Same Same, But Different

As expected, it has been a little while since the last post, but I am still alive and going as strong as possible after traveling for just about 4 months!!!! I can't believe that is has been that long, but I have no complaints, and I still wake up every morning to see new things and places. Having said that, I last wrote while in Koh Tao, a great little island on Thailand's east coast. From there I headed south to the island of Koh Pha-Ngan, home of the full moon party, and from what I found, pretty much revolves around that party and parties surrounding every other phase of the moon. The island itself didn't seem like anything special, as it was more built up than our previous stay and a bit more congested. Still, our room was great: Balcony with an ocean view (directed right towards sunset) with a hammock for my enjoyment! I was very happy, though would have been happier had the room's architect decided not to place a random, unnecessary 1 inch step in the middle of our floor. I proceeded to smack my toe against this numerous times, at one point yelling loud enough for the entire island to hear me. After this, I built a blockade big enough to dam New Orleans in an effort to protect my toes. Fortunately I avoided any serious injury, because the 'medical' facilities we've seen have advertised 'miner' surgeries and one hospital's slogan was "Probably the best hospital you can trust." There are so many things to hit on here, but you can see the problems.

The one positive that came from this island was sampling what is called No Name Vegetable. Its on menus in most restaurants, and we were told by a dread-locked employee at the adventure tour place that it is great. Well I am convinced that it contains some sort of minor hallucinogen, because both Alana and I woke up in a disoriented state, feeling like we had popped some codeine, and having had some crazy dreams. Needless to say, we ordered it again for lunch!

From there we traveled 20 km south to the island of Koh Samui, the largest and most developed island in the area. The main attraction that I wanted to see here was the Ang Thong Marine Park, which we took a trip to for the day. The park is really nice, and allowed us to do some kayaking around the numerous bays and beaches, and through a cave or two as well. The highlight was definitely a hike up to one of the islands' peaks. While I nearly killed myself on the jagged rocks (don't wear flip-flops on this one), the view was awesome and worth nearly killing myself...though I may not have felt that way if my foot or body was sliced to bits.

Our last night on Samui was spent in a very relaxing way, though not necessarily traditional Thai fashion. We went to a mall to watch a movie go bowling, and it was a great time. While waiting for the only movie being shown in English, we went to a bowling alley, where everything was glowing neon colors. Apparently the owners were really into blacklights, but we managed to enjoy ourselves. The movie, however, was awful. I recommend that no one pay money to see Watchmen. On our way home, we got a cab, whose driver may or may not have been drunk, high or both. After a few minutes of awkward silence, he blasted UB40's 'Red Red Wine' loud enough for most of the island to hear; neither of us could resist from laughing.

We caught a flight to Bangkok the next day, and while my experience this time was slightly better, that is a very relative term and still can't stand that city . Walking around, I felt as though I was in a labyrinth whose streets were constantly changing (kind of like the staircases in the Harry Potter movies). Luckily, it was just one night and the next morning we headed east to the Cambodian border. Now, for those of you who haven't walked across a border in SE Asia before, it is an interesting experience, with a lot of sketchy stuff going on. We got a ride there, then had to meet a new vehicle on the other side. Going through the immigration process was relatively hassle-free, but the sights at the border were interesting to say the least. It is certainly a different world on the other side, significantly poorer and dirtier. It didn't help that once we were in Cambodia, our tour guide got into a huge argument with local tourist police and was escorted away by another cop. Apparently they were just looking for a handout of some sort, but it wasn't the smoothest start to this leg of the trip.

We traveled to Siem Reap on a road that needs much improvement. Road rules continue to lack existence, though I've gotten used to it. However, we are now back to driving on the right side of the road, which is a nice change. Siem Reap is a very cool town and I really enjoyed my 3 nights there. The highlight of this area is Angkor Wat and the surrounding complex. I don't care too much for touring temples all day, but this place is amazing. It is unbelievable to wander freely around the complex, which holds a huge amount of temples, and not be constrained by ropes telling you where you can, and more often, cannot go. I could not believe how well some of them have remained intact over the past 600-1,000 years given the country's history of war. We were there for sunrise, which was impressive, and pictures don't really do it justice, though the picture up top is from around 6:30 am or so.

My personal favorite was seeing the trees over-taking the stone. It is an image which you often see associated with the complex, and it is unreal to see how large these trees are, and how many of them have been left untouched.

We also go to see a bunch of monkeys near the temples. A family of 20-30 came down for a bit and had a little fun with the locals' hammock.

