:: Current Location : Breckenridge, Colorado :.I have mentioned briefly about my moto driver. Over the last week I have heard bits and pieces from his life, and if I am to believe it all, it is a story that must be repeated. I know touts and scam artists, and I don't believe his story is in any way meant to suck more money out of my wallet. So here it is:
Lek Tin Votaa was born in 1968 in eastern Cambodia. His family was poor, and he had 3 older brothers. When he was 7, in 1975, the Khmer Rouge came to his village and displaced them to another part of Cambodia. Along with many people from other parts of the country, a new village was formed. He had 1 meal of 10 spoon fulls of rice a day, nothing else. He had to wear a black uniform, wake at 6am to work in the fields. No breakfast or lunch. At 3pm they went to 'school' which was the propaganda lessons. This went on until 1978 when Pol Pot started killing off most of the population. His father had his hands tied behind his back and was thrown down a well where he drowned. He witnessed all this with his family. In 1979 the Vietnamese came and 'liberated' them, but not before stealing the crops and livestock. The raised the bodies from the well and reburied most of the adult male population of the village. In 1980, he went back to school and worked for a rich family until 1987. The khmer rouge were still around, so the temporary government held a draft. The would select 1 male from every family to volunteer for the army. Since Tin was the youngest child and had no wife or children, he volunteered.
He was trained for 1 year, then off to fight the khmer rouge in the northwest of Cambodia. Off 1500 in his unit, only 670 came back alive. His friend stepped on a landmine in front of him, and the scrapnel hit him in the foot and back(I saw the scars). However, the gunfire was not the problem, malaria was. He got sick and was helicoptered back to Phnom Penn where it took 3 months to recover. His family was informed that he was dead. They held a funeral for him. He did not die though, he was shipped back to the front lines to fight until 1991.
By then he had 3 stripes(I don't know the equivelent in american army, I think captain) and because his education, was allowed to leave the front lines. He was not allowed to leave the army though. He went home to see his family who all thought he was dead. After reuniting with his family, he did not want to go back to the army. So, the only way to get out of his duty was to join the buddhist monks. For 2 years, until 1993 when the UN came, he was a monk.
After he worked making bricks, serving as a laborer for rich families, and now as a moto driver. His wife is 12 years younger than him, so has no memories of the khmer rouge, and it shows in how each other acts. Tin will never waste food or drink, because he remembers how hungry and weak he was when he was forced to work in the fields.
I've met his family and relative from his village. They are all kind and very friendly, but I can sense the hardship they have went through. Tin is the only one who has spoken to me about what happened to him, and only after spending 2 weeks getting to know him.
--
This is only part of the story, as he says there are other things he does not want to tell me. Since he has lived in Phnom Penn, he has told me how much the city has changed. He worked as a moto driver for the first guesthouses that started to accept foriegn tourists. He seems to have much anger about the guest house situation now, because they have quickly forgotten him, and his loyalty was not repaid. There is a large group of moto drivers that I know now. They all seem to have their own story. It is hard for me to judge them as I have only known them a little while. The situation that has been thrust upon them is beyond my knowledge, but I can tell you what I see them do. Nothing... They wait, sometimes all day, for 1 tourist to drive around, and maybe they make 1$us. They never take cambodia for fares because they know they can latch onto tourists and get them to pay. However, since I am staying for a long time, the moto guys I know have taught me the language, helped me find an apartment, and many other services which otherwise I would have paid triple price if they didn't do the negotiating and bargaining. So, each of us gets something out of the arrangement.
I'm still looking for permanent work, but some fellow travellers have arrived in the city, and I am acting as the unofficial guide since I know the city better than most of the moto drivers...
--
"The rewards of the journey far outweigh the risk of leaving the harbor" - Unknown
.: Ben Hansen :: 8:15 PM [+] 0 comments
So, after the boat races and eating really random stuff, I decided to move to the lakeside guest house and relax a little. I get there and order a Fried pumpkin beef & rice. I get a very bad case of food poisoning. Just goes to show you that its not really how careful you are, just who didn't wash their hands when preparing your food. The street vendors are said to have the worst food, but at least you can see them cook it right in front of you. So, me getting sick just proves the point again.
