Thanks for your unsolicited psychiatric evaluation, but.... I don't need to rationalise why I travel to you because there is nothing to rationalise -- I don't have torn relationships with my family, neighbors, or loved ones, and the fact that I do feel a greater understanding of the world by observing it in person rather than staying in a country where half the people my age never even watch the news is not an attempt to 'rationalize' my travel; I am simply stating my preferences. I am sorry that your 'pack up your toothbrush and go' philosophy left you feeling some void or superficiality in your own life, but it doesn't give you the right to extrapolate and project your experience onto others. Not all people are meant to work a 9 to 5 job in the city they were born in and get excited over Sunday afternoon tea and picking out drapes for the living room, so the fact that I choose to live elsewhere than mainstream small town America has nothing to do with running away from who you supposedly think that I am ... and all those unbroken long term friendships and family relationships would be the first to say that this is precisely who I really am. I find it ironic that you would pretend to know anything about my relationships with my family when you have never met me. In fact, if you want to criticise superficial conversation, why don't you examine the fact that you like to leave slanderous comments on my blog without having the courage to actually contact me personally via a personal message and initiate any real conversation?
What on earth is going on???? I thoroughly enjoyed reading the writers blog on Myanmar. How dare anyone ridicule or patronise or criticise this person's experience. Is this not the idea of a blog? I myself would love to visit this amazing country and I found this person's experience to be both inspirational and honest. I think that there are certainly some bitter, twisted individuals lurking around and for whatever reason believe that 'they' and 'they' only should be privvy to have an opinion/experience of a place. Get a life I say. Well done to the writer for sharing her experiences in an enjoyable and tangible fashion.
for Lana Hi Lana, don`t feel sorry for me. I still stand by my theory that if you need travel to allow you to `feel, understand and care more about people`...you have serious issues that no amount of travelling can help. You see Lana, it is very easy to travel. Just pack your toothbrush and go. I did it for years and so have millions of others. I recommend you read Alain de Bottom`s The Art of Travel if you are truly interested in the reasons behind why people travel. Travel simply does not make you understand people on any level that is significant. It is easy to superficially connect with strangers precisely becasue WE ARE LEAVING. Emotions appear to be fantastic exactly because they are doomed to end. Travelling can fool anyone into believing what they are experiencing is better than being home. Travelling is better, when your life at home sucks. So why bother building real relationships with your family and friends at home when a series of temporary passions await you in exotic locations? What I`m getting at is that the most difficult thing to connect, feel and understand our own next door neighbor, our mother and father and everyone else in our life. It is difficult to stay in one`s own home and much easier to run away from who we are with aimless travel. I believe that many, including La Vagabonda, rationalize their running away from their own loved ones by claiming they have experienced a deeper understanding of humanity by the means of futile meetings and conversations. But no amount of travelling in the world, no beach, no mountain, no culture or remote exotic location can make better, torn, unresolved relationships from their home.
great pictures i skimmed through your blog and will read more later, clearly you write well and i love the photos. i'm in saigon now, been through thailand, laos and vietnam and will be back for burma soon.
What the hell in 'Travel Camel' on about? Firstly i didnt read your blog at all as I accidently clicked on it and it went straight to the comments bit where I saw 'Travel Camel' trying to kiss your arse. The 'camel' sounds like a proper twat, anyway, read mine at www.travelblog.org/bloggers/bailey reason being you can get a real contrast between the quality of yours and the downright cannot be bothered to do anything approach of mine.
by the the way, you're quite pretty arent you!!
have fun gorgeous - Bailey
Boca Chica Anyone going to the beaches of Chiriqui, especially if you are around Boca Brava, must go to Gone Fishing Panama Resort in Boca Chica.
The setting is fantastic, the small resort, which opened about 6 months ago is great, and the accommodations are the best.
The owners, Bruce and Donna, will provide you with anything that you require, including terrific meals prepared by their excellent chefs.
Don't miss this place.
Bill
Seagul Jonathan Livingstone Right now I'm painting center of Opatija...what a nice surprise that You where there and took the photo of Church in it. Cool!
