August 15,2012- Hong Kong

After 4 months traveling I am back in HK. It feels weird to be in a place were I know I will be for a while. No more taking bus to unknown destinations for the next few months, no more meeting travelers who have been on the road for months or years, on the other hand, well, a sense of stability, of starting to build a routine and a life in this ciy.

I start my classes in 2 weeks 5 days a wekk, 4 hours a day, a very intense, yet necessary course that i hope will give me the basis of this complcated language.

Also looking for work..what a pain, looking at company websites to see whats out there, and of course, to not  let the job search discourage me.

We have been hiking a lot, that is one of the great things of HK, the trials are incredible, and so close to our house. I love it.

Pablo is ocming in 2 weeks and I am very happy, last time i saw him it was in Germany and my situaiton was a bit different, crushed and in a million peaces, now full and ready to start a new life.

 I do admit that I am always lookinf for websites about travelers and adventures, in my head i am planning our next trip..when i dont know, but soon. Due to some priority issuis, Mongolia had to be cancelled ..for now..no matter what we will go to that country..even in December.

Classes will start soon and with that a routine, I will be looking at new opportunities and will, somehow find a way to start a new adventure soon...maybe through China, or go south..the south pacific islands..so may places to see... 

Bangkok, August 5th, 2012

After 24 days in Cambodia we are back in Thailand. It is nice to be back in BKK. It is our 3rd time here so we already know the city, the restaurants, the feeling.

We will spend  days here. 2 with Pin and the other 2 in our previous hostel as some guys I met in Laos and in Cambodia are meeting me here before each one of us departs for their own city.

It is weird to feel the trip is coming to and end, there is a point when one feels is so easy to keep going, to continue with the uncertanty of where to go next, to follow the natural flow of traveling, after a while you develop this sensitivity to places, one can know what a good hostel is is seconds, what a good restaurant is, who is trying to rip you off (this one is very easy as it is pretty much everybody), who a nice traveling partner is, etc etc etc.

In the last four months i saw 4 countries, my favorite..dont know yet..probably laos, but from each country there were incredible places, experiences and people.

I have come to realize what traveling for me is, is not about the places that I see, or the people that I meet, is more about how I feel in respect to the place or the people, what comes to my mind and how i process it and apply it to my life.

This trip is been one of the best decisions in my life, why did not i do it before..i dont know, all i know is that I will do my best to do it again in the future.

Siem Reap, July 30, 2012

It is   day  3 in Siem Reap and its been great. The city is unlike any other city in Cambodia, full of nice restaurants, spas and a million ways to make tourist spend their money. The first day we did not do much, just walked around and discovered the city. That is been one of the great things about traveling for a long time, one realizes that doing "nothing"is as much fun as seeing a million things. When there is no rush to go over a checklist, the trip becomes more of a personal relationship with the place..it us fun.

Of course, seeing things is important, is just the sense of urgency that changes.

The second day we went to see the temples and they are incredible. Really incredible, I am not much of a temple person, but seeing those structures, the figures, the stone work and the size one can only say wooaaaahhh

The first day we hired a tuk tuk for what they call the small tour. About 12 kilometers. We saw Angkor wat and Bayon.

The second day we hired bikes and did the big tour, about 5 kilometers and a numbers of temples. Each one nicer than the other. I have to be honest, at the end i was a bit temple tired..specially after having seen so many temples in the region over the last 4 months.

Tomorrowwe are still deciding what to do..Alma wants more temples..we wil see..I guess we will see more temples.

On Wednesday my time in Cambodia ends and w are heading to BK to meet Pin for her birthday.then back to HK for a few days before continuing the trip.

It is very funny, the country i had plan to spend the less time and I ended up spending almost a month here. Its been a good journey and i have met incredible people..but it is time to see something different.

Encuentros maravillosos

Van ya casi 4 meses de mi viaje. He visto y conocido 4 paises, un sin numero de personas interesantes, no se cuantos hostales, dormitorios, buses, trenes y botes. He comido arroz en todas sus posibles variaciones y sorprendentemente no me han picado los mosquitos. Tambien me he enfermado una vez y he logrado creo, perfeccionar el arte de empacar la maleta y de cuanto hay que cargar.

Lo mejor ha sido la gente, alemanes, ingleses, mexicanos, argentinos, franceses, escoceces, isrealitas etc etc..todos como yo, haciendo un cambio ya sea temporal o permanente en sus vidas, algunos vijando por 1 mes, otros por 1 anio. El promedio es 7 meses y pocos paises.

Que que he aprendido hasta el momento..la verdad no lo se, creo que he entendido que viajar no es un checklist de cosas para ver o hacer, viajar es ver como se comporta uno y como se ve uno mismo en situaciones distintas.. es poder sentarse en laos y verse a uno mismo en un lugar distinto, analizar su vida y darse cuenta del sin numero de formas alternas de vivir.

cada vez me doy cuenta que de verdad me gusta mi trabajo (ex trabajo) mi equipo, sin embargo tambien me doy cuenta que solo cuando uno esta afuera y puede ver es que uno se da cuenta de que hay tanto por hacer y por ver..

En la ultima semana y lo tomo como un signo de la buena suerte me he encontrado con 5 personas que he conocido en paises y situaciones distintas. En la calle, saliendo de comprar agua me encontre con Herman, un aleman con quien viaje por 5 dias en Thailandia.

Luego en un bus hacia Kampot, con una gringa que conoci cerca a la frontera con Laos. Al mismo tiempo, me re encontre con una escocesa con quien estuve 3 dias en Kratie, y luego con un grupo de franceses que conoci en Laos y que luego me los encontre de nuevo en Banglung.

Claro, es el gringo route y todos pasan por ahi, igual es maravilloso encontrase con gente como uno que va haciendo su propio camino y que tiene su vida en sus paises de origen. Me queda una semana en esta region y siento que estos ultimos dias fueron una despedida increible.

