Cambodia

More photos--I've gotta play catch up!
Nick, Bryan and me at the Full Moon Party. Notice the paint is still on our arms--this was right after we got there, before it rained and washed all the paint away!
Lord and I, after the Full Moon Party had died down a bit. This was around 08:00? Somehow the paint on my face was the only paint that survived the night.

Feeding a monkey on Monkey Beach! Koh Phi Phi.

Some of the infamous Thai "lady-boys" strutting their stuff in Phuket. ....is it weird that I'm jealous of their bodies??? I mean, minus the fake boobs.........

Pat & I on the beach in Phuket our first night in town. Gorgeous sunsets, night after night.

Pat and I at the crazy Rasta Bar in Phuket. It's hidden at the back of a soi (side street) and completely covered in neon paint, lit entirely by black lights. Really friendly people, very relaxed, and a great escape from the mania that is Phuket! But you do have to pass by a lot of dodgy bars and strip clubs to get there!
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So, I think that yesterday I stopped after Koh Phangan... (at least I hope so, or else there is going to be some repeat information about Phnom Penh now!)

After my overnight bus, I flew to Phnom Penh, Cambodia where I met up with my buddy Jon, from AU way back when. I hadn't seen him in at least two years so it was great to see him and catch up a bit. He's living there for the summer, working with an NGO which deals with peace and conflict resolution, so they've got plenty to work with in Cambodia. It's such a tragedy that a great country like Cambodia was subject to such terrible violence and the people here, who are so incredibly friendly and welcoming and helpful, were victims of genocide for so many years. The country is still in repair 10 years after the violence ended and, although there is still much to be done to repair the spirits and lives of the Cambodian people, there is much promise here--thanks to the people like Jon who are working so hard and dedicating their time and efforts to healing the country and its people.

So Jon showed me around a lot of Phnom Penh, acting as a de facto guide while I was there. He took me to Wat Phnom, which was really cool with wild monkeys running around. There were heaps of relentless young children selling water and food and other small items. It is so hard to say no to them, they're so cute, but it's impossible to buy something from everyone who approaches you, so you get used to saying a stern "no" pretty quickly. But we stuck around for a while, watching the monkeys who were playing with an old, ragged piece cloth that was once part of a monk's robe. One had it grasped tightly in his mouth and would walk by this one bush where other monkeys were hiding and, as he passed, they would dart out of the bush and take off after him, trying to steal the orange rag from him. Rediculously entertaining for both monkeys and humans (i.e. Hallie Baker!).

After Wat Phnom, Jon and I went to the National Museum. It was a quick trip through the museum, but I was able to see some really beautiful, old figures and statues and stone carvings. I also recognized some of the stories that were depicted, which I learnt about in my first year at AU when I was taking a course on Eastern religions. It was cool to have previous knowledge to help me understand what I was looking at!

After the museum we grabbed lunch at a place I had read about, The Bodhi Tree, which had some really amazing food. (My Lonely Planet guide lists Phnom Penh as one of the "culinary capitals" of SE Asia and, wow, it's hard to find a place that doesn't have great food! But, really, that seems to be the case for Siem Reap, too!) Bodhi Tree was right across the street from Tuol Seng, which was once a school which the Khmer Rouge turned into a prison during the Genocide from the 1970s until 1998 (or '99?) . This prison is where many Cambodians were kept, most of whom were later transferred to the Killing Fields to be executed. Although it is now a museum I, unfortunately, did not have time to go in. But Jon told me that The Bodhi Tree was once part of the prison, which was sobering in and of itself.

After lunch Jon had to go into work--it was his birthday, so he had the day off which was so lucky for me!, but his boss wanted to give him a present--so I went on to the Royal Palace and the Silver Pagoda on my own. It was a really beautiful complex, where the royal family still resides. The Silver Pagoda was pretty cool: the floor is made entirely of silver, and there is a huge Baccarat-crystal Buddha, as well as a solid gold, life-size Buddha. My favourite part of the Royal Palace, though, was a small, somewhat-hidden sanctuary. It was right in the midst of everything else, but didn't look like anything too special. It was up some stairs and at the top of this tiny stone hill was a temple and many Buddha images, surrounded by trees. It was really peaceful and beautiful. And, apparently, I showed up on a great day because there were very few people around--50, at most.

I met up with Jon again that night and we went out with one of his friends to Happy Herb Pizza to celebrate his birthday. Now, this isn't just a regular pizza place... the name suggests exactly why it is such a popular destination. Marijuana is used as an ingredient in many Khmer dishes, and this particular restaurant capitalizes on the legal loophole which allows it to be ingested with food. I had been told about it by a friend who visited Phnom Penh a few years ago and, although that's not really my scene, when Jon said he wanted to go there for his birthday I was all-in.

