Posts about Rachel Rudwall
Listening to the Didgeridoo
As promised, I’ll begin this blog with an account of our fabulous night with the Tjapukai aboriginal people. Now, none of us could have anticipated the delight and awkwardness that would come as a result of our experience at Tjapukai by Night, and I’m sure it was better left a surprise. When we arrived, we snapped photos with the young aboriginal men in loin cloths and body paint before entering to a drinks reception. Then, a representative of the people came out to give us a special talk only granted to our tour group, during which we heard the history and legends of the Tjapukai people as we studied the various tribal murals and paintings covering the walls. Then before we knew it, the lights were out, and the wall burst open with a trail of shadowy figures enshrouded in smoke and singing a tribal song. They circled the room before mounting the stage to sing, dance, and play the didgeridoo (aw yeah, didgeridoo!), getting the crowd involved with song and rhythm. Then we watched them do the dance of fire creation before passing inside to have a fantastic feast. And at the end of the feast, the dancers entered the stage once more to dance, sing, and share their myths with the crowd.
Why did I mention delight and awkwardness earlier, you ask? Well, it just so happens that the Tjapukai dancers needed two volunteers to join them on stage, and a girl named Monica and I were the lucky selections! That meant that we had to get up on stage in front of a large crowd (no longer just the tour group) and do as they told us. So, Monica and I ended up having a race to create fire (at which we were both very unskilled, illustrating clearly that I have no chance of survival if I ever get stuck in the wild) and then doing a bit of a victory dance with the men in body paint and loin cloths. Awesome! How were we at dancing? Well, Monica had some sweet Tjapukai moves; but, I’m a bit unique when I dance, and I happened to be wearing a rather 80s-esque white jacket…so I feel I look a bit more like a wannabe Michael Jackson than aboriginal in the video clips. Oh well. At the end of the dance, the Tjapukai performers gave each of us a handsome hand-made boomerang which they had all signed. How grand that they would still reward us after such unusual performances!
And finally: my sunrise hot air balloon ride over the Land Down Under. I don’t even know where to begin on this one, but I guess I’ll start by saying it was a totally surreal and supremely beautiful hour of my life! I decided to do this activity on the final day of all my travels so that I’d be awake and aware every hour of my last day abroad (I also made sure to stay on the beach later until after sunset). Anyway, I was up at an ungodly hour which will go unmentioned here, and I boarded a bus to ride into the country a bit. After a 45 minute ride, from which I could see the most brilliant constellations in the clear Aussie sky, we arrived in a field just barely illuminated by the flames of hot air balloons preparing for lift off. A heavy mist enshrouded everything around us but for the outlines of the balloons, and I climbed into my basket with great excitement (and a clear lack of agility).
Then up, up, and away we went, the only sound being that of the torch overhead (which allows the balloon to float)! There was an overwhelming peace in those first moments of the ascent as we rose above the mist, bypassed the clouds, and broke freely into the atmosphere where the sun had just begun to show its face. The rainbow of sunrise burst forth from the horizon, and we spied the other 4 colorful balloons escaping the mist below. And before we knew it, the day had arrived as the clouds rolled beneath us with the gold of the sun. We dipped beneath the clouds to float along above the rivers, plains, mango fields, and farms whose livestock had just awakened, and then we rose once more to clear skies and great mountains greeting us in the distance. Somehow those 60 minutes passed in the blink of an eye, and just like with my experience scuba diving, I wasn’t sure the world I’d witnessed was real. It was simply too beautiful.
From that point, we landed with a bump in the dew-painted grass and were asked to help pack up the balloon. As I was a sole female voyager, the crew for the hot air balloon company made a point to single me out frequently, joking that they needed massages to pack the balloon well, having me jump around atop the car-sized mound of fabric (6 feet off the ground) to pack it more tightly into its bag, etc. It was all in good fun, and I had a fantastic time of it! Then it was on to our brunch in the middle of the bush, once more through the mist to a feast of food and endless champagne before heading back to the city. Really, guys – this experience was unbelievable. Talk about a rock star morning. All the earth and sky were mine to witness, and the champagne at brunch never stopped flowing. Yeah, buddy!
And that brings me to the end of yet another fabulous journey as the World Traveler Intern for STA Travel. Sadly enough, it also brings me to the end of the job…unless, of course, STA Travel wants to hire me for this position permanently (wink wink)!
Koalas in Cairns
Following our stay in the paradise that is Long Island, we boarded the bus for one final long journey, this time to Cairns, a destination with such a relaxed beach culture that it seems more like a town than the large city it is. As it is my final day in Cairns (and thus my FINAL DAY of the World Traveler Internship… how extremely depressing), I can say now that my time in Cairns has been marked by adventure and firsts more than anything. First scuba dive, first bungee jump, first time seeing and holding a koala, and first hot air balloon ride, not to mention my first time dancing with a group of indigenous people!
