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

Happy Birthday Mom......

So today (Feb. 7th) is my mother’s birthday…again…seems like just a few months ago I was celebrating her special day here in Thailand last year….

Where does the time fly ?!.....

It is already the 3rd birthday I have spent with her now being in her new special home- I miss her terribly but also feel her love deep within my heart. She is always near.

Her birthday is a great reminder of what a legacy love can leave behind….she has touched not only my life but also so many people who were fortunate to cross her bright path. ….

In her honor, I bicycled 10 miles to a Buddhist temple and lit 7 candles…..(7 was her lucky number)….Purple was also her favorite color and I was so happy to see that there were purple orchids in the vases next to the candles…these were the flowers I always “leid” her with when she visited Hawaii…I was happy to see them here for I sense she also saw them as well …and smiled…..



I also was reminded of how I would always see and follow my mom as a child into churches where she would inevitably light candles for her mother and father…she was consistent in this habit wherever she traveled and I was witness to many a candle-lighting ritual…I didn’t quite understand the profundity in this ritual while growing up yet I would always mimic her, cross myself and say a prayer to my relatives who had passed on- it just seemed the “proper” thing to do.

As I got older, the ritual of lighting candles became more meaningful for me…

and now, it seems like I have come full circle with this process for today I lit candles for my mom ….and it felt right….to the core of my heart.

I do not think my tears will ever stop shedding my sadness of her being gone; but I do know my love for her and all that she gave to me in her lifetime will forever grow….

This, I know for sure….

Happy Birthday Mom……you are missed and loved.

It's all Greek to me...

So it has been almost two weeks since I have last wrote you all……I had a sense this would happen…..my life has settled into a nice routine…..no major news to report, no major travels or journeys to share, no earth-shattering stories to break to you.

I have just been spending wonderful days and nights both on my own and with friends….working (a bit), resting, swimming, snorkeling, walking and doing chi gong on ‘my beach’, spending countless hours in my hammock reading and writing, and having great moments meeting new and old friends.

It is a good life ….and I am constantly finding myself just pausing and giving great thanks for this life that I have created for myself….it really is a dream come true. And I don’t think I will ever take it forgranted.

I feel so blessed to be calm, rested, alert, aware…..and surrounded by great beauty and wonderful friends….


Friends….this is a word I will focus on here for a moment…for it seems when you are on a ‘working holiday’ such as I am , you have so much more time to focus on conversations with people on a daily basis….it is just part of my day now…I go and visit my friends for coffee, conversation, walks, and dinners almost on a daily basis. These moments are never rushed….everyone is relaxed, rested- no office to rush to, no shopping mall to run off to- no appointment book to keep checking…..it is an ideal life, I know, and I am fully aware that not everyone can always enjoy such liberties in their life…..

I am truly enjoying the chance to really have the time to focus on being as ‘present’ as I can with every person I talk to….these moments seem so filled with quality talk- and the laughter shared feels so heartfelt…..like we are all old friends reuniting after a long break of separation.

This, for me, is the greatest joy of traveling …it is the priceless souvenir of connecting with other kindred spirits and creating both momentary and lifetime connections….both types of connections are as profound…..the ripple effect of connecting from your heart is what always takes effect, whether or not you are even aware of this…..it is what will continue to help heal this often not-so-friendly world….it is what will continue to open peoples’ eyes and hearts to each others thoughts, feelings and cultures…it is what will make us all a more tolerant people in a hopefully more tolerant world.

Last night I was wonderfully reminded how much I enjoy being in the presence of so many cultures….I walked next door to one of my favorite places to lounge/eat/converse, only to be greeted by several large groups of people all seated throughout the restaurant. One group was filled with Austrians and Germans, another table, a large group of French. The Swedes were also well represented as were the Canadians , Americans, and Thai…. and yes, lo and behold, there was also a table of Greeks, smiles and all, waiting for me to join them.

Yes, it seems that I can never travel for long without meeting more fellow Greek gypsies on the road- it is like we are all family just waiting to be reunited- it is an instant bond, I have found- It never fails….Once you tell another Greek you are Greek, you become family….I have never felt otherwise ….ever.


I had heard about this particular group of Greeks being on the island a couple of days ago and was hoping I would meet them before they left. I figured if I walked around long enough on this rather small and intimate island, we would eventually meet !
And sure enough, while taking a ‘random’ morning walk yesterday to my local 7-11 store (which, incidentally, has become my local “COSTCO” here..;) ), I heard a couple of people speaking Greek.

I ,of course, immediately said hello in my broken Greek and knew it was probably “THEM”. Sure enough, after a few quick questions and a momentary “oh –my-goodness, how-did-she-know-it -was-us?” look from them, I knew these were the people from Mykonos I wanted to meet. Within minutes, we were making plans to meet for dinner.!

And what a night it was…Norman, our host at the restaurant/bungalow, bought us all Metaxa to drink and continued to play Greek music for us throughout the evening….we laughed a lot, talked a lot, shared stories, family photos, and even managed a few Greek dances after our meal….

Needless to say, I have new friends in Mykonos now ….they have all invited me to stay with them when I visit Greece in future trips and of course, they want to come visit me in Hawaii….alas, another friendship born !....and all because of synchronicity taking its wonderful effect, once again…

OPA !

p.s.I have included here photos of not only my greek friends but also others who have befriended me on this magical island


hope you are all doing well….

love, melina ☺



My friends Govindas amd Radha, yoga instructors and professional musicians from Los Angeles...the dog is a local dog who would also show up whenever they started to play music, both at sunrise and sunset.



A group of French friends gathering for a nightly meal...They are from many French-speaking nations , including France, Switzerland and Canada (Quebec)



My friends Ralf (from Denmark) and his girlfriend Gong (from Thailand). Ralf runs one of the more sucessful internet cafes and dive shops here on Koh Lanta...check out his website at www.flipflop.com !



Me and my very good freind Mona, a yoga instructor here on Koh Lanta. She is originally from Los Angeles and has lived here on Lanta for seven years. Like me, she knew this was "home" for her just minutes after she landed here by ferry..



Just a recent photo of me form my bungalow window....I hope you can see how happy and relaxed I am here.....

bye for now...

a picture tells a thousand words...

I think we all have had dreams of what our perfect beach would look like..maybe while looking through a travel magazine, we gasp at the sight of something that takes our breath away; or maybe while watching a movie, we see a scene on a deserted beach and say to ourselves, "if only..."

Well, I stumbled across one such beach this past weekend when a freind of mine and I were riding a motorcycle down the coast of Koh Lanta...I had a first quick peak of this magical secluded stretch of sand from over a shady cliff... and my breath was literally taken away....

suffice it to say, it will be a beach I will return to many times again...

thank you, Mother Nature.....

just a few photos

Just thought I would add a few pictures here taken in the last couple of days. I know I have talked about my infamous 20$/nite bungalow so much yet I have not shared a picture of my current home...I've also included the view from my hammock , a couple of shots taken from my bike ride and my new French freind Gaetan, who heads all the activities at our bungalow. We are having a lot of fun learning each other's languages...I am his 'official' English teacher now and he teaches me french words and phrases every day....I am also learning a great deal of Thai here as I try and learn new phrases from the locals on a daily basis....There is nothing like connecting with the native people with their own language...just makes me feel a lot more close to all of them...

Okay,that's all for now...

melina :)