Ramadhan Reflections

I met Gama quite unexpectedly at the bus stop. If I didn?t have a lost and confused look on my face, I certainly should have. My destination was Bukittinggi, a sleepy town high in the mountains about two hours away by public bus. According to the hotel manager, getting there was easy. Just wait on the curb for a red mini-bus to come along, take it to the main bus terminal, and board any bus heading north on the Trans-Sumatran highway. Sounded simple enough, but after a half-hour of waiting, I still hadn?t advanced past the first step. With deepening frustration, I watched every other color of mini-bus go flying by, with happy Indonesians stuffed inside and sometimes spilling out the door. But none of them were red.

That?s when Gama showed up. With a bit of hesitation, he shyly introduced himself and asked if I needed help. Very few Indonesians speak English, and his was by far the best I had heard yet. I immediately let out a short breath of relief, and explained my situation. With an eager grin spreading across his face, he said that he had some free time, and would be glad to show me an easier way to get to Bukittinggi. Being an English teacher, he explained that he was always looking for opportunities to practice his English. So we spent the next hour walking across town to a different transportation terminal, talking as we went. Upon arrival, I thanked him for his help, and we exchanged emails before going our separate ways.

Less than 24 hours earlier I had arrived in the bustling city of Padang, on the western coast of Indonesia?s largest island, Sumatra. My flight from Singapore took off in the midst of a downpour, and was one of those bumpy, make-you-wanna-hurl amusement park rides that seem to go on forever. But within an hour, the plane dropped out of the clouds and smoothly touched down at a quiet airport along the beach. The three-room terminal was surrounded by beautiful palm trees, and in the distance I could see the peaks of a rugged, volcanic mountain range rising from the plain. Indonesia looked truly exotic, and I was eager to explore. I spent only a night in Padang, just long enough to wander the marketplace, attend a church service, and make preparations for my journey north.

Bukittinggi has been a popular backpacker destination for a long time. It is surrounded by a ring of majestic volcanoes, and has a surprisingly cool climate nearly all year round. This year, however, the tourists are virtually nonexistent. Last year?s devastating tsunami, coupled with the recent bombings in Bali, have effectively wiped Indonesia right out off the tourist map. All the hotels in town stood empty, and many travel agencies I talked to where struggling desperately to keep their doors open. It is a sad situation, given the absolute beauty of the region and the overwhelming warmth of the Indonesian people.

I ended up spending about three days in Bukittinggi. Sitting on the balcony of my hotel room, I spent the mornings reading through Yann Martel?s Life of Pi, and got started on a James Herriot book that I found for cheap at a local used bookshop. In the afternoon and evening, I often explored around town. It is currently the holy month of Ramadhan, when Muslims are called to devote themselves to personal reflection and strengthening their faith. To this end, they must refrain from eating, drinking, and having sexual relations from sunrise to sunset. With over 90 percent of the population in Indonesia being Muslim, the fasting is strictly observed. All restaurants, including the western fast-food chains, are required to close their doors from sunrise to sunset. Which effectively means that travelers such as myself are observing Ramadhan as well! For good reason, most of the locals take life at a slower place during this month, and so there were plenty of opportunities for simple conversation with people relaxing in the park or strolling through the streets.

It was on my third day in Bukittinggi, just as I was feeling an urge to get moving again, that I got an email from Gama. It came as a bit of a surprise. Although I often exchange email addresses with people along the way, it is rare that the correspondence is actually kept up, particularly after such a short encounter. In his email, Gama personally invited me to return to Padang, stay at his house for a few days, and meet his family and friends. And since it was Ramadhan, there were many special traditions that he was excited to share with me, if I had the time. Since I was heading north, returning to Padang would mean several hours of backtracking, and possibly a few days lost that I could have seen something new. But after reflecting on my current lack of enthusiasm for ?touristy travel? and pondering some of the goals that this trip was established for, it all became quite clear in my head. I quickly responded to his email, telling him that I was very excited about coming.

