I'm heading out this morning to go to the farm where I'll be WWOOFing and I just wanted to put up a last post before I go. I'll be gone for about two weeks, and back to hangout in Chiang Mai around the 1st of October. I'll be living and working on a farm called Amee Doyer's Organic Farm in Ban Lo Pahan, Thailand. First I have to get from Chiang Mai to Chiang Dao which will be about 2 hours. Or so I hear. Once I'm in Chiang Dao it's another 30 minutes or so to Ban Lo Pahan. We'll see how getting there goes! Once I'm back I'll be in touch. I don't think I'll have much access to internet while I'm on the farm. So if you try to email me or get in touch and I don't respond, that's why!
Until next time!
Thursday, September 16, 2010
12 hours to chiang mai
I had a really nice post going, and then I accidentally deleted it. Yarr!
So, let me try to recreate.
I took the train from Bangkok to Chiang Mai in typical Gina fashion. I did not have a ticket upon arriving at the station. All those trips from Chicago to Milwaukee and vice versa on the Hiawatha when I would arrive just in the nick of time has given me a false sense of security. But unlike Gina fashion, I arrived very early for this train- about 2 hours early! I would have bought a ticket the evening before through my guesthouse, but I got home too late from my excursions. I was at the Siam Discovery Museum and I got back to my guesthouse too late. The Siam Discovery Museum is actually very cool. It's all about what it means to be Thai, Thai culture past and present, and the evolution of their people, country, and culture. I like museums, and growing up at the Field, I'll always have a soft spot for places like this.
But, the train worked out fine- I was taking a day train to Chiang Mai in the middle of the week, so I was reassured by the lady at my guesthouse that I would be fine. Thais don't want to take the 12 hour trip in the middle of the week because it will take away their workday, and most people want to take the night train so they don't loose a whole day of traveling. I'm not on such a time crunch, and besides, at this point I've taken a handful of night boats/flights/bus rides and you don't really sleep so well on those, so a day trip sounded kind of nice. I got to see the beautiful countryside once you get out of Bangkok. So it was good thing I slept most of the morning and missed the missable sights, and was awake for the beautiful countryside and jungle sites. At some points in the trip, I really did pass through dense jungle and over jungle rivers. Very cool. I really like train trips.
I got settled into a guesthouse around 10pm and then got some dinner. Afterwards, I walked over to a bar where the band was playing Bob Marley songs. Would you be surprised if I told you the name of the bar is 'Roots Rock Reggae' and on the wall behind the band is painted 'Chiang Maica'. Pretty nice vibe there.
Today was for exploring, and just walking around Chiang Mai. I will only be here on this part of the trip for a day because tomorrow I head up to the far I'll be WWOOFing on. After 2 weeks there I'll be back to hangout and take in some more of Chiang Mai. But today, I really just went where I felt like and got my feet wet.
Right off the bat I like Chiang Mai a lot, and definitely a lot more than Bangkok! Petey told me that Chiang Mai has a Boulder, CO feel, and if ever there is a place to give you this feeling- it is a little restaurant called the Free Bird Cafe. The Free Bird Cafe supports the Thai Freedom House which is a language and arts community center for Hill Tribe people and Burmese Refugees. http://www.thaifreedomhouse.org/ if you're interested in their work. There is a second-hand clothing shop, or 'previously loved' as it is labeled, and they also sell locally made soaps and lotions, as well as beautiful handmade cards by the children of the freedom house. The restaraunt serves tasty juices and smoothies, great food and choices of western breakfast or thai food, and coffee from the surrounding hillside. Very Boulder indeed. I bought some cards and orange shower gel, which I'm sure is bound to smell better than the strange soap I bought in the 7-11 with a picture of a parrot on the wrapper.
My first real goal of the day was to get in touch with Alea, the Thai gentleman who runs the farm. I'd been having an interesting time getting in touch with the guy who is the WWOOF contact and so I next turned to getting in touch with the actual farm. While I was having breakfast I was able to reach Alea on the farm, and hooray- I can arrive tomorrow!. He says it will be easy, I think otherwise. The directions sound ridiculous, but I have a cell phone, so I'm not worried!
Then, I wanted to check out the Chiang Mai Rock Climbing Association (CMRCA) and see what they were all about. Being a climber, I was very eager to connect with other climbers because when you're with climbers, you're suddenly at home. I was also just really eager to do a little climbing in my short time in Chiang Mai, and they have a nice bouldering wall at their shop. So, set on finding my own way their- not hiring a tuk tuk driver- only using my guidebook maps, I head out. After 15 minutes of walking, I found it! One reason I immediately liked Chiang Mai so much is that's it's pretty easy to navigate, and it's not su bustling. In Bangkok, as soon as you whip out a map or a guidebook, you are swarmed with tuk tuk drivers asking you if you need a tuk tuk, and the noise of the city makes it so hard to concentrate you can hardly figure out which was is North.
I chatted with the folks there and asked about their trips to Crazy Horse Buttress, a beautiful climbing area about 45 minutes East of the city. When I get back to Chiang Mai after my farm time, I will certainly be signing up to climbing with them to Crazy Horse. From what I've read, seen, and heard of the area it just sounds awesome. And the people at CMRCA are so friendly, one guy even wrote down some words in Thai for me to show the bus drivers where I need to go to get to the farm! It was nice to do a little bouldering and work those muslces. My climbing has been kind of on and off on this trip but that's ok. I also made some friends in the process, and afterwards we went out to dinner and had some fantastic Mango Curry. Food up here is definitely delicious.
