Questions from readers

I've gotten more questions from readers over the past several weeks. I've been saving them for a boring, lazy day to answer. I merged some repeat questions, so you can't find yours, that might be why. Oh, and it's possible some of these answers will change in the next three weeks. But I'll do a big Q&A after my trip, so keep sending questions if you're interested.

What's the most extravagant thing you've done so far that you would highly recommend, especially something that you were really questioning before you did it?
















The only opium den I've ever been in was in the underground city in Havre, Montana. It's the extensive basement area under Havre that everyone moved into when the whole town burned down in the winter of 1905. The chinese people in town set up an opium den, near the barber and the bathing rooms. Christopher Walken was not in attendance. 

Aside from what’s in your blog, how are you doing? And any plans on you saying "the hell with this, I’m coming home!"?

I'm good. I've written about almost everything, so I don't have any big secrets I've been keeping from y'all. And I've written about the things that made me uncomfortable too, although not always on the day of.

Maybe the one thing I've downplayed is how boring it can get sometimes. When I left, I estimated (well, hoped) that my trip would be 80% interesting or good, 10% bad, and 10% boring. It's been a lot less than 10% bad, but a lot more than 10% boring. Mostly because I really really underestimated how long it takes to get everywhere. Not just the long flights, but the long waits at the airports before I leave, and the public transport to get to the airport, and the walk to the subway, and etc...

I haven't once had an "I want to go home!" feeling, although I'll admit that my first few nights in Ghana, in that bizarre motel on the beach, I wondered if I'd really enjoy my experiences, or if the time would just drag by and I'd have to grit my teeth and get through it. Fortunately, the only time I had to grit my teeth and get through it was my tour of Uluru in Australia. And even that produced some great photos and a few great moments. I expect I'll be really happy once I'm back in the States, though. It will feel good to be in a home, and not have to worry about packing all my stuff the next day, or catching my next flight, or wondering where I'll be sleeping two nights later. And eating bagels and drinking real coffee.Based on a movie we both enjoyed, Deer Hunter, did you ever end up in an opium den in some Bangkok alley where you saw couple men playing Russian roulette and sure enough, one of them was Christopher Walken?
No.Well, before I left someone yelled at me for stopping in Egypt because they were convinced I was going to be blown up, but I don't count that because I wasn't worried..

On the trip itself... You can't tell from my photos, but many of those temples I climbed in the Angkor Wat area are steep and dangerous. And to get good shots, there were times when I'd have my feet on a little tiny ledge, holding on to some old statue with one hand, and my camera extended in my other hand, with a 50 foot drop below me. If people who knew me were watching me, they'd definitely yell at me to get down. A few times after getting one of these shots or climbing something, I'd look back on where I'd been standing or climbing and my knees would get wobbly thinking about how precarious it was. Then I'd do it again at the next temple.

The time I recall feeling the most scared -- although I was probably quite safe -- was walking home one night in Siem Reap (near Angkor Wat). I'd left a night market that was crowded with tourists, and followed a road that would take me back to my hotel. Unlike all the other roads nearby, though, this one quickly turned into more of an alley, without any exits except into people's homes. I was very aware of being alone without any clear exits. But I didn't realize it would be like that until I was about halfway through the walk, so either going forward or backward felt equally scary. It was only a 3 minute walk, and really, it was through a residential street, but my senses were really on alert there.

I wasn't scared of the elephants that came into the camp in Tanzania and were about 20 feet away. But maybe I should have been? They were far more interested in the water cistern than in me.What’s the most dangerous or questionable activity you’ve taken part in? .. the kind of stuff people would yell at you for, but might secretly be jealous of after the fact.No, I didn't see anyone fall into the fish massage tanks. One would have to be pretty damn drunk to do that, as they are small and you sit on a cushion at the edge of the tank. (Oh, and the fishes were in Cambodia. Regular Thai massages were in Bangkok.)