Kampot & Kep, July 23, 2012

After a few days in Sinakville, where i spent most of my time sick, i decided to head towards Kampot and Kep. Two small and nice towns famous for the pepper and their crabs. In Kampot i found a nice little hostel for 4 dollars, rented a motorbike and went around to see the river and the pepper plantations. I have to be honest, i did not know what good pepper was until i tried the pper from Kampot. It is incredible, so flavorful and strong. During the Pol Pot time, pepper was pretty much forgotten and it is only now that a few well connected entrepreneurs are starting to produce it again with wonderful results, in terms of quality and in terms of economic returns.

After a couple of days in Kampot I head towards Kep. The crab town and my base to explore the islands around it. I took a boat to rabbit island and i arrived to a place that had more than one surprise for me. Firts, it is incredible beautiful and underdeveloped, a few huts along the beach, each one for 5 dollars and with holes in the roof, Khemer toilet and wonderful vistas. What was going to be one day became 4.

The other surprise was that in Rabbit island, for some weird reason 5 people I had met during my trip in Thailand, Laos and Cambodia all ended up being together, none of us knew about the unexpected reunion, but all of us were happy to meet once again to share stories and to say bye once again.


 

July 20,2012. Sihanokville

Desde que llegue a Cambodia he escuchado de las maravillosas playas e islas de este pais. Segun todos los viajeros que conoci son mas lindas y menos desarrolladas que las playas en Thailandia. Despues de escuchar esto decidi venir al sur. Sihanokville es una ciudad a 250 kilometors de Phnon Phen. La ciudad es bonita, nada del otro mundo, el ambiente de los backpackers es bien fuerte, en cierta forma he revivido (no muy gratamente) momentos de Vang Viegn.

En fin, llegue, consegui un hostel muy bueno, 5 dolaretes por un cuarto con banio, ventilador y television. Estaba preparando todo para mi viaje a las islas cuando el clima cambio de repente y la lluevia torrencial comenzo. Al mismo tiempo, un jugo de frutas que no entro muy bien, me tumbo..24 horas despues y despues de vomitar hasta el alma logre salir del cuarto..que suerte que me quede en un cuarto solo y no en un domitorio.

En fin, ya una vez recuperado, el clima seguia igual asi que decidi irme a otro pueblo a dos horas de aca, Kampon, se supone es muy lindo y tranquilo..eso es loq ue llevo buscando desde que comenze el viaje, tranquilidad. minimizar el numero de turistas que va y encontrar lugares para leer y pensar.

Y claro, preciso hoy que me voy, el clima esta increible, sol, brisa, en fin, perfecto para las islas...pero bueno..no las logre ver, por algo sera.

Algo que me ha impresionado mucho de Cambodia ha sido el nivel de prostitucion, no se si es que hasta ahora lo veo y que en los otros paises tambien era asi, pero aca es cosa seria, ninos, ninas, jovenes, lady boys..que a proposito me tienen loco, los berracos pasan en las noches y golpean en las puertas de los bungalows como si uno les fuera a abrir la puerta..nada en contra de ellos, pero que no jodan a las 2 de la manana.

En una semana me encutro con alma en Siem Rep, ahi estaremos unos dias y luego vamos a BK a vernos con Pin y de ahi vuelta a HK para arrancar a Mongolia.

El viaje esta llegando a su final y hasta ahora siento que podria hacer un pais mas..y tal vez otro..y tal vez otro....

En fin, tengo que ir a recoger la ropa de la lavanderia, ha sido genial, la cantidad de ropa que traje fue la ideal. 4 camisas, dos shorts, un vestido de banio y ya. ( para los que se preguntan por los calsoncillos, hace un mes decidi que era extra peso asi que ando comando).

July 14, Phnon Phen

Finally in Phnon Phen, It feels so quite and relax compared to Hanoi or Saigon. I found a pretty decent hostel for 4 dollars a night right in the middle of the tourist area. The city is very nice, it has this feeling of sophistication  similar to Luamprabang.

The people are nice, still tying always to  rip you off, but not in the same way that people in Vietnam. They have a very nice and genuine smile and are not as pushy.

I decided to spend three days here. I want to slowly discover the city, go to a few museums and plan where to go next, I still have 2 weeks in Cambodia so i want to make sure I find a place where I can relax for a few days somewhere with no many people.

One thing I had found in the 8 days I have been already here (Cambodia) is that the food is not as good as in  Thailand or Vietnam and that is it a bit more expensive. Maybe the fact that the US dollars is alternatively used with the Riel means that prices unfortunately ended up being inflated.

There are two places I want to see, the killing fields and the S21 museum. Very intense and emotional places where the horrors of the Pol Pot era are best highlighted. It is quite incredible that in only 4 years, Pol pot got rid of 21% of the countries population...

Kratie, July 12, 2012

I arrived to Kratie after an abnormally short trip. A nice little town along the Mekong  with a lively market and a few guesthouses. There is not much to do in Kratie besides going to see the famous dolphins- which i did not go due to my environmental concerns. Anyway, I rented a bike and rode along the region for two days. one of which i got lost for almost 5 hours. It was fun, but at the end it started to get a bit scary. I took the wrong turn and ended up in this beautiful countryside, rice plantations, water buffalos, incredible, 3 hours later, and after only seeing one house the rice plantations started to get bigger and the road ended..then the beautiful landscape became  a worrisome landscape...

I tried to ask the few people i encountered about the river, but either that had never seen the river which is pretty impossible..is the MEKONG, or I just don't know how to communicate..at the end i decided to turn back in the middle of the rain and go to where I had started.

At the end, a pretty interesting day.

Next stop- Phnon Phen

Banlung, July 9, 2012

Finally in Cambodia.. after three weeks in Vietnam it is nice to change countries. I have to be honest, I was super tired of being taken advantage all the time.

I left Hue at 6 Pm in the most uncomfortable and crazy mini bus. 17 seats, 24 people and the guy was driving as if he was Montolla.

At 4Am he dropped me in Pleiku in a corner..what to do..waited there for  30 minutes and then this truck came by and the driver said DUc coc..i said yes and there i went..sitting in the fruit boxes and hoping it was the right place. One hour later I arrived to Duc Coc, and the waiting again for a motorcycle to take me to the border. I knew it was going to be OK and that they were going to ask for a fortune. They started asking for 30 dollars and at the end  we left it in 4.

