Philosophy Change!

I have been quoted saying, long before I left on this trip that "when I travel, I prefer to meet other travelers over people from the culture Im in" I totally said "Im just as happy hanging out with a Dutch guy in Nicaragua as a Nicaraguan. In fact I prefer it sometimes!"

Well that is not true anymore. Maybe its taken getting off the road and living in Chiang Rai for me to see, that I love locals. When I traveled in Central America, I needed to be in a hostel with a bunch of other foreigners to feel comfortable. Right now Im in my favorite guesthouse in Chiang Mai, surrounded by French, Dutch, Germans and English. And I feel uncormfortable. I find myself chatting with the Thai staff and not the other travelers.. This morning at the Indian embassy I got annoyed with the other farangs (foreigners) waiting in line with me. I talked to an Indian man and I was much more energized and stoked!
I have spent many days over the last 2 months spending time with just Thai people. Talking with Malai and Duan in the morning. Getting lunch at my noodle stall and chatting to the owner. Getting dinner with Lek and In, and then going to a festival and not seeing another foreigner for days. The language barrier, and cultural differences that used to intimidate me now are comforting! I loved Chiang Mai two months ago, but I dont like it so much anymore. Today during lunch, I was people watching and I counted more foreigners than Thai's in the street, I really missed Chiang Rai and its undiscoveredness.
When I was in Central America, and even at the beginning of this trip my highlights, the things that made my days where meeting other backpackers, and seeing the sights. The reclining Buddha in Bangkok, volcano boarding in Nicaragua, snorkeling in Costa Rica.
But not so much anymore, the things that I love most about life right now are this.

• While driving from Chiang Rai to Chiang Mai this morning, I saw several spots on the road where I have memories. A place I stopped and sat under a tree and ate an entire chicken four months ago while making the same drive, and a shop where my bike broke down when I drove up two months ago and the owner fixed my clutch for free.
• When I pulled into town and failed to avoid a police trap ticketing people without helmets, I chatted to the cop in Thai, we talked about Thailand and joked about America. He charged me half price for the ticket (200 baht instead of 400) and explained where the police station was. I payed and went back to him to pick up my drivers license, and he smiled like we where old friends. He gave me a hug before I left, and introduced me to 2 other police officers who smiled and shook my hand.
• I ran out of money, and told the woman who owns the place I live, she told me that the kitchen was mine, and the staff will make me any food I want free of charge. She hired a new manager and the first thing she did was explain that I am family and can do whatever I want (use the kitchen, hang out in the office, use the computers without paying, etc) Im going to visit her and her husband in Switzerland - they said Im welcome any time for as long as I want.
• I pulled up to the place I rented my motorbike today (I have 32 days that I havent payed for, and havent heard from them or contacted them in as long) The owner, who had never met me came out and said "are you Taylor? Jeff told me about you! How are you?" He cleaned the bike and tightened the chain and told me "keep it as long as you need, we will work out payment later. The Thai girl who works there pulled out my sunglasses that I left there a month ago and handed them to me, she remembered they where mine.
• Im learning Thai beyond the few traveler phrases! I can recognize lots of words in songs and on TV.
• I know Chiang Rai like the back of my hand, I consider it MY town now.
• I went into a bookstore I frequent, and the owner remembered me by name, she pointed at the Jack Kerouac section, she knew I was heading for it. And gave me a sweet deal on a book I traded in.

These are the type of things that make me super happy, that I live for.

I havent been on a single "tour" no Gibbon Experience, elephant riding, trek or cooking class. My friend Duan taught me how to cook while we where hanging out in the kitchen one night. A friend took me up into her village in the mountains and her mother gave me a bunch of bananas and showed me her house. That is a million times more meaningful and rewarding than paying an inflated price for a guide to take you on some set tourist route... I have zero interest in that.

It reminds me of Xi'an, China. I planned on spending a day there, but I was at an awesome hostel. I met awesome people. The restaurant across the street knew my order and started cooking as soon as they saw me walking over. I spent 5 days there, and then went back with Eric. I never even saw the terracotta soldiers of Xi'an. But I feel like I know Xi'an better than most. THATS what traveling is about for me.

It cant be accomplished in a hurry or on a tight schedule. And it takes going off the beaten path and trusting people who you dont necessarily understand.

It takes breaking out of the traveler circuits, and staying away from places like Vang Viang, Laos. Its different and by no means for everyone! Im not belittling other ways of travel. But this is the way I want to do it from now on.