My home for the next month: Haad Tien Bay

Thursday Jan 29

I woke up feeling 90% over jet lag. I always think the next time I travel it will get easier to get over but alas it never is. Granted I am on the other side of the world and my circadian rhythm has 180'd.

Today I debarted from Haad Rin two beaches north on the eastside of the island to Haad Tien bay via water taxi. I checked into The Sanctuary dorms as no single rooms are available right now at any of the resorts in the area. This beach has no outside electricity and only access here is by 4x4 trucks or water taxi. It being so remote is going to be a blessing and a curse.

The dorms are located on top of the hill behind the main restaurant. It's a bit of a hike but the trek will be a good assistance to get into shape while I'm here.

I took the 4 o'clock yoga class. 1.5/hrs of connecting mind and body was very much needed. No hot water in the outside dorm showers. Yeah camping! It's cold but very refreshing in the hot jungle climate.

Dinner was excellent again. I bought a Singha beer and sat on the beach looking at the stars and the wind rustling in the trees. The warm salty air kissed my skin and my inhales brought peace in the moment. I thanked the universe multiple times for blessing me with this opportunity. I am very thankful and repeat that mantra often while I'm here.

Later in the evening I made my way to the bar/lounge area. I met travelers from all over the world. Everyone speaks English of course. Funny to watch two people communicate in a second language to each other.

The nights festivities were an open mic show. The first 3 acts were definitely amateur hour then random people started stepping on stage and killing it. One girl from Sweden lit up the room with her Charlie voice and brought the house down. After her one amazing performer after another blessed the stage with their talent. I slept like a baby last night.

Friday Jan 30

I stirred with movement in the room and was happy with my 6.75/hrs of sleep. Feeling energized I put on my Converse shoes and went out for a run. I wanted to see the top of the hill overlooking the bay and made my way up a very steep 4x4 drive road. It was half running half hiking. The top of the mountain was well earned and the sounds of the jungle invigorating. I still can't get over how good it feels to be here. This is clean living and makes my existence back home feel so commercialized and unnatural for some reason. 

**i took a screen shot of maps from the top of my hike. I made it a pretty good distance into the island before turning back east.

Back at the beach; showered and with a full tummy I continued my readings. Amazing the lessons I'm gaining reading this book The Yoga Sutras of Patajali. Very wise observations of the universe. This is not my usual read but it's hard to put down- amazing insights!

The rest of the day was a mix between sleeping in the hammock, swimming in the ocean, reading, eating, and more naps in the hammock. It was weird feeling guilty for being so lazy but really it was just a relaxing day with my thoughts. I couldn't even tell you the last time I had a day like it.

I ate at Spice restaurant. My ahi tuna steak with 3 sauces, rice and salad was excellent. The food never gets old. I crashed early to wake up for Guys Bar sunrise party.

Saturday Jan 31

I woke up at 4am. Restless night. It just seemed really warm in my room. The other people in the dorm were waking up and getting ready to go to this Sunrise party.

We walked over to the festivities about 5am. It was still dark but the music seemed to brighten the mood. House music blared as people from around the world danced barefoot under the stars. I think it's been since college waking that early to start living the dream. Dancing and drinking on an empty stomach was actually very fun.

I got a fresh mango that tasted easily good and made my way to the beach to watch the sunrise. Sitting in peace on the sand brought a nice tranquility over me. I grabbed breakfast then headed back to my room to pack my stuff.

I checked into The Beam resort located back from the beach slightly on Haad Tien. This is a nice shift because I have my own room and shower now. Of course no hot water but I'm getting used to it. The bungalow has a porch and hammock to relax on.

I had the coconut milk veg/chk curry. It's as good as it sounds.

Nap time. Apparently early morning drinking comes with consequences. Refreshed it was time to swim in the ocean and cool off. I made my way to Whynam Beach just over a small hill to the north. Turns out this was home to the Guys Bar after party which was ok because these were all the locals and the music was incredible.

We tossed the frisbee, swam, ate amazing food, and shared stories from around the world. It was so incredible being welcomed by complete strangers. One of the guys I was tossing the disc with shook my hand after our game. I said how fortunate I was to be experiencing this. He said a great quote that resonated with me "I love the lawlessness of it". It was. It felt so free!