I arrived back in Padang on Friday afternoon, and Gama was waiting for me at the place where we had said goodbye only a few days earlier. He assured me that everything was in place for my visit, and that I would be very welcome in his home. Since his family actually lives in another town, Gama lives with his aunt and cousins while taking classes at the university in Padang. We took the bus across town to his aunt?s house, where I met much of his extended family. After a short nap, Gama informed me of the plan for the evening. First, we were invited to the home of two of his English students, where we would break the fast together with their family. Afterwards, we would walk around town and explore the lively street scene. Then, at 9pm, I was to be the guest star on a local call-in radio program for teenagers. I was a little unsure of how everything would play out (particularly that last part), but was sure that it would be an entertaining evening.

In every Muslim home during this time of year, a piece of paper is hung in a prominent location listing the precise times of sunrise and sunset. When we arrived at the home of Desi Puspita, Devi Safitri, and Deva Sabrina (his students), there were still several minutes remaining until we could break the fast, so we sat around making introductions and practicing English. At the moment of sunset, the father of the family summoned us all to the table, where a tray of delicious sweets and fruits lay waiting. It is tradition to break the fast with something sweet, and we all hungrily dug in. Following this tasty appetizer, everyone made their way single-file to the bathroom, where each washed their hands and feet, and then retreated to their bedrooms for prayer. Within a few minutes, all had returned to the living room, and we all sat down on the floor to eat a delicious spread of rice, fish, chicken, vegetables, and more sweets. I thought that I can sometimes eat a lot, but on this occasion there was no need for embarrassment! Everyone around me was using their hands to shovel scoops of delicious food into their mouths, and I joined in the fun.

The streets outside were a maze of commotion. Food vendors on three-wheeled bicycle carts dodged between the lines of traffic, eyes scanning the crowds for someone needing nourishment. The restaurants were packed, with the latecomers being told to come back later when seats would be available. Walking around the town that evening, I was quick to note the drastic change from the lazy, relaxed atmosphere of only a few hours ago. On our way to the radio station, we walked past the massive mosque at the center of town, its minaret a glow of florescent light. Inside, hundreds of people were kneeling in prayer, their muffled words of supplication floating out through the windows and door into the street beyond.

Every Friday night, the government radio station in Padang does a ?Guest-Star? program, which has proved particularly popular among the youth of the city. Although usually determined by chance the night of the show, Gama had made some sort of previous arrangement with the DJ, and I was already set to be the guest-star. It was an appointment that I accepted with some hesitation, given (among other things) my very limited vocabulary of the Indonesian language. But Gama came on the air with me, and with his translation the show went along quite well. Throughout the course of two hours, we accepted callers from all over the city, covering topics such as American culture, my perceptions of Indonesia, politics, music, relationships, and so on. Once I settled into the flow of the show, I actually enjoyed myself quite a bit, and even learned a few new Indonesian words courtesy of my helpful audience. My confidence about how things were going was personally called into question only once, when a caller requested that a song be played by the band Green Day. Without missing a beat, the DJ mercilessly cued up the song ?American Idiot.? He later assured me that it was all in fun, and I guess I?ll choose to believe him.

After a short night of sleep, I awoke with the rest of the household at 4am the following morning. With light just beginning to creep over the horizon, we ate our breakfast together in silence. Everyone seemed to know that this meal needed to take them through the entire day, and treated it with due respect and seriousness. Once the prayers were completed, we all piled back into our beds and slept for a few more hours. This Ramadhan thing sure creates an awkward and unnatural routine. Despite not feeling a personal commitment to it, I cannot help but respect the discipline and dedication that it demands.

We woke up for the second time, and Gama asked if I would like to see around his university. Sounded interesting to me, and so for the next few hours we walked around the large campus. Classes were out of session for Ramadhan, but I did get to see some of the buildings and enjoyed the nice view looking down over the city. I was amazed at how quickly the time passed, and before long we were back at the house to pack my bags and say goodbye. After months of travel, I tried to think back to the last time I took the time to develop a relationship like that with someone from the country I was in. It had been too long, and in that recognition I began to unravel some of the discontentedness I?ve been feeling recently about traveling.

