We took a bus from Siem Reap for the 6-hour ride down to the capital city. Far less insane than Bangkok, we maneuvered fairly easily off the bus and got a tuk-tuk to the Okay Guesthouse. This place, like many others we’ve stayed at, has been written up in the Lonely Planet. I’m about ready to chuck the book were it not for the maps. This place was a zoo! No less than 20 tables set in the common room, all full of travelers. We needed dorm beds, which were a bit pricey at $2 each; even more pricey after we saw the beds. In effect, we were sleeping in the hallway of the laundry ladies’ facilities. A curtain divided our bunks from the rest of the world and Annie awoke one night to a rat tap-dancing on her face. Little schoolgirls have nothing on her voice.
That area of the country is, sadly, best known for the Pol Pot Killing fields and torturous prison museum, Teoul Sleng. We paid our respects to both. The museum was an old converted schoolhouse and the photos and stories there were clearly just a few from millions. It was especially eerie to Annie and I as the building construction was identical to that in Benin. It could just as easily have been a high school in Parakou.
12 kilometers out of town are the Killing Fields. A place of due somberness sharply contrasted with the sounds of schoolkids playing in the lot next door. The tens of dug out depressions in the earth are where the remains of millions were exhumed in the 80’s. All we kept commenting on was how this conflict happened while our parents’ generation were very much alive. It’s really the first time I’ve been hit in the face with how recent the genocide took place. This of course turned my thoughts to Darfur and other atrocities that have taken place during my lifetime. It is an endless cycle and clearly humanity is not learning. Are we doing enough? Are we doing anything? Of course, memorials are meant to spur thoughts like this and I left feeling humbled, grateful for my life, and very curious to learn more about the history of this tiny and surprisingly homogenous country.
On the positive sight seeing spectrum we also went to the Grand Palace and the Museum. Perhaps slightly smaller than their neighbors in Thailand, but just as beautiful. The Palace was amazing for the simple fact that it overlooked the river and the museum had a picturesque courtyard that we literally sat down and read a book in.
Because the currency holds such little value (though nowhere near like Zimbabwe) the US dollar is king. Though both are accepted everywhere, dollars are preferred and honestly, are easier to spend as $1 is equal to 4,000 riel and it just gets bulky. It reminded me of Ghana before they restructured the cedi. People carrying stacks of money worth less than the paper it’s printed on; except in Cambodia the dollar has stepped right in. This difference is clearly due to the history of the country.
Other highlights of the city included the wonderful array of street-food, noodles and meat on a stick galore! There is also this huge grapefruit looking thing, the size of a volleyball before it’s peeled. Delicious…and a dollar. We passed vendors selling things like bbq-ed baby chickens, bowls of grilled tarantulas, scorpians and various other creepy crawlies that go crunch as well as any snack chip would. Sandwiches are also a big thing, piled high with ground liver and chunks of mystery lunchmeat…a dollar. I tried to buy postcard stamp and balked b/c they were just too expensive; each costing …a dollar. Happy hour is a well-known concept there and each draft is…you guessed it, a dollar! Dollar store syndrome is easy to contract there, saying, “well hell, if it’s only a dollar I guess I can afford it!” Dollars add up and we actually spent our full budget there, which was a surprise to me.
Feeling like we’d seen our fill after three days, we headed north to Battambang to take a relaxing pit-stop before heading back into Thailand. It’s the second largest city in Cambodia but apart from the hundreds of high schools, you’d never know it. Relaxing and lacking in the usual traffic madness we spent an afternoon walking around and had a tame evening. The next day saw us crossing the border we’d already crossed 9 days earlier and back in the land of the Bhat. Hopped a bus to Bangkok, learned all about the protestors shutting down the airport and headed north to Chiang Mai on a 3rd class bench overnight train that took 15 hours.
Please don’t worry, we are FINE and are planning to leave via the Malaysian border in a few days. Thankfully, as of yet, travelers are only indirectly affected as all departing flights have been cancelled until further notice but we hadn’t planned to fly out of here anyways. Hope everyone had a great turkey day; we ate tuna subs at subway…something was lost in translation. We’re home in less than a month!!!
Monday, December 1, 2008
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Say WAT!?
(By Annie)
After two wonderful train rides I guess we had a lot of hope for Cambodia, but one thing we have learned after three months of traveling is that no matter the language, country, or currency all border towns are shit holes (Sorry for swearing grams). We fairly effortlessly passed through Thai and Cambodian Immigration and then went to a bank to change some money and get smaller American dollars.
Lonely planet warned and warned about the bus scams on the border and apparently in their caution failed to mention there really are no afternoon busses ANYWHERE. So, after walking around aimlessly for a half hour we ate some lunch and then proceeded to bargain for a taxi. I was pissed off by this point and so Rachael took the reigns. We ended up paying $10 a person to take a taxi, which we thought was just for us, but ended up being shared. Even with three people in the back I was a little cramped and crabby, and the fact I did that for years in Benin still baffles me.
