Category Archives: Travel

SEA: Day 90 – La Fin

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My 90th day traveling abroad! Wow, I can’t believe I was on the road for 90 days. I also can’t believe I had the discipline to post something for 90 days in a row, even if it was only a few sentences here and there. Kudos to me. Yes, I’m giving myself a pat on the back.

So on this last day, I visited my grandmother in the hospital. She’s been sick for quite some time, but was unfortunately in the hospital for a different reason. A caretaker was pushing her in a wheelchair and hit a bump. Momentum took my frail grandmother to the pavement and broke her leg. She looked so sad, small, and delicate in a cast, but was happy to see me. She first thought I was my dad. I guess we look alike!

When I was booking my flight home, I remember being upset there wasn’t a direct flight from Singapore to San Francisco. Now, I’m really grateful that I had a one night layover in Korea. That was actually the last time I saw my grandmother alive. She passed away 3 months later. It my sound strange, but when I think back on her, I won’t be remembering the last time I saw her. Instead, I’m going to fill it with as many other happy memories as I can remember. Actually, you know what? I’m not going to be thinking the last time I saw her was a sad thing. She was happy. I was happy. We got to talk, laugh, and smile! What a memorable last meeting. She’s probably much happier in heaven anyways. Her dog’s up there and everyone knows he was waiting for her in heaven. Cause all dogs go to heaven.

And just like that, my SEA trip was over. I was back in the states in 14 hours. I was hoping I’d come back with some sort of revelation and that I could look at SF with a different point of view. But as I was going back home in a cab, I didn’t feel anything new. I didn’t feel rejuvenated or motivated. It just felt like I was coming back from any other trip. Why? Did I just waste 90 days?! Of course not. I eventually figured out why, but that’s for another time. Maybe tomorrow? I’m going to try to keep writing everyday. So yes. Tomorrow!

SEA: Day 89 – The Motherland

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Last day in Singapore, and in Southeast Asia. There was no direct flight to San Francisco, so I had a quick layover in Korea. I got to my aunt’s around 9pm at night and arrived to food! Home cooked meals are the best.

I stuffed my face while catching up with my aunts.

SEA: Day 88 – Aquariums are the best

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I love aquariums. The one in Singapore is totally worth a visit. It has one of the largest viewing panels in the world at 36 meters wide and 8.3 meters tall. It’s beautiful. I can stare at something like this for hours.

Watch. Relax. Be Grateful.

Is this the second aquarium I’ve been to in Southeast Asia? I believe the other visit was in Kuala Lumpur. I most likely said the exact same thing as I said above.

Sea creatures are so weird, by the way. The ocean is eerie. Look at this thing straight from Starcraft. Or more, Starcraft saw this guy and made him a Zerg character. Nature is creepy and fucking awesome.

SEA: Day 87 – Vacationing With the Framilies

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Vacationing with friends or family is the best. Thinking back on my trip, some of my best memories was when I was with framilies. Whether it was with the Han fam or Charlie, or old college buddies Dino, Eugene, seeing friends and experiencing something new (whether a country or restaurant) with them was wonderful. Even though I had superb events myself, like whale sharks and cliff diving, those moments are ultimately just shared with the ones I love and cherish.

Spending my last few days with my closest of friends was truly a blessing.

Also, Ahnah’s such a good foodie to travel around with. She’ll look up all the best places to eat and what to get. You don’t have to do any work at all except show up and eat. I highly recommend getting an Ahnah travel guide. She also has a cute kid who’ll make every restaurant visit a terrifyingly wonderful experience.

SEA: Day 84 – Railay Rock Climbing

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Title says it all! I went rock climbing today. First time going outside on real rocks. Views and experience was amazing. Terrifying if you looked down, but amazing nonetheless. I signed up for a climb with Real Rock via their website. Pretty simple and straight forward. My instructor, Andy, was really cool. His girlfriend came along with us and she’s actually just as good if not better than him. Note: Now that I’m thinking about it, I’m not sure if my instructor’s name was actually Andy. I’m writing this at my homie’s, Andy, spot, so I might just be mixing things up.

Besides rock climbing, I spent a lot of time on the beach as well, when it wasn’t raining anyways. As much as I saw the beach, I still really enjoyed walking down the coast feeling the sand on my feet.

I love this view.
The Lonely Tree

SEA: Day 83 – Crabby in Krabi

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I wasn’t crabby in Krabi. I just wrote that title for some reason. It should probably say “Happy and Carefree in Krabi” but that doesn’t rhyme. Wait…. “happy” and “Krabi” rhyme, right? Okay. Happy in Krabi. OH. How about “Happily Carefree Krabi?”. I think that works. That’s what we’re going to go with. That’s the new title.

All I can think right now, is how hard it is to write everyday. I’m a broken recorder cause I know i’ve said this before, but kudos to writers who can pump out material every single day. It is impressive. I even have a topic to write about everyday, but it is still a struggle.

I’m opening my computer and writing anyways. Because one day, out of all the garbage that I write, there will come a gem. Even if it’s just one sentence, I’m going to be damn proud when that happens.

I actually hung out with a couple Thai people this day. It was nice cause they took me to the Krabi Town Market and ordered lots of random stuff for me to try. It was all very good and I couldn’t tell you what it was. It seems to me that I often run into times where I’m not really sure what to eat so I trust a local, and it ends up being bomb. I’m not sure how i’d react if the recommended dish wasn’t good, and even worse, if I couldn’t even finish it. Would I just choke it down? …. I don’t know. Assuming it wasn’t something I was allergic to, I think I’d eat… maybe. Let’s find out one day.

One thing I’ve started to do a lot on the last days of my trip was to watch baseball. It’s taken over a lot of my time. That and spending time on the waiver trying to rack my brain on who to pick up. Fantasy baseball was so important to me for some time. I worry about it a lot less now. I still wish I had won that championship last year. Maybe this is the year?

SEA: Day 82 – Rain Rain Go Away

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Today was ferrying day over to Krabi! Unfortunately, it was raining during most of the afternoon, so I was stuck indoors for majority of the day. I was okay with this since I was using this last week to totally unwind from traveling. I sat on my balcony and watched it rain down into the hotel pool for awhile, which was really relaxing.

It didn’t rain in the morning though! I did get to walk around on the beach for just a bit and caught this girl enjoying her walk kicking the water. It was cute.

Hi-ya!

SEA: Day 81 – Phi Phi Phi

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I cruised around the Phi Phi islands. Maya Bay, made famous by Leo in The Beach, was really beautiful. Words can’t describe how incredible this place could be. I’d say go visit, but luckily for the environment, the beach was closed so authorities could undo the damage tourists have done. I feel really bad that I was part of this, but at the same time, I feel kind of awesome that I could see this place before it was closed. I’m sure it’ll open up again in the future, but until then, here’s a picture.

It’s beautiful. It’s amazing. When I was sitting up on that rock taking a picture, I tried to imagine what I would have felt to be there alone.

I’m a fisherman, having gone out early morning. My go to locations weren’t giving me a lot of fish lately. I decided to try a different location, a place I’ve never been. As I sail in that direction, I notice an island that I never knew existed. I head over and find this alcove with water so clear I can make out the critters on the bottom of the ocean floor. The waves are calm, almost eerie in this lagoon. The surrounding rock formation seems to swallow me onto the beach. I throw an anchor over and dive to the shore. I walk on the beach and take in this gorgeous, isolated atmosphere. It’s peaceful. It’s beautiful. I’ve never known peace and calm like this before.