On My Way To The Other Side Of The World

I'm on my way to the other side of the world. This Blog is about to get a lot more interesting. I fly direct to Tokyo from Houston then on to Bangkok for a couple of days. From there I'll fly to Delhi for 5 weeks in India..... Leaving now....

Planning Continued - Leaving Soon

The planning process has been casual and smooth. I’ve pretty much got my gear together and have made necessary reservations etc.,. By the good fortune of having friends from India, who live in Houston, I was able to book my long distance Indian trains online without a hitch. Many thanks to Pradeep and Neeraj! In India booking a single train use to be an all day process but thanks to the internet it’s really quite easy. The problem with booking myself is that I don’t know the train stations, types of trains, etc. If you have someone help you that knows the system it’s a piece of cake otherwise it can can quite time consuming figuring it all out. A ride on a train can be anything from pure luxury to a totally unpleasant experience so having a reservation is important. Trains tend to book up to 6 weeks in advance. With a little extra money and time a person can book along the way, through a travel agent, but there’s still no guarantee you will get the desired train. I’ll be taking several trains and will be spending 4 nights aboard an AC sleeper at various stages. By western standards prices are extremely reasonable..

For the start of my trip I figured a month in India would be adequate but just yesterday I extended it by a week. A month would be too rushed. Places I’ll visit include the lower Himalaya, Agra, Varanassi, and Rajastan, before heading south and chilling out on the beaches of Goa. Five weeks should be suffice. From there I’ll head over Bangkok and plan the remaninder of my journey through S.E. Asia. After India I expect things to be considerably easier and I’ll travel predominately by bus with loose plans.

I must admit I’m feeling a little pre trip anxiety/excitement. I’ll be stepping a little out of my comfort zone at first but that’s what makes it an adventure. I know after a couple of weeks I’ll figure things out and feel more at ease experiencing the unknown on a daily basis. The great pitfall with short trips of 2 weeks or less is that you don’t really get a chance to settle in and adjust to the traveling/backpacker lifestyle. It takes time to adjust. Especially when visiting totally foreign environments. Heck, it takes at least a week to reset the body clock when you fly to the other side of the world.

In the meantime I’m working out the equipment details. What to take.. What not to take.. it’s kind of funny how I turn into an equipment freak right before a big trip. Otherwise, I could care less about gear…

I’m also putting together my medical kit. I’ll be carrying Doxycycline for anti malarial and Xifaxin in case I get a really bad GI infection. While talking to the pharmacist he said the one thing I’ll need for sure is Immodium. I’m hoping I won’t even need that. I also got a good tip. Somosas are almost always safe. It’s a deep fried pastry type of food that’s usually stuffed with potatoes and Vegtables. I imagine a person could travel all over India on bottled water and somosas!.. LOL!!

Trip Planning - The Late Night Arrival

Since returning from my summer trip to Colorado I’ve been very busy working and taking care of things that need to be taken care of. At times I feel like I’ve been quite inefficient with getting things done but actually I’m pretty much on track. I leave for my 3 month odyssey through India and S.E Asia in 2 ½ weeks. I know it will pass quickly therefore I’m wrapping up work to allow time to focus on details as well as mentally prepare. My friend Deb, who has traveled India extensively says, “Get ready for sledge hammer culture shock!”…. I also want to catch up on rest before the exhausting flight over.

Initially I'll fly to Bangkok via Houston/Tokyo direct. With the use of air miles and numerous calls to Continental airlines I was lucky enough to work out a nice round trip to Bangkok. The r/t portion to Bangkok is only costing me $165 USD. Not bad. Bangkok will serve as a base for the entire trip. After first arriving there I’ll spend a couple of days shaking the jet lag before hopping another flight to India. I’ll fly into Delhi and a month later return to Bangkok via Mumbai (Bombay) unless I get hired by a Bollywood film to play a British colonial or something. Actually, I once met a traveler who did just that! The r/t ticket to India from Bangkok set me back $350 USD. Considering where I’ll be traveling I should be able to do fine on about $25 USD a day for everything. At times I’ll spend more and other times I’ll spend less. Naturally I’ll have a little extra on the side for special activities, emergencies, etc. The fact is you always spend more but in past trips I’ve managed to stay close to budget. I’ll also be purchasing travel insurance to cover any unforeseen costs due to illness or theft of belongings.

