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Tuesday, December 28, 2010
A Bangkok Christmas...
First thing's first, Happy Holidays from Thailand! I hope you all are having a wonderful holiday season.
Christmas is non-existent here...but then again, why would it in a predominantly Buddhist country? According to Wikipedia, Christianity makes up for less than 1% of the the population. Now, Wikipeee would usually be the last resource I turn to but in this situation, I trust it to be a fair gauge--it's hard to mess up on such a small number. It's weird knowing that it's December when it's 85 degrees with a cool breeze and no Christmas decor. One thing's for sure, the lack of Christmas-iness here made it a lot easier to be away from home. It didn't feel like Christmas, so I didn't have to think about it.
This year marked the first Christmas away from family. weiiiird. Nothing was happening in my town (not out of the ordinary) so I headed straight to Bangkok and Khao San Road, where Christmas is comodified for the sake of tourism. It took me four hours to get into the city instead of the usual 2.5, you just never know with Bangkok traffic. I got to Khao San, checked in to Nap Park, and hung out and listened to live reggae at the Happy Bar while I waited to meet up with Marcial, Erica, Erin, Katrina, and Lizzie. Christmas Eve on Khao San Road drinking with good friends, listening to Thai reggae at Happy Bar then Thai covers at Shamrock, and playing pool proved to be a grand time.
Quick story: I stumbled upon Happy Bar while roaming one of the small side streets/alley ways on Khao San the week prior. I was walking passed the bar when a some Thai dude with long, tangled, and nappy looking hair & Volcom shirt says in his accented-Thai-English, "Come have a drink." He was sitting next to another Thai dude, who is shirtless with dreads wrapped around the top of his head. In LA, I'd say that's shady. In Thailand, I said okay. I shrugged my shoulders and hung out with them for a couple of hours. They're nice guys and their bar gets super crowded with locals and foreigners as it gets later in the night. Happy Bar is Rasta influenced and makes for a great time to just chill out.
Christmas Day was awesome. Erin and I went to Dream World, the local amusement park right outside Bangkok. Like everything else Thai, it was interesting. Thai humor and entertainment is much different from anything American. We still had a great time...
Who would have thought my first white Christmas would be in Thailand? Snow Town is one of the main attractions at Dream World. It was basically one giant freezer of man made snow. The highlight was sledding down the hill; we had permanent smiles plastered onto our faces for the rest of the day. It really felt like Christmas!
No matter how old I get, theme parks still wear me out (although, I'm sure motion sickness from riding The Viking did have something to do with it). And no matter hold I get, I will always love naps. I slept for about an hour and a half. Missing home didn't really hit me until we were sitting on the floor of our hostel eating Christmas cookies. Missing home really hit me when Erin and I had dinner.....at Subway. Nothing says Christmas like a 6 inch chicken breast sandwich, toasted with American cheese, the works minus jalapenos. It was just another day in Thailand. I miss home because I miss my family. But I don't want to go back just yet. I'm not ready. As much as I love my family, I love what I'm doing. Eating cookies on the floor of our hostel and having subway in lieu of Grandma's pancit or Ninang's Flan or Auntie Emily's salmon wasn't ideal, but it also wasn't terrible. Erin and I spent the rest of our night back on Khao San with both old and new buddies Zach, Nick, Andy, and Holly. Never a dull moment with those guys--more beer and more laughs.
Christmas is non-existent here...but then again, why would it in a predominantly Buddhist country? According to Wikipedia, Christianity makes up for less than 1% of the the population. Now, Wikipeee would usually be the last resource I turn to but in this situation, I trust it to be a fair gauge--it's hard to mess up on such a small number. It's weird knowing that it's December when it's 85 degrees with a cool breeze and no Christmas decor. One thing's for sure, the lack of Christmas-iness here made it a lot easier to be away from home. It didn't feel like Christmas, so I didn't have to think about it.