Which story to tell first, then? I suppose I’ll start with the easiest: Kuranda and the koalas. On our final day as a group in Cairns, we caught the Skyrail tram for a breathtaking view of the rainforests, sea, waterfalls, and rivers below, and our journey ended in the village of Kuranda. While Kuranda has been around quite a long time as a home to the aboriginal people, it seems now to be more of an easy-going and tourist-driven town in the midst of the rain forest, priding itself in expansive markets and more cafes and coffee shops than one person could possibly count. Aside from just bumming around town, we all made sure to stop by the wildlife center to cuddle koalas! Since it literally says in the center’s brochure that people can “cuddle koalas” and get photos, I made my way there with wonder and awaited the koala-holding session with great excitement. And when the time to cuddle finally arrived, I hugged the thing like I’d never let go and shot my grin toward the camera. The result? The most awkward photo ever. It’s clear I’m about to pass out with excitement, and it looks like a really strange family portrait with the backdrop of painted leaves. Needless to say, I love it. That baby’s gettin’ framed.
Next up: the bungee jump. The day after the group separated, a couple of us remained in Cairns, and we made our way out to the A.J. Hackett bungee site bright and early in the morning. My fellow travelers Simon and Stu joined me in signing our lives away with fingers crossed, and we arrived to the site to see a beautiful day to jump off a perfectly good platform with rubber bands attached to our bodies. Yeah, buddy. After climbing about 400,000 stairs to reach the top of the platform, I didn’t have time or energy to feel nervous, and before I knew it, Stu had already made his jump! Then I shimmied to the edge, got a rush of nerves and feelings of impending stupidity, spread my arms for the elegant swan dive, and …deep breath… I was off! I jumped off that thing like nobody’s business, and I would just like to say that I think for a novice I had terrific swan dive form. Then Simon let ‘er rip, and since he’d said he wanted a dip in the pool below, he tore into the water with impressive velocity. What a grand time! I’d do it again 
Next story: the first scuba dive. The group set out on a sadly overcast day to explore and adore the Great Barrier Reef, and let me just say that we did in fact both explore and adore that great mass of coral and sea life. Did you know the Reef is the largest living organism in the world? Yeah, neither did I until I dove it. Anyway, a huge number of Connections travelers opted to try the introductory dive, following a dive instructor into the reef for a half hour or so, trying to get the breathing scenario under control while hyperventilating at the sight of all the beauty surrounding. And I’ll go ahead and say now: the place and first dive were wonderful. More wonderful, however (exhilarating and otherworldly, at that) was the second dive which only a handful of us chose to do because of the cold weather and additional cost.
Let me tell you – if ever you have the opportunity to do a second dive on a tour like ours, forget the cost or cold! You have a wet suit, and you’ll have the rest of your life to worry about money. You may never again get the chance to dive the Great Barrier Reef. Anyway, the second dive was extraordinary. While a wall of intensely colored coral swarmed with life on one side of us (and when I say wall, I mean at least 40-50 ft high on average), the other side presented a gradual and astounding slope down to the depths of the deep, deep ocean. It just stretched and stretched and stretched, that slope. We swam around doing flips, touching various creatures, and sticking our hands into 5 ft wide clams that moved when we touched them; and, since we had already each done one dive, we understood the breathing equipment and no longer had to think about it as we voyaged! I’m serious – it was like a dream world. Or another universe. And it is one you all must visit if you get the chance.
Okay…this is just getting too long for one blog. I’ll cut it off here and do you the favor of leaving a marking point from which you can begin the next installment (as I suppose you’ll need a nap, coffee, or weeklong hiatus before you begin reading again). But make sure to tune back in, as I’ll be sharing about our night with the aboriginal people and my hot air balloon ride this morning!
Until next time…
Kangaroos in Australia
From Fraser Island, we continued onward to a wee city called Rockhampton. More than anything, we were passing the night there in transit; so, that meant we had the chance to just relax, talk, do laundry, and get a good night’s sleep! But, the more daring (or dare I say geologically curious) of the group members took an evening tour of the Capricorn Caves, winding through the labyrinth and remarking at the power of their echoes. And as we readied for departure the following morning, we happened upon a great mob of kangaroos in our campsite! Needless to say, we hopped out of the bus and ran to join the ranks of the ‘roos in order to marvel and take far too many photos. While the bad boy male kangaroo freaked me out a bit (he was nearly 6 ft in length), the ladies were adorable. More adorable, however, were the babies in their pouches! The little joeys’ heads poked out of the pouches as the mothers hopped along to breakfast. Oh my, they’re beautiful creatures.
