Carlien had really wanted to rent a motorbike to cruise around Pai. There were some waterfalls, hot springs, and beautiful landscapes nearby. I was a bit apprehensive seeing as I hadn't driven any sort of vehicle in seven months and hadn't ridden any type of motorcycle in maybe 8 years. But who am I to say no to a beautiful girl?
At breakfast, we heard a loud crash down the street. Some tourist had crashed a motorbike into one of the women cooking food along the street. A short while later when we went hunting for motorbikes to rent, word had already spread through the little town. The couple renting our bike said, "Are you sure you can drive it, if not, we will not give it to you." I assured them I'd driven one before, a manual dirt bike in fact (though only once and many years earlier). Despite the look of fear and doubt on my face, they handed us the key to our Typhoon-R 125.
It was driving around the crowded streets in town that made me nervous. They drive on the left in Thailand which threw a little confusion into the mix. Once we were out on the open road though, things were smooth sailing. We road down the 1095 to the local hot springs but quickly turned around after finding out that admission was 400 baht (the motorbike cost 100-baht to rent for 24 hours!) We continued to the waterfall but read that it was a 5 hour hike on foot. No time for that, besides, we had a motorbike. Finally we found Pai Canyon which was a short climb from the road side. The canyon has these amazing footpaths running through it that rise hundreds of feet from the bottom. We walked out to a few of them to get some photos but my slippery shoes made me worry about taking a tumble so we wandered around a bit, had some snacks and headed back out on the road.
We road up and down the hills around Pai, riding through villages and passing by resorts, farmland, and elephant parks. As long as we had gasoline, we kept on going. North of Pai airport, we got lost a bit through some beautiful countryside before somehow ending up on the familiar path back to town. At the end of the day, we returned with smiles [and bugs] on our faces and hunger in our stomachs. It was a shame to have to leave the next morning but time had run out.
Cheesy music added for full effect.
At breakfast, we heard a loud crash down the street. Some tourist had crashed a motorbike into one of the women cooking food along the street. A short while later when we went hunting for motorbikes to rent, word had already spread through the little town. The couple renting our bike said, "Are you sure you can drive it, if not, we will not give it to you." I assured them I'd driven one before, a manual dirt bike in fact (though only once and many years earlier). Despite the look of fear and doubt on my face, they handed us the key to our Typhoon-R 125.
It was driving around the crowded streets in town that made me nervous. They drive on the left in Thailand which threw a little confusion into the mix. Once we were out on the open road though, things were smooth sailing. We road down the 1095 to the local hot springs but quickly turned around after finding out that admission was 400 baht (the motorbike cost 100-baht to rent for 24 hours!) We continued to the waterfall but read that it was a 5 hour hike on foot. No time for that, besides, we had a motorbike. Finally we found Pai Canyon which was a short climb from the road side. The canyon has these amazing footpaths running through it that rise hundreds of feet from the bottom. We walked out to a few of them to get some photos but my slippery shoes made me worry about taking a tumble so we wandered around a bit, had some snacks and headed back out on the road.
We road up and down the hills around Pai, riding through villages and passing by resorts, farmland, and elephant parks. As long as we had gasoline, we kept on going. North of Pai airport, we got lost a bit through some beautiful countryside before somehow ending up on the familiar path back to town. At the end of the day, we returned with smiles [and bugs] on our faces and hunger in our stomachs. It was a shame to have to leave the next morning but time had run out.
Cheesy music added for full effect.
Guh. I have this round the world ticket which allows me to change my flight dates anytime, if there's a flight available. I looked into staying in Asia an extra week to hang out in Luang Prabang, Laos but there are no flights to Australia available to me until Dec. 24! That means, no extra days. I fly to Saigon on Saturday, Singapore on Sunday, Australia on Monday. That makes about 10 flights in two and a half weeks. A new record for me. And a new low to my bank balance :)
Labels: Thailand
I thought Chiang Mai was laid back but Pai takes the cake. It reminds me of the hippie type mountain town I was in up in the mountains of India. Everyone kind of cruising around with no worries. It's the type of place people get stuck. You come in for two days and end up here two months.
