January 2025

I am back in Nong Khiaw after a great 3 day 2 night excursion. On Wednesday night we hiked to the top of one of the highest view points in Nong Khiaw. It was a 2 hour hike where we climbed elevation pretty quickly. There were about 20 people in the entire group. The majority of people were either British or Dutch. The tour started at 13:30 and we arrived to the viewpoint around 16:00. At the top I read some of my book and we enjoyed a pretty nice sunset while overlooking the town. At night we made a camp fire and camped in tents. It was one of the most uncomfortable nights of sleep of my life. At first I was cold and then I was hot. I slept on my side for 30 minutes then my hip hurt so bad I had to switch to the other side. I tossed and turned all night. In the morning we awoke to watch the sunrise which was nice, but not amazing. It was advertised you would wake to a "sea of clouds" covering the mountains but it was not the right conditions Thursday morning. After watching the sunrise we hiked downhill to the town. From there, the majority of the group left as they only booked a one night excursion. 8 total people remained to carry on to the next day. It was all Dutch people and one other American. Thursday was a great day where we trekked to a waterfall, went deep into a cave, and went to a remote village, Sopchem, for a homestay. The homestay was absolutely the best part of the trip. The village has a singular dirt road where everyone lives off of. This dirt road is lined with women selling scarves and tote bags. It is known as a "weaving village" due to the many women selling their handmade scarves and goods. Around the campfire at night one of the Dutch guys on the trip proposed we join the locals in drinking which we saw down the street. I immediately said yes because I am all for those types of immersive cultural experiences. Me and two dutch guys walked down the dirt road at night barefoot to ask the locals to join them in drinking BeerLao and Lao Lao whiskey. The locals did not speak a lick of English but we got by through gesticulation. They gladly welcomed us and we laughed and shared some drinks. After about five minutes they made a gesture of wrapping something around our wrist and sent us inside the house. Inside there were about 15 Lao women sitting and eating. Immediately they welcome us and start putting on white cloth strings around our wrists. We had no ideas what was happening but went with the experience. They did not just put one cloth string on my wrist but about 20! My wrists were full. They were saying prayers over us. I guessed this was some kind of Buddhist ritual but had no idea still. I donated some money to the elderly woman by tying 100,000 kip around her wrist. Inside we all laughed and enjoyed. The first thing I immediately noticed was how the old women seemed so energetic, healthy, and alive. In the US I associate elderly people with low energy but these women were smiling and so alive! It was so nice to see them enjoying life. In their small village they just weave all day and enjoy community. They really do seem happier and healthier than the elderly population in the west. Also inside the home there were many kids running about even though it was close to 2200. They were so cute and playful! After we spent a good 30 minutes inside with the women we returned outside to drink with the men. The separation of women and men reminded me of an orthodox jewish gathering. Outside we did a couple shots with the locals and continued to laugh and gesticulate without language. It is amazing to me how much connection can occur with no language whatsoever. On the flip side language is so powerful. After returning to wifi on Friday afternoon I looked up what the white bracelet ceremony was. It was a ceremony called "Baci". This is a traditional Lao ritual to restore spiritual balance and well-being. The ceremony is deeply rooted in animist and Buddhist beliefs and is performed for various occasions like: welcoming travelers, new beginnings, special events. Since it was just recently Chinese new year I think this is what the celebration was for. The white cotton strings symbolize purity, protection, and good fortune. The strings are meant to keep your "Kwan" (soul energy) in place, ensuring harmony and good luck. Animism is the belief that everything in nature has a spirit and must be respected. Although Theravada Buddhism is the main religion in Laos, it blends with animist traditions. It was such a cool experience to really be in the local village and see their traditions in action. The people were so warm, welcoming and lovely. I strive to emulate this hospitality and love of life.

It is a cool and sunny 60 degrees Fahrenheit, 16 celsius here in Nong Khiaw Wednesday morning. I am feeling awake, energized and excited for the day. Today I start a three day, two night excursion. It will entail camping high in a mountain and awaking to a sea of clouds, trekking to a waterfall, staying with a local family and learning how to weave bamboo baskets, and kayaking down the Nam Ou River. Yesterday I went to the Ban Man Da Museum, a museum about how the Indochina War and Secret War affected the local people of Nong Khiaw. I used to not like museums, but I think it is really important to go to learn about the local culture and people. The Secret War in Laos refers to a covert military campaign led by the United States from 1964 to 1973 during the Vietnam War (2nd Indochina War). It was conducted primarily by the CIA and U.S. Air Force to combat the communist Pathet Lao and disrupt the Ho Chi Minh Trail, a key supply route used by North Vietnam through Laos and Cambodia. The U.S. dropped over 2 million tons of bombs on Laos, making it the most heavily bombed country per capita in history. Many of these bombs remain unexploded, posing dangers to civilians today. The CIA recruited and trained the Hmong ethnic group to fight against the Pathet Lao and North Vietnamese forces. Hmong fighters, led by General Vang Pao, played a crucial role in guerrilla warfare. The war was kept secret from the American public and even Congress, as Laos was officially neutral under the 1954 Geneva Accords. Being at the museum I saw the plethora of bombs and explosives that were dropped years ago on the very ground I am standing on. One of the most staggering statistics about the Secret War in Laos is that from 1964 to 1973, the U.S. dropped an average of one bomb every 8 minutes, 24 hours a day, for 9 years. There was a cave at the museum where the local people of Nong Khiaw had to live in due to the intensity and frequency of the bombings. It was really startling to see so much damage done. As an American it poses an interesting ethical and moral dilemma today. How should I feel right now seeing the damages? I feel for the people of Lao and feel some remorse for my country. On the other hand I understand war is a dirty game and there are consequences. I never knew the details of the bombing campaign on Lao and how it was hidden from the American public and even congress! With all this in mind I feel the desire to give back to the people here. When you are traveling you take so much, but it is very important to balance this out with giving back. I have been wanting to volunteer on a farm for some time but have not found the right country or place or reason until now. At the bus station the other day I saw a poster for a nice organic farm and homestay I will try and work at in a week or two. After the museum yesterday I hiked to a beautiful viewpoint over Nong Khiaw. The green river running through the limestone mountains was serene. I am always in awe of creation, Mother Nature, and the people that make it special. There is no way that this is all entropy bro!

