So, 10 days or so in the road, we've been finally getting into a something somehow called vacation, in the sense of you arrive in a place, be there for a few (>3) days, don't look for the next hotel/worry about checkout times... you get the idea. The place? Jogjakarta aka Jogja by the locals. We arrived a few days ago, as Sarah has previously written. The plan is to be around, look at the big'ol temples, stupas, palaces, markets and whatever else you might wanna see around. So far, the trip has been great, which doesn't mean that we haven't been ripped off, or only Iloveyous flow between Sarah's beautiful lips and my mouth's enclosures... we believe we're learning to travel, taking this as metaphorically or straightforward as you want... I know, travel must rank #2 in the biggest commonplace metaphors after love, followed by water, moon and day/night (cycles in general).... but there might be a reason why there's a bunch of people, including yours truly, who still write about those things after Shakespeare.
Back to the travel learning, these are things that we learned how to deal with, or that's why we want to believe at least:
-Figuring out ways to cope with unrequested offerings
-Find the way back to our room.
-Listening 1,000 times per day 'hello mister'
-Did I talk about the kids who knows what they say to you as they laugh after saying "hello mister" or "tourist"?
Regardless, I hope to not to loose the ability of smiling back 2,000 times to those
lovely old ladies whose wrinkles can't hide a cocktail of laughter, charm and awkwardness upon seeing us walking in otherwise tourist-free backstreets.
So, we made our room in Jogja our micro-home, our temporary homey place where we feel comfy to be. The hope: extend this feeling to everywhere, regardless the place, country or duration of stay. Would that be possible? I hope so. We'll try, for a good bunch of this year at the least.
Finally, thank you all for those wonderful goodbye parties. We miss you all. Hope to see you again in 2010. Madison was our home, and you are part of it. Cheesy but true.
Happy year of the tiger!
RP
1.28.2010
Finally... we uploaded photos!
People,
We have enough pics already to fill pages and pages, or making you spend a bunch of time in front of the computer. We did a selection of pics, please comment and let us know your favs. Or the worst ones.
YAYYY!
Follow the links below (click on the country names or the thumbnail):
Indonesia (so far, as of today)
Japan:
Singapore
We have enough pics already to fill pages and pages, or making you spend a bunch of time in front of the computer. We did a selection of pics, please comment and let us know your favs. Or the worst ones.
YAYYY!
Follow the links below (click on the country names or the thumbnail):
Indonesia (so far, as of today)
Japan:
 |
| Tokyo story |
Singapore
Jogja
Today, we got to relax, and it's starting to feel like a vacation rather then a rat race!
We are staying in a very nice Hotel ($15 per night with AC) and thoroughly enjoying it!
The place has free breakfast (papaya, a crepe like pancake with chocolate sprinkles and a coffee with lots and lots of sugar added to it)
Then we did some laundry (purchased scrub brush and detergent at the local mall grocery store basement ** it seems that every asian mall we've been to so far has an upscale grocery store/food market in the basement! It's awesome!**)
They let us hang our laundry on the rooftop garden after we unsucessfully tried drying them in our room...
It's kind of silly, but the little things like doing dishes and laundry and putting things away....those are the things I miss the most right now...feeling homey.
When Indonesian children see us, they are instructed by their mothers to say "Hello Mister." and I'm beginning to notice, most of the attention and comments go to Rodolfo as the "man"...not sure why really!
Every day around sunrise, noon and sunset, their is a loud crying throughout the streets....like really long moaning/singing...there is nothing like hearing the sound of hundreds of voices chanting while the sun goes down. Incredible!
Odd moments of the day:
a crazy looking carrier pigeon named gigolo, eating noodles in a restaurant covered in calendars, watching Rodolfo argue prices with street venders, and having 6 different men come up and start a conversation randomly.
OH! I ate snake fruit!
Off to find some chicken sate!
We will stay in Java for a week and then we've decided to head to Bali instead of Sumatra. It wasn't in the plans, but as they say here a lot: "don't worry, be happy!"
We are staying in a very nice Hotel ($15 per night with AC) and thoroughly enjoying it!