I took a trip to the Cambodian Landmine Museum, which was really interesting. It is a bit scary to think that there are an estimated 3-6 million landmines still scattered around the countryside. I won't be leaving any main roads or paths in the near future! We also took a boat ride out to a floating village, where I was amazed they had floating bars with pool tables in them, though more shocked by the amount of pollution in the lake. The fish below is someone's dinner, just not mine!

I then traveled to Kampong Cham, the third largest city, and took a bike ride on the shores of the Mekong River. Rode over a bamboo bridge, which I was convinced I'd lose control on and fall into the river, to an island housing a farming village. Kids were running up to Alana and I waving and saying 'hello' for the entire 2 hours we were there.

From there we spent a night in the village of Chambok, where we stayed in a local home and ate traditional food. Walking around the village I felt as though I had travelled back in time, as they lacked nearly all the modern conveniences that we use on a daily basis. Families still living in bamboo huts and chickens, cows and pigs running around dirt yards and streets. It was a great experience, though I avoided using the toilet at all costs! At night we were able to talk with the hosts about their everyday lives and ask questions. Very interesting, though I think I prefer western living standards a bit more!
Currently I am in the seaside town of Sihunoukville, and will be for next 2 nights, then we head north to the capitol city for a couple of nights. Overall, my first week in Cambodia has been a great one. I am very impressed with the country, although it is clear there is a great deal of poverty, pollution and corruption.

On a side note, baseball season is upon us, and although I may be 10,000 miles away, GO SOX! Also, Happy Passover to my fellow Jews!

Cheers!

Waitress, I Need Two More Boat Drinks!

Since posting last, I have managed to travel some pretty decent miles, starting with a trip to a little town called Pai. From what I was told by those who had visited previously, this is a pretty laid back place with a real hippie, backpacker feel. They were correct and it was a great 4 days up there. Located only a short drive from the Burma border, it is pretty isolated from the closest city of Chiang Mai and the 3 hour bus ride to get there (and to get back from) were the most nerve-racking events of my time there. To say that the road is curvy and hilly is an understatement, and this, coupled with a complete lack of driving rules in this country, made this trip a bit stressful. Constant turns as we climbed one mountain after another shifted everyone in the van from left to right to left over and over again for 2 full hours. Of course, our driver had a schedule to keep, so speed (excessive) was in full effect and passing bikes on hairpin turns became common place. The best was when I looked up and noticed that, not only were we completely on the wrong side of the road (and by this I mean we were riding the edge of the road in the opposite lane) but we were passing a car that was passing another car! That's right, three cars driving on a two-lane road. Road rules are purely optional here.

Our time in Pai was great, and it is really an oasis in the middle of a chaotic country. There were a ton of great restaurants and bars, and the atmosphere was a much needed break from any city. The highlight of the stay was our experience with elephants. We took an elephant ride that was to last 1 hour. Now, I was looking forward to this, but after 5 minutes I was in real pain. If anyone has ever rode an elephant bareback, you know that sitting on the spine is anything but comfortable and with each shift of its weight, I hurt more and more. Shifting constantly, I did not know if I'd make the full hour (and my chances of having kids decreased by the step). Well, all things changed when we got to the river and our elephant unexpectedly (though purposely) tossed both Alana and I in the water. This happened repeatedly over the next 20 minutes, and was a blast. I will say that when a 8,000 pound animal leans over and forces you off, you get a little concerned that they may just roll all the way over and crush you. Ours didn't, but the thought crossed my mind a few times. Truly a great time and a real experience standing in the river and looking eye to eye with that creature. I have video footage and photos, but I left the CD in my room, so sorry! (this one is from Chiang Rai)

We took the van back to Chiang Mai, this time 2 people threw up on the way...seriously, that drive sucks. Well, we're sitting at our hotel on March 11th, checking our email and confirming the time of our flight the next day when Alana says to me, and I quote: "Why does our ticket say the 10th?" As I was not the one who booked this flight, can you see why I was concerned? Sure enough, our flight to Phuket was a day earlier and we had completely missed it. The funny thing was that immediately before this, I was informed by Alana that she should be in charge of all future flight arrangement because my recently booked flight had too much tax on it. I don't think so! To make matters worse, it is impossible to reach anyone at the airline after 5 pm. Well, to make a long story short, we were able to get on the flight we thought we were on to begin with and got to Phuket without further problems. And, it only cost us roughly US$15 to do so. Below, I'm preparing for the flight!

