tan is fading...

while my tan fades, i think i should write down some highlights of the trip while they are still fresh in my mind. so here they are in no particular order:

- Railey Beach, Krabi
- Snorkeling in and around the Phi Phi Islands.
- Getting comfortable crossing the street in Chang Mai, and Bangkok for that matter
- Enjoying Jackie's magic tricks at his outdoor converted VW bus bar in Chang Mai.
- The overnight train to Chang Mai.
- Lounging in my hammock on Pha-ngan napping, reading, and watching the waves and the pick-up volley ball game between the local Thais working at the resorts and the (mostly male) western travellers staying on the beach.
- Margaret Atwood's "The Blind Assassin" which held my interest and attention for 4 different cities and which i was sad to finish.
- Ordering, eating and finishing spicy papaya sala and having the Thai waitress, without fail, say with eyebrows raised, "spicy?"
- Using a tuk tuk on my own and negotiating the price.
- Hoping onto (into?)a swangtaou bus/taxi with confidence.
- The Thai cooking class (i promise a thai dinner party soon, but i need a little break from thai food...).
- Seeing the stars from Ao Thong Nan Pai on Koh Pha-ngan.
- Ordering and eating then BBQ snapper on Ao Thong Nan Pai
- Rathana's Kitchen in Chang Mai (restaurant).
- Old hill-tribe villager showing us magic tricks with the full moon behind him.
- Taking the Chao Praya river water taxi and the canal water taxi in Bangkok.
- Learning what a Gecko sounds like and then being able to say - "hear that? That's a Gecko." First they make a noise that sounds like they're clearing their throats like they are about to make a speech, and then Ge - cko!.... Ge - cko! ... Ge - cko!
- drinking coffee on the lovely grounds of Edible Jazz cafe while butterflies hover by.
- Ang Thong Marine National Park -- kayacking under the rock cliffs, seeing the Emerald Pool of water completely surrounded by towering cliffs, and then hiking up to the magnificent viewpoint - worth the price of admission, but getting there was also fantastic and self- satisfying!
-The interesting, varied, inspiring people that I met: Sara and Astrid, the German girls (actually women would be more like it) who i first met on the over night train to C.M. and then again in Pai; Til, the wierd German guy studying Thai in C.M.; Dean, English guy i met on the bus to Pai (who in addition to traveling for over a year all over southeast asia, had spent about 3 weeks meditating at Doi Suthep temple and was on his way for another 10 days); Rob, another Brit who I met at Jackie's bar; Zoe & Damien, English couple who I met only briefly on the bus from Pai to CM had spent 3 months in India and were on thier way to Laos; Usha & Jeff, English couple ( Indian and Irish) who I trekked with; Amelie, like the movie, French girl traveling alone, studying English in Australia also on the trek; Goong, Anissa, and Yao in Pai who were gracious and generous and allowed me to just hang out at the cafe which is essentially their home.

- and finally...
Getting the idea, the inspiration, self-confidence, and knowledge to start planning my next trip...

angthong national marine park

so i said i wouldn-t write unless i was inspired. well hot damn, thailand has done it again. today i booked a tour of the marine park near samui (featured in the book and movie, The Beach, which i haven't read nor seen, but will now.) absolutely incredible! the boat ride took about 2 hours and then we kyacked from the big boat to shore while taking in these breathtaking rock caves and rock formations. then beach, then back to the boat for lunch. after lunch, we had our choice of kyacking, snorkeling, or hanging out on a different beach. well, on this beach there is a fantastic view point. but, to get there, you have to hike 400 meters up rock. our tour guide said it was difficult and would take a long time. these 3 german guys (one of whome had been my kyacking partner) were going up. i decided to tag along. and it was worth it! first of all, it was really a strenuous hike. there were ropes lining the pathway to help you get up. but it was almost verticle climbing. but once at the top (evenutally) you could see a breathtaking panoramic view of all the islands. green mountain islands surrounded by blue/green water. so worth it.

leaving tomorrow, back to bangkok. then back to my real life, whatever that may be.

here is some brief information about the park:
http://www.amazingsamui.com/angthong.htm

ready to go

some days ago, i must have gotten water in my ear... maybe while snorkleing on koh pha-ngan, but regardless, the water is still there. my voice sounds distant, everything sounds a bit distant and sort of foggy. i don't feel so good.

also, i am on lamai beach on koh samui. lamai beach is... la-ame. i am not really enjoying it. today i left the resort, its not raining, but it is kind of cloudy. i went to central lamai beach. its just full of bars and tourist centered restaurants, the beach is dirty, the waves are too big to swim in, and my ear is throwing me off. i love the beach, but i think a few days is all one needs. i'm done. i think traveling in a city alone is fine, but a beach alone isn't as much fun. i suppose its good that the last place i go is a place i don't like too much -- makes it easier to leave. i think the last beach i went to with the open pit bbq's, white clean beaches, really blue water, hammocks, has spoiled me. but this beach really isn't that great. i feel like i'm on the jersey shore, except substitue the jersey girls for rude isrealies, australians, brits, and germans.

