In some of my articles already a name keeps coming up that hasn’t gotten a lot of explanation. He’s shown up time and time again in articles from Bangkok, to Mae Hong San. He’s not someone from back home no, rather he’s from the magical far away land of Montreal, so no one at home would know him. In fact, he’s someone I met while on this trip but have been lucky enough to hang out with and develop a strong friendship. Everyone, meet Kyle LaPoint.
I was laying in bed at a hostel in Bangkok where no one seemed to want to talk to each other. A girl named Libby (who I miraculously met in Luang Prabang a few weeks later) started a conversation about how no one there socialized. Moments later, Kyle walked in and joined our conversation. He’d just finished up a year teaching in Korea and was at the start of a 1 year journey across the world. He had a heavy suitcase, a guitar, lots of the stuff he’d accumulated while in Korea, and no idea what he was going to do with it all! We all went for beers and talked about plans while getting to know each other. A day later Libby left us, but Kyle and I continued to chill.
Kyle is a hooligan. But in the best way possible. Like a goof. He makes mischief in his head and in the world when he feels like it. He generates a lot of discussion and does a good job of getting people’s goats with odd topics, often taking on a very convincing – yet still fun-loving – Devil’s Advocate. Times together involve a lot of hypothetical questions from deep within our own minds that are entiely impossible, but that get discussed in all seriousness anyway. Like, what would you do if Frosty the Snow man – entirely made out of thickly packed cocain – attacked you with a crowbar? Or ‘would you rathers’ I won’t share the specifics about here; there’s just too many to count.
He’s also exceptionally talented with creativity. He plays music and writes songs about topics you wouldn’t expect to top any charts. But once you hear the actual songs you’d find yourself humming the tune even a few days later after a single listen; only then would you realize their potency and potential. They’re silly, but human and relatable. He also makes stories that range from a special forces team of Sandshrew’s lead by a Sandslash, to Superhero fanfiction and Outer Space Rock operas. It blows mine and other people’s minds when he starts describing these tales he talks about like they’re just another day inside his head.
We’ve also got quite a bit in common. Beyond the penchant to discuss the inane and laugh at how rediculous we can imagine scenarios to be he’s got similar interests as myself, just followed through to a deeper understanding. We’ve spent a lot of time playing pokemon ROM hacks on this trip where he has taught me things about Pokemon I’d never considered before. He plays Magic: The Gathering but continued on to success in the game online long after I found myself frustrated with the small nuances some more “pro” players pride themselves on shoving in your face when you forget the specifics of certain rules. He’s bringing up movies I’ve never heard of but have started making a list of to someday take the time to work through because the premises he describes are so in tune with the kind of cinema I enjoy.
Kyle is all around just an impressive guy. Most importantly, I find him a bit inspirational for a variety of reasons. He’s less worried about what others seem to think in his interactions with them than I am, which is the kind of introspective insight I was hoping to find on The Journey. He’s also not afraid to voice his doubts at something or offered information, which has given me the opportunity to analyze how I present information and how I might do a better job of it. He’s the perfect opportunity to just cut loose and be more easy-going with things; follow the lead of those having fun!
I was lucky to meet Kyle, and even luckier to hang out with him in Thailand, Cambodia, and Myanmar. Everyone I’ve met on The Journey has given me the chance to think about my life and enhance it somehow, and Kyle has been doing it for the lengthy amount of time we’ve been traveling together. Here’s to hoping we meet again someday once Myanmar is finished, and keep up our mischievous shenanigans in the future!