I left at sunset and headed back for a shower. I met up with one of the girls from my program who just met up with a friend of a friend she knows on Instagram. Small world. They are on the same path of self discovery and it was nice to exchange insight with people on similar journeys. Tomorrow I start yoga training so I'm crashing out early. I'm nervous and excited at the same time. The longer I'm here the more broad my focus becomes; it seems counter intuitive and I'll explain more later. Night

Arrival on Koh Phangan island

I have arrived at my home for the next month, Koh Phangan island.

Tuesday Jan 27

I woke up at 4:15am again. Jet lag is getting tiring. No pun. It feels like being wide awake on coffee yet exhausted.

I caught a cab to Ko Toa Rd to catch my 6am bus ride south. 6.5/hrs later I hopped on a high speed catamaran to this island. All told it was another 10.5 hour travel day. Needless to say I'm glad to be in one spot for awhile.

I checked into the first place I came across, Bayshore Resort, Haad Rin bay. In case you don't know Haad Rin is home to the Full Moon party so the whole town is basically a spring break paradise. 

Showered, changed, and starving I headed out for dinner. I found a nice little place on a hill top south of the bay called Half Moon Palace.

While there I met some fellow travelers who recommended the spots I was planning on visiting after my studies- Ko Tao island for scuba diving and Chiang Mai (northern Thailand jungle/mountains). Nice to have plans confirmed by other seekers of adventure.

I hadn't been out at night while I've been here and my plan was to meet more fellow travelers and share stories. Sadly I was so exhausted I crashed out facedown on my bed. On a positive note I got 8/hrs sleep even though I woke up at 4:30am again.

Wednesday Jan 28

My first beach sunrise. Magnificent morning to be alive. After another healthy tasty breakfast I swam in the ocean. The salt water was exactly what I needed. I've been reading poolside all day. Feeling blessed and fortunate to be experiencing this. I am very greatful for the blessing bestowed upon me. I work hard to play hard. Life experience is my wealth.

I had a few errands to run after my day at the pool: pack, check-out, check-in down the street (Yoghurt Hotel), money exchange $$ to Baht, eat (garlic chk over rice), and then down to the beach.

I didn't bring anything with me to the beach except my room key and sunglasses. No shoes, shirt, book, phone, nada. As I sat there I fought the urge to reach down and check a phone that wasn't on me. It was getting pretty bad before I left. I couldn't keep my eyes off the damn thing. Always checking email, Facebook, Instagram, messages, Boom Beach, Clash of Clans, Snapchat, and 100 other various programs that beep at me all day. Yes that little red notification number must be pressed constantly on each app. "Look at me" they would say.

My whole goal of this trip was not necessarily to teach yoga but to learn to be present. I'm a dreamer. I'm always thinking about what's happening next or tomorrow or next week, next month, year, etc. I find during yoga it's the only time I'm in the now. Part of my reading speaks of this; the distractions we allow into our life that cloud where, what, why we are doing something in any given moment. After feeling my restlessness sitting on this gorgeous beach I saw it as a perfect opportunity to practice being present.

I first lied back in the sand and closed my eyes. I listened to the ocean, wind, talking, laughter, music, and my own breath. I let it flow over and through me.

When I sat up I watched the sun glisten off the water. Palm frawns rustling. Waves lapping on the shore. People walking, talking, and playing various games. Smoke drifting in the distance from a field fire. Boats coming and going from shore. It was a symphony of life and it was beautiful. I felt present. I felt happiness. I felt alive!

Such a simple thing to sit in the sand in that moment and yet I couldn't have been more entertained. I realized I needed this trip more than I knew and I look forward to growing even more with my time here.

Downsides to traveling

Yesterday (Sunday Jan 25) I visited the famous floating markets outside Bangkok. These were made famous by the James Bond film 'Man with the Golden Gun'. It was an amazing visit. I loved the canals and feel of the town, even though it was very touristy. Bought a selfie stick so got a couple of those famous shots in.

