Sri Lanka; trains & tea

There was NO WAY I can get into the packed train which finally arrived to Peradeniya station. I was shocked and a security guard helped me to break the “Law of physics”. I was on my way to Nuwara Eliya the perfect place with tea plantations, mountains, cold and fog.

I have been living 10 years by the beach so I mostly look for cool weather whenever I travel.

The train trip supposed to be about 3.5 hours but it became 5. I was on the 2^nd class, sitting on the floor but with a VIP view. My hair was flying around like a medusa and my eyes were happy to see such a beautiful scenario between mountains, tea plantation, traditional houses and kids saying goodbye with their tiny hands. Next to me a couple from England traveling with no water and no sanitizer, so I shared mine as they still had another 3 hrs to go.

Once I got out of the train, the new adventure started, to get transportation to my hotel…the little detail was that I booked one of the most expensive hotels and it was 1hr away, and of course I didn´t want to get ripped. I sorted it out and when I arrived I was so pampered by the staff as one person opened the door, 1 carried my luggage ( 1 medium backpack LOL), one person came and served me some clove with sugar and another one served me tea. OHH tea yes! because this hotel used to be a Tea Factory and that´s why I chose it, besides the landscape.

I love to have all kind of experiences, so I traveled on the 2^nd class sitting on the floor of the train, I invited my tuk-tuk driver in Colombo for some beers sitting on the rocks contemplating the sunset and I also hire private drivers or pay for a nice hotel. Why not?

Experiences are everything to me, and I love nature. When I felt the cold wind on my face and my eyes perceive how the fog was wrapping my hotel until it disappeared I knew I was on the right place. I am not into very touristic activities but as it was raining all day I decide to join to Tea plucking activity. They dressed us as locals, gave us baskets that were hanging from our head and the lady explained us how to cut the tea leaves and then explained us all the procedure and how the machines work.

After my 45 minutes cold activity I was having some tea on the sofas of the hotel when I noticed something moving …

I was shocked to realize that it was an old lady covered with a green plastic, barefoot and carrying 2 full baskets that she came to deliver to the hotel. I asked if I could take a picture and somehow I wanted to give her money that I didn’t have at that time. It was a moment of excitement and disappointment; why she was barefoot and wet, what if she gets sick, why this expensive hotel don´t provide her with equipment. I also felt stupid for doing this activity to be entertained by something that represents the poor lifestyle of so many people until today. They earn 4 usd per day if they get at least 20kg of leaves…otherwise they get paid less.

I felt guilty and I kept this in my mind, I wrote to my parents and some friends…life is so unfair. Of course I thought about the same conditions of people working in agriculture in Bali where I live or in Mexico.  Sometimes I feel that the world hasn´t improve much.

These memories always reminds me how lucky I am to travel, to learn, how I should stay humble and grateful, how can I help people and to keep my feet on the ground.

A Mexican pirate & the floating mountains

This was like a scene from a pirate movie!, our wood boat approaching these floating mountains, raising it´s red sails through the fog, feeling the salty breeze on our faces and feeling small like ants in the middle of the ocean in Thailand, it was just stunning.

I was seriously expecting in any moment Jack Sparrow appearing from anywhere with his funny boots. The surface of the ocean was changing color and looked like sparkling water, soon the boat stopped and some people in kayaks appeared from nowhere inviting us to go in so we could continue our adventure.

Let´s go!! my Korean friend and I jumped in and followed the instructions given. There is a particular way to get into a “secret bay”. The corrosion by the ocean created some spaces between the water and the rock and while in the kayak we needed to lay ours bodies to the right and left side or completely down to avoid being hit when passing under the floating mountains. Then after few seconds of darkness BOOM we were there, on the other side of the mountain in a secret bay of incredible beauty, with a blue sky and jade water and… with another  50 people in different kayaks, so… haha not very secret right?

 

Phuket has so many incredible spots but mostly crowded, we need to assimilate that while we get mad at the touristic spots being packed, we are part of the crowd so let’s enjoy our humanity.

