I changed the layout of my blog obviously. I heard feedback that the white writing was a little tough to read on that background, plus I like changes. Hope that's alright.
Also, I forgot to mention in my last post- Pete and I saw The A-Team tonight at a restaurant. Many restaurants around here play movies nightly. I'm pretty sure most of them are still in theaters in the U.S. But it was pretty ridiculous to say the least. But it was nice to sit back and watch an American movie for sure. That's about as connected to the U.S. as I am right now; the A-Team.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
ko pha ngan and koh tao
greetings from yet another island! i never posted while on koh pha ngan. we were too busy...living on an island i guess...
koh pha ngan is beautiful. we rented a great bunglaw from a nice family owned resort called Wang Sai Resort. I would highly recommend it to anyone. Located at the north end of the beach on Mae Haad beach, it was a short walk from the beach. our stretch of beach was really nice. Pretty much paradise. We got massages, read on the beach, played cards at the restaurant at our resort and did a good amount of relaxing in general.
We didn't just beach bum though. We rented a motorbike and drive to the national park on the island and hiked up a pretty steep trail to hike along some waterfalls. Unfortunately, the water wasn't really falling, it was more like trickling. Maybe with more rain the water will be flowing. But it was a very sweaty hike in the jungle. Then we signed up to do some diving an snorkeling. Pete is a certified scuba diver and he was itching to do some climbing.
So the next day we met up at a dive shop called Reefers. Awesome folks there- they run a nice little dive operation. Pete did a two tank dive and I just snorkelled. He went about 30 meters and saw some pretty neat stuff. I stayed near the surface and saw some pretty spectacular stuff as well. Fish of every color of the rainbow, striped and spotted fish, huge schools of little fish, baracudas, neon colored anemonies, all sorts of cool stuff.
The culture of Koh Pha Ngan is very laid back. If you are in need of some R & R, that is the place to be. As we left, the resort owners shook our hands and bid us good luck. We both got a very good vibe from the people and the flavor of Koh Pha Ngan.
Now we're on Koh Tao which is dive central! I guess this is one of the most popular places in the world to come diving. There are so many spots to go diving that are very close to the island, so divers can take their pick. Pete will do some more 'fun' dives as their called- diving for those who are certified and more experienced, and I will do a 'discover' scuba class which is for newbies to get a taste of diving. I will do some training in the pool at the resort where we are staying in the morning and then in the afternoon we'll go out on one of the dive shops boats and do a real dive! I'm a bit nervous, but I think the pool practice will be really helpful. I think that if I can climb really high stuff and not get too spooked, I can do diving.
There is also some really sweet bouldering here on the island. Tonight we checked out a big boulder field with lots of fat boulders with lots of problem possibilities. We messed around a bit but it started to get dark and we didn't have crash pads so we didn't want to push it. 'Good Times Adventures' is the only outfit that does climbing here on Koh Tao, and they are really cool and friendly. We might do some roped climbing and we'll get all our gear from them. We'll also rent crash pads from them. They offer everything from scuba to wake boarding to climbing. Pretty cool group. But it felt great to put my climbing shoes on even for a couple hours! I've been lugging them and my harness along everywhere, and now I'm actually going to use my gear!
So the vibe on this island is a bit faster paced, more younger folks carrying backpacker packs and rockin' the knock off ray-ban sunglasses. We're surrounded by more people our age which is nice, but I think I like the pace of Koh Pha Ngan a bit more. I guess we've just off the beaten path a bit more, and here we're right in the thick of it. There are lots of shops, bars, restaurants and dive shops. But, no matter where we've been on any of the islands, the beach is only steps away and I like that. After being by the ocean for a bit now I've definitely been thinking about how wonderful lakes are! I've been spoiled growing up along the worlds largest freshwater lake system, there's a reason they're called the great lakes. So, oceans are vast and amazing, but I like the humility of lakes. I could see myself living on a lake over an ocean when I grow up.
Well, more to come as adventures on Koh Tao unfold. I'm thinking about everyone back home and I've definitely had my bouts of being homesick. I love you all and I hope things are going well! For those of you going back to school or have recently started up again, best of luck in the school year and enjoy the first few weeks of classes.
