Long Walk Rain - Koh Chang Island - HOT WATER COOKER

Hobo Travel Tips Newsletter: Long Walk Rain - Koh Chang Island - HOT WATER COOKER
Tip: Hot Water Cooker
Issue: 84
Location Published From: Koh Chang Island, Thailand

Issue: 83 -- THAILAND - How to Receive a Package

Issue: 85 -- Survival Trip in Thailand - HOW TO ADVERTISE YOUR HOSTEL

Letters to Editor

Hobo TRAVEL TIPS - Long Walk Rain - Koh Chang Island - HOT WATER COOKER
Issue 84 Hobotraveler.com - August 28, 2002
Hobotraveler.com
A Hobo trip around the world. Year 5

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~ HOBO STEW (A Dish of Meat and Vegetables)
Location of Hobo and opinions
RANONG THAILAND - FAMILIAR TERRITORY
~ HOBOGUIDE.COM (Go this way)
A story of a good place to visit and other interest.
LONG WALK RAIN - KOH CHANG ISLAND
~ TODAY’S TIP - HOT WATER COOKER
~ EXTREME HOBO TRAVEL -
Dennis & Scott Bike Around World
~ TODAY’S TIP FROM THE - “Peanut Gallery”
~ HOBO QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
~ HOBO GOSSIP and/or Jaded Remarks

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TRAVEL WRITER INVITATION
I would like invite to people that are or want to be
travel writers or travel photographers to come and visit.
I have more ideas for stories than
I will ever write in my lifetime.
We could have fun working on some stories to publish
on the internet. If interested
Write HoboTraveler.com.

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~ HOBO STEW (A Dish of Meat and Vegetables)

RANONG THAILAND - FAMILIAR TERRITORY

Hello,
Life is good and I am having fun in Ranong,
It is my second time here, and it feels more like
home than anywhere else I have been.

Some of my readers have been focusing
too much on some negative comments of mine.
So I decided to give an interesting observation on
Thailand that is great.

Although in the tourist areas they can have a
champion level of pushy and conniving vendors.
If you leave the tourist path and go into that land
of frustration. Where you talk with hand signals or
writing down the numbers
I have found a wonderful side of Thailand people.

SPONTANEOUS GENEROSITY
I have been in over 30 countries. Mostly in the less
than developed side. Here in Thailand I have been
noticing beautiful and small act of kindness happening
on a somewhat regular basis.
NOTE: This did not happen in place
where I could even see another foreigner.

The first time was in Bangkok. I got up and
walked from Khao San Road about 20-30 city
blocks. As I passed barefoot Monks with extremely
clean feet. I thought that very interesting because
this is not a clean area. The kept walking very far and finally
left the tourist area and entered areas of normal people and
business.

Nothing unusual. I look over on a sales rack and saw
these simple nylon shorts for 60 Baht.
I though they were a good deal as advertised.
Stopped and with some head nodding
and hand waving I tried on a pair. I brought out 120
Baht or about 3 Dollars USA to pay. The man
stops me and give me change. He wanted me to
pay 40 Baht per pair. He seemed to think that was a
good price for both of us.

I did not think much of that. Lots of time even the
most harden street vendor does not have the heart
to gouge a nice person. I was nice, and they was
nice. So I got a good deal. I always recommend you
do business with obviously nice people.

After close to 80 days in the country I feel there is
a pattern and this was not a random happening.
In Ranong it happens sort of frequent, but there are
very few tourist. Yesterday, I am learning to buy this
friend chicken on the street. Sort of a Thai version
of KFC that is cooked on the street in front of you
in these round, I think they would call a Wok type
fryers. It was late in the day, and they seem to want
to push this stuff at 10 in the morning. At 4:00 in the
afternoon. It is almost all gone. I wanted a piece of chicken.
I walk up. Wave some hands. Hold up 10 fingers.
15 fingers, hold money, and point. I am saying,
“How much?”
She is having more fun laughing at me than
trying to communicate. Some guy overhears or more
correctly oversees
He walks over and says,
“25 Baht.”
I say OK. This about 75 cents USA for a nice
Chicken Breast. Not the most wonderful deal
in the underdeveloped world, but it looks good. I give her 50
Baht and she give me 40 back. I look at my
change, and saying, with my eyes, hands,
and my wiggle,
“You cheated yourself, you need 15 more
Baht, here take the money.”
She looks at me and say, with hands,
eyes, and point at the money.
“No, that is good, I am happy.”
So I got a 15 Baht discount. This is
not an asked for discount. It was generosity.
She gives me a smile, and we are friends.
Not a word between us.
I have learned to say Ko Kune Krap.
or Thank You. Probably spelled that wrong but
that is standard operating procedure on spelling here.
So acceptable.

KAYKAI.COM INTERNET IN RANONG
I cannot say enough about these people.
They seem to represent the best of Thailand.
A family with pregnant married daughter.
That I keep going,
“Ka Booom!”
Making her laugh. She is due in about 9 days
now. Ka boom, she is ready to explode.
She has a nice husband, that drives some
sport truck with cowboy stuff on the side.

The Mother and Father just do not seem
to know how to charge the correct amount of money
for the internet. I write down the time, and keep track
of my internet cost very close. It is probably 1/3 of my 200 Baht
I try to spend a day budget for room, food, and spending.
I guess I spend about 1 dollar USA per day on internet.
In Ranong that is about 3 hours of being on the internet.
In Koh Phi Phi that was 20 minutes. I am on a
BAREFOOT HOBO budget. I do not go over budget
just because it cost more.

Well. I write down the minute I start the internet in
every internet cafe for the last 4-5 years. They have
a tendency to round up, or NICK me, and lots of times
outright gouge. So my budget is under attack on
a regular basis in internet cafes. I just want fair.

Kaykai.com constantly rounds down, or if I only use
it for 5 minutes, they will not let me pay. This is highly
unusual in the countries I have visited. I pay for everything
and normally the try to nick me. This is good business.
What goes around comes around, and I tried hard
to refer nice, fair, and good people.
http://www.kaykai.com/

I took some digital pictures of the business and
gave him the disk, made a small page of the
business for fun. This was the start of our friendship.
He than gave me the use of his rental motorbike
to go to Immigration for FREE.
Kay Kai Message Board
http://www.hobotraveler.com/thailandranong.php

So we have been working on a friendly basis
ever since. Talking with waves, eyes, nodding
of the head, and the very few words of English
they know. They know more than most. The
pregnant daughter is suppose to the expert.
But the mother is the one that does best and
corrects the expert daughter.

I am jesting. I have not heard English beyond a
bad conversational level of vocabulary since I have been
in Thailand. But they do learn the more complex words.
This is a place to earn a million dollars if
you speak both languages fluently. I will just say
Import / Export.

I have about 20 other stories of generosity and this
is not isolated. It is common when NOT in a heavy tourist
area, and with normal people. You have to be brazen
and brave. Able to walk into a market with everyone
looking at you. Laughing at you. Talking about you.
In front of you, and behind your back. I am able to
carry on a full scale conversation with hand gestures
and my eyes. These are places where it happens.

