You Are a Geode

I have flaws – lots of the them.  Inside and out

My flaws start with low self esteem.  I want to feel loved and needed.  While I am comfortable being alone, I would much prefer to spend my time enjoying a meaningful conversation with a person with whom I feel a soul connection with than spending another Saturday night building puzzles alone drinking wine.  I get lost in groups of people.  I struggle making small talk.  People ask me “why can’t you just have a “normal” conversation?  I like the fringe, the weird, the unexpected.  I expect to be let down by the people I love the most.  I make assumptions about people I don’t even know and those that I do as well.  I don’t follow my own advice.  As much as I want to see a half full glass, I struggle.  I won’t even get started on my physical short comings.  I am painfully aware of these shortcomings.  They have cost me friends, relationships, promotions, even my marriage.

Yesterday while unpacking a box of personal effects, I came across a Geode (see picture above) that an old friend had given me years ago.  I have moved this Geode three times, always keeping it close to me, because it reminded me of a deep friendship long ago lost.

This past week, I have been feeling like a huge part of me is missing, a loneliness I have never felt so intensely in my life.  Sometimes I wonder if I suffer from seasonal mood disorder, after all, it’s gray, damp and lifeless everywhere.  Are our emotions a mirror of our environments?

Often times, before I go to bed, I try to set an intention for my dreams.  I rarely remember my dreams, but I always set these intentions.  I believe that in the dream world, our Higher Self, Soul Groups, loved ones no longer with us, and the Universe are communicating with us.  In the dream space, there is no time or space, we are truly free.  In my intentions I usual ask for signs, for guidance, to help me find my personal legend.  These signs come through not only in dreams but in our daily lives, if we are looking, synchronicity, or “sinks” as I call them in my Bumpkinese.  They are guideposts, if we have the courage to follow them.

Unexpectedly finding that Geode felt like a sign, an answer to an Intention I had set asking for guidance.  I was a pretty low place emotionally and unpacking boxes of useless junk I have held onto for years, wasn’t boasting my spirits.  Feeling compelled to talk to my friend who had given it to me, I messaged her a picture an asked why she had given it to me (after all, it is kind of an asymmetrical gift).

She said she gave it to me to always remind me “to believe in yourself because there is always something more on the inside of me than what I (and others) see on the surface.”  Of course my knee-jerk reaction was to assume the negative,  That this was some how saying that despite all of your physical imperfections, there is something beautiful on the inside…but there is a much deeper meaning in it’s simplicity.

Holding the Geode in my hand and reflecting more on the rock itself and her comment, it dawned on me…we are all Geodes.  Most of us see our own flaws much more amplified than others see our flaws (other than that occasional asshole in our lives that we need to delete from our lives anyway).  We also highlight the flaws in others as a way to mask our own shortcomings.  I am certainly guilty of this.   We all have struggles, some of us hide them better than others.  We are all scared of the same basic things.  We all want to love and be loved.  We all want to laugh and be free.  We all want peace, health, abundance, and gratitude.

This simple rock taught me that I need to stop feeling bad for myself.  I need to stop judging others.  I need stop following the rules and start perusing my passions and desires because I am no longer afraid of rejection or failure.  I need to forgive those that have wronged me and stop holding on to the past.  We all have imperfections, struggles, but we all also have something beautiful inside of us, that has been walled off for our own reasons.  It is up to us, to open our walls, to let others see our inner beauty and for us to see that same beauty in others.

JJC

Empty your mind, be formless. Shapeless, like water. If you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle and it becomes the bottle. You put it in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Now, water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend.”  – Bruce Lee

Over a year ago, I paid for the original piece of art pictured below, to hang in my daughters’ bedroom.  One because I think it encapsulates a beautiful life philosophy in four simple words and two it should remind them of a great philosopher who shares their Chinese heritage.  Unfortunately, I never received the artwork.  I was bitter about never receiving it.  The art community is generally an amazing group of people, that I know from the fringe.  I am sad that I never received it, but I am also finally forgiving the artist, I am sure he had good reasons for not sending it and which him nothing but love and light.  Godspeed and be water my friends.