We headed to James Bond island, called that way because of the movie filmed there, and guess what, it was also packed, mostly with Chinese tourist as Thailand is a popular destination for them. However this didn’t diminished the beauty of the place and the particularity of this big rock standing in the middle of the water as if god put it there strategically likes a tower on a chess mat.

Nature create beautiful things all around the planet, some discovered tons of years ago, some still awaiting or perhaps hiding, trying to remain untouched and magical.

I left this amazing place feeling like a pirate, adventuring myself in a land thousands of miles away from home, with strange languages that I cannot understand, trying exotic dishes and fulfilling my soul with adventure but always wanting to conquer more!

 

 

Japan: Snowflakes, nudity and red foxes

A red fox!!!! I couldn’t believe it. We were driving on the roads covered by snow on our way to an onsen that was in the middle of the forest and Lydia was yelling: red fox, where are you? Come red fox!. I was in the back, in the darkness and in silence appreciating the nature’s shapes and shadows, last time I saw snow, it was in Canada 9 years before and just in the city. Suddenly it happened, a red fox jump into the road and we all got excited like kids in our car, whoever was driving diminished the speed as it seems it wanted to cross the road, but in fact the red fox was playing with us…or at least that’s what we assumed as it was running on the side of the car and then kind of in front guiding us until it finally left.

The onsen was still closed as it was end of November, so we came back few days later and we succeed, I stick my nose to the glass on the window on our way to this place as it was snowing and I also enjoy to see the naked trees covered by this white powder.

We pay in the onsen by putting a coin inside a machine, got in, got naked and proceed to take a shower sitting in a little plastic chair in front of a long mirror, side by side with other ladies taking shower, fortunately or unfortunately it was separated for boys and girls, so while washing properly all your body with the soap and shampoo provided I was trying to don’t look in the mirror the other ladies around me and also avoid to see my fat reflecting all those hamburgers and beers that I should not eat and the lack of gym hours. We entered to the suuuper hot water where another 2 Japanese old ladies were already there, in other situation I would be making jokes and laughing loud but it was Japan. I need to admit that was little bit embarrassing to be naked with some coworkers but I was trying to focus in the cultural experience, that was very quiet by the way.

We went to the outside area for what you need to do few steps in the snow and jump in the hot water as the temperature was about –10 and my only cover was my own skin. It was not snowing anymore but if I stand I could see the forest and all the trees covered by the snow as long as the light allowed me to see, it was purely amazing. I felt so alive and grateful to be there, sharing it with a girl from France and a girl from Japan, across the bamboos that separate us from the male onsen we can hear the boys voices so 1 guy from Morocco and another from France where enjoying this as well.

Few days later I was taking pictures outside of the resort when I started to hear some bustle in the back and when I look there was a red fox standing very close to the entrance surrounded by some people taking pictures, suddenly the red fox started walking towards me and I got super excited ready with my smartphone to take some pictures, and then for a second I got little bit scared as it was a wild animal, What if it attacks me? Then this beautiful animal just accelerated the pace and got lost among the trees not before I took few pictures to remember this forever.

Japan was welcoming me with so many treasures to make me wanting to stay there between snowflakes, nudity and red foxes.

Malaysia: rich life style

Living like a rich girl without being one is fun of course! My job gives me some good advantages and also sometimes I just get lucky or maybe is because I try to have good relationships with everyone.

To wake up early is not one of my skills, all my friends know this, so when my boss and friend told me: I arrange to get the sail cruise for our day off to go to a little island and then we are invited by the General Manager of other resort to spend the day there sounded like an awesome idea until she said; let’s meet at 8am. WHAT?? 8 in the morning this means I need to wake up at… 7:40 haha because the boat was leaving almost in front of our rooms but still so early to wake up in a day that we suppose to rest.

