“Some children are sick because of something they’ve done in a past life.” – Weird old guy The “Dada” who created the detox center where I’m a student
” 😐 ” – Miss Venus today after being told the above
Category Archives: Asia
Full of Shit – Part One
Nearly four months on the road eating fried rice and noodles and away from my dear Vitamix blender, my poor digestive system has taken a beating. Going days without using the bathroom is seriously not a good look.
For the last week I had been extremely tired, sluggish, and could tell by my skin that I was full of shit…LITERALLY. I seriously needed to do something about a non herbal laxative was not going to cut it. Instead I had the brilliant idea of going to a wellness retreat for some much-needed detoxification. I have been to one before in 2008 in Thailand and it worked wonders. Since Nepal was next on my list I found a place there that sounded promising, however, the one way flight to Nepal from Seoul was nearly $1200. I didn’t even spend that much to get from the states to Thailand so I definitely wasn’t spending that to get to Nepal. ( NOTE: This would be one of the downsides of traveling without a plan and purchasing your tickets as you go along. 😐 ) Plan B was to go online and purchase the cheapest ticket to a random location that just so happened to have a residential wellness and detox center. So where did I chose?
…..Drum roll please……… Continue reading
You have boyfriend?
Aaaaah, the infamous question asked by 99.3% of the Asian women that I have had a personal interaction with on this journey, to include the middle-aged woman in the lobby of the hotel. 😐 When I answered her and said “No, I’m single” the pleasant look on her face turned to one of sheer concern with a side of “What the hell is wrong with you?”. This was then followed by questions regarding age, date of last relationship, and sexual orientation.
Early on in my trip I wrote about a few other people inquiring about my marital status. I know this is a common occurence for women traveling abroad by themselves. I’ve spoken to natives of various Asian countries and asked about the average age of marriage for a man and woman. I also wanted to know what people thought about women who were over 30 and still single. The responses were both astonishing and hilarious. I was told stories about being disowned by family, shunned by their peers, or even asked if they were lesbians because they had yet to marry.
I had never felt pressured to be in a relationship or get married until two years ago when my mother told me she was praying that God would send me a husband. 😐 WHAT??????????? How the heck are you going to pray for something that you don’t even know I want? No wonder a tribe of people I had dated in my past had been calling or emailing out of the blue. Her “need” for me to find a “tall dark and handsome Christian man” came out of nowhere. I was never one of those little girls who put the towel around her head and pretended she was a bride, putting a doll under my shirt to pretend I was pregnant, or who recruited neighborhood little boys to play house. No ma’am. I was trying to pop wheelies on my big wheel and taking a scissor to my dolls head to make her look better.
I get way over to Asia and start feeling like I should have a plus-one with me on this journey. Well, thankfully that was just a case of temporary insanity. I’m definitely not in a hurry to jump the broom, tie the knot, or birth any babies…wait..I just got a little nauseous which means this conversation needs to come to an abrupt end.
You guys get the picture….. toodles 😉
Breaking News: No rice included with your meal?
Why in the world is rice an additional cost when you order most meals in Southeast Asia…and now at some restaurants in Korea? Continue reading
Stuck
I’ve been in Korea for a few days now and I honestly feel stuck. There have been plenty of times along this journey where I felt unsure of everything. Unsure if I was doing the right thing being on the road or if I was in the right place. But this time I’m questioning all the above in addition to “what next?” and “where to next?”. Continue reading
Original or Knock-off?
I was walking around the shopping area outside of the base and found it amusing to see so many young Korean girls who were rocking “Hip Hop Video chick” or the “Hood Chick” attire. They donned dookie braids or cornrows and tights with Jordans. They pranced back and forth near the gate waiting to grab the attention of a curious GI. Continue reading
So long ‘Nam
My time in Vietnam is coming to a close tomorrow and I’m so ready to move on to the next country I don’t know what to do with myself.
Although I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to travel through a country I’ve only read about in books I know I nearly gave my Momma a heart attack when I told her I was on my way here. Continue reading
Sittin’ on the dock of the bay…
Halong Bay
I took a tour to Halong Bay today. I desperately wanted to make my time in Hanoi go by faster. Vietnam overall had honestly wore me out and I had started to doubt myself and my ability to handle whatever obstacle came my way. Continue reading