Recommended reading related to this post:

1. Interested in learning more about discovering your personal legend – The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho 
2. Is something missing in your love life, marriage, or you just need wisdom or hope about your relationship future…never read a channeled book?  Want to learn about Soul Mates, finding your Twin Flame?  You think channeling is bullshit, read this book and tell me that there isn’t a Higher Intelligence captured in these writings – Masters’ Guide to Love, Relationship & Soul Mates – Channeled by Mataare
3. Like the Bruce Lee philosophy and want more – The Warrior Within: The Philosophies of Bruce Lee by John Little
4. Want to learn how to dream lucidly, so do I, try this book – Exploring the World of Lucid Dreaming by Stephen LeBerge 
5. Doubt that there is evidence of an afterlife or are interested in finding out what happens when we die…soul groups, reincarnation – Life Between Lives: Hypnotherapy for Spiritual Regression by Dr. Michael Newton

 

 

 

 

Addition by Subtraction

I have been thinking about death a lot lately.  Which is another way of saying that I have been thinking about life a lot lately.

“You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.”  – Jim Rohn

I spend a lot of time alone with my thoughts.  Recently I have been filling that void by obsessively listening to podcasts…two podcasts in particular.  The Tim Ferriss Show  is what got me started down the podcast rabbit hole.  Being slightly neurotic, I had to start at the beginning and work my way to the most recent episode.  Along the way books have been purchased and my life’s perspective is really starting to change.  It wasn’t long before I discovered a guest named James Altucher (Episode 18 to be exact) and started reading his blog about ideas for a world out of balance and added James’ podcast to my repertoire.

For those of you keeping score at home, I just finished Episode 62 of the Tim Ferriss show (only listening to a few future ones because I couldn’t remain patient enough based on my interest in the guest).  I can recommend this podcast to anyone that is feeling unproductive, wasteful, looking for an edge or a way to hack their job, heath, workout routine, or just looking for a broad spectrum of interesting topics and unique perspectives from some of the world’s top performers across a wide spectrum of topics.

However, my approach with the James Altucher Show has been totally different.  I pick shows based on the guest or the topic.  I would recommend this podcast to anyone that wants to be inspired, feels stuck in rut, stuck in a job, underutilized, under appreciated, or feels like their is a massive void in their life.  Don’t get me wrong, this is a business podcast, but it is so much more. On a personal level, I find that I relate more to James than Tim at this juncture in my life, but give both a try.

I will Have the Arby’s 5×5

It won’t take you long after listening to either show to hear either the hosts or guest toss out the famous quote from Jim Rohn “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.”

In a blog post James expanded on this idea with is 5×5 Rule which I will summarize here:

1. You are the average of the five people around you.
2. You are the average of the five things that inspire you the most.
3. My thoughts are the average of the five things I think about.
4. My body and mind are the average of the five things I “eat”.
5. I am the average of the five things I do to help people each day.

As I dwell on the topic death and the current state of my life, I have been toying with this 5×5 Rule as a way to make simple changes in my life, with the anticipation that they will cumulatively lead to a much better quality of life.

Let’s breakdown maxim number one – You are the average of the five people around you.  For me, this should be explored even more microscopically.  In your personal life, where you establish a significant portion of your quality of life, that quality starts with the five people you spend the most of your personal time with.  Are you in a relationship?  If that relationship isn’t something that excites, invigorates, motivates, and fills you with love everyday, maybe you should reconsider it.  Who are the friends you are spending time with?  Do they inspire you?  Make you laugh?  Pick you up when you are sad?  Or do they drag you down the vortex of drama, negativity, consternation, anxiety, and guilt?

How about the place where most of us choose to spend a large portion of our time every week, work?  You are the average of the five people around you at work.  Are you working for a boss that respects you, shows you gratitude, helps you develop, is honest with you, and inspires you to grow professionally?  Who are your peers and co-workers?  Are they catty, petty, and sabotaging or do they encourage you,  motivate, and push you to be the best version of your professional self?  Who are the five people that you socialize with from work?  Are they advancing their careers, growing, teaching, and helping you network?