We've got places to be this weekend though so there's no getting stuck. In fact, the whole idea of me moving forward right now fills me with anxiety. My head is so full of thoughts my ears are leaking. Tomorrow we'll do a bit more exploring on bikes. Tonight, I'll retreat to a riverside bungalow and try to sort my head out.
To Laos or not to Laos? That is the question.
We've got places to be this weekend though so there's no getting stuck. In fact, the whole idea of me moving forward right now fills me with anxiety. My head is so full of thoughts my ears are leaking. Tomorrow we'll do a bit more exploring on bikes. Tonight, I'll retreat to a riverside bungalow and try to sort my head out.
To Laos or not to Laos? That is the question.
Labels: Thailand
We went on a great one day trek in Chiang Mai yesterday. Hiking, elephant rides, waterfalls, cage rides, white water rafting, bamboo rafting, pad thai in the jungle... We had a fun group from Holland, Bangkok, and India. It was one of those days where you're just laughing non-stop. Lanna, our guide, loved us so much he took us out for dinner at Riverside restaurant and to a joint called Heaven Beach. Good times. Woke up a bit sore today from mad paddling, Carlien and I got oil massages. Nice. Tomorrow, we head out to Pai for a couple of days.
The twelve hour night bus (we're getting pretty sick of these) dropped us off at a gas station in Chiang Mai before sunrise. Disoriented and groggy, we jumped in a pickup truck to some guesthouse where we were given a brief orientation on the city center and offered rooms. We opted to walk 15 minutes into the old city to try to find some guesthouses that were recommended to us. After getting a bit lost (most of the building numbers are in Thai or something) we both agreed to grab a room in the Na Inn, mostly because we liked the sign. It's a comfy place which meant a comfortable nap til the afternoon.
We woke up and followed Lonely Planet to Heuan Phen Restaurant to sample Northern Thai cuisine. I had Northern egg noodles with a curry paste. Kind of a noodle soup, slightly spicy served with pork (they were out of chicken), crispy noodle things on top, small onions, and some pickled veggie. It was one of the most delicious dishes I've sampled in Asia. I'm going to have to find a place that serves it in the States.
Chiang Mai has endless travel agencies on just about every street. We walked around a bit and randomly stopped into one to look into a trek, a bus to Pai, and perhaps a quick way into Laos. There were too many options, too many prices, and nowhere near enough days to do everything. (unbeknownst to us, there's a huge Loi Krathong festival taking place here where lotus shaped banana leaf boats are floated down the river with incense, thousands of paper lanterns are flown up into the night sky, fireworks are lit off on every street, candles shine in along sidewalks, and parades are held this weekend) We deliberated over banana pancakes and hot drinks at a nearby cafe and have decided to hang out in Chiang Mai for the festivities until Monday when we'll take a day trek in the mountains. The rest of the week we'll check out Pai and on Friday, we'll shoot back to Bangkok where the girls will head on to Malaysia and I'll figure out my next move.
In the evening we followed a parade to the river and watched people light lanterns into the air and fire off bottle rockets and pop off fire crackers. We couldn't help but want to jump in on the action.
It wasn't until we'd sent our lantern up into the sky that we figured out why people were doing it... to venerate Buddha with light and send away your grudges and anger from the past year. At the night bazaar we did a bit of shopping around and had some more noodles at the food center. All of the walking (and getting a bit lost) had us in bed by midnight. Today we'll check out the Sunday market and enjoy some more Loi Krathong madness.
Just wanted to wish everyone a warm and happy Thanksgiving in America. I'm back in Bangkok for Turkey day after a twelve hour bumpy bus from Cambodia. I think I'll either have pad Thai or a chicken pita. :(
Tell you about my two days in Siem Reap tomorrow.
Tell you about my two days in Siem Reap tomorrow.