I'll try to put up pictures soon, or at least make a picasa album and share the link. I'll have a really hard time fishing through all of them to find the best. I'm a Matranga so naturally I take tons and tons of pictures. I hope I can do my family name justice.
koh pha ngan is beautiful. we rented a great bunglaw from a nice family owned resort called Wang Sai Resort. I would highly recommend it to anyone. Located at the north end of the beach on Mae Haad beach, it was a short walk from the beach. our stretch of beach was really nice. Pretty much paradise. We got massages, read on the beach, played cards at the restaurant at our resort and did a good amount of relaxing in general.
We didn't just beach bum though. We rented a motorbike and drive to the national park on the island and hiked up a pretty steep trail to hike along some waterfalls. Unfortunately, the water wasn't really falling, it was more like trickling. Maybe with more rain the water will be flowing. But it was a very sweaty hike in the jungle. Then we signed up to do some diving an snorkeling. Pete is a certified scuba diver and he was itching to do some climbing.
So the next day we met up at a dive shop called Reefers. Awesome folks there- they run a nice little dive operation. Pete did a two tank dive and I just snorkelled. He went about 30 meters and saw some pretty neat stuff. I stayed near the surface and saw some pretty spectacular stuff as well. Fish of every color of the rainbow, striped and spotted fish, huge schools of little fish, baracudas, neon colored anemonies, all sorts of cool stuff.
The culture of Koh Pha Ngan is very laid back. If you are in need of some R & R, that is the place to be. As we left, the resort owners shook our hands and bid us good luck. We both got a very good vibe from the people and the flavor of Koh Pha Ngan.
Now we're on Koh Tao which is dive central! I guess this is one of the most popular places in the world to come diving. There are so many spots to go diving that are very close to the island, so divers can take their pick. Pete will do some more 'fun' dives as their called- diving for those who are certified and more experienced, and I will do a 'discover' scuba class which is for newbies to get a taste of diving. I will do some training in the pool at the resort where we are staying in the morning and then in the afternoon we'll go out on one of the dive shops boats and do a real dive! I'm a bit nervous, but I think the pool practice will be really helpful. I think that if I can climb really high stuff and not get too spooked, I can do diving.
There is also some really sweet bouldering here on the island. Tonight we checked out a big boulder field with lots of fat boulders with lots of problem possibilities. We messed around a bit but it started to get dark and we didn't have crash pads so we didn't want to push it. 'Good Times Adventures' is the only outfit that does climbing here on Koh Tao, and they are really cool and friendly. We might do some roped climbing and we'll get all our gear from them. We'll also rent crash pads from them. They offer everything from scuba to wake boarding to climbing. Pretty cool group. But it felt great to put my climbing shoes on even for a couple hours! I've been lugging them and my harness along everywhere, and now I'm actually going to use my gear!
So the vibe on this island is a bit faster paced, more younger folks carrying backpacker packs and rockin' the knock off ray-ban sunglasses. We're surrounded by more people our age which is nice, but I think I like the pace of Koh Pha Ngan a bit more. I guess we've just off the beaten path a bit more, and here we're right in the thick of it. There are lots of shops, bars, restaurants and dive shops. But, no matter where we've been on any of the islands, the beach is only steps away and I like that. After being by the ocean for a bit now I've definitely been thinking about how wonderful lakes are! I've been spoiled growing up along the worlds largest freshwater lake system, there's a reason they're called the great lakes. So, oceans are vast and amazing, but I like the humility of lakes. I could see myself living on a lake over an ocean when I grow up.
Well, more to come as adventures on Koh Tao unfold. I'm thinking about everyone back home and I've definitely had my bouts of being homesick. I love you all and I hope things are going well! For those of you going back to school or have recently started up again, best of luck in the school year and enjoy the first few weeks of classes.
I'll try to put up pictures soon, or at least make a picasa album and share the link. I'll have a really hard time fishing through all of them to find the best. I'm a Matranga so naturally I take tons and tons of pictures. I hope I can do my family name justice.
