My silence is not laziness… not entirely. I’m currently on the Island of Koh Tao Thailand which is known for scuba diving and beaches. While the stories over the past few weeks have been plentiful, the Internet has not.
So, I find myself stuck to recording video, snorkeling, scuba diving and drinking Chang on the deck of my bungalow, disconnected from the rest of the world… wide web.
But, stay tuned… more gold coming soon!
I’d be shocked if you’ve heard this song but it’s an absolute Jam! It doesn’t get going until about 1:20, but be patient and wait for it! Thanks to Kevin and Ciaran from Ireland for the hook up.
(Download; Free or Buy) *For free; follow the instructions under the download link. They’re in really small print.)
I should be speachless because I’m so excited, but I just had a “Thai Red Bull” and am about to explode out of my seat.
I’m back to the place where Backpackers Union was first tested as a film project. As I walk around I’m struck with fond memories of Thai prostitutes throwing bottles at me because an english kid I just met called her a hooker. Memories filled with fear, doubt and excitement. Oh, Thailand…
As I write this, I’m backing up twelve 16gb SD cards getting ready for a big trip through Asia. I’m going to do some traveling around Thailand potentially following the same path I did in 2009 so I can anticipate what I want to film. From there I hit unchartered territories; India, Nepal, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Philippines, Indonesia and Burma (Yup Burma).
Next stop, Full Moon Party on Koh Phangan…
For starts, and to be fair; I came the wrong time of the year! Winter… So I may be a little bitter.
The people of Kiev put up a tough front. This initially comes across as hatred, suspicion and disgust towards you (mostly from men). If you can break past this they are awesome, friendly and will do anything for you! The girls at the hostel (both Dream Houses) became my closest friends and they alone brought my opinion of Kiev from neutral to positive.
The City: Kiev is like any major European city with a few twists. Similarities: Not cheap, has big clubs, pretty churches, free walking tours, people try to rip you off, has McDonald’s, etc… Differences: Still has that Soviet Union vibe, corruption still clearly plays an economic roll, everyone (everyone) wears black leather jackets, better than Moscow (so I’m told), Russia with no visa, and the big clubs… girls strip naked and make out.
One fun fact: A trip on the metro will leave you wondering why the escalators run at turbo speed and go on for eternity. The reason; In a time of war they can second as bomb shelters and the walls that line the escalator shafts can be removed to retrieve the non-perishable food hidden there. Did I mention suspicious?
I really didn’t want to write about Kiev because I knew I wouldn’t give it a fair chance in the winter, but I spent a lot of time there getting busy work done. All in all I would say Kiev, and Especially Ukraine, is a good place to visit… but wait till summer!
I guarantee you, had I started my trip how I originally planned, at Kazantip in southern Ukraine in July, this post would be explaining to my parents why I’m not coming home *(I think Kazantip deserves a post on it’s own so more to come).
I’d like to thank my mom, dad and all those at the Vance who nominated me for this prestigious distinction! Without all of you none of this would have been possible!
“Carl Hassett, the unofficial winner of Movember’s (Mustache November) Freddie Mercury look-a-like contest”
Boom. Chernobyl is the the nuclear reactor that almost rendered Europe uninhabitable. In 1986 an experiment was conducted to see how much energy they could generate running on low power in an effort to increase efficiency. This resulted in a chain of explosions within the reactors core, blowing the roof clear off. A ray of multi colored light shot straight into the sky which attracted spectators to a nearby bridge. The bridge is now nicknamed “The Bridge of Death” because of the fatal doses of radiation they received.
Had an army of Civilians, Soldiers, Engineers and Firefighters not sacrificed their lives getting control of the situation, Ukraine would have been wiped off the map and Europe rendered uninhabitable. The difference was a matter of days. The nuclear fallout would have been 10x Hiroshima (Side Note: Nuclear bombs are detonated above the earth to limit the impact of the radiation, not on it…).
To be vaporized or radioactive?: Most of the deaths where a result of radiation exposure and not the initial explosion. Which is worse? Vaporized; gone. Radioactive; You get all the symptoms of food poisoning, then feel fine! The first responders were joking at the hospital in Moscow after the initial symptoms had passed. However, medical staff knew better. Their skin then began melting off before their bones started disintegrating from the inside out. After you suffer for a while your central nervous system finally does you a favor and shuts down. So, you decide.
My experience: I was surprised when I told Ukrainians I was going. 50% seemed disgusted by my curiosity and 50% impartial. The disgust is what I found interesting. As one scientist would say during the incident, “Chernobyl marks the first time in history nuclear energy has slipped out of the control of man”. I assumed people would want to learn from such an event to ensure history doesn’t repeat. I was wrong.
The abandoned city of Prypiat which has captivated the world far more than the reactor, through photos of abandoned amusement parks and preschools, was eery to say the least. When the Soviet Union finally admitted something had gone wrong, the people living close to Chernobyl were told to pack a bag and get on the bus. Today you can visit the cities remains, but even the most dishonest tourists wouldn’t dare take one of the radioactive dolls as a souvenir. For this reason it’s been pretty well preserved and the schoolwork laying on the ground and lockers decorated with fire trucks will give you the chills.
The good news: The Soviet Union did finally put an end the to the hundreds of thousands of people suffering from the impact of radiation poisoning; they simply made it illegal for doctors to diagnose patients with it. Brilliant!
PS. I hope this picture didn’t shave a year off my life…
A Few Extra
Where have I been? Kiev. Why? I have no choice. BUT, exciting things to come!
1. Chernobyl – This Saturday I go and witness the abandoned city and reactor responsible for most devastating nuclear disaster in history. I’ve always been fascinated with such world altering events, and in this case the result of a “simple routine test” gone wrong. Also, one of my loyal readers told me the radiation makes you grow a full two inches!
2. I’m the best man in a Ukrainian wedding this friday. Wait what…?
3. Leaning towards Thailand as my next destination. So, ladyboys here I come!
“What began as two weeks in Jamaica turned into several months when I decided to walk the perimeter of the entire island. I would have a driver pick me up at night and then drop me off where I ended the previous day.
During one stretch of beach, I was walking past a couple shacks on the ocean where I heard someone yell, ‘What are you doing here white boy?’. I stopped and yelled back, ‘walking’. They told me that I couldn’t walk down this beach because I would end up being robbed. I shrugged it off, thanked them for the warning and kept moving.
A few minutes later they pulled up to me in a pick-up truck and again told me I wasn’t safe and I should go with them and they would also give me a place to sleep. I decided to go with them knowing they had bad intentions but driven by the curiosity to meet new people. While chatting in their shack, it was clear they were sizing me up and they were the criminals.
Things all of a sudden changed when I told them that had I traveled from Mexico and had been staying at a large estate on the water. A look of fear rolled over their faces and they went silent. One of them jumped up and ran into a back room. He came back a few moments later with a huge bag Marijuana and started saying, ‘We grow. We partner’.
They thought I was a member of a Mexican drug cartel and immediately feared for their lives if they crossed me. They spent the rest of the time asking to stay in touch so we could partner up.”
