Phuket Top 8!

It is almost 4 AM here so naturally I am wide awake and hungry (have to love jetlag), so I thought it would be a great time to munch on cashews I bought at the cashew factory today and also do my first update. 

Okay, I might also be sitting poolside, so life is pretty good.  Phuket reminds me of Panama in a lot of ways, so there is a lingering sense of familiarity as I explored the area.  My first full day of travels was amazing, so in honor of the great island of Phuket, I made a top eight list (since 5 was not enough and 10 was too many) that I like to call “Phuket is a pretty awesome place because it offers…”.

8. …Angry Birds memorabilia

Maybe I just don’t go shopping in the right places, but I don’t think I have ever seen actual merchandise with those cute angry birds we all adore playing with on our phones.  I resisted the urge to buy a shirt with some witty phrase, but I did get a cute watch since I was looking to buy one anyway (and it also has a holographic cover).  Angry Birds + holographic?  Who could resist that?  Clearly not I. 

The woman told me that the style I picked was new to them as of that day, so I am at the height of Thai Angry Birds fashion.  I have made it. :)

7. ...drinks out of a VW van in a chic and non-sketchy way.

When the sun goes down, mobile carts of food and beverages descend on the streets.  My personal favorite is the Mobile Bar which uses an old VW van to house a bar on wheels (complete with disco ball and rope lights).  This one was not quite as amazing as another one I saw that had a hot pink car with super stylish white-walled wheels, but still incredible nonetheless.

6. …car rides that provide the daily needed adrenaline rushes.

If you hop into a car in Phuket, you might as well not even pay attention to what is happening unless you want to have your heart skip a beat every 10ish seconds.  The average driver drives on the wrong side of the road, creates their own lanes, comes within inches of other cars (whether parked or moving) and nearly runs over all the people on the motorbikes that rule the roads.

And yet I did not see any accidents or incidents on the road at all, so they seem to have a system that works for them. 

5. …heaps of people from all around the world.

Is it weird that I like being in a place where there are about a dozen languages being spoken within 10 feet of me and I don't even know what half of them are?  Because I do.  It makes me realize how cool the world really is.  It also makes me feel pretty dumb since I feel as though the rest of the world knows their native language, English and one or two other languages (if not more), but us Americans usually only know English.  I don’t count my Spanglish as truly knowing another language, so I should work on that.

I love a good European.  They are who they are and it is fabulous.  If you see a couple who is really into each other, PDA is a norm regardless of where they are (such as sitting next to me in a cramped and very hot minibus on the way from the airport).  I also adore the skimpy swimwear they show off at the beach.  You will probably never see an American man rocking swim trunks with a 1 inch inseam or a Speedo… 

 

I also love Australians because they like to use the word heaps. J

4. …a multitude of Buddhas in all corners of the city.

I had the privilege of seeing the large marble Buddha of Phuket (appropriately titled Big Buddha) which is still under construction after four years.  There were bells in all of the trees on the grounds that tinkled with the wind.  It was magical.

All around the city, though, were Buddha figurines that each had their own unique style and flair. 

3. …all around beautiful people.

Yes, if you are haggling with a local, they will be brutal, but the minute you come to an agreement, they will treat you as if you are family.  I had lunch at a food stand on the beach and went to pay after I got everything.  The woman instead insisted I take my chicken pad thai and coconut, lay in the provided lounge chair, enjoy my meal for as long as I needed and then pay when I was ready to leave…alright, I guess I will if you insist. 

Everyone at the place I am staying runs around in shirts that say “I Love U”.  I am not sure what I did to capture their hearts so quickly, but I appreciate the welcoming attitude the Thais have for foreigners. 

2. …sensory overload at the Night Market.

I have always wanted to go to a big market where you can buy almost anything you want, and this proved to be absolutely excellent.  Nothing in the states compares to something like this at all.  Every Saturday and Sunday in Phuket, the large night market set features accessories, movies, clothing, food, live animals, massage services and more.  There was so much to look at, so many food smells wafting through the air and so many people in what seemed like the never-ending lines of merchant booths. 