A 25-hour bus ride later, I am now in the congested city of Medan. From here, it is another overnight bus journey north to the northern tip of Sumatra and the coastal town of Banda Aceh. Quite frankly, I am tired of buses. Now more than a year since starting this journey, I have been on more than I care to remember. And of course the endless process of figuring out where I am, where I want to go, and how to get there consumes more time and energy that one would initially realize. With that perspective, the prospect of staying in one place for awhile and settling into a community becomes a very attractive thing indeed. My recent experience with Gama has also reaffirmed my need for a change. Once again, I?m finding that it?s time to get off the beaten path, start developing meaningful relationships, and get involved in serving the world.

As I mentioned in my previous journal, I have been connected with a Christian organization called The Frontiers that is doing tsunami relief work in Banda Aceh. They are currently working to build an orphanage for children affected by the disaster, and have responded enthusiastically to my offers to help out. It is exciting to see my needs and the local needs coming together, and I anticipate a very rewarding experience. Although in a few hours I?ll be getting on yet another bus, I have a feeling my feet won?t be dragging quite as much this time?

Top of the World

This journal entry describes a little about my recent trekking expedition up to the Everest Base Camp region in Nepal. I also posted over a 100 photos of the trip in the gallery on this website with captions that go into more detail. There are four sub-albums that can be reached by opening the main one.

Itinerary

My plan was to begin hiking at Jiri, avoiding the $90 flight to Lukla and to make the destinations of the trek the Everest Base Camp (5364m) and Kala Patthar (5550m), the best close-up viewpoint of Mt. Everest. I would then hike back to Jiri and catch a bus to Kathmandu.

When I found out that I had more time than previously expected, I also added a few side trips: one to the Island Peak Base Camp and another that crossed the Cho La Pass (5330m) to the Gokyo region which has five beautiful lakes. I hiked a different route back from Gokyo to Namche Bazaar, mixing up the way back.

Hiking Companions

Although I began my trip out to the trailhead alone, I soon met a few other hikers in Jiri. A few of us began at the same time, but it was only Francois and I that continued together for nearly the entire route.

Francois, a Quebec native, recently came from a two-year English teaching job in Japan. He had also just spent a month with a Nepali family, volunteering at a local school and during this time learned to speak a decent amount of Nepali. We liked to walk at a similar pace, fast, and went parallel for a while, and then eventually just stuck together until Lukla, where he flew back to Kathmandu and I walked the remaining few days alone. Most of the photos in the gallery that have me in them are taken by him. We're going to get together here in Kathmandu tomorrow before he flies to Hong Kong the following day.

I also met a lot of other hikers and travelers along the trail and we got to know each other as we waited to acclimatize over hot tea and Dal Baht in the lodges at night. Here are some websites of people I met on the trek.

Francois (Canada): http://www.silversow.com/quebec
Pat (USA): http://www.patrickmoloney.com
Matthew (AUS): http://mjackson82.blogspot.com/
Dustin (USA): http://www.getjealous.com/tancred

The Maoists

The revolutionary militant Communist group controlling most of the hill
country of Nepal is known as the Maoists. This group has been
responsible for acts of terrorism over the past few years and has had a
devastating effect on tourism, one of the country's main sources of
income.

The situation is currently safe; Maoists do not seem to be physically harming tourists, but they have been "taxing" them when them pass through their areas of control. Last year the charge was 1000 Nepali rupees ($15) for the popular trekking routes. Unfortunately this year for some reason, the rate has been raised to 5000 ($75).

This is a lot of money for a budget traveler like myself, so I was
bound to do what I could not to pay this sum, which would most likely
to go buy more weapons for the militant group. Fortunately, a lodge
owner tipped us off where the collecting check post was in our route,
near Bhandar. She told us to take another route down to the river,
hopefully avoiding needing to pay. We were successful! On the way
back, I took a wider detour and avoided the town of Bhandar altogether,
getting out without paying anything. The majority of the trekkers I talked to paid somewhere between 2000 and 5000, as the price seemed a little negotiable with some bargaining.

The Sherpas & Trekking Tourism

Nepal is a mosaic of distinct ethnic groups and present in the Everest region are the Sherpas. Famous for their ability to cope with high altitudes and the associated mountaineering success, these people have also found a good business in trekking tourism. Unfortunately the Maoist presence has reduced the number of trekkers greatly, especially at the lower altitudes before Lukla, where it is possible to fly into and avoid the areas of Maoist control. For me this was a mixed blessing, as I enjoyed this area relatively free from tourists, especially the ones that pack like 25kg and then make a poor Sherpa porter drag it up the mountains for them...