Friday, August 27, 2010
ko samui
Ahh the island life. So easy and slow. We got to Ko Samui, Thailand yesterday afternoon around 5:30pm and settled into a cheapie guesthouse right here on the ocean. We're on the northeastern side of the island, on a stretch of beach called North Chaweng. Cambodia was awe inspiring for the temples, and the islands are jaw dropping for their beauty. It's also nice to look out onto some terrain along with the ocean- Siem Reap, Cambodia is pretty flat!
So today we beach bummed. I got a little too much sun, I clearly did not apply enough SPF. Pete and I wandered the beach a little for some dinner and watched some Thai folk play some serious beach volleyball. The beach feels a little quiet compared to what I think it would be like in the high season. Right now it is the low season so the beaches and hotels aren't as crowded which is really nice. Prices are reduced which is also a plus. There are a lot more farangs here than in Cambodia- I've heard a lot of different languages while strolling in the shallow waters and laying up by our guesthouse. Just some things I'm noticin'.
I got my first Thai massage today! Quite a nice experience. Not just the typical kneading of the hands into your back, but leg lifting, back cracking and stretching mixed in with standard massage stuff. It felt great! It also feels great to pay a tenth of what something like that costs in the United States. Can't complain!
So, not a ton to report today since we mainly just relaxed and put good dents into the books we're reading. I'm reading 'Little Bee' by Chris Cleave, and Pete is reading 'The Road' by Cormac McCarthy. We've both realized our books are pretty depressing but also really good. I guess reading a sad book while on an island in Thailand is better than reading it on a gloomy winter day in the Midwest. No hard feelings everyone! You know I love the Midwest.
More on island happenings to come. Tomorrow we venture to Ko Pha Ngan, the middle island in the chain here in the Gulf Of Thailand.
So today we beach bummed. I got a little too much sun, I clearly did not apply enough SPF. Pete and I wandered the beach a little for some dinner and watched some Thai folk play some serious beach volleyball. The beach feels a little quiet compared to what I think it would be like in the high season. Right now it is the low season so the beaches and hotels aren't as crowded which is really nice. Prices are reduced which is also a plus. There are a lot more farangs here than in Cambodia- I've heard a lot of different languages while strolling in the shallow waters and laying up by our guesthouse. Just some things I'm noticin'.
I got my first Thai massage today! Quite a nice experience. Not just the typical kneading of the hands into your back, but leg lifting, back cracking and stretching mixed in with standard massage stuff. It felt great! It also feels great to pay a tenth of what something like that costs in the United States. Can't complain!
So, not a ton to report today since we mainly just relaxed and put good dents into the books we're reading. I'm reading 'Little Bee' by Chris Cleave, and Pete is reading 'The Road' by Cormac McCarthy. We've both realized our books are pretty depressing but also really good. I guess reading a sad book while on an island in Thailand is better than reading it on a gloomy winter day in the Midwest. No hard feelings everyone! You know I love the Midwest.
More on island happenings to come. Tomorrow we venture to Ko Pha Ngan, the middle island in the chain here in the Gulf Of Thailand.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
last morning in cambodia
Today is our last morning in Cambodia. It has been a pretty quick tour. I've liked it though, it's been a great eye opener. The town of Siem Reap thrives on the tourist industry. I couldn't give you an exact number, but it seems like almost everyone is a tuk tuk driver, waiter at a restaurant that caters to westerners, a vendor in one of the market stalls,and also leads personalized tours of the temple ruins. Bargaining over prices is everyday standard practice here, except for a meal in a sit-down restaurant. I have to admit, I haven't eaten much "street food"yet, but maybe that's more popular in Thailand. Here, the more common street vendors I've seen sell some sort of shells in a large basket and I'm not quite sure of what they are, and corn on the cob. Very few noodle vendor carts.
