When I first visited Pulau Perhentian Kecil two years ago, I found a beach where a large monitor lizard liked to hang out. I was told that a German man came every year for a few months and spent everyday on that beach and fed the lizard. I thought that was sweet until I encountered the man and his band of beach gypsies on my most recent trip there. Continue reading
Noodle Panic [nood-l pan-ik]
noun
A sudden overwhelming fear or anxiety that emerges right before one leaves Thailand due to the belief that such delicious dishes might not be had again for a very long time. This results in behavior that includes irrational purchasing of any and all food that passes by or that the sufferer comes across. When such attacks of Noodle Panic arise, it is best for the sufferer to be supervised by a loved one and for their wallet to be looked after. Symptoms include: an inability to keep conversation, darting eyes, perspiration, shortness of breath, a slight dizzy feeling, trembling, and the desire to spend an unlimited amount of money on food.
Origin: The first case was diagnosed on a night train on February 12, 2012 by David Domagalski. While attempting to play cards, his usually sane girlfriend, was overcome with anxiety due to the fact that she was unsure when she would ever eat such delicious Thai food in Thailand again. This resulted in a very distracted card game as countless vendors walked the train car aisle selling noodles, snacks, and beverages. Despite her lack of hunger due to an impulsive Pad Siew purchase earlier that day, she repeatedly asked David if she should buy things, to which he smartly replied no. If the person suffering from a Noodle Panic attack is encouraged, an entire budget can be blown and more food than they can eat will be bought.
In the past few years I’ve been in and out of many, many temples and can’t help but be mesmerized by the stunning artwork covering the inner and outer walls of each and every one. Every temple, even ones that are only one block away from each other, have a different look to them and I’ve taken to photographing the beautiful art at each one I visit. I hope to use my large collection of temple art pictures as inspiration for something one day.
I had always wondered how the artwork was made and how long it took, so I was ecstatic to discover Yensabai Book & Art in Luang Prabang, Laos that offers traditional stencil making classes. For 120,000 Kip (15 USD) we were taught how to properly cut the stencils out of handmade paper with straight and curved chisels on a plank of wood. Over a span of two hours Dave and I hammered away while occasionally sipping on Lao green tea (for me) and Lao coffee (for Dave). It was a very cathartic experience and we not only walked away with a better understanding of how much work goes into decorating a Buddhist Temple, but also two pieces of awesome art.
If you enjoyed this post, please consider following me on Facebook and/or Twitter.
Gone are the days when…
If you enjoyed this post, please consider following me on Facebook and/or Twitter.
Dave and I spent six hours walking around the Royal Flora Expo in Chiang Mai. In the evening, while Dave was getting artsy with his DSLR, I played around with the burst mode on my camera. What I ended up with was a really neat collage and a very short time lapse. Please click on the picture to experience the full size image.
If you enjoyed this post, please consider following me on Facebook and/or Twitter.
Native Foreigner is an online magazine for anybody who has traveled, is going to travel or knows somebody returning from an experience abroad. The first issue just came out and you can find my article on page 45. I highly recommend this publication and not just because I’m in it! The whole magazine is incredibly visually pleasing and the writing is excellent. This is a great resource for students returning from a study abroad experience, along with parents who want to know what their kids might be going through. I’m very honored to be part of the first issue. Go read it!
Hey everybody!
Head over to The Tripping Blog to see my photo essay on our time in Nepal! You won’t be disappointed! Especially if you like monkeys, elephants, goats, chickens and huge mountains.
