3. pousti samana päivänä

Töissä on todella hiljaista.

Piti vaan sanoa että tämän kuvan käytössä Talebanien-Etelä-korealaiset-panttivangit -uutisoinnin yhteydessä on ollut jotain tosi kieron surkuhupaisaa.


Tämä ei nyt sitten ole esimerkki siitä, miksi lehdet kirjoittaa aina samoista aiheista. Hehehe.

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.

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.

And got the T-shirt

Hanne and Stine and the actual Angkor Wat

Angkor Wat was surprisingly extreme sight seeing. In the picture Stine, who is 21 today!

The enigmatic Bayon-faces, as Lonely Planet would say...

The original Tomb Raider temple! Jungle versus stone and all that shit.

Well, it was cool, all of it. But I don't think I will be seeing any more temples before Myanmar, or something. Tomorrow Battambang, if karma is on my side.

Extra day in Kampot

So. Today I decided to spend a day more here in Kampot. Small town near to coast of Cambodia. There is nothing to do here but the place has some nice restaurants and for some reason, the fastest Internet in South-east Asia. It's also very beautiful.

Yesterday I went to Bokor hill station. It's a ghost town in the jungle. There is a huge hotel-casino, build in the forties, but nobody has used in it's original purpose in a quite a while. And the Khmer Rouge used to through people off a cliff there so it's supposed to be haunted. Well, don't know about that, I just ate best curry in my life there.

The trip was good but because of it every muscle in my body is aching. The drive there was about two hours trough the jungle, on a pick up, on the bumpiest road I've ever been on, in my life. So basically you had to cling on for your life. And of course, the driver was completely crazy.

Lately I've been thinking about traveling a lot. At some point I have to figure out how I get home. And when. I have to consider the fact that at some point I will get tired of :

• caring everything I own in a 55 l. backpack


• answering the questions where you from, what is your name, are you traveling alone etc. a couple of times a day.


• constantly thinking what people want from me (money, sex or both)


• hearing the phrase (insert a country) is so much better than (insert a country), people are friendlier etc. from my fellow travelers. The truth is, people are friendly everywhere here. Sadly, because of huge cultural differences and their often poor English good conversations with them are rare. Or maybe it's because I'm a stupid Westerner and not trying hard enough. I don't really care.


• missing my friends


• missing Europe

My plans keep changing every day. I have no idea where I'm gonna be for Christmas, new years or my birthday. I decided not to give as shit. Maybe on Christmas eve I'll be on a bus where nobody knows or cares that it's Christmas or go to bed early and try not to think about it. Francisco promised to call me. One thing I hope though, is that I will be some where I can listen to Pilsators Christmas album on-line!

Today's change of plans was that I'm not gonna meet my friend Lilli in Thailand. She's going to Koh Chang, where I've already been. But on the other hand, it made my plans in other ways easier. I also got a email from my danish friends, that I'll meet them in Phnom Phen. That's the way it goes, I guess.

Ja kaikki rakkaani Helsingissa ja maailmalla. Pitakaamme kaikki tahoillamme hiljainen hetki Maatushkan muistoksi. Kylla siina olin kuitenkin hieno baari. Lue uutinen myos uutinen: http://www.hs.fi/kaupunki/artikkeli/Tulipalo+vaurioitti+baaria+Fleminginkadulla/1135223559169

Dead Kennedys

So, after bunch of uninteresting events I found myself in Sihanoukville, Cambodia. This is a place where the bartender speaks fluent Finnish. And most of the clientele as well. For my defence, I have to say I really wasn't looking for that. But it was cool. Met nice people and found a English-Finnish bar called Bar-Baari. Sounds horrible for all you hard core travelers out there, I know. But it's always nice to use the most beautiful language around.

Today I went to check out how the khemers really live. That means taking the bamboo train. Which is a motor bike powered resina. (I hope that is English word as well...) Basically just couple of boards on really old tracks. Like a roller coaster without the ups and downs. That was something! On the way back I was in a car with 14 other people. Safety really isn't a the biggest issue here....

Well, I always start writing when I'm hungry. Gotta run for Tanja's sausage soup. Still staying away from happy meals, I hope.

Every sky is blue, but not for me and you

...come home soon (where ever that may be)

Suolaveteen paluu

...tapahtui snorklailun muodossa. Vuokrattiin sopo pikku vene ja sille kuski ja painuttiin pariksi tunniksi tuijottelemaan kaloja ja koralleja. Hauskaa oli. Viimeinen paiva paratiisisaarella lahenee paivallisaikaa. Paikan nimi muuten on Koh Chan.

Seuraavaksi pienen valietapin kautta Kambotsaan. Itsenaisesti jalleen... Mitakohan siitakin tulee? Pitaa myos vahan leikata noita juoksevia kuluja. Taalla joka minuuttiin on suhtautunut vahan niin kuin juhlahetkeen.

Elain- ja liikennepelkoisen paha paiva

Ratsatin tanaan sitten norsulla. Se oli kylla aika mahtavaa. Tehtiin viidakon lapi sellainen tunnin reissu. Ensimmaiset puoli tuntia puristin Fransiscon kasivartta, mutta sitten relasin vahan ja aloin katsella ymparilleni. Upeeta. Suostuin lopulta jopa poistumaan penkilta, joka oli kiinnitetty norsun selkaan ja istuin sen elukan niskan paalla.

