A Life in a Day

From the boat
Me trying a new dress on. There's no big mirror in my room.

Me after the market and a good indian dinner yesterday.

http://www.viceland.com/int/dd.php?id=642&country=se

Well. Some of you might be wondering what am I actually doing in Asia. So I thought it might be a good idea to take you through a few days in Bangkok.

26th of Jan 2007

I got here at 5 am after 10 hour bus ride from Chiang Mai. The bus was okay, I was well prepared. I had my hoodie, pashmina and two blankets from the bus. Still it could have been warmer. Fucking air con.

It was cool coming to Bangkok again, it's always a nice feeling when you get to a place been to before, particularly if it's 5 am. I found the guest house Carina had told me about and checked inn. I got a weird room. It has air con which I don't need, no bathroom and two beds. And it's quite expensive. I only stay there 'cause it has a wooden floor and a high ceiling, hence it reminds me of my place back home.

Anyway. After I checked in I went to sleep for a couple of hours. Then I just walked around, checked out if Khao san is the same as a couple of months ago. It was. My favorite designer had a shop now, though.

The I went to have curry for dinner in a place where they showed the Blood Diamond.

27th of Jan 2007

I decided to follow more of Carinas advice and went look for a Saturday market near the university. I found it. Then I went looking for a amulet market, found that too. I spend a few hours choosing the six amulets I ended up buying. Then I walked to China town which is like a huge market selling flowers, fruits, food, Buddha statues, chinese medicine and other stuff.

The whole way on from the first market was actually continuous market on my right and on my left I could marvel the Grand palace and beautiful wats. Didn't go in 'cause I was wearing a top. On the way I met a South African woman who had had her money belt stolen and was now trying to find a bank that was open. She asked to borrow my guide book and we chatted for a while. I was proud of myself for not smoking when she offer. I quit like four days ago.

From China town I headed back to Banglamphoo, where my guest house is. With dinner I watched Brokeback mountain and Baabel.

28th of Jan 2007

I went on my big mission. I was determent to Chatuchack market. It's actually easy to get there but some how I was sure I'm gonna fuck it up. It takes a boat and two different lines on the sky train. When I was looking at my map some where a very nice looking police officer came to help me.

Anyways, the trip was good. From the boat it's cool to watch how people here stretch their houses on the water. Back home we just live by the water. that might be because we don't wanna pollute the water in any way, though... Getting there also gave me a better picture of Bangkok. I noticed some places me and Francisco were when we were lost in Bangkok.

Nothing could have prepared me to what I was about to encounter. I was told that the market is big or even huge. It was bloody enormous. I think I didn't see half of it. Best of all, it's not just a typical Asian market. There's also cool vintage clothing and young designers selling their stuff. I bought six shirts. I don't wanna think about the money I spend.

When I got to Banlamphoo I was exhausted. As you can see above.

Today I have done absolutely nothing. Had a good chat with an indian-american guy who lives here. Wearing a watch is good. It's a reason for people to come up and talk to you.

Every day I make small notes in my head about the life here. Some times I write them down sometimes I don't. Everyday I think about Finland, Helsinki and all the people there. There are also a lot of people in other parts of the world I think about every day. I wouldn't say I'm lonely or home sick but I do spend a lot of time on the Internet.

Often I'm tormented with guilt for being here. I feel so privileged. I feel like I'm not doing enough, seeing enough. But one thing I set out to do, I've done. I came to see if people actually live like they do on travel programs. And fuck me, they do! I have had some extremely surreal moments on this trip because of that. It's funny how easy you also get used to it. After a while, living chickens on the markets, fried crickets, tuktuks, monks and packed buses stop amazing you. They don't annoy you either. They just are.

The thing I have to tell myself all the time that it's okay to eat western food. Actually I have to. Rice is coming out of my ears, noodles I haven't been able to eat since Mongolia and I'm still going to places where there is nothing else.