Finally, three hours later we were in Siem Reap, or the foothills of the 8th wonder of the world – Ankor Wat. After dogging a few touts our taxi driver wanted to pass us off to we actually found our hotel the Jasmine Lodge. It was the best deal in town and for $9 we shared an elegant suite with Cable TV and a hot shower.
Siem Reap was easy to navigate and we made it to the strip of bars aptly named Bar Street. There we treated ourselves to hamburgers and pitchers at a bar called Ankor What? As someone who completely adores plays on words, they were everywhere. After our burgers we headed over to Funky Munky to play trivia for a cause. Every Thursday this bar hosts a charity and then collects money from tourists and ex-pats. I am not allowed to tell you how much Rachael got into this game – oppss. But, team Yes We Can, finished in dead last. However, Wild Bill was pretty pleased.
The next day we made an executive decision to take in Siem Reap and then go and buy our tickets via bicycle to the Ankor Wat complex. During our explorations we literally stumbled on the brand spanking new Ankor Wat museum. Marvelous and a little expensive this state of the art museum took us through the Khmer Empire explaining all the temples and religious symbolism masterfully. It really is a must see and exactly what we needed before taking in the Wats or temples.
After the museum we saddled up and rode the 6 kilometers to Ankor Wat. We stopped and bought our pass – a whopping $20 dollars, but how can you really put a price on the wonders of the world. The main actual Ankor Wat is a massive complex complete with moats, dikes, and massive sandstone structures that are over a thousand years old. Rachael took lots of photos and I meandered along. After taking in the sunset we left for bar street and more beer on tap.
Day two was exploring Ankor Wat via Tuk Tuk or a motorcycle horse drawn carriage ride. I originally was not smitten with Ankor Wat but after spending the better part of six hours crossing these amazing structures you cannot help but be impressed – seeing the temples’ shear size and the marvelously meticulous figures. It is easy to see why movies like Laura Croft Tomb Raider used the rubbles to depict old gnarly bad ass-ness. Rachael and I both agreed that Bayon was our favorite temple. Everywhere you walked there was literally eyes watching you, said to resemble the king himself.
After our carriage ride concluded we napped and tried to watch some rugby. But, we ended up trying bar after bar with no avail – the channel was not coming in and so internet and more draft beer became an appropriate substitute. Finally, we headed back to the hotel and watched South Africa trounce England during our final night in Siem Reap. What? Wat!
After two wonderful train rides I guess we had a lot of hope for Cambodia, but one thing we have learned after three months of traveling is that no matter the language, country, or currency all border towns are shit holes (Sorry for swearing grams). We fairly effortlessly passed through Thai and Cambodian Immigration and then went to a bank to change some money and get smaller American dollars.
Lonely planet warned and warned about the bus scams on the border and apparently in their caution failed to mention there really are no afternoon busses ANYWHERE. So, after walking around aimlessly for a half hour we ate some lunch and then proceeded to bargain for a taxi. I was pissed off by this point and so Rachael took the reigns. We ended up paying $10 a person to take a taxi, which we thought was just for us, but ended up being shared. Even with three people in the back I was a little cramped and crabby, and the fact I did that for years in Benin still baffles me.
Finally, three hours later we were in Siem Reap, or the foothills of the 8th wonder of the world – Ankor Wat. After dogging a few touts our taxi driver wanted to pass us off to we actually found our hotel the Jasmine Lodge. It was the best deal in town and for $9 we shared an elegant suite with Cable TV and a hot shower.
Siem Reap was easy to navigate and we made it to the strip of bars aptly named Bar Street. There we treated ourselves to hamburgers and pitchers at a bar called Ankor What? As someone who completely adores plays on words, they were everywhere. After our burgers we headed over to Funky Munky to play trivia for a cause. Every Thursday this bar hosts a charity and then collects money from tourists and ex-pats. I am not allowed to tell you how much Rachael got into this game – oppss. But, team Yes We Can, finished in dead last. However, Wild Bill was pretty pleased.
The next day we made an executive decision to take in Siem Reap and then go and buy our tickets via bicycle to the Ankor Wat complex. During our explorations we literally stumbled on the brand spanking new Ankor Wat museum. Marvelous and a little expensive this state of the art museum took us through the Khmer Empire explaining all the temples and religious symbolism masterfully. It really is a must see and exactly what we needed before taking in the Wats or temples.
After the museum we saddled up and rode the 6 kilometers to Ankor Wat. We stopped and bought our pass – a whopping $20 dollars, but how can you really put a price on the wonders of the world. The main actual Ankor Wat is a massive complex complete with moats, dikes, and massive sandstone structures that are over a thousand years old. Rachael took lots of photos and I meandered along. After taking in the sunset we left for bar street and more beer on tap.
Day two was exploring Ankor Wat via Tuk Tuk or a motorcycle horse drawn carriage ride. I originally was not smitten with Ankor Wat but after spending the better part of six hours crossing these amazing structures you cannot help but be impressed – seeing the temples’ shear size and the marvelously meticulous figures. It is easy to see why movies like Laura Croft Tomb Raider used the rubbles to depict old gnarly bad ass-ness. Rachael and I both agreed that Bayon was our favorite temple. Everywhere you walked there was literally eyes watching you, said to resemble the king himself.
