Between then and now

While i'm here posting some old pics, I may as well include some from Taiwan... While there were no psytrance parties, the freak factor was still present... I guess you get that when you are travelling with swedish artists and a familiar misfit of indeterminate origins.

It gave my mandarin a good workout though. I only know two phrases and I made good use of them. 'Ni Hao Ma' or 'How are you?' and 'Wo Bu Hui Hua-yi' which means 'I dont understand chinese'. I hope it means I dont understand chinese language, and not I dont understand the chinese in general... which I dont, but it's not something that I wanted to advertise to everyone.

These pics were taken in a park in Taipei (Chiang Kai-Shek memorial park?). I think the characters above the big gate say 'Exit' in chinese, but I cant be sure.

As always, the masked man in the top picture provided an entertaining trip despite the fact that we didnt really make it off the beaten track that much. Fortunately, I was spared from his desire to partake in the dodgy karaoke bars.

I dont really recommend the food... but if you do find yourself in Taipei, the shopping is pretty good... check out the night markets outside the central city, and definately head up into the country side where there are some very fine natural hot springs to bathe in.

Heading for down and out

Inpired by down and out's ramblings on 'See, I told you so...' and in anticipation of my upcomming trip, I thought I would post a few pics from my last trip out that way...
Here are a few quick images from Samothraki... i know i'm going back a ways here, but with the dirth of party opportunities here in Malaysia, this is the second last outdoor gig that i went to... the last being an day with earthcore on my last trip back to Australia. I know... its sad really that things seem to have dropped down to a party once or twice a year... but I intend on rectifying that situation by heading out to morocco, then spending my new years at greenspirit in thailand.
I have spent too long hanging out in Malaysia I think... It's really starting to feel the same as anywhere else... just another place to be. It would be time to move on if it wasnt for the fact that i've just signed another two year contract to work here. Oh well... nevermind. A few more trips abroad will keep me from going completely crazy (or will keep me from becomming totally boring... a much scarier possibility, given that an exciting weekend here consists drinking a bottle of whiskey and listening to commercial R&B... shudder....) Perhaps I can wrangle a new job in a different location, but for the moment i'll just have to stick with Malaysia.
That said, things arent that bad here. Living the high life is pretty cheap, and even though i've been here for two years already, there are still plenty of weekend getaways that are still waiting for me. And the food... that has to be a highlight. There are very few places in the world that you can eat so well for so little... though this does lend weight to it being time for me to move on... for the first time in my life, I am carrying around a small pot belly induced by too many roti canai and six course chinese dinners.
I guess that really, the main thing I miss is my regular dose of freaks... and in particular, the close circle of them that made the last 10 years of my life a pretty fuzzy psychadelic blur. And yet, back to oz is not the direction i'm heading yet... If there was a reason I left, I havent fulfilled it yet. If it was just itchy feet, or a need for something new, I havent had my fill... So until then, I will keep following the path as it opens up before me.

Koh Samet

Lazy beach day, Ao Phai, Koh Samet, Thailand

I met Naree here, on one of my many trips to Thailand last year... Ah, Air Asia... About AU$100 for a return flight to Bangkok, cheaper if you book in advance.

Dawn breaking over Hat Sai Keaw, Koh Samet, Thailand

Looking back over Ao Phai, Koh Samet, Thailand

One of the reasons I like Koh Samet is that you can hardly notice the touch of man. A few small buildings protrude from the greenery, and that is it. Not like so many other beaches in Thailand, where the beautiful beach has been spoiled by highrise hotels and roads along the beach.

Dusk on Hat Sai Keaw, and dinner on the beach, Koh Samet, Thailand

The mystery girl

Still on the beanbag, loungeroom, Taman Pinggiran Putra, Selangor, Malaysia

Many of you may have heard stories of a girlfriend, or perhaps the story of a marriage, or if you were really lucky, you might have heard a story involving a pigs head. No matter which story you heard though, pretty much noone has actually met this mystery girl. So for todays post, I thought i'd give ya all a bit of an intro to her.