Good evening from Nong Khiaw. Nong Khiaw is a small village 4 hours north of Luang Prabang known for incredible trekking and nature. The morning started with heading to the bus station at 8 am. I arrived at the bus station with a ticket, but my friend who decided to join along did not have one. The station told us that the tickets were sold out for the day. I did not want to abandon my friend so I was able to get a refund for my ticket. Just as we were about to leave a pair of French siblings said there is another station that has tickets. We decided to split a tuk-tuk to check out the local bus station. The bus station we arrived to at first was for tourists only. We drove about 20 minutes north in the cold and arrived at the local bus station, hoping there would be a bus. Luckily there was one in just 30 minutes! We got some snacks and road the four hour drive. The drive was pretty rough since the roads are not paved that well here. At times I got air borne from the bumps in the road. We arrived safely in Nong Khiaw around 1330. My friends that I met on the slow boat decided to book a full tour from Luang Prabang, but I told them I wanted to adventure on my own and figure everything out on the fly. I arrived in Nong Khiaw with no accommodation and walked the city for about 30 minutes. Most places were full or a little expensive. Finally I found an amazing place overlooking the river! Also I really like free styling the travels instead of booking a planned tour is because you get way better prices and finds. On my way to finding accommodation I saw so many posters for unique things and treks I never heard of. I explored the city the rest of the afternoon and am really excited for what this nature paradise holds. That is it for the day recap. I want to talk a little bit about languages. After hanging out with Germans, Dutch, and French people for the past couple days I for the first time realized the short comings of the English language. In german, dutch, and French my friends told me how there are way more words to describe how you are feeling and specific scenarios. In German and Dutch I guess there is a specific word for a happy birthday banner? Like the ones where it is a string and on the string it spells out happy birthday. Also there are way more words to express happiness or sadness or excitement. I asked ChatGPT why this is and got some interesting responses: German and Dutch can combine multiple words to create new ones, often resulting in highly descriptive terms. German and Dutch cultures have historically valued expressing complex human experiences, particularly in philosophy, art, and literature. Think of German philosophers like Kant and Schopenhauer, who explored emotions in depth and influenced the language to reflect such intricacies. English tends to borrow words from other languages rather than inventing its own. The richer vocabulary for emotions and scenarios in German and Dutch arises from their ability to combine words, cultural and historical influences, and linguistic structures that promote precision and creativity. English, while vast and versatile, has a different linguistic evolution that often depends on borrowing or explaining through phrases. Pretty cool right? I am feeling very grateful and appreciative for all my learnings and I am so happy to share it here. Tomorrow I look forward to doing a challenging trek and exploring more Lao culture.

After a few nights here in Lao I am starting to understand the culture and the people. The Lao people are a lot more friendly, laid back, and energetic than the Thai people. I think this happens in poorer countries for some reason. The people do not have much but they are grateful for what they have and for being alive. This reminds me of the energetic happy people of Africa. Luang Prabang feels safe and very authentic. There are monks walking around, lots of street food, and locals hanging out with their friend in the streets. It is very cheap here, even more than Thailand. One sad thing I have been realizing is the prevalence of child labor. At restaurants or any business, young children, as young as 8 or 10 years old takes orders or checks you out at the counter. All of the businesses are family run so it makes sense. Also I have seen so many children under the age of 14 riding motorcycles! It is pretty cool but quite dangerous. I really enjoy the lawlessness of some of these countries. They have way less laws than the west and are way safer. It is a cultural phenomenon which must be explored. Yesterday I rented a motorbike with the same group I went I came on the slow boat with and we went to the spectacular Kung Si waterfall. Having been to Iceland, Costa Rica, and places with spectacular waterfalls, I had low expectations. However, this waterfall was one of my favorites I have ever seen. The water was so fresh, so clear, and the landscapes so unique. I got in the waterfall pool and let the water hit the crown of my head, if you know you know. After the waterfall we found an awesome sunset spot off the main road. The sunsets in SE Asia have been spectacular. The air is cool and the sky is radiant. In the evening we all went out to the Luang Prabang Bowling Alley. Supposedly one of the best things to do for going out at night here is bowling. I was so confused why and was skeptical if it would be fun. We arrived around 21:00 and it was popping! The music was great and the alley was slammed. I bowled barefoot because when are you ever going to be able to do that again? Lao people were smoking inside and the alley itself was a little uneven. If you did not know I was on my middle school bowling team. I think of myself as a solid bowler and wanted to test my skills here in Lao. I bowled a 153 the second game which I was satisfied with. I only had three frames which were not strikes or spares. Bowling is timeless and fun. I have been having amazing night sleeps in the private room with a warm shower with good pressure! I am sad to go back to the dorms but need to continue to get good nights rest. I am probably changing cities tomorrow but I have no idea where!

I just arrived in the UNESCO World Heritage city of northern Laos, Luang Prabang. Over the past 2 days I took the slow boat down the Mekong river. It was quite a unique and unforgettable experience. I travelled with 5 friends I met along the journey. It was really fun doing this slow boat experience together, I could not have imagined doing it alone. Nicole, Gunter, Lotte, Nicole, and I met in Chiang Rai at Get Hi Hostel. We all were headed to Laos the same day and teamed up to take the slow boat together. From Huay Xai we drove on the boat eight hours on Thursday to the small village of Pakbang. We did not have any accommodation booked so we searched the city to see what we could find. At first many places said they were fully booked, but I was optimistic. I ended up finding a nice guesthouse which cost us each about 4 dollars a night. In Pakbang I also met up with Anton who I met at my hostel in Chiang Mai. He joined our group to split costs and adventure together. In Pakbang we all ate dinner together but the service was terrible and the food took forever. I stocked up on snacks for the boat ride for the following morning because there is no food on the boat. I went with Pringles and some seaweed chips. Today, Friday we all woke up early to get good seats on the boat. It was another 8 hour day down the Mekong River. We had snack time, question time, story time, and percussion gun time. We laughed and got to know each other better. Even though sitting on a crowded boat for 16 hours over two days was painful on the body, the company and conversations made it all worth it. I would recommend any one coming from Thailand into Laos to do the slow boat experience because it is so unique. You pass through real jungle and dramatic limestone landscaped. You take occasional stops to drop off food and packages to local villages and see how the rural Lao people live. We saw many water buffalo too. Arriving in Luang Prabang around sunset I did not book any accommodation. As I discussed earlier I want to embrace more spontaneity and not plan too much. Typically I would book a hostel on hostel world but I wanted to see what the city had to offer. I learned going in person is usually much cheaper and can find unique gems. Anton Gunter and I had food at the night market and set off to find accommodation. We roamed the city and found a four dollar hostel dorm room first. My main rule is never buy the first thing you see, so I continued to compare prices. Also the hostel was on the main road and I was fearful the noise would be brutal. I walked and asked more than 10 places about accommodation. Either it was fully booked or way too expensive. I was not worried because I knew it would work out. This is the backpacker lifestyle. Every time a hotel said they were full I would ask where I should go to next that is cheap and available. Finally a nice gentleman whose place was already booked took me on his motorbike to his friend's hotel. The man offered 26 dollars for a private room and I got it down to 17. I was actually very happy for this price. After 2.5 weeks of dorm Iife and many snorlaxs waking me up I booked the private! I am hopeful I will get a good nights rest and be energized to explore Laos.