Alongside these two events, a great portion of the day was spent in the bookshops. Chiang Mai has a good reputation for used bookshops which was really exciting to hear. Pretty good selection for really cheap prices. I think I stopped in 3 or 4 bookshops today! I was looking for another book to take along to the farm. I'm almost done with the hobbit, so I'll need something else! I picked up a big fat novel called 'East of the Sun' which should be good. It's long so it will last me a while!
But the day has been wonderful. A little rain in the morning, a little in the evening and some good times in between. It was really nice to have a few goals for the day and accomplish them. Get in touch with the farm- check. Find climbing gym and climb if possible- check. Go to a bookstore for another book- check. Plus the added bonus of making friends and sharing a meal makes for a great day.
I'm really excited to spend some real time here. It's definitely my pace.
I will be out of touch for the two weeks I'm on the farm I'm pretty sure, so I'll have lots to share when I return!
So, let me try to recreate.
I took the train from Bangkok to Chiang Mai in typical Gina fashion. I did not have a ticket upon arriving at the station. All those trips from Chicago to Milwaukee and vice versa on the Hiawatha when I would arrive just in the nick of time has given me a false sense of security. But unlike Gina fashion, I arrived very early for this train- about 2 hours early! I would have bought a ticket the evening before through my guesthouse, but I got home too late from my excursions. I was at the Siam Discovery Museum and I got back to my guesthouse too late. The Siam Discovery Museum is actually very cool. It's all about what it means to be Thai, Thai culture past and present, and the evolution of their people, country, and culture. I like museums, and growing up at the Field, I'll always have a soft spot for places like this.
But, the train worked out fine- I was taking a day train to Chiang Mai in the middle of the week, so I was reassured by the lady at my guesthouse that I would be fine. Thais don't want to take the 12 hour trip in the middle of the week because it will take away their workday, and most people want to take the night train so they don't loose a whole day of traveling. I'm not on such a time crunch, and besides, at this point I've taken a handful of night boats/flights/bus rides and you don't really sleep so well on those, so a day trip sounded kind of nice. I got to see the beautiful countryside once you get out of Bangkok. So it was good thing I slept most of the morning and missed the missable sights, and was awake for the beautiful countryside and jungle sites. At some points in the trip, I really did pass through dense jungle and over jungle rivers. Very cool. I really like train trips.
I got settled into a guesthouse around 10pm and then got some dinner. Afterwards, I walked over to a bar where the band was playing Bob Marley songs. Would you be surprised if I told you the name of the bar is 'Roots Rock Reggae' and on the wall behind the band is painted 'Chiang Maica'. Pretty nice vibe there.
Today was for exploring, and just walking around Chiang Mai. I will only be here on this part of the trip for a day because tomorrow I head up to the far I'll be WWOOFing on. After 2 weeks there I'll be back to hangout and take in some more of Chiang Mai. But today, I really just went where I felt like and got my feet wet.
Right off the bat I like Chiang Mai a lot, and definitely a lot more than Bangkok! Petey told me that Chiang Mai has a Boulder, CO feel, and if ever there is a place to give you this feeling- it is a little restaurant called the Free Bird Cafe. The Free Bird Cafe supports the Thai Freedom House which is a language and arts community center for Hill Tribe people and Burmese Refugees. http://www.thaifreedomhouse.org/ if you're interested in their work. There is a second-hand clothing shop, or 'previously loved' as it is labeled, and they also sell locally made soaps and lotions, as well as beautiful handmade cards by the children of the freedom house. The restaraunt serves tasty juices and smoothies, great food and choices of western breakfast or thai food, and coffee from the surrounding hillside. Very Boulder indeed. I bought some cards and orange shower gel, which I'm sure is bound to smell better than the strange soap I bought in the 7-11 with a picture of a parrot on the wrapper.
My first real goal of the day was to get in touch with Alea, the Thai gentleman who runs the farm. I'd been having an interesting time getting in touch with the guy who is the WWOOF contact and so I next turned to getting in touch with the actual farm. While I was having breakfast I was able to reach Alea on the farm, and hooray- I can arrive tomorrow!. He says it will be easy, I think otherwise. The directions sound ridiculous, but I have a cell phone, so I'm not worried!
Then, I wanted to check out the Chiang Mai Rock Climbing Association (CMRCA) and see what they were all about. Being a climber, I was very eager to connect with other climbers because when you're with climbers, you're suddenly at home. I was also just really eager to do a little climbing in my short time in Chiang Mai, and they have a nice bouldering wall at their shop. So, set on finding my own way their- not hiring a tuk tuk driver- only using my guidebook maps, I head out. After 15 minutes of walking, I found it! One reason I immediately liked Chiang Mai so much is that's it's pretty easy to navigate, and it's not su bustling. In Bangkok, as soon as you whip out a map or a guidebook, you are swarmed with tuk tuk drivers asking you if you need a tuk tuk, and the noise of the city makes it so hard to concentrate you can hardly figure out which was is North.
I chatted with the folks there and asked about their trips to Crazy Horse Buttress, a beautiful climbing area about 45 minutes East of the city. When I get back to Chiang Mai after my farm time, I will certainly be signing up to climbing with them to Crazy Horse. From what I've read, seen, and heard of the area it just sounds awesome. And the people at CMRCA are so friendly, one guy even wrote down some words in Thai for me to show the bus drivers where I need to go to get to the farm! It was nice to do a little bouldering and work those muslces. My climbing has been kind of on and off on this trip but that's ok. I also made some friends in the process, and afterwards we went out to dinner and had some fantastic Mango Curry. Food up here is definitely delicious.