After our carriage ride concluded we napped and tried to watch some rugby. But, we ended up trying bar after bar with no avail – the channel was not coming in and so internet and more draft beer became an appropriate substitute. Finally, we headed back to the hotel and watched South Africa trounce England during our final night in Siem Reap. What? Wat!
The rains down in Thailand
(by Annie)
Our last but certainly not least stop in Southern Thailand was Kao Sok National Park. I enjoy a beach with the best of them, but after a week I suggested we take in some of the jungles and waterfalls that also make south the place to be.
The 6 am bus took us literally to the doorsteps of the park. We jumped off expected to walk two kilometers to some of the cheaper hotels closer to the park. Well, we were calmly greeted by four poster holding Thai hotel owners. They were so nice and calm literally Rachael and I almost did a coin flip for which hotel to stay at – we ended up choosing the cheaper of the two – the Evergreen Guest House. For $2 a person we had a cozy jungle bungalow complete with fresh towels and the nicest bathroom we’ve seen yet.
After unpacking and unloading all our beach laundry we headed right into the park. Not only did they have a student price but also the pass was good for 24 hours. So, for three dollars we had two days of waterfalls and lounging.
The park itself actually is really well done. The visitor center is well built and the trails, at least at the beginning, are well marked. The hour hike gave Rachael the physical activity she had been craving and me new views to take in. It ended in a small swimming pool where Rachael fought the river current and I finished my latest book. We saw rain on the horizon and monkeys in the trees so we headed back to the larger trail and back for some beers and dinner, only getting rained on for about five minutes.
After a wonderful night sleep in the jungle. I forgot how the orchestra of nature is really unique in each place. However, there were a few “out of tune” instruments near our bungalow and one bird had a rooster quality that was very humorous to watch Rachael wake up to. In fact I think her exact words were, “What the hell is that?” Birds aside – day two was much like day one only we didn’t get to the waterfall we hoped for because the trail was closed, so instead we took what we believed to be the original trail through the jungle up and down looking at a living and breathing eco-system.
Our viewpoint jaunt brought us back to this damn like watering hole. Here we soaked up some rays, read some books, and planned the rest of our trip to Cambodia. Early afternoon came and we headed back to the cabin for movies and naps. Perhaps equally as entertaining were the people we met at the Evergreen. Hmmm…let’s just say Britain has its own GI Jane and Holland never ceases to amaze us in the crazies it churns out. But, cheers, they make our nights and as long as you have a beer in hand it’s better than watching a movie.
We lazily got up and checked email before heading towards the bus stop. This really could be a post in itself but really I couldn’t adequately explain it and nobody in their right mind would believe it. So, the 150 kilometer journey to Surat Thani where we would catch our train took five hours. First, we got kicked off a public bus for not paying a dollar over, then got picked up by an UNC alumni whose car had a karokee player where we all sang Numa Numa, finally only to be dropped off at a 7-11 where we finally got a bus to the train station. (Please excuse my necessary run on sentence) Inside the bus was the Thai equivalent of my grandmother’s nursing home floor. Wonderfully ironically we arrived at the station with twenty minutes to spare for the first night train.
Have I mentioned I like trains? Well I do. And for about $10 dollars we had two wonderful beds, with real sheets, pillows, and even fans. Even more wonderful was the dining car. All the employees were sipping out of buckets of beer, Eminem playing in the background, and there was even disco type lights to illuminate our rousing game of Rummy, which of course the staff heartily joined in on. Three beers later we were ready for bed and it was comfy – even Rachael who can sleep anywhere and everywhere in any condition was like a little kid in a candy store.
At 4:30 we were rustled awake as Bangkok was on the horizon. Remarkably we timed the trains perfectly so after some Dunkin’ Donuts and a $1 train ticket we were off to the Cambodian border. Six hours later and remarkably well rested we were globe trotting again.
Our last but certainly not least stop in Southern Thailand was Kao Sok National Park. I enjoy a beach with the best of them, but after a week I suggested we take in some of the jungles and waterfalls that also make south the place to be.
The 6 am bus took us literally to the doorsteps of the park. We jumped off expected to walk two kilometers to some of the cheaper hotels closer to the park. Well, we were calmly greeted by four poster holding Thai hotel owners. They were so nice and calm literally Rachael and I almost did a coin flip for which hotel to stay at – we ended up choosing the cheaper of the two – the Evergreen Guest House. For $2 a person we had a cozy jungle bungalow complete with fresh towels and the nicest bathroom we’ve seen yet.
After unpacking and unloading all our beach laundry we headed right into the park. Not only did they have a student price but also the pass was good for 24 hours. So, for three dollars we had two days of waterfalls and lounging.
The park itself actually is really well done. The visitor center is well built and the trails, at least at the beginning, are well marked. The hour hike gave Rachael the physical activity she had been craving and me new views to take in. It ended in a small swimming pool where Rachael fought the river current and I finished my latest book. We saw rain on the horizon and monkeys in the trees so we headed back to the larger trail and back for some beers and dinner, only getting rained on for about five minutes.