The place has free breakfast (papaya, a crepe like pancake with chocolate sprinkles and a coffee with lots and lots of sugar added to it)
Then we did some laundry (purchased scrub brush and detergent at the local mall grocery store basement ** it seems that every asian mall we've been to so far has an upscale grocery store/food market in the basement! It's awesome!**)
They let us hang our laundry on the rooftop garden after we unsucessfully tried drying them in our room...
It's kind of silly, but the little things like doing dishes and laundry and putting things away....those are the things I miss the most right now...feeling homey.
When Indonesian children see us, they are instructed by their mothers to say "Hello Mister." and I'm beginning to notice, most of the attention and comments go to Rodolfo as the "man"...not sure why really!
Every day around sunrise, noon and sunset, their is a loud crying throughout the streets....like really long moaning/singing...there is nothing like hearing the sound of hundreds of voices chanting while the sun goes down. Incredible!
Odd moments of the day:
a crazy looking carrier pigeon named gigolo, eating noodles in a restaurant covered in calendars, watching Rodolfo argue prices with street venders, and having 6 different men come up and start a conversation randomly.
OH! I ate snake fruit!
Off to find some chicken sate!
We will stay in Java for a week and then we've decided to head to Bali instead of Sumatra. It wasn't in the plans, but as they say here a lot: "don't worry, be happy!"
1.27.2010
We survived Jakarta!
We survived Jakarta and took a train to Jogjakarta...because Jakarta sucks.
Very trafficy and polluted...so far....we've had a blast anyways!
Still no way to downloan photos...
so.
little notes for you:
don't walk in jakarta. big mistake
traffic sucks
men are very smiley and friendly
it's hot here
if you like fried rice, this is your spot!
fresh squeezed juice everywhere!!
drunk Australians too!
lots and lots of rice fields!!!!
That's it for now!
Very trafficy and polluted...so far....we've had a blast anyways!
Still no way to downloan photos...
so.
little notes for you:
don't walk in jakarta. big mistake
traffic sucks
men are very smiley and friendly
it's hot here
if you like fried rice, this is your spot!
fresh squeezed juice everywhere!!
drunk Australians too!
lots and lots of rice fields!!!!
That's it for now!
1.24.2010
Chinese New Year
Last night, we took a trip to China Town and with Chinese New Year a couple weeks away, things were hopping!
Lots of dried meat and mushrooms being sold, and lots of decorations, special shoes, special pink flowers and a feeling of happiness in the air. Very cool! We got lost in the crowd for a while and then found a less crazy corner to eat a bit of dim sum with some purple dragon fruit juice for dessert. yum!
The food in this city is incredible!
We also tried our first taste of durian via ice cream sandwich.
Get this:
multi colored wonder bread with a large slice of durian ice cream in between. (Not what I call a western ice cream sandwich myself)
I have to say it smells of a strong funky spice and tastes a little bit like a funky cheese (skanky smelling sweat sock meets brie type deal) I loved it, and Rodolfo wanted to yak.
Tonight it is off to Jakarta Indonesia via Tiger airlines...roar!
Lots of dried meat and mushrooms being sold, and lots of decorations, special shoes, special pink flowers and a feeling of happiness in the air. Very cool! We got lost in the crowd for a while and then found a less crazy corner to eat a bit of dim sum with some purple dragon fruit juice for dessert. yum!
The food in this city is incredible!
We also tried our first taste of durian via ice cream sandwich.
Get this:
multi colored wonder bread with a large slice of durian ice cream in between. (Not what I call a western ice cream sandwich myself)
I have to say it smells of a strong funky spice and tastes a little bit like a funky cheese (skanky smelling sweat sock meets brie type deal) I loved it, and Rodolfo wanted to yak.
Tonight it is off to Jakarta Indonesia via Tiger airlines...roar!
Nature!!
Today we have spent a relaxed morning roaming the streets of Singapore!
We took a bus to a nature area (bit o' rainforest) and saw ...NATURE! Palm trees, crazy birds who sound like they speak Cantonese and MONKEYS! MONKEYS! better yet, MONKEYS HAVING SEX! It was awesome! Kind of cute actually!
Last night we went out with Rodolfo's engineering conference buddy Gary who took us to an incredible indian curry restaurant! The kind where you eat off of a palm tree leaf and the scoop curry out of buckets onto your leaf. AWESOME!
So the real big news:
Potties!
