Whether it's big or small, If you have a passion at all, just say, someday I will

Sometimes, when you're laying on an airport floor after 24 hours of being awake and have just found your next flight canceled, you wonder why you thought this was a good idea? Then you hear the boarding call, you pack yourself into a plane with 300 or so of fellow humans and you take off. One of the best feelings I know is being pressed into my seat during a take off. It's something I can remember from my childhood when taking family vacations. Partially it was the relief that by this point it was too late to kick us non-revs off, and partially it was the fun of experiencing something new.

I'm not sure what I expected of Vietnam. I guess I kind of expected a backwards city of communists who despised Americans, with memories of the not so recent war. I didn't expect modern conveniences and a wide range of dining options. I did expect a McDonald's, but no such luck there (the one place in the world without one I suppose). They did have more Kentucky Fried Chicken places than Kentucky.

What I found in Saigon was a very vibrant city, some parts new and some parts still evoking that third world feeling. The communists couldn't crush a market economy, as everything was for sale. And walking through Chinatown, I had to wonder where they got all this stuff??? I work for a multi-billion dollar company that's singularly focused on getting such goods to market, yet here's a country of people who carry the same crap you buy here to market on the backs of motorbikes. Where did they get it?? Is there a factory for Colgate toothpaste around the corner they go buy bulk shipments of toothpaste from? They have it!

You'd think by now, with as many stamps as my passport has, I'd quit making these preconceived notions about places. Usually I'm wrong. Turns out the Vietnamese people are some of the nicest out there, and the same can be said of Cambodians. Yes, they do things different than westerners, but it works for them. Once you kind of understand the mentality (they never say "no" but sometimes have no intention of doing what they said yes to), it's easy to get by.

A lot of people ask my why I don't just go to some nice resort in the Caribbean for vacations. I think it has a lot to do with wanting to get away from Americans. You can go to a nice all inclusive, and they have their place, but that's not going to give you the thrill of crossing a street with a bus, 5 taxi's, and 1000 motor bikes bearing down on you. None of which intend to stop. You don't get the smell of fresh fish in the market, or fresh frogs. It's not pleasant at all, but it's an experience.

If Vietnam was a surprise, Cambodia was a total shock. Siem Reap was a refreshing change from Saigon, a much smaller and less hectic environment. The Angkor temples were awe inspiring, and something I'd never have guessed 10 years ago I'd be climbing on someday. Sure, there's the small matter of possible contracting malaria, but you take the good with the bad (and the Off!! didn't smell that horrible). The people were all very friendly and seemed eager to help, if for a small price. Even the people hawking their wares in front of a 1000 year old temple weren't as bad as some places, and sometimes they were just amusing in their approaches.

Shortly before leaving, my mom told me how happy she was I took these little jaunts. He'd never be caught in a jungle in Southeast Asia herself, but she's happy I'm doing it. Plus there's the economic advatages to vacationing in the third world... you get a lot of bang for you buck (or dong, or riel, or baht). You can spend a month traveling about some places, in fairly comfortable style, for the price of a weekend at Disney world. And there's a lot more you get out of it.

I think it's pretty damn cool that I have friends I can shack up with in Vietnam, or meet for lunch and coffee in Hong Kong. I plan to keep this sort of stuff up and encourage everyone else out there to take off. Yes, it may seem scary to go someplace where one insect bite could kill you (not really, but it's good for dramatic effect), but I have a better chance of dying driving around Louisville... especially today with the ice on the roads. And I'd rather have my obituary read "James Dees died last week while rafting through Laos..." instead of "James Dees died last week after choking on peanut M&M while laying on the couch."

I have a month off coming up, and I as planning to do a South America tour. I'm thinking that's going to change and I'll make a return to Asia. I know this will put me way behind in the continent race with Tanjoe and the Lewii, but oh well. So, it's time to start working out that itinerary. And this time, maybe I'll actually get vaccinations! So, anyone want to meet me in the jungles of Southeast Asia for coffee or a Beer Lao? Don't forget to deet up before going out!