One thing I thought I would do and haven't done was working or at least taking part in some projects. I justify myself by saying that I haven't stayed in one place long enough for me to do that. Or maybe I've just been lazy and enjoyed being a tourist. 'Cause that's what I've been, for almost six months now.

I don't think I'm gonna travel like this ever again. My next big trip is gonna be about learning a language getting integrated into another society. But that's not to say I haven't enjoyed every minute of this one. Traveling is fucking cool, man! Do it.

Thailand's defence

-not that it really needs one. It's fucking cool. All you hippie backpacker three hugging world healers might say otherwise, but I know what you are really thinking. Why? 'Cause I'm always right and I'm one of you.

And this what you all say: Thailand is too touristy.

Well, of course people come here. It's pretty, there's lots do, it's fairly safe, people are friendly, it's easy to travel and it's cheaper than back home. Anyways, what you are saying is there's nothing wrong with Thailand per se, just the people who come here annoy you. Whatever. I guess you are right on that one.

Of course, you have the right to go to the remote areas, off the beaten track, where it's more authentic, where the real Thailand or the real Asia is. Be my guest. I just hope you are not taking part in making more areas depended on the unpredictable tourist industry and turning more villages in to human zoos. But of course not, you are special.

Some people say that Northern Thailand is more authentic. I was just there. I wouldn't call it more authentic than for example Bangkok. Here is a very important thing for all you hippies to think about: A MULTIMILLION CITY CAN NEVER BE JUST TOURISTY. Who said you just need to walk Khao San up and down? (Although, I think Khao San's cool. There's so good shopping to be done and some very good looking people among the idiots.) Go a couple of street down and the number of dreaded whities goes down.

And the islands being touristy? Well, if you have been on one, you know why. They are fucking amazing. Of course people go there! And all of them offer different kinds of atmospheres. (Not sure, though. Only been on one. I guess that was touristy, but there were some Thai people living there too.)

The other point you hippies bring up, is that Thailand is too western. You meant to say developed, right? It horrible that streets are paved, isn't' it? I don't think it's very western. Thailand is a country with very uniq own culture. Like most countries. I think it's cute, a bit kitsch, great and interesting. Influence from west and the existence of a middle class have created ground for a very cool youth culture. You don't see that everywhere in South east Asia.

Long live the King!

Wannabe a nerd

It's my first day by myself in almost a month. I decided to kill time on the world wide web and get myself to this millennium. I was told that means getting a MySpace-page. So I got one.

I sort of had one but there was nothing on it. So I took a funky picture of myself from this blog and wrote some try-to-be-funny-without-trying -profile things. Then I noticed that all the URL names that I wanted were taken. I decided to keep up with the theme and typed 'huolimaton'. Then I had to click 'OK' twice and I was gravely warned that I could NEVER change this name. Okay. So be it.

I refused to but my real name there so that people could find my page with it. It's against my net-principles. (What?) But so were pictures a while ago. They are coming up with a program that can search people from the Web with just one photo. Creepy.

Then I looked at what I done and felt empty. I had no idea what do with it. I guess you should invite people or something. If you know, please tell me.

Love, Careless girl from Thailand

Familiar feeling

I can't believe it. Yesterday I was actually glorifying hang over. That must be good enough proof that I don't drink as much as home. It's funny. My friends back home would not believe how little I drink here and the friends I've met while traveling could not believe how much I used to drink back home.

Yesterday me and Carina were celebrating our last night together, at least for now. We were in one of the coolest bars in South east Asia, got to smoke shiisha and I ended up eating a fried maggot and Carina stole bananas. All in all, very funny and confusing.

Anyways. I'm in Chiang Mai at the moment. It's a cool city with a huge night market but so far, I would give our last stop, Chiang Rai even a higher grade. Funny town with the best tourist infrastructure I've ever seen but the place seems to be doing just fine without us too. Only the extremely scary dogs were the downside. They obviously target on tourists.

ONNEA MANDI!!!!!!

The israeli
School kids in Honsa
Thailand on the other side of the river.