By taking care of various details before leaving, things should go a lot smoother. For example, I arrive in Bangkok after midnight. Whenever arriving at night it’s always best to already have a plan worked out. Especially if you have been traveling for 25 hours. For late night arrivals I like to have a place booked as well as a clear plan on how to get to the accommodation. Sometimes a hotel or guest house will actually meet you at the airport. That’s great when possible but usually your on your own with a taxi. Ok, 25 hours on a plane and in a taxi with someone who probably doesn’t speak English. The driver may or may not know where your hotel is. No problem. In situations like that it’s good to have your host accommodation send an email with specific directions and/or a map beforehand. Just hand the info to the driver and rattle off a couple of words in the local language. This is always good even if they don’t understand. You will likely have a better rapore with the driver for at least trying. Also, it’s good to know what the average taxi fare is. Either agree on the fare before you leave or make sure the driver uses the meter. For my initial arrival in Bangkok I’ve booked into a guest house that caters to travelers and is use to late night arrivals. The owners seem to communicate well with emails in English. A clean single room with air conditioning and bathroom down the hall will cost me around $18 USD… All said, It’s good to be prepared for things to not go as planned. That’s when you pull out the guide book and wing it…… If you arrive late in a sketchy place with no plan it may be best to just stay at the airport until the sun comes up.….

Between now and the time I leave I’ll post updates on the planning process for those who may be interested and are curios as to how the Backpacker traveler travels. I’m definitely a backpacker but I’m not adverse to spending a little more. I don’t plan to stay in total dumps or places where I don’t feel safe.. What I’m doing can actually be done for considerably less by hardcore budget travelers.…..

Preparing For Healthy Travel - India & S.E. Asia

Lately I have been reading up on how to stay healthy while traveling through India and S.E. Asia. I’ve gotten the necessary shots and have made a decision on how to protect myself from Malaria and mosquito borne illnesses. For Malaria protection I’ll opt for a low daily dose of Doxycycline which not only protects against the Malaria parasite but a number of bacterial bugs. The only real side affect is an increased sensitivity to sun with a possibility of getting burned easier. It wouldn’t be the best choice if I were desiring to lay on a beach all day but since I’m not fair skinned I should be fine. Along with Doxy I’ll outfit myself with insect shield clothing. It’s constructed of a fabric that’s been treated with permathrin. Once the fabric has been treated and set it offers enormous protection with no oder and no toxicity to humans. I’ll also be carrying a lightweight permathrin treated mosquito net for sleeping in accommodations where mosquito's may be present. During the first half of the trip it will still be the rainy season, for some of the areas I plan to visit, so it’s a good idea to take precautions.

The most likely potential cause of illness is usually related to food and water. For this trip I’ll pretty much be a vegetarian and will eat quite simply. Raw foods need to be peeled and or washed thoroughly with potable water. I’ll stick to local fare at reasonably nice busy places and will abstain from ordering dishes not common to the culture. For water I’ll select main brand bottled varieties and will be careful to check the seal. I’ll also carry a pocket size Steri Pen UV filter as a backup. It consists of small UV light that you simply swirl around the water for a minute or two and kills everything bacterially and virally harmful. It’s quite magical and hard to believe it actually works but it's fully approved, effective, and recommended by travel clinics everywhere.