I was have lots of fun asking this mother yesterday
if the beautiful girl helping her cook deep friend
donuts was her daughter?
(No sugar and not round )
Was it OK for me to flirt with her?
She had a knife in her hand to cut up dough.
I thought it wise to ask.
She told me,
“Enough today Farang,
Come back tomorrow, and be respectful.”
I know it will cost me at least 30 donuts to
get to be able to exchange names.
This is very good though, and this type of friendship
is very good. Not an easy one on a 30 day visa
though. Need at least a 120 day visa to get
to know some nice girls here.

I have been working on a tip for about 2 years
on how to meet girls or for the women on how to meet
guys in other countries. I was a standstill until this
New Zealand lawyer girl corrected my brain waves
and opened the door to write it a few weeks ago.

She said,
“Andy,
It is not hard for you to meet girls.
It is hard for you to meet.
NICE girls.”
I realized my goal is always to meet nice girls
and think this is the goals of other Hoboes.
It may be for 10 percent, and the others 90... ?
So soon I will write a very funny tip on how to
meet nice girls in foreign countries.

Before I forget. I can hear some of the heavy
spenders. Want to say,
“I was in Thailand and everyone was very generous
and gave me discounts.”
I hear these stories from other travelers
and tourist daily about the generosity of the taxi
driver or the travel agent in the tour agency.
I have to shake my head and keep my mouth shut.
The Taxi driver gave them a 2 dollar discount
on a 10 dollar asking fare, and helped them carry
the bags to boot.

I know I pay everyday for the same fare 50 cents USA.
I would hope he was nice. He made 2 days wage off
the person.

OK... You got, and you spend it.
That is ok, but this does not foster mutual respect.
He is bragging to his buddies right now.
I got this Farang for 10 times the going rate.
“How stupid can they be?”

Have fun, and learn.
You did not prove you are generous.
Generosity is giving something of value
that really cost you. Not discounting a grossly
overcharged price. Generosity is giving up
your guidebook to a person. Not giving a book
you found in your room to a person. There
is a cost to real kindness. Both are kind, but
one is more authentic.

I THINK I leave soon for Koh Tarutao
on the Southwest coast of Thailand.
It is at the very bottom of Thailand and
just before you enter Malaysia to go to
Georgetown, or on the route to Kuala Lumpur.

SURVIVOR
This is where they filmed in the past
tense the show Survivor. I am going to
go see if anyone survived. Suppose to have
put over 1 million dollars into the local community
in about a month. The local should be happy if
some save the planet idiots did not try to save
them from being happy.

Just another day in Paradise!
PLAN YOUR ESCAPE...
Be a Hobo, and leave your mark.

X Hobotraveler.com was HERE!

Life is good.
The Hobotraveler.com

Article written by Andy the Hobotraveler.com
On year 5 of Hobo trip around the world.
Budget Travel, Jobs, and Adventure, etc
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LONG WALK RAIN - KOH CHANG ISLAND

SHORT VERSION OF STORY.
I took a boat to Koh Chang Island.
Landed on one beach, had to walk maybe 10 Kilometers
through Rubber trees to another beach and Mammas
Bungalows. Left very early to walk to boat next day.
No Boat. So stayed another night in Golden Bee
Bungalows closer to boats and easy to check if leaving.
Left the next day.

Photos for LONG WALK RAIN
I have put these photos at the front, so you can let
them open as you are reading the story.

Platoon Leader Ranong Dock - On shore at Koh Chang Wet Path - Rubber
http://www.hoboguide.com/084kohchangsecond01.shtml
Rubber Plantation - Signs - On main beach - Coral rock shoreline
http://www.hoboguide.com/084kohchangsecond02.shtml
Mammas Bungalows - Cooking Coffee - Candle Light - Early Morning
departure.
http://www.hoboguide.com/084kohchangsecond03.shtml
Sunrise walk - Burnt Jungle - Giant Spider - Wade the River
http://www.hoboguide.com/084kohchangsecond04.shtml
Cross River - Walked to Convenience store - Cashew Trees - No Smoking
http://www.hoboguide.com/084kohchangsecond05.shtml
Popcorn - Pool Table - Cashews - Pajama Boss - Boat Trip
Yes Boat
http://www.hoboguide.com/084kohchangsecond06.shtml

*****************
LONG VERSION
*****************

LONG WALK RAIN
(Spoken in Thai English)

I have lost the ability to speak full sentences.
Thailand is destroying my English.
A preposition does not have value here.

But I went for a long walk in the rain on the Island
of Koh Chang. It was my second time on the
stupid Island.

I am being sarcastic. I think in high season this island
would be a paradise. Right now it is a stupid island.
If I had a girl friend with me. It could be a great island.
Castaway on an island is not fun folks.
Talking with hand signals or at 3rd grade level for days
is hard on my nerves. Fun for a person that has never
met a foreign person. But that is all I do. Meet foreign
people. I like equal friendships.

KOH CHANG
Elephant Island is easy to visit on warm sunny days
and calms seas, and in high seasons. In Monsoon season
with random days of various size waves. It is a gamble.
I gambled.
I lose.
(Thai language again.)

I am a clicker.
I like to sit on the couch. Click the clicker.
Go up and down through the channels on the
television and choose a MOVIE. I like movies,
books, and laying on the beach.

TOO MUCH ACCIDENTAL EXERCISE
Trekking or Hiking.
People pay good money for this. Lots of money.
To walk.
I get an oversupply of accidentally hikes.

I walk too much. I try to avoid it.
But on the Barefoot Hobo Budget.
I walk to save 25 cents USA for a Taxi.
I live on the same budget as the locals.

PEOPLE PAY TO WALK THROUGH JUNGLE
I am not sure, and correct me if I am wrong.
But I think I am in a country.
Thailand that is full of JUNGLE.
Sort of a rain forest, overgrown green spot
on earth. Hot and too much water. Everywhere I go
there are too many plants. Not too few.

You can stop all over the place and look at trees,
rivers, waterfalls, and strange things. There even
seems to be paths. If you want to walk in the Jungle.
Go outside and walk in the jungle. No big deal.

TREK WORD IS TRENDY
I call it hiking. Or what a city kid needs to do
to see dirt. I have this strange feeling that
people that live in cities walk 99 percent of
there lives on concrete or asphalt. Never
just walked on dirt. Ground, or on a path.
So they will pay. And someone has convinced
they have to pay to walk off the concrete.

I spent too much time picking stones out
of plowed fields. Walking around chasing
rabbits, and mowing lawns to want to walk
on ground all the time. But I do by accident.

KOH CHANG ISLAND
I said this was one of the best cases of
Agro-tourism I have encountered in 5 years in a past
newsletter. So I went back to look again, and visit a friend.
My first trip was easy. I thought that was a roller
coaster. This was like putting me in the washing
machine and running me through 3 times.
Once was enough, then they turned on the machine
and ran it 2 more times.

