Sunday, September 28, 2014

"Seattle Times" Posts my Travel Photo: APPLE'S EVERYWHERE!--September 2014

You can see this travel photo of mine posted on Sunday, September 28th, NW Travelers Section of the "Seattle Times" newspaper.  It is featured as one of the "Top 10 Shots" in their Summer Vacation Photo Contest.


It is captioned: APPLE IS EVERWHERE: Richard Hunt, of Seattle, shot this photo in southern China.  "While waiting for the train in Nanning, I spotted this little boy with this iconic Apple logo shaved on his head.  His mother posed him for the shot."

Back in 2009, they also published this picture of women dancing in Lingshed, Ladakh Region of India.  In this dance, they were honoring my homestay host, Skama.  She is ladened with scores of white katas as a sign of respect and honor for her role as a host of us and as a foster parent to many children.



Although she and her husband, Skansen, are childless, over the years they have been foster parents to other children who have either lost their parents or their parents live in a faraway village without a school to attend so they stay with them during school.

In 2008, I traveled with Crooked Trails to Lingshed.  This is a Seattle women-owned tour company that creates sustainable travel experiences.  To learn more about them and Ladakh tours they have, go to http://crookedtrails.org

This was a trek of six days that took us over 4 mountain passes of over 15,000 feet to Lingshed at over 12,000 feet where we enjoyed home stays and an unexpected festival.  They have no electricity, no internet, no roads closer than a four-day trek, nor running water inside the homes, and composting toilets inside the homes.


Here is a picture of me with our guide, Lobsang, at the top of one of the passes.  She was returning to her home village after an absence of over two years.  They welcomed her like a rock star.


During our trek and stay in Lingshed, the temperatures ranged from 40 degrees to 90 degrees F.  However, in the winter the rivers freeze over and temperatures drop to 40 below F or C.


Here I am dressed in Skansen's fancy festival clothes in between him and his wife, Skama.  We are at their home where they hosted me for five days.  While there, our small group of six travelers helped build an addition to a neighbor's home by making mud, forming it into bricks, and then laying the bricks up and around the door and a couple of window frames.  Plus, we participated in three days of festivals where they even had me lead in one of the men's dances with lots of Chang both before and after my dance.

Here are some of the scenery we passed through on our way back to the road.


Luckily, horses carried our packs.


Coming down from one of the four 15,000 ft. passes.


We took this shortcut that the horsemen could not travel.


This bridge was the no-go for the horses, but just fine for us. 

Wednesday, September 10, 2014

Why I Travel--September 2014

Ringing in the Travel


 China 2009

While traveling, my brother, Jim, a retired History professor at Whitworth College, asked me why I traveled, and accompanied it with an article from ReVision Magazine, Vol.32. No. 1, titled "Transformative Travel" by Susan L. Ross. My guess is that he wanted me to read the article to see if it struck a responsive chord with me. It did not. Perhaps her opening line colored my view of the rest of her article because she started with:

"This article explores how to travel, when approached in a conscious way, can be a widely available, individually tailored, and enjoyable way to gain self-awareness, spiritual experience, and an expansion of consciousness."

The only travelers I have seen that are not traveling in a conscious way are the drunk or drugged out people you see in the cities throughout the US and some other parts of the world. Maybe they, too, are living in their own conscious way.

Dr. Ross’s orientation is in the area of recreational therapy for folks with post-traumatic stress and adventure therapy with an orientation to traveling to sacred sites to cultivate ancient rituals, relationships with living energy. and partnerships with elders. I am sure some travelers would recognize that their travels fit into these categories.

So if none of Dr. Ross’s categories of "Transformative Travel" give me that "Aha moment!" then I think, why do I travel?

