My travelling story
This is an excerpt from my travel notes. In December, protestors had occupied Bangkok’s airports, and mid-trip I had to divert to Singapore. This is a story of me trying to cross the border into Thailand from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
“...I met Renaud, from Montreal, and his two new Singaporean friends. We would talk while waiting for a non-existent bus. Apparently they delay the departure of the buses until they can fill every last seat. After finally boarding the bus and leaving on our journey at midnight, we found reason to applaud the driver in finally starting the engine. So we get in at 7am instead of 5am.... no big deal. Nothing to do in Hat Yai before 7 am anyway...
I doze in and out of consciousness, watching the Malaysian rainforest be lit up by the flashes of lightning overhead. Until at 4am when the tire sitting directly beneath me bursts. Back on the road by 5:30, we had no worries, as delays are just a part of traveling.
On a totally related note, anyone thinking of travelling to Thailand overland on the long weekend that celebrates the revered King's 81st birthday? DON'T DO IT!! Never in our entire lives have any of us seen a border like we did earlier today. The traffic-jam was so backed up, that a kilometer out, the bus driver told us to start walking. Two hours and a swarm of hundreds of people finally found us OUT of Malaysia. We were thrilled! Now all we had to do was get checked IN to Thailand.
Well over 2000 people waiting for entry into the country and all it took was one smartass to realize that nobody was monitoring the line. Who would possibly notice if he just walked up and cut in line? If you answered, "a mob of 1000 screaming international citizens apparently governed by nobody because they are on No Man's Land." Congrats! You won a mango!
Unleash the floodgates.
The following 3 hours is nothing the four of us are particularly proud of. I pushed grandmothers the way grandmothers should never be pushed. Our friends from Singapore screamed out every man, woman and child that broke the 'very-quickly-defined-mob-mentality-Thai-immigration-laws'
Following the lead of some of the locals, who were stacking their passports and handing them in in a bundle to get stamped, we decided that I was to be the one who would fight the crowd with the physical backing of my comrades. I did have the advantage... I was the tallest person I could see in the overwhelmingly Asian crowd. Long arms, you see...
But wait! What was that?! Oh Crap... Group Discussion!
Some locals were stuffing Malaysian Riggits into their passports so that they are clearly visible while waving them at the customs official. "Do we bribe them?" I ask my equally puzzled friends. This would go against pretty much everything I'd been taught about the decent workings of the agents who were set to protect our borders...
Screw it. We were dripping with sweat at hour 5 of trying to cross this border. I was squeezed in between two Muslim preteens, a Japanese mother and a Chinese man who tried passing in a stack of 15 passports (our Singapore friends objected at volumes reserved for the House of Commons, with support from the mob, who seemed to find a novelty in us youths, who were keeping the pushing and shoving animated). Out of Riggit, it was time to break out the Thai Baht. I shoved 100 Baht in my top passport, visibly clear to Mr. Customs Official, and placed them right in front of the officer. It was go big, or go home - the latter very possibly an option, as we had put in triple the largest amount in any other passport.
Our passports stamped, we celebrated with a round of high-5's and cheering, much to the humour of the crowd, who were taking pictures of us on their camera phones.
We'd broken through the border. It was now 2pm and our bus was going nowhere, as our bus-buddies had carried on, knowing the slowest would still take hours. After a bite to eat, we found a van to Hat Yai, ending a trip that was supposed to take 7 hours, and ended up taking 18.
By the way, for those of you who don't know... the 100 baht that got our passports stamped? Not even $3. Sorry, I'm Canadian. That's as bad-ass as I get...”
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Words cannot describe how much i want you to win this. I promise i'll be straight onto Ryanair if you make it. I am having so much fun recounting our adventures to my friends back home.. although i'm sure they are growing weary of the sentence..." Calvin and I.." i've got our Samui photos everywhere, although it just makes me miss it all the more... We're the luckiest kids in the world.. it says so on the air con unit.. and air con never lies.. GOOD LUCK BRO
Congratulations for your first place in the english part! Good luck!
Your a traveler, always have been and always will be. Your writing truly brings us along with you on your journeys. From your notes on facebook to your travel journal everytime i hear your writing it makes me feel like im there with you on your adventure. Dont ever stop writing, you have a gift that we are lucky you have shared with us. When you get old, remember how when you were 21 you made a choice to try something new and you never gave up. Dont ever stop making thoes good decisions, its all up to you where you go, what you do and who you meet Thank you Gilly Morstin
Not only is this short story a delightful and amusing read, it's also inspiring. You have a great way of expressing your travels (it helps me live vicariously through you!)--it's easy to see how much these adventures have meant to you.. hope you have a million more!