Aside of food and water the other thing to be aware of is travel fatigue. When the body is worn down from culture shock and being on the move all the time it's important to take time to slow down and simply chill out. For short trips of 2 weeks or less it may make sense to do as much as you can and recover after the vacation. Many people do that. Especially Americans who usually only get 2 weeks a year vacation time. For those who are traveling longer it’s a good idea to take a few extra days here and there in places that are easy and relaxing in order to catch up on rest. Being run down just increases the potential for getting sick.

I find tropical and third world health to be fascinating. When reading up on all of the potential illnesses and bugs one can acquire while traveling in such places I sometimes question why I’d want to subject myself to the risk. Well, the reality is that many people live long healthy lives in most environments despite whatever health risks may exist. Perhaps there is added protection from generations who have adapted but still most everyone living in a certain region is just as vulnerable to getting ill as any traveler is. The key to staying healthy is to educate oneself and make good decisions while visiting countries where various health risks are present.

Once the trip begins it’s important not to worry. Will I eat at places I’d rather not? Very likely.. Will I eat or drink something and question what I just ate or drank? Probably. Will I get bit by mosquito's? Who doesn’t?…. A person can only control so much and take so many precautions. Anyone who thinks they are in control of everything in their life is certainly mistaken. Travel is all about letting go and letting it happen without worrying about it. You just do what you can and enjoy the ride. More than likely you come out the other side just fine. For me, right now, the rewards of foreign travel far outweigh the risks and the risks can definitely be minimized…..

Next Stop - Asia

It’s 95 degrees at 6 pm. To my left is a mineral water and to my right is Shiner Hefewiezen. Both bottles are dripping with sweat. I sit in the way of a stiff breeze created by a large fan. Protected by the shade of “Antidote” coffee shop, I type on my mini laptop….

The ticket is booked. In mid September I will satisfy my desire for more exotic travel. Full immersion. Backpacker style. Bus trips, trains, boats and the necessary flight across the ocean. Destinations to be visited include India, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam. I’ll loosely prepare a loose itinerary and as usual, just let it happen. Not without a bit of fore thought though.

Today I visited a Travelers clinic. Just wanted to make sure I was up to date with the latest health and safety alerts, vaccines, etc. I am quite fascinated by tropical medicine but I certainly hope I do not contract a tropical disease. Knowing what to be aware of and preparing accordingly can greatly reduce the risk. Malaria can be dealt with quite reasonably but Japanese Encephalitis? Three very expensive shots of god knows what for protection that’s not a 100%. No, I think I’ll pass. Deet will be my friend as I’ll learn to like wearing long sleeves and pants in the tropics. The nurse at the clinic rattled off a couple of other mosquito born illnesses that there are no preventative methods for other than not getting bit. Hmmm, shouldn't I be worried. Mildly concerned yes, worried no….

Whenever I feel like I’m on the right track and am doing what I love to do I feel peaceful. Right now I’m feeling really good about my decision to travel to Asia. It feels like the right time. I have allotted 3 months for a reason.

I expect the first 2 weeks to be the most challenging as I let go and really fall into the flow. That’s when the magic happens. Sometimes it will be fun and other times it will be difficult but that’s what makes it an adventure. I’m not going on a vacation. I’m looking for an experience. The places I’ll be visiting and the way I’ll be going about it is so drastically different from what I experience in my day to day life in America. True culture shock is a given but I don’t know which will be more difficult. When I first arrive in New Delhi or when I arrive back in Houston 3 months later.

Currently I’m planning my departure by obtaining visa’s beforehand, getting necessary affairs in order, etc. I've found that getting visa’s beforehand can save yourself quite a bit of hassle and sometimes even a little money. Some place you arrive, fill out a form, pay your fee and your good to go. Other times you can get held up for days in a place you would rather not be. Despite anyone’s gripe about American bureaucracy it actually works splendidly compared to the rest of the world.

Aside of experiencing the culture, sights and sounds I intend to write regularly and to live up to my title as “World Traveler and Thinker” wholeheartedly…. In the meantime I’m busy working and getting it together.