I have successfully used a floor potty 3 times now! Without peeing on myself! T.P. however is to be carried on your person at all times in case of emergency. For those potentially some day going to Japan...press the little buttons! it's awesome! It does everything and more! At one department store, the seat was even heated!
Singapore is non flogging! No canes of any kind have been witnessed and to our disapointment, everyone J walks. The only cop I've seen was eating an ice cream cone at the time and smiled at me!
We are off to Indonesia (Jakarta) tomorrow night. The plan is to visit China town tonight and Little India here in Singapore and then we will have successfully fulfilled our tourist needs!
We took a bus to a nature area (bit o' rainforest) and saw ...NATURE! Palm trees, crazy birds who sound like they speak Cantonese and MONKEYS! MONKEYS! better yet, MONKEYS HAVING SEX! It was awesome! Kind of cute actually!
Last night we went out with Rodolfo's engineering conference buddy Gary who took us to an incredible indian curry restaurant! The kind where you eat off of a palm tree leaf and the scoop curry out of buckets onto your leaf. AWESOME!
So the real big news:
Potties!
I have successfully used a floor potty 3 times now! Without peeing on myself! T.P. however is to be carried on your person at all times in case of emergency. For those potentially some day going to Japan...press the little buttons! it's awesome! It does everything and more! At one department store, the seat was even heated!
Singapore is non flogging! No canes of any kind have been witnessed and to our disapointment, everyone J walks. The only cop I've seen was eating an ice cream cone at the time and smiled at me!
We are off to Indonesia (Jakarta) tomorrow night. The plan is to visit China town tonight and Little India here in Singapore and then we will have successfully fulfilled our tourist needs!
1.23.2010
We are in Singapore!
We had an incredible time in Tokyo!
Highlights:
coffee in little cans that come out hot from vending machines
Getting to eat sushi with our old friend Tomo!
cranky old men who growl
Shinjuku - crazy hip side of town with lots of lights!
Eating: noodles, sushi, japanese yogurt, squash tempura, giant shrimp, and deep fried balls of fish paste and onion wrapped in bacon! AWESOME!
We got to see the fish market in Ginza!!! Incredible and insane! Both Rodolfo almost got ran over multiple times by crazy little carts!
We also loved staying in our little Ryokan on little mats drinking green tea and sneaking wifi with R mans I phone!
I love Tokyo. Now I completely understand why people go gaga over Japan! It's totally unique and incredible in so many ways! Expensive but awesome! We've decided to move there when we become millionaires...til then we stare longingly at the plastic food in the windows. It was a great time!
pics to come some time...we'll keep it to a minimum....but they are AWESOME!!!!! Once we figure out a way to post them!
Two more days in Singapore and then we are off to Indonesia.
Did I mention it's 80 degrees here? Had to rub it in.
We miss everyone...it's weird being on our own, but extremely exciting!
more to come soon!
Culture shock? Definitely! Food shock? Yes.
Highlights:
coffee in little cans that come out hot from vending machines
Getting to eat sushi with our old friend Tomo!
cranky old men who growl
Shinjuku - crazy hip side of town with lots of lights!
Eating: noodles, sushi, japanese yogurt, squash tempura, giant shrimp, and deep fried balls of fish paste and onion wrapped in bacon! AWESOME!
We got to see the fish market in Ginza!!! Incredible and insane! Both Rodolfo almost got ran over multiple times by crazy little carts!
We also loved staying in our little Ryokan on little mats drinking green tea and sneaking wifi with R mans I phone!
I love Tokyo. Now I completely understand why people go gaga over Japan! It's totally unique and incredible in so many ways! Expensive but awesome! We've decided to move there when we become millionaires...til then we stare longingly at the plastic food in the windows. It was a great time!
pics to come some time...we'll keep it to a minimum....but they are AWESOME!!!!! Once we figure out a way to post them!
Two more days in Singapore and then we are off to Indonesia.
Did I mention it's 80 degrees here? Had to rub it in.
We miss everyone...it's weird being on our own, but extremely exciting!
more to come soon!
Culture shock? Definitely! Food shock? Yes.