Living life to the fullest, and embracing every moment. You've captured the essence of traveling - and managed to share it with us. What a gift. Thanks
Hard to believe it's done, huh? Best of luck to ya and Happy Halloween!
Good luck with the interview on Monday, and may there be many more adventures in your future!
Calvin!1 day left!!Goodluck !!You deserve it just as much as I want it!haha..we are now both competing for france...if I dont win I sure hope you do!!!!
Calvin, We all have been sincerely moved by your experiences. The online journals you wrote made it seem as though we were right there along with you. I still think that you should be getting those entries published :P love you!
Calvin we are so proud of the things you have accomplished in your life. We have enjoyed reading and hearing about your travels. This trip has helped you grow into such a wonderful young man. Our prayers and family stand behind you! You are a wonderful light in this world. Rev. Roger Ellis
Sarah and I are so proud of our cousin. We wish you much luck, happiness and continue to represent Canada with such zest. We have enjoyed hearing the stories, veiwing the pictures, reading the blogs and wishing we were with you to experience some of the wonderful people you have met and places you have seen.
I have enjoyed following your travels and look forward to your next adventure. If you win this fabulous opportunity it would not be wasted by you. We all learn a little something about the people, the place and what you have learned about yourself as you explore the city, country, town, and the wonders of the world.
Calvin, your blogs are my favorite part of the day. I love reading about the amazing things you are doing, Ive missed hearing about all your travels. You write so well and I really hope that you get the opportunity to tell us all about being a hootelland ambassador in France. good luck!
HELLO FELLOW CITIZENS! This is just to let you know that the Charlatan (Carleton University's School Newspaper) will be having it's first ever edition of a live radio show on MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2ND! They have requested to interview me about HOOSTELLAND! Anyone in Ottawa-Hull area can tune in 11 am on Monday to ...CKC 93.1 FM. And if you're anywhere else, you can listen online at http://www.ckcufm.com/ HAPPY HALLOWEEN AND GOOD LUCK TO ALL THE AMBASSADORS AS THE RACE COMES TO A CLOSE! JUST THREE MORE DAYS!
HELLO FELLOW CITIZENS! This is just to let you know that the Charlatan (Carleton University's School Newspaper) will be having it's first ever edition of a live radio show on MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2ND! They have requested to interview me about HOOSTELLAND! Anyone in Ottawa-Hull area can tune in 11 am on Monday to ...CKC 93.1 FM. And if you're anywhere else, you can listen online at http://www.ckcufm.com/ HAPPY HALLOWEEN AND GOOD LUCK TO ALL THE AMBASSADORS AS THE RACE COMES TO A CLOSE! JUST THREE MORE DAYS!
HELLO FELLOW CITIZENS! This is just to let you know that the Charlatan (Carleton University's School Newspaper) will be having it's first ever edition of a live radio show on MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2ND! They have requested to interview me about HOOSTELLAND! Anyone in Ottawa-Hull area can tune in 11 am on Monday to ...CKC 93.1 FM. And if you're anywhere else, you can listen online at http://www.ckcufm.com/ HAPPY HALLOWEEN AND GOOD LUCK TO ALL THE AMBASSADORS AS THE RACE COMES TO A CLOSE! JUST THREE MORE DAYS!
"The following 3 hours is nothing the four of us are particularly proud of. I pushed grandmothers the way grandmothers should never be pushed." my favourite line xo
HEY GANG! thanks for all the comments and love! have a HOOSTERRIFIC DAY!!! xx
I think you would be the perfect Hoostelland ambassador because your an interesting writer, hard worker, and definitely not afraid of trying new things.
Reading these notes always makes me smile, especially with the cold canadian winter approaching! Maybe we're approaching the perfect time for you to start planning another adventure..? Good luck with the contest, you deserve it!
Thanks Calvin - I really like your letter BTW! Banana shakes are the bomb! It's pretty awesome that you write down your experiences so you can remember them forever. 300 big ones back at ya!
that is the coolest thing ever. I really enjoyed reading your note, living vicariously through you for a moment, and getting inspired to live my own adventure. wow.
Ahh. Business meetings at Fairyland with a beer and a smile. I'm sure everyone realised we were nuts :)
600 hoosts for ya!My hoosts are to low and I cant change my vid for a 2 minute one...so im spending my hoosts on you now:)
i love you.
Calvin, you sure have had some great adventures! Keep travelling as I love reading all your notes.
This sounds truly awsome im so proud of you Calvin! This is definatly the best on the site!
You've certainly had some great adventures!