I think I last updated from Krabi....since then, the adventure has continued!!
Scott and I met up with Rachel, and saw her rock climb in Ton Sai. The weather continued to be crap...monsooning every night...btu we managed to make the most of it!
After Krabi, we headed up the andaman coast to Ko Lak...a diving mecca. It continued to pour, but Matt dove on the Similan islands, and Scott and I managed to geta few hours of sun in.
After Krabi...we headed back to the Gulf of Thailand where we went to Koh Samui. The island was pretty nice, and we stayed in Bo Phun beach for 2 nights. We then headed to the next island, Koh Pagnan. We met up with Rachel again, and also Courtney, and her boyfriend Chris. We stayed on a gorgeous beach called Thong Nai Pan...and there was plenty of sun for once! Our bungalows had a pool and were surrounded by plumeria and orchids! The night of the 9th, we went to the full moon party. If you haven't heard of it, it is supposed to be one of the biggest parties in the world (google it...well, not you mom because it will probably scare you). It was right on the beach, and had body painting, fire limbo...and general craziness. To add to that, it rained the ENTIRE TIME! The 6 of us had a blast, and made it back safely! We said goodbye to Rachel, and Courtney for good :( on the 11th.
We are on Koh Tao now...the last of the islands we are visiting int he gulf. It is GORGEOUS! It has been sunny the whole time (yay). I went scuba diving today and saw a barracuda, and a sea snake!! I did 2 dives, and my dive instructor looked like Paul Walker (yum).
Tomorrow is songkran (a HUGE Thai holiday). Essentially the whole day everyone throws water at each other or gets giant super soakers, and there is a day long water fight! I am so excited!
After Koh Tao, our trip of Thailand is over. All in all the south has been great! Heading to Vietnam on the 15th!! I am trying to put up pictres now...we will see what happens!
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Thursday, April 2, 2009
South of Thailand travel begins!
Scott, Matt and I have been traveling now for almost a week! We left for Bangkok, then flew to Phuket in the south of Thailand. Phuket was pretty nice...though we only stayed for 2 days. You can tell the Tsunami of 2004 wiped out quite a bit but they have recovered extremely well!
After Phuket we headed to the Phi Phi islands. Koh Phi Phi was the most beautiful place I have ever seen in my life! We went on a boat/snorkel trip...saw this lagoon called PiLey bay on Phi Phi Leh island...so beautiful (google pictures of it). We also went to the beach where they filmed the movie "The beach" (but believe it or not, that was probably the least beautiful)! I took TONS of pictures that I will put up when I get back to the states. Scott and I hiked up the tsunami evacuation route/viewpoint and it was spectacular! We staed 4 days on Phi Phi Don (the bigger island) but spent a lot of time on Phi Phi Leh (the smaller and more beautiful island only a longboat ride away). On the cliffs they have "swift nests", that they use to make bird nest soup. I guess people have to scale these cliffs and steal the nests and make a ton of money, though it looks extremely dangerous. We also saw a viking cave, where pirates had made drawings on the walls. What else? Had some great food, saw some Muay Thai boxing, got an awesome sunburn...everything was great!
We are in Krabi now...a place called Ao Nang. It has been rainign all day. but tomorrow we are meeting up with Rachel in Railay beach (in Krabi) and hopefully doing some kayaking.
On saturday, we are heading to the similan islands (on the andaman sea). Scuba diving is some of the best in the world there so I think I might splurge and do a "fun dive"...you dont get certified and a guide goes with you (its through PADI so its safe mom), plus its less expensive. You go no more than 25 ft. so if something goes wrong you can swim up. I feel like it would be a shame not to when its the best in the world! Matt went diving the other day on Phi Phi and saw 3 sea turtles and a shark!! The dive I do counts toward part of a certification if I find that I love it. I have always been a bit apprehensive of diving, but I am pretty much a waterbaby and LOVE snorkeling, so I will probably LOVE it and be addicted. The snorkeling alone has been AMAZING! The visibility is about 12-18 meters from the surface and there are so many unbelievable fish swimming around (rainbow colored even!!) The water is so clear and warm (about 80-85 degrees)
The south of Thialand is very different...and A LOT more beautiful. There are huge cascading limestone cliffs, and turqouise water. I really love it down here!
I am having a blast! It is HOTTER THAN HECK, but we are dealing!
Miss you all, and I will try to update again soon!