1 more day here, then a night in bangkok and then home. i probably won't write much unless something extraordinary happens. not really expecting it. had started writing notes about palm trees waving at me over dinner, but i'm not feeling so inspired. back to the pool at the resort. at least its peaceful there.

the joys and pitfalls of eating alone

ordering an entire freshly caught white snapper and then eating the entire thing!

on the beach there is a sign - It says- BBQ! there is a grill and fire going strong. there is a large bowl type thing filled with ice and all of the choices for today. prawns, white snapper, red snapper, chicken, and baracuda! i ask the lady who is running the show, 'What's good?' She says, I like the white snapper. White snapper it is - She finds a small fish for me - have to order the whole thing - weighs it, grills it, so so good! served with a very spicy red pepper- garlic sauce. i eat the whole thing. i don't have to share a bit of it!

the waves are lapping at the shore. my feet are in the sand. the stars are so bright and so plentiful. i don't even crack my book, i just enjoy the feeling, the solitude, the self-assurance, the delicious spicy, freshness of the fish. it goes perfectly with the singha.

change of plans, sort of

before i left japan, i booked a place to stay on koh samui for my last 3 days. but meeting all different people along the trip i decided to ditch that plan and go to koh tao instead (less touristy, not as much development, etc.). but i changed my mind once again and decided to go to samui to the place that i had booked. there is only so much wandering around an unknown place with a big pack on trying to find the cheapest and nicest guest house one can take. and so, with reservation in hand, i made my way to the bay view villa resprt. fancy stuff at 900 baht a night (iäm used to 200 baht or 450 at the most!). (by the waz ß this keyboard is super strange ß the y is a z, the z is a y and all of the other function keys, such as parenthesis, dashes and such are just in the wrong places!=.

so this morning, what felt like zears ago, i left the tranquil, rustic beach and started the trek to koh samui, lamai beach to be exact. egads! the ride to the pier, on the back of a pick up truck along rutted, unpaved, extremelz bumptz roads, to the pier ß everyone trying to make a buck ß buy zour boat tickets here ! then on the boat a relaxing hour, but as i get off the boat, i realiyed i realz needed ot use the bathroom ß couldnät find one. all the taxi drivers (i cant find the quote keys) Where you go_ (thats a question mark) ß lamai beach ß 500 bath! i found a british woman also going to lamai- she says -- too expensive! i will just take a bus - i follow her. so into the swangtao we go - but only part of the way- 50 bath - then another bus - but this bus doesn-t know where mz hotel is. and i really have to use the bathroom bz this point.

i-ll describe samui for you now. built up. once paradise, now hardly any emptz space, and hammers and construction, big resort hotels, fancz package tours everzwhere. not at all like where i just came from. the british girl gets off the bus ß she suggests that i should ask at her place where mz hotel is. the bus driver gets on the phone, i talk to someone who speaks to me in thai, i speak in english. i am nearly peeing myself i have to go so bad. the driver points across the street and then leaves ß we both forget that i hadnät paid yet. i go into the place the other lady is staying (but she has checked in alreadz, i guess). i find the bathroom. i go back outside. a taxi driver asks me where i am going. again with the bartering. 200 baht. 30 i say. he laughs at me. we agree to 100. i make sure he knows where it is. it is so close i could-ve walked! i am not amused. oh did i mention its raining? (found the ? mark!) but i walk in lovely grounds, a yummy watermelon fruit drink for me, shown to mz bungalow, big clean bed, towels, complimentarz water, towels, soap, a porch with a roof that over looks two bouganvilla trees, a comforatble chair, perfect place to sit and read drink a cup of coffee and watch the rain. finally i am somewhat relaxed. there is a pool, the beach is down a small hill, and there is a comftable wooden open air restauarant. since its raining, i think i will just lay low today, finish my book (the blind assasin, margaret atwood- fantastic - i highlz recommend it), eat here i guess, go to sleep early.

let me just describe the rain for you. it starts and stops. when it starts, it empties down onto the palm trees, and other greenery and makes a slapping sound, then it slowly trickels to an almost stop, only to come down again in sheets. it smells so fresh and the air is cool, and not sticky as it has been. i must say that i am glad that the weather has waited for me to be in a nice place before it decided to rain.

koh pha-ngan

ao thong na pad yai beach to be exact (i think ao means beach so the beach at the end is a bit redundant - i think).

i feel as if i am at the end of the world. this beach is only accesable by long tail boat or by a long difficult drive on a steep, dry, rutted, gravely road that is only somewhat paved. fantastic. the beach is a long cresent shape of paradise. white sand, and green, lush tropical jungle surrounds the beach. the beach is dotted with a number of bungalow resorts. i lucked out and scored a bunglow (well wooden shack would be more apprpriate)right on the beach. i have a hammock and i am mere steps from the sand. nice life, eh? the shack, is, well, rustic to say the least - only 200 baht for a beach front property - can't expect much. (thats about 5 US dollars). i have a bed and a mosquito net and a bathroom (sort of - squat toilet, no real plumbing, and hot water would just be a joke at this point). but have i mentioned my hammock and beach front?