Two times along the trail I remember being amazed at the Sherpas' ability to carry heavy loads up into the thin air. One was as we were coming over a pass and met a woman possibly 80 years old wearing a huge backpack that probably weighed more than her. Another is when we passed a group of men carrying pieces of a disassembled pipeline (there's a photo of this in the gallery).

Altitude

One of my fears going into this trek was how I would deal with the
altitude with a past history of asthma. Everyone's body reacts a
little differently to the decrease in air pressure and oxygen content,
and the only way to find out is to get up there.

All of the altitudes I have indicated in the photos are in meters, the way the rest of the world sees it. If you would like to do a rough conversion, just multiply the number by 3 and then add a little. The
exact conversion is: 1m = 3.28ft.

The key to success in getting to higher altitudes is to take is slowly, sleeping no more than 300m higher each night. It's fine to hike higher during the day, only the subsequent sleeping heights matter. So this means a lot of waiting on a trek like this one. After Namche Bazar, I could have walked the whole way to Everest Base Camp in a day, but instead needed to take six days to allow my body to produce enough red blood cells to function well at decreased oxygen levels.

Around 4300m, I had my blood oxygen saturation checked and found it to
be 89%, right at the top of the normal range for this altitude. At the highest altitude of the trek (Kala Patthar, 5550m), the amount of oxygen present in the air is half of what it is at sea level. On the top of Mt. Everest (8848m), this drops to one third. So overall, I did quite well with the higher altitudes, which was a relief to me to know that I can now do it in the future, if I take my time.

Mountaineering

Another one of my goals for this trip was to get a glimpse of bigger scale mountaineering. The trips out to Island Peak base camp and talking to other climbers gave me a little idea of what this scene was like in Nepal. One thing I learned is that it is expensive in this country. All peaks above 6000m require a permit to climb, ranging from $200 all the way up to around $10,000 (Everest, of course). The closest that I got to this experience was probably the day we crossed the Cho La Pass, covered in snow and requiring some basically non-technical bouldering to descend. It was one of my favorite days however, and I have to wait to see what that means for future experiences. This was the only time on the trip where I wished I had my mountaineering boots instead of an old pair of running shoes, but I survived.

Pace & Physical Challenge

One of the things I discovered quite clearly on this trip is that my hiking pace is a lot faster than most of the people out there. I was lucky to find Francois and his similar desire to put in long and fast days. Together we completed in 18 days what the travel books describe as taking more than 30. The trip from Gokyo Peak back to Jiri lasted only four days, a time that impressed even the Sherpas.

Besides being how I like to hike, part of the reason I wanted to push the pace for this trip is because I'm planning to run a half-marathon at Angkor Wat in Cambodia with my friend and former EMU biology professor, Doug Graber-Neufeld on November 20th. The trip was a good way to get some intense exercise. I'm just hoping I can keep my RBC count high for the next month! Now I'll have to start running as soon as I am ready to get back on my feet, which honestly still ache a little.

At Present

I'll be spending a few days relaxing and recovering in Kathandu, deciding where to go next. I was planning on fitting in the entire Annapurna Circuit, which I believe could be done seeing how fast the Everest Trek went, but I need to decide if that's what I want right now. At the moment, a few good books and a view of the Pokhara Lake also sound attractive. We shall see...

In two or three weeks, I'll return to India to Calcutta, fly to Bangkok and spent the last few weeks in Thailand and Cambodia before flying to Los Angeles and heading back to the east coast of the good old USA.

Bangkok to Singapore: 4 Weeks in a Nutshell

Here on the southern tip of the Malay peninsula, I don't have to look around for long to realize that I'm not in India anymore. Houses of rusting concrete and tin have been replaced by towering skyrise apartment buildings of steel and glass. Puttering 3-wheeled rickshaws are now shiny luxury sedans. The winding city streets, once a maze of cows, pedestrians, and vendors, have been transformed into beatifully manicured boulevards lined with palms and flowering orchids. This is the island country of Singapore. The epitome of modernization, it represents a culture of absolute efficiency, cleanliness, and organization.

