..16.. bankok

amy arrives in bankok! the past few days have been dedicated to getting visas, booking busrides, and otherwise planning the next couple months! tomorrow we head to cambodia for a gander at this 'ankor wat' everyone raves about. it's been great to spend time with amy. today we went to the floating market an hour outside of bankok. am trying to convince chris to test his product-design class project (agricultural tool) in laos with me :)

..15.. beijing

..14.. resources

reading The Prize (Daniel Yergin) makes me see the incredible importance of resources - and that oil is our ultimate resource for the time being. resource wars would have started amongst cavement over food. then amongst tribes for the land on which that food lived. then came tools and weapons, then currency. but now oil is at the top of the resource chain - we require it to make or transport every product we buy. we require it for national security. will there be another step up from oil - another ultimate resource?

(nearly) every conflict is over resources, even if not blatantly acknowledged. we cannot stop our need for basic resources - safe food and water, shelter, basic health care. we can reduce conflict over resources by taking a more honest look at what our needs are, and simplifying our lifestyles. less demand for resources means less cause for conflict.

..13..the great wall

went on an incredible dayhike along the great wall, ending in a zipline to the bottom!

mom is such a great travel partner - and such a tough little lady! i'm sad she won't keep travelling with me.