The festivities are all alight, aglow, and blasting off into the sky as we speak, but your Loy Krathong vlog will be coming soon. So far it has be A-fucking-MAZING! Phenomenal! Breathtaking. As for me, I laughed, I cried… I lost my voice.
Food for thought: With 12 full moons in a lunar year, why doesn’t the U.S. of A have a festival – or even an acknowledgement – of this immense treasure in our sky?
More food for thought: Fuck em. Make your own festival.
So we have these things called “border runs”, also known as “Visa runs”. No, no one’s got diarrhea (that I know of) and it has nothing to do with a credit card. Basically, it involves going to the nearest border, getting into the next country, and coming back. Travelers have this privilege, which often exceeds the rights of those actually living in the countries we are bordering running to. Sad, but true.
Faced with my Visa’s approaching renewal date, I decided to make this obligation into an adventure. (First, let me preface this with some advice: never engage in adventuring or border crossing hungover.)
So the day before this adventure it was Halloween (see where I’m going with this?) and, dressed as a panda, I think I drank more than I have in the past 6 months, which for me is 2.5 drinks apparently, but for Panda that was obscene. Let’s just say that when people buy you drinks of their own volition flattery begins to outweigh good judgement.
Anyhoo… I got hooked up by my local travel agent lady here in Chiang Mai. The day before I was to leave she let me pay the standard Visa run bus ticket price, but she also threw in:
… all for free. So with about 1 hour of sleep and eyeliner clinging to my worn-out eyes, I embarked on my adventure.
The White Temple was probably the least holy temple I’ve seen so far – unless you consider a mural with images of the devil, Spiderman, and a gas pump Divine – but fuck if it wasn’t cool! Built only 12 years ago, it was clear that the Thai gentleman that commissioned it wanted to show off while earning some grade-A karma at the same time. Mission: accomplished. People actually take pictures with a cardboard cut-out of this man while the temple interior remains empty. Thirty minutes and 2 liters of water later I’m realizing just how badly I need sunglasses.
Back on the bus and I knock out! I think I even dreamed of sleeping. Even my subconscious was exhausted. The next memorable destination was Laos. We arrived by slow boat, gliding down the Mehkong River dividing Burma, Thailand, and Laos and headed straight into a tourist trap of cheap souvenirs and food. And I totally bought stuff. And drank. Technically, this was a “it’s part of the experience” beverage, meaning it included such refreshments as:
…all animals dead and floating in a vat of their supposed co-creations. Opting to not drink a penis that day, I had my favorite animal, the King Cobra whiskey. It had a bit of bite to it, not gonna lie, and it may have knocked my subconscious out for good.
Getting my Visa was no trouble. Two more months in Thailand so I’m good to go and can now say that I’ve been in 3 countries in 1 day. When that would come up in conversation, I do not know, but hey: “It’s part of the experience!”
My favorite place, however, was the Akha village. The Akha are a hilltribe here in Thailand and as soon as we were guided into their village I saw two little girls playing. I kneeled down and starting playing with them, tickling them and pretending to take the little flowers they were picking out of their hands. Their laughter was contagious and, as the sun was setting, the first I had uttered the whole day. They acted almost of though they knew nothing else of the squalor we perceive them as living in or the pain assumed of not having any shoes to wear. As I was tickling them and getting ready to move on with the group, one of the little girls threw her arms around me and gave me the sweetest hug ever, almost as a tacit “thank you”. The kindness and beauty of a child’ love was worth every effort made to get there.
I believe we can all learn so much from children and that little girl taught me that nothing, not a hallmark holiday or the flattery of a new friend, can compare to the innocent, endearing, fun-loving nature of a child.
Hannah Miranda and Kung Fu Tyler. Word.
A brief history of Halloween:
My celebration of life continues and this past week it included…
So pure.
Check out more photos on my Facebook page here.
So far finding work has been a struggle. The job that I had hoped for being long-term is not and my bank and discount airlines screwed me from the start. The need for food, shelter, and transportation remain. So I have an idea!
Photos for food.
Get a taste of Thailand and give me a taste of food. (And maybe out of this country when the time comes.)
More info soon. In the meantime you can check out my photography blog at tylerbatsonphotography.tumblr.com.
One day.
Wake up. Late morning. Light, cool breeze.
Take a walk. Rent a motor bike for the first time in your life. Lie and say you have ridden before. Take the fuck off on the open road with no direction. Learn you are quite skilled at riding said motor bike.
See live tigers interact with people. Crack the fuck up as they cuddle with the wild animals. Feed koi fish. Take off on said motor bike again. Drive indiscriminately into the Thai jungle with no sound but the music of said jungle.
Share some rice wine with your newly formed motor bike gang – “The Chicken Leg Gang” – and some new awesome friends at a dimly lit outdoor patio. Barefoot – as is the custom.
Get invited to a house warming party for an Italian expat. Revel with men, women, and children from all over the world and learn phrases in three languages, three dialects, and seven accents.
Get in a truck. Drive. See a fucking lone elephant! Scream and point. Witness your camera man eat shit as he practically fractures his coccyx on the asphalt after leaping from the moving vehicle. Witness his awe inspiring recovery as he then bolts to film the elephant. Cherish the 4 second clip he captures.
Take your motor bike to an awesome reggae bar. Meet more people from more places. Dance on benches with beautiful women. Listen to live music.
Drive motor bike back to guesthouse on a lone stretch of dark road, through an alley, past a Buddhist temple, and dismount.
One day.
Best day.
Before leaving for Thailand my trade was – and continues to be – photography. It just so happens to be one of my many loves, as well. So take a look at how I make the love. (That came out wrong.)
More of my work:
Peace and sweet, sweet love ladies & vagabonds!
Going away party, part II
1) If he thinks a girl is pretty, it will be one of the first things he says to her.
2) He’s a strong believer in faith – and has the word tattooed on his arm. Twice.
3) He’s totally easy going. (Major plus!)
4) He uses a southern drawl to call my Mom “Ma’am” in such a way that she doesn’t get offended.
5) He can be trusted to take great group photos.
I gotta say, with as little monetary resources as I’m working with I still have a blessed and full life. In large part this is due to the beautiful family I will be leaving behind. The community I have built over the past 11 years living in Los Angeles has been unexpected. When I moved to L.A. from Mexico as a teenager I felt like an alien. Now, although the scenery changes as I continue to travel, I take comfort in knowing that the love will always be there, not only for this community I’m saying goodbye to, but for the communities I have yet to meet… in Thailand.
8 days to departure!
This weekend we managed to get out of Seoul to see the beaches of Mooyi Island off the coast of Incheon. Here are a few of the good times:
Celebrating 3 birthdays on the beach (our friend Yuyu, and two new friends)
Sunset on the beach.
More after the break…
Previous Seasons
Friends/Heroes/Allies
Newsletter
Popular Posts