to admit, when Brian Wilson struck out Nelson Cruz with that last pitch, I was probably as happy as I've been in a long while, and I cried many a tear because of it. It's like a prayer being answered, like a goal coming to fruition after a long and daunting journey. I don't know, it was emotional. Maybe it's because of 2002, when they came so close. Maybe it's because of 1989, when the Quake and A's did them in so easily. Maybe it's because nobody thought the Giants were any good for such a long time. Maybe it's because a little kid running around the streets said hello, for just a moment, to a young man getting older.
Whatever the case, it was beautiful. The season was amazing. Torture, as Giants fans, call it. Waiting until the very last game of the season to clinch the West, beating the Braves with a lot of lady luck, and then blowing through the heavily favored Phillies with pitching power and timely hitting, and then smacking the Rangers with pitching, defense, and clutching home runs. Then, the Parade, where what seemed like a million Giants fans could finally celebrate and worry no more. For so many of us, we say that this one moment, makes up for everything, and we don't need another one. I'm inclined to agree. I'm so thankful the Giants won the World Series, finally. For the City of San Francisco, it's people with all of their love and diversity, for the long time Giants Fans, who have endured many a cold night at Seals Stadium, Candlestick Park, PacBell and what is now AT&T Park, and finally for all of the Giants past and present, this is for everyone, this one moment of happiness and joy. It's something I will never forget.
So, when the SF Giants won the World Series this year, it brought me back to when I was a kid. When I used to play baseball in the street with a tennis ball and the manhole cover as home plate, when we swapped baseball gloves when switching sides, and when we jumped fences to retrieve our tennis balls after a long home run. The Giants are a lovable bunch, not just because of the current team, but because of the players and teams past, because of the memories of childhood and neighborhood play, and because they've never won the World Series before (in SF) until this year.
I have to admit, when Brian Wilson struck out Nelson Cruz with that last pitch, I was probably as happy as I've been in a long while, and I cried many a tear because of it. It's like a prayer being answered, like a goal coming to fruition after a long and daunting journey. I don't know, it was emotional. Maybe it's because of 2002, when they came so close. Maybe it's because of 1989, when the Quake and A's did them in so easily. Maybe it's because nobody thought the Giants were any good for such a long time. Maybe it's because a little kid running around the streets said hello, for just a moment, to a young man getting older.
Whatever the case, it was beautiful. The season was amazing. Torture, as Giants fans, call it. Waiting until the very last game of the season to clinch the West, beating the Braves with a lot of lady luck, and then blowing through the heavily favored Phillies with pitching power and timely hitting, and then smacking the Rangers with pitching, defense, and clutching home runs. Then, the Parade, where what seemed like a million Giants fans could finally celebrate and worry no more. For so many of us, we say that this one moment, makes up for everything, and we don't need another one. I'm inclined to agree. I'm so thankful the Giants won the World Series, finally. For the City of San Francisco, it's people with all of their love and diversity, for the long time Giants Fans, who have endured many a cold night at Seals Stadium, Candlestick Park, PacBell and what is now AT&T Park, and finally for all of the Giants past and present, this is for everyone, this one moment of happiness and joy. It's something I will never forget.
P90X Lean - Week 13 of 13
Done! 90 days of P90X is done. I didn't end it with the greatest week, I ended up skipping YogaX on Saturday and XStretch on Sunday, and will add them to the 'make up week' I'm doing a few weeks from now.
It was actually a very good, gradual, and subtle program. I really like the Lean routine, much more than the Classic, because I feel a lot more open, and a lot less tight, especially in my shoulders and back. My core, which is pretty whacked, feels a lot better. And my cardio, although I haven't run in a long time, is decent. The main thing is that I'm stronger and more flexible, and more durable, and that was my goal from the get go.
As far as weight and all that go, I honestly think I haven't changed much in the program. I think my upper body is stronger, my core is stronger and my body-fat percentage may have changed ever so slightly. I don't really worry about any of those 'measurable' things so much. How much weight, how many reps, etc. doesn't really matter. I just know that I'm not injured, I'm stronger, I'm more flexible, and I feel great physically.
For the next few weeks, I'm in a transition phase, doing a lot of Yoga before I make up the P90X workouts for a week or so. Then, I'm onto TRX + P90X for about 2 months to see what that's all about. Here's a brief preview of my workout week which will happen sometime in December. I think this will be a big eye-opener because the TRX workouts are no joke, and this will take the "Muscle Confusion" thing to a different level.
M: TRX Basic
TU: P90X CardioX, KenpoX, or PlyoX
W: TRX Strength
TH: P90X YogaX
F: TRX Cardio
SA: P90X Core Synergistics
SU: TRX Flexibility
It was actually a very good, gradual, and subtle program. I really like the Lean routine, much more than the Classic, because I feel a lot more open, and a lot less tight, especially in my shoulders and back. My core, which is pretty whacked, feels a lot better. And my cardio, although I haven't run in a long time, is decent. The main thing is that I'm stronger and more flexible, and more durable, and that was my goal from the get go.
As far as weight and all that go, I honestly think I haven't changed much in the program. I think my upper body is stronger, my core is stronger and my body-fat percentage may have changed ever so slightly. I don't really worry about any of those 'measurable' things so much. How much weight, how many reps, etc. doesn't really matter. I just know that I'm not injured, I'm stronger, I'm more flexible, and I feel great physically.
For the next few weeks, I'm in a transition phase, doing a lot of Yoga before I make up the P90X workouts for a week or so. Then, I'm onto TRX + P90X for about 2 months to see what that's all about. Here's a brief preview of my workout week which will happen sometime in December. I think this will be a big eye-opener because the TRX workouts are no joke, and this will take the "Muscle Confusion" thing to a different level.
M: TRX Basic
TU: P90X CardioX, KenpoX, or PlyoX
W: TRX Strength
TH: P90X YogaX
F: TRX Cardio
SA: P90X Core Synergistics
SU: TRX Flexibility
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