This year marked the first Christmas away from family. weiiiird. Nothing was happening in my town (not out of the ordinary) so I headed straight to Bangkok and Khao San Road, where Christmas is comodified for the sake of tourism. It took me four hours to get into the city instead of the usual 2.5, you just never know with Bangkok traffic. I got to Khao San, checked in to Nap Park, and hung out and listened to live reggae at the Happy Bar while I waited to meet up with Marcial, Erica, Erin, Katrina, and Lizzie. Christmas Eve on Khao San Road drinking with good friends, listening to Thai reggae at Happy Bar then Thai covers at Shamrock, and playing pool proved to be a grand time.
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| Lak of Happy Bar |
Christmas Day was awesome. Erin and I went to Dream World, the local amusement park right outside Bangkok. Like everything else Thai, it was interesting. Thai humor and entertainment is much different from anything American. We still had a great time...
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| Yup, I won...of course. |
Who would have thought my first white Christmas would be in Thailand? Snow Town is one of the main attractions at Dream World. It was basically one giant freezer of man made snow. The highlight was sledding down the hill; we had permanent smiles plastered onto our faces for the rest of the day. It really felt like Christmas!
No matter how old I get, theme parks still wear me out (although, I'm sure motion sickness from riding The Viking did have something to do with it). And no matter hold I get, I will always love naps. I slept for about an hour and a half. Missing home didn't really hit me until we were sitting on the floor of our hostel eating Christmas cookies. Missing home really hit me when Erin and I had dinner.....at Subway. Nothing says Christmas like a 6 inch chicken breast sandwich, toasted with American cheese, the works minus jalapenos. It was just another day in Thailand. I miss home because I miss my family. But I don't want to go back just yet. I'm not ready. As much as I love my family, I love what I'm doing. Eating cookies on the floor of our hostel and having subway in lieu of Grandma's pancit or Ninang's Flan or Auntie Emily's salmon wasn't ideal, but it also wasn't terrible. Erin and I spent the rest of our night back on Khao San with both old and new buddies Zach, Nick, Andy, and Holly. Never a dull moment with those guys--more beer and more laughs.
Overall, Christmas was different, but good--great friends, great times.
Shout out to the fam:
I think about you all often and I'm glad you're all doing well. Love and miss you!
Monday, December 27, 2010
Khao Sok National Park: December 9-12
After a great weekend in the north, Erin and I thought the best way to spend our second consecutive long weekend playing with George (of the Jungle). We met up with Katrina and two of her friends and took an overnight train to the Surat Thani in southern Thailand (somewhere above Phucket). The overnight train experience without the sleeper was...well, an experience to say the least. We sat, semi reclined for almost twelve hours in seats that were too small for Erin to stretch out (that really didn't affect me all that much). The lights were kept on throughout the night, wind from the opened window kept us uncomfortably cold, and I kept eying a roach that seemed to take pleasure in me watching its every move. It was great.
In Surat Thani, we had to take a two hour bus ride to Khao Sok and the Jungle Tree House. I don't know exactly why they do this but Thai people insist on overcrowding the bus so that it's standing room only--single file line straight down the middle aisle. Luckily there were a few passengers, who were kind enough to share their seats.
The Jungle Tree house was sweet. We had to walk through a muddy path to get to our tree house while swatting the air around us to avoid any mosquito bites. We split one room between the five of us--three on the bed and Erin and I lucked out with the bunk beds. The balcony had the most amazing view of the mountain. We dropped our bags off, ate some lunch, and spent the next couple hours tubing down the Sok River. B-E-A-UTIFUL. The air was clean, the scenery was green, and the atmosphere was calm. This was the best way we could have possibly spent our day after a billion hours of traveling.
I think we went to bed early that night...9pm early. With it being the jungle and all, the room cam equipped with mosquito nets. I hate when things don't do what they're supposed to; my net had holes that were poorly patched up with band aids. I was sleeping in my sleeping bag liner (thank jebuddah I brought it) and I felt something land on my head. There's something unsettling knowing that you're not alone in your mosquito net. I figured I could try and get the bug out of my net but risk letting mosquitoes orrrr I could completely wrap myself in the bag liner. I chose the bag liner. This bug was big but there's nothing worse than a mosquito bite in the wrong place. I didn't want to take any chances.