After Phuket we headed to the Phi Phi islands. Koh Phi Phi was the most beautiful place I have ever seen in my life! We went on a boat/snorkel trip...saw this lagoon called PiLey bay on Phi Phi Leh island...so beautiful (google pictures of it). We also went to the beach where they filmed the movie "The beach" (but believe it or not, that was probably the least beautiful)! I took TONS of pictures that I will put up when I get back to the states. Scott and I hiked up the tsunami evacuation route/viewpoint and it was spectacular! We staed 4 days on Phi Phi Don (the bigger island) but spent a lot of time on Phi Phi Leh (the smaller and more beautiful island only a longboat ride away). On the cliffs they have "swift nests", that they use to make bird nest soup. I guess people have to scale these cliffs and steal the nests and make a ton of money, though it looks extremely dangerous. We also saw a viking cave, where pirates had made drawings on the walls. What else? Had some great food, saw some Muay Thai boxing, got an awesome sunburn...everything was great!
We are in Krabi now...a place called Ao Nang. It has been rainign all day. but tomorrow we are meeting up with Rachel in Railay beach (in Krabi) and hopefully doing some kayaking.
On saturday, we are heading to the similan islands (on the andaman sea). Scuba diving is some of the best in the world there so I think I might splurge and do a "fun dive"...you dont get certified and a guide goes with you (its through PADI so its safe mom), plus its less expensive. You go no more than 25 ft. so if something goes wrong you can swim up. I feel like it would be a shame not to when its the best in the world! Matt went diving the other day on Phi Phi and saw 3 sea turtles and a shark!! The dive I do counts toward part of a certification if I find that I love it. I have always been a bit apprehensive of diving, but I am pretty much a waterbaby and LOVE snorkeling, so I will probably LOVE it and be addicted. The snorkeling alone has been AMAZING! The visibility is about 12-18 meters from the surface and there are so many unbelievable fish swimming around (rainbow colored even!!) The water is so clear and warm (about 80-85 degrees)
The south of Thialand is very different...and A LOT more beautiful. There are huge cascading limestone cliffs, and turqouise water. I really love it down here!
I am having a blast! It is HOTTER THAN HECK, but we are dealing!
Miss you all, and I will try to update again soon!
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Goodbye Ban Phe
Well, my journey as a teacher in Thailand has pretty much come to an end. It seems like just yesterday I landed in Thailand...it really flew by! I teach tomorrow and Friday, then I begin my travels! I won't be able to update much, as I will have limited access to computers and the internet...but I will try to update and add photos while traveling! I leave Saturday morning for Bangkok, the fly out early Sunday morning to Phuket (in the South of Thailand).
Overall this experience has been pretty great. I am sad to say goodbye to Ban Phe, and the friends I have made here, but I am ready to travel. I will miss this place...who knows, maybe I will be back someday?
I have uploaded photos from Graduation into my old album (they begin on page 9)
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2017270&id=83901952&l=49f9c18982
I also added photos of Ban Phe...where I live, places I go here, and people I have met (and all my favorite street dogs too!).
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2018509&id=83901952&l=1c85ca0488
enjoy! Hopefully I will update soon! I will be back in the U.S. May 15th!
Overall this experience has been pretty great. I am sad to say goodbye to Ban Phe, and the friends I have made here, but I am ready to travel. I will miss this place...who knows, maybe I will be back someday?
I have uploaded photos from Graduation into my old album (they begin on page 9)
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2017270&id=83901952&l=49f9c18982
I also added photos of Ban Phe...where I live, places I go here, and people I have met (and all my favorite street dogs too!).
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2018509&id=83901952&l=1c85ca0488
enjoy! Hopefully I will update soon! I will be back in the U.S. May 15th!
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
the best of the last...
This past weekend was my second to last in Ban Phe :(
I am starting to get a little sad about leaving, but more excited to start traveling on the 28th!
Friday, a bunch of us went into Rayong to eat pizza and go bowling. After, we went to a club where they had live music. They stuck us right in the front (so everyone could stare at the white people). We had a great time until all of a sudden the lights came on, and the music stopped. We turned around to find the club surrounded by hundreds of Thai police. We were pretty scared so we went to the door. They let us out, because we are foreigners, but they wouldn't let any Thai people exit. We still don't know what was going on, but I have heard horror storeis of people getting arrested on false drug charges just for being in the wrong place at the wrong time...we were pretty lucky!!
Saturday, we went to Rache's school's graduation! This thing was a HUGE deal. The kids did a bunch of performances on a huge stage. Rachel even had to give a speech! Of course, since we are the only white people for miles, they gave us a VIP table (literally there was a sign that said VIP"), right at the front of the whole thing. They then proceeded to videotape us and put it up on the jumbo screen so everyone could look at the foreigners. Anyway, it was pretty funny. The performances were so adorable (preschool age kids dancing), and they kept beinging us all different food. They would walk up with a fruit plate, or a giant fish, or a duck, or a big plate of rice...and just when you thought you were done eating, they brought another.