The tour group I was with stopped at an elephant ride attraction on the way back. It was a hour stop and everyone was going for the half hour elephant ride offered. Last visit to Thailand I never did type of money pit but 'when in Rome' I figured why not?. I immediately remembered why I choose not to contribute to this type commerce. I hopped on this platform for two with a square umbrella over it and we made off for the jungle adventure. Turns out it was just a palm tree plantation where they take you in a figure 8 pattern and through a water strip. Not very exciting and the treatment of the elephants made me immediately wish I did not support this subjugation with my dollar.

These were magnificent animals forced into an all day long grueling circle that never ends. They do this everyday all year long. The hooks to control them were brutal looking and horrendous. All for our amusement and luxury. I felt so very guilty to add to this industry and tried to send happy vibes to this creature of servitude. Humans can be so callous with our dominace over this planet and other inhabitants.

I was very glad to leave but realized I could never forget there are creatures on this planet who will never truly live. I wish you a quick existence Babar so that your next adventure will be hopefully filled with freedom and happiness. I have no illusion that they will ever be free in this lifetime and I can only pray they find peace in the unfortunate plight they were given.

We returned to Bangkok under the guise of more tourist traps which I immediately escaped and swore I would avoid in the future. I wish I had foregone the latter part of the day so my visit to the floating market would not have been sullied. Sera sera.

Jet lag kicked in real hard later that day and I fought my closing eyes until 10:30pm when I finally passed out.

Monday Jan 26

Today I met with my tailor to adjust my suits. It was quick but exciting. I can't wait to rock them next month when I come back to Bangkok.

Currently I'm sitting at the Thailand Immigration Bureau getting an extension on my automatic 30 day visa for being an American. We have it so good in the USA compared to almost everywhere else in the world. Everyone I've met so far has had to apply for a visa prior to visiting. A long process from what I'm told.

I believe that sentiment considering I've been here already 3/hrs. I was 10 spots away from my number being called when the entire building took a lunch break between 12-1pm. Good to know bureaucracies are the same around the world. Hopefully I get my passport back soon with an extended stamp so I can get out of this fluorescent light melting pot of misery and paperwork.

**i got my 30 day extension so I have the option now to stay until March 23rd if I want. Total time 5.25/hrs. Advise for long stays in Thailand- do the paperwork before u visit or else u lose a day and the potential for going postal in a foreign country. 

The day ended on a positive note when I went shopping with Patin, my hosts daughter. Nice having someone who knows all the good spots. Loaded up on fresh fruit and snacks for the boat ride tomorrow. Thanks again for the hospitality Samran Palace hotel. I will be back!

Long day of travel but so worth it

34/hr day. While that sounds like a long time to journey continuously, in real actuality, for the last hundred years this is considered quick to literally travel to the other side of the globe in. Amazing how shift happens.

I left Denver at 8 AM having woke up after 4:30am to finish packing. I'm one of those last minute packers. Funny because I did the same thing in school with tests. Security wasn't the hassle it's been in the past- shoes remained on my feet, no taking iPads or toiletries out, even kept my hat on. Breeze compared to international travel in the past. Good to see the US easing back to a more relaxed state.

In the weeks leading up to my adventure I really didn't put to much thought into my trip. I was focused on finishing up work, closing out my accounting, packing to move when I get back, releasing my first book (albeit a children's publication but even that wasn't a breeze) and various other activities that seemed to fill my days morning to night. 

My first stop was San Fran (SFO) with 1.25/hr layover. Good reading time. The next leg was SFO to Tokyo (NKK); that was a long one at 12/hrs but I watched all 3 Godfather films and enjoyed the comfort of having all 3 seats to myself. When I arrived in Japan I had a mild 3.5/hr layover. This got my Apple products recharged and a chance to stretch. The last part I planned on sleeping but I was in the middle seat and restless. Needless to say I was very thankful 'customs' was a breeze when I reached Bangkok.

I split a cab with a Canadian couple. The cabby got lost finding their hostel. A good while later I checked into our family friends hotel, Samran Palace, and passed out for a quick 4/hrs rest. Yeah jet lag.

