Andy's Southern Asia Travel Blog

In Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu, India

2010-01-13T00:41:00.001-08:00

I got stuck Vagator for longer than I expected but was a really good time. I actually started this blog a few days ago but did not finish before I had to go because I had plans for my last night in Gos Kwertis left a few days after my last blog so I've been hanging out with Vince and Audrey a lot. We hung out a lot before but we didn't talk much, just knew we enjoyed each others company because of the vibes, so its been nice the last few days to talk and get to know each other better. I traveled south to Kanyakumari on the very southern tip of India because there is a solar eclipse that will be the most visible in the south of India. Vince and I talked about it and we both wanted to go and enjoy each others company so we are going together. Audrey and her mom also decided to come down for the eclipse and they arive tonight or tomorrow morning, but now for the story of the last week.

After playing chess and writing will all day before Audrey, Ruby, and Josh came to the Moon Dance for dinner and we all decided to go to Shiva Valley to party for Kwertis's last night in Goa. The Goan Trance at Shiva Valley that night was actually pretty good, or not bad. We had a great time dancing, I was tired but I pushed it a bit because I wanted to spend time with Kwertis before he left. Music stopped at about midnight so we went bact to Audrey's, which is close to Shiva Valley, but it came back on after a little time so we went back to dance more. We met up with Josh at the party (it was just Kwertis, Vince, Audrey, her mom, and me) and then the music turned off at about 3 so we left.

On the way out we ran into Ruby with a bunch of guy's and we all went to Ruby's place to hang out because no one was tired. At Ruby's it was funny because we all hung out outside and talked for a while and eventually woke up her neighbors. But it is Goa so nobody cared at all. They said it was fine, keep on talking and hanging out, they even joined us. Before the sun came up we all went to get some food at the resturant next door, waking up the family, but again its Goa so they were happy to cook us food. After eating Kwertis and I went back to the guest house and played one more game of chess before going to sleep.

The next day Kwertis left at about 6 pm and I didn't wake up until 2 so we played some final games of chess before he had to leave. After he left Vince had gotten into chess watching us play so we continued to play chess. Audrey came over some time later so we made plans to party that night at Prim Rose which is a club near Vagator that I had not been too and stays open to 6 every night because it is indoors. We stopped at a bar Vince knows on the way and didn't get to the Prim Rose until about 1:30. Soon after Ruby came with another large group of guy's. The music was the same Goan Trance but someone was playing a drum along with it so it had some life.

After a while a large group of us were out in the bar of the Prim Rose instead of the dance floor talking. One nice thing was usually everyone is speaking English but at this time there were more French speakers so that was what was being spoken mostly. I liked it because I felt a bit bad making Audrey and Vince speak English all the time. We stayed at the Prim Rose until after it closed making a bit of a scene but there were so many of us the place did not care or kick us out. In the morning Vince, Audrey and I went to Spagetti Beach which is right next to little Vagator to relax in the morning. The beach was very beautiful and had a big carving of Shiva on one of the rocks on the beach and another of Buddha on the rocks behind the beach. Around noon we decided we were finally tired so we went back to the guest house to sleep.

The next day we woke up late again and decided to go to Anjuna to have dinner with Audrey's mom. We were very hungry and ate at a resturant on the beach next to Curly's. At dinner Audrey and her mom invited Vince and I to a house party in Anjuna at a friend of thiers house that has lived in Anjuna for about 30 years, and we said we would love to go. After eating we all went back to Moon Dance and hung out for many hours together talking. Audrey's mom doesn't speak English so there was a lot of French-English translation but it was fun because French is a very beautiful language. At 4 or so we all decided we were tired so Audrey and her mom went back to Anjuna to sleep and we made plans to meet in Anjuna the next day at 7 to go to the party.

Vince and I bought a fish from our guest house and had them cook it into a fish curry for the house party. We arrived late as usual and then made it to the party by about 8. The party was nice there were a lot of older hippies that have lived in the area for about 30 years or younger people that grew up in Goa. There was a fire outside and people playing music and stuff. One funny thing was we were some of the only people to bring food and we all brought meet dishes (Audrey and her mom brought stuffed peppers and tomatos that were excelent), and there were a lot of veggie people there that didn't bring any food so they started complaining when there weren't any veggie stuffed peppers. A really cool thing that happened was that the owner of the house Gypsy is also a hot springs freak, she even has a website like me, but focuses of spring around the world. We talked for a long time about hot springs in the US, Thailand, and India. When we left Gypsy did not want me to leave and we exchanged e-mails to possibly go to some springs together in the future.

That night we hung out at Audrey's place for a while and then Audrey came back to our guest house to hang out. We just drank a bit and went to a bar nearby that Vince knows the owner. We made plans to go to Chapora beach the next day for sunset but ended up staying up too late and didn't actually do that. Vince and I also made plans to go to Kanyakumari to see the eclipse.

The next day we woke up way too late and Audrey had to go back to Anjuna to do some stuff. Vince and I just hung out and made plans to go to Kanyakumari. We decided to leave on Monday morning and take the express to Trivandrum and then take another train to Kanyakumari. If everything worked, which it did, then the timing would be almost perfect. There were no reservations left so we decided to get the general admission which opens one hour before the train departs. All this planning to a little bit of talking so we just went to little Vagator to see the sunset.

We were going to go to Anjuna to have dinner with Audrey that night but didn't. We were running late as usual and then when we were about to leave the guy at our guest house asked us where we were going. When we said Anjuna he said not to go there that night because there were many police, and many tourist getting in trouble. So we took his warning to heart and just hung out for the night and the guy from the guest house joined us for a while and we talked. We went to Anjuna the next afternoon to see Audrey and tell her what happened and when we did she told us it was good for us not to come. Curly's got shut down at 8:30 and a bunch of people got arrested. It was even in the newspapers all over India the next day. Apparently it was a large bust they had been planning for a while and no one could bribe there way out of trouble, which is strange for India.

We made plans to go to one last party at Hilltop because that was where the party was that night and I had not been yet. That is when I tried to write a blog but had to leave to Hilltop before I could finish it. Hilltop was nice, with florecent trees all over the place and good speakers, and a very good croud that night. It is funny because when you spend some time in northern Goa you get to know all the faces. By this time I knew a lot of the crowd and they knew me. We could all dance together and when the music ended it was all about where to go next to dance more. Because Hilltop is more of an established club it ended promptly at 10 and we decided not to party more so we could sleep and catch the train the next day. We actually did four people on Audrey's scooter back to Moon Dance becuase Vince and I walked, that was really funny. We hung out for a while made plans to meet Audrey and her mom in Kanyakumari and went to sleep.

The next day Vince and I were up and packed in time to catch a taxi we had set up to Madgaon to catch the express to Trivandrum. The train was a little late, which is normal, and everything went smoothly. We were on an AC sleeper and it had good meals too. Also you could go to the area with toilets and the doors to get out and open the doors and look out. It was really cool to feel the wind and look out at India as it passes you by. All in all it was a great first India train experience. At Trivandrum we got there at 6 am and had to wait four hours for the train to Kanyakumari. We had some tea in the town, walked around a bit and then had breakfast in the train station. Again the train was fine to Kanyakumari and we got there at about one in the afternoon.

We walked into town to find a hotel. There are many many Indian men here in black clothing, wearing a longi, with a colored scarf, and a red dot on there forhead. At first I thought maybe these were some Hindi group only in Kanyakumari but they are pilgram Hindi's, or tourist Hindi's. In Hindi they are required to go on pilgramage around India for at least one year of there life. They usually go to all the spiritual sites in India and this is one of the oldest places for pilgramage. There is a temple right on the tip of India that has been there before white people came here and is a place where men come to devote there lives to Hindi and a life of celebacy. That is why most, if not all the pilgrams here are men (also it does tend to be a sexist culture where men can do more than women, especially within the Hindi religion).

Anyway, we walded into town and found a nice guest house, where we are on the top floor and have a good view, and it is a good price. After settling down in the room we went for a walk around town. At first we walked through a neighborhood that was all locals, some old ladies were playing some board games I don't know, and fishermen were walking into the area with fish from the days catch. When we got to the ocean you could see the ferry dock that takes you out to this island that has a temple honoring a Hindi teacher that was built in 1970 and large sculpture of a poet from Tamil Nadu (the state) on the next island over that is very big.

After looking at this for a while we walked through the center of town and it is very touristy with Indian tourists (that is when I realised they are not a local Hindi group but pilgrams). There are tons of little shops like a market but is all kinds of crap, and they are everywhere, like the whole center of town is a market of crap. I don't know if its always like this or if its just for the eclipse. Maybe there are a lot of pilgrams because of the eclipse, but I can tell you there are not that many white people. Also many of the men in the black cloths are driving packed into these decorated jeeps with orange flags and large Hindi shrins on the front. We walked away from all this to find a place to eat and got some Indian food from a little place. Then we went to look for some Indian insence for Vince and it was hard to find. Eventually an Inidan woman that is an engineering professor at a nearby university took us to the shop that would have insence.

That night we went out to call Audrey and have some dinner before stuff closed. Everything was good with Audrey and we ate at a veg place. There are actually more all veg places here than meat places. The culture here is very geared towards no animal products. After dinner we had some tea at one of the tea stall that are all over the place on the streets and went to sleep.

Today we just walked around town again and had some breakfast. We walked right by the old temple and there were men in black cloths everywhere. This place is very strange. An old fishing town in some places and completely filled with pilgrams in others. Anyway, thats how I've been doing and what I have been doing, and what I have seen in the few places I've been. The eclipse is on Friday, the day after tomorrow and I don't know what I'm doing after that. Just pray that there are no clouds on Friday and I get to see this thing, because it could be another amazing thing I did not expect to see while I'm in India. Peace and Love to All.

Through New Years in Vagator

2010-01-05T03:39:00.000-08:00

I've made it to the next year here in Vagator, Goa and I would like to appologize that it took me this long to get on the computer but it has been quite an eventful week. I've gone to some parties made some really good friends and even spent a night in the jungle. It has really been an amazing experience for me to be here to celebrate the new year. So, I'll start from the beginning and try not to make this too long.

When I last left off I was headed to the Sunburn festival on a beach down south, I think it was Candolim. That is exactly what I did. I met up with Kevin at the Chill Out bar and a couple people from London named Joe and Lucy. The festival was fun but very expensive. Since I drove all the way down there I payed anyway. The last DJ is well kown I guess for house music and his name was Roger Sanchez. It ended at 10 o'clock so we heatded back to Vagator to bring Kevin home, then met up with other friends, two more London guy's from the same group named Timmy and Tillo, and a guy from Jersey (a small island and independent country between France and England) named Kwertis (I have become very good friends with him).

We went to some parties at around 11:30 that were in Anjuna. The first one was at Bamboo Forest which was a crazy drive and hard to find. Eventually we saw an Israli guy on a scooter who showed us the way. The music was bad Israli trance and the police came and shut down the party at around 1:30, but I had a good time talking to Kwertis about philosophy. The setting was really cool too in a bamboo grove outside. Next we went to Curly's and Shiva Vally (which are right next to each other and on Anjuna beach) and continued the conversation over the bad Goan Trance. Curly's was cool too with the florecent trees good vibe. Curly's ended at around 4:30 and we lost the London group so Kwertis and I went back to his place at Moon Dance and talked for a little while longer before I went back to my guest house to sleep.

The whole next day I slept, watched Soprano's and recovered from the late night partying. On the 30th I headed out of my guest house to see the sunset and met up with people to figure out what was going on for new years. I found out that there was a party right on Little Vagator in Disco Valley, which is a place that used to be the place for Goan trance parties but this was the first party in 5 years. Then I went to visit with Kwertis at the Moon Dance and arrange to meet him the next day to party for new years.

On new years I had a great time. I met up with Kwertis at about 3 o'clock, and a couple French people named Audrey and Vince (which have also become good friends). We started the night out early and it was ton's of fun. We got impatient for Disco Valley to start so we went to Shiva Valley but nothing was going on so we went to Audrey's place which is right there. We hung out for a little bit with Audrey's mom and another guy named Jeremy and the pet crow they had been raising for a couple weeks. At around 10:30 we went back to Moon Dance and lost Kwertis on the way back, so Jeremy, Vince, Audrey and I walked down to Disco Valley. The water was really high and was hitting the shacks on the beach so it was strange walking across the beach to Disco Valley. We waited outside the venue to see the fireworks on the beach and then went in.

Disco Valley was really an amazing spot. Its a sandy valley with palm trees on the sides and you can almost see the beach. The music was dark Goan trance that was not very well mixed but all the people were good and the vibe was really nice. The moon was also full on new years eve and there was a luner eclipse at about 1 o'clock with I saw. So the night was really special. We found Kwertis at Disco Valley and the group from London. It was nice because everyone was doing there own thing and every time I found myself alone I could look around and see someone I know and move over to dance near them. I went up on the hill with the London group and the music ended at about 4:30 because there was a wave of police that came and shut the party down (I guess they weren't payed enough or they are just ass holes).

Kwertis, Audry, Vince and I went back to Moon Dance when the party ended and hung out for a while. When the sun was up Audry and Vince went to sleep and Kwertis and I went to play some chess on the beach after eating some food. That was fun playing chess in the morning on the beach, the locals were just going about there work and we played while watching the day get brighter. The only bad part was there was a really drunk guy from Cali that I know from the Chill Out and he was making a complete fool of himself. I guess after we left at about 10 in the morning he even broke some chairs and a table.

The next day was another day of recovery and finishing the last of the Soprano's. I actually have no pictures of anything I just described becuase when I went to Sunburn there were no camera's allowed and Keola didn't want to pay so I gave him my camera to watch. We kept seeing each other and the camera was safe but I didn't get it back until the 2nd. On the 2nd and I had to leave my guest house (which was too much money anyway) and move over to little Vagator, where I spend most of my time. I went to Moon Dance because that is where I know the most people and the vibe is mellow but they were full. Kwertis was very nice and let me sleep on his floor.

I spent the day playing chess with Kwertis and hanging out with Vince, Audry and a couple of their friends from London who knew Kwertis also. The day was fun just hanging out and talking and I really had a wonderful time. I meant to go to the internet that day but I got caught up hanging out. Kwertis, Vince, Audry and I planned to leave the next day and spend a night in Arombol in the Jungle where Kwertis had lived for a week or so a year ago. I was up for it because it sounded like another special experience to take advantage of while in Goa, and it was.

The four of us left Moon Dance at about 11:00 in the morning and made it to the jungle in Arombol by 12:30. This place was a very special majical place. We camped up a valley from Arombol beach (the one furthest north if you walk around the rocks). There is a Bodhi tree that is a place for pilgramage for Hindi's in this jungle and people live there year round, also it seems to be in some guidebooks because there we a lot of tourists going there during the day. We didn't camp at the Bodhi tree but at another one down the valley a little bit.

After setting up camp we went down to the beach to swim and Vince went to buy some fish for us to eat. The beach is really nice with the ocean obviously and there was a fresh water lake behind it where the river came to the beach. Also beyond the lake there is some yellow clay in the river that is good for the skin so people were completely covered in the clay and looked like strange yellow people. We swam in the ocean, then the lake, and then decided to go back into the Jungle just before the sun set, thinking Vince was taking a really long time and must be back at camp. When we got to camp there was no Vince but we had to start collecting wood for the fire before it got too dark.

We hung out in the Jungle until maybe 10 when we decide to go to the beach to see the stars and ocean, and see if Vince was there. He wasn't so we hung out for a while and went back into the Jungle. The Jungle at night was crazy. You could here sounds everywhere and it almost felt like I was part of the Jungle sleeping under that tree. In the morning we went up to the big Bodhi tree and it was a very majical place. People were sitting around in a circle and reading books about Hindi and you could feel the energy in the place. The only bad thing was all the tourists coming up there and taking pictures like it was some sort of spectical. For me it was even more special because I had never heard of this place until I was there.

After visiting the tree we packed out, got some food at the beach and went back to the scooters. At the scooters we ran into Vince and he had had a crazy night getting lost finding fish, then getting to the beach too late, then getting lost in the jungle at night with no torch. It ended good for him though because he found nice people and a good place to hang out in Arombol. After getting back to the Moon Dance Audry went home to go to sleep and Kwertis and I played chess until Vince got home, then we all played chess. There was also a room open at the Moon Dance so I have my own room now.

Today I have just been hanging out with Kwertis and Vince playing chess and writing this. I'm ready to move on but I also don't want to leave before I'm ready. I think tomorrow I'll book a bus to south Goa and then move on from there. This last few days here have been really special to me. I have not been thinking about my trip at all but about why I am here. What did I come all the way over to India to see? It has been really nice just to think like this before I move on to the rest of India. I am ready to fully get into the culture here and see what I can learn. Thats all for now, peace and love to all!

In Vagator, Northern Goa, India

2009-12-27T23:08:00.000-08:00

Goa is not really India, its Goa, one of these tourist/traveler created beach paradise places. I am in northern Goa which is known as the more touristy/party area, which is why I'm here before New Year, and it is the right place for that. I have met so many heads that come here every year, or have been here for many months, and many of them live very similar life styles to mine. But there is that element of fakeness with all these foreigners that have come here to create their own paradise. All in all, its a pleasant place to be and many people consider this a version of paradise, so I've been able to get to know a good group of people and get into my comfort zone.

On Christmas eve night I met a nice Norwegian guy at the internet cafe that was also traveling alone so we hung out for the evening to celebrate together. We just went to a small hole in the wall bar and drank some. Then we found some street food around midnight that was in front of the church garden square. That was cool becuase there were lots of dressed up Christians going to the midnight mass and the church and garden had tons of lights. After food we just went back to the guest house and hung out a bit before going to bed.

I woke up early on Christmas day because check out was a 9 am, so I packed and got a taxi to Vagator. I paid for the taxi because I really didn't feel like dealing with the public bus that involved a transfer in Mapsa. It only took an hour to get here and I was checked into a pretty nice guest house by 10. The guest house is actually more than I'd want to pay but its new years so the prices are higher and now that I've found some cheaper places I can't be bothered to move, plus they are all full.

After a nap I made my way down to little Vagator beach. It is a very nice small beach with rock outcrops on either side. Up on the hill is 9 bar which used to be the hip spot but now is just an empty bar that plays really loud Goan trance trying to relive the old days. On the beach there are a bunch of women selling stuff that are very pushy and anoying but after a few hours they all knew my face and left me alone. I went into a beach bar called the Boom Shankar that was playing loud mellower music that drowned out the 9 bar. I actually really like that place and have met several people through hanging out in that bar.

On Christmas night I hung out with a nice Irish guy I met at the Boom Shankar and two Indian guys, it was a pleasant evening of good conversation and a couple games of chess. The next day I spent most of the day hanging out at the Boom Shankar. I had been moving for three days straight and needed to relax, plus the Boom Shankar is my kind of place so I could pleasantly spend my day there reading my book and talking to other travelers. I became friends with a guy raised in Eugene but lived in Holland for 20 years and is much more European than American, named Keola (which is a Hawaiian name). Later the Irish guy came back and we relaxed while watching the sun set. I called it an early night and just went to my guest house, had some dinner, read, and went to sleep.

Yesterday I got out and walked around the area a bit trying to get the know the layout of the Vagator/Chapora area. I walked the long way to little Vagator so I could see where some of the clubs people talked about are located. At little Vagator I ran into Keola and he took me over to Chapora because he had told me about it the day before and offered me a ride. Chapora is actually about as far from my guest house as little Vagator so I can walk there easily. Chapora is an amazing little town, it is definitely the shakedown street of this area. There is a juice shop that is packed and a tree outside in the center of town that is always just full of people. Everyone is relaxing, talking, and smoking chillums in such a open and free way. It makes me wonder, because police are everywhere else enforcing the law but not in Chapora and everyone knows the mellow place is Chapora.

After a couple hours drinking juice I headed back to my guest house for lunch and to read my book. I actually read through sunset and then went to the Boom Shankar at the beach but there wasn't anyone I knew, so I headed up the hill to the Chill Out Bar where I ran into a friend of Keola's and I hung out all evening talking to different people. I talked mostly to a guy named Kevin who was a wealth of information and a fun guy to talk to. Today I am going to meet Kevin at the Chill Out later and go to a big festival a bit further south of here for the day. Everyone seemed to know a handful of the DJ's that are going to be at this festival and talked very highly of them so I figure I'll check it out, plus I got a group of friends to go with.

Some thoughts I've had while being here are that I come to the same realizations every time I travel (well basically the same as last year). Like that I like my life in the States and have developed a life that I fully enjoy. I like my good friends better than most of the people I meet, sometimes I'm lucky but not all the time. I'm not traveling out here for all this touristy stuff. I'm here and am going to do my best to enjoy myself but I party at home I don't need to find it on the other side of the world, plus I like my parties better. But for some reason I always feel obligated to see the places everyone goes and talks about just so I know I'm not missing something. I'm here to experience culture and see new and different things. So basically I'm going to do new years, then go to southern goa to see that, and then move on to hopefully more cultural and exciting things.

Insights into Goa are strange. Like I already said it is a place created by foreigners but also each state in India is actually more similar do different countries in the EU than states in the US. The laws are so different and the boarders have real check points (in this way more intense than the EU). So Goans really do consider themselves different than the rest of Indians and treat other Indians as immigrants. As a result most Goans are well off and the majority of the Indians are immigrants. Another thing is because of the parties and all the foreigners the police get tons of money in bribes. This made it so the police station is actually the biggest nicest building in the whole area. Also Indians are fighting to get into the Goan police force so they can get their cut. There is a four year waiting list and they usually are only allowed to be here for about two years until they have to go back to where they came from. That makes it so the police that are here try to get as much as they can while they are here. All this makes it feel very much like a police state (similar to Jamaica), and has made it so I'm not renting a motorbike because I don't have an international license. People say its no problem but you have to bribe the cops a couple hundred ruppies every time you go through a check point. I don't feel like dealing with this so I'm trying my best to walk everywhere or hitch rides with people.

Anyway, that's all for now, I have to get ready to go to this festival and see what the day brings me. Pictures aren't uploading correctly, maybe at the next place. Peace and Love to All!

Arriving in Mumbai India, to Panjim Goa

2009-12-24T05:50:00.000-08:00

The flights and transport from Orion's flat to the airport went well. Actually the transport to the airport went better than expected and I left an hour early and arrived at the airport an hour earlier than expected. The plane ride was good and I sat next to a really nice British woman that is moving to Goa permanently. She was really kind and told me all about Goa and invited me to go to Christmas dinner with her in Vigator and possibly see her Portuguese Villa that her and her husband bought.

I got into Mumbai at around one in the morning. I got a taxi from the pre-pay booth which I guess is the most reliable way but the guy didn't know the hotel I booked over the internet. We drove to the area and kept asking other taxi's and rickshaw's (same as tuk tuk's in SE Asia) until we ended up at the right place. Then the rooms were being worked on so they took me to another hotel owned by the same people. It was actually a very nice and fancy hotel but in the middle of some slums in Mumbai which isn't too hard since a huge portion of the city are slums.

the view from my window in Mumbai

In the morning I talked to the receptionist about getting a night bus to Panjim and then ate my complimentary crappy breakfast. After arranging the bus I decided to walk around the area of the hotel to get some sort of feel of what Mumbai is like. I didn't realize how poor the area was until I was walking around. For one I was the only foreigner I saw in about 2.5 hours of walking up to a couple Km from my hotel. The main street was crazy so I ducked into a ally/street, it felt safe because of how many people were walking there (and it was pretty much).

I wish I could describe what it was like in these slums accurately. I was never more than a meter away from anyone to give you an idea of how many people were in this area. All the buildings were constructed and built very close to each other occasionally with very small alleys between them (which I never walked into). Almost every building had a store front and they were small establishments that did nearly everything, with a mettle workshop, next to seamstress, next to a tea shop, next to a clinic, next to a cell phone spot, next to a shoe fixing place, ext. There were even goats and chickens around, and some area's with Buffalo's in a corral thing. Random unofficial markets were all around, I turned one corner and saw a vegetable market in a slightly wider part of the walkway. Personally I've never seen a place with such obvious poverty without any begging.

