Dateline: Bangkok
Well, today is the first day of my 3650-day, 10-year nonstop vagabond sojourn to the farthest reaches of our globe. I celebrated my 64th birthday on August 21st at my former abode in Bali eleven days ago amid much celebratory fanfare focused on my imminent departure. Well, so to speak. (I at least caught my faux pas and changed the spelling from “eminent” :-) I’ve been thinking I should add another 355 days to my journey so I can celebrate my 75th birthday lord knows where. OK, that’s 4005 days to go. It’s settled.
I’m a travel photographer but so far on this trip I haven’t taken one photo. I’ve been busy here in Bangkok during the first 24 hours of my re-visiting this decadent city, though not only occupied with the activities of your prurient imaginations. I’ve also spent a fair amount of time since my arrival slaving over my view of the Internet from this fast connection.
Bali bandwidth speed has yet to emerge from the dark ages and I had a slew of accumulated stuff to download. I just finished getting a 765 MB combo update for my Mac operating system in just a hair over an hour here in my cool hotel room in Bangkok overlooking the mighty Chao Praya River that splices through the city. (Don’t smirk at my boast as you gloat over your lightning bolt internet connections.) I’m just thrilled. This same download in Bali would have taken fifteen hours!
OK, where do I go from here?
I don’t mean which country. I only just got to Thailand and I plan to exhaust my 30-day visa on arrival before I depart with perhaps a one-week side trip to Angkor Wat in next door Cambodia. I mean, “What do I do with the rest of m life?” To be honest, the only plan I have is to experience a helluva good time immersing myself in some extraordinary experiences, meeting some extraordinary people in some of the most extraordinary locales to be found on this earth. I’ll try to shoot some tantalizing photos along the way, which I’ll post here from time to time. Hey, it’s not always easy to find “tantalizing” but you get the point.
Won’t you come along with me?
Glen Allison
See these books to learn more about the mysteries of Bangkok.
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29 Comments
Glen
You have been a great mentor and we have learned so much from you.
Your sense of humour, great understanding and most importantly the way you make people understand difficult terminologies about life will be greatly missed in Bali.
We will be here waiting….
Benny
Wow Glen, I would love to see all the beautiful places you have been and am looking forward to following you along your journey.
Love,
Annette (Darrell’s) wife
What a gr8 way to kick off your GRAND BIRTHDAY YEAR! Fabulous you are keeping such close contact with us and all your mates around the world. ONWARDS AND UPWARDS my friend.
x
Robert, Shelley and princess cantik
Hi Glen,
Thanks so much for sharing this journey. You do what so many of us dream of.
Happy 64th – yes, you are a young 64! And you remind all of us to be young enough to take big bites out of life, too.
Will be traveling with you – albeit vicariously!
Hugs,
Antoinette
We are right behind you. Hopefully we’ll meet on the road someplace. Let us know when you are near the Netherlands and Belgium.
We’re 8 bucks down! When are you coming back? Russell, Lord Of The Fly Café, Ubud Bali.
Good luck, Glen!
I will definitly be in Nepal for trekking in October 2010. Just remember, once we met on the streets of Kathmandu (must have been 1996)!!! You on the way to Tibet and me coming back from the Anapurna region. Let’s try it again. I might be in Laos in January.
Welcome in Munich – like many times before.
All the best and hugs …
Annelie
Hi Glen,
Great to hear what you are doing, I thought you were well settled in Bali.My travelling has been exploring NZ again its been great. Would love to follow your travels. Actually I pulled out your book only today and wondered if you had done any more writing. Cheers and safe journeys (Rosie)
I’ve been doing some thinking about “lifework” and what that looks like. Perhaps it’s a synonym for legacy? For my neighbor, it’s an amazing quilt he crafted and is waiting to give to his adopted son (who has not yet appeared). I think taking us along on your journey is one of your lifeworks. What do you think? I am so inspired by you. Keep writing.
Hey Uncle.
Mom shared this with us and definitely I’m interested in hearing about your travels.
Good luck and safe journeys
Glen!
Excellent to see you out on the road where you belong
Safe travels. Djuna and I are looking forward to seeing more of your work.
I know Russell’s already scrabbling to fill the $4 gap in his income, maybe I’ll have a beer with him later to throw in my two cents!