At the border, a very remote and not very used border the vietnamesse were super nice, as they do not get many tourist they were asking me questions about my trip, colombia, family, they were so bored.

It was nice to finally feel leaving the place and leaving it with a smile..they could have been a pain, but contrary to what i was expecting they were super nice.

I walked to the Cambodian border and the same reception. Normally Cambodian customs officers are known for overcharging, but in this case I paid the stipulated by law and they even helped getting a car to Banglung.

I arrived to a very small, poor and seemingly uninterested town. After finding a hostel facing the lake, i went for a nice walk to discover the town and to  get some food.

Now Cambodia for three weeks ...still dont know where i am going, wherever it is I am happy to be here

Hue- July 7, 2012

Tome el tren desde Saigon hacia Hue. 22 horas, en un compartimiento para 4 personas, pero claro, bien Vietnam la cosa habian 8 personas, 4 d ellas durmiendo en la misma cama.

Mis vecinos, una familia, dcidieron en mitad de la noche apoderarse de media parte de mi cama asi que cuando abri los ojos tenia en la parte de abajo de mi cama a un nino de 3 anios, que acto seguido prosigio a vomitarse ..d suerte no sobre mi.

Llegue a Hue y me encontre con Juana y Ulf. Ellos venian de la China y habian alargado su viaje un poco para encontrarse conmigo. Fue increible.

Estuvimos 3 dias juntos en los cuales un dia alquilamos moto y el otro una bici para dar un tour por la ciudad.

Nuestro dia de moto fue increible, fuimos a la playa, por callecitas enanas y bien perdidas, por una carretera industrial, en fin, nos dimos una vuelta a Hue digna de un tour de 5 estrellas. He descubierot en los ultimos meses que lo mejor para ver y descubrir estas ciudades y pueblos en por cuenta propia. Los tours lo llevan a uno y le muestran tres cosas y ya, no dan tiempo para descansar ni apreciar nada. Asi que una moto o una bici y libertad total.

Luego conicmos HUe, una ciudad muy linda e historicamente importante ya que fue la base de la monarquia por muchos anios. Una ciudad amurallada construida a principios de siglo le da un caracter mas viejo de loq ue de verdad es.

Nuestro hostal, un poco alejado de la parte turistica asi que nos dio un poco de tranquilidad el no tener que estar siempre en el "gringo route".

Algo curioso que he notado en Vietnam es que no existe o almenos yo no he vivido la misma unidad con los otros turistas, mienstras que en Thailandia y en Laos viajaba en grupos por uno o dos dias, aca por alguna razon siento cada uno va por su lado.... tal vez es eso o los lugares donde he estado...

Saigon July 5,2012

Its been a about a week since last time i wrote. Alma could not fly to Laos because the tickets were too expensive so we decided to meet in Saigon.

What a crazy city. I thought Hanoi was crazy,well, this is a new level, after the peace and tranquility on Laos, to arrive here was like to be dropped in the middle of a motorcycle race. They are everywhere..everywhere. Luckily we  already mastered the art of crossing the streets, but believe me, it is intense.

After spending one day here we headed to the delta of the mekong. What a disappointment. So far we have not done one single organized tour, we just went to the agency, ask about the places and then in our own do it, a much more rewarding experience. Here, for some reason we decided to do it with an agency and it was a bad idea. They took us to super touristy places and the things they promised, while true, were just ridiculous. After 4 hours, we decided to leave the tour and on our own continue the trip.



Because the weather was not the best, we decided to change directions and go north. We took a bus to Mui Ne. A very nice and relaxing beach 5  hours north of Saigon. Beautiful sand dunes, excellent food and more vietname people trying to rip us off every moment made for a very interesting trip.

After that, we went to Dalat, a city in the highlands and the first place in 4 months in which i have to wear a sweater. There we took a motorcycle tour around the region and it was incredible. Alma and i riding along coffee plantations, silk factories and the most beautiful pagoda I have visted so far.

When we arrived, women were doing their daily rituals and it was a magic moment. One of those where one feel that is better to leave it in your memory and not to spoil the moment by trying to take a picture. Also, I have come to realize thatthey are so many pictures being taken that sometimes i ask myself, are these pictures for me or for others...i guess for both..but honestly they should only be for oneself.

We came back to Saigon because Alma had to go back to HK. I am going north again..yes i know..its been crazy the amount of buses and trains i have taken in Vietnam...to meet my sister. Then Cambodia for three weeks and then BK again to make my way to Mongolia.

 It is interesting how I now feel the bug, the desire to keep traveling..I did not understand it before, all the long term travelers i have talked to told me about it and now finally I understand..moving every day, living day by day, always knowing that ahead of you there is something else to discover..something new.

In Mui Ne and this morning I meet people I had met in Thailand and Laos. So fun to see people you shared a meal, a room, an afternoon with in the middle of a street in saigon.

I am looking forward to smaller cities, my entire trip is been along them and it is much nicer. BK, Saigon, they are huge.

Hue is waiting for me. Then I will cross the border to Cambodia through the north. A very sketchy and complicated border cross. The few people i know have done have told me the same thing. Expect longgg delays and overcharging for everything. From visas to transportation. I guess i just have to smile and thats it.

Next time from Hue.

Vang Vieng, June 25, 2012

Despues de una noche de desmadre y de haber dormido 3 horas estoy tomando un bus hacia Vientane.

La verdad contento de dejar este pueblo, el paisaje es precioso, pero la rumba aca es cosa seria. Nunca habia estado en un pueblo asi. Primero que todo soy 10 anios mayor que la mayoria de la gente. Jovenes ingleses que vienen a hacerse pedazos aca tomando whiskey the tres pesos (literalmente) y a tomar hongos y quien sabe que mas.



Ayer alquile bicicleta y me fui por 6 horas a montar por los alrededores, super lindo, cascadas, arrozales, aldeas, una maravilla. Ademas volver a montar en bici despues de 3 meses fue lo mejor.

Hoy en Vientane ire a visitar lugares de te y a conoer la ciudad. Dormir temprano por primera vez en 3 dias tambien seria muy bueno.