The next day, we decided to take our last trip out to the island of Koh Samet. We took a boat tour around the island, and snorkeled, swam, fished, and layed in the sun. It was really nice and relaxing. When we got back, we went for one final dinner at Shaam's. We found someone to drive us the 20 minutes out to his place, and we ate all of our favorite foods. I am so sad that was my last Shaam's meal, because his food is the BEST Thai food I have ever had (maybe some of the best food in general that I have ever had). Shaam drove us back, and we said goodbye to him.
I have this week, and next to finish teaching, and then we start our S.E. Asian traveling adventure (yay). I won't have a computer with me while I travel so updates and pictures will be few and far between (if at all), but I promise very detailed entries and tons of pictures upon my return to the states! I am going to miss Thailand, but I am ready to see the world!
I am starting to get a little sad about leaving, but more excited to start traveling on the 28th!
Friday, a bunch of us went into Rayong to eat pizza and go bowling. After, we went to a club where they had live music. They stuck us right in the front (so everyone could stare at the white people). We had a great time until all of a sudden the lights came on, and the music stopped. We turned around to find the club surrounded by hundreds of Thai police. We were pretty scared so we went to the door. They let us out, because we are foreigners, but they wouldn't let any Thai people exit. We still don't know what was going on, but I have heard horror storeis of people getting arrested on false drug charges just for being in the wrong place at the wrong time...we were pretty lucky!!
Saturday, we went to Rache's school's graduation! This thing was a HUGE deal. The kids did a bunch of performances on a huge stage. Rachel even had to give a speech! Of course, since we are the only white people for miles, they gave us a VIP table (literally there was a sign that said VIP"), right at the front of the whole thing. They then proceeded to videotape us and put it up on the jumbo screen so everyone could look at the foreigners. Anyway, it was pretty funny. The performances were so adorable (preschool age kids dancing), and they kept beinging us all different food. They would walk up with a fruit plate, or a giant fish, or a duck, or a big plate of rice...and just when you thought you were done eating, they brought another.
The next day, we decided to take our last trip out to the island of Koh Samet. We took a boat tour around the island, and snorkeled, swam, fished, and layed in the sun. It was really nice and relaxing. When we got back, we went for one final dinner at Shaam's. We found someone to drive us the 20 minutes out to his place, and we ate all of our favorite foods. I am so sad that was my last Shaam's meal, because his food is the BEST Thai food I have ever had (maybe some of the best food in general that I have ever had). Shaam drove us back, and we said goodbye to him.
I have this week, and next to finish teaching, and then we start our S.E. Asian traveling adventure (yay). I won't have a computer with me while I travel so updates and pictures will be few and far between (if at all), but I promise very detailed entries and tons of pictures upon my return to the states! I am going to miss Thailand, but I am ready to see the world!
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
fireflies, floaties, and festivals
I had a great weekend! The boys went on a "Man trip" to Kanchannaburri, so I decided to go on a "girl trip" to visit Courtney. On Friday, I took a bus down to Trat where Courtney teaches. Trat is a small town, near Cambodia, and close to the island of Koh Chang (where I went in October and rode elephants). Trat is adorable, full of cute little buildings, and friendly people. This weekend there was a festival in the town, and the street was full of delicious food stands and performances. We walked around the festival eating everything that looked good (which was a lot)! There was a shadow puppet show made with ornate cutouts of Thai figures (hard to explain but I took pictures), there was singing, dancing, playing of instruments...it was really fun! We tried all kinds of new Thai foods and desserts (using the phrase "what is this" in Thai was helpful haha you never know when you are eating fermented fish guts or mango sticky rice). There were TONS of people at the festival, mostly locals. We were some of just a handful of white people, but the Thai people in Trat were so friendly and helpful letting us try foods for free and tolerating us trying to ask what they were.
On Saturday we went to the island of Koh Chang. One of Courtney's students' family owns a restaurant on the island, so they told us to stop in that night and have dinner. The restaurant was right on the bank of a small river and had delicious food! Courtney's student came and she was adorable! After dinner, she asked if we wanted to go see the fireflies. We got into a boat, and went down the river to a grove of trees. There were tons of fireflies in the trees, and it looked like blinking Christmas lights. It was beautiful. After that, we went and found a place to stay, then went out to "Treehouse" the bar in the woods. We danced and met a lot of travelers, and had a great time!
Sunday morning, we woke up and headed to the beach. We layed in the sun and rented floaty rafts to lay on in the water. It was really nice. We walked around the island in the afternoon, and then headed back to Trat on the last ferry boat, catching an amazing sunset over the island!