The following day Erin and I went on a half day hike in the Khao Sok National Park. Only it wasn't so much of a hike. It was more like a Sunday stroll through the jungle...that was heavily populated with leeches. Yes, leeches. Leeches weren't an issue on our way into the park, it was only after swimming in the river in the pouring rain that it really became a problem. I was the first to be leeched. on my lip. To this day, I don't know how a freaking leech ended up getting his grub on my bottom lip. F'in disgusting. They're creepy SOBs--the way they crawl and just the fact they feed on blood. acccckkkk! I wish I got a snap shot of the little guy but I freaked out and picked it off my lip with the quickness. We were both leeched at least three times each....dirrrrty.
We closed our jungle adventure with two changs (each), two loaves of sliced bread, and strawberry and pineapple jelly. We booked the sleeper for the ride back...muchhh better.
Okay, so...in this recent trip to the jungle, three things became clear like crystal:
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The Jungle Tree house was sweet. We had to walk through a muddy path to get to our tree house while swatting the air around us to avoid any mosquito bites. We split one room between the five of us--three on the bed and Erin and I lucked out with the bunk beds. The balcony had the most amazing view of the mountain. We dropped our bags off, ate some lunch, and spent the next couple hours tubing down the Sok River. B-E-A-UTIFUL. The air was clean, the scenery was green, and the atmosphere was calm. This was the best way we could have possibly spent our day after a billion hours of traveling.
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| Our Tree House |
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| The balcony |
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| The view from the balcony |
I think we went to bed early that night...9pm early. With it being the jungle and all, the room cam equipped with mosquito nets. I hate when things don't do what they're supposed to; my net had holes that were poorly patched up with band aids. I was sleeping in my sleeping bag liner (thank jebuddah I brought it) and I felt something land on my head. There's something unsettling knowing that you're not alone in your mosquito net. I figured I could try and get the bug out of my net but risk letting mosquitoes orrrr I could completely wrap myself in the bag liner. I chose the bag liner. This bug was big but there's nothing worse than a mosquito bite in the wrong place. I didn't want to take any chances.
The following day Erin and I went on a half day hike in the Khao Sok National Park. Only it wasn't so much of a hike. It was more like a Sunday stroll through the jungle...that was heavily populated with leeches. Yes, leeches. Leeches weren't an issue on our way into the park, it was only after swimming in the river in the pouring rain that it really became a problem. I was the first to be leeched. on my lip. To this day, I don't know how a freaking leech ended up getting his grub on my bottom lip. F'in disgusting. They're creepy SOBs--the way they crawl and just the fact they feed on blood. acccckkkk! I wish I got a snap shot of the little guy but I freaked out and picked it off my lip with the quickness. We were both leeched at least three times each....dirrrrty.
We closed our jungle adventure with two changs (each), two loaves of sliced bread, and strawberry and pineapple jelly. We booked the sleeper for the ride back...muchhh better.
Okay, so...in this recent trip to the jungle, three things became clear like crystal:
- Thailand is made for small people. Not only did Erin not have enough leg room but even aisles in convenient stores are not foreigner friendly.
- I'm not a jungle person. I thoroughly enjoy my two day, one night stay in Khao Sok but that was plenty of time in the jungle for me. It's the bugs and the leeches. I like them, I just don't like them on me.
- Beware of Trains...they bite. weird.
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Thailand Panoramics
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| Chiang Mai |
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| Chiang Mai |
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| Ayutthaya Ruins |
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| Ayutthaya Ruins |
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| Phu Chi Fa |
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| Phu Chi Fa |
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| Phu Chi Fa |
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| Phu Chi Fa |
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| Our Jungle House, Khao Sok |
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| Sok River, Surat Thani Province |
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| Khao Sok National Par |
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| View from the Tree House balcony |
Friday, December 24, 2010
If heaven exists, I think I found it
One of the last sessions of our Bangkok orientation was on places to go and things to do in Thailand. Phil and Thom listed and showed us pictures of places throughout the country and I fell in love Phu Chi Fa. As soon as I saw the picture, I was hooked like Bubs on heroine. I said to whoever I was sitting next to, "I am going there." Sure enough, I went. I planned the trip out with my buddies Andrew and Erin and we made it happen. We even had more people join us for the festivities.
