From Bangkok to Athens, the Mega-Magical Trip

12月初過得相當忙碌充實，去了泰國之後又拜訪了雅典。在這幾週內，我會見了綠色和平來自世界各地做數據分析、污染防治和氣候與能源的同事。交談的人數和國籍大概可以抵過去一整年的質和量吧！深深感受到這簡直是綠色和平聯合國，凝聚在一起，這股力量深厚強大。改變世界，不是說說而已。

In beginning of December 2016 I traveled to Thailand and Greece. I met the amazing Greenpeace East Asia, data insights, detox and climate & energy communities. I've been constantly impressed by how Greenpeace brings talented and passionate people together from around the world. In the past few weeks, I probably met and talked to more people than I ever would in a year. The diversity and quality of conversations were amazing. I can't wish for better.

On the first day of my mega trip, I took a 40 minute taxi ride to the airport, got on a 3 hour flight to Bangkok, took a 4 hour bus ride to Hua Hin, and took two minivans and got dropped off in front of a sketchy police station where no one else was around...

Finally two women from the B&B I stayed at came to pick me up. I started the day at 5am and now it's 10pm. I met a college student who studies programming on the first minivan and he helped me communicate with the driver. I met a woman on the second minivan who helped me call my B&. Both minivan drivers didn't charge me at all. They probably just wanted to help me out since I was the only foreigner on the vans....

(Sam Roi Yot National Park)

人生第一次自己一個人騎摩托車在異國蹓噠。路上有牛也有狗，還有在裝修電線桿的男孩向妳搖手say hello。因為怕死所以戴安全帽，因為戴安全帽所以大家都知道你是外國人。身為年輕女生一個人旅行很幸福，好像一個真誠的微笑就處處被照顧、處處被保護。

It was my first time riding a motorcycle alone, and abroad! Honestly, it's very easy to travel by yourself as a young female traveler. Wherever I go, there's always people that want to help me out, take me to places and even buy me drinks or treat me stuff as long as I smile and be friendly. Or maybe it's just because I'm in countryside Thailand and that's just how people treat each other here? Not sure, but I'm a lucky girl indeed!

As I returned to Bangkok, I went out for a night to experience the salsa scene in the city. Nightlife in Bangkok, you see lots of foreigners and Thai women. There are no Thai men at all. Where do they all go? This is the weirdest thing in Thailand. And I'm getting used to seeing Thai women and white men couples here, or Filipino women and white men couples in the Philippines. It's just a norm in South East Asia...

Most foreigners thought I'm Thai, but the Thai women can tell I'm not. That was quite interesting.

Compared to Bangkok, nightlife in Athens is much more "normal". I was pretty fascinated and yet a bit overwhelmed by the amount of social life people have in Athens. There was a gazillion of restaurants, bars and cafes packed with people especially after 9pm. Even teenagers here go to bars-- they totally have night lives while Asian teenagers would be studying on most nights. Everyone's talking to one another and no one's on their phone--totally amazing and awesome. Couples hug and kiss openly and frequently in public. I thought people are extremely good-looking but the aesthetics seem to be more image-conscious rather than healthy. It's quite fun seeing just a bit of city life here. I'm sure there's a lot more in the country.

相較之下，希臘夜生活，有成人有青少年，大家都很多話，沒人在滑手機。是個社交生活相當豐富的社會！

I spent my last weekend in Bangkok rock climbing at Nam Pha Pa Yai Camp just 2 hours outside of Bangkok. Like the salsa scene, the climbers here are predominantly foreigners. There's a surprising amount of French climbers. This past weekend is perhaps the most I've ever been exposed in a French speaking environment, though I'm in Thailand. Limestone is actually quite dirty, but climbing up in and out of the caves was lots of fun!

在曼谷最後一個周末就泡在這曼谷兩個小時外的攀岩營地裡。天氣極好，晚上起風，第一天晚上竟然被鬼壓床，嚇得我們隔天馬上去營地門口的小神壇拜一下。營區裡大概九成五都是西方人。我們整個周末都跟一群長極好看、住新加坡的法國人一起爬。法國人好優雅阿! 即使是曠野人士，從語調、身型到舉止，都溫文儒雅，真是神奇的文化體驗~ 

在希臘開會的地方，每天都有了不起的夕陽和日出。

I then flew from Bangkok to Greece. This place has the best sunrise and sunset.