Anyhow, yesterday and the day before we did some serious ruin-ing. Touring ruins can be a 9-5 job! Yesterday we rented bicycles to cruise around the ruins which was an awesome way to go. Got some exercise, went at our own pace, and got to be a part of the local commute. It can be a little scary if you're not comfortable on a bike. City traffic in the states can be scarier sometimes! Here, bikes and motorbikes outnumber cars by a lare margin. We saw more of Angkor Wat which is most famous for its four large temples with one temple in the middle symbolizing Mt. Meru, the center and creator of the universe, as well as its well preserved bas reliefs. For a long time these bas reliefs were exposed to the elements, but in the 70s and 80s preseravationists rebuilt the arches, pillars and roof that protect the carvings. The carvings depict epic battle scenes between gods and demons, Shiva, Ganesh, Vishnu, scenes from the Ramayana and countless other tales. Our favorite was "The Churning of the Sea of Milk"which depicts gods and demons pulling at the tail and head end of a serpent that churns the Sea of Milk, which produces the elixir of immortality. Ah the age old battle over immortality. Pretty timeless, even J.K. Rowlings uses that theme in her first Harry Potter novel. But I digress...
Seeing the ruins has been pretty amazing. There is just so much to take in! To get some sustenance you are able to each lunch basically on site. At every stop there are vendors selling the classic Angkor Wat t-shirts (I bought one...) and little restaurants. As soon as you enter or exit a site, you will hear a young woman call out to you "You want something to eat? You eat lunch here!" We were sold on a little girl and she walked us to her table. Her name was Bo and she was eleven years old. She asked if we rode bikes and we replied yes. I asked if she rides and bike and she said yes, everday to go to school. I took a picture with her, I'll try to post it later some time. She was very sweet.
We toured Angkor Thom yesterday along with some other smaller ruins by tuk tuk. Angkor Thom is a massive temple site, and house over a million people in its hey day. My favorite part of that temple complex was the Bayon Temple, which has hundreds of faces- gods and the image of the bodhisattvha staring at you from all directions. The expression that finds you around every turn is an ambivalent, omniscient, and omnipotent smile. Somewhat scary, somewhat genuine, but you are never away from its gaze. the symbolism behind this described in the guidebooks is that this was the ever present eye of the king-always watching everything that went on in his kingdom. Pretty neat.
Last night we made it a point to visit the night market. It is also massive. Anything you could want in terms of tourist goods. Paintings and drawings of the ruins, Khmer pants, Angkor Wat t-shirts, jewelry, handbags, and rows beyond rows of scarves. We haggled a little on some items and man is it exhausting. I make a special price for you.
We ended the night with a late dinner of Cambodian BBQ. Super tasty! It is cooked on what looks like an upside down collander except there aren't holes all the way from the bottom to the top. There are holes from the top and halfway down (sorry I didn't have my camera out last night...) and then a trough around the bottom. This contraption sits on a gas burner. The waiter then pours water from a kettle into the trough to heat up this bbq grill. The dish comes with four different meats- we went with the basics of chicken, fish, beef, and...oh my lord its escaping me now. But, you can order snake, ostrich, kangaroo and crocodile. No thanks to those options. But it was really delicious. The water turns to broth while the meat is cooked over the bbq with the addition of lettuce, noodles, carrots and some other greens. The whole dish is served with rice of course, and it was a tasty little meal.
Today we fly to Ko Samui, the southernmost island in the chain of islands in the Gulf of Thailand. We want to stop onto all of the islands- Ko Samui, then Koh Phangan, and Ko Tao. There is great diving and bouldering on and around these islands, and of course wonderful beaches. Hooray!
So goodbye Siem Reap, Cambodia and hello Southern Thailand. Last night the moon looked near full and we realized it will be a full moon while were on the islands. Oh boy.
Anyhow, yesterday and the day before we did some serious ruin-ing. Touring ruins can be a 9-5 job! Yesterday we rented bicycles to cruise around the ruins which was an awesome way to go. Got some exercise, went at our own pace, and got to be a part of the local commute. It can be a little scary if you're not comfortable on a bike. City traffic in the states can be scarier sometimes! Here, bikes and motorbikes outnumber cars by a lare margin. We saw more of Angkor Wat which is most famous for its four large temples with one temple in the middle symbolizing Mt. Meru, the center and creator of the universe, as well as its well preserved bas reliefs. For a long time these bas reliefs were exposed to the elements, but in the 70s and 80s preseravationists rebuilt the arches, pillars and roof that protect the carvings. The carvings depict epic battle scenes between gods and demons, Shiva, Ganesh, Vishnu, scenes from the Ramayana and countless other tales. Our favorite was "The Churning of the Sea of Milk"which depicts gods and demons pulling at the tail and head end of a serpent that churns the Sea of Milk, which produces the elixir of immortality. Ah the age old battle over immortality. Pretty timeless, even J.K. Rowlings uses that theme in her first Harry Potter novel. But I digress...
