As most of you know, I left Minnesota a while ago and handle business from different places here in America, but also when I am in Europe or other places around the world in which I have traveled, especially more recently. Last week, however, was an experience that I had never encountered, at least not to the extent that it was this past weekend. For the record, I have been in the eye of a hurricane, been shaken out of bed during an earthquake and huddled into the basement of a restaurant in which I worked decades ago back in Minnesota as a tornado ripped through parts of the Twin Cities. I had never, experienced to the extent it happened, a flashflood. I don’t recommend any of the above, and certainly not hanging around for the event to happen. When I am in the states these days, I live about 2 blocks off the Atlantic Ocean here in New Hampshire from which I conduct business and live modestly until next month I am married and ultimately become an expat later this year. Don’t worry, the business is and still will be in operation. Besides, being in the heart of the action to arrange amazing adventures for valued clientele is important, but back to literally weathering the storm. I had been told that this area was prone to flooding and I have seen sections of roads closed due to marsh waters loosely connected via streams etc., to the ocean.
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As you know, I was in SE Asia over the holidays, or perhaps, if you consider the whole month of December, I had been on the back end of my travels to Botswana and then with some time in between been to Vietnam and Cambodia, so really the holidays and New Years, were really dates on a calendar. No parties, no festivities, just doing what I wanted to do during that time, as the old year ended, and the new year began. This past week was a mix of the winter blues in a way, and the excitement of the future along with a major case of jetlag, as I realized the clock had turned and I could no longer speak of next year, as next year had arrived. And wow, I am not sure I was ready, but I had to be. I was also looking back on when I started writing this blog post at the beginning of the pandemic and the reasons why. Of course, there was no business at the time, as travel had essentially ceased to exist after having had such a wonderful 2019 business year. Who knew what was in store, but we all certainly found out. I started writing this blog to tell people that I was still around and when we could travel again, I was going to be there. I also knew the tragedy of lives lost and businesses destroyed, but I wanted to be a support system for others, and not just in my industry, although that was the initial focus and, in the end, it was good for me, as well. It provided an outlet to show that I was not going to let that event stop me. I was going to push forward as I had worked too hard, with basically nothing and taking a chance to build the business that is well into its 17th year.
Really though, it was an absolutely amazing 2023 for me on many different levels and so for me, this post is a review of the past year, one that will forever change my life, as I got engaged last February to the most amazing lay and now this year, we are getting married. I also traveled between 4 continents, went to 4 new countries, Albania, Botswana and the previously mentioned Vietnam and Cambodia. Perhaps, not on one’s main list of places to experience, but ones that should be considered. I also did a bit of travel around the US this past year, perhaps doing the last road trips of any significance here in America, before I return to Europe in the long term, as my future is there with Rosa, and you will hear more moving forward. Rosa and I spent time in the UK together and caught Billy Joel at Hyde Park this past summer and then went to Brighton where she had gone to school. I guess that before Rosa, my goal was to continue to “conquer” more countries, and then the pandemic happened, so travel early on was limited, and then I met her, and my focus changed. I also experienced new places like Jersey and Guernsey in the UK, and places in America I had not ever been like the Henry Ford Museum in Michigan. I went to York and to Hull in the UK, as well and more new places in Italy when I lived there this past summer. I even hit another Hard Rock in Siem Reap, so I still have more Hard Rocks under my belt that countries visited, but that is not as important now. I promised I would not count South Africa, even though I have the stamp in my passport twice (in and out), nor South Korea, another transited country. Of course, I could list them with an asterisk, but for now, my focus is elsewhere as I am now preparing for a very different future. Yes, there will be travel and Rosa does not want to stop that part of me, but we will do some travel together including our honeymoon in March.