Mi conclusion de Vang Vieng. No volveria nunca.

Vangvieng, June 23, 2012

After taking a 6 hours from Luamprabag through some of the most dramatic landscape i have ever seen I arrived to Vang Vieng.

How to describe it..i dont know really. A twon in the midle of nowhere, full of bars playing friends and family guy. British, canbadian, australians and french young guys and girls getting wasted ,,it feels like a fraternity in the midle of the jungle.

It is very weird as the locals here are very conservative and to see all these drunk people does not fit into the image i had of Laos. I guess in a sense is an important source of income for the region..the question is..is it worth it?

any way, who am i to say anything. I am one more tourist taking pictures.

I got a nice hotel, 5 dollars and it has a TV and a private washroom.

Last night, like any other tourist I went to the bar and got my free bucket of alcohol. It was madness, everybody getting naked, screaming, jumping and getting paint all over their bodies. I just stod there and watch, it was pretty interesting.

I also met some cool guys from Canada and from Spain, we chatted for a while and they told me about their trips. Funny how now all the people I meet are into 3-6 months trips. While i was working the people i met were traveling fro 2-3 weeks.

Today i am biking around the town to visit a few waterfalls and caves.

I will spend here one more night i think and then i am off to Vientane, the capital.

Luamprabang- June 21, 2012

After taking a boat along the Mekong for two days, surrounded by one of the most beautiful landscape that i have ever seen and after getting cheated by two very "nice" lao men who offered me a room in a village we stayed at for the night ( The picture of the room was very nice, reality was tottaly different)- at the end, it was really not a big deal, it was just a matter of principle.

Anyway, it added to the fun. So I arrived to Luamprabang, and incredible city and so far one of my favorite places. Its is along the Mekong river, surroended by dense forests and with a number f small, yet delicate temples. It is true what they say about Laos, it feels different, relax. The only other place in the world where I have felt the same thing was in Nepal..Nepal with mountains, Laos with forest.

I am traveling with two japamesse guys. They are going around the world for one year. Very interesting to hear their stories, their perspective on life. They are from Kobe.

I will spend here probably 3 days, then go to a place called Van Viegn, a very beautiful valley, now turned into de party and drug capital of Laos. A shame really..but I guess some people like it. We are going to go for a few hikes around the town so we wont get sucked into the Ibiza of Asia.

Chiang Kon, June 19, 2012

Its been a while since last time I wrote. 

 After arriving from BK i headed to Chaing Mai, a very nice and green city 700 kilometers to the north. Chaing mai is famous for its elephant and tiger sanctuaries, although to be honest, in my opinion while nice places to see the animals, you see their unhappiness in their eyes. I went for ten minutes but could not stand to see such a powerful animal in such condition so I left.

Then i went to Pai..what a dream of place..relx..relax..relax..that is the word. A beautiful river, a nice and very cheap hostal (3 dollars) excellent food and a beautiful landscape around the town.

After 4 days in Pai ( i could have stayed longer) it was time to go back and join a meditation retreat..two days of silence, meditation and budist instruction. It was great. One of the most difficult things to do, but incredible. I met some very interesting people. I could say a million things about the retreat but i believe is one of those things that is was for me and for me only.

y next step was Chiang Rai, a tranquil and small city closer to the border with Burma. There i found the best hostal i have visited so far. 30 kilometers from town, and part of a native community, its managed by them and it is located among tea plantations and bamboo forest. I was the only guest and so I had the entire place for myself, long walks, silence, nie people..incredible.

The landscape in norther Thailand somehow reminds me of some places in Colombia, although the green is a different one..the rice padies, the agricultiral life, the tools, has a unique falvour, similar, yet unique..i dont know how to explain it.

The people have been incredible,  they are used to tourist so it makes it easier to travel, everyone has the basic three words you need to buy something.

I keep having juices every day..how many..i dont know..but many.

My clothing situation is the following: 1 pair of shorts, 3 t shirts and two underwear. Reall\y who needs more.

In terms of money spend i am to about 30 dollars a day including transportation. 

Now i am heading to Laos, there is been a change of plans as Alma can not me in Luamprabang so i am making my way south faster.

Chian Mai June 9..I think), 2012

fter flying from HK, taking a moto, then a bus for 10 hours I arrived to Chiang Mai, the second largest city in Thailand..and it is super cool. Compared to BK and its chaos and madness, Chiang mai feels like a small town.

I got a dorm for 80 bath (about 2.8 dollars) and spent all day yesterday walking around and enjoying the  nice mountains around.

I am now looking for a two-three day meditation retreat, will I be able to deal with it..Maybe, I really want to try it.

Everything is pretty much in the air, all i know is that i have to meet alma in 20 days in Laos, so I will spend the next three weeks going around. I definetely want to go and check out some tea places in Chaing Rai, 6 hours from here.

It is nice to listen to people's stories, from world travelers to young kids doing a few months in asia, everyone has a story to tell.

I keep having multiple ideras for business opportunities, although I am trying to let them go bye so I can enjoy the moment and take advantage of this unique opportunity. There is a time for everything and now is the time to enjoy.

The hostals are very simple and clean, surprinsingly for a 3 dollar room, but for a few nights I dont really care..well, for the ones who know me, even oif it was for a longer [eriod of time it wopuld be the same.

I have discovered that these cities are better experienced very early in the mornings, that is when the locals are doing their things and not putting a show for the tourists, their markets are their markets and not a series of souvenirs..of course you have to wake up at 6 and off you go..for me i guess is not a problem.

Funny, tenm days ago I was in Israel, now in the northern part of Thailand, how fascinating is when distances become so short. Yet, Alma and I have grwon very concern about our foot print. No matter how much we try to do for the environment, every plain we take, takes away any litle we have done for the environment..I am now doing seriopus research on what are the bext ways to offset that..I hope there are.

ebastian

Tel Aviv Junio 1, 2012

Ya salimos en dos dias. Han sido dos semanas increibles. Tres bodas, comidas todas las noches, visitar lugares en Israel, nadar todos los dias, conocer mas a la familia de Alma, genial.

