My 2011 Travel Map

I spent three nights at Fairmont Singapore November 29-December 2, meeting a friend.  I can now say I have traveled literally halfway around the world to see a girl I had not previously met.  I mentally prepared myself for the oppressive humidity, but it was severe enough to elicit vocal complaints from me.  My inclination to dress in light garments was also at odds with my desire to protect myself from UV radiation that often reached 9+.

I spent the next six nights in Bangkok, gaining experiences that I missed on my previous Bangkok trip in June 1998.  Amid the endless debauchery, my friend and I managed to fit in normal tourist temples and Jim Thompson's House. I booked my room at Dream Hotel Bangkok via Hotels.com because its Welcome Rewards program amounts to an effective 10% discount!

Then, we jetted to Seoul, where we met up with my parents and sister.  I have been camped at Lotte Hotel Seoul near City Hall.  I have gone out a few nights at nightclubs named Octagon and Mass, along with my first experience at a Korean booking club, Boss.  Partying with my underage sister was a memorable experience.  I have wanted to develop Korean as a secondary language, but not having regular speaking partners makes this endeavor difficult.  At the beginning of the year, I could not have foreseen two separate trips each to Singapore and Seoul.

Machu Picchu

List of tourist things I did en South America:

Lima, Perú
Museo Arqueológico Rafael Larco Herrera
Museo Nacional de Antropología, Arqueología, e Historia del Perú

Chiclayo, Perú
Lambayeque
Museo de las Tumbas Reales de Sipán

Trujillo, Perú
Chan Chan Archaeological Zone (UNESCO World Heritage Site)
Huaca de la Luna & Huaca del Sol

Cuzco, Perú (UNESCO World Heritage Site) y el Valle Sagrado
Catedral
Tipón
Ollantaytambo
Machu Picchu (UNESCO World Heritage Site)

Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu, Perú.  Photo:  Luke Kim/BlackBerry Tour 9630.
October 5, 2011.

Llamas at Machu Picchu, Perú.  Photo:  Luke Kim/BlackBerry Tour 9630.
October 5, 2011.


Total time spent in Perú:  45 days.


Buenos Aires, Argentina
Cementerio de la Recoleta
Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes
Plaza de Mayo

Total time spent in Buenos Aires:  9.2 days.


Historic Quarter of the City of Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay (UNESCO World Heritage Site)

Total time spent in Colonia del Sacramento:  0.5 days.

Faucet Differences

When traveling to other countries, there are several adjustments one should expect. Obvious differences include culture and language. I can adjust quickly to differing traffic patterns, electrical outlets, and currencies. However, one thing that I thought was universal was that hot water comes from twisting the left valve and that cold water is controlled with the right valve. In the U.S., this standard is mandated by building code regulations. Several times in Bali, I waited a long time waiting for the cold water to warm, when it was never going to. A few times, I turned on what I thought was the cold water only to receive scalding hot water.

Australia

I checked into the Travelodge (A$124-A$132 / US$129-US$137) next to The Langham (A$293 / US$307) to save money. I am having serious second thoughts about setting up camp in Melbourne. I think perhaps my friends were right in saying that visiting Australia in winter would lead to a less than enjoyable experience. I do not mind the brisk weather, but there is not as much activity in the streets as I had pictured in my mind. There is a good chance I tour Sydney for a few days.

Including transportation, I have spent $2860 as a result of my Bali trip thus far (18+ days). I have not had to outlay any expenditures for housing. My rent and utilities in Las Vegas during the same span would have been $1482. There is a high likelihood that my discretionary expenses would have been higher in Las Vegas. If I use a conservative estimate of $50 per day, the total opportunity expense in the United States would have been $2412. In a sense, this first leg of the trip has cost me only $448 over 18 days!

I will hit Singapore and Melbourne within the next week, so my expenses will skyrocket. According to a 2011 survey by Employment Conditions Abroad International, Singapore and Melbourne rank as the 36th and 25th most expensive cities worldwide, respectively (Manhattan is 44th).

I have spent more time outdoors here then I ever did in recent years in Las Vegas. While Las Vegas has extreme heat, the weather there is irrelevant because the bulk of my time was spent in people's homes, vehicles, or casinos. The temperatures in Bali are not as extreme, but the humidity is much higher. I am obsessive about avoiding UV radiation, so although I feel much hotter in Bali, I will walk on the beach with a dark long-sleeve shirt, a cap, black sunglasses, a scarf, the highest SPF sunscreen I can find, and on occasion, an umbrella.

Yesterday, Justin and I had a drink at Cocoon for a lame day party, especially by Las Vegas standards. There is a Bungy jump operation next door to the venue, and I had talked about it since viewing it the first day I arrived in Bali. Although I have a fear of heights, I decided to jump.

After entering the jumping venue, I observed one customer jump and noted how much higher it was than I had imagined in my mind. I bought a ticket for $116, which is expensive, but it also affords one of the best views of the Indian Ocean and the rest of Bali. After purchasing the ticket, I still procrastinated for 8 minutes before taking the elevator ride up, which was actually mortifying, owing to its slow and rickety ascent.

I had a notion to back out at the top, but I jumped the 45 meters (148 feet) safely. This jump is unique in that it overlooks the Indian Ocean and "lands" over a pool with a depth of 5 meters (16 feet). I told the operators that I wanted to be able to touch the water but even after calibrating the rope and weighing me (60kg), I was disappointingly short of the water. I was told I did not weigh enough to ensure a touch, although I saw a few fat customers reach the water easily.

There were a few crazy options on the standard jump. One could drive off the platform with a motorcycle where both the person and bike are harnessed. The other crazy option was to wear a flame-retardant suit and be lit on fire. Then, one would jump all the way into the water to douse the fire out! This option actually requires two pre-fire calibration jumps to ensure that one submerges into the pool.

Bali

Things I have done in my first week in Bali:

--crashed a motorcycle
--dined at many restaurants, none of them twice
--partied at several bars and nightclubs
--toured Ubud Monkey Forest
--visited Bali Bird Park and Bali Safari Park
--toured a temple at Goa Gajah/Elephant Cave
--had a drink at Amandari.

I mean to participate in more physical activities, but I am hamstrung until my motor scooter accident wounds are fully healed.