arrived yesterday. met two canadian girls who are also teachers in japan. not really too fond of them, but well, i gues its nice to have dinner with. but i won't try hard to find them tonite. today i took a yoga class that i saw advertised. not a bad class, but certainly not the best yoga class i've ever taken. but the atmosphere was worth it - not on the beach exactly in a big open air, wood building that doubles as a bar/restuarant at night. there was a refereshing breeze and differnt wind chimes that sang during our yoga practice. nice.

after class, i went for a swim in the bathtub warm water. then a short nap in the hammock, some readinng, some lunch - gotta have my banana shake - and now to get out of the sun the interent.
i am going to try and book a little day trip for tomorrow and then i will leave here for koh tao (a neighboring island). the trip is slowly coming to an end. i am a strange mix of sad and relieved. but also am thinking about the next trip and my next plans. i have something in the works and will write about it once i have it more firmed up in my brain.

trekking

ok, where was i? yes, back to loosing my sneakers! after what felt like hours of driving, our truck stopped and dropped us at a small village. another group also was dropped off - there were 14 of us total. out of the 14 - 3 went on for a 3 day trek -- the rest of us just 2 days (but i really could have done 3 days, kind of wished i had, but maybe not in flip flops!). the 14 of us- one more single girl traveling, french, who had been studying english in australia, an english couple traveling for a year - had been to south africa, eastern coast of africa and were now doing the southeast asia thing - india at the end of the trip -- they were really nice and interesting people - really liked them - she was ethnically indian and he was from ireland and i reckon they were about the same age as me - or older.
also in the group, 2 young english girls who were taking a gap year before starting university - they had just spent a few months volunteering in tanzania - teaching. and then finally a sweet japanese couple celebrating thier honeymoon -- they just got married in phuket (a beach in the south of thailand) and they were from fukui! its really close to kanazawa. they were lovely and i got to practice my japanese with them! and then the 4 germans and 2 koreans.

there were 2 trekking guides, ray and james - both young, funny, energetic thai guys. so we set off. me in flip flops. up up up up up up we go with packs on our backs. it was difficult. funny because all day was really relaxed, driving here and there, waterfall, swimming and then THE TREK STARTS! the land was dry and dusty, big bown banana leaves covering most of the ground, and for the first part we were on a really small thin trail in the forest climbing higher and higher. at the point where i thought i might not be able to go on (and iwasn't the only one!) we stoppped for a little break. james and ray tried to fool all of us and said that they were now going to smoke opium. it was really dry tree sap, but they broke it up into a fine white powder and then james rolled up a big green leaf and then they put the "opium" into the green leaf tube. then lit a lighter at the end and james blew out the white powder and a big flame burst out! hahahahaha! lots of laughter!

more walking. then down, and into a lush green valley. really incredible part of the walk. again we took a small break and sat in the field. there were 2 hill tribe women digging in the dirt, we asked what they were looking for - james said crab - we thought he was joking - then he dug one up!

finally we reached the village we would spend the night in. we slept in a big bamboo hut- on planks of wood on the floor - theygave us sleeping bags and mosquito netting -- it was all set up when we got there.

of course, the hill tribe children came out selling little beaded neckalaces and bracelets - i bought one.

james and ray cooked dinner - a really good vegetable and chicken stir fry - (possible the best i've had since i've been here) and a fair green coconut curry (getting a bit sick of the green coconut curry!). there was beer and soda and water. also moonshine whiskey. whch i didn't get to try - all gone!

after dinner, we sat around a big fire, james, the more grearious of the two, played guitar and sang - badly! an older village guy appeared to show us magic tricks. and it was a full moon!

the next day - up at 8 - coffee and tea - then breakfast. they made us a tourist breakfast of hard boiled eggs and toast, but they made themselves a thai breakfast of local veggies - i was bummed, i wanted what they were eating.

then off to trek. after an hour of walking - james, the english couple and the french girl left - they were doing 3 days.

we continued walking - first to a lovely waterfall. we climbed all about. it was gorgous! alot of walking the second day. and have i mentioned that i'm in flip flops! so i was slower than everyone else. i just hung in the back and went slowly and tried to rememeber to look up every now and then to see the majestic views.

eventually, we reached another village. a tribe woman was weaving a scarf, i bought one. i'm sure it helps the sales to actually be making the scarf when the tourists come through.

back into a truck and then to lunch. then on to bamboo rafting! what fun! they warned us to wear a bathing suit and not take any cameras because you will get wet. ha ha. so there were 3 or 4 to a raft, long pieces of bamboo lashed together and then one guy at the front who used a different piece of bamboo to propell us forward. think venice gondola. but their real purpose is to use thier sticks to slap the water and splash the tourists on the boats! haha! what fun! we were soaked through! it didn't help that one of the korean guys started a fun water fight with our raft guide - so we were continually splashed and then we would stop laughing, relax and then WHOOSH! more splashing! it was so much fun! the raft went past a small village, some elephants hanging out, and then into sort of a community swimming hole. everyone waved. a little boy and his mother got on our raft and went down a small little fast fun part of the river. the bamboo rafting was the highlight of that day.

