Journal1

June 27, Pokhara, Nepal 5:30 am
Still raining, but the next two days will be spent on the river, so it won't matter too much. I just got back from a walk down to the lake. I saw the homeless kid again. I think he's a leper, though I've never seen one, so don't know for sure. i know he's sad, and definitely an outcast. His life is foregin to mine in so many ways. Sad, lonely, painful. It's like he doesn't even speak the same language as his own people (maybe he doesn't) Money is a funny thing over here. Everything is so dirt cheap that you find yourself haggling over a few rupees.

July 2, Khatmandu
Got a troupe together and walked over to the Royal Palace. No luck, though, they wouldn't let us in. So we (Me, miche, Rich, Dave, Sarah from Denmark, Liz and Caroline from UK) walked around town a bit. On the walk we stopped at a temple that formed a school yard. A young mother came up to me with her infant, and I extended my hand. The kid was fascinated by me, and took my hand. The mother then motioned towards me, and the baby kissed my hand. That instant, in that alley, made my trip worthwhile. I can't find words to describe how happy that made me feel. I felt so alive, so a part of something, so human. Khatmandu has turned out to be everything I had imagined, and more. Spitiual, interesting, colourful, noisy, welcoming, dirty, beautiful, fun and inspiring.

July 5th, Bangkok
Watching Titanic as we wait for a bus to Kho Pha Ngan. My emotions and temermant are now at the complete mercy of my bowel. When I'm not cramped I am ecstatic to be, not cramped. When I'm in the throes, I can't function properly, and all reason and vanity go down the chute with my insides.

July 19, Kho Pha Ngan, Thailand
I can't remember ever being as sick as I was this past week. We think it was dengue fever. Fever of 103, no food, and my head felt like a cocnut in a vise. It truly was hell. It has now been 2 1/2 weeks since I was perfectly healthy. Dad thought I had malaria, which is understandable considering the first night of the fever: I was under the impression that Michelle and I had to drive a herd of camels somewhere, but mine weren't listening. Even though the distance couldn't have been much further than the width of our double bed, it proved to be too tough a task for me - and I grew more and more frustrated with Michelle, because it looked like she knew what she was doing, but wasn't helping me at all!! The end result was that I flailed uncontrollably all night (forcing Miche to the floor). At about 5:00, she gave me a few Tylenol Threes, which allowed me to supervise the construction of a first rate factory the size of Rhode Island. I don't know what it produced, partially because I was just so damn happy my camel driving days were over.

July 28, Pakea Hill Tribe, Thailand
After dinner, the women of the tribe formed a campfire circle, and welcomed us one by one into its fold. They sang for us, and we tried to dance with them. It was beautiful. The kids jumped around the fire, entertaining us all. A man playing a ukelele-like instrument kept time. I had never before felt so consciously that I was from a different world, and knew nothing about the one I was immersed in.

Aug. 7, b/w Hanoi and Hue, Vietnam
The different perspectives that encompass the war amaze me. Ho Chi Minh had an amazing ability to spin the very brutal and confusing war, almost as much as the American politics and history has had the ability to dessimate the truth. For a country that hasn't had much peace, though, Vietnam seems completely at ease with itself.

Aug 10, Nha Trang
2 Days on the bus, a stop in Hoi Ann, and a good chunk of 'Nam behind us. Thinking about travelling. It is more of a way of life; you can check the places off your list, but the ongoing act of licing out of a backpack and continually moving is more of an attitude/state of mind.

Aug. 13, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
After becoming quickly re-addicted, I've given up Tetris for a week. I'm giving up something I don't need, or shouldn't have every week. Kind of like a rotating Lent,or something. One thing I'm not giving up is sunscreen, though. I am deep fried baby. Lit up like a neon sign and toasted like a hero on New Year's Eve. Brett and I went to the rolling Stones Cafe last night. I got the hiccups from a Vietnamese sandwich. The bartenders thought it was funny, but they still took it upon themselves to cure me. Hug, the older one reached across the bar and suffocated me with her hand. She held it for a minute (literally). It didn't work, so she did it again, USING A CLOTH!!. She held the cloth for at least two minutes, and i nearly died, right there, on the bar of the Rolling Stone Bar in Saigon. It worked, though. no hiccups, I got the headspins, everyone was laughing, and Brett asked if she could do it for him. A few nights ago, a guy from Waterloo and I persuaded two cyclo drivers to take us home from the bar Appocalypse Now...as long as WE COULD DRIVE. We were off our heels, but they went for it, so Mike and I raced through the streets of Saigon until the drivers were too scared and took over the reins. Funny, funny, funny stuff.

Aug. 24, Kanchanaburi, Thailand
Feeling a little under the weather in more ways than one - the monsoon is almost upon us. My hut is 6' x 6' and is on stilts over the river Kwai. Good vibe to it, though - honour system for drinks from teh fridge, etc. There was a bat in my hut last night, and a neighborhood dog war ( I think I counted 12 different barks) No clue what time it is now. Listening to 4-Way Street writing postcards. I'll be taking the first train north on the Death Railway tommorrow over the bridge.

Aug. 25, Train Station, Kanchanaburi, Thailand
Everybody travels in different ways. Of course, our reaction to situations is based on our past experiences, including knowledge of how others reacted to similar situations. In many ways, we travel through life much the same way we travel through foreign countries - we're not the first to be there, there have been books written - including travel guides, that "show you the way" like self-help books for procrastination, or whatever. you meet people going through the same thing as you are, but from entirely different backgrounds. Living is moving: Growing/receding, learning/teaching.
Changing faces, changing places.

August 8, Hue
One of the funniest scenes in a long time. My travelling pal is a little "liquid" right now, so we tried to get her some help. We found a tiny pharmacy and she proceeded to play charades in the middle of the street to try and get around the language barrier. I was on the ground. Finally, everybody thought everybody understood each other, so we got the pills and carried on. She took the pills, but they didnt' work right away, so she took more. Turns out, he gave her EX- LAX, so now she is even more "on the run" than before. Good stuff.