That pretty much laid me up for 3 days. I must say, I was in a good place to have to be stuck all the time. Watching movies and sitting by the lake. Only slightly interrupted by vomiting every hour or two.
After I felt better, I started my job search. My contact had changed companies, so I was no longer guaranteed some hours. Instead, I was given a list of schools to goto. All of them are pretty much on the same semester, which doesn't start until later Nov. So, I'm having to take tests and talk to people with just a possibility of a position opening up. Not very reassuring, but I've learned a lot about pay rates and what to expect. The computer classes all seem to be taught in Khmer, so it will be tougher for me to find an english computer teaching job.
So, disgruntled about not working right away, I became worried about looking for an apartment and having to sign a 6month lease. But, I went looking anyways.
Prices range from $25/month for a very small room with no amenities to $250/month for your own house. I've looked at apartments that still had chickens feeding inside. Some apartments are above little family storefronts. I've met plenty of families that want to rent out a room with them, and this seems to be an interesting way to interact and learn the language better. I can stay in guesthouses longterm as well, but I'm sure the noise will get to me.
The few nice places I've found are in the 100-150 range, because they know foreigners will pay more, but I'm sure that since I don't have to commit yet, I can shop around. In the meanwhile, I found a quite guesthouse with rooms for $2 per night. The only hassle is dealing with the moto drivers every morning asking me the same damn questions about going to the killing fields and shooting ranges.
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Cambodian Disco
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I met another moto driver, Long, who was a cousin of Atins. He asked about my stomach and I said I was fine, but was only eating crackers and drinking sugar water. He said he had the perfect cure. He wouldn't tell me, but we drove out of the city a little, and into a small market.
We sat down at a restaurant booth, and he ordered a soup. There was an argument about it, and Long seemed to be upset. He said they didn't have the right soup, but another one very similar would do. I asked what the soup was and he finally told me: Eel Soup
He wanted Snake soup, but eel was all they had. Our table got our own little stove, and a pot of chopped up eel. We got to cook it ourselves. Again, more people joined in and hovered around me, the tourist attraction. The soup was good, highly spiced, so I could have been eating anything. Plus, the rice wine seemed to loosen me up a bit.
Long was impressed, so he tried to order more stuff to see if I could handle it. He said if I got sick again, I had to pay for the food, but anything he ordered, I had to try. First came the fried crickets. A little girl had a platefull of the them, and she showed me how to peel off the wings, then chomp the head and body holding onto the legs. Second came a beef and ant plate. There was some seaweed greens and chopped beef and ants all mixed together. Again, it was well spiced, so I couldn't really taste the ants. I was told there was snake blood to drink, but it never showed up...
After impressing everyone, Long wanted to take me to the disco. However, he had drank much more wine than me, so he said he didn't want to drive. I offered to drive and after convincing him of my motorcycle skills, he agreed.
Now, after riding in Thailand and Cambodia, I've learned why they drive so much slower in Cambodia. Their bikes are Shit!!! Long's bike had no headlight, horn, turnsignals, frontbrakes, and i could only downshift. Most bikes stay in 4th all the time anyways. So, I drove the drunk moto driver home... and he didn't even pay me... not that I expected it, since I got a free meal.
So we got to the disco really early, and it was not what I expected. It was a big room with couches lined up in rows, all facing the stage where there was a band. We got front row seats!
The best way I can describe the experience is a really bad middle school dance. There was a little dance area up front, and every once in a while, a group of boys or girls would come up and dance with themselves. Never touching or getting to close to each other. The music is best described as Jimi Hendrix and Santana, mixed with Indian whirling dervish.... really really fast beat music, and Khmer singing.
Bonus: If anyone has seen the Saturday Night Live skit with Christopher Walken about Blue Oyster Cult, then you may better appreciate what I'm talking about. Along with the mixture of music, there was the COWBELL GUY!!
He was right in rhythm, but the cowbell was so loud that that was all I could focus on, plus I couldn't stop laughing thinking about Will Farrell smacking the cowbell. I kept screaming, "No more cowbell". But, again, I seemed to be the only foreigner, so my opinion didn't matter much.