The next morning, I woke up early to go to the Killing Fields before I had to catch a bus that afternoon for Siem Reap. It was suggested that, if I had to choose between the Killing Fields and Tuol Seng, that I should see the former. I don't even know how to describe what it was like being there. It was such a beautiful place; it was hard to imagine such terrible acts of genocide taking place there, but the massive stupa which rose above the trees and was filled with skulls which had been exhumed from the mass graves and the mass graves which were filled with the victim's bodies not too long ago made it impossible to ignore what had taken place.

Needless to say, Phnom Penh was not the most uplifting part of my trip, although I enjoyed it immensely and am so glad to have seen everything that I was able to see on such a short visit. It's important to acknowledge the history of the places you visit and, for that reason, I am glad to have seen the Killing Fields.

I ran back to my hotel to grab my things and get to the bus which would be taking me to Siem Reap. The trip was about 6 hours, but it wasn't too bad. I started Barack Obama's autobiography "Dreams from My Father" and was able to make quite a dent in it by the time I had reached Siem Reap. I had booked myself a hotel right in the middle of town. It's great: my room has A/C and a fan, two big beds (though I only booked a room with one bed??), cable TV (which I'm using to catch up on world news that I've been so out of touch with since going to Aussie--I love CNN!), and hot showers. Although I always find it a little weird when the shower is in the bathroom--no separation between toilet and shower... a little odd, but no complaints really! It's called Shadows of Angkor and, if any of you ever make it to Siem Reap on a budget, I highly recommend this spot! It's a 30 second walk from the old markets, on the river, and a block from Pub Street and heaps of great restaurants and shops and spas! (Oh, and only a 15 min moto ride to Angkor Wat! :) ) My moto driver who brought my to the hotel from the bus station is so nice. His name is Win and when he dropped me off he asked if I wanted to hire him to take me to/from the temples. I agreed and when I tried to pay him for the ride to my hotel he said it would be for free.

My first night in town I really just took it easy and went to bed early. I woke up the next morning to grab brekkie and meet Win outside my hotel by 9. I checked out heaps of temples--my favourites have (*): Preah Khan, Neak Pean, Ta Som(*), East Mebon, Pre Rup, and I watched the sunset from Banteay Kdei. Ta Som was really amazing, as most of the damage to the structure had been done by nature itself, with trees growing through the stones. It was a bit of a pre-cursor to the more famous Ta Prohm. It was really amazing to see such old structures and, while watching the sunset over the treeline I was able to see Angkor Wat behind me in the distance. Better yet, while taking a photo of Angkor Wat, I noticed a bright rainbow and was able to snap a few photos of that before anyone else seemed to take notice (if one was watching the sunset, the rainbow would have been behind you). It was really beautiful and, at one point, I even started to cry a bit!

Again I didn't do much at night because I had to wake up this morning at 4:30 to make it to Angkor Wat in time to see the sun rise over the temple. It was really amazing and, thanks to a woman who was living in my hotel in Phnom Penh, I was told to bring some food with me to the temple because after the sun rises most people grab brekkie from a nearby restaurant before exploring the temple at Angkor. This was great advice; just as the woman had said, the crowds died off for a while and the temple was so empty, it felt like I had the entire place to myself! About two hours after I entered the gate, I came out--just as heaps of people were getting back from breakfast, ready to explore. I also happened to walk out and witness one of the funniest things I've seen since I've been here.

Angkor Wat is the busiest temple and there are heaps of tourists and merchants and moto drivers and policemen/park police.... and monkeys. One of the monkeys had managed to pilfer a knife off of someone--I assume one of the merchants who was selling fruit?--and was now running around with the knife clenched between its teeth, like a pirate. I wouldn't have noticed it, as it was on the opposite side of the walkway, but there were also about 4 or 5 of these Cambodian park police chasing after it. When one of them wielded an umbrella, the monkey started to shriek a high-pitched scream which actually sounded like a very unhappy baby. Anyway, there was a game of cat-and-mouse going on between these Cambodian men with their umbrella and this singular monkey armed with a knife. I left before man or monkey won, but I think it was a pretty even match, seeing as a knife can undoubtedly do more harm than an umbrella....

I headed back to my hotel to recharge my camera and to take a nap before going back out in the afternoon. I also managed to fit in an amaaazing massage this afternoon, and I did a bit of shopping at the Old Markets, grabbing the things I had in mind. I met back up with Win and he took me out to see Ta Prohm, which was breath-taking. My dad and Meredith had told me that was their favourite temple when they were here last year, so I had pretty high expectations which were exceeded once I finally got there. I was walking around a bit aimlessly, totally in awe of the structures around me, when one of the park police grabbed my attention and began to show me all the most important parts of Ta Prohm and explain the significance of some of the Apsaras (depictions of religious stories on the walls of the temple). Dad had told me to go to Ta Prohm early because it is one of the stars of Angkor, but I went against his advice.... it wasn't bad, though. It was pretty rainy so there was not much of a crowd. In fact, right when I got there, the rain really started coming down and most people left so, again, I managed to feel like I had the temple to myself, more-or-less. (I guess I chose a good weekend to visit?!) I spent a good chunk of time in Ta Prohm before moving on, exploring the dark corridors.