SITTING AT THE DOCK
When I was getting on the boat.
Rain is dropping like buckets.
People are looking at you funny.
NO Koh Chang
No Koh Chang
No Boat

You should say to yourself.
I think I will go home and eat
Chicken Fried Rice, or maybe I will go
check e-mail.

There was a little boy with a shirt
that said.
USA Special Forces.
Not over 3 or 4 years old, and he has
on a Special Forces shirt. I have no idea
where they buy this stuff. There are very very
very few Americans here, but they have some
of the strangest clothes. But fun.

Special Forces goes in ahead.
Clandestine, trained, and I think too dangerous
for a normal person.

I am sitting on the plastic chair.
Looking at boy with special forces shirt.
I got on my GI Joe, camouflage, and trendy
Thailand Army pants. I am just a strange looking
Farang with a camera. (Farang equals Foreigner)

I do look sort of military, but have on white Reeboks
gym shoes.

I walked around for years in work boots.
That is what we call them in Indiana.
Work boots. They call them hiking boots, or
trekking boots, so they can charge 4 times the
money. But in the end. The same.
Work boots.

I have not had a pair of work boots for
a few years. I have been thinking about buying a
pair. But the recent styles are in the 2 ton variety.
Funny how backpackers are, they would cut off
their spoon, and buy an Ultra expensive sleeping
back to save on weight, and pay a fortune to buy
a pair a boots that weigh as much as my small
backpack with computer inside.

I had a pair of them 2 ton types once.
Steel toes, big soles and very heavy.
They would protect my feet from any car, or
cow that would step on my foot. I had so
much weight on my feet. I could not walk.
I could not get away from the cow. I was
chained to the ground. Lead weights.
I only buy very light boots now.

I use gym shoes to walk through jungle.
To do the Jungle correctly you go buy some slip
on boots for 5 dollars anywhere near
a jungle. Thailand or Amazon River.
All the same. Slip on rubber boots is the
standard. But I had Reeboks gym shoes and they dry
faster than wet leather.
A light light boot, with some slip on rubbers
thing that cover the boot would be nice.
But for me still too heavy.

I am ready. It is raining lions and tigers.
It was not cats and dogs.
Wait...
No go Ko Chang.
I ask,
“Where go?”
Koh Phayam
That is an Island after Koh Chang.
I say,
“Koh Chang”
If you do not get this. I am saying
Koh Chang, they are say no on a very regular
basis. I am doing a normal song for me. I say
my goal, and they tell me no. I smile and laugh
and say it again. I am not sure, I understand the word
NO.
Does it mean?
The will not, or cannot, or do not want, or there
is no way in hell, or what does this word mean.
I am sort of clueless on NO.

YES
I do understand that.
Hmmm the opposite of yes is
YES

Is there a value to learning NO.
I only hear YES.
I hear that word out of peoples mouths.
But they speak other languages, or they
are from different continents. I was not
taught NO.

I think of that a little train.
I think I can. I think I can. I think I can.

30 MINUTES OF NO
I sit there for 30 minutes and hear
No, but I cannot leave. There is a guy on
the roof dumping buckets of water on people
that leave, and I have lost my 7th umbrella.
I am defenseless.

I am not wet yet.
The bargain is, I will get wet. Soaked to the bone.
If you take me to KOH CHANG.
For 100 Baht.

YES
I hear yes.
Can you walk?
Yes,
Drop off you?
Yes.
Walk?
Yes
One guy says,
“6-7 Kilometers”
No problem I think.
2 hour walk at 3 Klicks per hour.
I will try to talk military.
I know I know the right terms.
I read all the Tom Clancy books.
I know Rambo Movies.

The boat leaves.
The have made sure I am sitting on the side
with the rain coming under the roof.
They are very clever in Thailand.
OK. That is fair.

Overcast is a light way of saying it.
Walking under a waterfalls in the dark.
That is more of the feeling.

I in my silly and naive hope.
Thought they was going to drop me off
on the same long long long pier as before.

NOPE
Boonf#%%#ck Egypt.
I have no idea where that phrase come from,
but in my neck of the woods they call this
Boonf#%%#ck Egypt.
That is where they dropped me off.
Out in the boonies. @#$@#$ - ED
and as far away as Egypt.

They point at this huge pile of rocks
with the boat. I climb to the front.
Pay the guy 2.25 USA for boat trip
that seem to have a value of more.
I leave them my sugar coated crackers
I brought with me on the boat. They are not good
wet anyway. Plus I do not like to feel guilty
for throwing plastic into the water.
I know that will not bother captain.
But me it does bother my conscious.
Any way I do it. I know the bag will make
it to the water eventually. I just do not want
to be the actually tosser.

I know some of you.
Have never thrown trash in water in your life.
Hauling trash out of places is the best way.

Sadly, and the big pile of trash at the bottom
of Machu Picchu in the river told me.
The local still put it in the water or river.
I took pictures.
On the Amazon forget it. It all goes in the river.
Progress is being made, but the trash is not
coming from the tourist, it is the fault of the locals.

So morally. I know this trash is going in the
ocean. Either by me, or the trash receptacle
on shore that will go be tossed in the water.

OK. I get on shore.
This man is very happy to see me.
Offers me coffee for FREE.
I am wet, and Farang.
This is low season.
or
NOBODY season.
Season where there are no BODIES
that come here and pay for his bungalows.

If I was him.
I would be thinking to myself.
95 percent chance.
I just rented a bungalow.
A crazy Farang just got off a boat
and has been swimming in the
water with all his clothes on. Look
he even took his backpack with him.

Farangs stupid.
Pay for anything.
Buy stuff made of bamboo.
Buy rocks.
Buy anything of no value.
Pay 1 dollar for coconuts.
Very stupid.
Surely he rent bungalow.
He think life good to live in bungalow
with no electricity, no water, no screens
for mosquitoes, no glass, not anything.
He will call it paradise, and pay me.
No one to talk with, and isolated.

On hindsight.
I should have stayed.
This guy was very nice.
He told me the truth.
Tried to help.
Let me get organized.
Told me good directions.
That was the last of that
kind of behavior.
Plus, Free coffee

KOH CHANG HAS TIDES
High tide and low tide.
All these boats trips are about
planning for high or low tides.
I was at this Island point because the water
was always deep at this part of the island.
Where all the people live and the main beach.
The can only leave or enter at
high tide.
High tide right now in the morning
was at about 7:30.

COFFEE AND A WALK
I used his hot water.
I am carrying coffee. Instant.
Open it up and make a kicker.
A jolter.
A 3 spoon wake me up cup.
Or in expensive worlds.
Express style.

I need some courage.
Not really I am actually bored.
I know too well I am capable of making a long walk
and really am bored with the idea.

Hoping I can keep my camera dry enough
to take pictures with out big drops on the lens.
That is my challenge, or my new challenge here.
There is nothing on me that is dry.
I cannot dry the lens.
The only hope is that there is no water on
the lens to start, and it stays that way.

I do not like walking in the rain with or without
a poncho. I supposed I could have been better
prepared.