After walking around a bit someone offered me some tea and I stopped and drank some tea with him and and his friends. Even with the poverty he would not let me pay, which left me with a good feeling, but then the next person that talked to me tried to sell me drugs. A police guy told me I should be careful of pick pockets, and another 3 guy's tried to sell me drugs (I guess that's the only reason a foreigner usually walks around there). Finally I decided to go back to the hotel when someone asked me what I was doing and I said walking around and he responded “you want to see poor people?”, I said “No, living people”. But that made me think twice about walking around anymore. I did not take any pictures of the slums because I did not want to walk around a bunch of poor people with an expensive camera.

Next I ate some lunch in the hotel and the receptionist took me to the bus station to help me find it because he was off his shift and it was on his way home. He was really nice and it took us over an hour to get to the bus station because of traffic. I got an idea of how extensive the slums are and we drove through the Mumbai National Park because there was less traffic that way. He helped me get into the bus then I was off on a 16 hour journey to Panjim, 3 of which were just getting out of Mumbai. That has to be the biggest poorest city I have ever seen. One cool thing I saw was in one neighborhood a lot of kids were playing with those Chinese fighter kites which I know my dad would have thought was cool.

Now I'm in the capital of Goa Panjim in a very cheap place (which would be cheaper is it wasn't right before Christmas). This is a cool city that's small enough I can walk everywhere, and it has a lot of Portuguese architecture because Goa used to be Portuguese. I had some lunch which is funny because I still don't know what most of the food is so I choose something and order it without knowing whats going to come. So far everything I've ordered has been good.

my guest house my room is the right grate on the very top, not a balcony

a walking bridge from where I am over to the buses

some cool statues in town

Now I'm in my room after taking a nap. Its cool having this netbook because I can write this in my room without paying for internet and then just copy it in the internet cafe. That's all for now, and I have been gradually getting my traveling feet back. Meeting all these people that love India, especially Goa helps, but it also feels good being in a third world country. India definitely has all the smells, sounds, and colors associated with a third world country and is more intense in these ways than anything I've ever seen, in a good way!

The Beginning of Another Adventure

2009-12-21T09:36:00.000-08:00

I'm off on another winter of traveling. I actually left Seattle 5 days ago and flew to London to see a very close friend named Orion from college that lives in London now. The plan this year is to travel for four months with three and a half months in India and a week in London hanging out with Orion on either end of the trip. It was actually the same price for the plane tickets straight to Mumbai and with stopping in London and it had been way too long without seeing Orion. It was been a great few days hanging out with Orion and meeting some of his friends and sharing stories from the last four years.

The first night I was here which was Thursday I relaxed at Orion's flat with him and his girlfriend Julia. It was a really nice and relaxing and I was tired from all the traveling. It snowed that first day and the next morning there was a light layer of snow on the ground. Orion and I went on a little walk in the morning to get some fresh air and see what the snow did to the city. Then we didn't do much all day but talk but there was a lot of catching up to do.

That night we went out drinking on Londship Lane in Duliich with a bunch of Irish rugby fans because one of them is Orion's fiddle instructor and we were invited out. We didn't get out until about 10 and actually got turned away from the bar when we got there. Orion's friend was able to get us in but I guess we weren't dressed up enough for that neighborhood. We only went to that first pub and then one more and went home before they closed but Orion and I remember coming home but not getting into bed but we both woke up in our respective beds.

So the next day we both felt like crap all day, it really doesn't make much sense because we didn't drink that much. Anyway, we were invited to a party that night in a penthouse with a great bunch of people and pulled ourselves together by around 10 again and headed to the party. It was an amazing little party up on a penthouse condo with a DJ, jamming in another room, about 20-30 people and an amazing view. Orion says its the best view of London he has seen and I can believe it. We ended up staying up very late, the party didn't start winding down until about 5. I have always been impressed with the kind and nice friends that Orion meets and this party showed his ability to meet good people.

That party basically destroyed the possibility of doing anything the next day since we woke up at 2 in the afternoon. We just recovered and cleaned up the flat making some curry for dinner and going to bed early.

Today I woke up early with Orion because he had to work and walked to the train station with him. Then I went back to the flat, ate and hung out until mid day when I headed into the center of the city to meet Orion for lunch. He works in a very busy area in the center of town but we met up fine and went to a pub for lunch. After that I walked around the city and saw Trafalgar Square, and the Parliament Buildings but went back to the flat quickly because it was pissing down rain.

Right when I got back to the flat the rain turned to snow and the city started having problems. The buses even stopped running. I actually leave pretty early tomorrow and I hope everything works out. Its not that big of a deal though because its one flight so it can be delayed and I'll still be fine. Well I'm off a friend of Orion's that he lived with in Edinburgh when I visited him for a month, so we've had a nice dinner all catching up and its about time for sleep to prepare for some more traveling tomorrow. Sorry about the absence of pictures but I haven't pulled out the camera at all.

Back in Seattle

2009-06-01T09:49:00.000-07:00

I'm back in Seattle and jumped right into my life at home. Its funny how happy I am to be home but also how quickly I miss Southeast Asia. When I first came back it was a beautiful day and you could see all the mountains. People kept asking if SE Asia was more beautiful than home but I just said it was different and where we live is very beautiful in its own way. Well, I'll finish the story of my trip and the first couple days back home.

The night after my last blog I met up with Dharma for lunch and then hung around Khao San. We walked around and said hi to all the people Dharma has become friends with while there. It was really fun because he has met a lot more people on the road than me, we even ran into Shy who had missed his plane twice. Then at night we met up with Moo and had some drinks with some of Dharma's friends and some of Moo's friends that work in a travel agency on Khao San.

That night was really fun and I ended up becomeing really good friends with one of Moo's friends named Natt. We drank on Khao San then went to a club to dance. Moo left at about 1, and then I stayed dancing. At the end of the night it was just me and Natt. Meeting Natt changed the end of my trip because the next night I also hung out with her, and Moo, Dharma (it was his last night), and a couple of his friends. Some of us met up at 8 in front of Dharma's guest house.

At dinner I ran into a British friend of mine from Don Det who hung out with us for the night, and then while drinking at Chart on Khao San I ran into Clause from Cambodia. It was really fun to catch up with Clause at the end of our trip. Moo met up with Natt and Su (another friend from the travel agency) and then met us at 10:30 or so after closing the store. That night we all drank buckets because it was Dharma's last night and we all wanted to party. Moo got very drunk so Natt and I helped her back to her condo at the end of the night.

The next day I packed and then spent the last hours with Natt before I left for the airport. The flight was long but I slept most of the way due to the sleeping pills. There was a 10 hour lay over in South Korea and I just slept that whole time also. After the flight I was happy to be home but it was an amazing last few days and deffinately left me want to come back to Thailand sooner rather than later.

When arriving home somehow my Dad and I missed each other in the airport and then my Mom showed up randomly so I left with Mom. We tried calling Dad but he left his phone in the truck so Dad ended up waiting in the airport for 3 hours, leaving after he heard a page that I did for him in the bagage claim area. It was a strange way to come home but after all the confusion was over everything was great.

I found out that the very next day there was a barbeque and basket ball game at my old elementary school Summit. Then the next day there was a final performance in the theater in the school. This year is the last year of my elementary and middle school, I could have gone there for high school but I left. The Seattle School District closed the school this last year, so the 09 year is the last. I even went to the city hall meeting to try to keep the school open but we failed.

It was really fun to go to the school events and see all the old faces but I am still jet lagged so after the gatherings I would fall asleep until early in the morning. After the basket ball games I went to meet a close friend and ended up falling asleep at his friends house then went to his house and slept until 5 the next morning. Then I had more events for school to go to and a big reunion after the event that night.

Yesterday I recovered some more and began a garden project in the back yard with my parents. I'm beginning to get over the jet lag but am already leaving tomorrow for California for a music festival. A close friend of mine from College (Adam) is in a band and playing in a small festival in southern Cali. So another close friend (August) and I are going down there and going to see hot springs on the way down and back up. Adam may even come with August and I to a few hot springs after the festival and shows that we will go to with him.

Anyway, I'm hitting the ground running and living my life here and already beginning the fun of traveling in the western US. This will be my last blog until I leave on my next trip. I could continue to write about my life here in the US but I feel like that is my personal life. I have this blog to document my travels, keep my close friend and family informed about what I'm doing, and share my experiences and impressions of other countries and cultures. Now that I'm back home the main purpose of this blog is done but I will continue it next winter on this same website. I think I'll go to India and/or Nepal, probably leaving in December. Until then, peace and love to all!

In Bangkok and have Ticket home

2009-05-24T23:41:00.000-07:00

The trip to Bangkok from Don Det went well. I caught a boat at 11 and then went to Pakse from the dock, then went on a bus through the boarder to Ubon, and finnaly had a overnight bus to Bangkok getting into the city at about 5:30. All in all I actually slept on the bus and got to Bangkok relatively rested. In the morning I just had some coffee waiting for things to open.

When places opened I checked out a bunch of places but nothing was cheaper than what I had found on the internet so I just bought the ticket from the internet. So now I have the ticket and get into Seattle at about 12:30 pm on Thursday. Its funny because Dharma gets back just one day before me on the exact same flight, if I had just bought the ticket originally from the internet then we would be on the same flight home.

After dealing with the ticket thing I figured out that Dharma was getting into Bangkok today, and then called Moo to hang out. We met up here at Khao San and had some food, and then went to the big shopping mall to go see a movie. I don't have much energy so that sounded perfect. The theaters are different too because you choose your seet, not first come first served, and the seats are almost like recliners. We saw Angels and Demons and it was pretty good.

Then after the movie we went to JJ market to see Moo's artist friend that works there because it was Sunday (JJ market is only on the weekends). That was really fun. We just hung out with the artists and drank a bunch of beers. Then people wanted to go to this one neighborhood that is very well known as the gay area of the city. I said I go if Moo was there with me. So we went and it was interesting. Of course because we were with artists the one place we went to was an art gallary/bar. Then we just had some noodle soup before going back to Moo's place.

This morning Moo had to work so I got up with her but then relaxed for a few hours for the trafic to die down in the city. When it was 10:30 or so I got a taxi back to the Khao San area. When I got here I took care of some stuff and then saw Dharma was on the internet so we connected and I went over the the internet cafe he was hanging out in. We caught up a little but he had to check into his guest house still and shower so I'm going to meet him in a few minutes for some lunch and who knows from there. I know Moo wants to hang out again and meet Dharma so thats probably going to be what happens.

I have been really surprized how comfortable I am in Thailand. I know what food is good. I know more words than any of the other places I've been, and the roads and stuff are practically as good as home. Its nice that I feel comfortable here. Thailand is a really nice country with an interesting mix of western and eastern cultures. Anyway, thats all for now and my next and last blog might be from my house in Seattle. Peace and love to all!

I'm on my way home

2009-05-22T04:55:00.000-07:00

I'm in a beautiful island on one of the largest rivers in the world and all I want to do is come home. I just feel drained and like I don't have the energy to go and see anymore tourist sights. I wanted to try to see a temple thats near here, a plateau thats said to be beautiful and one of the largest waterfalls in southeast asia but I just don't have the energy. I don't want to go see some sights and not appreciate them because I'm too drained and really should be home resting for the next adventure.

I'm not planning on quitting my travels all together. At home I am going to festivals, camping, going on hot springs road trips, and whatever else comes my way. So I'm going to continue my travels just within my own country and doing activities that I know I love. Also I do plan to continue traveling every winter as long as possible, and continue to write blogs about every place I go. I think I will be a better traveler and have more fun when I'm re-energized and ready for new cultures. Maybe next year I can make it 6 months.

I haven't done much on Don Det due to the lack of energy and general lack of interest to go see some sights verses swim and read. I've made a routine of waking up and going to one of the restaurants next to the beach and ordering an iced Lao coffee and reading. Then ordering breakfast when I'm hungry enough, and go swimming at the beach when I'm hot and sweating. I still go to the reggae bar at night, and its always packed every night until they shut off the lights at 11, or 10:45.

The water buffalo relaxing in the water agian

I like being in a place that has limited electricity. It attracts a certain kind of crowd that I really get along with. Plus I don't really need the power, during the day you can swim, and after 11 you hang out at the beach with a fire or at bungalows with candles. But they are installing power lines right now to bring 24 hour power to this island. The lines are actually already up and complete and power is said to be here anywhere from 2 weeks to 5 months. It makes me sad because I'm worried about how this place with change, but also happy because I got to experience it.

The view from my bungalow

One very strange thing that has happened is that there is another Andy from Seattle here at Don Det. He actually left this morning but the odds of two Andy's from Seattle that don't know each other at all being in Laos are slim to none. It came up because a guy I met the day before said "Hi, Andy from Seattle" to me and I came over the beach and started hanging out with him, and then the other one just walked up and said "I'm Andy from Seattle what do you want". I've hung out with him a bit and he's a good guy, strange coincidence though.

One day I did do something here and went tubbing down the river. It really was not that exciting but it was nice to do something. At my usual coffee and breakfast place in the morning some travelers asked if I wanted to go and I said it sounded great. A boat took us up the river and then we floated down near one big island. We basically floated back towards Don Det and the beach and the guy in the boat just waited till he saw us and zipped in the boat across the river to pick us up.

I've been hanging out with different people almost every day because I've been with people that have been here for a while and are leaving. So each day I meet some new people and hang out with them periodically throughout the day. I've gotten tired of all the normal travel talk because its all the same. So I just hang out and don't talk much, speak up when the conversation is interesting but otherwise just relax. Its still nice to be with people though and most people understand how I feel because like Cambodia many of the travelers here have been out for several months.

Sunset tonight from the Indian food resturant

So today I bought a ticket for Bangkok tomorrow. I'm just going straight there and buying a ticket home. The boat leaved at 11 am tomorrow and I get into Bangkok at 6 am the following day. Then I'll just take care of the ticket thing as fast as possible and hang out with Moo until I fly home. Thanks to everyone that have followed my blog, its been a nice place to express my opinions and tell my story. Until Bangkok, peace and love to all!

In Don Det in Southern Laos

2009-05-18T05:54:00.000-07:00

I finally arrived in Laos to Don Det. All in all I was 9 days over my visa and it was 5 dollars a day so I payed 45 dollars to get out of Cambodia. The border was a bit of a joke. There was one gate with a small shack on the Cambodian side then another 20 meters away on the Laos side and that was it. There was hardly any trafic and we had to wait for an hour for our bus and only one van came to cross the border. The trip was good up to the border. I left Phnom Penh at 7 am almost missing my bus because I stayed up too late. Then I stayed one night in Stung Trung in Cambodia and left the next morning 2 hours late for the border.

The boarder

Don Det is a cool island in the Mekong. Its in an area called the 4000 island group where the Mekong gets really wide and there are several small islands throughout the river. In the dry season (which it is in water levels at least) several of the smaller sand islands are exposed and there is said to be over 4000. I can believe it because you can see 20 just looking out into the river in any particular direction.

When I arrived here I just got a bungalow on the sunset side (but I can't actually see the sunset from there) and then went to the little beach. The beach is where the boat dropped us tourists off and it kinda looks like a fake bit of sand put in the center of the bars and resturants but maybe its real also. Several people just hang out and swim and drink beers. There is also a water buffalow that hangs out and gets into the water at the beach or rests on the sand, he is so relaxed he doesn't care if people grab his horns, or jump on him or anything. There is also a parret that flys around and I've seen locals call him over and it land on their shoulder.

The water buffalo hanging out before and after the sunset

The sunset from the beach

I met some cool people on my first night and had dinner with them. That night I actually got sick from the indian food but I still went to the same place the next night with them because they really like the place. I spent the whole next day with them just relaxing and talking. Today two of them left and I have spent most of the day reading. Now I'm here and just ran into the third person I've been hanging out with and we may go to the Reggae bar to hang out after the internet.

There is only electricity here in the evening from the time the sun goes down until 10:30 or 11. Its like the small Koh Chang in Thailand in that way. I like it in places like this because it attracts a good group of travelers. Here on Don Det it seems like what most people do is hang out in the Reggae Bar until the power goes out and then move down to the beach for a bon fire. The first night there was a bon fire but it was funny because people had a very hard time starting it. Eventually it was lit and it was a nice fire with a lot of people around it, maybe 40-50 total. Last night it rained so there was no fire, we will see what happens tonight.

So far I like Laos. I can feel the difference even in this short distance into the country. I can't put it into words quite yet but its nice in Laos, less hectic then Cambodia. I still don't know how much I'll travel in Southern Laos. I'm here so I feel like I should see the temple near here and a plateau near here but I don't know if I have the energy. Whats the point in seeing something if I'm just seeing it so I can leave and not soaking it up. But I'm down here so I will probably go see a couple things before leaving. Anyway, thats all for now. I'll add pictures later because I don't have my camera now.

Finally leaving Cambodia

2009-05-13T20:18:00.000-07:00

So a week ago when I was leaving Siem Riep I found out there is no direct bus to Kratie but I would have to change buses in Phnom Pehn so I decided just to go to to city. I traveled with a friend Rich from Scottland that I met at Garden Village and spent the entire last day hanging out with. We took the bus to the city and then came directly to Same Same.

Coming back to Same Same was like a big welcome home party. At first there wasn't anyone there but then one after another people I knew came out to hang out and say hi. All in All there were the Cambodian tuk tuk drivers, Mr. Hi, Mr. Paul, and Mr. T (he has never heard of A-team), then John the baptist, T-bo, and the Swiss guy (Claus), Rich and me. It was nice because we all new each other and hung out like old friends for the next few days. People thought we were traveling together then when they found out we were all from different countries they were impressed to see a group of 5 solo travelers from different countries all hanging out together.

hanging out on the deck and watching the sunset

Looking out the deck at the lake, and into Same Same at the hang out area

I really like Phnom Pehn, or really just Same Same but the city is nice too. I spend my time just relaxing around the guest house with different people. There is always someone to hang out with. One day the group of us went to the shopping center so we could take pictures from the top, but thats the only real activity we did. One night the rest of them went out to Candy, a girly bar, but I stayed back that night. It is so strange that a full week has gone by here in the city again but I like it and let time slip.

View of the old market (used to be a bus terminal)

You can see the lake on the left (all big buildings are under construction like that one, and see all the cranes in the distance)

Now I have overstayed my visa by 7 days but finally booked my ticket today to leave for Laos tomorrow. Everyone was making fun of me yesterday because they all got tickets to leave this morning but I didn't get my ticket yesterday so I was spending one more day here. I've said one more day for the last 4-5 days, but today really is my last day. With all the western friends gone I have more motivation to actually leave the guest house and get some things done, like the internet right now.

I wish I had more to tell you about the last week but really its just been nice relaxing here where I feel like a bunch of people know me. Don Det should be nice in Laos but then thats probably it for the traveling this year. But also at my pace right now it could be a month until I'm home and all I see is Don Det. All in all I like Cambodia. Its a tougher country with the good and the bad all mixed up together. But the good is really good and the bad is really bad. It reminds me of Guatemala with all its beauty but also a war torn country with extreem poverty, but Cambodias history is even more bloody than Guate's.

It is strange how everyone loves Hun Sen even with how evil and money grubbing he is. The people love him because they credit him with stopping the fighting. They say he is the one who made it so Cambodians stopped killing each other, so no mater how much money he takes, or land he steals, he is loved. I can actually understand that because people here still feel the anger from all the killing and just don't want to ever see a gun again. They will work hard and long hours for next to nothing as long as there is no danger of being killed.

Another strange thing about Cambodia is that the travelers are different. In Siem Riep and Sihanoukville they were normal holiday tourists and travelers, but not so much in the rest of the country. The travelers are either like me, as far as being more adventerous and being able to handle the extreem poverty. So those people travel around for a long time and spend a lot of time getting to know the country and people, maybe even volunteer for a while. Other travelers (besides the NGO workers) are trying to excape from something. Tons of people are here because of legal problems at home and you can get away with anything here. It has become known for that, and its true, so drug addicts and other people with problems come here to live the rest of there lives. These travelers add a strange aspect to the country because in some cases they are worse that the begging locals.

Anyway all is good here and I'll write from Laos when I get there. Peace and love to all!

Angkor Wat was Amazing

2009-05-06T20:20:00.001-07:00

Now I've been in Siem Riep for about 5 days and have been to the temples 2 full days. A full day of temples makes you very tired so it is difficult to do two full days in a row, but there is so much to see. Angkor Wat is one temple but the whole area is over 50 temples. I decided to go to a bunch of smaller temples around Angkor Wat one day by tuk tuk with a friend, and another day on bicicle for the center big temples. Each temple is pretty different than the others so every one was interesting. I'll try to label all the temple pictures with what temple it is (and there are a lot, now 1/3 of my pictures are from 2 days of temples).

The first day I was there I just relaxed all day. I met a very nice french guy (his name is T-bo in english but its really spelled Thibault), who ended up being friends with John from Same Same in Phnom Penh. We hung out with a dutch guy all day and talked. T-bo and I made plans to go to see the smaller temples the next day by tuk tuk because he already saw all the big ones. It is very easy to spend all day at the Garden Village because you can choose your own music from a huge selection, get whatever food you want, check e-mail (if your ok with 30 min waits between pages), play games, and relax freely talking to cool people.

The next day T-bo and I met up in the morning and got a tuk tuk. The ride was fun and we saw a lot of cool temples. The best temple of the day and maybe my favorite of all was one we had to pay the tuk tuk extra to go to because it was off the normal tourist track.. I'll let the pictures do the talking for the temples because I could go on and on. In a lot of places its all about the carvings, just amazing and all over the place. And in other locations the size is so big but you can never really capture it on camera.

Prasat Kravan

Banteay Kdei

Srah Srang reserviour

Pre Rup

Banteay Samre (My favorite, I think)

riding between temples

East Mebon

Ta Som

Neak Pean

Preah Khan

Sunset over the outer Angkor Wat wall

After a full day of temples, I relaxed again for a full day. There is not a lot to say. I was with a group of 4 danish guys a lot, T-bo, and a Sweedish guy. T-bo and the Sweedish guy were going to Battambong the next day and then going to try to get a train to Phnom Pehn. I guess there is one shipping train every two days on the railway but no passanger trains and they want to ride on top of the shipping containers. I wonder how that has gone for them.

The next day I rented a bike in the morning and headed off for the big Angkor Wat. I met a Dutch guy when I was renting the bike and we traveled together to the temples. He was a cool guy and we had a good day together. Because I missed the main temples and he was only there for one day we both wanted to do exactly the same temples. These were bigger and more fantastic but I liked being in cool places where there weren't a lot of tourists. Angkor wat was not my favorite but Bayon in Angkor Thom was amazing. Anyway here are more pictures to do the talking for me.

Wedding Ceremony outside Angkor Wat

Angkor Wat

Ta Prom (the tomb raider one)

restoring the temple at Ta Prom

Ta Keo

Thameanon and Chao Say Thevada

riding between temples

Victory Gate of Angkor Thom

An active temple in Angkor Thom

random ruins inside the walls of Angkor Thom

Bayon in Angkor Thom

Sunset from Phnom Bakkheng

Yesterday I just relaxed again all day, recovering from the bike ride and temple walking which took a bit out of me. This time I hung out with a guy from London, a girl from Canada, and a New Zealand guy with a Czech girlfriend. I didn't do much again just watched football and talked, and looked into what I want to do in southern Laos. Later we all went out for some stall food at night.

Today I'm here and am planning to go to Kratie tomorrow, its a town on the Mekong between Phnom Pehn and the Laos boarder. Today is the last day of my visa so I will overstay it a few days so I can spend a few days in Kratie before I go to the boarder and the 4000 island group, which are a bunch of islands on the Mekong right on the boarder with Cambodia. These temples really have been amazing and the Garden Village guest house is great so all in all Siem Riep has been a wonderful experience and I'm ready to go to Laos!

Battambong to Siem Riep

2009-05-01T01:45:00.000-07:00

So I feel like I'm starting to get my traveling shoes back on. I think one of the tricks of this long term traveling thing is to just roll with the feelings you get but keep on going. Also if I just move a bit slower like I talked about it is a lot easier to feel comfortable while always in new places. The last few days in Battambong I also kinda forced myself to do some touristy stuff and ended up having a great time.