I next went to Ta Keo and sat up on the top of the temple-mountain for about 20 minutes, watching the sun begin to set and writing a postcard to my mom and sisters :). It was really beautiful up there and I only saw about 4 other people, which was nice. It was so quiet and peaceful... so high above the bustle of everything on the ground. It was a pretty tedious climb so, I guess with the rain, people were worried about the stone stairs being slippery and decided to avoid Ta Keo until it was a bit more dry? Regardless, it made it really peaceful up there with so few tourists.

On my way back to the hotel I ended up stopping at one more structure--the Phimeanakas. I read a sign which explained what it was, but I am still somewhat unsure what its purpose was way-back-when. Regardless, it was really cool. There were some structures which supported the staircase--like a banister, but different--and, upon closer examination, I realized that they were elephant trunks, with the elephants' heads and tusks at the top. Pretty interesting architecture!

After checking out the Phimeanakas, I hopped into the moto and again made a detour when we saw monkeys on the side of the road. They were climbing on top of a stopped car, and one was even jumping up and trying to climb into one lady's purse... probably thinking she had bananas in there. I hopped out of the moto to have a closer look and a little girl offered me a bunch of bananas (about 8 bananas?) for $1. As a water buffalo (slowly) crossed the street, the monkeys started screeching and running around, grabbing up their babies, as if the buffalo was on a mission to trample them... clearly not the case. But I walked after them and offered them these bananas: a mom came up first, with her baby (a teenie little guy--so cute!) and tried the banana before handing it to her baby and reaching to me for another. Then a big dude came up and started grabbing them out of my hand. I pulled them back and he just opened his mouth really big... not too threatening but, being that I wasn't in the mood to get attacked by a monkey, I really quickly tore one off the bunch and threw it at the big guy. Then a little one--not a baby but def not full grown, either--came up and started to grab the bananas again. I had enough to keep them busy for about five minutes. It was pretty cool--they were literally holding my hands!

I decided to go by a place I had read about--the Singing Tree Cafe--for dinner. It's a mostly vegetarian Khmer restaurant that gives all of its profits to helping educate street children. A very respectable cause, what with the poverty around town. The food was delicious and I ended up staying for a dance performance by the Independent Disabled Dance Troupe. It told the story of a man who was unexpectedly handicapped when he walked on a landmine--a familiar story in the life of Cambodians: following their brutal civil war, Cambodia now has one of the largest number of active land mines in the world. Anyway, the story explained how he was reintegrated to the community. The performance was called "Life is Struggle, Life is Hope" and was told entirely through song and dance. It was really touching and, when they asked for donations at the end, I decided to give them $10 which is worth a lot more to any Cambodian than it is worth to me....

Anyway, that brings me to now. I've officially spent far too much time on the internet and am now headed out to see the night markets! Tomorrow is my last day at the temples and I've still got the whole of Angkor Thom to see (it's enormous and will probably take all morning)! I also plan on watching the sunset at Angkor Wat... I planned on doing that tonight but it was too rainy this evening, so I'm hoping the weather will permit tomorrow night!

Pictures

So, I am going to update this blog real quick but it's not going to so much be stories from what I've been doing the past few days as it will be photos since I finally have the means of getting photos onto the computer!

Yessss I got to feed an elephant! And this little guy was just a baby! I also rode an elephant, but the picture from that isn't as exciting. I think I look excited enough in this one....



Just giving a quick wei to Ronald outside of Mackers in Phuket!


A member of the long neck tribes in northern Thailand. This was the first village that we visited on my hill tribe trek. Only the females wear those things around their necks, starting as young as 5. There were no men in the village, as they're usually out in the jungle during the day.

This one is at the Grand Palace in Bangkok on the first day of my trip. It was my first exposure to the really amazing architecture of SE Asia.

There will definately be more to come but the internet in Cambodia just is not like the internet in the US--it takes about 10 minutes to upload each of these photos!

In the meantime, I'll let you know what I've been up to!

I think I forgot to write about Koh Phi Phi from when I was back in Phuket about two weeks ago. Anyway, on Pat's last day we managed to make it out to the Phi Phi Islands, where part of the movie "The Beach"was shot. It was really beautiful, with crystal clear water and tons of fish and coral. We went snorkelling and went around the islands for an afternoon on a speed boat. We also made a stop on one beach where we all got off the boat and got to feed the monkeys who live there. That was pretty amazing. And one of our guides was giving the monkey's Pepsi which, while it was funny, didn't really sit well with me since monkeys aren't supposed to have a clue what Pepsi is, and they were jonesin' it, as if it were cocaine or something...