then elephant riding - not great. it was hot. the elephants didn't seem to be enjoying it much. and we just walked around dry land - not into the forest or anything.

and then back home.

all in all, a really good experience. my only regret is that i didn't do the 3 day. but next time i will know.

today, my last day in chang mai before heading south again, i hired a tuk tuk driver to take me out to the orchid farms. the orchids were incredible. next, a little dip in the pool, a banana shake, and then a "trekkers special" massage. busy day here in chang mai. and then dinner. can't forget dinner! last night i had an incredibly good papaya salad - good and sour and spicy -- super refreshing here in hot climates. strangly, i haven't been getting things too spicy - they see my western face and make it mild! in fact, in pai (did i tell this story already?) i ordered something and asked for it spicy, she said spicy? i said yes. she said not spicy or spicy? i said spicy. she smiled and we both nodded. it was the most mild, most bland thing i ever ate!

well, the pool is calling - you know,i have important dates to keep!

trekking - part I

well, i finally did my trek! I just got back -- 2 days of walking, seeing, swimming in waterfalls, hanging with hill tribe people, bamboo rafting, and elephant riding!
SO, as regular readers of this blog may know, the trek has been something i have wanting to do, but it had eluded me. i knew i wanted to go on one, but i wasn't sure which company to go through, i was worried about being with bad people, etc etc etc. as it turns out, i shouldn't have been so worried, most of the companies re the same, and as the self fullfilling profecy goes - i only did 2 days instead of 3 and the 3 people i liked the most went on to do 3 days!

The first day started getting driven here and there. i was getting kind of annoyed - when do we start walking?! first to the tourist police, then to the market, then to lunch. and as luck would have it, the poeple in my van were 2 korean guys who slept most of the first day (had just take the overnight bus from bangkok), and then 2 german college girls and a german college couple. the 4 germans all spoke in german to each other, the koreans korean and me - single duck - it was ok. one of the german girls was very sweet and would try to stop the conversation and bring it back to english or to explain to me what they were saying, but whenever she did that it just became awkward.

after lunch at a small village, we walked to an incredible waterfall. it was so beautiful. the walk had been quite hot in the blaring sun. the ground dry and dusty, so we got to the swimming hole (with the waterfall) and quickly changed into swimming gear (they had little huts set up for changing - also a small food stand - it was not an unknown waterfall - there were at least 2 other groups there) and jumped into the cool, clear water. the swimming hole was surrounded by water slicked smooth rocks - some jutted out forming ledges, others seemed to be pliant to the water - allowing it to just gracefully pour over them. the jutting rocks however, more violent - the water jumped and sprayed over them. our trekking guide, ray, climbed up to a tall ledge and jumped into the water!

we were there for one hour. somehow on the walk back (over a rickety bamboo bridge) i lost the sneakers that i searched all over kanazawa for soley for this trek! they were tied to my bag and when we arrived at the start of the walk, they were gone!

i just noticed the time, i have dinner plans with till, the german who i argued (discussed?) isreal with and rob - his english friend. - will finish the trek story tomorrow.

first bus out of town!

I was having trouble booking a trek from pai. Its low season, hot, no one wants to trek, except me, apparantly. So, somewhat on a whim, i left. I'm back in Chang Mai, found a room at the Top North Guesthouse, where the room won't change your life, pretty ugly actually, but they have a POOL! for 300 baht, ugly room, but POOL! and i think i have written about the heat. so no need to rehash how ungodly hot it is here! So, i have been here just under 2 hours, and have had a swim, booked a trek for tomorrow and am back at my favorite little internet place, where its air conditioned and I can drink coffee and see the old gate. damn, its good to be back in the city!

Being in pai, I was turning into one of them. lazing about, wandering around town (i honestly can't figure out what i did for the last 4 days - and i wasn't drunk or stoned, so it wasn't that), nice, but watch out - if you stay too long, you may get bitten by the pai vampires and never leave... like many of the westerners who now populate the town. Don't get me wrong, people who live there do work and may actually get loads done. but travelers seem to get sucked in like a black hole. i met a finnish girl who had been there 3 weeks, an australian girl the same, and then there are the people who fall in love and then never leave. interesting thing about pai - in the rest of thailand, you see western men with thai women. in pai, lots of western women and thai guys. (they are quite handsome i must say).

other than my sudden decision to get out of dodge, I open my email inbox only to discover word from work. a student filed a grade complaint. Just brought me back to work. which i haven't really thought about at all. i must admit that the very idea of going back into those grey dark halls does not fill me with glee. vacation, gotta love it, but, then the sudden smack of the end... ouch, it hurts. especially since almost everyone i meet is on a year long travel sojourn. a lovely english couple on the minibus back to chang mai just spent 3 and half months in india. they sold their house, all their belongings and are now in the midst of a year long travel.