Voi Mandi, aivan mieletonta. Ihanaa! Mahtavaa, etta kaikki meni lopulta kuitenkin hyvin... Voimia! Kiitos kun jaksoit ilmoittaa.

Man, I can't believe it! My friend just had a baby! Another thing to look forward for when I get home! It's gonna be great.

All that still seems a bit distant now. I'm leaving Laos, my favourite country so far and going to northern Thailand. I'm still traveling with the lovely Carina. We got kind of stuck in Luang Prapang for six days or so but we kind of did stuff too. Like kayaking which was cool and, most importantly, still falls into the "can be done in flip flops*" -activity category.

Then, couple of days in Hongsa with the resident Israeli. And no, there is no elephant center there. They work in the jungle. However, it's easy enough to organize a ride and it's definitely a nice sleepy little Lao village.

I'm sad about leaving, especially ' cause I'm already regretting not doing the Gibbon experience (Google!) and not going to the Bolaven plateau down south. That's where the good coffee is from). But hey, now I have a reason to come back. Sweet.

*Flip flops. A funny anecdote about them. A couple of days ago I was a proud owner of, not one, but two pairs of them. Some how, I lost them both in a couple of days. For me thoug, that's just a good reason for buying new ones. I went for the classic black rubber.

Sabaidee!

A few more pics from Vientiane. The temple is on the cover of LP Laos.

Franziska, Carina and Atro eating sticky rice.

People taking pictures of the sun set on a hill in Luang Prapang.

Buddha cave

Still in Laos and it still rocks!

I got to Luang Prapang yesterday with my German-Australian-Finnish traveling crew and we are all loving it. This is a pretty UNESCO world heritage town with the best souvenir market ever (AUCH!). The only down side is that it's proper cold here during the night and after all this time in South-east Asia I have only one shirt with long sleeves. Oh well, I'm Finnish after all.

Our last stop was the backpacker hell of Vang Vieng. It was pretty bad. But the place is beautiful and the ones from our cynical group who got into the river with the tube, truly enjoyed it. And our bungalows were nice.

Our conversations mainly involve pains and aching but we are having fun. Hope you are too. Big thanks to everybody who remembered my birthday!

This time I'll take it slow

Few pics from the lovely Don Det

Few pics from Buddha park

So. Again I GOT MY CAMERA AND MY CELL PHONE STOLEN. I was kind of stupid with my stuff so this was very predictable. But good things always come from bad things. As a result of my extra day in Stung Treng I met two nice girls, Fransis and Carina, went to the peaceful river island of Don Det with them. We stayed next to a Reggae bar, where was the only party on the island for New years. We mainly ended up watching the fun from distance of our bungalow balcony.

My birthday was great. The girls, nicest Canadian couple ever and I decided to celebrate on the second, 'cause we were all together. Of course, being in Laos, you have to celebrate with a happy cake. On the menu it said it's feeds 4 people. Eventually there was six of us and I can say everybody had enough cake. There was even some left for the next day. It was fun.

Whole Don det thing was cool. Nice, quite, good food, interesting people. I even got to meet the legendary Grant, the Scottish crazy man. It was also extremely beautiful and I though it was a shame I can't show you pictures. But my personal travel agent, Francis lended me her extra camera for the rest of my trip, so I guess I will get some pictures on line at some point.

This morning me and Francis arrived to Vientiane. All the legends are true. Scandinavian bakery is great, the traffic is humane and the National history museum was hilarious. And bus ride was luxury.

By the way, you metal fans. Check out the link to Tuska-festival. The rest of you, check out what the youth of Helsinki looks like on Hel looks.

Egyptian bells are ringing when it is her birthday

Haudi gang!

A lot has happened. First I left the rock and roll town of Phnom Penh, then I got my camera and cell phone stolen on the way, had to spend an extra day in Stung Treng try to fix a police report - like that would ever happen in Cambodia, then I met two great girls, went to Laos to a peaceful river island. Now I am heading to Vientiane. Excellent.

I ll slow down and tell you all about it. Later.