Las tres bodas han sido increibles, cada una mas suntuosa que la otra y la gente aca sabe divertirse como nosotros los latinos.

He tenido un parde entrevistas con amigos de la familia de Alma que piensan abrir oficinas de sus companias en HK, nada concreto, pero oportunidades que vale la pena explorar.

Alma sale el domingo para Londres por tres semanas para hacer investigacion, yo salgo para Thailandia para continuar el viaje. Es curioso hace ya dos meses que termine de trabajar, como pasa el tiempo y como por un lado lo que uno creyo ser tan importante de repente ya no lo es. Que si me hace falta el trabajo, definitivamente, pero por primera vez en la vida tengo la oportunidad de parar, mirar y analizar a donde voy. Un sentimiento muy extranio, asustador y al mismo tiempo interesante.

Israelha sido un buen lugar para rflexionar, por un lado la familia de Alma que son super trabajodores y que no paran nunca han sido un apoyo increible. Cualquiera diria que serian una critica fuerte a lo que estoy haciendo, pero al contrario todos, absolutamente todos no hacen sino decirme que que buena decision.

No se si sera cultural, o solo esta familia, pero generalmente  en Latinoamerica la respuesta creo seria una critica directa a la decision de tomar un tiempo, que buena suerte que ambas familias, la mia y la de Alma han sido nuestro principal apoyo.

Tel Aviv, May 29, 2012

Its been already one week in Tel Aviv. Between weddings, parties, dinners and going out to restaurants I am gaining a pound a day..not even the one hour of swimming every day can compensate for the amounts of food I am eating. BUT it is SOOO GOOD.

My sister and Ulf  arrived on friday. We went to the dead sea and yesterday to Jerusalem. It is nice to have them here and for them to see this part of the world.

It is my second time here so I am more familiar with the city and the people. The weather is perfect, compared to HK's humidity, the heat here is incredible.

We are going back on Sunday. Alma is going to the UK for three weeks and I am flying back to BK, this time I am spending two- three weeks in the north to then meet Alma in Laos.

I am going for a swim now. Will keep writing later today 

Tel Aviv, Mayo 20, 2012

Llegamos anoche a Tel Aviv despues de un viaje agotador. El avion tuvo problemas antes de salir asi que nos tuvieron sentados por casi tres horas. Luego, como El Al, la aerolinea Isareli no puede volar sobre territorio arabe nos toco subir casi hasta Rusia, para luego volar sobre Kurdistan, Kirjistan, Turquia, luego abrirse sobre el mediterraneo ya que ni pensar volar sobre Libano ..una locura.

Algo increible es la seguridad antes y depues de un vuelo hacia o desde Tel Aviv, en vez de camaras, escaners, perros etc  (que seguro usan una vez uno ha depositado las maletas), simpelmente hacen profiling..de verda son efectivos.

Esta manana nos levantamos y llevamos a Sherman a la playa. Despues de Hk Tel Aviv se siente como un lugar tranquilo, con espacion, donde la gente no tiene afan...

Ni imaginarme lo que sera volver a Toronto, parecera como vivir una vida pastoral ja ja ja

Hoy ya tuvimos nuestra primera comida israeli, ensalada, humus, halva y mas ensalada. me hacia falta la verdad.

Esta noche vamos a ver a la la familia de Alma y manana es la boda de Shy. Mi primera boda judia, se supone que es pequena, como 500 personas..vamos aver el rumbonon...me dijeron que aca tequilazo era una amateur...quede asustado...

Sherman esta super bien, super sano, haciendo mucho ejercicio, sigue con su collar morado ( Waldo)

El miercoles vamos a una base militar donde el primo de Alma que es piloto de Black Hawks es el director. Va a ser interesante, por un lado fascinante ver semejantes maquinas de guerra, al mismo tiempo impresionante saber que uno esta frente a maquinas que precisamente son muy efectivas cumpliendo su funcion..destruir.

Creo que tambien hare otro viaje en ultraliviano, les ire contando.

Hong Kong – Mayo 18, 2012

Hace 5 dias llegamos de vuelta a Hong Kong. Para mi sorpresa, Carolina Ariza, una muy buena amiga del colegio y a quien vi por ultima vez en Paris hace 6 anios, vino a la feria de arte de HK asi que esta semana, además de estar llena de eventos artísticos, fue una semana de re encuentro.

Que locura, venir a encontrarme con Carolina en HK, jamás en la vida me lo hubiera imaginado. He estado hiendo a verla en el stand que la galería a la que ella representa tiene y así entre compradores,  turistas, estudiantes, curadores etc  etc hemos podido lentamente contarnos nuestras vidas en los últimos 6 años.

Hoy nos vemos en la noche y Carolina se quedara por una semana mas en HK- lastimosamente nosotros no estaremos, pero pues se quedara en nuestra casa.

Esta semana ya sentí fue mi primera semana en HK, que raro, apenas me siento medioooo acostumbrado a la ciudad y me voy por tres meses a viajar.

Ha sido muy extraño el no tener trabajo, la verdad la falta de una rutina es una cosa que no sabia me iba a afectar tanto.  Creo que mi naturaleza no es la de relajación, necesito hacer cosas, producir.

Empecé a nadar una hora y media cada día, mi cuerpo estaba pidiendo a gritos ejercicio. Asi que en las mañanas cuando Alma sale al trabajo, yo salgo con ella y en el gimnasio  la universidad hago ejercicio y nado.

He conocido bastante gente, es una ciudad en la cual todo el mundo esta muy dispuesto a hacer amigos, mucha gente que trabaja independientemente, es increíble, la ciudad emana un deseo de trabajo y de producción- todo el mundo que he conocido tiene un negocio, una idea. Es increíble.

Ha sido muy curioso el no tener un salario, todos mis planes son basados en cierta forma en dinero- ya sea como un medio o como un objetivo, pero al no tener un salario, pues ahorrar no es una alternativa para mi, por lo cual, debo cambiar mi forma de ver y de acercarme a ideas de negocios. No pudiendo ahorrar, debo encontrar alternativas de crear capital. Un ejercicio muy interesante por los próximos meses.