Welcome to Laos! I travelled to Laos today with a group of friends I met at my hostel in Chiang Rai. We are going to take a two day slow boat down the Mekong River and arrive in the city of Luang Prabang on Friday. Let's start with some first impressions and history before giving my final remarks on Thailand. I crossed the land border into Laos this afternoon. Immediately on the other side of the border I noticed some differences. First, Laos appeared a lot poorer than Thailand. There were many buildings under construction and shopping strips with less developed infrastructure. This is supported by the following fact: As of 2023, Thailand's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is approximately $514.8 billion, with a GDP per capita of $7,336. In contrast, Laos has a GDP of about $14.9 billion and a GDP per capita of $1,999. On the other hand, I immediately noticed that the Lao people are much warmer and friendlier. While I was driving into the city from the boarder kids were running and waving and adults on motorcycles waved and greeted us as well. This never happened in Thailand once. I am looking forward to understanding the people and culture here more deeply, they seem very sweet. Now, the most shocking first impression of Laos was that next to every Laos flag there was the hammer and sickle flag, a known symbol of communism. Laos is one of the few remaining communist states in the world, governed by the Lao People's Revolutionary Party since 1975. The hammer and sickle here is used to emphasize the nation's commitment to its socialist principles. Here is a brief modern history of Laos. In the late 19th century Laos became part of French Indochina, alongside Vietnam and Cambodia. France established control over Laos in 1893, using it primarily as a buffer against British expansion in SE Asia. Laos gained independent from France in 1953 and established a monarchy, the Kingdom of Laos. However, the country was drawn into the Cold War, with the US and USSR supporting rival factions within the country. During this time the monarchy struggled to maintain control and communist insurgents, led by the Pathet Lao, gained strength from support from China and North Vietnam. Laos became heavily involved in the Vietnam Was due to its location along the Ho Chi Minh Trail. In 1975 after the US withdrawal from Vietnam, the Pathet Lao seized power, overthrowing the monarchy and declaring a communist state. Until today, the government tightly controls political expression, media and opposition. Laos faces issues like poverty, corruption and over reliance on foreign investment from China. I am excited to explore this country, its people and its roots for the next couple of weeks. Now to give Thailand its roses. My month in Thailand was amazing filled with so many different things. My highlights are: training Muay Thai, snorkeling in Koh Tao, NYE with Zach and Jacob, motorbike ride to Chiang Dao, and tubing in Pai. I definitely want to return to Thailand, specifically to explore the North and off-the-beaten path places along the Mekong River. The lowlights include: over-tourism in southern Thailand, lack of real Thai culture, lack of welcoming spirit from the locals. Laos is the first country I will be entering as a solo traveller and I am excited to go with the flow, meet new people, and get lost a little bit. Khớp khun kap Thailand and Sabaidee Laos!

Today marks four months of my trip and two weeks of solo traveling! Wow I am so grateful for this amazing experience. Honestly the past two weeks solo traveling has been some of my favorite of the whole trip. I've met so many cool, new people and really love the north of Thailand. It's so interesting how I did not like the south of Thailand due to the type of people it attracted but the north attracts much more like minded people to me. I believe it is due to the nature aspect and more adventurous things to do. In Chiang Rai I have a great, social hostel. Choosing the right hostel really can make or break the experience of a city. Today I had a very very chill day. I worked out in the morning and figured out my plans for Laos. I learned today that some counties in Southeast Asia need printed visa photos. I went and got my photo taken for the Laos visa. The guy who took my pictures gave me a package for Vietnam and Cambodia visa too. Different countries have different visa photo dimension requirements. I never knew this. In the afternoon I was about to walk to the blue temple alone. While I was leaving I ran into a Dutch girl I met in Pai who was checking into my same hostel. I waited for her and we went to a sunset spot where there were sheep grazing about! It was nice. After watching the sunset we ran into a group from our hostel. A French couple, two Germans and an American. We all went to the blue temple which was beautiful and super abstract. After the blue temple the hostel had karaoke night at Chiang Rai social club. I sang Despacito, chicken fried, and good 4 you. I love karaoke and a little known fact about me is I've sang karaoke in many countries! Iceland live performance, South Korea, Japan and now Thailand! Tomorrow I am going to make my way towards Laos. Instead of booking a tour company to pick me up and organize the slow boat, me and some people from the hostel are going to try and figure it out ourselves at the border. We will take a two day trip down the Mekong river from the Laos border to the main city of Luang Prabang. I am so stoked for Laos. It is going to be the first country wining I will travel completely, from top to bottom. It is also the first country of the trip which I will be entering as a solo traveller. I'm feeling on fire in my travels and want to keep going and finding awesome adventurous. Four months down, who knows how many to go!

Today is Monday January 20th here in Chiang Rai, Thailand. I woke up at 6:15 AM to take a 7 hour bus to the northeaster city of Chiang Rai. I will be here a couple days before preparing to take a three day journey to Laos via the slow boat on the Mekong River. Yesterday, my last day in Pai, was nice and relaxing. I took a motorbike to the bamboo bridge with my friend Ben and we found a cool Chai Tea house on the way. The owners were lovely and warm. The lady running the tea house just finished making a bracelet and I bought it from her. It feels good and I enjoy supporting local businesses and crafts. Having drove my a bunch of rice farms in Pai I became curious about the mechanics of rice farming. At this time and season the majority of the rice farms are flooded. Flooding rice farms is a traditional agriculture practice to suppress weeds and manage pests. Also, rice plants are semi-aquatic and thrive in water-saturated soil. Flooding ensures the soil remains soft and nutrient-rich. This facilitates root development and nutrient absorption. I hope to volunteer on a rice farm in either Laos or Vietnam. I am really excited for Laos. I was doing some research on the country today which I will briefly share now, and will share more in depth later. Laos is pronounced "Lao" rhymes with "cow" without the "s" sounds. The "s" in English spelling comes from the French colonial influence. Another interesting fact is that more than two million tons of cluster bombs were dropped on Laos during the Vietnam war, making Laos the most heavily bombed country in history per capita. During the Vietnam war, North Vietnam used parts of Lao to create the Ho Chi Minh Trail, a critical supply route for moving troops and supplies to South Vietnam. The US heavily bombed Lao to disrupt these supply lines. As of 2023, the US has contributed over $355 million since 1995 to help support clearance of unexploded bombs in Lao. Even today there are so many bombs in Lao which are dormant and have not exploded, making it very dangerous to the people and visitors. I will explore the government of Lao as I get closer to going to the country and its history as well. Oh also today on the drive in I visited the famous White Temple here in Chiang Rai. I was actually really excited to see it because I have seen beautiful pictures on the internet of this famous temple for many years. It was a quick stop but it was beautiful. Enjoy the pictures!