Anyway, after Pat left, I spent two days in Koh Samui without doing much. I really just took the time to relax and take it easy after the craziness that was Phuket. I laid out by the pool and read a whole bunch, but not much more than that. Really, I didn't even speak to anyone as, literally, no one spoke english at my hotel or in the area.

After hanging around and waiting to hear from Lord, who I was supposed to be meeting on Koh Samui, he emailed to tell me he was on Koh Phangan so the next day I hopped on the ferry to get over there. I checked into a bungalow right on the beach--really beautiful--for $15 a night and hung around, meeting the people who were staying there. I met up with Lord that night and headed down to Haat Rin, where there are lots of clubs, etc, but since it was a Buddhist holiday, it was pretty empty so we headed back to where he and his friends were staying, at Phangan Lodge, and made a fire on the beach and managed, somehow, to stay up and watch the sunrise. At about 8 am, when we were headed to my bungalow to get my stuff and check me out of the place, he and his friends Nick and Bryan straight out told me that I wasn't leaving before the full moon party, which was taking place on the 19th--three days later. But it didn't take much to convince me, as I had heard so much about it. I skipped my flight the next day and hung out longer--which actually meant that I couldn't make it to Laos, but I've decided that it's better to hang around a place and get a real sense of it than to rush through it, just to be able to say that you've seen it.

The next few days we just hung out around the island. Lord and Co. had rented motorbikes so one afternoon Lord and Bryan and I headed north to a really beautiful beach on the West coast of the island, where we swam for a little bit. The next day the boys went on a snorkelling trip called Reggae Magic, while I stayed behind to read and relax before that night's big Full Moon Party.

When they got back, they all napped while I read some more (I've gotten a lot of reading done since Pat left!) and I woke them up around 10:30 to get ready. "Getting ready" just meant painting ourselves with black-light reactive paint and heading down to the beach.
It was absolutely wild. We got there around midnight and the party was in full swing. The beach was packed and all the clubs were playing various kinds of music while everyone was dancing outside on the sand. The guys and I managed to steal a table which was in the middle of everything and we were able to dance and watch everyone from up there. It was pretty amazing. The Full Moon Party is also the reason that Thai buckets are so famous -- Thai whiskey, Red Bull, and Coke--which allow people to party until 9:00 the next morning, as we did. It was rainy that night, though, so the paint was everywhere--eventually rubbing off completely--and at one point the power went out and the entire beach fell silent, followed by a huge cheer from everyone. It was pretty cool....

Anyway, then I headed on an overnight bus to Bangkok, where I caught a taxi to the airport and flew to Phnom Penh in Cambodia (whatever you might hear, overnight buses are not all that comfy! I slept about 2 hrs). I'll update with more news and stories from Cambodia when I put more pictures up....

