Nostalgia on Khaosan Road

After the meditation retreat I had a week to kill before meeting my husband in Bangkok. I wanted to relax on the beach, eat well and read a good book (I recommend a book: "Pilvikartasto", original name "Cloud atlas") so I went to the nearest beach of Bangkok. Unfortunately I didn't like the atmosphere of Hua Hin or Cha Am, it is just not my cup of tea. And it rained every day. So I got back to Bangkok.

I am staying in the Khaosan Road area, where I stayed 15 and 11 years ago. It is not the same anymore. The old hippie backpacker feeling is gone. I was disappointed at first, but then I found the small alleys and quieter nearby streets and loved everything again. It is not only the area that has changed, but I must have become more comfort seeking during these years. I want my neighbourhood to be less crowded and noisy, I want a comfy bed and a private bathroom with a hot shower, now I even have a roof top pool in my hotel. I am spoilt.

Yesterday I wanted to have a unique movie experience. So I went to the luxury shopping complex where they have this VIP lounge. You will first get a foot massage, then you'll have your own sofa, blanket and pillows, popcorn and coke. And before the movie starts everybody listen to the national hymn, standing. I didn't even know what the movie was about, before it started. It was about tsunami in Thailand (title was "Impossible"), so I watched that  tsunami disaster with mixed feelings on my safe sofa. But I think it was a good remainder of the impermanence of everything. Everything. 

I have met some very interesting people on the way. Lia, the young and wild Brasilian who had worked and traveled a year in India and China. I hope to meet you in 2014 in Brasil, Lia! And Cinzia, ambitious Swiss PR Consultant, who left her successful career for months to do volunteer work in Asia and Africa. Safe travels an be happy, Cinzia!

One very special person is Bruno. He is from Switzerland and travels one month every 6 months, mainly in Asia. He is 79 years old. Bruno has been married 52 years but her wife doesn't like Asia, so he travels alone. They have traveled together in Africa and Far East, by their own car! Bruno has traveled almost everywhere, and he has this spark in his eyes when he talks (with limited English) about his journeys. I really met my soul mate.

Juan is a charming Spanish guy, who I met on his first days in Thailand. He has a great attitude: no big plans before hand, just improvising. With his open and honest nature, I am sure he will have unforgettable 20 days, and will get many good tips how to cook Thai food. Together with Juan an Julie, a stylish French writer who lives in the Filippines, we sat in a street restaurant last night very late (or very early). We went quite deep in our discussions, how interesting to hear different perspectives of life. The world looks much better now after all that talking, right? I wish I'll have a chance to visit Julie in the Filippines some day. And I hope she will publish her oncoming book also in English.

I never actually look for anybody's company, I am happy on my own. But I believe that some people are meant to meet each others.

Khaosan Road as it is today

Lia having breakfast at Mr Yim's

Art of Living

10-day Vipassana Meditation Course is over. I am so happy that I completed the course, although it was hard, very hard. The hardest part was not the silence, which I actually enjoyed, but all that sitting. My knees were almost killing me. I could write a book "100 different poses to sit on a meditation cushion". But I still didn't find one pose to sit still and comfortably all those more than 10 hours per day. But I understand that comfort was not the main point here.

I hope to be able to keep up the practice, because I know it is beneficial in many ways. I think that  Vipassana has exactly the same aspects as what Jon Kabat-Zinn teaches as Mindfulness. Professor Kabat-Zinn has successfully combined meditation and yoga in helping people to cope stress, illnesses and pain. I see that also (Business) Coaching has it's roots in Dharma (that's my personal view); isn't it wonderful that you can use this 2500 year old philosophy and method in today's business life. Be aware, observe your sensations, remain equanimous. That latter English word was new to me, it means to completely accept what you are experiencing, moment to moment, without to struggle, to avoid or get away, without craving, grasping or trying to hold on.

I was thinking about the silence. It really calms the mind. You can focus better, be more attentive and aware. What if you and your colleagues will start your next board or team meeting with 10 minutes silence (or even one minute)? Or have one office day in a week with minimum communication? Or have one quiet evening in your busy family life? What do you think could happen?