It's Saturday morning here in Pai. Yesterday I participated in the famous jungle tubing here. There were over 500 people where you each get a tube, hop in the river and go to three different bars. It was a lot of fun and a good way to meet some cool people. Another crazy occurrence happened. Before I got in the river I noticed a familiar face who was working the event. I was not completely sure if it was who I was thinking because it was so outlandish but it was worth a shot. It turns out it was who I thought it was, a guy named Charlie from the UK who I met trekking in Manang on the Annapurna Circuit in Nepal! A month ago we were in the middle of the Himalayas, some of the only people there, and now he was volunteering for the jungle tubing in Pai. It is so crazy how this world works! He recognized me and we shared some laughs. The jungle tubing took all day, from 11:30 in the morning until 6:30 at night. When I returned I changed and rushed to Chabad for Shabbat. I made it just in time and met a girl from London who made aliyah a couple years ago who was pretty cool. After Chabad I went out on the town with a friend I met at the jungle tubing. I have been meeting a lot of cool people in the week and a half time I've been solo traveling. I still feel like there is a lot of room to grow and be more outgoing though. I need to actively interact with people who I typically would not to get outside of my comfort zone and learn more. In the afternoon of Saturday I rented a scooter and drove to a waterfall with some friends I have met around town. We chilled in the nature and went in the cold water of the falls. After the waterfall we went to a beautiful sunset spot called "Two Huts" to watch the sunset. There was incredible live music and good drinks. I bought a small canvas and painting kit and painted the amazing scenery around me. It was abstract art since I am not the best drawer. Someone told me before I got to Pai is that Pai is a very easy place to exist freely and that is why people fall in love with the place and stay so long. It is true, you can wake up and be in incredible nature, be surrounded by laid back people and explore the little town. If you stay long you really can integrate into the community here. The people I have been hanging out here in Pai have been younger Europeans, either in uni or just about to start. They are a lot more mature than most Americans who are between the ages of 18 and 22. They still possess that childlike energy and free spirit nature. They reminded me when I was 19 and studying abroad in Lyon. I was fiery and energetic attacking every new experience with eagerness and novelty. Now being older, more travelled and more mature, that has faded. There are pros and cons to that energy. It is imperative as a leader of men to hold myself at a different standard as I have said before while still never losing that playful energy to bring light and love into the world. It is a hard to balance these two powers but I think with more focus and work I can do it.

USA USA USA! It is Friday morning in Pai. It is a little chilly and foggy which makes it a good time for my thought to flow. I feel it is important to comment on a subject which has come up so much in my travels, the United States of America. Before my travels, living in the US my entire life, I was becoming quite pessimistic about America and all its social problems. However now, after talking to many Europeans and Australians while seeing the world, I might be the biggest American patriot out there! Let me tell you why. I was always uninterested in politics, not really understanding the effects or why people were so obsessed with it. I naturally distanced myself because of the fanaticism politics breeds in America. I first realized the huge effects of politics in Africa. Since Africa is so corrupt, and the government steals all of the money from the people, the society is completely fractured and social and economic problems start bubbling. I learned from this how important it is to live in a democracy. As time went on throughout my travels I have talked to a lot of British, Australians, and Western Europeans. It amazed me how they seem to trash America and say how it is a negative place for the world. Let me provide an example. Last night I was talking with a German and a Danish girl. They start with the common complaints I hear all the time. "Oh the US is bad because health care is so expensive" and "a single mother who works so hard can't afford basic goods". I start by explaining the framework of American politics and society which is so foreign to the European society. In Europe the system is quasi-socialist, where people sacrifice personal liberties and money for the wealth of all. This can work for small countries and has benefits and drawbacks. However, the USA was built upon a system where there is the most class mobility in the world. Some people win big, and others can lose big, and you just have to accept that. I explain how it is still the best place in the world to make money, has the best healthcare in the world albeit expensive, and the most free. The Europeans moan about all the social problems and ALWAYS dismiss the economic prosperity of the US which has brought protection to Europe and the whole world. If the US did not have a thriving economy and military Europe could be overrun. So in this conversation I posited that Europe is on a downward trajectory while the US is on an upward trajectory and it almost broke their minds. They said how can that be if Donald Trump is president blah blah blah and we have free health care and social services. I said the EU is in economic decline, Germany's economy shrunk for the second time in 2 years! I said Germany used to be a car manufacturing hub, fueling their economy and prosperity and now it is shrinking with tons of immigrants and social problems. The German girl literally said, we do not need to sell cars, we can sell bicycles it is better for the environment! I laughed in her face and needed to teach her basic economics 101. You must transfer goods in exchange for money or services to grow your economy. If your country is not making money, the people will not be able to live due to the inability to get good paying jobs in a world of growing expenses. But they have free healthcare! I realized from this that I believe social prosperity comes from economic success, while the European mind is willing to sacrifice personal freedoms and the economy for short term social gains. In the long run I think the social problems will accelerate in Europe, as they already are, due to economic decline. Also without a striving economy you can't build a good military. Europe is lucky the US will protect their ass. Now the other thing that surprised me are the Australians. The Australians are super liberal. I talked with an Australian guy about aboriginals and he says "Australia is a very racist country we have done so much wrong…" In Australia there is this song/saying called the "Welcome to Country" which they say when plane lands and at sporting events which thanks the aboriginals and acknowledges them as the custodians of the land! Honestly I have been shocked how little I can connect with the Australians and western europeans. This just comes down to the basic worldview and value system. I am going to continue learning about geopolitics, mostly through the lens of economics. Now a treatise on Pai. Pai is a city made solely for backpackers. It is small with narrow streets and cool cafes. Everyone here is mostly a young backpacker. I think over 50% of the people here are Israeli. It is known for good nature and hippy vibes. There are shrooms shops, ecstatic dance events, breath work and cold plunges. It is a little too hippy for me at the start. I look forward to training more Muay Thai, doing a hike, and enjoying the nature.

