What I Learned In Asia

---

What I Learned in Asia...

I have now been out of asia for about a week or so and am Wwoofing (willing workers on organic farms) about an hour outside of Melbourne, Australia on an organic vineyard and winery with an absoluetly lovely couple who keep me laughing, feed me ridiculously great food, and made superb wine which helps me sleep like a baby! If you want to see where I have been check out their website (www.cloudscapewines.com.au) Truly my first week in Australia has been great, i even have a cell again (or rather a mobile as they say here), so for the first time in 5 months I feel like a regular westerner again, and it is grand!! So over the last while in Asia I started to compile a list of things I have learned...about life, myself, and about travelling through asia that I thought I would put into a blog as a summary of the last 5 months. I visited 7 Asian countries including Singapore, Nepal, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Malaysia and made some outstanding memories. The things I have learned....

Rice...a staple in Asian countries can come in so many shapes, sizes, consistencies that it will rattle the mind. After eating it on a near daily basis for 5 months I crave the stuff and no dad my eyes are not going slanted (crass I know, but those who know and love my father will get a kick outta this jab at him...love ya dad!!!)

With such a healthy smattering of Mickey D’s, Burger King’s, KFC, Shell and Esso stations throughout Asia sometimes it was only the palm trees that told me I wasn’t at home. Globalization...or rather westernization is happening at an alarming rate...I hope some of the culture can persist for the future generations.

It is amazing how fast one can get used to the economical differences and soon $5.00 for a meal seems astronomical, let alone more than $10 a night for a place to put your noggen. Things are somewhat different here in Australia....

After 5 months of not going for a seatbelt in the car I had to remind myself to put one on when I arrived in Australia. Other habits broken...yes mom I stopped chewing my nails. The permadirt underneath them was a great deterrent. I had NO idea that I had to clip them that often. I think I should market a polish that looks like that thin line of dirt under your nails as a biting deterent...the next million dollar idea perhaps...

I do love to barter but am glad for a break for a while. Now I like pricetags. Although I did learn a lot about bartering as well. Doing it with a smile goes so much further and puts a lot more fun in it as well. At the end of the day, the last 10 or 50 cents, or even few dollars means a lot more to them then to me. Also makes the experience much more enjoyable. Don’t think of it as being ripped off, think of it as making someone elses day! Becky remember when I paid twice as much for the same Angkor Wat book...that kid was so happy!! hehehe!

In Asia, you WILL get ripped off. Not once, not even twice, but time and time again. Accept it, embrace it even, and move on. Getting angry gets you nowhere.


So many people have asked about my favorites and not-so-favorites so I thought I would give out a few awards.
1. Nicest Locals goes to....Malaysia, without a doubt the most helpful, least conieving, genuine people.
2. Best Beach Award goes to Maya Bay off Ko Phi Phi in Thailand...I know it is incredibly touristy but seriously the sand was like icing sugar. It was the beach that the film “The Beach” was shot.
3. Best Restaurant Award goes to Liberty Resort in Ko Phangan Thailand...wow...remember Kim the Papaya Salad and Tom Yum...yummers!
4. Worst Restaurant Award...sorry, pretty much most of Vietnam had dreadful food. For the volunteering girls in Hanoi the Pho (pronounced faa) after the museam was particularly dreadful. I think we each ate like 2 spoonfuls, the poor local volunteers may have been offended but seriously couldn’t choke down anymore of the rice noodle soup with flavorless broth and rock hard beef. Even spices couldn’t save it. I think Thailand should invade Vietnam and give them some cooking lessons. Although I love Vietnamese food at home, strange.
5. Favorite Dessert: Mango and Sweet Sticky Rice with Coconut Milk. Yum yum and yum. Becky and Kim I hope you are busy trying to perfect it at home!
6. Carla’s Proudest Moment: Even though it was early in the trip, getting to basecamp was a big accomplishment for me.
7. Carla’s Least Proud Moment: Let’s not dwell on the negative now :P, but probably the arguement with Kim in Malaysia...still really sorry about that Kim. Love ya!
8. Sadest Thing I Saw: Elephants chained up for tourists in Hue Vietnam in the sweltering heat and humidty. They sway to stimuate themselves. The elephants at the breeding centre in Chitwan National Park in Nepal were also treated poorly by our standards. Also the infants in the orphanage with pressure wounds on their backsides.
9. Most Valued Souvenir: The diving t-shirt that Phet gave Kim and I in Krabi. It was such a personal gift and so many great memories from there. Kim concurs! And my photos...all of them!
10. Place I Would Live: Malaysia, the people are amazing and the weather is more forgiving. Also they speak fabo english and don’t see tourists as walking ATMs.
11. Most Stunning Scenery: Tough one...three way tie between Angkor Wat in Cambodia, Sapa in Vietnam, and Cameron Highlands in Malaysia. Oh ya...Mount Everest in the Himilayas was not too shabby as well. So many spectacular places on this planet!
12. Cutest Town Award: Luang Prabang, Laos.
13. Best Life Experience: Volunteering in Vietnam and Hiking to Everest basecamp.



Other gems I have picked up....
- Noodles and rice can be eaten at any time of the day and even enjoyed!!
- I can eat the same thing for breakfast for a month (white sweet bread with condensed milk) and learn to enjoy it even.
- There are very very few things that won’t fit onto the back of a motor bike. Anyone who has been to Vietnam will attest to this! Those people are ingenious when it comes to lashing things.
- Cockroaches: they will be anywhere food is, learn to love them or stop eating
- One of the best things in the whole world is the smell of clean laundry
- 2 hair elastics used daily can last more than 5 months (yes becky and kim they are still going, not quite so strong anymore but they have not snapped yet!) so why do we have like 20 in a package when 2 will do?
- I had no idea the banana could be used in so many ways. Just as a fruit, banana bread, banana fritters, deep fried bananas, banana chips, banana shake, banana milkshake (yes there is a difference!), the list goes on and on! A very versitile fruit indeed.
- Becky is a master packer....seriously that girl can fit an unimaginable amount of stuff into a backpack and still carry it with a smile!!
- For an extended trip I would highly recommend taking good quality clothes and gear. A shout out to my 12 year old Kelti backpack whom just keeps on chugging, my 4 year old Running Room t-shirt which has been worn hundreds of times and still looks brand new, my 3 year old Lu Lu Lemon shorts which had they not been black would be by now, and my 2 year old Columbia sandals who have been to 3 continents with me on 4 different trips and they are still super comfy!
- my family always calls me "Carla the Cold Cookie"....I don't remember what being cold is really like....actually now in Australia i sure remember how cold my hands and feet really can be.
- In Asia in the summer when you get out of the shower and dry off....you start to sweat again...sigh

Well folks that is some of the tidbits I came away with! I read a great quote which summarizes the first leg of the adventure...

“I am not the same having seen the moon shine on the other side of the world”. -Unknown.

Stay tuned....

---