351 days this year for Uncle Sam, 14 for me.
Most soldiers take the quick road back to the old amber waves of grain, which wasn’t something I was too interested in. Why go back to Staurbucks and Toby Kieth and Lobbyists and deep-fried when Bali and the Pacific Rim beckons so?
(when all was said and done)
Singapore
Flew straight in from Dubai, checked out some tech, met up with the Missouro-German, ate some nachos and hopped the first flight to 44’s childhood. Never did make it all the way to Jakarta proper, though.
Bali
SCUBAing the nusa penida. Incredible.
I’ll never understand why beach-side resorts have swimming pools, but they do.
The place we crashed was also hosting some sort of deutscher konferencein. Josey Wales there to my left was ecstatic – and only slightly less excited when we were plane-seated next to this old cleancut respectable hippy monied doctor couple that 1 encouraged us to keep travelling, drop acid, and never marry 2 swore the world was much cooler to travel in the pre-McEverywhere 70s.
Kho Samui
The James-Younger Gang had to split back to Sojuland for a week. The hell with that; I went to the gulf. This rhum’s the delicious byproduct of some island-fevered Frenchies:
“what flavour would you like to try first?”
“I’d like to start with the orange”
“would you like the natural or orange?”
“orange”
“natural or orange?”
“…? …could I try the natural, please?”
“okay, but no Coca-Cola. All you Americans drink your rhum with Coca-Cola”
The Nu Mong waterfall, lower half. I had to take a jeep into the interior to get there. It sounds cooler than it is; the mum holding the camera was asking her youngest where on the telly he learned the word “wanker.” The cheeky little bloke didn’t have a good answer.
The upper waterfall. I peed in that. It’s about a 30 minute straightup hike (no 1stworld-gradual sloping trails).
Sunrise in paradise.
Well how about that. I guess dreams really do come true.
Bangkok
Treehouse, baby. This was where I learned you don’t have to wai for root beer. I’m such a crazy American cowboy.
I don’t know too many Chesters (and only one Weather Authority), but it looks like Chesty’s are successful even in the Venice of the East.
Funny bit: this isn’t the first honda-driving German I’ve ever seen.
SINcity (again)
Who’s ready for the Chinese New Year?
This guy is ready for CNY.
I lovelovelove my Amerishorts.
Bora Bora. From Gold Monkey –Gold Monkey. With Bon Chance Louie. Come on.
Smooth move, Ex-Lax.
This is actually on a man-made resort island off the coast of an actual island off the Continent. But I didn’t tell her that.
edit: I got caught in an overnight layover at DXB – this is the only highlight from my ten hour tour of the City of Excess
The Weather Authority approves of this post.