|| normal \\ exercise

Well I'm back, finally into the swing of things again. Jet lag is gone, back on the higher fat foods, which makes me feel fantastic and has helped me drop the "Asia-weight". Last night I was in Valpo, and I have never driven on roads that slick before. US-6 off I-80/90 near Valparaiso was pure black ice. I even spun off the road into a ditch, and I was crawling in 4-wheel drive (not that 4-wheel drive helps all that much, but it gives you four contact points if you do find some dry or snowy road). A bit scary, but everything is fine. No damage to my truck, I was lucky enough to hit a ditch that had no curb or trees and wasn't too deep or steep. Here in Michigan now, we could get more than a foot of lake effect snow tonight! By the way, a few of the guys on the team said I was looking leaner than the last time I was in Valpo...now I know how good it feels to be told one looks good! Love it.

Anyway, I was poking around the internet as I often do (usually in some rabbit hole looking at the most random things. Did you know that North Dakota has two exclaves in Canada, Vermont has a library that's shared with Canada because it's built on the border, or that at the Macau-China border the road twists something funny so that the traffic switches from RHD to LHD flow?) and circled back to reading a little more in-depth about Simon Whitfield. He's a pretty cool and funny guy from what I've seen out on the web. He's raced in 4 Olympic games, and won in Sydney (but crashed out in London, so he's experienced it all!) and eventually, a little interview (also below) about his diet comes up on youtube. I was very surprised to hear that he prefers a real/low carbohydrate diet. Instead of rambling about it, I'll let you hit the links and see for yourself.


I also found this gem (also below) about heart disease and its relation to a high-fat diet. Now, take the video with a grain of salt since it's mainly for mainstream viewers, but it is based on science and does a pretty good job of saying where the information comes from and which opinions/facts on either side are disputed and why. Mostly I'm happy about it because it's helping tear the low-fat dogma apart. I've been doing high-fat for a while now and I've never felt better, nor looked better in the recent past. Just today (Tuesday 26 November) a few friends at Valpo told me I had looked leaner than ever, and it's 100% due to this new lifestyle. I've barely exercised while doing this and I'm lighter than when I did my half Ironman in August.

\\ Speaking of exercise, the USMS (United States Masters Swimming aka anyone over 18 that is not swimming in a USA Club or University) finally started and I'm having so much fun coaching. I'm learning very quickly, as we have virtually any and every speed/experience level possible. So with 15 people in the water, I might be running 3 or 5 workouts simultaneously. Pretty crazy! It's also motivated me to get fit again, and after a few workouts I'm "re-hooked" on working out. So far I've really enjoyed a few high intensity shorter 3k-4k workouts in the pool. I think I'm ready to love the water again. I'm in love with my kettlebell...I can knock out a really hard routine in my living room at the condo in half an hour. I'm also in the process of getting my bike trainer up and running, and the folks at cycleops have been helpful. I'm trying to adapt the skewer to my older bike that I got on craigslist for $40. Perfect winter/city beater bike, but I'm fine with it sitting on the trainer as well because it needs some work to become road-worthy. My goal is for the thing to replace my couch. Aerobic efficiency along with HIIT kettlebell stuff. Sounds perfect. Also, holy crap, I got my mom off of margarine and there was REAL BUTTER in the house when I got home! And my dad (kind of) admitted that he snacks on "crap" too much...slow progress is still progress.

Mmm butter

Great food haul earlier this week...so good!

Made some whipped cream with strawberries in the vitamix...takes no time and is super delicious.

Broke my toe last week.

The massive flag out at Lambeau. Green Bay likes to do well by our veterans and troops!

Flyover, just like any other Packer game at Lambeau. B17 today.

Lombardi time. For the uninitiated, it's local time, only 15 minutes fast (like Nepal and the Catham Islands, the only two places in the world that are 45/15 minutes different. Nepal is 15 minutes ahead of India)

This is what an REI sticker on a Nalgene looks like after 74,312 miles of flying, 10 days in India, 9 days in Taiwan and a few days in three other countries...you know, in case you are curious. 

|| jetlag \\ coffee

I am finally back in the USA, and back in Chicago. What a long few days of travel it has been! Instead of doing the smart thing and flying TPE-HKG-ORD or something similar, I did the cheap thing and did two round trips, so I had to fly TPE-HKG-BOM-LHR-ORD. Almost 23 hours in the air, covering 23146 miles. Total on my trip, I flew 74312 miles. That's the equivalent of flying around the world, at the equator, almost 3 times. I've got enough miles to fly domestically in the USA about twice for free now, which is handy because I need to fly to LA and Florida relatively soon.