Although the initial contrasts are stark, the past four weeks of traveling south down the peninsula from Thailand have provided a much more gradual transition. Although countries in Southeast Asia are often simply lumped together as being basically the same, I have found this stereotype to be a shameful misrepresentation. There is a rich diversity here, not only between countries, but even within the borders of each individual nation. The past four weeks have quickly passed, but have left me with a variety of unique experiences and fond memories.

Thailand

Following our arrival at the airport in Bangkok, Meike and I took an airport bus across town to the traveler's ghetto known as Khao San. I was immediately blown away by the impressive transportation system. Zipping across the city on an elevated highway, I couldn't remember ever traveling this fast, in such a straight line, during my two months in India. It made me uncomfortable, not because of my safety, but because I had this feeling that things were passing by too quickly... I just couldn't take it all in! In reality, we were probably only traveling between 50-60 mph, but it felt like a lot faster.

As Bangkok is the main transportation hub for the region, there are travelers constantly passing through. Although only those looking for a party really end up spending substantial time in Bangkok (sometimes called "Sin-City"), it does serve as a convenient jumping-off point. Which is precisely what Meike and I used it for. We spent a day looking through travel books, consulting with other travelers, catching up on internet, and figuring out the plan. Eventually we decided on first spending a few days in Cambodia, and then traveling south by land through southern Thailand, Malaysia, and eventually Singapore.

Thailand is unique among its southeast Asian neighbors. Never having been occupied by a foreign power or suffering the crippling effects of civil war, Thailand has a history of sucessful unity, which has contributed substantially to its economic growth and stability. It has opened itself to the rest of the world through favorable economic policies and heavily promoting its tourism industry. These factors, including the laid-back welcoming demeanor of the Thai people, make it an easy and enjoyable place to travel. And the food is pretty good too... once you learn how to eat it! On our first evening in Bangkok, I was served a bowlful of noodles and chopsticks. It was a little longer dinner than usual, but since that first night my skills in eating with sticks have gradually improved.

We ended up staying about three days in Bangkok. On a tip from a local school teacher we met on the street, it was discovered that we had arrived in the city at just the right time. He informed us that several of the Buddhist temples around town were open to foreigners on that particular day (which only happens once a year!). So ditching our guidebook, we took his advice and visited a few of the wats (temples) off the traditional tourist path. We were rewarded with an inside look at some of these colorful and serene buildings that dot the city. Aside from visiting wats, we also explored the bazaars of Chinatown, took a ferry down the river, and even splurged on a $3 Thai massage for an hour one afternoon. Eventually, however, cities around the world all seem to feel the same, and I was ready to move on.

Cambodia

If Thailand is a historical sucess story, the only way to describe Cambodia is absolute tragedy. In the early years, Cambodia was at the heart of the mighty Khmer empire, by far the most dominant in the history of the region. Centered in the city of Angkor, the Khmers developed extensive irrigation systems, built magnificent temples, and managed to retain control of their territory from the 7th to 13th centuries. However, subsequent invasions by the Thais and Vietnamese left the Khmer empire in shambles, and Angkor was abandoned. Eventually, the French took control of modern-day Cambodia in 1864, but preferred to invest in the development of resource-rich Vietnam, leaving Cambodia much on its own. With very little opposition, Cambodia was granted its independence in 1953.

Shortly after, Cambodia was dragged into a conflict it wanted nothing to do with, and things turned ugly. In its bid to free the region from the "threat of Communism", the U.S. was undergoing secret bombing campaigns throughout Cambodia to root out Vietnamese communists crossing over the border. As is always the case, the innocent villagers suffered the most, many of them being driven from their homes and losing precious family members and property. Caught in the middle, many Cambodians (already with an intense distrust of the Vietnamese), decided to side with the Americans, believing that they would eventually fulfill their promises to defeat the Vietnamese.