After my last blog I didn't do anything with the rest of my day but I did set up a moto driver to take me around the next day. He was a guy who got me right off the bus (actually he rode next to my moto in his moto giving me his speach) and gave me some info on him and a card. He actually worked for the water resource development team in Battambong as an interpreter so that sold me to use him as a guide. He took me to a hill/cave that was used to torture and kill people during the Pol Pot days. Then he took me to an old 11th century tempal on a hill. Next he was going to take me to the Bamboo Train but it started pouring on the way. The roads were terible and I was soked to the bone so I told him to just take me home.

The Killing Cave

The temple

That night I actually met a nice tuk tuk driver who gave me moto prices so I agreed to meet him the next day to go to the bamboo train. The next day his brother showed up but he was nice enough. The bamboo train was really cool. I thought it would be some stupid touristy thing but it was actually a nice thing to see. There are no trains in Cambodia because the railways are so bad so the only thing on the tracks are these little home made things. Its a platform on a pair of axles on the tracks then a little gas motor that has a belt wraped around one of the axles. Then to start the train he just pulls back the motor making friction with the belt and away you go. Another cool thing is that to go backwards they just twist the belt so the axle spins the other way.

The bamboo train, notice the belt is twisted on the second picture

After that I decided to hang out with the driver some more so I went to a winery with him. He showed me some old Khemur buildings on the way and a cool bridge on the way back but the winery was cool. We got there and soon after it started raining so we just hung out talked and drank the wine and brandy that they make at the place. I did buy a bottle of brandy because it was good and I didn't pay for anything I drank so I wanted to buy something.

The winery

The tuk tuk driver on a cool bridge

That night I had a good conversation over dinner with an NGO worker in Battambong. There are so many NGO workers in Cambodia. I've met like 20 by now, and in Thailand I didn't meet one NGO worker. Then after dinner I finally went to the little local bar. I was the only one there at first so I just hung out with the owner and then a couple showed up (one from Spain and the other from France, both NGO workers). We all talked and drank until way to late so that I only got 4 hours of sleep last night because I had to wake up early to take a boat to Siem Riep.

I was going to rent a moto in Battambong and then ride to Siem Riep so I would have the freedom here to do whatever I want. But after that accident I just didn't really feel like riding myself all that way so I opted for the boat instead, plus the guide book says its the prettiest boat ride in Cambodia. It was a really cool ride. We winded up this river from Battambong and there were houses along the river a lot of the way. They were basically shacks built on a platform floating in the water. In some places we would get to towns where there were stores and resturants and everything in these houses along the river. It was cool but at the same time you could tell everyone was very poor. Some people just lived in these little platforms or small boats on the water.

The floating houses on the river

The boat ride was great and there was actually a tuk tuk waiting for me at the end that took me to Garden Village (the cool recomended guest house) free of charge. This guest house is great. One dollar dorm room beds, free internet (but very slow), a rooftop bar/resturant, and a very chill vibe. Right now I just hung out with some locals and people staying here, ate and got on the internet to do this. Cambodia has been harder than Thailand as far as what I see and the desperation of the people, but I've found more of these gem locations where you can just chill and relax for days with mellow people.

Well thats all for now. I'm feeling a lot better but am still thinking I'll just do southern Laos and then go home. One thing I've realized is that traveling is just like life at home, where there are bad days and good days. Just because I'm seeing new things and having exciting adventures doesn't mean that I'll love every minute. Sometimes I may feel like I want to go home but if I just relax for a day and see something new I'll get over it and remember again how lucky I am to see all these different cultures and places. Also I don't think I'll be able to do pictures while I'm here because the internet is so slow but maybe one day I'll be able to. Another thing is the club I went to in Phnom Penh was Heart of Darkness, not City of Darkness (I went back and corrected it). Peace and love to all!

Phnom Pehn to Battambong

2009-04-28T00:49:00.000-07:00

Its been a while since I last posted but I've had a hard time moving fast. I'm not sure if its because I've been traveling for a while or because of what I saw but I just can't seem to move fast. I spent about a week in Phnom Pehn and then came here to Battambong yesterday. I actually liked the city a lot but thats mostly because of the lakeside area and the guest house I was in. Let me see if I can quickly go through what I did.

The day after my last post I went into the city with Elena (The girl from London that was in the shared taxi with me). We went to the center market, which is a large market that is in the old main bus terminal building (so now there isn't a main bus terminal). She had some stuff to get and so did I. Then we walked to the riverside and went to the FCC which is a resturant called the forign correspondence center. Its an old building that reporters have been going to for years, so there were war photos everywhere. The drinks were expensive so we just had one beer then went to a pizza place.

The view from the FCC

The Grand Palace

At the pizza place I ran into Ty and Cy (two of the Hawaii guy's that were with Moo when I first met her). We hung out and talked and then they walked to the lakeside with me while Elena went to the Vietnamese embassy. We hung out at Same Same for a while and then arranged to go to the Killing Fields and S-21 with paul (one of the tuk tuk drivers, my favorite). I think that night I went to the Moskito Bar nearby where one guy at the guest house works, and the manager helped open Bhodi Villa's.

The next day the Killing Fields and S-21 were hard things to see. At the Killing Fields there are so many bodies that in the pathways you are actually walking on bones and pieces of clothings from the bodies. It was hard to take pictures so I didn't after a couple. So many people died there in such horrible ways. There was one pit of all beheaded people, another of just women and children (there was a tree next to this pit used to smash the kids against the tree in front of the mother). Then S-21 wasn't much better. Its a high school and elementary school that was changed into a torture and detention center in 1975. They had pictures of the last bodies they found there, old torture equipment, and blood still on the wall. Again it was like you could feel all the horible things that had happened there. For the rest of that day I just relaxed, played pool, and played chess.

The Killing Fields

The next day I went into the city with John (a tall tatooed buy from london with a bald head and a huge beard) and Christian (a german guy) who both live at my guest house. We went to the shopping center for ice cream and then went to the top and saw and amazing view. There was a skating rink on the top of the shopping center also. John left to do some CV stuff (he is applying for jobs here) and Christian and I went to the Russian Market. After Christian got presents for his family we got a tuk tuk back to lakeside but a storm had just begun.

The tuk tuk driver went slow but it was still a crazy sight. The city basically began to flood. Some roads just turned into rivers a couple of feet deep, but the moto drivers and cars just went right through it. We didn't see the worst of it and got back to the guest house safe but other people told me about how the water was deeper than their motorbike, or how outside our guest house the water was about 2 feet deep in the street (it was half a foot when we walked through). It is crazy to me that the city would flood that much because it may have been a two hour long downpoor but I have heard in the rainy season those same rains can last 24 hours and imagine what would happen then. I also wonder if the bad flooding near lakeside has anything to do with the fact that they are filling in the lake.

That night I did the staying out all night thing. I was with John and other long time people, it was a group of 6 total, and then 8 later in the night. We went to some girly bar to pick up one guy's girlfriend, then went to Pontoon, and then Heart of Darkness. Pontoon is a club on the river in a boat that plays trance music all night and people dance and stuff. Heart of Darkness is a famous club from movies like pontoon and city of ghosts. It was a high roller club with lots of rich Cambodians and was in an old french building.

The next two day I literally did nothing. I hung out at the Same Same guest house, played pool, played chess, drank beer, and watched some movies. I got to know everyone at the guest house and got really comfortable so I just didn't want to leave and go out traveling really soon. I also planned to do the internet both days but just didn't get out of the building. Its nice because the city is chaotic but at the guest house the lake is right there, and lots of cool people are about so its easy to just hang out and move from one conversation to another forgetting how crazy the city is.

The Lake from Same Same

Yesterday I came here to Battambong by bus. There are not many farang here. Its a small city basically, similar to Kampot but without the river (there is a river but its smaller and very polluted). I'm not sure what I think about it yet. I just went out to eat last night and met a large tour group, and today I walked through the market. Maybe tonight I'll check out the main bar in town that I've gotten a couple of flyers for from a guy who lost his legs.

Maybe its because of what I saw but I'm not as keen on traveling around a lot right now. I want to see Ankor Wat and a nice guest house people have told me about there, and I think I want to go to the 4000 island group in southern Loas but that might be it for me. I've been gone for a while so I miss my friends and family and am a bit tired of traveling. Before being in large multi cultural groups was new and exciting but now it is normal. I hardly have the drive to learn about people or cultures anymore, I just want some relaxed people to play a game with or something. Recently I've met a lot of people who kinda feel the same so its been easy to just relax and play games without really talking too much.

This could just be how I've felt recently and will get back into the spirit of traveling in a few days, but if its not, then I can go home whenever I want. One couple I met in Bangkok showed me how you can just show up there and get tickets through the travel agencies cheaper than you could buying tickets over the internet, so that is probably what I'll do to get home. I'll go to Siem Riep and see the temples and then will decide if I want to make my way up to Laos or just go back to Bangkok.

Well, thats all for now. I don't have many pictures and don't have the camera with me so I'll post whatever I have later. Also I'm sorry for sharing such a graphic image with everyone. It has been hard to deal with having seen a life lost so I think I described the experience in a bit too much detail to try to help it leave my brain and just infected all of you with the image. Anyway, peace and love to everyone.

In Phnom Pehn

2009-04-21T02:28:00.000-07:00

Now I'm in Phnom Pehn. I like the area I'm in even though it will be destroyed within the next year, and I've seen one of the most graphic things I've ever seen. I can't seem to get this image out of my head and its been affecting me all day. It's like a bustling Asian city here without skyscrapers, without all paved roads, without rules (which is normal in Cambodia) and with a lot of bicicles and motorbikes. Its hard to be away from Bhodi's but its nice to be on the move again.

My last day at Bhodi's I went on a boat ride up the river. When Chenda (one of the people that work at Bhodi's) asked me if I wanted to go I figured I might as well or else I'd just sit around all day. Before the boat ride I swam down to Jess's to help her move some big things, then she came on the boat also. It was a nice calm ride up the river with a bunch of people I'd come to know kinda and we just drank beers and went for a ride.

On the boat

Sunset from the boat

The last night there was also fun just hanging out with the bar tender, who also lives there, and drinking and playing pool. Then in the morning I did my normal morning swim but this time swam all the way to the other side and hung out in the abandoned building over there. That was nice, and a good ending to my time on the river. I booked a shared taxi with another girl from the guest house that also wanted to go to Phnom Pehn.

The shared taxi was an interesting experience. The two of us shared the front seat of a normal car, there were four people in the back, and another Khemur person shared the drivers seat. It was a spectical but normal to the Khemur people. The roads were bad and unmarked for much of the way. The driver kept his left signal on most of the time and passed everything he could but also had to slow down a lot for the dirt sections. Also there were oxen driven carts sharing the road also. Then, near the city a horrible accident happened.

We were very close to the city so the street was packed with mostly motorbikes, but also cars, large trucks, and bicicles and people are always trying to pass people in a generally chaotic patturn. We were maybe two cars back when it happened. Basically I saw a teenage girl on a bicicle start to wobble bad (I think a moto cut her off), she did maybe two to three wobbles and then toppled over. She fell right into the road, right inbetween the wheels of a large gravel or dump truck. Her head landed under the truck and the back wheel just went right over her head squashing it like a watermellon.

We were so close I could see everything very clearly. There is no way she lived and I knew it the second that wheel went over the head. It was so fast, she was alive one minute riding the bike like so many other people and dead the next. I can't seem to get the image of the wheel riding right over her head out of my head. We drove right passed her then turned around and drove passed her again to go into the city. I think the truck stopped right there and wasn't going anywhere so the taxi spun around and went into the city a different way, but it made it so we saw her body up close twice. The second time there was a huge puddle of blood that was not there the first time. This is all kinda hard to write. It was all like something you'd see in a movie but I actually saw it happen before my eyes. I don't know if I'll ever be able to look at a crowded street the same again.

Anyway after that we had to haggle for a tuk tuk into the lakeside area of Phnem Pehn where some travelers have recommended that I stay. The area is nice. Its a little allyway tucked away but is full of guesthouses, bars, resturants, and internet shops. Its like Khao San but better, or kinda like the streets in Phi Phi but better. All the guest houses are long and narrow and have decks that overlook the lake, and the sunsets over the lake. Last night I just checked into the guest house ($2 a night) and then went out to the deck to talk to people and relax. The girl from Bhodi and I drank together and ate together but didn't tell anyone about what we saw. I think it was too upsetting for either of us to have a big conversation about people dieing with these poeple we had just met.

The only problem with this area is that they are filling in the lake right now to build on top of it. You can see to the left that they are filling it in with sand and gravel. They will fill in the entire area where the guest houses currently are, destroying the whole area, and then will build some kind of development or buisness area. It really makes me sick to think that this wonderful lake and area of the city will be completely destroyed within a year. The company doing it is some Malaysian company. This whole counrty is up for sale and its obvious everywhere, especially when your watching a beautiful sunset over a lake that will be some sort of development.

Today I woke up slow, and moved slow. I was going to go on a walk around the city but left late. I met some kids I had met at Kho Phan-gan and then also in Sihanoukville at a little cafe. I sat down and three of them caught busses to leave the country and the fourth stayed around. We just watched a movie and now I'm here. The rains have come early this year so its rained hard the last few days but its a welcome rain because it cools it off and most of the time its almost too hot to walk, or even sit. Anyway, thats all for now. Peace

PS. I added pictures and two video's. The oldest video is from the floating market.

Still relaxing at Bhodi's

2009-04-18T19:44:00.000-07:00

It is really nice here at Bhodi Villa's in Kampot. For the last couple days I've ventured out some but I really like the vibe here at the guest house. I was going to go to Kep, and to Rabbit Island which is right off the coast from Kep, but instead I decided to chill out here longer and take a day trip to Kep. The plan now is to head to Penom Phen tomorrow and then towards Siem Riep.

My bed in the dorm room

The chill area

The bar area

The deck down on the water

The floating bungalows from the deck

The chill area from the deck

A few days ago after I posted on here I was going to go to town with Jess and the Israelie couple but my back tire went flat. We went from Bhodi's to Jess's place which is called the Blank Canvas and then when we left there the tire went flat when going on the road. I decided to turn back and hobble to Bhodi's and they continued to town.

The girl here called the bike guy's and the tire was fixed pretty quickly but I got food in the meantime. I still went to town and hung out with the paper people at the Rusty Nail. There has been a group of people staying here that all work for the Penom Phen post. They have been getting so drunk and partying so hard it is interesting to think that some of the articles I've been reading were written by these guys.

Anyway, after drinking with them a bit, I left when there food came and went over to Jess's place to hang out for the evening. We just chilled on the water and talked and went skinny dipping in the river. After a while we ate some rice and vegetables and then I went back to the guest house to sleep. Its cool walking around here because there are fire flies so it does feel magical.

The next day I relaxed again in the morning having my normal morning swim and then an interesting character came into the bar. It was an older guy with two mixed Khemur kids. He was insulting to the Khemur people and just kept talking about it and talking about how in Norway he would be arrested for drinking a beer like he was and letting his kids run around. So this strange character got most of the people in the place leave and eventually I went into town to eat the ribs at Rusty's and all the Bhodi people were there. I sat down and played cards with some of the guy's and then ate the ribs. They were actually the best ribs I've ever had. The tire on the back wheel of the bike was going flat again so I just went back to the guest house and relaxed.

Yesterday I traded bikes and then went into Kep for the day. First I went to the Epic Arts Cafe in town which is a performing arts center and cafe for disabled people in Cambodia. That was nice and then it started raining so I stayed there for a bit. When the rain cleared I left for Kep but did end up driving through a down pore but by the time I got to Kep I was dry. Kep was nice and very busy with people. I walked through the crab market and then went to the beach. The beach was narrow and golden in color and again full of Khemur people. I think there were so many people because it was the Saturday after the new year. Anyway, I drank a beer and then went back to Bhodi's and played pool until I went to sleep.

The Kep beach

Now its the morning here and I've had my morning swim and am using Jess's computer again. Its interesting here at Bhodi's because besides the long term travelers who stay here a lot of people from NGO's also stay here for days off. They do intense work around Cambodia and then come here to unwind so much of the time they are getting very drunk. Its very interesting.

A kitten and mom that live in the dorm also

Well, I need to leave here soon or I'll get stuck so the plan is to go to the city tomorrow. Till next time...

In Kampot for the Khemur New Year

2009-04-15T21:21:00.000-07:00

Kampot, or more specifically the Bhodi Villa guest house on the river (I actually haven't been to the town yet), is very nice and relaxing. There is a community here that consists of a bunch of long term travelers or people that decided to stay and live in this area. The place is right on the river and you can swim in the river which is nice in the heat of the day, and there is plankton in the water so at night you can see all the colors as you swim (like places on the ocean). I think its kind of a magical place where time slips away and you can completely relax.

A few days ago I left Sihanoukville in the morning and got here by 10 or so in the morning. It turned out that someone didn't show up to stay at the floating bungalow on the river the day before so I got to stay in it. It is an amazing bungalow that is literally floating on the river so you can feel the ripples and your sleeping about 1 foot above the water level. I swam right away and laid in my bed feet from the water. I was still not feeling great so I just slept a lot and relaxed all day.

Back of the sunset from the floating bungalow

The floating bungalow

The river view from the floating bungalow

That first night was the beginning of the Khemur New Year so at exactly 1:36 am all the Khemur people lit incense and did prayers to the spirits, and the new year began (its a three day celebration). I stayed up for the 1:36 celebration and lit some incense saying my own prayers to whatever I believe in. The new year here is more of a spiritual celebration that has to do with their version of Buddhism than a huge party. Unlike the Thai new year which is also happening right now but is more of a huge party throwing water around.

I really didn't do much the next couple days because I just wanted to enjoy my bungalow and get better. The second day here I met a girl from the US that is living two doors down the river. She is renting an art place with group paintings on the walls that anyone can contribute to and there are also canvases with art all over the place. It was fun to relax there, talk to the girl (Jess), and swim of course. That night she showed me the plankton, which I can't believe I didn't notice because I swam at night the night before.

Jess's place "Blank Canvas"

The next day I met Jess in the morning and then we rented bikes to go up to Bokor Mountain. Bokor Mountain is a cool place that was used for a huge casino/resort for the french near the turn of the century. Then due to the hatred of the rich that the Khemur Rouge had it was sacked and burned along with all the rich residents that were also on the mountain. For a long time it was fought for by the different armies because of its stategic location and today the building are still standing and burned.

View of the area from about half way up Bokor Mtn.

Me at the top of Bokor Mountain

Right now Bokor Mountain has been closed because of some huge development that is going to happen up on the hill (development is rampant here and without regulation, so if your connected and have money you can do whatever you want) and opened up just for 4 or 5 days for the new year. Because its open only for a few days for the celebration and then will close for another year there were tons of Khemur people up there. There were large groups of families having picnics in the abandoned buildings, even in the old casino.

Some cool art in an abandoned building

Jess and I had a great time seeing the burned out buildings and all the happy Khemur families. Also the casino was very big and had large halls and balconies and it was fun to imagine what it would have been like if it wasn't completely stripped and burned. The view was also amazing with a huge cliff that went down to the flatter land next to the coast. The last cool aspect was that up on the mountain you were at cloud level, or above it, so clouds would drift in and then flow over the ridge adding a cool misty-ness to the area. Overall it was a really cool place and I feel extremely lucky to have been there for the only 4-5 days its open in two years.

The casino

The main hall inside the casino

Then last night after we got back from the mountain there was a party here to celebrate the end of the new year. It was an interesting party but I mostly just played cards at the bar with some of the regulars I have met. I didn't stay up too late and then went to bed in the dorm room (I had the floating bungalow for two days and now I'm in the dorm). Today I've just been relaxing and am using Jess's computer that she has left at the bar for people to use with the wifi. My plan is to use the motorbike I used yesterday to go and actually see the town of Kampot.

Its nice to be away from the touristy areas of Cambodia. There are not people trying to sell things to you everywhere here, and I feel safer. Cambodia is a very strange country, beautiful and ugly at the same time. Its a religious country but due to the years of Khemur Rouge rule much of the culture has been destroyed and replaced with a desperateness that you can feel. People were forced not to practice Buddhism and just work as slaves, so today people care a lot more about money than anything else. But so many people can't earn money, most people make 1-2 dollars a day. Most people don't even have a place to live because the land prices are actually pretty high so they just squat wherever they can. The number of abandoned buildings is astonishing.

There is also so much corruption in the government and just everything. Most things you would want here you can't buy but need to know someone who can buy it for you, like sim cards can't be bought buy foreigners. Even the motorbike rental was just that the people here called someone and then about 15 minutes later the bikes were dropped off for us to rent. The land thing is where the biggest amount of corruption is because very few own land because of the price but people live everywhere. Because of this when someone does something with land, like an ugly misplaced development, a bunch of families are pushed off the land. This financial crisis could not have come at a better time for Cambodia because the land prices are going down, and the developments are stopping so people aren't getting kicked off their land as much and the natural beauty is not being destroyed like it was only one year ago.

Anyway, overall its a beautiful place and anything you would want to do you can. Thats what a lot of people like about Cambodia. There really are no restrictions on anything. If you can pay for it you can do it. There is even a place where you can shoot a tank if you have 300 dollars to spend. Also, you do use dollars here. I guess 5-10 years ago they decided to start using dollars because the riel was having so many currency issues. Today you use dollars for everything and riel is used for change. You can spend riel for anything also but its always translated into how many dollars that riel would be worth. Because of the riel/dollar thing there are no coins here which is kinda cool. Well, thats all for now, no pictures again because I'm using Jess's computer but I'll get them up eventually. Peace and love to all

Still in Sihanoukville

2009-04-12T07:00:00.000-07:00

Now I am traveling alone again. Basically we were all just crossing paths. Dharma left first then Gabe left the next day and then Sarah left today. Sarah and I were going to go to Kampot today but I got very sick. Most travelers know what kind of sick I'm talking about but starting two nights ago I could hardly get to the bathroom, couldn't keep anything down, couldn't hardly move, just slept and sweat. Now I'm feeling better. At least I've been able to move around today and have kept everything down.

I haven't really done much in Sihanoukville, just a lot of catching up with friends. After my last blog I got desterbing e-mail from a friend that got me very worried. I think everything is fine but for a couple days it was hard for me to think of much else. Also everyone else kinda just wanted to relaxe on the beach. They have had much more of a culture shock than me coming to Cambodia starting with scams right across the boarder. Then there are the crazy stories you hear. It just isn't as safe here due to the poverty of the people. You can tell by all the armed guards protecting the guest houses here.

Chillin on the beach

Chillin in front of Gabe and Sarah's room.

That night Dharma, Gabe and I went out to the beach to party a bit. It pretty fun. There were those comfortable chairs all around to sit on and the music was the same as it always is, this house stuff or whatever. We ended up staying up late dancing and talking to people. I ended up meeting the owners of one of the clubs. Even in the party scene you can tell a difference because anything goes here. If you can pay for it you can have it. Corruption is rampant and in your face. Even the prime minister is an ex Khemur Rough officer.

The next day after Dharma left Gabe, Sarah and I had a mellow morning and then went to the market in the city in the afternoon. The market was a big market with stuff you would need, not touristy stuff. I needed some stuff and so did Gabe and Sarah so we shopped around a bit for what we needed. Then looked for a place to eat but decided to get closer to our guest houses before it got dark.

Gabe in the tuk tuk going to the market

We ended up eating at a pizza place and meeting a middle aged guy who is engaged to a young Khemur girl. He just seemed completely in love with her and I'm not sure about how she felt. I'm sure she was very happy to get a more secure life and probably money for the family but he was so much older. Also the language barier seemed pretty big. We thought she would speak more english base on how he talked about her but when she came she could not speak much.

Anyway, that night after hanging out in their room after dinner I decided to stay because I was really tired, then I got sick. I basically could not leave the room the entire next day and just barely kept the water down. Gabe left that morning, and Sarah left the next day, which was this morning. By this morning I could walk and even ate some toast. I've been doing ok all day. Its a good thing I know how to take care of myself when sick, just drink and sleep.

Tomorrow I'm off to Kampot. I still want to go there and I'm feeling well enough to travel. I bought a ticket today from my guest house (which I haven't spent much time at becuase I was always at the other guy's place) and then a girl next to me suggested a place to stay at, but then realized it may be full because of the time of year. The Khemur new year starts tomorrow and so rates in Sihanoukville are going up, another reason I wanted to leave. The girl dialed the guest house and I talked to them. They had some shared rooms, or dorm rooms available so I booked. Only 3 dollars and it should be a relaxing place to get through the new year. Thats all for now, and the usb doesn't work here so I'll all pictures later. Peace and love to all.

