good-bye to thailand...for now...

After spending 3 months on the wonderful island of Koh Lanta, I decided to pack my bags on April 3rd and head north to another island that I had felt very drawn to visit for quite some time. This was the island of Ko Phangan, world-reknowned for its infamous “full-moon” parties…However, I was going there not for these famous beach parties but for the experience of participating in a yoga retreat as well as meeting up with a few friends…

Little did I know that I was about to land on a most amazing island- so amazing that I have already made plans to return here next year…

I arrived on Ko Phangan by ferry, under a glorious full moon and an amazing sunset, both seen simultaneously amidst a thunder/lightning storm happening in the distance… it was a most powerful encounter with Mother Nature….I also coincidentally met my friends Daniel and Aoiffa on the ferry..two freind I had met only weeks ago in Koh Lanta.




instinctually, I already knew that Ko Phangan was going to be a very special place for me…and indeed, I was right.



The one particular place that felt so much like “home” for me was a beach town called Had Ruan…Here I was surrounded by spiritually enlightened people (taking all sorts of metaphysical courses here such as yoga, reiki, and massage), clear blue waters, warm welcoming sands, amazing vegetarian (!) food, butterflies of every color of the rainbow, amazing mountains and rock formations, fluffy puppies and cuddly kittens, and a peacefulness in the air that took on a drug-like effect on all those who were fortunate enough to be there…there were also no roads here (thus no cars or motorbike noise) and the only way to get on or off the beach was by boat….my kind of place…













I spent my last 2 weeks here and it was just what I needed…there was very little to distract me from my peaceful life …no TV, little to no phone reception and a very expensive internet connection…. So. appropriately enough, I “detached” from everyone and everything for awhile…a true gift to myself.



funny enough, the place where I ate every night had a Brazilian and Greek flag right next to each other and I would always manage to eat right under these flags.....This definitely felt like a true validation that I was at the right place at the right time and that my family never felt far from me...



I vowed then and there to try and maintain this inner peace that I had found when I returned to Hawaii and as I sit here now in my own bed here in Honolulu I can still feel the calm from this magical place…I will do my best to have it last for as long as possible…I want my transition home to be a smooth one.

So now, some final thoughts now as I complete yet another 4 month journey in Thailand….

I am thankful , first and foremost, that I have had such an amazing privilege once again to take the time that I did to live in such an amazing place. I am most grateful for all the many new friendships I have made, many of which will be lifelong- this is, by far, the most precious souvenir one can come home with….



I was also reminded, quite starkly, on my last night in Bangkok, that I am definitely part of a very privileged class in the world. I have never gone to bed hungry, have always had a roof over my head, always had a family who supported me even in my most troubled times, and have had the blessing of an education that has now provided me this freedom to teach anywhere in the world.

For as I headed into Bangkok my last day (after a 12-hour overnight journey from the south), I saw a view of a lifestyle that I had almost forgotten about: There were people sleeping next to train tracks with all their belongings next to them in a few plastic bags…,stray dogs and cats roaming everywhere with no food in sight… I saw the most basic of homes built of simple slabs of wood and metal lined up for miles against the backdrop of big glistening skyscrapers- literally just a few feet from the train track….

I was reminded , quite suddenly, that the majority of the world still lives like this….and that I , and everyone else of the more “privileged” class, should do whatever they can to help stop this cycle of poverty that seems to be handed down from generation to generation…the wealth must be distributed more evenly…it just must. How we go about making this difference is a personal choice, but a choice that needs to be taken, nonetheless…

However, I must mention that I saw one particular home on this train track that left me with a beautiful sense of hope and optimism….it was a very small house, put together by only a few pieces of wood that sat over a small river…However, this house just really stood out to me for some reason…whoever had lived in this house had created a very special “deck” speckled with whatever worn-out chairs and furniture they could find; yet this family seemed to have made such an effort to truly make it a “home”..even if their view was only of other very poorly made wooden shacks and the constant view and sounds of the trains traveling by….This family seemed to just have made the most of what they had been given …there was a feeling of happiness that emanated from this home, this very simple home made of a few pieces of wood that sat over the river.…

happiness and love can be found in even the most simple of surroundings…


and as I have found so often in my travels, “less is more” in so many ways in life.