In reflecting on this question, I reviewed some of my travel blog reports, thought about where, when, and how I like to travel. Here are some of the reasons for doing the travel I do:
  • Enjoy challenges,
  • Try something new and different,
  • Gain perspective about other cultures compared to mine,
  • Because I can.
Enjoy Challenges
The mental challenges include figuring out where I want to travel and setting up an itinerary so my spouse knows where I am going and how to contact me. Of course, while traveling I make lots of changes to this plan as opportunities arise—-and keep her posted on my changes. Planning for your travels is an integral part of your travel experience. Many times your travel is over even before you return home. As John Steinbeck said in Travels with Charley: In Search of America:

"Who has not known a journey to be over and dead before the traveler returns? The reverse is also true: many a trip continues long after movement in time and space have ceased."

I like to prove to myself that I can navigate my way through territory I have yet to explore, and
find food, shelter, and travel in places where no English is spoken using phrases from guide books, pantomime, and recently, iPhone translators the locals have, are challenges I enjoy.

The physical challenges include taking some adventures ranging from:
  • riding zip lines in Chile and Nepal,

Chile 2011

  • climbing volcanos in Chile, Washington, Oregon, and California,
Villaricca Volcano, Chile 2011
  • shooting white water rapids on the Pacuare River in Costa Rica, California, Oregon, and Washington.
Klamath River, CA 1968
  • snorkeling in SE Asia, and Latin America,
 Krabi, Thailand 2005
  • riding camels in Mongolia, horses in Peru, and elephants in Thailand,
 Mongolia 2014

 Cusco, Peru 2005


 Thailand 2005
  • taking amazing hikes like the Pacific Crest Trail, Circuit "W" in Patagonia, Hua Shan, Great Wall of China, Leaping Tiger Gorge in China, Cordillera Blanca Mountains in Peru, and the Great Baikal Trail in Russia.
 PCT Mexico

                                                    2002----2008

 PCT Canada

 
Torres del Paine, Chile 2011


 Hua Shan, China 2009


 Great Wall, China 2014


 Leaping Tiger Gorge, China 2009





 Cordillera Blanca, Peru 2005

 Grand Baikal Trail, Russia 2014

  • boating the Amazon, Mekong, Perfume, Mae Kok, Chao Phraya, Kwai, Yangtze, Li and Yulong Rivers,
 Amazon Boat 2012

 Cargo on Amazon 2012

 Hammocks on Amazon 2012

 Canoe, Amazon Jungle 2012

 Mekong River, Laos 2013

 Chao Phraya, Thailand 2014

 River Kwai, Thailand 2013

 Yangtze River Boat, China 2009

 Li River Boat, China 2009

Yulong River, China 2009
  • biking from Danang to Hoi An and short moto-taxi rides in the cities and islands,
 Easy Rider, Vietnam 2014

 Friendship Pass, China  2014

 Ko Samui, Thailand 2004

 Yangshuo, China 2009

  • riding trains, boats, and buses,
 Trans-Siberian, Mongolia 2014


 Hard sleeper, China 2014

 Sapa Soft sleeper, Vietnam 2014

 Kwai Train, Thailand 2013

 Bullet Train, China 2014

 Bullet Trains, Japan 2004

 Mekong Delta, Vietnam 2007


 

Foz do Iguacu, Brazil 2012


 Halong Bay, Vietnam  2008


 Ko Samet, Thailand, 2014


 Krabi, Thailand 2007


 Phuket, Thailand, 2008

 Chiang Rai 2004

 Fortaleza, Brazil 2012

 Sukothai, Thailand 2013

 Pingxiang, China 2014

 Minivans, various
  • getting lost and then finding your way,
  • traveling during revolts or coups,
 Quito, Ecuador 2005

 News, Ecuador 2005

 Campesino Road blockade, Bolivia, 2005


 La Paz-El Alto, Bolivia 2005


 My hotel, La Paz, Bolivia 2005


 Cochabamba, Bolivia 2005

 Thailand--Coups almost annually

  • eating unusual foods like durian, monkey brains, snakes, tarantulas, snails, fried crickets and  larvas,

 Snake Restaurant, Hue, Vietnam 2002



 Blood whiskey, Hue, Vietnam


 Tarantula, Cambodia 2007

 Brazil Nut Larva 2012

 Brazil Nut Larva, 2012

 Fried Crickets, Vietnam 2014

 Caviar, Russia 2014

 Snails, China 2014

 Snails, China 2014

 