Alongside these two events, a great portion of the day was spent in the bookshops. Chiang Mai has a good reputation for used bookshops which was really exciting to hear. Pretty good selection for really cheap prices. I think I stopped in 3 or 4 bookshops today! I was looking for another book to take along to the farm. I'm almost done with the hobbit, so I'll need something else! I picked up a big fat novel called 'East of the Sun' which should be good. It's long so it will last me a while!
But the day has been wonderful. A little rain in the morning, a little in the evening and some good times in between. It was really nice to have a few goals for the day and accomplish them. Get in touch with the farm- check. Find climbing gym and climb if possible- check. Go to a bookstore for another book- check. Plus the added bonus of making friends and sharing a meal makes for a great day.
I'm really excited to spend some real time here. It's definitely my pace.
I will be out of touch for the two weeks I'm on the farm I'm pretty sure, so I'll have lots to share when I return!
Monday, September 13, 2010
new picture!
This picture was taken on our ride back to town in Siem Reap, Cambodia. We had had a long day of riding our bikes to various ruins of Angkor Wat. It was really fun to ride bikes. We stopped to drink some water and take in the views of this rice paddy.
Bangkok 2
I've been in Bangkok for about 5 days now and I hate to say it, but it hasn't been the most enjoyable part of the journey. Mainly because for the past few days I've been feeling so terribly sick. But, a doctors trip and blood test proved Malaria is negative so that is good. I've already been feeling better today, but yesterday was awful.
So let's see, the things I have done while I've been in Bangkok. Saw more temples.
Me and Pete went to Wat Pho which the home of the reclining buddha and the birthplace of Thai massage. There is a school for thai massage there. We really enjoyed it there. I felt very calm and at ease sitting there in front of a large golden Buddha in one of the temples. It was quiet, and not too many visitors. At one point a school group of about 45 kids probably around 8 years old filed in a put their hands together and bent down to the floor three times, and is typical prayer fashion. I was able to think and reflect on what we had done, and what was ahead for me there, I really liked that.
Then we walked over to a different temple building that houses the famous reclining Buddha that is representative of the Buddha entering Nirvana. Very cool, even though it is very busy, it's still a sight to see.
Then it was time for me to receive a phone call from my friend Tar at AYC on the status of when my paperwork would be ready to take on a border trip to apply for a new visa- I was in luck- it will be ready on Tuesday, September 14th so that I can make my next trip to Chiang Mai, spend a few weeks there touring and working on the farm I'd planned to work on and then from there take a trip to Laos to spend a few days for the visa. If all goes well this is the plan.
At that point though, around 5pm when we were sitting at the edge of the temple complex, the clock was nearly striking midnight and me and Pete's adventures in Thailand together would come to a close. His flight was due to leave at 11pm that night, so we only had time for one more meal together and a few beers at my guesthouse.
Then, as quick as it all started, his taxi came and he was off to the airport. I was alone in Bangkok, oh my goodness. Of course I cried, I didn't know what else to do! But after a while, I was alright. I knew this time was going to come, so I was a little prepared for it.
Since then, I have done some adventuring by myself until I was too sick to manage wandering around. So the next day I walked around to some other temples and took in the sights. It was the Queen's Birthday, so there were garlands everywhere and many people at the temples. Then I ventured to Khao San Road, which is a pretty famous backpacker stop and home to a very lively night market. The street is closed off to traffic, only pedestrians- and everyone is out and about. Music is blaring from the bars and restaurants, all sorts of vendors are out selling everything from fruit shakes to sneakers, and it can be a bit overwhelming. I did a little research though, and found out there are some bookstores on Khao San Road, amidst the chaos. I was desperately looking for a fiction book to keep me busy. I really enjoy my book about getting kids into nature and how important nature is for our development and sanity- but it's just not cutting it right now!
So of course I spent my time in the little book stalls. I found a paperback version of the hobbit for a few bucks and I was sold. Me and Peter had just been talking about that book, so I figured I had to get it. And I'm enjoying it thoroughly so far!
The next day I took the express boat down to the Grand Palace where the Jade Buddha sits. The Grand Palace is home to many museums and collections, as well as private buildings that are for government use only. I think at one point the King used to live within the Grand Palace complex, but now he lives more north of the Grand Palace. The parts that are open to the public are the temple with the Emerald Buddha (which is actually Jade, but the legend goes that when it was first discovered it was thought to be Emerald), the large gold chedi, and the extensive murals of the Ramayana. There are other smaller temples within the complex, such as a royal masoleum, but many of these temples are not open to walk through. That was a little disappointing. The Jade Buddha is smaller than most buddha statues and smaller than you might expect, but it is still rather impressive. The temple sees a lot of traffic, so it wasn't as quiet as other temples, but it is known as one of the holiest places in Bangkok. I sat for quite a while just to be still and think, and that was nice.
It's amazing that in such a frenetic city, great solitude and quiet can be found inside the temple walls. Even in the busiest parts of town, once you step into a temple, the noise and chaos seems to melt away. It's so comforting to have that kind of quiet of mind and spirit. Because no matter where else you are in Bangkok, there is always a lot of noise and people everywhere.
That pretty much brings me up to date. I was going to go to the popular Chatuchak or "JJ" market on Sunday because it's only a weekend market, but that's when my troubles began. I had just made a friend, a French woman, and we planned to make our way there together, and then the next morning I had to back out. I was pretty bummed.
But tomorrow I meet with Tar at AYC again and hopefully collect my papers for my visa. Then we'll see what the afternoon brings, if I feel like getting out and about much. Then I leave Wednesday morning for Chiang Mai via train.
So let's see, the things I have done while I've been in Bangkok. Saw more temples.