so as I end yet another journey , I would like to dedicate my last words and thoughts to all the fellow “gypsies” , both young and old, thatI have met along the way. So many of these people inspired me in countless ways ; their desires and hopes to make this world a better place, full of peace and tolerance ,truly gave me a renewed sense of my purpose of being here on this planet…















I am forever grateful for these newfound freindships…..


and thank you, to all of you, who have once again followed me on this amazing adventure…I cant tell you how special it was to know that I was always being “looked after” by your thoughts , care, and words of support…

It makes being “on the road” a lot less lonely…..



until the next journey begins…..

keep praying for peace.

melina

motorbike mania !

Okay, this is probably not going to be the most moving and inspirational of entries....but, I do need to share with you the excitement of me finally riding a motorbike on my own for the first time in my life !

It may seem a bit silly that one my age can get so excited over a seemingly simple activity but after having a fear of riding motoribikes for most of my life, the very fact that I am now riding a bike on my own just seems a bit miraculous to me !

I just got up the other morning and said "today is the day I am going to ride a bike"..It was that fast...I got on my friend
Lena's bike and drove around in circles for a few minutes on my bungalows ground, practiced starting and stopping a few times, and there you have it..that was my lesson ! It felt very easy to me and within a few hours , I rented my own bike and off I went...

It has been great to just be touring the island on a daily basis; exploring new beaches and jungle roads is a daily activitiy now for me....it is also amazingly meditative to just ride and take in all the beauty...strangely enough, I feel there is such peace and quiet when I ride....I really get now why people take these amazingly long trips on motorcycles across large masses of land....

I am also including a picture of a beautiful muslim child (2 years old) and her grandmother that I took a few days ago- they live just around the corner for me....they are so sweet and often sit outside their home and wave to all those who pass them...the woman's husband is part of a family who owns much of the land of where I am staying....I will try to include a picture of him in one of my next entries..he has a most amazing face...so much light in his eyes....

I have about 2 1/2 weeks left now of my travels..seems a bit surreal to be already thinking about returning home as the time has just moved incredibly fast here....I will be here for the Thai New years celebration which will be a great way to leave the country (I arrived new years eve,dec 31st)....it is a HUGE 3-day celebration throughout the entire country...water is thrown on people constantly and one has to pretty much be resigned to the fact of being soaked for 3 days straight ! Luckily I will be near the ocean for most of this celebration but will be in Bangkok for a day as well..this is where I think I will see some serious water balloon action !

It is getting very quiet now here on Koh Lanta...many of my freinds have now left so there is a bit of a feeling of sadness at times that hits me...but the peace and quiet of the place is an absolute blessing right now and I am determined to make the most of this quiet in the next few weeks...it is a precious commodity, I know...

hope you are all enjoying some nice springtime weather wherever you are....this was always one of my favorite times of year as a child...something about the smell of fresh mowed grass and flowers blooming again after a long cold winter that always seemed to move me.....a sense of rebirth, no doubt....

I look forward to seeing a lot of you soon...

hugs.
melina

from North to South (Chiang Mai to Malaysia)....

These past 10 days have been quite a journey for me…..so much has been seen and experienced in such a short amount of time that it will be difficult to try and share it all in just a few words here…..but I will try..



Going to Chiang mai in the north of Thailand was a wonderful homecoming for me…I had met so many wonderful people there last year and was so happy to see so many famliar faces and friends when I returned….It was my time to be in a “big city” as well so I made the most of long walks throughout the day and evening, taking in all the sights and sounds of this magical Buddhist city.


My main reunion was with my Greek friends Yannis, Maria, Nikos and Costas….I ended up making several more good friends when I was there including Tasos from Cyprus and Lena from Sweden. AS you can see from the picture, Lena looks about as Swedish as they come but she lived in Greece for 6 years and speaks Greek so fluently that even the Greeks cannot tell (or believe) she is Swedish (except for the blonde hair and blue eyes, of course) ! She is like a sister to me now and is coming to Koh Lanta today to spend a couple of weeks with me…she feels like a friend for life…such a nice gift when you are traveling.