Terremoto, Chile 2011

 Street Beer, Hanoi, Vietnam 2007

 Lomito in Punta Arenas, Chile 2011

 Borscht, Russia 2014

 Chicken Livers, Russia 2014



 12 courses, Myanmar 2004

 Deer in Dalat, Vietnam 2014

 Tamarind Restaurant, Hanoi, Vietnam 2014

 Rice meal with Monks, Taungoo, Myanmar 2004
Try Something New and Different
I am always curious to try anything new and different whether it is a place, experience, food, modes of transportation, especially when it comes to doing it in a different culture than my own. I enjoy going to countries that are not similar to my own which is why I like going to SE Asia and Latin America over Europe. I shy away from Africa since the public transportation system seems fraught with uncertainty and danger as does travel to some of the Middle Eastern countries.

Rather than flying from one city to the next, and then getting a taxi to the downtown area, I prefer using the local transportation whether it is a light rail, metro, bus, jitney, or moto-taxi. Taxi rides for me are very infrequent even though cheap in many countries I visit. I find that the Lonely Planet guides provide some of the best information on the various modes of transportation available when going to or leaving cities.

I enjoy staying at the budget hotels as described in the Lonely Planet guides or in hostels with dorms and other travelers from different countries, usually European countries like the UK, Holland, or Germany, Australians, Chinese, and Japanese. I encounter very few Americans in the hotels and hostels I stay in. The physical challenges listed above give you some idea of the types of different activities I like to try.  Here are some of the interesting and inexpensive places I have stayed:



 Lovina, Bali 2011

 Lovina, Bali 2011

 Chiang Rai, Thailand 2004

 
Ko Samui, Thailand 2004

 
Ko Chang, Thailand 2007

 Pingyao, China 2009

 
Lingshed, India 2008

 Paraty, Brazil 2012

 
Ito, Japan 2011

 
Capsule Hotel, Nagoya, Japan 2011

 

Kyoto, Japan 2011


 Nagi, Nepal 2002 


Manang, Nepal 2002


 Inle, Myanmar 2004


 Inle, Myanmar 2004


 HCMC, Vietnam 2014

When I take local tours,  I am usually the only Westerner among the tour group. Some of the tours have been in Brazil, Chile, Peru, China, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, India, and Myanmar.

 Yangtze River boat 2009


 Bike tour in Yangshuo, China  2009

 

Ladakh Trek, India 2008

 Secret Great Wall, China 2009

 Amazon Jungle, Brazil 2012

 La Throng La Pass, Nepal 2002

 Room to Read, Laos 2007

 Room to Read, India 2004

 Room to Read, India 2004


 Room to Read, Vietnam 2007

 Room to Read, Cambodia 2005

 Road trip Myanmar 2004

 Mingun guides, Myanmar 2004

 

Broke Dragon Terrace, China 2009

 Changsa, China 2009

 Changsa, China 2009

 Safari South Africa 2005

 Damnoen Market, Thailand 2004

 Dominoes on Amazon boat, Brazil 2012

 Laos village near Luang Prabang, 2002

 Dalat tour, Vietnam 2014

I have had lots of different foods both in restaurants and street food that the locals seem to enjoy. I try some of the spicy food, but if it is too spicy, I start hiccuping so I end up piling on more rice or noodles or swilling cold beer to soothe my taste buds. I have sampled fried crickets, larvae, tarantulas, snakes, snails, deer, rabbits, sausages of all kinds, known and unknown fruits and vegetables.

Gain Perspective About Cultures Other Than Mine

With each culture I visit, I increasingly realize that ours is not better than theirs, but rather different. I gain a greater understanding of my own culture by viewing other cultures. We could learn from some of their cultural and public services and they could learn some from our culture as well.