Summer Road Trip 2009 - An Overview

Well, I rolled back into Houston a couple of days ago. I'm currently sipping a latte and a Aqua Panna mineral water at the Antidote coffee shop beneath the stiff breeze of a an air conditioner working overtime. If all goes as tentatively planned I'll be back on the road in a couple of months. I'm looking into more exotic travel options. Just need to make a little money, buy a ticket or two and obtain some visa's....

My recent road trip turned out to be a good one. I was gone for 3 1/2 weeks. The first week and a half were spent in Denver visiting family and friends as well as working on my mothers home. From there I left on a two week jaunt and didn't think much about anything except what I was doing. I easily fell back into my past interests of climbing peaks, hiking trails, and general roaming about. I camped every night and fixed almost all my meals. I abstained from drinking beer and with hiking everyday I must say I started feeling pretty darned good. I kept expenses way down so it was an economical excursion.

During the two weeks I was happy to climb 4 of Colorado's 100 highest peaks that I have not climbed. So far I've climbed around 70 of the 100 highest. I started off with Clinton peak near Breckenridge and followed it up with Phoenix Peak near Creede. From there I ascended Mt Adams and California Peak in the Sangre de Cristo Range. Each mountain was different which allowed me to resharpen my route finding skills etc. After the first week I became quite acclimated with the altitude and really started to feel like my old self. The way I was back in the day when I'd easily climb 20-25 peaks in summer....

After Colorado I ventured south to New Mexico and hiked New Mexico's highest mountain, Wheeler Peak. It's located near the Toas ski area so that's where I began my ascent. After Wheeler the trip took on a little different meaning as I visited the Sanctuario de Chimayo. It's a very old chapel that is known throughout the world for it's healing attributes. Legend has it that local sand which is collected, blessed, and distributed from a sacred hole in the ground within the chapel contains healing properties. Legend? Thousands of people have visited Chimayo and attest to miraculous healings. Known as the Lourdes of America faith plays a powerful role. The chapel itself is quite amazingly beautiful with it's simple yet lavish Mexican/Spanish decor. I was actually quite moved by the place. I could sense all of those who have come to Chimayo in the spirit of faith asking to be blessed and healed. One room is filled with crutches etc. from those who claimed to be healed. I wanted to take photos of the chapel interior but respected the Priests wishes that photos not be taken inside... Before leaving I filled a small container with sacred sand and now have it sitting with some of the items I obtained while walking the Camino de Santiago last fall...

After Chimayo I continued further south to Guadalupe Mountains National Park in West Texas. The Guadalupe Mountains hold a special place in my heart as I consider it to be the place where I really became a hiker. It was there that I first carried a backpack for a real overnight trip in the wilderness. It's also the place where I hiked with a character by the name of Bob Dean who first turned me on to the Appalachian trail. I made 4 trips there during 1983-85. The first was by myself and I hiked into the backcountry with a character I met at the campground there. My second trip was with my father. We did not stay in the backcountry but I did get him to hike up Guadalupe peak. Oddly enough he was the same age at the time as I am now, 43. The third trip was with Bob Dean. I had met him through collecting beer cans and we also shared the interest of hiking. Bob and I hike up Guadalupe Peak at the beginning of a week long West Texas hiking trip during the summer of '84. We camped just off the summit in what today is still the windiest night I've ever camped. The Ranger station that night had recorded 100 mph gusts. We literally thought we were going to be blown off the mountain but obviously we weren't .... The last time I was in the Guadalupe mountains was in 1985. This summer being 2009 marked 24 years later. I once again hiked up Guadalupe Peak and considered it a memorial hike for Bob. He passed away a year and a half ago in the early 70's. In honor of Bob I flew a Welsh flag on the summit. Why? Well, I figured if he was looking down on me he'd be laughing. He was a lover of Real Ale and had made a few trips to the UK back in the day to drink beer and collect beer cans with fellow collectors. On top of Guadalupe peak I said a little prayer for Bob, threw a bit of the sand I acquired from Chimayo and watched a butterfly appear and fly away from the summit......