Lost in Pai

I am not quite sure what i have been doing for the past few days in pai. The days seem to bleed into each other here. a coffee here, some relaxing in a hammock there, visit edible jazz, listen to music, read, drink more coffee... before you know it, 3 days have past! Yesterday, Goong drove me around to some neighboring villages. It was my first time on a motorbike. but it was fine. the surrounding areas are so picturesque here. Rolling green hills, right now most of the crops are garlic and beans (goong told me). in a few months they will change to rice. There is the pai river that meaders through the valley. right now its brown and shallow - its the dry season. but a few months ago there was a big flood and so the area around the river is all dirt and sand. goong says this is not normal. the villages are small, wooden shacks on stilts, dogs, rosters and children running wild without any regard to traffic. right now, there is a lot of smoke because the farmers are slashing and burning the crops. at night, red, blazing lines bleed across the mountains. this area is not untouched by tourism tho' and on our drive goong pointed out many new developments. its still rural, sweeping views, but - you can smell the change coming. its unfortunate.

today, we will drive for chinese food in an ethnic chinese village. also unfortunate is the food situation here. its not great. and goong and other people who live here say the same thing -- there is no place to get good thai food. but annisa (an australian girl who works at edible jazz) says that she will take me to a good place for thai food - but its expensive - like 60 baht a plate. i am embarrased to tell her that i just spend 100 on breakfast!

i will try very hard to book a trek for tomorrow. see the jungle, waterfalls, ethnic hill tribe villages. doing nothing is nice, but...

Pai

left chang mai on the ordinary, not air con bus. and man, what a scene! this tiny orange bus that seated at most 25 people. we were packed in like sardines, and then there was the luggage factor! most of it wound up on the roof, some of it packed in the back, and then the rest in the aisles! we left with the bus packed and then stopped along the way topick up more people! they stood. i befriended yet another english guy, dean, in the bus station. i asked him if he knew where to buy tix for the bus. he had just spent 3 weeks studying and meditating at doi sutthep (the temple i had visited the day before). interesting chap. yep. 2 days with the british and i am saying things like, "do you fancy some pineapple? i reckon it would be refreshing. "

the ride to pai, only about 120 kilometers took about 4 and half hours because of the winding, steep roads up into the mountains. pai has been written up as a relaxed tourist destination with not much to do but string up a hammock and read, relax, drink coffee. my good friend sasha lived here and worked at a cafe called "edible jazz cafe." i found it, a bit off the main strip. i introduced myself to the owner, who then introduced me to some of sasha's friends. it was a nice scene. such a lovely spot. open air, wooden floors, bamboo roof, and a great jazz music collection. really, dad you would be happy. oh yea - and REAL coffee.

thats about it for pai. my room, although a bit expensive - 450 baht (thats like $12!) is gorgeous! its large, and its also a thatched roof, bamboo hut on stilts, private bath, river view, big porch. also i ran into the 2 german girls that i met on the train to chang mai, they are also staying there.

i think i am going on a 2 day jungle trek tomorrow. and then back to pai for a bit. not much to do here. maybe i should just relax and enjoy it! i think there are some waterfalls near by. but i would have to figure out how to get there!

well, thats it for now. i've been thinking that my entries are a bit long and detailed filled, i'll try to work on that....

last night in chang mai

i was looking for a place to eat when i ran into till, the german guy that i met the day before. he was waiting for an english guy who he had met in bangkok. three random travelers. we had a forgetable dinner and then on for a drink. we stopped at a little outdoor spot. the bar was a converted volkwagon bus. and the tables were comfortably set up on the patio of a business that is closed at night! the night air, albeit smoggy, was nice and coolish. the owner, jackie, befriended us and started showing us all these fantastic magic tricks. they were really something else, not run of the mill card tricks, but honest to goodness MAGIC tricks! tons of fun. i had only planned to stay out a short time, but wound up staying out quite late!

i hate the feeling that my last night or day somewhere is always the best... you get comfortable and then you have to leave...

wat's up

ok. bad joke, but i couldn't resist! chang mai is home to at least 300 buddhist temples or wats. yesterday, i attempted to see a few of the more famous ones. after procuring a hat for the rest of the journey, i contined on looking for one of the more famous temples in chang mai - wat phra sihg. along the way, a friendly german fellow enganged me in conversation and he wound up tagging along the rest of the day. we made it to the wat (and turns out it was quite easy to find and i had been in the vicinty earlier in the day -but the heat must have fried my brain cuz earlier i felt completely lost!).

anyhoo, the wat, like most of the others i've seen in thailand was a gilded gem. there was a charming little garden area with stone tables and chairs, trees carefully planted in neat rows. each tree had a green sign hanging on it with words of wisdom in both thai and english. a young monk asked us if we had time to talk. he had English homework to do! his assignment was to interview foreigners. Well, of course i had time to talk with the monk and help with his English homework! we had a lovely chat about our expectations of thailand, our thoughts on thailand, buddhism, religion, war, vegetarianism. how perfect as the sun sets over chang mai to be in this garden area with words of wisdom all about to be talking with this young english student. ok. buddhist student but he is also studying english!