It was also so nice to meet up with many travelers who I met last year who were also back in Chiang Mai again..we were so suprised but happy to see each other again…I sense this will be a common occurrence if I return here every year. What was also very special for me were the local shopkeepers, café owners, etc., who remembered me (and I them) from last year ….this, too, also felt like a reunion and a very special one at that.

I was also in Chiang MaI for the third anniversary of my mother's passing (Feb. 25TH) I was fortunate enough to be able to take advantage of the thai tradition of ligthing a latern with a personal message on it and sending it off to the skies...it is a beautiful tradition , I feel, and a wonderful way to be reminded of the transience of all things we know of as "the physical" in this world.






After Chiang Mai, I flew down to the island of Penang in Malaysia…I need to leave the country every 60 days here as part of my visa status so I chose Malaysia as a country to visit for a few days. The island of Penang is very large and quite close to Thailand so I thought this would be a nice place to being my exploration of this multi-cultural nation.

And boy was I in for a surprise….I had always thought I was getting a good sense of the “muslim experience” living in Koh Lanta but once entering Malaysia I think I truly began to understand what it is like as a woman to live in a country that seems to predominately cater to emn. It was not like I ever did not feel safe- this was not a big concern though I was careful where I walked at night and always walked briskly and assuredly ( a technique I use everyehre I go ..)









What made me feel like I was really in a Muslim country was in the way I was being treating by many of the local men- the looks, the comments as I walked by, the curious stares of why I was alone, dressed in shorts, walking confidently with a smile….I think it was all just a little bit strange for them-not something they are that accustomed to in their culture……..I just haven’t experienced any of this in Thailand for all the months that I have been here….

Now this was just on the island of Penang and this is the only observation I can make about Malaysia thus far….The city of Georgetown ( where I was staying ) was a fascinating mix of Hindu, Muslim, and Buddhist and British culture all wrapped up in one- one could easily see this in the many types of architecture that represented all these ways of life- it was also great to see so many languages in the street signs everywhere I went…it seemed like all were accepted here….but I know appearances can be deceiving….not everything is as it appears, I know…..but I did get a sense of overall peace as I walked the streets. This is always inspiring and affirming to me.

I was especially taken aback by an area in town called Little India where one could truly feel like they were walking down a street in Bombay or Delhi…..it was uncanny at times- with the loud blaring bass-filled Indie music beating from the many CD/DVD shops , the amazingly colorful sarongs and saris hanging everywhere you looked and the smells of curry and coconut in the air filling my stomach several times over.…it was sensory overload and I loved it….

After Penang , I took a 2 ½ hour boat trip to another Malaysian island called Langkawi….This island supposedly draws more tourists to Malaysia than anywhere else in the country. And I could see why…rich green rolling hills and mountains met beautiful clear blue-water beaches almost everywhere I looked. And the Malays here were so incredibly warm and friendly. I took a sunset walk down a beach one night and I was constantly being stopped with shouts of “hello” from both children and adults alike….and the smiles I received from almost every single person as I walked by (both men and women) were incredibly heartwarming- these were smiles that came form deep within their hearts….They saw me as a human being first…as I did them….there is something magical when you connect with the eyes first and then the heart…it transcend all cultures, skin colors, and religious beliefs…I believe the ripple effect of this type of connection is huge.






The highlight for me on this walk was meeting a group of university students- all girls, all muslims fromm Penang, and all future civil engineers ! They were on the beach celebrating the end of their semester and they were just so happy to be able to talk to me about their studies. I was also just so happy to hear that this country was supporting women in education, especially in fields that are normally associated with men. It was just so awesome to be around these girls..they were smart, funny, kind, and so incredibly enthusiastic…..I think their smiles in the picture tells it all..



My last stop on my 10 day journey was taking another boat trip back to Thaland to the island of Koh Lipe. I had heard so much about this island last year and decided it was time to finally visit. Butinstead of being welcomed by calm tranquil beaches , I was greeted by a parking lot oflongtail boats hustling tourists back and forth around the island- not the peacefule environment I was expecting and wanting…the waters were amazingly clear here , though, so I did take advantage of doing some very nice snorkeling just off the shores of my bungalow…Unfortunately, I think there is not turning back the clock on this island…the invasion has occurred and the invadees are not trying to make as much money as they can from the situation…..some people call it progress…I call it too much , too fast….