Labels: Thailand
Boats and Tigers and Bridges, Kwai
6 Comments Published by Tony on Tuesday, November 13, 2007 at 6:33 AM.
Had an exhausting day touring the Floating Markets, the bridge over the River Kwai, and the Tiger Temples. Check out the Thailand photo album for pictures. I'm going to bed. Tomorrow afternoon, back to Ho Chi Minh City.
Oh man, what a day. After gorging ourselves at lunch on Khaosan Road, we ran into a film shoot where they were recreating the Songkran Water Festival. This thing's usually held in April and is said to be the biggest water fight in the world. Some music video was trying to recreate it with a few hundred Thai extras and a water tanker truck.
We had a bit of a frustrating moment at the Grand Palace that soured our afternoon for a moment until we met a nice guy who gave us tips on what temples to visit. He helped us grab a tuk tuk driver who was even nicer. After visiting one temple and feeding enormous catfish in the river for good luck, we discovered these 'nice' guys were just scammers trying to get commissions for taking us to tailor and jewelry shops. Our good humor ran out pretty quickly. Fortunately, we checked into a nice hotel room and power napped before our evening show.
But this is where things went wrong again. We were insanely late and had to cross town in traffic. I somehow navigated us through two train systems but once we arrived near the Thai Cultural Center, we got lost on foot for an hour. Sweaty, frustrated, and much too late for the show, we hopped a cab back to the hotel (the driver was kind enough to point out prostitutes on the street for us, we declined the offer) I'm about to go to bed for a few hours. We're catching a long tour tomorrow at 6am. But the photos should be some of the best yet. Unless more goes wrong.
Days like this, I'm just tired of traveling. Doldrums perhaps. I don't know. Definitely need to sleep though.
Labels: Thailand
More Thai Boxing, From Outside of the Ring
0 Comments Published by Tony on Sunday, November 11, 2007 at 7:02 PM.
We shopped around MBK in Bangkok for a few hours yesterday, checked into a swanky hotel , and in the evening caught some Thai boxing matches (not my decision). We had ring side seats which turned out to be roach side seats. Three cock roaches refused to get off of my brother's chair so the attendant swapped it out. Hilarious. It was an interesting experience catching a fight from outside of the ropes. I realized that I'd never been to a boxing match before. Watching a young kid get kicked in the head and crumble to the floor made me feel a bit ill. I cringed, remembering what it was like to be smacked in the face. It was hard not to think about my own fight and where I'd gone wrong. Still, the betting action inside the stadium was a fun sight and I can cross Thai boxing off of the to see list I suppose.
Afterwards we wandered the Khaosan area to grab some street food and do some people watching. This morning I rushed out to the Vietnam embassy once again and secured my visa for the next leg of my trip. The multiple entry visa costs more than all of previous visas combined. Charley keeps telling me not to worry about money ("You can't take it with you") but I can't shake the whole backpacker mentality where every dollar means so much. Sure I'll go back and make more money in the States but right now, if I can stretch my cents a bit, it means seeing more before I actually have to return to the job.
I'm still sleepy.
Charley and I are in Bangkok. I'm sleepy.
Love,
Tony
P.S.- My travel map is updated, it shows you some of the routes I've traveled round the globe.
Drippings from the Moleskine notebook:
I can only describe my time in Thailand as a roller coaster ride with all of the rises, dips, and unexpected corkscrews. It's a warm country, in temperature and hospitality. Outside of the cities, I always felt like I was on an island. Thick jungles and laid back attitudes create this sensation.
The final leg of my Thai trip included four days on Koh Phangan. Monsoonal storms had stirred up the ocean really well right before I boarded a Lomprayah catamaran. Two hours of misery. Within' a half hour, fifty people had become seasick. Women wept in agony, some carried away to the bathroom. Every half hour the number of people vomiting seemed to double. The three cute girls in my row lost their allure as they lost their lunch. After the one next to me puked for the third time, I lost my own gut. We made it to Koh Tao but the 20 minute stop provided only a false sense of well-being. The remaining journey to Koh Phangan was just as filled with yacky goodness.