Wow, today was one of the best days of my entire trip. This is going to be a behemoth post with narration, side tangents, and more. I woke up in the morning with a plan to motorbike to the local village of Chiang Dao. I did not have a motorbike reserved or accommodation in Chiang Dao at the start of the day. I really wanted to lean into the backpacker lifestyle of not planning and figuring everything out on the fly. I heard about the village of Chiang Dao from an Israeli on the beaches of Koh Tao a month ago. This is the coolest thing about traveling, you meet people along the way who give you secret tips and recommendations. So I woke up, packed my bags and walked the old town of Chiang Mai. I had a motorbike shop in mind I passed the other day so I checked there first. I expected them to say they were sold out but luckily they had just what I needed. I rented a 125 cc motorbike for 250 bhat a day. That is a pretty good deal being that most bikes go for 350. Another fun part about traveling is finding the deals and not just settling for the first price you see. You must accumulate various data points to make an educated decision about what a fair price is in the country that you are. Even though the difference between two shops might be a dollar, it is all about playing the game and feel like you are winning with the deal and not getting "ripped off" as a foreigner. I rented the bike from Chiang Dao and drove about an hour north to Buatong waterfall, or the sticky waterfall. Now remember I do not have cellular connection so I put the destination in on my maps before with wifi and hopped that the maps did not glitch. At first getting out of Chiang Mia was hectic, but once I got to the countryside it was amazing. I drove past a beautiful flower garden and saw the largest, most amazing sunflowers of my life. I realized from this that I am a flower guy. The colors are so amazing and really pop. This is another huge plus about traveling, stumbling across random, local spots on the journey. It really is about the journey, not the destination. I rode my motorbike pretty fast, feeling the wind and feeling free. I feel so blessed and lucky to be doing this on a Tuesday afternoon instead of being stuck in an office somewhere. Side note, is that you are supposed drive these motorbikes with an international drivers license. People have been telling me that there are checkpoints where cops stop and check you for your license and if you do not have one you pay a 500 bhat ticket. I was prepared to pay since it is relatively cheap and I do not have n international license but I took certain precautions. First I dressed in long pants and long sleeve. One, because it is cold, and two so they could not tell I was white. I picked a helmet with a face shield as well to obscure my identity further. I even drove with my backpack on the floor board instead of on my back to make me look like a real Thai biker. Anyway, I arrived safely at the sticky waterfall in about an hour. The sticky waterfall is known for, thats right, being sticky. You can climb the waterfall without slipping. The waterfall contains high concentration of calcium carbonate! As the water flows over rocks it deposits a layer of limestone on their surface, creating a rough textured coating that provides excellent grip. It was a cool experience and I climbed up four different waterfalls. I went to take out my phone to take a picture and I ended up dropping my phone 20 meters down a waterfall. My phone slid all the way down and landed in a huge puddle of water. I was prepared for it to be totally broken, scratched, cracked, or won't turn on. It turned out completely fine! Everything is water proof these days. After about an hour at the sticky waterfall I headed another hour north to Chiang Dao. I had no idea what to expect. The night before I found a homestay on booking.com that had good reviews. I decided not to book it online so I could give the host cash directly instead of the booking.com taking a cut. I made my way safely to Chiang Dao and came across the Tong Family homestay. When I arrived, the lady working there said they were fully booked! I was sad and prepared to find another place or drive back to Chiang Mai worst case scenario. Right as I was about to leave an older lady who spoke no English at all told me to come, waving at me crazily. I followed her to a room with 8 mattresses next to each other on the ground. She quickly made room and another mattress for me. I was confused if I was supposed to stay or leave. I waited around and got some clarity when the owner of the place, Tong returned. She told me she is totally booked but her mother, the older lady, does not know how to say no to people. Therefore she nicely allowed me to stay and make an exception. That was so nice of her. There was only one other guy there while this fiasco was going down. A mid to late 30 year old Turkish guy named Guvon. We talked about travel and life. He has been traveling for 8 years! He loves trekking and rock climbing and told me some stories. We talked about the politics of Turkey. He told me the people are split 50/50 on the government and the two sides hate each other. He also told me about the many ethnic groups in Turkey which I was not aware of. It is a very ethnically diverse country. After talking with him for a solid two hours I decided to take my motorbike and explore the town. This is when I became so amazed and fell in love with Chiang Dao. I drove through small side streets and authentic villages with beautiful nature. A great mountain was in the backdrop of the village and the flora and fauna was so nice. There were various glamping spots, a youth hostel and a very nice river flowing through the town. I sat by the river for a little bit because I love the sound of running water. After exploring the town I came back on my motorbike before the family dinner. Tong goes to the market and cooks her guests dinner every night. When I returned the rest of the guests were there and heading to a new location. Supposedly Tong, the owner of the homestay, owns another house up the hill and is renting it to a foreign guy who wanted to host a BBQ. So me and the 8 other guests from the homestay walked 15 minutes to a beautiful, stunning property overlooking the mountain. At this time something crazy happened. I recognized a guy I met at a hostel in Pokhara, Nepal at the same homestay! I met this guy, American jewish Nathan from Colorado in Nepal after the Annapurna circuit. We had a nice 30 minute conversation and that was it. Now in the small village of Chiang Dao he was there too! It was so crazy. We talked about our last month and what each other have been up to. At the BBQ I met the other guests of the homestay. There were a lot of interesting people. What I like about traveling is that you meet and talk to people you typically would not go out of your way to interact with. For example a Canadian girl who lives in London works at the Globe Theatre and told me really good tips about south Thailand lowkey spots. There was a cool Belgian guy, an older Israeli woman, and a Swedish girl too. At the dinner I started to reflect what makes this experience unique. First, the type of people that this place of Chiang Dao attracts is way different than a hostel in Chiang Mai for example. Chiang Dao is very nature oriented, nothing to do, off the beaten path. All the people I met in Chiang Dao were older and very adventurous. This differs from everyone who I met in Chiang Mai was younger and just wanted to party. It cemented the fact that there are so many ways to travel and I want to be the nature adventurer kind of traveller. This sometimes means skipping "known" destinations for something cool and lowkey. I need to prioritize this moving forward. The older people know how to travel slowly and more adventurous. Everyone there either had done a crazy trek, meditation retreat, or has some cool hobby. Also the host of the homestay was amazing. Having a nice host which creates a sense of community and welcoming is so nice. I was blown away by the serendipitous nature of the evening. I learned so much and really enjoyed myself. I felt like I leveled up as a traveller due to not booking anything, motorbiking through the countryside of Thailand, and finding this group of well travelled people. Like I already said I must become this type of traveller moving forward more fully. Seek the adventure, nature, and go to hard to reach places. After dinner around 2230 Nathan and I went to the hot springs. As you may know, I love hot springs. These hot springs were so incredible. It was free and there were about 10 areas you can sit in very hit sulphur water right next to a cold running river. You could do hot cold therapy! It was right by the homestay too! Nathan and I talked about American Jewry and Israel. When we returned from the hot spring Guvon and a British guy were making a fire and invited us to join. I stayed for a little but got tired. I went to bed in the 8 person room with mattresses on the floor with everyone next to each other. Finally I want to comment on what makes Chiang Dao special, why I fell in love with it, and possible improvements. Firstly, the remote and authentic nature of the place. It was not overcrowded or filled with tourists. Second, the nature and the peacefulness of the city. Third, sufficient activities like the hot springs and caves. Fourth is that there is coffee shops and food infrastructure, but not enough. I really wanted to stay another night and get into a routine but I had to get back to Chiang Mai to catch a bus to Pai on Thursday. I could have seen myself there for a few days, waking up, going to the hot springs, reading my book, and doing yoga in the beautiful nature. To make the place even better I wish it was more walkable and more food options and had a city center. Also I finalized that Thai people do not have that much culture. It was an authentic town but the Thai people are not overwhelmingly unique or filled with culture. The owner of the homestay was Shan, the biggest minority in Myanmar. Since she is from Myanmar it proved that the stay was not even real Thai culture. I want to find laces like this in Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Philippines, and Japan where you really feel a part of their community and culture. This is really lacking in Thailand. Overall it was a magical time and I wished I could stay longer. In February every year they have a festival called Shambhala in your hearts. It came from Japan and is all about community and sharing. Hopefully in the future I can return to this beautiful place and find more like it.