To escape the cowbell, I went to the bathroom...
Again, a side note: In America, males are subtly taught certain rules for how to act in a bathroom. They are as follows:
1. If there is a row of urinals, only pick a urinal next to another guy if no others are available and toilets are full as well. Otherwise, move a good distance away.
2. Eyes should stay up, stare at wall directly in front of you.
3. Keep conversation to minimum, unless you know the person.
4. Never ever ever TOUCH anyone anywhere.
Failure to follow these rules will imply homosexuality and the consequences from the homophobic american male will likely be harsh...
So with that in mind... I walk into the bathroom and see a bathroom attendant. We have these in certain posh restaurants, so I was not surprised, thinking he would hand me a towel or cologne when i wash my hands. Instead, while I'm standing at the urinal, taking a leak... he come behind me and starts massaging my shoulders. My first reaction was to turn around and yell, "What the fuck?" But since I was still pissing, I could not do this. Then he does some Thai massage techniques, and I figure this is what bathroom attendants must do in Cambodia. I was still a little concerned, so I rushed out without tipping the guy.
I asked Long if that was supposed to happen in the bathroom. He told me yes, and seemed to enjoy that it shocked me so much. So, the next time I had to goto the bathroom, I was prepared and let the guy massage me. I've thought about it, and I guess its not so much different from what american women do when they goto the bathroom together. But I have no insight into that world, yet...
.: Ben Hansen :: 11:58 PM [+] 0 comments
Big post... lots to tell...
On Nov 2nd, I made it back to Chaing Mai, rented a bike, and drove 100km to the top of Doi Inthanon, 2565m, Thailands highest mountain. That's right, road right up to the summit! It's misty up there, so you can't see anything most of the time, just the radar towers. There are 3 spectacular waterfalls along the way, and they were more interesting than the novelty of bagging another highest peak.
The chaing mai hostel 'lost' most of my clothes, so I know what birthday presents I want.
Khoa San Road is definitely an interesting place to turn 25... First, you're guaranteed to get really drunk. Second, I met at least a dozen different people on the Thailand circuit, that were going back home or on a visa run. From what I remember, there were about 7 of us, barhopping, racing tuk-tuk's around the city, and I got a helium-balloon added version of happy birthday sung to me by one bar. Somewhere in there too, I ate a scorpion...
----------------------
Onwards to Cambodia
----------------------
So, somehow, I managed to get a bus to the border town of Trat, and the next day I went to Hat Lek, where the border crossing is. Beautiful seeing the ocean most of the way there.
Attention Travelers!!!! You CAN make it through the border by only paying 1000baht... no backsheesh.
I was told many times(where have I hear this before) that it was impossible not to pay 1200. Just put the 1000(or 20$ US) on the table and wait, they will get tired of you, and they won't not let you into the country.
So, 8 hours to get to Phnom Penn... must be a long way...nope. 300km, but the roads not capped, so there are potholes that can swallow bikes and small cars. Plus 4 ferry crossings and a very careful driver make for a slow trip. Even when we got to the paved road, it wasn't much better.
I've said this many times, but somehow, I have a 6th sense about when to arrive in a certain place without any previous research into the matter. Phnom Penn turned out the same. The water festival was going on, which was not the watergun fights I thought they were. Instead it was the boat racing and Independence Day celebrations. I had met 2 South Africans and an Aussie, and were sharing rooms with them. We quickly met a moto driver, Atin, who became our guide to the city.
First he took us to the shooting range, where we all shared shooting an AK-47. The bazooka was a little much, and there were no Japanese businessmen there to watch. I was told they can spend thousands there running through the list of weapons. My only concern was where the money goes after it passes into the military hands.
Then to the Killing Fields, which is just to depressing to describe. If you've seen the movie, you know what its all about.
Nov 7-9 was the festival, and Atin had us meet him at his house(plankboard one-room dwelling in reclaimed refugee camp). We met his family and relative that had come in from their village to cheer on their boat. Every village enters their own boat, and two boats race each other 2 times a day. There are over 300 boats, and the course down the Tonle Sap river is maybe 1.5km. Then they turn around and have to paddle back up the river.