After a wonderful night sleep in the jungle. I forgot how the orchestra of nature is really unique in each place. However, there were a few “out of tune” instruments near our bungalow and one bird had a rooster quality that was very humorous to watch Rachael wake up to. In fact I think her exact words were, “What the hell is that?” Birds aside – day two was much like day one only we didn’t get to the waterfall we hoped for because the trail was closed, so instead we took what we believed to be the original trail through the jungle up and down looking at a living and breathing eco-system.
Our viewpoint jaunt brought us back to this damn like watering hole. Here we soaked up some rays, read some books, and planned the rest of our trip to Cambodia. Early afternoon came and we headed back to the cabin for movies and naps. Perhaps equally as entertaining were the people we met at the Evergreen. Hmmm…let’s just say Britain has its own GI Jane and Holland never ceases to amaze us in the crazies it churns out. But, cheers, they make our nights and as long as you have a beer in hand it’s better than watching a movie.
We lazily got up and checked email before heading towards the bus stop. This really could be a post in itself but really I couldn’t adequately explain it and nobody in their right mind would believe it. So, the 150 kilometer journey to Surat Thani where we would catch our train took five hours. First, we got kicked off a public bus for not paying a dollar over, then got picked up by an UNC alumni whose car had a karokee player where we all sang Numa Numa, finally only to be dropped off at a 7-11 where we finally got a bus to the train station. (Please excuse my necessary run on sentence) Inside the bus was the Thai equivalent of my grandmother’s nursing home floor. Wonderfully ironically we arrived at the station with twenty minutes to spare for the first night train.
Have I mentioned I like trains? Well I do. And for about $10 dollars we had two wonderful beds, with real sheets, pillows, and even fans. Even more wonderful was the dining car. All the employees were sipping out of buckets of beer, Eminem playing in the background, and there was even disco type lights to illuminate our rousing game of Rummy, which of course the staff heartily joined in on. Three beers later we were ready for bed and it was comfy – even Rachael who can sleep anywhere and everywhere in any condition was like a little kid in a candy store.
At 4:30 we were rustled awake as Bangkok was on the horizon. Remarkably we timed the trains perfectly so after some Dunkin’ Donuts and a $1 train ticket we were off to the Cambodian border. Six hours later and remarkably well rested we were globe trotting again.
Phucket...Phucket real good
(By Miller)
We arrived and shrugged off the motos and taxis persuading us that it was a long way into Phuket town. After walking a few kilometers and night approaching, we ate our words and hopped motos to the On-On hotel. It’s a converted old firehouse so plenty of character…not much else. The princess died last year and her cremation ceremony had been playing on the television all day. Things had been randomly closed so we had a quiet dinner and settled in for the night.
The main draw to Phuket for westerners is the strip of beach along the west coast. It is apparently world renowned and apparently very expensive; at least on our budget so we steered clear. Opting for the butterfly house and insect museum sounds far more enticing than sandy white beaches and drinks out of coconuts right? We thought so too so we walked across town to it. Greeted with chilled nectar of something or other, we then continued on to see the exhibits of tarantulas, millipedes, scorpions, and other creepy crawlies I was just as likely to see in my latrine in Benin. Spent some time walking around the butterfly sanctuary and it was time to go. That was our big event for the day so, satiated, we went back to try and find food and more things to do.
A shopping mall presented itself and James Bond just happened to be playing IN ENGLISH! Sold! That’s how we spent our afternoon and loved every minute of the experience, watching an English movie and sucking in the perfumed air that is piped into the theatre, and listening to the fat western dude next to us chomp down his popcorn.
That night we tried to locate all the fabulous bars written up in the LP with happy hours and trivia nights. Again, due to the passing of the princess, they were all closed and we had another mellow night. We’d decided to breakup the long haul from Phuket to Bangkok by stopping in the Kao Sok national park. Phuket was lovely but don’t really need to go again. The islands are where it’s at, and even all the diving trips from Phuket ferry their clients right back to where we’d come from. No more time was needed and we were excited to see some of Thailand’s preserves! Caught a 6am bus the next morning.
We arrived and shrugged off the motos and taxis persuading us that it was a long way into Phuket town. After walking a few kilometers and night approaching, we ate our words and hopped motos to the On-On hotel. It’s a converted old firehouse so plenty of character…not much else. The princess died last year and her cremation ceremony had been playing on the television all day. Things had been randomly closed so we had a quiet dinner and settled in for the night.
The main draw to Phuket for westerners is the strip of beach along the west coast. It is apparently world renowned and apparently very expensive; at least on our budget so we steered clear. Opting for the butterfly house and insect museum sounds far more enticing than sandy white beaches and drinks out of coconuts right? We thought so too so we walked across town to it. Greeted with chilled nectar of something or other, we then continued on to see the exhibits of tarantulas, millipedes, scorpions, and other creepy crawlies I was just as likely to see in my latrine in Benin. Spent some time walking around the butterfly sanctuary and it was time to go. That was our big event for the day so, satiated, we went back to try and find food and more things to do.