My time on the island was rockier than the boat ride it turned out. I won't go into it in this venue but much appreciation goes out to Mozart and his symphonies for calming my tortured soul. And huge thanks to Myleen for buying me a 'comfort meal' of sirloin steak and roasted potatoes. I wish you were there to enjoy the meal with me because eating alone while watching Red Dragon (prequel to Silence of the Lambs) was a bad choice.
The day after the Full Moon Party, things seemed to sort themselves out rather oddly. It was one of those times you shouldn't ask why but just smile and appreciate the peace.
The sun was laughing at us as it shined the day we were leaving the island. This, after four days of rain and gloom. Perhaps the heat had distracted me as I'd somehow lost my boat ticket between the bungalow and the pier. I had to buy a pricier ticket as spots were quickly selling out. My friends and I mused that everyone had to lose something on Koh Phangan (for them, it was two pairs of sandals and 700 Baht). A dimenhydrinate-hazed boat ride brought us to Sura Thani where hundreds and hundreds of young people poured out of the ferry like soldiers of boozing. Big backpacks were strapped to their backs. Each one was either off to Bangkok or going south to other islands. I wondered why we couldn't mobilize so many able bodied people for a greater cause than partying. Everyone likes to have a good time, sure. But imagine what a force like this could do. I entertained ideas in my head of 'parties for peace'. 10,000 people on a beach in Thailand and what do they have to show for it? Hangovers, hookups, and empty wallets. If it were 10,000 people building a village, how much better would we all feel getting off that boat?
A bus and a tuk tuk later, we were on yet another night bus, perhaps the most uncomfortable night bus we'd been on. Lesson learned, last minute cheap seats mean sore necks in the morning.
In a couple of weeks, I'll be back though and I can't wait to see how Thailand will treat me then.
I can only describe my time in Thailand as a roller coaster ride with all of the rises, dips, and unexpected corkscrews. It's a warm country, in temperature and hospitality. Outside of the cities, I always felt like I was on an island. Thick jungles and laid back attitudes create this sensation.
The final leg of my Thai trip included four days on Koh Phangan. Monsoonal storms had stirred up the ocean really well right before I boarded a Lomprayah catamaran. Two hours of misery. Within' a half hour, fifty people had become seasick. Women wept in agony, some carried away to the bathroom. Every half hour the number of people vomiting seemed to double. The three cute girls in my row lost their allure as they lost their lunch. After the one next to me puked for the third time, I lost my own gut. We made it to Koh Tao but the 20 minute stop provided only a false sense of well-being. The remaining journey to Koh Phangan was just as filled with yacky goodness.
My time on the island was rockier than the boat ride it turned out. I won't go into it in this venue but much appreciation goes out to Mozart and his symphonies for calming my tortured soul. And huge thanks to Myleen for buying me a 'comfort meal' of sirloin steak and roasted potatoes. I wish you were there to enjoy the meal with me because eating alone while watching Red Dragon (prequel to Silence of the Lambs) was a bad choice.
The day after the Full Moon Party, things seemed to sort themselves out rather oddly. It was one of those times you shouldn't ask why but just smile and appreciate the peace.
The sun was laughing at us as it shined the day we were leaving the island. This, after four days of rain and gloom. Perhaps the heat had distracted me as I'd somehow lost my boat ticket between the bungalow and the pier. I had to buy a pricier ticket as spots were quickly selling out. My friends and I mused that everyone had to lose something on Koh Phangan (for them, it was two pairs of sandals and 700 Baht). A dimenhydrinate-hazed boat ride brought us to Sura Thani where hundreds and hundreds of young people poured out of the ferry like soldiers of boozing. Big backpacks were strapped to their backs. Each one was either off to Bangkok or going south to other islands. I wondered why we couldn't mobilize so many able bodied people for a greater cause than partying. Everyone likes to have a good time, sure. But imagine what a force like this could do. I entertained ideas in my head of 'parties for peace'. 10,000 people on a beach in Thailand and what do they have to show for it? Hangovers, hookups, and empty wallets. If it were 10,000 people building a village, how much better would we all feel getting off that boat?