As I push to reinvent my life with the goals being abundance, gratitude, health and love, I find myself reevaluating everyone and everything in my life.  Are they helping me achieve my goals?  What do they say about my priorities?  Am I being honest with myself?  Here are four additional maxims that I am contemplating and I would encourage you to reflect on these topics in your own life.

1. Your mind is the average of the five things you watch on television/internet every week (let’s hope it’s not every day…then you are definitely watching too much tv).
2. Your perspective is shaped by the average of the five top social media influencers you follow.
3. Your priorities are the average of the last five non-essential items you have purchased.
4. Your goals are limited by the average of the five obstacles in your life to you are avoiding.

If I were to list out these things in my current life, it would be rather embarrassing.  But it is within that embarrassment, that great truth can be found.  What does my embarrassment say about me, how I spend my time, my priorities, who I let influence me, and why do I care about any of this?

I don’t really watch much TV on a weekly basis, but here’s what I have been watching.  I am the average of these five things I watch every week:

1. Fraizer – I have been working through sitcom on Netflix watching a couple of episodes a week
2. Love – Netflix series primarily because E from the eels is in a couple of episodes
3. Stranger Things – Season 2
4. Pittsburgh Dad weekly youtube videos
5. Some kind of random youtube video on conspiracy theories on ancient aliens

I have been making a conscious effort to significantly reduce my social media usage, especially Facebook, but here are the top five social media influencers that are shaping the way I see the world:

1. James Altucher – redundant I know
2. Mel Fabregas – I have had the pleasure of meeting Mel a couple of times and can’t say enough kind words about him.
3. Ramit Sethi – He will teach you how to be rich
4. Neil Kramer – a true philosopher, living amoung us in the here and now
5. Tim Ferriss

Here’s where the embarrassment starts to go up as I start to reflect on my last five non-essential purchases.  The law of averages really starts making sense for me as I list these out.

1. Beer and food at Dive Bar in Wexford Pa – 12/10/17
2. Dinner at Chengdu Gourmet – Best Chinese food in Pittsburgh, hands down 12/9/17
3. Ticket to Kennywood to see the Winter Lights with my daughters 12/9/17
4. Coffee for myself and hot chocolate at Starbucks – 12/9/17
5. Beer, food, and ticket for the Penguins game 12/7/17

At least five out of these five things were sort of experiences.  Definately spending way too much money on beer and bar food.  I certainly have a lot of work to do here!

My goals are limited by these five obstacles.  While this list required the least amount of thought, it is certainly one that needs the most attention from myself.

1. Fear of rejection
2. Fear of criticm
3. Lack of confidence
4. Procrastination
5. Fear of taking a risk

While I am really good at encouraging others to step out on to the ledge, I am gripped by fear.  I let it rule over me.  But I am taking steps, even seeing these words on a screen, is sort of refreshing in a way, an acknowledgement of what is holding me back.

Speaking of embarrassment, take a look at shirt James is wearing for his Ted Talk, he must have taken it out of the package right from Macy’s before getting on stage…but once you get past that, there is a very deep message in there.  It is Choose Yourself!

“Choose yourself” – James Altucher

The good news is that change can start this minute.  Recently I cancelled cable TV.  I am in the process of selling, donating, or trashing my unnecessary possessions.  I find the reduction of physical clutter in my life is transforming into my personal life.  I am not perfect, far from it, but if I can improve, even 1%, every day, think about the long term overall lift in quality of life.  How much more money will we all have, if we re-prioritize our spending?  Think about your daily exercise routine.  If you improved just 1% everyday, how much stronger, faster, dare I say, happier you would be with your time at the gym. Even small changes can be epic.  Sometimes it just takes the right inspiration.