A shopping mall presented itself and James Bond just happened to be playing IN ENGLISH! Sold! That’s how we spent our afternoon and loved every minute of the experience, watching an English movie and sucking in the perfumed air that is piped into the theatre, and listening to the fat western dude next to us chomp down his popcorn.
That night we tried to locate all the fabulous bars written up in the LP with happy hours and trivia nights. Again, due to the passing of the princess, they were all closed and we had another mellow night. We’d decided to breakup the long haul from Phuket to Bangkok by stopping in the Kao Sok national park. Phuket was lovely but don’t really need to go again. The islands are where it’s at, and even all the diving trips from Phuket ferry their clients right back to where we’d come from. No more time was needed and we were excited to see some of Thailand’s preserves! Caught a 6am bus the next morning.
Going down in Koh Phi Phi
(By Miller)
The express boat ride took two hours from Ao Nang to the island. It was amazing scenery as we stopped midway - in the middle of the ocean – to pick up a round of passengers. Annie and I were a bit miffed at first, when we bought our tickets. We kept looking for the thai price, you know, the bush taxi on water. As it happens, it doesn’t exist. Koh Phi Phi is pretty much locked up as a tourist destination.
When the tsunami hit in 2004, it wiped the island and surrounding area out. Thanks to the endless tourist dollars pouring in, Thailand is faring far better than many of the other areas implicated, like the Philippines. That said, there was still much construction going on and it is nowhere near fully recovered. Something we did enjoy, and aren’t sure whether it’s a result of crisis response or not, were the 5 Bhat water just refill stations. For about 10 cents we could refill the 1½-liter containers so we didn’t have to keep buying more plastic bottles.
Walking off the boat was madness. Wait; actually it was the best organization of the masses we’ve seen yet. Thailand – unlike India – has learned how to effectively wrangle its tourists. There were the usual touts but this time they were behind ropes, much like in an airport. At the end of the dock, there were boards and maps of every possible guesthouse and hostel on the island, complete with pictures and prices. We took this as a personal gesture of kindness from the government of Thailand. Slogging around in the 100-degree sun with packs on is just not a great way to spend an afternoon.
After we located (for $6/night) the H.C. Anderson Guesthouse (Hans Christian Anderson?), Annie was adamant I needed to actually use the SCUBA certification I’d picked up in Egypt. Not that I needed much convincing. I’d really planned on just slothing around on the beach for a few days but the streets and alleys are just lined with dive shops. A very convincing Aussie (who knew where the Appalachians were!) gave us a free map and I was sold. To seal the deal, they take credit cards!!!! I fear the plastic, especially after spending two years in countries where cash is king, but this allowed me to have more money on hand for places that don’t take VISA…like everywhere else. So, for $75 I went on a day trip, which included two dives, lunch and fabulous company. One of my dives ended up being an “adventure dive”, of which I need 5 of to get my advanced diver card. Yahoo! You can imagine how much fun Annie had with that achievement. This one involved going down to 30 meters (between 90-100ft) and seeing if the nitrogen in my blood made me nuts. People compare it to getting drunk but what actually happens is your brain just stops processing information, making gauge reading difficult. Happy to say, neither the Swede I was diving with nor I had much problem and our instructor Mika (also a Swede and did a wicked Muppet chef impression) said we were very comfortable in the water. The second dive after lunch was a fun one and we saw a hawk’s beak turtle after being down only 5 minutes. It was amazing and I’m so happy Annie persuaded me
While I was down under, she was checking out the viewpoint and relaxing vacation style. There are no open container laws and 7-11s are everywhere so we bought beer for half the price of a bar and sat on the beach.
We stayed a total of two nights and left the next afternoon after a morning absolutely baking on the beach. The tide rises and falls by a good 8 feet or so and tide was half in so there was lovely swimming to be done. Boarded the speedboat (the Princess, how appropriate) to Phuket and got to sit in air conditioning for a few hours.
Other travelers we’ve run into have given us mixed reviews on what Koh Phi Phi is really all about. I say take it for what it is. A tourist-ridden isle, paradise for some and a hellhole for others. A bit of both I think for us, it was time to move on.
The express boat ride took two hours from Ao Nang to the island. It was amazing scenery as we stopped midway - in the middle of the ocean – to pick up a round of passengers. Annie and I were a bit miffed at first, when we bought our tickets. We kept looking for the thai price, you know, the bush taxi on water. As it happens, it doesn’t exist. Koh Phi Phi is pretty much locked up as a tourist destination.
When the tsunami hit in 2004, it wiped the island and surrounding area out. Thanks to the endless tourist dollars pouring in, Thailand is faring far better than many of the other areas implicated, like the Philippines. That said, there was still much construction going on and it is nowhere near fully recovered. Something we did enjoy, and aren’t sure whether it’s a result of crisis response or not, were the 5 Bhat water just refill stations. For about 10 cents we could refill the 1½-liter containers so we didn’t have to keep buying more plastic bottles.