A bus and a tuk tuk later, we were on yet another night bus, perhaps the most uncomfortable night bus we'd been on. Lesson learned, last minute cheap seats mean sore necks in the morning.
In a couple of weeks, I'll be back though and I can't wait to see how Thailand will treat me then.
I've got more things to ramble on about but I need to eat food right now. Starving! Just wanted to report in and say I'm back in Bangkok for a night before I shove off to Vietnam.
By the way, I can blow my nose again! (It's been almost two weeks since I've done that... broken nose and all)
By the way, I can blow my nose again! (It's been almost two weeks since I've done that... broken nose and all)
Labels: Thailand
Yeah, that party was bunk. Too many drunk stupid people. Thailand, just gets progressively more painful. I've been having the sort of time here that can only be enjoyed in hindsight me thinks. You know, where you're happy to have had the experience but at the moment, it makes you question why, why, why?
The people in Thailand have been really pleasant. Welcoming and hospitable. There's plenty more to explore and I may pop back over next month with a special guest. Ooo.
The people in Thailand have been really pleasant. Welcoming and hospitable. There's plenty more to explore and I may pop back over next month with a special guest. Ooo.
Labels: Thailand
It's raining in Koh Phangan right now. Big party tonight. It's 7am and things are really strange right now. I'll be here til Sunday and then it's off to Bangkok and then Saigon.
Miss ya.
Labels: Thailand
The other night, in a very quiet bungalow on the beach, I wrote a very verbose recollection of my time in the ring with a Muay Thai fighter but I think it'll be more interesting to tell you the story in person someday. But here are some excerpts:
...and then came the final kick. Full force to my face. I'd always wondered how those head guards were supposed to protect your face. Well, they don't. If you've ever been struck in the nose, you know it's a bit unique. As unique as getting socked in the gut or kicked in the nuts. Everything goes white. The pain shoots right into your brain. I'm told that I tried to get up and fell back down. I don't remember. Carlien said my nose 'exploded' with blood...
What I remember was getting kicked so hard I couldn't open my eyes. And then I felt my teeth with my tongue. Broken! My teeth were broken! ... I was so angry, the pain from my nose was secondary. I put my glove up and shouted, "That's it, you broke my $%&# teeth, it's over". I tried to get up but by then, there were several Thai guys standing over me, trying to stop my nose from bleeding. I asked them to let me stand up so my friends wouldn't freak out...
When I looked in the mirror, I saw the damage. I was pretty mashed up. My nose was shifted to the right, pointing in a whole new direction. I was a mess. I cursed at my appearance. Broken teeth, swollen eye, smashed up nose. A guy in the bathroom said I'd just fought one of the top Thai boxers on the island. I turned to him and said, "I've never fought anyone before". He told me my nose needed to be reset. I looked in the mirror and said, "Do it."
Gerrard braced both sides of my head while the guy placed his thumbs along my nose. As he shifted it back into place, I heard the crackle of bone...
After a few days of rest and quiet on the other side of Phi Phi island, I left my British friends and jumped on a boat and bus to Bangkok. I had my teeth repaired (2100 Baht/$65 USD, covered by WorldNomads travel insurance). I met up with my friend My one night and my friend Ana the next day. They could hardly tell anything had happened. A week later, the black eye is mostly gone, the nose is still tender and sensitive, but I've got most of my smile back.
Labels: Thailand
I had the worst boat ride of my life today. I'd love to tell you about it but the Internet here is wacky expensive. For now, I'll just ask you to recall that scene in Stand By Me where everyone starts vomiting at the fair. You know the one, where the fat guy drinks the castor oil at the pie eating contest. Imagine that, on a boat.
I'm safely in a bungalow in Koh Phangan. I'm going to get to know dry land for a night and see if I can find my British friends again. Friday night is another infamous 'Full Moon Party'. We'll see what that's all about.
I'm safely in a bungalow in Koh Phangan. I'm going to get to know dry land for a night and see if I can find my British friends again. Friday night is another infamous 'Full Moon Party'. We'll see what that's all about.