We land in Phuket and my eyes are immediately drawn to a Dunkin Donuts sign. I was very pleased! Besides the presence of my favorite coffee shop, Phuket is very built up. Every junky tourist store you can imagine is located in each of the island's towns twenty times over and really turned me off to the area. However, it was good to know that if I really wanted that Heineken tank top but failed to stop at the first store, I had plenty of opportunity to pick it up still! Aside from the cheesyness of the whole scene, Patong is insane. This is the party capitol of the island and it is packed with bar after bar, literally they could not cram much more into such a small area. If you're looking to pick up a lovely Thai for the evening, or just for an hour or so, this would be the place to go. Along the same lines, if you're interested in the famed lady-boys, some of which are very convincing, this is also the stretch of road to visit. I found this a great place to people watch, as it is beyond anything I've seen in Vegas.

While in Phuket, we definitely enjyed the beach and took some cruises around the local islands and beaches. While on the beaches, I have found that it is quite common for women to go topless and I won't complain. Unfortunately, it is equally as common for old, fat European men to wear speedos. I won't go so far as to say that it is worth the trade off, but I'm dealing with it. I will say it now that the beaches and scenery that I've seen in photos is not a joke. The water is turquois, clear and warm, and the surrounding mountains and cliffs are really impressive. (Below: Elephant on Kata Beach, Phuket; Me at Monkey Beach; Alana and I at Monkey Beach)

After Phuket, we spent a couple of days near Railay, which is known around the world for its rock climbing. I let Alana enjoy and took a boat out to Poda Island. Now, they advertise that you can see monkeys here, but I was supposed to see them at Monkey Island too, so I wasn't holding my breath. I spent 3 hours on the island and the beach was awsome and not too crowded. Here are some of the things I saw:

I am now on Koh Tao, a relatively small island in the Gulf of Thailand. The island is great; very relaxed and reminds both of us of Pai with a beach. We've done some sea kayaking, exploring and a lot of lounging around! We were able to celebrate St. Patty's day in proper fasion and today we got a little adventurous, taking a hike across the island to do some snorkeling (looked for sharks but didn't have any luck--really) and some cliff jumping! While there are many great parts to this island, I'd have to say that staying beach front for less than US$60 bucks is right at the top! (tough to see me in the middle picture, but I'm jumping!)

A little observation from my time here in Thailand: there is little to no regulation. I thought the U.S. went overboard in a lot of areas and still do, but I'd have to say that for the most part it is good. Clearly, there are no real driving laws, and it is truly a miracle that more people aren't killed every year. Also, I have been on numerous piers, roads and walkways that could collapse at anytime. Below is a road on Koh Tao that has been partially patched with sandbags, further below is a light post with wires in a main business area. I can't stage this stuff.

Tomorrow we're off to Koh Pha-Ngan before heading to Koh Samui. While the islands will likely get progressively more built up, I'm sure we'll enjoy it. On a side note, my U.S. cell phone is once again working, so feel free to send me some love!

Cheers!

One Night In Bangkok

Sa-wat-dee! For those of you who don't speak Thai, that means hello. It also means that I've arrived safely in Thailand, and over the past 9 days, the country has definitely shown me some interesting things, so bare with me. My journey here began on the airplane, Thai Airlines, where the 8 1/2 hr flight was quite smooth until they served breakfast. Now most airlines would serve eggs, toast, yogurt, etc. but on this flight they served a noodle dish with a curry sauce. This was great, because I'm not the biggest fan of breakfast foods and I like spicy dishes. Well, I decided to have one of the small pieces of pepper that was on the noodles, which in hind sight was a poor decision, but after all, it was airplane food and it was for breakfast. It was hot and my mouth proceeded to be on fire for the next 5 minutes. I thought this was a great start to the day, but had no idea how hectic it would get.

Landing in Bangkok at just before 6 am, I cleared customs without a problem and was off to the hotel. The cab driver kept yapping away while I smiled and nodded, not understanding a word of his broken English. Checked into the room and was quite amused by the bathroom. I've seen some funky showers before while traveling in Europe, but this shower head was literally directed onto the toilet due to lack of space. Honestly, I couldn't even find the shower at first because it was hidden behind the door. When I took a shower, the entire bathroom flooded (a trend that has continued).

Venturing into Bangkok is like entering another world. I'll say it now, I don't like that city...at all. It is loud, it smells, it is in complete disrepair, it is in a permenant traffic jam, and is extremely polluted. To say my experience was chaotic would be an understatement. During my first morning out I was nearly hit by a half-dozen scooters while on what little sidewalk exists and quickly learned that when the little green 'walk' guy dissappears, you better be out of the road or risk being roadkill. My first experiment with street food was unsuccessful, as whatever meat I ate was awful, but this has since improved. I think the highlight of that first day was withdrawing $10,000 Baht from the ATM--I felt loaded until I remembered that its only about $280.