Surit Thani

I've done a bit of a whirlwind tour of Surit Thani, on a whim. I was supposed to go from Phuket to Cambodia but decided to try and meet up with my friend Lord, who went to Langley. He told me he was going to be in Koh Samui so I headed over there via bus. It was a 6 hour bus ride and, as miserable as that sounds, it was actually somewhat enjoyable. I got heaps of reading done and got in a solid two or three hour nap. Then I had to transfer to a ferry to take me over from Surit Thani, on the mainland, to Koh Samui.
I spent two nights in a really beautiful hostel/hotel called Hi Coral Cove Resort. The room was nice and, even though it was a dorm, there wasn't anyone else in there and it looked exactly like a hotel room, with its own balcony overlooking the water and everything. None of the staff spoke any English, but it wasn't a problem. But it was far from anything else and, being that I was uncomfortable renting a motorbike--which is essentially a glorified scooter crossed with a motorcycle--I was pretty isolated. But after Koh Phangan that was totally fine with me, because that place was reeeediculous: totally overcrowded and I found myself suffering some serious sensory overload like woah! So I spent my only full day out by the pool just recooperating and relaxing, reading a whole lot more. I was able to finish Scar Tissue, which is the autobiography of Anthony Keidis, the lead singer of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Then I moved onto Clapton, which is Eric's autobiography and a much better read so far.
The third day I hopped on a ferry to Koh Phangan to meet up with Lord and company because, after hanging around Koh Samui for two days, he emailed me and told me that they were actually on a different island altogether! I checked into a hostel here which was really nice, also. It was one of a few bungalows directly on the beach, with a deck and two big beds and--given the Full Moon Party which is coming up--it was really decently priced! So I hung around there all day, and took a walk along the beach and got to read a bit more. I watched a really nice sunset, too, and got to hang out with some English blokes who were staying around my hostel before I was able to get in touch with Lord and he met me at my hostel.
We went back to hang out with his friends who went to CU Boulder with him. They're really fun people, so I'm having a good time. We went to Hat Rin, where the Full Moon Party is going to be, and hung out on the beach for a bit but, since it was a Buddhist holiday, not much was going on. When we got back to their hostel at around 4 am, we made a fire on the beach and just sat around talking and watched the sun come up. Then we headed back to my place to grab my stuff, eat a really delicious breakfast, and check out of my bungalow. I went back to their hostel, Phangan Lodge, and we pushed two big beds together and slept 4 people in it. It was actually really comfortable because of the air conditioned room and the fact that I brought my own pillow!
When we woke up from our nap I went with some of the guys to grab lunch at an amazing place on the beach called Liberty. It was like a two hour long meal, but it was amazing and I had the greatest crepe EVER for dessert, with chocolate and fresh fruit. I got back in time to hop on the back of Lord's motorbike and head to a small beach in the north part of the island. I was so glad not to have missed this because the drive was about 20 minutes and was absolutely amazing. We drove past buffalo and tiny remote (well, as remote as you'll get in Koh Phangan!) villages. Last time they went to this beach, they saw elephants crossing the road! It's all overgrown and so cool--it feels like you're driving through the set of Jurrasic Park or something! The beach was really nice, though we only stayed for a bit and I began to watch the sun set over the water, with small islands all over the place and palm trees and a cool breeze. Truely paradise.
Anyway, now I'm going to be staying in town for the Full Moon Party, before heading to Cambodia on the 19th or 20th. Lord and his friends are letting me crash at their place so I'll actually get to save a bunch of money over the next few days, which I will be spending on airfare to Phenom Pehn and to Laos. I was going to take a bus, but with time being so short, I'm going to have to fly. I'm alright with it though, because I really would like to see everything--even if it's only to get a small taste of the regions!
Tomorrow the boys are all going to go fishing and snorkeling. I plan on sticking around to try and work out my travel plans, get a bit of sun, rest up for the Full Moon Party tomorrow night. There are the cuuutest puppies (about 2 weeks old?) and kittens (maybe 2 months old) at the place that I'm staying so, of course, I am completely mesmerized with playing with them! More to come later on.....

Phuket

I arrived in Phuket two days ago and I am only slightly in love with the beach! Pat and I got into town a little after noon on the 11th and caught a cab down to Kata Beach, where we had booked a hostel. Ends up, the hostel is very elusive and no one was able to tell us where it is--they kept saying that the road it is on didn't exist. After what seemed like an eternity we decided to cut our losses; we were so hot and sweaty and hungry and tired that we just checked into a resort two beaches up from Kata: Patong. This is the fun part of town, anyway, although it is overrun by tourists. But then again, what part of Phuket isn't?!
So for the last two nights we've been living in the lap of luxury. We went out on our first night to the main strip of bars and clubs and encountered everything from an Irish Pub to massive clubs to dive bars. Oh, and you are bombarded while walking down the street by all kinds of people. Some are the infamous Thai lady-boys who take photos with you and then ask for a tip, some are just trying to get you to come into their bar, some ask you to come into their club for a "ping pong show" (which, if you know what it is, is pretty revolting!), and twice I came across people who would put massive iguanas on your arm or your head or whatever part of your body was within reach. We hopped around for a while until settling on a bar in the very back of this "soi" (small side street) which was made up entirely of very small bars with very bright lights. We ended up hanging out with a group of 11 Aussie guys from Brisbane! It made me so incredibly homesick for Brissy, but I had a total blast.
Yesterday Pat was hurting pretty badly. We grabbed lunch at a place which is literally on the beach. Pretty great spot, with really good food. We basically laid on the beach all day. Oh, and we hired jet skis for a bit which was heaps of fun, except that my elbow got pretty bruised and battered by the waterproof camera which was hanging off of my wrist! But I was able to get a little bit of colour, and I got my beach fix! We went to dinner at an amazing seafood restaurant in town which had proudly displayed at the front a whole group of fresh seafood... including a shark! It was so weird to be able to touch a real baby great white shark... it was obviously no longer alive, but had clearly been caught that day, as it was still bleeding.
Today I was meant to take a tour of Ko Phi Phi, where the movie "The Beach" was filmed but I got to the dock and felt so terrible that I decided to postpone the tour until tomorrow. I could have gone through with it today but I knew that I would enjoy it much more if I were to go tomorrow instead. So I came back and slept instead. I'm a little bummed that I wasted a day, but I feel heaps better now, so I reckon I made the right move. And tomorrow's tour will be so much fun! Clouds are starting to settle in, though, so I'm hoping that the weather will hold up and stay nice through tomorrow afternoon!
I'm not entirely sure where I'll be headed off to next. I may go to Ko Samui on the east coast of Thailand's peninsula where I'll be meeting up with a friend who went to Langley, or I'll be headed to Cambodia to meet up with a friend who went to AU with me for a bit. I'm really liking the flexibility of this trip--I've never travelled without a set plan like this, but I definately intend on doing it more often now!
Update: So after typing up this post, Pat and I went to a rediculously tacky tourist attraction/show; something that came straight out of Disneyland. But, of course, we loved it... music, dancing, outrageous costumes. We laughed it up the whole time... there was also a creepy circus bit but, being that it was creepy, we didn't laugh at that part. Anyway, so when we were walking to our seats from the front gate we had to pass by all these people in costumes who you could pay to take a photo with. I didn't want that one bit, especially because some of them were dressed up as really, honestly terrifying monsters (I walked by one young kid who was screaming like a banchee!). So I just walked on through. Then I passed by some baby elephants but since I had gotten a photo on an elephant ride earlier in the week I bypassed those too. THEN I came across what may possibly be the most exciting thing I've seen so far: a photo op with a baby tiger. Needless to say, for all of you who know me real well, that was like a dream come true. So, obvi, we stopped to grab a photo with it (*see below*). I don't think I've ever been so elated to have my photo taken...... Highlight of my LIFE, right there.