So, Atin took us to the other side of the river, outside the city, where all the local villages setup camp to cheer their boats. The rest of the tourists all stay along the riverside inside the city. So, we were somewhat of an oddity, and I never saw another tourist. The races are held during the day, so it has a Kentucky Derby kind of feel to the event. Which means people drink all day, and all night. They drink rice wine, and alot of it.
We kept getting fed more and more wine, and Atin and I both got uniforms so we could race in their village boat. When we got to the boat, we were kicked out because we were too drunk to paddle. They take things seriously, and we would have made their boat loose. So, we had to swim back to a big boat, were people were dancing on the top. Fireworks, dancing, and drinking on a really sketchy boat was the end of the evening.
The next two days seemed to repeat that pattern: Eat at Atins home, drink with the villagers, dance on the boats....
Somehow, the King of Cambodia has decided to extend the festival 2 more days... Kinda cool to be able to make up your own holidays.
More stories later of job and apartment searching....
.: Ben Hansen :: 8:06 PM [+] 0 comments
Sort of, at least online other than my blog. Once again, you can read a story I submitted 3 months ago about my trip in Morocco at:
Bootsnall.com
So, I made it out of Pai without staying too long, just the right amount of time. I heading to Chaing Dao, not knowing that it was the same place I had been on my 3 day trek. Anyways, on advice from another American traveler, i tried to check into a certain guesthouse. This guy knew the villages and chiefs and hooked up the other guy. Well, it turns out that was low season when no treks were booked, so he was just in touristy villages with no tourists. Now they were booked, and they owner wanted to book me into a trek. When I told him I wanted to go alone, the mood changed, and suddenly all his information contradicted himself and what I was told earlier. Money seems to have that effect on people.
So, i booked a room next door at a place called Malee's. The lady there was the first to own a guesthouse in the area to accept foreigners, so she knew a lot. She told me 2 villages to look for, and I just set out on my own.
There is something about Asia, where Nobody walks. They all have scooters. So when they see a Farang(thai term for foreigner) walking, and not taking a taxi or tuktuk, I think it throws them off. I have said how friendly Ireland was for hitchhiking, but this is a new level. So far, I have been picked up by a school bus, jeep, motorcycle, produce truck, and family truck... all for free. So my 15km trek to the villages was less than 3 walking and the rest I rode along.
My first village was not too friendly, but not touristy either. It was only 2pm, so I kept walking. My next village was a lisu tribe. The little children saw me from 500m away and came running to sell me stuff. Obviously this was not the village for me. Next was a Karen village. We were told the road went no farther, and it was getting dark. So, we(I met two Italians along the way) found a family that would take us in and cook dinner. Little did we know this village was a stop-over for some of the trekkers. We heard them come in and stay up all night. Most villagers goto sleep at 8 or 9, and get up at 3 or 4am. The trekkers seem to be a noise problem.
Not that the chickens, cows, and buddha bells are noisy in the morning. So, I got up at 5am, and set off looking for another village.
I apparently walked through a national forest(which foreigners are supposed to pay 200 baht for entrance), and came out the other end at my favorite village. I sort of surprised them since I came in from the fields and not by the road. They weren't touristy, and they smiled!!! Found it!
So, I signlanguaged with an old man, who seemed to know what I wanted. He fed me some soup and then fried up some maggots or grubs. I tried a few and asked to got work in the fields. Instead, 3 boys lead me off into the woods with guns... These were long single shot bb or pellet guns for birds. We hunted for bird for a while, but never shot anything. Back in the village, more people seemed to hear about me, as there were plenty of people around...
A side note... I didn't take any pictures of this, because in the last three villages I think they expect it, and I wanted to prove to these people that I didn't just want their pictures, but to understand their daily routine.
After playing with the kids and showing them how to juggle rocks, the first old man came up to me and led me to his motorcycle. I signaled that I wanted to stay overnight, but he said 'Chaing Dao' and I took it that someone from the village was going that way. So, I didn't get to stay the night and spend more time with them.
Overall, the last village was worthwhile, but the impact of tourism on these villages is more harmful than beneficial I believe. As always, I enjoyed the physical aspect of climbing through the jungle and having to bushwhack my way through to overlooks off the trail.