That is a bunch of crazy thoughts.
I was very prepared for a normal trip.
This was not a normal trip.
I accidentally took the wrong choice.
I knew that I would get wet and did not care.
I would pretend I was going on a 5 hour swim.

10 ONE GALLON ZIPLOCK BAGS
There are plastic bags in every store in
every country I have ever entered.
There are not Zip-Lock Bags.
I bring about 100 with me when I leave.
But 10 of them, and I had my whole backpack
in bags.

WHAT TO KEEP DRY
What would the average traveler keep dry?
Or,
What is most important for the average traveler
to keep dry?
Since about 97 percent of them smoke cigarettes
that is easy.
Cigarettes.
Second I think they would be trying to keep themselves
dry.
Third their clothes.

WHAT I KEEP DRY
1. Coffee... In plastic jar. No problem.
2. Books.
I am going to an EMPTY island. I have 2 books
for a 3 day trip. I am talking major league boring
and there are not lights at night.
3. Camera

WHO CARES ABOUT CLOTHES
Me and the clothes dry fast in a very
high wind that is on the island.
My gym shoes a little slower.
If I had them leather one. 3 days in this
type of climate.

Funny thing about oceans.
There is almost always a heavy wind off the ocean.
The air will dry clothes here in 4 hours. It can be pouring
rain, and the wind will dry the clothes.
I will also need to hang up my camera to dry.

2 HOUSES DOWN AND A PATH
I am suppose to walk along the shore of the water
on the beach, or rocks. When I pass the second house
there is a path behind the house.
Where it leads. I do not know.
I have been to this island before, so sort of know the
idea of where to go.

ISLANDS ARE GREAT
I am laughing about islands and the show Survivor.
Let me loose on an island anytime to survive.
How do you get lost?
Walk the shoreline until you know the place.
May take a week, but still.
Head for the sun, or away from the sun, and you will
hit water. Normally. Mountains in the middle.
Water on outside. huh... Not hard.

I think it would be a little difficult in the middle
of the Amazon River Basin where it is totally flat.
No mountains to spot, and all water. Sort of large
swamp like the Florida Everglades. Islands have
lots of wind to protect you from Mosquitoes.

FOOD
Who cares.
It’s only 3 days on Koh Chang.
I did not bring any.
Plus....
I Carbo Loaded.
Remember. I ate that large bag of
crackers with sugar on them.
For those of you that do not swim
the English channel on normal days
and do not lift weights. The trendy term
is Carbo Loading.
It is really simple.
Lots of complex sugar.
Di or poly saacharides.

The sell these Carbo Drinks in
the health shop. Really stupid to me.
Sugar water. and not even simple sugars.
Gatorade is smart in a way. Glucose.
Simple sugars. Can be used for energy
quickly. No digestion.
I ate crackers. More complex sugar.
I loaded up.
I was a pig. I ate a lot.

I would like a jar of peanut butter.
I could pretend I was getting nuked,
and in a fallout shelter.
Very complex sugar, and tons
of calories. Right up their with gravy.

ALONG THE BANK
Walking along a coral and sand bank in a
rain of Lions and Tigers beach is not fun.
Trees and rocks, and
great places to slip and fall. Nothing is
clear, and every so often the coastline just
disappears, and there is a stretch where it is
water and wall of rock.

I was luck, and the tide was low.
From looking at the rocks. There was live
coral and that meant where I was walking was
wet most of the time.

The photos I took explain a lot of this.

RUBBER MEET THE ROAD
There are these commercials for tires.
Where the Rubber meets the Road.
Telling about the good traction when the rubber
makes real good contact with the road.

WELL IT THE NOT THE SAME HERE
When you see the rubber hanging on the poles
at the house you past. There is one that I will need
to call a house, and not a shack, and behind it is
a path. I am in an area that is obviously surrounded
by rubber trees. There are all these car mats hanging
around everywhere, and they are in the color of white.
But where the rubber is,
I will meet the road or path.
Just like the commercial.
But sideways.

AGRO-TOURISM
This is the perfect Agro tourism island.
One of the first places I pass has these machines
that somehow smashes or flattens raw rubber into
flow mats. I am making a joke. They are not floor
mats. This is the way they dry the rubber and prepare
in a manner that can be shipped or sent to the mainland
to sell.

I stopped under a very leaky roof. Looked at
the machines an thought. I am positive this rubber worker
does not have a clue what “Agro-Tourism” is, or probably
does not care.

I am starting to take a hard stand against Eco-Tourism.
They are ALL a bunch of scam artist. They get you to
trust them, and then go and destroy the natural ecology
to make money on your stupidity.
Eco-Tourism is not accomplishing the goal or concept.

Agro-Tourism.
Agriculture Tourism.
Sounds boring to go look a farmer.
For a farm boy that know what grabs a hand of
fresh wheat on any chance he gets to eat it.
This is great.
We do not grow rubber trees in Indiana.
We do use.... X’s

This is the best idea I know to help poor farmers.
Most of the world seem to be farmers or fisherman.
I suppose they should have Fisherman-Tourism or
something like that.

This is how it works.
The people are going to grow crops or something
to eat or sell and you cannot and in my opinion should
not stop them. People do this burn and strip form of
clearing woods, or here it would be jungles. I took
a picture of a place where they did this on the island.
How they get it to burn is beyond me. They must cut
it down, and wait for it to dry, then burn it.

So the tree huggers and the environmentalist want
people to stop cutting down vegetation, plants and
trees. It does take 100’s of years for some of these trees
to grow. The small brush, in the jungle... hehehe
WEEKS.
But them big trees yes.

So how to get them to stop cutting down all the big
trees. That brush to me, seem ridiculous. It is a war
just to keep it from taking over everything. A jungle
is just that a Jungle.

So,
How do you get them to stop cutting down big trees?
Or clearing more land for tillage?
You make the agriculture products they are producing
a tourist attractions. The small farmer makes money
and has does not need to cultivate more land.

Just like Eco-Tourism though. The small farmer
is not getting the money.

THE IDEA IS....
The idea is to give farmers and alternative to destroying
more of the ecology. Eco-tourism does not work.
Agro-Tourism can work.

WHY IT CAN WORK
But when you make a small farmer a tourist attraction
for long enough, he will learn that he could be the
one charging the money, and the scam guys are NOT
going to start being farmers. That is too much work.
People would pay lots of money to live in his rubber
trees, and watch him and in my opinion NOT help
him to work.

The have Fincas in Costa Rica where tourist pick
coffee beans and pay to do it. ....
The take away the jobs for the local work force.
Pay to look, compete with the locals. Or take
away jobs. The world has a scam a minute.
Help the poor people.
Take a way their job.

My long walk or soggy journey, is through
rubber trees, and looking at houses of people
that work in the rubber business.

SECOND HOUSE
I have no idea why I knew it was the second house.
I pass a few.
But I knew that there was a path behind
this house. Just seem natural so
I went up and look. Sure enough I find the path.

I really found a small river.
In a jungle all paths are either going up
or going down. There river bank is flat or
at sort of an angle. You one leg is always
walking on the a higher side on the
beach. But in the jungle you walk up or
down small or large hills.