While doing some homestays with families in Peru, Thailand, Bhutan, Nepal, and India, I got to see first hand how individuals, families, and communities interact with each other, their neighboring communities, and tourists. In most of these homestays, there were few outside influences since they were out of range of TVs, radios, and in most cases roads. As a result, they found ways to work, support, and entertain each other. Festivals and other gatherings were occasions for them to arrange marriages for their "eligible" children and maintain relationships with neighboring villagers that may help each other in the future. I also enjoy encountering other festivals in my travels.

 Vegetarian Festival, Thailand 2006

 Vegetarian Festival, Thailand 2006

 Loy Kratong, Phuket, Thailand 2005

 Wedding party at Angkor Wat, Cambodia 2005

Dali High School, China 2009

 Bagan monklets, Myanmar 2004

 Monk initiation, Myanmar 2004




 Fengdu kids, China 2009  

 Room to Read, Beneghat, Nepal 2002

 Room to Read, Nagdi, Nepal 2002

  
The restaurant owner, Ta Prohm, Cambodia 2006

Vicos school, Peru 2005

 Salvador, Brazil 2012

 Lunar New Year, Penang, Malaysia 2008

 New Year Penang, Malaysia 2008

 Cheers in Yangshuo, China 2014

 
Ollantaytambo festival, Peru 2005

 Black Hat festival, Bhutan 2000

 Black Hat festival, Thimpu, Bhutan 2000

I value the kindness of strangers as they help me along my journey by giving me directions, treating me to meals or drinks, giving me rides, offering me places to stay, discussing their lives and dreams, and so on, even if sometimes, we do not have any common language.

 Guilin tourists, China 2009

 Galapagos BD party, Ecuador 2005

 Pachamama feast, Peru 2005

 Baha'i Temple, India 2004

 Valparaiso boating, Chile 2011

Because I Can
Now that I am retired, I am fortunate to have the time, money, health to travel as much as I can, as long as I can. Also, my spouse, Tani, still enjoys staying at home and supports my solo travels.

I enjoy solo traveling because I do not have to coordinate with anyone on where to go, how to go, how long to stay in any one spot, and also because it makes me more open to reaching out to others, both locals and other international travelers.

To maximize my travels, I rely on frequent flyer mile programs to fund my air travel overseas. I enjoy the challenge of seeking out ways to rack up mileage by "churning credit cards and other mileage offers.

Once in the country, I focus on local transportation modes both as a way to save money and to observe and interact with people. Oftentimes I am the only "Westerner" on the boat, bus, or metro. My trips of usually 2 months end up costing around $3,000 to $5,000 which is about what a two-week vacation to SE Asia, Latin America, or Hawaii would be excluding food and local transportation.

My trips would even cost less if I did not spend as much as I do on food, but I am a foodie and enjoy eating well. Also, when I am at home, my daily average dining and grocery expenses average $28 per day compared to $35–38 per day when I travel. My home average normal food cost of $28 per day would be $1,680 for two months. If I were to back out this amount from my 2-month trips, these trips would then just average between $1,322 and $3,320.

We are all on a life’s journey and how I enjoy traveling may not be enjoyable for others. With that in mind, I like to refer to this Walt Whitman poem from Song of Myself, section 46 that points that out:

"Not I, not anyone else can travel that road for you,
You must travel it for yourself.
It is not far, it is within reach,
Perhaps you have been on it since you were born and did not know,
Perhaps it is everywhere on water and on land."

When I finished hiking the Pacific Crest Trail—-a trail of 2,660 miles from Mexico to Canada, I remembered one of the most frequent mantras I heard from other hikers was HYOH—-hike your own hike, meaning that to enjoy your long-distance hiking experience you need to stop when you want to, rest when you want to, eat when you want to, and hike at the speed that you want to without feeling pressured by others to do otherwise. With regard to travels, that would translate to TYOT—travel your own travel. That is what I continue to look forward to doing.








Cheers, Ollantaytambo, Peru 2005

Next up, a return to Loreto, Baja California Sur, Mexico where I will do some more hikes in the area and describe them in this blog. My next overseas adventure, in the Spring, may take me to the Philippines for lots of island hopping by boat and possibly plane.