June 23, 2007
As the train wheezes its way to the northwestern city of Chiang Mai, my thoughts still linger in Bangkok. It was only a day, but one without time, expectation, or consequence.
And, in part, that is why I enjoyed it so much.
But it was not only the sheer thrill of spontaneity that made that first day in Thailand so utterly unique. It was much more complex than that...
It was the three of us, foreigners to a new space as well as to each other. It was the outdoor food stand where we first met- with its boiling, curried noodles, and all things deep-fried. It was the night bazaar's constant, manic blur of light and beautiful color. The clattering screams of people, taxis, and everything moving. Tthe distinct tang and decay of Kho Sahn Road. The stagnation of the air- soiled and dripping. The absence
of breeze.
It was a listless afternoon in the park, as we sought refuge from the infusion of filth and dampness of the city. It was riding in flimsy riverboat ferries, fumbling through mud-water canals- almost Venice, only crude and confused, and nothing remotely like it. It was a vague awareness that, somewhere within reach of wherever we stood, slick palms and fingers shook and agreed upon the asking price of discounted humanity.
But above all else, however, it was such an enjoyable day simply because of the three of us. The circumstances that brought us together. The newness of our jokes, the freshness of each other's faces. And the simple fact that we were no longer alone.
For now, we are to each other, makeshift allies, of sorts- with no other past than the shared events of the day before. Aware of freedom to disband at any moment.
Yet deep from within, we remain united by everything about this very place that, for us, makes it foreign. It is a particular unease- some may call fear of the unknown- that holds us together.
At least for one more day.
Corral Trekker
"All that we are is the result of what we have thought. The mind is everything. What we think we become." - Buddha
I better write this before I forget: (written sometime in late May, 2007)



I'm in Airlie Beach, in northeast Oz. Gateway to the Whitsunday Islands, located at the southern most point of the Great Barrier Reef - 74 breathtakingly beautiful and largely undeveloped islands. Here, the artistic touch of creation at its best is on display. Beneath the water's translucent jade surface, the reef is furious with marine life. Rich sunsets ignite the skies and burn long into dusk. Endless horizons, utter tranquility, uniterrupted beauty....
My experience here has been partly experiencing this paradise on Earth. But it has also, and in large part, been a training ground - forging and conditioning wits and emotions, determination, and, ultimately, self-worth.
I spent a month (most of April and part of May) on the Coral Trekker, a tall ship (imagine a smaller pirate ship) complete with eight sails and a capacity of eighteen passengers and crew. Bob was the skipper: a man so weathered by the sea, so salt-crusted, and so very sharp- tongued, yet of so very, very few words. It was only after more than a few canned whiskey n' cokes did he ever so slightly quiver a lip.
Continue reading "Corral Trekker" »
September 28, 2007 at 07:00 PM in Perspectives, Photo Commentary, Travel | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Reblog (0) | | |
|