This morning I woke up before Tomas, and had breakfast in the adorable little nook on my floor of our hostel. I still can't believe I'm in Bangkok.
I had a vietnamese iced coffee and some scrambled eggs from the food stand outside and it really hit the spot. After a bit of interneting, Tomas and his friends woke up, ready to explore Bangkok a bit.
We walked the busy streets in the heat for awhile, and made our way to Wat Po (I believe), the temple with a giant golden reclining Buddha. The temple grounds were soooo beautiful and intricate.
There were hundreds if not thousands of gold Buddha statues around the grounds.
My favourite were the statues in top hats.
Tomas put his thumb in most photos, but at least I have some proof I was there.
Afterwards we had lunch at a random cheap restaurant overhanging the river that was packed with thai teenagers in school uniforms. Eventually we got s tuk tuk (after having walked around for hours) back to Khao San to grab some quick dinner and got on the overnight bus ride to Ko Phan Ngan.
The journey deserves its own post, so I will fill you in on our voyage later. For now it's late, and just thinking about it after the fact is making me soooo tired.... What a trek!
More later. Miss home, but getting used to not being there! When the heat combines with the hussle and bustle to make Bangkok seem borderline unbearable, I remember how much I prefer it here, compared to the cold darkness of Canadian winter. I makes me feel better. i miss home, But i'm glad i'm not there...
More adventures soon!
posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Friday, 15 February 2013
February 4th- 5th, where am I?
We left Bangkok by bus at 6pm. We went to the travel agency where we were supposed to be picked up, and a young thai guy showed up on foot, and marched us through the busy streets of Bangkok with our backpacks, picking up other groups along the way. Eventually we arrived at some buses, and everyone got different colour stickers depending on the island they were going to. I kind of hate being herded around and split into groups and barked orders at all in the heat and humidity with my scratchy backpack. But I also laughed the whole time, because it was really fun and ridiculous to feel like foreign cattle. So it goes.
The bus ride was about 10 hrs, and at 3:30 am we were dropped off on a pier in the middle of nowhere and given our bags, and the bus left. We didn't know where we were, there was no town or anything, just a pier and some old wooden picnic tables outside. Eventually, a small store / information booth opened up around 4am, and we deduced that we would be getting on a boat at 7:00am. with nothing to do and no where to sleep, we bought a bunch of beers and chatted and tried to pass the time. I got to know Tomas's friends Karyn and Josh a bit better, and we picked up a stray german guy who was travelling alone. Karyn is about to go back to Canada to do med school interviews, Josh lives and studies economics in Beijing, and ze German, Artus, just graduated med school in Germany and is starting his internship in Malaysia in a week or so. We all got a bit drunk and a bit delirious and laughed and tried to decide what day is was.
Soon enough, the sun rose, and we were on the ocean.
The boat came, and we started on the next leg of our journey - a 4 hr boat ride. It was cool watching the sun rise over the ocean.
Once the sun actually fully rose, the boat was impossibly hot. I fell asleep for awhile, but once I woke up I started feeling really sick and ran away from my pals to discretely puke off the side of the boat like a green cartoon character. I, apparently, am a land lover. Yeesh. How embarrassing! Luckily nothing really matters when you're as tired as I was.
Eventually we landed on Ko Phan Ngan, found a taxi, found a hostel, and collapsed on the beach around 1pm after our 19hr voyage. Artus joined the other strays for a nap in the shade.
These little pups are my favourites.
After a few hours of laying around, we got hungry and strolled over to the local night market for some cheap and delicious thai food.
We came back to the hostel and had a beach fire and a few celebratory beers. We made it! Time for some island living. Then we all fell into a deep, peaceful sleep. Finally, finally, finally.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
The bus ride was about 10 hrs, and at 3:30 am we were dropped off on a pier in the middle of nowhere and given our bags, and the bus left. We didn't know where we were, there was no town or anything, just a pier and some old wooden picnic tables outside. Eventually, a small store / information booth opened up around 4am, and we deduced that we would be getting on a boat at 7:00am. with nothing to do and no where to sleep, we bought a bunch of beers and chatted and tried to pass the time. I got to know Tomas's friends Karyn and Josh a bit better, and we picked up a stray german guy who was travelling alone. Karyn is about to go back to Canada to do med school interviews, Josh lives and studies economics in Beijing, and ze German, Artus, just graduated med school in Germany and is starting his internship in Malaysia in a week or so. We all got a bit drunk and a bit delirious and laughed and tried to decide what day is was.
Soon enough, the sun rose, and we were on the ocean.
The boat came, and we started on the next leg of our journey - a 4 hr boat ride. It was cool watching the sun rise over the ocean.
Once the sun actually fully rose, the boat was impossibly hot. I fell asleep for awhile, but once I woke up I started feeling really sick and ran away from my pals to discretely puke off the side of the boat like a green cartoon character. I, apparently, am a land lover. Yeesh. How embarrassing! Luckily nothing really matters when you're as tired as I was.
Eventually we landed on Ko Phan Ngan, found a taxi, found a hostel, and collapsed on the beach around 1pm after our 19hr voyage. Artus joined the other strays for a nap in the shade.
