Goodbye Thailand

Tomorrow we drive to Chiang Rai (in Northeast Thailand) and then we'll be heading out of the country on a slow boat down the Mekong into Laos.  I've done a lot over the last few weeks, here are some of the more memorable moments.

1.  Boating, canoeing and swimming around the karsts near Phuket.  Truly magnificent and quintessential Thailand.

2. Riding the ferry to Koh Tao.  It was a very rough day (we were fortunate that the ferry wasn't cancelled) but it meant that about 100 people were either green or hanging over trashcans and the side of the boat.  Unfortunately for them that meant that they were also drenched from the rain and sea spray.  Malena and I were 2 of about 20 that weren't sick.  I was having a great time (as soon as I went onto the back deck where I wasn't afraid of drowning if the boat capsized).

3. Trying to find our way to Jim Johnson's house in Bangkok only to be trapped inside the post office during a torrential rain storm.  When we left (it was still raining) we started hopping between the awnings to move down the street and found ourselves among what must have been all of the mechanic shops in Bangkok.  They were highly amused by our antics.

4. Lost again trying to find the bus station on the north side of Bangkok.  This time we got directions from a guard (all but two words "museum" and "car park" were given in Thai and with A LOT of pointing).  Along the way we wandered through the gates of a garden where we asked directions again from a different guard.  He pointed us in the right direction and we went off.  At the first split in the path we started down the wrong way...only to discover this as another guard came running after us...apparently the guards had been talking on the radio so we were essentiallly handed off through the park by little Thai security guards with radios. It wasn't a normal botanical garden experience.

5. Avoiding the tuk tuk drivers and trying to find the wats in Bangkok.  Although frustrating at the time, it really is funny to think about.

6. Wandering through one of the biggest night markets I've been in so far in Chiang Mai.  Originally on the Silk Road it's history is a long one and the market takes up about four city blocks.

7. Our "adventure" day outside of Chiang Mai with a character for a guide who was playing little pranks on everyone as we went along.  He was originally from the jungle of North Thailand.  We saw a village of long-neck people, rode and played with elephants, hiked to a waterfall then went for a swim in the frigid water, and finished the day rafting down the river.  We had a good group of people (us and 6 others) and it was a full and exciting day.

Pictures will follow soon.  Next up:  Luang Prabang, Laos and then Siam Reap in Cambodia

What? The Wat is Closed?

A wat is a monastery temple and if you believed the people in Bangkok around the National Palace you'd think they were constantly closed for "special" ceremonies.  Well, at least until 1pm or is it 12:30? Or was it noon? No matter what the time, it's always the same, "They are closed and you shouldn't bother seeing them, so come with me instead and I'll bring you back when they are open!"  The problem is that even with the warnings you eventually start to think there might be something to this story.

On Thursday morning Malena headed home and my mom arrived.  Due to a delayed flight, Mom literally met us on the stairs as I was walking Malena out.  (She came through Tokyo and when her flight was delayed they sent her to a different airport by bus - her hair may have been glowing with the radioactivity when she arrived.)

After Malena left and Mom was settled, we hit up three wats and the grand palace.  We were warned by Malena, who had already seen these sites that people would try to tell us they were closed.  I was also warned by other travelers I've come across, by friends (some even commented on this blog), and it even warns tourists about it in our guidebook...so I thought we were prepared.  I was wrong.

They are so believable and friendly, one guy spent five minutes telling us about how to pray to the Buddha for good luck and fortune.  He showed us photos of his kids and his wife and told us how much he liked Chicago.  Then as my feet were itching to get away, he dropped the information about how all the buildings but one were closed in the Grand Palace until 1pm.  He was so convincing that it was hard to walk away...until he offered to tour us around in a tuk tuk.  RUN!!!  Unfortunately in our haste to get away, we missed the main entrance and walked the entire way around the complex before getting back to it...leaving us wide open and easy prey for other vultures. 

By the time we made it to within 50 meters of the actual entrance we had already had conversations with two people and waved off another three.  The final straw was when a guy who appeared to be unrelated to a company told us again that it was closed until 1p and that we should buy tickets at a different gate first.
Well, mom's will (who I can only assume was tired and less jaded) was starting to falter.  We had a small discussion about whether or not these facts were actually true.  After all, you don't want to go into a complex where you can only see one building and pay the same price.  Fortunately, I'm hardened and skeptical so we forged on...and amazingly found everything to be perfectly open.  (Of course, after we got into the gate people were asking us if we needed a tour guide - we just couldn't escape it).

After it was all said and done, we saw the Grand Palace, the Emerald Buddha, Wat Po (which is a HUGE reclining Buddha), and Wat Arun (the Temple of the Dawn).  It was a long day (particularly when you feel like you've been put through a spin cycle), but mom held out well considering she was working on very little sleep, and we eventually made it back to the hostel.