I finished off the road trip by seeing a West Texas Rainbow and drove it straight through to home. The 80 mph hour speed limit made the trip a lot easier than it was back in the 80's when the speed limit was 55mph!!! Now back home I'm catching up on rest and getting ready to get ready for the next thing.

Road Trip 2009 Photos - Colorado, New Mexico & West Texas

On The Road

I left Crestone for a drive down the cosmic highway to "Great Sand Dunes National Park" where I pitched camp for a couple of nights. After a night at the dunes I hiked two miles up a trail and bushwacked through timber to find my way above treeline. Hiking further upwards atop scree and boulders I reached the 13,848 ft. summit California Peak. From the top I could see the sand dunes and the trailhead that I started from 5,000 feet below....

The grotto at Zapata falls provided a relaxing break after the climb. I thought about the climb, the views, the beautiful weather and laundry. A brief late afternoon trip to Alamoso was in order. I quickly located a laundramat and visited the antique junk shop next door. Bought some 60's R&B records for $4 dollars. I then went to a local coffee shop for a smoothie and browsed Facebook while camera battery charged..... Back to the dunes.... Beans and macaroni never tasted so good. Off to sleep. Awake at 1 am to fierce windstorm. Back to sleep. Awake at 6 am. Calm and cool....

I hiked to the top of High Dune first thing in the morning. Wandered around the dunes like a lost fool in a 1930's western. Found my way back to camp. Packed up. Drove south towards New Mexico. Filled the tank of my Subaru Outback with 85 octance $2.65 gas. Drove south to New Mexico. Pitched camp near Toas ski mountain and wandered around the town of Taos. Tomorrow I'll hike up the highest mountian in New Mexico....

Crestone, Colorado

Everyday is a hike and or climb up a peak but right now I'm sipping coffee at the Shambhala coffee shop in Crestone, Colorado. Crestone is a funky small town situated on the west side of the Crestone mountain range where it meets the arid San Luis Valley of south central Colorado. It's an area that is reputed to have mystical properties of some sort and attracts various sorts of charcters. Tibeten Buddhist,Outdoor Enthusiasts, Hindu Devotees and UFO Seekers etc. commune here. The highway that runs north and south along the west side of the Crestone's is known as the Cosmic Highway. Along the highway there's an alligator farm near a UFO viewing platform that. A young girl informed you that you can feed the alligators there. Alligators amidst the sage seems oddly out of place to me...

Yesterday I hiked up to Willow Lake and climbed Mt. Adams. The Crestone mountains are outrageously beautiful and very different from other ranges within Colorado. I left the trail head for the lake a little after 6am and was expecting to be on my own all day but met an accomplished father and son hiking/climbing team. I struck up a conversation with them and as it turned out they were on their way up Mt. Adams as well. Their names are Shane and Michael. Michael is 13 and climbed his first 14,000 ft. peak when he was 8 years old and has gained quite the peak bagging resume for someone of his age. Michael and his father are both good hikers and we decided to make the ascent together. The walk up to Willow Lake went by easily despite over 2,800 feet of elevation gain. From there we left the trail and climbed up to a meadow above 12,ooo feet and stumbled upon a group of Bighorn sheep. The sheep were quite impressive and looked very healthy with large thick horns. After a pause to take photo's of the sheep we continued up to the ridge of Mt. Adams. From the ridge we could see our route to the summit. Cliffs were avoided to south as we scrambled around and rocks and scree looking for good footing on steep grassy slope when possible. As we neared the summit I searched for a way around cliffs and boulders. Steadily we made progress and were rewarded by a spectacular view from a relatively airy summit amidst cobalt blue sky. It was a perfect day made even better with good company... After a nice break on top we took our time on the descent and savored the beauty of the Crestone's....