When we got back to Trat we went to the festival again, and ate more delicious street food. Then we came to a CD stand of Thai pop music. I have a favorite Thai song that I hear all the time, but never know the name of. Courtney and I asked the guy if he had it, and we sang it for him. He then got his friend, and we sang it again for him, then this guy got another friend. This went on for a while until FINALLY someone recognized it and found us the CD! It was hillarious, but now I am the proud owner of a CD containing 183 Thai pop hits (oh yesss).
Monday morning, I caught the bus back to Ban Phe, and made it back in time to teach my classes and get noodles with Rachel. All in all it was a very relaxing weekend.
This is Rachel's last weekend in Ban Phe :( and then it's just me and the boys. I am bummed because I will have nobody to get noodles with or bounce around at aerobics with anymore...but we will meet up with her again in April to travel a bit in the south! I will finish teaching in about 2 weeks. It seems like this just flew by! I can't wait to start traveling in April. We are making plans now. The first leg will be Phuket island, the phi phi islands (where they flimed "the beach"), the similan islands, and Krabi in the south of Thailand...then off to Vietnam (Hanoi to Ho Chi Mihn for 2 weeks), Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur), Singapore, and Indonesia (Bali and the Gilli islands for 10 days)! If any of you have traveled these places and have reccommendations, let me know! Or if you have researched them and come across anything you think I need to see please tell me!
The only drawback is taking 1 large backpack , which I have to keep under 25kg for the flights...(yeah not gonna happen), and one carry on! I am putting my non-traveling big suitcase in storage in Bangkok (they have a Uhaul like storage facility run by an australian expat that you can store things in really cheaply and for long periods of time. That will be good for me to fly back into Bangkok grab my stuff and head home, and not to have to worry about carrying a HUGE suitcase around Asia)! It seems surreal that this is almost over, and yet the fun is just beginning! I will be home in about 2 months! eeeek.
Anyone have a job for me when I get back?
xoxo
On Saturday we went to the island of Koh Chang. One of Courtney's students' family owns a restaurant on the island, so they told us to stop in that night and have dinner. The restaurant was right on the bank of a small river and had delicious food! Courtney's student came and she was adorable! After dinner, she asked if we wanted to go see the fireflies. We got into a boat, and went down the river to a grove of trees. There were tons of fireflies in the trees, and it looked like blinking Christmas lights. It was beautiful. After that, we went and found a place to stay, then went out to "Treehouse" the bar in the woods. We danced and met a lot of travelers, and had a great time!
Sunday morning, we woke up and headed to the beach. We layed in the sun and rented floaty rafts to lay on in the water. It was really nice. We walked around the island in the afternoon, and then headed back to Trat on the last ferry boat, catching an amazing sunset over the island!
When we got back to Trat we went to the festival again, and ate more delicious street food. Then we came to a CD stand of Thai pop music. I have a favorite Thai song that I hear all the time, but never know the name of. Courtney and I asked the guy if he had it, and we sang it for him. He then got his friend, and we sang it again for him, then this guy got another friend. This went on for a while until FINALLY someone recognized it and found us the CD! It was hillarious, but now I am the proud owner of a CD containing 183 Thai pop hits (oh yesss).
Monday morning, I caught the bus back to Ban Phe, and made it back in time to teach my classes and get noodles with Rachel. All in all it was a very relaxing weekend.
This is Rachel's last weekend in Ban Phe :( and then it's just me and the boys. I am bummed because I will have nobody to get noodles with or bounce around at aerobics with anymore...but we will meet up with her again in April to travel a bit in the south! I will finish teaching in about 2 weeks. It seems like this just flew by! I can't wait to start traveling in April. We are making plans now. The first leg will be Phuket island, the phi phi islands (where they flimed "the beach"), the similan islands, and Krabi in the south of Thailand...then off to Vietnam (Hanoi to Ho Chi Mihn for 2 weeks), Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur), Singapore, and Indonesia (Bali and the Gilli islands for 10 days)! If any of you have traveled these places and have reccommendations, let me know! Or if you have researched them and come across anything you think I need to see please tell me!
The only drawback is taking 1 large backpack , which I have to keep under 25kg for the flights...(yeah not gonna happen), and one carry on! I am putting my non-traveling big suitcase in storage in Bangkok (they have a Uhaul like storage facility run by an australian expat that you can store things in really cheaply and for long periods of time. That will be good for me to fly back into Bangkok grab my stuff and head home, and not to have to worry about carrying a HUGE suitcase around Asia)! It seems surreal that this is almost over, and yet the fun is just beginning! I will be home in about 2 months! eeeek.
