- I named a new peak.
- I'm glad I started my malaria pills a few days ago.
- I'm glad I brought (and had with me) my first aid kit, even if my EMT certification expired a few days ago.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Teaser!
Had a crazy awesome day today. Went off exploring on a scooter/motorbike by myself. Details to follow but:
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Got in to Chiang Mai today. I love it despite the perpetually grey sky. I guess being by the ocean helps Bangkok.
Picking up from last time: Monk Bowl Village is where a half dozen families make bowls that monks traditionally use for collections the original way: 8 strips of metal hammered together with melted copper at the joints. Each bowl takes about a day to make. Some look very plain, others are more decorated, and they range from normal rice bowl size to serving bowl size.
We walked around the Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew and a few other local wats. Amazingly elaborate and ornate temples and shrines. (Pictures will most likely be uploaded once I get back to the states.)
Around sunset we took a ferry along a canal to get back to the skytrain/our hostel. It sounds picturesque. However, the water was filthy, and there was a tarp on ropes that the passengers could raise or lower, and most had it up high to keep any splashes from getting on them. It was good to catch the little glimpses that I did of the slums along the canal to compare to other parts of Bangkok.
The next morning we took a regional train to Ayutthaya, the second capitol of Thailand. It was a huge area around 1700, and the ruins do give an idea of its past grandeur, but the town itself is possibly even more depressing. We got around by bike (pretty dangerous from where we were staying, apparently), and thought it would be a good idea to stop by the Ayutthaya Historical Study Center to get some perspective before viewing the ruins. The Japanese built the center, and apparently promptly abandoned it. We left pretty quickly too. We somehow navigated to the main attraction of the town: Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya (the actual ruins).
They were very impressive, and it was mind boggling to compare these ruins and buddha images to what we'd seen in Bangkok. They are what you see in movies or video games, but they don't do the scale justice.
The next day we went to Sukhothai, the original capitol of Thailand, before Ayutthaya. Old Sukhothai (where we were staying) is literally a one road town. Not only that, it is mostly one side of a road, as the other side is predominantly ruins and an active temple.
The Sukhothai Historical Park is incredible (I think I'm running out of synonyms). It covers a huge area, and while some parts are spread out, the ruins themselves convey more of an anciety city feel than Ayutthaya. One gets a much better perspective of what it would be like in its heyday. It was originally a walled town, and some remnants of the walls are still visible, but they mostly look like hills. Along one of the rural roads around the less dense parts we hit a rural traffic jam: about 20 head of cattle were being herded across the road.
The active monastery was interesting: it's surround by a moat thick with catfish and other fish. The monks sell fish food pellets to tourists, and it is disgusting how many writhe to the surface, sliding over each other, mouths gaping for food. As you can probable guess, nobody is allowed to fish from the moat. The fish must live a fat and happy life: many of them were at least 4 feet long.
The food in Old Sukhothai was pretty good and amazingly cheap. We had some incredible soup from a street vendor for 20 baht, and noddles for 10 baht ($1 USD = 35 baht).
As we bused from Sukhothai to Chiang Mai (this morning) the sky ominously turned grey and heavy. It is common to burn off trash, and the air feels thick with it, along with pollution from the buses, trucks, trains, cars, and motorbikes.
We have about 4 or 5 days in Chiang Mai, then we head to Chiang Rei and in to Laos.
Picking up from last time: Monk Bowl Village is where a half dozen families make bowls that monks traditionally use for collections the original way: 8 strips of metal hammered together with melted copper at the joints. Each bowl takes about a day to make. Some look very plain, others are more decorated, and they range from normal rice bowl size to serving bowl size.
We walked around the Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew and a few other local wats. Amazingly elaborate and ornate temples and shrines. (Pictures will most likely be uploaded once I get back to the states.)
Around sunset we took a ferry along a canal to get back to the skytrain/our hostel. It sounds picturesque. However, the water was filthy, and there was a tarp on ropes that the passengers could raise or lower, and most had it up high to keep any splashes from getting on them. It was good to catch the little glimpses that I did of the slums along the canal to compare to other parts of Bangkok.
The next morning we took a regional train to Ayutthaya, the second capitol of Thailand. It was a huge area around 1700, and the ruins do give an idea of its past grandeur, but the town itself is possibly even more depressing. We got around by bike (pretty dangerous from where we were staying, apparently), and thought it would be a good idea to stop by the Ayutthaya Historical Study Center to get some perspective before viewing the ruins. The Japanese built the center, and apparently promptly abandoned it. We left pretty quickly too. We somehow navigated to the main attraction of the town: Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya (the actual ruins).
They were very impressive, and it was mind boggling to compare these ruins and buddha images to what we'd seen in Bangkok. They are what you see in movies or video games, but they don't do the scale justice.
The next day we went to Sukhothai, the original capitol of Thailand, before Ayutthaya. Old Sukhothai (where we were staying) is literally a one road town. Not only that, it is mostly one side of a road, as the other side is predominantly ruins and an active temple.