In Sihanoukville

2009-04-08T07:56:00.000-07:00

This morning I woke up early to knocking on the door from my guest house manager waking me up for the bus ride to Sihanoukville. The ride was not too unpleasant. I was taken to the bus terminal on a bus from my guest house then we went to Sihanoukville. I slept most of the way, or I should say tried to sleep. The road was pretty good because they just finished building four bridges over rivers along the way and repaving the road. I guess just last year you had to take four ferries in order to get from Sihanoukville to Koh Krong.

As soon as I got off the bus there were taxi drivers all over me but there were enough tourist that I got out pretty good. A nice moto driver ended up taking me to the place I asked him to, which I guess is not that normal. When I got to the guesthouse I got a room and then tried to call Sarah (she called me on the bus from Bangkok to Trat and gave me the Cambodian number). Again I have lost my phone. It must have fell out in the bus, but now its really gone. I'm not sure if I'm going to get a new phone because now it seems like its not destined for me to have a phone in Cambodia. I still might buy another one but for at least a few days I'll see what its like without one. At the guesthouse I just borrowed a phone from worker there to call Sarah.

It turned out her, Dharma and Gabe had come to Sihanoukville the day before in the afternoon and evening. They were staying at a guest house only a couple minute walk from me. Its the guest house that most of the moto's take the people to no mater what they say, even my moto driver mentioned it to me. So I walked down there and it is really good to see close friends after you've traveled with them for a while, and then seperated for a while. I'm used to seeing them while traveling and know what it is like, plus now its the four of us that know each other the best as a group in Seattle also.

We all caught up on what we have been doing and soon after I got there I ran into the British girls that I met in Sukhothai. I ate some food with them while the rest of them got ready to go to the beach. We also caught up on what we've been doing because they have gone to Lao, Vietnam before coming to Cambodia 5 days ago. But I did realize how diferent it is catching up with close friends compared to people you've spent 2 days hanging out with.

The beach was interesting. There were really comfortable chairs everywhere under umbrellas with shade, a nice perfect sand beach, and little kids selling bracelets and all kinds of stuff everywhere. Dharma and Gabe started buying a couple bracelets and soon there was a group of 5 to 10. I did buy a newspaper from one but then tried to just sit and read. Some of them were really pushy but they were only kids. It definately affected the beach experience. One of the kids said that down the beach where most of the tourists are that they are not allowed to go.

The sunset tonight

I haven't done much else with my day, just catching up and eating food. Now everyone is tired because last night they all partied for Sarah's birthday, and I'm tired because I've traveled a lot. We are all trying to figure out what we are doing in Cambodia. I think Dharma and Gabe will be around tomorrow and then go back to Thailand the next day, and Sarah and I are going to try to travel to gether for the next week or so before she moves on to somewhere else and then I see Penom Phen and Anchor wat before I go towards the Loas boarder.

Cambodia is a very different county. You can tell just from the roads, but the desperatness of the people for a sell is also apparent. The guy's have been telling me that the harassing by kids like today has been almost a constant along the tourist trail. I have to keep telling myself that I am in a different country becuase I was getting so used to Thailand. The people here act different, they look different, and have such a different history. I'll go through the tourist trail but I'm excited to see some towns most people don't see also. Well, I'm tired and need to sleep so thats all I got. Goodnight or good morning.

In Koh Kong Cambodia

2009-04-07T07:28:00.000-07:00

Well its been a long time again since I posted a blog but that is because I was having so much fun and then had to rush to the Cambodia boarder because my visa was about to expire. I have done a lot of fun stuff and decided that I actually like bangkok so this post will be a long one because I would like to tell as many details as I can.

After my last blog Alyssa, Shawn (Hawaii friends) and I went to have some street food at the place I like and then went to the Blues Bar for some drinks and Moo met us there about an hour later. The bar was really small and cool with very good blues music. It was almost amazing such a place exists because only like 20 people or so could even fit inside. At the bar I ran into Mark, the older guy from Australia I met in Koh Chang. It is crazy how small the world can be sometimes. I had a really good time and made plans to meet Alyssa, Shawn and Moo the next day at the JJ market (or Chatuchak Market) and then go to the floating market the next day. That made it so I had to run for the boarder when it was all done but it was well worth it.

The group of us at the Blues Bar

The next day after I had some breakfast I started walking towards the subway through China town (I took the skytrain one day so I wanted to try the subway). I called Alyssa on the way and found out that we weren't going to meet at the market until later in the day so I decided to stop at Wat Pho on the way (thats the Wat with the big reclining Buddha. On the walk I was practically walking next to a Swedish girl so I introduced myself and we went to the Wat together.

The Wat was cool. Similar architecture as the grand palace and associated Wat and the Buddha was impressive. We walked around the Wat looking at all the building and Buddha's and talking. She was in her last year of high school and came to Thailand for a final project working with an orphanage, she wanted to teach them to swim or something. After the Wat she decided to walk with me through China town as I walked to the subway because she wanted to do some shopping. On the walk some dark clouds were approaching so she turned back around half way and I just made it into the subway before the rains came.

The reclining Buddha

Wat Pho

When I got out of the subway it was still dumping so I waited inside the terminal until the rain calmed down. When the rains died down I began walking through the market and when they stopped I called Alyssa and said they should come on over and meet me (they were waiting for the rain to stop). The market was crazy! The biggest market I have ever seen with all kinds of crazy stuff like a full section of pets and an art section that was like a museum. I met Alyssa and Shawn and they said Moo was just behind them (she was coming straight from work).

At JJ market

We walked around the market for a while and then went to visit with Moo's friend that is an artist and has a display in the art section. It was cool to hang out there because when I walked through by myself I saw all the Thai people hanging out and thought to myself "boy they look like they are having fun, wouldn't that be fun to hang out with these guys", then later I was. After a few beers we went to eat at a good place Moo knows and her friend came and another guy from the market. By the time we left the market it was closed so we had to scale the fence to get out. The food was excellent at the place Moo took us to. It was cool because we just sat down and Moo ordered for us and she knows what is good.

After dinner we dropped the two guys from the art gallery at a place to catch a taxi and all went to Moo's place to sleep so we could get up in the morning for the floating market. In the morning we had some traditional Vietnamese breakfast and then got on the road to go to the floating market. The market was great and it was nice because you could tell Moo loved it and was not just taking us there because we were tourists. The market was on some isles along a river with shops and there were venders in boats along the river. It was quite crowded with very little farang (which you know makes me happy) and it took a while to go anywhere.

The floating market

After walking around a bit we got on a boat to go up the river and visit some temples that are some of Moo's favorite temples. I always get strange feeling and chills when going to the temples and seeing the people praying. Its like I can feel the spirituality in the air. Also Moo could tell us about the temple and what people were doing so it made the whole temple experience that much richer. A couple of the Monks at the temples blessed me with water and gave me bracelets, one of which I still have on. The monks seemed to give me special attention and Moo said it was because I looked like a holy man in the woods, and because I look like Jesus (how many times have I heard that).

A really cool old temple that Moo brought us to

After getting back to the floating market we got some food and while eating the power went out. It actually made the market a bit cooler because candles started popping up everywhere and there was some acoustic music across the water. We went over towards the music and while watching and listening the power came back on (I got that on video). We sat down for some drinks and then headed back to Bangkok.

Sunset over the floating market

Hanging out having some drinks at the floating market

They dropped me off at the subway for me to get back to the Kao San area and we all said goodbye because I was leaving the next day. Almost right away I realized I lost my phone and started to freak out. The only place it could be was in Moo's truck or at the market, so I rushed back to my guest house as fast as possible and got onto the internet. I knew they were going to go to the internet place after they dropped me off so I hoped I could catch them. Luckally I did catch Moo while she was on the internet and she did have my phone in the truck, so I just packed my bag checked out of the guest house and took a taxi to Moo's place. I was reunited with my phone and we all stayed up really late talking. It was really nice talking to Moo because she told me a lot about Thai culture that I didn't know and I could tell her about farang culture so it was a mutual exchange.

The next day we just had breakfast, went to a photo place for Alyssa, dropped me off at the bus terminal, and said our goodbyes again. The bus ride went fine (I slept most of the way) and I got a place easily. The place I was at organized trips to the boarder so I had to be up at 5 am the next day, which is today. Of coarse again I couldn't decide if I wanted to go straight to Sihanoukville or stay at the boarder town of Koh Kong and just decided last minute to go to Koh Kong and see what it was like.

This morning I woke up early before the sun was up and started the journey to the boarder (no where near where the fighting is, I did look into it). We all got to the boarder before the gates were open. It was quite a spectacle with Khemurs waiting to get into Thailand to work and a row or motorbike taxis lined up to drive then to work. The people got on the bikes almost as fast as the bikes could come and were zipping off before the people had hardly got onto the seat. The boarder went fine because I already had a visa and I negotiated hard to not get ripped off getting into Koh Kong.

Koh Kong is a really nice town. In the morning I talked to a Khemur guy who works with an NGO on green farming and stuff, we talked for about an hour. Then I walked to the market to get a bowl of noodle soup. Everyone talked about how the Cambodians try to rip you off but here they seem very honest. I just ordered stuff and worried about the price later like I would in Thailand. After breakfast I walked around the town and ended up meeting an old retired British guy and we went for some coffee. He was an interesting guy who has lived in the area for over 10 years (Thailand and Cambodia) and was very blunt about the fact that he is a sex tourist. I try not to judge so we hung out for a while and talked about our different perspectives on life. I even went back to see where he was staying because it is on the water, a bit nicer, and cheaper than where I am staying. After lunch with him I headed back to my guest house for a nap, had some dinner, and now I am here.

All in all Cambodia is very nice so far. Tomorrow I have a ticket to go to Sihanoukville. I would probably spend a few days here but I know Sarah, Dharma, and Gabe will be going to Sihanoukville tomorrow and it would be nice to meet them. Dharma and Gabe are headed back to Thailand for the Thai new years so if I don't go to meet them tomorrow I might miss them and I would like to catch up on what we have been doing while traveling apart. Well thats all for now, I think it is very long but I got all the details in. I could probably write more about my feelings and perspectives on some stuff but then it would be way too long.

Bangkok's growing on me

2009-04-03T03:20:00.000-07:00

The last couple days in bangkok have actually been really fun. After writing this blog a couple days ago I took a nap and then went on a walk around the area. I went to a park near the river first where there is a fort. I looked at the river and then left passing by some break dancers and watched them for a while. Then I went to Kao San and walked down that street. I wasn't sure what to do, just listened to music that sounded good.

I was looking through CD's at this stand and then turned around to see an elephant on the road (kinda sad). Then standing next to me was a Thai girl that recognized me and I recognized her. After talking for a bit we realized that we met in Mae Sot. She was with the three guy's from Hawaii that I met that were staying in the same guest house as me. Her name is Moo and she was entertaining two girls and a guy from Hawaii also. We all hung out for the night and then around 1 they took a cab back to Moo's place after we made plans to hang out at Moo's the next day for some dinner.

I wasn't quite tired so I actually went to a club on Kao San called "the Club" and danced to the house music for a while until I was tired. The next day, yesterday, I woke up lazily and went to the street food place that I like. Again I ran into the Colorado guy and the German girl. We talked while eating and then they went off. Soon after that I met a British couple and we ended up talking for about 3 hours. They just came from India and Nepal the day before, and are both really good people.

While hanging out I was getting texts from Moo saying we were meeting at her place at 6:30 and how to get there. I took a nap after talking to the British couple and then left at about 5:30 to go way out to the edge of Bangkok. I took a motorbike taxi over to the skytrain. Then the skytrain to the very last stop, and then a taxi to Moo's place. It all took way longer than I thought it would because of trafic and I was an hour late.

The night was really fun. We all ate the amazing food that Moo cooked and then played Jenga until we started to get tired. The guy and girls from Hawaii are really nice and Moo is fun. Her condo is really small (Thai style) and she had cushins on the floor that we sat on to hang out. I ended up sleeping there on the cushins and so did everyone else (it was just too far from the Kao San area).

This morning Moo went to work early. She works in some sort of construction industry for a company that her brother owns. Then the rest of us woke up a bit late. They all planned to go to Kanchanaburi today. After a while we got hungry so we went to the mall near there and ate in the food court. After that I bought some new headphones (my other ones broke in one ear) and then we went back to the condo. It was late so they decided not to go to Kanchanaburi today, but one really wanted to. So we all got a taxi to Kao San because I needed to pick up my passport with the visas and they wanted to see about the bus to Kanchanaburi and the one brought her bags to leave today because she wanted to get out of Bangkok.

Now I'm doing this and will meet up with the two that are left and hang out with Moo again. This all has been nice becuase I'm realizing this is an ok big city, with all the bad big city stuff, but some nice things too. Most of the people in Thailand work here so there are jobs and money, and if your not on Kao San they leave you alone and live their lives. I still want to meet the San Fran guy I met a couple days ago and hang out in the Sukomvit area so I actually might stay an extra day to do that (it will be saturday night tomorrow). Plus I realized I don't have time to go to the big Koh Chang so I'm just going to Trat near Cambodia until my visa expires and then going to Cambodia. I have my visas for Cambodia and Laos now and my passport back so everything is looking good. Well I'm off to go meet the friends I've made and figure out what we are doing for fun tonight!

I'm back on the internet with my Hawaii friends and I added a bunch of pictures that I got from the group. Some new ones from the trek, full moon party pictures, and some others so check them out if you want.

In Bangkok getting visas

2009-04-01T06:12:00.000-07:00

I'm back in Bangkok and it's the same city I remember. The main thing I notice is that there are a lot less travelers now. Before it was busy even at 2 in the morning but now there are a lot less travelers here. Its a good thing and a bad. The streets are easier to manouver through but the hustlers are a bit more agressive because they have to be. Last night I had three thai whores grab my arm and insist that they were coming back to my room for boom boom. I practically had to push them away.

So, after my last blog I went with Tom (the British guy) and Ben (the Finland guy) to the Ranong hot springs. It was the first time either of them had been to a hot spring. They seemed to enjoy it and deffinately were not used to soaking in really hot water. When I got all the way in the 108 or so water they were both impressed. I think that was a good hot spring for first timers. After the soak we just went back to town, had something to eat, and then went to the room in the guest house and had some beers before going to sleep (Tom and I shared a room).

The next day was a basic traveling day but the bus ride took way longer than expected. We all woke up around 9 and had some breakfast. Then we packed and went to the bus terminal. They were both headed over to Koh Phan-gan, so they went together, and I was headed to Bangkok. I missed the 10:30 bus so I had to wait until the 13:30 bus. The ride was so long I didn't get into Bangkok until about midnight. I had met a nice guy from Colorado with his girlfriend from Germany on the boat from koh Chang, then at breakfast, and then on the bus to Bangkok, so we shared a taxi to Kao San Road. They are good people and we split up once out of the taxi.

I walked straight to the place I stayed at before that had the 150 B single rooms. Again the lack of people was evident right away, tons of rooms open, and not hardly any people milling around. As I got closer to the guest house I could hear live music. There was a rock/punk concert in the street about 2-3 doors down from my guest house with a decent sized crowd. I checked into my room got a beer and joined the crowd. It wasn't quite my style of music but the scene was fun to see. It was mostly Thai people and what looked like Indian people (I think because it was an inian resturant that was putting on the concert).

The music ended around 1 and the crowd was very drunk and not ready to stop partying. I talked to an indian guy from Bangkok and a Chinese guy from San Francisco that lives in Bangkok now. They were fun to talk to and after the crowd had disipated mostly me, the San Fran guy, and a friend of his from Texas who also lives in Bangkok went to central Kao San to have a drink. It was fun to talk and maybe they will take me out to have some drinks in a neighborhood that is more local tomorrow. They both didn't like Kao San very much because of how it doesn't really feel like Thailand and is some kind of perverted western place.

After some drinks I went back to my room, thats when the whores wouldn't leave me alone. Before I stayed out that late but I think all the girls were employed in people beds but now there just aren't enough people to boom boom all the whores. Today has been a lazyish day. I got breakfast and ran into the Colorado guy and the German girl again, then went to deal with the visas. I paid for both the Cambodian visa and the Laos visa and its lucky I did it now because the embasies are closed next week and the following week because of holidays and there are only two more working days left in this week. So, I had to pay to get both of them quickly but I think it will be worth it.

It is amazing how fast this 15 day visa is going by. I only have 6 days until I have to leave the country. I have to spend two more days here and then I only have 4 days to see something and leave. That doesn't give me enough time to see the big Koh Chang like I wanted to so I've decided just to go to Trat for a couple days and then to Cambodia. I was one day late to see Gabe, Dharma, and Sarah because they all left in the morning for Cambodia the day I got in at night. Maybe I'll see them in Cambodia when I go, maybe not, I'll just keep in touch and see if it works. Also this blog thing is interesting because now I have gotten some comments from people I don't know or can't figure out who they are (like Tofu Hunter). I bet there are a lot more people reading this than I realize which is strange and cool at the same time. Anyway, thats all for now, peace and love to all!

Back in Ranong

2009-03-30T04:27:00.000-07:00

I left Ko Chang this afternoon on the one in the afternoon boat. It was hard to leave such a wonderful and relaxing place but because of my two week visa I need to keep moving and get closer to Cambodia. My plan is to go to Bangkok tomorrow and deal with my visa stuff for Cambodia and Laos (I decided to drop Vietnam on this trip), and then go to the big Ko Chang until my visa runs out.

I haven't really done much in the last few days on Ko Chang, which was very nice! I would just wake up in the morning and go right into the ocean. The timing seemed to be just right where when I woke up the tide was all the way in and I could go swimming almost right outside my bungalow. After the ocean I would shower and have food. Then I did a bunch of nothing. I would talk to the people around like the guy from Finland, and an older guy from Australia I met, and a British guy that was staying at the bungalows next to us. They were all good people and fun to hang out with.

looking back down the beach towards my bungalows (mid tide)

looking down the beach away from my bungalows (low tide)

One day I layed around in Paradise Bungalow all day hanging out with the owner there, and rains came in the afternoon so it was nice to stay under cover. The next day I did the internet thing. The next day I went over the hill to the south and saw another beach over there with the British guy. Then on our way back we stopped of at a guest house that has cashew and mango wine. The wine was actually really good, and strong, and cheep, a bad combination. My last day I walked south along the long beach and over another hill to another beach to the south (also with the British guy).

There's not a lot else I did. Just drinking shakes by day and beers by night, and hanging out at Paradise (which is where I'll stay when I come back). Another notable thing is that the owner of the guest house I stayed at (Swasdee Resort) was a really good cook. I tried to eat other places to spead my money around but didn't really succeed because Noi was such a good cook. The weather was also pretty good. The first two days it rained in the afternoon, covering up the sunsets, but then it all cleared up and there were good sunsets the last three nights.

First good sunset!

Sunset two days later (the day before I left)

Now its off traveling again, and back to Bangkok again. I left the island with the guy from Finland, and the British guy I met. Tomorrow they are both going over to Ko Phan-gan and I'm going to Bangkok but we will all go to the bus terminal together. We got a room together in Ranong and are planning to go to the hot springs tonight and its been fun with these guys. I'm not too excited to go back to the city and leave the beach but then I can spend some days at the big Ko Chang. I've heard good things and it should be cool to see. Then I can take a boat right from there to Cambodia but you need to have your visa first, thats why I'm getting the visa in Bangkok. Well thats all for nowand I'll make sure to get pictures on here when I'm in Bangkok, peace and love to all!

Relaxing in Ko Chang (the small one)

2009-03-27T01:00:00.000-07:00

Ko Chang is a really nice small island, that is very relaxed and there is not a lot to do. I like that right now. I've been on islands but they have had a parties and a lot of tourists. Here there are very few tourists, even though the main buisness is tourism, and the ones that are here just love the quiet. After the group it is really nice to just lay on the beach, talk to other people (who by now I have seen for a few days), and read my book.

So, a couple days ago when I did the visa run to Myanmar it was very interesting. As expected, it was kinda hectic with a lot of people wanting some money, or trying to get money from you somehow, and a wierd procedure getting the visa. I booked a boat trip through a tourist thing at the guest house I was at, so I had a ride to and from the pier and the boat trip was paid for. I needed 10 dollars US for the Burmese government, but the bill I had was too old, so I paid 500 baht. I met a really nice guy who was staying on Ko Phan-gan (where the full moon party was) and he made me want to go back. I felt like I didn't see the island before, but just the party, so I was thinking it was a good oportunity to see it.

I spent the rest of the day contemplating what to do, stick with my plan of the laid back small Ko Chang, or go back to Phan-gan. In the end I chose Ko Chang but I changed my mind about 10 times through the day. I also went to the Ranong hot springs for the entire afternoon and evening. They were really nice, and free because they are government owned. It was all paved and tile but the pools were good temperatures (controlled by valves) and there were a lot of locals there. Some locals told me stories of how the spring water had saved peoples lives. I don't know if I believe the stories but I do believe hot springs in general have good health benefits.

The hot springs source

the soaking pools

The girl at my guest house said I shouldn't walk at night to the springs because its a little out of town and its dangerous, but I did stay until past dark. So I figured I'd test my luck, but I met some nice thai people before I left and they gave me a ride back to the guest house. It didn't seem dangerous but I guess in a boarder town there is more danger than in other parts of thailand.

The next day I got a boat in the afternoon to Ko Chang. It was a cool ride in a large long tail boat and I met a nice guy from Finland on the boat that I've been hanging out with. I didn't know where to stay but the guy I met knew about one place and a thai woman promoting her place was next door to the one the guy knew. We looked at both and chose the one the woman owned. At first I thought I'd spend a couple days here and then go to Ko Phayam but I like it here too much to leave so soon. Now I'm thinking I'll skip Ko Phayam and move on to other places in a few more days.

This island is what I think many people are imagining when they think about a tropical island. Not very many people a long nice beach and really nice places to relax at and get food at all along the beach. There is not much internet here so even right now I'm at a guest house down the beach and can hear the waves and see the water. One strange thing is that the island you can see in the distance are in Myanmar. I kinda like it though.

My bungalow

The view from my bungalow (high tide)

The first day I found the mellow place to hang out almost right away. Its a bungalow a couple places down the way from me with an incredibly kind thai woman as the owner. Yesterday I hung out all day and into the night and she just told me to pay later because it was late and she trusted me to pay the bill before I leave the island. That first night I went back from her place and hung out with a group of Russian people, really one Russian, one German/Russian, and one girl who is more like a europeon gypsy from Equador (she has lived all over and speaks over 5 languages). They were very cool people and I hung out with them all night until pretty late.

The following day (yesterday) I also hung out with the russians and the guy from finland. The German/Russian had some wonderful music he was listening to and that night burned me a DVD with some of the music. Also the Russian guy used to be in the Soviet army so he was very interesting to talk to. He said I was the first American he hung out with and became friends with and realized that Americans are not that different and deal with the same problems as Russians. I thought that was a really nice thing for him to tell me. The group of them actually decided to leave today and go back to Ko Phan-gan because that is their favorite place in thailand and they said this beach was too quiet for them.

Today I haven't done much besides hang out with the guy from Finland, and an older guy from Australia. Both of them walked with me to the internet place we are at right now. I think the next few days here will be really nice to get some reading done and just swim and relax on the beach. I also think I'm really meant to travel alone. The group is nice just because you get closer to your good friends and connected in a very special way, but alone I meet more new people and have more experiences that I think will stay with me forever. Its not just a holiday when your alone, but an experience to help shape my life and personality, and teach me about the world and other cultures in a way that could not happen if I was with other friends.

Anyways thats all for now, and I'll add pictures when the internet is not as expensive after I get off this island. Peace and love to all!

On Visa Run to Ranong

2009-03-23T05:05:00.000-07:00

It is funny how after being with the group for a while I have gotten used to it. Today I left the group, which is Dharma, Gabe, Tyler and Sarah, early in the morning because I had to make it all the way to Ranong today. Tomorrow is the last day of my two month visa so I need to go to Myanmar tomorrow to renew the visa. Since the November closing of the airports they only give you 15 days so I'm basically getting this visa so I can travel to Cambodia slower. I want to see the small Ko Chang near here and Ko Panyam, they are said to be small mellow islands that are not so touristy.