After our time of relaxation, cave navigation, and kangaroo stalking, we ventured onward to the tropical paradise of the Whitsunday Islands. Since the Whitsundays are comprised of 74 islands, boat travel in the area provides a spectacular vision of beach and lush green hillsides jutting out of the rich blue ocean. People have only constructed hotels and homes on several of the islands, leaving room for a most glorious picture of natural beauty. Since I’m a bona fide nerd, I’ll point out that we had crossed the Tropic of Capricorn in our bus the afternoon of our arrival (some of us more excitedly than others), thus entering into the world of “the tropics.” But I didn’t really think “the tropics” in Australia would look this good. Picture the Cayman Islands. Now get an image of Fiji. And the Bahamas? Very good… Now one last request: picture the Whitsundays. Are the pictures should the same? They should be!
Yes, life on the islands is just plain delicious. We had several days on Long Island, taking our time to appreciate the Whitsundays in an array of ways. Six intrepid voyagers set out to partake in a 2 day live-aboard sailing adventure, while the rest of us made sure to use our time kayaking, jet-skiing, tanning, and taste-testing the many tropical cocktails available at the beach-side pool bar. After boat troubles stifled our plans of visiting the world renowned Whitehaven Beach on the first day, we made up for any disappointment by exploring nearby Daydream Island, lounging by the water, eating burgers and ice cream, and chilling out with books and pina coladas beneath the palms. Not bad. Not bad at all…
As for the evenings on Long Island, the meals at Magic Megs’ restaurant were fabulous as usual, and the resort-hosted activities were terrific fun. One night we joined (and WON) the resort’s trivia competition, another found us jamming to karaoke as our Tour Leader Leigh rocked out on the mic for at least 4 songs, and the third was filled with the songs of a musician who prides himself in playing both the guitar and the digeridoo with finesse. We got to know other young tour groups as they came through, swapping stories and advice about future destinations, and trying not to make them too jealous of our sweet moves during our impromptu dance parties. And while Meagan and the Contiki driver Youngy hopped around doing impressions of kangaroos and rare birds, the rest of us had a fabulous time taking pictures of poor Keiley who just happened to be small enough for another tour leader to toss her in the pool clothed. How sad that all this ever had to come to an end! Alas, it was onward the next morning to our final destination…
Byron Bay, Australia
Our next stop along the way was Byron Bay, the coolest surf town in the universe. I’ve seriously never been in another place so welcoming and chilled out. I know I speak on behalf of my fellow travelers when I say that Byron Bay is an essential stop when traveling the Land Down Under! Upon arriving on our first day, we ventured up to the lighthouse to admire the most easterly point of Australia (the very point beneath our feet), take in a rainbow-infused sunset, and look out for whales during their migration.
After that, we hit up a joint that locals and travelers alike adore: The Rails. We ate some delicious grub, took care of our thirst with some great Aussie beer, and just relaxed with the laid-back vibe of the town. For anyone who likes people-watching, The Rails is the place to do it. You get wayward travelers chatting with men in safari shirts and crocodile hunter hats, and hippie surfers playing pool with stylish young foreigners. That, ladies and gents, is my favorite type of place.
On another such grand night in Byron, we visited Cheeky Monkey’s which is, as its name would imply, a bit cheeky. For those of you unfamiliar with the term, cheeky means “trashy in the fun sort of way.” The evening quickly stretched into night and then right on into the wee hours of the morning without any of us stopping the table-dancing to take note. Ah, the nocturnal life of a student traveler…
During our several days in Byron Bay, the group members spent their time there in a number of different ways: surfing, ocean kayaking, whale- and dolphin-watching, biking, reclining on the beaches, shopping, and skydiving. Awesome! I, of course, was one of the individuals crazy enough to jump out of a plane. While I had been twice before, both times were over Ohio; so, I couldn’t very well pass up the opportunity to go again over the Pacific, the mountains, the most easterly point of Australia, and the red soil of the Land Down Under. It was fabulous.
Sadly, after a couple amazing days in Byron Bay, we had to move on with our journey. Luckily enough for us, we were on to the renowned Gold Coast! Now, the weather wasn’t up to its usual sunny standards in the city of Surfer’s Paradise (no really – that’s its name), so our days were spent relaxing, shopping, and getting to know the local watering holes as opposed to doing the surf/adventure thing. As it was Magic Megs’ birthday on our first night there, we made sure to show her a terrific time at a club called Melba’s, indulging in fancy and colorful drinks and dancing on the podiums as is necessary for the birthday of a twenty-something tour operator.
And soon enough, our daytime relaxation and nighttime antics came to a close in Surfer’s Paradise as we jetted off once more toward the horizon. This time, we sped across the coast with just enough time to catch an afternoon ferry to the glorious Fraser Island, the world’s largest sand island. Now, I realize you’re probably thinking, “Uh, right. Largest sand island. Sounds exciting… (sarcasm evident in your tone),” but I assure you that this place is awesome! It’s no large mound of sand, folks – it’s a VERY large mound of sand (170ish miles long, I think) with fantastically lush rain forests, rainwater lakes of the brightest teal, shipwrecks upon the beaches, and bright white silica sand in which to run your toes or shine your jewelry.