Me and Pete went to Wat Pho which the home of the reclining buddha and the birthplace of Thai massage. There is a school for thai massage there. We really enjoyed it there. I felt very calm and at ease sitting there in front of a large golden Buddha in one of the temples. It was quiet, and not too many visitors. At one point a school group of about 45 kids probably around 8 years old filed in a put their hands together and bent down to the floor three times, and is typical prayer fashion. I was able to think and reflect on what we had done, and what was ahead for me there, I really liked that.
Then we walked over to a different temple building that houses the famous reclining Buddha that is representative of the Buddha entering Nirvana. Very cool, even though it is very busy, it's still a sight to see.
Then it was time for me to receive a phone call from my friend Tar at AYC on the status of when my paperwork would be ready to take on a border trip to apply for a new visa- I was in luck- it will be ready on Tuesday, September 14th so that I can make my next trip to Chiang Mai, spend a few weeks there touring and working on the farm I'd planned to work on and then from there take a trip to Laos to spend a few days for the visa. If all goes well this is the plan.
At that point though, around 5pm when we were sitting at the edge of the temple complex, the clock was nearly striking midnight and me and Pete's adventures in Thailand together would come to a close. His flight was due to leave at 11pm that night, so we only had time for one more meal together and a few beers at my guesthouse.
Then, as quick as it all started, his taxi came and he was off to the airport. I was alone in Bangkok, oh my goodness. Of course I cried, I didn't know what else to do! But after a while, I was alright. I knew this time was going to come, so I was a little prepared for it.
Since then, I have done some adventuring by myself until I was too sick to manage wandering around. So the next day I walked around to some other temples and took in the sights. It was the Queen's Birthday, so there were garlands everywhere and many people at the temples. Then I ventured to Khao San Road, which is a pretty famous backpacker stop and home to a very lively night market. The street is closed off to traffic, only pedestrians- and everyone is out and about. Music is blaring from the bars and restaurants, all sorts of vendors are out selling everything from fruit shakes to sneakers, and it can be a bit overwhelming. I did a little research though, and found out there are some bookstores on Khao San Road, amidst the chaos. I was desperately looking for a fiction book to keep me busy. I really enjoy my book about getting kids into nature and how important nature is for our development and sanity- but it's just not cutting it right now!
So of course I spent my time in the little book stalls. I found a paperback version of the hobbit for a few bucks and I was sold. Me and Peter had just been talking about that book, so I figured I had to get it. And I'm enjoying it thoroughly so far!
The next day I took the express boat down to the Grand Palace where the Jade Buddha sits. The Grand Palace is home to many museums and collections, as well as private buildings that are for government use only. I think at one point the King used to live within the Grand Palace complex, but now he lives more north of the Grand Palace. The parts that are open to the public are the temple with the Emerald Buddha (which is actually Jade, but the legend goes that when it was first discovered it was thought to be Emerald), the large gold chedi, and the extensive murals of the Ramayana. There are other smaller temples within the complex, such as a royal masoleum, but many of these temples are not open to walk through. That was a little disappointing. The Jade Buddha is smaller than most buddha statues and smaller than you might expect, but it is still rather impressive. The temple sees a lot of traffic, so it wasn't as quiet as other temples, but it is known as one of the holiest places in Bangkok. I sat for quite a while just to be still and think, and that was nice.
It's amazing that in such a frenetic city, great solitude and quiet can be found inside the temple walls. Even in the busiest parts of town, once you step into a temple, the noise and chaos seems to melt away. It's so comforting to have that kind of quiet of mind and spirit. Because no matter where else you are in Bangkok, there is always a lot of noise and people everywhere.
That pretty much brings me up to date. I was going to go to the popular Chatuchak or "JJ" market on Sunday because it's only a weekend market, but that's when my troubles began. I had just made a friend, a French woman, and we planned to make our way there together, and then the next morning I had to back out. I was pretty bummed.
But tomorrow I meet with Tar at AYC again and hopefully collect my papers for my visa. Then we'll see what the afternoon brings, if I feel like getting out and about much. Then I leave Wednesday morning for Chiang Mai via train.
Bangkok Furious
**This is a really long post! Get a snack and a beverage before you sit down to read it.
After Peter and I left Tonsai beach, we took a long night bus ride from Krabi to Bangkok. We arrived in Bangkok at 5:30 in the morning and then finally made it to a guesthouse at 7:30. We crashed immediately and took good power naps. Then, it was off to the AYC office to meet with Tar- my new friend who I've exchanged nearly 50 emails with since May. AYC is the name of the organization I am teaching English with. It was really nice to put a name to a face and thank her personally for all the hardwork and time she has dedicated to me.
But first, a little story.
I was riding home from a frisbee tournament with a few folks, one of them being my former roommate and good frisbee gal pal Beth Tau. The carload of us somehow got on the subject of those silly "Tokyo Drift" movies. We knew there was a series of them, but we couldn't remember all their names, so we began brainstorming. I shouted out Bangkok Fury, and we all laughed our butts off because it really was not one of the titles of the movies, but it sure as heck could have been.
And now, in Bangkok, the title could not be more fitting for the way this city moves. Bangkok, furious.
The tuk tuk drivers are capable of handling their 3 wheel vehicles like the cart on the American Eagle rollercoaster ride at Six Flags. Sharp turns that leave you grabbing onto your Jesus handles and clutching your partner in this flight for life. Lights flashing, horns blaring, cigarettes hanging out of the side of their mouth, it can be insane. But, this particular ride was simply a tourist gimmick. Pete and I were leaving from the Night Bazaar (which was really cool and had some great shopping) and heading to a bar and we were haggling with a few tuk tuk drivers. The one that won gave us the ride of our lives. Tuk tuks can get you somewhere quickly, but it's not always such a white knuckle experience.