The Sukhothai Historical Park is incredible (I think I'm running out of synonyms). It covers a huge area, and while some parts are spread out, the ruins themselves convey more of an anciety city feel than Ayutthaya. One gets a much better perspective of what it would be like in its heyday. It was originally a walled town, and some remnants of the walls are still visible, but they mostly look like hills. Along one of the rural roads around the less dense parts we hit a rural traffic jam: about 20 head of cattle were being herded across the road.
The active monastery was interesting: it's surround by a moat thick with catfish and other fish. The monks sell fish food pellets to tourists, and it is disgusting how many writhe to the surface, sliding over each other, mouths gaping for food. As you can probable guess, nobody is allowed to fish from the moat. The fish must live a fat and happy life: many of them were at least 4 feet long.
The food in Old Sukhothai was pretty good and amazingly cheap. We had some incredible soup from a street vendor for 20 baht, and noddles for 10 baht ($1 USD = 35 baht).
As we bused from Sukhothai to Chiang Mai (this morning) the sky ominously turned grey and heavy. It is common to burn off trash, and the air feels thick with it, along with pollution from the buses, trucks, trains, cars, and motorbikes.
We have about 4 or 5 days in Chiang Mai, then we head to Chiang Rei and in to Laos.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Hi all. Second time at a computer since I've been here, but the first place kept crashing on me so no post then. I'll post some old stuff first:
The first leg of getting to Bangkok was a 12 hour flight. Asiana Airlines was voted the best airline in 2009. A little premature maybe, but it was a very nice flight. I had a row to myself, so I took a nap and brushed up on my Thai a little.
After 7 hours, 3 embarassed hostesses asked me to move for a passenger complaining of back problems. I've been there myself and figured I could do with some good kharma before visiting a largely Buddhist country, so I moved and got an aisle seat with extra leg room and an empty middle seat next to me. I was thanked by entire flight crew, and was given a rum and coke that probably took the enamel off my teeth. I don't think the passenger who woke up with me invading his row was as well compensated.
I spent 2 hours walking around Incheon airport (South Korea), and then slept for most of the 6 hour flight to Bangkok.
2am: I got in after public transport was closed, so I had to take a cab. Instead of lining up for a disgruntled cab driver like in the US, in Suvarnabhumi Airport they line up to smile and rip you off. The "system" the airport provides just facilitates the extorsion with a smile, since they pair you up with a cab driver. He offered me a flat fee, but when I asked for the meter he said it was broken. Apparently hiding it under a wash cloth breaks it.
2:20am: Lanes are about as relevant as speed limits. If there was a car next to the cab, he got closer to it despite the four lane freeway being almost empty. If there was a car in front, he sped up (up to 140 k/hr), but if there was no one in front he slowed down to 60 k/hr. Fun.
2:45am: Met up with Lauren at Suk11 hostel.
6:14am: After a light nap, I took a stroll around the neighborhood. We are wedged between a "quiet" red light district & an expat/ambassador neighborhood. They both see a lot of activity, though of different kinds and at different times. Seeing the Thai locals start their day before the tourists began to stir was a great intro to Bangkok though.
Despite the almost complete lack of trash cans, the streets are free of trash save for the food waste the street vendors sweep into the gutters and toss into the canals. The fish seem to love it.
Getting around Bangkok is fairly convenient. We are staying close to the skytrain, which is an elevated metro system that was completed in the new millenium. Clean, airconditioned, and cheap. We can easily get to the river from the hostel on it, and from there we can take longboat ferries to get to other parts of the city.
We took the ferry up to Khao San Road, a backpacker "ghetto" or "haven," depending on your perspective, and then were offered a very cheap tuk-tuk ride. Lauren's new friend "Dan" was very friendly and lucky us! Because of the recent turmoil, today was a free gas day! Only 50 baht for a tour of the temples!
Of course it included low-key non-tourist temples, but also a travel agent, a tailor, etc that we finally convinced the driver Kob not to take us to anymore. Either way it was fun and cheap.
For an airconditioned break we checked out a huge mall just off the sky train, MDK. This place has an incredible food court with prices comparable to the street vendors. Awesome.
That night we went to a night market. We explored for about 45 minutes, going up and down each row methodically, before we realized we'd only seen about 1/6th of the place. It also has a huge beer garden with a food court. It's like an overblown Paddington Market in Sydney. Great deals on clothes, souvenirs, bags, and anything else. And the less you want it and the later in the night it is, the cheaper it becomes as the vendors slash the prices if you just stop and look.
The next day we saw a very red sunrise over part of the skyline from the sky train as we headed out to explore chinatown. After squeezing up through the stalls of pungent foods, we walked through a very non-tourist area full of auto-part shops etc. We were 2 of 10 white people in the market, but we were on our own out here. We finally stumbled on the alley we were looking for: The Monk Bowl Village.
I'll have to pick up from here later. We're currently somewhere between Bangkok and Chiang Mai, in Sukhothai, but my time on this computer is about to run out.
The first leg of getting to Bangkok was a 12 hour flight. Asiana Airlines was voted the best airline in 2009. A little premature maybe, but it was a very nice flight. I had a row to myself, so I took a nap and brushed up on my Thai a little.