I actually liked Ko Phi Phi more than I thought I would. We stayed in a nice guest house up the hill and next to a water reserviour. The manager was a really nice older thai guy from up north that I hung out with the whole first afternoon. I liked him and had fun talking. He could speak good english because he was raised in a church. I guess his family would send him to live with the church during the week from the age 5 to 17, and he is from a hill tribe. The hill tribe was nomatic moving locations and used to grow opium before the Thaksin war on drugs, now they can barely make money with vegitables.

On Phi Phi the first night we went out to the party, which happens every night. It was fun, the first bar had live thai boxing, but you had to drink if you wanted to watch. It was a funny club with boxing, pool tables, and a disco (which played all the hits from the full moon party). After the rain stopped (around midnight) we went to the beach to another club (which was also playing the full moon party hits). That was fun and we all ended up drinking too many buckets. There are so many competing bars on Phi Phi that they try to get you in with free drinks.

Partying on Phi Phi

The next day was a recovery day with some partying on the beach at night. I went to bed kinda early because I wanted to get up and see the island on my last day there. So, I woke up early and went to the viewpoint to see the main beaches at Phi Phi. That was really nice. I was the only one up and went on my own in the early morning before Ty, Sarah and I went on a boat trip to see the islands around and mostly "the Beach" beach, which is maya bay on the small Phi Phi, or Ko Phi Phi Ley.

The Phi Phi viewpoint

The boat trip was interesting. We were in a fleet of longtail boats that do the tour. The old man at the guest house set it up so that we would be on his boat. At first I thought it was strange because there were so many tourists but soon I realized he did set something special up for me. The boat driver couldn't speak much english but invited me to smoke. We went into the longtail boats while we were at a beach and smoked out of the bamboo bong. It was cool just being me and the boat drivers haning out and smoking while everyone else layed on the beach. Then he pulled me aside again at "The Beach" beach. It made me very happy but I was a bit out of it at the end of the day.

Me on the boat with the clear water

froliking in the water with Sarah

Koh Phi Phi Don from Bamboo Island

My boat driver in Maya Bay

Sarah and Tyler on "the beach"

Today I just woke up early and took a boat to Phuket and then a bus up to Ranong. On the bus I

was the only farang which I like but getting off the bus in Ranong the hustle was strong. They know people come here for a visa so they try to get you right off the boat. I think I worked it out fine though and am at a nice guest house with nice workers there, and I set up the boat to get the visa tomorrow. I have pictures and got all the pictures from the whole group yesterday so I'll get them up here. Right now I don't have my camera though, I hope ya'll noticed that I put up old pictures from Chang Mai (from Sarah), and I'll try to get some more pictures up for everyone to enjoy. Peace and Love to all!

Ton Sai to Ko Phi Phi

2009-03-20T00:47:00.000-07:00

Since my last post I hung out in Krabitown longer than expected and then went to Ton Sai. After spending 4 days at Ton Sai I followed the group to Ko Phi Phi today. It is strange how after being in a group for a few weeks, I have gotten used to it and don't quite want to split up yet. When everyone made the decision to go to Phi Phi yesterday and I wasn't sure I finally decided to come along. I wasn't sure about it because I only have 4 days left on my visa so I need to do a visa run soon. I didn't want to rush anything but figured I could see Phi Phi island for a few days and then go north to do a visa run outside of Renong.

We stayed in Krabitown longer than expected because there is a really cool bar there called the Fu Bar. They kinda took us in. A couple guys we met showed us the place and it is connected to a tatoo shop. One of the guys we met got a tatoo from them and then Shy from our group got a tatoo. Each night at the bar was fun, we could put on our own music with our I-Pods and hang out, plus there was a chill area upstares. An Irish guy came to visit the owner because his brother lived there for a month and he wanted to see it, he ended up sleeping there (in the bar) for two nights. It was cool how they let people sleep there. We stayed an extra day because we had a barbeque of fish the last night that the owner payed for so we would stay and drink one more night. I actually went on the boat trip to a little fish farm with the owner where we bought the fish.

Inside the Fu-Bar, and the tatoo guy's

The Danish guy getting a tatoo

The chill area upstairs in the Fu Bar

Finally we left Krabitown to go to Ton Sai beach and a British girl traveling alone tagged along and ended up sharing the room with me. Ton Sai was a really nice and relaxed beach. You could hang out all day on the beach, watch people climb on the rock cliffs right there, and drink and smoke to your hearts content. Railay beach was next to it and you could walk around the point durring low tide or take some other paths over. That beach was full of resorts and had more people trying to sell you stuff on the beach. Ton Sai was nice because it was so relaxed but the sand at Railay was better. The low season has just started so we got some nice bungalows for very cheap. Also the rains have come early so every night at 5-6 a thunder storm came in.

A view of Ton Sai

Railay beach in the morning

In short the first night we went to Railay beach and hung out at a bar on Railay east (the side with not as good of a beach but cheaper bars) and then took a boat back over to Ton Sai. The next day I just layed around on the beach all day, one girl did a base jump (where you jump off a cliff with a parachut) off the cliff right above me. The next day I relaxed in the morning but then went on a kayak trip around the point towards Ao Nang with Amy (the british girl). We saw a small beach that is completely owned by a resort and then went to Ao Nang for a drink. The rain clouds came over the hill while we were there so we had to call it early and try to get back to Ton Sai before the rains came. The last 15 minute of the kayak trip it was dumping on us. Yesterday I got up early and Amy and I walked to Railay and up to a view point and to see a lagoon thing (the view point was better).

The viewpoint of Railay (close) and Ton Sai (farther)

Look closely at this cave shrine

Pictures from Padong beach, next to Railay

Today we all got up early and caught a boat to Ko Phi Phi. Its much more touristy here but its ok. I bet there will be somewhat of a party tonight and the beaches should be nice. Anyway, thats all for now, and I'll keep livin the beach life for a few more days.

Ko Phan-gan to Krabi

2009-03-13T01:10:00.000-07:00

It has been a while since I bloged due to the extreme expensiveness of the internet on Ko Phan-gan. Everything was expensive there because of the full moon party and the expensive place we were staying at, but now I'm in Krabi, the city, and things are back to normal prices. Soon we'll go to a beach near here and it will probably be back up to expensive prices. Again there are no pictures because I take less pictures with the group, I'll get some soon and get them up here.

The single day in Bangkok before the long overnight traveling to Ko Phan-gan was good. Sarah and I went to the Grand Palace because I hadn't done that yet, and she waited for me to get to Bangkok to go. It was really amazing. It had a large entrance fee but was well worth it. The gold work and tile work was simply amazing down to every detail. We walked around slowly and saw what we could and then relaxed at a shop at the end of the Grand Palace. Dharma and Ty came later and went through the palace really fast because of how hot it was, and met us at the shop at the end. They took a tuk tuk back to the guest house but Sarah and I walked because it wasn't that far and the heat didn't bother us.

The grand palace

That night we went to the train station to catch a bus (strange huh). It all worked out but it kinda felt like I was cattle. They put stickers on us and then moved us from one bus, to a waiting area, then onto another bus, then onto a boat. Everything was super packed with all farangs with stickers on. It really did feel like we were being moved around like cattle and everyone in the group decided we wouldn't do that again.

The view from the beach at the resort

The full moon party was cool, but I feel like I didn't really see the island at all, just the resort we were in and the huge party each night. We would catch a taxi to Hat Rin beach where the party was and then drink buckets until the early morning, dancing all night long. We went the two nights before the big full party and the night of the full moon party. The easiest way to describe it was a huge rave on the beach, that really describes it all. There were large speakers from different clubs all along the beach playing techno, some with more people than others (we gravetated towards the more packed sections of beach). The warm up parties were actually more fun because it was the same music but more room to dance, a more relaxed vibe, but still a huge rave like party. The actual full moon party had about 15-20 thousand people and was a much more intense experience.

The full moon party (Drop In Bar)

Dharma doing the fire limbo

Drinking Buckets

Some examples of the differences between the warm ups and the actual thing is that more bad stuff happened at the big party (not to us, but a lot of people). Like on the warm up nights people were not wearing shoes and dancing in the really nice fine sand. I almost felt weird wearing my sandles. But on the full moon party lots of people got cuts on their foot from glass, and no one did at the warm ups. Also a lot of stuff was stolen at the actual party. I was warned to bring nothing but some money, not a camera, not even my cell phone, so that is what I did. At the party one girl that we were hanging out with was having a good time and then lost her camera and cried for hours. And tons of people lost wallets too. It was the classic trick of cutting the bottom of people purses or bags. All the scams put a little bit of a damper on the big party and none of that stuff happened at the warm ups. Anyway, it was cool to see and I can party with the best of them so I had a blast. My friends were even surprised because I didn't want to party much before then, but since I came there to party, I gave it my all!

After a day of rest the group of us traveled over to Krabi, that was yesterday. The resort we were at was owned by some hustling british guys who couldn't be trusted at all, so we just left and went to the pier on our own. They kept saying all the boats are full but we got onto one litterally 30 minutes after we got to the pier and the boat was nicer than the tourist trap we came over on. Then after getting to Surat Tani we got a minivan to Krabi, none of which was full. The trip was pretty good but I got funny tummy from something from the resort food. Its strange I am the sickest from the resort with all the strange street food I've been eating, but I'm not too suprized.

Group dynamics are still very strange but I'm dealing with it better now though because I left and got a break and then came back knowing what I was getting into. Shy left his passport in Bangkok and needs to leave soon so I'm not sure how much longer he will be traveling with us. That should make the group dynamics better, and in a little over a week the group will be breaking up so pretty soon it will be back to solo, or a group of 2 or 3.

Well, thats another blog without too many details but I think the main things that happened came out. We are going to a beach from here to do nothing but relax for a few days. Now we are all taking care of stuff in the city of Krabi because it has good prices and is a nice town. We all needed to do laundry, check the internet, and get more money. So we may be leaving to the beaches tomorrow or the next day, depending on the Shy situation. I assume prices will be high out there so it may be more days of silence, but if there is internet for a good price I'll keep up the blog, I don't think I'll be doing much else. Peace to all!

from Mae Sot back to Bangkok

2009-03-06T17:40:00.000-08:00

I just took the night bus from Mae Sot last night and now I am in Bangkok again. The group decided not to stay in the place I was at in Sukhothai. Maybe because they thought it wasn't going to be up to their high standard, or because they knew I needed a break. Even Sarah decided to stay with the guys and let me do my thing. With that freedom I decided to go back to Mae Sot.

I needed a reality check, as far as talking to real people with real problems, and I also left my shorts and towel there. Some people thought that they wouldn't be there anymore, but I had called and asked the nice woman who works at the Green Guest House to hold them for me and I knew she would. When I showed up the first thing they did was pull out my towel and shorts.

I really like Mae Sot, it makes you want to laugh and cry at the same time. I did just what I wanted and had a great time talking to interesting people. After I arrived at around 1:30 pm two days ago I got some Phad Thai at this little place I know and then got some tea at the Burmese place in the Muslim area. The tea shop is cool because they have good samosas and good tea and people are always there to talk to.

First I talked to a jade and gem trader. Its just like the guide book says, a Chinese muslim who gets the stuff from black market in Burma and then sells it to China or India. He was nice and was telling me how he had been in Mae Sot for 33 years and still did not have a Thai citizen card. He said he didn't need it because he never left Mae Sot and he would go back to Burma if he situation ever got better there. He also said that he originally left Burma through Korea. I'm not sure how it works but I guess there was a war where Burmese troops were sent and then any of them fled. He made lots of jokes about Koreans killing 10 people and then 30 fleeing.

The next person I talked to was a refugee in America but left Burma in the same way. He fled the army when they were in Korea and was a refugee there for 4 years then in Bangkok for 11 years and now has been in Indiana for a few years. He was in Mae Sot to try to get his dad into America. His dad just left Buram about 1 year ago and is now a refugee outside of Mae Sot. He said America is only taking refugees for one more year so it was very important to try to get him into America. He was very sad and said it had been 20 years since his family lived together and really hoped he could reunite it. He had some meeting with the UN later that day and I wished him luck.

I left the conversation almost in tears. People have real problems out there. I wish there was something more I could do, and I have told myself I will return to be a volenteer in Mae Sot for a few months in the future. After the tea house I went to the herbal sauna that I like and that was really nice as usual. The next day I just had breakfast at this little place I like, then read and slept in the garden area of the guest house. In the afternoon I hung out with the school teacher/owner of the guest house and helped her with some english lessons for her class. Then back to the tea house for food this time, and the sauna before I caught the night bus to Bangkok.

Now I am here and had some breakfast with Sarah while the guys are still recovering from last night. Today I think we are going to the grand palace and then taking the night bus tonight to Koh Phan-gan for the full moon party. Should be interesting and for two nights I don't need to pay for a room because I am traveling at night. Thats all for now, I mostly wanted to share the lives of those people I met at the tea house. I needed that break from the group to get back to reality and why I am here in this country. Not just to party but to meet real people, absorb and learn about the culture, and see for myself what is happening around the world. Peace and love to all.

Back in Sukhothai

2009-03-04T04:14:00.001-08:00

I split off from the group today but I think everyone is comming down to Sukhothai later tonight. I left the group this morning, Dharma and Tyler were doing a cooking class, and Gabe, Shy, and Sarah were going to walk around the city and shop and get massages. I just felt like I needed to leave. It has actually been really nice not to talk and read my book and think about stuff. I think Sarah's going to stay with me in the cheap place I stayed at last time I was here, but the guys are going to a more upscale place that SK house in Chang Mai suggested. For all I know they could all end up coming to the place I'm at, or none of them. Tomorrow they want to see the old town and I'm going to rent a motorbike and see another ruin about 50 Km outside of town.

It has been hard for me with the guys mainly because of 1 that I had never met before this trip. It has been hard to hear stareotypes about Americans for a full month and then meet up with someone who falls into all the stareotypes. I don't like it. Everyone seems to understand how I feel exept the one, who insists he does not act like an American at all. Plus the whole girl thing is driving me crazy. I've met a lot of cool girls along the trip and have had a great time but I feel like if I acted agressive and hit them, then I wouldn't have met the coolest ones I've met.

Like I said before we will be going to the full moon party together, and they will be here tonight at some point. Even this one day away has been nice. On a more possitive note, I like Sukhothai better than I did before. It is now the slow season so there are a lot less farang and I walked around a nice night market tonight before comming here. I think I agree with the advice one traveler told me, which is you can't really feel a place out unless you spend several days there, like 5-10 days. With staying two nights and one full day you can't even get to know anyone, and after a few days people open up to you. I think I will take that advice to heart in the future.

I don't know what else to write besides some more about what I left out before. Like Sarah and I walked around Chang Mai and looked at wats. They were the coolest ones I've seen so far. It was a cool mix of new wats and really old ones write next to each other. There was also one wat with all these old signs that had cool sayings and advice. Also we went to a music place at night for food. I expected something different but it was still good and all the guys came later to eat also. The band was a cover band that played a lot of pop hits and stuff. They were good but not what I expected. I thought it would be more like Pai with lots of rock and roll, and blues with good solos and stuff, but it was still fun. Then Dharma, Richard (a Polish guy from the trek) and I went to a club just to see what it was like. It was interesting.

Last night I hung out with Nina who is the trek organizer at SK house. She actually came out to the jungle the second night because the family that takes care of the place was sick and she wanted to go. At first I thought she was a pushy sales person, who cracks a lot of jokes, but whenever it was just me and her hanging out she would talk about serious stuff and tell me her opinions about life, Thailand, and America. The guide did that also. But whenever the group was around she would just crack jokes. I like her a lot, and last night she bought all the beers and said she wanted to hang out. The day before she bought some beer for everyone, but yesterday she just did for me and I hung out all night as the guys came and went. Sarah hung out for a while also after she did internet stuff.

Well thats enough for now. I can still promise nothing about how much I can do this. Obviously when I am alone it is easier but with the group it is harder. Peace to all!

In Chang Mai

2009-03-03T05:21:00.000-08:00

Its been a long time since I posted so I don't think I can do a blow by blow at all. It is strange how after a few days of not looking at a screen its easy to not want to spend time looking at a screen. Plus I met up with Dharma, Gabe, Sarah, Tyler, and Shy, all about at the same time in Chang Mai. So having the friends around made it easier to not write.

I didn't really like Pai at first because it seemed kind of like a fake touristy place, but after a few days it grew on me. I met up with Chris who is the springer I met down in Um Phang and he showed me some cool springs that not many other people could have showed me. We went to one, one day, and another the second day. The first one was really hot and usually mixed with a cold stream. But now it is the dry season (the dryest in years) and the cold stream is basically dry and all the the pools didn't have water because the water was diverted to the crops next to the spring. We walked down the hot steam until it was cool enough to get in and was deep enough to soak, it was nice. Then we went back to drink Chai at this place that many of the local farang hang out at. The next day we went to a warm pool out in the national forest nearby a hill tribe. Then went to the chai house again.

At night I went to this place that had live music and good musicians. I met up with the San Fran guy and he showed me this place and some people he met earlier that day. I ended up hanging out with the band because they were friends with the people I was hanging out with. So it was a late nite of seeing live music and I went to this one place that basically stays open all night. The next day was similar but after the live music I went to a guest house, outside of town a little and with bungalows, and hung out around a fire with a couple thai people, including the owner of the guest house, and an Austrian girl. Again it was a late night.

Then I came to Chang Mai to meet up with everyone. The guys got a room at SK house so I went there. Its a nice place, with nice people working here. Sarah arrived about 2-3 hours after I did. We hung out in Chang Mai for a day recovering from traveling and whatnot, and then did a 3 day trek.

Kickin it in Chang Mai

The SK house view from our room

The trek was cool. Two nights with hill tribes, basically hanging out with the poeple, who were all friends of the guide we had. It was nice because there were no other tour groups, and it was nice and green. All over the place, at least where I have been, its pretty dry and people are burning everywhere. Here there wasn't too much smoke and it was green and kinda lush. The last day of the trek was ok, we just hiked out and then did the elephant riding (which was short but cool) and rafted down the river.

On the trek

The place we stayed the first night

Passed out after the first day's trek

Singa, our guide cooking for us

The place we stayed the second night

The waterfall we went to

riding on the elephants

The last couple days have been hanging out in Chang Mai. There are some strange group dynamics. I don't really know how to put it but basically different people seem to be traveling for different reasons. I like partying and hanging out with girls, but that is not my focus. I enjoy the mellow days too, where I read, see some stuff, and go to bed early. I think most people are taking it easy tonight and during the day but I'm not sure. I need to split off for a couple days and then we made plans today to meet up in Bangkok and go to Kho Phan-gan for the full moon party. Then we will see from there. Other people would deffinately like to split off also but the four guys are trying to stay together for this month, and that should be interesting to see if that happens. I'm guessing not with the drama that has already occured, but maybe.

Temples in Chang Mai

Interesting signs around one of the Wats

I can't write anymore, sorry for hardly any details. I don't know if I can keep this up as detailed as I have been, but we'll see. And there aren't any pictures because I forgot my camera but also because people are camera happy. With all the flashes and stuff I figure there should be plent of pictures to go around. I think I took 3 pictures all trek. I'm just not that much of a picture person, actually about 50-70% of the pictures I have taken are on this blog.

In Pai Now

2009-02-22T00:51:00.000-08:00

The last couple days have been fun. After I posted my last blog I went to hang out with the Belgium couple again and then we had some dinner. I showed them the street vender I went to the first day in Mae Hong Son and they liked it. I found out the curry stuff is Khao Soi which is the classic northern Thailand dish.

Then after eating we went to have some drinks at the Crossroads bar. It ended up being a big group of people from all over including The Belgium couple, me, a Japanese guy (that the couple had met earlier that day), a German guy, a Swedish girl (that we had met at dinner), and the San Fran guy. It was fun to have such a large group where everyone had different backgrounds, and four of us had quit our jobs to travel.

The group of us from around the world

The next day I changed guest houses first thing because I didn't want to give the rude woman my business, and the Swedish girl recommend a good place. Then new guest house was great, nice owner, good garden, still on the lake, and other good people staying there. I rented a motorbike from the guesthouse to go see some hot springs around the area.

The view from my window in the new guest house

First place I went was the Mud Spa, which really was a hot spring but they collected the mud out of the source and made a spa out of it. There were a lot of people there and I knew I just wanted to soak in the pool so I walked around and found the pool. I soaked for 2.5 hours, hanging out and reading, and then just left. Not one person said hi to me the whole time and I was the only person in the pool so I actually got away with soaking and not paying the 60B they usually charge.

The source, notice the 70C sign, that's hot!

The pool I soaked in, its all about 104-105F

I decided to go to the fish cave next because its a tourist attraction and I had the bike. I stopped at a little monk cave first, or what other people call the bat cave, and thought it was really cool. There was a monk living in a little cave on the side and then you walked up the hill a little bit and there was a big cave. There were buddhist shrines and platforms that the monks used to meditate on. Then I continued in for a long ways by myself. I'm lucky the cell phone I bought has a flashlight function, I thought it was stupid but it came in handy.

outside the Buddha cave

inside the cave

Next was the fish cave, which had tons of tourists but it was pretty cool. It wasn't really a cave but water came out of the ground and made a little river and there were huge fish in the water. There were little holes into the ground that showed the water, and the huge fish. At first I wondered how they got so big but then I realized that almost everyone but me was feeding the fish.

The fish cave where the water came out and one of the holes

some cool stuff near the fish cave

I went back to the guest house to wait out the heat of the day and then went to the hot spring south of town. I didn't think I would like it because I passed it on the bus and it looked like large swimming pools, but the pools were really very large sources. No soaking but it was cool to see the massive amounts of hot water coming out of the ground in this place. There was even a tiny new spring that was popping out of the grass. Then I went to the top of the hill near town to watch the sun set.

The other hot spring, see they look like pools, but are large sources!

The sun setting over Mae Hong Son province looking towards Myanmar

To end the day I went to the great resturant I found with a Scottish guy I met at the guest house. When we got there the guy who showed me around his place was also there watching soccer and hanging out, so we joined his table. Then after a little bit the german and swedish girl showed up. Its nice that after a few days in a place you know people and have friends. Again the solo thing is growing on me but I am about to meet up with friends in the next couple days so that will be interesting. I'm sure it will be great, but I may need a day or two to myself every now and then.

the wats across the lake illuminated at night, I spent so much time looking at them I had to take a picture

Today I just had coffee and toast hanging out with the other people at the guest house before I caught a bus to Pai. Pai is a laid back place, but its just like people told me, farang central. I don't think I've hardly seen a Thai person here. The vibe is nice but it is strange that the whole town is farang. I'm going to try to connect with the springer I met in Um Phang that lives here and knows about 4 springs around Pai. This is turning into a Thai hot springs road trip, because I've seen 9 hot springs so far, and have soaked in 5 of them. Anyway, peace and love to all!

Still in Mae Hong Son

2009-02-20T02:01:00.000-08:00

This place is starting to grow on me. I've had a couple really nice days here. Apparently there are refugees here and poverty from Myanmar but they hide it better here than in Mae Sot. Everyone just pretends like it isn't happening, even though the lowest class workers are Burmese. And the main ethnic group is different. It is Shan people up here, and Shan in Myanmar, so the refugees or Burmese people are not looked down upon as much or as desperate as the Karen people down south. Also apparently the Shan are successfully fighting the Burmese government to the point that there is a free Shan part of Myanmar (I know I'm using both names but thats how it is here). I've heard the Shan are more successful fighting because they have more support from Thai people and the Thai government, so they have good weapons to fight with, unlike the Karen.

So, a couple days ago, after ripping into Thai culture on here, I just had a peaceful dinner by myself and went to sleap. The next day I woke up a little late and went out to wander the town and find a place to trade my book. Out my door I got caught by the girl at my guest house, who was trying to sell me tours (by now I don't think she likes me because I haven't done any tours, and I think she insults me to my face in Thai because she knows I can't understand). I talked for a while but eventually left without doing what she wanted me to.

