Yup, you read that right. Rob and I are moving to Southeast Asia.
After a brief stint in the United States, where we depended on frozen durian in a box, we will be soon be living in the heart of durian country. Are we excited? Heck yes! Be on the lookout for more durian stories and adventures in Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Cambodia in the coming months.
We leave tomorrow for our new home in Sri Lanka, where Rob will be working under the direction of durian loving The Fruitarian, Michael Arnstein. He will be using his experience with tropical fruit farming to help establish a mega fruit orchard project, where Mike has already started over 1,000 durian seedlings in addition to a lot of other fruits and veggies.
Meanwhile, I will be attending the World Durian Festival in Chanthaburi, Thailand as well as the Long Laplae Durian Festival, which will feature an odorless durian variety said to rival the famous Chanthaburi #1 (What!? An odorless durian you say? Check our interview with its creator here). I’ll also be returning to Cambodia to do a little extra research for the book that this is whole crazy adventure necessitates. I know, I know, get on it already.
In the flurry of packing, saying goodbye to friends and actually getting paid to write a few wellness articles for the Rogue Valley Messenger, I won’t have any new durian posts up for a few more days. I’m working on some really quality resources that require a lot of time and attention to detail which I frankly don’t have right now. So hang in there, more’s coming soon!
As we’re gearing up and getting excited about semi-settling in Sri Lanka (as settled as we get), please enjoy some posts from when we visited Sri Lanka last September. Links below:
- Rob Goes Sri Lankan: Rob tries to acclimate by cutting off his hair and growing a mustache while we find the worst durian of the year in a roadside stall in Pilimithilawa, nevertheless a culturally interesting and endearing experience.
- Limping to Good Durian: Rob nearly chops off his leg with a cleaver and then gets stitched up in the darkest, scariest clinic ever, but we find super awesome durian so who cares?
- Durian Seed Water: We learn of an interesting use for durian seeds (for men’s eyes only)
- Anuradhapura Durian Desert: A slight detour from durian takes us north to the ancient red ruins of Anuradhapura, still one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen.
- Recipe Durian Roti: A Sri Lankan twist on Southeast Asian flavor.
fruitarianvagabond says
needing a chanthiburi farm contact or thai contact…someplace to hang my hammock for sleeping near town….anything around that idea would be helpful…anybody know?……ideally and organic durian farm of course, did i need to say that?
David Finkelstein says
Thanks. Your planned ebook sounds perfect.
fruitarianvagabond says
your new direction sounds sweeeeet…looking forward to all the discoveries you graciously provide to us durian addicts…mwah! i really like Mikes Sri Lanka project….future is fun to imagine…Darrick
David Finkelstein says
I'm excited to read your future blogs from Asia. And I look forward to buying your book. You have a great writing style that conveys your spirit of adventure!
My wife spent a few months pursuing durians in SEAsia in 2010. We hope to go again soon. In Chantaburi in May, how many varieties is it possible to find?
Thanks for all your research and writing,
David
Lindsay Gasik says
Hi David,
Thanks for the flattery 🙂 I'm glad you enjoy this blog.
I will be going to Chanthaburi on May 2nd. Maybe I will see you there. In May, you can definitely expect to find at least the 3 big commercial varieties, as well as Puangmanee. The festival will also have a booth with some of the lesser known varieties, like Nockayib and Kradum Thong.
After this trip I'll be publishing a short e-book "Guide to Durian in Thailand" for durian hunters just like you! That way you'll know exactly where to go and what to look for.
Thanks for reading!
-Lindsay
Vlk says
Wow, a durian orchard! I envy you guys! 🙂 I am already having withdrawal and ghost effects since my last fresh durian. I can smell it and see it everywhere, I even dream about durians! Damn, does it mean I am addicted? Hopefully the season will soon come to our big asian market – they sell fresh Mon Thongs there. :-)) Anyway, good luck out there and thank you so much for the durian iron patch you sent! 🙂
Lindsay Gasik says
Hi Vlk,
I would say you officially have a durian problem, which I am fully willing to enable heehee. I am really glad you liked the patch. Keep in touch, fellow durian freak 😛
Vlk says
Awesome! I love being durian freak! 😀 And I love durian! :-)) Damn, I need not to think about durian so much.. I am starting to long for it again 😀