“Let’s take advantage of the day and wake up early she said” Then I reply: well, why not we take the boat to see the sunrise then. HER EYES LIT UP– off course she said, that is such a great idea!! In my mind I was dying. Why did I say that? Anyway it was too late to back off…

Next morning a security guard was knocking in my room as I didn’t wake up on time and my friends were waiting for me at the beach, I grab my stuff and run (wearing my t-shirt inside out), it was super cloudy so there was no chance to see the sunrise at all but we had a private cruise and a funny Indonesian captain riding a boat in Malaysia with 4 girls: 1 French, 1 Chinese, 1 Malaysian and 1 Mexican…just amazing.

WE had our breakfast with the wind blowing our hairs, big smiles, sleepy eyes and suddenly the sun hands caressed our bodies. The captain open the sails, play some music and we were enjoying life, being surprise by some big jelly fish in the ocean and taking pictures to save the memories that maybe one day our brain will forget.

To get to Snake Island we cross a small boat were a kid was fishing with his father and one thought crossed my mind; we were both early in our boats in the ocean with such a different purposes and realities…maybe if they didn’t catch anything they will have nothing to sell in the market to make money or maybe to feed their families while I was being pampered and feed without actually spending a penny.

I love the shapes of this desert island, with a sand made of thousands of tiny shells and coral, massive rocks to climb and rest on top of them and snakes everywhere (just kidding). We had some time to relax before the captain dropped us in the other hotel were the staff was waiting for us at the beach, I felt like a Paris Hilton arriving in our private boat to the hotel. The GM and his staff give us a tour in the hotel in the buggy cars, had a drink with us with a wonderful view, we had lunch and he actually book a room for us but we couldn’t stay as next we were back to reality and need to work.

To end up our day we went to the supermarket to buy some veggies and cheese to have dinner. Naomi the Chinese girl and Dee the Malaysian, cooked for us some typical food while my French friend offered us some cheese and champagne, of course, unfortunately I didn’t have Tequila or Guacamole to contribute with my Mexican heritage but I put some humor haha for our multicultural day off.

I went to bed feeling so blessed to be in contact with the nature, to be able to be in a boat for ourselves and enjoy the ocean, to see the beautiful scene with the fisherman, to stay in this island where I also feed the fish that came around me doing snorkel, visit the other wonderful hotel with very a kind staff and end up having this delicious homemade dinner with these people that I am glad to meet.

The wonderful shapes in the Island

amazing view from Snake Island

Arriving to the resort

Our view before lunch

 

 

 

 

Structure

Walking in the morning to my temporary office in Malaysia, mother nature gave me a surprise and this beautiful star was waiting for me in the grass, refreshing herself in the morning dew and making a contrast with her white color and perfect structure. I felt lucky after this!

Sahoro; snow trekking, snowflake & happy ending

Another day, another adventure! We took the gondola and went all the way up to the mountain to go down by doing snow trekking. It was quite confusing for the security guys at the entrance as normally people will do either ski or snowboard but they let us go.. the problem was when we keep going up and up and I started to feel vertigo and once we came out of the gondola and I look down to the mountain I was full of fear.

Here I am, a Mexican girl without experience in snow trekking, on the top of the mountain and with vertigo what a great combination!…suddenly a snowflake settled on my arm, I was absolutely astonished as it looked exactly like in cartoons and I took a picture of it to never ever forget how perfect it was and that it might be a sign of nature saying that everything will be fine so I made my mind and started to walk all the way down from the mountain feeling its ethereal consistency and capturing the beauty of the snow with my poor 5mp smartphone.

I do need to say that I had a short rehearsal for my snow trekking experience couple of weeks before with a funny ending.