Meditation and Self-discipline

You won't hear from me for some time from now. I will attend a Vipassana meditation course held in Vipassana Centre called Dhamma Suvanna in northern Thailand. It is said that although Vipassana was developed as a technique by the Buddha it can be freely practiced by everyone, without conflict due to race, community or religion. Vipassana means seeing things as they really are by observing the natural breath to concentrate the mind.

The timetable for the next 10 days will be the following (plus the introduction day and the last day):

4:00 am Morning wake-up bell
4:30-6:30 am Meditate in the hall or in your room
6:30-8:00 am Breakfast break
8:00-9:00 am Group meditation in the hall
9:00-11:00 am Meditate in the hall or in your room according to the teacher's instructions
11:00-12:00 noon Lunch break
12 noon-1:00 pm Rest and interviews with the teacher
1:00-2:30 pm Meditate in the hall or in your room
2:30-3:30 pm Group meditation in the hall
3:30-5:00 pm Meditate in the hall or in your own room according to the teacher's instructions
5:00-6:00 pm Tea break
6:00-7:00 pm Group meditation in the hall
7:00-8:15 pm Teacher's Discourse in the hall
8:15-9:00 pm Group meditation in the hall
9:00-9:30 pm Question time in the hall
9:30 pm Retire to your own room--Lights out

I have waited this for so long, and now I am nervous: 10 days in silence, no talking, reading, writing, no physical exercise, no chocolate cakes... I hope no panic attacks either.

So, I will talk to you later!

Home Is Where The Way Is

This blog has got over thousand page views already (my own ones are excluded)! So where are the sponsors? And a movie contract? It is a great feeling to know that so many are following what I am writing. Now I just have to write something interesting? I am also thankful for all messages I have received on my Blog, Gmail and LinkedIn mail, it is so good to hear from you all!

Somebody said I should become a female Folke West (he is a Finnish tour leader who speaks in a funny way :-)!That could be fun, travel around the world and get paid for it? Or how about Madventures for the Middle Ages?

I have also been identified as the Snufkin (Nuuskamuikkunen), the one of the Moomin characters who always wants to go and wander from time to time. I am honoured. I want to share this video with you. I hope you will enjoy it as much as I do. It has it all. Home is where the way is.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vtWnWDJzO4&sns=em

I have been in Vientiane for three days and have done just ordinary things. I have had my laundry done, and that is by the way 1 euro per kg, comes ironed and smells like home. It is not always like this, especially when travelling in rural areas where washing machines are not used, your laundry is often stained with other colours, some items missing and holes are common because the laundry is done by smashing against stones and the clothes are hanging in trees and bushes to get dry. But that is part of traveling, too. Now I enjoy all these comforts Vientiane offers me. I also got my Thai visa and that took me two mornings. I haven't have the interest to visit any museums or sights, I still have felt a bit weak. I guess the jet lag hit me later and stronger than usual.

Last night I realized that I have only 15 000 kip left in my purse, which is still a pile of notes, but it only means 1,5 euros. It was late and the money changers were already closed for the day. I was hungry and was looking for a cheap place to eat. My walking was not so steady as I felt tired, so no wonder people came to ask what kind of drugs I might be looking for (with a list of all you can imagine). Thanks for the consideration, but I just want to have a cheap noodle soup! Finally I got a big bowl of noodles, vegetables and tofu for 15 000. It was good, nutritious and served with a smile.



There's real cyclists in Vientiane!

Cycling and Chanting

I haven't felt well yesterday and today. I feel weak and dizzy, don' feel like eating and my body is sore and tensed. Is it because I have not used a mobile phone for already a week now (I almost can feel the cold sweat and hands shaking...). Or was that 10 000 kip (1 €) dinner buffet at a food market not a good idea after all. Or is it just all this change, heat, new people, mixing languages (speaking English and reading Finnish books); my mind feels overloaded.

But a double chocolate brownie at Debra's together with a lemongrass tea made me feel a bit better.