I think about this picture a lot and every morning I tell myself to be courageous, if not for myself, for my daughters.  It’s never to late to change yourself…never

Who are we, where do we come from, and why are we here

Wednesday, October 25, 2017 4:14 am EST – on United Flight UA252 from Honolulu Hawaii to Houston, TX

I was sitting in Business Class, a window seat, on the right hand side of the plane, maybe seat 4L, definitely 4L, I just checked my ticket. I was never supposed to be on this flight, however my flight the previous day departing Guam had been cancelled due to weather.

Intially, the seven hour flight from Guam to Honolulu, Hawaii was pretty uneventful. I sat next to this older quiet Guamidian (no idea what people from Guam refer to themselves as) gentleman. We ate breakfast, cheese omelette, fresh fruit, yogurt and two cinnamon rolls (the only free food I was expecting in the next 24 hours).

I watched three movies, Baby Driver, Fist Fight, and Going in Style. Movies are almost always treated as a pure distraction for me, so don’t judge. With about 1.5 hours remaining in the trip, as I was halfway through Going in Style, they served us a light lunch, comprised of a roast beef sandwich, small salad and a coke…bonus free food. The movie finished around the same time as my dinner. I pee and check the clock. One hour left, my next Tim Ferriss podcast is 54 minutes long (Episide 46, Hating Tech…), so I listen to it while I play a game on my phone.

36 minutes into the podcast, I notice a commotion in the isle in front of me and to my left, people scrambling, flight attendants calling for any medically trained people on the plane to please come to thw front of a cabin. I can’t really see the isle, since I am on the window. I stop the podcast and start rubbernecking, I can see a foot, it looks like a woman is lying in the isle, her shoes are off, her toes are exposed, but she has a sort of wrap on her foot. The foot is twitching. She has dark Asian skin, like a tan Japanese or Pacfic Islander. A man is standing in the seats in front of me, he looks distraught, her husband I presume. He is wearing a ballcap and has dark Asian skin too.

25 minutes to land the screen in front of me silently indicates. More medical people surge the isle, out come the medical gloves, first aid kits, and limited onboard medical equipment, the woman’s foot is still twitching. I can’t hear much in the chaos. They keep calling for a doctor. There looks to be a lot military nurses or EMTs. One lady is taking charge, she is firmly ordering people around. She knows what she is doing. She feels military.

It felt totally powerless to me, watching all of this, so I decided to pray/meditate. I kept trying to project love at her and to breathe in her suffering and pain the way my friend Victoria taught me. I can’t focus but I try to tell her soul that she will be okay and she isn’t dying today. More people are surging forward, there is a doctor, I think he is a doctor, he looks reluctant to help, he is a little on the heavy side, and has trouble moving through the center row to get to the right isle. I think to myself, Jesus dude, remember your Hippocratic Oath, first, do no harm and get in there and help. Maybe he is a dermatologist or something.

15 minutes until touchdown. The lady in-charge is firm with the guy I think is a doctor. She is calling out times and doses of medication, pulses, and descriptions and other medical readings. She is telling someone to write it all down with the exact times. Word comes that the passenger may be diabetic. An Asian passenger seems to be able to communicate with her or maybe with her husband, I can’t tell. There is no sense of panic, but no one is reassuring the patient or her husband either. I can tell that the medical people can’t quickly identify the cause of her condition but it is rapidly deteriorating, the patient is in shock, maybe a heart attack. They are going to do CPR. Someone is yelling to start an IV drip. The patient’s foot is convulsing rapidly now. I don’t need medical training to know that they are going to lose her. I retreat to prayer, pyschicly pleading with this woman’s soul to stay in her body a little longer. The foot goes limp.

People are screaming “clear!” I think they are using an electrical device to restart her heart. I can see someone desperately performing CPR. No response in her foot. Her husband looks pail. I can’t do anything, so I lift the window blind. We are very close to landing. No one working on her gets in their seat. People are calling out times to touch down, another electric attempt to start her heart. All of the people working on her were incredibly calm and business like about the situation, I somehow knew, this woman had passed, she wasn’t coming back.