Bangkok is the definition of a city that never sleeps. Cars, tuk tuks, motorbikes, big buses and songthaews always fill the 6 lanes of city streets. Street food vendors fill the sidewalks until all hours of the night and there are always people out and about. In some parts of town, there can be three levels of traffic- the street, a highway, and another highway above that.
I'm not writing this post after I've been here a few days, and the initial shock has worn off. But, for more clarity, I'd like to add my journal entry that I wrote at the end of our first real day in Bangkok- the day we arrived in Bangkok at 5:30 in the morning.
September 8, 2010 Wednesday
Actually Sept 9, Writing late again-
BANGKOK FURIOUS.
Holy hell what a day. 20 hours ago we arrived in Bangkok. I can't even find the words to capture this day's events succinctly, but maybe a timeline will help. This day was so packed, and Bangkok is furiouysly busy. There were moments of such ridiculous farnang (westerner)/thai culture clash that pure laughter ensued, awe at the sights and sounds, and near panic over the fact that soon I am left to my own devices without my traveling buddy petey. Then, the moments of clarity that come after understanding that by operating on the 'one piece of the puzzle at a time' principle, everything will be fine, albeit with some confusion and anxiety.
Petey told me a good metaphor for this next chapter to come:
"I have to eat this entire elephant. How on earth will I eat this entire elephant?
One bite at a time".
Wise words pete, thanks. I'll try to think big picture and live in the moment at the same time.
So here's a timeline of today, September 8, 2010
5:30am- arrive bangkok off bus from krabi (about 12 hours)
6:45am- arrive at Ban Dakkoon, our guesthouse and wait 45 minutes for manager to show up
7:30am- manager arrives, gives super sweet coffee and gives a room key
7:45am- settle in. proceed to journal and read and cry quietly thinking pete won't notice. i'm overtired and anxious about his leaving.
8:30am- pass out for power naps
10:30am- wake up feeling groggy. it's very sunny out right now.
12:00pm- get directions from manager and proceed to walk the 1kilometer to the AYC building (the organization I'm teaching with)
12:50pm-enter AYC building and hop onto elevator. A woman turns and says to me- "I think we've been exchanging messages!" Oh my goodness- it's Tar! My contact with AYC I've had since May! Unreal.
1:00pm- after sweating profusley, get water and proceed to a conference room. The AYC office is very official and everyone is very welcoming.
1pm-2:30pm- Fill out AYC application form, meet with Tar, ask questions. Realize NON B paperwork is still in the works (not really what I planned when I was heading into the office- I thought they would all be ready for me to pick up! not so fast.)
Begin to panic a little bit. Drink water to steady myself. Take deep breaths.
Tar is very calm and broaches this subject as if it all very usual...for things to be so undecided when I'm supposed begin teaching a little less that 2 months. I'm relieved by her demeanor and reassurance.
3:00pm-Walk away from AYC feeling really hungry. We stopped at a sidewalk eatery. Chicken and rice, soup and coke. Good lunch. Look out at the woman who is sweeping the sidewalk to brush the leaves into the street and thinking about how fruitless this task can be at times...on such a busy street all those leaves and debris are bound to wind up back on the sidewalk further down the road...
3:30pm- Head to the "Big C" Supermarket to purchase a cell phone as per Tar's suggestion. Purchased a nice little black Samsung and Sim Card. All this through hand signals, gestures, and numbering signs. The department store employees didn't speak much English. A "Big C" is a chain of department stores- similar to a super Target. You can get anything there! I made some test phone calls, and just like that- Gina is connected! So I'm starting to feel a little better about things. Being connected is a good feeling.
* Because Pete and I didn't fully understand how the phone works or if I could call internationally, I recently found more out. So you can purchase more time on your cell phone at any convenience shop or 7-11. You can purchase minutes for your cell phone at a 7-11 but you can't get a decent slurpee at a Thai 7-11. Outrageous. Anyways- I can make international calls, but it simply drains my account really quickly. It's not expensive to buy minutes, and you can buy in a variety of increments: 60 baht, 100 baht, 200 baht (~2 USD, ~3 USD, ~5 USD) whatever you'd like really.
We walked around the mall and purchased some more things, lost each other at bathrooms, but rejoined at the "Black Canyon Coffee" and had celebratory cappucinos. Not bad. Laughed hysterically at the fact that my new phone can receive 'fake calls' if you're on a date or in a metting that you really want to get out of!
6:00pm- Make it back to our residence- the Ban Dakkoon and brainstorm evening plans. Settle on the Suam Luam Nigh Bazaar nearLumphini Park and hopefully some drinks at a rooftop bar.
7:45ish- Arrive at the Banyan Tree Hotel (super swanky hotel and restaurant) where the rooftop bar is only to find we were not dressed to code! Of course. Dirtbag travellers.
8:30 or so- Reach the night market and puruse the many food stalls. Decide on some sea food and Chang beer. Listen to and watch live Thai pop music complete with cheerleader type dance performance.
9:00-Lychee smoothie in hand we venture into the stalls of the night bazaar. Inside are many vendors selling all sorts of things. Clothes, jewelry, touristy stuff, wood carvings, furniture, loads of t-shirts, purses, pillows...you name it. We purchased some gifts and all in all ended up spending nearly and hour and a half in the bazaar.
10:30- Venture back to the streets- Head home or go back to plan A of having drinks on some rooftop bar?
Aggressive tuk tuk driver manages to get into his crazy light show tuk tuk for a silly inflated price and we experience a BANGKOK TUK TUK RIDE complete with light show and ridiculous BANGKOK FURY type driving. It was a roller coaster ride for sure.