My favorite day there was absolutely the day we spent exploring the island in a 4 wheel-drive vehicle. Now, optional activities are usually well attended, but somehow we managed to get all 30+ people AND Leigh and Megs to come on the excursion. Fabulous! We rode that roller coaster of a voyage in a huge 4WD monster, racing through the soft white roads like there was no tomorrow. We stopped for a swim in the refreshing (read: cold, but not painfully so) and glorious Lake McKenzie, shined our jewelry (really, though), and had some tea and muffins along the way. Then it was off to take a magical rainforest walk, on which we sat in disbelief of the scenery and replenished any energy drained in the sun. And then we stopped for lunch, after which we blazed across the beaches on the “highway” of Fraser Island.
Full speed ahead, we tore past neverending turquoise ocean and kept our eyes peeled for sharks or whales. Then we stopped to admire massive walls of sand with 70+ shades of gold, red, and amber, and soon it was on to explore the shipwreck of a monstrous former ocean liner now eaten away by the sea and rusted a heavy mix of red and orange. After awkwardly getting pummeled by waves while trying to find my way around the ship (remember, I’m neither cool nor coordinated), the bunch of us regrouped and headed to a freshwater stream in which to wade or float back toward the ocean. Tanning and admiring the many fit and tan young men around us (sorry to the guys on board, but it’s true), we ladies whittled away the final hours of the afternoon before boarding the 4WD beast one last time and racing through the forest back to our cabins. Some watched the sunset, some read, and some indulged in a couple of cocktails before heading to our last dinner and night of fun at the Dingo Bar. If you still think that large sand island called Fraser sounds boring, well…you should probably reevaluate your travel priorities and be a little more open to adventure, ’cause that place is a ball!
Sydney Fun
Well, folks – it’s that time: time for my last tour of the World Traveler Internship. And it’s true – that’s a huge bummer. (I’m sorry…did you just say school starts in less than 3 weeks? I’ll ignore that comment, thank you.) However, I’m thrilled that my final country of exploration has been so exciting every step of the way. It’s true what people say: Australia really is a land of fun in the sun, adventure activities, and otherworldly landscapes.
To all the guys out there who would like to travel Australia – I’ll have you know that my group of 33 people was comprised of 30 females and 3 males (all of whom were dating women on the trip). That means that each time we rolled into a new town, 27 single ladies climbed out of our sexy bus to wreak havoc on the surf boys there. You realize what this means, right? They could be wreaking havoc on you! Oh my, what fun. Although I’ve heard not all trips are quite so heavily skewed in the male:female ratio, there still tend to be a fair few ladies on board…so guys, strike while the iron’s hot. And girls, don’t be deterred because of the number of females; we all had a blast. There are plenty of single, sun-kissed fellows at every stop. =)
Now that I’ve got your attention, it’s time to share a bit about the adventures I had along the way! But first, I must reiterate a point I made in an earlier blog: connecting with people along your travels creates invaluable experiences and a fantastic world map of contacts for future trips. Why do I mention this now? Because our first tour stop was Sydney, and since I had a few days there on my own before the trip, I was able to reconnect with a group of girls I met on my tour of Eastern Europe. We four gals had a fantastic time tearing up their hometown, hitting up the Opera Bar (which gave an unparalleled view of the Opera House and Harbour Bridge at night), walking the piers, and impressing local Italian eateries with our appetites. How cool to have a group of ready-made friends in a foreign land!
After my time in the shiny, impressive city of Sydney, I boarded the bus for a long first day of driving. The landscapes along the way were beautiful, and we did the whole “getting to know you thing” as we flew across the east coast toward the Myall Lakes. Our Host Meagan (aka Magic Megs) and Tour Leader Leigh introduced themselves and each proved immediately to hold a vast expanse of knowledge as well as a terrific sense of humor. Their banter and chemistry kept everyone on their toes, and the group immediately established an open attitude (which is essential to travel).
We arrived at the Myall Lakes around late afternoon to a fantastic little bunch of eco-friendly villas. Now, when I say eco-friendly, I don’t mean “sparse and boring;” in the case of this place, eco-friendly stands for “environmentally responsible mixed with a whole lotta chic and modern.” I’m telling you: those villas were the jam! I dropped my stuff in my villa and immediately took the the water in a kayak, splashing about and admiring the fading afternoon light with my lovely Norwegian kayak partner Helena. We paddled around in pursuit of rare birds, raced the sun to the horizon, and then climbed ashore just as the sherbet-orange of sunset began to streak across the sky. We joined some others on the docks to watch the sun dip beneath the deep green forests on the other side of the lake, and then we rested a wee while before joining the others for dinner.
It’s important that I note now how delectable every meal Megs cooked was. Since most meals were provided on the tour, the host holds the job of cooking and we’ll just say that Magic Megs is as talented as her nickname would suggest.