Breakfast was amazing as I remembered Thai food to be. Stir fry rice w/ chk & egg, fresh tropical fruit, croisant w/ jam, dark coffee w/ fresh milk, and passion fruit juice. Having fueled up and visited with family friends, I headed out to get tailored for another suit. Being a man I adventured out with no directions attempting to find the tailor my roommate Dennis and I used last visit. After walking for about a good 2 miles, I didn't want to admit to myself I might have taken a wrong turn. Being a guy I decided to get lost even more and continued to follow along the road I was on. 

I found a beautiful park surrounded by temples. I paid respect to a Buddha statue. A nice local came up and complimented me on my beard. He mentioned being asain makes it difficult for him to grow a full European beard. I told him it's cool because I can't grow a European beard either as mine was 100% American. We laughed and exchanged pleasantries. 

His name was Shumbi and he shared a great travel tip for me. Today was a Budhist holiday, can't remember the name, let alone pronouce it. The government honors the day by offering cheap tuk-tuk rides (20 BAHT = .61$) to visit all the main temples and duty free discounts at a number of various shops.  If you don't know what a tuk-tuk is they are a three wheeled death cab that motor around Thailand as if traffic laws only purpose was to be broken, repeatly. I obliged his recommendation and met a nice tuk-tuk driver to give me a private tour.

My first stop was Happy Buddha temple. It's actually three solid gold Buddha's all in a row vertically. The man that ran the temple was very nice and we talked for quite some time. He gave me a lesson on meditation- nose, ears, heart- he said. Like my water bottle I carried, an empty vessel can be filled but a bottle that is full will just overflow. Our minds are the same way. 

You start by breathing in through your nose. Listen to your breathing. The worlds noises will drown out eventually. When you hear and feel your heart beat then your mind will begin to let go of everything it is restless with; calm sets in and you enter a state of peace. It was a good lesson I look forward to discovering more with practice. I said my thanks, gave a donation to the temple and met my driver for the next stop.

Fortune smiled on me when he took me to a tailor. I was reluctant at first, being a loyal man to places I frequent, especially tailors, but I felt good vibes from the sales guy. He worked for my last custom tailor shop and had nothing but good things to say about them. It turns out I couldn't find them because the owner retired and moved back home. My 'man points' were renewed when I found out I had gone the right way that morning but wasn't able to find it because of it closing.

I got fitted for a tuxedo with bow tie, vest, optional cummerbund, matching pants. The tie, vest, cummerbund, and lining all made of matching shinny blk material. The second suit was tan 100% cashmere wool from Italy for my sisters wedding this summer- I got a striped custom shirt, custom lining that matches the cuffs on the shirt, handkerchief, 2 pants. I won't tell you the price but it's a deal considering how boss it is to have custom made clothes that you design.

My tuk-tuk was waiting again to take me to another temple. This time it was the Marble Palace. I forgot how ornate the buildings are. If you think the rococo designs at Palace Versailles are amazing then you'll know the detail involved in these places. I got to chant with some monks, rub happy budha belly and beat a giant drum. Another tuk-tuk ride took me to a water taxi stop. I said goodbye and gave my driver 100 Baht for the tour (he was expecting 20 Baht). He smiled very big and thanked me repeatedly. Funny because I thought I under paid by US standards but he was happy and so was I. 

It was a beautiful yet slummy ride down the canal to MBK mall to shop for clothes. I only brought one change of clothes with me to Bangkok and needed travel threads. The boat ride was interesting. It passed through incredible palaces then slums repeatedly. These dirt broke shanties all had home made decorations and lots of plant life. Everyone I saw smiled and looked happy. It reminded me that wealth isn't a means to happiness only our perception is.

I spent every cent I had brought out at the mall. I'm not a shopper but when they charge 200 baht ($6) a shirt for Element, Billabong, Ride, etc it's hard not to go crazy. I got a foot massage and mani- my hands were pretty roughed up after the last few months of work. Take care of yourself, it's good therapy.