Por otro lado, es curioso vivir en una ciudad como HK en donde es un capitalismo salvaje y al mismo tiempo saber que hay tantas cosas que uno puede hacer sin tener un peso..al final de cuentas, lo que mas disfruto en la vida que es reirme con Alma, caminar con ella, no vale nada y me da todo.

Que curioso, nos metemos en un mundo de locos, y se nos olvida que es ahí, al lado de uno, con la pareja, el amigo, la mascota o simplemente solo, mirando un bosque o el mar, ganamos mas..

Ya les iré contando sobre como va ese proceso..difícil la verdad.

Hoy el día esta precioso, Lama Island, al frente de nuestro apartamento se ve totalmente, abajo los barcos pesqueros están parqueados y el sol esta increíble.

Ahora salimos a ver a Carolina y a una charla sobre arte en Asia. Luego en la noche iremos a comer por ahí en la calle y mañana rumbo a Israel por dos semanas.

Luego..por tres meses a conocer todo el sureste asiático hasta la llegada de Pablo.

Para Alma ha sido una semana importante, una de las exposiciones de Picasso mas importantes en los últimos 10 años acaba de abrir y Alma siendo experta en Picasso y probablemente la única persona en China y de pronto en Asia en el momento que mas sabe de el, pues ha tenido entrevistas, artículos etc etc etc.

Prachuap, May 8, 2012

Its been a while since last time we wrote. After Bangkok we went south to meet Sebastian and Kristen.

We flu to Surathani and from there took a ferri to Ko Pan Ngan, then a taxi and then a boat. About 10 hours of traveling using 4 different transportation means to arrive to one of the most beautiful beaches i have ever been to. Botle beach.

It is a small beach, surrounded by very green mountains and with very few people.A dream.

There Sebastian and Kriten were waiting for us. Of course, it had to be a place chosen b them. Only htey ave the type of isider asian information that 20 months of traveling through the reion  can give you.

It was great to see them. They had just een in Bali for two months and before that were in India and Nepal doing some serious yoga, trekking and paraliding.

We spent 4 days there and then headed to Ko Tao, an even nicer island, smaller, more green and with some of the most incredible diving i have seen. Our days were spent lying on the beach, relaxing, divin in the afternoons, meeting people. Great

One of the thins i was missing from my previous life was the constant meetin of new people that only happens when you travel. All types, ex bankers, lawyers, sheppards, veterinarians, full time travellers, etc etc. All of them with stories, adventures and a unique perspective on life. One with which  not always one may agree, for every great person you meet there is alwys a few who think they know it all because they have been travelling longer than you,or that they know the world..is always funny to me how some people think that because they visit a place they are already locals..would not be easy if one accepts that we are tourist, no matter how we put it, but do not belong to this land, not even speak the language and pretty much follow a well establish tourist route..but well..whi am I to judge.. I just get tired of it very quickly.

After 4 days in Ko Tao, I took a boat, the nigh boat from Ko Tao to Chumpon. 250 bath and 7 hours sleeping in the roof of a boat. Very nice for the first 2 hours, then freaking cold.

Saying bye to Sebastian and Kristen was nice, they are the type of friends who you know will always be around, they can not stay in one place for too long, I say nice because saying bye to them means meeting them in the future and being able to listen to new adventures.

In Chumpon, I took the train (30 Bath for 3 hours) to Prachuap. A small town with very few tourism and with a distinctive Thai feeling. The fact that no many people speak english and that the menus are in Thai, while difficult, makes it nice, harder, but nice.

My plan is to make it back to Bankok in stages and Prachuap was supposed to be only one day. However, as it happens normallywhen traveling, i found a great litle hostal, (200 bath a night) with a very nice garden and decided to stay for longer.

Yesterday I went to aclose by temple and the monkeys attacked me. I had a bottle of water and they just jumped on me to get the water. Monkeys can be very scary animals,theyr teeth are huge and the ones here are not afraid of humans..so I do not reccomend being a a close sapce with 20 monkeys.

Tomorrow I will be leaving to Bangkok.

I think only now i have come to relaize the changes that i decided to make. There is no more bank for me and it seems like a far away memory. Yet, and very weird to say it,I miss it.Who would have thought. But I guess I have a lot of  respect for the bank..we will see in a few months what my mind is saying.

The plan next is to fly to Israel and then fly back to Thailand for 2-3 more weeks, this time in the north. I am also traveling during the hot season so I have to adjust my trip to that.

Hot in this part of the world is hot...for the colombians..Barranca style.

Bangkok, April 30, 2012

We arrived to bangkok two nights ago. The hotel where we had reserved a room did not have anything for us and so we had to go to another one across the street.

400 bath (about 13 dollars) for both of us. no TV, no internet. It did include a fan and AC.

The heat is intense, i had never been to a city this hot. During the day is probably 36 degrees and the humidity is crazy.

(ok, now it Alma's turn cos Bane doesn't know what to say): so, we have been walking around and checking out different areas and seeing monuments. Yesterday we went to a beautiful temple called Wat pho which we both really liked. Serene quiet and with amazing sculptures and murals of religious subjects. Today we saw the grand palace which was impressive but wasn't too our likings as much as yesterday's temple. Again, the art is beautiful and the architecture is really breathtaking, but the combination of tourists and heat at the palace made it into a less enjoyable experience.

We both really like going up and down the river in the express boat to get from one spot to another. Today for dinner we went to an area that Arnika, my friend who specializes in Thai culture and spends long periods in Bangkok, recommended us. It was a long street on the opposite bank of the river with tons of food stalls, everything looks tastier than the other. I just go and say I want this and this and this and this. and then at the end we choose a couple of dishes and eat them. Really tasty, cooked in the street on the spot (and bane adds - inexpensive. So bane of him)

Tomorrow we are heading for the islands, to spend some time lying around relaxing and reading. oh and of course drinking juice. Bane really likes Thailand for all the fruit that is sold here: today we had banana shake, pineapple shake, cut pineapple, 3 or 4 cut mangos, sticky rice with mango, and dried mango. a bit repetitive I know but it's S favorite fruit...

that's it for now!

It is me again.

