The Lone Star State

I've finally done it! I have stayed in one city, without leaving, for over a month. I can't even remember the last time I did that. It's been at least a couple of years. So, you may be wondering, where is this amazing place that has lured me in to cool my heals. Would you believe I am in Texas?!

I flew from Thailand to Arizona, spent a few days relaxing and hiking with my parents, then started up my little truck and drove through the wide open spaces of the South-west. I was warned by many that this is a markedly dull drive, but I enjoyed it thoroughly. After not driving anything much more powerful than a moped for several months, it felt great to be back behind the wheel.

I blasted my stereo and took a calling from the landscape, cleared my mind, then let it roam freely. The wind ripping across the prairies filled me with energy and made me feel intensely alive.

I drove until it was dark and the drove some more. I was less in a hurry to get to Austin than I was intoxicated by driving. The road at night was densely populated by deer and so I slowed my speed drastically. I putted along under 50 while some others raced past me. I saw one car later smashed on the side of the road with a deer laying in front of it. An ambulance had just shown up. I had my own encounter shortly after.

A song played by a native american flute randomly began playing on my ipod. I saw a flash out of the corner of my eye. The light illuminated the body of a buck galloping alongside of me on the otherwise empty road. I could see clearly the eyes of the deer shining at me as it's graceful, powerful body ran alongside me. Seemingly suspended in slow motion, I had only to move my wheel slightly and we both continued on our paths, unharmed, but certainly affected.

Once my eyes finally grew weary I found a safe place to park and crawled into the back of my truck.

The next morning I found a truckstop cafe and realized that I was truly in Texas. It was everything I could have hoped for, from the extra grease heaped on my eggs and biscuit to the watery coffee served by the sweet yet exhausted waitress.

Once I arrived in Austin I had a few days to adjust and move my belongings into one of the six bedrooms of this giant house. However, since then I have been working almost non-stop. Even up to 15 hours in a day on one occasion.

A few of my good friends that I met six years ago, during my first year living in San Diego, moved out to Austin a few years back. They all still live together in one of the homes that my friend Jose owns. They had been trying to talk me into moving here as well for some time, so I finally gave in. I am staying for a couple of months at the house and working for my friend at a plant nursery.

I arrived just in time. Soon after I got here the South by Southwest music festival started. I was excited to see all the free shows , but was predicting that I would probably have to see most of the hip hop on my own. My friends here mostly have different music tastes from myself.

But nope, I should have known it would work out. My good friend from Oregon randomly heard that I was in Austin and got ahold of me. He was perfoming some shows at the festival.

On the Thursday of the festival I got off work early (only six hours of work) and headed downtown. I ended up having a super fun time with my friends from Oregon and stayed downtown until Saturday afternoon when I had to be at work again. It's so funny how these things work out sometimes. I really couldn't have asked for a better scenario. It brought me full circle to celebrate with people from my past in a city I had just moved to.

Between my work hours I have also been able to fit in some of my favorite activities. I joined a Bikram Yoga gym and have been working, for 1 1/2 hours at a time, on the 26 poses in a room set at 105 degrees with high humidity. I also have been able to do little paddling.

When I first arrived in Austin I posted an add on craigslist looking for access to a surfski. When I lived in San Diego I joined a boat club where I could borrow a surfski, which is similar to a sea kayak but even longer and thinner (aka tippier). I also started racing in competitions and got really hooked. I was hoping to find a similar arrangment here.

My first reply was not exactly promising. It went something like this:

"Hey bro, you should get a jet ski instead. But if you do, make sure to get the standup kind, that is unless you like to sit while you pee too."

Yeah... he really hit that one on the head.

My second reply, while still assuming I was male, was much more lucrative. He informed me of a local online paddling forum and invited me paddle his extra boat. We met up and I got to take his "Texas Safari Boat" for a spin. It is a boat specifically made for a marathon race here in Texas. It is similar to a surfski, but is a lot tougher and has space to store food and water for the 48+ hour race.

I also met another guy on the forum that has an extra surfski, so I have also been paddling with him. It is a beautiful place for day paddles. Town Lake goes right through the highrises of downtown and then weaves along natural cliffs. There are lots of birds and in some spots, the water is like turtle soup. They make a disheartening thump against the bottom of my boat when I see them too late.

It has been nice to live more like a typical american with a job where I have my evenings free, making over minimum wage, and sleeping in a bed that isn't on the ground or legal to drive down the freeway. But, at the same time I haven't been able to get my other way of life out of my head. I have stayed in touch with some people from the hilltribe village where I volunteered and want to get back there to help some more. I have also been looking into volunteering in Burma for a month or two. I can't wait for my summer that I will spend instructing Outward Bound courses for adults and young adults. And I'm trying to figure out a way to sponsor a very deserving little girl so that she can continue her education.

For now, I plan to enjoy my next couple of weeks with my friends and working hard at the nursery. Then I will start the drive up to Washington state so that I can start another season as an instructor for Outward Bound. Hopefully between the money I am making at the plant nursery and instructing courses I will be able to afford returning to South East Asia next fall to wander and do some more volunteering.