I was horribly jetlagged for about a day when I got back. I got home at about 7p on Monday the 11th, went to bed at 2a and woke up at 2p. That was the longest I think I've ever slept. The next day was much better. I went to bed again at about 2a, but woke up around 8. And last night, I fell asleep around 11p and woke up at 8a...I think my body is finally on a normal schedule again, which is good because I start coaching and working again tomorrow.

One of the few remaining B747-300 still flying. There was a concentration of them at LHR, I saw about 5 or 6. I didn't see an A380.

9-hour flight on a 767-300, nearly a 30-year old plane. United needs to update it's fleet. The movies just looped and the "from the cockpit" channel wasn't available.

The whole flight from LHR-ORD was one elongated sunset. Here's my favorite iPhone shot I got.

The approach into ORD. For once, it wasn't illegal for me to record this!

Got to record a landing LEGALLY on my GoPro for once. Still illegal internationally, however.

\\

Ugh. Finally have good coffee again. Taiwanese coffee was ok, but "weak" tasting, and Indian coffee is just heated goat milk with nescafe grounds.

Also, in LHR I found probably the most healthy meal ever found in an airport, and was also NSNG. Salad with crayfish, avocado and a balsamic dressing. It was OK, but better than McDonald's for the 100th time.

My flight had Kerrygold butter! Real butter! I was very happy...I asked for a cup of coffee after my meal and put the butter in the coffee. I got quite the strange look from the flight attendants but I explained to them what I was doing. They seemed somewhat interested at least.

This really gets my goat. Drugs aren't the answer to health problems, healthier living is. 

|| english \\ transit

Edit: was meaning to upload this nearly a week ago but wrote it offline and didn't upload it. Not the first time! Anyway...

I'm writing this in a hostel in Taipei right now. It's been a great few days...after my rest day in Chanyuang I went with Will to his high school and spoke to an English class...that was very fun, actually. It made me think quite a lot about perhaps teaching English as a way to travel-especially Southeast Asia in Taiwan, Nepal, Tibet and South Korea. So far Taipei has been very fun. I'm staying at the "Travel Talk Backpackers Hostel" downtown. I highly reccommend it? As the fellow guests here are fantastic and willing to randomly explore and head on day trips with others. I met two girls from Korea and we went to the North Coast. Unfortuantely it was pouring the whole time so we headed back to Taipei early and got warm and dry and went out to a few night markets and then went to a few bars. It was a Monday so pretty much a bust, but still got to chat with some locals which is always good. 

Me with a group from the class. They were relatively shy and quiet until they were told they could come up individually and talk to me and take a picture.

Temple in Jo Fyun-North Coast of Taiwan. 

\\ 

Tomorrow it's a train to Haulin (Taroko National Park), one night there. The day after we head to Tai Tung and stay at a hot springs (!). Third day is a short day at Kenting (very southern tip of Taiwan) and the same night I head up to stay with an old friend from my Iowa days in Kaohsiung. By the end of the trip I'll have been all around the island 1.5 times. I need to come back and spend more time here!

Mr. Brown. It's not very good but it's only $20nt, about 65-70 cents. A 7-11 staple. 

|| scenery \\ tour

Edit: similar thing. Write this en route to somewhere and never hit upload...whoops

Fewer words. More photos. 

Memorial hall in Taipei. Specific name is escapingn me at the moment. 

Temple in Taipei proper. Again, name currently evades me. 

All three above pictures are in Taroko National Park. 

The group of us driving around the southern half of Taiwan. 

Hot spring hotel in Tai Tung. Perfect 30• water. 

Grass fields in Tai Tung where the Eva Air ad was shot. I'll post a link later when I have internet perhaps. 

Beach south of Tai Tung but still east coast. Kenting is on the south/west/east coast and I have some killer go pro footage that will be in my travel film later. 

