"Alright, alright. Think of it like this: jump ahead, ten, twenty years, okay? And you're married. Only, your marriage doesn't have that same energy that it used to have, you know. You start to blame your husband. You start to think about all those guys you've met in your life and what might have happened if you'd picked up with one of them, right? Well, I'm one of those guys. That's me you know, so think of this as time travel, from then, to now, to find out what you're missing out on. See, what this really could be is a gigantic favour to both you and your future husband to find out that you're not missing out on anything. I'm just a big loser as he is, totally unmotivated, totally boring, and, uh, you made the right choice, and you're really happy."
"Let me get my bag."
Maybe it is because the book found lying in a hotel room in Manila was the Namesake.
It could be because I am a believer in fate and a romanticist deep in my soul.
Maybe a combination of all of these things, but I find train journeys are sometimes the best part of a traveling experience.
Like standing at the tip of an ocean with waves lapping up onto your feet, and all you hear is roaring, and all you see is blue as far as the heavens, you get to thinking. You can come up with some of your best stuff, your best writing, ideas, dreams, oceanside.
Like when you are driving up that nearly deserted path to El Nido in the darkness and you see the sky exploded in stars, its something magical that rattles you inside. You can think some of your best shit staring up into the heavens.
The same goes with train rides. I was looking forward to taking a choo-choo train all the way from Kuala Lumpar to Bangkok far more than actual events. Does it surprise anyone why trains always play some key role in a book's story: where an epiphany occurs, where violence is (deaths, vagrants, thieves, crashes), and of course, in the best romances, its where people find love!
Didn't Anna Karenina jump in front of an ongoing train? The beginning of the Namesake tells the story of how a son is born and named Gogol after train journey in India that nearly takes his father's life. And in Before Sunrise, thats where Jessie and Celine meet.
"Train journeys are about possibilities."
So after landing in Kuala Lumpar on the last leg of my journey, I took a seven hour train from KL to Butterworth, right near the southern border of Thailand. After an eight our layover in the early morning at Butterworth, where I hopped onto a ferry and explored some areas of Malaysia, I got onto another train, a second class sleeper, which was very comfortable, private, and affordable (50$USD).
I headed up through all of Thailand until I reached Bangkok in a nineteen hour train journey. I got to share this journey with a funny friend, a couple of books, some warm beer rattling in a cup holde, some card games, shadows of leafy trees dancing past the windows, and the cling clang sound of metal and tracks.
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If I had it my way, which next time I will, I would have spent the entire time in Thailand as it was my top destination. As it turned out, I only had a couple days instead of the planned eight days. Anyways, only another reason and motivation to head back soon!
Jeepneys and tricycles rule the Philippines, but in Bangkok, its Tuk-Tuks!
Too much excitement after 19 hours of train travel.
I ate pad thai almost every day at every meal.
The fishes LOVED the dead skin on my feet. It was a worthy feast :S
The first night in Bangkok was the Queen's birthday!
Some very pretty dutch ladies to past the time with.
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Cheetahs, Tigers, Lions, Oh My!
My favourite part of the day had to be snuggling up with a two month old baby tiger and an eight month old baby cheetah who licked my leg and ate pieces of pork off my hand.
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Elephant Riding and Bamboo Rafting
Time Travel
Being in Asia is a lot like time travel. After all, I can tell my kids "you know, back when I visited S.E Asia, I could get a beer and a meal for only 100 pesos!"
Anyways, I have exhausted myself in documented this vacation, but I am glad I did so I can revisit it later down the road. I hope you all have enjoyed my adventures and storytelling also.
Comments, opinions, or just some plain loving is very much appreciated and encourage and highly sought after.
Cheers to being back safe, a little wiser, a lot more travel hungry!
The train ride sounded like a hellish 19 hours! Flying from KL to BKK is only $50 or so with AirAsia. Oh well.
ReplyDeleteI am damn jealous you got to feed a baby tiger with a bottle. It should have bit you.
They said I was crazy for going to 3 countries during my 2 weeks vacation. Stick up for me.
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