Whether it was steak, stirfry, kebabs, or seafood for dinner, the feasts were always vast…and I may or may not have gotten seconds nearly every night. Anyway, we had a delicious dinner and fantastic conversation as we all got to know one another. We shared about our cultures (there were passengers from England, Scotland, Wales, the U.S., Holland, Norway, France, and Germany, and the crew was from Oz!), took photos of the stray possum that managed to climb a rafter overhead and then just look confused for quite some time, and then we called it a night in order to prepare for the travel day ahead. All in all, it was a fantastic beginning to what would become an incredible adventure.
Last Day in Thailand
Waking to the sound of roosters and “Tea or coffee, Rachel?” as offered by a fellow traveler, I gathered my things and enjoyed breakfast on the porch. Then, we all made our way down to the river for a wonderful bamboo-rafting adventure!
Somehow, our three-hour ride flew past with unimaginable speed, the time filled with attempts at fishing, attempts at steering, and awesome rides through small rapids. The scenery was astounding, and the calls of wild animals escaped the forests to reach our raft just before disappearing into the churning water. We passed families of elephants guided by bands of children, our guides sang Thai folk songs as we took the chance to swim alongside the raft, and the splashing wars with other tour groups were very clearly won by us. Next up, it was lunchtime in a small riverside restaurant before boarding our truck to head back to the city of Chiang Mai. Just as we climbed into the truck, the blue sky darkened and the first raindrops fell. By the time we had begun driving, torrential rains came down in sheets outside the car, and the jungle that had been our home was a beautiful blur of deep green and gray. We said goodbye to the villages along the way, to the elephants and their guides, and to an experience that shall always hold an extremely special place in our memories.
We arrived back in Chiang Mai with a couple of hours to explore or rest, and then we headed out for one last evening on the town. We had a fabulous dinner on Rasta Row, complemented by the live music and enhanced by the unexpected performance of our guide Dong and fellow trekker Rob…I never knew “La Bamba” could be so beautifully sung! Then Megan, Nikki, and I headed to the night market to explore and indulge in half-hour massages that cost us less than $2. Yeah, Thailand!
The following day, the group attended a cooking class and learned to make some fabulous Thai dishes before we boarded our overnight train. We spent one last night sharing jokes and stories on the train, and in the blink of an eye it was morning in Bangkok. Warm embraces and goodbyes were made easier by the notion that we’ll hopefully see each other again on the road sometime (you can trust that I WILL be calling these fabulous people if I end up in the UK, Holland, or Australia again in the near future).
And after separating, I spent the day exploring the astounding Grand Palace, Temple of the Reclining Buddha, and riverside activity of Bangkok. I indulged in another extremely cheap and unparalleled massage for all of $3. For dinner, I wandered Khao San road until I found a place with cheap pad thai. I sat enjoying my food and people-watching, and out of the blue a friend from high school wandered into the same nondescript restaurant! My beautiful pal Fiona, with whom I played field hockey and did various other activities, happened to also have just one night in Bangkok (in transit just like me, no less), and somehow she ended up in the same tiny, boring-looking restaurant as I did. Talk about a small world! She and her friend Kim joined me for dinner and drinks, and we took one last spin around the night market before calling it a night and each heading off in different directions to our next travel destinations.
All in all, Thailand has been one of the most incredible travel experiences of my life. At this point, I’ve been to just under 30 countries, and somehow in a span of only eight days Thailand catapulted itself to the top of the list of favorites. And I’m not the only one to fall in love with the magical land of Siam; everyone I know who has visited says the same thing: “Thailand may very well be the coolest place I’ve ever been.” So, get yourself here A.S.A.P. I guarantee you – you’ll be charmed, challenged, and inspired.
Visit, and let Thailand become a part of you. You won’t regret it.
And now I’m off to the Land Down Under. Stay tuned for my final weeks of adventure as STA Travel’s World Traveler Intern – I’ll make sure you see some skydiving, snorkeling, 4-wheeling, and beach adventures! Australia, here I come…
Exploring Thailand
On morning two, we met in the hotel lobby packed and ready to board our safari vehicle and head into the mountains. We made a short jaunt to a local open-air market outside the city to taste crazy-looking and delicious tropical fruits (green oranges; star fruit with the neon pink and green scaly exterior and translucent white flesh with black seeds; tasty fruit with long pink hair and pits in the middle) and dried worms that tasted like seasoned potato chips. Then back into the car for a quick drive to the awe-inspiring Mork-Fa falls in the middle of the jungle, where we splashed about in the warm waters and generally stood astounded. The mist tumbled from above and the blue of sky and water contrasted with the white of the falls, gray of rock, and varied greens of the foliage.
Before we knew what was happening, Dee — our young Tarzan of a jungle guide, was scaling rock faces and doing flips off cliffs and through the waterfalls. He led us up a slick rock platform and through the roaring current of the falls to a spot behind the wall of white, through which we could just make out the shapes of the travelers and jungle behind. The winds behind the falls were so intense that small currents of water rushed UP the rock face behind us to create an arch overhead before joining the greater flow on the other side and crashing down into the pool of water below.