I plan to head back to Bangkok for my birthday, and then maybe a day or two on an island right next to Cambodia. Then off to work.
I did upload a few more pics at printroom, but internet is really slow, and i have over 200 meg of photos. So, you may have to wait till i find a library in Phnom penn.
.: Ben Hansen :: 2:27 AM [+] 0 comments
:: Current Location : Breckenridge, Colorado :..AFOOT.and.light-hearted,.I.take.to.the.open.road,.Healthy,.free,.the.world.before.me,.The.long.brown.path.before.me,.le ading.wherever.I.choose....Henceforth.I.ask.not.good-fortune-I.myself.am.good.fortune;.Henceforth.I.whimper.no.more,.pos tpone.no.more,.need.nothing,..........Strong.and.content,.I.travel.the.open.road....The.earth-that.is.sufficient;.I.do.n ot.want.the.constellations.any.nearer;.I.know.they.are.very.well.where.they.are;.I.know.they.suffice.for.those.who.belon g.to.them.......Still.here.I.carry.my.old.delicious.burdens;.I.carry.them,.men.and.women-I.carry.them.with.me.wherever.I .go;.I.swear.it.is.impossible.for.me.to.get.rid.of.them;.I.am.fill'd.with.them,.and.I.will.fill.them.in.return.)....You. road.I.enter.upon.and.look.around!.I.believe.you.are.not.all.that.is.here;....I.believe.that.much.unseen.is.also.here... .Here.the.profound.lesson.of.reception,.neither.preference.or.denial;.The.black.with.his.woolly.head,.the.felon,.the.dis eas'd,.the.illiterate.person,.are.not.denied;.The.birth,.the.hasting.after.the.physician,.the.beggar's.tramp,.the.drunka rd's.stagger,.the.laughing.party.of.mechanics,.The.escaped.youth,.the.rich.person's.carriage,.the.fop,.the.eloping.coupl e,....The.early.market-man,.the.hearse,.the.moving.of.furniture.into.the.town,.the.return.back.from.the.town,.They.pass- I.also.pass-anything.passes-none.can.be.interdicted;.None.but.are.accepted-none.but.are.dear.to.me..You.air.that.serves. me.with.breath.to.speak!.You.objects.that.call.from.diffusion.my.meanings,.and.give.them.shape!....You.light.that.wraps. me.and.all.things.in.delicate.equable.showers!.You.paths.worn.in.the.irregular.hollows.by.the.roadsides!.I.think.you.are .latent.with.unseen.existences-you.are.so.dear.to.me....You.flagg'd.walks.of.the.cities!.you.strong.curbs.at.the.edges!. You.ferries!.you.planks.and.posts.of.wharves!.you.timber-lined.sides!.you.distant.ships!....You.rows.of.houses!.you.wind ow-pierc'd.façades!.you.roofs!.You.porches.and.entrances!.you.copings.and.iron.guards!.You.windows.whose.transparent.she lls.might.expose.so.much!.You.doors.and.ascending.steps!.you.arches!.You.gray.stones.of.interminable.pavements!.you.trod den.crossings!....From.all.that.has.been.near.you,.I.believe.you.have.imparted.to.yourselves,.and.now.would.impart.the.s ame.secretly.to.me;From.the.living.and.the.dead.I.think.you.have.peopled.your.impassive.surfaces,.and.the.spirits.thereo f.would.be.evident.and.amicable.with.me.....The.earth.expanding.right.hand.and.left.hand,.The.picture.alive,.every.part. in.its.best.light,.The.music.falling.in.where.it.is.wanted,.and.stopping.where.it.is.not.wanted,....The.cheerful.voice.o f.the.public.road-the.gay.fresh.sentiment.of.the.road....O.highway.I.travel!.O.public.road!.do.you.say.to.me,.Do.not.lea ve.me?.Do.you.say,.Venture.not?.If.you.leave.me,.you.are.lostDo.you.say,.I.am.already.prepared-I.am.well-beaten.and.unde