I have been on my own with Buddha since early Monday morning. Being on my own is actually pretty nice. I miss my roommate a lot and I can't wait until she gets home so I'm not making bird noises to myself, but other than that it's been a nice adjustment period for me to just chill out. Caz was very insistent on me visiting some of the neighboring food establishments to mingle with some acquaintances, but like a true introvert, the thought of small talk with people I don't know very well makes me want to stab myself in the eye. Not that I don't like them or getting to know knew people, they are all actually really fun, but it's going to take me at least two more days to work up the mental stamina to walk into a cafe where I will exchange pleasantries with people. I swear to god, I'm getting there. Right now I'm thoroughly enjoying the time I have to sit with Buddha in the Company Gardens to write for the book and for the blog.
The gardens are beautiful, aside from the many homeless sleeping on the benches and security patrolling every walkway, it's a good place to go for people watching. Bus loads of Asian tourists clamor around the statues and memorials posing with their backpacks they wear backwards to dissuade theft. Which, by the way, if you want to dissuade someone from robbing you in a foreign country there's a few things you want to do;
1. Look as least touristy as humanly possible. I know that's hard especially if you're on a tour with a group but the whole fanny pack, backwards backpack, camera hanging out, visor, money belt thing is just asking for someone to rob you. I'm not saying I'm never going to get robbed but I try and be as low key as I can manage.
2. Put your phone away. A lot of people, including myself, have a habit of walking and staring into their phone's soul like their life depended on it so you don't look like your open for passerby's or homeless to talk to you. All you're really saying is, here's my nice phone AND I'm not paying attention to my surroundings, have at it!
3. Look like you know where you're going. Even if you are lost and confused, which I was yesterday trying to get back (thank god Buddha knows the way home), just keep marching like this is your neighborhood and you have places to be. The moment I hesitated to ponder my direction and surely looked like a lost and confused white girl, I was approached by seedy looking people asking me questions. I mean if you're really lost I'm not saying don't ask for directions, just be smart about it. Ask a cop, or walk into a store and ask an employee to point you in the right way. Don't ask the guy creeping on the corner, and don't pull your phone out to GPS you're way home in front of him.
4. Don't go out at night alone. Make sure you have time to get back to your place before dark, especially if you're alone. That should just be common sense.
5. Don't carry valuables. Minimal cash. Decoy credit cards. A dummy phone if you wanna get real creative! I have a wallet full of useless things. Incase I get robbed they can walk away feeling accomplished and I can get somewhere safe before they realize none of my cards work and I have no cash. Caz's ingenious tip; keep your keys clipped to your bra strap. Literally if you're a girl hide everything valuable in your bra. People want your bag and your wallet where you presumably have all things worth money.
Anyways, back to the Gardens being beautiful. Here's some photos!
He's an excellent guard dog.
The squirrels here are ballsy as all hell. This guy walked right up to Buddha and stared him down 12 inches from his face. Thank god Buddha is a gentle soul and didn't try to eat the squirrel.
Mandy
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