I didn’t buy a whole lot, but had a chance to try some of the food offered (I did get some squid for dinner as well as an egg roll and some chicken) and really enjoyed walking around seeing all the goods for sale.

1. …sights like this.

Overwhelmed...in the best way possible

Where in the world is Maria?  Look no further to find out (and see some of the things I am planning to do and see at each stop)!

Location	Arrival Date	Departure Date	Things to Do!
Phuket, Thailand	10/14/2011	10/17/2011	Patong Beach, Heroines' Monument, Wat Phra Thong buddha, Temple of the White Blood, go snorkeling!!!, canoe ride in lagoons
Bangkok, Thailand	10/17/2011	10/20/2011	Morning tai chi at Lumpini Park, Samutprakan Crocodile Farm, main square (Sanam Luang), Chatucak Weekend Market, Grand Palace, visit a floating market
Chiang Mai, Thailand	10/20/2011	10/27/2011	Spend a night in a bamboo hut, ride an elephant through the jungle, night market, learn to make Thai food
Beijing, China	10/27/2011	11/1/2011	Learn to cook dim sum (bbq pork buns, yum!), Tiananmen Gate, Great Wall of China, Lama Temple, Temple of Heaven
Bucharest, Romania	11/1/2011	11/6/2011	Stavropoleos Church, Triumphal Arch, walk the Dambovita River, world's 2nd largest building (Palace of Paliament), row boat on one of the city's lakes
Belgrade, Serbia	11/6/2011	11/9/2011	Belgrade Fortress, St. Michael's Cathedral, Zemun Tower, Zeleni Venac Market, strolll the Sava River
Budapest, Hungary	11/9/2011	11/14/2011	See a performance of the Hungarian ballet (Anna Karenina!), Hungary State Opera House, walk the Castle District, hiking Gellert Hill/Citadelle/panorama of the city, St. Stephen's Basilica, explore the Jewish District (synagogue), eat some Hungarian food at the Central Market Hall
Vienna, Austria	11/14/2011	11/17/2011	St. Charles Church, Heroes Square, museums galore!, Danube Island, Tree in Iron, giant ferris wheel at Prater
Munich, Germany	11/17/2011	11/20/2011	Peterskirche Tower, eat a legitimate pretzel, Nymphenburg Palace, BMW Headquarters (I feel like while I am there...), Englischer Garden, the Golden Friedensengel
Prague, Czech Republic	11/20/2011	11/23/2011	Charles Bridge, Dancing House building, Old Town Square, Prague Castle, admire the cottages of Golden Lane
Berlin, Germany	11/23/2011	11/26/2011	Berlin bike tour, the infamous wall, walk the Spree River, Pfaueninsel, Ernst-Reuter-Platz (just because I like the name!)
Amsterdam, Netherlands	11/26/2011	11/29/2011	ING House, Anne Frank House, Canal Tour, Van Gogh Museum, Vodelpark
Paris, France	11/29/2011	12/2/2011	Learn to make some amazing pastries, Napoleon's Palace, catacombs, Louvre, eat a crepe in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower
Brussels, Belgium	12/2/2011	12/6/2011	Atomium, Erasmus House, chcoolate!, Scientastic Museum
Sevilla, Spain	12/6/2011	12/9/2011	Maria Luisa Park (only the coolest people are named Maria Louise!), Traditional Arts and Customs Museum, Metropol Parasol
Bilbao, Spain	12/9/2011	12/12/2011	Visit the beach, explore the Casco Viejo district, learn some Basque
Madrid, Spain	12/12/2011	12/16/2011	Torres KIO, Parque Juan Carlos (one of Europe's largest parks!), the fountain at Plaza de Cibeles, Templo de Debod
Barcelona, Spain	12/16/2011	12/19/2011	Joan Miró Park, see the amazing architecture all over the place (like Casa Milà), Sardana Dance Statue

As my solo trip becomes a reality, I can’t help but appreciate all the amazing opportunities I have had in my life and how blessed I am.  In June, I graduated with my Masters in accounting, I am one test (and some paperwork) away from becoming a CPA, I just finished an awesome temp job in Seattle (with some pretty amazing people), I am about to spend 2 months traveling the world and when I come back I am working for a company listed as one of the “Best Places to Launch a Career”.  Is this really my life?  I am seriously overwhelmed. 