We made it to Lebua Hotel where the 'Sky Bar' and 'Distil' are located where we proceed to run into a couple we met while scuba diving in Ko Pha Ngan. Unbelievable. How you manage to meet up with someone you met on an island when you're in BAngkok is pure luck. Bangkok is huge.
Realize again we are underdressed, but we do meet the standard for some other bar they have in the hotel tower. The drinks were expensive, but the pillows, music and atmosphere were nice. It felt like we weren't really in Bangkok at that point. It was a nice last night for me and Pete.
Taxi ride home- around midnight- The drivers outside the hotel say 'Ban Dak Koon' over and over again, as if it's something really funny, or a silly phrase. We didn't get it. "Why you stay so far away?!" They pass my brochure with the map on it amongst one another and turn it this way and that, trying to figure out where it is. Finally a cabbie surfaces who "knows all of Bangkok!" and he tells us that 'Dak Koon" means the treet of the flower- the flower that is used in all the garlands for holidays and festivals. And 'Ban' means guesthouse or residence. Ahhh, it all makes sense now. When we pulled up to our place he saw one of these trees outside of our place, and he jumped out of his taxi, bolted over to the tree, and started jumping up and down to point out the flower! He was so excited to have found the dak koon I guess!
So, it's amazing to think this was all one day. We came back, packed up, and finally, finally we get to bed for some solid sleep.
After Peter and I left Tonsai beach, we took a long night bus ride from Krabi to Bangkok. We arrived in Bangkok at 5:30 in the morning and then finally made it to a guesthouse at 7:30. We crashed immediately and took good power naps. Then, it was off to the AYC office to meet with Tar- my new friend who I've exchanged nearly 50 emails with since May. AYC is the name of the organization I am teaching English with. It was really nice to put a name to a face and thank her personally for all the hardwork and time she has dedicated to me.
But first, a little story.
I was riding home from a frisbee tournament with a few folks, one of them being my former roommate and good frisbee gal pal Beth Tau. The carload of us somehow got on the subject of those silly "Tokyo Drift" movies. We knew there was a series of them, but we couldn't remember all their names, so we began brainstorming. I shouted out Bangkok Fury, and we all laughed our butts off because it really was not one of the titles of the movies, but it sure as heck could have been.
And now, in Bangkok, the title could not be more fitting for the way this city moves. Bangkok, furious.
The tuk tuk drivers are capable of handling their 3 wheel vehicles like the cart on the American Eagle rollercoaster ride at Six Flags. Sharp turns that leave you grabbing onto your Jesus handles and clutching your partner in this flight for life. Lights flashing, horns blaring, cigarettes hanging out of the side of their mouth, it can be insane. But, this particular ride was simply a tourist gimmick. Pete and I were leaving from the Night Bazaar (which was really cool and had some great shopping) and heading to a bar and we were haggling with a few tuk tuk drivers. The one that won gave us the ride of our lives. Tuk tuks can get you somewhere quickly, but it's not always such a white knuckle experience.
Bangkok is the definition of a city that never sleeps. Cars, tuk tuks, motorbikes, big buses and songthaews always fill the 6 lanes of city streets. Street food vendors fill the sidewalks until all hours of the night and there are always people out and about. In some parts of town, there can be three levels of traffic- the street, a highway, and another highway above that.
I'm not writing this post after I've been here a few days, and the initial shock has worn off. But, for more clarity, I'd like to add my journal entry that I wrote at the end of our first real day in Bangkok- the day we arrived in Bangkok at 5:30 in the morning.
September 8, 2010 Wednesday
Actually Sept 9, Writing late again-
BANGKOK FURIOUS.
Holy hell what a day. 20 hours ago we arrived in Bangkok. I can't even find the words to capture this day's events succinctly, but maybe a timeline will help. This day was so packed, and Bangkok is furiouysly busy. There were moments of such ridiculous farnang (westerner)/thai culture clash that pure laughter ensued, awe at the sights and sounds, and near panic over the fact that soon I am left to my own devices without my traveling buddy petey. Then, the moments of clarity that come after understanding that by operating on the 'one piece of the puzzle at a time' principle, everything will be fine, albeit with some confusion and anxiety.
Petey told me a good metaphor for this next chapter to come:
"I have to eat this entire elephant. How on earth will I eat this entire elephant?
One bite at a time".
Wise words pete, thanks. I'll try to think big picture and live in the moment at the same time.
So here's a timeline of today, September 8, 2010
5:30am- arrive bangkok off bus from krabi (about 12 hours)
6:45am- arrive at Ban Dakkoon, our guesthouse and wait 45 minutes for manager to show up
7:30am- manager arrives, gives super sweet coffee and gives a room key
7:45am- settle in. proceed to journal and read and cry quietly thinking pete won't notice. i'm overtired and anxious about his leaving.
8:30am- pass out for power naps
10:30am- wake up feeling groggy. it's very sunny out right now.
12:00pm- get directions from manager and proceed to walk the 1kilometer to the AYC building (the organization I'm teaching with)
12:50pm-enter AYC building and hop onto elevator. A woman turns and says to me- "I think we've been exchanging messages!" Oh my goodness- it's Tar! My contact with AYC I've had since May! Unreal.
1:00pm- after sweating profusley, get water and proceed to a conference room. The AYC office is very official and everyone is very welcoming.
1pm-2:30pm- Fill out AYC application form, meet with Tar, ask questions. Realize NON B paperwork is still in the works (not really what I planned when I was heading into the office- I thought they would all be ready for me to pick up! not so fast.)
Begin to panic a little bit. Drink water to steady myself. Take deep breaths.