afterward the german guy and i had a drink and a bite to eat. i asked him if all europeans hated americans. he said that yes, more and more, young people are thinking that there must be something wrong with a society that can have george bush as president. depressing, eh? but he said something quite intersting, that germans, older germans in particular, are quite fond of americans and are thankful for what america has done for germany. interesting to me because i have met a few people here from all over the place, and the nicest europeans that i have met have been german. the conversation took a dive south once the topic of isreal and palestine rolled around. at the start, i said, we probably shouldn't even touch this subject, but, alas, conversations often just move on thier own.

today, i decided to try to get to a temple a bit outside of town. i thought that i could simply walk to the bus stop where a mini bus (technically a swangteoung) would take me to doi suthup. ha! a tuk tuk driver tried to tell me that the bus station was far away but city slicker that i am thought he was trying to hustle me. no. it was far. really far. i almost gave up. finally i took a red swangteong (a taxi bus type thing - picture an old fashioned paddy wagon without a backdoor) to where i could catch another swangteoung up the mountain to the temple.
however, this too was not as easy as i thought it would be! the cheap swangtoungs won't go up the mountain with just one passenger. we have to wait until there are more passengers. they kept saying - leave now? 300 baht. the trip should be 40 baht! the taxi drivers were a lively bunch and who knows what was so funny. maybe the pale girl in her wide silly hat. they had just finished lunch, pa pa ya (i think thats what he said - papaya salad, i am assuming) i said the only thai word i know - aroi (delicious). one of them, started chanting a pro-thaksan (the prime minister) chant. finally (after about 45 minutes of me thinking that i should try to just get back - but i would still have the same problem). a lovely thai family showed up. two grandparents, and thier grandchildren. the grandfather was in the thai navy, spoke english, was friendly, gracious, kind. he paid for my trip up the mountain as well as my return trip. i tried to protest! but too late. i thanked them ALOT. as i walked up the 300 steps to the temple, i thanked buddha, god, myself, the world, for all the luck i have received in my life.

alas, as luck would have it. the driver who was to take me back down the mountain had disappeared and i had to pay to get back down. i didn't mind so much, just felt bad for the family who paid for me.

then i went and paid to get completely pummeled in a thai massage.

Hot.

For those of you in colder climates, let me tell you about the weather here. its hot. really hot. like africa hot. like south east asia hot. like so hot its interfereing with my sightseeing hot. like i forgot my hat today and i can't go on outside for fear of fainting hot. like i think i need to just get a thai massage (i haven't had one in like 4 days) hot. like yum, a banana shake sounds good hot. or how about some refreshing pineapple from the street stand hot. hmmm, walk to a wat (a buddhist temple) ? too hot! like worth it to check into a fancy hotel for a pool hot. or just sitting in the air conditioned internet cafe and looking at what remains of the old city wall hot. but not going outside to really look at the wall hot. yes. sitting and writing about the hot. much better than being hot.

lemon grass, galangal and kaffir lime

yesterday, i took a thai cooking class here in chang mai. there are a number of thai cooking schools here in chang mai. how to choose? my first day here i was tired from my train ride,so i took it easy. wandered the streets and decided to check out a few of the schools. the most advertised one was closed, the one at my guesthouse seemed empty and not interesting. then i turned down a side street looking for a different advertised one. there in an open air, large room, dark wood floors and walls - very thai - a small class of purple apron clad people sat around a table chopping, who knows what - but it smelled great - all the way from the street! so i choose that one and i would reccomend it to anyone visiting chang mai... but will have to look up the name...

the day started at 9:30 the next morning. in typical thai style, things didn't get going until 9:50 at the earliest! first my classmates and i sat onthe floor around a long table. we were given coffee or tea. we all introduced ourselves and had some small talk. the 2 women running the class asked us each what 5 dishes we wanted to cook. I choose spring rolls, coconut chicken soup, pad thai, papaya salad, sweet and sour chicken, and green curry paste and then a green curry dish.

then we walked to the market. our teacher taught us all about the different vegetables used in thai cooking. the market was pretty neat -lots to look at and completely a local market. then back to the house. first up - pad thai. first we went to the chopping table and commenced chopping vegetables for the dish. using a nice sharp cleaver and a small round wood cutting board. then to the open air kitchen area in the back. first the teacher showed us how to make it and then we each made it - then back to the low table to eat and try each other's dishes and then on to the next dish.