I found this wonderful resturant, and it has treated me great. They have an actual give and take bookshelf, which is why I found it. Then I met a guy (from the Santa Cruz mountains) and his wife (Thai) who live outside of town. They turned on the BBC, so I saw some news, and we hit it off talking about stuff. We set it up so I would call him the next day in the morning and he would show me a little natural hot spring in the middle of fields, and some pools below the waterfall everyone goes to near here. Plus I saw what he was eating and ordered the same thing. It was an amazing BLT with home made bread, and was just wonderful!

After he left I decided to stay in the resturant and drink some tea watching the news. Soon after he left though another solo traveler arrived and we started talking. He was from San Fran and had been coming to Mae Hong Son for 15 years. Now he has a Thai wife and just moved to Chang Mai from the US so his 5 year old daughter could go to school here. He is just here hanging out at his old favorite place in Thailand while his family is still in Chang Mai. He is a character who wants me to write a screen play with him, I laugh and he says he's not joking. We made plans to meet later for food and drinks.

That resturant just treated me great as far as meeting people, and food. When I was alone I decided to walk up this hill next to town with a Wat on it, to see the town from up high, and the Wat I guess. On the way I saw the Belgium couple and made plans to meet them for drinks in the early evening. The hill wat was nice, and the view was good, but there was a lot of smoke yesterday from the slash and burn agriculture (but really they are just burning everything not just dry crops).

Mae Hong Son, my guest house is on the left side of the lake

The wat with Burmese style Cheda's (the pointy things)

My evening and night was very nice. I hung out with the Belgium couple at there bungalow drinking rum and passionfruit. Then we separated for dinner and I went to meet the San Fran guy. After he finished his beer we went to the good resturant and then it turned out the Belgium couple was there. We all laughed and they made jokes about me following them. It was interesting because politics came up and the conversation was strange. I know the husband was having a good time, but I think the wife didn't really like the San Fran guy.

After dinner the San Fran guy showed took me to a little local bar he had found the day before. That was fun because there was a nice group of locals and like 4 of them could speak ok english. One was way too drunk, his brother was a really nice guy who was an artist, a couple others were photographers (one for national geographic, the Thai edition), and the other owned the bar. I had a good time, and went to bed around midnight.

Today was a great day so far. The guy I met the day before picked me up from the resturant and I had breakfast while I waited for him. He took me to his property, where he has a really nice teak house, and then we walked through the fields near his property to the hot spring. It was another sulfer spring that was very hot and came out right into a cold river. There was no soaking place but it was really cool, I guess it gets completely covered in the rainy season by the river. It was also cool because he said the locals around him always wondered why he thought the place was special, and then when we got there, there were offerings around the spring.

Me next to the little springs

After seeing that we had some lunch at a little place near his property and then went to the waterfall. It was a cool waterfall, but the pools he showed me below them were way cooler. And it was nice because no one else was there, even though tons of people see the waterfall. He is a really good person and it was nice to hang out with him for the day, and talk a bit about thai culture. After that he just took me back to my guest house and now I am here.

the main waterfall

The pool the guy took me to

I think the other day I ripped into Thai culture a bit too much, even though everything I said is true. The class thing and the face thing are here but thats an Asia issue and apparently it is way milder here than in other countries. And there is the extreme kindness that I had expressed in earlier posts. That does stand out, I think it is part of there culture to be relaxed and kind, but farang also do see it at an extreme because we are the highest class possible. I still agree with everything I said about the monks, but the people in general seem to be devout buddhists and live accordingly. And the worship of the almighty dollar really is the western influence on the country, so I have to look at my own culture as far as that is concerned and can't judge them because of it.

Thats all for now. I think I'll stay here for another day, rent a motorbike, and see some the developed hot springs around here, and maybe some other stuff too. Then I'm off the Pai, which many people say they love, but I also here a lot of bad things about from some of the travelers I've met. Thats one of the reasons I'm staying here for another day and spending less time in Pai. Peace and love to all!

Some Thoughts About Thai Culture

2009-02-18T04:05:00.000-08:00

Today I moved north to Mae Hong Son. I woke up and had rice soup at the same place I found yesterday and then caught the bus up here. On the bus ride I met a nice older Belgium couple who have traveled all over the world. After arriving up here I just checked into the guest house and walked around town trying to find a local place for noodles but was unsuccessful but saw a bunch of town and the large market. Then I decided to go to a farang place I saw and the Belgium couple was there. I ate lunch with them and then read my book (The Killing Fields) at the little lake here and watched the sun set. Thats my day so far.

I figured this was a good time to do some writing about Thai Culture, which is a bit strange. First off I don't really know what to think about the monks or the practice of Buddhism here. I get the impression it is not very strict or true to the actual beliefs of the religion. Monks seem to do whatever, including whores if they want to. It has made me question all the monks here even though it is probably only some who do whatever. They look innocent and pure then you will see them pull a cell phone out of there robes, or walk into a whore house. Some travelers even said they had gay monks hit on them. It is like the fact that boys think of becoming a monk the same as becoming a lady boy kinda says it all. The only good thing I can say about them is that a poor person, or child, can go to a monistary and be taken care of, at least having a place to stay and food.

On the surface it looks like Buddhism is the religion here but really everyone prays to the almighty dollar. People have figured out that monistarys, or Wats make money from tourism. This place is such a mix of old culture and new western society that people don't know what to do, but everyone wants money. I haven't even been to the most touristy parts of Thailand yet and tourism is still affecting everything.

Another aspect of the culture is that it is very class based, and the people have been living like that for years. There are the higher class people that feel like they can do anything, and probably can because they have connections. Treating everyone equally here is a joke because the way the culture is people are of different classes and should be treated differently. That is why a middle class person can use whores from the lower class and then go to the monks, which are a higher class, and pay them respect without even thinking what they are doing is wrong. From there perspective the lower class is there to use and the higher class should be respected. Like the burmese refugees are definately a lower class and here to use so they are screwed in Myanmar and then also screwed here. You can travel here and not see it, but if your like me and are here to absorb and observe a different culture, it screams at you. I've heard other countries are worse but all I've seen is Thailand.

Then there is the "face" thing. I am lucky that my friend Greg, who just returned from China, told me about the concept of face. It is the most important thing. Saving face is more important than telling the truth, and loosing face is worth killing over. You can see it all over the place if you are looking. People are so kind but if someone feels like they loose face then they are so ashamed. I saw a higher class person almost pull a gun on a shop owner because he raised his voice at him, therefore loosing face. So, with the class thing and the face thing people are very careful about how they behave, but at the same time envy the western cultures and want to earn money like us.

With all this negative stuff, or differences of viewpoints, there is also this extreme kindness. People put there hands together and bow when saying hello, and thank you, and there are always smiles. I really don't know what to think about it. I can't figure out if people are really kind or just saving face, or think I'm a higher class and deserve respect. I have had some large reactions when I bow and show respect to some people, maybe because they are a lower class, and then others act like they expect it, maybe because they are a higher class. It is hard to tell if people are sincere, because kindness is part of the culture and if they weren't kind then they would loose face. This is all sinking in now, and perhaps I will have a different view in a couple weeks, but these are the realities of the culture here.

I am still reserving my judgement. I don't want to think all monks are fake, but it does seem like the western idealization of monks if completely false, at least in Thailand. Also I would like to think people are kind and not just treating me kindly because I am considered a higher class. It is very hard to tell what is going on without speaking the language. I kinda feel like I understand the latin american culture but still do not understand this culture. They are very different! With all this I am realizing it is an uglier place than I thought but that doesn't change my desire to understand the culture. I will continue to travel and talk to people and observe, but Thailand is a very confused country.

I wanted to share these thoughts with others and this seemed like the place to do it, thats why I'm keeping a blog. Tomorrow I think I will hang around Mae Hong Son and take care of some stuff, but not do much. Another thing is I think I gave the wrong impression about Mae Sariang. The whole Burmese refugee thing, and therefore extreme mix of cultures, is really isolated to the Mae Sot area becuase of the boarder crossing there. Mae Sariang may have had a Chinese and Karen vibe a bit, but the poverty and refugee aspect that was in Mae Sot is not up here, at all! That has been surprising to me because all these cities are along the boarder. I liked it a lot better down there where it seemed real and people needed help. Up here its back to buisness as usual where people promote tourism and ignore the problems across the boarder. Well, thats all for now. Peace and Love to all!

A Lovely Day in Mae Sariang

2009-02-17T05:13:00.000-08:00

I got a feel for this town today, and saw another hot spring in the area. It is a nice small town where all the tourists are concentrated in a line along the river, and I'm staying off the river. I like it but its a bit too small making it a little harder to do stuff, and I pretty much saw what I want tody, but I like the real vibe here. It is another kinda strange vibe because it doesn't feel too Thai, more Karen and Chinese.

I woke up early this morning and went to the morning market for some tea. Not many people speak english so I ended up getting hot chocolate and some green tea, but not the Thai tea like I was looking for. It was nice to sit for a while in the market though and watch all the women sell there vegitables, and meat, and watch the men hang out and drink coffee. Then after walking the town a little bit, passing a tour place recommended by the Lonely Planet because it looked closed, and finding a nice local place with rice soup for breakfast. Rice soup is the traditional breakfast here and it is good! The place is only open in the morning and I got a bowl of soup and as much green tea as I wanted for 15B, what a deal.

Next I went to the tour place and it still looked closed but I knocked on the door anyway. It turned out I was too late to go on a trek of the hill tribes and waterfalls because the driver was already working in the fields for the day (I guess I should have knocked before). Then I talked to the guy about hot springs and he told me detailed directions to get to one about 14 Km out of town, and said that was it for hot springs in the area.

So, I got some stuff ready and rented a motorbike. It was hard to find one though, and the one I got was an automatic, and seemed to be the last one in the place. I found out I don't like the automatics as much as the manuals, it feels like I have less control over the bike. With the bike I drove around town and found some chicken and sticky rice to eat at the springs and headed off.

The ride was interesting because it was only 3 Km on the main road then a bunch of smaller mountain roads through Karen fields and two vilages. I also found out how hard it is to drive a motorbike on a dirt road. Pretty soon after getting on the dirt the bike slipped out from under me. I wasn't going too fast so it wasn't dangerous, just a realization how easily they slip on the dirt. I scraped the bike a bit but it ended up being fine (the rental place/guest house/resturant didn't notice). I found the springs fine with the guys directions but it was good I had all those details because there were no signs and I just had to know it was there.

Some fields on the way

The springs were across a little river with a bamboo bridge and were the first sulfer springs I have seen. I went up to the sources first which were very hot, had the sulfer smell, and the white algee typical of a sulfer spring. The soaking tub was down near the government bungalows that the people who took care of the springs lived in. It was a very big tub in a bungalow that the guy who had pretty much been following me and pointing to where I should go had to turn the water on to start it filling up (he had good vibes but couldn't speak english, I think he followed so I felt like I was finding them myself).

One of the sources with the white algee

The water in the tub was about 104 which is perfect for me, hot enough to overheat, but not too hot you can't stay in for a while. I soaked, ate my chicken and sticky rice, read my book and soaked some more. It took the whole time I was there (maybe 3.5 hours) for the tub to fill to almost full. The guy would check on me every once in a while to see if I was ok but didn't pressure me to leave or anything, and even filled up my water for me so I could soak some more. It was a very nice spring and would recomend it to anyone.

The tubs

The view from the tubs bungalow

After that, I paid the guy 20B which he didn't ask for but I figured I should pay, and drove really slowly back to Mae Sariang. I returned the bike, and had some tea or coffee (it was hard to tell) at a little coffee shop near the mosque (good tea houses tend to be in the muslim neighborhoods). After tea I headed to a resturant on the river for the view, but it had terible food, I should have eaten something at the tea house.

A burmese wat in Mae Sariang

After that I was going to go to an internet place to write this blog, but the one I went to yesterday was closed, so after walking around a bit I decided to have my first thai massage. There was this little place I passed a few times that seemed like it was a good place and an hour massage was only 100B. It was a wonderful experience, different than any other massage I have had. Lots of stretching, and rubbing of each muscle on each limb with me stretched in different ways. Next time I'll have to go for two hours. Then on the way to my guest house I passed this shop (which wasn't open yesterday but is today) and decided to write the blog. Tomorrow its moving further north to Mae Hong Son and seeing stuff around there.

Moved north to Mae Sariang

2009-02-16T04:00:00.000-08:00

I was out of internet land for a while, then returned to Mae Sot, and have now moved up to Mae Sariang. A lot has happened in the last few days so this will be a long one, and probably just what I did without much insight or too many details.

So where I left off was that I was in Mae Sot and rented a motorbike to visit the hot springs I found out about around Mae Sot. That is exactly what I did, first I rented the motorbike, which was a better one than I rented in Sukhothai, and went to the hot spirngs that are about 16 Km north of Mae Sot. The hot spings where a bunch of wells with artesian (flowing water) hot water coming out. Mineral deposits had formed around the wells, there were maybe 4 total and some places where the water was just coming out of the ground. The water was too hot to soak and there were not many good pools. The only good pool was in direct sunlight and it was the middle of the day so I didn't soak. There was a park area around one of the well things that had grass and some food venders. It looked like they were working to build the hot spings up more, there was also a large sized pool that was not filled with water, and some privat rooms with little tile tubs that did not look maintained.

The first hot spring

After looking around at the cool hot springs area I decided to walk up a trail/staircase that went up to a budhist cave. The trail was long and pretty steap. After talking to my dad, who called me while on the trail, I continued to walk and a guide with some monks said he could show me the cave for 300B or else it was locked closed. I told him I would not pay that and would just see what I could see. Thats what I did, the cave was pretty cool but I didn't go too far in, and was happy with what I saw.

A little buddhist shrine near the hot spring

The entrance to the cave

Next was to the hot springs about 45 Km south of Mae Sot, and I stopped in town for some Phad Thai on the way. I went through a little town to the hot spings and was able to show people the piece of paper with thai writing that the woman and the guest house gave me to show people so I could find the hot spring. It was out in the middle of no where with no signed but I was able to find it after I passed it once and came back. It was large holes with really hot water, and completely natural. There was a woman in the house nearby that couldn't speak any english but was very nice, and was grinding rice separating the grain from the plant casing. I tried to soak my feet in some smaller concrete tubs near the source but they were too hot, I think the locals use them too cook eggs, that seems to be the main thing locals use the hot water for. Also the lady in the house had hot springs water piped to her house. She could tell I wanted to soak somewhere since I came all the way out there so she showed me where they clean dishes and I took one of the tubs they used to wash dished and soaked my feet, even then I had to let the water cool off for a while.

A water fall on the way to the second HS

My motorbike near a river near the second HS

The second HS

After that I went back to Mae Sot and directly to the ex-pat place for some more italian food, arriving after dark. Then it was straight to sleap because I had decided to drive the motorbike down to Um Phang which is a 164 Km drive through some very windy mountain roads. It was good I got to use the bike for a full day because I felt comfortable driving the long distance.

The sunset on the way back to Mae Sot

In the morning I had breakfast, rented the bike for another 3 days, and packed my bag, leaving some stuff at the guest house. I was on the road by about 10 and was excited for the adventure. The ride was good, I stopped when I needed to to rest my legs, and got gas and food at a little town half way. Next to the town was a pretty big refugee camp with maybe 20,000 refugees, all Karen, which is a hill tribe from Burma. When I got to Um Phang I went to the place the guide book said was the cheapest place (the guide book was so incorrect about Um Phang, for example it said there was no gas but there were like 6 gas stations). The place was the cheapest though, the room was 200B but had three beds, a refrigerator, a TV, and a privat bath. I told the lady I didn't need all that and would look for something cheaper. She said ok but that I would be back and sure enough I was, everything else was more expensive or a lot less for the same price.

After getting settled in the room I went to see about visiting the hot springs nearby. I am beginning to realize how strange my obsession with hot spings are because the girl acted like I was crazy for wanting to stay at the springs for several hours. The only way to see them was by rafting so I had to set up a raft and guides. I set up an individual trip with a short rafting trip so I could spend several hours at the springs. She said I was the first tourist to ever ask for this and she thought the only ever.

Then I went to buy food to eat at the springs the next day and to a little resturant I found while looking around at guest houses. They couldn't speak any english but I know a few thai dishes by name so I ordered some noodles and drank a beer while reading my book. While I was reading locals kept arriving and sitting at a back table and drinking wiskey, including the chef/owner of the place. One of the guys spoke some english and envited me to sit and drink for a while, people like to practice there english with a native speaker. I had way too much wiskey, they just put me in the little circle of people so whenever it was my turn I took my shot (really they were half shots). Then we went to a kareoke bar and I bought a bottle of wiskey, and sang horribly. Everyone was so drunk that half the bottle was left and I said I would bring it to the resturant the next day so we could finish it together. Then walked the motorbike back to my guest house because I was very drunk.

I met my raft at 8 am (I pushed the time an hour early because I wanted to get to the spring when there was still morning air) and forgot my camera because I was still getting over the night before. That is sad because the rafting trip was beautiful with nice waterfalls into the river and huge overhaning limestone cliffs. Then the hot springs were wonderful. Completely natural with maybe 102 degree water and under bamboo shade. I soaked ate some breakfast and soaked some more. Another hot springer showed up with his thai girlfriend, they also set up a special trip to spend hours at the springs. I was happy not to be the only crazy farang but still got all the attenting because the locals would say this crazy farang has been hears since just past 8 am and hardly anyone could believe it.

My guides actually wanted to leave at 11:30 because the message about how long I was going to be there did not get to everyone so I guess the driver had been waiting for me since 9 or 10. I ddin't want to leave and jumped in the springs quickly and when I got out my guides said I could stay and go back with the other springer I had met. He had actually set it up because he could speak thai, and the guides talked to each other and agreed that I could go with the other guys. So my guides left me at the springs. I soaked for another 1.5 hours or so and then we all left together after eating some lunch. It worked out great because they had set up visiting a cave also so I got to see a really cool cave. It was a big cavern then went back really far, we even saw a snake in there. Then we all got dropped off at their guest house that was next to mine and I walked back to my guest house. I thought the girl would laugh at me but she was actually kinda upset at her guides for leaving me because she understood I would be there for many hours.

Next I went to the same resturant as the day before like I said I would and ate the same thing and read my book. The group of guys didn't show up though, and I did bring the rest of the wiskey. So after reading for a while the cook sat down with me and we took shots together. I felt really bad though because he didn't speak any english and was speaking the simplest thai and I still couldn't understand. I ended up giving him the last of the wiskey and heading back to the guest house to read and go to bed.

The next day I knew I needed to go all the way back to Mae Sot but I aslo couldn't leave the area without seeing the largest waterfall in thailand so I left early to the park entrance. They won't let motorbikes into the park, and the waterfall is 25 Km on a dirt road so I needed to get a ride with someone to the falls. The people there were really trying to rip me off and I refused to pay, saying I would only pay a smaller amount. Then after waiting for a little over a half an hour a group of thai tourist arrived and I asked if I could hitch a ride with them, and they said yes. Almost at the same time another truck came that would take me for the 500B, and people tried to get me to do that, but when I told the thai people they wanted to charge me they understood and said I could tag along with them.

Once we got to the falls I didn't want to intrude so I walked off alone to the falls. They were absolutely beautiful and well worth all that effort. I spent maybe half an hour there and then saw a large group of thai tourists leaving and started fallowing them back hoping I could hitch a ride. I ended up being the same group of people and they said it was fine but they were going to eat first. They shared there meat and sticky rice with me and I shared the corn and oranges I had left over from the day before with them. People are so kind with sharing food, they insisted I keep eating until I was full. Then they took me back to the entrance and I rode the motorbike back to my guest house and checked out. The whole adventure took longer than expected so I wasn't leaving Um Phang until 4 pm.

Thee La Su Waterfall, the largest in Thailand

A close up of the middle fall

I rode back to Mae Sot so fast and couldn't hardly stop at all. I was very concerned about getting out of the mountains before it got dark and just barely made it, riding the last 40 Km which are pretty straight and flat in the dark. When I got back to town it was Valentines day and there was a big flower sale in front of the high school. When I got the the guest house my butt was very sore and I got the last room. I asked the lady at the guest house about the high school thing and she said she couldn't set it up for monday. The kids had a concert to prepare for that weekend and they have a big test coming up next week so this week won't work. I told her I needed to move on, so we could just say we tried but it didn't work. She was a bit upset because she said it was hard for her to get people to agree to do it and they needed help. I just said maybe next time I'm in town.

I shared a beer with a thai guy hanging out in the garden and stretched my legs, pacing back and fourth. He was a teacher at the high school and wanted to practice english with me. When I said I wanted to go to the italian place he wanted to come with me, but it turned out he just wanted to drive me. He said there were motorcicle gangs in Mae Sot so he felt better if he drove me, then he came and picked me up after I ate. I went with him to the high school after that so he could look up some stuff an Wsconsin (he was going to an interview for cultural exchange and wanted to know as much as he could about where he was going, thats also why he wanted to practice english). After that he dropped me back off at the guest house.

The next day, which was yesterday, I thought I would go to the market but after so many busy days I didn't feel up to haggling. I had breakfast with some american guys (the first americans I have met on the trip) after I returned the bike. We talked about he strange thai culture since they had live here for about 1 year they had some interesting insights. Then after breakfast I hung out in the garden of the guest house with an Australian couple with a 9 month old baby. After a while they wanted to get lunch and I asked if I could go with them.

The chill area of the guest house

They took me to the muslim neighborhood and we had some tea at a tea house and some wonderful curry with a nan like bread. It was a great meal. I really like the cultural diversity of Mae Sot. Once we turned down into the muslim neighborhood almost everyone was muslim and we had interesting conversations with locals in the tea house. I actually let the Australians to most of the talking and just listened in. It seems like almost everyone in Mae Sot is from Burma and has just been in Thailand for various amounts of time.

Then we went back to the guest house walking through the day market, I like tagging along with people because they show me cool stuff I wouldn't see otherwise. In the afternoon, when the baby was sleaping, I went to the sauna again. I love that little rustic sauna, and the people all seemed to recognise me from the time I went there before. When I got back to the guest house the Australians took me to the night market for dinner. The baby is so disarming, and really cool to see how the locals respond. They just take the baby away and play with it, and give it rice porage, and the parents are happy to be able to eat there food in peace. It happened at the tea house and at the night market.

Next it was off to bed and I left for Mae Sariang this morning on a truck with benches in the back. While waiting for the truck one Karen guy wanted to talk to me and drink coffee with me to practice english. Then another guy wanted to talk on the truck for the same reason. I have a lot of respect for the guy that talked to me on the truck. He told me a lot about what is happening in Burma and was honest, after a while he said he wanted me to remember him and tell other people what he was telling me becuase usually he was not so open but had good vibes from me. Some of the stuff he told me was that the Karen people had been fighting the Burmese for over 50 years, with a lot of death including his father and grandfather. Also that he worked helping people cross the boarder and get into Thailand. He was a legal citizen of Thailand I asked him how he did that and he said to be honest he paid for it. I really like how honest he was. In Um Phang I think one of the guys I was hanging out with also helped people across the boarder but he wouldn't tell me, I just got that vibe when he wouldn't say what he did. Right now I feel a lot of compasion for how difficult it is for the Karen.

Mae Sariang is a nice and small town. It feels like another real thai village but I don't really have a good feeling for it yet. I'm guessing there are a lot of Karen people here because its close to the boarder but so far I haven't really talked to many people. Tomorrow I will walk around and check out the town, and maybe try to go on a hike to see a village. I guess there are the people with all the rings around there neck and very long necks in this area. So, this was a long one and my fingers are tired, but your all caught up on what I've been doing. Till next time!

I really like Mae Sot

2009-02-10T05:30:00.000-08:00

This morning I immediately left Sukhothai and got on a minibus to Mae Sot. I could tell I was going to a non-touristy place right away because it was a rickety minibus full of thai people, and no farang. After getting dropped off at the bus terminal/market I walked to the Green Guest House, which has a very nice garden and a nice lady who runs the place. I could tell right away that I had found gem #2 of the trip, and realized I would be here longer than a couple days.