Have a great time!
Joey
Love the blog! I’ll paste in on Facebook.
xox
Hey, Keep On Rolling
I wonder what a Glen-less Ubud is going to be like.
But that’s okay, it will be a Glen-ful world.
Congratulations on your new dawn!
Julius
Hi Glen and bon voyage,
I recall you said you were off to Thailand but i didn’t realize you were off on such a long journey. If you can manage it you might enjoy tiger cave temple and kow sok (sp?) national park. It was after climbing the stairs at tiger cave and meditating near a monk that I had my first powerful encounter with Ganesha. Maybe it was all the oxygen pumping through my brain that put the message in my head. Try the 3000 plus steps without stopping. I used the rhythm of my foot steps as a mantra and regulator for respiratory system hoping not to have a heart attack. At the top are some amazing views so, well… maybe take your camera?!
I look forward to seeing your discoveries.
Take care and the best of luck to you,
ron
Hi Glen,
First off, thank you for being my first SGI district leader, you literally saved my life.
Glen, if I am ever in your part of the world, I will look you up and if you ever make it back to my part of the world (California) please let me know.
Your friend,
Ed Laiche
Hi Ed,
With great determination we can accomplish marvelous things. I’m thrilled we were able to link arms back then and plow through the challenges.
Glen
Hi Glen,
Happy birthday and may this year be the best ever. I know wherever you travel you will bring peace and make it a better place.
Always good wishes to one who has always inspired me,
Harold
Hey Harold,
Great to hear from you. I encountered a land ownership issue with part of my access road as can happen in that part of the world. Though resolvable, it re-triggered my wanderlust and prompted me to once again initiate another 10-year wild dream. While I thoroughly enjoyed being parked in Bali for a while, what I really love is being on the road continuously. Besides, my travels are fully tax deductible as you can appreciate, having been my accountant for so many years back in LA. -:)
Glen
Hi Phyllis,
My Ubud property is still on the market. Meanwhile, I’m not waiting to start my new dreams.
http://www.GlenAllison.com/Villa
Glen
Well………………..It’s about time that we hear from you!
What finally transpired with your Estate in Ubud? So happy to hear that you are “back on the road again” David and I were considering Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia sometime after January 2010. Please keep us posted on your experiences.
Big hug and oceans of love,
Phyllis
Dear Glen: I am with you 100%. I am less than one year younger than you and also in great health ( 8/8 46). When and if you make it to the Philippines, let me know. I am here. Also My wife and I are planning on going to Macau for a short trip. We will chant for your great success. You are an inspiration.
Sincerely,
Philip
Hi Phil,
I’ll be shooting in SE Asia for at least six months. I’m sure our paths will cross soon.
Glen
Wow, thought I’d lost you forever!
But, I’m just only a few hours back in Amsterdam myself, the start of a new beginning for me too, I’m happily surprised to already read your new stories.
So, you’re not so alone on your travels now, since you take the world with you.
O man, That’s so much better than taking it on your shoulders.
Look forward to join you on this trip and hey, just realized you changed your daily conversation of ‘the land’ to ‘the world’!
Hello everybody, Glen has just won back his life!
congrats! and; Enjoy…
greetz from Amsterdam, Irene
Hey Irene,
Though you are Dutch, you are truly my Balinese soulmate. Our connection thru the Mystic Law means we will never be very far removed.
Glen
PS: At your new age you may need some Herbal Viagra: http://www.balimojoindo.com
Hey Russell,
I’ve heard about great results from Bali Mojo. Must give it a try when I re-surface! Right now I’m out taking photos. Let’s don’t get side-tracked here. I’m on a mission.
Glen
G’day Glen
Your good news is bad news for us.
Fly Cafe Ubud is now losing around 4 bucks a day in revenue with the absence of your daily visits.
I hope you’re enjoying the food as much as your fast connection.
Now, go take some happy snaps!
Whoa, I’m stunned! My extraordinary friend, this simply has left my mouth hanging open… Sending you an email too, but in the meantime will say, YES, I’ll come along with you!
My dearest friend Elena-Beth,
The world changes and we must expand with the resulting opportunities. Let this just be but the beginning for all of us.
Glen