And that was how the day progressed. learning, cooking and then eating. it was lots of fun and totally relaxed. i felt like i learned a lot, but that i wasn't nessarily in school. i was still relaxing on vacation. and we ate a ton! at the end of the day we were given a cook book and we sat around for a while all chatting and feeling too stuffed and comfortable to move!

if you wanted a serious cooking class - then maybe this one isn't for you- but if you are looking for an enjoyable way to spend a day on vacation while still learning a bit about thai cooking, then i totally recommend this school.

train to chang mai

i took an overnight train to chang mai. it was fun. i met three canadian girls, much nicer than the european girls i met the night before. (hate to say it!). we were all sitting together. and i also met 2 german girls who were also quite intereseting and lovely to talk with. the train ride was kind of like a backpacker slumber party. at first, the train is just seats facing each other, so you just start talking to everyone around you. then in a couple of hours, the train conductor walks around and makes the beds. the top one is folded down from the ceiling, fresh sheets and blankets, and the bottom bunk is made from the two seats. at this point, some people sleep. others go to the food car. flashing christmas lights, windows open, cigarret smoke and vintage micheal jackson - i kept calling it the dance club car (but no one could dance cuz of the movement of the train). loads of fun - signha beer flowing - and loads of conversation - where have youbeen? where did you stay? traveler's talk.
at 11:00, time to close, back to your bunk and sleep. word to the wise - get a lower berth - much better than the upper. (from experience).

last day in bangkok

well, my last day in bangkok was actually the best. i decided to wander with no destination in mind and wound up in a couple of fully thai (no other foreigners) neighborhoods. lots of food stalls in little alleys with people eating lunch or a snack. stalls with dried squid, grilled chicken, lots of stir fried noodles, and fresh pineapple for sale - my favorite! (i have eaten so much pineapple since i have been here!).
at one point, i thought to myself that an iced coffee sure would be nice. and lo and behold, what to my wandering eyes should appear, but a lovely little store front - with big potted green trees on the sidewalk, peering in i see teak wood tables with a small menu on each one. The name - The Old Bangkok Tearoom. I walk in - its decorated in this antique thai way - charming, dark yellow walls, gorgeous teak tables and carved one armed chairs. i ordered an iced coffee which came with coconut cookies. harry connick jr was playing (not great - but music to my ears compared to the obnoxious, non stop techno everywhere else!). it was a lovely place to stop. and it turns out its a fancy hotel - the old bangkok inn - they have a website - check it out http://www.oldbangkokinn.com/about.php
as i am sitting there, the young guy running the place (i think), who spoke beautiful english, not a hint of an accent (probably studied abroad), started to talk to me about my trip- i told him it was mylast day in bangkok - and he asked me where i had been - and he suggested that i go to jim thompson's house (where i had been considering visiting that day too). he told me that i could catch a canal water taxi right up the street for 8 baht (pennies) that would take me right there. he said travel like a local. so i followed his advice. the water taxi was fun - completely local, in fact, they raise these tent like coverings so you can't really see anything as you zoom up the canal, and so that the awful water doesn't spray all over you. getting on and off is a bit hairy, since it never fully stops, you just kind of climb out and jump to the pier, hoping that you'll make it! jim thompson's house was interesting too - nice gardens and and an impressive art collection - mysterious character too - he disappeared without a trace -
all in all a good day.

still in bangkok....

argh. i need to leave. i also need to get away from the internet. but all i feel like doing is sitting in a cafe reading and drinking coffee. no sight seeing today i think.
last night i had dinner with 4 other single girls traveling. german, dutch, australian and french - we were a freaking international round table. although i got the impression that they didn't really like me cuz i was american. i tired to stress that i was a new yorker and that new york was not like america - but...
they were all traveling for like a year at a time. and they were all full of advice for the australian girl who just arrived that day - laos, laos, laos - a freakin' mantra - evern in japan, people told me to go to laos. oh well, next time. my little month long soujurn in safe, easy thaialnd was like so insigninficant to these girls. they were nice, but i was not in thier league. but i kept telling myself that i am a professional, and that i can't just pick up and travel for a year at a time. they all had varios work visas so that they could work here and there along the way. what a life. when i told them that i lived in japan, the duthc girl (she was a little obnoxious) said - oh, you are an english teacher in this self satisfied, know it all way - "i've met loads of people doing that." why this comment bothered me so much, i can't quite put my finger on. when i asked for advice about traveling in australia (maybe next march) they were like, well, in a month, i guess you should just stay in the east - youwon't be ale to see too much in a month. well, a month is all i have i said. and really, thats pretty good. i am going to not let this dinner last night get me down. need to move on. i am happy with what i am doing and franky, i feel quite lucky to be able to travel in thailand for a month!
and with that - need to move away from the computer and get a cup of coffee!

turtles, buddhas and raw sewage

Alone at last! a blessing and a curse. I am still in bangkok, due to bad planning on my part. but i leave tomorrow. today was actualy my first day of sightseing. I took the chay praya water taxi to the grand palace. I know the water taxi sounds romantic, and it is somewhat, until you realize that you are basically riding in raw sewage - keep your mouth closed! but it is a nice way to get around. diana and i took one yesterday to a place called turtle mount - a grave yard of sorts with moats and man made little mountains with spirit houses mounted here and there. the thai spirit house is suppose to house the dead spirits - traditionally, they look like thai temples, but at this grave yard, diana and i had a few laughs looking at the various styles of 'houses' that people choose for their loved ones to spend eternity. ranch houses, western style houses (as in the western hemisphere, not the american wild west), condos, and one magnificently large, spanish style villa with a chain link fence! and there are turtles (believed to symbolize long life, and also sometiems buddisht mmokns ay be reincarnated as a turtle) swimming in the little stream. and you can feed them! children are running around, families picnicing - and NO other farang (foreigners).

