Monkey Invasion

I continuously feel bad during my travels about not updating my blog more.  A couple of times I’ve thought ‘Well, I’ll just try and post little stories instead of these long drawn-out ordeals.’  Have any of you ever known me to tell a short story??  Yeah, that’s what I thought.  ::chuckle::  I guess I prefer to tell stories in person; there’s that added element of arm gestures and vocal tone you just can’t duplicate.  It’s what makes a Kira story a Kira story.  Plus I get to be such a perfectionist while writing that I’m constantly going back and adjusting my words so it takes forever just to get a paragraph down.  And then I sit on it for a while and feel the moment has passed to post it.  It’s no wonder people rarely have any idea where the heck I am in the world.  ::laugh::

But I have great news!!  Many of you will be able to hear these stories first hand!!  Yes, that’s right.  Monkey is coming to the States for a visit!!!!  ::happy dance::  When I found out one of my best friends was having her first baby, it was a given that I had to be there.  And obviously if I come back, I have to make the rounds.

Now I don’t have exact dates yet since plane tickets cost money.  Crazy, right?  ::grin::  But I’ve got tentative dates in mind and I’m just too damn excited not to share.  Hell, this all may change tomorrow, especially if people know of cheaper flights and such.  ::nudge nudge wink wink::  I’m looking at flying into LA around the 23rd of May and catch a connecting flight to Florida to spend time with my two siblings for their birthdays.  And then depending on baby dates, either a long weekend in Pittsburgh and then about 2 ½ weeks in Rochester, or flip it and go to Rochester first.  And then of course Wisconsin to see the parents, my other brother, and my adorable nephews.  I'm looking at heading back to Aussie around July 8th. There are other places I would love to visit if time (and money allows) such as Minnesota, Seattle/Portland, and NYC.  Guess we’ll just have to see!!

So mark your calendars people!!!  And prepare the couches and floor space!!  I’M SO FRICKEN EXCITED TO SEE YOU ALL IN A FEW MONTHS!!!

Prepare yourselves people!  It's gonna be a crazy ride!!
Photo property of Kira Zebroski

Side note:  I just re-read this thing and had to laugh at all the exclamation points.  Maybe I’ll need to change some to bold, capital letters to get my point across.  ::chuckle::

A Monkey and Her Backpack: a year in review (Part 1)

It's hard to believe I left the United States 1 year ago. And 13 months ago I left my home for the great unknown. I've met so many new people, experienced so much, and continue to be in awe of this adventure I call my life. I wanted to do a review of my travels so far as much of my blog as holes in it. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did experiencing it.

On August 15th 2014, I left Rochester, NY with the boxes containing all that remained of my belongings, my Burning Man bag, and my backpack that would be traveling with me for the foreseeable future.  It was terrifying, thrilling, and daring.  I was literally leaving everything I knew behind to discover answers to questions I didn’t even realize I wanted to ask.  

bonfire at my going away party

I stopped for a night in Ohio with my good friend Grafton and we danced the night away. In Wisconsin, I spent my few remaining days with my parents, nephews, and one of my brothers, not knowing when next we'd see each other. I also made it in time for my high school friend's wedding, fulfilling a promise I'd made one year ago.

friends for more than a decade!!

From there, I traveled to Reno for Burning Man. How could I miss the chance to go Home one last time (until I come back for a visit of course!)? This burn was filled with as many hellos as it was with goodbyes. I expanded my family, fell in love, and learned to release from my Martha-Monkey tendencies and be present in the moment.

night the Man burned

 

this is why they call me Dome Monkey

Next stop was San Francisco and staying with two fantastic friends, Poppy and Maurice.  I couldn't have spent my decompression days and getting ready for Thailand with two better people.  Playing music under a bridge, sake tastings, beaches and kayaking with porpoises, seeing the Golden Gate bridge at night, quarter machines, and good beer.  Thank you for giving me crash space and such loving company.  I love you two!!!  Lovelovelovelovelove!!!!

Golden Gate bridge

the Trio!!!

brief detour to OR

my last sunset in the US

I flew into Bangkok on September 16th with no clear idea of where I was headed.  I spent a few days just taking it all in.  I ate food so spicy I cried, but so tasty I couldn't stop until I'd finished it.  I ate bugs, drank my first bucket (and then maybe a few more), and experienced a pingpong show.  ::shakes head with a smile::  Those were some talents I didn't even know existed.

our very first bucket (gone in about 10 seconds)