I woke up early this morning just to watch the Tampa Bay Buccaneers lose :( It was a pretty lazy day with the highlight being trying acupuncture for the first time. I got some needles in my left hip and shoulder and laid down for 30 minutes. I felt some relief after but nothing crazy. I guess since not much happened today I can summarize an interesting physics video I watched. Space and time are not fundamental aspects of reality. That is a scary thing to come to terms with. I will explain now why space and time emerge from some deep reality, and are not a fundamental aspect of the universe. The Heisenberg uncertainty principle states that that the more precisely you try to measure a particle's position the less precisely you can know its momentum and vice versa. Also, we know that particles behave like waves, according to the wave-particle duality theory, they exhibit both features simultaneously. Next, a particles momentum is inversely related to its wavelength according to the de Broglie equation. Combining these three ideas together, to investigate small regions of space (small particles), you need shorter wavelengths. Shorter wavelengths correspond to higher momentums. Higher momentums correspond to higher energies. This is why The Large Hadron Collider in Switzerland accelerates particles to near the speed of light, imparting immense energy to investigate the smallest particles in the world. In conclusion, to probe a small region of space you need a lot of energy. Now, the problem is we live in a world with gravity. In our world if you put so much energy into a small region of space, you collapse that region into a black hole. This happens at the Planck length. If you put more energy into the region you create an even bigger black hole! This means there is no operational way of giving meaning to small distances and times due to gravity. If we cannot define any operations at such small distances, it must mean the concepts of space and time are approximate. Space and time are not the "realest" forms of reality! Ok here is another scary thing. The universe was found to be accelerating away from us. That means there are some things in the universe we will never see because the light will never reach us, due to the acceleration. Everything that we see now is all we will ever see, a finite sliver of the universe. Ok enough physics talk. Tomorrow I am going to hopefully go to a local village called Chiang Dao. I will motorbike there and stop off at some waterfalls along the way. I am looking forward to an authentic Thai village and maybe will find a homestay with a local family. Lastly, it is important to find what energizes you and how to stay the most energized throughout the day. It starts with good sleep. You cannot put your best foot forward and be the most present f you are groggy and tired.

Wow this was one of my favorite mornings yet of the whole trip. I finally got an alright night of sleep and felt well rested. As you may know, my favorite activity of traveling is wandering a new city and side streets. Being in the touristy hot sun of the south of Thailand this was impossible. However here in Chiang Mai, it hit the spot. The city has great weather and quiet side streets where you stumble upon random temples and have nobody else around. I woke up and found a temple to meditate in. I was still a little distracted but it felt better than it has in a while. I found a nice local cafe with nice Thai milk tea. Chiang Mai has a much more authentic feel, with locals actually hanging out. There are a lot of backpackers but you can find pockets where you feel alone in real Thai culture. I found cool narrow side alleys and stumbled upon a book shop. I bought two new books that I am excited about. After loving "The Black Tulip" by Alexandre Dumas I bought his most famous work, "The Three Musketeers". I also bought a Russian historical fiction novel by Dostoevsky named "Devils". I talked to an older American gentleman in the book shop. He recommended I go to Nan and see the Mekong River village towns. It is a lot more rustic and authentic feel. He told me that "those who know what enough is rich". He lamented over the drive for continuous accumulation of money, and how people can never get enough. People worship money in the US and it is sad. The rest of the day I plan on working out, getting a massage, and going to the Sunday Street market.

I can do anything I want. I could go home tomorrow if I wanted. I could fly to South America and find a tribe in the Amazon. It is wild to think of the sheer freedom I have. It I'd powerful. But too often I get too caught up on my "planned route" and think of rushing through it just to hit places. As I start to travel alone I need to make sure I take the learnings from the last three months and slow down, integrate, and find a nice routine. I caught the local bus to the airport today. At the hostel it said it would be outside a Lorena restaurant at 1300. I got there around 12:56 and it pulled up right as I got there. If I was there a minute later I could've missed my flight. I had an awful night of sleep. Since leaving Zach now I am sleeping in hostel dorms. More times than not there is a person who snores, called a snorlax. Last night was one of the worst I've ever seen with the guy in the bunk above me snoring very loudly without stop. I barely slept and at 5am had to go to the lobby to try and sleep. I actually haven't had a good night sleep since Tuesday and it's throwing me off. Choosing a good hostel is a tough skill.

I woke up today in Khao Sok and went to the restaurant I had dinner last night for breakfast. I had a Thai omelette and a passionfruit juice. I had time to kill before my 11:20 bus to Khoa Lake so I watched a Harvard graduate quantum mechanics lecture which I will describe in a later post. Instead of staying around the National Park for another day and night, I found the small town of Khoa Lak as a way to split up the driving time to Phuket airport. I went to the bus station but my bus was delayed an hour. I went to another cafe to get wifi and order a Thai milk tea. The bus came around 12:30, an hour and a half late. The bus ride was easy and I arrived in Khao Lan around 14:30. I walked 20 minutes in the killer heat to my hostel because the five minute taxi was too much money. At my hostel I worked to revamp my website, putting in a lot of time and effort with Grok. At 1600 I went to train Muay Thai. I could not get a taxi so I asked the hostel worker to take me. She kindly drove me for free, even though I offered to pay. I had the most technical Muay Thai training yet. I trained 1-1 with an instructor. He told me how to angle my foot when I step forward before a bench, the proper angle to throw an elbow, and really helped correct my kicks. Before my kicks I would lean over and not have my leg completely straight. In Muay Thai you want to stand up straight and kick with the leg completely straight, which is a lot harder than it looks. I sparred boxing with a Canadian guy and got bopped in the head a couple times. He was good at getting punch combos to catch my guard down. After the 2 hour class I decided to buy a shirt from the gym since it was a nice gym, good class, and a solid shirt design. If you know e you know I am a sucker for a nice unique local cool shirt. Not much else I need to mention about the day. Khao Lak is a cool coastal town. It is still touristy but a lot more low key and authentic. Tomorrow night I head to the north of Thailand to leave the beach for some mountains.