So you clear a path.
It becomes a great place for water to flow.
Plus a path is easier in the places where
the water already flows, because it
keeps the trees down, or washed
away. A path is often up a ravines where it
already exist and is easier.

So I am walking up the path that had
a side job as a creek. Red soil and sort
of slippery. So I am trying to walk on
the grassy edge so I have footing.
Plus my Reeboks only are water resistant
and not impermeable. Them 5 dollars boots
would be good right now.

I have a double plastic bag system on my
camera. One to keep out most of the water.
The second to keep it dry.
I took about 100 hundred pictures with the
hope of having dry pictures, not the belief
that they would look dry.

STOP AND BEND OVER.
It is pouring a Lion.
I stop.
You know how them guys that smoke
cigarettes bend over. Hold their
hand together to hide the match
from wind, and go for a corner to light
their cigarette. I would do kind of the
same. Bend over. Brink out my
bag with camera. Opening it, and
using my back, and head for protection
from the rain. I would turn on the
digital camera. A Creative 35 dollar
webcam camera. Perfect little jobber.
Raise it real fast. Point and shoot.
My Sony Mavica would be trashed if
I did this. This little camera made by Creative
that is also a WebCam is worth its weight
in gold.

WHERE IS THE SCARECROW?
In the Wizard of Oz there is a Scarecrow
that points, or helps Dorothy to find the correct path.
I come to these various choices. Go left or go
right. Rain or more rain? Small hill or smaller hill?
Jungle or Rubber Trees? Hmmm.
I chose a path. I chose the right one. Sort of stay close to the
the mountain and stay a little to the left, but not too much to
the left or I would walk in circles.

I know what direction I was heading.
Southeast. I think.
And I kept going Southeast.
But I cannot tell you why or how I know.
I do not remember looking at the sun.
I know why.
There was no sun.
There was clouds, rain.
Really ugly.

FAMILIAR GROUNDS
A couple of hours later.
I end up in a place where I know.
I am not in a hurry, and have just put
one foot in front of the other.
Took lots of pictures. I was smart enough
to come early. I knew if I walked for 6 hours
I would end up talking to someone that
wanted to rent me a bungalow.

I am on the other coast and in familiar area.
There is suppose to be 2 other Foreigners on
the Island already. I know the one, and a new
girl. They stayed in Ranong, and I got the story.

The guy I sort of know. Does not speak English
good. I have been thinking a lot about him.
There are 2 or 3 foreign guys that hang around in
Ranong that I could make a movie with.
You know how in the War movies they have
the concentration camp, and people are so starved
their stomachs are sunk in, and their ribs are protruding.
This one guy (Country left out to protect the guilty)
is a perfect guy to be a stand in on these movies.
He where a scarf. Speak extremely bad English.
Look like he hates people. Just a weird person.
I would say burnout, but I do not think the guy on
the island could be classified as that. More of
a adaptive problem. I will talk about burnouts
on another occasion. That could be a book.
Burnout Travelers, and how I saved myself...!
This guy on the island is a perfect person to
act in a war movie.

FAR FAR AWAY
I have arrived and still have to walk a long
way. I am going to go visit my friend, and
that sound nice. So off I go along the shoreline
again. More rocks, and more coral, and I am
asking myself?
Surely there is not problem with drinking
the water from streams on this island?
Who needs purified water.
I bought some bottles before I left.
Not for the water. I wanted the bottles.
I did not have a bottle for water with me.

I have a new really great way to purify water.
SEE TIP TODAY

I took lots of photos.

ARRIVAL NOT WANTED
I get to the bungalows to meet my friend.
This girl speak English so that is very good.
Her husband has returned.
He is from and English speaking country.
But cannot or will not speak English.
I shake his hand.
Speak and no answers.
She comes out.
He says,
“We do not have rooms.”
I guess he can speak a little.
OK... So he is an @http://www.topica.com/lists/andy_/read/message.html?mid=905119431&sort=d&start=62#
No one ever said people lived in other countries
are sane, or nice.

For the most part they are jerks in my opinion.
They do not get along with their own people,
so go to a country where they are considered rich
and buy people to listen to them.
I think this guy is trying keep his very nice wife
purchased. She is a good girl, and nice person and
he should relax. He probably does not trust himself
and knows how he behaves when he leaves and things
she is the same. Oh well.

LOOK FOR FARANG
She luckily does know or points me at the Auschwitz
wannabe actor and where he lives. I cringe again.
It is not on the return path, but even further away.
Now remember
I have been soggy now for about 4 hours. My skin
is getting wrinkly, like I had been washing the dishes
for a couple of day.

I HAVE DISHPAN BODY
So my back is tired.
My legs are pumped full of blood.
Not the time to stop walking.
Keep on, keeping on.

MAMAS PLACE
I walk over to Mama’s.
That is the name of the bungalows.
This is the last place on this Island I would choose
to live at this time of year.
The far side of the moon is closer.

But I arrive. I find Thailand people.
I find a Farang woman.
She asked me about a Burmese boy.
Did I see him?
Is he coming?
Blah Blah Blah

She then goes into a spiel on why the world
is going to hell and life is bad, and poor people
of the world... blah blah blah, and then starts on
why it is all the USA’s fault. I am surrounded by
British Colonies, and Burma is a former one I think.
and then her boyfriend. (Sugar Mama ..Young Sugar Mama)
is from that country, but the USA is to blame.
This girl is not from the United Kingdom.
In the middle of nowhere, and I am with a save the
world crazy. I say crazy, because she needs saved
more than the world. She is doing it though in her
opinion by being the sugar mama for the poor neglected
Burmese boy who is 10 years younger and needs
to drink beer and have sex with a Farang.
Confusion. What a great tourist attraction.

She is friendly, and sort of talkative, but with talk
like this. I tried to explain to her some recent history.
The wall is down,
and the world is having peace break out all over
and there are less nuclear bombs pointed than before.
She is clueless. I am tired. I said,
“This is too stupid.”
Walked to my bungalow for the night.

No electricity.
Holes through the sides.
Wind is blowing.
Does have a shower.

COFFEE BREAK
I get out my trusty alcohol cooker.
Hide if from as much wind as possible.
Boil some water.
Make instant coffee.
Sit down in the doorway.

SCENIC PARADISE FOR HERMITS
If you want solitude.
Maybe a great place to contemplate your navel.
Hear the wind.
If you want a place where you could go
on an alcoholic binge for months on end
and never get in trouble. This is the place.
Hermits and people that hate people.
This is the perfect time to be here.
Lay in bed and look at the mosquito net.
Read your book.
Walk and look at beach.
Beautiful in the loneliest way.
You could write poem about
the sad love, and lost love your life here.
Get in touch with....

I WANT CHICKEN FRIEND RICE

I read my book and walked a little.
The do have some special large
size rocks around here. A river rock
is round, or all the edges are smooth.
If you look in a river there will most of the
time be round rocks. I really enjoy seeing
a rounded rock, that is big as a small
house. Like something a large giant would
pick up to skip across the pond.