Let’s go out to walk on the snow and verify the area as we will open the resort soon! I was not exactly fit so she was in the front opening up the path for the virgin snow. Me, well…trying to manage to get her same pace, don’t fall down and take pictures at the same time. Believe it or not I perfectly managed all of this and before getting back to the hotel as it was lunch time I wanted to take the last picture because the wind was making the powder snow fly and with the sunlight was just magical, but right after I took the picture and try to walk the last steps down leading to the entrance next to the restaurant, my snowshoes got stocked one into another and like in a slow-motion shoot I was going down, first on my knees and then for a fraction of second standing like a crucified person as my hands were into the poles straps and …puff in a blink of an eye my face was in the snow!! Then with some help to remove my equipment I managed to get up and realize the full restaurant with the entire ski and snowboard instructors were stuck to the big glass wall looking at me, laughing hysterically and taking pictures. That night was the first training I need to deliver for all of them at the packed conference room… well, at least all of them know me by now, I said to myself.

That night my introduction for the training was: Good evening everyone, my name is Abi, I am from Mexico and YES it was me today the one that fell down in front of the restaurant, the whole room exploded into laughter including myself. We need to laugh about ourselves sometimes, it’s healthy.

I can say that this day I came face to face with the snow haha and I like it.

Snowtrekking- There is always a first time

Coming down from the mountain

Need a break

Bloody scary

Vertigo time

The picture I took before falling down

Landscapes with my guide

In love with the shadows

Japan; a dangerous Mexican landed!

I was stopped by customs at the airport! Of course I was the quota of the day; a Mexican girl (dangerous) living in Thailand (double dangerous) and coming for the 1^st time to Japan, it must be something suspicious! Even if my passport was full of stamps from all over the world.

In fact I was going there to train the staff of one of the resorts from the company I work with, but well, there is always a 1^st time to be stopped and I found it quite funny, one more story to keep. NO marihuana, NO tacos, NO… porn (well… not sure about my phone). Officers were super nice but with their poor English they didn’t arrive to understand everything that easily, anyway I didn’t stay there more than 10 or 15 minutes. An apology from the officers and then I came out to meet my Japanese friend that was waiting for me with an ironic smile knowing something went wrong.

Walking through the colorful ails full of what looked like hieroglyphics (Japanese Kanjis) I was feeling like a little girl in a candyland; food, drinks, bread, candies, basically the airport in Hokkaido Island was looking more like a supermarket for me. We stop to buy a “food box”, such a cute and smart way to bring some food into the train that we need to take to our destination. My friend put her phone (old one) in a little machine and in a blink of an eye she paid electronically…such a normal thing for her and super cool for me, especially as her phone was not a smart phone, but still smart LOL.

I was carrying quite a big luggage as temperatures were expected to be below 0°C and that would be a huge change for my body as I was living in Phuket, Thailand (around 30°C). The train was very proper and of course I was the only foreigner at that moment taking the train in Hokkaido Island and going to the ski resorts that were still closed, such an adventure for me. My eyes were trying to record everything as well as my ears, I was super excited… such a lucky girl…and I didn’t need to pay anything!!Well… I did with all my extra hours and no days off later on but that was nothing compare to what is one of these experiences in your life.

A lady with a little food cart was walking along the train selling food and beer, and of course as a Mexican girl who loves beer and knowing my Japanese friend also does, we bought our can to enjoy our 2 hours trip. When finally arrived to Shintoku station another 2 girls were waiting for us, we pass to the mini supermarket to get…of course, more beer! And snacks, OMG I was absolutely happy – a Japanese supermarket, and it’s me, I am here!! Hey parents look at this – I wished they were with me but they were at 10,616 km in Mexico.

It was getting dark when we arrive to our location in the mountains and the General Manager came out to welcome me together with the few staff working at the resort before the reopening that would be couple of weeks later, it was fantastic to see and feel a resort that is closed, no heating, just basic lights, reception and bar cover in blankets, empty vitrines at the boutique…WOW a perfect scene for a horror movie!

They took me to my room and OMG it was a traditional style one with a TATAMI! This particular smell was floating in my room, it was the tatami material, I wanted to lied down and roll over like a panda, and it has this small table with chairs that had no legs and slide doors covered by white kind of paper…of course I am giving you my description as a western that didn’t know anything about it…if some of you are reading this thinking how ignorant I am giving the descriptions, please forgive me.