After hiking and camping for the past 6 days I was due for a shower. Well, there really isn't all that much to the town of Crestone but I wanted to get clean. I figured I would just hop into the creek by my campsite but for whatever reason the mosquitoes are fierce here right now. I settled for a quick wash up after the climb and decided to check out a local Ashram. There are 28 different spiritual groups in Crestone and most all have an open door policy where your free to visit. The Ashram i visited is of Hindu faith. I was just interested in seeing the grounds but was invited to join a small group for a Kirtan. A Kirtan consists of spiritual singing and chanting which helps to induce a meditative state. For me I find it to be very relaxing. Anyway, I joined the group for a little while and was invited to have some food afterwards. It was a small group and everyone was friendly and easy going. After a bit of food and good conversation I noticed that the men's bathroom had a shower! Yes, the lord works in mysterious ways. I inquired if it was ok to use the shower and the reply was, "Sure, no problem". After a kirtan, healthy food, and a shower I was feeling pretty darned good! I then thanked everyone, left a small donation, and headed back to my mosquito infested campsite next to a creek..... I slept well and gave thanks for everything. Especially mosquito netting......

Rocky Mountain Way - Colorado

After 11 days in Denver visiting friends and fulfilling handyman duties for my mother I'm back to doing one of the things I do best, Hiking. When I lived in Colorado it was not uncommon to make a last minute decision to hike a pass or climb a peak the very next day. Now that I'm basing myself out of Houston and only allowing myself a week a two on this trip I'm overwhelmed by the options.

On Tuesday I climbed a couple high Thirteeners. Here in Colorado it's all about climbing the Fourteeners. Fourteeners are peaks above 14,000 feet. There are 54 in total. I finished climbing all of them years ago so the next goal is to climb the high Thirteeners. High Thirteeners are pretty much peaks above 13,700 feet. The nice thing about thirteeners is that far few people climb them and they generally offer more interesting and challenging routes.

Tuesday's ascent of Clinton and Traver peaks offered a nice variety of hiking and snow climbing combined with a mile long ridge walk followed a fun glissade down an expansive snow field. The weather was spectacular and I had the peaks to myself. The day was enhanced by an old familiar confidence that comes from experience which greatly added to overall enjoyment.

I followed it up the next with a nice day hike on the Continental Divide trail from Winfield to a Pass above Lake Ann in the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness. Again, Spectacular weather void of the afternoon thunderstorms common in the Colorado Rockies..... The pass above Lake Ann is currently obstructed by a cornice that has formed a steep headwall of hardpacked snow approximately 20 to 30 high. The opposite side of the pass was completely void of snow. I spied a relatively thin line of steep grassy scree to avoid the snow and made it to the top of the pass with no problems. On top I was surprised to see a group older teenaged boy scouts with two adult leaders who had ascened the opposite side. They were confused by how to get down to Lake Ann. The trail was covered by the snow cornice/headwall and they did not have ice axes. They were unfamiliar with such obstacles that can appear on the lesser know high passes well into summer. The way I had ascended was not that obvious looking down from the top and for those unaccustomed to cross country travel in the high country the pass may have appeared impassable. At that point I kind of felt like my old Wilderness Ranger self as I offered my advice and pointed them in the right direction. I think they were kind of surprised that they could descend such a steep slope safely with heavy packs but the footing was good and everyone made it down just fine. It felt good to share some of my knowledge gained through years of experience and it made me feel like I should really be doing more of that...

Today I'm just kind of taking it easy and trying to decide what I want to do next as I sip a latte at a coffee shop in Buena Vista, Colorado. I've got a stack of maps and my idea at this point is to visit and hike places I have not been to before. Although I intend to mainly day hike I might head into the back country for a couple of nights... All plans are flexible. I'm just kind of deciding as I go but the Crestone Range is looking appealing....