This island is beautiful.
But in my world.
People are more important than rocks.

6:00 WAKE UP CALL
I called myself.
The tide comes in at 8:00 remember.
I want to leave.
It is dark. I am packed.
I get ready to start walking.

WAIT A MINUTE ANDY
You are not that stupid.
I think the sun will come up
at about 7:00.
I know it will take about 1 hour to get
to the main path. I can convince
a guy with a motorbike to take
me fast to the place the boats leave.

LOGIC
The logical thing was to leave now.
While it is still dark and make sure to be their
for the boat to leave. I am in less than fully
developed country. Time is not so important.
The last thing people do is wake up and leave
quickly. 1 person yes, 2 people maybe. A whole
boatload. Small chance.

NO BOAT
I want to remind or resume the noise.
No boat.
No boat.
No boat

All the locals are back in the No boat phase of
discussion. Mama has said,
“No Boat.”

I take off walking.

MONK WITH UMBRELLA
It is sunrise.
Day is starting.
It is pouring rain again.
I am walking.
Looking at my feet.
Not that happy.
Soggy again, and my muscles hurt
today. Hungry and wet.

I look up and see this orange thing with
an umbrella. Where is my camera?
He is walking along without a care in the world.
I not want to be disrespectful. The monks
are very good people and obviously help out
the world. But when you look up in a field of
various shades of green a brown, and you see
this sort of fluffy round thing that is completely dressed
in a bright orange like sheet material.
I think Pumpkin.

So here come a Pumpkin with an umbrella.
Carrying a round large bowl for rice. I think.

I was told the last time on the Island the Monks
come every morning to collect rice. Sort of
the daily collection of donations. Like a tithe.
So early in the morning they walk around get
something of value from all the local Bungalows.

They wake up early. I thought to myself.
I thought I was the only one up
and walking around.

THE OBSTACLE AND JUNGLE DANGER
There is a river that separates the Island on the main
beach. At low tide it is a just get your shoes wet river
and at high tide it is an up to your crotch wet river to wade.
I hit onto this river at high tide this morning. It is as big
as I have ever seen. I am trying to remember the spot where
it was the best too wade across in low tide. It should still be
the best place in high tide. I think they hid it.

Plan 2
I will walk around the river and go through the jungle.
It is not really necessary that I cross the river here.
Just is quicker.

I go walking through a grouping of burned jungle toward where
I know should eventually be a path. The burned tree
stumps point up like stakes ready to impale me. This is
not dry land, it is more a swamp. But I proceed. What can I
meet that is that unique on this island? Lots of green stuff.

It is still in the phase of morning between dark and light.
The open areas have negotiated good visibility.
The areas in the trees and foliage are still waiting their turn.
Not sure if they want to be light or dark.
I am looking around and saying to myself.
Turn up the lights just a little please!

CAUGHT ! LET ME GO....AAAGH
Keep going. Walk on out of danger.
Life is ok. There is safety.
Spider Web.

I see a spider. I look all over my body.
I want to know if its girlfriend is on me.
I seem safe. But... aaagh Spiders.
This spider looks to be the size of a kitchen
plate and waiting for me to come back. I have just walked
through his web, and he wants me to come back
for breakfast.

I compose myself. Think....
Oh yea, now is the time for a PICTURE>
Great picture, and I take pictures.

I then turn to walk into the jungle toward the path.
DENSE dense dense green stuff.
My mind changes channels to SNAKES.
Screw it the river is better.

I walk back to the river for a crotch high
walk across the river. I will have wet shoes
and wet pants and fully saturated and not just
soggy feeling on the trip back. I could have taken
my shoes off and wade across. What happens then is
your feet are covered with either sand or mud. You are
trying to put the shoes back on to walk through the
piles of brush, and hmm hmm hmm.... trash, bottles etc.
and you have choice walking with water or walking with
mud or sand in your socks and shoes. Sandals
are good, but not for walking over live coral.

NO BOAT
I walk down and I do not think there was a boat.
It started raining Lions again. Plus I was at the
last stop. I for some reason trusted the guy.
He was on the boat the next day when we left.

NEW BUNGALOW
I go searching for a new and closer bungalow.
To leave this island you need to go check
daily to see if a boat is going to leave.
Mama liked this. She knew you cannot just walk
from her places to check easy. In fact all the
bungalow like this strategy. Make it difficult
to leave.

GOLDEN BEE
I walked down to Eden where I stayed the time
before. They said they never closed in low season.
Go figure. They closed and went to Ranong.
Almost all were shut up and locked up.
Quiet
I found Golden Bee. Nice place and right next to the path.

SAVE FACE / SAVE 100 BAHT
I am asking?
When Boat?
No Boat.
The owner sent here husband to check
on his motorbike. He comes back 4 hours
later, and does not say She does not say.
My Bungalow is 100 Baht per night.
No shower. Does have water. Suppose to be
Electricity at night for a couple of hours.

She has Shrimp to eat. I tell her I do not want
to eat. The way it works. 100 Baht for the room
and 200 Baht for the meal. This is exaggeration.
But close. I do no eat.
I WANT CHICKEN FRIED RICE

On their menu, you have to eat what they
want to serve that way they make money.
I want to leave.
NO Boat.

I wake up 6:00
She never turned on the electricity.
I have used all my candles.
You get a lot of sleep when you
live by candles.

She is awake and I ask her about
what her husband said on the boat?
She says,
“No boat.”

I go pack up, and return to talk to her.
I said,
“I am going to go check on the boat.”
She says,
“No, boat.”
I say,
“Return Soon.
If boat. I leave.
Pay 100 Baht when return.”

I know the system.
There is no reason to say there is a boat
as long as I am paying for a room.
Got the same feeling at Mama’s places.

If there is no boat.
No problem for her.

THERE IS A BOAT
I had to walk about 1 hour to get
to the place where the boat left.
All the neighbors were there.
The whole community was there.
Yes boat.

MORAL DILEMMA
I do owe her 100 Baht.
I still owe here 100 Baht.
I could have given it to one of the
people at the dock.
If I trusted one of them. I would have.
Her children came down on the
motorbike to talk to captain.
I started to walk over to give
to the children, and they left.
I do not know what to do?
But the world has a way of working
itself out.

LOADING THE BOAT
I am anxious to go, and so a big foreign guy
grabs some bags of whole cashew nuts and carried
it to the boat to speed up the process. Plus the girl
that seem to be a boss to me, look like she was getting
her pajamas dirty. She was carrying more than the boys.

PAJAMAS
Do they know they are pajamas?
They could be stylish light weight clothing for the
tropical heat. Lots of clothes are about the same material
and design. Lots of people seem to wear their pajamas
everywhere in Thailand.

It is my opinion.
I am a jerk sometimes I understand.
But them little cars and trucks driven by Bears
are the designs on PAJAMAS.
I think they are Pajamas.

I am not complaining.
Women walking around is pajamas is fine, even good.
We got men in skirts here also, so what the hell.
I am not in Kansas anymore.
I go to foreign countries to see things that are
different. Not the same.