I wish You a warm wind underneath Your wings, Vagabonda...keep on flying!
do not forget your experience while traveling through out My home town of Mostar, and I feel sorry for Linda that she felt as she had. Ialso feel Sorry for the serbian guy, not that I would like to elaborate on anything since I am not going to, but it is well known that the history, especially in later days is written by hard core politicians so they could lure their own nation and eventually will end up something like BH.
i AM PLEASENTLY SURPRISED BY YOUR DESCRIPTION OF MOSTAR.......
MY email address is lanaliskiewicz@sbcglobal.net if you'd like to have a pen pal
I've been reading your blogs for a while now and i just wanted to let you know that i think they're awesome, and the pictures are some of the best i've seen from this site. Keep it up!
Of Prose and Pics Beautifully written entry with lucid descriptions - the photos complement the words very well. Has really enthused me about my impending visit to Kyoto - so thank you!
I hear ya I spent the night at the top once in a storm that soaked through everything. It was funny reading about how cold you were, made me feel better...
minoe literary semantics are everything Minor literary semantics are all you have, so be sure to make yourself clear
in the future by choosing the right minor literary semantics.
re: Debbie 'whatever!' Sorry my choice of words was not spot on to your liking.... I don't have a deep understanding of their situation (i.e. insight) and wouldn't pretend to know what it is like to live one's whole life there. Perhaps 'observation' would be more like it. I was simply making the point to Mr. 'Heinz' that I believe that traveling how most locals do helps you make more personal contact and see one aspect of their normal life more so than chartering a taxi that locals could never afford would let you. It would nice if people could refrain from making assumptions about how I view things based on minor literary semantics.
welcome to Panama friends. Hi!!!. I'm panamanian, and I glad to read that you felt very nice here in Panamá. so you are welcome here in Panama again. It's really nice everywhere you visit, you can choise several places to visit.
bye
whatever! Travelling like the locals does NOT give you insight on how they live. You are an American. You have money. You have left that miserable place. They have not. You have NO IDEA about their lives. Travelling there does not even give you an idea on how it feels life to live there your entire life. It makes you a traveller.
a Jolly Blonde Giant.... It is good to see that you are blogging again. I've missed your entries and once again you have not disappointed..your pictures are great, your vocabulary is better than ever and I totally appreciated your self depricating jolly blonde giant comment. I had a hearty laugh at that one. Keep up the good work!
"As long as possible live free and uncommitted. It makes but little difference whether you are committed to a farm or the county jail.... If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away." -- Henry David Thoreau (Walden)
So I did it, escaped the conformity of the corporate ratrace while I still had my youth and sanity, to see the world with my own two eyes and embrace all its beauty and ugliness. Central America to Europe to Southeast Asia in 2005; 2006 will find me ex... full info
Jenni Jen
La Vagabonda
Thanks for your unsolicited psychiatric evaluation, but....
I don't need to rationalise why I travel to you because there is nothing to rationalise -- I don't have torn relationships with my family, neighbors, or loved ones, and the fact that I do feel a greater understanding of the world by observing it in person rather than staying in a country where half the people my age never even watch the news is not an attempt to 'rationalize' my travel; I am simply stating my preferences. I am sorry that your 'pack up your toothbrush and go' philosophy left you feeling some void or superficiality in your own life, but it doesn't give you the right to extrapolate and project your experience onto others. Not all people are meant to work a 9 to 5 job in the city they were born in and get excited over Sunday afternoon tea and picking out drapes for the living room, so the fact that I choose to live elsewhere than mainstream small town America has nothing to do with running away from who you supposedly think that I am ... and all those unbroken long term friendships and family relationships would be the first to say that this is precisely who I really am. I find it ironic that you would pretend to know anything about my relationships with my family when you have never met me. In fact, if you want to criticise superficial conversation, why don't you examine the fact that you like to leave slanderous comments on my blog without having the courage to actually contact me personally via a personal message and initiate any real conversation?