mahadev's Guestbook

shun visited paul's blog just now. I wonder how's your life there, riding your bike everyday and never stop exploring ? did you spend some days in a shanti ? does your bike fit 2 people ?

enjoyed

Sensational lovey !!! I am yearning to go there and experience the beauty and adventure, including the winding, adventurous road, the apple orchids, the parantha and maybe meet Raju :) Glad Gladys was all fixed up. More green hugs!!! Unfortunately, some of the photos didn't load!

Very smart or very stupid....
I arrived in Bali on a plane full of Taiwanese pharmaceutical reps. They were headed to Bali for a sales conference; they all knew each other, and were in high spirits. I, on the other hand, had been in transit for over 36 hours at this point. I was hot, dirty, tired, and very thirsty. When you enter the Arrival Hall at Ngurah Rai airport in Denpasar, you are immediately given the opportunity, as one local cynic puts it “…to connect with the rest of humanity and find your inner peace.” Meaning you get to stand in this very long line crowded together with many, many other travelers, and you better find some calm within yourself, because you ain’t gonna get it from anyone else in that crowd. The line is to get a visa, and I had just resigned myself to a wait of several more hours before I could get a warm shower and a cold beer. There were several young men in light blue tunics scattered around the Arrival Hall, I took them to be airport employees of some sort. One of them came over to me and asked if I needed a visa. I said yes, and he said “I can help you.” He asked for US$25, which is the correct amount for a visa. I gave it to him, he said “Wait right here,” and walked away. At this point I figure I may have done something either very smart or very stupid, and may have just said good-bye to US$25. He came back very quickly and asked for my passport and travel documents. It must have been the sleep deprivation, because I handed over my passport and documents without question. As he walked away I felt that stab of anxiety and again felt I had done something either very smart or very, very stupid. I’m thinking to myself “How am I ever going to explain that I lost my passport - not that it was stolen, or that I actually lost it, but that I just gave it to a stranger.” At that moment the nice young man returned with my passport, my documents, AND my visa. He asked for a tip, I gave him US$1, with which he seemed well pleased. And it was well worth it to me to get out of that line and on my way to a warm shower and a cold beer.

So glad you are happy to mix with a foolish friend........:)
I love this story Paul and I love this saying “If you want to improve, be content to be thought foolish and stupid".......yeah! well prepared. So glad you came to Cambodia. I did think that five days in Phnom Penh was too many - remember I said Phnom Penh hasn't got a lot to offer - it is actually the experience itself that is the attraction. And I did wonder how you would fill in one month here, but you had already booked your ticket. I only thought that because I know you have such amazing travel experiences and like you, I spend just enough time to appreciate the attractions, sites etc and then move on. But you will still have more stories to tell - and I look forward to you taking us on the journey - even on a moto - as always. More hugs!!! Marguerite

Playing along with scams can be dangerous!!!
Be careful.

Off the beaten path
Rugged land

Never take good health for granted
There is something ironic about undertaking a trip of the nature of yours and the only injury being a pinched nerve from doing stretches in hot water at the end. I can't imagine why that was "stupid". Would stretches while one was very cold been any safer? I read this post while in Alfred's Imaging, spending an hour consuming a liquid every ten minutes. It's a year since my Whipple Procedure. The pathology of the cancer mass on the pancreas was so rare - and so low risk - that all I have to do is go through this procedure once a year to check that no new Gastro Intestinal Stromal Tumours have appeared anywhere.

A beautiful place to be.
Breathtaking scenery and a rich and deep culture and history....and an Aussie on an Enfield...makes for a great yarn. Very special, thanks for sharing.

Focused on the road ahead
Finding bliss on the Royal Enfield (my brother used to have one - he was killed in Vietnam ) so when I read your stories of this bike it brings a smile to my face. He would have loved reading your adventure...or taking your adventure. I am enjoying your trip.