Labels: Thailand
10 Out of 12 Mosquitos Love My Feet
0 Comments Published by Tony on Sunday, October 21, 2007 at 6:40 PM.
I've been spending the weekend in a bungalow at Pak Nam Bay, on the quieter side of Koh Phi Phi. There was no internet, not much of anything really. Electricity doesn't even come on until 6pm. The grass roofed bungalow was steps from the beach where we hung around in hammocks chatting about life and watching crabs scurry around the shore. In the middle of the night, the power goes out again and there's nothing but pitch blackness and the sound of crashing waves.
Aside from the lack of hot water (and lack of chocolate for Steph), the only downside were the mosquitoes who've had a passionate love affair with my feet. On Sunday afternoon I hopped a longfin, boat, and night bus back to Bangkok where I'll be taking care of some visas, some teeth, and meet up with a friend of mine. I've finally torn myself apart from my British travel buddies. But I'm sure they're having a wonderful time lazing about the islands.
P.S.- For those of you in the 'nose', everything's healing nicely so far.
Labels: Thailand
Greg, the other week you suggested that I get a cheap Thai massage. Well, I happened upon this sign on Phi Phi island (pronounced 'pee pee' by the way) and thought of you. It reads, "FECE MASSAGE". 200 Baht. A bit pricey but I'm pretty sure you can't get fece massage back in Thaiwood... legally, that is.
Labels: Thailand
That Beach from "The Beach"
2 Comments Published by Tony on Wednesday, October 17, 2007 at 11:36 PM.
My friends and I took a boat ride out to a few of the smaller islands around Ko Phi Phi. The highlights were monkeys and a lie on the beach that was used in that Leonardo DiCaprio film some years back called "The Beach". It's just as lovely in real life, even though Virginie Ledoyen wasn't prancing around in a bikini. The snorkeling around here is supposed to be nice but a slight ailment is keeping me from underwater activities for a while.
The other night we stopped at a place called Tin Tin's and watched a rodeo on ESPN while we waited for the night's Muay Thai fights to start. Here's some footage of one of the fights...
I've continued to enjoy meals of Larb Gai, Pad Thai, Salmon, and Brown, Green, and Red Curries. Thanks again to Erica & Anton, Ben, Ana & Bao, Binh, Kvit, and Seema for their contributions. Just a quick note: I do not depend on Feedtony.com contributions to travel. The site started out as an idea I had over dinner with my cousins Carol and John. But as family members asked me how they could get funds to me in an emergency, I decided to set up the site. My hope was to provide a little way for friends and family to be a part of my travel experience. The extra funds give me a little freedom to choose whether I'll be eating veggie rice (cheap) or rice and prawns (more expensive). The concept was to virtually have dinner with you. I'm not looking for fame and fortune. If you know me, you know that I'd rather have money go to a variety of other organizations and causes that I volunteer with or have contributed to. The focus is on fun and good spirits. Traveling the world, I've found joy and I'm trying to share it with you.
I'm still traveling with my new British friends, Carlien and Steph, through Thailand. After completing our Advanced Diving course, we hopped a night boat to Sura Thani, then a bus to Krabi Town, and finally a long boat to Railey Beach. It's another beautiful Thai beach where we've been completely lazy. The water is warmer than I've ever experienced. Warmer than the showers I took in Ko Tao. I've had a few moments where I've just felt so blessed to be able to stand in the ocean and look at the karsts rising from the palm trees... thunder booming in the background.
A moment ago I watched a nine-year-old Thai kid juggle fire in a bar while Jackass 2 played on a big screen in the background. I'm definitely in a tourist zone. White people fill the restaurants, shops, bars, and beaches. But we support this area. 18 countries traversed in five or so months. You'll understand the journey, you'll envy it, you'll think it's a waste of time. It doesn't matter because I'm living. I'm appreciating our existence on this planet.
It's overwhelming. It's beautiful. It's life.