The touchdown in Honolulu was absolutely perfect, no one broke stride from what they were doing. We quickly pull to a gate and there is a surge of three EMTs. The lady in-charge briefly updates them and they go to work. We are being disembarked to the rear of the aircrafr but my bag is in the overhead, right where the EMTs are working. I catch a glance of a shirtless, lifeless woman being heavily worked on by three Hawaiian EMTs. They are trying to wrap her in a blanket and bring her back to life. Her soul isn’t cooperating.

A flight attendant retrieves my bag from the overhead and I am ushered off the plane. This is my first time in Hawaii, I should be joyous, but I am overrun with emotions. I can feel tears welling in my eyes.

After clearing customs in Hawaii, I see the lady that was in-charge on our flight, she is looking for the same connection as me. I ask if she thought if the patient was going to make it and she turned to me, with a remarkable casualness and said, “no, she is dead, there was nothing more we could do”.

I can’t imagine in anxiety, panic, and sheer terror that woman’s poor husband must have been and is still going through. I am tearing up just thinking about it.

While I feel firmly grounded in my spirituality and am totally comfortable the notion that the soul continues on in an infinite life, this is easily the closest I have ever been to someone passing and all of the belief systems in Universe can’t erase that image of a cold lifeless body laying in an airplane isle.

My mind did, what I imagine most people would do…I start taking an inventory of all the important things in my life. That list only included people. No material possessions, no jobs, no experiences, just people. I am not good at showing people in my life how much I love them. I should try to see my parents much more thn I do. I need to make more of an effort with friends. Seeing my daughters in a few hours is going to be like seeing them for the first time in their lives, I can’t wait.

Tell someone that you love them today but yet, give them a hug and kiss, action mean more than words. Live in the now.

Let’s Begin with the Past in Front

October 24, 2017 – 10:58 am (local time), Antonio B. Won Pat International Airport also known as Guam International Airport, Guam – United Airlines Lounge

End of the Road

So I end this trip the way I started, in an airport lounge. Burnt illy’s cappuccino from the instant machine, salty snacks, and my thoughts, reflecting on it all. Counting this entry, I will have made 7 blog posts over 18 days of travel, not really a win. While the intent of this blog was to work on my writing chops for an audience of no one, I found developing interesting ideas into content the biggest challenge. The fact that I published seven enteries was a minor accomplishment, sharing my thoughts in a public forum was a big step for me.

On this trip, I covered some territory, over 25,000 miles in airplanes, probably 30 plus hours in a car, five countries (Hong Kong, China, Cambodia, Vietnam, and a brief stop in Japan on my way home), one US Territory, six time zones, visited with old friends (Cafen – I got your name in the blog), made some new ones, and did some work in between all of this.

I received a lot of encouragement to keep blogging and surprisingly people seemed to want to read what I have to say. I received two bits of honest feedback, which I am always open to as well…one contending I need an editor, which I totally agree (the position is currently open, although it doesn’t pay that well). The second was that I have lost any street cred that I had by calling Taco Bell “divine”. This statement of course presumes that I had street cred to begin with, which is doubtful at best. Also, I stand by the statement, in context of course, the context of fast food. The good folks a Business Insider are on my side of this eternal debate.

Next steps from here. I am setting a realistic goal for myself to continue to write and share photos, lists, and ideas in this format. I debate on whether or not to share the future updates on social media, or just let people find them organically.

The 22 hour journey home begins but I can’t wait to look for gimmicky Kit-Kats in Japan.