nied-adhere.to.me?.O.public.road!.I.say.back,.I.am.not.afraid.to.leave.you-yet.I.love.you;....You.express.me.better.than .I.can.express.myself;.You.shall.be.more.to.me.than.my.poem....I.think.heroic.deeds.were.all.conceiv'd.in.the.open.air,. and.all.great.poems.also;.I.think.I.could.stop.here.myself,.and.do.miracles;.My.judgments,.thoughts,.I.henceforth.try.by .the.open.air,.the.road;)....I.think.whatever.I.shall.meet.on.the.road.I.shall.like,.and.whoever.beholds.me.shall.like.m e;.I.think.whoever.I.see.must.be.happy.....From.this.hour,.freedom!.From.this.hour.I.ordain.myself.loos'd.of.limits.and. imaginary.lines,.Going.where.I.list,.my.own.master,.total.and.absolute,....Listening.to.others,.and.considering.well.wha t.they.say,.Pausing,.searching,.receiving,.contemplating,.Gently,.but.with.undeniable.will,.divesting.myself.of.the.hold s.that.would.hold.me....I.inhale.great.draughts.of.space;.The.east.and.the.west.are.mine,.and.the.north.and.the.south.ar e.mine.......I.am.larger,.better.than.I.thought;.I.did.not.know.I.held.so.much.goodness....All.seems.beautiful.to.me;.I. can.repeat.over.to.men.and.women,.You.have.done.such.good.to.me,.I.would.do.the.same.to.you....I.will.recruit.for.myself .and.you.as.I.go;....I.will.scatter.myself.among.men.and.women.as.I.go;.I.will.toss.the.new.gladness.and.roughness.among .them;.Whoever.denies.me,.it.shall.not.trouble.me;.Whoever.accepts.me,.he.or.she.shall.be.blessed,.and.shall.bless.me... ..Now.if.a.thousand.perfect.men.were.to.appear,.it.would.not.amaze.me;....Now.if.a.thousand.beautiful.forms.of.women.app ear'd,.it.would.not.astonish.me....Now.I.see.the.secret.of.the.making.of.the.best.persons,.It.is.to.grow.in.the.open.air ,.and.to.eat.and.sleep.with.the.earth....Here.a.great.personal.deed.has.room;.A.great.deed.seizes.upon.the.hearts.of.the .whole.race.of.men,....Its.effusion.of.strength.and.will.overwhelms.law,.and.mocks.all.authority.and.all.argument.agains t.it....Here.is.the.test.of.wisdom;.Wisdom.is.not.finally.tested.in.schools;.Wisdom.cannot.be.pass'd.from.one.having.it, .to.another.not.having.it;.Wisdom.is.of.the.Soul,.is.not.susceptible.of.proof,.is.its.own.proof,....Applies.to.all.stage s.and.objects.and.qualities,.and.is.content,.Is.the.certainty.of.the.reality.and.immortality.of.things,.and.the.excellen ce.of.things;.Something.there.is.in.the.float.of.the.sight.of.things.that.provokes.it.out.of.the.Soul...Now.I.reëxamine. philosophies.and.religions,They.may.prove.well.in.lecture-rooms,.yet.not.prove.at.all.under.the.spacious.clouds,.and.alo ng.the.landscape.and.flowing.currents.......Here.is.realization;.Here.is.a.man.tallied-he.realizes.here.what.he.has.in.h im;.The.past,.the.future,.majesty,.love-if.they.are.vacant.of.you,.you.are.vacant.of.them....Only.the.kernel.of.every.ob ject.nourishes;.Where.is.he.who.tears.off.the.husks.for.you.and.me?....Where.is.he.that.undoes.stratagems.and.envelopes. for.you.and.me?...Here.is.adhesiveness-it.is.not.previously.fashion'd-it.is.apropos;.Do.you.know.what.it.is,.as.you.pass ,.to.be.loved.by.strangers?.Do.you.know.the.talk.of.those.turning.eye-balls?....Here.is.the.efflux.of.the.Soul;....The.e fflux.of.the.Soul.comes.from.within,.through.embower'd.gates,.ever.provoking.questions:.These.yearnings,.why.are.they?.T hese.thoughts.in.the.darkness,.why.are.they?.Why.are.there.men.and.women.that.while.they.are.nigh.me,.the.sun-light.expa