I came down and walk to the small restaurant where we were meeting, walking through the dark and cold corridors with no more sound that my own steps and breathing was interesting still not scary. I was privileged to have the opportunity to see how does it looks a well-known resort when it is still closed and I was ready to rock my time in there. Be careful everyone, a dangerous Mexican is in Japan!

food boxes in Hokkaido airport

finding seats in the JR train

waiting to change train

Mexican and Japanese love beer

Ghost Reception

Tatami

 

 

 

 

Surakarta; Sola in Solo

I took advantage of this poor old men!! That’s what I was thinking when he hardly was cycling me in his little Indonesian tuk tuk to my hostel in Solo city. Actually the price was fair 30k for about 20 min. ride and I read on internet you paid for a taxi about that, except that this was a bicycle and I didn’t know it until I jumped in.

The trip by train from Yogyakarta to Solo was short and nice, the train is proper and there were 2 girls on my side very excited to talk to me while their kids were running all along the wagon.

Your room is right there in the corner, but first you need to take a selfie with me!…it sounded more like an imposition than a request actually but I agreed after the “manager” of the homestay showed me little bit around and stopped right in front of the swimming pool, to ask me this. I don’t mind to take pictures with people but most of the time I know them for more than 15 minutes LOL.

WOW, that was definitely the smallest shower I ever seen (besides when you are a baby and your mom can put you in a bucket haha); I was trying to figure out how to get into as no more than my knees will fit in there. Ahhh I got it!!…that cube was supposed to be filled up with water and I needed to take the shower standing on the side…the guy said it was traditional Indonesian style. This place was so interesting full of traditional furniture and with a tower you can go up to sit, have a drink and contemplate the city, also there was a room with plenty of traditional musical instruments that some people come and play twice per week and a little stage in front of the swimming pool but they don’t do it during Ramadan so I was not lucky to see that.

Ferdian (the manager) suggest me to go to see the Wayan Orang (masked dance-drama) at the Sriwedari Theatre which I also saw on internet as a highlight for turists, but I told him that I didn’t feel very safe to be walking back alone as it might end up around 11pm and some of the streets that I need to walk through disnt look very safe, he kindly offer me a ride and I bought my VIP ticket that cost me the enormous quantity of 10k (USD$0.75). It was quite full and already had started, I could see on scene very colorful costumes and make up with a live orchestra and the dialogues were only in Bahasa as well as what the screen was displaying, anyway it seemed quite interesting and funny. I wished I could understand and laugh with the rest of the crowd.

Ferdian was waiting for me outside of the theatre and gave me a quick tour around the city to enjoy the avenues and lights of what was the sister’s city of Yogyakarta and eternal rival. I do need to say that I was expecting more like a village as I wanted to be relax,in quite places, in contact with the nature, etc. Obviously I didn’t do my homework and I end up in a medium city, but I always enjoy my life and what it brings me day by day, specially as I was kind of deciding many things last minute… part of the adventure.

Solo is an interesting name for the city as in Spanish means “alone” and I was actually traveling this way, by myself. For feminine the word used is Sola… so I was sola in Solo, but I liked it.

Borobudur; My magical homestay

It just caught my attention. That simple phrase: ‘Enjoy the little things’. I was sitting on this wooden chair on the side of the little cliff above the river waiting for my dinner, and the lady cooking wrote me the Wi-Fi password on a small notebook where this phrase was printed on.

Well, that’s what I was looking for. It must be a sign from the universe, I told to myself. So I started enjoying my simple Javanese dinner lightened by a little candle and sweetened by the loud sound of the Elo & Progo rivers that come together here.

Then suddenly, somebody started talking to me. It was Soni, the owner of the homestay I visited.

“… If you would reincarnated in three animals. What kind of animals would you choose?”