1 FAILED MISSION
I was on a multi phased mission deep into deep
shit. One of my primary goals of this trip was to
get some raw rubber to fix my sandals. There is a
hole in the heel as big as a quarter dollar.
I found the rubber. I started to carry back to the
bungalow the white gummy stuff. Asking myself,
“Does it need heated?”
“Can I let it dry in the sun?”
“Do I need to clean the shoe with solvent to
make the rubber adhere better.”
I am thinking and going to have a lot of fun
playing and experimenting with the raw rubber.
I put my hand up to my face.
AAAAAGHHH
That stinks !

There raw rubber had this obnoxious smell.
No good shower, no place to dry adequately.
Wind is blowing sand, dust, through the air.
Life is on the grungy side, or hobo dirty.
My clothes are getting this deep fabric type smell.
I need to sterilize and disinfect them.
Last thing the smells of my body need is more
help from raw rubber.

I gave it a sad and slow toss into the jungle.
It took me a lot of work to get here to learn
and discover this. I am sad. It was going to enjoy at
least a couple of days of goofing around, and trying
to develop the right technique to repair my sandals.
I plan my missions of play and curiosity with great
care. This one crashed and burned.

I lost the sandals 3 days later.
Who knows where?

BOAT TRIP
I sat on the front of the boat.
It is my favorite spot.
17 people was on that boat.

No boat today.

TREK
3 Days
2 Nights.
No electricity.
Lots of water.

People pay for this stuff.

Life is about challenges and accomplishments.
I thought of this more as a pain in the arse.
Lots of people would have considered it
an adventure, and I suppose in some ways
it was. The adventure for me. Was trying to film
the whole process. That was an adventure, and
and an experience. To record and event on
camera and tell the story Our world is a very very
good places. I can have an experience today.
Write the story, and make the distance between
Koh Chang - A GREAT ISLAND and you readers
become small. This place can be very real for you
in the real world.

The people of Koh Chang and the readers are the same
in more ways then they are different..

If I could teach them something or leave the world
with a Hobo mark on the wall X.
I suppose a good start would be,

This letter was sponsored by the word:

YES

It brought Koh Chang, Thailand.
A small Island in the Andaman Sea in a world
between 2 cultures. Half Burmese and
Half Thailand into your room wherever you
live, and whatever language you speak.
On your computer, and a now smaller world.
The world is a better place each year.

NO is not a word I understand.

Just another day in Paradise!
PLAN YOUR ESCAPE...
Be a Hobo, and leave your mark.

X Hobotraveler.com was HERE!

Life is good.
The Hobotraveler.com

Article written by Andy the Hobotraveler.com
On year 5 of Hobo trip around the world.
Budget Travel, Jobs, and Adventure, etc
Subscribe to Free Newsletter at:
Hobotraveler.com
You may publish this article for Free
on the internet If this box stays attached.

-------------------------------------------------------------

~ TODAY’S TRAVEL TIPS

HOT WATER COOKER
I have a one cup water heater.
I can plug it into 110 or 220
electricity. It can be used in any country.
It will heat a cup of water in about
2 minutes. I think it is faster than a
a microwave. And much smaller.

You can make:

Coffee,
Tea,
Soup
Boiled eggs

Lots of things.

You also can
Purify water.
Make hot water to clean clothes.

It is NOT just a cup.
You can also boil a bucket very quickly of
water.

LOOK at this heater.
http://www.hoboguide.com/084kohchangsecond07.shtml

WARNING WARNING WARNING

This device must be in the water
before you plug in, or you will
burn it up.

WARNING WARNING WARNING
Be careful when using around metal.
A metal pot or metal cup will or could
cause a problem.

I would call this one of the few things
I would always carry with me anywhere I
go. It normally cost less than 3 dollars.
They sell a very fancy one here in Thailand
for about 8 dollars. In South America they
cost about 2 dollars, or less.

You can also buy a 12 volt one.
Just another day in Paradise!
PLAN YOUR ESCAPE...
Be a Hobo, and leave your mark.

X Hobotraveler.com was HERE!

Life is good.
The Hobotraveler.com

As always, these are suggestions. Please realize I am
giving guidance, and there are always other opinions.
“One mans paradise, is another mans hell”
This way we do not all go to the same place.

Article written by Andy the Hobotraveler.com
On year 5 of Hobo trip around the world.
Budget Travel, Jobs, and Adventure, etc
Subscribe to Free Newsletter at:
Hobotraveler.com
You may publish this article for Free
on the internet If this box stays attached.

-------------------------------------------------------------

~ EXTREME HOBO TRAVEL

DENNIS & SCOTT BIKE AROUND THE WORLD
READ HIS ONLINE STORIES
http://www.theargonauts.com/argonauts/dennis_scott/archive.shtml

-------------------------------------------------------------

TODAY’S TIP FROM THE
“Peanut Gallery”
Fun tips - Here's a little tip from me, to you,
as an experienced traveler.

There are HUGE discounts for people
that smile in life.

-------------------------------------------------------------

~ HOBO QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Just hit reply to this e-mail and you can send a question
directly to me... Andy the HoboTraveler.com

Hello,
Got a very interesting letter. I have thought about
this letter for a couple of weeks. It is difficult to
answer some of the comments. I did have to
get a feel for who I am and what I do.

THE QUESTION OR COMMENT.

Andy,
This will seem rather forward, and perhaps
"in your face", but hey...as you have put yourself
up as a spokesman for the freedom that everyone
desires...
...why the hell not ask you to answer the
"tough" questions?!
...

You have written, as seeming "boilerplate"
copy above your main regular submissions to the
newsletter, that you would welcome persons to
join you, who can observe the reality, write the
back-channel stories, and tell the
"other side" of what you see.

Are you sincere about this?
What is the "raison de etre", the
"reason for being" for why you choose to do
what you do each day?

You have been extremely COY
(and downright mysterious) over the last
several year(s) in your writings in the newsletter
about the true reason
WHY you REALLY do what you do.

I know it comes from places deep within yourself.

I respect and honor that.

As someone working in the "media" world of
television, radio, networking and
presentation over last several decades...
observing with an objective eye on
your experiences, and not flinching in evaluating
what you do...

...are you really that open to allowing others to bring
forward the "real experience" of what you go
through each day?

Do you really want to expose that portion of your
travels that would bring forth the "backside" of traveling?

As a fellow traveller, who has written previously in
other media of my own inner experiences, and been
lambasted repeatedly by those who sit in cubicles
and second guess the "why" of searching, I
would attempt to subtlety remind you, in an understanding
and sympathetic way, that you "broadcast" through
your newsletter around the globe, and have dramatic
impact on many lives.

As a fellow human, I continue to welcome your
forward moving searches in finding meaning in
your travels. I revel (and welcome) in your discoveries
along the way in each country that you visit and
share with us your
experiences......

but where does this lead in the final sense...

...and speaking from a keyboard in Seattle...
doing meaningless things for
corporate others...
I return to the basic premise of the message:

What is your primary message of your newsletter?