nds.my.blood?.Why,.when.they.leave.me,.do.my.pennants.of.joy.sink.flat.and.lank?.Why.are.there.trees.I.never.walk.under, .but.large.and.melodious.thoughts.descend.upon.me?....I.think.they.hang.there.winter.and.summer.on.those.trees,.and.alwa ys.drop.fruit.as.I.pass;).What.is.it.I.interchange.so.suddenly.with.strangers?.What.with.some.driver,.as.I.ride.on.the.s eat.by.his.side?.What.with.some.fisherman,.drawing.his.seine.by.the.shore,.as.I.walk.by,.and.pause?.What.gives.me.to.be. free.to.a.woman's.or.man's.good-will?.What.gives.them.to.be.free.to.mine?.......The.efflux.of.the.Soul.is.happiness-here .is.happiness;.I.think.it.pervades.the.open.air,.waiting.at.all.times;.Now.it.flows.unto.us-we.are.rightly.charged....He re.rises.the.fluid.and.attaching.character;.The.fluid.and.attaching.character.is.the.freshness.and.sweetness.of.man.and. woman;....The.herbs.of.the.morning.sprout.no.fresher.and.sweeter.every.day.out.of.the.roots.of.themselves,.than.it.sprou ts.fresh.and.sweet.continually.out.of.itself.)...Toward.the.fluid.and.attaching.character.exudes.the.sweat.of.the.love.o f.young.and.old;.From.it.falls.distill'd.the.charm.that.mocks.beauty.and.attainments;.Toward.it.heaves.the.shuddering.lo nging.ache.of.contact.....Allons!.whoever.you.are,.come.travel.with.me!....Traveling.with.me,.you.find.what.never.tires. ...The.earth.never.tires;.The.earth.is.rude,.silent,.incomprehensible.at.first-Nature.is.rude.and.incomprehensible.at.fi rst;.Be.not.discouraged-keep.on-there.are.divine.things,.well.envelop'd;.I.swear.to.you.there.are.divine.things.more.bea utiful.than.words.can.tell.......Allons!.we.must.not.stop.here!.However.sweet.these.laid-up.stores-however.convenient.th is.dwelling,.we.cannot.remain.here;.However.shelter'd.this.port,.and.however.calm.these.waters,.we.must.not.anchor.here; .However.welcome.the.hospitality.that.surrounds.us,.we.are.permitted.to.receive.it.but.a.little.while......Allons!.the.i nducements.shall.be.greater;....We.will.sail.pathless.and.wild.seas;.We.will.go.where.winds.blow,.waves.dash,.and.the.Ya nkee.clipper.speeds.by.under.full.sail....Allons!.with.power,.liberty,.the.earth,.the.elements!.Health,.defiance,.gayety ,.self-esteem,.curiosity;.Allons!.from.all.formules!....From.your.formules,.O.bat-eyed.and.materialistic.priests!...The. stale.cadaver.blocks.up.the.passage-the.burial.waits.no.longer....Allons!.yet.take.warning!.He.traveling.with.me.needs.t he.best.blood,.thews,.endurance;.None.may.come.to.the.trial,.till.he.or.she.bring.courage.and.health.......Come.not.here .if.you.have.already.spent.the.best.of.yourself;.Only.those.may.come,.who.come.in.sweet.and.determin'd.bodies;.No.diseas 'd.person-no.rum-drinker.or.venereal.taint.is.permitted.here....I.and.mine.do.not.convince.by.arguments,.similes,.rhymes ;.We.convince.by.our.presence.........Listen!.I.will.be.honest.with.you;.I.do.not.offer.the.old.smooth.prizes,.but.offer .rough.new.prizes;.These.are.the.days.that.must.happen.to.you:...You.shall.not.heap.up.what.is.call'd.riches,.You.shall. scatter.with.lavish.hand.all.that.you.earn.or.achieve,....You.but.arrive.at.the.city.to.which.you.were.destin'd-you.hard ly.settle.yourself.to.satisfaction,.before.you.are.call'd.by.an.irresistible.call.to.depart,.You.shall.be.treated.to.the
