Pictures, People, Places - Entry 3 - Cambodia

Here's Siem Reap whoop whoop

Pictures, People, Places - Entry 2 - Malaysia

Here's Malaysia. Kuala Lumpur is reminiscent of London for me.  We lived in KL for 5/6 weeks at a wonderful guest house called Le Village, look out for the tea, Petronas, the Malaysian Prime Minister (who shook Joseph's hand),the forest being driven away in a truck, Chinese Dragons, waterfalls, sinking Land Rovers, the largest flower in the world, blow pipe skills and sunsets.

Don't Joke With a Hungry Barang.

I hope you are all doing fantastically well. I am good but rather hungry. I'll explain. After the 2nd heavy session on the booze in as many weeks I was speaking to an accordion player called Frank on the phone on the day of the hangover. He too was feeling rough but on one point we differed. He blamed me for playing good tunes as the extended party lasted until 3, I blamed him for stating it all off with his infectious grooves on the squeeze box. Either way I felt like hell. I shared this with Frank. Frank had a solution for when this feeling became a little bit too frequent. He does a detox twice a year and suggested that he would do it with me if I was willing.

The conditions are as follows:

Only coconut milk and water for 7 days (coconut milk has all the nutrients you need so don't worry parents. I actually heard a rumor that in poorer nations it is sometimes used intravenously - answers on a postcard)

I am currently on day 5 and have experienced of emotions from depression to elation. It is surprisingly good at preventing hunger although psychologically it is very strange no to be eating any food. Part of the problem is that you a given 3 hours or more every day that you save by not eating, digesting, cooking, cleaning. Time is normally a gift but these times have been some of the most difficult. Also nearly all my friends here are at work in the day giving me more time to kill and desire food.

I have been swimming everyday but don't want to run out of energy in the middle of the river. To spend some time in a different way as I am bored of reading, watching movies and now even cruising around on my motorbike, I decided to write an article about how I was feeling and the 2 opposites of indulgence and restraint. I really hope it resonates with you and that you either enjoy it or find it interesting on some level.

Don't Joke With a Hungry Barang.

Barang means French in Kymer but children often thought it meant foreigner. I don't know what the word for detox or fast is but based on the reaction of the few that I have told I imagine the translation is something along the lines of crazy fool. I'm on day 5 of 7 without any food except coconut milk and water. That is not a joke and I am certainly hungry but does that make me crazy? Or anybody else for that matter on a similar path of detoxification? Yes it is a little extreme but we have all experienced the other end of the continuum: Indulgence of one's appetites, desires, or inclinations. Think of christmas, buffets and birthdays. Or for many just a friday night out on the town.

This is the opposite of self-restraint and self-denial. But purification aside, is it important to have self restraint? To go without that which one wants?

Excess has always led to destruction of both the psychological and physiological realms:

The extreme overeater ultimately becomes obese. Obesity has a myriad of associated health problems and unquestionably has an adverse affect on self esteem. Low self esteem requires love and reassurance. A lack of these or the belief in them leads to searching for escape elsewhere. Comfort is most easily found in our desires. It is easy to see why they find release in more eating but also easy to see the problems this circle creates.

Even the good can become harmful if overdone. Exercise has great physical benefits and has been a cathartic tool through the ages. But even something that is constantly being recommended by medical and health professionals can be problematic in the extreme. Overuse injuries are well documented and can happen anywhere in the body (tennis elbow, jumpers knee, shin splints). They are the result of an accumulation of very minor injuries over time. This links to another example of the problems of excess; that of RSI. A very prevalent problem in the modern world of computers, typing and no doubt gamers in the future.

The evidence indicates that restraint on some level is definatley worthwhile. An ancient proverb says that “Whatever you do, do it in moderation”. Food excesses and in indulgences today have meant we have to be reminded that a balanced diet or lifestyle is best. Therefore the individual should stray only slighty from the path in either direction. Vice vs Virtue - a few beers cancelled out by the session in the gym, a greasy but delicious burger offset by not eating meat for a few days.