After an amazing 3 hour speed boat trip from Koh Lipe, I arrived back here in my “home” of Koh Lanta. I admit it is really nice to be back in my little bungalow again and see my old friends here….there is a sense of family for me here and was happy to see the “gang” when I returned. Even my faithful dog Juliet (who I unofficially adopted) came running up to me as I approached my bungalow…It was like she had just seen Santa Claus for the first time..I know now why people have dogs…they truly are incredibly faithful….





Okay, I think that is about it for now….these were hardly “few words” as I planned so I apologize if I got a bit long winded….I guess these logs serve a dual purpose ; it is not only a way to share with you my adventures but also a medium for me to keep track of “where the heck I have been !”…

It is hard to believe we are in March already….I am home in a little over 6 weeks already….time really does fly when you are having fun and enjoying life to the fullest…

I wouldn’t have it any other way….

Hugs to you…

Melina ☺

stairway to heaven......

Once again, it has been over a week since I last made an entry here…I am beginning to realize more and more that I am really just “living” my life right now and am not always in “tourist mode” with the need to constantly report back with stories…

nevertheless, I still get a great deal of pleasure to report what news/stories I do have so here are just a few …

every day is full for me here….i am never bored;there is always some work for me to do with school, emails to check and/or write, someone to go visit for a coffee or a meal..and, of course, there is always a new island/city/beach to discover when I have a free day or two…

this past week was filled with 2 main “events for me” :..One was that I organized an “international beach volleyball” tournament at my bungalow….several nations were represented including Sweden, France, Holland, and Thailand.




I was also the official announcer of the tournament so for 5 ½ hours I sat “courtside” announcing the “play-by-play” and was the overall MC of the day, making people laugh, clap, etc….I had forgotten I much I love to talk in front of a crowd ! This experience was also a great reminder how fortunate I am to speak English as it is still such a universally understood language. We (English speakers) are all so fortunate to have this luxury of knowing a language that so many people abroad also know…




The Swedes were the champion of the tournament….and when they received their coconut trophies (painted by yours truly…), they announced that their secret to success was eating porridge (aka :oatmeal) every morning !….it also didn’t hurt that one of the players was actually a professional champion volleyball player with sponsors and all in Sweden.




A great time was had by all …..and as I sat and mingled with the players and audience members after the tournament , I was again reminded of how wonderful it is to have so many cultures gathered in one place celebrating both differences and similarities…..I don’t think I will ever tire of this type of celebration.












Yesterday also provided me another wonderful adventure where I was no longer a spectator but a participant in a more personal athletic “event”.
I climbed 1237 steps (some incredibly large and steep) up a mountain to a very famous temple called Wat Tham Sua (Tiger Cave temple). Legend has it that a large tiger once lived here and its footsteps are reported to adorn the temple’s entrance….It is also said that Buddha’s footprints are at this temple but for some reason, all I saw were Nike imprints in the cement as I climbed.. Somehow, I think Buddha would appreciate the slogan “just do it” as this climb was grueling and was definitely not for the faint of heart and mind…..



a pic of me and my Dutch friend Jan at the top of the temple...we were both very happy to be sitting down at last !



the view from the top of the temple- hopefully, you can get a sense of how steep the steps were !




the face of Buddha greated us all after a long climb up....somehow his smile took on a new meaning for me as I sensed is always pleased to see people make the effort to come see him up here....



It was also the first day of the Chinese new year so I was fortunate to see so many of the local Chinese come to pay reverence with flowers, incense, and fruit- a feast for the senses, indeed !










Later this week, I am off to Chiang Mai for a few days to reunite with some friends (mostly Greek !) that I met there last year….it should be nice to see some old familiar faces and celebrate at my favorite Greek restaurant there- Zorbas ! I will then fly to the island of Penang (Malaysia) a few days later to do a visa run and enjoy the rich mix of Chinese, Indian, British, and Malay cultures…..I look forward to sharing you my reports of this next adventure…

until then, I hope you are well…I am already at about the halfway mark of my journey..hard to believe time moves so quickly. But I am constantly feeling such gratitude for the lifestyle I am leading right now ….I know I am blessed and hope I will be able to give more to others because of this experience….

Bye for now…

melina