Taste of the Ｍediterranean

Grilled fish is the best. We ordered a couple and asked if we should order another whole grilled fish for 6 people. The waitress said, "sure, why not?"
It was then clear to me if you ever ask Greek people questions, they're very likely to give you a "sure, why not?". How positive!

如果你在希臘問服務生任何問題，他們極可能回你：當然，為什麼不？
所以我們點了三條全身的烤魚，津津有味。那家平價樸實的海鮮食堂，至今仍令人難忘。

直到現場才知道自己來到了雅典衛城，和澳洲同事一起惡補一點歷史，他們說這個歷史課都有教，是西方文明的開端。而我卻對歐洲歷史真是一點fu都沒有～但身在世界遺產裡，夕陽照射讓這些白色建築都金光閃閃，加上雅典貓，也感覺一切完美。

So I didn't know what the Acropolis is before I came here. Apparently I have no connection to European history at all! It's still pretty amazing to be there. Sunset and Greekcats just made everything perfect.

一名希臘女子在這小山丘上突然向我說：可以幫你照相嗎？妳坐在那裡，光線和視覺整體感都好棒。真的，我學攝影的，我知道！

我遲疑了一下，有點擔心她會把我的手機就這樣拿走了。但當下決定相信她，拍完照，我們悠閒地聊天。她告訴我一些有關希臘的事。來之前我完全沒做功課，也只和兩三個希臘人真的聊到天。很難說我愛上了希臘，但我非常享受，也非常懷念閒坐在那冬陽下舉目皆古蹟和美人美景的地方。

I was just sitting there, facing the Acropolis in Athens. This Greek girl next to me looked at me, smiled, and said: "Excuse me, I know this sounds weird but can I take a photo for you? I study photography and you just look perfect sitting there."
I hesitated, wasn't sure if she'd just take my camera after she shot, but I chose to trust her. She even told me how to pose. We then chatted, and had a genuine conversation. That moment was magical. The view was perfect, and so was the encounter.

希臘路邊，有貓、露天咖啡食堂、賣畫、賣海綿、賣堅果的，還有傳說中卻也真實存在的吉普賽人。後來飛機上一個大叔跟我聊天說道：很多吉普賽人乞討或騙財成性，他們覺得這是一種正常的維生方式，希臘政府幾十年來一直想把他們納入正常社會體制，但他們寧可投機。有ㄧ次路見一個女孩一直要獻花給我，我還沒搞清楚狀況時，法國籍同事就把我拉走，說千萬不要理他們。有時候，他們的小孩也會出現在露天餐廳甚至捷運上，彈奏手風琴跟你乞討。一個印度同事說他的錢包有一天就被四個吉普賽人用聲東擊西之計擒走了。

上了一課。歐洲人文歷史１０１。

Lycabettus Hill from many angles.

登高望遠。好在雅典沒什麼高樓大廈，小山丘和古蹟們仍是城市裡突出的地標。在希臘開會最後一天一個桌子倒下砸傷我的腳趾，但難得轉了三班飛機大老遠來到希臘，加上每天冬陽高照，即使搞得腳趾每天血淋淋，還是得四處趴趴走吧。這個小山丘每天看到都要拍一下，它頂上原來是個教堂，跟臺灣有些山丘上都有小廟大佛應該是同樣道理。教堂裡可以捐錢點蠟燭，悼念死者，竟跟我們寺廟裡可以給死者上香一樣道理。還記得是兩個希臘女子在教堂裡看我一臉好奇主動跟我說的，然後法國籍同事居然說：啥妳不知道嗎，教堂都可以給死者點蠟燭啊。

吃了一周的泰國菜，一周的希臘料理，最後一天到了香港機場我只想來碗中式熱清湯。於是我到了機場一家茶餐廳，點了雲吞湯。沒想到餐廳居然不收信用卡。我的後面來了位臺灣口音的男生，我立馬問他：你是臺灣人嗎？他說是。好心的他願意幫我先用人民幣付錢，還收我不到餐費全部的台幣。 一聊之下，發現他是Taco Chen清大機械的學弟，在腳踏車架製造業工作要去深圳出差。世界真小，臺灣最美真是人情。

回來真好，但也開始期待下一個旅程！　

While it's nice to be back, I'm embarking on another journey again :) Can't wait!