After 7 hours, 3 embarassed hostesses asked me to move for a passenger complaining of back problems. I've been there myself and figured I could do with some good kharma before visiting a largely Buddhist country, so I moved and got an aisle seat with extra leg room and an empty middle seat next to me. I was thanked by entire flight crew, and was given a rum and coke that probably took the enamel off my teeth. I don't think the passenger who woke up with me invading his row was as well compensated.
I spent 2 hours walking around Incheon airport (South Korea), and then slept for most of the 6 hour flight to Bangkok.
2am: I got in after public transport was closed, so I had to take a cab. Instead of lining up for a disgruntled cab driver like in the US, in Suvarnabhumi Airport they line up to smile and rip you off. The "system" the airport provides just facilitates the extorsion with a smile, since they pair you up with a cab driver. He offered me a flat fee, but when I asked for the meter he said it was broken. Apparently hiding it under a wash cloth breaks it.
2:20am: Lanes are about as relevant as speed limits. If there was a car next to the cab, he got closer to it despite the four lane freeway being almost empty. If there was a car in front, he sped up (up to 140 k/hr), but if there was no one in front he slowed down to 60 k/hr. Fun.
2:45am: Met up with Lauren at Suk11 hostel.
6:14am: After a light nap, I took a stroll around the neighborhood. We are wedged between a "quiet" red light district & an expat/ambassador neighborhood. They both see a lot of activity, though of different kinds and at different times. Seeing the Thai locals start their day before the tourists began to stir was a great intro to Bangkok though.
Despite the almost complete lack of trash cans, the streets are free of trash save for the food waste the street vendors sweep into the gutters and toss into the canals. The fish seem to love it.
Getting around Bangkok is fairly convenient. We are staying close to the skytrain, which is an elevated metro system that was completed in the new millenium. Clean, airconditioned, and cheap. We can easily get to the river from the hostel on it, and from there we can take longboat ferries to get to other parts of the city.
We took the ferry up to Khao San Road, a backpacker "ghetto" or "haven," depending on your perspective, and then were offered a very cheap tuk-tuk ride. Lauren's new friend "Dan" was very friendly and lucky us! Because of the recent turmoil, today was a free gas day! Only 50 baht for a tour of the temples!
Of course it included low-key non-tourist temples, but also a travel agent, a tailor, etc that we finally convinced the driver Kob not to take us to anymore. Either way it was fun and cheap.
For an airconditioned break we checked out a huge mall just off the sky train, MDK. This place has an incredible food court with prices comparable to the street vendors. Awesome.
That night we went to a night market. We explored for about 45 minutes, going up and down each row methodically, before we realized we'd only seen about 1/6th of the place. It also has a huge beer garden with a food court. It's like an overblown Paddington Market in Sydney. Great deals on clothes, souvenirs, bags, and anything else. And the less you want it and the later in the night it is, the cheaper it becomes as the vendors slash the prices if you just stop and look.
The next day we saw a very red sunrise over part of the skyline from the sky train as we headed out to explore chinatown. After squeezing up through the stalls of pungent foods, we walked through a very non-tourist area full of auto-part shops etc. We were 2 of 10 white people in the market, but we were on our own out here. We finally stumbled on the alley we were looking for: The Monk Bowl Village.
I'll have to pick up from here later. We're currently somewhere between Bangkok and Chiang Mai, in Sukhothai, but my time on this computer is about to run out.
Monday, March 9, 2009
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Pregame: The plan
I'm heading out of LAX on March 10th, and arrive in Bangkok March 12th just after midnight. I'll make my way to a hostel I have yet to reserve and meet up with Lauren.
We'll spend a few days in Bangkok, adjusting to the time zone, and getting visas for Laos.
Around the 14th we'll head up to Chiang Mai for a week.
Around the 20th we'll head east to Luang Prabang in Laos for a week.
Depending on when we want to arrive in Cambodia (Angkor Wat area), we'll either head straight there (possibly by boat along the river) or travel through the jungles in Thailand for several days en route.
A few days there before heading west, back in to Thailand, and south along the coast to the Krabi/Phuket areas.
On the 17th of April I fly from Bangkok to Hong Kong and meet up with my dad. He'll be attending trade shows etc, so I'll be exploring on my own until the 23rd, when we take a train down to Guangzhou. I fly out of Guangzhou on the 24th, back to LAX.
The only solid dates are the flights and the train to Guangzhou, everything else is pretty loose depending on what we figure out as we go. If you have any recommendations on things to do in the above places or places to go that I didn't mention, let me know!
Disclaimer
Friends who have (and are) traveling have kept blogs as a way to keep in touch with people back home, and I thought it was a good way to go about it (Rachel's Peace Corps in Kenya, Lauren's Adventure Eurasia). However, I doubt this will be updated regularly. If I haven't posted here in a while, don't presume me missing or dead. I'm hoping this will end up as a way for me to share some of my experiences, and also to have a travel journal I can look back on later. We'll see if I add pictures here as well.
The best way to get in touch with me (as usual) is by email. If you comment or email me and mention the blog I'll be more likely to update, so please do!
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