That There's Some Serious Sign Language

 

People who read Malay or English get a warning.

Everyone else gets shot in the head.

Crazytown , Japan

This is Shimamaki (pop. 4,000), a fishing village on the southwestern coast of Hokkaido, Japan.

Specifcally, this is outside the town's general store. I'm the tall guy in the back.

Shimamaki was having its annual summer festival when I rolled into town on my bicycle.

Things got pretty crazy for a small fishing village.

Fortunately there was a policeman guy on duty.

Unfortunately he was downing Sapporo beers.

Armed & Friendly

Who Says The Royal Thai Soldiers Are No Fun?

You don't get this when you go to the Hard Rock Cafe.

In the small southeastern Thai town of Trat I did what I always do. I found a room, locked up my bike, showered and headed out to grab some dinner somewhere the locals congregate.

I didn't seek these guys out. They came and sat at my table. They chatted me up - in Thai, I guess. They ordered food. We ate. Then the guy in the white/tan camo gave me his gun.

Notice that the magazine is locked in place. Notice also where he has his hand very firmly in place.

These guys were cool, but they weren't stupid.

On the Road in Malaysia

3 Kids & Some Chicken

The road from Kuala Lumpur Airport to the coast is not a straight line so much as a flippin three-quarter circle.

Somewhere between Sepang and Sungai Pelek I got off my bike at this roadside stand run by these three electric teenagers. They spoke no English. I didn't even know what people spoke in Malaysia. But ordering five sticks of grilled chicken chunks doesn't take much more than a smile and a couple of gestures.

They went heavy on the spicy sauce for me. Then they started telling me "Three! Three!" This after negotiating a lower price in whatever funny money I was carrying on this, my first day in this new and, so far, perplexing country.

I could lie and say I'm too nice a guy to argue but really, I was just too tired. I dipped into my wallet for a couple of bills. They raised the decibel level. I looked up at their smiles.

And it hit me.

"Free," they were telling me. Free.

The rest of the ride to the coast, though in the dark, was a breeze.