Trekking in Chiang Mai

So I just got back from my hilltribe trek outside of Chiang Mai. It was so interesting, but I don't think I have ever gotten so caked in mud and grime in a 36 hour period!
I arrived in Chiang Mai three nights ago and was so relieved to be out of Bangkok. Even though it's not a country town, or anything along those lines, it was a welcome break from the hustle of Bangkok! Pat and I checked into our hostel at Julie Guesthouse which was more like something of a prison cell than it was like a hostel, but since I was so glad to be in a new city it wasn’t anything I couldn’t handle…. Until about 2:00 am when I realized that sleep was out of the question due to the extreme heat, humidity, and proximity to what must’ve been the ONLY water faucet in the place. Someone was repeatedly turning on the faucet beneath our window and filling up some large container and pouring it out again… it must’ve been a compulsive action the guy did it so many times! And when he finally did stop, it was just in time for the early-risers to start getting breakfast and guess where the restaurant was? Yep, riiiight next to our window! I had to wake up early anyway in order to make it to my Thai cooking class—it’s okay, you can laugh, but I did a great job! It was an all-day course and I learned how to make 6 different Thai dishes, which I hope I can remember for when I get home! It was so much fun, I am really really glad to have done it. And when I got back that afternoon I signed up for a hilltribe trek and decided to stick it out and stay the night again, hoping it might be a little more bearable. I was so tired I figured nothing could keep me awake!
Well, I was wrong. I barely slept again and had to get up at 7:30 to make the trek. So I stored my big backpack at the hostel and packed a much smaller one for my overnight in the jungle. First I went to a small village about an hour and a half from the city where we saw some women from the long-neck tribe (pictures to come later!). We were supposed to learn about them, too, but my guide barely spoke English, so I will have to read up on them tonight. Then we (me and two girls from Aruba) met up with the rest of our group—there were 10 of us in all: me, the 2 Arubans (?), 2 British, 2 Spanish, 3 Koreans. We stopped at an elephant camp where we got to ride elephants through the jungle. Mine had a baby which followed her mom (and me!) all the way thru the walk. It was really incredible!
We started our trek with a 2 hour hike up a mountain where we would be staying for the night. Being that I’m not the most physically active person, I was somewhat worried that I might be more tired or slow than the rest of the group but I ended up in front with the guide and one of the Koreans the whole time! Two of the girls were really upset with the uphill climb, so we ended up taking about ½ an hour longer to complete the trek than intended. But when we made it to the top of the mountain we settled into the village where we would be staying, with the Lahu tribe. The shower was in a little room where you had to pour a bucket of water on your head to wash off—needless to say, I didn’t get real clean with that system. Then came dinner, which was bomb. Our guide, who went by the alias “Johnny Walker”, cut the root of a bamboo tree on the way up the mountain and made a soup out of it. So good! We played cards for a bit (I won!) and then I went to bed. Funny enough, sleeping on a thin mat in a bamboo hut under a mosquito net was the best night of sleep I had gotten in three nights!
I woke up this morning to a rooster crowing underneath me at like 5:00. When I was in Australia, my third cell phone’s ringer was set to sound like a rooster so, before I opened my eyes, I thought I was in Australia again! It made me so happy… and when I opened my eyes I was just glad to have had that momentary excitement because, as much as I am enjoying traveling, I miss bring in Aussie heaps!
We had a bit of breakfast and then hit the trail again. We walked down a narrow path which, after last night’s intense rain, was really slippery. The same girls who were complaining about the uphill trek yesterday began complaining about the slippery downhill today! I ended up ahead of the group with the two Brits and the same Korean as before and we ended up just trekking through the jungle on our own for about 45 minutes, ahead of the group. We made it to our next stop, a really beautiful waterfall. Everyone played in it for a little while and I just snapped some photos, before we headed off to the white water rafting camp. We did a quick white water rafting trip down some river (I can’t remember the name!) before switching over to have a quick ride on a bamboo raft. I was really cool to be on the raft and a really great way to relax after such a hike earlier in the morning/afternoon.
I ended up running into Pat in the jungle, who was on a one day trek, which was convenient since he had switched hostels while I was in the jungle the day before. I got the name of the new place and was able to get over here no problem when I got back to the city. It’s heaps nicer, which air conditioning and free internet and a pool and, while I don’t have a big problem with budget accommodation, after the last three nights, I could use a comfy bed!
Tomorrow we head off for Phuket. The beaches are calling my name! I haven’t been away from the sand for this long since February…. I don’t know that I’ll ever leave once I get there!