After dropping everything off back at the hotel I headed out for some food. Luck would have it a street restaurant down a block from my hotel had a spot open. Usually this place has a 30 min wait. Most might get squimish to eat at a place with no walls and prepared under the night sky but my salted sea bass with garlic, fried rice, and Singha beer was spectacular. I splurged by Thailand standards spending $11.82 total for my dinner with tip.

By the way I keep sharing pricing because friends always ask me why I can vacation here so long. It's a much lower cost of living compared to the United States. I actually save money on these trips here. Weird to admit but it's true.

Jet lag just reared its ugly head and I'm visiting the floating market tomorrow. Night.

- ry

Also I wrote this on my iPad, I'm a numbers guy, and tired; the grammar is what it is :)

Yoga is the science of the mind

As my studies kick into high gear I become the student once again. This is a relatively new field for me but I am excited to broaden my understanding in.

One of the first lessons was about what yoga actually is. Most hear the word Yoga and immediately think of a physical workout or activity. Its actually only one aspect of the practice. The physical Yoga, or Hatha Yoga, was primarily designed to facilitate the real practice of Yoga - which is the understanding and complete mastery over the mind.

The physical part was formed as a way to bridge the connection between mind, body and soul. Traditionally the word Yoga by itself refers to Raja Yoga- the mental science. Learning about the roots of Yoga makes me think of the ancient Greek aphorism "know thyself". Being comfortable in ones skin is a part of becoming wiser in the journey of life. It was something I have fought for a very long time myself. Do I choose a path laid out by others or take my own road and discover what lies ahead? Truth be told, most of my life has been the path of what was expected of me; what sports I played, college, 8-5 job, pay bills, do this, do that. It wasn't until I started realizing my own potential and self recognizing my strengths that I really liked whom am I.

Perception can be everything in this world. How I see this paradise of a planet defines my actions and attitudes with every decision I make. Do I look at it as a world of problems or a world filled with infinite solutions? I prefer the latter. Fundamentally the greatest paradigm shift is accepting your strengths and weaknesses; when you self acknowledge the good and the bad then you can take steps to build or fix any part of your consciousness.

Just as with any muscle in the body the mind must be strengthened with vigorous training. Yoga is referred to as a practice just like medicine or psychology. Deepening our understanding of our place in this universe is an ultimate goal to strive toward and essential to our evolution as a species.

I look forward to sharing more points as I learn them and giving whatever thoughts I have during my studies.

Namaste mi amigos ;)
-Ryan Edward

"Know thyself"

Preparing for a trip of a lifetime

As I begin my preparations for Yoga Teacher Training in Thailand next month I reflect on how the journey began.
2 years ago my mom Carone graduated from yoga teacher training in Costa Rica. My sister Alana, her daughter Rhyan (1yr old at the time), and myself went down there to visit her after her training. The first thing that struck me as a positive experience for her was not only the physical transformation but the mental & spiritual change. She glowed and radiated from the inside. I was so very proud of my mom in that moment and moving forward it has lead to her world changing forever.
I realized in that moment that I would someday take this journey. Every person who has ever done this similar training speaks of it as game changer for them. I live for life experience and ever since that trip I have looked forward to my own adventure in health and spirituality.
My first goal with the training was to be in a foreign country during my education. As much as I wanted this training I knew I would only find my enlightenment by pushing my boundaries of my regular existence and going outside my comfort zone. My mom researched yoga teacher training sites all over the world and luck would have it a site in Thailand had the dates I needed; and it happened to be my favorite island in southeast Asia, Koh Phangan.
I'm still not sure if I want to be a yoga teacher after my class is over but I do however want to take away the skills of 'presence' and 'breath'. I find my mind is always on tomorrow and as simple as it might seem, being in the present, the here and now, is something I have not mastered. I'm always thinking about the future and sometimes have been known to miss what was happening all around me in the present.
I ordered my class books today and look forward to diving into a new realm of understanding with my practice.
More to come. I'm actually very interested to see how the writing of these posts changes throughout the experience. Curious to see what the future holds.

-Ryan Edward

"Each one of us has our own evolution of life, and each one of us goes through different tests which are unique and challenging. But certain things are common. And we do learn things from each other's experience. On a spiritual journey, we all have the same destination."
-A.R Rahman