Seeing the ruins has been pretty amazing. There is just so much to take in! To get some sustenance you are able to each lunch basically on site. At every stop there are vendors selling the classic Angkor Wat t-shirts (I bought one...) and little restaurants. As soon as you enter or exit a site, you will hear a young woman call out to you "You want something to eat? You eat lunch here!" We were sold on a little girl and she walked us to her table. Her name was Bo and she was eleven years old. She asked if we rode bikes and we replied yes. I asked if she rides and bike and she said yes, everday to go to school. I took a picture with her, I'll try to post it later some time. She was very sweet.
We toured Angkor Thom yesterday along with some other smaller ruins by tuk tuk. Angkor Thom is a massive temple site, and house over a million people in its hey day. My favorite part of that temple complex was the Bayon Temple, which has hundreds of faces- gods and the image of the bodhisattvha staring at you from all directions. The expression that finds you around every turn is an ambivalent, omniscient, and omnipotent smile. Somewhat scary, somewhat genuine, but you are never away from its gaze. the symbolism behind this described in the guidebooks is that this was the ever present eye of the king-always watching everything that went on in his kingdom. Pretty neat.
Last night we made it a point to visit the night market. It is also massive. Anything you could want in terms of tourist goods. Paintings and drawings of the ruins, Khmer pants, Angkor Wat t-shirts, jewelry, handbags, and rows beyond rows of scarves. We haggled a little on some items and man is it exhausting. I make a special price for you.
We ended the night with a late dinner of Cambodian BBQ. Super tasty! It is cooked on what looks like an upside down collander except there aren't holes all the way from the bottom to the top. There are holes from the top and halfway down (sorry I didn't have my camera out last night...) and then a trough around the bottom. This contraption sits on a gas burner. The waiter then pours water from a kettle into the trough to heat up this bbq grill. The dish comes with four different meats- we went with the basics of chicken, fish, beef, and...oh my lord its escaping me now. But, you can order snake, ostrich, kangaroo and crocodile. No thanks to those options. But it was really delicious. The water turns to broth while the meat is cooked over the bbq with the addition of lettuce, noodles, carrots and some other greens. The whole dish is served with rice of course, and it was a tasty little meal.
Today we fly to Ko Samui, the southernmost island in the chain of islands in the Gulf of Thailand. We want to stop onto all of the islands- Ko Samui, then Koh Phangan, and Ko Tao. There is great diving and bouldering on and around these islands, and of course wonderful beaches. Hooray!
So goodbye Siem Reap, Cambodia and hello Southern Thailand. Last night the moon looked near full and we realized it will be a full moon while were on the islands. Oh boy.
Monday, August 23, 2010
three days, three planes
Hi Friends!
I'm writing from Cambodia tonight! Got into Bangkok on Sunday August 22nd, and it's now Tuesday at 7:15pm. I've been on three planes in three days to get here. Not bad! Petey and I arrived in Cambodia around 1pm today and shortly there after arrived in the Old French Quarter of Siem Reap, the main downtown area. We walked around, got some food and a 2 dollar carafe of beer (i'm missing all the delicious craft beers already! ) and stopped at a market to get some fruit. Waiting around for a Cambodian lady to ask you what you want is not the way to do it in those markets. Point at what you want and ask how much. We got some apples, pears, and what we thougth were lychees but the woman told us soemthing different. Then we took a tuk tuk ride to the ruins of Angkor Wat for ""sunset". It's pretty overcast here right now so we saw no sunset! It's actually raining at the moment- but the cool air feels nice. We only walked around the main temple Angkor Wat- for about 2 hours. The ruins are so immense, it's hard to know where to start. Pete and I just marvelled at how everything was constructed, how much time it took to engrave every detail of Shiva on every wall, to chisel the ornate decorations, to landscape everything, and how to manage when the monsoons came. My favorite part of our short trip was visiting an area off to the side of the ruins where monks currently live and study. It was very interesting to see how the past meets the present day and how presence of the ruins affects the daily lives of those who live and study there. The smell of incense was ever present, and I liked that.