He was doing this fun story game after my 1^st dinner there and before I visit the famous temple of the area. I choose a black panther, then an eagle and finally an ant (even a dolphin was very present in my mind), Then he told me to imagine myself in a certain situation and asked me what I was feeling. I answered that I would feel lucky!.  Soni gave me the description of the 3 animals chosen regarding my personality which was very accurate and the definition of how I feel in life being lucky and thankful of what I have (that I believe is so true). Then I explained him that after looking for tons of places around for my holidays I end up choosing his place… He gave me a condescend smile and said that It might be his place which choose me!!

 At 4.30 am I woke up as something was disturbing my sleep. I can listen quite close the prays of at least 2 mosque announcing the time to have the meal before Subuh, yes, it was Ramadan and I was in Indonesia. It was already challenging to sleep in a narrow bed inside this kind of rustic bungalow which had not  a very trustable way to locked it, a gap between the window and the wall (made by trunks from where all the mosquitoes can pass through) and a wasp nest, yes that’s right a WASP NEST I said.

I know, I know! You might be thinking why the hell did I pick this place of all places? But it had that amazing vibe. To me, it felt kind of magical.

Let’s start saying that I work in this high end well known resort where it’s always filled with noise or music. It is a very cool place but for my work I am always surrounded by people and I have to mingle and socialize with others. Every day. Don’t get me wrong. That is something I love about my job, but in my free time I sometimes need that peace and quiet.

This place was offering me incredible view and beautiful green nature environments close to Borobudur temple without needing to be surrounded by many people, in fact I was their only customer. The Borobudur was a place that I was really wishing to visit since I saw this picture on an Instagram account.

 I was trying to go back to sleep as the night before I was feeling tired after my journey of travelling to get there. Then Soni asked me whether I was going to sleep early. Why?, I asked. He wanted to make this nice bonfire. Bonfire? I didn’t quite understand what he really wanted but it sounded nice and cool. So I told him I was wanted to join his ‘bonfire’.

He called the kids and basically ask a guy to put fire on by gathering some branches from the yard and we just watched them burning.

I must say, my western idea of a bonfire was quite different, but it was so nice. So simple. And that was it exactly that made that night so special.

 “Enjoying the little things, that’s what life is made off!!”

Bonfire

my house

traditional & instagramable breakfast

Elo & Progo river

selfie time

Yogyakarta; 5 years of friendship in a 6 hours ride

I was her first client she said! …and no, I am not talking about something sexual haha, it was the taxi driver from my application that couldn´t pick me up at the airport because of the taxi mafia in Indonesia…so she made me walk like 15 minutes carrying my luggage until the closest Gas station.

My holidays were about to start and we had a long way to my hotel in Borobudur from Yogyakarta city, but we made such a great connection and after 20 minutes we were talking like friends and I was singing “Despacito” that was playing on the radio.

When I came back 3 days later to Yogyakarta I called her, as I promise, to ask if she wanted to be my driver and we agreed the price of 300k rupiah for 6 hours, “Dee” took me to the Water Palace and as she said that she haven’t been there I invited her to join me…and she end up paying my entrance as I didn´t have change, quite a funny situation.

On our way to the famous Prambanan temple “Dee” told me about her dream to go to work in USA with her sister that is part of the big percentage of migrants pursuing a dream of a better life, but she was conscious that she will hardly be able to get the visa. We got to the temple but she waited for me outside and I run into the shapes of this 9^th  century Hindu temple as it was around 3:30hrs and the temple was closing at 5pm. I am always running by the way 2 hours before the places close as I found it the best, because there is less people and great light for the photography.

Around 6pm I was starving and Dee was taking me to “Milas” a vegetarian restaurant that was described as a secret garden in lonely planet and it supports street youth. We had dinner together because at this point Dee and I, we were friends like from 5 years ago already.

My “friend” dropped me at my hotel and didn’t want me to pay her anything besides the gas which I didn’t accept…that day had been going between both paying us each other, entrances, or food, or whatever,(5 years of friendship in a 6 hours ride) one of the best things in life is to find these humans beings that it seems to be waiting there for you to find them in some corners of our world to lighten your heart, clients and no clients at the end we are just people .