This is certainly not reflective of how society is today. But is it realistic or best to live our lives in this way? It is important to remember that excessive fun or laughter heals much. Also if you think of the world elite in any field I'm certain that nearly all of them got there with extremely hard work and almost excessive comittment and dedication to their discipline. Wilde pointed this out succinctly stating “Moderation is a fatal thing. Nothing succeeds like excess.”

So if excess not only exists in our world but is necessary for success in our culture is it still possible to find a balance? Scientifically this is very possible: In pivotal forces a 1 tonne weight on one side of a seesaw can easily be balanced be the same weight at equal distance on the other end as long as the plank is strong enough. Likewise in a mile long 50 mph speed trap if you drove 99.9 miles for the first half a mile and 0.1 for the second half you would never get a fine.

The plank snapping or the possiblity of crashing at 99.9 mph are real dangers and that is the reality of any excess. But I would rather live a life of extremes than be average all the time. Life is about experience and the highs and lows are the memories and moments that last the longest. They offer a contrast and perspective which is of a great benefit. After all you have never truly appreciated swallowing until you have had tonsilitus.

So if you can't find or don't want to find moderation atleast look for balance.

J.T.Davies 19/03/10

Cambodia's Got the Horn

Cambodia's Got The Horn

Cambodia began with the wonders of Watt. Say Waaaaatttttttt? Ankor Watt of course. The stunning natural beauty of the sun rising and falling over one of the man made marvels of the world. Nature has also grow into and around the stone temples and left an amazing hybrid of man vs wild. The light at dawn shining through the ruins and trees is truly something to behold.

It is easy in the nostalgic retelling to forget the begging children, the taxi cost bartering, the thousand other tourists tainting the feeling that you are doing anything special or unique and the stone cold fact that rock just looks like rock after 4 hours no matter how old or crafted.

That said if you take the three day pass, go for a few hours only at dusk and dawn, and go anticlockwise when the normal route is the other way, there are memorable and worthwhile times to be had at Ankor.

Siem Reep was pleasurable; Dr foot and his reflexology saw to those tired temple feet, international and bizzare cuisine (croc and spiders) satiated the hunger, and the happy hours keep the Ankor beer flowing for 50cents a mug.

The 'luxury' 6 hour bus to the capital Phnom Phen was not pleasurable, comfortable or luxury. Often the air con is much too high and these bus trips had been the only time so far that we had really needed our jackets. The reality of 6am was punctuated by the freezing bus, I congratulated the knowledgeable traveller Joseph for getting his Fleece out of his main backpack. This was the last positive thought I had for sometime.

The misery of the trip had several recurring themes:

The soundtrack of mumbled complaints and curses were overpowered by the loud and intrusive sounds of the buses horn. The unexaggerated average of 3 horn blasts per minute can be explained by the unofficial and plainly understood rules of the Cambodian road;

No road markings, 85% of traffic is small 125cc motorbikes, the relatively new introduction and uncompulsory nature of mirrors, no speed restrictions, narrow unruly roads and the undenible reality of being hit by a double decker bus. All vehicles when overtaking beep the horn several times and there is lots of overtaking. The sound of the ticking clock that you must block out to keep sane is the sound of the horn on the Cambodian road. every minute on every road is filled with a myriad of different horns. Cambodian really does have the horn.

Phnom Pehn round one; Reunited with a good friend (LOL - Love our Lottie), amazing food, crazy hedonistic aussies from Darwin (Big up the Dougie massive, ah yeaaaaahhhhhhh), a great cambodian tradition (5-7 every day is free exercise in all the parks), meeting Hannah (Epic in every way), Mutak and the best banana in town.

Tune in next time for all that is Kampot - Rusty's Ribs, Dirt road riding (that is not a euphamism), home made pies, covert brothels, a dog lost and found, some new friends and 5 days without food.

Joseph Davies 26/05/10