i never imagined that i could ever be this smitten by a country so...so...landlocked. but what laos lacks in surf and sand, it more than makes up for in complete and utter tranquility. this is possibly the chillest country on earth, where even the longtail boats and motorbikes - constant sources of cacophony in thailand - seem to float silently by; the place where the mighty muddy mekong, in its long ineluctable flow to the south china sea, realizes that it isn't really in that big of a hurry after all, and decides to linger in endless bends and eddys, smoke [View Full Entry]

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having lost all track of time, i asked someone the other day what the date was, and realized that i've been on the road now for nearly three months. shocking, really, given that it only feels like last week or so that i was cruising down 101 in my mullet wig groovin out to 'open arms,' and that i still wake up just about every morning (or afternoon, as the case may be) all giddy with anticipation as to what the day will bring. i often catch myself walking along unwittingly with a crooked shit-eating grin on my face like a [View Full Entry]

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the latest injury report from the road: bruised back and ass, cuts and scrapes on hands and back. out 1-2 weeks. further rockclimbing probable. i have a score to settle with some rocks. after making my great escape from koh tao, i was desperately seeking mellower vibes and fewer backpackers. i found this and more on tonsai beach on the andaman coast of thailand. imagine beautiful secluded white beaches protected by sheer limestone cliffs rising 1000 feet straight out of the ocean on one side and clear emerald seas on the other. i've spent the last few days here learning h [View Full Entry]

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sorry for my incommunicado-ness, all. i've been island hopping the last few weeks in the gulf of thailand and have been just too lazy to write. the last three weeks or so have been great - marked by a wedding, a bike crash, a full moon party, and a crapload of scandinavians. i arrived in samui a few days before the wedding and promptly managed to crash my rented africa twin motorcycle on a gnarly mountain dirt road. the bike and i were relatively unhurt, me escaping with a few minor cuts and scratches and a bruised foot that looked like [View Full Entry]

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is there a better way to be sent off on an adventure than in a vw van with three wonderful friends, rocking out to classic journey hits in a mullet wig and shades, hellbound for sfo? i think not. after three great years in san francisco and a heartwarming, slightly tearful goodbye shinding, i set off on my journey thusly, bound for tokyo, bangkok, and points beyond. landed in tokyo and was picked up by my old friend keitaro, who somehow recognized me instantly despite the serious mulletude i was sporting. tokyo - what a freaked out, crazy, wonderful place. here [View Full Entry]

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