Do you choose to tease and tantalize the
imprisoned who receive your regular
submissions? Those chained to the machine of
"progress", who read your newsletter, go
"Whoa, Cool!" and then hit the delete message key,

OR

Do you choose to take it to the next level of
offering not only observations, but true gristled
guidelines to moving outside the "norm" of
standard lifestyles, through reminding the mainstream
of options beyond the obvious 9 to 5 daily grind.

Your recent columns about fellow travellers
(the raw stuff relating to the reality of the hard
life of being left by the wayside, or the joys of
travelling, despite age or fear of being robbed
at every corner, are very good starts along the better
pathway that really means something to those
who read about your time "out there"--

Bill
(sitting here wondering and reflecting
on returning to the world of travel)
Lake Union, Seattle

****
MY ANSWER: For the sake of clarity.
I will repeat it and answer in between comments.

< Andy,
< This will seem rather forward, and perhaps
< "in your face", but hey...as you have put yourself
< up as a spokesman for the freedom that everyone
< desires...
< ...why the hell not ask you to answer the
< "tough" questions?!

I am not the spokesman. I am just talking about
my freedoms. I do tempt you to reflect, and question.
If everyone really desired these things. They would move
to action.

They vote by the way they live their lives.
They vote by the way take a vacation.

< ...

< You have written, as seeming "boilerplate"
< copy above your main regular submissions to the
< newsletter, that you would welcome persons to
< join you, who can observe the reality, write the
< back-channel stories, and tell the
< "other side" of what you see.
<
< Are you sincere about this?

Very very sincere in the offer.
I would like to share some time with people that
enjoy the curiosity and the fun of looking, feeling
and smelling a place. I could probably learn more
about writing than they would learn from me.
hehehe

< What is the "raison de etre", the
< "reason for being" for why you choose to do
< what you do each day?

I think these questions are part of all people
lives. I know about as much as your neighbor on
these questions for myself. I know nothing.
I can make answer simple though.
Life is better traveling than it was at home.

< You have been extremely COY
< (and downright mysterious) over the last
< several year(s) in your writings in the newsletter
< about the true reason
< WHY you REALLY do what you do.

I am going to try to explain the answer in
the next few letters. It is not just one reason.
It is a mixture or idea, and feelings of what is
right for me. There is fuzzy logic that exist in
life, that is somewhere in the realm of intuition
that leads people on their paths. Plus ghost,
shadows, and Gods.
I will try my best in the future to explain.

< I know it comes from places deep within yourself.

Nutshell answer: I was bored.

< I respect and honor that.
<
< As someone working in the "media" world of
< television, radio, networking and
< presentation over last several decades...
< observing with an objective eye on
< your experiences, and not flinching in evaluating
< what you do...
<
< ...are you really that open to allowing others to bring
< forward the "real experience" of what you go
< through each day?

I am open always to the truth. I think that is an
inherent desire to people to hear.
An honest statement.
Nothing more interesting in life.

The real experience I try to bring forth.
Hard to do. I have to choose my words so carefully
so I do not step on some self appointed victim that
has an emotional land mine ready to explode.
Or mass groups of these people.

< Do you really want to expose that portion of your
< travels that would bring forth the "backside" of traveling?

I am having problem with this word “Backside”.
I could tell you more nuts and bolts.
I am not sure where I stop, and go into bad taste.
If I think it will help the world to say it. I say it.
hehehe I sound like a save the world person.
I do want the world OK. I just do not need lunatics
that are obsessed in being an abusive offender
because they feel a victim.

< As a fellow traveller, who has written previously in
< other media of my own inner experiences, and been
< lambasted repeatedly by those who sit in cubicles
< and second guess the "why" of searching, I
< would attempt to subtlety remind you, in an understanding
< and sympathetic way, that you "broadcast" through
< your newsletter around the globe, and have dramatic
< impact on many lives.

I am starting to understand the second guessing.
It has something to do, with their congruency
in life. They want a war where innocents do not
die.
The world is looking for fantasy.
They live in fantasy. But I do think they like
a person that cares enough to tell them the truth.
Dangerous thing to do. The truth will set you
free and make you lose friends, or make closer ones.

GLOBAL IMPACT
Thanks for the comment.
Think it makes my newsletter bigger
than it is. I am in the end just a guy with a more
elaborate travelogue. or group mail.

< As a fellow human, I continue to welcome your
< forward moving searches in finding meaning in
< your travels. I revel (and welcome) in your discoveries
< along the way in each country that you visit and
< share with us your
< experiences......
<
< but where does this lead in the final sense...

I travel until I know why I travel.
There is a life of maybe.
The process or the way we lead our lives
must be more important than the destination.
I hope on the day I die I say,
“That was a nice ride, can we do it again?”

On my WebPages and my newsletter I am
constructing a very huge map, and guide
to help you live on the road. Have all your
emotional, physical, spiritual and most important
money needs filled. To live anywhere in the
world. It is a possible dream.

The story is a big story.

< ...and speaking from a keyboard in Seattle...
< doing meaningless things for
< corporate others...
< I return to the basic premise of the message:
<
< What is your primary message of your newsletter?
<
< Do you choose to tease and tantalize the
< imprisoned who receive your regular
< submissions? Those chained to the machine of
< "progress", who read your newsletter, go
< "Whoa, Cool!" and then hit the delete message key,
<
< OR
<
< Do you choose to take it to the next level of
< offering not only observations, but true gristled
< guidelines to moving outside the "norm" of
< standard lifestyles, through reminding the mainstream
< of options beyond the obvious 9 to 5 daily grind.
<
< Your recent columns about fellow travellers
< (the raw stuff relating to the reality of the hard
< life of being left by the wayside, or the joys of
< travelling, despite age or fear of being robbed
< at every corner, are very good starts along the better
< pathway that really means something to those
< who read about your time "out there"--

I will help you plan your escape.
Says it at the bottom of all letters.

Thanks Bill,
You can go home from work now for
the day. You are excused. The work day
is over and each day is your choice.

All the rest of you in them small cubicles.
Take the rest of the day off !
Tell your boss.
Hobo Andy said you could.
Blame me, tell your boss he is
ORDERED to leave also.
Hobo day off.... hehehe
A day when everyone can sing in the
shower and eat ice cream.

“Somewhere over the rainbow,
Bluebird fly,
Somewhere over the rainbow,
Why or why... can’t I”

I trust people that sing in the shower.

< Bill
< (sitting here wondering and reflecting
< on returning to the world of travel)
< Lake Union, Seattle

Thanks Bill,
Andy the HoboTraveler.com

-------------------------------------------------------------
~ HOBO GOSSIP and/or Jaded Remarks

Why write them... hehehe
Your probably do not read them.
How is that for jaded?

-------------------------------------------------------------

"Thank you, Lord, for thinkin'
'bout me. I'm alive and doin' fine."
I’m alive and doing fine.‘
Song by: Five Man Electrical Band

Issue: 83 -- THAILAND - How to Receive a Package

Issue: 85 -- Survival Trip in Thailand - HOW TO ADVERTISE YOUR HOSTEL