Okay chemistry time! I used to be very good at chemistry in high school so this was nostalgic to go through this process. Let's talk about limestone since the cool cliffs in Khao Sok National Park are made of limestone. Limestone primarily consists of calcium carbonate (CaCO3), thought it can contain other minerals too. In the carbonate ion (CO3)2-, carbon uses sp2 hybridization to form three sigma bonds with oxygen. This means the carbon atom mixes one s orbital and two p atomic orbitals to form three equivalent hybrid orbitals. Due to this hybridization of the orbitals, the three oxygen atoms are arraigned in a trigonal planar fashion at 120 degrees around the carbon atom. The hybridization allows the carbon atom to form 3 sigma bonds to the oxygens, the strongest type of covalent chemical bond. Next, the carbonate ion exists in a state of resonance, there is not a single, static structure of the ion. Instead, its structure can be represented in three different ways, where the electrons are delocalized over the ion. The electrons are spread out or 'delocalized' over all three oxygen atoms, making all the C-O bonds identical in nature, neither fully single nor fully double but something in between, often described as 1.33 bonds All C-O bonds are the same length, which is longer than a typical C=O double bond but shorter than a C-O single bond, reflecting their intermediate character. Cool, now this was just about the how carbon bonds to the three oxygen molecules. Next, each oxygen molecule has two lone pairs of electrons. After forming three sigma bonds with its sp2 hybrid orbitals, the carbon atom has one p orbital left that is unhybridized. The unhybridized p orbital on carbon then can overlap with the p orbitals ( the two lone pairs of electrons) of the oxygen atoms. These p orbitals from oxygen and carbon overlap side-to-side (not head-on like sigma bonds), forming pi (π) bonds.The electrons in this unhybridized p orbital, along with the additional electrons from the ion's charge, contribute to a delocalized pi system. This system allows the electrons to resonate across the entire molecule, giving all C-O bonds their partial double bond character.. In summary, sp2 hybridization sets up the geometry and bonding framework for CO₃²⁻, allowing for the formation of a pi system. Resonance is then the phenomenon where the electrons in this pi system are not fixed but are delocalized across the molecule, leading to the observed properties of the carbonate ion. Now calcite is the most common form of limestone. Calcite has a rhombohedral crystal system, specifically a form of trigonal symmetry. Calcite crystallizes in a structure where each calcium ion (Ca²⁺) is surrounded by six oxygen atoms from carbonate ions in a slightly distorted octahedral geometry. This is due to the way carbonate anions (CO₃²⁻) are arranged in layers. The bonds in calcite are ionic between calcium and carbonate but covalent as discussed within the carbonate ion. Lastly, the limestone cliffs of Khao Sok can get their beautiful jagged features because Calcite's rhombohedral cleavage can lead to interesting patterns where layers might separate or fracture in a visually appealing manner, especially under the influence of tectonic forces or erosion. Also, the chemical properties driven by the carbonate ion's geometry enable limestone to dissolve in slightly acidic water, forming caves! I just returned from a 2 day 1 night jungle floating bungalow stay in Khao Sok National Park. I was on a tour with about 60 people where we went on boating safaris, caving, jungle trekking, kayaking and a stay on a floating bungalow. A quick history on the area. Khao Sok is one of the oldest rainforests in the world, dating back 160 million years. The iconic limestone cliffs predate the jungle, dating back around 250 million years. Over time, tectonic movements caused the limestone to uplift above sea level. The formations were shaped into towering cliffs and ridges by geological processes. In the 1980s, the construction of the Ratchaprapha Dam created Cheow Lan Lake within Khao Sok National Park. The dam was built for hydroelectric power generation, and the lake flooded a large valley, submerging forests and lowland areas. I arrived at Cheow Lan Lake and boarded a long boat. The scenes were stunning and I felt like I was in a scene of Avatar. The limestone cliffs were covered in green brush, it made me think about the amazingness of nature and rocks. There is no way this is all entropy, right? In a separate post I am going to explore the chemistry of limestone because I think it is fascinating. We drove around the lake for a while and took a 20 minute pitstop at diamond cave. It was a really dark and authentic cave with nice stalactites and stalagmites. After the cave the group and myself went to check in to our floating bungalows. I stayed in a room with two other solo travelers, Joel from Sweden and Carl from Ireland. The room was tiny and solely had three mattresses on the floor. We got to get to know each other and hopped in the water to cool off. Around 1600 we went to the jungle trek. We saw otters, monkeys, and the biggest spider I have ever seen in my life. It was nice but I was quite tired from a long day in the sun and a shitty night sleep in my hostel. In the evening I ate dinner and chatted with a cool couple, Marcello and Margarita from Northern Italy. They gave me some recommendations such as the Similian Islands in Thailand, where you camp on the beach with a local tribe. Joel also gave me some recommendations about Laos and Cambodia, highlighting a motorbike loop in central Laos and the islands of Koh Rong in Southern Cambodia. After, Carl and I talked about geopolitics, tech, and traveling. Carl is also an electrical engineer who worked at Intel in Ireland, but was fed up with the office life, like me. He quit his job to travel the world for 10 months and found a passion in emergency medicine. We talked about both fields and the lifestyles that come with it. He told me about the history of Ireland which is very interesting. I would like to go to Ireland, but unfortunately they are anti-Israel. I asked him if it was true and he said yes, because Ireland used to be "occupied" they sympathize with the Palestinian cause. Another interesting topic was the EU Apple Ireland Tax Case. Ireland has an outstanding corporate tax of 12.5%, which attracts tons of American companies and tech companies to have European HQs in Ireland. Ireland is a part of the EU and in 2016 the EU investigated Apple over not paying enough tax to Ireland. The case was Ireland and Apple against the EU. In the end the EU ruled Apple needed to pay Ireland 13 million Euros, even though Ireland was on Apple's side! Now Ireland does not know what to do or how to distribute the money since they did not even want it! We also talked about Irish pub culture and American sports, it was very nice. I realized and reaffirmed through this I typically connect with older people since they typically have more depth and interesting stories than people my age. In the middle of the night I got up to pee and the sky was covered with the brightest stars I have ever seen. It was so clear and felt so close. Every single spot in the sky had a star, I had never seen the sky so full! In the morning today we woke up early and did another boat safari. We saw some more monkeys and otters. I fly to Chiang Mai Saturday night so will take the next days to chill and prepare for the next leg!

It is time! The second half started today. Zach left for the airport early in the morning. I woke up and said our goodbyes and wished each other well. Even though it was 7 am it still hit me, I alone now. I went to bed a little longer and then met up with my friend Jacob. Jacob and I had breakfast and I asked him about his takeaways from his Thailand trip. We also said our goodbyes before I took my van towards Khao Sok National Park. In the van to Khao Sok I researched many topics. Should I write about economics or physics today? Let's go with economics since I learned some interesting stuff. I chatted with a very smart man, well versed in the socioeconomics of Asia. I told him about how Bhutan is looking to revolutionize their economy and explore a digital revolution. He gave me pros and cons of Bhutan but ultimately said that "plans are good, but they are not the same as abilities" I have come across this idea many times on my journey. Investors want to see real data and ways to get their money back, not just pretty pictures and qualitative descriptions. The proof is in the numbers they say. Bhutan has a GDP per capita of 3000 USD, adjusted for purchasing parity it is 3-4 times bigger. Purchasing parity is an economic theory used to compare the relative value of currencies by exempting the cost of a standard basket of goods in different countries. It adjusts for price level differences, providing a more accurate measure of the economic productivity and living standards between nations. For example, if a basket of goods costs $100 in the US and 2,000 Ngultrum in Bhutan, the purchasing parity is 2000/100 ‎ = 20 BTN/USD. The purchasing power rate indicates how much of one currency are equivalent to the other in terms of purchasing power. Now, if the nominal exchange rate is 80 BTN per USD, but the PPP rate is 20 BTN/USD, it suggests that goods are relatively cheaper in Bhutan. The discrepancy indicates that the Bhutanese currency is undervalued, as it takes more BTN to purchase a US dollar on the foreign exchange market. When GDP per capita is higher when adjusted for purchasing power parity compared to nominal it suggests price levels are lower domestically. Also, Bhutan's GDP is heavily reliant on non-tradable sectors like tourism. Since there are not a lot of exports, Bhutan generates limited foreign currency, which keeps the nominal value of its currency low relative to major currencies. Finally Bhutan is now deeply integrated into global trade and financial systems which limits demand of the Ngultrum internally. Nominal value of the exchange rate reflects international perceptions of the economy, not the actual purchasing power in Bhutan. Overall the important takeaway is that purchasing power parity compared to (PPP) adjusts the raw economic numbers to reflect purchasing power, giving a clearer picture of economic well being. Also, I never thought about how doing more international business creates a demand for a country's currency, thus raising the nominal value. An example of an overvalued currency where the nominal exchange rate is higher than the PPP is the Swiss Franc. Another big takeaway from the conversation I had was the growth of Vietnam. I have heard backpackers say Vietnam is their favorite country for the culture and nature, but now I am hearing the economy is on a great trajectory. Even though the government calls themselves communist, there are plans in motion for it to become an international financial hub. if that is the case money will flock there, like in UAE and Singapore. Anyway I am here in Khoa Sok a national park north of Phuket. I will be doing a jungle safari and staying on a floating bungalow in an emerald lake tomorrow. I look forward to being back in nature and hopefully it is not too touristy. I came to Khoa Sok without booking an excursion but found one through my hostel. Hopefully it is good!