I am not sure if my 150th installment of the WP is a milestone post, but within it, is a milestone moment forthcoming. I write this last post of the year 2023 from Siem Reap, Cambodia, which is officially my 83rd visited country in the world and that is exciting as you know that this trip, coming to its end, was to happen several years ago and Covid, among other events that stopped it from happening. My time here in SE Asia with my departure tomorrow from Cambodia back to Vietnam, and then the return to the US has been an eye-opening experience for me. The cultures are so different in many ways, but in the end, I found that people simply want to live their lives in peace and enjoy what they have. They don’t make lots of money, but both the Vietnamese and Cambodians are genuinely happy people, and I was happy when I was able to go to the 94th Hard Rock Café, here in Angkor Wat last night. It crossed my mind to check, when I knew, I was coming to Siem Reap and I was not disappointed, but happiness is defined in many different ways as you will see. I tried different foods, some to excess like Pho and much rice and noodles in many different configurations, experienced many different cultural experiences like a water puppet show, to how to tie a fishing net. Sailed on the sea from Ha Long Bay, and on the Saigon River and along the Mekong Delta. I visited several museums including the culture of the countries, the temples of Angkor Wat, and the history of the Vietnamese people. I visited war memorials and gained a better understanding of the era that was the Vietnam War, which the Vietnamese called the American War and it was substantially more complex that the simplicity of one side being bad and one side being good. I was able to talk to some people who were directly affected, and saw some of the results, good and bad, and the war ended some 50 years ago. No war is good, and many people die and are wounded, soldier and civilian alike. Perhaps there are good causes, but there must be better solutions to the problems of the world, as everyone is impacted, even now. I was just an early teen when the Vietnam War was raging and I saw it on black and white TV with the likes of Walter Cronkite and I have heard from some, when sharing my experience last week, from those who were more impacted than others and are still to this day. History is never erased, even if monuments are knocked down, names changed or some other way of altering what has happened. History should teach us not to repeat it, but human beings don’t really heed that advice, because people want to forget events in history that have happened, but much is always out there in front of us, and we can’t run from it. I think Vietnam is succeeding in its re-birth as I saw much in terms of people owning businesses and a sense of freedom, even though it is a socialist country and even though my time here in Cambodia, also a socialist country, simply a blink of an eye, people, with little are making the most of it, so more power to these people living their lives every day to the best of their ability and overall, my guides were excellent in their willingness to answer difficult questions about what happened. But, but, but this was not to be a blog totally about my experiences and thoughts of the past two weeks, here in Vietnam and Cambodia, but of an event, perhaps, some knew, or thought they knew or with my hints in my previous posts of something very special happening, an event that in my crazy life, never thought would ever happen, but so excited that even at this point in my life is happening, better late than never. So, I hope you read further as this has been a constant theme throughout my posts of the past almost 4 years and was not even looking when I was this really fat guy going from travel event to travel event and this time it happened to be in Rome, called Viva Italia.
I arrived late the evening of the 14th of December, and after some fits and starts awaiting my bag, customs, and my ride to the city, I was whisked to Hanoi, a city of some 8 or 9 million people and as many scooters circulating the city itself. It is a vibrant city that has a beat of its own. I am glad that I had a guide with me the first day, as trying to cross streets in this city, is a challenge to say the least. Yes, there are stoplights and zebras, but that really does not mean anything, other than perhaps, as per my guide, the people in the cars and on the scooters, if they did hit a pedestrian, would be in very serious trouble. After so many attempts of crossing the streets and some of the larger boulevards, I did get the hang of it and glad to say I am here. The city itself is a mix of old and new, parts still of the colonial history under the French in its architecture, from more than 100 years ago, but also the modern. It is fascinating for me to see, as this is a socialist country, how much capitalism there is here. I guess the government allows a balance if people don’t push the envelope. Many of the famous expensive brands exist alongside all the street food vendors, high rises, and shacks. It is a contrast of cultures in its religions and practices from the pagodas and temples to the celebration of Christmas in all its capitalist ways, songs, and Santa everywhere. Cash is king here, but you can use a credit or debit card here in many places, but not in most street food areas. The prices across the board are very reasonable as the exchange rate with the Vietnamese dong and the dollar or any western currency is very favorable. Coffee culture is also very important, but I did, along side my guides, have a cappuccino, and an expresso and yes, tried a Vietnamese coffee. It was alright, but not really my taste.
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Wandering PuffinWeathering the Storm with the Wandering Puffin Archives
April 2024
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