Busy Busy Bangkok

I've now been in Bangkok for 3 full days and, wow, is it busy! I think it's the most hectic city I've ever visited! You walk down the street and the second you pull out a map there are about three Thais trying to "help" you find your way by basically shoving you into a tuk-tuk. You've got to convince them that you don't need one and are fine to walk, but they will follow you down the sidewalk for a few meters before they move onto the next unsuspecting tourist.

My first full day here was a Friday. I went to the Grand Palace which was absolutely amazing. The largest jade Buddha is in the wat there, and it was once the home for Thai royalty. Now it's mostly used for ceremonial purposes. The architecture is amazing! I will be sure to post some pictures as soon as I have a way to get the photos onto a computer. You've got to wear clothes that cover your shoulders and long pants, so Pat and I toured around in the heat and humidity, fully clothed, with sweat seeping through our clothes and pouring down our faces. We were a sight for sore eyes, let me tell you!



Then we decided to head for Wat Pho, which houses the largest reclining Buddha in Thailand. Along the way we were fed one of the typical lines of a con-artist. As we walked by he told us he could get us cheap tickets for something and that Wat Pho is closed, which I knew couldn't have been true. I had also been warned about this tactic. It was still weird to see them try to play it out, though...

Anyway, so we got to see the reclining Buddha. The position of the Buddha signifies different stages in his life and different actions. A reclining Buddha, like the one in Wat Pho, represents the Buddha reaching enlightenment. I had read about this Buddha and seen pictures in books and from various friends but none of that prepared me for how ridiculously huge it really was! I reckon that if I had laid down next to it, you would have to stack at least 25 Hallie's head-to-toe to be the same length as the statue.... So, you've got a ridiculously large, gold-leafed Buddha, with mother of pearl inlays... now there's something to marvel at!



After touring this, we decided we had had enough wats for one day and we decided to check out one of the big shopping centers in the city. We went to MBK which is a giant mall, about 5 stories high. We got some really great food there--a combination meal of Japanese food and Thai food, with sushi and everything--for USD$12 each. I'm loving the exchange rate over here right now...

Then we headed back in to celebrate the fourth of July and I ended up just going to bed because I was still jet lagged and after a big day out I was completely exhausted.

That night was a very interesting night as Pat got pretty inebriated and climbed into his top bunk... about an hour or so later, right after I had drifted of to sleep I heard a funny sound. Kinda of like rain on a tarp. I opened my eyes and took out one headphone just in time to hear him throwing up. Ends up he hadn't had time to get out of his bunk, and that sounds I woke up to was actually some vomit landing on my book which was right next to me. Needless to say, I slept on the floor that night, as my sheets wouldn't get changed until the next morning. He woke up feeling terrible--both physically and emotionally as he had thrown up on me the night before. But I laughed it off and gave him a hard enough time. But next time, I'm taking the top bunk, for sure... hah.

I woke up the next morning (yesterday) and we headed out to the weekend markets and to the Tourism Authority of Thailand office to get some information about getting around Bangkok and traveling around Thailand and to surrounding countries. We didn't get done at the TAT office until almost 4:00 so I decided to come back to the hostel and plan the next leg of our trip, to Chiang Mai and to book some flights to get there and to Phuket from Chiang Mai. Pat went with a girl we met at the hostel, Erin, to the markets.

We met back up for dinner and to go to a Muay Thai boxing match at Lumphini Boxing Stadium. That was pretty cool to see traditional Thai boxing. It's such high energy and so intense! The boxers were all pretty young and not as big as American boxers--more lean muscle with incredibly agility. Pat had taken lessons before so he was able to explain it to Erin and I, but most of it was pretty intuitive and, although I didn't understand the specific scoring, I was able to infer who had won the match pretty easily.