For Pablo:
Pablo, cuando estes aca, lo mejor es ir a los puesticos de la calle y comer alla. En donde los turistas consigues todo, pero es como estar en Berlin. Te metes por callecitas enanas y simplemente indicas con el dedo, alguinas cosas que uno ni se imagina, pero si hay cientos de personas comeindolas, es porque son buenisimas.

Mi pablo, nos vemos en tres meses por aca.

April 26,2012

Today is been a week since I arrived to Hong Kong.  I have so far met one colombian-candadian mining guy, and art dealer from Serbia, a hedge fund manager and a few of Alma's friends.

The city is really incredible, it breaths life and energy in a way that i had never experienced before. From Toronto  to Hong kong the difference  is striking. Quite and peace in Toronto compared to madness and fast pace in Hong Kong..what a wonderful feeling..I hope i get used to this.

Hong kong is very densely populated, a small island with hundreds of buildings everywhere, yet in the middle of the island  there is a very large green area, when i say large i mean it. I went for a 4 hours hike and only saw 4 people. Imagine this, you can be in the middle of the craziest street, and 20 minutes from there, you can be surrounded by birds, waterfalls and beautiful landscapes.

Alma gave me as a present a book with all the Hong Kong trails, about 200 kilometers of pristine and wild trails. My goal, to do all of them, starting in the border with China, going around the new territories and then arriving to our place.

I already enrolled in my Mandarin Classes. I will start in September. 5 hours a day, 5 days a week.

Tomorrow Saturday we are off to Thailand for two weeks, then off to Tel Aviv and then I will spend the next three months travelling through south East Asia  with Alma, then Juana and Ulf will come to join us and then Pablo and Andrea.

This is what i call my sabbatical- a few months before I start classes and looking for work.

Oh I forgot to mention that in Thailand we are meeting Sebastian and kristen, they are currently doing an intense yoga training around the world (15 months) and we decided to go and do some yoga ourselves.

Initially my plan was to do Muay Thai, what a better place to do some serious training with the real masters, however my back is forcing me to change my activity.

Testing 1...2....3...

My turn to write. It has been only a few days since my Sebastian finally joined me after this long long long time apart. There is something so natural about being together, even though everything around us is different: instead of a sleepy city, we live in a hustling-bustling city, instead of snow we are going to have typhoons, instead of a quiet park across our house we have a busy harbour with vultures flying above.

I can't wait to to all the adventures we are going to experience together, and never be apart for so long again.   

April 23,2012

Today I started being active. I went to the university to join the athletic Center, to find out about my Mandarin and executive education classes and then to the bank to open a bank account. I was not able to do any of them.

I need a letter from the immigration office stating my address and then I will be able to join the university and to open the account.

After the unsuccessful morning I went to Central and walked around. What a crazy city, people everywhere, the concept of personal space seems foreign here. I am currently reading a book about a guy who in 1986 travelled around China  in train and one of the things he says is that the Chinese need and flourish in crowed spaces..whether that is true or not, in Central you can see a lot, lots lots of people.

It is weird, my mind is still wired to think about business opportunities, is that a natural response from having worked in the corporate world for 6 years, or is this my normal state of mind?, I guess I will know in a few months, for now, I just have to try to let go and relax a bit, enjoy more of the experiences that this city has to offer and let things happen...

That is something I truly need  and want to work on.

Jet lag is kicking in so I need to go for a nap.

April 22, Hong Kong

After a 15.5 hours flight I am finally here. Its been 7 months since Alma left and now we are finally together.

 Alma was not able to come and pick me up as she was teaching, luckily for me the bus system in Hong Kong is very easy to use and so I got home  with no problems.

I did get the best reception I could have expected. It was raining, the type of rain that makes m remember the forests in Colombia.

I arrived to the house and Alma had prepared a beautiful surprise for me, balloons and notes. A typical Alma welcome. It is nice to be in our house together, to start this new chapter of our lives in Asia.

The next day we went for a very nice walk to Abeerden Park. A few minutes from the house and a place that makes you feel away from this crazy city. We walked for a couple of hours while planning our trip to Thailand.

I still can not believe I am with Alma. Wherever I am , here, there, as long as she is around, I am happy

Tinjaca, Sabado 10 de Abril.

Llegue a Tinjaca. La casa de mis papas, llena de cuadros, de Colores y de recuerdos de nuestros viajes. Guarapo y Tatu esperandome en la puerta. Cada vez que llego a Tinjaca siento una felicidad enorme, el campo, el verde,los animales, en Tinjaca me siento pleno.

Volver a la rutina de cuando vivimos en la reserva es algo que siempre extranio y Tinjaca me da eso.

Miercoles 7 de abril

Colombia

Como todos los anios cuando regreso, al acercarse el avion al Dorado siento algo en mi pecho.  Sera que esta vez me siento 100% de aca, o sera que como otras veces me siento mas y mas lejano…Solo ver a Eduardo esperando por mi en la salida internacional responde a esa duda en cuestion de segundos, ahi esta, Fergu, uno de mis grandes amigos, con esa sonrisa bonachona, con su sombrero y su bigotin de tres dias..ah mi fergu, que mejor  recepcion a Colombia. Son amigos como el que  me  atan  y me tendra atado a este pais por siempre.

Tomamos el taxi y a la casa, tratando de contarnos los ultimos eventos en cuestion de segundos como si supieramos que el tiempo que tenemos es limitado y por lo tanto que hay que aprovecharlo al maximo. Pocos minutos despues, como por arte de magia, caemos en esa naturalidad que solo anios de Amistad generan, ya no hay afan, solo dos amigos en un taxi charlando.

Esa noche vi a Cayo, Manu, Lorenza y Guadalupe. Guadalupe es la mas Chiquita, solo un mes de nacida (creo) y es preciosa. Ver a cayo de papa es algo que todavia no comprendo, creci con el desde que tenemos un anio y esta etapa nueva en su vida (los ultimos 3 anios) yo he estado afuera, ausente, por    eso es que todavia no me es facil entenderlo.