Deleted Scenes and Outakes

Below is a entry I never finshed from Saturday, October 22, 2017 in Guam

Diamond Member Benefits

So this was it, Stay #30 for me at a Hilton property in 2017 (my 41st night in a Hilton property), and I have once again qualified for the most elite status (Diamond Status) at worst major hotel chain in the world. As I write this, I am at the Hilton Guam Resort & Spa, staying out of my pocket, with points, 40,000 points a night (for three nights). A quick glimpse into what my Diamond status earned me during my stay in Guam. I am on 6th floor of the main tower with an ocean facing twin bed room. This hotel was clearly built in the late 1970’s or early 1980’s, my room was probably updated in the mid 2000’s. Upon check-in, I asked for an upgrade (something I never do, but hey, I am trying to push myself into discomfort, as a form of self improvement) and was rejected (upgrades are an alleged benefit of Diamond status with Hilton). (Andrew – one day, I will man-up and try the $20 bill trick you taught me years ago.) My room came with four complimentary San Pellegriono Limonata bottles, which could quite possibly the great drink on the entire planet and a free mini Woodbridge Merlot 2015 bottle (which I am drinking as I write this). Another win, complimentary hotel Internet access (which is normally $15 a day and spotty). Finally, complimentary access to the Lounge for free breakfast and Happy Hour. The breakfast was a basically the same as you would receive at a Hampton Inn, consisting of runny eggs, bacon, hash browns, and some random lunch meet, basic fruits, yogurt and about three types of bread, coffee, juice and some milk. As hotel lounges in Asia go, this was decidedly underwhelming. The Happy Hour felt included free wine, beer, or mixed drinks (but access was very limited) and some very light snacks and non-alcoholic beverages. First world problems I know. Here is a view from my room, stunning right?

Below is my ranking (#1 was the best) of the hotels I stayed in during my 2017 Asia trip (18 total nights), based on the room, gym, breakfast (I had free breakfast at each property), location, and overall impressions:

1. Park Hyatt – Siem Reap Cambodia (3 nights – $260 a night)
2. Intercontinental – Ho Chi Minh City (2 nights – $229 a night)
3. Shangri La – Kowloon, Hong Kong (2 nights – $300 a night)
4. JW Marriott – Haungzhou, China (1 night – $190 a night)
5. Marriott – Ningbo, China (3 nights – $120 a night)
6. Hilton Guam Resort and Spa (3 nights – $150 a night)
7. Hilton Garden Inn, Mongkok, Hong Kong (3 nights – $220 a night)
8. United Airlines – red-eye from Hong Kong to Guam (1 night – free)

Hilton, you really need to up your game in Asia (and around the world). #Weaksauce #SlaveToThePoints

Still I can’t escape the ghost of you

I should just pause here – I have been obsessing over the song Ordinary World by Duran Duran today, not sure why, but get into it!

The Flower of Life

A Stranger in a Strange Land

Sunday, October 15, 2017 5:51 pm – Siem Reap, Cambodia – watching the sun set and sipping a complimentary bottle of Australian wine

So I have taken a few days off from writing, partially because I have been busy and partially because I have been lacking inspiration about what to write next.  The last couple of days have had some unique travel experiences.  For instance on Friday morning, my co-work Jason and I woke up in Hangzhou, China and had a sketchy hotel breakfast.   We somehow managed to get to the airport on our own for a domestic flight.  Whenever, someone asks me if I know what it feels like to a be a minority, I simply respond with a question, “have you ever taken a domestic flight in China?” Not only were Jason and I the only white people on the flight, we were the only white people in the entire Domestic Flight Terminal in Hangzhou (a massive airport by American standards).  A pause in the story here, I have never, and I mean never been treated rudely as a traveler anywhere in the world.  This is especially true in China, our sworn Communist enemy according to what the talking heads on the tv tell me.  I have certainly been looked at as a curiosity, had the hair on my arm pulled, my skin rubbed to see if I was a ghost, stares, laughter, been told I am HUGE, but never treated rudely.  The hardest part of traveling in China is dealing with the sheer numbers of people and their overwhelming desire to get everywhere, in a hurry.  Case in point, people started standing not ten seconds after our flight touches down.  It is almost comical to see the isles swell, people grabbing their bags as the plane is still moving, tossing them around. Me being on an isle seat is clearly pissing off the passengers in seats A and B in my row and their desire to move can be felt by the stares I am getting.  The Chinese equivalent of the FAA must simply not care about such trivial matters.