After our invigorating swim, we made our way back through the jungle, climbed back aboard the vehicle, and made the short trip to a lovely wood-framed road-side restaurant with excellent local food, and after lunch our trekking adventures began! We followed hillside ridges up and down and through the forest, small packs on our backs, exposed skin bathed in impenetrable insect repellent, and eyes wide to the surroundings. Our guides showed us miraculous little tricks of nature, like how to make leaves explode in our hands, blow bubbles from the stems of soap plants, and create face paint with the charcoal of burned trees (Dee painted a large black handlebar mustache on my face…how pretty). They pointed out the wildlife, climbed trees to gather mango and papaya for us (which was absolutely the most incredible fruit I’ve ever eaten), and chopped down bamboo chutes to use in home-cooked dinners. Since it’s rainy season at the moment, the trails were quite slippery and we all looked interesting with our ponchos and shoes covered in red clay from wiping out (we’re not so coordinated), but it was absolutely a blast!
After a couple hours of walking (including breaks, don’t worry), we got our first glimpse of the village in which we’d be staying for the night. Rice terraces tumbled down the mountainsides, and wooden homes broke up the sea of green. Cows, chickens, and pigs wandered about the footpaths, and brightly colored clothing hung from balconies like festival flags. And let me tell you, folks: it was breathtaking. We watched and helped the village women prepare the rice just brought in from the fields, and then we made our way to our home for the night. Since three generations of family members live in house that was offered to us, that meant that we were surrounded by grandparents with beautiful smile lines, parents with welcoming arms, and children with the most gorgeous big brown eyes I’ve ever seen. What an incomparable scenario!
I was invited to help the family and guides prepare dinner, and then the whole group learned to make Thai spring rolls. Dinner was fabulous and followed by a night on the porch that hung just above the top of the jungle’s trees. The evening was made complete with games, conversation, and a most beautiful exchange amongst travelers and locals. That night and its openness prove the perfect example of why I travel.
The following day, we had to bid adieu to the family that so kindly hosted us, and upon our departure we were all given the gift of bamboo cups carved by the family’s son that very morning! We then trekked further through the rice terraces and jungles, stopping to take in the scenery, rehydrate, and eat the fruit of the trees surrounding. At lunchtime we arrived at an elephant camp along the river, fed ourselves and fed the beautiful elephants, and then took a fantastic ride through the forest on the backs of the gentle beasts! We waded through rivers and maneuvered paths that seemed far too small for our massive transport. Then some of us took the opportunity to ride the necks of the elephants, guiding with our voices and with our legs which were tucked so nicely behind the colossal ears of our new pets. What fun!
Then it was on to our next home, a modern and handsome village on the banks of a winding river. We dropped our bags and ran straight down to the water for an afternoon dip. We jumped off the cliffs into the gentle current, splashed about, and then built sandcastles and sand temples on the shore. Before we knew it, late afternoon had faded into evening and dinnertime was upon us.
I joined Megan and Nikki, the two young Brits, in the home’s large kitchen, and we three were soon employed as the taste-testers of various foods and local rice whiskey. Excellent. We sat around on woven mats as spices filled the air and Dee strummed the guitar. Other guides came and went, and soon enough dinner was served. The group ate in a candlelit circle on the floor of the huge porch and watched night fall in the jungle. After yet another delicious meal, we filled the night air with guitar and singing, and we shared stories and wonderful Thai massages (you really must have one…they’re especially glorious on the feet). It was only when we realized it was past midnight that we decided to get some sleep before our next day in the hills of Thailand.
Visiting Thailand
Dear Family,
I’m terribly sorry to break the news this way, but I don’t know how else to tell you: I’m never coming home. I know you’ve provided everything I’ve ever needed in life, but Thailand beckons me with a call that I cannot (and do not wish to) break. Thus, I shall remain here until the end of time.
All my love,
Rachel
***
That’s about how the letter will go. It’ll be short and sweet – easier on all parties involved, don’t you think? No, but seriously, Thailand is absolutely incredible. I haven’t felt this impressed by and connected to a country in a long, long time, and I have no doubts you’d feel the same way. In fact, do you remember Hayley, the British girl I worked with at the conservation center in China? Before China, she traveled Thailand for 5 weeks and judging by the way she reminisced about the trip I’d bet she’ll have trouble getting over her love for Thailand when committing herself in her next relationship. It happens…welcome the passion and beauty! I know I did.
Before I met up with my tour in Chiang Mai, my Thai adventures began with some rejuvenation in Bangkok, made easier by copious tropical fruit shakes, rain washing away all stress as I ate in bungalow-esque restaurants, and shopping at the night market on Khao San Road. No matter what you hear about Bangkok being a big or busy city, you must know that it’s very relaxed compared to other cities of its size. Relaxed enough that I felt at home, and for me that’s really saying something!