today, i took the water taxi to the grand palace and the surrounding area. the palace adn temple grounds are phenomanal with towering, glittering spires, covered in green, gold, orange mosaic. quite sparkly! i did the stupid tourist move and forgot to wear a skirt, and had to borrow one from the temple - like all the other dumb toursits. and boy - toursits! i got there as like 4 bus loads of japanese tourists arrived - and i hate to say it,m but they were pretty obnoxious. the same phenomenon that bothered me in kyoto -- the constant piture taking! can't we just look and appreciate a fine work of art, an historical artificact, must we take a million pictures, not only of the thing itself, but of me and my buddy in front of said thing. so, i got tired real fast. but i did get to see the famed emerald buddah (jade, actually). i then walked into a BIG nationalist thai protest or rally -- i assume it was related to all the problems with the prime minister. it was something else. the smart part of me decided to get out of it pretty quickly, cuz, who knows how it would wind up! but all the people were waving thai flags and yuelling and cheering and one guy was making a speech and getting the crowd all riled up!

its still early, i am in the internet bar that i have been frequenting, i guess i will get a beer and watch the parade of people walking along kao san road -- the extreme euro trash, dumb american and australian hang out. here you can eat insects, get your hair braided or dreadlocked, drink to your hearts content and buy enoough hippiechick wear to last you , well, to last you until it all falls apart!

bangkok gem show

yesterday, diana and i went to the gem show - imagine a gigantci convemtion center filled with aisles upon ailes of booths selling everything from pretty ordinary, low quality rubies, sapphires, etc to extreme high end mulit million dollar gems -- like a 5 carat natural alexandrite - and then everything in between! i saw gems that i have never heard of before - much less seen - paraiba tourmaline ! who knew that existed? i saw things i had only heard about -- star sapphires andother lovely candy jelly bean colored sparkly gems.... it was fun... and work - don't worry - it actually grew tiring!

from the glitz and glitter to the irt and grime... after the show, diana took me to china town, where we ate on the sidewalk as cars, tuk tuks, motorcyles, and busses chugge by - as more customers came, more tables were set up, taking up more and more of the busy street corner! this was quite a scene. we ate barbqued toger prawns and a grilled snapper - all cooked on the grill on the sidewalk. fresh crabs, prawns, and other fish piled high on the table next to the grill. and then a tuk tuk back to kao san road with all the other sun burnt toursits. all of us looking for bargains on the steet stall lined road of goods.

today, some site seeing, and then tomorrow i am finally on my own! then to the (i hope) quieet north.

today's horoscope

CANCER (June 21-July 22): It's official. The National Climatic Data Center has confirmed that the weather went crazy in the U.S. last year. From Fresno's 21 consecutive days of 100-degree temperatures to record rainfall in Las Vegas, Wichita, and Pensacola, extreme conditions became commonplace. For you, Cancerian, the coming weeks will have a certain metaphorical resemblance to last year's profusion of weather anomalies. For instance, you can expect events that are akin to hailstorms from sunny skies and triple rainbows at dawn. But that won't be a problem as long as you vow to be intrigued and entertained, not thrown off course, by the interesting outbreaks of wild phenomena.

Bangkok

From the tropical paradise of railey beach to the steamy hectic craziness of kao san road in bangkok...
before i even think about writing about bangkok, i need to write more about the beach. my previous post wasn't great describing where i was... and i was pretty sick -- feeling much better thank youvery mcuh! after teh previous post, i had to go back to the room and rest a bit longer and after about an hour, i wa ready to walk the 7 minutes to the most incredibly beautiful beach in the world - phrangnag cave, cave of the sssea goddess, beach -- to get there, you walk along a pathway, on the left -giant, prehistoric, knarled, cave ridden rock - on the right, a fence seperationg the super fancy resort from the rest of us - along this fence, the mondkeys would show up daily in the afternoon to do thier monkey show -- beg for food, dance, jump, scratch, steal food - really all quite cute -
then the beach -- at high tide, the water laps up againsdt one corner of the cave and you can swim into the cave - really awe inspiring to lay on your bakc in the water and just look at this fantastically large rock jutting out of the water - with dripping dragon head cravasts hanging over you... the rest of the beach 0 white sand, cryatal clear blue water - topl;ess european women, lots of blonde sunburned kids, thais selling pineapples, corn on the cob, sarongs, shorts.... (and then here come the monkeys to steal some corn -- oooohhh cute - get the camera!).
at low tide, you can climb into the cave and explore - probablly better to do this with shoes - unlike me in my bare feet.

the third day - i wwas well enough for a day long speed boat trip around the phi phi islands -- also incredible -- well, times up for now - will write more about the snorkeling trip and then bangkok - while snorkeling i saw a clown fish -- looked just like nemo! and that day's injury was a pretty bad scrape on the top of my foot along some coral... as for today... no injury yet.... but there is a large roach hovering about on the ground.....