I couldn't bringing a tent and sleeping bag with me all the way to Thailand and not go camping.  Therefore, Khao Yai National Park and I had a date together.  It involved a lot of walking and the occasional waterfall when I wandered far enough.  My first time in an open jungle and I certainly had a few different moments when I wondered just what the hell I'd been thinking camping where there were free roaming elephants, boars, crocodiles, monkeys, and the occasional tiger.  And here I though my biggest fear was going to be leeches.  ::chuckle::

taking in the scenery

my first wild elephant!!  I saw him on a night safari

Continuing up the Northeastern portion of Thailand (also called Isaan), I made it to Phimai, a small little town boasting an ancient Angkor temple Prasat Hin and Sai Ngam, Thailand's oldest and largest banyan tree.  I was fascinated by how so many of the doorways lined up at Prasat Hin and this was my first experience with the ancient temples I'd only read about in books.  Sai Ngam was a quiet place (I had it all to myself as I wandered) except for the evil geese who chased me up a path.  ::grin::  My inner monkey wanted to swing among the natural walkways on the top level but I could sense the peace and sacredness of this place.

Sai Ngam

Sai Ngam, outer view

Phimai Historical Park

Next stop was Surin although I was given a bit of a surprise when the hotel listed in my backpacker's guide had closed.  ::chuckle::  I still managed to find a decent crash space.  Note to the wise, they will often charge an extra 50b to have a tv in your room.  Who honestly needs it when there's things like Prasat Hin Phanom Rung to see?  Another Angkor temple, but this one rivaled Phimai in size alone.  The walkway up the temple was perhaps the best part; it represented the bridge from the mortal realm up to the spiritual realm.

walkway to the heavens

  

During this time, I was searching on helpx.com for a volunteer opportunity to stay in Isaan; however, I wasn't having much luck.  I liked Northeastern Thailand as it wasn't a particularly popular backpacker's area and oftentimes I was the only farang around.  I had women call up their daughters for the sole reason being so I could talk to them in English.  My first train ride ended in my entire car waving and taking pictures of me as I exited the train.  I liked being off the beaten track but it didn't seem like it was meant to be.

I recieved an invitation from a friend of a friend to visit her down south if I ended up that way.  I had made tentative plans with some friends I'd made in Bangkok to meet up in Southern Thailand so I decided to head down a little early and meet this mutual friend.  Who knew it'd have such a lasting impact?

Wat Pho, housing the Reclining Buddha

Wat Pra Kaew, housing the Emerald Buddha

First I had to head back down through Bangkok and stopped at Wat Pho, a collection of Buddhist temples housing the largest reclining Buddha and also the largest collection of Buddha images in Thailand.  It also contains Wat Pra Kaew, the Emerald Buddha.  There was a Buddhist ceremony going on while I was there and I sat for some time just letting the chanting wash over me.  It felt inappropriate to take a picture with the monks and so I just took a photo to remind me of that moment.

From there, I took first overnight train down to Surat Thani and a ferry to the island of Koh Phangan.  Check out my time there on "A year in review Part 2."

**PLEASE NOTE ALL PHOTOS ARE PROPERTY OF KIRA ZEBROSKI**

OR CREDITED TO OWNER

Beginnings

I keep telling people, I need to start a blog for my travels if only to assure people I am both alive and not in jail.  It’s a rather odd statement and yet kinda true.  I’m preparing for this journey, a once in a lifetime some tell me (I don’t necessarily agree but I’ll come back to that thought), and I want some way to communicate with those I’m leaving behind.  Its part for posterity's sake and part in hopes of inspiring some to join me in my travels and share my adventures.  Now I should probably talk about what in the world I’m doing.  What journey?

About a year ago, I reached a point in my life where I just wasn't happy with my life.  I didn't recognize myself.  I was angry, irritable, and finding it hard to find and appreciate the simple pleasures of life.  A change needed to be made.  I thought about what in life truly makes me happy and what I came up with was traveling and dance.  With dance, I've had several opportunities come up and I've grabbed them with a vengeance and have no regrets.  Traveling was another matter.  There are always excuses not to travel: no money, no time, how to get there, how to pay the bills while I’m gone and also when I get back.  The list goes on.  Now the ideal way to approach this would be to get a job that allows me to travel.  I looked into this briefly but in my heart what I truly wanted was to wander the globe with a single backpack and an open mind.  

And so I made the decision.  Come the end of August the following year, I would follow that dream.  Through many different plan changes, it has arrived at Thailand as my starting point.  First a brief stop at my parents and a wedding, a stint in the desert, San Francisco to come down from that stint, and Thailand.  I’m going to be teaching English, farming, building housing, and whatever else life throws at me.  As someone said to me, I’ll go where the wind blows me.  It may blow me eventually back to the US, but I have no intention of forcing it back in that direction.  

I now stand on the precipice of starting this journey and I’m both terrified and exhilarated.  Excited to see what life will show me and the world will offer me.  Terrified I’ll fail.  Nervous of the unknown but ready to embrace it all.  Trusting in the knowledge that no matter what happens from this point on, I will have succeeded in following this dream.  I am ‘A Monkey with a Backpack.”