No conozco muchos papas jovenes la verdad, pero considero a Cayo y a manu, increibles, escucharlos hablar de como quieren que Lore y Guadalupe crezcan me llena de alegria, me recuerda en cierta forma a como nuestros papas nos criaron, Lore y Guadalupe tambien sonaran con submarinos en rios, asi vivan en un mundo de Wii y Google.

Tambien vi a Julio y como siempre hablamos de  temas que ponen a prueba mi capacidad de argumentacion, por alguna razon, con Julio, siempre uno termina en temas que requieren mas pensamiento y capacidad de analisis de la normal. El impacto de la tecnologia en los ninos, el Mercado del arte en Colombia y en el extranjero, todo eso combinado  con teorias del fin del mundo por explosions magneticas etc etc…una conversacion con Julio nunca sera aburrida y les aseguro, que requiere conocimiento previo mas alla de mera opinion empirica.

Al siguiente dia camine por Bogota..la verdad, se notan las oportunidades de negocios y la creciente riqueza, al mismo tiempo que el trafico, el desmadre y la agresividad de la ciudad.

El sabado me encontre con Juan y Juana, es la primera vez en muchos anios que los tres hermanos nos encontramos en Colombia. Fue genial verlos y compartir historias. Fuimos a tenjo, imaginamos negocios y como siempre, sin decirlo, cada uno se sintio feliz por la vida que cada uno escogio. Juan en Santa Marta, Juana en Alemania con Ulf y yo arrancando una nueva Aventura en el Asia.

Lunes 4 de Abril.

Hoy comenzo el viaje. Primera escala en Miami visitando a Gregorio y a Claudia

No lo veo hace 7 meses y hace falta la presencia de un buen amigo. En el tiempo que compartimos en Toronto desarrollamos una relacion fuerte, su partida fue una gran perdida para mi. Sin embargo y es algo que he aprendido y que todo inmigrante y viajero sabe, las amistades no se miden por el numero de dias que se estan con la persona, sino por la calidad de esos (tal vez es un contentillo, pero por el momento, quiero creer eso).

Al entrar a sus casa, fue como si nunca se hubiera ido, ahi estaban sus fotos, sus zapatos blancos, sus muebles, retomamos la conversacion como si nos hubiesemos visto el dia anterior. Mi siguiente dia en Miami camine por la ciudad, me encontre con mi Tia, mi tio y mi prima. Paula (mi prima) esta embarazada y esta preciosa, la he visto muy pocas veces en los ultimos anios, y me alegro cantidades el verla tan radiante. Me conto de su negocio de zapatos.

La segunda noche fuimos a caminar con Gregorio y terminamos jugando Ping Pong en un bar. Me gano 6 de los 7 juegos que tuvimos. En otras palabras, el Ping Pong no es lo mio.

La parada en Miami era una parade importante. Desde Hong Kong ver a amigos cercanos sera bastante mas dificil asi que el llenarme de energia y de memorias es algo importante.

Al mismo tiempo, re encontrarme con Claudia (mi tia) fue genial, charlar, conocerla, contarle de mi vida, de la vida de mis pas, mostrarle fotos de tinjaca, de las ovejas, de la vida tan distinta que hemos llevado y que sin embargo nos une como familia. Conocer a Alvaro Jose tambien fue increible , escuchar sus palabras de anoranza sobre Colombia, sobre el campo, sobre el olor de nuestra tierra me lleno de nostalgia y de alegria.

Miami fueron dos dias cortos, sin embargo me dieron energia para meses.

Who are we and why the flying Monkey

Alma is Israeli, I am Colombian, we both met in Toronto and now are living in Hong Kong. Alma is doing a post doctorate in Art History and I used to work for a bank.

Why Flying Monkey..well, many years ago while I was living in Costa Rica, monkeys were part of my daily life, their freedom, speed and apparently (from our human perspective) fun life made me always think of flying monkeys whenever a change was approaching to my life.

8 months ago Alma got an offer to continue her research in Asia, a unique opportunity and one that pushed us to change our comfortable and stable life in Toronto. We decided to leave our comfortable and brand new two bedroom apartment, our dog who now has the best life even in Tel Aviv, my job et etc etc.

Was it an easy decision, not at all, specially for me. After 6 years of working with a company that had been in many ways very generous and a positive influence  in my profesional  life , a team that truly challenged me and with whom I developed strong friendships , to say  bye to them was not easy.

I talked to a number of people, some told me it was the biggest mistake in my life, how could you leave, you have a promising career, look at the economy, to have a job now is a bless..others were, go, dont think about it, there is only one life, jobs, there will be many, opportunities like that...few...

I call it my ping pong period..every morning i woke up thinking..what am i doing..leaving all this..then a few hours later..of course i am doing the right thing..finally one day my dad told me something that made  me achieve the balance I needed for my decision.

Sebastian, tu no te acordaras de los 5,10,20 anios que trabajes para una compania, te acordaras del anio que viviste en Hong Kong con Alma.

And that was it, I realized and decided  that my life, now linked to Alma's was going to be an universe  of memories and that we had been given the chance to start building them in a place we never thought would be part of that universe; Asia.

And so, with the chance came the decision, lets leave the known for the unknown, lets do what we want to do, lets not wait for when we have moneyor our careers are fluorishing .lets just grab the moment and go.

One thing that is important to know if that we both in a way come from traveling families. My parents traveled for many years and always pushed us to explore and see the world, after my mom's third cancer (she is 100% ok now)  I realized that really, there is only one life and that it can be shorter than you can expect.  So in my short life I have lived in 7 countries, between working, studying etc. 

Alma so far has lived in 4 countries. So in a way we are used to move.

Once the decision was taken, the planning part followed. For the ones who know me..well..I am a planner, not the type of planner who wants to know where and how I am going to get to a place..really, in that part I am terrible...I am a long term  planner...how are we going to live once we come back? that is my specialty if you can call it this way.  So it took me 8 months to organize things, save money, rent the apartment,  define objectives for the trip and simply..be ready for a return.

So after all that, Alma Left last september and I left on March 31,2012.

This blog is to tell our family and friends about our trips and experiences. 

Sometimes I will write in spanish, others Alma will write in Hebrew.

The Monkey is flying now.