12.13.2009
please you send me to answer
Dear sir
Ms.Sarah Devore
I can recieve your reservation 20-22Jan(twin room,jap,without bath).
room rate(1night) 7000yen
If you stay here please you send me to answer.
thank you
This means we are really doing this! Going to countries where people speak Sarah English!
Exclamation marks and everything!!!!!
Flight itinerary update you don't want to know, but I'm telling you anyways!!!
US - Tokyo
Tokyo - Singapore
Singapore- Northern Indonesia
Medan Indonesia - Kuala Lumpur Malaysia (cheap tickets for $30 each!)
YAY!!!!
I'm looking into maybe reserving a resort somewhere on our way in Malaysia, you know, just for fun.
Now this is getting fun!
12.10.2009
Living without
So, the question has been posed by life and we have to respond whether we like it or not.
What do we need and what can we live without?
- Permanently
- temporarily
- in a year from now
- for the next 11 months on our backs
It's so weird!
and to have to think about it in that sense....all 4 options blundered together of what's going where and when and how and who...
Why, hello half used bottle of shampoo! Hmmmm.....can I take you with me to Thailand? Or should I try to use you up before I leave? Or do I put you in a big dark box for a long time and hope your cleaning qualities are still active and liquidy in a year from now? Or do I dump you in the trash?
I've been going thru our things in stages over the last few weeks, slowly sorting thru the things we definitely don't use or need first to save brain cells later.
Now the time has come to start thinking bigger...like sofa big. Like, all of our furniture big. Most of it has recently left the building, and the other half is on its way.
These are the things I don't really mind. It's almost a relief to watch them walk out the door into new happy families. The tough part is about to come.....all the things we keep, every single item will be sorted stacked piled categorized boxed up and shipped out to one place or another...and they have to be worth keeping.
I was going thru our books yesterday, boxing them up (books are an exception to the rule...they cannot be thrown out, no matter how much we don't read them!) and while organizing little piles into other little piles, I found a photo album I made in highschool. I had put together bits and pieces of everything. A clipping from a newspaper, a baby picture, a movie ticket stub, senior pics...it was totally one of those moments of wow...here I am...all of those moments from being a kid, highschool, college, rock bands, orchestras, proms, friends from far and wide, all of that is part of me, and even though I can't bring them with me, not even the photo album, all of those people and experiences are coming along inside of me for the ride. Just as this next adventure will add to the pot for the future.
Maybe the the pot just keeps getting bigger and bigger? The more people and experiences I add, the more space opens up inside my heart for more.
Maybe it's not about the stuff, I can always buy more shampoo ANYWHERE! It's about living to the fullest I can in every stage of life, including this transitional one.
Holy cow!
We're really doing this!
What do we need and what can we live without?
- Permanently
- temporarily
- in a year from now
- for the next 11 months on our backs
It's so weird!
and to have to think about it in that sense....all 4 options blundered together of what's going where and when and how and who...
Why, hello half used bottle of shampoo! Hmmmm.....can I take you with me to Thailand? Or should I try to use you up before I leave? Or do I put you in a big dark box for a long time and hope your cleaning qualities are still active and liquidy in a year from now? Or do I dump you in the trash?
I've been going thru our things in stages over the last few weeks, slowly sorting thru the things we definitely don't use or need first to save brain cells later.
Now the time has come to start thinking bigger...like sofa big. Like, all of our furniture big. Most of it has recently left the building, and the other half is on its way.
These are the things I don't really mind. It's almost a relief to watch them walk out the door into new happy families. The tough part is about to come.....all the things we keep, every single item will be sorted stacked piled categorized boxed up and shipped out to one place or another...and they have to be worth keeping.
I was going thru our books yesterday, boxing them up (books are an exception to the rule...they cannot be thrown out, no matter how much we don't read them!) and while organizing little piles into other little piles, I found a photo album I made in highschool. I had put together bits and pieces of everything. A clipping from a newspaper, a baby picture, a movie ticket stub, senior pics...it was totally one of those moments of wow...here I am...all of those moments from being a kid, highschool, college, rock bands, orchestras, proms, friends from far and wide, all of that is part of me, and even though I can't bring them with me, not even the photo album, all of those people and experiences are coming along inside of me for the ride. Just as this next adventure will add to the pot for the future.
Maybe the the pot just keeps getting bigger and bigger? The more people and experiences I add, the more space opens up inside my heart for more.