Today I slept in pretty late even though I had intended to wake up around 930 and get a head start on the day. Pat and Erin decided to spend the day together, so I went off on my own. I went to the weekend Chatuchak market and spent about two hours checking out only a very small portion of the stalls that are there, which total about 15,000. They sell any and everything here! I saw stalls offering everything puppies, kittens and trainers to coconut milk and boxer-shorts to toys and art. It was a whole 'nother world in there! While walking through the market I also came across someone rapping a Timbaland song through a small PA, a really young boy doing rediculous soccer tricks and another man singing Jack Johnson in a very thick Thai accent. So there's something different for ya! And there were some tiny make-shift cafes in the midst of all of these stalls, one of which I stopped into for some lunch and to read up on what there is to do in Chiang Mai. I think I've decided to go a cooking class while I'm there so hopefully I can cook up some of the amazing Thai cuisine when I get home!

So, I've been completely overwhelmed by Bangkok and my original impression of it wasn't too positive with the con-artists and the pesky tuk-tuk drivers, but I've really enjoyed all of the architecture. I also really appreciate how devout the people are to the Buddhist religion, and all of the temples and smaller shrines you can find in the city. It's interesting to see how important a role religion plays. And my individual adventure into the city this afternoon was my favourite part of my time here so far. It was nice to be able to go by my own schedule. I am so glad to have Pat around, but I definately intend on taking a few more solo days so I can explore at my own pace.

Tomorrow night I head for Chiang Mai (see below) and I really can't wait for that. I think getting out of a big city, especially when I endeavour on an overnight hill-tribe trek will be really eye-opening. And it will be nice to be able to breathe some fresh air again! I'll be sure to update again soon!

Brisbane to Bangkok

So I've finally decided to start a blog because, with everyone worrying that I am either going to get kidnapped or die on my own accord while traveling in SE Asia, I've come to figure that this may be the easiest way for everyone to keep track of me.

I left Brisbane two days ago at five in the morning with tears streaming down my face and with a head full of great memories of the experiences and friendships of a lifetime, which I had made since I arrived in Australia in early February.

Heading out of Brisbane I experienced the same sense of curiosity and excitement and some of the same feelings that I had when I was on my way there five months ago. This similiarity only made my excitement grow for the coming adventure and, well, it has been quite an adventure thus far...

I got into Bangkok at about 9:30 on the night of July 3. The first wai (a greeting/sign of respect in which they put their hands together like they're praying, put them up to their chin and give you a little bow of the head) I experienced was while I was waiting in line to go through immigration when a young Thai girl dropped her passport and I picked it up for her. That was my first indication that I was, in fact, in Thailand. It didn't take long to get many many more signs, though.

I walked outside to get a taxi to my hostel in the city and was given this weird ticket thing, covered in Thai writing. I had a hard enough time explaining to the ticket-people where I was trying to go as, when I showed them the address, they couldn't understand the written English. So I had to go to the information booth and try and figure out on a map where it was so I could point it out. When I finally got in the cab the driver told me he'd take me to my hostel for 500 Bhat. I tried asking him to turn on the meter but, again, he didn't get what I was saying--or at least pretended not to, even after I was pointing at the meter, which was turned off. I was tired enough not to care that I was being ripped off so I paid him the money.

At the hostel I was supposed to meet my friend Pat, but he hadn't gotten into town yet because he had missed his layover in Singapore. Of course I didn't know this at the time, though I sort of assumed, but he ended up walking into the hostel an hour or two after me and I caught him in the lobby.

The hostel is really rediculously nice and there are a lot of Americans, Brits, and Germans. The people at the front desk are really helpful, and have even helped us get tickets for a Muay Thai boxing match for tonight (more to come on that later...). We hung out that night with three other American girls who were all really nice. We went out to a club on Patpong Road, but I have no idea what it's called. This was where I had my second real bout with culture shock that night.

We walked into the club and there was this really horrid cover band playing everything from Justin Timberlake to the Black Eyed Peas. Really really terrible band. But it was entertaining to say the least. Anyway, in the middle of the club there was one big round table which had been carved out in the middle to make a little stage thing (kinda hard to explain--the "stage" was raised off the ground but wasn't quite as tall as the table). The band would come out and sing from there and as soon as people realized that it existed, they started getting up and dancing on it. This one girl pulled her dress up to her waist and almost got kicked out. Then this old Indian guy with a turban on got on the table and started dancing with all these random young girls---real creeper. This was on my left. On my right was a white guy in his late 20's, maybe early 30's, who was dancing quite suggestively with and kissing two young Thai girls. Needless to say, this was not really my scene. I humoured it for a little while before deciding that I would much rather be at my hostel reading my book and catching up on sleep than watching this sort of this go on. So I went home and went to bed.

The next day was not quite as outrageous, though I still was experiencing some serious culture shock for other various reasons. I was so glad to have Pat around to help me adjust a bit before I'm out on my own. But those stories will have to come later as I need to go ahead and plan my trip up to Chang Mai now, before I head out for the Muay Thai boxing!

Though overwhelming at points, Thailand is pretty cool. Bangkok isn't quite my scene, but I am really looking forward to getting out of the major city and experiencing some laid-back, more rural Thai culture!