After some R&R in Bangkok, I headed to Chiang Mai in northwest Thailand, settled into my hotel, and met up with a friend from my hometown of Dayton, Ohio! Whoa. Now, this guy’s been in Thailand for 3-and-a-half years teaching English at the university, so he really knows Chiang Mai.
I met some of his friends over coffee at the Chiang Mai institution of Wawee Coffee on Nimmanhaemin Road (known to many as Coffee Lane) and it was a blast. When in Chiang Mai, you must visit Nimmanhaemin since it borders the university and is an awesome spot to wander for cafes, boutiques, or the innumerable coffee shops (it’s literally one after another).
Don’t go to Starbucks – that’s where only tourists and rich Thais go. Instead, head to Wawee or a place that supports the local hill tribes by buying their crops. That, my friends, is what we call “responsible travel,” or travel that respects and gives back to the local people. Anyway, later the crew and I had some awesome vegetarian grub and then paid a visit the bars along Rasta Row, the spot where travelers and locals convene and people-watching is a must. After that, I grabbed a ride in what happens to be my favorite form of transportation so far: the tuk-tuk, or a little motorized cart that whizzes around the city with flashing lights and wind in one’s hair. Fu-un.
The next morning, I met with my tour guide Deng and the five other travelers in my group, and we grabbed a ride in one of the city’s many deep red taxis converted from an old pickup truck with the addition of a roof and some benches in the bed of the truck. I love Thai transport. We wound up through the mountains, observed the scenery and many signs of loyalty to the Buddha and the Thai royal family (man, they’re beloved), and got to know each other (the others were a delightful mix: an Aussie couple, a Dutch guy, and two young English gals).
Then it was out of the car to visit Doi Suthep, a beautiful and renowned Buddhist temple situated on the mountaintop. We removed our shoes, made sure our shoulders, arms, and legs were covered out of respect for Thai culture, and wound through the complex in utter amazement. The place was chock-full of intricate tile work, dragons, spires, Buddha images, circumambulation (the walks of the pious which circle around statues or shrines), incredible artistry, golden towers, candles, prayer and devotion. We all made sure to point our toes away from the Buddha and keep our heads lower than Buddha and the monks, as in Thailand the foot is the lowliest part of the body and the head the highest, so one shows disrespect by undermining another with his/her feet or head in the wrong place.
Before leaving, I made sure to get my fortune by kneeling to offer a prayer in one of the temple’s many small annexes, then shaking a group of numbered sticks until one separated from the group. My fortune read simply: “The 26th number tells you that you are going to be lucky. Everything will be getting better and better.” Uhh, AWESOME. I didn’t even know it was possible for things to get better than this summer…but, I’ll gladly take that fortune
At the end of the day, we all met up again for a trip to the trek gear shop, then dinner in an open-air market to eat awesome pad thai and witness traditional dance and music on stage. The dancers swirled about with candles and elegant hand movements as intensely-colored clothing laced with gold moved about them like water, and children watched on with bobbing heads and mimicked motions. Then the group took a spin through the night market to buy comfy cotton shirts, cool wall-hangings, and tribal jewelry before getting some pre-trek sleep.
Temples in China
I am happy, dirty, and bronzed by the sun. What a wonderful life this is! While the first few days at the conservation center provided some rather serious heat (read: sweet farmer’s tans and unladylike sweating for me), the last couple have cooled off and brought a bit of refreshing rain. I’ve been working with the utmost devotion to the giant pandas, as they truly are the most beautiful animals on earth! Even if you’re not an animal person, there’s no denying a little love for the pandas.
The weekdays here have been the same since I last wrote: work with those slow-moving bandit-looking bears, exploration of the park, impromptu exchanges of English-Chinese lessons with the town’s children or my keepers, and the consumption of too much delicious food during meals in town. Excellent! And I forgot to mention earlier that I seem to cause a bit of commotion around the park and town with my blond hair and light eyes. I can’t figure out if I’m an oddity or a commodity, but I am pop-u-lar with the camera-toting population. Hayley and I constantly get bombarded with crowds of passersby who seem unable to blink or pull their chins off their collar bones because they’re staring so hard. Then it’s “Nihao! Hello!” and much motioning with cameras and totally awkward pictures with strangers. Right on… What do they go tell the people at home when the pictures are developed? “This is the stranger I met today. Cool, huh? She thought I was awesome at English and very hip. We’re pretty good friends now.” Because really it’s just a very odd and amusing exchange where I’m not sure which way to lean or whose hand is ever-so-slightly gracing my back. Yeah, Westerners in rural China!
On another note, today Hayley and I rode horses up into the mountains, and it was absolutely incredible. The horses were stunning, and the views were breathtaking the whole way. Guides took us to the top where there was a minute market full of jade, prayer flags and beads, food, and small wooden weaponry (yes!), and we were free to roam about and walk back down when we pleased. People made offerings at the small temple overlooking deep green valleys below and peaks hidden by mist above, and Hayley and I tied bright red and orange flags to the tips of tree branches sending wishes out with the wind.