This afternoon I was sitting at a Wat's garden watching the the monks passing by, some of them said "Sabaidee" and continued for their chores as gardening work, studying or cleaning work. One of them took this picture of me (I am not sure if he was allowed to). This bicycle I rented looks like a children's bike because it is made for the small Lao people, not for the giant Europeans, so I am cycling my knees almost touching my mouth; very funny.

I just arrived from the chanting and meditation at the Wat, it helped my mind to settle down at least a little. Those of you who don't know this hippie side of me, I want to ensure you that I won't come home as a Buddhist nun or something like that. For me Buddhism is more like an universal attitude or a philosophy than a religion.

Now I will get ready for tomorrow's flight to Vientiane, the capital of Laos. Goodbye Luang Prabang!

Me and my bike

Chanting and meditation

Thousands of Buddha statues in a cave

Debra had a Dream

After traveling couple of days I felt like talking to people. Yes, I needed that time to warm up, you know, from the cold to the warm. I met Debra at the restaurant she runs, Riverloft. Eight years ago she was an ordinary single mother and a devoted Christian in Pennsylvania. Then one night she had a dream. In that dream was a Lao young woman in a wooden cage, begging for help. Then she knew that God wants her to go to Laos to help this girl. She left her family, packed her luggage, bought a ticket to Laos and since then she has been in Luang Prabang.

Her restaurant employs young Lao women to help them to get their first paid work and get back to the society (if they've ever been there). Some of them are ex-prostitutes, disabled, divorced, unemployed... Debra sees after them by employing and paying the highest salary scale while they are cooking and serving the most delicious meals.

All fruits and vegetables are soaked in ionized water for hours before pealing and cutting, so everything is absolutely safe and fresh. I can recommend home made yoghurt, home made granula with mixed tropical fruits for breakfast and a big fresh salad for lunch. Their local green tea has a light smokey flavor and it goes well with tamarind pastry.

It seems that the restaurant serves as a meeting point for the foreigners in town. I met Dave there. He is a retired British English teacher. He, as the are travelers I have met before, shared same stories about Finns. How they like to drink and they never talk. But that is not true, is it?

I hope God will talk to Debra soon again, because that is what she wants, and if that is needed to make her happy. I may meet her again somewhere, because we don't know where God asks her to move next.

Debra and her girls

Monks and More Monks

I have been in Luang Prabang, Laos for few days now. I have visited all neighboring countries of Laos before ( Cambodia, Vietnam, China, Myanmar, Thailand), but never been really interested in Laos. Why? I think Laos is like Finland in Northern Europe; Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Russia are all attracted by more visitors than Finland. Finland is a safe, clean and modern country, but maybe a bit boring. You need to get there and stay for a while to find out the uniqueness of the culture and nature (and people of course.. :-)).

There's nothing "wrong" with Laos, but there's no major sights like Angkor Wat or no seaside beach. Lao people are laid back and friendly and at least Luang Prabang, where I currently hang out, is a sympathetic, easy going smallish town. It is also quite touristy, mainly because it has Unesco World Heritage status. But that suits me well now because it also means good accommodation facilities and various restaurant options.

Last night I went to the oldest wat where the monks were chanting. I felt both joy and peace. This morning 5.30 am I went to see the monks walking barefoot through the streets collecting boiled rice in their begging bowls.

Here's a small glimpse of the atmosphere for you to get an idea, I hope you'll get that video working. I am very poor in computers and IPad doesn't make it any easier, because Blogger doesn't support IPad as well as it does it for other computers. Also the Internet connections do not always favour IPad. IPad is good for emails, but when it comes to uploading pictures I'm lost. That's why there's not so many pictures here, because I can't find them now, one is on Picasa, one on Blogsy, one on this Pad...:-). See, I'm well organized at work, but when I'm on vacation, all my organizing and logical reasoning abilities are gone. But the good thing is that I am not even taking so many pictures, I have this old small camera that holds in one piece when taped tightly. I admit that sometimes I envy those who travel with professional cameras with long zooms. But I like to travel light.

 

These young fellows studied at the Wat garden and they wanted to practice their English language with me. Now they can speak some Finnish and Swedish as well.

Mekong River