As we all know, this isn't what happened. Two weeks before the fall of Saigon to the communists, the U.S. withdrew its forces from Cambodia, and the country plunged into total chaos. Out of the created vacuum emerged the Khmer Rouge, led by their brutal dictator Pol Pot. Under his initiative to create a Marxist, peasant-dominated state, he ordered the massacre of thousands of the educated, "free-thinking" elite. And in the meantime, thousands more of the poorest Cambodians died as a result of famine and forced labor. It was one of the most radical and brutal revolutions in history, and nearly two million Cambodians died within those four years of Khmer Rouge tyranny. Eventually the Khmer's were overthrown by an invasion by Vietnam communists, and Pol Pot and his followers fled to the hills. Their guerilla war against the Vietnamese continued through the 80's, backed by indirect support from none other than the USA.

Walking along the potholed streets of Cambodia, the effects of war are still very much present. Many people hobble around on crutches, or sit silently along the sidewalks, having lost limbs from stepping on landmines and other unexploded ordinance. There is also a deep distrust of foreign involvement, an obvious reaction to feeling used and then alienated by the U.S. during the Vietnam era. Corruption runs rampant, particularly within the newly established democratic government, hungry for votes and a tighter control over the emerging economy. Tourism is viewed as the savior, and believe me, there is potential there.

In my travels thus far, I have never seen anything quite like the Angkor temples, north of Siem Reap. A magnificent complex stretching for miles through the jungles of northwest Cambodia, it deserves a visit for anyone traveling in this part of the world. Meike and I decided to make the trip from Bangkok in a day, first taking the train to the border, and then a long bus ride to the temples. Unfortunately, corruption has already taken over the tourist business as well, and we ended up buying overpriced tickets for a bus that took an exceptionally long time to get there. On purpose of course, so that when we arrived at Siem Reap late at night, we would stay at the hotel where we were dropped off, and the bus drivers would get a fat commission. Feeling a bit upset by the whole ordeal, Meike and I refused to give in to their little game, and despite the late hour walked around until we found a cheaper hostel in much better condition.

After a day of exploring Siem Reap, we got up early the next morning and spent an entire day at the ancient temples. It is impossible to walk the entire complex in a day, so we rented bicycles, which proved to be an enjoyable way to get around. By far the most stunning temple is Angkor Wat, 55m high and surrounded by a moat of nearly 3 square km. There is no larger religious building in the world, and very few that can match the beauty of its intricate design. Built by Suryavarman II in the 1100's, it was constructed to honor the Hindu god of Vishnu, and also conveniently served as his funerary temple upon his death. We spent over 12 hours exploring the many temples and artifacts around Angkor, yet could certainly have spent much more. The following day, we endured the long bus ride back to Thailand, spent a day recuperating, and then jumped on an overnight bus down to Malaysia.

Malaysia

To me anyway, the country of Malaysia conjures up images of an exotic and mysterious land, far removed from the scope of world politics and international fame. Prior to our arrival, about the only recognizable landmark I could identify from the country were the futuristic Petronas towers in Kuala Lumpur, for several years the tallest building in the world. Perhaps it was this subtle curiosity about the "unknowns" of the country that led Meike and I to spend more time here than in any other country in Southeast Asia.

What I found in this marvelous country was a peaceful coexistance of a variety of people groups. Native Malays, Chinese, Indians, and indigenous tribes, scattered throughout the country and harmoniously living together. Unlike the tensions that diversity has caused in neighboring countries such as Indonesia, and increasingly now also in Thailand, Malaysians have figured out a way to avoid these clashes in culture and ethnic background. In fact, they are so fully integrated that many people have trouble identifying their unique identity as Malaysians. I would venture that a good place to start would be in their tolerance of diversity.

No place is this heterogeneity more noticeable than on the western coast island of Penang. People from all over the region have been settling on this beautiful island for centuries, and today an equally diverse group of travelers make it their primary destination in Malaysia. Meike and I spent several days in the city of Georgetown, sampling the delicious variety of food available from hawkers roaming the streets at any time of day or night. Upon arrival, our friendly hostel manager informed us that it is impossible to go hungry in Penang, and I would have to agree. And for the first time in months, we could actually drink the tap water, a wonderful convience when brushing teeth, and a blessing to the money belt!