I left from Phetchaburi at 3:30pm, got to Bangkok around 6 or so and from there we left at 7:30. It took about 10 hours to get to Chiang Rai, where we met up with a few fellow OEGers. Most of my time on the bus was spent sleeping awkwardly between two people who felt comfortable enough to snore in my ear and pass gas. I didn't mind the snoring all that much because I was able to drown it out with my Ipod, but farting? Come on, dude. "Mai ben rai" doesn't cover your ass on this.
Anyway, after breakfast, we took a bus to Wat Rong Khun. Beautiful place--white and modern with a dark twist. check it out...
We bussed it to the Wat and didn't really want to wait around until the next bus decided it wanted to come around (city buses are hardly ever on schedule). You haven't experienced Thailand unless you hitchhike in the bed of a truck. We've experienced Thailand at least four times that weekend. Everywhere I go, I see families of five or more packed in the bed of the truck, I guess it was bound to happen to us sooner or later. I did lose my sunglasses though. It flew off my face mid ride...bummer.
We stayed at the Lazy Moon Homestay and I really couldn't have asked for anything better. Lazy Moon is in Thoeng, which is about an hour and a half away from Chiang Rai and much closer to Phu Chi Fa. We figured that the closer we stay to Phu Chi Fa, the later we'd be able to wake up (if you can even call 3:45 am late). The owners of the homestay were so generous and helpful; they set up our transportation to and from Phu Chi Fa and had breakfast waiting for us when we returned. This place was exactly how I pictured Thailand to be: in a rural, very green area, calming and carefree. Anyway, we woke up for an early morning hike (or more like 10 minute speed walk up a slight incline, it really wasn't a hike and definitely no Runyon Canyon) to the top of Phu Chi Fa to see the sun rise over Laos. If heaven exists, I think I found it...
I left from Phetchaburi at 3:30pm, got to Bangkok around 6 or so and from there we left at 7:30. It took about 10 hours to get to Chiang Rai, where we met up with a few fellow OEGers. Most of my time on the bus was spent sleeping awkwardly between two people who felt comfortable enough to snore in my ear and pass gas. I didn't mind the snoring all that much because I was able to drown it out with my Ipod, but farting? Come on, dude. "Mai ben rai" doesn't cover your ass on this.
Anyway, after breakfast, we took a bus to Wat Rong Khun. Beautiful place--white and modern with a dark twist. check it out...
I wonder if these were modeled after real dudes...
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We stayed at the Lazy Moon Homestay and I really couldn't have asked for anything better. Lazy Moon is in Thoeng, which is about an hour and a half away from Chiang Rai and much closer to Phu Chi Fa. We figured that the closer we stay to Phu Chi Fa, the later we'd be able to wake up (if you can even call 3:45 am late). The owners of the homestay were so generous and helpful; they set up our transportation to and from Phu Chi Fa and had breakfast waiting for us when we returned. This place was exactly how I pictured Thailand to be: in a rural, very green area, calming and carefree. Anyway, we woke up for an early morning hike (or more like 10 minute speed walk up a slight incline, it really wasn't a hike and definitely no Runyon Canyon) to the top of Phu Chi Fa to see the sun rise over Laos. If heaven exists, I think I found it... |
| The Phu Chi Fa Crew: Erin, Allison, Brandon, and Andrew |
The best thing about making it to Phu Chi Fa wasn't so much the view but a personal accomplishment. The view was gorgeous and the fact that we were looking out into Laos was mind boggling but I was standing on top of the mountain smiling to myself because I made this happen. I couldn't believe I was there. I said I was going to go and I went. I did it. I did it! First Thailand and now Phu Chi Fa. It was relatively easy too.
Cheers to taking charge & making things happen!
Yes you can.
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