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Friday, Apr. 19, 2024

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On The Write Path

by Kåre Enga in Udon Thani

Rated: 13+ · Book · Travel · #2032403

ON THE WRITE PATH: travel journal for Around-the-World in 2015, 16, 18.

For there are many paths.

Visitor's Center of Woolaroc in Oklahoma, Osage Nation. Tribute to Native America.

A tlog. A travel blog. A keeping-track of my trials, er.. travels.

February 26, 2015 until ... June 18,2015.
January 12, 2016 until February 15, 2016.
November 13 to 30 2018 ... 2019,

2020: Taiwain.

I went nowhere in 2021.

2022: Portugal, Thailand.

Will include: Hawai'i, Japan, Australia, South Africa, Untied Arab Emirates, Portugal, Norway, Ireland and... (2015) ... Norway and Estonia (2016), México (2018), Taiwan, Balkans, Baltics, Turkey, Costa Rica, Nicaragua.

Vi får se.

"Where I have traveled, stayed and visited. Over 181 places."

Show Recent Comments

10 Most Recent Blog Comments:

Kåre Enga in Udon Thani

Mar 22, 2024 at 10:27pm
In response to "Ides of August "

Wordsmitty ✍️ Many people seek thrills. Boring moments are quickly forgotten. I try to look deeper... still boring. But... someone was born that day and someone died. All days matter to someone. We're all just passing through...

Wordsmitty ✍️

Mar 22, 2024 at 1:45pm
In response to "Ides of August "

I remember reading this. Seven months later I comment (reminder comment from "333 steps"

)

I also like watching the scenery and people as I pass through or over. The open land always says so much in its shades of green, trimmed here and there stretching across its curves and hills with man's intrusions popping up once in a while.

Never thought of what the day tastes like. Sound and smell, yeah. I'll have to think about that more and see what I come up with.

Thanks for taking us along with you, but without being in the heat.

Kåre Enga in Udon Thani

Mar 22, 2024 at 4:11am
In response to "January 2024 angst"

Wordsmitty ✍️ Forgot to check... Tokyo? I could visit you in Japan? Cherry Blossom Time. Don't miss it!

Of course, as you know, I went back to Montana for two weeks and returned via Taiwan.

Kåre Enga in Udon Thani

Jan 25, 2024 at 11:53am
In response to "Expatriation? "

Sumojo Thanks for reminding me to read this article in full. I wonder about the flip side... there's also an urge to nest in a safe cave... kinda like a hobbit.

My experiences living in Costa Rica and Thailand have remolded me.

Yet, at this moment I just want to curl up and nest.

1 Like

Sumojo

Jan 23, 2024 at 10:02pm
In response to "Expatriation? "

Thanks for the link Kare. I read and agreed with every word especially This journey, sometimes difficult and lonely, is also a journey towards understanding and acceptance. It teaches us humility, patience, and open-mindedness.

Kåre Enga in Udon Thani

Jan 20, 2024 at 8:01am
In response to "Orange is a color of winter."

Lyn's a sly fox Yes and no. Country people are poor. Survival is #1, not health. Think of factory towns in the Great Lakes in the 50s and 60s.

The problem last year included Laos and Myanmar. The burning is sugarcane and corn. The governments made a mistake by allowing burning in February and in Thailand there was an uproar because it affected tourism in Chiang Mai... $$$ is king.

There are solutions but local people need to be consulted and big-money corporations that buy up the products and encourage production at any cost must be regulated or reined in. Education and consequences... right now there isn't much of either.

Lyn's a sly fox

Jan 18, 2024 at 3:29pm
In response to "Orange is a color of winter."

Aren't they worried about putting all that smoke into the air, how it will affect other growth as well as the people who reside there.

Kåre Enga in Udon Thani

Jan 18, 2024 at 12:23pm
In response to "Paradise has pitfalls "

Legerdemain I don't fit in. And yes, that's frustrating. If I'm traveling I try to act respectful but I usually don't have time to learn enough to do better. That said, I'm living in Thailand. Living in a place is an entirely different experience.

