I woke early on the 10th day of the journey to the sound of gardeners outside my window tidying up the grounds of the Mountain View Resort in Tomohon.
Looking forward to a full day of sightseeing, I opened the door of my bungalow and sniffed the cool highland air. Glancing the gardeners, I was surprised. They were an older Western couple. White people doing the groundskeeping in a place where the minimum wage was about $5/day. It was the hotel manager and his wife, diligently weeding and raking up leaves.
This was one of three accommodations I stayed at on the trip run by foreigners. Seeing them has put an idea in my head, perhaps I dare call it a dream.
I got 20 years of teaching in me still, and I've got no idea what I'll do in retirement. I can picture myself raking leaves at Joko's Inn, opening up somewhere in SE Asia in 2035. Obviously, this would take a lot of resources, and I've got no idea what goes into opening and running a hotel other than what I've gleamed from being an avid traveler these last few years. Anyways, just floating an idea... perhaps I'll make it into a goal.
What to see and do in Tomohon? The first place to visit was the central market in the heart of the city. I'd read online that there were quite some unusual foods being sold there. I wasn't looking forward to seeing dogs on the butcher block again, but the idea of eating bat intrigued me.
After visiting the market, it was a pleasant ride up the green slopes of the Mahawu Volcano. The volcano's crater was within a well tended national park, and I was expecting a significant foreigner entrance fee. I signed their guest book and was asked to make a donation of whatever I felt like making. That was refreshing.
The video just covers the morning's activities there in Tomohon; what happened on the way back from the volcano gets its own video.
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| This was on the wall of the hotel where I spent my first night in Manado. Maybe it planted a seed in my head. |
This was one of three accommodations I stayed at on the trip run by foreigners. Seeing them has put an idea in my head, perhaps I dare call it a dream.
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| From the Mountain View Resort |
What to see and do in Tomohon? The first place to visit was the central market in the heart of the city. I'd read online that there were quite some unusual foods being sold there. I wasn't looking forward to seeing dogs on the butcher block again, but the idea of eating bat intrigued me.
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| wings sold separately |
After visiting the market, it was a pleasant ride up the green slopes of the Mahawu Volcano. The volcano's crater was within a well tended national park, and I was expecting a significant foreigner entrance fee. I signed their guest book and was asked to make a donation of whatever I felt like making. That was refreshing.
The video just covers the morning's activities there in Tomohon; what happened on the way back from the volcano gets its own video.
I start wondering whether you ever will return to the U.S. Running a guesthouse/hotelin SE Asia as a retiree, seems to me little enticing. It means tons of hard work (my wife works in a motel) and I, at least, would not be willing to put up money and my freedom for a project like that. If you could start it NOW, you might have a chance to recover your investment before you retire. You are an avid traveler and as such something like tour-guiding seems to be more up your alley. But by all means, follow your dreams. :-) I have done it as well.
ReplyDeleteI think Peter had a good suggestion for you. Most investments will provide for you. Blessings, Lynn
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