Walking off the boat was madness. Wait; actually it was the best organization of the masses we’ve seen yet. Thailand – unlike India – has learned how to effectively wrangle its tourists. There were the usual touts but this time they were behind ropes, much like in an airport. At the end of the dock, there were boards and maps of every possible guesthouse and hostel on the island, complete with pictures and prices. We took this as a personal gesture of kindness from the government of Thailand. Slogging around in the 100-degree sun with packs on is just not a great way to spend an afternoon.
After we located (for $6/night) the H.C. Anderson Guesthouse (Hans Christian Anderson?), Annie was adamant I needed to actually use the SCUBA certification I’d picked up in Egypt. Not that I needed much convincing. I’d really planned on just slothing around on the beach for a few days but the streets and alleys are just lined with dive shops. A very convincing Aussie (who knew where the Appalachians were!) gave us a free map and I was sold. To seal the deal, they take credit cards!!!! I fear the plastic, especially after spending two years in countries where cash is king, but this allowed me to have more money on hand for places that don’t take VISA…like everywhere else. So, for $75 I went on a day trip, which included two dives, lunch and fabulous company. One of my dives ended up being an “adventure dive”, of which I need 5 of to get my advanced diver card. Yahoo! You can imagine how much fun Annie had with that achievement. This one involved going down to 30 meters (between 90-100ft) and seeing if the nitrogen in my blood made me nuts. People compare it to getting drunk but what actually happens is your brain just stops processing information, making gauge reading difficult. Happy to say, neither the Swede I was diving with nor I had much problem and our instructor Mika (also a Swede and did a wicked Muppet chef impression) said we were very comfortable in the water. The second dive after lunch was a fun one and we saw a hawk’s beak turtle after being down only 5 minutes. It was amazing and I’m so happy Annie persuaded me
While I was down under, she was checking out the viewpoint and relaxing vacation style. There are no open container laws and 7-11s are everywhere so we bought beer for half the price of a bar and sat on the beach.
We stayed a total of two nights and left the next afternoon after a morning absolutely baking on the beach. The tide rises and falls by a good 8 feet or so and tide was half in so there was lovely swimming to be done. Boarded the speedboat (the Princess, how appropriate) to Phuket and got to sit in air conditioning for a few hours.
Other travelers we’ve run into have given us mixed reviews on what Koh Phi Phi is really all about. I say take it for what it is. A tourist-ridden isle, paradise for some and a hellhole for others. A bit of both I think for us, it was time to move on.
RPCV love doesn't always mean Krabs
(By Miller)
Sometimes unplanned detours are the best and this proved to be true with the south of Thailand. While still in India we received an email from a friend of the family who had built a house in Ao Nang and just happened to be a returned Peace Corps volunteer from Ghana. LOVE the community! We hadn’t planned to go south of Bangkok at all, except to take the train to Singapore. I didn’t need much convincing as sand, crystal clear water, and scuba diving galore sounded slightly more enticing than the streets of Calcutta. After all, we ARE on a vacation of sorts, right?
For about $10, we took an overnight bus from Bangkok to Ao Nang, a smaller ‘burb of Krabi (said crab-EE). The bus was the most comfortable thing to sleep on we’d seen in a long time as I couldn’t fit in the Calcutta bed and the short reprieve we had with an ex-pat friend in Bangkok just didn’t placate my back. The seats reclined to a visually pleasing angle but after two hours of sleep, woke up to numb feet and knees the size of grapefruits. Whatever, we arrived soon enough, looking glamorous. The local taxis in Ao Nang are pickup trucks with benches in the back so we took on to the end of the road, where our soon-to-be new best friend, Mark lived. He said we shouldn’t have a problem finding his house, as it was the one that looked out of place on the road. After a kilometer in the muggiest weather we’ve felt yet, this palatial estate complete with pool appeared and we figured it must have been it. JACKPOT! Mark and his incredibly adorable 8-month old were fabulous hosts.
We rented a moto for a couple days and decided to take it easy and tool around. The “strip” consists of McDonalds, Starbucks, endless restaurants, tattoo parlors, dive shops; and of course, the obligatory 7-11. Checked out the sites, made a plan for the next day, and headed home to cook some noodles and veggies in a real kitchen! Did I mention that Mark treated us to Starbucks filter coffee? Travelers on vacation we are! Stumbled onto a Karaoke bar and Annie got to sing the Romanian dance song so near and dear to all Peace Corps Benin volunteers. You all know the words…my-a-hee my-a-ha…Betsi Frei would have been on cloud 9!
Had a lazy morning and decided to conquer the beach…but not before a rousing game of mini-golf and a Thai massage. The golf course was closed, which was a serious blow to Annie but as some of you may know I’m just not a gamer and wasn’t too broken up about it. She didn’t go in for a massage so while she lounged on the beach, I got worked over for an hour by a small Thai man twisting me in all directions and hitting pressure points I didn’t know I had. It was heaven, they even gave me tea and pineapple afterwards The afternoon was spent wading around in the bathwater warm Indian ocean and watching the boats zip around. Apparently we missed the memo and were caught in a huge rainstorm. Once it let up, we tooled our moto back to Mark’s.