Sitten osallistuin elainparkojen pesuun. Sekin oli kivaa ja melkein uskoin, etta norsutkaan eivat karsineet. Koko systeemi oli siis laguunissa lillumista ja norsujen paalle kiipeilya. Totta kai meidan kokemuspaivamme kruunasi norsun syottaminen banaaneilla.

Sitten lahdettiin vesiputoukselle. Ihanaa lillumista luonnon porealtaassa. Ja pienia kaloja puremassa varpaita. No, eilen vedessa pyori meidan kanssa myos sammakoita ja vesihamahakkeja. Ja ei haitannu yhtaan, kaikki oli kornin taydellista. Huomenna palaamme silti varmaan taas suolaveteen.

Sitten liikenteeseen. Eilen kaaduin moottoripyoralla. Tai siis menin mukkelimakkelis pyoralla jonka kyydissa olin. No, joka tapauksessa tapahtui jotain, mita olen valtellyt koko elamani. Ei kaynyt oikeastaan kuinkaan ja olin yllattavan rauhallinen. Tanaan olin kuitenkin kauhusta kankea. Fransisco valitti, etta mina saan hanetkin hermostumaan. Miten ihmeessa? Kenen mielesta kynsien painuminen vatsaan ei ole rauhoittavaa?

Sitten me viela eksyttiin paskan kartan takia. Edessa oli koko saaren kiertaminen pimeassa. Lopulta mun oli pakko pitaa silmat kiinni ja lauleskella. No, hyvin se meni. Yksi melkein kuolin -tarina lisaa...

Ps. Alkaa kysyko miten kuvat tuplana. Kertokaa, miten ne saa pois. Tai miten ne saa kaannettya. Vittu, ma en tajuu tietokoneita.

Paradise lost?

Melkein jokaisen biitsin ja saaren kuvailu alkaa Lonely Planetissa "This used to be a paradise but..." No, mina ja kolumbialainen ysatvani suuntasimme yhdelle niista urheasti. Paatimme myos, etta lyhyen aikamme yhdessa kaytamme hyvin. Tama tarkoittaa hyvaa hotellihuonetta. Nyt meilla bungalo ilmastoinnilla, (Fransisco vihaa kuumuutta, se siita latinosta) ja oma suihku. No, hintaakin on sitten selkapiita karmivat 8 erkkia per larvi. Ensin meille naytettiin ihan vittuilu mielessa sellaista neljankyban luxus kamppaa. Se oli niin natti, etta melkein itkin.

Turreja taalla kylla on, mutta ei meno mitenkaan tehdasmaista ole. Eika muutama palanut saksalinen seta nain kauniita maisemia pilaa. Hikoilen epaseksikkaasti ja ehka se terve rusketuskin viela loytyy. Ruoka on tulista.

Nettikahvilasta taytyy nyt menna upottamaan paa kylmaan (not!) mereen. Taytyy nimittain varoa, ettei haaveile turhia. Valilla sita miettii, etta olisi ihan hauska korjata viela viidenkymmenen vuoden paastakin, etta no honey, we met in Mongolia, not in China. Ja alkaa aloittako kanssani keskustelua siita, miten kauniita kolumbialais-suomalaiset lapset ovat.

Jos oli jo ikava

...niin ei ole enaa kauaa. Today, it's all about me, myself and I. Aloitetaan vaikka talla deittinettikuvaalla...

minut paremmin tuntevat tietavat, etta oikeasti naytan talta. Huomaa kuitenkin humoristinen Tsinggis Khaan - matkamuistopaita Mongoliasta.

Ma en oo kina tajunnut, etta mulla on noin iso nena.

Olkoon nama teille opiksi:

1. Kuvia ei oteta ennen puolta paivaa

2. Ylikasvanut irokeesi on maailman vittumaisin tukka

Pakollinen "Pusuja kaikille"- kuva. Hyi vittu.

Taa oli pakko laittaa, kun se on niin torkee.

Tassa mun tan hetken luottokamat

Olen viela Bangkokissa, taalla naytta vahan talta.

Olen viettanyt kolme paivaa hieromalla jalkoja. Olen ollut siis hieronta kurssilla. Rankkaa tyota. Arvostan hierojia entista enemman. Tajusin ainakin, etten ite pystyis siihen. Jos aamun jaalatte jaisi jonain paivana valiin, ei hommasta tulis mitaan.

Tarkoitus oli menna myos thai-hieronta kurssille. Mutta empa tieda. Valilla mun jalkahieronta opettaja vaanteli mun selkaa kuosiin ja se oli helvetin pelottavaa. Ja joihinkin kohtii painaminen sattui polttavasti ja seuraavan kerran mystisesti ei.

Onko sinun alavatsan lihaksiasi koskaan hierottu? Ei? No, voit elaa ilman sita kokemusta, takaan sen. Helvetin hammentavaa. Mutta hyva meininki jeejee.

Ps. Moni varmaan muistaa, etta vihaan omia kuviani joten arvostakaa!!!

Pari kuvaa Vietnamista

Naa on vahan vinksallaan, kun en oikein osaa niita asetella, mutta jotain varmaan saatte irti. Muutenkin taalla on nyt kuvia. Tsekkaa labeli kuvia.




Tassa tiikeri jostain pagodasta.

Riisipeltoja Nihn Bihnista

Lehmia Nihn Bihnista

Ilmeisesti junasta otettu kuva, ei mitaan muistikuvaa