A friend put things into perspective when they recently texted me: “Hi Maria, as you get closer to your trip, know that I’m so inspired to see you making your dreams come true!”  It is true.  My dreams are coming true on an almost daily basis and I can’t believe this is my reality. 

Anyone that knows me knows I love a good motivational, leadership or business book.  Two in particular led me to the conclusion that I just HAD to do some extensive travel before joining corporate America.  My more current obsessions include Tim Ferriss (author of 4-Hour Workweek) and the Road Trip Nation series.  Tim’s premise is that life is meant to be designed in that you can dictate what you want your life to look like from how much time you spend working to the activities you participate in and the places you travel to.  Road Trip Nation was the result of college graduates who were trying to find themselves and clarify what they wanted to get out of life through traveling across the country and interviewing people who were successful in their respective fields.  The common theme among 90% of the interviews was that great new business ideas originated out of travel, seeing an idea in another location and adapting it to their environment in the states. 

What is my goal over these (almost) nine weeks?  Maybe I will come back with an idea for the next Starbucks or Redhook Brewery; both companies’ leaders were featured in Road Trip Nation and both ideas originated from travel.  Maybe I will have some epiphany and have a greater understanding of what I want to contribute to the greater world throughout my life.  Or maybe I will come back with stories illustrating how truly blessed I am, which has been a product of every other adventure I have taken.  Either way, I think it is money well spent and I am completely looking forward to the journey ahead!  The world is literally my oyster and having that feeling is overwhelming, but in the best way possible.

Yelp ELITE!

So I am excited to announce that I am a Yelp ELITE!  What does this mean?  It means that I really like Yelp and write reviews about the different restaurants I go to and places I shop at (and might even get invited to a special event or two).  I would certainly recommend Yelp to anyone looking to have a fun adventure in your own backyard at a yummy eatery, pamper yourself at a spa or spend a night away from home.  If you want to check out my profile, you can go to mlkleibs.yelp.com (or go to yelp.com to check out all the other fabulous things the site has to offer)!  I still have a lot of reviews I want to write...maybe one day I will find the time to finish all of them.

I started using Yelp pretty religiously in July when I was on a road trip down the WA and OR coast to the California Redwoods with my parents to look up local eats and also smaller hotels.  Without Yelp, we would not have stayed in a hotel made entirely of a Redwood (like the one pictured below).  SO COOL!

It is great because reviews are written by real people and it is a great way to check out non-chain places before you waste time or money on lower quality services.  Even beyond travel, it is great for trying new places in your area you might not have gone to before!  Check it out!

Ellensburg Rodeo!

Dharani and I traveled across the mountains to eastern Washington for a day at the rodeo.  Our day began with the more traditional rodeo events like lassoing calves and wrestling them down (totally not the right term, but you get the idea):

 

The mid-rodeo entertainment even included a wrangler who was able to get two large bison to patiently hang out on the top of a semi.  I mean I have never tried that, but I can imagine it takes a bit of talent to do so. 

We walked around the fairgrounds for a bit, saw some of the agricultural and animal displays and of course enjoyed a delicious funnel cake.  Our visit would not have been complete without a visit to the cowboy bar, Behind the Chutes.  We stuck out like sore thumbs since we were not in cowboy hats...

Although completely commercialized and sensationalized, we both had so much fun watching the Extreme Bullriding evening extravaganza (complete with fire and fireworks).  There was even a bull that jumped over the outer fence and escaped before being caught by some of the handlers!