After stopping a while to take in the scenery and fresh mountain air, we began the walk down the billions of stairs in the direction of town. We stopped in a clearing for a small picnic, were befriended by a beautiful 12 year-old Chinese girl, helped her with some English and followed the young lady further downhill to a mind-blowing Taoist temple.
As one of the main tenets of Taoism is balance between man and nature, this temple’s many annexes seem to gracefully tumble down the mountain with the changing altitude (almost as though mountain and temple are one and the same). The many stairs and brightly painted murals wind up and down with the hills, and the tiled rooftops of the various buildings shimmer in the sun. Deep reds, blues, and greens abound, and incense wafts about as people make their offerings to nature. It’s a pretty otherworldly place, and I fear that words could never do it justice.
Tomorrow, Hayley and I will further explore the town and visit the renowned Japanese Bamboo Garden, and Monday is my final day at the park. This experience truly has been surreal and enriching beyond belief, and I highly recommend one of their programs to anyone interested in travel with a purpose beyond just individual satisfaction. Like I said in a past blog: spend your days giving, and your days will give back to you.
I must be off to bed now. I have a long couple of days ahead of me, as Tuesday morning I’m off to Thailand! Man oh man, the weeks are flying by…
Feeding Pandas in China
The morning after the fountain show in Xi’an, it was well-wishing and hugs to the rest of the tour group and volunteers as I made my way to the mountains with an enthusiastic young English volunteer named Hayley.
A tour employee named Tony drove with us, which proved invaluable as we got oriented in the tiny town that was to be our home for the next little while. We paid a quick visit to the Shaanxi Province Rescue and Breeding Center of Rare Wildlife where we’d be working, dropped our stuff at the hotel (which, by the way, is an excellent hotel considering we’re in quite a small town), and went for lunch at the restaurant of Mr. Deng, the man with the happiest face and demeanor in the universe. Seriously, you’ve never been around someone that glowed such joy as Mr. Deng.
Now, Mr. Deng’s place is the be-all and end-all in terms of our food experience, and I couldn’t be more pleased. I could feel slimmer (less “well-fed,” if you prefer), but I certainly could not be more pleased. Hayley and I hit up Mr. Deng’s for breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day, and the food is amazing! Sometimes we choose the dish, sometimes he prepares surprises for us; but, it is always delicious. In fact, one of the only full phrases Hayley and I can say in Chinese is “It’s delicious!” Yeah, Mr. Deng.
From Mr. Deng’s, we headed back to the park to meet the staff and get started in the volunteer efforts. Hayley was immediately placed in the Old Panda House with 6 Giant Pandas, and I was whisked off on an old red motorcycle to the New Panda House with its 5 incredibly cuddly beasts. Now, I must admit: I already have a favorite. His name is Chow Chow, and he was found in the forest after having been orphaned early in life. Since he couldn’t make it on its own, and since one of the purposes of the conservation center is to in rehabilitate sick or injured animals, little Chow Chow was taken under the wing of my keepers, Mr. Cheng and Mr. Jung. Only 3 years old and still too tiny to go out into the wild, wee Chow Chow just spends his days in the park playing, nibbling bamboo and fruit, rolling around, and sleeping. When I have children, I want them to be baby pandas… Speaking of baby pandas, one of my others (an 18 year-old female named Xue Xue) is due to give birth in a month! This is an incredibly big deal, as pandas aren’t particularly sexual creatures, and there are only about 1600 of them on the planet. Make that 1601 come August. Forget extinction — these bears are makin’ a comeback!
Anyway, my jobs around the park included feeding the pandas (by hand!), cleaning enclosures, and administering medicine to those lazy and beautiful creatures. I’ve heard that past volunteers have been asked to help with English in brochures and on signposts, but the English looks spelling-error-free at this point. I spend my copious free time exchanging English and Chinese phrases with my keepers (always a very funny process); wandering about the park to admire leopards, monkeys, peacocks, black bears, and a bunch of other wonderful creatures; reading; and playing with the local children, who just happen to be my most excitable and devoted friends to date. The millions of beautiful children and I run about the park causing a ruckus, and it is glorious. We sing and dance and count in English and Chinese and have long conversations over-flowing with excitement in which the sentences are not mutually understood (because they’re in different languages), but the beaming smiles are universal.
When 5 p.m. rolls around, I’m off for the day, so I take one last spin around the park and come back to the hotel before dinner. Then a fantastic feast so huge you’re eyes would become dislodged at the sight of it, and back through the wooded streets of the town to the hotel to admire blazing red-orange sunsets against the deep green mountain walls. If ever there were a place with Zen, this is it. Spend your days giving, and your days will give back to you. Fabulous!