Maybe it's not about the stuff, I can always buy more shampoo ANYWHERE! It's about living to the fullest I can in every stage of life, including this transitional one.
Holy cow!
We're really doing this!
11.10.2009
tid bits
Lots of things! Lots of things!
I'm going to blabber them all out at once! AHHH!!!!!!
WE PASSED!
Rodolfo and I passed our immigration interview! According to the Federal Government, we are a legitimate married couple! Yay?!? YAY!!!!!
BIRTHDAY DAY!
It's my birthday this Friday! 27! Yay?!? YAY!!!!!
Inflatable love.
We bought inflatable pillows online! Along with little mini travel unbrellas! We are SO SET for a world trip across multiple continents!! Nothing says "prepared" like mini umbrellas! Right? RIGHT!
Traveler's Insurance.
If someone out there has any clue how that mystery works, you just let me know! I've researched 15 different companies, entered in our ages, birthdays, nationalities, trip dates etc, and looked at 50 different options and I'm even more perplexed then I was before I started! I DON'T KNOW IF I'M GOING TO BE DISMEMBERED!?!? Grr? GRRR!!!!!
Spices.
We are I believe 60% towards our goal of using up our delicious spices. It's become some kind of pre trip challenge between the two of us....which is both wonderful and painful. Garlic hummus...not such a good idea.
Shots
We are good to go! Almost! Our last round of shots for both of us is on Thursday! We are ALMOST THERE! Bring it on weird funky virus/bacterial/blah di blah! Bring it!
Now, it's just enjoying our last couple of months in Madison as much as humanly possible. A bathroom. A bedroom...a closet! Limited resources from here on out. I have to enjoy them while they last!!!
I'm going to blabber them all out at once! AHHH!!!!!!
WE PASSED!
Rodolfo and I passed our immigration interview! According to the Federal Government, we are a legitimate married couple! Yay?!? YAY!!!!!
BIRTHDAY DAY!
It's my birthday this Friday! 27! Yay?!? YAY!!!!!
Inflatable love.
We bought inflatable pillows online! Along with little mini travel unbrellas! We are SO SET for a world trip across multiple continents!! Nothing says "prepared" like mini umbrellas! Right? RIGHT!
Traveler's Insurance.
If someone out there has any clue how that mystery works, you just let me know! I've researched 15 different companies, entered in our ages, birthdays, nationalities, trip dates etc, and looked at 50 different options and I'm even more perplexed then I was before I started! I DON'T KNOW IF I'M GOING TO BE DISMEMBERED!?!? Grr? GRRR!!!!!
Spices.
We are I believe 60% towards our goal of using up our delicious spices. It's become some kind of pre trip challenge between the two of us....which is both wonderful and painful. Garlic hummus...not such a good idea.
Shots
We are good to go! Almost! Our last round of shots for both of us is on Thursday! We are ALMOST THERE! Bring it on weird funky virus/bacterial/blah di blah! Bring it!
Now, it's just enjoying our last couple of months in Madison as much as humanly possible. A bathroom. A bedroom...a closet! Limited resources from here on out. I have to enjoy them while they last!!!
11.04.2009
AFRICA!
Allright. Back to trip plans rather then trips!
We have tickets for Africa!
So now, Asia and Africa are accounted for, that just leaves Europe!
Rodolfo found a great deal thru Egypt Airlines for $700 each including taxes.
What's the great deal about it? Multiple stops!
We'll fly into Johanesburg and get picked up again in Tanzania, giving us a couple months to experience the world cup and travel the coast thru South Africa/Mozambique/Tanzania.
From Tanzania, we'll have a week in Cairo Egypt and then back to London for our European adventures!!!
WHOO HOO!!!!!
We have tickets for Africa!
So now, Asia and Africa are accounted for, that just leaves Europe!
Rodolfo found a great deal thru Egypt Airlines for $700 each including taxes.
What's the great deal about it? Multiple stops!
We'll fly into Johanesburg and get picked up again in Tanzania, giving us a couple months to experience the world cup and travel the coast thru South Africa/Mozambique/Tanzania.
From Tanzania, we'll have a week in Cairo Egypt and then back to London for our European adventures!!!
WHOO HOO!!!!!
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