Our guesthouse sits along a busy alley off of the main road in town. Some things I noticed and smiled at right away- you must leave your shoes at the front and salamanders count as roommates. We also get to watch dvds for free as every room has a dvd player! Pretty swank I know. We're pretty wiped, the jet lag might be catching up with us, so we'll have a relaxing evening in our guesthouse. Our tuk tuk driver was really trying to sell us on Traditional Cambodian dancing with a big meal, but seeing as how I was beginning to doze just on the 20 minute ride home from the ruins, we had to pass. Maybe next time friend.
I'm writing from Cambodia tonight! Got into Bangkok on Sunday August 22nd, and it's now Tuesday at 7:15pm. I've been on three planes in three days to get here. Not bad! Petey and I arrived in Cambodia around 1pm today and shortly there after arrived in the Old French Quarter of Siem Reap, the main downtown area. We walked around, got some food and a 2 dollar carafe of beer (i'm missing all the delicious craft beers already! ) and stopped at a market to get some fruit. Waiting around for a Cambodian lady to ask you what you want is not the way to do it in those markets. Point at what you want and ask how much. We got some apples, pears, and what we thougth were lychees but the woman told us soemthing different. Then we took a tuk tuk ride to the ruins of Angkor Wat for ""sunset". It's pretty overcast here right now so we saw no sunset! It's actually raining at the moment- but the cool air feels nice. We only walked around the main temple Angkor Wat- for about 2 hours. The ruins are so immense, it's hard to know where to start. Pete and I just marvelled at how everything was constructed, how much time it took to engrave every detail of Shiva on every wall, to chisel the ornate decorations, to landscape everything, and how to manage when the monsoons came. My favorite part of our short trip was visiting an area off to the side of the ruins where monks currently live and study. It was very interesting to see how the past meets the present day and how presence of the ruins affects the daily lives of those who live and study there. The smell of incense was ever present, and I liked that.
Our guesthouse sits along a busy alley off of the main road in town. Some things I noticed and smiled at right away- you must leave your shoes at the front and salamanders count as roommates. We also get to watch dvds for free as every room has a dvd player! Pretty swank I know. We're pretty wiped, the jet lag might be catching up with us, so we'll have a relaxing evening in our guesthouse. Our tuk tuk driver was really trying to sell us on Traditional Cambodian dancing with a big meal, but seeing as how I was beginning to doze just on the 20 minute ride home from the ruins, we had to pass. Maybe next time friend.
Monday, August 16, 2010
Goodbye Wisconsin...
Well, I've left Wisconsin and returned home to Oak Park, Illinois. This is where my adventure of packing for a year in Thailand begins. It should be pretty interesting considering I'll be living out of a pack for about 2 months while traveling to Cambodia and Southern Thailand with brother Peter and then living on a farm in Chiang Mai, in the Northern part of Thailand near the Thai/Burma border.
It was sad saying goodbye to friends in Milwaukee, but I guess that means I've got a lot of love in my heart for those I care about. I'll miss the pleasantries and ease with which living at home and being in a familiar setting brings, but a crazy adventure is something I can't miss out on!
I also just cancelled my membership for my climbing gym, Adventure Rock, and was given well wishes. Such a great group of people there doing great things. I'll miss all the homies at the gym.
Now, to pick up my visa from the Thai Consulate and some last minute medication to help prevent Japanese Encephalitis. Oh boy!
It was sad saying goodbye to friends in Milwaukee, but I guess that means I've got a lot of love in my heart for those I care about. I'll miss the pleasantries and ease with which living at home and being in a familiar setting brings, but a crazy adventure is something I can't miss out on!
I also just cancelled my membership for my climbing gym, Adventure Rock, and was given well wishes. Such a great group of people there doing great things. I'll miss all the homies at the gym.
Now, to pick up my visa from the Thai Consulate and some last minute medication to help prevent Japanese Encephalitis. Oh boy!
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