There was a festival of lights and lanterns, something about asking protections and forgiveness from the ocean. People wove palm leaves into floating candle and incense holders and set them out to sea. More stunning still were the lanterns about 2 feet high which are lit from underneath and the hot air makes them rise up to the heavens, carrying good wishes with the flames. Amazing to see the night sky full of floating lights.
Returned the moto, said goodbye to Mark and his baby boy, and hopped a boat to Koh Phi Phi. This was a little more expensive than anything we had planned but OH MY GAWD it was worth it. Phi Phi (said pee-pee) was far grander than anything I expected.
Sometimes unplanned detours are the best and this proved to be true with the south of Thailand. While still in India we received an email from a friend of the family who had built a house in Ao Nang and just happened to be a returned Peace Corps volunteer from Ghana. LOVE the community! We hadn’t planned to go south of Bangkok at all, except to take the train to Singapore. I didn’t need much convincing as sand, crystal clear water, and scuba diving galore sounded slightly more enticing than the streets of Calcutta. After all, we ARE on a vacation of sorts, right?
For about $10, we took an overnight bus from Bangkok to Ao Nang, a smaller ‘burb of Krabi (said crab-EE). The bus was the most comfortable thing to sleep on we’d seen in a long time as I couldn’t fit in the Calcutta bed and the short reprieve we had with an ex-pat friend in Bangkok just didn’t placate my back. The seats reclined to a visually pleasing angle but after two hours of sleep, woke up to numb feet and knees the size of grapefruits. Whatever, we arrived soon enough, looking glamorous. The local taxis in Ao Nang are pickup trucks with benches in the back so we took on to the end of the road, where our soon-to-be new best friend, Mark lived. He said we shouldn’t have a problem finding his house, as it was the one that looked out of place on the road. After a kilometer in the muggiest weather we’ve felt yet, this palatial estate complete with pool appeared and we figured it must have been it. JACKPOT! Mark and his incredibly adorable 8-month old were fabulous hosts.
We rented a moto for a couple days and decided to take it easy and tool around. The “strip” consists of McDonalds, Starbucks, endless restaurants, tattoo parlors, dive shops; and of course, the obligatory 7-11. Checked out the sites, made a plan for the next day, and headed home to cook some noodles and veggies in a real kitchen! Did I mention that Mark treated us to Starbucks filter coffee? Travelers on vacation we are! Stumbled onto a Karaoke bar and Annie got to sing the Romanian dance song so near and dear to all Peace Corps Benin volunteers. You all know the words…my-a-hee my-a-ha…Betsi Frei would have been on cloud 9!
Had a lazy morning and decided to conquer the beach…but not before a rousing game of mini-golf and a Thai massage. The golf course was closed, which was a serious blow to Annie but as some of you may know I’m just not a gamer and wasn’t too broken up about it. She didn’t go in for a massage so while she lounged on the beach, I got worked over for an hour by a small Thai man twisting me in all directions and hitting pressure points I didn’t know I had. It was heaven, they even gave me tea and pineapple afterwards The afternoon was spent wading around in the bathwater warm Indian ocean and watching the boats zip around. Apparently we missed the memo and were caught in a huge rainstorm. Once it let up, we tooled our moto back to Mark’s.
There was a festival of lights and lanterns, something about asking protections and forgiveness from the ocean. People wove palm leaves into floating candle and incense holders and set them out to sea. More stunning still were the lanterns about 2 feet high which are lit from underneath and the hot air makes them rise up to the heavens, carrying good wishes with the flames. Amazing to see the night sky full of floating lights.
Returned the moto, said goodbye to Mark and his baby boy, and hopped a boat to Koh Phi Phi. This was a little more expensive than anything we had planned but OH MY GAWD it was worth it. Phi Phi (said pee-pee) was far grander than anything I expected.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
12 million + 2 more = Bangkok
(By Annie)
Our delightful Thai Airways flight landed shortly after sunrise, so we lost a night of sleep, but gained a whole lot more. Our host in Bangkok was Marilee, who those from my days of Peace Corps will remember as our former director. She now runs program management in Thailand and was so very gracious to offer her apartment as a home base for our travels in Thailand.
So, after an amazing breakfast and Starbucks for Rachael (Miller: STARBUCKS!!!!, it cost more than a meal but was worth it to hear Christmas carols order a drink with 7 words in the name) we were off to conquer Bangkok. First things first, the public transportation system is so diverse and efficient. Traffic is a huge problem for city, so there is an extensive sky train, metro, bus, and river taxi system. In two days believe it or not we conquered them all. I was impressed with how user friendly they all were. The metro and sky train rivals and perhaps surpasses any of its competitors around the world- did I mention they were air conditioned as well?
As for the sights, our first day was spent exploring the river. Most, if not all, the highly visited sites are conveniently located on or around the river. We took the river taxi and happened to stumble across this beautiful park and fort. We then headed down to the Grand Palace, the former residence for the royal family of Thailand. I am not even sure I can put into words what we saw. Imagine a giant gingerbread house made of all the ceramic tiles and precious stones you could collect in a lifetime; and put together with such detail to design and color. It is truly one of those architectural miracles. Also, inside the palace compound was the emerald Buddha – one of the most famous sites for religious pilgrimage and devotion in the entire world. It was wonderful to be a sort of fly on the wall seeing the process that Buddhists go through. It is one of the many times during this trip where I have seen things that I have read and studied come alive.