The town of Mae Sot is a boarder town with Burma and has a lot of Burmese refugees, the guide book said there were about 150 thousand just in this province alone. Because of the interesting dynamics of the town it is culturally diverse, with Burmese, Thai, Chinese, and Muslim. The first question from the guest house owner was if I was a tourist or a volunteer, which shows how many volunteers they have here, or how few tourists. There were posters around for different volunteer positions showing the need for english teachers and health care probiders. After talking to the owner for a while I decided that I would spend one day at her kids high school. She said most people wouldn't do it because if they volunteer they are tired and most other people just come and go. She said she would talk to the class to see if Friday or Monday would work. It sounds good because they will do a Thai food teaching thing for me and I'll just talk and be friendly, and it seems like it will be very appreciated.

Another reason I know I will stay longer is that she told me about one hot spring 16 Km to the north of town that people like to visit, and then another one about 40 Km to the south that most people don't visit. She thought it was funny how excited I was to see hot springs, plus the guide book didn't mention one of them, makes me want to write Lonely Planet about there inadequite coverage of hot springs. Plus there is an herbal spa in the back of one of the wats in town. I was sold this place deserves more than a couple days. If I volunteer on Friday then I may leave after that, but if its Monday then I will probably go to the biggest waterfall in Thailand, which is a good deal south, and then come back for the high school.

For the day I decided to get cheap thai food lunch, then go to the spa, then get some nice italian food at a highly recommended ex-pat resturant at the end of town (I've been waiting to find a good italian place, usually there are tuns because of the ex-pats but this is the first one I've found). The day went great. Food was good, then I got a beer at a little place and read a Bangkok Post newspaper I bought (I felt like I needed some news from the world). Then the spa was great. It is a bit rustic but all the essentials are there. The spa is a very hot steam room with a lot of herbal sents in the steam (hotter than the steam room at Banya, and one for girls and one for boys, of course). Then outside there were lots of benches to chill on, some work out equipment, a place to pour cold water over you, and some herbal tea. It was a really pleasent experience. I spent about 2.5 hours there and was the only farang besides one guy who came and left very fast, actually I seemed to stay there longer than anyone.

Last but not least the italian food was great! Everything I could have expected, perhaps I spent too much but I wanted some good non-thai food (you think you won't ever get tired of thai food but after almost 3 weeks it is a really nice change). Tomorrow I'm planning on renting a motorbike and seeing the hot springs, then the next day checking out the market (this is suposed to be one of the best markets in Thailand especially for minerals and gems).

I haven't made any friends here yet and the Dutch girl didn't answer my call, but I like this place so much I don't think I care. I'm starting to feel the love for solo traveling again because I can randomly choose to stay here for several days and volunteer at the high school, which I did. So right now I don't know when I'll leave Mae Sot, it may take me longer to get to Pai than I thought it would. But thats the point of being alone, following my nose and doing what feels right. I don't think I would feel good about just visiting Mae Sot and not at least helping a little bit, it needs so much help. Perhaps I will even come back here in the future to volunteer for a longer period of time. Thats all for now and sorry no pictures for today, I'll try to make up for it in my next post.

I love Hot Springs

2009-02-09T04:58:00.001-08:00

My adventure to see the hot springs that are not in the guide book went great. It is hard to explain how much I enjoy hot springs. I feel a connection to the earth and some sort of spiritual connection. My body relaxes and I can feel the stress or pressures of life just fade away. Plus it gets me out into the world and seeing things I wouldn't see otherwize.

I woke up later than expected this morning and I didn't feel great, maybe too many beers with the British girls last night. But I eventually got out of my room and had some breakfast alone because all the friends I had yesterday are gone today. After breakfast, which I had around noon, I rented a motorbike. I figured I would get the manual because its cheaper and since it was my first time ever on a motorbike might as well learn on the cheaper one. It worked out because there is no clutch so its basically like changing the speed on a bike, and I felt more connected with the motorbike.

It was funny at first because it was my first time and the guy I was renting the bike from barely spoke english. I understood what all the peddles and stuff did but when I hit the gas it went faster than I thought. I could see the worry on the guy's face. I just said I needed to practice and went up and down the little streat practicing changing gears. There were some Thai people watching and they would say "gear up", and when I changed the gear they cheered. It may have been my first time but in 5 minutes I figured I was as good as I was going to get so I went off down the road.

After getting gas I was on my way to the hot spring on the highway. I just kept the speed at around 60 kph and was pretty comfortable driving the thing in no time (with a sore butt though). It was about 60 Km down the highway and then another 10 or so on smaller roads. There were good signs telling me where to go, which is how I saw it in the first place, so I wasn't worried about finding it. As I expected when I got there I was the only farang and everyone seemed to notice that.

The hot springs were pretty developed like the other ones but it was maintained on a donation basis. There was a center area (in full sun) with lots of different temp deep smaller pools, and then shallower pools around them. It didn't look like they were ever cleaned though, so at first I thought I might not be able to soak. Then I found another pool near a small man made lake that kids were riding little swan paddleboats on. That was the maintained soaking pool! It was about 103-104 and had umbrellas around for shade, and wooden planks to sit on. The source was next to it in a little raised pool that older thai women were filling up drinking water from. It seemed like a lot of people just came to fill up waters, soak there feet for a few minutes and then leave.

the un-maintained smaller pools in full sun

the maintained pool when I had it to myself

I soaked for a while, and was the only one that completely submerged my body, it was shallow so I had to lay down. Then I would get into the little man made lake. After a little soak, I read, and then soaked again. I couldn't really talk to anyone because they were all thai people that didn't speak english but people just let me do my thing. I saw several groups of people come and go while I was hanging out by the pool. A lot of them seemed like Thai tourists because they would take pictures of there family in the pool.

Eventually I got hungry so I left the pool to look for food and donated 20B. I couldn't find any food there, and I knew the closest town was pretty far away so I decided to leave and not do the night soak. It was a good decision I think because I drove back to Sukhothai during sun set and was a bit cold. When I got to town there was another chinese parade going on. This one was huge, it made the one from yesterday look really small. Also all the buisnesses had little shrines with candles in front of the stores and then the dragon would come up and bow, and these kids would run around with little sticks saying stuff. The nice kid at the guest house I'm at that can speak some english said it was a chinese new year celebration and the shrines were to wish the buisness prosperity, he said the kids were chanting "make money" or something like that. It was a neat specticle to come back to town and see. Plus it showed that I knew how to ride the motorbike because I had to weave though a lot of traffic and not hit anyone in the crowded streets.

After watching the parade I just walked down to the night market (always the cheapest place for food) and had some noodles. Now I am doing this, and am not sure what else I'm going to do. I'm alone again so if I want some company I need to be outgoing and I'm not sure if I feel like it. Plus tomorrow I'm moving on to Mae Sot so it might not be worth it to go through the effort of getting to know another person. It sounds bad when I say that but thats kinda how I feel. It is work to get to know people and if I'm just leaving tomorrow, so the friend I make, I won't even see again, then I might as well just read and go to bed early. I think the Dutch girl will be in Mae Sot tomorrow and I know her number so I can just call her when I get there, so hopefully I'll have a friend tomorrow. Anyway, thats all for now, and so far I have not seen any textiles, just jewelry, but I heard there is local silk somewhere. Peace to all!

In Sukhothai

2009-02-08T03:46:00.000-08:00

Yesterday after breakfast and packing up I headed to the bus station to come up to Sukhothai. In the bus terminal first I met a nice Dutch girl that is doing similar things in the next few days and then a Welsh girl and a Scottish girl traveling together. The Dutch girl left on the bus before me and the two from the UK. It was good because since I've been up in Sukhothai I've had a few friends so I didn't have to try to look for people to meet.

The Bus ride was really cold, they had the AC on full blast. I slept a bit and then when I woke up and started focusing on the road to figure out where we were I saw a sign for a hot spring about 60 Km from Sukhothai. So, now I'm planning to stay an extra day and rent a motorbike tomorrow to go check out the springs. They aren't in any books, but the guy here at the guest house knows about them and pulled out a thai book that had them in it. Its very exciting for me to get to see a hot spring that isn't even in the guide books.

After the bus ride I had dinner with the UK girls and then we had some drinks and tried to watch a rugbee game, but the game wasnt' on (the girls were sad about that). Today I had breakfast with the girls and the Dutch girl, then we all went to the historical Sukhothai together. It didn't really seem worth it. People said Sukhothai was better than Ayuthaya but I liked Ayuthaya better. The admission price for the historical Sukhothai site was raised significantly above what the guide book said and it really didn't seem worth the cost. Maybe I've just seen too many wats recently. Once they were trying to charge us 100B to ride over to more ruins we decided not to pay it and just to go back.

riding bikes through the ruins

The coolest parts of the Sukhothai historical park

We got back to the guest house and had some lunch together. The Dutch girl went off to use the computer. Then the UK girls decided also to use a computer, and I read my book and fell asleap. When I woke up I went up to my room and within a few minutes there was some racket on the main streat. I went out to see what it was and there was some sort of parade in the street, where they were blocking it off and big groups of school kid (I assume) were dancing, or playing drums, and there was even a chinese drangon thing. The UK girls aslo came out of there room to watch and it was a cool thing to see. Now I'm doing this and we are all going to out out for some drinks before some dinner.

I think all three of the friends I've been hanging out with today are leaving tomorrow but I have to stay to check out these hot springs. I'm more excited to see them than more Wats. Hopefully it will lead me into a cool adventure, and it will be the first time I try driving a motorbike. Wish me luck!

Chillin in Historical Ayuthaya

2009-02-06T05:07:00.000-08:00

The last few days have been nice. I spent the last night in Bangkok hanging out with the Austrailian couple. It was really good because we knew each other well enough to start talking about deeper issues and it was a really constructive conversation. There were some things talked about that really hit home with me and am still thinking about.

Yesterday morning I left Bangkok as soon as I woke up! That experience with the gambling scam attempted to be pulled on me made me want to leave that place. Everyone says that Bangkok Thais are different that the "real" Thais. I took the water taxi down the river and then walked to the train station, and took the train to Ayuthaya. When I got here I just walked over to the river and took the water taxi accross to the city (The city is on an island in the center of rivers). I walked through the day market trying to find the guest house/backpacker area. I eventually found it and acutally took the first guess house I ran into.

The guest house is a little more than I wanted to pay (200B) but it has a nice chill area so I realize I'm paying for the atmosphere and took the room. I didn't do much during the day (I think drinking the few nights before in Bangkok was taking its toll on me). At night I walked over to the night market for dinner and had a nice bowl of soup. After dinner I walked past some of the illuminated Wats. Then when I got back to the guest house hung out with a Dutch guy that is here for Moi Thai (spelling). It was interesting to hear some about the sport.

An illuminated Wat

Today I wanted to see more of the Wats in the city becuase it is a very historical city, it was the old capital from 1450 to 1747 when the Burmise sacked the city and destroyed most of the Wats and Buddhas (most of the Buddhas are headless). I wasn't sure how to see the city becuase its pretty big, so I was thinking a bike but that didn't happen. I had a Tuk Tuk driver courner me and I got rid of him by getting breakfast at a place. At breakfast I met a nice girl from South Africa and we talked for long enough for the Tuk Tuk driver to leave.

I walked to the train station with her, so she could by a ticket to leave tonight and head north and then we walked around the city. She let me just lead us around to see whatever I thought we could see. First we walked to a Wat that is off the island and has the largest Buddha in Thailand (18 meters tall). It was amazing and there was a ritual occuring in the temple where people throw clothes up to people standing on the Buddha then the clothes are stung together and then then go over the crowd while they are praying. It was a cool sight, I wish I knew more about the meaning behind it.

The 18 mether buddha and the cloth ritual (pictures can't capture it)

Then we took a water taxi back over to the island, and walked over to the historical site of Ayuthaya, getting lunch on the way. We saw three other Wats, one we walked passed, another had a 14 meter tall bronze Buddha, and then next to that was another old Wat. The final one was the coolest. The Wat is completely in ruins except three piller things, very beautiful and awe inpiring to walk around in.

the bronze buddha

The really cool old Wat with the three pillar things

Then we got some beers nearby to wait for the sun to go down so we could see the Wats in the dark all illuminated. We drank in a little local place where the owners were just so happy to have some foreigners hanging out. Then after looking at the Wats we walked back to the guest houses so she could get her bag and catch the train. Now I'm doing this before I get some dinner and hit the hay.

The pillars illuminated

One thing is I am getting a little tired of the solo thing and can't wait to see some friends. Not that I'm not enjoying myself but its a lot of work trying to meet people every day. Today worked out but now she is gone, and I'm alone and going to travel up north tomorrow and have to meet someone new in order to have some company. Maybe I'm just a bit tired because of Bangkok and just need that to wear off. I think I got spoiled in Kanchanaburi because I saw the same people several times so it wasn't so much work everyday just to have some company. I did have a great day with the South African girl, and even got a call from the French girl I met in Phetchaburi just wishing me good travels and saying she is leaving the country tomorrow.

Well I'm heading north tomorrow by bus up to Sukothai, which is the other historical capital and then over to Mae Sot near the Burmise boarder. Peace to all!

Heading to Ayuthaya tomorrow

2009-02-04T02:26:00.000-08:00

Last night was an ok night. I couldn't really find anyone to hang out with so I got stuck watching the Blood Diamond movie in a restaurant and had more beer than intended. I really wanted to see that movie because of the Poisonwood Bible book, which is about Africa, that I just finished reading. So when I walked by the restaurant and saw it on I sat down then of course I had to buy something and that turned into a few beers. Then when the movie ended I ran into people I didn't know but have seen around and wanted to meet. I walked to a little park with them, then when they went to sleep, got one more beer and talked to some other travelers. Not a bad night at all.

Today I haven't done much. My dad called me on my cell phone and that was cool. Its good to know people can get ahold of me if they need to. Then it was a bit of a lazy day. In the afternoon I sent some stuff home, like the tent, sleeping bag, and warm clothes. After that I ran into the Austrailian couple I met in Kanchanaburi. We hung out for a few hours and they showed me a nice place off of Khao San called Mama's Place that has 80B dorm rooms and Shima, the Japanese husband, said he has been there several times and really likes it. I might stay there next time I'm back in Bangkok.

Tomorrow its out of this crazy city and up to Ayuthaya. I figured out I can take the river boat and then walk to the train to get there, it should be a mellow traveling day. Tonight I'm going to just hang out some more, probably with the Australian couple, they are really nice. One thing I've realized I haven't said yet on this blog is about the language thing. It seems like everyone speaks english, like its the language of the world or something. Lots of europeans I've met learned english to travel aroung Asia, strange I think. Its good for me because I know the language but it also makes me feel like a spoiled American. Another funny thing is the Obama thing. Most locals when they here me say I'm American go "Yay Obama" and get all happy. Its an interesting thing to happen after the Bush years. It seems like everyone is just so happy to have the change of power, like Obama was elected by the world. Anyway thats all for now, and I took some pictures of the areas I've been hanging out in for you all.

Th Khao San Road

The neighborhood nearby that I like better

The guest house I'm staying at

Saw Chinatown in Bangkok

2009-02-03T01:00:00.000-08:00

Last night was mellow. I just walked around with beers I bought at the 7-11. There are 7-11's all over the place and it is pretty well known that they have the cheapest beers, so the thing to do is to buy beers there and drink them on the street, they even open them for you in the store. I met a nice couple that was leaving bangkok that night but we walked around and there were drums on Khao San and all kinds of street performers, quite entertaining. After the couple left I walked around a bit more and then went back to my room.

Today was a very strange day! I started it off fine, I traded one book for another. There aren't give and take bookshelves like in central and south America but there are bookstores all over the place, or street venders with books, so I just traded one book for another, paying a small amount. Then I got my dirty clothes together to have them washed at a little laundry place near the guest house I'm staying at. The next thing I wanted to do was buy a cell phone so I decided to go to Chinatown to buy the phone. I've heard that area has the biggest market and such so I thought it would be a good place to get a phone.

I took the river boat to get to Chinatown, its a really nice way to get around Bangkok. Then when I got off a middle aged Thai guy (Antok) started talking to me a couple blocks off the river. He was really nice and we drank some coffee together at a street vender. He talked to me about Thai politics (which most people won't do, even with the protests in the city) and other stuff so I got a pretty good vibe. He invited me to his house to meet his family and have some lunch and I agreed (which was where it turned strange).

the river and me on the boat.

When we got to his house his family was really nice and we had some lunch. Antok left pretty quickly because he said his grandma needed surgery and in Thailand you have to pay the doctor first, thats what he was doing in Chinatown before he met me. His brother in law was nice but pretty soon he started talking about gambling. I had read in the guidebook about the gambling scam so I started to prepare myself for it. He said he would show me tricks to win at 21. It was really strange, he was showing me tricks and saying I got it and telling me about how to get over on the banker or casino or whatever. I told him I didn't gamble but he just kept going. Then when I supossedly had learned all the tricks he randomly got a call from his japanese banker friend that was just coming over to pick up a vip pass for a cruise ship (he works on a cruise ship in the casino). Then he said great timing we can do these tricks to win money off the japanese guy. I said I wouldn't play with real money and then he tried to give me like 400 us dollars of his money to play with to win money of the japanese guy. I just refused and said that it was a policy of mine never to gamble with real money.

Once I finally got that message accross you would be suprized how fast they got me out of the house. He went outside to give the japanese guy the vip pass (I don't think the guy even exists because I was in a side room and he left to give the pass, then was back so fast, and said the guy was already gone). Then magically Antok was back at the house at that very moment and wanted to take me back to Chinatown. I happily agreed. Antok seemed down, maybe because I didn't go for the scam, or because of his grandma, who knows. I still think Antok is an ok guy, but I don't know about his brother in law.

Antok actually helped me get a cell phone, maybe because he figured he had to do something to get some money out of me. It seemed like a good deal though. He took me to a store and translated for me and helped me choose what plan and whatnot. Then before we split ways he asked for 200B for helping me, I gave it him, he did help me after taking me for a bit of a ride.

I went straight back to the boat to come back to Banglamphu (the neighborhood Khao San is on). I didn't spend much more time in Chinatown but with walking around with Antok I think I saw most of it, and after the strange experience I just wanted to get back to the Khao San area. So, now I'm back and am going to pick up my laundry soon. I was right about people liking it over here better than on Khao San because I've seen some of the backpacker friends I met in Kanchanaburi over here and will probably hang out with them later on tonight. Also I had like 4000B left when I got here yesterday and now have a couple hundred, this city sucks it out of you way worse than the other places I've been. For example people act like a meal for 30-50B is cheap but in other places that was the normal price. And I finally got funny tummy, or Bangkok belly as people here call it, but the charchol pills work really well. Anyway, I have a phone now but don't want to put the number on here because it is so public and anyone who would want to get ahold of me knows my e-mail. So, if you want my number please e-mail me and I'll give it to you.

Back in Bangkok

2009-02-02T00:29:00.000-08:00

Today I took the bus from Phetchaburi to Bangkok after a relaxing night last night. Sandrine and I just went to the night market and looked around after I took a mid day nap. We ended up eating at the guest house and then going to bed. She is way to easy to talk to so we talking until late, like the night before. She decided to stay another day in Phetchaburi but I wanted to move on.

I got to bangkok and was able to get a motorbike taxi to Khao San road without getting ripped off! Then I walked straight through Khao San across the street and over to the neighborhood I liked and the guest house I found for 150B a night, and they had a room open. The place is the Sitdhi Guest House and it even has pretty cheap internet! So things are working out and I can appreciate the crazyness of Bangkok more after being in a real Thai city where I was one of a dozen farang.

I do really like the neighborhood, it has cobblestone streats, nice street venders, lots of farang, but not such a party/drunk vibe. I think the backpackers and travelers are attracted to this neighborhood rather than Khao San for the same reasons I am, so the vibe is much better. And, I can appreciate that travelers need a place to come together after getting off a plane or whatever, so I can understand this place. The people watching is different because its all westerners, a suprizing number of westerners, with all different kinds of backgrounds.

I had some lunch at a good street vender and I don't plan to do much else besides walk around and try to meet people. Tomorrow I'm going to try to take care of some stuff and then the next day do some site seeing before I leave for Ayuthaya which is an old historic city that another traveler said they really liked. I plan to see that city and then start moving north and see the northwestern part of Thailand. Also, if you wondering why I spell Thai cities or places different sometimes its not because I'm a bad speller but because they spell them differently, even on official signs. I think this is because they use a different alphabet so when they write stuff in english it isn't always spelled the same. Like the river Kwai was the river Kwai, Kwae, and Kwaye on official signs. So, I'm off to hopefully meet some people and hang out for the night.

Not Meditating

2009-01-31T21:23:00.000-08:00

So I had my first round of bad luck, or change of plans, however you want to look at it. First the train was full, I guess I should have bought a ticket the day before, but I actually didn't think I could because before they wouldn't let me buy a ticket until 10 minutes before the train arrived. Next I got a bus down, it left a bit later but I was able to get to Suan Mok near Chaiya by about 5:30 so the sun was still up so I thought it would all work out. A motorbike picked me up and drove me to the meditation center. On the way another guy was also arriving on a motorbike. There were large groups of people that I guess were getting the orientation and the other guy that arrived was talking to someone. When I walked up I found out that it was full. Several people told me "don't worry, if you get there anytime the last day of the month and there will be a room open", but it was full. The person was saying that there was a dormatory about 2 Km away that we could stay at and then walk to the meditation thing at 4 am to participate (he said I couldn't put my tent up). He also said that people usually leave after a couple days so we could try to participate and then hope that someone left in the next couple days.

On the walk to the dormatory, which was near the freeway, me and the other guy were talking about what we were going to do with this bad news. He dicided to try and participate because he was just that determined. I went the other way. It seemed like a sign that right now I'm not supposed to be silent and meditate, just not in my cards. I went to the bus station that was right there at the freeway and got a bus right back up to Phetchaburi. I had to wait for a couple hours and some nice Thai guys flagged the bus down for me, I thought one of them was also going to get on the bus but he diddn't. They were just being really nice like every Thai person I've met. I figured that I had made a good friend in Phetchaburi, and if she was inviting me to China to stay with her she would be ok with me crashing in her room when I arrived at the middle of the night.

It seems like I made the right decision because when I arrived luck was on my side. I arrived at 3 am in Phetchaburi and walked straight to the Guest House (Rabieng Rinmum Guest House, a nice teak house next to the river thats pretty cheap). There is a gate that is supposed to be locked, but it was not. Then when I was knocking on the French girls (Sandrine) room I didn't want to knock too loud, and I knew she wears ear plugs at night (the street is really loud at 6 am), so I tried the door and it was open. She was really nice and actually had a double bed, so like I said luck was on my side, I got to Phetchaburi and was even sleeping in a bed! We talked and laughed about the whole situation for a while before finally going to sleep.

Today I'm a bit out of it and tired but happy about the decision I made. I'm going to hang out here in Phetchaburi for the day, then go to Bangkok tomorrow. Now I have more time to see the northwestern part of Thailand, inludding more hot springs, and can spend some time in Bangkok, and central Thailand without feeling rushed to see everything I want to before friends are arriving in late February. I think in Bangkok I'm going to send some stuff home and get a Thai phone, I've met a few travelers with phones and it seems like the easy way to meet up with people.

So, no 10 day silent meditation, just not meant to be I guess. Maybe I'll try again in June or July if I feel like it but I'm not to worried because when traveling like this I just need to roll with the punches, and what I'm going to do instead is fine with me. Hot spring are a spiritual experience for me anyway and now I can spend more time at them. Another side note is that I've noticed the Thai food is not that different than good Thai food in the states. The green curry is similar, Panang curry is similar, phad seiw, phad thai, and Tom Kha soup are also similar (except all the phad thai is really good, no katchup). I thought it would be really different but its not, just its all good, instead of needing to find a "good" thai food resturant in the states. Well, thats all for now, and everyone can look forward to more posts instead of 10 days of nothing.

In Petchaburi

2009-01-30T17:29:00.000-08:00

Petchaburi is a nice town. It has a real thai feeling to it, with lots of teak houses and very little farang, or none. I picked it becauese there are lots of Wats and there was a guest house that was pretty cheap (I look for anything that says "good for backpackers"). The trip was good and uneventful. I took the bus to Ban Pong and then walked to the train station and took that down to Petchaburi. It should work out nice because today I just take the train down to Chaiya for the mediation course.