These little pups are my favourites.
After a few hours of laying around, we got hungry and strolled over to the local night market for some cheap and delicious thai food.
We came back to the hostel and had a beach fire and a few celebratory beers. We made it! Time for some island living. Then we all fell into a deep, peaceful sleep. Finally, finally, finally.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Location:Bangkok to Ko Phan Ngan
Saturday, 9 February 2013
Technical difficulties.
I'm in Thailand, having a great time and actually writing blog posts, but the Internet is always too sketchy to post photos. I will keep trying, but until I get it figured out or go back to a major city, I guess you'll just have to trust that its really beautiful here, that I'm having a blast, and that I will update my travel diaries as soon as I can.
Off to the beach!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Off to the beach!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Location:Ban Tai,Thailand
February 3 - Melbourne to Bangkok
This morning Ruby's friend Mel ( the one and only magnificent Mel) drove me to the airport in Melnourne, with Rubdy and Casper in tow. I was so sad saying goodbye to them!!! Aghhh! I love Ruby and Steve and Casper and Mel and all their wonderful amazing friends. Alas, my time in Melbourne has come to a close. It's so crazy how much time has passed, and so sad I might not see these gorgeous people for years now. God damnit. But I'm glad that I got to come, even if I have to leave now.
The flight to Bangkok was fine. I watched some terrible movies for lack of other options. I splurged on some (pretty gross) airplane wine. My 12 hr flight landed in Bangkok at 8pm local time. Unloading, baggage claim, and customs all took forever. But by around 9:45 pm I was in a taxi on the way to Khao San Road to meet Tomas.
I arrived around 10:30 pm (2:30 Australian time) and Tomas was sitting right outside the hostel and watched me get out of the cab, with open arms and cold beers. We sat around and chilled out for a bit, I changed into something more appropriate for the humidity and we went out exploring Khao San Road with Tomas's friends Josh and Karyn, who he knows from school.
Khao San is ridiculous. It's the backpacking Mecca of south east asia, both in a good way and in a bad way. I had a pad thai from a food cart that was about 90 cents in Canadian dollars and also delicious. We had a bunch of beers at a bar that had a thai guy playing along to western music from years ago. Nirvana was prominent, as was Rolling Stones. It was pretty random, and pretty cool.
Khao San is overstimulation central. After an hour or two, with the time change, I had to get to bed. Tomas informed me shortly after I got off the plane that he bought us overnight bus tickets to go down to Ko Phan Ngan, an island on the southern peninsula of Thailand, so I guess that what I am doing tomorrow. Need some sleep!
Tomorrow will be a big day. Wish me luck.
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Tuesday, 5 February 2013
January 31 - Feb 2
My last few days in Melbourne were laid back and relaxing, my last vestige of peace and comfort before the hussle and bustle of Bangkok. I ran some errands, bought my travel meds, loaded up of western-style toiletries, drank beers in the backyard in the evening. Took Casper to the park. He's too cute for words.
Visited Steve at the super cool record shop he works at.
We out for dinner. Drank more beer in the backyard. etc, etc. Melbourne has gone by far too quickly. I have had the best time with Ruby and Steve and Casper and all their super cool friends. I'm going to miss the hell outta this place.
On Sunday, my flight left Melbourne in the early afternoon. I arrived in Bangkok after a 12 hr flight, at 8pm (four hour time difference). More about Bangkok in my next post.
I'm going to miss you, Australia!
Visited Steve at the super cool record shop he works at.
We out for dinner. Drank more beer in the backyard. etc, etc. Melbourne has gone by far too quickly. I have had the best time with Ruby and Steve and Casper and all their super cool friends. I'm going to miss the hell outta this place.
On Sunday, my flight left Melbourne in the early afternoon. I arrived in Bangkok after a 12 hr flight, at 8pm (four hour time difference). More about Bangkok in my next post.
I'm going to miss you, Australia!
Location:Melbourne
January 29-30
On Tuesday morning we left on a camping trip. We drove along the Great Ocean Road, which is a beautiful road that follows the coast (reminded me of the Sea to Sky highway). The drive was incredible. Sharp turns along the hillside, great views of the surf with plenty of lookout points to take pictures.
It was about a 3.5 hr drive. Eventually we got to a national park, and the roads turned to gravel and the forest got denser. we went through a grove, and the trees were fuuuull of koalas! Usually koalas don't congregate, but apparently this grove of eucalyptus was too good to eat alone. Steve deemed a group a koalas a "session", which I think is a perfect term for them.
We got to the campsite, which was just up a small path from the beach.
We set up camp and went down to the beach for awhile in the late afternoon. It was pretty isolated and there were maybe one or two other families around. In the evening we made veggie skewers on the camping stove. There was a campfire pit next to our campsite, so we went over and chatted with some other campers. Ruby and I roasted marshmallows and made s'mores. After a few beers, I got really sleepy and went to bed early. I had my own small tent, and the sound of the ocean lulled me to sleep. Best sleep in weeks!