Labels: Thailand
We finished our Advanced Open Water Diver course the other day. We had some amazing dives- Navigational, Buoyancy, Naturalist, Night, Deep (30m!). Incredible stuff. Sharks, snakes, rays, puffer fish. I paid an absurd amount of money on our Open Water dive video so I've put up six minutes of it on YouTube:
Celebrating with Erica and Anton
22 Comments Published by Tony on Thursday, October 11, 2007 at 1:24 AM.
The dive groups got together last night and went out to dinner in Sairee beach last night. I had lobster and marlin (speaking of Marlin, I found Nemo at the bottom of the ocean on my last dive as well as the whale shark. Clown fish, just as cute as Pixar's version) and a banana pancake with ice cream to celebrate. Tasty tasty. I'll try to find more food on a stick, guys. Stay tuned.
Hey Seema! After I went out on my first ocean water dive, my friends and I went for a meal at place called Whitening (I don't know why they call it that but in Asia, I keep running across 'whitening' creams... sometimes I can't find sunblock that doesn't 'whiten' while it protects). After diving, I get these burps that taste like plastic (from breathing scuba air). Pretty gross. I had a nice BBQ meal and a stroll around town before some dessert. No more plastic burps. Thank you so much for the support. A good meal was exactly what I needed after the exhausting dive.
I've officially finished my PADI Open Water diving course. I got an official little card and everything. (Dear Mom, watch out for my permanent diving ID card in the mail sometime in the next couple of months)
Today's dives were much more fun than yesterdays (I'll tell you about that in my next Thank You blog). There were at least a hundred divers in the water today as word got out that a Whale Shark had been spotted in the area. We were told that it's rare to spot one. Let me tell you that it was magical to swim along side this massive fish (4m long). He had about eight little pilot fish following along, feeding off of his scraps. Swimming along at 15m/50ft below the surface was such a new sensation for me. A completely different world.
I wish it wasn't so expensive to dive elsewhere. I'll have to see what I can scrape up to dive in Australia and New Zealand. We're off to celebrate our completion of the course tonight. Tomorrow we rest and the next day we do five more dives for the Advanced Open Water certification (30 meter dive!). Man, I'm tired... and sunburned.
Labels: Thailand
Hey Kvit, Thailand's been great and your support has gone far. I've been enjoying cheap breakfasts before diving and wonderful noodle, rice, and curry dishes. One of my favorites is massaman curry at Pranee's Kitchen here in Ko Tao. We've been diving for the last few days and in the evenings we're completely worn out. Sorry for the laziness in the following video but hanging out at the bottom of a swimming pool and doing classroom time gets exhausting. At least at the end of the day, there's a beautiful sunset to look at and the peace of a tropical island to help us unwind. Sorry about the comments getting out of hand but you obviously know that people who hastily post responses without seeing the full picture get things mixed up. I hope none of you caught up in that comment chaos feel hurt. Let's just get back to living life to the fullest and enjoying every moment.
A double decker bus and a ferry got us safely to Ko Tao yesterday. We're staying at the Crystal Dive resort where we'll be doing our Open Water and Advanced classes for the next week. We're all pretty excited to be on an island and a beach for that matter. Laying in a bean bag chair, on the deck of the beachside bar, I stared out at the water and had one of those moments where you just have to appreciate everything grand in life. For all of life's little complications and downers, there are simple times where nice surroundings and good company snuggle up together and provide some comfort.
[And now to bring us back to reality, a note to my mom: Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunblock, SPF 55]
Labels: Thailand
I ran out of blank pages in one of my passports so I took a taxi to the US Embassy today. I got there at 2:05pm. American services ended at 2pm. Aggravating. Fortunately, the Vietnamese Embassy next door hooked me up with a 'non-sticker' visa. I didn't know I could get one of those.
My friend Kvit has sponsored several of my meals here in Thailand and recommended checking out a mall food court called MBK. Since things went so well with the Vietnam visa, I had myself a Vietnamese lunch. Later in the evening I took a bunch of ladies out for dinner at the Siam Paragon Food Court. This isn't your American mall food court. This is gourmet. Everything you could want. Delicious. For dessert we all bought a slice of cake and did a nibble rotation. It was crazy good. Anyway, this cafe is closing so here's the vid. Thank you Kvit and Ben. More to come.