Things got more interesting once Alana arrived. I met her at the airport at around 1 am, and once she walked right passed not recognizing me, we went to get a cab. A woman proceeded to try to get us into an unmarked volvo with tinted windows. Now let me ask you, if its 1 am in Bangkok, would you get in? If you answered 'No' then you chose the same thing we did. No chance in you-know-what that was going to happen. We got back to the hotel, after our more-legitimate cabby stopped on the side of the highway for 5 minutes to inspect something on the car. The next morning, Alana found out how true my statements about the city were when we went out to get a train ticket. We decided to take a tuk-tuk, which I don't recommend to anyone while in Bangkok. We said we needed to go to the train station, which translates into 'I want to go meet your buddy at a make-shift tourist shop so he can sell me garbage and over charge me.' Well, this proved unsuccessful and after taking us to a place where we could actually get what we needed, we told him to take us to the Grand Palace, which translates into 'Take us to your buddy's clothing store so I can get a custom made suite for 20,000 Baht.' My Thai is bad, but I know I didn't say that! After refusing a half-dozen times, he kicked us out of the tuk-tuk! It was hysterical, and best part was we wasted an hour of his time and didn't pay him.

That afternoon we did get to see some sights, including the Grand Palace, Emerald Buddha and Reclining Buddha. However, in walking around these areas, we were told by 4 or 5 people that they were all closed until 2pm and that we should go to see 'X' now (aka, they'll take me there for only a small fee and his friend can try to sell me more crap.) All locations were open all day. I saw Bangkok, and other than a one night stay at the end of the month, I don't plan on returning.

This next photo is Bangkok from the air. Gives you an idea of the air quality.

We flew to Chaing Mai and from the moment we landed it was like a breath of fresh air (literally and figuratively). A taxi to the hotel was simple, fees did not have to be haggled for and there was to scheme going on to take my money. I liked this town from the start and it is a feeling that lasted throughout my 4 day stay. We took trips to 2 National Parks (Doi Suthep and Doi Inthanon), got to see some really nice temples (Wat), local villages, waterfalls and jungles. Very cool places, but very different from any National Park in the U.S. One story which I must repeat took place in a Hmong village. Our tour guide asked me why my arms were so hairy, which I found kind of odd, but most Thais don't have much body hair to speak of. I laughed and jokingly said "You should see the rest of me!" (and for anyone who knows me, you have an idea where this is going). Well, she looked at me in all seriousness and ask politely if I'd mind, motioning for me to lift up me shirt. With a big smile, I did and the best way to describe her reaction was shock! And to make it better, her friend had me repeat this and I drew the same face! In a foreign land, I became my own tourist attraction!

The next day I took a trip to a place that I was really looking forward to seeing: The Chaing Mai Women's Prison. That's right, the local prison. What for you may ask? A massage! That's right, I got a massage from an inmate! My criminal must have been in for some sort of physical abuse because she beat the crap out of me for 90 minutes...and I loved every second of it! It was the third massage I had gotten in the city and by far the best. On a side note, I saw a shirt in one of the stores here that read "I believe in happy endings" I think this would be funny anywhere, but seeing it in Thailand made it that much more amusing. Although, that could just be my mind in the gutter!

Now at this time I had been in the country for nearly a week and my Thai was coming along at an excruciatingly slow pace. I still had trouple getting 'hello' and 'thank you' down, but the phrase I did know was 'iced coffee.' And, it just so happens, that there is a Dunkin' Donuts in Chaing Mai! (there were two in Bangkok as well!) Unreal that they can get one in the middle of northern Thailand's jungle and they can't get one in Denver. I'm just saying.

Yesterday we took a bus to Chaing Rai, about 190 Km to the northeast and not far from the Golden Triangle (where Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar/Burma meet). The ride was easy and uneventful until we encountered a routine stop. Our bus was boarded by a police officer and identification was requested. No problem for me, but that wasn't the case for the two guys in the seats in front of us. Apparently they weren't supposed to be on there, or maybe didn't have enough money to bribe the officer, but he called for back-up, another officer boarded the bus and escorted them (initially lifting one out of his seat) off the bus. Let me tell you, if there is one place that you don't want to piss off any type of border or customs agents, Southeast Asia is probably it. I would love to post a picture here, but I didn't feel that it was the best photo opp!

Chaing Rai is much smaller and quieter than the previous two cities, and today we rented a scooter to get out of the city for a bit. Saw some awesome scenery and drove through some neat little villages. Crossing the street in front of us throughout the day were dogs, cattle and elephant--yes, that is correct. Tomorrow we're off to do some trekking in the hills and see some more sights before moving westward toward the town of Pai.

Chai Yoh!