volcanoes, cont'd.

4 a.m. hike up Ganung Batur, Bali, Indonesia

also.. more eyjafjallajokull!

phonstance

two things happened in may that made me start liking phayao. 1) i got a moto, and 2) the monsoon started (which put out the forest fires and brought back the mountains).

now i can explore sunsets. and jungles. and listen to wilco's summerteeth while riding through the afternoon rice paddies. and okkervil river on moonlight dashes around the lake. and (unreleased) paul banks every other time. and simply indulge every impulse of exotic wander-y adventurism i have.

it really is happiness on wheels. and it was enough to get me back for a second year.

anyway, the point is.. con thinks we look like:

photos of the sky

Back in January, a few months into dry season here, every rice farmer/mushroom harvester/trash creator in the north was setting fires. Soon sunsets, mountains and the general existence of color (despite the red/yellow Bangkok protests) were all gone (as I've relentlessly documented/complained about). Then it started raining again earlier this month, jacking up humidity levels but returning the general visual vibrancy that makes this place so livable.

Good story huh.

Pictures!:

Smokes

Phayao really is a perfectly beautiful place, and I love the mountains around our town. Unfortunately, it hasn't rained since October and there are like a billion forest fires burning throughout the north. Add in that most of the rice farmers (I think) burn their fields around this time of year.. and suddenly the mountains are gone.

September (gorgeous!):


Two weeks ago (gone!):


I spent a lot of time apologizing to both the Japanese and Scott and Jenni (our friends here two weeks ago) and explaining the pyro rice farmer dilemma. I don't think anyone blames me for making the mountains disappear, but I do it anyway.

It's also going to be 100+ all week, which is odd since the lack of rain has all the leaves turning red. So it looks like October and feels like June and smells like camping (it's like a dream!).

So.. sorry Mom and Dad (visiting in less than a week). Actually — they live in Houston but grew up in Northern California, so whether we get smog or mountains, they'll feel right at home.