I've been to that spa -- Spa World, right? -- but my friend who took me wouldn't let me get one of those scrubs because she thinks I'm too tender. She's probably right. This trip might have toughened me up a bit.Re the Mr. Fish massages in Bangkok, did you see anyone fall into them, and if so, did they enjoy it? :) BTW, the massage you described (Bali, I think) reminded me of the Korean spa in Centerville. They scrub you pretty hard and it’s dam intrusive too as they remove a lot of dead skin (actually rolled black skin). Good times.Bagels lol. Actually, my real answer is: Good coffee. Almost every place I've visited serves this crap instant coffee -- even places that grow coffee, like Bali and Tanzania! How lame.

I've learned that staying connected to people I care about, through blogging and emailing, and even reading the news back home, is more important to me than I expected it would be. I'm able to do this a lot more than I expected, thanks to my netbook and fairly easy-to-find internet connections. Before I left I didn't think I'd be willing to spend money to stay connected, and would rely solely on free wifi wherever I could scrounge it, but it turns out I am willing to pay for it, within reason.

In the past week or so I've been itching to play Warcraft, but mostly I haven't missed that at all. And I think I've been itching for it lately because I know it will be available to me when I get home, so it's something to look forward to, as opposed to something I want to do right this very moment..Has there been a material comfort (a food, activity, etc.) that you’re really missing, especially something you didn’t really realize was important at all?I actually brought toilet paper, but I didn't have to use my own as often as I expected I would.

I sort of wish I had an SLR camera. I'm not sorry I didn't get one, though, because they are really big and it would have seriously weighed me down. My point-and-shoot is pretty damn good.

So no, I can't think of anything I wish I'd brought along. I'll probably think of something as soon as I post this.Is there one item you wish you had brought along? Besides a laptop that could handle WoW, of course. Ex. Camcorder, binoculars, toilet paper hehe.That's for me to know and you to find out! Oh what am I saying? You're not going to find out!I've lost weight, maybe 3 or 4 pounds. I can see it in the mirror and my mom asked recently if I did (and she wouldn't ask that if she didn't see it in my photos). I'm still a little soft, but I am a little soft even at my most fit.

I'd say my stamina has gone up and my strength and flexibility have gone donw. I walk a lot more than usual, frequently with 9-11 kilograms of stuff on my back, and often up and down hills or ruins. I do isolation strength-building exercises a few times a week (pushups, lunges, tricep dips, etc). It's the not the same as a real strength-building routine, but it's better than nothing. When I set off, I told myself I'd do yoga three times a week. That lasted about two weeks then it got boring. So I replaced it with the isolation exercises.
Favorite sex position. K, spill it.You’re doing a fine job of describing foods and meals you’re enjoying. Are you gaining or losing weight? Has your fitness level increased or decreased? Why?All of French Polynesia lol. But... it wasn't my plan to be here, but it's a necessary stop on the way to Easter Island.

Some of the day tours I've done have seemed expensive relative to what I got out of them. Phillip Island, where the Little Penguins are, is one example. But I wouldn't have gotten to see the penguins otherwise, so I don't regret spending the money.

I probably should have given some of the dorm rooms in all my Australia and New Zealand hostels a try. I stayed at the hostels to save money, but I could have saved a lot more by sharing rooms instead of getting private rooms. And even if they were horrible, it would have been something to write about. But... I value both my sleep and my privacy, so I don't regret not doing that either.Is there something on your trip that you wished you'd have skimped on, because you thought the benefit was not worth the cost?The safari! I was skittish because I'd priced them before I left and even very modest safaris (like 5 days, 4 nights, which is what I did) were running over $2000, sometimes closer to $3000. The one I found wound up being $1800 (in lodges) and I have no regrets at spending that much. Had I known how much I'd like it, I would have spent a bit more and gone on a longer one. Especially when the rest of my time in Tanzania wasn't as great as I'd hoped.

A close second: Hiring a driver to drive me all over Sri Lanka. It cost $55/day to be driven around (plus I gave a good tip), when I could have taken buses for like $5, but I saw so much more than I would have otherwise, it was worth every penny.