Our next destination in Malaysia were the Perhentian islands, on the opposite side of the peninsula. Not so much authentic local culture there, but definitely plenty of beautiful beaches and sunshine. After some long days on the road, it felt good to relax in one place for awhile, catch up on some reading, and hang out with some fellow travelers. We arrived on Pulau Perhentian Kecil via a 2-hour ferry from the mainland. The monsoon season was soon to come, and so we had no problem finding very inexpensive accomodations on the island. But the weather was still beautiful and the water warm. A highlight from the time on the islands was renting snorkling gear for a day, and getting to swim with a giant sea turtle and a "friendly shark" that was at least as long as I was.

Along with several other travelers from our hostel on the island, we made our next destination the Taman Negara national park, deep in the interior of the peninsula. The most popular way of getting there is via the Jungle Train, which although not the quickest method of travel, does provide a great view of the dense jungle growth along the way. At times, the bamboo and overhanging vines would knock against the side of the passing train car, giving the feeling that we were completely engulfed in the jungle. It then takes an additional 3 hours by boat to reach the Taman Negara park headquarters. Because of a short schedule, we could only afford to stay one night in the park, but had time to do several hours of jungle hiking and go across the world's longest canopy walkway. The park has several popular and inexpensive "hides" scattered around that have bunks for up to 12 people, and are built overlooking a salt lick. Unfortunately, we didn't see much wildlife while in the hide, but did witness an awe-inspiring thunderstorm in the middle of the night.

The capital city of Kuala Lumpur was our final stop in Malaysia. With only a few days until Meike needed to be in Singapore for her flight, we spent a day and a half wandering around the city. Although Malaysia remains a predominantly Islamic country and has regions of strict conservatism, this is generally not the case in KL. It is a city that has welcomed Western industrialization and modernization, which is clearly evident in its staggering skyline. We were fortunate one afternoon to get last-minute free tickets to visit the skybridge of the Petronas twin towers. The towers were completed in 1998 at a cost of $1.9 billion, and until just recently was the tallest building in the world. The unique design was based on an Islamic 8-sided star, and the five tiers represent the 5 pillars of Islam. At the base of the towers is an ultra-modern shopping mall and cinema complex, that as far as I can tell have very little to do with Islam. The following morning, we took a bus down to the southern tip of the Peninsula, and crossed the Strait of Johor into Singapore.

Singapore

Singapore has long held a reputation as being a sort of "nanny-state." Civil obedience is held in utmost regard. The prime example of this being the mandatory conviction of death for anyone found being involved in drug trafficking. On a lesser degree, even behaviors such as smoking in public, failing to cross the street at a crosswalk, and possession of large quantities of chewing gum can lead to surprisingly hefty fines. While the straightforward orderliness of everything here can be a welcome relief, for travelers such as myself it can also be a bit overwhelming.

Once a part of Malaysia, Singapore also has a richly diverse culture. One of my favorite places to hang out here has been in Little India, where the Bollywood pop music blares from speakers, and the atmosphere is lively and colorful. And of course Indian specialities like masala dosa and all-you-can-eat thali are readily available and reasonably priced. I am currently staying at the cheapest hostel I could find ($9 USD a night!), on a side street of Little India, and rooming with an Indian, two Japanese, and an African. It has been most interesting, but I am ready to move on.

Yesterday marked a major transition on the trip for me. Meike, also on her own around-the-world journey, flew out on a morning flight for Australia. Having traveled together for quite some time, it was sad to see our time together come to an end. But the next two months also present some exciting possibilities. I have been in contact with several organizations in Indonesia about tsunami-related relief efforts. There seem to be some opportunities developing, and the prospect of getting involved on a deeper level in a local community is very exciting.

So after some prayer and further research, my current plan is to head for the island of Sumatra, on the archipelago of Indonesia. Because of the explosion of budget airlines across southeast asia, it is actually cheaper for me to take a flight, instead of a ferry plus bus combinations. I expect to take about two weeks traveling around Sumatra, starting first in the west coast city of Padang, and gradually heading north to Aceh, hopefully to start my volunteer work around the end of the month.

Up & Back

Since no one has heard anything from me in the past three weeks, I just wanted to let everyone know that I am safely back from the trek, alive and well. I finished in a lot less time than I expected, so there is space for another one.

I'll be spending a few days (until the 17th) resting and eating well in Katmandu before heading out to trek the Annapurna Circuit.

I'll write more about the hike later.