Upon arrival in Guangzhou we were confronted with transitioning to the International Departure area and had our fingers crossed that our bags were checked all the way to Siem Reap, Cambodia.  Starving for something to eat, having passed on the China Southern Airlines in-flight meal, we settled for Chinese McDonald’s.  I am still on the fence if the McDonald’s on the lower level of the Guangzhou airport is legit or not.  I have seen fake Starbucks, fake Hilton’s, fake Nike Stores, and fake Apple stores in China, so a fake McDonald’s isn’t impossible, hell their was a fake Burger King in the Southside under everyone’s nose.  What makes me question the legitimacy of this McDonald’s is that it offered essentially two choices, a Spicy Fried Chicken sandwich or barbecued grilled chicken sandwich (which from the picture looked terrible).  At this McDonald’s there were no French Fries, no Big Mac’s, no burgers at all, the only extra one could get was to add on chicken wings or chicken nuggets.  I wish I would have taken a photo, just one of the bizarre things you experience in China.

After successfully navigating Chinese TSA (got the full pat down from a female Chinese TSA agent), emigration and the remainder of the Guangzhou Airport exit process, we found ourselves bound for Cambodia.  On this flight, I took the meal.  It was chicken (in a mystery sauce) with rice and veggies, a bun, slices of turkey, a banana, and a bowl of minced carrots and celery.  Honestly, in the way of airplane food, it wasn’t bad.  Upon landing in Siem Reap, more lines and more confusing tasks to complete.  Purchased a tourist visa, $30.  Waited through a ridiculously long emigration line, given how small of an airport it was…and then the moment of truth, baggage claim, and boom, our bags had made the 12 hour trip.  One final walk through customs and out into the steamy 90 degree+ Kingdom of Cambodia evening…it hit’s like a punch in gut, the heat, coupled with the humidity of the jungle, is unrelenting.  Secured a ride to our hotel and wolfed a solid meal that included my favorite, pomelo salad and sleep at last.  Travel like that is overwhelmingly stressful to me.   And I am quite proud that we did it on our own, through two foreign countries, and without incident.

Angkor What?

This part of the trip is a chance at redemption for me.  This is my second rodeo in Cambodia.  The first time was in 2008.  I was here on a similar weekend in-between work weeks, trying to catch some R&R with my boss and another co-worker.  Young and naive I set off into the jungle to see Angkor Wat with no bottled water and no idea what I was getting into.  The heat was oppressive.  Between all of the walking, climbing, and unrelenting sun and sweltering humidity, by 2:00 pm, I was done, literally.  I was back at the hotel, laid up in bed, dehydrated to the point of exhaustion.  Unable to get out of bed, for two days, I missed the best parts of the tour.  So nine years later, I started preparing in Hong Kong, saving up extra bottles of water along this trip, determined to not have a repeat of 2008.  This is definitely one place that you do not want to stay thirsty my friends.

Saturday morning was game day!  Started with a larger than usual breakfast of eggs, bacon, hash browns, fresh papaya, mango, dragon fruit, and my all time favorite, passion fruit.  I also started crushing water out of the gate.  By the time we got to Angkor Wat, it was hot and sticky, probably upper 80’s but the sun was brutal.  I made one crucial mistake on this trip and decided to wear a shirt that was moisture resistant but felt more like wearing a plastic bag.  By the end of the day, I had finished off 4.5 liters of water and was showing zero signs of dehydration, but I was a sweaty mess (what else is new).

The biggest difference I noticed in Cambodia between 2008 and 2017 was the astonishing number of tourists.  In 2008 we practically had run of the place, quite the opposite was true this year.  The vast majority of tourists appeared to be from mainland China and according to our guide, they don’t have the best reputation as tourists.  This massive influx of tourism has been a double edge sword for Siem Reap.  The local economy has received a massive injection of cash, jobs, and everything that goes with that, but human impact on the temples is palatable.  Most of the surface rocks are sandstone and are starting to show extreme wear, the noise, aggressive hawking of wears, and carnival like atmosphere that now surrounds a once sacred place is upsetting to say the least.  I can only image what another ten years will do to the place.

Here are a couple of my favorite pictures from two days of touring.