Tar is very calm and broaches this subject as if it all very usual...for things to be so undecided when I'm supposed begin teaching a little less that 2 months. I'm relieved by her demeanor and reassurance.
3:00pm-Walk away from AYC feeling really hungry. We stopped at a sidewalk eatery. Chicken and rice, soup and coke. Good lunch. Look out at the woman who is sweeping the sidewalk to brush the leaves into the street and thinking about how fruitless this task can be at times...on such a busy street all those leaves and debris are bound to wind up back on the sidewalk further down the road...
3:30pm- Head to the "Big C" Supermarket to purchase a cell phone as per Tar's suggestion. Purchased a nice little black Samsung and Sim Card. All this through hand signals, gestures, and numbering signs. The department store employees didn't speak much English. A "Big C" is a chain of department stores- similar to a super Target. You can get anything there! I made some test phone calls, and just like that- Gina is connected! So I'm starting to feel a little better about things. Being connected is a good feeling.
* Because Pete and I didn't fully understand how the phone works or if I could call internationally, I recently found more out. So you can purchase more time on your cell phone at any convenience shop or 7-11. You can purchase minutes for your cell phone at a 7-11 but you can't get a decent slurpee at a Thai 7-11. Outrageous. Anyways- I can make international calls, but it simply drains my account really quickly. It's not expensive to buy minutes, and you can buy in a variety of increments: 60 baht, 100 baht, 200 baht (~2 USD, ~3 USD, ~5 USD) whatever you'd like really.
We walked around the mall and purchased some more things, lost each other at bathrooms, but rejoined at the "Black Canyon Coffee" and had celebratory cappucinos. Not bad. Laughed hysterically at the fact that my new phone can receive 'fake calls' if you're on a date or in a metting that you really want to get out of!
6:00pm- Make it back to our residence- the Ban Dakkoon and brainstorm evening plans. Settle on the Suam Luam Nigh Bazaar nearLumphini Park and hopefully some drinks at a rooftop bar.
7:45ish- Arrive at the Banyan Tree Hotel (super swanky hotel and restaurant) where the rooftop bar is only to find we were not dressed to code! Of course. Dirtbag travellers.
8:30 or so- Reach the night market and puruse the many food stalls. Decide on some sea food and Chang beer. Listen to and watch live Thai pop music complete with cheerleader type dance performance.
9:00-Lychee smoothie in hand we venture into the stalls of the night bazaar. Inside are many vendors selling all sorts of things. Clothes, jewelry, touristy stuff, wood carvings, furniture, loads of t-shirts, purses, pillows...you name it. We purchased some gifts and all in all ended up spending nearly and hour and a half in the bazaar.
10:30- Venture back to the streets- Head home or go back to plan A of having drinks on some rooftop bar?
Aggressive tuk tuk driver manages to get into his crazy light show tuk tuk for a silly inflated price and we experience a BANGKOK TUK TUK RIDE complete with light show and ridiculous BANGKOK FURY type driving. It was a roller coaster ride for sure.
We made it to Lebua Hotel where the 'Sky Bar' and 'Distil' are located where we proceed to run into a couple we met while scuba diving in Ko Pha Ngan. Unbelievable. How you manage to meet up with someone you met on an island when you're in BAngkok is pure luck. Bangkok is huge.
Realize again we are underdressed, but we do meet the standard for some other bar they have in the hotel tower. The drinks were expensive, but the pillows, music and atmosphere were nice. It felt like we weren't really in Bangkok at that point. It was a nice last night for me and Pete.
Taxi ride home- around midnight- The drivers outside the hotel say 'Ban Dak Koon' over and over again, as if it's something really funny, or a silly phrase. We didn't get it. "Why you stay so far away?!" They pass my brochure with the map on it amongst one another and turn it this way and that, trying to figure out where it is. Finally a cabbie surfaces who "knows all of Bangkok!" and he tells us that 'Dak Koon" means the treet of the flower- the flower that is used in all the garlands for holidays and festivals. And 'Ban' means guesthouse or residence. Ahhh, it all makes sense now. When we pulled up to our place he saw one of these trees outside of our place, and he jumped out of his taxi, bolted over to the tree, and started jumping up and down to point out the flower! He was so excited to have found the dak koon I guess!
So, it's amazing to think this was all one day. We came back, packed up, and finally, finally we get to bed for some solid sleep.
Saturday, September 11, 2010
pictures!
finally! here ya go!
http://picasaweb.google.com/117827828594236536464/HowISpentMySummerVacation#
http://picasaweb.google.com/117827828594236536464/HowISpentMySummerVacation#
Friday, September 10, 2010
Ko Tao - Suratthani - Krabi - Ao Nang Pier - Tonsai
Holy Cow it took a while to get to Tonsai beach from Ko Tao. But it is traveling from an island in the Gulf of Thailand to a beach on the other side of the country on the Andaman Sea.
So I'm writing ex post facto about my time on Tonsai beach because now I'm on Bangkok and I've been here for a few days already! Sorry for the delay. There isn't much in the way of internet cafes on Tonsai Beach. It is removed from a lot of things ( I think they only recently got a few atms) and you can only get there by boat.
Well, for those of you who climb on rocks- Tonsai Beach, East and West Railay is really just as amazing as those pictures you've seen of dripping limestones over a beautiful beach and ocean in climbing magazine and rock & ice. Unbelievable. Sadly, we got rained out a lot, but it didn't prevent us from climbing completly. The climbing is so unreal there, it's hard to describe. You will see my pictures. But, in a few words, the rock is: friction, the inside of a cave on the outside, hard, tall, slings, threads, beautiful. Pete and I were both a little bummed we weren't in better shape because the amount of easy climbs are limited and the number of hard routes and cool multi-pitch routes are unlimited.