This is Nareerat or Naree for short. She comes from Surin in the far east of Thailand, a few hours drive from the border of Cambodia and Laos. Its a small town, and there isnt really anything remarkable about the place... Once a year they have a huge elephant rally... i think that is about the only claim to fame the place has. Anyway, she lives there with her mother, grandmother, younger brother and daughter. Yep... a daughter. She was previously married to a Thai guy, but to put it in her words 'Him no good, drink beer all day and not do nothing'. Her daughters name is Bahn (don't ask me for the long version, i'm not even sure if i'm spelling the short version right).

She is a cute little thing, with a squeal more piercing than any car alarm.

Nowhere man

A beanbag on the loungeroom floor, Taman Pinggiran Putra, Selangor, Malaysia

A dead weekend, even though its only starting. My assets have been frozen in an attempt to ensure that I have some money for the upcomming trek. Not that I feel like doing much... I have too much on my plate at the moment, and i treasure this downtime. I stayed in bed until midday, the rain last night made it a mercifully cool morning and suited to sleeping in. Doodles and TV while away the afternoon and as evening rolls on, I am pretty sure I will have achieved nothing more than taking my laundry to the dobi. Some people think i have no life... but that just amuses me...

lazy days, beanbag time, the art of doing nothing... and enjoying it. Surprisingly it is a skill, but one that i have honed through years of dedicated training.

My mind is turning over the next adventure... but i'll save that story for its proper time.

Summit up

Mt Kinabalu National Park, Sabah, East Malaysia

The predawn scramble in the dark isnt really that much fun. Following a rope up the solid rock face in the semi light, roaring wind trying to tear me loose. Tired legs from the previous days walk mean a few stumbles and scrapes along the way. But the roof of south east asia makes it worth while... pictures tell a thousand words, and express the place far better than I could hope to with words.

Familiar Highs

Mt Kinabalu National Park, Sabah, Malaysian Borneo

Unfortunately, there was be no time for a visit to the islands just off the coast. This is a hit and run visit... I have a bus to catch, and a mountain to climb.

I wake up at dawn in a tiny hotel room up in the mountains. Its cold, which is strange for Malaysia. From my little balcony I can see the mist rising from the jungle, clinging to the mountainsides. I have a quick breakfast of badly made toast and eggs and the hotel owner drives me up the road to the park office where I will start my climb.

The mountain is still shrouded in mist when I leave up the surprisingly well kept trail. Its only about an 8km walk, but in that time you ascend 2km vertically. Its pleasantly cool, the jungle and mist keeping the sun off the trail, occasionally parting to reveal a new and amazing view out over the jungle clad hills.

The hostel at Laban Rata is a welcome sight when it comes... the walk up has left me tired and a little damp. I have a quick dinner and head up to my room for an early night before the predawn assult on the summit.

Getting to the top of South East Asia

A foodstall on Jalan Tun Fuad Stephens, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysian Borneo

I'm sitting in a foodstall eating barbeque prawns, drinking tiger beer and watching the sun set... Kota Kinabalu (KK) is possibly my favorite spot in south east Asia. The city of KK sits on the coast of Sabah, facing west over the South China sea. The sunsets here are just amazing, their shifting colors reflected by the seas. Anyone who finds themselves in Sabah really must go for a seafood dinner beside the coast at around sunset. The amazing view is matched by the delicious, fresh, cheap seafood.

'They were beautiful, the most beautiful skies as a matter of fact... The sunsets were, purple and yellow and red and on fire, and the clouds would catch the colors everywhere...'
The Orb, Little Fluffy Clouds

A place to begin

Starbucks, Sunway Lagoon, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Sitting here sipping on a mango citrus blended ice drink and watching a tiny section of the massive south east asian consumer market shopping away their sunday afternoon. I'm killing time waiting for my session of 'War of the Worlds' to start.

This is where i am now, and so it makes a suitable place to begin.