Tomorrow, Carlien, Steph, and I are heading to Ko Tao to get our diving certification. Wish me luck.
Hong Kong came and went all too quickly. The other night the group had one last outing at the night markets. We ate at a Dai Pai Dong on the street (Big thanks to Ana and Bao of MeetTheTravelers.com for another mini-feast). I was a bit upset that day as I lost my Braun 7505 Syncro electric shaver (Mom, that's the model number....hint hint), I got a terrible haircut from some Hong Kong stylists who thought I could pull off a do which made my hair short in front and long in the back, and the charger to my laptop stopped working. We were rationing battery power for two days while I scoured HK for a replacement (I found one, so expensive! Now I have to decide whether to carry the old one for two months until I can get an AppleCare replacement)
The next day in Hong Kong was a bit more pleasant. I explored some of the posh shopping near Central and spent a nice afternoon strolling around the Stanley Market on the south side. A bunch of us headed to the Harbor at night to catch a huge fireworks show. We feasted on Indian food at a joint called Taj Mahal (also sponsored by Ana and Bao).
Hong Kong was a nice, westernized Chinese city. It's comfortably foreign if you will. A lot like London except with more people blowing snot rockets on the street. I really wish I'd given myself another day to explore but it was off to Beijing the next morning.
I walked through Tian'anmen Square one last time and worked my way past what seemed like 75,000 people gathered together for laser shows and other National Day festivities. It was very strange to be in Beijing with this feeling of familiarity. Except I was alone again and all of my senses were on alert. Much different from the comfort of the tour group.
And now I've made it to Bangkok, Thailand. I'm booked in an Inn on the famous Khaosan Road. A few of the girls from the tour have also ended up here and we're all in a daze of disbelief, seeing each other in a new and different place. Last night, Steph, Carlien, and I wandered the street checking out trinkets and clothes. Guys constantly approached offering tuk tuks, massages, and the infamous 'ping pong' show. The streets are filled with white people. Young and attractive backpackers. After a noodle dinner we watched a Thai trio perform a bunch of cover songs in a rooftop bar. Travelers from Holland and Norway scribbled down travel tips on napkins for us. Today, we've got to decided where all of us are headed. The Brits, the Swedes, and the American... going our separate ways. ::sigh::
The next day in Hong Kong was a bit more pleasant. I explored some of the posh shopping near Central and spent a nice afternoon strolling around the Stanley Market on the south side. A bunch of us headed to the Harbor at night to catch a huge fireworks show. We feasted on Indian food at a joint called Taj Mahal (also sponsored by Ana and Bao).
Hong Kong was a nice, westernized Chinese city. It's comfortably foreign if you will. A lot like London except with more people blowing snot rockets on the street. I really wish I'd given myself another day to explore but it was off to Beijing the next morning.
I walked through Tian'anmen Square one last time and worked my way past what seemed like 75,000 people gathered together for laser shows and other National Day festivities. It was very strange to be in Beijing with this feeling of familiarity. Except I was alone again and all of my senses were on alert. Much different from the comfort of the tour group.
And now I've made it to Bangkok, Thailand. I'm booked in an Inn on the famous Khaosan Road. A few of the girls from the tour have also ended up here and we're all in a daze of disbelief, seeing each other in a new and different place. Last night, Steph, Carlien, and I wandered the street checking out trinkets and clothes. Guys constantly approached offering tuk tuks, massages, and the infamous 'ping pong' show. The streets are filled with white people. Young and attractive backpackers. After a noodle dinner we watched a Thai trio perform a bunch of cover songs in a rooftop bar. Travelers from Holland and Norway scribbled down travel tips on napkins for us. Today, we've got to decided where all of us are headed. The Brits, the Swedes, and the American... going our separate ways. ::sigh::