I write this as we travel north to Chiang Mai on another night train.  The last train offered very little sleep as I nervously laid rigid in my bed after seeing too many cockroaches running around when we got on the train.  Tonight, my bed is comfortable and seemingly visitor free so I have Double Stuf Oreos, and James Bond movies (all of which are on my computer) to look forward to.

The Grand Palace Complex

Wat Po, the reclining Buddha

Wat Arun, The Temple of the Dawn

Culture Adjustment

When I left New Zealand I was sad to leave but also very nervous about the trip I had planned in Asia.  It was a very unknown place for me and with that came fears.  Once I landed in KL I quickly realized that I had very little to worry about.  However, it doesn't mean that there haven't been adjustments to the differences:

Snorkeling near Koh Tao

• The people really are more petite than every place else I've been.  I tower over many of them at 5'7".
• I've said it before, but the motorcycles really are everywhere!  They pile entire families on one motorcycle.  They have side cars with small mobile food carts attached or trailers to carry anythin from more family members to bags of food.
• My new qualification for a good bathroom is whether or not it has toilet paper.  The plumbing isn't made to handle toilet paper here so most places don't even have it available.  Instead they have small hoses you can use to wash off (sort of like a bidet).  Since we are not accustomed to this we've taken to carrying it with us.
• The showers are in the same room as the toilet (without a separate tub to stand in).  Most of the shower heads jut out of the wall just above or around the toilets.  Which means that the question is where to put your clothes and towel so they don't get drenched along with everything else (there aren't any shower curtains around it either - the bathroom door serves as the divider).  
• It's hot.  And when the sun is shining it's really hot...and humid.  I knew to expect it but even preparation doesn't help someone that isn't a fan of the heat.  I've managed to get a heat rash once already and I expect I'll get it at least one more time before the end of this trip. Apparently the Thai people aren't as affected by it though - I've seen at least a dozen wearing stocking caps.
• With the heat comes the bugs.  The mosquitos are relentless as soon as you step into an even slightly wooded area.  Fortunately they seem to be unable to penetrate the cloud of OFF that is constantly hovering around my body. 
• My world is constantly rocking.  I didn't really think about this as I planned the first two weeks out but most of my time so far has been spent on or around the water.  Nearly every day since arriving in Thailand I've spent time on a boat.  Fortunately I don't get seasick but there have been several times when the room is still rocking when I lay down at night.

Tonight I'm on my way by train to Bangkok (which means I'm still rocking) where we will stay for a few days before my mom flies in and Malena heads home.  I expect there will be even more to adjust to when I change travel partners but I'm hopeful the big adjustments have been made.

Things to be thankful for:
- Well, there's a lot right now but the first thing that comes to my mind is a nice shower

Sawat Dee (Hello) Thailand!

Where do I even begin. So far, Thailand is what I imagined and more. I've done so much in the last week since I left New Zealand it's hard for me to keep it all straight in my head, let alone try to put it all into a blog.

Phang Nga Nat'l Park

Kuala Lumpur: One of the things that struck me is how much the city focuses on the environment: Advertising recycling, recycling bins available everywhere, building sites touting their green-ness, carpooling and public transport encouraged and affordable. I was also surprised that their radio djs all had an American accent. There were times that I was listening to my iPod sitting on a bus when I could have been traveling through Chicago rather than half way around the world. The airport had free Wifi and reclining chairs. It was one of the nicer airports I've been in.

Phuket, Thailand: Unlike KL there is definitely a lack of concern for the environment, but for the most part its difficult to detract from the beauty of it all here in the green and tourquise water, the white sand beaches and the limestone cliffs (karsts) that drop right into the water. Most of Phuket has been rebuilt since the tsunami hit in 2004.  There are photos that show the destruction and now that I've visited here, I can't imagine the fear and panic that must have hit with the tsunami.

Highlights:

Attempting the fish tanks

• The food. It's delicious. I have completely converted to a fan of Thai Food.
• The doctor fish. They eat dead skin off your feet and legs essentially exfoliating them for you. The only problem is that it feels so bizarre, like little suckers all over your feet. All I can say is that I tried it. I didn't last more than 5 minutes total, most people have trouble at first but then enjoy it.
• The island tours are cheap and offer an awesome way to see the bays from the water. The guides are friendly and the views are amazing and they are a water-lover's dream: snorkeling, canoeing, swimming. Best money we've spent on this trip so far have been our two tours.
• The culture. It's different from what I expected. I still haven't worked out how the "lady boys" fit into it all either.
• The beaches and the water. I love it all. It really does look as beautiful in person as it does in the photos.
• The photos with Japanese tourists. Malena and I have been asked at least twice now to pose for photos with the Japanese. We agree and flash the peace sign with the best of them.

Our Japanese tourist friends

Tomorrow we wake up early and head to Koh Samui, an island off the east coast of Thailand, via flight from Phuket.  We'll spend the night there and then take a ferry to Koh Tao where we will spend some time diving in what is supposed to be one of the best places in the world.