Locals don't always want needy greedy visitors that disrupt their peaceful lives. Some places are overrun by traveling hoards. Prague comes to mind.

Legerdemain

Jan 2, 2024 at 12:03pm
In response to "Paradise has pitfalls "

I feel like any time an american tries to insert themselves into another culture, it's looked at as being a bull in a china shop. They say when visiting another place, ask the locals where they eat and hang out, but honestly they really don't want us there.
I'd love to visit all the places you do, but I don't think I'd ever fit in.

Wordsmitty ✍️

Dec 26, 2023 at 12:39pm
In response to "January 2024 angst"

For me, it's Japan the first two weeks of April. Only in Tokyo Mar31 and Apr13-16 to get on and off planes. Whatever you decide, it will be a good break. Enjoy yourself.

May 22, 2022 at 12:55pm

#1032726

Trip to Portugal 2022 Assessment #1

A recent-travel assessment prodded by Sumojo 1

1. I am out-of-practice with speaking to strangers, youth and fellow travelers. Perhaps others are too. That said, there are more working-nomads less amenable to conversation. Gen-Z hides more behind electronics than Millenials. I think folks find conversation more awkward in general, especially with strangers.

2. My relationship with others has shifted. I'm no longer the quirky uncle... more like the doddering grandpa. I've definitely slowed down since Taiwan 2020 and I was having physical issues even then. That said, Portugal was good for my legs (tiring, but good).

3. I truthfully do not have the energy for 18 hour days. 12 is more like it and even less at times. Less energy = not joining in on activities, not moving around as much in the past. Doing less = less to share, fewer people to share it with.

4. Two years of doing 'nothing' has upped the 'I'm boring' factor. Even at home... what to talk about? Most folks in Montana, here at WdC, at fb, avoid discussing racial or social issues. No one watches Thai TV or is interested in BL series (except Shannon

).

5. I oddly connected with Brasilians. My attempt to speak Portuguese disarmed some, especially Ellison from Bahia, who couldn't believe I've never been to Brasil. I speak with a Brasilian accent. My language skills improved a bit.

6. My natural social-awkwardness was apparent at times. I really goofed in Lagos. I'm good at initiating conversations, but not as good at listening. Matthew from Ireland, who I met in Lisboa at the end of my trip, is a natural connector and 'can opener'.

7. I was sick on-and-off. Coughing in Faro and Silves didn't help much. Vomiting/diarrhea in Evora didn't either. I know people were concerned. I also cough if I over-exert myself. I lost weight and frankly, stank more than usual. Laundry was an issue at times.

8. Being alone in a room (Silves, Castro Verde) and almost alone (Evora) was a godsend under the circumstances; but, being alone doesn't lead to many opportunities for interactions.

9. Stress was a factor at the beginning and end of the trip. Changing my flights and arranging covid tests took up time. Not properly planning led to a couple 'hiccups' (nothing major).

10. In general, the trip did not go as smoothly as hoped for. Social hostels (The Independente in Lisboa and TAGhostel in Lagos) went better than other places. But I did make friends, like Evelyn (Poland/Germany) in Lagos/Faro. I will do a separate entry on people.

3010

Footnotes
1 Sue wrote: "Hi, I’m sorry you found fellow travellers unwilling to participate in decent conversations on your vacation this time. I hate to suggest that as one gets older you become of less interest to anyone younger. And I suppose society has changed over the years. The question is, how and why?

Maybe Covid has made us less willing to get close, either physically or figuratively. Or as you suggest it’s social media. When we were doing our travelling twenty years ago we found people were so interested in their fellow travellers, but now we take our family and friends with us everywhere we go. They are in our contact list, ready and available to talk to anywhere in the world.

I wasn’t on WdC in those heady years you speak of, so can’t comment on changes here. The only suggestion I have for the change is that back then blogging was in its infancy. I read only today the number of blogs there are on line at any given time. I can’t remember just how many there are but it was in the millions.

So maybe it’s just burn out or “ whatever can you tell me that I don’t already know” syndrome..

3 Like • Comment • View 5 comments

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