A treatise on Thai culture. I have been in south Thailand for about three weeks now and have begun to make some conclusions on Thai people and culture. Firstly, Thailand is a tourist playground. It is cheap and the sites are beautiful. Thailand is also extremely safe. There is no petty or severe crime that I have witnessed or heard of. That being said, Thailand is effectively a lawless country. There are weed shops on every corner and blatant prostitution that attempts to hide behind massage parlors. It is interesting that with such little police enforcement that the country is so safe. It could be due to the historical peaceful buddhist culture. However, currently, Thailand is not a religious country whatsoever. Muay Thai is a big part of the culture here too, with many fights occurring almost every day. I have used these past three weeks as a sort of "half time" to my trip. This is because I have been in very touristy destinations where families are on vacation rather than rugged backpacker spots off the grid. Also it is because these are the last few weeks Zach and I will be together. Tomorrow I will start the second half of the trip, going by myself and back into the lands less explored and touched by tourists. The first half was filled with such adventure, I will need to find new and exciting ways to travel alone throughout the second half. Honestly I do not care to "sight see" or see more beautiful beaches. I want to be immersed in culture, learn about people and history and the future, and continue to do adventurous challenging things. A part of being more present requires not planning too much in the future. I do not want to book hostels or a route until the day before or day of. This will allow me to be flexible while present. I do have a route in mind though I will share now. I will go to the north of Thailand and then enter Laos. From Laos I will work south and go through Cambodia. From Cambodia I will enter and explore Vietnam. After Vietnam it is possible I will go to the Philippines, China, Indonesia, Australia, and more. This afternoon Zach and I recapped the past 3.5 months together. We told each other our biggest takeaways, our favorite parts, and the most important learnings. We both agreed Nepal was our favorite country. We also agreed smaller more off the grid experiences, like Diani Beach are the best kind. we both agreed we are more grounded and appreciative for our upbringing then ever, but still stay committed to the spiritual path. It was crazy to reflect on this amazing trip together and our past trips too.

We live in a disposable generation. The term coined by the esteemed Rabbi Yossi of Miami Ohio made me think about my generation and the various issues we face. While walking to Freedom Beach today I noticed a couple of holes in my shirt. My first instinct was to throw it out and get a new one. However I was stopped by thoughts of the disposable generation. Gen Z, for lack of a better word, is so quick to dispose of something in replace of a newer thing. People tend to think newer is directly correlated to better. This can range from material possessions all the way to relationships. Our generation was bombarded with so much data, so many options, from such a young age. People have therefore been programmed to always jump to the next, coolest thing. The idea of the disposable generation is clearly linked with instant gratification. Gen Z is much less willing to invest in long term wins, but instead want quick gratification, even at the means of disposing of something great. This is a huge problem. It may be the biggest problem we face because it manifests itself in various aspects of society. When something seems broken, people are too quick to throw it out instead of working and fixing it. This can be seen at work, friendships, relationships, etc. It is critical for the development of adult men and women to learn to work and build something they started. The grass is not always greener on the other side they say. Now, I recently talked with my dear friend Mendy Plotkin about the idea of presence. Gen Z also faces a presence crisis. At social events people are seen on their phones and instead of enjoying a concert people are always taking pictures and videos. I believe this is related to the disposable generation. If the most important moment of your life is the present, then you are working and building this moment with all your might. However if you are always waiting for the next experience or too busy reminiscing on the past, you throw away the present. Now I want to apply these ideas to my life philosophy. As stated throughout my posts, I want to build something great I can pass down to the future generation. To be able to be a man of a great empire you must invest vigorously in the present and build off of the foundations that were previously set for you. Even if one lego falls while you are building a mighty castle, it does not mean you should start over, but rather find a new way to continue to build onward and upward. Here is to radical presence.

Happy New Year! A couple days ago I met up with my friend Jacob from Dallas. He is here in Thailand traveling on vacation. Four months ago we talked about meeting up here and I am very happy and grateful that our plans worked out. Last night Zach Jacob and I went to the famous full moon party on Haad Rin Beach. First of all Haad Rin Beach is such a beautiful beach. It is about a 1.5 km beach that is super wide and surrounded by mountains on both sides. I started thinking about the criteria which makes a beach great. Depth of sand, quality of sand, color of water, surrounding fauna...As I mentioned earlier I have barely drank or gone out at all on this trip so I was skeptical at first if this world famous Full moon party would be fun. Typically the party only occurs on the full moon, but they put on a special edition for the new year. Long story short it lived up to the hype and was really fun. There were so many different genres of music you can listen to in different areas and walk around the whole beach. It was almost like a small little city. There were over 5000 people for sure. I jumped a rope burning with fire and got burnt a little. There were various activities and things to do. Now that being said, I do not like partying much. Typically the type of people partying attracts are not the ones you want to be surrounded with for growth. To grow into a true respected man you have to distinguish yourself as distinct from the herd with immoveable values. In 2025 I really intend to cut out drinking and going out for the health and growth reasons. In 2024 I believe I was really good at this as well and want to keep it up as I continue to level up. Today I just finished reading my book The Black Tulip, by Alexandre Dumas, and it was fantastic. Zach also read a book by this author titled, The Count of Monte Cristo. In both of these books the idea of aristocracy is brought up a lot. This relates to the thoughts I just detailed about distinguishing yourself as a man with immovable values distinct from the masses. In medieval Europe, the aristocracy was a cornerstone of the feudal system, a hierarchical structure where land was the primary source of wealth and power. The various classes rarely mixed or intermarried, creating distinct identities and authorities. Fast forward a couple hundred years and the feudal system does not exist anymore in the west, for better or for worse. Now, important and interesting ideas can be taken from the concept of aristocracy and the feudal system. If you desire to make a respected empire out of you and your family, you must hold yourself to certain values and sacrifice certain things that others cannot or are not willing to do. In the modern sense, for example, that means separating yourself from modern party culture. Now when you do that you create a "class distinction" between two sets of people. You should be careful not to look down upon anyone as the feudal system did, but to create everyone with compassion and respect for where they are at. When you create a set of values that hopefully promotes a life of growth and respect, you inevitably create a distinction between who, where and what you will associate with. You never saw a Royal Monarch gambling at the local bar with the towns people right? Now, interestingly enough, the class system does exist in some places, meaning it is not an antiquated phenomenon. The caste system in India shares similarities with feudalism in that it is a hierarchical structure that historically divided society into rigid, hereditary groups. However, it is fundamentally different in its origins, basis, and persistence in the modern era. I recommend everyone to research the caste system of India since I do not want to expand on it too much here. We leave this beautiful island life for the peninsula of Phuket tomorrow for 5 more days. This is the final stretch here in the south of Thailand and with my travels with Zach. I hope to enjoy the last days together and to begin 2025 off with a bang. Here is to creating a noble, respected empire for my family and future family.