Arriving in Petchaburi was nice, there is another very vibrant market. I was able to walk straight to the guest house I wanted to and there was a room available. I had lunch with a Thai girl that is on vacation from Phuket (the most touristy island). She is one of those girls who stand outside and try to get people to come into the bar. Its nice to meet a someone who has that job because I kinda looked down at it, because its really annoying, but it just a job. She said she did work up here for the hostel but once she learned a little english she went down there to get more money.

After lunch I hung out with a nice French girl and talked out on the hang out area before I went out for a walk in the evening to see at least one Wat. It was a really cool spot, where the 5th emporor lived, up on a hill. I saw a huge reclining buddha and there was a cobblestone walkway behind it going up the hill. I even saw some cool cave temples on the hill. There were stairs that just kept going down into the darkness, I got a bit scared because I could hear the bats and it was evening time so they could start comming out of the cave at any time. At the top of the hill there were big buildings and Wats, really amazing stuff (I forgot my camera so no pictures). There was no one around, I kinda snuck into the emporors area because it was locked. Then walked around the Wat on the other side of the hill. I walked right past a security guard and he didn't notice me, I say that because it was closed and I walked around for another 20 minutes before he noticed me.

The other cool thing was that there were hundreds of monkeys up on the hill, and I mean hundreds, everywhere you look. To walk down the trail you had to wind your way through them. I stopped and watched them groom each other and there were a lot of cute babies that clung onto the mothers stomach.

After that I returned to the guest house and went to the night market to get food with the French girl. We got some street phad thai, it was good. Then walked around drinking beer and looking at the eluminated Wats at night. It was a good night. Now it is the morning and I am going to catch the train in about 1.5 hours to go to the meditation thing and there will be no posts. I wanted to write some thoughts on some things but I don't have much time, I'll do some though.

I've noticed the language barrier is not that hard to get over. A good smile and a laugh gets you a long way. Even if I didn't understand anything we could smile at each other and laugh at the fact we can't talk. The other strange thing here in Thailand is the sex tourism thing, luckally there is none here in Petchaburi. But everywhere else there is, at least where there are farang and bars. It is just so strange to see the old men with really young women, but its like its normal, no one even looks twice. Even in resurants if you want to talk about it with other travelers we would have to speak quietly because there was usually at least one pretty close by. Then there are the lady boys. I guess it is really normal for the boys to try out being girls. One statistic I heard is one in three families has a lady boy. I don't know what to say about it besides that it is a strange thing. One local said it was normal for a boy to try it out for months or years and then decide they don't like it, I guess like being a monk. The last thing I wanted to mention is that I really like solo traveling. I just go with my gut about what to do and everything has worked out so far. Like this small town of Petchaburi, I'm not sure exactly why I choose it because if I stayed on the train for half an hour more I would have been to endless beach towns, but I thought this real Thai city looked fun to spend a night in. And it worked out great, I'm not sure if other travelers with me would have made the same choice but I've been happy with mine.

Well peace to you all, and I'll write when I get out of the meditation thing on Jan 10. I'm a bit nervous but excited also, it should be an interesting experince no matter what!

The Hot Spring Experience was Amazing!!!

2009-01-29T02:51:00.000-08:00

For those who say Thailand is just for partying and has no culture, I say they did not look! Getting out to the hotsprings was more of an adventure than I thought it was going to be and I got my first taste of Thai culture. The people are more generous and kind than I could have imagined. Really just mind blowing how kind a stranger can be to someone who does not even speak the language.

I got up early yesterday morning after a laid back night of just reading and going to bed early. I got a motorbike taxi to the bus station and took the local bus up to Hin Dat. The bus just stops wherever you need to get off and so when it dropped me off I thought I was at the correct place because of a sign that said Hin Dat on a side road near the correct Km marker. It was about noon and I began walking down the street, the springs were said to be about one Km down the road. After walking over a mile I was hot, hungry, and was not sure I knew where I was. So, I stopped off at a little group of houses near a farm that had some people eating outside. I asked if I could get some water (with hand gestures of course) and they asked me if I wanted some food. I nodded yes and sat down at the table. They gave me rice, some fried meet (not sure what it was but it was good), and a chicken and bamboo soup (I knew it was a strange starch and they said it was bamboo from China).

I tried my best at attempting a conversation with the guy who sat with me but it was really hard. Through pictures and me pulling out the Thailand guide book (because I knew it had the Thai words for hotspring) I figured out that I walked about 2 Km down the wrong road and that the springs were about 6 Km away from where I was. I asked if the guy would be willing to drive me over there and he said he would. When he dropped me off at the springs I expected to pay for the food, water, and ride, but he wouldn't take the money, bowed to me and drove off. I was just dumbfounded by how nice this guy was to a lost stranger.

I got a room at the springs for 400 bhat, more than I wanted to pay but there was nothing cheaper and it was right there. I walked around a bit trying to find something else but all I found were bungaloes without people (that looked nice so I figured they would be more), and some buddhist shrines. The springs were really nice, big pools that fit a lot of people and were deep. You could see the bubbles from the hot water in the middle of the biggist pool. There were 3 temperatures, two big hot ones at about 106, another shallower pool at about 101, and a pool with monks in it at about 103 (that one had a sign that said "no women"). Then there was the cold river right there, great for the hot/cold therapy. I soaked a bit, read a bit, and then soaked some more. There were lots of farang during the day, mostly eastern europeans that would come in by the bus load. 10-20 would show up soak for an hour and then leave, it was a bit depressing.

The Hindad Hot Springs

I was done soaking at about 4:30 so I decided to walk down the road to a waterfall the guidebook said would be there. That was probably a mistake because I saw that it was 7 Km soon after I started walking. I walked for about 3 Km then hitched a ride on the back of a motorbike. The woman took me into a small village down the road, and off on dirt roads, I kept trying to remember the turnes we made. Then when she dropped me off in the middle of town it was apperant that she was driving me to her neighbors house that had a motorbike taxi. I negotiated a price to go to the water falls and back to the springs, it was a funny negotiation. The taxi guy was nice but it was obvious that he wanted me to eat with someone else he knew, tried to get me to agree for him to show me around, and was basically just trying to get what he could. I was nice and kept saying no and he showed me the falls, and brought me back to the springs for the negotiated price. I can't really blame him, I think he was just more desperate that the farmer earlier or the other Thais I met later.

The waterfalls and the motorbike taxi driver

After I read a little longer I went out to see if I could get some food in the little market sort of area at the springs. I walked over to what I thought was a resturant becuase of all the people outside. What happened next was just another example of kindness beyond belief! The Thai people outside (about 10 people) said hi, envited me to sit down, gave me wiskey and soda, and gave me food. They were a group of locals that came up to the springs to relax (at night there were no farangs, just the locals and me). They had a group meal and just kept putting food in my face, when they saw I like the Tom Yum soup they gave me a big boal of it. They were such nice people, one of them barely spoke english so he was the translator for all of us. They just kept filling my glass with wiskey and soda and were the nicest people. After the food and drinks we all went into the springs together until 10 when it closed. I said I would see them the next morning a 6 when it opened.

I didn't quite get up at 6 and woke up at about 6:45 hearing my name outside from the group of locals. They gave me coffee and tea in the morning and then I went over to soak. Some of them had already soaked and others had not. At about 8 the first bus load of farang showed up, that was a bummer. I found myself much more comfortable with the group of Thais, but they all left the pool very shortly after the farang showed up. I actually liked being with the Thai families a lot better than with all those eastern europeans so I got out pretty soon after as well. Again I was fed breakfast by these extremely nice people. When they were all putting money together to pay for the food I would guess they would not take my money. From the night before I knew they were leaving and they offered me a ride to Kanchanaburi so I packed up my stuff and jumped into the minivan with them all.

They wanted to go up to Thongpan Pum for the market and I was along for the ride. I was happy I got to see the town. It had a very vibrant market and the Thais wanted to buy fish because there is a lake nearby and the fish were big and good. They bought a lot of fish! At the market I actually saw the taxi driver from the day before. He seemed a little annoyed that I was with these other people and had not contacted him, but whatever. He talked to some of the women telling them how he knew me and I bet they told him they were feeding me and driving me free of charge. I bet that annoyed him more.

We stopped at another market half way down to Kanchanaburi and they had me try all kinds of things that I don't even know what it all was. They dropped me off about 4 Km from Kanchanaburi and again would not take my money. I hitched a ride into town and walked back to the Jolly Frog. I've been relaxing all day after my little adventure. My neighbor hooked me up with the train times so I know what to do to start traveling tomorrow towards the meditation thing. I am planning to stop at a city on the way to break the trip up.

Well, I wrote a lot again, but soon there will be 10 days of nothing. One thing I've figured out is I brought way too much stuff. When someone who has been here for a year and a half says you have a lot of stuff, you know you brought too much! I've decided to send some things home soon. Ok, till next time, and just so you all know I do check out the comments and like reading them. Peace to all of you.

Still in Kanchanaburi

2009-01-27T02:22:00.001-08:00

Ok, so where to start... I've done a lot in the last two days. First off dinner was really good two nights ago. We went to the night market and had an all you can eat thing, the Austrailian couple showed it two me but it wasn't there the next night, and then it was there the third (they said it was off and on). They put a barbeque think on your table with coals in it, a grill thing domed on top, and water around the edges. Then there is a bunch of raw meat, and vegies, and noodles, and stuff, that you take to your table and cook. It was good but strange because you didn't always know what you were eating. Then we (me and the Quebeckian from Montreal, instead of Canadian) went to the "No Name Bar" and hung out untill we were tired. The next morning we met up again for breakfast before she went back to Bangkok to celebrate the Chinese New Year with some friends she met earlier in Bangkok.

I decided I was going to go on a bike ride around town that day after breakfast. Then I just picked up my book and some really good chapters occured so it was afternoon and hot before I knew it (The Poisonwood Bible is a really good book). So I hung out with some of the long term residents of the Jolly Frog and talked. The guy in the room next to me said he knew the perfect ride I could check out in the evening after it cooled off a bit. He gave me directions to over the river and into the countryside next to the limestone hills in the distance (The hills in the distance are a bit hazy because of the burning of rice paddies in the region, I guess there is another range behind it I haven't been able to see it). On the ride he told me how to get to his girlfriends (a real thai woman, not a girl whore) property in the country and asked if I could water there plants for them, I happily agreed.

I read and waited out the main heat of the day and left around 2 for the bike ride. I had picked a place to rent the bike that had mountain bikes, not the weak thai bikes (only 50 bhat). Before I headed to the countryside I wanted to ride through the rest of Kanchanaburi, just to see the town. I'm glad I did, the other side of town in the real city, with teak houses, a vibrant market, and no farang (the word for white people, like gringo its not a nice word). I rode through the WWII POW cemetary, a chinese wat, and the area of town with a lot of house boats and boat resturants also before heading out to the country.

The town of Kanchanaburi

The countryside was really nice. I rode to the property where there was a hammock under the shade, and a little pond that the guy said I could take a dip in. I did take a dip but perhaps I shouldn't have because it was all runoff from the adjacent rice paddies that had been planted a couple weeks earlier and had a few inch tall sprouts. After watering the plants I continued towards the hills and ended up right next to them after ridding on dirt roads through sugarcane fields, and rice paddies. The hills just came right out of the ground and there was a dirt road that winded along right at the base. From there I went back to the hostel after I got back to the main road. It was a wonderful ride all in all!

The property in the country

Last night was low key, I just had dinner with a brit I met at lunch and then hung out with the Irish guy and another traveler. We went out to "1 more bar" where there was a 41st birthday party for some woman. The bar is owned by a british guy and I assume the woman was a friend of his. There was free barbeque, and cake, and a nintendo wii that we played. Its strange that the first time I played the nintendo wii was in Thailand at a bar but it was fun and I went to bed not too late.

Today I knew I wanted to go to the Erawan Water Falls, but wasn't sure if I was going to ride a motorbike or the public bus (I've heard good things about both). I decided to go with the public bus. I went out to the main street and waited for the bus and flagged him down (thats what I was told to do). The falls were pretty amazing, kinda like samuc champe in Guate, lots of pools that were built up by the limestone in the water that cascaded into each other. There were 7 tiers and it was about a 2 km hike to the highest tier. I hiked up to the top fast and swam around the highest pools. There were little fish in the water that ate the dead skin off your feet, it was a strange feeling to let them nibble at you. The highest water fall was pretty amazing and you had to swim through some pools to get there, so no pictures.

Pictures of the falls don't do it justice!

While I was up there and away from my stuff I saw some monkeys around in the trees. Then I watched three monkeys climb down from the trees and try to take my water bottle, when they realized it was plastic and not food they left it alone. I thought it was funny to watch them look at my stuff. Later when I was putting on my shoes another monkey was trying to do the same thing with me like one foot away, he would raise his eyebrows like "what are you going to do". On the way down I even saw a group (maybe 10) baby monkeys playing around, they would miss branches and fall in the water and get all wet, it was funny. I also stopped at the 4th tier to swim becuase it had a big pool and a natural formation that people used as an about 15 foot slide into the water, I couldn't pass that up!

The Monkey The 4th tier with the slide, its the left most green line with not much water

Now I'm back in town and decided to go to the internet place before I go back to the Jolly Frog. There is going to be a reggae concert accross the street either today or tomorrow as a tribute to Bob Marley. I've been watching them set up the stage. I hope its tonight because tomorrow I think I'm going to head out of town to spend a night at the hot springs. I don't have much time before the silent meditation, basically three nights besides tonight before I need to be at the monistary. I also think I'm going to pay to keep my room at the Jolly Frog while I'm at the hot spring so I know I have a bed there when I get back (Its so cheap I think it would be worth it).

On a side note I've felt a little under the whether the last two days and have been trying to ignore it. I think it may be the Doxy stuff I'm taking for Malaria protection, I don't like it. I think I'm going to stop taking it while I'm in Thailand because there isn't much risk here and I havn't really even been bit. I think right now I'm going to look it up and see if its an antibiotic like some people have told me. If it is then I'm deffinately stopping, I don't want an antibiotic in my system for over a year, that just sounds stupid to me. Ok, I'll write more later, probably after I get back from the Hin Dat Hot Springs.

Also, I added pictures to some of the old posts, fyi.

In Kanchanaburi for Chinese New Years Eve

2009-01-25T02:30:00.001-08:00

I'm still relaxing in Kanchanaburi at the Jolly Frog. The place just drags you in and makes you not want to leave. I have figured out that it is the nicest place to stay in Kanchanaburi, in fact it is always full. I said before it was full of regulars but some of them are really long term. One guy has been here for two months, another for 8 months, and a girl has been here for one and a half years, she is writing a book. The cheep single rooms make it so people choose it as a place for long term stays. A japanese guy I met actually pays to keep the room while he travels around because it is not as much trouble than worrying about the place being full.

The first night I thought I would go to bed early but I ran into the Australian couple (actually an australian woman and a japanese man) and went to the night market with them. Its like a market for the locals with everything from a department store you would want, not native crafts. Then at one end there was the food section. The couple goes there every night to get some food and then bring it back to the Jolly Frog to eat it on the barge on the river. That was a fun thing to do before I went to bed.

The view from outside my room!

Yesterday I relaxed for the early part of the day reading in the garden and checking with the front desk for a single room. The first day I litterally got the last room in the place and it was a double. At about 11 a single opened up and I moved rooms. I thought I wouldn't do anything all day but relax but a nice woman from germany I met at breakfast invited me on a walk to the Bridge over the river Kwai (yes, the same one as the book, and movie). Its a railroad bridge that was built during WWII by the japanese. It was a good walk over a road bridge to the other side of the river, then down to the railroad bridge. The german woman is scared of heights and the railroad bridge is not the safest bridge so she didn't want to go across. I felt bad but I really wanted to walk across it and walk back to the hostel on the town side of the river, and she said that was fine so we seperated and walked back seperately.

The Bridge over the river Kwai

On the way back I stopped at a little ex-pat bar/bookstore. The owner is a nice jolly fat american ex-pat who has lived here for 7 years. He struck up a conversation with me so I sat down and talked. It turns out he strikes up a conversation with everyone and thats basically how he fills his seats. Its nice though because he seemed to just want company and didn't pressure me to buy anything. After talking for a while I figured I might as well get a beer and settle in. He told me all kinds of things about this place, like that the Hin Dat hot springs have bungalos you can stay at right there, the guidebook didn't even tell me that!

At the bar I met a really nice girl from Canada that just arrived in town so we went out to get some dinner. After dinner I showed her the night market and we got some desert, then I showed her the Jolly Frog. I felt bad because she wanted to stay there but it was full and after I showed it to her she said it was way nicer than her place and half the price. She went back to her place and we made plans to meet again tonight for dinner, she is doing a tour all day today. I decided not to do any tours because I heard they are rushed and you don't get time to really experience what you go and see.

After that I thought I'd go to bed but I wasn't tired yet so I went to the "No Name Bar" to hang out with the Irish guy Keit I had met the first day. He invited me when we crossed paths in town. We hung out and played pool, he's a really good guy and one of my favorite people I've met so far. He does tie chi (probably spelled horribly) in the garden twice a day, and is just a good hearted person.

Today has been way lazier than expected. I thought I'd be over the jet lag but I don't seem to be. Plus it is the Chinese New Years Eve so firecrackers were going off all over the place early in the morning. I actually had breakfast with a german guy and is Thai boy boyfriend or whatever. I didn't really realize that the boy was probably a whore untill I was already agreed to have breakfast together. It was fine though, both were nice and I just pretended like it was a relationship, which it might have been, who knows. So, I've just been talking to other travelers and reading all day, this is my first time out to town today.

I've had some thoughts on single traveling, and am starting to get a hang of it. You just have to be out going and introduce your self to people, be nice, and let it go from there. Other single travelers are doing the same thing and just looking for like minded people to spend some time with. It seems like everyone is out here for there own reasons. Some to party, some to relax, some to see culture, and some just because they love traveling. And talking to people about different things, like the meditation thing, everyone has there own opinion. One guy who did it said he was glad he did it but could not handle the life of a monk, another said it was there favorite thing to do in Thailand, and another said they couldn't handle it and had to leave. Plus just what people are interested in is so different. One guy said Malaysia was boring and another said it was his favorite country in southeast Asia. I think I'll just have to go on my own journey and make my own opinions.

Well thats enough for now, its time to go meet that Canadian girl and go to dinner soon.

Kanachaburi is very relaxing

2009-01-23T03:31:00.000-08:00

Everything worked out great coming to the Jolly Frog in Kanachaburi. The minibus was nice, not a very interesting ride, flat, rice paddies, and palm trees. The hostel is right on a river, the "Kwai" or something like that (I've been really bad at pronouncing things or remembering Thai words so far). There is a large chill grassy, shadded area above the river with chairs and stuff, a miranda next to the river and a barge floating on the water at this hostel.

The garden I read in, and my room is up on the second floor of the building

It seems like I found my first jem of the trip. This place reminds me of the "El Retiro" in Lanquine in Guatemala. Both are relaxing and on a river. People I have met here decare it to be the most relaxing place in Thailand and the cheepest (only 70 bat for a single room, amazing). An Australian couple said they have come here 10 times and stay for two weeks each time. Other travelers, like an Irish guy I met today said he got stuck here a couple months ago on his travels and liked it so much now he is back for a couple weeks. And another girl I met, a friend of the Irish guy, is hanging out here until she goes to the same meditation thing I'm planning on going to. She has been there a few times and says its the best monistary and program for silent meditation in Thailand.

So, I couldn't be happier about my decission to leave Bangkok. I'm really tired now so I think I'm going to bed early and plan to do nothing tomorrow but lay around this chill environment and read. Thanks to all who are following this, it feels really good to share this experience somehow with loved ones.

Leaving Bangkok

2009-01-22T17:27:00.000-08:00

So I tried to sleep last night. I took an Ambien to sleep and it worked but once it wore off I was up. I thought it was morning because i could hear them cleaning rooms but when I got out of my room it was still dark. I just read the guide book until the sun came up and went down to have breakfast at the guest house I am staying at.

During breakfast I realized why no one cared about my backback yesterday, because more than half the people out on the road have big backpacking backpacks. The night must be the time for partying and the morning the time for travel. Also the road is not pedestrian only, they must shut it down at night so people can party harder. Now there are taxi's and tuk tuk's going down the streat.

After a small walk on Khau San I decided I need to leave the capital to begin relaxing and get away from the crazyness. The road feels like where anyone from a western country comes to party all the time. So, I booked a mini-bus to Kanachaburi. I might have paid too much but it was easy and I'll be picked up in front of the hostel at 10 am. There was some time to kill so I decided to leave Khau San for a walk.

Only one block away from the Khau San I was in a alcohol free zone, next to a primary school, and next to a monastary. I walked around the monastary seeing all the architecture and art, and listening to the chanting of the monks. I continued to walk around that neighborhood and really liked it (but I think I got away from the alcohol free part). There are street venders with fried food, and an equally vibrant neighborhood as Khau San but not so drunk. Actually there were a lot more people hanging out and eating breakfast. I started checking out hostel prices and found that I paid pretty much as cheep as I could last night. I only found one place cheeper and it was only 50 bat cheeper. I've heard people found rooms for under 100 bat near Khao San but I couldn't find it. But, I like that neighborhood more than Khau San so I think I'll stay in a hostel over there when I come back to Bangkok.

The monistary near Khau San

Well this is a long post but I'm here alone so I have time to write. On a side note I've seen a lot of siamese looking cats around the city, and right now there are two kittens playing around my feet. I hope everyone enjoys the stories and I hope to keep this up as much as I can.

I've Arived

2009-01-22T11:06:00.000-08:00

After hours in the air I am finally in Bangkok on the tourist road (I think its spelled "Th Khao San"). This place is fucking insane. I arrived at 1:30 at night with no where to stay. The taxi drove me to the end of the road because its one of those pedestrian only roads, so I had to get out and walk down the road with my backpack, luckally I can fit everything into one bag. I'm walking down the street and everything is open, people are partying, I can hear like 10 languages at one time and no even seems to care I'm walking with a big backpack. I had three guest houses in my head and just went to the first one I saw, no single rooms but I paid for a double because I needed to get off that road. Now I'm at the internet cafe at the Nat Guest House where I am staying and its past 2 and it doesn't seem like the party out on this road is ever going to end. Its time for me to drink this beer I bought, write some e-mails and see if I can get a few hours of sleep.

Right away on this trip I was confronted with the kindness and generosity that someone can show you without knowing the language. My first flight went to Korea, so the plane was full of Korean families, and I was sitting next to a mother, and her mother next to her, and her two children nearby. We didn't talk because of the language barrier but smilled at each other. I decided to order the Korean meal instead of the American one and when it came I realized that I wasn't sure what to do. There was rice, vegies with meat, some oils and some hot paste, plus some soup and other stuff. I kept looking over at the mother next to me to see how she was preparing her food, basically mixing all the ingredients together. Then when I was about to start mixing mine, she handed me the one she mixed and I handed her my food so she could mix that. She proceeded to mix her mothers and her childrens before her own food. I was just blown away that this stranger would treat me like one of her family and even give me the first mixed up food. I still couldn't talk to her but she remained a wonderful person to sit next to and I tried to thank her for her kindness.

Packed and ready to go

2009-01-21T03:25:00.000-08:00

This is my first blog for my trip to Southern Asia. I've never done a blog so bear with me. I've been wanting to do a trip like this for years and now its under a day away. I'm leaving for Bangkok tomorrow noonish. From there I'm traveling around a bit and then doing a 10 day intensive meditation course. I've never done anything like that, and I look forward to what it may bring to my life. Thats the kind of stuff I want to share on this blog. Its a bit of an open way to express personal feeling and experiences, but I want to share this experience with whoever wants to read, so hear it goes.

First I plan to travel around Thailand for a month before some friends are arriving. I'll travel with a group and then see where I go. Probably Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia, but not necessarily in that order. After that I plan to travel in Malaysia, see Singapore, and then explore Indonesia June through September. In Indonesia I would like to see Sumatra, Java, and Bali. From there I would like to move to a different part of southern asia. I think I'll fly into Nepal, travel there trough November and then travel around India. I know life is crazy and a lot will hapen so we'll see if this semi plan happens. If not this post should keep the world informed of where I am and where I am planning to travel to next.

I'm off to see what I can learn from the world, starting with Thailand.