On Wednesday we woke up and went into a small town nearby for breakfast. We wandered around a bit, went to a secondhand store. Stopped by the beach for a quick swim. Casper found a hat on the ground in a skatepark, and looks suuuper cute in it.
After awhile we drove back through the woods to the campsite. We had a picnic on the beach, and the Steve and Casper and I decided to go explore the rock cliffs and walk along the coast. It was so amazing, though sometimes a bit rough on our bare feet.
Found some cool caves.
We walked for over an hour looking for a beach around the next corner, but "around the corner" kept being more rocks, so eventually we turned back. In the evening we packed up the campsite and made dinner with some fellow campers we had met the night before. After dinner, we went back down to the beach to watch the sun set and ran into this guy.
Wallabies are really cute. It's official.
The sunset was gorgeous. Casper and I played around in the sand.
Ruby and Steve played around in the sand too.
Mommy and baby had a sunset moment.
All in all, it was a gorgeous evening.
We eventually piled back in the car for the 3 hr drive home. We got home after midnight and I passed out with sand between my toes and saltwater in my hair. I wish we could have stayed camping longer! Alas, all good things must come to an end. Only a few days left in Melbourne! I'm going to miss this family!
It was about a 3.5 hr drive. Eventually we got to a national park, and the roads turned to gravel and the forest got denser. we went through a grove, and the trees were fuuuull of koalas! Usually koalas don't congregate, but apparently this grove of eucalyptus was too good to eat alone. Steve deemed a group a koalas a "session", which I think is a perfect term for them.
We got to the campsite, which was just up a small path from the beach.
We set up camp and went down to the beach for awhile in the late afternoon. It was pretty isolated and there were maybe one or two other families around. In the evening we made veggie skewers on the camping stove. There was a campfire pit next to our campsite, so we went over and chatted with some other campers. Ruby and I roasted marshmallows and made s'mores. After a few beers, I got really sleepy and went to bed early. I had my own small tent, and the sound of the ocean lulled me to sleep. Best sleep in weeks!
On Wednesday we woke up and went into a small town nearby for breakfast. We wandered around a bit, went to a secondhand store. Stopped by the beach for a quick swim. Casper found a hat on the ground in a skatepark, and looks suuuper cute in it.
After awhile we drove back through the woods to the campsite. We had a picnic on the beach, and the Steve and Casper and I decided to go explore the rock cliffs and walk along the coast. It was so amazing, though sometimes a bit rough on our bare feet.
Found some cool caves.
We walked for over an hour looking for a beach around the next corner, but "around the corner" kept being more rocks, so eventually we turned back. In the evening we packed up the campsite and made dinner with some fellow campers we had met the night before. After dinner, we went back down to the beach to watch the sun set and ran into this guy.
Wallabies are really cute. It's official.
The sunset was gorgeous. Casper and I played around in the sand.
Ruby and Steve played around in the sand too.
Mommy and baby had a sunset moment.
All in all, it was a gorgeous evening.
We eventually piled back in the car for the 3 hr drive home. We got home after midnight and I passed out with sand between my toes and saltwater in my hair. I wish we could have stayed camping longer! Alas, all good things must come to an end. Only a few days left in Melbourne! I'm going to miss this family!
Location:Camping in the Otways
January 28 - Australia Day BBQ concert
Though Australia Day was technically on Saturday, today was a civic holiday and everyone had the day off. It was a beautiful sunny day, perfect for an outdoor concert!
The venue for the concert was an old school courtyard. The bands were a few Australia bands, like Steve's favourite Dick Diver, along with other bands from the US like Hunx and his Punx, and Thee Oh Sees. Hunx and his Punx were amazing and hilarious.
Steve and I drank a bunch of beers and danced a bit and got a bit of sun. Steve seemed to know everyone there! Such a social butterfly, that guy.
After the show I walked home while Steve stayed and chatted with some friends. This was my first time alone in Melbourne, it was about a 20-30 minute walk. Melbourne's a really pretty city, just the right amount of gritty and colonial.
I eventually got home, and spent the evening hanging out in the backyard with Ruby and Steve and friends, which seems to be the norm now. I love it. Tomorrow we are going camping in the Otways, so we called it an early night.
Happy Australia Day again! So excited for camping.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
The venue for the concert was an old school courtyard. The bands were a few Australia bands, like Steve's favourite Dick Diver, along with other bands from the US like Hunx and his Punx, and Thee Oh Sees. Hunx and his Punx were amazing and hilarious.
Steve and I drank a bunch of beers and danced a bit and got a bit of sun. Steve seemed to know everyone there! Such a social butterfly, that guy.
After the show I walked home while Steve stayed and chatted with some friends. This was my first time alone in Melbourne, it was about a 20-30 minute walk. Melbourne's a really pretty city, just the right amount of gritty and colonial.
I eventually got home, and spent the evening hanging out in the backyard with Ruby and Steve and friends, which seems to be the norm now. I love it. Tomorrow we are going camping in the Otways, so we called it an early night.
Happy Australia Day again! So excited for camping.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Location:Melbourne
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