Anyone have a job for me when I get back?
xoxo
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
pictures (finally)
I finally got pics up from the monkey temple and our weird foods dinner!
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2017270&id=83901952&l=49f9c
they are in the same album as before so scroll through the one's you've seen! I think the new ones start on page 5 towards the middle!
enjoy!
I am off to Trat this weekend, a small town south of here, near cambodia, and then Koh Chang with Courtney! Should be fun!
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2017270&id=83901952&l=49f9c
they are in the same album as before so scroll through the one's you've seen! I think the new ones start on page 5 towards the middle!
enjoy!
I am off to Trat this weekend, a small town south of here, near cambodia, and then Koh Chang with Courtney! Should be fun!
Sunday, March 1, 2009
allegedly monsoons cause plagues
Hello everyone!
This weekend, a few of us went over to the island. Courtney came up from Trat to surprise us which was awesome! We rented a blow up raft and played in the sun. Sunday morning, we got up to go home, and as soon as we left our bungalow it started to rain. It hasn't rained here since November, and boy did it POUR.
We got on the ferry boat home (remember these are shanty wooden boats that are falling apart). It was raining so hard we couldn't see. The boat had to stop in the middle of the ocean and look for the harbor. It was so scary. The lightning and thunder were right no top of us, and it was so loud. We finally got to shore after the treacherous boat ride, when the clouds opened up and dumped more. It was like I had jumped in a pool with all of my clothes on. We stopped in a coffee shop to wring out our clothes and warm up, then we walked home once it lightened up.
Apparently once it starts raining again, every bug on the planet hatches. In the middle of the night, a million mayflies swarmed the school. They took over the downstairs, covering the walls. Literally millions of them. They took over everyone's room but mine! This morning, the bugs were all dead but were being carried away by billions of ants. It's really quite disgusting. I have no idea what is going on, but it is reminiscent of the 10 commandments plagues. ick. Maybe the mass amounts of geckos will kill the ants and flies?
Speaking of geckos, in the kitchen is THE BIGGEST GECKO I'VE EVER SEEN! Most of them are about 3 inches long and 1 inch wide. This one lives behind the fridge and is a foot long and 4 inches wide! It is ridiculous. I have a theory that he is radioactive...or is the alpha gecko who fathered the millions that live in the school.
Scott is back (and brought with him tortillas and poptarts and other such amazing goodies) and Matty is doing much better after the bike accident , although he removed a chunk of asphalt from his foot the other day. that's it for now. I got a lax teaching schedule this month, so I have time once again to do things like go to Thai aerobics, and write in this blog about bugs and geckos...awesome. I am trying to upload pics of the monkey temple but the internet is sucking lately. They are coming soon!
Miss you all!
This weekend, a few of us went over to the island. Courtney came up from Trat to surprise us which was awesome! We rented a blow up raft and played in the sun. Sunday morning, we got up to go home, and as soon as we left our bungalow it started to rain. It hasn't rained here since November, and boy did it POUR.
We got on the ferry boat home (remember these are shanty wooden boats that are falling apart). It was raining so hard we couldn't see. The boat had to stop in the middle of the ocean and look for the harbor. It was so scary. The lightning and thunder were right no top of us, and it was so loud. We finally got to shore after the treacherous boat ride, when the clouds opened up and dumped more. It was like I had jumped in a pool with all of my clothes on. We stopped in a coffee shop to wring out our clothes and warm up, then we walked home once it lightened up.
Apparently once it starts raining again, every bug on the planet hatches. In the middle of the night, a million mayflies swarmed the school. They took over the downstairs, covering the walls. Literally millions of them. They took over everyone's room but mine! This morning, the bugs were all dead but were being carried away by billions of ants. It's really quite disgusting. I have no idea what is going on, but it is reminiscent of the 10 commandments plagues. ick. Maybe the mass amounts of geckos will kill the ants and flies?
Speaking of geckos, in the kitchen is THE BIGGEST GECKO I'VE EVER SEEN! Most of them are about 3 inches long and 1 inch wide. This one lives behind the fridge and is a foot long and 4 inches wide! It is ridiculous. I have a theory that he is radioactive...or is the alpha gecko who fathered the millions that live in the school.
Scott is back (and brought with him tortillas and poptarts and other such amazing goodies) and Matty is doing much better after the bike accident , although he removed a chunk of asphalt from his foot the other day. that's it for now. I got a lax teaching schedule this month, so I have time once again to do things like go to Thai aerobics, and write in this blog about bugs and geckos...awesome. I am trying to upload pics of the monkey temple but the internet is sucking lately. They are coming soon!
Miss you all!
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