After the palace we headed home and enjoyed a hot shower and a real bed, which after Calcutta were just as valuable to us as the Grand Palace. Day two was more public transport and then logistics like buying bus tickets and post cards. We also spent some time in the central park of Bangkok watching children on all ages attempt to fly their kites. It was magical to see how they danced in the air and the change of expression on the kids faces as the parents helped them get in the air. We also walked and saw the golden mountain. Hmm, again I am at a loss. Imagine a carnival, literally a carnival – like one with a ferris wheel, games, and all the food on a stick you could ever want. Well, a mountain with a gorgeous temple on top was right in the middle of it, taking in pilgrims and tourists alike still eating the cotton candy off their fingers.
Once we climbed down, it was off to the main event – literally – Muay Thai or Thai boxing, the national sport of Thailand. We saw five different fights and perhaps even cooler than the knockout punches were the rituals performed before each battle and the spectators betting up a storm. The guidebooks described it like the stock exchange and there is not better way to put it.
Day three was finally a Monday and we needed to get down to business. The morning was spent in the Cambodian Embassy, it took a little bit of time, but it was one of the better visa getting experiences we have had. After getting back to the river we headed off to a cyber café for Rachael to finish her job application and for me to finish my scholarship application. Two beers later we were on our overnight train with 7-11 fountain drinks in hand, yes, the answer is- they even have slurpees and we have had three so far.
Fourteen hours later we are in the paradise of Krabi. Moto-ing to the beach today where we can lounge with cocktail in hand and indulge in a $4 hour-long massage, all while staring at the unreal land/seascape that southern Thailand is famous for.
Our delightful Thai Airways flight landed shortly after sunrise, so we lost a night of sleep, but gained a whole lot more. Our host in Bangkok was Marilee, who those from my days of Peace Corps will remember as our former director. She now runs program management in Thailand and was so very gracious to offer her apartment as a home base for our travels in Thailand.
So, after an amazing breakfast and Starbucks for Rachael (Miller: STARBUCKS!!!!, it cost more than a meal but was worth it to hear Christmas carols order a drink with 7 words in the name) we were off to conquer Bangkok. First things first, the public transportation system is so diverse and efficient. Traffic is a huge problem for city, so there is an extensive sky train, metro, bus, and river taxi system. In two days believe it or not we conquered them all. I was impressed with how user friendly they all were. The metro and sky train rivals and perhaps surpasses any of its competitors around the world- did I mention they were air conditioned as well?
As for the sights, our first day was spent exploring the river. Most, if not all, the highly visited sites are conveniently located on or around the river. We took the river taxi and happened to stumble across this beautiful park and fort. We then headed down to the Grand Palace, the former residence for the royal family of Thailand. I am not even sure I can put into words what we saw. Imagine a giant gingerbread house made of all the ceramic tiles and precious stones you could collect in a lifetime; and put together with such detail to design and color. It is truly one of those architectural miracles. Also, inside the palace compound was the emerald Buddha – one of the most famous sites for religious pilgrimage and devotion in the entire world. It was wonderful to be a sort of fly on the wall seeing the process that Buddhists go through. It is one of the many times during this trip where I have seen things that I have read and studied come alive.
After the palace we headed home and enjoyed a hot shower and a real bed, which after Calcutta were just as valuable to us as the Grand Palace. Day two was more public transport and then logistics like buying bus tickets and post cards. We also spent some time in the central park of Bangkok watching children on all ages attempt to fly their kites. It was magical to see how they danced in the air and the change of expression on the kids faces as the parents helped them get in the air. We also walked and saw the golden mountain. Hmm, again I am at a loss. Imagine a carnival, literally a carnival – like one with a ferris wheel, games, and all the food on a stick you could ever want. Well, a mountain with a gorgeous temple on top was right in the middle of it, taking in pilgrims and tourists alike still eating the cotton candy off their fingers.
Once we climbed down, it was off to the main event – literally – Muay Thai or Thai boxing, the national sport of Thailand. We saw five different fights and perhaps even cooler than the knockout punches were the rituals performed before each battle and the spectators betting up a storm. The guidebooks described it like the stock exchange and there is not better way to put it.
Day three was finally a Monday and we needed to get down to business. The morning was spent in the Cambodian Embassy, it took a little bit of time, but it was one of the better visa getting experiences we have had. After getting back to the river we headed off to a cyber café for Rachael to finish her job application and for me to finish my scholarship application. Two beers later we were on our overnight train with 7-11 fountain drinks in hand, yes, the answer is- they even have slurpees and we have had three so far.
Fourteen hours later we are in the paradise of Krabi. Moto-ing to the beach today where we can lounge with cocktail in hand and indulge in a $4 hour-long massage, all while staring at the unreal land/seascape that southern Thailand is famous for.
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