\\

Well the tour de Taiwan is over. I know I didn't write a lot about Taiwan because I was so busy actually traveling, but I have so many good photos. I'll have some more audio as well perhaps as that was easier to record here and there. 

Went out for hot pot in Taichung and it was amazing. Perfect feast one which to end an amazing trip. 

Will "cooking" the goat. Aka sticking it in the hot pot. 

Pigs blood, duck, beef marble, goat, veg and a very good dipping sauce that is cilantro, peanut and...something. Blanking!

Mmmm hot pot

Passion fruit over shaved ice for dessert. Best bessert I've had in a long time. 

|| taiwan \\ adjusting

Well. I've finally recovered from the nasty travel days last week and am in Taiwan. As amazing as India was and is, I so far love Taiwan. There's something about staying and touring with a local that makes it a little more relaxing, especially because he obviously knows the language (Chinese). Taiwan is super diverse and over the last few and next few weeks I'll see/climb mountains up to nearly 3900m (same as Ledakh) and relax at beaches on the east coast in the warm Pacific sun and water. All of this in a small island in which one can take a train across the entire place in about 6 hours. I already want to come back in the spring and see more of Taiwan, 9 days is not enough. 

Tomorrow I head to Taipei, and I will be there Sunday and Monday. Tuesday to Haoulin on the east coast. Wednesday to Tai Tung. Thursday Koashung and then back to Taichung area. All by train and car, I will get a sweeping overview of Taiwan. Like I said with India I could easily spend a month here at least! 

Just a few papers from the travel day from India to Taiwan. 

Sunrise from the BOM-HKG flight. Morning coffee and that at 41k feet, yes please!

Taiwanese bubble tea. Tapioca bubbles in tea. 

Hurt my arm a good bit getting this view/picture at 3300m hill southeast of Taichung. 

\\

Taiwan is much different from India. Clean, much more modern to name a few. It's a lot warmer, hitting 26-27 during the day and only 20 at night. A little humid as well, but those nights in Leh were getting cold! My host family couldn't be better. Food, laundry, and a place to sleep...what more could I ask for? Hopefully Taipei isn't too dead on Sunday night. I originally planned to head up to Taipei today (Saturday) but needed a day to rest my shoulder/arm after I hurt it climbing yesterday. I'm staying at a backing hostel and those are always good for meeting people! I will probably head up to the university in north Taipei as well, just to see what the campus is like. 

I also got a very nice and much needed haircut/wash/styling for only $280tw. 

Sun moon lake. Very pretty but foggy that day. 

|| garden \\ sunset

In Srinagar we stayed a short walk's distance from two incredible gardens, Shalimar and Nishat very near Dal Lake. I'll keep this one short and use pictures instead of words. More on these places in the podcast. 

\\

The power of a sunset. More isntagrams, fewer words. A short post. 

|| driving \\ flying

A few days back Will and I hired a driver to drive the Leh-Srinagar route. It's 450km and 11-13 hours of driving. Yep. The road is that slow and dangerous. It was an experience I will never forget. Some sections of the road were wide enough for us to pass a truck on the right (right side driving here) whilst a second truck goes past on our right in the opposite direction. Other sections were very narrow, barely enough for two small cars, let alone a jeep and sometimes an oil truck to pass each other. I was a bit scared and nervous at times, but for me that turns into joy and grins very quickly. If it's not at least a little dangerous, how much fun could it be, right? The worst part wasn't the 12k mountain pass that was largely single-track, it was the town roads when it got dark. Horns and signals and brights are a constant. Turns out, turn signals are actually used to tell people to pass you, not to indicate a turn. It's an experience much different from the USA, my horn doesn't even work and it's seldom an issue. 

\\

I'm actually wiring this on the plane from SXR-CXR-BOM. A long day today, ending in Tapei after 5 or 6 airports and about 11 hours in the air. The security was a hassle again in Srinagar but didn't take as longn as I thought it would. Budget airline, no leg room! Bummer, but short flights. 

More later probably as I'll get bored on the many plane rides to TPE. Reminds me, I haven't recorded audio in a while, I need to find a place in the airport where I can record. 

Last thought, any of my Valpo friends can see that this-a school in Leh has a very similar logo!