Tonsai also has a really nice and laid back atmosphere. Despite the rain, it still might be one of my favorite spots we visited. During the high season I'm sure it's totally nuts, so being there at an off time was actually kind of nice. We met some really friendly climbers which was fun...not only were we surrounded by climbers with whom we could be spazzes about the rock with, but making friends and sharing meals and beers with new people is fun. Tonsai is also the cheapest of the island spots on the Andaman side which was nice. East Railay is the runner up in cheapness, and West Railay is probably one of the most beautiful places on Earth when the weather is good. It was still beautiful, but just not as picturesque with rain clouds looming overhead. When the tide is low, you can actually walk from West Railay beach to East Railay beach by walking around an outcropping in the rock and trees. When the tide is in however, you need to follow a path that runs along the ocean, but it's slippery and steep. Lucky us forgot headlamps when were returning from East Railay to Tonsai beach. We were with some of our new friends who had walked the route several times already, but it was pretty funny that out of 4 people who have collectively had a serious number of hours in the backcountry or out on similar type excursions and none of us had a headlamp. The coconut, mango, and watermelon shakes we had that night at dinner were well earned.
And oh my...are the fruit shakes good here. Pure, blended fruit with some ice. No special vitamins, no added powders or sweeteners, no ice cream or yogurt- unless you want that kind of beverage. But a fruit shake- is really what it says it is. And it is simply devine. I order them quite often.
Our time on Tonsai was pretty short, but we really wanted to check out the world class climbing at see it for ourselves. We were really happy we came even if it was only for a few nights and some rainy days. I hope to go back there during my time in Thailand. Everything is pretty easy to get to, even if you have to take a night boat, long bus road, songthaew ride, and then wait for enouh people to fill a longtail boat. It took me a while to figure this out, but for your imformation- a songthaew is a pick up truck with benches put in the back and a cover put on top. While in America you might get a ticket for having someone just sitting in the back of your truck, here it is a regular and handy means of transportation. I've seen about 14 people filling one up if that's even believable.
I think that's all I've got for Tonsai. The pictures will describe it better than my diatribe here. As me and Peter's last real tourist destination, it was a really nice way to end our time together. That spot will always hold a special place in my heart for the friendly people we met and connected with, the friendly Thai people who live and work there, the absolutely gorgeous scenery and climbing potential, and sharing all that with my brother Pete.
So I'm writing ex post facto about my time on Tonsai beach because now I'm on Bangkok and I've been here for a few days already! Sorry for the delay. There isn't much in the way of internet cafes on Tonsai Beach. It is removed from a lot of things ( I think they only recently got a few atms) and you can only get there by boat.
Well, for those of you who climb on rocks- Tonsai Beach, East and West Railay is really just as amazing as those pictures you've seen of dripping limestones over a beautiful beach and ocean in climbing magazine and rock & ice. Unbelievable. Sadly, we got rained out a lot, but it didn't prevent us from climbing completly. The climbing is so unreal there, it's hard to describe. You will see my pictures. But, in a few words, the rock is: friction, the inside of a cave on the outside, hard, tall, slings, threads, beautiful. Pete and I were both a little bummed we weren't in better shape because the amount of easy climbs are limited and the number of hard routes and cool multi-pitch routes are unlimited.
Tonsai also has a really nice and laid back atmosphere. Despite the rain, it still might be one of my favorite spots we visited. During the high season I'm sure it's totally nuts, so being there at an off time was actually kind of nice. We met some really friendly climbers which was fun...not only were we surrounded by climbers with whom we could be spazzes about the rock with, but making friends and sharing meals and beers with new people is fun. Tonsai is also the cheapest of the island spots on the Andaman side which was nice. East Railay is the runner up in cheapness, and West Railay is probably one of the most beautiful places on Earth when the weather is good. It was still beautiful, but just not as picturesque with rain clouds looming overhead. When the tide is low, you can actually walk from West Railay beach to East Railay beach by walking around an outcropping in the rock and trees. When the tide is in however, you need to follow a path that runs along the ocean, but it's slippery and steep. Lucky us forgot headlamps when were returning from East Railay to Tonsai beach. We were with some of our new friends who had walked the route several times already, but it was pretty funny that out of 4 people who have collectively had a serious number of hours in the backcountry or out on similar type excursions and none of us had a headlamp. The coconut, mango, and watermelon shakes we had that night at dinner were well earned.
And oh my...are the fruit shakes good here. Pure, blended fruit with some ice. No special vitamins, no added powders or sweeteners, no ice cream or yogurt- unless you want that kind of beverage. But a fruit shake- is really what it says it is. And it is simply devine. I order them quite often.
Our time on Tonsai was pretty short, but we really wanted to check out the world class climbing at see it for ourselves. We were really happy we came even if it was only for a few nights and some rainy days. I hope to go back there during my time in Thailand. Everything is pretty easy to get to, even if you have to take a night boat, long bus road, songthaew ride, and then wait for enouh people to fill a longtail boat. It took me a while to figure this out, but for your imformation- a songthaew is a pick up truck with benches put in the back and a cover put on top. While in America you might get a ticket for having someone just sitting in the back of your truck, here it is a regular and handy means of transportation. I've seen about 14 people filling one up if that's even believable.
I think that's all I've got for Tonsai. The pictures will describe it better than my diatribe here. As me and Peter's last real tourist destination, it was a really nice way to end our time together. That spot will always hold a special place in my heart for the friendly people we met and connected with, the friendly Thai people who live and work there, the absolutely gorgeous scenery and climbing potential, and sharing all that with my brother Pete.
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